Miles College Academic Policies

The College’s registration policies and procedures, including final examination schedules are published on the College Web Site, www.miles.edu.

Registration

Dates are listed on the college calendar located on the Web site. Students are responsible for complying with all regulations governing registration, change-of-schedule (drop/add), tuition payment, and other requirements described either in this bulletin or advised by the administration otherwise. Every registrant must arrange a class schedule with a faculty advisor at the time and place designated.

Web Registration

Degree seeking students are encouraged to take advantage of the College’s web registration system via Bear’s Den. Students are able to register for classes from home or anywhere in the world. Students may consult the schedule of course offerings and the Web Site at www.miles.edu for detailed instructions.

Registration in Saturday Module Courses

Weekend courses are available for students who seek alternative times and are generally employed. Students registering for courses offered during the Saturday modules must follow the calendar schedule designed for those specific courses. Courses begin and end outside the regular semester schedule (i.e., first day of class, number of absentees allowed and drop and withdrawal dates vary). Although registration for these courses is required during the normal College schedule, enrollment in these courses may require the student’s attendance at a time before or after residential housing is available. Students should determine their ability to attend these courses before adding them to their schedule. All courses offered during the weekend modules are available to students on the regular fall or spring course schedule (see major paradigm).

Miles College will comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), also known as the Buckley Amendment – 20 U.S.C. - 123g – of 1974.

Pursuant to FERPA requirements, some personal directory information may be released to third parties by Miles College without prior consent of a student unless the student files a written request with the Office of Academic Records to restrict directory information access.

The Registrar has been designated as the FERPA officer for the College. Further information about policy and procedures with respect to privacy of student records may be obtained from the Office of Academic Records.

Location and Use of Education Records

Admission records are located in the Office of Admissions and Enrollment, Bell Building.

Cumulative academic records are located in the Office of Academic Records, Brown Hall.

Financial aid records are located in the Office of Financial Aid, Brown Hall.

Records pertaining to student financial services, tuition and fees are located in the Business Office, Brown Hall.

College-based testing records are located in the Testing and Assessment Center, Student Norton Building.

Graduation records and transcripts verifying attendance are located in the Office of Academic Records, Brown Hall.

Disability records are located in the Counseling Center with the Student Accommodation Services Counselor, Student Norton Building.

All custodians of a student’s education records and other College employees/agents may not disclose any information to third parties without the student’s prior written consent.

Please contact the Office of Academic Records at 205.929.1422 if you have questions or need additional information.

Change of Address or Name. Prior to officially being admitted to the College, changes in address or name or other personal information should be made in the Office of Admissions. Once the student becomes a registered student, or anytime thereafter, changes should be made in the Office of Academic Records. Appropriate documentation may be required to verify some changes.

Registration Holds

A student may be placed on hold based on a variety of financial and administrative reasons. Students are notified of these holds prior to each registration period and should clear them before being allowed to register. Please see the appropriate department for more details pertaining to holds. Auditing Course(s). A student may register to audit a course(s) on a space available basis. Admission to the College is not required and no credit will be given for audited courses. Registration for audit may not be changed from audit to credit, or vice versa, after the first day of class.

Cancellation of Registration

The College may cancel the registration of a student whose registration fees have not been paid in full by the deadline. Students whose registration is canceled may apply for reinstatement but must do so before the published deadline. Cancellation, however, does not include students who have received approved deferred payment status, financial aid, (i.e., scholarships, veterans deferments, third party billings, etc.) from the Business Office. Students whose registration is cancelled are not liable for registration fees for he applicable term.

Students who on their own decide not to attend the College prior to the first day of class, MUST take the necessary steps to assure cancellation of their registration. Students who cancel their registration on or after the first day of class, must do so by withdrawing from the College. This process CANNOT be done on the web site. Applicable fees may incur depending on the date. See Withdrawal. Reinstatement of Cancelled Registration. Students whose registration has been cancelled due to their failure to pay registration fees may be reinstated upon the verification of payment and approval of the Dean of Academic Affairs. Class Schedule Changes (Add/Drop). No courses can be added after the date stipulated in the calendar for making changes. Exceptions after the calendar date require the consent of the Dean of Academic Affairs. Curriculum Changes.

