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Academic Year
The undergraduate College academic calendar is divided into two semesters of equal length; the first extends from late August until the Christmas holidays, and the second from mid-January until mid-May.
Course Numbering
Courses numbered from 100 to 299 are lower division courses; those numbered from 300 to 499 are upper division. Graduate courses are numbered 500 and above. Courses numbered below 100 do not apply toward any graduation requirement.
Academic Credit
Credit is recorded in semester hours. One fifty-minute class period per week throughout the semester is the equivalent of one semester hour. Therefore, a 3-credit course will meet for fifty minutes three times a week, or seventy-five minutes two times a week or 150 minutes once a week.
Course Load
The normal student load is fifteen to sixteen credits per semester. A student who wishes to carry more than eighteen credits in any given semester must have approval from the academic advising office. Tuition is charged for all courses carried for credit, for all courses repeated, and for all courses audited. To be classified as full-time, undergraduates must carry at least twelve credit hours per semester. Candidates for graduation in the normal eight semester time period must earn an average of at least 15.25 credits per semester. Any student who carries a course load of less than twelve credit hours is considered a part-time student. Exchange courses (SMU/WSU Cooperative Program) are included in the student course load when determining full-time or part-time status.
Credits Attempted
The number of credits attempted is the total number of credits in which grades of A, AB, B, BC, C, CD, D, F or X are recorded. Incomplete (I) credits are not calculated into credits attempted until the incomplete grade has been replaced by a passing or failing grade. Credits from a given course are recorded as attempted only once. Repeating a failed course is treated as trying to earn the same credits already attempted.
Credits Earned
The number of credits earned is the total number of credits for non-repeated courses in which a grade of A, AB, B, BC, C, CD, D, or P is recorded. Credit may be earned for a repeated course only when the original grade was F, NC, or X.
Course Repeats
A course may be repeated, but credit for a given course can be earned only once. The original grade is not removed when the course is repeated. Only the higher grade is computed in the grade point average. Courses repeated under the pass/no credit grade option do not affect a student’s grade point average. Students who wish to improve their GPA by repeating a course must do so under the traditional A–F grade system.
Classification of Students
0-23 earned credits - Freshman
24-55 earned credits - Sophomore
56-86 earned credits - Junior
87+ earned credits - Senior
Full-time status = 12+ credits per semester
Part-time status = less than 12 credits per semester
(3/4 time = 9-11 credits per semester; 1/2 time = 6-8 credits per semester)
Course Registration
Initial registration and changes after the initial course registration for a term must be completed on-line or filed at student services. Under normal conditions, the registrar will accept registration changes only from the student. It is the student’s responsibility to monitor his/her class schedule throughout the semester. A student is allowed one calendar week after the beginning of the semester in which to add and drop courses. Registration for short courses which begin later in the semester is open until the end of the add/drop deadline for that short session; please see the add/drop/withdrawal schedule in student services for those dates. Students will be charged a late registration fee for each course registered after the approved registration period.
In order to preserve the integrity of the university transcript, students must be registered for a course in the semester in which they take it.
Course Withdrawal
After the change of registration period, a student may withdraw from a semester length course by submitting the approved course withdrawal form to student services. Failure to follow course withdrawal procedures will be considered an unauthorized withdrawal and will result in a grade of “X” for the course. The notation appearing on the permanent record for withdrawn courses is W. Appropriate consideration should be given prior to a course withdrawal since it may affect full-time student status.
Saint Mary’s policy in regard to course withdrawals follows:
- Course withdrawals during the four weeks of the semester will be deleted from the student’s permanent record. Withdrawals during this time are subject to university policy on tuition refunds.
- A student may withdraw from a course up to the twelfth week of classes. In this case the permanent record will show a notation of “W” after the course. Specific dates for course withdrawal deadlines may be obtained in student services.
- Students are limited to eighteen (18) credits of course withdrawals (W/WD) during the time they are in residence at SMU pursuing a bachelor’s degree.
