Student Handbook 2012-2013

Academic Grievance Policy

The assessment of student academic performance, including the assignment of particular grades, is a faculty responsibility. The faculty member offering the course should be responsible for the evaluation of student course work and, under normal circumstances, is the sole judge of the grades received by students in that course.

If a student feels that his or her grade in a course was the result of a prejudiced, capricious, or in some other way unjust evaluation on the part of an instructor, that student may file a grievance petition with the Academic Standing Board. The petition must be filed within the semester following the awarding of the disputed evaluation, even if the student or faculty member is off-campus and unable to appear until a later date. Petitions should include evidence of prejudiced or capricious academic evaluation and evidence of attempts to deal with the problem at the department level, including discussions with the faculty member involved and his other department chair. Only after these steps have been taken will the matter become part of the formal academic grievance process.Simple disagreement with the instructor's philosophy in assigning grades, or with the instructor's professional judgment about the quality of the work does not constitute cause for petitioning.

The Academic Standing Board will transmit evidence of the charges to the faculty member. After evaluating the charges and hearing the instructor's explanation, and possibly discussing the situation with other members of the class, and/or members of the involved department, the elected teaching faculty of the committee will recommend a solution. Both the student and the faculty member will have the right to appear personally before the committee and to present their views. If the Academic Standing Board decides there is no basis to alter the grade, the process will terminate at that point. If the Academic Standing Board recommends that the grade should be changed, it will request that the instructor make the change, providing the instructor with a written explanation of its reasons. Should the instructor decline, he or she should provide an explanation in writing. The entire matter will then be referred to the six elected faculty members of the President's Advisory Board who will be the final arbiters of the case. This faculty committee will examine all available information on the dispute, meet with the student and the instructor, members of the instructor academic department if appropriate, and others as it sees fit.

The faculty committee, after considering all the evidence, and upon concluding that it would be unjust to allow the original grade to stand, may then recommend to the Provost that the grade be changed. The Provost will provide the instructor with a copy of the recommendation and will ask the instructor to implement it. If the instructor continues to decline, the Provost will then change the grade, notifying the instructor and the student of this action. The Provost, following written instructions of the faculty committee, will effect a change in grade over the objection of the instructor who assigned the original grade. If the student remains dissatisfied with the result of the petitioning process, he or she may request that the Registrar insert a letter in his or her academic record, describing the process and outcome.

Academic Integrity

Please go to Integrity at Denison for the current version of the Code of Academic Integrity.

Athletic Participation and Class Attendance: The following policies rest upon an expectation of early and reliable communication by the student-athlete to the Professor. Professors are encouraged to communicate directly any concerns to the student-athlete and/or the Head Coach.

Attendance Policy:

A hallmark of a Denison education is the small, interactive, and participatory classroom, situated on a residential campus. Therefore, it is essential that students be present on campus and be active participants in their courses. Attendance policies are designed to promote the success and well-being of the individual students as well as the community of learners in each class and each co-curricular undertaking. For oneself and one’s peers, attendance and presence on campus are vital to the Denison education.

It is expected that all students will attend and participate in regularly scheduled classes. If a class is missed, for any reason, the student is responsible for determining what occurred in the missed class. Absence from a class will not be accepted as an excuse for not knowing class material. Students are responsible for all information, discussion, and conceptual analysis that takes place during classes.

Attendance policy is set by the instructor. It is the responsibility of the instructor to establish (a) a policy on class attendance, (b) any criteria for excused absences when attendance is required, and (c) a policy for the make-up of missed work. This latter, of course, is particularly important since class absence involves, potentially, a loss of the opportunity for learning for the student. It is vitally important that each faculty member review these points in class early in the semester. The course syllabus is the contractual agreement between instructor and student. It is important that the instructor outline clearly the expectations and all other factors that determine grades and penalties.

It is the student's responsibility to provide any needed documentation for class absences, including medical excuses. At the student's request, Whisler Health Center will issue a dated documentation of visit in the event of a situation requiring class absence.

Each semester, students must arrive on campus and attend the first meeting of their registered classes. If circumstances prevent a student from arriving on campus for the first day of classes, the student must notify the Dean of Students. Students who miss class for an extended period of time during a semester because of personal, medical, or psychological reasons must also notify the Dean of Students of their absence. Without prior notification and approval for these types of absences, the student may be withdrawn or be required to take a leave of absence by the Dean of Students in consultation with the Associate Provost and relevant campus offices and individuals (including faculty).

Denison's orientation programs are designed to welcome and introduce new students to our campus resources, community, and culture. All students attending Denison for their first semester (new First-Year Students and Transfer Students) are required to attend Denison's mandatory orientation programs. Failure to attend and/or complete the required orientation activities may result in a student being withdrawn or having their offer of admission revoked.