The student should expect to obtain the degree as outlined in the catalog of the year in which they formally declare a major program. If there is no break in enrollment, a student who has taken and passed the prescribed program of courses each term should expect to obtain a degree normally in eight semesters (unless the program indicates otherwise). Any other student may be required to spend a longer time and may be required to meet any added requirements introduced in the curriculum, including grade point averages or number of credit hours required. To keep in line with occasional changes in certification requirements, the curriculum of one or several divisions or departments may change; such changes may extend the normal time of course requirements for a degree. See also Statute of

Limitation

Students are expected to consult with their academic advisor or division chair throughout their enrollment in selecting courses.

Course Load

The normal full-time load for a student is 15 credit hours. However, some of the divisions have a maximum or minimum load which is stated in the respective curriculum sections of this catalog.

For Fall and Spring semesters, students are full time if they are enrolled in 12-18 hours. Students are permitted to take 19 hours with the required GPA, additional fees will be applied. Hours above 19 are considered exceptional on the undergraduate level and may be recommended to the academic dean on an individual basis by the division chairperson.

Although 12 hours is considered full-time, students taking more than 9 hours during the summer term should consult with their faculty advisors and consider the comprehensive scheduling of summer courses. Hours above 12 are considered exceptional during the summer and may be recommended to the academic dean on an individual basis by the division chairperson, additional fees will be applied. All students who are recipients of scholarships or participants in special programs may be required to maintain a full-time load as required by that program. The minimum load for full time benefits for the Veterans Administration is 12 credit hours, athletic participant and residence housing is 12 credit hours and an academic scholarship is 15 credit hours.

A student must meet all the requirements for a degree in order to fulfill a “major.” The major must meet the approval of the division in which it is earned and recommended to the Registrar for final awarding. Courses considered in satisfying the “minor” must be approved by the division chairperson and Registrar. The same course may not satisfy both a major and minor requirement.

Major Discipline

Students who are degree seeking must declare a major discipline. Students must formally declare a major by their sophomore year and must fulfill all the requirements of the major in order to obtain a degree. Students may declare a major by completing the Declaration of Major form with the advisor and the Advising Center. See Transfer to Major.

Minor Discipline

Students who wish to declare a minor must formally declare by completing the minor form. Minors in a discipline require the completion of a minimum of 18 hours that have been outlined by the division. Students may confer with their advisor and the Advising Center regarding the declaration of a minor and the required courses.

Students who decide to transfer from one major to another must follow the Transfer to Major process and will be expected to follow the curriculum based on the transfer catalog year which may differ from their catalog year at enrollment. See Advising Center Policy and Procedure Manual.

Freshman    0 to 29 hours

Sophomore 30 – 59 hours

Junior          60 – 89 hours

Senior          90 and above

In order to remain in good academic standing, a student must, at the end of any term, have a cumulative grade point average of:

Attempted Hours Minimum GPA Required

0 –29 1.60

30 – 59 1.80

60 – 89 2.00

90 and above 2.00

A student, whose course work becomes deficient, below a “C” average, is notified by mid-term. Some academic majors require greater than 2.00 GPA for graduation. See Academic Division.

Warning

 Students are placed on warning any first term in which the cumulative GPA is less than the required minimum as indicated above.

Probation

Students are placed on probation at the end of any term following a semester of academic “warning” when the cumulative GPA falls below the above requirement. Students on probation are limited to a course load of 12 credit hours during the regular semester.

