Lycoming College Academic Policies and Regulations

Athletics

Athletics is an important part of the Lycoming experience. As a member of the NCAA, Lycoming sponsors nineteen intercollegiate sports for both men and women student-athletes.

Men can choose from football, soccer, cross country, wrestling, golf, basketball, lacrosse, swimming, tennis, and track and field. Women can compete in soccer, cross country, lacrosse, volleyball, basketball, swimming, softball, tennis, and track and field.

Lycoming is a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference, which is a Division III athletic conference. As a Division III school,

Lycoming does not offer athletic scholarships.

In addition, the College offers a very active intramural and recreation program that is open to all students. This program includes, among others, basketball, water polo, volleyball, flag football, and indoor soccer.

Students are expected to familiarize themselves with the academic policies contained in this Catalog. Failure to do so does not excuse students from the require- ments and regulations described herein.

The Unit Course System

Instruction at Lycoming College is organized, with few exceptions, on a departmental basis. Most courses are unit courses, meaning that each course taken is considered to be equivalent to four semester hours of credit. Exceptions occur in applied music and theatre practicum courses, which are offered for either one-half or one semester hour of credit; in departments that have elected to offer certain courses for the equivalent of one, two or three semester hours of credit; and in physical activities courses which are zero credits. Furthermore, independent studies and internships carrying two semester hours of credit may be designed.

The normal student course load is four unit courses (16 semester hours) during the fall and spring semesters. Students who elect to attend the special sessions may enroll in one unit course (four semester hours) during the May term and one or two unit courses (four - eight semester hours) in each of the summer terms. A student is considered full time when enrolled for a minimum of three unit courses, or the equivalent, during the fall or spring semesters, one unit course, or the equivalent, for the May term, and two unit courses for each of the summer terms.

Students may enroll in five unit courses

(20 semester hours) during the fall and spring semesters if they are Lycoming scholars or were admitted to the Dean's List at the end of the previous semester. Exceptions may be granted by the Dean of the College. There will be an additional charge, see page 13.

Overloads are not permitted during the May and summer terms.

Alternative Credit Sources

Transfer Credit

Matriculated students who wish to study at other campuses must obtain prior written approval to do so from their advisor, the chair of the department in which the credit will be awarded, and the Lycoming College Registrar. Course work counting toward a major or minor must also be approved in advance by the chair-person of the department in which the major or minor is offered. Once a course is approved, the credit and grades for the course will be transferred to Lycoming and calculated in the student's grade point average as if the courses were taken here. This means that "D" and "F" grades will be transferred as well as all other grades. Unapproved courses will not transfer. Final determination of transfer credit will be made by the Registrar based on official transcripts only.

Lycoming College does not have a statute of limitations but it reserves the right to refuse to accept some courses for transfer in which the content is outmoded. The Registrar will consult the academic department(s) involved.

Students are expected to complete their last eight unit courses (32 semester hours) and 16 semester hours in their major at Lycoming. Requests for waivers of this regulation must be sent to the Committee on Academic Standards.

Credit By Examination

Students may earn credit or advanced placement through the standardized examinations listed below. A maximum of 50 percent of the course requirements for the Baccalaureate degree may be earned through these exam-inations. The appropriate academic department will determine which tests they will accept and the course equivalencies. A list of approved examinations is available in the Office of the Registrar. Although these examinations may be taken after matriculation, new students who are competent in a given area are encouraged to take the examination of their choice before entering Lycoming so that the college will have the test scores available for registration advising for the first semester of enrollment. Students applying to the college for the first time should inform the Admissions Office that they have completed these tests and provide the official scores as part of their application packet. Continuing students must send official test scores to the Office of the Registrar and inform their academic advisors when examinations have been taken.

The College Entrance Examination Board Advanced Placement (CEEB AP) - In most cases, a score of four is required for credit.

The International Baccalaureate - Students who have completed the full diploma and have scores of five or above on all of the higher level examinations will be granted 32 credit hours; specific courses will be based on the examinations taken. Students who complete the full diploma but earn less than a score of five on all of the higher level examinations will be granted eight credits for each higher level examination completed with a grade of five or higher and four credits for a satisfactory or higher completion of the Theory of Knowledge requirement. Students who have completed the certificate will be granted credit based on the examinations taken. Standard level examinations will not be considered.