Calendar and Final Examination Week Regulations

Disability Grievance Procedures

For section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

Through policy and practice, Denison University is committed to providing to all enrolled students equal access to campus programs, services and activities. The following procedures have been adopted to ensure and maintain the University compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 under which no qualified student with a disability shall be denied access to or participation in programs, services or activities of Denison University. A qualified student is defined as one who meets the requisite academic and technical standards required for admission or participation in a post secondary institution's programs and activities. A person with a disability is anyone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking or learning. In addition to those people who have visible disabilities, the definition includes people with a whole range of invisible disabilities. These include psychological disabilities, learning disabilities, or some chronic health impairments such as epilepsy, diabetes, lupus, cancer, HIV/AIDS, and more.

Request for Accommodations

The enrolled students should submit any request for accommodations to the Academic Support & Enrichment Center in Doane 102 for consideration. It is expected that prior to the consideration of such requests, students will provide recent professional documentation that speaks to the specific disability and the requested accommodations. Granted requests for academic accommodations will be specific to the documented needs of the individual student, e.g., extended time on in-class examinations, alternate testing locations, texts in alternative format, etc. Additional information regarding academic accommodations can be obtained in the Academic Support & Enrichment Center in Doane 102.

Complaints and Steps to Resolution

If a student has reason to believe that he or she has been denied equal access to any campus program, service or activity including requests for academic accommodations, there are mechanisms in place to assist in bringing about a timely resolution, as follows:

Independent Resolution

Students are encouraged first to attempt to resolve concerns independently by initiating a meeting with the staff member, faculty member or student with whom there is a concern or disagreement. Concerns may be related to the response for a requested academic accommodation or to the belief that one's rights as a student with a disability have been denied. Many times, when both parties have the advantage of directly sharing their concerns, the matter can be resolved without further assistance. However, when the matter cannot be resolved independently, students are strongly encouraged to address such instances through the following steps.

Reporting A Complaint

Students who believe that their rights as defined under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 have been denied should report such instances to the Academic Support & Enrichment Center in Doane 102. It is important that concerns are reported within 30 days of the alleged incident or situation or when an independent resolution with the faculty member, staff member office or student in question cannot be achieved. Timeliness in addressing concerns helps to ensure expedient resolution and minimal disruption to the student's academic schedule. Any student bringing forth a complaint has the right to be assisted by a support person of his or her choosing from within the Denison University system; however, the complainant is responsible for presenting his or her information. Advisors are not permitted to represent or participate directly in the resolution process.

Informal Resolution

After thoroughly reviewing the complaint with the reporting individual, the Director of the Academic Support & Enrichment Center will meet with the other party and then, if necessary, jointly with both parties with the intended goal of seeking a mutually agreeable solution that preserves the student's right to equal access and participation in services, programs, and activities at the University while maintaining the University commitment to academic standards of excellence within a residential community. If the complaint remains unresolved, it shall be forwarded to the Accommodations Review Board. Please note that the individual initiating a complaint maintains the right to request that the complaint be dropped rather than forwarded to the Accommodations Review Board. In such cases, the University reserves the right to informally address the specifics of the complaint and to mandate corrections, when warranted.

Formal Resolution

Unresolved complaints shall be forwarded to the Accommodations Review Board in the event of an unsuccessful informal resolution meeting. Complaints must be forwarded in a timely manner and in writing, including the name and campus address of the student initiating the complaint, the name(s) and address(es) of the individual(s) who allegedly denied the student rights, and a descriptive statement of the problem and its potential impact on the complainant.

Accommodations Review Board

The role of the Accommodations Review Board (ARB) is to formally hear and resolve disability related complaints that have not been resolved independently or through informal measures. The burden of proof that an accommodation was wrongly denied must be sustained by the student. Membership on the Accommodations Review Board includes two tenured faculty members appointed by the Provost, one faculty member from the Academic Standing Board, the Registrar, and the Associate Provost responsible for Institutional Equity and Diversity. The Director of Academic Support & Enrichment serves in ex-officio capacity except in the event the grievance is with the Academic Support & Enrichment Center. Under these circumstances, the Associate Provost responsible for Academic Affairs will serve on the Accommodations Review Board in an ex-officio capacity.

Notification of Outcome and Appeal

The Accommodations Review Board shall meet in a timely manner upon receiving notification that a formal complaint has been filed. The Accommodations Review Board shall review the written formal complaint and related documentation and, if need be, call either or both parties for points of clarification or additional information. Written notification of the outcome shall be provided to both parties once a decision is reached. The decision of the Board is final.

Additional Avenues for Resolution

Filing a complaint within the University grievance system in no way precludes an individual's right to file a grievance with the Department of Education or the Department of Justice.

*definitions taken from Association for Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) brochure.