Withdrawal dates for short courses may be obtained in student services.
Course Incompletion for Active Military Duty
Students called to active military duty prior to the completion of a semester have the following options. They must indicate in writing to the associate vice president for academic affairs, before departure, which option they choose.
- If the student is close to completion of the semester, he/she should consult with staff in the academic advising office. That office will assist the student in arranging for the completion of his/her course work with his/her instructors. The student would then be required to complete the remaining required course work upon his/her return to the university. The student’s transcript would reflect a grade of “Incomplete.” If the student does not complete the course work within six (6) months of his/her return to the university, the grade of “Incomplete” would be changed to “W” (Withdraw). The student would then need to register and retake the course. If a student’s circumstances change after his/her return from military services, the student should contact staff in the academic advising office. That office will work with the student in resolving completion of the course work.
- The student may request withdrawal from the course; the student will receive a full tuition refund. The dropped course will not appear on the student’s transcript. No academic or financial penalties are associated with withdrawal from a course under these circumstances. The student may register and retake the course upon his/her return to the university.
Withdrawal from the University
Students intending to withdraw from the university must complete an honorable withdrawal form and have an exit interview with staff in the academic advising office. The following are policies regarding withdrawal from Saint Mary’s.
Students may withdraw from the university any time before the start of the final exam period with the following stipulations:
- Students who withdraw within the last ten class days before the start of the final exam period will not be allowed to return to Saint Mary’s the following semester. Students wishing to return to the university may apply for readmission after one semester has elapsed.
- The permanent records of students who withdraw before the start of the final exam period will show grades of “W” for all courses in progress. Final grades for courses completed prior to withdrawal will remain on the student’s record.
- Students who withdraw from the university before the start of the final exam period, in more than one semester, may need to appear before the Academic Standing Committee before being readmitted for subsequent semesters.
Class Attendance
Students are expected to attend all class meetings of courses for which they are registered. Absences from any class meeting weaken the learning experience. Instructors are encouraged to adhere to the following guidelines on student absences.
- For any absence which is anticipated, the student is responsible for notifying the instructor by the class prior to the missed class*.
- If any evaluative instrument is due on the day that the student will miss class, the student is responsible for submitting the work prior to the scheduled class meeting.
- If a student fails to speak with the instructor prior to the absence and/or fails to complete the assignments, quizzes, or exams by the due date, the instructor is under no obligation to provide a make-up exam, quiz, or to accept late work, unless stated otherwise in the syllabus. A grade of “0 points” on late work is appropriate.
- In a class in which there are participation points given based solely on attendance, students will lose participation points even if they contact the instructor prior to missing class, except in the cases noted below:
- Student-athletes participating in one of the 19 NCAA sports.
- Students participating in music ensembles.
- Student senate officers representing the student body at professional meetings.
- Students representing specific programs at events which promote the university
(e.g., students participating in the Chicago Convention).
*When games are rescheduled due to weather, student-athletes must notify their instructors at least 18 hours prior to the missed class.
Students who are absent for two or more consecutive classes because of an acute illness or personal emergency should notify the academic advising office, who will, in turn, notify instructors of the illness or personal emergency. Such absences are not covered by the recommendations above and instructors are encouraged to find ways to allow students to complete missed work.
Instructors are required to include their attendance policy, in as much detail as possible, in their syllabi to reduce the possibility of confusion or misinterpretation. In addition, instructors must announce their policy within the first week of class and require that student athletes or music students who are scheduled to miss several classes speak with them after class. A student who anticipates several absences may be able to be moved to a different section or take the class another semester.
Policy on Excessive Absence
A full-time student may be dismissed from the university upon failure to maintain regular attendance in at least 12 credit hours per semester. When university staff become aware of a student not regularly attending at least 12 credit hours of class in a semester, notification will be made to the associate vice president for academic affairs, who will convene a committee consisting of the dean of students and representatives from academic advising, academic skills center, faculty, and the Wellness Center to meet with the student, review the circumstances and provide a recommendation to the associate vice president for academic affairs regarding the student’s future status at Saint Mary’s.
