Academic Policies

Student Conduct

School of Continuing Education students must comply with Providence College Guidelines and Policies, as outlined in the Student Handbook. College regulations include but are not limited to: the Providence College Code of Student Conduct; the alcohol and drug policy; the care and use of College property policy; and the sexual harassment policy. Unfamiliarity with institutional regulations or rules is not grounds for excusing infractions. Students who are involved in violations of College conduct guidelines or commonly accepted standards of behavior while on campus will be subject to disciplinary proceedings by the College.

Grading

Quality Grade Points

Quality grade points determine the student’s grade point average (GPA). They are the measure of the quality of the course work completed, while credit hours are the measure of each course’s weighted value. The cumulative grade point average includes all courses in the student’s Providence College academic record and is the total number of quality points earned divided by the total number of averaged credit hours. (Transfer credit does not factor into the Providence College GPA.)

Providence College uses the following scale to determine grades and corresponding grade point averages for courses offered by the School of Continuing Education:

Grade/Quality Points Chart

Policy on Incomplete Grades

School of Continuing Education students have until the mid-semester date of the following semester* to complete requirements for any course in which a grade of “I” is given, unless a written agreement signed by the student, the faculty member, and the dean and filed in the SCE office by the end of the current exam period stipulates a different time frame. Students enrolled in the joint master’s degree program follow the graduate incomplete policy which allows one year for the completion of incompletes.  Until that time, the GPA will be calculated on the basis of the completed courses (although Dean’s List placement and scholarship considerations may depend upon completion of all courses before that date). After the deadline, any remaining “I” grade will be recorded as an “NF,” which will earn 0.00 quality points per credit hour in the GPA (the same as an “F”). After this time, an “NF” can be changed to another (standard) grade only at the request of the faculty member and with the approval of SCE.

*The deadline for Summer Session incompletes is mid-semester of the following fall semester. For Wintersession incompletes, the deadline is the mid-semester date of the Spring semester.

Repeating a Course

A student may repeat any course taken at Providence College.  Various courses defined as repeatable for credit include performance-based courses or special topic courses where the content changes each semester. In all other cases, consultation with the SCE Office is required prior to registration to repeat a course with an earned grade from a previous semester. In these cases, only the most recent grade will be used to calculate the overall GPA and apply to program requirements. Students considering repeating a course should be aware that the most recent grade will be recorded whether or not it is higher than the earlier attempt. A repeated course is noted on the transcript with an “I” (included in GPA) or an “E” (excluded from GPA) to designate the relationship of the course to the student’s academic record.

Dean’s List

A student in good academic standing (defined as a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above) who, at the end of a term (fall, winter/spring, or summer), has attained an average of 3.25 or higher and no grade less than “C,” and has carried a minimum of nine credit hours, is placed on the Dean’s List for that term. The student must be enrolled in a degree program.

Credit Hour Requirement

The value of each course is stated in terms of credit hours. A credit hour requires the equivalent of one classroom period of 50 minutes or a laboratory period of from one to four hours per week throughout the term, as well as at least two hours of out-of-class student work, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time.

Bachelor degree programs offered in the School of Continuing Education require students to complete 120 credit hours. Associate degree programs require 60 credit hours.

Graduation

To be eligible for graduation, a student must complete all required courses in the curriculum as listed in this catalog, with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher. To graduate with a major, a student must have a cumulative grade point of average of 2.0 or higher in all major courses.

Graduation exercises are held annually in May. Candidates for graduation are required to notify the School of Continuing Education by February 1 for an anticipated May graduation. Students who complete their programs of study at the end of the fall semester may receive their diplomas in December by notifying the School of Continuing Education no later than October 15. Detailed information regarding the exercises will be distributed to all graduating students during the spring semester.

To qualify for honors at graduation, a student must complete the last 57 credit hours toward the degree at Providence College.

According to the excellence of one’s work, a student may graduate with the distinction cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude as indicated below:

The cumulative grade point average is determined by dividing the total number of quality grade points earned by the total number of credit hours attempted.

Recognition is also given to students who achieve the highest grade point average in their respective concentrations.

