Atlantic Union College students are expected to be fully acquainted with the policies affecting their academic and nonacademic lives on campus. Policies are published in the Student Handbook and this bulletin. New policies and modification may be made at the discretion of the administration and will be published in the Hear Ye and Lancastrian as required.
Students wishing any exception to the published policies may petition the Academic Policies Subcommittee. For exceptions to the general studies requirements, students may petition the General Studies Committee. Forms for these purposes are available at the office of Academic Records. Appropriate fees and any refund due will be determined according to policy as stated in the Financial Information section of the bulletin.
|
FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS
AND PRIVACY ACT OF 1974
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act assure
the student of:
- The right to review and inspect his or her educational records
- The right to request an amendment of his or her educational records to ensure that they are not inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of student's privacy and other rights
- The right to consent to disclosure of personal information contained in his or her educational (academic and discipline) records except to the extent that the Act authorizes disclosure without consent
- The right to file with the U.S. Department of Education a complaint concerning alleged failure of the institution to comply with the requirements of the Act
- The right to obtain a copy of the institution's Student
Record Policy Directory information that may be released to
the news media and other personnel upon request. Such information
includes the following:
- Name of Student
- Class Standing (freshman, etc.)
- Major(s) and/or Minors
- Dates of Attendance
- Registration Status (official or unofficial)
- Degree and Awards Received
- Local Address and Telephone Number
- Email Addres
The Privacy Act also prohibits the distribution of grades or the disclosing of discipline records to parents or guardians without the prior written consent of the student, or a statement of dependency from the parent when the student is a dependent under the criteria of the Internal Revenue Code.
The Privacy Act requires the College to respect the privacy
of education records but gives the right to provide information
contained in the general directory at its discretion without
prior authorization from a student. Students may limit the release
of information by filing a special form with the Office of Student
Services. Detailed copies of the Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act are available at the Office of Academic Records.
<< TOP
Pre-registration
Students are encouraged to pre-register during the
time periods noted in the Student Activities Calendar. Those
who have pre-registered but have not completed their official
registration prior to the first day of classes may have their
schedules cancelled and will have to re-register on a space-available
basis.
Official Registration
Students are officially registered when all required
documents and clearances are on file in the Office of Academic
Records. Students may only attend classes for which they have
officially registered.
Late Registration
Students citing unusual circumstances may register
after the second week of classes only with the permission of
the instructor and the Vice President of Academic Administration.
Changes in Registration
Changes in registration may be made by adding or dropping
courses within the first fourteen days of classes without affecting
the student's permanent record. Courses may not be added after
the second week of the semester except by permission of the
Vice President of Academic Administration. A student may withdraw
from a class after the fourteenth day of classes and up to the
end of the twelfth week of the semester and have a “W”
recorded for the course. A student may not withdraw from a class
after the twelfth week of the semester.
Concurrent Registration
Students registered at Atlantic Union College who wish
to enroll for courses in other institutions to meet a special
need or requirement not provided in the College schedule must
acquire prior approval of the Academic Policies Committee before
registering for the course. A student may obtain the petition
form from the Office of Academic Records. The completed form
must be returned to the Records Office with an attached course
description of the course. If a student does not obtain prior
approval from the committee, there will be no guarantee that
the off-campus course will be accepted as transfer credit.
Cross Registration with the Colleges of Worcester Consortium
Cross-registration forms with instructions on registration
procedures are available in the Academic Records Office of each
Consortium institution. After students have completed the registration
form and secured the appropriate signatures at the home and
host institutions, they will be notified by the host institution
when/if their course registration has been accepted.
Independent Study
Students may take courses by independent study in case
of demonstrated necessity, for example, if a course is not offered
and students plan to graduate that same school year. All independent
studies must be approved by department chairs and by the Academic
Dean.
The student must register for independent study courses through the Office of Academic Records. Independent study courses must be completed within the term in which they are registered, and grades are due with all other grades at the end of the term.
