Undergraduate Academic Policies
Note: The printed version of the catalog is subject to change. The
official catalog of Our Lady of the Lake College is the online
version, which is updated as necessary and may be accessed at
www.ololcollege.edu.
Please also refer to “General Academic Policies: Regulations for All
Degrees and Programs” in this Catalog.
Registration
Registration involves academic advising, selection of courses and
payment of fees. Before pre-registration or registration, each
student should consult with his/her academic advisor on course
selection, general education requirements, major requirements and
other degree requirements. Advising is done in person or by
proposing an on-line advising plan and then notifying the advisor.
However, it is the responsibility of the student, not the academic
advisor, to ensure that all college graduation requirements are met.
Pre-registration is held in the fall for the spring semester and in
the spring for the summer and fall semesters.
All new first-year and re-entry students
admitted to the College will meet with an advisor at a mandatory
orientation session prior to the semester of entry. Also, any
student placed on probation is required to meet with his/her advisor
before registering for classes.
During pre-registration, students select courses and secure a class
schedule for the upcoming semester(s). Information pertaining to
registration, such as course offerings, semester calendar, tuition
and fees, etc. is available on the College Web site (http://www.ololcollege.edu).
The most up-to-date semester course offerings information is
available through
WebServices. The course schedule contains
class schedules, as well as important pre-registration and
registration information.
Students may attend class only after completing registration and
paying fees. Students whose names are not on the official class
rosters cannot attend classes until they provide evidence that they
have registered.
Enrollment at Another
Institution
Our Lady of the Lake students may pursue classes at another
accredited institution with the approval of the dean of the
appropriate school and the registrar. Failure to obtain this
approval may result in the denial of credit. Students must be in
good academic and financial standing with Our Lady of the Lake
College. Transient request forms are available in the Office of the
Registrar. At the conclusion of the semester, the student has the
responsibility to have an official transcript mailed to the OLOL
College Office of the Registrar. If the transcript is not received,
the student will not be eligible to register for future classes or
obtain a copy of his or her transcript.
Adding and/or Dropping Courses
A student who finds it necessary to change his/her schedule by
adding or dropping courses (without receiving a grade of “WS” or
“WU”) must complete a Drop/Add Form and submit it to the
Registrar during the drop/add period, as set within the academic
calendar.
Withdrawing from a Course
From the conclusion of the drop/add period through the final date to
withdraw from a course, changes in schedule constitute withdrawal.
The instructor or dean, and representatives from the offices of
financial aid, bursar and registrar must approve withdrawals on the
appropriate form. A student who officially withdraws from a course
will, at the discretion of the instructor, receive a grade of “WS”
or “WU.”
A student who stops attending class or leaves the College without
following the official procedures for withdrawal from a course or
resignation from the College is subject to a grade of “F” posted on
his/her record for each course in question, and may be denied
re-entry to the College.
In certain clinical programs, there are significant penalties for
accruing an unacceptable number of “WU” grades. See specific
school/program policies for details. Failure to complete courses may
also have a significant impact on a student’s financial aid status.
See Financial Aid section of this catalog for details.
Students should note that any change of academic schedule is not
official until it is filed with the Registrar. The date the change
is received in the Office of the Registrar will be the official date
for the change. Students should refer to the Academic Calendar
for the final day to withdraw from a course each semester.
Withdrawal or discontinuation of all courses in which a student is
enrolled requires that a student resign from the College. To resign
officially from the College, a student must obtain a Student
Resignation Form, which must be completed by the student and
signed by the designated officials of the College. A student who
discontinues classes or leaves school without following the official
procedures is subject to receiving a grade of "F" on his/her OLOL
College record for each course in question and may be denied
re-entry to the College. Students should refer to the Academic
Calendar for the final day each semester to resign from the
College. The date the completed form is received in the Office of
the Registrar will be the official date for the change.
Application for re-admission is required when a student resigned
from OLOL College and desires to re-enter the College. See
Re-admission in the Admissions section of this catalog.
