Academic Integrity

Academic integrity entails being truthful to oneself and to the larger College community, being original in thought and expression, and attributing honestly ideas and words taken from other sources. Originality of thought and expression is fundamental to academic discourse, as is honesty in giving credit to other thinkers when using their ideas and words. Academic integrity embodies the values of sound moral character and of excellence, social responsibility, and mutual respect which are upheld, in the College Mission Statement, as cornerstones of the College Community.

The academic integrity principle, broadly stated, means students have done or have prepared the work or research in or out of class that bears their names and that they have given proper acknowledgement for the use of materials and sources.

The Policy on Academic Integrity has been developed to provide students and faculty with guidelines to determine what conduct violates the academic integrity principle and procedures for dealing with conduct alleged to be in violation of the academic integrity principle. These procedures guarantee due process to all members involved in cases of alleged violation of academic integrity and protect the rights of faculty and students involved in such cases.

A violation of academic integrity takes place whenever anyone undermines the academic integrity of the College or attempts to take unfair advantage of others. Academic integrity is not simply a matter of conforming to certain rules; it must be understood in terms of broader academic purposes of a College education. Examples of violations of academic integrity include but are not limited to cheating, submitting counterfeit work, plagiarism, research misconduct, and unauthorized reuse of work.

Disciplinary Procedure for Academic Misconduct:

The Disciplinary Procedure for Academic Misconduct contains both an informal and formal process. The parties are entitled to privacy at each stage of the process, whether informal or formal. The faculty member who discovers the violation will determine whether attempting an informal inquiry is appropriate.

Students may not withdraw their registration from the course involved once the informal or formal inquiry process has begun. A formal inquiry must be initiated by the end of the semester following the semester in which the incident occurs.

A member of the faculty who discovers in a student’s work or conduct what they judge to be an act of academic dishonesty will address the matter as follows:

Informal Inquiry:

A faculty member suspecting a student of a violation of academic integrity may attempt to address the situation in an informal manner. A faculty member may also decide to bypass the informal inquiry and to proceed directly to a formal inquiry.

The informal inquiry involves the faculty member discussing the situation with the student suspected of the violation and informing the student of the penalty sought to be imposed by the faculty member. If the student does not challenge the penalty, the matter is resolved.

If the matter cannot be informally resolved by the faculty member and the student, the matter will proceed to a formal inquiry.

Formal Inquiry:

A formal inquiry is held when a suspected violation of academic integrity is not resolved through the informal inquiry process.

When a formal inquiry is necessary, the faculty member will report the matter to the Academic Standards and Integrity Committee (the “Committee”). The Chair of the Committee will invite the faculty member and student concerned to submit a statement in writing detailing the incident and any evidence pertinent to the matter. The faculty member and the student should submit a copy of any physical evidence referred to in their statements along with their statements if possible or explain why they cannot provide the evidence to the Committee. The statement and related evidence must be submitted to the Committee within seven (7) days of receiving the Chair of the Committee’s invitation.

The Committee will consider the statement, and the evidence submitted by both the faculty member and the student. The Committee may interview the involved student and/or faculty member but is not required to do so. The Committee also reserves the right to seek additional relevant information from other pertinent sources. The Committee will determine whether the student has committed a violation of academic integrity and if found responsible, what, if any, sanction will be imposed for this violation.

The Committee will inform the student and the faculty member of its finding within ten (10) business days of receiving the statements and evidence from both the student and the faculty member.

The decision of the Committee shall be final and binding on both the faculty member and the student. Records of student violations of academic integrity confirmed by the Committee will be maintained by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean.

Possible Sanctions:

If the Committee determines that a student has committed a violation of academic integrity, it may impose any of the non-exhaustive list of sanctions below. The Committee may impose more than one of the below sanctions if deemed appropriate.

1. A grade of F on the paper, examination, or assignment.

2. Reduction of final course grade.

3. Assigning a grade of F for the course.

4. Disciplinary dismissal from the College for at least one semester following the semester in which the offense has occurred.

5. Immediate disciplinary dismissal from the College for not longer than the remainder of the current and the following semester.

6. Permanent disciplinary dismissal from the College.

7. Disciplinary dismissal from the College for at least one semester following the semester in which the offense has occurred.

Academic Standards and Integrity Committee:

Organization

The Committee shall be composed of five faculty members, elected from each of the four divisional groups and one at-large, and two students (one from senior year and one from junior year) appointed by the Student Government.