Correspondence Courses
The College accepts a maximum of 12 semester hours
of approved courses by correspondence towards a baccalaureate
degree or a maximum of 6 semester hours toward an associate
degree. Acceptable credits through correspondence must involve
a grade of C or better. Correspondence courses may be taken
with prior consent of the academic advisor and the Academic
Policies Committee. Request forms are available in the Office
of Academic Records. Griggs University, located in Silver Spring,
Maryland, is the officially recognized correspondence school
of Atlantic Union College.
<< TOP
Full-time students take at least 12 credit hours each semester. Fifteen to 16 hours constitute a normal course load. Students of exceptional ability may, upon recommendation of their advisor and approval of the Academic Policies Committee, register for additional hours. Overload forms can be obtained at the Office of Academic Records. Students on academic probation are limited to 12 hours.
The following minimum course loads will meet the requirement of:
Financial Aid - 6 hours Social Security - 12 hours
Immigration Authorities - 12 hours Veterans - 12 hours
<< TOP
Credit hours are based on the semester system. A credit hour
represents one 50 minute period of instruction (or the equivalent)
per week for a semester.
<< TOP
Freshman - Students are classified
as freshmen when they have satisfied the entrance requirements.
Sophomore - Students are classified
as sophomores or two-year seniors when they have completed 24
hours.
Junior - Students are classified as
juniors when they have completed 56 hours.
Senior - Students are classified as
seniors when they have completed 90 hours. Those who expect
to complete their degree requirements in the summer may take
part in class activities but may not serve as officers of the
Spring class.
Non-Degree - Students not regularly
admitted may register for up to 6 hours or two courses per semester.
Pre-Freshman - Students are classified
as pre-freshmen who are currently enrolled in secondary school
and are registered for selected courses at Atlantic Union College.
Graduate - Students are classified
as graduate students who have met the entrance requirements
of the graduate program.
<< TOP
Dean's List
Students eligible for the Dean's List have earned a
minimum of 12 hours of non-remedial course credits during the
semester (excluding S credits) and have achieved a semester
grade-point average of 3.25 or higher with no grade below a
C. Students who have an Incomplete are ineligible for the
Dean's List.
Students whose grade-point average is 3.75 or higher qualify for the Dean's A List; those whose grade-point average is 3.25 through 3.749 qualify for the Dean's B List.
An award ceremony is held every spring in honor of students who are on the either of the Dean's Lists.
Honors Convocation
Each spring students' outstanding scholastic achievement
is recognized in an Honors Convocation. Students who are honored
meet the following criteria:
- The student has attained a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or above and has completed a minimum of twelve semester hours of college work, not counting remedial courses. The student has been placed on a Dean's List the previous semester.
- The student does not have any incomplete grade (I) on record in the Office of Academic Records.
- The student has maintained a satisfactory citizenship record.
- The student is enrolled for a minimum of 12 hours during the current semester.
THE GRADING SYSTEM
Grade Honor Points Per Semester Hour Grade Honor Points
Per Semester Hour
A 4.0 C 2.0
A- 3.7 C- 1.7
B+ 3.3 D+ 1.3
B 3.0 D 1.0
B- 2.7 F 0.0
C+ 2.3
C 2.0
C- 1.7
D+ 1.3
D 1.0
F 0.0
In addition to letter grades, the following symbols are used:
S - Satisfactory DG - Deferred Grade
U - Unsatisfactory I - Incomplete
AU - Audit W - Withdrawal
DG - Deferred Grade
I - Incomplete
W - Withdrawal
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
Students have the option of taking a total of four
courses (one course per year) on an S/U basis unless they are
courses in College Writing or in their major, minor, or cognate
area. An S is given for C- quality work or above. A grade of
U is given for D+ work or below.
An S grade receives credit but no honor points, while a U grade receives neither credit nor honor points. Any changes to or from the S/U option must be done, with the signature of the advisor, by the date listed in the academic calendar as the last day to change grade options.
Audit
An Audited course receives no academic credit. For
financial purposes, it is counted at one-half value when determining
the total course load. The last day the change to this option
can be made is the end of the second week of the semester.
Deferred Grade
Occasionally, requirements of a course may extend beyond
the term for which the student is registered. When approved
by the Vice President of Academic Administration, a student
may receive a DG, which can remain on the student's record permanently.