Attendance
For all courses, classroom attendance and clinical laboratory
attendance policies will be stipulated by the faculty and will be
published in writing at the beginning of the course. Each student is
responsible to be aware of and comply with attendance and
punctuality requirements.
Obligations to the College
A student who has not met all obligations to the College, which
include but are not limited to financial obligations, receipt of
official transcripts, and immunization records, may be dropped from
all courses; may not be allowed to register for courses in
subsequent academic semesters or sessions; may not receive a degree
from the College; or may not be permitted to participate in
commencement until all of the aforementioned obligations are met.
Additionally, requests for Our Lady of the Lake College transcripts
will not be honored until all outstanding obligations have been
fulfilled.
Student Classification
For administrative and other official purposes, undergraduate
students are classified according to the number of semester hours
successfully completed.
Classification is as follows:
0 to 29 hours – freshman 30 to 59 hours – sophomore
60 to 89 hours – junior 90 hours and above –
senior
Credit Hour Formula
|
1 credit hour = a minimum of 15 clock hours of lecture |
|
|
or |
|
a minimum of 45 clock hours of
clinical, lab or practicum |
|
|
Full-time:
A student is considered full-time when enrolled for:
-
A minimum of nine credit hours in a clinical, certificate or
articulation program; or
-
A minimum of 12 credit hours of arts and sciences courses in the
fall or spring semester; or
-
A minimum of six credit hours of courses per summer session.
Part-time:
A student is considered part-time when enrolled for:
-
Eight or fewer credit hours per semester in a clinical,
certificate or articulation program; or
-
Eleven or fewer credit hours of arts and sciences courses per
semester; or
-
Five or fewer credit hours of courses per summer session.
Federal Student Aid Enrollment Standards
The minimum enrollment standards for federal student aid are defined
below for all undergraduate students, regardless of program and the
institution's definition.
For standard terms (fall and spring), the minimum enrollment
standards are:
-
Full-time: 12 semester hours
-
¾ time: nine semester hours
-
½ time: six semester hours
-
Less than half time: less than half of the work load of the
minimum full-time requirement
For non-standard term (summer session with instructional eight
weeks), the minimum enrollment standards are:
-
Full-time: six semester hours
-
¾ time: five semester hours
-
½ time: three semester hours
-
Less than half time: less than half of the work load of the
minimum full-time requirement
For non-standard term (summer session with instructional four
weeks), the minimum enrollment standards are:
-
Full-time: three semester hours
-
½ time: two semester hours
-
Less than half time: less than half of the work load of the
minimum full-time requirement
Normal Course Load
Students may enroll for a maximum of 19 credit hours during fall and
spring semesters and 10 credit hours during the summer term
(combined sessions). Students currently enrolled in clinical
programs who wish to exceed the normal course load must seek
approval from the appropriate program director or dean. The
appropriate dean, at her/his discretion, may allow students to
schedule a maximum of 21 semester credit hours in the fall or spring
and 12 credit hours in a combination of summer sessions
Each instructor has the option of using a grading method within each
course that best meets the needs of the subject. However, all grades
are translated into the following quality points:
|
Grade |
|
Meaning |
|
Quality Points Per
Credit Hour |
|
A |
|
|
|
4 |
|
B+ |
|
|
|
3.5 |
|
B |
|
|
|
3 |
|
C+ |
|
|
|
2.5 |
|
C |
|
|
|
2 |
|
D+ |
|
|
|
1.5 |
|
D |
|
|
|
1 |
|
F |
|
Failure |
|
0 |
|
P |
|
Passing* |
|
Not computed |
|
S |
|
Satisfactory Progress** |
|
Not computed |
|
U |
|
Unsatisfactory Progress** |
|
Not computed |
|
I |
|
Incomplete*** |
|
Not initially computed |
|
WA |
|
Administrative Withdrawal |
|
Not computed |
|
WS |
|
Withdrawal from course – satisfactory progress |
|
Not computed |
|
WU |
|
Withdrawal from course – unsatisfactory progress |
|
Not computed |
|
AU |
|
Audit (no credit) |
|
Not computed |
Notes:
*
Grade has no effect on the GPA; credit is awarded.