The committee may recommend dismissal or may recommend that the student be allowed to continue at Saint Mary’s. If the committee determines that allowing the student to continue at Saint Mary’s is appropriate, the student may be required to conform to more rigid academic requirements than the general student body. Upon receiving the recommendation of the committee, the associate vice president for academic affairs will make a decision and notify the instructors and student of the decision in writing. The student may appeal the judgement or sanction to the student judicial council. A student who is dismissed for excessive absence may appeal to the academic standing committee for readmission the following semester.
Transfer Credit
Students may transfer in approved courses from other accredited institutions. Credits earned with grades of C or better are accepted in transfer at the discretion of the registrar. Credits earned with grades of C-, CD, or lower are not accepted in transfer. Honor points are not transferred. The grade point average and class rank of the student are determined only by coursework taken at Saint Mary’s University.
It is strongly recommended that currently enrolled Saint Mary’s students get written pre-approval from the department chair for transfer courses within the major or minor area of study. Courses without the pre-approval might not be accepted into the major or minor. The department may limit the number of major or minor transfer courses accepted.
Pass/No Credit Option
Students may elect to take courses under the pass/no credit grading option. In such courses, the student receives either the grade of P for pass or NC for no credit. A grade of P is equivalent to a grade of C or higher. A grade of NC is equivalent to a grade of CD or lower. The following restrictions govern the use of this option:
- A student may take no more than two such courses in any one semester and no more than eight courses in the total academic program.
- Major/minor courses or general education courses cannot be taken P/NC without the approval of the associate vice president for academic affairs.
- The option is not available to first semester freshmen or transfer students in their first semester at SMU.
- The option is not available to students whose GPA is less than 2.0.
Credits earned under this option are counted toward the total number of credits required for graduation but are not used in determining a student’s grade point average. Before registering for a course under the pass/no credit option, the student must first get written permission from the instructor on an add/drop form which must be turned in to student services. A student should declare an intention to take a course under the pass/no credit option at the time of registration. A request to change from P/NC to a letter grade must be made during the course add/drop period. A request to change from a letter grade to P/NC must be made during the first four weeks of classes.
Credit by Examination
A student, through experience and/or personal study, may possess competencies/knowledge of academic subject matter normally obtained through class participation in a given course. The student may demonstrate this knowledge and earn credit, if appropriate, by taking a comprehensive exam covering the materials in a given course. Academic departments determine which courses are eligible for credit by examination and administer the exam. Such exams are graded strictly on a pass/no credit basis. A maximum of fifteen credits may be earned in this manner. See the registrar for credit by examination policies and procedures.
Auditing Courses
An audited course is one in which a student is allowed to sit in class and participate; the student is not expected to complete papers or exams. A grade of AU on a transcript indicates an audited course and no credit is earned. A student who wishes to audit a course instead of taking it for credit must obtain permission from the instructor of the course and must complete a signed add card. A student may not change a course registration from credit to audit or from audit to credit after the add/drop period designated by the registrar. Audited courses are charged at the rate of half of the per credit fee charged for the academic year in which the course is audited. Non-attendance in an audited class may result in an X grade.
Course Substitution/Waiver
Students may appeal to the director of academic advising for a course substitution for a required course in the Lasallian Core Traditions Program or the Lasallian Honors Program. Students may appeal to the department chair for a course substitution or a course waiver for a required course in a major or minor.