Duties

To foster the values of academic integrity among students, faculty, administrators and staff. To act as a board of review in all cases concerned with violations of academic integrity and grade appeals in accordance with the College’s established policy and procedures on academic integrity. 

Undergraduate Courses and Registration

The Office of the Registrar schedules registration appointments twice each year. In the spring semester, students register for summer and fall courses. In the fall semester, students register for winter intersession and spring courses. Students are encouraged to register early, when more course sections and class times are available. Specific registration dates can be found in the Academic Calendar.

Students are also encouraged to meet with an academic or career advisor to review course selections and check their degree audit. Registration depends on satisfactory academic performance in the previous semester and completion of all required prerequisites. By registering for classes, students agree to fulfill all payment obligations required by Student Financial Services.
Students may only attend courses for which they are officially registered and must attend the specific section listed on their schedule.

Dropping Courses

Students may drop courses during the add/drop period for each semester, as listed on the Academic Calendar. Dropping a course does not remove a student’s responsibility to complete General Education or departmental requirements in the proper sequence, nor does it remove any tuition obligations.

Withdrawal from Courses

Students who wish to withdraw from a course after add/drop period indicated on the Academic Calendar may do so as follows:

Report to the Office of the Registrar to complete the proper forms during the prescribed time period as outlined in the Academic Calendar.

The mark of W (withdrawal) will appear on the transcript for the course but will not be computed in the student’s quality-point index.

The last day for withdrawal from courses with a mark of W is indicated in the Academic Calendar. Only in extraordinary circumstances, and with the permission of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean, will students be permitted to withdraw after the deadline. The date of withdrawal is the day the student informs the Office of the Registrar writing.

Note: The failure to attend a class does not constitute an official withdrawal from a course. Students who drop or withdraw from a course are advised to see a financial aid counselor regarding the effect this action may have upon their receiving financial aid. Students obliged to withdraw from the College should contact the Office of the Registrar for further instructions.

Withdrawal from the College 

Students who would like to discontinue their enrollment at the College can submit a withdrawal form. Withdrawal means that a student will leave the College without a plan to return. Students are reminded that any loans they have taken to help fund their education may go into repayment immediately after a period of non-enrollment and that tuition refunds are issued in accordance with the Tuition Cancellation Policy. It is recommended that students speak with their academic advisor and a financial aid counselor before withdrawing in order to discuss the impact of this decision. Students who are withdrawing from all courses must submit a Withdrawal from the Institution form and must participate in an exit counseling discussion when contacted by the Academic Dean's office.

International students also need the signature of the International Student Advisor/DSO.

Leave of Absence from the College

A student may request a leave of absence for one or two semesters. The leave request must be filed no later than the last day of the add/drop period. The reason for leave must be indicated on the form so that the Academic Dean's office may follow up appropriately. A leave begins at the end of a regular semester and shall not be granted for more than two semesters during the pursuit of the undergraduate degree. The student is expected to return at the conclusion of the leave or request an extension of the leave. Students subject to disciplinary action, including but not limited to suspension, are not eligible for a leave of absence. A leave will not be granted or will be rescinded under these circumstances. Students interested must submit the Leave of Absence/Withdrawal form from the Institution and must participate in a discussion on the decision to file for Leave, with a representative from the Academic Dean's office.  International students also need the signature of the International Student Advisor/DSO.

The Office of the Registrar communicates with students on leave reminding them of the advising/registration period.

Students are reminded that any loans they have taken to help fund their education may go into repayment immediately after a period of non-enrollment. Students are advised to meet with a financial aid counselor to discuss the implications of leave on their aid package. Unregistered students who do not submit a formal leave of absence, or do not return at the conclusion of their two-semester period of approved leave period, are withdrawn from the college and must meet with Admissions and reapply, if they wish to return. Click here for additional services from the Office of the Registrar.

Military Leave of Absence

Students who receive orders for active military duty should complete a Leave of Absence/Withdrawal form and indicate “Active Duty” as the reason for the leave. Students should also provide a copy of their military orders when possible. If the orders are not immediately available, students may begin the leave process and submit the documentation upon their return.

If military leave occurs late in the semester, students may work with their professors to arrange an In-Progress (IP) grade option.

After completing active military duty, students may return to St. Francis College by notifying the Office of the Registrar in writing of their intention to resume their studies. Eligible students will be automatically readmitted to the College.

Request for Personal/Medical Hardship

Retroactive Withdrawals 

Students may face unforeseen circumstances that require them to leave the College temporarily or permanently. The College will attempt to minimize the burden as much as possible through our Personal Medical Hardship Withdrawal processes. As part of the process, students must provide a detailed statement describing the medical or personal hardship experienced, their last dates of attendance/course engagement, and any relevant supporting documentation such as a statement from a licensed medical professional.