**
Grade used for developmental courses; has no effect on the GPA; no
credit awarded. (See Non-Credit for Developmental Courses policy.)
***
See Incomplete Grades Policy
A student's GPA is an index of scholastic performance and is
computed on the ratio of quality points earned to semester hours
attempted. Courses with grades of P, S, U, I, WA, WS, WU or AU will not be
considered in the calculation of the GPA.
Calculating Grade Point Average
1.
Make a list of courses taken, letter grades earned and credit hours
awarded for each course.
2.
Using the grade system, list the appropriate quality points assigned
to each letter grade earned next to credit hours awarded.
3.
Multiply the credit hours awarded by the quality points assigned.
This is the total quality points earned for the course.
4.
Add up the total number of credit hours awarded and the total
quality points.
5.
Divide the total quality points by the credit hours awarded. The
result is the grade point average.
Semester GPA
A student's GPA based on the number of quality points earned and the
number of credit hours attempted during a single semester at Our
Lady of the Lake College
OLOL College GPA
A student's GPA based on the total number of quality points earned
and the total number of credit hours attempted at Our Lady of the
Lake College.
Overall GPA
A student's GPA based on the total number of quality points earned
and the total number of credit hours attempted at Our Lady of the
Lake College and all transfer courses accepted.
1.
An incomplete or "I" grade may be submitted at the end of the
semester for a course in which a student can achieve satisfactory
progress but, because of circumstances beyond his/her control,
he/she has failed to complete the course requirements on or before
the last day to submit final grades for the semester. In such cases,
the student must have at least a grade of "C" in the course and 80%
attendance (excused or unexcused) up to the deadline for course
withdrawal. Students who are not able to attend classes before this
deadline are not eligible for "I" grades and must withdraw or resign
from the course.
2.
The instructor or the student may initiate the request for an "I"
grade. The instructor or student must contact the Office of the
Registrar to obtain a Request for an "I" Grade form. The form
must be completed and signed by the student, and approved and signed
by the instructor.
3.
The form will contain the student's reasons for requesting an "I,"
the instructor's explicit outline for resolving the "I," and the
deadline by which the "I" grade must be resolved.
4.
The form must then be approved, by signature, by the dean or
director of the academic program in which the student is enrolled.
Finally, the form must be submitted to the registrar.
An "I" grade that has not been resolved by the first day of class of
the next semester (including summer and whether or not the student
intends to enroll) will be changed automatically to an "F.”
5.
When the "I" grade has been resolved, the instructor will notify the
registrar by submitting a Change of Grade form to make the
necessary grade change.
In extraordinary cases, the appropriate
school dean may authorize an extension of time for resolving
the grade. Such authorization must be approved, by signature, on the
Request for an "I" Grade form.
If an instructor finds that it is necessary to change an
undergraduate student's grade, the grade change must be made before
the first day of
class of the next semester (including summer). Grades
may not be changed after this date. In the case of extraordinary
circumstances, the instructor may submit to the academic dean a
written request for a deadline extension.
Final decisions on grade
appeals will be made at the school level and by the appropriate
dean. A dean’s decision regarding a grade appeal is final and may
not be appealed further.
Grade appeals must be initiated with the director of the program in
question by filing a Grade Appeal form no later than two (2)
weeks following the last day grades may be submitted.
Program dismissal related to or based on grades or grade point
average deficits may only be appealed to the appropriate school
dean.
Grades and Reports
The College does not mail grade reports at mid term or at the end of
the semester. Instead, students access their grades through
WebServices. Access to WebServices is found at
www.ololcollege.edu; under “Current Students” WebServices
is listed. The link for WebServices prompts users to enter a
username and password.