Suspension (1-term) (SQ)

Students are placed on “suspension” at the end of any term following a semester of “probation” when the cumulative GPA falls below the above requirement and will be suspended through one regular semester (may not attend a prior summer term). Students who return from suspension will be placed on probation (not on warning) and are limited to enrollment of 12 hours.

Suspension (1-year) (SY)

Students returning from suspension and are unable to clear their academic deficiency at the end of that term, will be suspended for two regular semesters (may not attend a prior summer term).

All credits are recorded in semester hours. A semester hour is the amount of credit earned for satisfactory completion of one hour a week of lecture and active engagement activities or for one to two hours of laboratory per week, throughout one semester.

The system of grading is based on the letters A, B, C, D, F, FA, I, P, S, U, CR, W, WA, WD, NA, and IP. The significance of these letters is as follows:

Grade of ‘F’ Defined

Students may receive a grade of “F” for one of the following reasons:

  F - Failure to perform at academic standards.

  FA – Failure of the student to attend class on a regular basis.

Course Repeats/Forgiveness Policy

Students may improve their GPA by repeating a course in which a grade of “D” or “F” was earned.

Repeating a “C” grade is not recommended. Only the grade and grade points received in the second attempt shall be used to forgive the first grade. All attempts beginning with the second attempt shall be used in computing the student’s cumulative grade point average. All attempts for a given course and all grades will remain on the student’s transcript.

A student earning a grade of “D” in a general education course may be allowed to repeat the course to raise the GPA. (an exception of “C” grade is required for EN 102, FYA 101 and developmental courses). A student earning a grade of “D” in a major course must repeat the course until a grade of “C” or better is earned.

A student earning a grade of “F” in any required course must repeat the course until a grade of “C” or better is earned.

For additional information regarding the Forgiveness Policy, contact the Office of Academic Records at 205.929.1422.

Ordinarily the instructor of a course has the sole and final responsibility for any grade reported. Once the grade has been reported to the Registrar, it may be changed upon the authorization of the instructor who issued the original grade, the division chair and the Dean of Academic Affairs. This policy also applies to the grade of “I” (incomplete).

Change of Grade form receives approval by the division chair (or designee) and the Dean of Academic Affairs. Once approvals are received, the new grade will be reflected on the student’s transcript immediately.

Incomplete Grades (“I”)

All “Incomplete” grades must be removed within a calendar year from the semester term that it was received. However, students are strongly encouraged to remove “I” grades before the end of the next regular semester (Fall or Spring) so not to interrupt their paradigm or fulfill a pre-requisite requirement. The “I” grade is assigned only when a student is unable to complete course requirements because of illness or other justifiable circumstances. The student must have completed satisfactorily the major portion of the course requirements and convinced the instructor of their ability to complete the remaining assignments. It is not to be given to a student who is already doing failing work.

Incomplete grades showing on the students’ records will remain until the student repeats the course and passes with a satisfactory grade.

A student who cannot complete the term must formally withdraw from the College. Forms are available in the Office of Academic Records and should be completed with the appropriate signatures. An EXIT interview in the Office of Financial Aid is required. Students may withdraw through the published deadline indicated on the College Calendar. Students may not withdraw from College online.

Class attendance is required. The individual faculty member will clarify on the syllabus the academic performance expectations, which may be affected by attendance. Students whose frequent absence is predictive of unsatisfactory academic performance may be referred to the Counseling Center and/or Retention Specialist.

The student is responsible for arranging makeup work with the instructor. Make-up work is not automatic and the student should give the instructor prior notice of an intended excusable absence. Students who may encounter special circumstances, such as illnesses or family emergencies should contact their instructors as soon as possible. In some cases it may be necessary to contact the Counselor and/or Office of Student Affairs. See Student Handbook.

Students participating in college-sponsored activities are officially absent only based on the schedule of activities. Students are allowed to complete all make-up assignments during official absences immediately before or after an absence, as the instructor requires. The student must initiate completion of delayed assignments.