Students should make every effort to present their situation as soon as possible, and ideally no later than the end of the term for which the withdrawal is requested.

If the semester has already ended and grades have been recorded, students may request that the grades be converted to Withdrawals. Submitting a request for personal or medical hardship withdrawal does not relieve the student of tuition obligations.

 Students should review the Tuition Cancellation schedule. To file for the Personal/Medical Hardship Withdrawal, students requesting a Hardship Withdrawal must first complete the Leave of Absence process form and indicate Personal or Health as reason for the withdrawal request. After this submission students will be contacted and provided with the Personal/ Medical Hardship withdrawal form link with further details explaining the process and required documentation.  Unless a severe extenuating circumstance has occurred, following one full fall or spring semester, the student's record will become permanent, and changes of grades to withdrawals will no longer be allowed.

Readmission

Students returning to the College after a leave of absence lasting one or two consecutive semesters must request reactivation by emailing the Office of the Registrar at [email protected]. Students will then be asked to complete a Reactivation application.
Before reactivating, students must resolve any registration holds on their account, including financial, immunization, transcript, dean of students, academic probation holds.
Students who have not been enrolled for more than two consecutive semesters and wish to return must complete a new Admissions application and indicate that they are applying for readmission. These students may be required to follow the academic regulations outlined in the most recent College catalog. Questions about readmission should be directed to [email protected].
 

Credit hours and credit-hour loads

Full-time students are those enrolled in at least 12 credits. Part-time students are those enrolled in fewer than 12 credits. 
The unit of measure for counting college credit is the Semester Credit Hour, or SCH. One SCH represents the work done in a typical class that has one hour (50 minutes) of in-class instruction per week for one semester (about 15 weeks) and assigns at least two hours of out-of-class work per week. Many classes have a credit value of three SCH, so they meet for three hours (150 minutes of instruction) each week and assign at least six hours of out-of-class work per week.
Classes in academic terms that are shorter than fifteen weeks will have more instructional minutes and more out-of-class work per week so that the total is equivalent to a course that meets for a full fifteen-week semester.
Classes that do not have a ratio of two hours out-of-class work for each hour of in-class instruction, such as laboratories, online (asynchronous) courses, clinical rotations, internships, etc., will require an equivalent amount of work for each SCH as classes that do have the 2:1 ratio.
The amount of work done in a class is measured not just by the number of minutes of instruction and out-of-class assignments, but by the learning outcomes that are achieved. The learning outcomes that are achieved in a traditional face-to-face course in a regular fifteen-week semester are the standard against which we measure the learning achieved in courses taught in other modalities, e.g., online, or in different time frames, e.g., an 8-week term.
Full-time students may not carry fewer than 12 credits a semester. Students may receive permission from their Department Chairperson for up to 19 credits. Academic Dean approval is required for 20-21 credits. Under no circumstances may a student register for more than 21 credit hours for a single semester. No student may register for more than two courses during a summer term or one course during winter intersession.  
A student enrolled only in AED-4990 Supervised Student Teaching, CED-4990 Supervised Student Teaching, or PE-4990 Supervised Student Teaching is considered a full-time student.
 

Pass-Fail courses

To provide greater flexibility in undergraduate elective and General Education courses, students may choose to receive a Pass (P) or Fail (F) grade instead of a traditional letter grade, according to the following guidelines:
•    P grades will not be calculated in a student’s GPA. 
•    HP (High Pass) will replace A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, and C grades. 
•    LP (Low Pass) will replace C- and D grades. 
•    F earns zero credit and does impact a student’s GPA. 
•    Courses required in the Honors program, major degree, and minor degree programs may not be selected for pass-fail status, including those that also satisfy a General Education requirement. 
•    Internships, field placements, tutorials, and independent study. courses required for a major or minor degree program may not be selected to receive a P/F grade. 
•    Any course being used to substitute for a major or minor course may not be selected to receive a P/F grade. 
•    No more than one course per term and two courses per academic year can be taken on a P/F basis.

The P/F option may not exceed the following overall credit limits to earn a degree: 
•    Associate’s degree – up to but not more than 6 credits 
•    Bachelor’s degree – up to but not more than 12 credits

•    Students who wish to take a course on a Pass/Fail (P/F) basis must submit the appropriate form to the Office of the Registrar by the deadline listed in the Academic Calendar. Students may withdraw their P/F request at any time before the deadline. After the deadline has passed, the P/F option cannot be reversed.