Students are graded at mid-semester and at the end of each semester
or summer session. Mid-term grades serve as progress reports and are
not entered on students’ permanent academic records.
Mid-Term Status
The mid-term status process serves as a catalyst for assessment,
advising and counseling for students who are not demonstrating
satisfactory academic progress at mid-term. All students may access
their mid-term status reports via WebServices after the
eighth week of the fall and spring semesters and after the fourth
week of the summer session. The mid-term status for courses less
than eight weeks in duration will be provided to each student via
correspondence from his/her instructor. The dates that mid-term
grades are distributed vary for non-traditional sessions.
First and second semester freshmen students: Mid-term progress
generally will be reported with a letter grade for each course in
which the student is enrolled.
All other students: Mid-term progress will be reported as “S” for
progressing satisfactorily, and “U” for unsatisfactory progress for
each course in which the student is enrolled. If a “U” is reported,
the student will be encouraged to meet with his/her instructor
and/or advisor.
Final Grades
Instructors submit letter grades at the end of each semester or
session. These grades become part of the student’s official record.
Once entered, a grade may not be changed except through an
officially executed Change of Grade form.
Academic Status
To be considered in good academic standing, a student must have a
minimum overall grade point average of 2.0.
Academic status at the College is defined as Progression or
Non-Progression.
Progression status designates an enrollment status whereby a student
is eligible to continue enrollment within a course or program of
study. Progression in an individual program is defined by that
program and listed under the program heading in the College
Catalog. Included in this category are good standing and
academic probation.
Good Standing:
To be considered in good academic standing, a student must have a
minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.
Academic Probation:
Academic Probation provides a warning for a student whose academic
work is unsatisfactory. For the first
semester that a student is on academic probation, he/she can
register for a maximum of
nine credit
hours in the fall or spring semesters and
four credit
hours in the summer. If after the first semester on probation the
student achieves a semester GPA of 2.0 or greater, then the student
may register for greater than nine credit hours in the fall or
spring semesters, and greater than four credit hours in the summer
semester, upon recommendation of his/her academic advisor.
Any student on academic probation must see an advisor each
semester that he/she is on probation.
A student is placed on academic probation under the following
situations:
1.
When his/her overall GPA is below 2.0
2.
When he/she is admitted on probation from another institution
3.
When he/she is a re-entering student whose last academic status was
probation
4.
When he/she is re-entering student after academic suspension
To remain eligible to enroll in courses while on academic probation,
a student must achieve at least a 2.0 semester GPA. Once on academic
probation, a student will remain on probation (as long as each
semester GPA is at least 2.00) until the overall GPA of 2.00 or
higher is achieved. Failure to achieve a 2.0 or greater semester GPA
results in suspension. Academic probation status will be posted on
the student's academic record.
Non-Progression Status
Non-Progression status designates an enrollment status whereby a
student is not eligible to continue enrollment within a course or
program of study. Included in this category are academic suspension,
academic dismissal and non-academic dismissal.
Academic Suspension:
Academic suspension designates a time period during which a student
is not eligible to enroll in courses due to his/her unsatisfactory
academic work. A student is academically suspended when, while on
probation, he/she does not achieve a semester GPA of 2.0 or greater.
A student on academic suspension, who is suspended the first time,
may not register for courses at the College for the following
regular (fall or spring) semester or the intervening summer term. A
second suspension will result in a student not being able to enroll
in courses for an entire calendar year. A third suspension will
result in academic dismissal from the College. Academic suspension
status will be posted on the student's academic record.
Any course work taken at another institution while a student is on
academic suspension will not be accepted for transfer credit and
will not be used to fulfill degree requirements or to modify the
GPA.
An application for readmission is required. If readmission is
approved by the Admissions Committee, the student will be
placed on
academic probation.
Academic Dismissal from the College:
Academic dismissal from the College designates a status in which the
student is ineligible to continue enrollment in the College. A
student will be dismissed from the College if he/she has been
suspended three times. Academic dismissal will be posted on the
student's academic record.