Academic Grievance Policy

This policy provides students enrolled in the School of Continuing Education with a fair and timely resolution process at the most proximate level-as close to the source of concern-as possible. The following procedures should be used by a student who wishes to appeal a final course grade or to file an academic grievance. In some cases, a student’s grievance may be more appropriately addressed by another College grievance procedure; for example, a student who believes that he or she has experienced discriminatory harassment may be advised to follow the grievance procedures provided in the College’s anti-harassment policy.

Other than the appeal of a final course grade, circumstances in which a student may have cause to file an academic grievance include the following: the student claims that an instructor has failed to follow applicable College policies to the detriment of the student; or, the student claims that an instructor has habitually treated the student in an arbitrary or capricious manner to the student’s detriment. These procedural steps do not preclude the student and instructor from attempting to resolve the matter at any time during the grievance process. The time frames provided for resolving the grievance may be adjusted for compelling reasons with an explanation and notice to the student and instructor. Once a student contacts an instructor regarding a grievance, all academic records that may be relevant to the grievance should be retained until the matter is resolved.

Clarification Regarding Academic Grievances

If the student is contesting a grade, then the student bears the responsibility for proving that a final course grade is incorrect. Instructors exercise professional judgment regarding academic matters, consistent with applicable College policies, and the School of Continuing Education will not normally intervene or overrule the instructor at the request of a student who, for example, claims that an instructor’s standards are too high, that assignments are unreasonable, or that other course-related practices or expectations applied to the class as a whole (e.g., an instructor’s policy regarding attendance or missed deadlines) are unfair.

Informal Attempts to Resolve the Grievance

1. The School of Continuing Education encourages reciprocal and respectful dialogue between the student and an instructor when there is a disagreement about a final grade or other academic decision. Accordingly, prior to filing a formal grievance and as soon as possible after the final grade is posted or the contested decision is made, the student must make a reasonable attempt to resolve the issue by communicating his/her concerns directly to the instructor (preferably in a meeting) and seeking clarification for the final grade or decision. Whenever possible, the instructor should respond to the student within ten (10) business days of receipt of the student’s inquiry.
2. If the student is not satisfied with the instructor’s response, if the student does not receive a timely response, or if the student is unable to contact the instructor owing to retirement, sabbatical, or other compelling reason, the student may attempt to resolve the grievance by discussing it (preferably in a meeting) with the dean of the School of Continuing Education (or dean’s designee) within the first two weeks of the semester or term subsequent to the semester in which the aggrieved decision occurred. The dean (or designee) should respond to the student within ten (10) business days of receipt of the student’s inquiry
3. If a satisfactory resolution is not reached after the informal attempts are made, the student may file a formal, written complaint with the School of Continuing Education Appeals Committee, as outlined in the following information.

Formal Attempt to Resolve the Grievance: Academic Appeals Committee

Appeals of academic grievances and other academic issues are addressed by the School of Continuing Education Appeals Committee. The Committee consists of the Faculty Senate representative to SCE, who serves as its chair; two Providence College faculty members, plus an alternate; an SCE student, plus an alternate; and a representative from the Providence College administration. A member of the Committee shall recuse him or herself from service in situations where there is a conflict of interest in fact or the appearance of a conflict of interest; this member will be replaced by the Committee’s alternate faculty or student representative, respectively. The Committee, when appropriate, shall seek the aid of qualified personnel, either from within or outside the Providence College academic community.

