ACADEMIC INFORMATION
College Year
The college year is comprised of three academic semesters, Fall Semester, Spring Semester, and Summer Semester. Each semester is approximately fifteen weeks in length. Students may enter at the beginning of any semester.
Unit of Credit
The unit of credit associated with all course work is the semester hour, representing the equivalent of 50 minutes of class time. Each credit course offered by Gordon College is designated in this catalog by a three digit code to indicate the number of semester hours associated with the course. For example, ENGL 1101 is designated with the code (3-0-3). The first digit (3-0-3) indicates the number of semester hours per week the course meets in a lecture; the second digit (3-0-3) indicates the number of semester hours per week the course meets in a laboratory or practicum setting; and the third digit (3-0-3) indicates the total number of semester hours the course receives. Laboratory science courses are designated in this catalog with the letter K (e.g., Principles of Biology I is designated BIOL 1107K).
Class Load
A student scheduling 12 or more semester hours of credit is classified by the College as a full-time student. This classification given by the College does not necessarily coincide with Selective Service, Veterans Administration, Financial Aid, or Gordon College Foundation Scholarship classifications.
The standard class load for full-time students is 16 hours per semester, which includes one course in physical education. Most transfer programs of study require students to complete 64 semester hours of course work. Therefore, students must complete an average of 16 semester hours of course work per semester to complete degree requirements in two years.
Students may not register for more than 18 semester hours in any given semester without written approval from the adviser and the Division Chair.
In general, a student must have been at Gordon for at least two semesters and have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 before requesting an overload of 19 or more semester hours. To request an overload, students must complete a Student Petition. Learning Support students may not register for more than 18 semester hours in any given semester. Overloads will not be approved.
Academic Advisement
Upon entering the College, each student is assigned a faculty adviser who will assist the student in selecting classes appropriate to that student’s program of study. Students are responsible, however, for knowing and fulfilling the graduation requirements of the College and the requirements within their programs of study.
Class Schedule
Gordon offers both daytime and evening classes. Daytime classes typically meet two days a week (Tuesday and Thursday) or three days a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). Evening classes meet twice a week (Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday) or once a week (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday). Prior to the beginning of each semester, a Schedule of Classes showing course offerings for that semester will be made available to students.
Registration
Registration procedures are published each semester in the Schedule of Classes. Students have the responsibility to see that they do not have conflicting classes and to report to the courses and sections indicated on their schedule forms.
Late Registration
Late registration procedures are published each semester in the Schedule of Classes. If a student cannot register during the official registration period, late registration will be permitted during the official late registration period published in the Schedule of Classes. Although students may be allowed to register for classes during late registration after classes have already begun, they should be aware that missing classes may negatively impact their ability to complete all course requirements successfully.
Change of Schedule -- Drop-Add
After classes begin each semester, students may alter their schedules during the official drop-add period by dropping and adding courses. The procedures for drop-add and the dates for the official drop-add period are published each semester in the Schedule of Classes.
Dropping Courses
The student's class schedule which is in effect following the drop-add period in any semester becomes the student’s official class schedule. Any courses dropped prior to the end of the official drop-add period are removed from the student’s academic record and are not shown in the official student record.
Following the drop-add period, a student may drop a course or withdraw from all courses by the mid-term date published in the Schedule of Classes and receive a grade of W for the course(s). To drop courses, a student must submit an appropriately completed Schedule Change Form or an appropriately completed Student Withdrawal Form if the student is completely withdrawing from the College to the Registrar’s Office. The W is not computed in the student's grade point average, but it will appear on the official student record. A student may not exercise this right to drop a course or withdraw from all courses to avoid sanction for academic dishonesty (also see Academic Dishonesty Policy, p. 57, p. 231).
Courses dropped or withdrawal from all courses after the official mid-term date published in the Schedule of Classes will automatically be assigned a grade(s) of WF unless the student files a Student Petition Form requesting special consideration for personal hardship. If the petition is successful, the student will be assigned a grade of W rather than a grade of WF. Such petitions for personal hardship should be filed before the end of the semester to be considered and, in no circumstances will be considered when filed past midterm of the following semester. Student Petition Forms are available in the offices of the Registrar or the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Student Withdrawal Forms and petitions to change grades for any semester will not be processed after the last day of classes for that semester.
A student who stops attending a course without appropriately processing a Schedule Change Form or a Student Withdrawal Form will receive a grade of WF in the course.
Student Withdrawal
Should it become necessary to withdraw from all classes for the semester, a student must obtain a Student Withdrawal Form from the Registrar’s Office and
- obtain all required signatures,
- obtain clearance from the Financial Aid Office,
- obtain clearance from the Student Affairs Office (if the student lives in a campus residence hall),
- obtain clearance from the Library, and
- leave the completed Student Withdrawal Form in the Registrar's Office.
Students must withdraw by the close of the official drop-add period to remove courses from the academic record and to receive a full refund of tuition and fees. Dates for the official drop-add period are published each semester in the Schedule of Classes. Students have the responsibility of completing the withdrawal process as stated above. Questions should be directed to the Registrar's Office.