Independent Study Projects
Independent study projects offered at the university are available for credit to Saint Mary’s University students. Independent study projects may be individually designed projects or they may be catalog courses pursued as independent study projects. However, no catalog course may be pursued as an independent study project in the same semester in which that course is offered in the regular schedule of classes. Independent study projects may, with approval, be used to fulfill general education requirements, major requirements, or elective credit requirements. Students may take up to eight independent study projects (for a total of no more than 24 credits) during their undergraduate career. Students are limited to 2 such projects (for a total of no more than six credits) in any given semester. Students should avoid taking several independent study projects from the same instructor. Procedures and necessary forms for approval of independent study projects may be obtained at student services. The independent study form must be submitted for approval to the associate vice president for academic affairs before the end of the add/drop period.
Final Examinations
At the end of each semester, there is a period devoted to final examinations. Instructors must hold an exam or educational experience during the examination period. No student may be required to take more than two examinations on any one day in the final examination period. If none of the instructors scheduling an examination in such an instance is willing to readjust the examination time for the student, the instructor giving the middle examination(s) on that day must examine the student on another day. Instructors are not required to give the examination prior to the scheduled date in such instances.
Grade Reports
Mid-term and final grades are available to students online. For all first year students, if the Consent to Disclosure form is on file, parents or guardians will automatically receive grade reports at mid-term and the end of semester for the first two semesters. For parents or guardians of all other students, a specific request must be made to the registrar’s office and a Consent to Disclosure form must be on file to release grade reports.
Incomplete Grades
The grade of “I” may be given by an instructor only when the reason for not completing the required work is beyond the student’s control (hospitalization, death in the immediate family, etc.). The assignment of an incomplete grade must be approved by the associate vice president for academic affairs. It is the responsibility of the student to consult with the instructor to determine a plan for completing the required work for the course. This work must be satisfactorily completed and the “I” replaced by a passing grade within four weeks after the beginning of the next regular semester. If this is not done, the “I” will be changed to an “F.” If this failing grade results in a GPA which is below the academic standards of the university, the student may be dismissed for low scholarship, even though a new semester has already begun. Requests for an extension must be made to the associate vice president for academic affairs within the first three weeks of the semester. Incompletes are never granted to allow a student further time to improve a grade after the semester has ended. The way to improve an undesirable grade is to repeat the course at Saint Mary’s University.
Change of Grade
If an instructor discovers an error in a student’s final grade, an amended grade report is filed in the registrar’s office. The change of grade must be filed within one semester of the date of the original grade submission. Changes of grades cannot be made on the basis of work done after the end of the semester. The way to improve an undesirable grade is to repeat the course at Saint Mary’s University. In most cases, only the instructor concerned may change a grade. Grades may be lowered after the end of the semester in cases of cheating or plagiarism.
If a student believes that an incorrect grade has been given, the student should consult with the instructor. If the instructor refuses to change the grade, the student may consult the appropriate dean. If the dean elects to intervene, he/she will attempt to mediate the matter with the student and the instructor. If the matter is not resolved through the intervention of the dean, the student may appeal to the associate vice president for academic affairs, who may request a recommendation from the academic standing committee. The student’s appeal must be based on grounds other than his/her disagreement with the instructor’s evaluation of his/her work, and must be made by the end of the semester following the submission of the disputed grade. The recommendation of the academic standing committee is not binding on the associate vice president for academic affairs. If the academic standing committee recommends that the grade be changed and the instructor is still unwilling to change the grade, the associate vice president for academic affairs may assign a grade of P (pass) or W (withdrawal). The associate vice president for academic affairs may not change the grade in a manner other than as specified above.
Declaring a Major
Students must declare a major before they register for classes for the first semester of their junior year. Any change in the major during subsequent semesters or the addition of a major must be approved by the department chair of the new major.
Students may declare additional majors (a maximum of three majors may be declared) prior to their graduation; however, a course may not be counted toward more than one major unless both majors specifically require that course, e.g., M151, Calculus I, a listed requirement of mathematics and computer science. When students have an option in selecting courses to complete a given major, they cannot utilize courses which comprise part of another major. If a course appears in two majors as one of several courses that may be selected, that course can be applied only to one major. This policy applies also for courses used in a major and a minor or more than one minor.
