| Averett University Undergraduate Catalog | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2014-15 Catalog
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GENERAL REGULATIONS Classification of Students Students at Averett University are classified academically as freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, based on the number of semester hours earned (see table). They also are classified as full-time or part-time. Full-time students are those who are registered for at least 12 hours in a regular semester or 6 hours in a summer session. Students also are classified as either degree-seeking or special students.
Transfer Credit Transfer Students Students who wish to transfer to Averett from another college must have transcripts of all previous college work sent to the Averett University Admissions Office. In order to receive transfer credit for courses completed before matriculating at Averett, a final, official transcript should be received by the end of the first semester of enrollment at Averett. Courses will not be transferred to Averett University while a student is on academic suspension at a previous college. Students may not enroll at Averett University during the term(s) in which they are on academic suspension at another college. Averett University will transfer courses for which a grade of C or higher was received, provided such courses are applicable to the Averett University curriculum and the other college is accredited by a regional accrediting agency. For those students who have earned the associate's degree, Averett will accept in transfer all courses which were credited by the transferring institution toward the student's degree. The one exception to this policy is that Averett does not transfer grades of D in College Composition I or II (or their equivalents). Any student who holds an associate’s degree with a D in College Composition I and/or II (or their equivalents) must take ENG 111 and/or ENG 112 at Averett. Students who transfer from a two-year college must earn 60 hours at a four-year college in order to receive a baccalaureate degree. Thus, if a student transfers 60 hours to Averett from a two-year college, he/she must complete the remainder of his/her work at a four-year college. Transfer courses in the student's intended major are subject to the approval of the department. If the transfer student selects a minor, he/she must complete a minimum of 6 semester hours in the minor field at Averett. A student's grade point average for graduation requirements is based only on work taken at Averett University. When computing grade point averages for determination of honors for graduation or membership in Alpha Chi, grades on all college work are included. Transfer of Credit from Other Institutions (after enrolling at Averett) After matriculation at Averett, all students who wish to receive credit for courses taken at another accredited institution must have written approval granted in advance by the Registrar. The written approval must be in the student's file in the Registrar’s Office before credit will be given for those courses. Students must earn a grade of C or better in order to receive transfer credit for any course taken at another institution. Grades on courses taken at another institution will not be calculated into the student's grade point average at Averett. Thus, a course taken elsewhere will neither raise nor lower the student's grade point average. Transfer credit may not be used to replace any grade previously earned at Averett. When the student has earned 90 hours, approval for work to be transferred from another institution will not be granted except in extenuating circumstances. The last 30 hours must be taken at Averett. Academic Advising Upon acceptance to Averett, a student is assigned an academic advisor by the Registrar. If he or she has decided upon a major, a member of the faculty of that department will advise the student. If she or he has not decided upon a major, an advisor will be assigned who can provide general academic guidance. The primary role of the academic advisor is to guide and assist the student in planning the program of study in order to meet requirements for graduation. Before registering for classes each semester, the student must make an appointment with his/her advisor to plan the class schedule. Nevertheless, it is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with and to fulfill all requirements for graduation. Registration Registration for classes is held several times during the year. The exact dates and deadlines are published on the Averett University website. Students are responsible for knowing and adhering to the published dates and deadlines. A student will not be permitted to register for a term after the add/drop period has ended. Adding a Course Following registration a student may add courses until the date posted on the website. The student's academic advisor must approve the student’s registration in PowerCampus Self-Service before it becomes part of his/her schedule. Students may add classes through PowerCampus Self-Service. Withdrawing From a Course Following registration a student may drop a course during the first week of fall or spring semester without a tuition penalty. Students may drop classes through PowerCampus Self-Service. The student’s academic advisor must approve the student’s registration in PowerCampus Self-Service before it is removed from his/her schedule. Following the Add/Drop date, the student will lose a percentage of tuition. If a student drops a course during the drop/add period (the first week of the fall or spring semester or the first day of a summer session), the course will not appear on the student's permanent record. After the drop/add period, a student may withdraw from a class until the last day of classes. If a student withdraws after the drop/add period, but within the first four weeks of the semester (first week in a summer session), the student will receive a grade of W. After the first four weeks, the instructor will assign a grade of WP if the student is passing the course (which will not affect the GPA), or WF if the student is failing the course. A WF will be averaged into the GPA as an F. The academic advisor will be notified of this action. If extenuating circumstances exist that necessitate a student’s withdrawal from the University, the withdrawal must be initiated with the Dean of Student Success or the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Success. A student who stops attending class and does not