A student who stops attending all courses for the semester without appropriately processing a Student Withdrawal Form will receive grades of WF in all courses.
Class Attendance
Class attendance is expected of all students enrolled at Gordon College. Being prepared for class in advance and participating on a regular basis is a vitally important ingredient for academic success. Research continually shows that poor attendance and/or limited participation usually results in low grades. However, because the delivery mode, content, assignments, and other particulars for each class section vary so widely, Gordon College does not specify an official campus-wide attendance standard. At the beginning of each semester, every instructor will distribute a course syllabus and clearly state his or her attendance policy. It is the student’s responsibility to inquire of the instructor if there are questions.
SEE ENROLLMENT VERIFICATION SECTION BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
A WF will be assigned as the final grade if the student stops attending class after mid-term.
The instructor will notify the Registrar’s Office in writing if a student receiving veteran's benefits is absent from a class three consecutive weeks in a fall or spring semester, two consecutive weeks in a full session summer semester, or one week in a half session summer semester.
Field trips and extracurricular activities which require a student’s absence from class must be approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty; however, final approval for class absences remains with the individual instructor.
Enrollment Verification
Every semester, faculty will provide electronic verification of class attendance for each student on each official class roll following procedures outlined by the Registrar. Class rolls become official at the close of the drop/add period each semester. Faculty enrollment verification is due on the ninth calendar day of each semester. Students reported as never attending a class by this date will be removed from the official class roll.
- For students who do not receive financial aid, loans or scholarships, tuition and fees will be recalculated after the class is removed from the schedule. If appropriate, a refund will be issued to the student.
- For students receiving financial aid, loans or scholarships, tuition and fees will be recalculated after the class is removed and financial aid, loans or scholarships will be adjusted accordingly. This adjustment could result in a reduction of aid awarded or loss of loan or scholarship funds.
- No student will be enrolled in a class after the close of the drop/add period.
Grading System and Grade Point Average
Every course listed on a student's official semester schedule will be listed on the student's permanent record and will include an appropriate grade or symbol designation (even if the student has not completed the semester's work). The following grades are used in the determination of the grade point average:
| Letter Grade Numerical Equivalent Description | ||
|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | Excellent |
| B | 3.0 | Good |
| C | 2.0 | Satisfactory |
| D | 1.0 | Passing |
| F | 0.0 | Failing |
| WF | 0.0 | Withdrawn Failing |
A student's semester grade point average is computed by dividing the number of credit hours in the courses attempted for the semester in which a grade of A, B, C, D, F, or WF was received into the number of quality points earned on those hours. The number of quality points associated with each grade is determined by multiplying the numerical grade equivalent by the number of credit hour for the course. That is,
Quality Points = (Numerical Grade Equivalent) x (Credit Hours).
For example, consider a student receiving an A in a three semester hour class, a B in a three semester hour class, and a C in a four semester hour class. The student’s grade point average is calculated as follows:
| Letter Grade | Numerical Equivalent | Credit Hours | Calculation | Quality Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | 3 | (4.0) x (3) | = 12 |
| B | 3.0 | 3 | (3.0) x (3) | = 9 |
| C | 2.0 | 4 | (2.0) x (4) | = 8 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 10 | Total Quality Points | = 29 | |
The cumulative grade point average is computed by dividing the total number of credit hours in all courses attempted in which a grade of A, B, C, D, F, or WF has been received into the number of quality points earned on those hours. Grades earned in courses numbered below 1000 or in courses transferred to Gordon are not included in the computation of a student's grade point average.
The symbols listed below are used in the cases indicated and are not included in the determination of the grade point average.
| I | In courses numbered 1000 and above and only with the approval of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty, this symbol indicates that a student was making satisfactory progress but, for non-academic reasons beyond the control of the student, was unable to meet the full requirements of the course. If an I is not satisfactorily removed after two semesters of enrollment at Gordon College, it will be changed to the grade of F. |
| IP | In courses numbered below 1000, the symbol IP may be used to indicate progress, but not completion. In such a case, the student must register for and pay fees for the course until it has been completed with a grade of a C (or better) and a passing grade on the COMPASS exit test or until the student is no longer eligible to register for the course. |
| W | This symbol indicates that a student was permitted to withdraw without penalty. Withdrawals without penalty will not be permitted after the official mid-term date published in the Schedule of Classes except in approved cases of extenuating personal hardship (See Grade Appeal Process on page 50). |
| V | This symbol indicates that a student registered to audit the course. |
| K | This symbol indicates credit earned through an appropriate examination program. |
| NR | This symbol indicates that a grade was not reported by the instructor at the time grades were processed. |
| WM | This symbol indicates that a student was permitted to withdraw without penalty under the Board of Regents policy for military service refunds. The use of this symbol indicates that the student was permitted to withdraw without penalty at any time during the term. |
Graduation Grade Point Average
To graduate from Gordon College, a student must complete the requirements of a degree program with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0. For the purpose of graduation, however, only the courses required by the program of study are used to calculate the grade point average. (Students enrolled in the Associate of Science in Nursing Program should refer to page 153 for a description of the grade point average requirements pertaining to them.) Most institutions of the University System of Georgia include grades for all courses attempted when computing an acceptable grade point average for admitting transfer students.