The American College Testing Proficiency Examination Program (ACT PEP) - A score equivalent to a grade of "B" or above is required.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) - A score equivalent to a grade of "B" or above is required.

Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) - A score equivalent to a grade of "B" or above is required.

Student Records

The policy regarding student educational records is designed to protect the privacy of students against unwarranted intrusions and is consistent with Section 43B of the General Education Provision Act (commonly known as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended). The details of the College policy on student records and the procedures for gaining access to student records are contained in the current issue of the Student Handbook which is available in the library, online, and in the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs.

Registration

During the registration period, students select their courses for the next semester and register their course selections in the Office of the Registrar. Course selection is made in consultation with the student's faculty advisor in order to insure that the course schedule is consistent with College requirements and student goals. After the registration period, any change in the student's course schedule must be approved by both the faculty advisor and Office of the Registrar. Students may not receive credit for courses in which they are not formally registered.

During the first five days of classes, students may drop any course without any record of such enrollment appearing on their permanent record, and they may add any course that is not closed. The permanent record will reflect the student's registration as of the conclusion of the drop/add period. Students wishing to withdraw from a course between the fifth day and the 9th week of classes must process a course withdrawal form in the Office of the Registrar. Withdrawal grades are not computed in the grade point average. Students may not withdraw from courses after the 9th week of a semester and the comparable period during the May and summer terms. Students who stop attending a course (or courses) but do not withdraw will receive a grade(s) of "F."

In zero semester hour and two semester hour (1/2 unit) courses meeting only during the last half of any semester, students may drop/add for a period of five days, effective with the mid-term date shown on the academic calendar. Withdrawal from zero-credit and half-semester courses with a withdrawal grade may occur within 4-1/2 weeks of the beginning of the course. It is understood that the period of time at the beginning of the semester will be identical, for example, a period of five days as indicated above.

Cross Registration

A special opportunity exists in the Williamsport area for students to take courses at the Pennsylvania College of Technology. Students may enroll for less than a full-time course load at the Pennsylvania College of Technology while remaining enrolled in courses at Lycoming.

Students must be enrolled full-time in a degree program and have earned no more than 93 semester hours. Cross registration is available for the Fall and Spring Semesters, and Summer I and II. It is not available for May Term.

NON-DEGREE Students

Students who do not wish to pursue a degree at Lycoming College may, if space permits, register for credit or audit courses on either a part-time or full-time basis. Students who register for less than 12 semester hours are considered to be enrolled part-time; students who register for 12 or more semester hours are considered to be enrolled full-time and must pay the $200 contingency fee.

Anyone wishing to register as a non-degree student must fill out an application form in the Admissions Office, pay a one-time application fee, and pay the tuition rate in effect at the time of each enrollment. After a non-degree student has attempted four unit courses (16 semester hours), the student must either matriculate or obtain permission from the Dean of the College to continue study on a non-degree basis.

All non-degree students are subject to the general laws and regulations of the College as stated in the College Catalog and the Student Handbook. The College reserves the right to deny permission to register for individuals who do not meet the standards of the College.

Students who wish to change from a non-degree to a degree status must apply for admission as a degree candidate and satisfy all conditions for admission and registration in effect at that time.

Auditors

Any person may audit courses at Lycoming at one-fourth tuition per course. Members of the Lycoming College Scholar Program may audit a fifth unit course per semester at no additional charge. Laboratory and other special fees must be paid in full. Examinations, papers, and other evaluation devices are not required of auditors, but individual arrangements may be made to complete such exercises with consent of the instructor. The option to audit a course must be declared by the end of the drop/add period. Forms are available in the Registrar's Office.

Attendance

The academic program at Lycoming is based upon the assumption that there is value in class attendance for all students. Individual instructors have the prerogative of establishing reasonable absence regulations in any course. The student is responsible for learning and observing these regulations.

Withdrawal from the College

A student who wishes to withdraw from the College during the semester should contact the Assistant Dean for Freshmen or the Assistant Dean for Sophomores. College personnel will explain the procedure to ensure that the student's financial and academic records are properly closed.