Dismissal for Non-Academic Reasons:
Students who commit any of the following acts may be dismissed from
the College according to the procedure for disciplinary dismissal:
·
academic dishonesty
·
plagiarism
·
falsification of information given on official school documents
·
falsification of records regarding patient care
·
unauthorized possession of an examination
·
illegal possession, use, sale or distribution of drugs
·
illegal possession of weapons
·
theft
·
commitment of any act which would result in ineligibility for
licensure or certification
·
participation in cheating or lying in reference to clinical or
classroom assignments
·
chemical impairment in the school/clinical setting
·
conduct which is inappropriate for either clinical or classroom
environments (e.g., abusive language, threats, assault and battery,
disruptive talking)
This list is not meant to be all-inclusive, but serves to identify
examples of behaviors that warrant disciplinary dismissal. See
Student Handbook
for due process for misconduct.
Appeal Rights for Dismissal for Non-Academic Reasons
Program dismissal appeals for dismissals not due to a course grade
or overall GPA will be heard by an appeals committee convened by the
Office of Academic and Student Affairs. This appeal recourse is
available only to students dismissed from programs for student
misconduct reasons (that is, reasons exclusive of those related to
grades or GPA deficits). Students must initiate this process via a
letter to the Executive Vice President for Academic and Student
Affairs, clearly stating the reason for the dismissal, within two
weeks of the dismissal notice.
Honors
Dean's List:
The Dean's List is published each semester. To be eligible for
Dean’s List honors, the full-time student must have attained a grade
point average of 3.5 or better during the semester in question.
President's List:
The President's List is published each semester. To be eligible for
President’s List honors, the full- time student must have attained a
grade point average of 4.0 during the semester in question.
When a student repeats a course at Our Lady of the Lake College, all
grades for that course will be used in computing the grade point
average. All repeated course work must be taken at Our Lady of the
Lake College.
Non-Credit for Developmental Courses
Developmental courses will use the designation "S" for satisfactory
completion or "U" for unsatisfactory completion. Developmental
courses are non-credit courses and will not count for credit, either
positively or negatively.
Students who do not want to earn college credit may enroll for no
credit on an “audit” basis. New students must complete an
application for admission and submit all required credentials.
Students who wish to audit a class must also obtain written consent
from the instructor of the course and the dean of the appropriate
school. The grade awarded for a class taken on an audit basis is
“AU.” No credit or quality points are earned and the student will
not be permitted to take advanced-standing examinations on such work
without permission of the dean of the appropriate school. Students
may not audit the same course more than once. Courses previously
audited may be taken later for credit. Tuition and fees for auditing
a course are the same as for regular enrollment.
A student who initially enrolls for a class on an audit basis may
change to credit if it is admissible to the College and applicable
programs, and with permission of the instructor of the course and
the student's academic advisor. Students may register to take
courses on an audit basis, change from audit to credit (add) or
credit to audit (drop) through the drop/add period as published in
the Academic Calendar.
Students who are auditing may utilize the College Library, receive
course handouts and, at the discretion of the instructor, may
participate in class discussion and testing, and may be allowed to
observe and participate in the laboratory setting, but may not
participate in the clinical component of a course. Students who are
auditing are required to follow all policies of Our Lady of the Lake
College.
The independent study option allows qualified students to complete
arts and sciences courses outside the traditional classroom setting,
in a one-on-one relationship with a faculty member. This option
provides flexibility in meeting student needs (i.e., to solve
scheduling problems, which would delay the student's graduation). It
constitutes an agreement between the student and the instructor.
This agreement, which is produced in written form and submitted to
the school dean or program director for approval, describes how the
course requirements are to be met. Avenues leading to this objective
include but are not limited to videotapes, computer tutorials,
tutoring sessions with the instructor, reading and writing
assignments, and oral and written testing.
Some restrictions apply:
1.