Drop/Add Regulations

A student may withdraw from a course at any time prior to the start of the semester. To withdraw from a course after the start of the semester, a form must be signed by the instructor and academic advisor and presented to the Registrar. No listing will be recorded on a student permanent record if that student receives permission to withdraw form a course before the end of the fourth week of classes. No withdrawal from a course is permitted after the fourth week of class except in the case of first-year students who have a grace period until the end of the ninth week. (This applies to the first semester only.) A student withdrawing from a course without official permission of the instructor and the Registrar will receive a grade of "F" (failure) on the permanent record.

A student may add courses to his or her schedule at any time prior to the start of the semester. Adds after the start of school require instructor and academic advisor approval. All additions to a student schedule must be made within the first ten days of the academic semester. (This refers to the first ten days of regularly scheduled classes, not the first ten meetings of a specific class.)

Incomplete Grade:

No student will receive an incomplete in a course unless the student (or spokesperson in the event that the student is absent from school) presents the petition to the instructor and the Academic Standing Board for approval. Incompletes will be awarded only in cases of illnesses, serious personal problems, death in the family, or other extraordinary circumstances. A student will not be granted an incomplete simply because additional time is needed to complete the assigned work. All petitions for incompletes must be submitted no later than the last day of a course. In a few rare circumstances, students might submit petitions during final exam week.

Off-Campus Study

In general terms, second semester sophomores with a well-articulated academic trajectory, juniors, and first semester seniors are eligible to participate in off-campus study. To pursue off-campus study for academic credit, students must first obtain Denison approval for such study and then apply for admission by the educational partner. Approval is pursued through the OCS Proposal process administered by the Off-Campus Study Office. The Director of OCS grants approval based on that process to students who are adequately prepared both academically and personally for their proposed off-campus programs. For specific information regarding the guidelines, processes, and requirements associated with off-campus study, go to Denison Catalogue.

Registration:

Registration is a two-part procedure. All students must complete advance registration for the following semester by the date indicated on the calendar. Incoming freshmen register by personal conference on campus, by telephone conference, or by mail preceding entrance to Denison. A student must consult his or her academic advisor when making out class schedules. Every student must confirm his/her registration electronically via the "Registration Confirmation" process prior to the start of school.

A normal semester load is 16 credit hours. Normally, eighteen semester hours constitutes a maximum for a semester without payment of the excess hour fee. Each additional hour over 18 for the semester costs $1,290. With evidence of mitigating circumstances and careful consultation with the academic advisor, a student may request (not more than twice during the undergraduate career) permission to enroll for up to 20 credits per semester without incurring excess hour fees. Such requests must be made before the first day of classes and must contain sound pedagogical arguments. Accelerated graduation plans or scheduling indecision are not acceptable reasons. A student who cannot carry a normal schedule for reasons of health, employment or deficient background in certain subjects may register for less than 12 hours with special permission from the Dean of Students.

A student may change his or her registration at any time before the start of school. During the first two weeks of the semester a student may change his or her schedule only with the consent of the academic advisor and the instructor and proper notification to the Registrar. A course dropped without permission is recorded as a failure. No student is admitted to a class later than the second week of the semester. Students failing to register by the deadline date prescribed in University publications and/or failing to respond properly to University officials' notices regarding the problem shall be withdrawn from all preregistered courses. Such withdrawal shall carry with it financial forfeitures of a portion of tuition, fees, room and board assessed for the semester.

Appeal of this action shall be to the Academic Standing Board and, if upheld, will normally carry a minimum penalty of $50 and other disciplinary sanctions as deemed appropriate.

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Evaluation

Juniors and seniors may elect to take one course per semester utilizing the Satisfactory Grading option. For a student earning a "C" or higher, the Registrar will convert this grade to an "S," for "satisfactory," with no impact on cumulative grade point average. For a student earning a "C-" or lower, the Registrar will record that grade on the academic transcript, and it will be included in the grade point average. This option may not be exercised for courses within a student's major or minor fields, including required cognate courses, and it is not an option for any General Education requirement. To exercise this option, a student must complete the appropriate form at the Registrar's office, no later than the fifth week of the semester. No approval is necessary from a department or program or instructor, and a student is not required to inform the instructor about exercising this option. A few courses are offered to everyone utilizing a "satisfactory" grading format, and such courses are not included in the option described above.

Withdrawal From the University:

The process of student-initiated withdrawal from the University begins with written notice to the Dean of Students indicating the student’s intent to withdraw. The student then meets with the Dean of Students, or his/her designee, for an exit interview. At the time of the exit interview, a determination of the appropriate student status classification will be made. A student will not be considered withdrawn without an exit interview. A request to the Registrar for a transcript of credits shall neither be considered a notice of withdrawal from the University nor a cancellation of a Room and/or Board reservation. Upon official withdrawal or suspension, any adjustments to the account are made in accordance with University policy and a refund check or bill is generated. Please contact Student Accounts with questions regarding the amount of refund or forfeiture of charges.