A DG will be removed upon successful completion of course requirements
only before graduation or a break in residence.
Incomplete
The grade of Incomplete is given only in emergencies
due to justifiable cause. An Incomplete is submitted by the
instructor to the Office of Academic Records together with a
default grade (no higher than C) when grades are due.
This grade will be recorded at the due date of mid-term grades of the following semester if the incomplete grade has not been removed. If a default grade is not submitted, a grade of F will be recorded.
Withdrawal
A grade of W will be recorded when a student withdraws
from a course after the fourteenth day of classes up to the
end of the twelfth week of the semester. Courses dropped before
this period will not appear on the student's transcript. A grade
of F will be recorded for any course from which a student withdraws
after this period.
<< TOP
SHORTENED SESSIONS AND BLOCK COURSES
The following is the schedule for course changes which applies to summer sessions, intersession, and block mini-courses:
- Registration must be completed before the third meeting of the class. A course may be dropped without a W up until one week after the start of the course.
- A student may change to audit, or change to or from S/U option up until one week after the start of the course.
- A student may withdraw from a course up until one week before the end of the course.
A student may repeat a course no more than twice. The record of the best performance is used in computing the grade-point average. Credit for the course is applied only once on the student's record.
When a course with a laboratory is repeated, the laboratory must also be repeated.
A course taken at another institution may not be used to improve
a grade earned at Atlantic Union College.
<< TOP
Grades can be changed only if a teacher error or recording
error has been made.
<< TOP
Final authority for determining grades lies with the individual
teacher. If a student believes that an error has been made in
a grade, he or she may discuss the situation first with the
teacher, then with the department chair, and finally, if necessary,
with the Vice President of Academic Administration, within four
weeks after the following semester begins.
<< TOP
STUDENT RECORDS AND TRANSCRIPTS
Student's academic documents are kept in the Office of Academic Records. Scores of standardized tests taken for scholastic or vocational purposes are kept at the Testing Center.
Students may request transcripts of their academic records
on the form provided by the Office of Academic Records.
The form may be requested in writing, by phone, fax, or e-mail.
There is no charge for the first transcript except when same
day, overnight or Fed-Ex service is requested. There is a $5.00
fee for each additional transcript requested. Requests for transcripts
are honored once a student's financial obligation to the College
has been met and verification made that the student is not in
default in meeting government loan (Federal Perkins, Federal
Stafford, Federal PLUS, Nursing Student Loans, Massachusetts
No Interest Loans) or institutional loan payments.
<< TOP
Probation
Probationary status will be applied at the end of any
semester when the student's cumulative grade point average falls
below 2.00. Academic probation entails the following conditions,
each intended to assist a student in improving scholastic performance:
- The student is encouraged to repeat courses with a grade less than C.
- The student is advised to have regular conferences with an academic advisor.
- The student is eligible to register for 12 credit hours per semester.
- The student is required to attend tutorial sessions arranged by instructor.
- The student may be eligible to hold office in any student organization once the cumulative grade point average is at least 2.50.
Dismissal
Students who do not meet the minimum standards for
academic progress described below will receive a letter of warning.
A student will be dismissed from the College after two consecutive
semesters below the minimum standards or on probation for three
(3) consecutive semesters. The student may appeal the dismissal
to the Academic Policies Committee.
Minimum Standards for Academic Progress
Qualitative Part:
Attempted AUC Credit Hours Required Cumulative
GPA
0 -12 1.50
12-24 1.65
25-36 1.75
37-48 1.95
49 up 2.00
Quantitative Part:
Attempted AUC Credit Hours Required Credits Earned
0-24 50%
25-96 65%
97 up 75%
Discontinuance of Courses
Students must submit a Course Change Voucher to the
Office of Academic Records in order to withdraw officially from
a course. The final date for withdrawing from a course is the
end of the twelfth week of the semester as listed in the College
calendar. Failure to comply will result in the student receiving
an “F” for the course.
Departure from the College
The official date of withdrawal is the date the student
receives the Request for Withdrawal form from the Academic Records
Office to begin the withdrawal process as long as this form
is returned to the Academic Records Office within one month
of the date it was picked up.