Repeating Courses
Courses may be repeated; however, a record of all courses attempted will remain on a student's permanent record, and all grades received for repeated courses will be used in computing the grade point average.
Maintaining the Standard of Academic Performance
Students are responsible for maintaining the standard of academic performance established by the faculty for each course in which they are enrolled. Professors have a responsibility to (1) advise students of course expectations, (2) state criteria for grades clearly, and (3) make themselves available for conferences with individual students who seek counsel and advice regarding their progress in the course.
Double Credit
No course a student takes will provide credit for more than one academic requirement or elective. Courses may not be used to satisfy requirements in more than one Area. "Double credit" is not allowable.
Academic Renewal
The Academic Renewal Policy of the University System of Georgia allows degree-seeking students who have experienced academic difficulty to make a fresh start after an absence from Gordon College of at least five calendar years. Students who wish to seek Academic Renewal should submit a written request for Academic Renewal to the Registrar’s Office at least six weeks prior to the semester in which the student intends to begin taking classes under the Academic Renewal Policy. Students who do not request Academic Renewal status prior to re-enrollment may do so within two academic semesters of re-enrollment or within one calendar year, whichever comes first. A student can be granted Academic Renewal status only one time. A detailed description of the requirements and provisions of the Academic Renewal Policy is available in the Registrar’s Office.
Student Bill of Rights
Students have the following rights:
- to attend classes during their regularly scheduled time without deviation from such time and without penalty if the student cannot attend an instructional hour not institutionally scheduled;
- to consult with an assigned adviser for a reasonable amount of time each semester;
- to reasonable transfer of the core curriculum within the University System;
- to consult with faculty outside of classroom time during regularly scheduled office hours or by appointment;
- to reasonable access to campus facilities which are required to complete course assignments and objectives;
- to receive at the beginning of each semester a syllabus for each course which outlines course objectives and requirements and to be informed of any changes in these syllabi;
- to receive access to any of their records kept by the institution (may be waived by students in certain cases like placement office records); and
- to be informed of the grade appeal process.
Intellectual Diversity and Student Rights
As stated in the Gordon College Creed, the Gordon College community desires that its students develop the capacity for open-minded inquiry and intellectual and academic honesty. To that end, the College protects these prerogatives for its students and student organizations:
- Students have the right to learn and to inquire. They have the right to examine and discuss questions of interest by orderly means that do not impede the collegial process of learning.
- Students have the right to take stands on issues and the right to support causes by orderly means that do not disrupt the regular and essential campus operation.
- Students have the right to expect that their academic work will be evaluated on the basis of academic performance and not on the basis of irrelevant matters such as personality, personal characteristics, degree of political activism, or personal beliefs. At the same time, students are responsible for maintaining the standards of academic performance established by the faculty for each course in which they are enrolled.
- Recognized student organizations are allowed to invite any person to address a meeting that the organization is sponsoring for the purpose of hearing that person’s ideas. However, the President of the College has final responsibility for campus events and activities and can either affirm or cancel a speaker’s invitation.
- Individual students and recognized campus organizations have the right to publish and distribute written materials provided that the material is identified by the name of the student or organization and done in accordance with College regulations.
Students with concerns related to protection of these rights in a specific class should initiate conversation with the instructor of the class and, if the concern is not addressed, contact the appropriate Division Chair followed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. If the student is uncomfortable going directly to these persons or if the concern is broader than classroom interactions, the student may contact the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee or the Vice President for Student Affairs.
Rights and Grade Appeal Process
Any student who feels that his or her rights have been violated should schedule a conference with the instructor involved to discuss the situation. If satisfactory results cannot be obtained from such a conference, the student may file a written appeal by completing a Student Petition Form and submitting it to the Division Chair, who will review the appeal, consult the instructor on the matter, and forward the petition to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for a final decision. (If the Division Chair is the instructor, the Petition Form may be submitted directly to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.) Student Petition Forms are available in the Division offices. If the instructor will be unavailable for an extended period (for example, during summer or winter break), assuming reasonable attempts have been made to contact that instructor, then the Division Chair will forward the petition to the Vice President for Academic Affairs with a copy of the petition to the instructor. A written copy of the decision will be made available in the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs not later than 30 days after the filing of the appeal. All grade appeals must be initiated within one semester of the posting of the grade, except in extenuating cases of personal hardship that prevent the student from initiating the appeal within the one semester period. An appeal requesting a grade of "W" can only be initiated in relation to a grade of "WF."
At the discretion of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the petitioning student may, in addition to following the procedure outlined above, be granted a formal hearing before the Academic Judicial Committee.
Academic Dishonesty Policy
Any act of academic dishonesty by a student may result in a grade of F or zero for the relevant assignment. An act of academic dishonesty may also result in one or more of the following consequences:
- a failing grade for the course;
- charges filed against a student for violation of the Student Code of Conduct as described in this catalog; and/or
- other measures as deemed appropriate by the instructor.