Students may declare up to three minors although students are not required to complete a minor.
Application for Degree
Degrees are awarded in May, August, and December. An application for degree candidacy must be filed with the registrar one semester prior to completion of all degree requirements.
Transcript of Credits
A transcript of credits will be issued by student services at the written request of a student. Transcripts may be held if the student’s account is not current.
Confidentiality of Records
Generally, the education records of a student are confidential. However, a student’s education records may be disclosed to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the university in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position; a person or company with whom the university has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee (such as a disciplinary or grievance committee) or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility to the university.
The university adheres to The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended and requires the written approval from the student to release academic records to anyone who is not a school official with legitimate educational interests. In order for a parent or guardian to receive information about their student’s progress, Saint Mary’s University must have on file a Consent to Disclosure signed by the student which indicates his/her intent to share academic information with those named parent(s) or guardian(s).
The university designates all information normally considered directory information (student name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, and the most recent previous school attended) as private information. Release of this information to third parties may only be made with written consent of the student.
Official Notices
Official notices are sent via e-mail, distributed to student mail boxes in the Toner Student Center, and/or posted on the academic bulletin board across from student services in Saint Mary’s Hall. When a notice is communicated to students in any of these ways, it has been officially communicated. Students should check their SMU e-mail accounts, their campus mail boxes, and the academic bulletin board often so they do not miss official notices.
Disability Services and Academic Support Policy for Students
It is the policy of the university to comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws concerning access to education benefits and programs.
Academic support services are available at the Winona campus to eligible students with disabilities through the academic skills center (ASC). For purposes of this policy, “disabled student” is defined to include a student who (1) has a physical or mental impairment which materially or substantially limits him or her in a major life activity, or (2) has a record of such an impairment, or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment.
A student with a disability who requests academic support services must provide documentation of the disability and the need for the services requested to the disability services coordinator (DSC). Typically, that documentation will be in the form of a diagnostic report. The diagnostic report is used for two purposes: (1) to document the existence, nature, and extent of the disability and (2) to identify reasonable accommodations. Since the provision of reasonable accommodations and services is based on the impact of the student’s disability on his/her current academic performance in a specific academic program, the student’s best interests are served by providing recent and appropriate documentation of his/her disability. Usually, testing that has been conducted within the last three years will be considered recent and appropriate documentation. Assessments made at the pre-college level will qualify as appropriate documentation only if they reflect adult capabilities and the academic demands of higher education. If a diagnostic report is inadequate to determine the present extent of a student’s disability or appropriate accommodations, the DSC may require a supplemental assessment of the disability at the student’s expense.
The disability services coordinator in consultation with appropriate staff, as necessary, will determine if a student qualifies for academic support services. The disability services coordinator in consultation with appropriate faculty members, as necessary, will determine the specific academic support services to be provided to an eligible student, taking into account the student’s stated preferences, if any.
In addition, the ASC staff is available to work with eligible students with disabilities in determining and identifying other academic support services as necessary and/or available. Students with specific academic needs should contact the disability services coordinator for assistance in determining appropriate accommodations, for example, providing testing accommodations, acquiring taped texts, using assistive technology and/or relocating classrooms or providing office services in accessible areas.
Depending on the situation, academic support services may be offered on a limited or ongoing basis; therefore, eligibility for services is usually determined each academic year.
If an eligible student declines services offered to him or her through the DSC, the student may be required to sign a Declination of Services Form. A student’s signature on this form does not preclude the student from making subsequent requests for services; however, a separate determination of eligibility and/or services may be required upon any subsequent request.
Saint Mary’s University retains discretion to establish and maintain curriculum and degree requirements for all students.
In most cases, academic support services are coordinated through the ASC; thus any questions regarding these services should be directed to the disability services coordinator or the ASC director. |
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