<< TOP
The best education results from the collaboration of teachers with students, and students with other students. In the pursuit of the best education, the faculty and students of Atlantic Union College are expected to be academically responsible.
In order to encourage the best education, maximize academic success for each student and support a classroom learning environment free from distractions, the following points should be noted:
- Attendance. Class attendance is required. The maximum number of absences (excused or unexcused) allowed at any given class is equal to twice the number of times the class meets per week. When a student has exceeded the number of absences allowed, the instructor will have the right to drop the student from the class and to assign a grade of W.
- Punctuality. Class appointments must be met on time. A student is liable for specific penalties that may include course failure if tardiness exceeds specified limits.
- Distractions. Walking in and out of class distracts from class activities and should be avoided except in emergencies. Refreshment and restroom needs should be satisfied between classes. Other activities that cause distraction should be avoided.
- Food. Food should not be brought into the classroom. Neither food nor beverages should be brought to laboratory sessions.
- Talking. Talking and loud noises are distracting to other students and to the teacher. Out of respect to fellow students and the teacher, avoid all unnecessary talking and noise. Questions or comments directed to the teacher or class as part of the class discussion are quite appropriate.
- Courtesy. Courtesy should characterize classroom behavior. Appropriate classroom decorum is primarily a matter of exercising courtesy to fellow students and to the instructor.
Each teacher will detail in a printed course syllabus specific requirements regarding attendance, tests, written and oral work, and classroom behavior. Penalties for violation of class policies will be explicitly stated in the syllabus.
Class policies and any associated penalties detailed in the
printed course syllabus will constitute official college policy
for the class and will be supported as such by the College
administration.
<< TOP
Atlantic Union College, a Seventh-day Adventist institution, exists primarily to prepare its students for lives of service within the church and in the wider community by providing them with an education founded upon the historic tenets of the Christian faith. Among our objectives are:
- To equip individuals with the ability to think logically and creatively, and with advanced knowledge of a particular field of study, preparing them to enter the work force or to pursue further study in graduate or professional school.
- To produce ethically and morally responsible individuals who have the ability to live with and respond to other human beings with respect, integrity, and compassion.
- To provide an educational environment in which the historic claims of the Christian faith and the pursuit of current academic knowledge are integrated across the curriculum; where attitudes, values and goals can be examined in the light of Christian faith and expanded knowledge.
Therefore, adherence to the Code of Moral and Academic Integrity ensures that fairness, justice, and truth will shape all our academic endeavors.
Joint Obligation to Report Academic Dishonesty
Although the primary responsibility for maintaining
moral and academic integrity in their work rests with students,
these standards can only be achieved if all members of the College
community work effectively together. Academic dishonesty diminishes
the individual's character, the worth of a grade, and the credibility
of a diploma. Ultimately, this erodes the reputation of the
academic institution.
Definitions (with Clarifications) of Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty may range from an incident, which appears
minor (e.g. copying a one-point answer on a quiz), to a major
act of plagiarism (e.g. downloading a research paper from the
Internet). Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited
to, the following acts:
Cheating: Intentional use of material or information not your own.
- copying answers from another student's work
- using any form of "cheat sheet" (e.g. written notes, memory calculators)
- the submission of papers written by another, purchased or procured from any source
- turning in another's work as your own on homework or lab assignments
- submitting work done for prior courses without instructor's permission
Fabrication: Intentional invention of material for purposes of deception.
- creating false data for surveys, lab experiments, etc.
- inventing sources for citations in research
Facilitation: Intentionally or knowingly collaborating with another to violate any provision of this Code.
- allowing another student to copy homework or answers on quizzes or exams
- passing test information or answers to another student who will take the same test
Plagiarism: Intentionally or knowingly presenting as your own the concepts, ideas, creations, designs, or words of another.
- improper use of or omission of quotation marks and citations
- failure to provide citations for any borrowed materials, including
- paraphrased material
Consequences of Academic Dishonesty
Any student caught engaged in intentional academic
dishonesty will receive an “F” in the course involved.