Courses offered during the summer term are organized to make them equivalent in content, method, and credit with those of a regular semester.

Students transferring to Miles College should know the following:

1. Miles College accepts transfer credits earned at institutions that have regional accreditation and in which the student has earned a grade of “D” or higher. Transferrable courses with a grade of “D” will apply to degree requirements the same as continuing students. Students will only receive for credit the maximum hours applied to the course at Miles College.

2. A maximum of 64 semester hours of credit for courses completed at the freshman and sophomore levels will be allowed from a community/junior college toward degree requirements.

3. Students who transfer upon completion of the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science programs may be admitted to Miles College and granted junior level standing in accordance with pre-approved transfer guides with corresponding programs of study (or major). A 2-4 Transfer Articulation Agreement has been approved for students transferring from Alabama community colleges. All other transfer courses will be reviewed based on course descriptions.

4. A maximum of 90 hours is transferable from a regionally accredited four year institution.

5. Prior to Fall 2008, Miles College did not accept for credit hours courses that were classified as remedial or developmental. Developmental courses do not satisfy hours toward the degree requirements.

6. Students ordinarily receive no transfer credit for courses designed specifically for technical and vocational career programs or experiential learning.

7. Grades earned in transfer courses will show on the permanent record at Miles College from the transfer institution but will not be used in calculating Miles College grade point averages.

8. Any courses taken for credit at another institution while a student is enrolled at Miles College must have prior written permission of the student’s division and academic dean in order for the credit to be accepted toward the fulfillment of degree requirements. See Transient Student.

9. Students must complete a minimum of 25% of the required degree hours at Miles College (minimum 30 semester hours) to establish residence status. The last 12 semester hours prior to graduation should be taken at the College.

The College accepts the use of alternative credit for courses for students entering the College for the first time. Students who wish to receive alternative credit for courses must have official score reports and/or transcripts from the source or agency sent to the Office of Academic Records for official evaluation and awarding of credit. Scores or transcripts sent to the Office of Admissions will be forwarded to the Office of Academic Records. The maximum number of hours that may be used to satisfy credit for courses through alternative credit is 30 hours.

These courses do not affect grade point averages and are evaluated as any other transfer course. Acceptance of advanced placement credits to a specific degree will be determined by the division chair, in consultation with the Registrar. Normally, a score of 3 is accepted; however, some major divisions may require a different score. Contact the Office of Academic Records for additional information.

The College accepts alternative credit for courses from the following entities:

Advanced Placement Scores— The College Board (AP)

International Baccalaureate Organization (IB)

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

NOTE: Credit will be based on evaluation and scores. Not all credit is accepted.

Students entering Miles College for the first time are allowed credit on the Advanced Placement Examination administered by the College Entrance Examination Board. Grades are recorded on the student’s transcript for courses in which advanced placement credit is earned.

A student enrolled at another institution may be enrolled as a transient student at Miles College. The student may secure permission from that institution to enroll at Miles College for one term only. Transient students must submit an application for special admission and a completed Transient Student Form from their parent institution prior to admission. Enrollment as a transient student in no way implies future admission as a regular student at Miles College. (Refer to General Admissions Information).

Students currently enrolled at Miles College who wish to transient to another institution should meet with their major advisors and contact the Office of Academic Records. Students must have pre-approved permission to enroll at another college. The description of courses to be taken at the other college will be evaluated to determine the appropriate equivalent course substitution. Students must obtain the appropriate signature required to transient.

Transient permission is a privilege granted by the College and is not automatic. Advisors may weigh the best interest of the student. Courses outside the general education curriculum will be closely evaluated by the major division. Students may not acquire transient hours that exceed the cumulative allowable transfer hours. Transient permission will only be granted to regionally accredited institutions outside a 25 miles radius of the College. Students in their last semester of enrollment or graduating seniors are not allowed to transient.

See the Office of Academic Records web site for additional information governing transient policies and procedures.