NOTE: Withdrawing from the University may have serious implications concerning your financial aid and repayment plan. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.

Students seeking approval for off-campus program study, including educational enrichment leaves of absence, are required to meet with the Director of Off-Campus Study and follow procedures as stated by that office, including compliance with deadlines. For more information about off-campus study go to Denison Catalogue - Off Campus Study.

Important deadlines related to withdrawal from the University: Continuing students withdrawing from the university for the ensuing semester must notify the Dean of Students by June 1 for the fall term or by November 1 for the spring term for the enrollment deposit to be refunded. Entering first-year or transfer students must notify Admissions by May 1.

REQUIRED ADMINISTRATIVE WITHDRAWAL FOR NON-ACADEMIC REASONS

Denison University is committed to the well-being and safety of its community members and the integrity of its learning environment. The University may require a student to take an administrative withdrawal if there is a sufficient showing that the student is engaging or is likely to engage in behavior that presents a real danger of substantial harm to self or others or substantially disrupts the learning environment and activities of the campus community. This policy and associated procedures do not take the place of disciplinary action associated with a student's behavior that is in violation of University policies, standards, or regulations. This policy is to be invoked in extraordinary circumstances in which, in the discretion of the Vice President for Student Development, the Dean of Students, or designee, the regular disciplinary system cannot be applied or is not appropriate. This policy may be invoked when a student is unable or unwilling to request a voluntary withdrawal and the Vice President for Student Development, the Dean of Students, or designee deems a withdrawal necessary to protect the health and safety of the student or others, or the integrity of the learning environment and campus community. Examples of such extraordinary circumstances include, but are not limited to: suicidal threats, self-starvation or purging behavior, ongoing substance abuse or addiction, serious threats of harm to others, or bizarre or destructive behavior. Before a required administrative withdrawal is considered, the Vice President for Student Development, Dean of Students or designee will encourage the student to take a voluntary withdrawal.

RE-ENROLLMENT

Students who withdraw voluntarily or who are withdrawn administratively from or suspended by the University may apply for re-enrollment. The University reserves the right to require, review, and approve documentation that the student is qualified and ready to return to academic work. Students who are withdrawn are considered non-enrolled. Such students may retain an active status for a maximum period of one year (2 semesters) during which they may seek return through the administrative office that oversaw the initial withdrawal. At the discretion of the withdrawing office,Dean of Students, Registrar and in consultation with the Dean of Students, this time period may be extended. After that time period expires or upon notice from the student, the status defaults to inactive. Generally, inactive students who later seek to return to Denison seek re-enrollment through the Admissions Office processes.

In the case of voluntary withdrawals for medical/psychological reasons, or administrative withdrawals under this policy related to a physical or mental health condition, students must notify the Dean of Students in writing of their wish to be re-enrolled. They must also submit to the Director of Health and Counseling Services the progress assessment (found in the Medical Leave of Absence packet) from a treating health professional as part of the request for re-enrollment. These documents must be received by August 1 for return in the fall semester and by December 1 for return in the spring semester. Denison University Health and Counseling Services may require a release from the student to discuss current treatment and follow-up needs with the treating health professional, in order to assess whether the student is qualified and ready to return to Denison and whether the University can provide the follow-up care needed to maintain the student's enrollment. Denison Health and Counseling professionals will review this information and make a recommendation to the Dean of Students or designee regarding approval (with or without conditions of treatment, education, counseling, or other) or denial of the re-enrollment. After consulting with University health professionals and/or other appropriate University officials as necessary to facilitate an informed decision, the Dean of Students will make the final decision about re-enrollment.

Re-enrollment following academic suspension will require a reinstatement petition filed with the Academic Standing Board. More information, including information regarding the Petition process, can be found at Registrar - Reinstatement and Re-Enrollment. The complete petition to be reviewed by the Academic Standing Board must be filed with the Registrar by August 1 for return in the fall semester and December 1 for return in the spring semester. All documents should be mailed to: Registrar, Doane Hall, Denison University, Granville, OH 43023. The Registrar will then notify the Dean of Students of the student’s re-enrollment.

Students seeking re-enrollment must have their accounts in good standing. The enrollment deposit (typically $300) must be paid if it was previously refunded to the student. Once the student has been re-enrolled, the Dean of Students will authorize a change of status that will reactivate the student’s enrollment, allowing for processes such as class registration, room selection, and billing to commence. The ability to return is conditioned upon the availability of housing and classes. It is possible that a student may be approved to return by the Dean, but be unable to re-enroll due to unavailability of classes and/or housing.