An Academic Integrity Review Board will be established so that
students are given a means of appeal. This Board includes:
- Vice President of Academic Administration
- Student Association Scholastic Vice President
- Chair of the department in which the incident occurred
- The involved student's Academic Advisor
- The Instructor involved
(In cases where there is an overlap among any of the last
three, another faculty member will be assigned to hear the case.)
<< TOP
Students must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.5 before they can become candidates for the following offices: class president, editor of The Lancastrian, editor of The Minuteman, all elected officers of the Student Association, president of Kappa Nu Epsilon, president of Sons of Liberty, president of the Black Christian Union, and president of Council of Hispanic Students for Progressive Action.
Students may not hold any office in the College if on citizenship
probation, and no one can continue to hold office if placed
on academic or citizenship probation during the school year.
<< TOP
Semester Examinations
In most courses a final examination is given. To take
a final examination at any time other than the regularly scheduled
time, students must first make arrangements with the instructor
and the Vice President of Academic Administration.
Needed flight reservations should be made near the beginning of the semester since reservation difficulties are not sufficient reason for changing a final examination from the regularly scheduled time.
Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency
All freshmen are required to take this proficiency
test. The same test is given to the same students at the end
of their sophomore year to assess the General Education program.
Credit By Examination
The College recognizes that the equivalent to what
is taught within a college course may be learned in other ways.
Therefore, college credit may be earned by challenge examinations,
validation examinations, CLEP, ACT Proficiency Examinations,
or Advanced Placement Examinations. Students may also meet an
academic requirement by passing a waiver examination.
Fees for AUC-based examinations are listed in the Financial Information section of this bulletin.
Students are encouraged to consult their academic advisor or department chair before requesting to take any examination. Requests for permission to take Atlantic Union College-based examinations should be submitted to the Academic Policies Committee.
All official examination results are to be sent to the Office of Academic Records.
Challenge Examination
A challenge examination is a college-prepared examination
for which a student will receive regular college credit if completed
in a manner which demonstrates superior ability in the area
covered by that course. Credit by challenge examination is permitted
in the general core and in other areas when authorized by the
department head and the Academic Policies Subcommittee. The
following restrictions apply:
- A student may not challenge a course prerequisite to one already taken at a more advanced level.
- Unsatisfactory grades earned in courses previously attempted may not be changed by examination credit.
- A student may not take a challenge examination for the same course more than once.
- Examinations for credit may be taken only for courses and credit as listed in the current bulletin.
- All challenge exams must be taken before the student's year of graduation.
- ENGL 101, 102, and PE activity courses cannot be challenged.
- Atlantic Union College does not accept transfer credit for challenge examinations from other schools.
All students who complete a Challenge and/or Course Waiver Examination will be assessed $50.00. Students who are receiving academic credit for the successful completion of their examination will be assessed $250.00 per hours of credit received.
College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)
There are two types of CLEP examinations: General and
Subject. Atlantic Union College grants credit for scores above
50, although the College recommends students who wish credit
by examination to take the appropriate college prepared challenge
examination, and in some cases the College will require a portion
of the College prepared examination in addition to the CLEP
examination. The College may specify different scores for credit
or waiver for some courses. Check with the appropriate department
head for details. The following restrictions apply:
- On the subject examinations, credit will be awarded only if the College offers the same or a closely equivalent course and only up to the number of credits offered by the College.
- For both examinations, credit will not be given if the course has been taken previously (even if failed) or if the examination has been taken previously.
- Students taking any History examination must also complete the optional essay portion.
- ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 cannot be taken as CLEP.
ACT Proficiency Examination Program (PEP)
The same score requirements and restrictions apply
as for CLEP examinations.
Advanced Placement Program
Credit is given to students who have passed the Advanced
Placement Examination with a score of 5. A requirement waiver
is given to students with a score of 3 or 4.
Validation Examinations
Students who have attended non-accredited colleges
may request to take validation examinations in courses which
they wish to transfer. Upon successful completion of the examination,
the student will be granted transfer credit.
Course Waiver Examinations or Substitutions
Degree and Certificate students should normally meet
all the requirements of their majors, minors, and the appropriate
general education curriculum. If students believe they have
already fulfilled any of the general education requirements
they may petition the General Studies Committee for a waiver
or alternative course selection of regular general education
requirements, and the Honors Program Committee for a waiver
or alternative course selection of Honors courses.
