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ACADEMIC
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Registration
Students
whose applications for admission
have been accepted pre-register
by sending a list of preferred
courses to the Registrar's Office
prior to the beginning of the
semester, and finalize their
registration schedule during an
individual appointment with the
faculty advisor during
orientation.
In the second half of each
semester, pre-registration is
held for returning students.
Academic advising takes place in
the two weeks prior to the
pre-registration and students
then make their course selections
(using Web technology) for the
following semester.
Registration
Changes
Students
who wish to make changes in their
course schedules after the
registration or preregistration
period may do so by completing an
Enrollment Change (Add/Drop)
card. Enrollment Change cards may
be obtained from the
Registrar’s Office and
require signatures from the
academic advisor and the
professor of the affected
courses. Deadlines for adding and
dropping courses are listed in
the academic calendar. Students
are urged to note the deadlines
carefully.
Students with physical
disabilities or limitations are
encouraged to request assistance
from the Director of Disability
Services prior to course
selection/registration if they
need accommodations on the day of
registration. Relocation of
scheduled classes to more
accessible rooms and other
accommodations are also possible,
as necessary.
The normal program at Willamette
includes four credits per
semester. Each credit is
equivalent to four semester hours
or six quarter hours. A student
may register for up to 4.5
credits without extra charge. A
student is considered full time
if registered for 3.0 or more
credits. A student is considered
in good academic standing if he
or she is not on academic
probation.
Any undergraduate student in good
academic standing, who is making
normal progress toward an
undergraduate degree, is eligible
to register for more than 4.5
credits with the concurrence of
an advisor. Students not meeting
these criteria must petition the
Academic Status Committee for
approval of an overload. Petition
forms are available in the
Registrar’s Office.
The University reserves the right
to discontinue any class for
which the enrollment is
insufficient.
Class
Attendance Policy
Class
attendance is subject to the
following guidelines:
Students are expected to attend
classes. Any student not
attending the first class session
of a class will be considered to
have dropped that class and will
be deleted from the class
roster.
Instructors set the specific
attendance standards for their
own classes.
Irregular attendance may impair
students’ progress and
therefore be reflected in their
grades. Faculty members should
inform students about attendance
requirements at the beginning of
each semester. If this is not
done, students should feel
obliged to request this
information from their
instructors.
Final
Examination Policy
PREAMBLE:
This policy seeks to promote
effective preparation for final
examinations and optimal
conditions for the synthesis and
assimilation of course materials
by designating and safeguarding
specific days at the end of the
semester to be devoted
exclusively to study. This policy
further seeks to assure that the
full semester is available to
complete course work by
reaffirming that a semester does
not end until the last day of
final examinations. To enhance
student learning and performance
and to provide an environment for
the fair and positive conclusion
of work undertaken in all
classes, the faculty of the
College of Liberal Arts agrees to
adhere rigorously to it.
The maximum length of a final
examination is three hours.
Faculty members may schedule
shorter examinations if they
wish.
Faculty members are to give their
written final examinations during
the times indicated in the
published schedule. Students are
permitted to take early
examinations by obtaining the
instructor’s approval. The
last written examination for a
course is to be administered on
the day scheduled for the course
final examination. No evaluative
instrument for a course,
including an oral examination, is
to be administered or due during
the four calendar days prior to
the beginning of final
examinations. Final oral
classroom presentations may
extend into those four days but
only during the regularly
scheduled class times. Finally, a
final examination and an
additional evaluative instrument
are not both to be administered
and due on the scheduled day of
the final examination.
No classes or formal class
activities are to be held during
the Study Days that intervene
between the end of classes and
the beginning of final
examinations or the Study Days
that are scheduled during the
week of final examinations.
Faculty members are to be
available for consultation with
students during these times.
Final examinations for first
half-semester courses are to be
administered during the last
regular class period. Final
examinations for second
half-semester courses are to be
administered during the scheduled
final examination time for that
class period as in full-semester
courses.
Faculty members are to make
separate arrangements with each
student to administer final
examinations in courses not
covered in the published
schedule.
All faculty members in the
College of Liberal Arts are to
have on file in the library a
representative sample final
examination for each class
taught, except in the case of a
class that is being taught for
the first time.