The Birmingham Area Consortium in Higher Education (BACHE) consists of five (5) institutions in the Birmingham area:

University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham Southern College, Samford University, Montevallo University and Miles College. Students who are enrolled in one of the institutions may be permitted to enroll at another institution during the current semester. Contact the Office of Academic Records to apply for BACHE.

Miles College students enrolled full-time during the semester, in consultation with their faculty advisor, may register in one BACHE course per semester (not to exceed 12 semester hours cumulatively). Student enrolled during the Summer Term should be registered for a minimum of 6 hours. (Exceptions require the approval of the Office of Academic Affairs).

Enrollment in courses at the host institution is on a space-available basis and the student may not enroll after classes have begun at the host institution. The Miles College student must adhere to host institution’s policies and procedures governing enrollment in the course (i.e., the drop or withdrawal dates may not be the same as Miles College). It is the student’s responsibility to notify Miles College when they are no longer enrolled in the course. The final grade in the course will be forwarded to the College. BACHE forms must be approved and received in the Registrar’s office no later than 7 business days prior to the first day of class at the host institution.

Graduating seniors or students in their last semester at the College are not permitted to take a BACHE course.

See the Office of Academic Records web site for additional information governing BACHE policies and procedures.

A special non-degree student is one who is not pursuing a degree program. Admission may be granted provided the student has a high school diploma or its equivalent. (Refer to General Admissions Information).

The non-degree student is subject to all College regulations governing registration, attendance and academic standing. The student may not register for more than 12 semester hours during a semester and 9 semester hours during a summer term. Credit earned in non-degree status is recorded on the student’s permanent academic record. Students seeking admission to a degree program must submit a formal application indicating the desired major. Credits may be applied to a degree program when the student satisfactorily meets entrance requirements.

Requests for copies of transcripts may be made through the National Clearinghouse, mailing request to the Business Office or contacting the

Office of Academic Records directly. See Financial Information for cost.

Students are required to complete a minimum of 120 hours to be awarded a baccalaureate degree at Miles College. To be eligible for a degree, students must complete the required number of hours consistent with the intended program of study.

All students are required to pass the English Proficiency Examination (EPE) prior to being recommended as a prospective graduate.

All students are required to pass the Senior EXIT examination. Students generally take the exam during their senior year, or when content courses are completed, whichever occurs first. Exceptions to this exam requirement may be fulfilled through external examinations for students enrolled in education certification programs (i.e., PRAXIS). Music and Theatre students, respectively, are also required to present exit performances.

Application for Graduation

 Application for Completion of Degree Requirements must be submitted immediately prior to or at the beginning of the term in which a student expects to complete all requirements for a degree. The student must apply in his or her major division who will then forward their recommendations to the College Registrar. Application for Graduation are available in the Office of the Academic Records and will only be received from students whose names have been recommended from their division chairperson.

The College Calendar designates the deadline dates on which this action must be taken. Applications received after the deadline dates indicated on the College Calendar may be processed with the applications received for graduation the next term. If the student fails to meet graduation requirements, he or she should consult with their division chairperson or the Registrar and reapply for a subsequent term. Reapplication is not automatic. The intent to graduate must be formerly submitted.

Students may complete degree requirements at the end of the months of December, May or June. ALL prospective graduates are required to participate in the once a year graduation commencement scheduled during the month of May (see College Calendar) which is scheduled after the completion of requirements. Exceptions to this policy require the approval of the Dean of Academic Affairs.

Academic Honors

Miles College encourages high standards of academic excellence and acknowledges students’ academic achievement. Students who have completed superior course work at the College are recognized accordingly.

Honors Before Graduation

(designated at the end of each semester on the student’s grade report)

Honor Roll Term GPA of 3.0 to 3.49

Dean’s List Term GPA of 3.5 to 3.79

President’s List Term GPA of 3.8 to 4.0

Honors Convocation Program

Students who consistently maintain a cumulative GPA each academic year are recognized at a special honors program during the fall of each year for their academic achievement during the prior year. The program encourages students to maintain this scholastic standing through graduation. Students must have been enrolled full-time both fall and spring semesters and met the following criteria with no Incomplete or Unsatisfactory grades at the end of the grade reporting period.