officially withdraw from the course according to the guidelines described above will receive a grade of F in the course. Students are responsible for making sure the appropriate paperwork is turned in to the Registrar’s Office. Pass/Fail Option Any student may take as many as five courses on a Pass/Fail basis. These courses must be used as free electives. Courses used to satisfy the requirements for General Education, teaching licensure, the major, or the minor may not be taken on a Pass/Fail basis. A student who elects to take a course Pass/Fail must indicate that choice in the Registrar’s Office no later than the end of the first week of classes in the fall or spring semester and no later than the third day of a summer session. A student may not revoke the Pass/Fail option after the above-named deadlines. In computation of grade point averages, courses taken on Pass/Fail are disregarded so that one's grade point average cannot be affected by the mark received on these courses. Course Load The normal academic load in the fall or spring semester is 15 to 18 semester hours. A student must enroll for at least 12 semester hours to qualify as a full-time student. Course loads in excess of 18 semester hours must be approved by the Registrar. A maximum academic load for a four-week summer session is 6 semester hours. Students who are on academic probation are limited to a maximum of 14 semester hours during the fall or spring semester and to 4 semester hours during the summer terms. Summer Classes Averett offers traditional, online, and independent study classes, beginning in May and continuing through July. The normal course load for a student is 3-6 semester hours during each of the sessions. For more information on the summer sessions, see the online schedule or contact the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Success or the Registrar. Credit by Non-Traditional Means Averett University allows students to gain academic credit by following a number of avenues other than the traditional college class experience. CLEP College credit may be earned through both the general examinations and the subject examinations of the College Level Examination Program. The five general examinations cover the areas of English composition, mathematics, natural sciences, history, and humanities. The five general examinations, the Averett equivalent course, the number of semester hours awarded and the acceptable scores are listed below. Averett University follows the American Council on Education guidelines in awarding credit for the CLEP examinations.
Each subject examination is equal to 3 or 6 hours credit (depending on whether the material is designed to measure a one-course or a two-course sequence). In the subject examinations, credit is awarded only in those areas applicable to the Averett University curriculum. Any student who completes a degree at Averett must complete the last 30 semester hours of class work at this institution, which means that 90 semester hours may be accumulated through credit by examination, CLEP, or transfer. The CLEP examinations are administered through the Academic Support Office. Contact that office for more information. (Note: these policies do not apply to CLEP taken before matriculation.) * The English Department requires the Multiple Choice with Essay Test. The CLEP subject exam, College Composition modular, will also be accepted for credit for English 111 & 112. ** Will satisfy the Natural Science general education requirement. Credit by Examination For credit by examination other than CLEP or Advanced Placement Tests, the student must consult the individual department. If the department approves an examination, it will design challenge examinations related to the specific course requested. The examination must be approved by every member of the department. For credit by examination, a $25 non-refundable, administrative fee will be assessed. If credit is awarded, the student will pay one-half the prevailing tuition rate. The administrative fee will be deducted from the tuition charge. Military Credit Averett grants credit for military service based on the recommendations of the American Council on Education. This credit is evaluated on the basis of senior college credit. Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium Averett University is a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium. SOC, established in 1972, consists of national higher education associations and approximately 1,900 institutional members. SOC Consortium institutional members subscribe to principles and criteria to ensure that quality academic programs are available to military students including those on active duty, Coast Guard personnel, reservists, members of the National Guard, family members, civilian employees of the Department of Defense, and veterans of all Services. As a SOC Consortium member, this institution ensures servicemembers and their family members share in appropriately accredited postsecondary educational opportunities available to other citizens. Flexibility of programs and procedures particularly in admissions, counseling, credit transfer, course articulations, recognition of non-traditional learning experiences, scheduling, course format, and residency requirements are provided to enhance access of military students and their family members to higher education programs. SOC Degree Network System Membership Averett University is a member of the SOC Degree Network System (DNS), a subgroup of SOC Consortium member institutions selected by the military services to deliver specific associate and bachelor’s degree programs to servicemembers and their families. As a member of the DNS, we have agreed to adhere to academic policies intended to support military students in their academic endeavors towards degree completion. Averett University is approved for membership in SOCMAR/SOCCOAST at the bachelor’s degree level. As a member of Servicemember Opportunity Colleges (SOC), Averett University policies support military members through: Liberal Credit Transfer from Other Colleges and Universities; Non-Collegiate Learning Experience Averett University may grant credit for coursework taken under the auspices of certain businesses and industries provided those courses are recommended for credit by the American Council on Education. Students may wish to develop a portfolio demonstrating their prior learning to be evaluated to determine if credit will be granted. Transcripts The University maintains a permanent academic record on each student who