Grading
Policy
The
following symbols are used for
grades included in the
calculation of the grade point
average (g.p.a.):
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A (4.0)
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A- (3.7)
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B+ (3.3)
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B (3.0)
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B- (2.7)
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C+ (2.3
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C (2.0)
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C- (1.7)
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D+ (1.3)
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D (1.0)
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F (0.0)
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where the following terms are
used:
A = Excellent; B = Good; C =
Satisfactory; D = Below Standard;
and F = Failing.
The grade of AUD (audit) is used
when a student chooses to take a
course for no credit. The grade
of CR (credit), used in those
courses designated by the faculty
or those courses selected by
students on the Credit/No Credit
option, will be granted credit
toward the degree but will not be
computed in the g.p.a. The grade
of NC (no credit) will not be
granted credit and will not be
computed in the g.p.a. In those
cases where students select this
option, reported final grades of
C-minus or better will be
converted to CR and grades of
D-plus or lower will be converted
to NC.
The grade of I will stand for
Medical Incomplete. This grade
can be given only in cases of
illness or for certain other
exigencies verified by a health
professional and the Academic
Status Committee and must be made
up during the next 30 days of
residence or within three years
of the date on which the I is
recorded, whichever comes first.
These deadlines may be extended
only if the student successfully
petitions the Academic Status
Committee. All grades of I will
be accompanied by a contingency
grade, in the computation of
which the instructor has
considered work not completed as
a zero or an F. The contingency
grade will not be recorded on the
permanent record (transcript) and
will not be used in g.p.a.
computation or in determinations
of academic status unless the
Registrar does not receive a new
final grade from the instructor
by the I grade deadline. At that
time the contingency grade will
be retained as the final
grade.
The grade of NGR (No Grade
Received) is used on a temporary
basis if an instructor’s
grade has not been received by
the grade deadline.
The grade of Q will denote those
rare cases (usually in advanced
seminars and independent study)
when a continuing project for
legitimate reasons must be
extended beyond the end of the
semester and perhaps through the
following semester. Prior to the
assignment of the Q grade, the
instructor must submit written
notification to the Dean of the
College indicating the reason for
use of this grade.
The grade of T will stand for
Incomplete in those cases where
the instructor determines there
are legitimate reasons, other
than health, to grant the student
an extension of time. Like the
grade of I, the grade of T must
be made up during the next 30
days of residence, or within
three years of the date on which
the T is recorded, whichever
comes first. These deadlines may
be extended only if the student
successfully petitions the
Academic Status Committee. All
grades of T will be accompanied
by a contingency grade, in the
computation of which the
instructor has considered work
not completed as a zero or an F.
The contingency grade will not be
recorded on the permanent record
(transcript) and will not be used
in g.p.a. computation or in
determinations of academic status
unless the Registrar does not
receive a new final grade from
the instructor by the T-grade
deadline. At that time the
contingency grade will be
retained as the final grade.
The grade of W will stand for
Withdrawal and is given at the
request of the student concerned
within the stated deadlines. No
credit will be granted toward a
degree and the W grade will not
be computed in the g.p.a. The
final date to drop a class in
order to receive a grade of W, at
the instigation of the student,
will be the tenth Friday of the
semester for full-semester
courses. Withdrawal after these
dates will be possible only if
the student successfully
petitions the Academic Status
Committee. A student is required
to attend class until he/she is
officially dropped. Forms for
withdrawal may be secured from
the Registrar’s Office. If a
student fails to withdraw
officially, the grade in any
course which he or she
discontinues becomes an F.
Grade
Changes
Once recorded, a grade of A
through F can be changed only in
the case of clerical or
computational error. Written
notification must be submitted to
the Dean of the College
explaining the reason(s) for the
change. No changes will be
permitted one year after the
grade has been recorded.
Exceptions to this procedure must
be appealed to the Academic
Status Committee. The instructor
who assigned the grade must be
involved in any appeal procedure
concerning grade changes.
Credit/No
Credit
To
be eligible to take courses on a
Credit/No Credit basis, a student
must be a full-time student in
good academic standing and must
have successfully completed three
credits at Willamette during the
previous semester. An eligible
student may declare a total of
three credits to be recorded on a
Credit/No Credit basis. Under no
circumstances may a letter grade
that has been recorded Credit/No
Credit be revealed, even by
petition. (Courses which have
been designated exclusively for
Credit/No Credit grading are not
included among those courses a
student may elect to declare.)