1. A student who has been unable to resolve the grievance through informal attempts may file a formal, written complaint with the chairperson of the Appeals Committee prior to the mid-semester date of the semester subsequent to the semester in which the aggrieved decision occurred, including summer. The written complaint should be as complete and factual as possible, with details regarding the specific nature of the grievance and the specific steps taken by the student to attempt resolution; a copy of all correspondence and other related material should be submitted with the complaint. Every reasonable effort will be made to preserve confidentiality.
2. Immediately upon receipt of the formal complaint, the chairperson of the Appeals Committee will notify the instructor and provide him/her with an opportunity to submit a written account of the disputed matter.
3. Whenever possible, the Committee will convene, investigate and deliberate within fifteen business days of receipt of the formal complaint. After it reviews written submissions, the Committee will provide the student with an opportunity to present his/her complaint. The Committee will also interview the instructor against whom the complaint is made, and other members of the College community as deemed necessary. Members of the College community asked to provide information are mandated to cooperate with the Committee. The Committee’s deliberations and the hearing will be closed to persons other than those who are directly involved.
4. Within five business days of the final hearing, the Committee will communicate in writing its findings and recommendation(s) to the student and the instructor, with a copy to the School of Continuing Education dean (or dean’s designee). If the Committee determines that the student’s grievance should be denied, the decision is final and the matter will be considered closed. If the Committee determines that the student’s grievance has merit and the instructor adopts and implements the Committee’s findings and recommendation(s), the matter will be considered closed.
5. If the Committee determines that the student’s grievance has merit and the instructor declines to adopt and implement the Committee’s findings and recommendation(s), the Committee will submit the grievance file, with its findings and recommendation(s), to the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs for consideration. The provost/vice president for academic affairs, who may consider the matter on written submission alone, will communicate his/her decision in writing to the student and the instructor, with a copy to the school dean (or dean’s designee) within ten business days of receipt of the grievance file. The decision of the provost/vice president for academic affairs will either uphold the recommendation(s) of the Committee in total or in part, or reverse the recommendation of the Committee, or return the case to the Committee for reconsideration. The decision of the provost/academic vice president shall be final.

Academic Dismissal

Students enrolled in a degree program in the School of Continuing Education are dismissed for academic deficiency when the student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA) is below 1.80 for two consecutive semesters OR when the student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA) is below 1.80 after the student has earned 12 hours.

An academic dismissal becomes part of the student’s official record and is reflected on the student’s official transcript.

Appeals of Academic Dismissal

Appeals of dismissal and other academic issues are addressed by the School of Continuing Education Appeals Committee. A student dismissed from SCE by reason of academic deficiency has the right to a hearing before the Appeals Committee to appeal his or her dismissal if the student believes the dismissal is improper. The Committee consists of the Faculty Senate representative to SCE, who serves as its chair; two Providence College faculty members, plus an alternate; an SCE student, plus an alternate; and a representative from the Providence College administration. A member of the Committee shall recuse him or herself from service in situations where there is a conflict of interest in fact or the appearance of a conflict of interest; this member will be replaced by the Committee’s alternate faculty or student, respectively.

A request for an appeal must be made in writing to the chairperson of the Appeals Committee within fifteen days of the receipt of the dismissal notice. The appeal must include the specific reasons why the dismissal is unwarranted, and should be as complete and factual as possible; a copy of all related material should be submitted with the appeal. Failure to appeal within the time frame stated will, under all but the most extraordinary circumstances, disallow such appeal.

Whenever possible, the Committee will convene, investigate and deliberate within fifteen business days of receipt of the student’s appeal. After it reviews written submissions, the Committee will provide the student with an opportunity to present his/her complaint. The Committee will also interview other members of the College community as deemed necessary. Members of the College community asked to provide information are mandated to cooperate with the Committee. The Committee’s deliberations and the hearing will be closed to persons other than those who are directly involved.

Within five business days of the final hearing, the Committee will communicate in writing its findings and recommendation(s) to the student with a copy to the Dean of the School of Continuing Education (or dean’s designee).

If a student appeals the dismissal decision, and the committee grants the appeal, the student will be permitted to return to the School of Continuing Education as an enrolled student in the following fall or spring semester. However, certain conditions may be imposed.

If a student appeals the dismissal decision and the committee does not grant the appeal, the dismissal decision is final. In this case, the committee would consider the student’s petition for reinstatement, should there be one.

Petition for Reinstatement

A student dismissed from the School of Continuing Education by reason of academic deficiency has the right to file a petition for reinstatement. A petition for reinstatement must include the specific reasons why the petition has merit, and should be as complete and factual as possible, with a copy of all related material. The petition must be filed in writing to the chairperson of the Appeals Committee within fifteen days of the receipt of the dismissal notice; otherwise, the petition will not be heard absent extraordinary circumstances.

Whenever possible, the Committee will convene and deliberate within fifteen business days of receipt of the student’s petition.

Within five business days of the deliberations, the Committee will communicate in writing its decision to the student with a copy to the Dean of the School of Continuing Education.