Honors Scholar: cumulative GPA 3.0 to 3.49

Dean’s Scholar: cumulative GPA 3.50 to 3.79

Presidential Scholar: cumulative GPA 3.80 to 4.0

Students who are members of the Honors Curriculum program, students on Cohort Tracking for graduation and students who are members of honor societies are also acknowledged during the annual program.

Honors Awarded At Graduation

Valedictorian and Salutatorian Awards

These awards shall be conferred upon the graduating seniors who have earned the first and second highest cumulative quality point averages above 3.50. Students who already hold a baccalaureate degree are not eligible for these distinctions. Additionally, each candidate must have completed 100 hours in residence at Miles College, but the GPA calculation will include all hours needed to earn the degree.

To graduate with the distinctions below, the student must have acquired the above grade point averages at the end of the semester of graduation.

Honors                      3.0 – 3.19

Cum Laude               3.2 – 3.49

Magna Cum Laude   3.5 – 3.79

Summa Cum Laude  3.8 – 4.0

Academic Honesty

Any student found to be dishonest in acquiring, using or reporting information or in any other manner violating established academic codes of conduct will face a stiff penalty for the assignment/requirement in question. Students must be honest in all of their endeavors of academic matriculation at Miles College. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other act of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. All acts of academic dishonesty must be reported. In cases where evidence is sufficient to establish that a student cheated or was otherwise dishonest in completing a test, paper, report, etc., the penalty will range from repeating the assignment to expulsion from the College.

Disciplinary Action Procedures for Dishonesty

1. The instructor/staff member must have substantial evidence that a student has engaged in dishonest conduct which requires action within the bounds of their jurisdiction.

2. The instructor/staff member shall notify the student in writing of the violation and the action taken within two (2) days of occurrence.

3. Copies of the questioned materials and letter will be sent to the division chair and the Dean of Academic Affairs and the Dean of Students (if applicable).

4. If the conduct is beyond the jurisdiction of the instructor/staff member, a written report should be made to the Dean of Academic Affairs within five (5) days and a copy given to the student.

5. The Dean of Academic Affairs will assign penalties for violations within five (5) days of his receipt of the report based on the number of violations committed by the individual student and the severity of the violations.

6. If necessary, the Dean of Academic Affairs will convene the Academic Judiciary Committee to decide the case and make recommendations to the President.

7. Penalties may include (but are not limited to) the following: Failing grade on work for which the violation was committed; dropping the grade earned in a course by one letter grade; failure of the course; suspension from the course; suspension from Miles College; or permanent dismissal from Miles College

Academic Appeal Process

The objective of the Academic Appeal process is to create and sustain an academic environment that permits students to freely express concerns or reveal complaints about their education and the educational process and to have their concerns and complaints addressed swiftly and forthrightly. Students enrolled at Miles College. may register a concern or complaint about any academic regulation without any adverse actions. Concerns and complaints may include the following: the instructional program; delivery of the program; grades received; student-instructor conflict; test results; the academic advisement system, or; any other matter related to academic affairs. Concerns and complaints will be received, explored or investigated and responded to in a fair and timely manner. All decisions by the College are final.

All appeal requests must be in writing and made within 5 days (not to include weekends and holiday breaks) following the response of the last level of hierarchy related to the matter. Students may appeal at the level of instructor, chair, and the Academic Dean. Decisions that remain unsatisfactory with the student may be forwarded to the Academic Appeals Committee, c/o the Office of the Academic Dean. If the decision remains unfavorable, the request may be appealed through the Academic Dean, to the President of the College. The decision of the President is final. A request to appeal must be processed within a calendar year from the date of infraction, unless approved by the Academic Dean.