enters Averett, a certified copy of which is available upon written request to the Registrar’s Office. The fee for a transcript is $7. Paper request forms can be found in the Registrar’s Office or at the AU Central Desk. In-person request fees must be paid in cash or by check/money order at the time the request is turned in. Requests are also taken via the National Clearinghouse Website at www.getmytranscript.com. All major credit cards are accepted through the National Clearinghouse Website. Neither grade reports nor transcripts will be issued to students until all charges have been paid, including tuition, library fines, and bookstore charges. Transcripts from other institutions will not be released to students or to a third party. Access to Student Records Parental Access to Student Records Averett University assumes all traditional undergraduate students to be dependent on their parents; therefore, parents have access to student grades, schedules, transcripts, housing records, judicial records, and directory information upon their written request, including a signature. A student who wishes to be treated as an independent must apply for independent status by completing and filing the appropriate form with the Registrar’s Office. Upon submission of the completed form, the student’s grades and records will be available only to him/her. Parents of students who have declared themselves as independent may gain access to student records and grades only by demonstrating to the University that the student is considered a dependent under the IRS code. All graduate and non-traditional students will be treated as independent. Non-traditional students are students 23 years of age or older. FERPA ANNUAL NOTICE What is FERPA? FERPA, the Family Educational and Privacy Act of 1974, is a federal law that pertains to the release of and access to educational records. The law, also known as the Buckley Amendment applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the US Department of Education. Go to www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco to learn more. To which information does FERPA apply? FERPA applies to personally identifiable information in educational records. This includes items such as the student’s name, names of family members, addresses, personal identifiers such as social security numbers, and personal characteristics or other information that makes the student’s identity easily traceable. What are the educational records? Educational records are all records that contain information directly related to a student, which are maintained by the educational institution or by a party acting on its behalf, such as a contractor to whom the school has outsourced institutional services or functions.
What are a student’s rights under FERPA? Under FERPA, a student has a right to:
The university notifies students annually of their FERPA rights in the catalog and in the website. If students believe their rights have been violated, they may contact the Family Policy Compliance Office at the Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave SW, Washington, DC 2002-4605. Additional information is available at www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco. Do students have a right to see and change their educational records? Upon written request, the university shall provide a student access to his or her educational records except for financial records to the student’s parents or guardian and confidential letters of recommendation where the student has signed a waiver of right of access. If the records contain information on more than one student, the requesting student may inspect, review, or be informed on only the specific information about his or her own records. Educational records covered by FERPA normally will be made available within 30 days of the request. The contents of a student’s educational records may be challenged by the student on the grounds that they are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the privacy rights of the student by submitting a written statement to the custodian of records – the University Registrar. Is there some way that I can block my information? A currently-enrolled student may restrict access to their directory information, or may remove their information from public directories, by completing a form in the Registrar’s Office within the first 7 days of any semester. What is directory information? FERPA identifies certain information, called directory information that may be disclosed without the student’s permission. The university has designated the following information as directory information:
Who has access to student educational records? According to FERPA, non-directory information may not be released without prior written consent from the student. Exceptions include parents of dependent students, access by appropriate university administrators, faculty members, or staff members who require access to educational records in order to perform their legitimate educational duties; contractors to whom the school has outsourced institutional services or functions; officials of other schools in which the student seeks to enroll; and in connection with a student’s application for, or receipt of, financial aid. Whom should I contact with questions or concerns? Direct general questions to the Office of the Registrar. Non-traditional Education Averett attempts to create a learning environment accessible to all citizens who feel they can benefit by attending the University. This environment is created by offering courses to students of all ages, on campus and off campus, using a variety of delivery systems. Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) This non-traditional program, designed for working adults, offers courses of study leading to the Master of Business Administration; Master of Education (accelerated, not offered in all locations); Master of Accountancy; Bachelor's Degrees in Business, Criminal Justice, and Nursing; and the Associate of Business Administration. Courses are offered at sites throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Individually Designed Education for Adult Learners (IDEAL) The IDEAL Program provides adult students an alternative experience to the traditional classroom setting. The program can meet the needs of students whose busy lifestyles or geographic location prohibit attending classes in an on-ground structured environment by offering degrees through distance learning and independent study.
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