Credit (CR) is equivalent to
grades of A through C-minus. No
Credit (NC) is equivalent to
grades of D-plus and below. CR
grades will count as part of the
31 satisfactory credits required
for graduation, but CR grades are
not computed in the grade point
average.
After signing up for courses in
the regular manner, students
desiring to take a course on a
Credit/No Credit basis will file
the appropriate form in the
Registrar’s Office before
the following deadlines: (1) for
full-semester courses, 30 class
days after the first day of
classes; (2) for first-half
semester courses, 15 class days
after the first day of classes;
(3) for second-half semester
courses, 15 class days after the
first day of second-half courses.
Once filed, this form may not be
withdrawn or amended.
After the Credit/No Credit forms
are filed and for the remainder
of the semester, they shall be
considered as privileged
information. The Registrar may
not reveal their existence to the
instructor concerned or to anyone
else. At the end of the semester,
instructors will turn in letter
grades in the usual fashion. The
Registrar will then change the
grade to CR or NC in the
appropriate cases.
Retaking
Courses
Students
may retake once any course in
which they received a grade of C
minus or below. Although both
grades will appear on the
transcript, only the higher grade
will be computed in the g.p.a.
Students seeking any deviation
from this policy must petition
the Academic Status
Committee.
Transcripts
One
official
transcript
or
record
will
be
issued
without
charge
by
the
Registrar.
Subsequent
requests
require
a
fee
of
$5
for
each
transcript
unless
more
than
one
is
ordered
at
a
time,
in
which
case
a
charge
of
$2
for
each
additional
transcript
will
be
made.
All
requests
must
be
confirmed
in
writing
by
the
student.
Course
Listings and Numbering
The
faculty reserves the right to add
and delete courses, to make
changes in course content and to
make other curricular changes at
any time.
Course numbers are an indication
of the relationship of the course
to the total College of Liberal
Arts curriculum. Courses are
numbered according to this
scheme:
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010X-099X
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Exercise
science, forensics,
Model United Nations,
theatre, and music
activities courses. No
extra fees charged if
addition of one of these
courses constitutes an
overload. Note also that
credit may be earned for
only one exercise
science activity course
in any given
semester.
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100-299
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Courses
generally suitable for
freshmen and
sophomores.
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300-495
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Courses
generally suitable for
juniors and
seniors.
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496-499
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Senior
year
experiences.
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W
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Writing-Centered.
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AR
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Analyzing
Arguments, Reasons, and
Values.
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CA
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Creating
in the Arts.
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TH
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Thinking
Historically.
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IT
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Interpreting
Texts.
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NW
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Understanding
the Natural
World.
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US
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Understanding
Society.
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QA
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Quantitative
and Analytical
Reasoning.
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Honors
Policies
A
student may graduate with
University Honors as determined
by the College of Liberal Arts
faculty. These are designated as
summa cum laude (with highest
honors), magna cum laude (with
high honors) and cum laude (with
honors).
Transfer students will be
considered for University Honors
based on the lower of the
following: (1) Willamette
University g.p.a.; or (2) g.p.a.
for combined Willamette and
transfer grades.
A student may graduate with
department honors in the major
field of study by distinguished
completion of a thesis, research
project, performance or creative
exhibition, by attainment of a
departmentally specified
cumulative grade point average
for courses within the major and
by completing other requirements
as prescribed by the major
program faculty.
A student may be named to the
College Honors List for any
semester during which the student
earns a g.p.a. of 3.75 or better
with no fewer than three credits
of graded coursework. The Honors
List is widely published and a
notation of this achievement is
made on the student’s
transcript.
Phi Beta
Kappa
Phi
Beta Kappa, which was founded at the College of
William and Mary in 1776, is the oldest and most
prestigious of the national honor societies. The
first chapter was founded to promote the ideals
of freedom of inquiry within a broad liberal education,
and these concerns have remained a hallmark of
the organization ever since. Only the top 10%
of four-year colleges nationwide have been granted
Phi Beta Kappa Chapters.