The General Education curriculum at Miles College prepares students to choose and pursue their major program of study. Regardless of their program of study, all Miles College students must complete the general education core curriculum, which consists of 44 credit hours. The Miles College general education core involves students in rigorous study of the liberal arts as preparation for work and lifelong learning, in the acquisition of verbal, technological, and cultural literacy, through the completion of courses in English composition, speech, humanities, mathematics, computer technology, natural sciences, history, economics and social and behavioral sciences. With this solid foundation in the liberal arts, the College aims to graduate students who seek holistic development that leads to intellectual, ethical, spiritual and service-oriented lives.

Mission

The general education core helps students gain competence in communication skills; scientific and mathematical concepts; and the use of technology. It also helps them to understand how the following factors affect the current problems of our nation and world: socioeconomic and political conditions; historical events, and cultural diversity. In addition, students learn skills in interpersonal relationships, physical health, and mental health; they apply these skills to individuals and the community.

Core Competencies.

Communications, critical thinking, global community awareness, technology, and interpersonal skills.

Policies and Procedures

All sections of each general education course follow an identical syllabus and administer a common mid-term and final exam. Daily classroom activities and the order of assignments may vary, but all students are taught the same general education curriculum, irrespective of the section or instructor of the course.

1. Students must make qualifying scores on either the ACT or COMPASS test to take EN 101 and MA 101. If they do not qualify by testing, students must pass EN 100 (English Fundamentals) and MA 100 (Elementary Algebra) in order to take the course.

2. Students are encouraged to attend extracurricular enrichment events that support the learning outcomes.

3. Students must participate in required departmental and institutional assessments in order to complete general education requirements.

4. Students, who have not declared a major at the time of enrollment (Undecided), are encouraged to follow the General Education Paradigm, taking courses in the suggested sequence.

5. Students, who have chosen a major program of study, should follow the sequence of general education courses outlined on their major paradigm.

The General Education Curriculum credit hour requirements are distributed across the following seven distribution areas:

  Written Composition (6 credit hours)

  Humanities and Fine Arts (12 credit hours)

  Natural Sciences and Mathematics (7 credit hours)

  History, Social & Behavioral Sciences (12 credit hours)

  Health and Wellness (3 credit hours)

  Technology (3 credit hours)

  College Orientation (1 credit hour)

RESPONDING TO ACADEMIC COMPLAINTS

Student misconduct and discipline is governed in the College Regulations and Code of Ethics, Student Handbook, Office of Student Affairs. Actions that have been defined in the Student Handbook affecting classroom management will pre-empt such actions being handled within the Office of Academic Affairs.

The instructor is the primary personnel governing actions in the classroom. Both the instructor and student will follow the same process in resolving academic conflicts originating from classroom to the Academic Judicial Committee.

ACADEMIC APPEAL

Students enrolled at the College may register a concern or complaint about any academic regulation without any adverse actions. Concerns and complaints may include, but not limited to:

• instructional program;
• delivery of the program;
• grade received;
• test results;
• academic advisement; student-instructor conflict; or
• other matter related to academic affairs

Concerns and complaints will be received and followed as outlined in the Procedures outlined above (i.e., the first level of the complaint, the Division Chair, the Academic Dean and/or Academic Judicial Committee and President of the College).

ACADEMIC HONESTY

The College expects all students to be honest in their efforts to obtain an education. Any student found to be dishonest in acquiring, using or reporting information, or violating established academic codes of conduct, in any other manner, will be subject to penalty for the requirement in question.

Cheating, plagiarism, or any other act of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. In case where evidence is sufficient to establish that a student cheated or was otherwise dishonest in completing a test, paper, report, etc., the penalty will range from repeating the assignment to expulsion from the College.

DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR (classroom concerns)

Professional deportment is expected in the classroom at all times. Issues unresolved in the classroom that rise to an improper dismissal of the student may require:

(a) request made by the instructor for which the student adheres;

(b) request made by the instructor for which the student does not adhere; (if assistance from College Security is requested, the instructor should document, in writing, the nature of the issue with the Division Chair the same day (but not later than 24 hours). The Division Chair, based on the unresolved issue, and on a case-by-case basis, determines the next step on the part of the Instructor, with notification to the student. A formal procedural process, if necessary, may be initiated;

(c) if the action of the student deems to threaten other students in the class, the Instructor may dismiss the class. The Division Chair should be informed immediately.

If the action poses a personal threat to other students in the class, the instructor should dismiss the class and call Campus Security immediately. The Division Chair should be informed and the Chair will determine the next procedural step on the part of the instructor, with notification to the student (i.e., a student posing personal threats must report to the Counseling Center and if the matter is not resolved, the students should be sent to the Dean of Student Affairs).

Procedures

1. The instructor discusses with the student any evidence of dishonesty with tests, assignments, or other requirements and the resulting consequences. Based on documented sound evidence, the instructor may require the student to repeat the assignments, complete an alternate assignment or record a reduced grade of “F” for the assignment; based on circumstantial evidence, the instructor may talk with the student about the importance of honesty in the academic environment.

2. The student is expected to accept established consequences for acts of dishonesty and refrain from committing any further acts. In the face of circumstantial evidence, it is expected that the student will show the instructor respect in discussing the matter.

3. If the student disagrees with an instructor’s charge of academic dishonesty and the subsequently imposed penalty, the student must make a written appeal to the division chair for relief.

4. The chair, in consultation with appropriate individuals, secures documentation of dishonesty, determines if the charge is valid and/or the penalty is reasonable. The chair submits a written response to the student within 5 business days.

5. If the student disagrees with the chair’s decision, the student will submit a written appeal to the Academic Dean within 5 business days of notice.

6. Students who commit repeated acts of dishonesty may be referred to Office of Student Affairs with a recommendation for suspension from the College.

7. The Academic Dean provides the final written response within 5 business days. If the decision is not favorable to the student, the Academic Dean may forward the final response to the student or defer to the Academic Judicial Committee.

8. If the student disagrees with the decision coming from the Academic Dean or Academic Judicial Committee, the student may submit a written appeal to the President. The decision of the President will be final.

Concerns and complaints will be received and followed as outlined in the Procedures outlined above.

NOTE: At each stage of the appeal process, the process should be initiated within 5 business days (not to include weekends and holiday breaks) from notice of the previous appeal from either the student or instructor and handled in a professional manner.

Academic complaints dating back more than a calendar year generally will not be investigated.

Students, at the expiration of disciplinary decisions, may be recommended to participate in campus-based seminars, workshops or counseling.

Where the academic conflict is between a student and Division Chair, the Chair will notify the Academic Dean to allow another chair to replace their position in the process.

ACADEMICCOMPLAINT FORM

Page 31 Transfer Credits

Miles College Accepts all transfer credits earned at institutions that have regional accreditation, and which a grade of “C” or higher was earned.

Page 21 Incomplete Grades (“I”)

An incomplete grade of “I” does not count towards course work completed, but is counted with coursework attempted. An “I” grade is intended to be only an interim course mark. A grade of “I” must be removed by the end of the next regular semester of enrollment.

Page 28 Incomplete Grades (“I”)

All “incomplete” grades must be removed by the end of the next regular semester of enrollment. However, students are strongly encouraged to remove “I” grades before the end of the next regular semester (Fall or Spring) so as not to interrupt their paradigm or fulfill a prerequisite requirement. The “I” grade is assigned only when a student is unable to complete course requirements because of illness or other justifiable circumstances. The student must have completed satisfactorily the major portion of the course requirements and convinced the instructor of their ability to complete the remaining assignments. It is not to be given to a student who is already doing failing work.