Not all arts and sciences courses may be taken under this option.
2.
The student must have a GPA of 2.8 or better.
3.
The student may apply a maximum of six hours of independent study
courses toward an associate degree.
4.
The instructor must be a full-time faculty member who has taught the
course to be offered.
5.
Admittance to an independent study course will be at the discretion
of the instructor.
6.
A course taken under the independent study option must be completed
in the time frame of the semester enrolled.
7.
A course offered under this option would be graded using the same
letter grades as would be used if the course was offered in the
traditional classroom setting.
8.
Normal tuition and fees will apply to courses offered under this
option.
Once a student who intends to pursue a bachelor's degree has earned
65 credit hours or has completed an associate degree, she/he must
declare a major. To declare a major, a student must complete a
Declaration of Major form, which is available in the Office of
the Registrar or online at
www.ololcollege.edu
Minor Area of Study
Baccalaureate students may elect to pursue an area of study at Our
Lady of the Lake College that will be documented as a minor on their
transcripts. To receive a minor, students must earn a 2.0 grade
point average in a minimum of 18 credit hours of course work in a
single discipline, with at least 6 credit hours at the 3000 or 4000
level. The dean of the school offering the minor will determine
curriculum requirements for a specific discipline.
In addition to individual program requirements, to earn a degree
from the College, the following requirements must be met:
1.
A minimum overall grade point average of 2.0.
2.
Satisfaction of all program requirements (see appropriate
programs for descriptions).
3.
Clearance of all indebtedness to the College including the
return of College Library materials borrowed.
4.
Submission of an
Intent to Graduate form to the Office
of the Registrar by the appropriate deadline.
5.
Formal Board of Trustees approval for graduation.
Intent to Graduate
The deadline for submitting Intent to Graduate forms is three
weeks prior to the last day of class in the semester proceeding the
semester in which the student plans to graduate (see
Academic
Calendar). It is strongly recommended that Intent to Graduate
forms be submitted early in order to identify any issues prior to
the pre-registration period of the candidate's final semester.
Intent to Graduate
forms are available in the Office of the
Registrar or on the College Web site.
Graduation Exercises
Graduation exercises are held twice a year at the close of the fall
and spring semesters. Students must have completed all graduation
requirements in order to participate in graduation exercises.
Students completing requirements at the end of summer participate in
fall graduation exercises.
Graduation Honors
Associate degree students graduating with honors are awarded as
follows: Honors for an overall grade point average of 3.50 or
higher; Highest Honors for an overall grade point average of
3.75 or higher
Baccalaureate degree students graduating with Latin academic honors
are awarded as follows: cum laude for an overall grade point
average of 3.50 or higher; magna cum laude for 3.75 or higher;
summa cum laude for 3.90 or higher.
Multiple Degrees Policy
1.
Students receiving two associate degrees shall complete a minimum of
15 credits in addition to the credits needed for one of the degrees
(degree requires 62 credits + 15 additional credits). In addition,
the 24 credit residency requirements shall apply separately to each
degree for a total of 48 credit hours.
2.
Students simultaneously receiving an associate degree in one program
and a bachelor's degree in another program must complete a 24 credit
hour residency requirement for the associate degree and a 36 credit
hour requirement for the bachelor's degree for a total of 60 credit
hours.
3.
Students receiving two bachelor's degrees shall complete a minimum
of 30 credits in addition to the credits needed for one of the
degrees (degree requires 120 + 30 additional credits). In addition,
the 36 credit hour residency requirement shall apply separately to
each degree for a total of 72 credit hours.
4.
A student holding a baccalaureate degree who is pursuing a second
baccalaureate degree must complete the major requirements for the
second degree, with a minimum of 24 semester credit hours of upper
division course work toward the degree and must meet the residency
requirement of Our Lady of the Lake College (36 hours of course work
taken at this college). Written approval, including a degree plan
specifying required course work, is required from the student's
advisor and the dean of the school.