On a petition for reinstatement, the Appeals Committee may, at its discretion, (a) allow a student who has been dismissed to be reinstated in good standing in the School of Continuing Education during the following fall or spring semester; or (b) choose to reconsider the petition for reinstatement if and when the student provides evidence of specified academic achievement through course work either as a non-degree student in the School of Continuing Education or at another institution. “Good standing” is defined as a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above. Alternatively, the Committee may allow a student to be reinstated conditionally as long as the student is making reasonable progress toward his/her degree. “Reasonable progress” is defined as maintaining a 2.00 cumulative GPA for two consecutive semesters or after earning 12 hours, as monitored by the dean or designee, until the student has achieved good academic standing.

If the Appeals Committee requires course work at another institution, these courses will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine whether they can be applied toward the student’s degree requirements.

The right to petition for reinstatement is limited to two academic dismissals. Students incurring a second dismissal must attend another institution for at least one semester before petitioning for reinstatement.

A petition for reinstatement may not follow a third dismissal.

Professional Suitability and Continuation in the Teacher Certification Program

Because of the sensitive nature of their duties and responsibilities, candidates for teacher certification must demonstrate that (a) they have requisite academic skills and the breadth and depth of knowledge within their respective subject areas, and (b) that their behavior is in accordance with professional standards. Candidates will, therefore, be evaluated throughout their program of study for their mastery of the required academic material, their communication skills, and professionalism in order to determine their suitability for continuation in the program. The Teacher Certification Program (TCP) Coordinator will communicate with and provide feedback to students on a regular basis regarding both these performance standards and their progress in meeting them.

All students must adhere to the policies of Providence College and TCP.  In addition, through informal and formal evaluations, students must demonstrate that they satisfy required performance standards and expectations. If the TCP Coordinator concludes that a student fails to meet established standards, the student’s suitability for continuation in the TCP will be re-evaluated and appropriate and timely remedial and/or disciplinary action will be taken. If warranted, students in non-practicum classes may be terminated from TCP.

Reasons for Disciplinary Action

• Failure by a student to abide by the policies of Providence College or the cooperating school. 
• Unprofessional conduct.
• Failure by a student to establish and maintain a satisfactory performance level as outlined in this catalog and the Student Teaching Handbook.
• Mutual consent and agreement for termination by a student, cooperating teacher/school, and college supervisor for reasons of illness, injury, or other unforeseen problem.

Procedures for Disciplinary Action

Discipline of a student for any reason other than mutual consent of termination will follow these prescribed procedures:

• Students who violate College or TCP policy in a non-academic setting must meet with the Coordinator who will determine whether disciplinary action is required.
• Students in a pre-practicum or practicum setting must meet with the college supervisor and cooperating teacher who will inform the student of their concerns. The cooperating teacher and the college supervisor will issue a written notification to the student of the outcome of the meeting. This notification will be submitted to the TCP Coordinator for review and possible disciplinary action.

• If the student is terminated from the TCP program, she/he will be notified in writing, stating the reasons for that decision, and whether an opportunity to re-apply to the TCP at a later date will be permitted.
• Students have the right to appeal the decision of the TCP Coordinator to the SCE Appeals Committee. The SCE appeal process as delineated in this catalog will be followed.

TCP students are expected to be familiar with the SCE catalog and the Student Teaching Guide for additional policies and procedures. Unfamiliarity with regulations or standards is not grounds for excusing violations.

Academic Integrity

All acts of academic dishonesty (including but not limited to plagiarism, collusion and cheating) are subject to an appropriate penalty. Students are expected to understand this policy and to exercise diligence in following it. If the instructor is convinced that an act of academic misconduct has occurred, he or she shall impose an appropriate sanction in the form of compensatory course work, a grade reduction, or a failing grade, consistent with the academic integrity policy of the course. The sanction should reflect the gravity of the infraction and the instructor’s assessment of the student’s intent. The instructor will inform the dean of the School of Continuing Education of this action. The dean may impose additional penalties based on the incident. Egregious offenses and/or second offenses against academic honesty render the student liable for dismissal from the College. Procedures for appeal are the same as those for appeal of grades and are heard by the SCE Appeals Committee.  A more detailed discussion of Academic Integrity may be found in the Student Handbook.