•    Course instructors will submit letter grades at the end of each term. Grades will then be converted for students who submitted a P/F form.

It is highly recommended that students consult with their academic advisor before submitting a P/F form. 
Further, students in programs that follow standards for external accreditation (i.e., Nursing, Teacher certification) should consult with their department chair before selecting the P/F option for any course. 
 

Independent Study

Independent study allows students to explore a topic of interest under the guidance of a faculty mentor who supervises and directs the student’s research. Independent study opportunities are available to qualified students with approval from the faculty mentor and department chairperson.
Students may not enroll in more than one independent study course in a single semester without written approval from the Academic Dean. In addition, students may complete no more than six total credits through independent study (normally two courses) without written approval from the Academic Dean.
The Pass/Fail grading option is not available for independent study courses. Independent study courses also may not be used to fulfill General Education requirements without written approval from the Academic Dean.
All independent study courses require written approval from the faculty mentor and department chairperson and must include a title and description of the proposed project.

Field placements and internships

Students have opportunities to participate in paid or volunteer field placements and internships in a variety of professional settings. With approval from the department chairperson, students may earn academic credit for these experiences.
Field placements and internships provide supervised, hands-on experience in an area related to a student’s academic and professional interests. These experiences allow students to apply classroom knowledge and theory in real-world settings while developing professional skills and preparing for future employment. Students work closely with a faculty coordinator to select an appropriate placement and reflect on their progress and experiences throughout the semester.
To participate, students must receive written approval from the department chairperson and work with a faculty coordinator who will supervise the academic portion of the experience. A site supervisor at the placement location is also required and will complete an evaluation at the end of the semester.
Field placements and internships require a minimum of 45 hours for each credit earned. In addition to completing the required hours and coursework, students must maintain a log detailing their activities and experiences and submit it to the faculty coordinator before final grades are assigned.
Students should consult their department about specific requirements related to field placement or internship courses. Students may not register for more than one three-credit field placement or internship course in a single semester without written approval from the Academic Dean. In total, students may not complete more than six credits through field placement or internship courses without written approval from the Academic Dean. The Pass/Fail grading option is not available for these courses.
 

Courses at other institutions

Except for approved cross-registration programs with affiliated institutions, students may not take courses at another college or university unless the required course is unavailable during that semester at St. Francis College, and written permission is granted by the Academic Dean. When approval is given, the combined course load between institutions may not exceed 21 credits during the fall or spring semester.
Permission to take courses at another institution may be granted only if:
•    The student has a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. 
•    The student submits course descriptions and receives written approval from the Academic Dean in accordance with departmental policies. 
Transfer credit will only be awarded for courses completed with a grade of C or higher. Some major courses may require a higher minimum grade, as specified by the academic program.
Please note: Official transcripts and other documents for transfer credit evaluation, including coursework from other institutions, CLEP scores, proficiency exams, and prior learning assessments, must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar at least three months before the student’s expected graduation date.

Study abroad

Students may elect to study abroad for one or two semesters and apply this work toward the St. Francis degree. Students should refer to the Study Abroad Policy for further details. 

Attendance

St. Francis College is not an attendance-taking institution. However, the College’s attendance and academic engagement policy applies to all course formats and instructional methods.

At the beginning of each semester and before the official census date, faculty members verify enrollment by identifying students who have never attended or participated in a course, regardless of the course format. After this initial verification, faculty are not required to maintain formal attendance records.

Faculty may establish attendance and participation expectations based on the requirements of their courses, and these expectations are outlined in the course syllabus. Students are responsible for completing all course requirements and demonstrating active engagement in their classes. Active engagement may include attending and participating in labs and group work, logging into college systems regularly, participating in course discussions, and reviewing course materials in synchronous, asynchronous, hybrid, or in-person formats, as applicable.

Students whose course participation is affected by an acute or chronic illness may request assistance through the Volpe Center for Accessibility and Succes by submitting a statement and supporting documentation. The office will work with students to discuss appropriate accommodation and support services. For assistance, students may contact the Volpe Center for Accessibility and Success at [email protected].

Religious holidays

All colleges and universities in New York State must not in any way penalize a student who, because of his or her religious beliefs, is unable to register, attend class, take an examination, or participate in any required academic work on a particular day.
Any absence(s) accrued under these circumstances will be excused, and alternatives will be provided for the student to register or make up any required work. 
No additional fees, requirements, or penalties will be assessed. All members of the College community are expected to exercise good faith with respect to the implementation of these provisions.