Student Selection Criteria:
Students are nominated for
membership in the society
primarily on the basis of their
scholarly achievement, good
character, and broad
cultural/academic interests. Our
chapter nominates the top 2% of
each junior class, and the top
10% of each senior class
(including those nominated as
juniors). At least three/fourths
of a candidate's courses must be
liberal arts courses (as opposed
to applied or professional
courses). Seniors must have a
minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50,
and juniors 3.75, in order to be
considered for membership. Aside
from GPA, weight is given to
breadth of academic program
(number and variety of courses
taken outside the major), faculty
recommendations, service to the
department or university, good
character, academic awards and
achievements, and extracurricular
activities.
Policy
on Academic Achievement
At
the conclusion of each semester,
the academic records of all
students working for
undergraduate degrees are
reviewed by the Academic Status
Committee, a standing committee
of the undergraduate faculty. In
the cases of students whose work
does not meet the
University’s expectations,
the committee determines whether
an individual student is: (1)
warned about academic progress;
(2) placed on academic probation;
or (3) dismissed for academic
insufficiency.
The criteria used in these
determinations include the
following academic
deficiencies:
- Semester
g.p.a. below 2.00
- Cumulative
g.p.a. below 2.00
- Completion
by a full-time student of
fewer than three
credits.
- Serious
academic difficulty as
determined by the Academic
Status Committee.
Academic
Progress Information
Normal
progress requires that a student
complete a minimum of three
credits during the preceding
semester and complete sufficient
credits toward an undergraduate
degree according to the following
schedule: three credits completed
by the end of the first semester,
four credits completed for each
subsequent semester for a total
of:
- 7
credits completed by the end
of the first year
- 11
credits completed by the end
of the third semester
- 15
credits completed by the end
of the second year
- 19
credits completed by the end
of the fifth semester
- 23
credits completed by the end
of the third year
- 27
credits completed by the end
of the seventh semester
- 31
credits presented for
graduation at the end of the
fourth year
A
student completing an average of
three credits for each full-time
semester of attendance at
Willamette University is
considered to be making
satisfactory progress toward a
degree.
Academic
Probation
If academic performance falls
well below expected achievement,
a student will be placed on
Academic Probation. If placed on
probation, the student
is:
- Ineligible
to represent Willamette
University in any public
performance, to include
participation in varsity
athletics;
- Ineligible
to hold any campus office
- Subject
to review of his/her financial
aid status (if receiving aid
from the University) by the
Director of Financial Aid;
- Subject
to eventual dismissal if the
academic record continues to
be below expected
achievement.
Students
placed on probation should see
their academic advisors as soon
as possible in order to review
their curricular, cocurricular
and extracurricular
activities.
Academic
Dismissal
If
academic performance warrants
academic dismissal, the student
is: (1) ineligible to apply for
readmission to Willamette for two
subsequent semesters (Note:
Eligibility to reapply does not
guarantee readmission); and (2)
encouraged to seek counsel with
members of the Willamette faculty
or staff to discuss educational
goals.
Academic
Petitions
Students
may occasionally need to petition
for clarification of or
exceptions to the preceding or
other academic regulations. Such
petitions should be directed to
different places, depending on
their specific nature. A list of
the most common petitions and
their appropriate destinations
includes:
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Nature
of
Petition
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Destination
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Departmental
and major
requirements
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Department
or program
chair
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General
education
requirements
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Registrar's
Office
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Writing
program
requirements
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Writing
Program Advisory
Committee
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Special
majors
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Academic
Programs Committee
(c/o Dean's
Office)
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Most
other
petitions
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Academic
Status Committee (c/o
Registrar's
Office)
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Petition forms are available in
the Registrar’s Office. The
Registrar’s Office can also
answer other questions about the
petition process.
Students should note that certain
basic requirements for
baccalaureate degrees are never
waived or modified,
including:
- satisfactory
completion of a minimum of 31
credits
- completion
of the General Education
requirements
- completion
of the Senior Year
Experience
- cumulative
g.p.a. of 2.00 in work taken
at Willamette
- cumulative
g.p.a. of 2.00 in the
major
The
completion of department
requirements may be modified or
waived by the departments
themselves, but not by the
Academic Status Committee.
Plagiarism
and Cheating Policy
Plagiarism
and cheating are offenses against
the integrity of the courses in
which they occur and against the
College community as a whole.