Active and Inactive Status

A degree candidate has the right to graduate under the requirements in place at the time of his or her matriculation as long as active status has been maintained. In order to maintain active status, matriculated students must enroll in at least one course during an academic year. Students who fail to do so will become inactive. Inactive students must apply for re-admission in writing when seeking to return to active status. Students returning to a program after being inactive are subject to the program requirements in place upon their return.

Waiver Policies

On occasion, it becomes necessary to modify degree requirements or other considerations involving College policies and regulations, based on individual needs. A student seeking a modification in academic requirements should submit a letter detailing the request of a waiver and the basis for the request to the dean of the School of Continuing Education.

Readmission

A student in good standing who withdraws from the SCE, or who becomes inactive, will be considered for readmission to the school upon written request. This request should be received at least one month prior to registration for courses. A student is defined to be in good standing if he or she was not subject to dismissal at the time of withdrawal. Returning students are subject to any new academic requirements then in place.

Academic Amnesty

A student applying for readmission to Providence College after a leave of five or more years may present to the dean of the School of Continuing Education a petition for academic amnesty for academic work completed five or more years previous to the term of readmission.

Academic amnesty, if allowed, will remove from any calculation of the student’s grade point average and from any calculation of courses or credits needed all work that was completed during the period for which academic amnesty has been granted. At the time of the application for readmission, the student must file an application for academic amnesty and must acknowledge in writing that, once academic amnesty has been granted, it will not be rescinded.

Academic amnesty will not be on a course-by-course basis and will apply to all terms and therefore all courses and credits completed at Providence College during the period for which amnesty is granted. Amnesty may not be granted on a selective term-by-term basis. The student must identify the term at which academic amnesty begins; the award of academic amnesty will then cover all course work undertaken from the beginning of the amnesty period to the time of application for readmission.

Student Educational Records/Release of Information

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 as amended is a federal regulation governing the privacy of personally identifiable information in student educational records and granting certain rights to students with respect to those records. Educational records are any records maintained by the College or an agent of the College that are directly related to the student. A student has the following rights: to inspect and review his or her educational records; to request an amendment to a record that the student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA; to provide written consent before the College discloses personally identifiable information from the student’s educational records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent; and to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. In accordance with FERPA, the College provides annual notice to students regarding these rights.

The College’s policy is to release educational information directly, and only, to students. There are a number of exceptions to this non-disclosure policy, including one for health or safety emergencies. The law permits the College to disclose otherwise private and confidential information from an education record to appropriate parties in an emergency situation if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals. Appropriate parties may include parents, law enforcement authorities, emergency responders, and other members of the community.

The College is also permitted, with or without a student’s consent, to inform parents when their student has violated any law or College policy regarding the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance if the student is not yet 21 years of age.

The College discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate education interests. A school official is a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the College has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using College employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate education interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for the College.

A student has the right to block the release of directory information. Directory information is student data not generally considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed; the College, at its discretion, may release directory information. Currently, directory information is limited to name, address, telephone listing, e-mail address, date and place of birth, major field of student, class year, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, height/weight of members of athletic teams, enrollment status, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and previous education institutions attended. A student may, to the extent permitted by FERPA, block the release of directory information for an academic year by filing timely, written notice with the Office of Enrollment Services/Academic Records, Harkins 310.

If a student wishes to authorize disclosure of information to parents/guardians or any other designated individual, a Release of Information Authorization form must be filed with the Office of Enrollment Services/Academic Records, Harkins Hall. Once the appropriate written authorization by the student is received in this office, designated individuals may be informed of the student’s status at Providence College with respect to grades, academic standing, and financial obligations; this authorization remains in effect for as long as the student is enrolled at the College. If at any time after submission of the form the student wishes to revoke consent or modify the list of individuals authorized to receive confidential information, a new authorization form must be completed and returned to the Office of Enrollment Services/Academic Records, Harkins 310.

Students may obtain more detailed information about FERPA, including the procedures for exercising their rights, in the Office of Enrollment Services/Academic Records, Harkins 310.

Immunization Record Policy

Rhode Island law requires that all students enrolled full-time (twelve credit hours or more) demonstrate that they are up-to-date on certain immunizations. To comply with this law, Providence College policy requires all full-time students to submit an Immunization Record to the College. Forms are available in the SCE Office and must be completed by a physician. A student enrolled recently as a full-time student at another college may be able to obtain the immunization record from the previous school.