No deviation from the course requirements is allowed in the major; second teaching area, minor, course requirements for associate degrees or certificates except by vote of the respective department.
Successful completion of this test waives the curricular requirement, but does not result in credit earned; thus, it does not reduce the total number of hours required for a degree. Waiver examinations are administered by the specific departments and may not be repeated.
All students who complete a Challenge and/or Course Waiver Examination will be assessed $50.00. Students who are receiving academic credit for the successful completion of their examination will be assessed $250.00 per hours of credit received.
Limitations on Non-Traditional Credit
Credit by examination may not exceed the credit earned
in residence and in no case may the total credits earned through
non-traditional means exceed 32 semester hours.
<< TOP
Generally, college-level courses will transfer if completed with a C- grade or higher through an accredited institution of higher education. Students transferring from junior college may not receive credit for more than 72 semester hours. In no case will credit for a course taken elsewhere be accepted if it duplicates a course taken at Atlantic Union College. Neither will credit for a course taken at Atlantic Union College be allowed if it duplicates the content of a course that has been accepted from another college.
Courses taken at other colleges cannot be used to replace a grade earned in residence.
Atlantic Union College will not accept transfer credit for challenge examinations from other colleges. Remedial courses, English as a Second Language courses, basic skills courses, or courses graded on a Pass/Fail (S/U) basis taken at another college will not be accepted as transfer credit.
Notwithstanding the above, the College reserves the right
to determine whether or not transfer credits can be applied
to graduation requirements or whether or not the transfer credit
can be accepted. After the Office of Academic Records has received
official transcripts, an assessment will be made.
<< TOP
In addition to the standard degree tracks outlined, Atlantic Union College offers its students additional degree opportunities through its Individualized Major process. Three kinds of individualization are possible: adjusting standard majors; designing interdisciplinary majors; completing majors through the use of resources currently available only through other local institutions of higher education.
All individualized majors are created with careful advising, during which a contract specifying the individualized requirements is developed. This contract, signed by the student, the chairs of all involved departments and the Vice President of Academic Administration, becomes the legal equivalent of the Bulletin and is kept on file in the Office of Academic Records. The advising procedure used to develop the contract varies slightly for each of the three types.
To adjust the requirements for a currently offered major, a student must be a registered major within the department and have a clear goal for that major which can be furthered better by individualized requirements. The adjusting of the requirements should be carefully worked out with both the student's advisor and the department chair, and the resulting contract must be approved by a majority of the faculty in the department.
Candidates for interdisciplinary majors must have an approved academic advisor from each discipline represented in the proposed major. The advised requirements must include an interdisciplinary "capstone" project that is appropriate for the clear design goals of the Individualized Major, and must be approved by a majority of the faculty in each department involved. In cases where any of the disciplines involved are not currently represented by departments on campus, a majority vote of the General Studies Committee will substitute for the department of the missing discipline(s), and may be the only group approving the requirements where there is a legitimate interdisciplinary proposal with no obvious department to advise.
Atlantic Union College regularly encourages students to take advantage of the rich educational resources of our area by choosing majors partially dependent on other educational institutions. This is most easily done when AUC offers a minor the student wishes to develop into a major-such as communications but can be done with other areas as well. There must be an on-campus faculty member competent to serve as an academic advisor in the area, and a majority of the faculty of the minor being expanded or the General Studies Committee must approve the requirements.
International Baccalaureate
Atlantic Union College recognizes the International
Baccalaureate in its admission. In addition, college credit
is granted for scores of 5, 6 or 7 on IB Diploma courses taken
while enrolled in secondary school and upon receipt of an official
transcript submitted by the IB Organization. The amount of credit
assigned is determined for each examination by the Office of
Academic Records in consultation with the appropriate academic
department.
International Student Bill of Rights
Atlantic Union College has endorsed the Bill of Rights
and Responsibilities for International Students and Institutions.
The full text of this document is available upon request and
is automatically furnished to all international students who
apply for admission.
<< TOP