Plagiarism and cheating involve
intellectual dishonesty,
deception, and fraud, which
inhibit the honest exchange of
ideas. In accordance with
Willamette University's Standards
of Conduct, students are entitled
to notice of what constitutes
plagiarism and cheating and the
right to appeal penalties.
Plagiarism and cheating may be
grounds for dismissal from the
College.
When appropriate during the
semester, such as in conjunction
with assignment of a class
project or review for an exam,
faculty members are encouraged to
discuss plagiarism and cheating
and how to avoid them.
Definitions
and Penalties
Cheating
is any form of intellectual
dishonesty or misrepresentation
of one’s knowledge.
Plagiarism, a form of cheating,
consists of representing someone
else’s work as one’s
own. All members of the
Willamette University community
are expected to be aware of the
serious breach of principles
involved in plagiarism. Ignorance
of what constitutes plagiarism
shall not be considered a valid
defense. If students are
uncertain as to what constitutes
plagiarism for a particular
assignment, they should consult
the instructor for clarification.
A faculty member may impose
penalties for plagiarism and
cheating ranging from a grade
reduction on an assignment or an
exam to failure in the course. A
faculty member also may suggest
that the Dean of the College of
Liberal Arts initiate further
action.
1.
Initial Determination and
Penalty
A
faculty member who has reason to
believe that plagiarism or
cheating has occurred shall:
Immediately meet with the
student(s) involved, provide
evidence of cheating or
plagiarism, discuss the matter,
determine whether an infraction
has occurred, and decide on a
penalty. If the faculty member
suspects plagiarism or cheating
during a final exam period and
timely resolution is not
possible, the professor shall
assign the student(s) involved a
grade of T and provide the
student(s) with a written
explanation. The faculty member
shall meet with the student(s) no
later than the first week of
classes the following semester to
complete the steps outlined
above.
Within five working days
(excluding holidays) of meeting
with the student or students, a
confidential file will be
submitted to the Dean of the
College of Liberal Arts with a
form detailing the incident,
providing documentation, and
indicating the penalty. Upon
receiving the form, the Dean of
the College of Liberal Arts:
- Shall
provide the student(s) a copy
of the form filed by the
faculty member, noting on the
form the date on which it was
delivered to the student. All
forms in a student’s file
shall be destroyed at
graduation or after seven
years of filing, whichever
comes first.
- May
initiate a hearing by the
Academic Status Committee if
the Dean believes the report
of plagiarism or cheating
sufficiently egregious to
warrant a hearing on whether
the student should be
suspended or dismissed from
the college.
- Shall,
after allowing time for an
appeal, determine if there
have been multiple violations.
If the student’s file
contains two forms, the Dean
shall initiate a hearing by
the Academic Status Committee
to determine an appropriate
penalty, which can include
placing the student on
academic suspension for a
period of time or dismissing
the student from the
College.
2.
Student Right to Appeal Initial
Determination and Penalty
A
student has the right to appeal
the finding of plagiarism or
cheating, or the severity of the
penalty imposed by the faculty
member, to the Academic Status
Committee within five working
days of the date on which a copy
of the form was delivered by the
Dean to the student.
3.
Academic Status Committee
Hearing
The
Academic Status Committee shall
hold a hearing on the appeal by a
student or initiative from the
Dean within five working days of
receipt of the notice of appeal
or initiative. The hearing shall
be confidential; the student,
Dean and faculty member, as
appropriate, may testify and
present evidence.
If, while hearing an appeal, the
Academic Status Committee finds
that plagiarism or cheating did
not occur, then the Committee
shall ask the Dean to remove the
form filed by the faculty member
from the student’s
confidential file. If the
Academic Status Committee finds
that the penalty should be
changed, then the Committee shall
determine a procedure that is
fair to the faculty member and
the student for changing the
penalty. If the Academic Status
Committee upholds the decision of
the faculty member, the chair
will record the decision on the
form and return it to the Dean to
be placed in the student’s
file.
If hearing an initiative, the
Academic Status Committee shall
determine an appropriate
penalty.
The chair of the Academic Status
Committee shall provide written
notification of its action to the
student, faculty member, and
Dean. The decision of the
Academic Status Committee shall
be final.
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