A student who decides to discontinue study at the College as of the conclusion of the current semester must provide the Registrar with written notification of such plans in order to receive a refund of the contingency deposit. See page 14 for details.

Grading System

The evaluation of student performance in courses is indicated by the use of traditional letter symbols. These symbols and their definitions are as follows:

A EXCELLENT - Signifies superior achievement through mastery of content or skills and demonstration of creative and independent thinking.

B GOOD - Signifies better-than-average achievement wherein the student reveals insight and understanding.

C SATISFACTORY - Signifies satisfactory achievement wherein the student's work has been of average quality and quantity. The student has demonstrated basic competence in the subject area and may enroll in additional course work.

D PASSING - Signifies unsatisfactory achievement wherein the student met only the minimum requirements for passing the course and should not continue in the subject area without departmental advice.

F FAILING — Signifies that the student has not met the minimum requirements for passing the course.

I INCOMPLETE WORK — Assigned in accordance with the restrictions of established academic policy.

R A REPEATED COURSE — Students shall have the option of repeating courses for which they already have received a passing grade in addition to those which they have failed. Credit is received only once for the course. The most recent course grade will count toward the GPA.

ASSIGNED — Converted from traditional grade of A through D-.

X AUDIT — Work as an auditor for which no credit is earned.

W WITHDRAWAL — Signifies withdrawal from the course from the sixth day through the ninth week of the semester. Students may not exceed 24 semester hours of unsuccessful course attempts (grade of F and W) except in the case of withdrawal for documented medical or psychological reasons.

Pluses and minuses may be awarded (except for A+, F+, or F-) at the discretion of the instructor. The cumulative grade point average (GPA) is calculated by multiplying quality points by credits and dividing the total quality points by the total credits. A quality point is the unit of measurement of the quality of work done by the student. The cumulative GPA is not determined by averaging semester GPA's.

The grade point average for the major and minor is calculated in the same way as the cumulative grade point average. A minimum of 2.00 is required for the cumulative grade point average in the major and minor to meet the requirements for graduation.

Grade A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F

Points 4.00 3.67 3.33 3.00 2.67 2.33 2.00 1.67 1.33 1.00 0.67 0.00

Pass/Fail

Use of the pass/fail grading option is limited as follows:

• Students may enroll on a P/F basis in no more that one unit course per semester and in no more than four unit courses during their undergraduate careers.

• P/F courses completed after declaration of

a major may not be used to satisfy a requirement of that major, including courses required by the major department which are offered by other departments. (Instructor-designated courses are excepted from this limitation.)

• Courses for which a grade of P is recorded may not be used toward fulfillment of any distribution or "W" course requirement.

• Students may not enroll in ENGL 106 on a P/F basis.

• A course selected on a P/F basis from which a student subsequently withdraws will not count toward the four-course limit.

• Instructor-designated courses may be offered during the May term with the approval of the Dean of the College. Such courses are not counted toward the four- course limit.

• P grades are not computed in the grade point average.

• Students electing the P/F option may designate a minimum acceptance letter grade from A to B-. If the student earns the designated grade or better, the grade will be recorded in the permanent record and computed in the grade point average. If a student selects P/F (with no designated minimum acceptance grade) and earns a grade of A to D-, a P will be recorded in the permanent record but not computed in the grade point average. In all cases, if a student earns a grade of F, this grade will be recorded in the permanent record and computed in the student's grade point average.

• Students must declare the P/F option before the drop/add deadline.

• Instructors are not notified which of their students are enrolled on an P/F basis.

• Students electing the P/F option are expected to perform the same work as those enrolled on a regular basis.

Incomplete Grades

Incomplete grades may be given if, for absolutely unavoidable reasons (usually medical in nature), the student has not been able to complete the work required in the course. An incomplete grade must be removed within six weeks of the next regular semester, otherwise the incomplete is converted to an "F."

Repetition of Course

Students shall have the option of repeating courses for which they already have received a passing grade in addition to those which they have failed. Recording of grades for all repeated courses shall be governed by the following conditions:

• A course may be repeated only one time.

Both attempts will be recorded on the student's transcript.

• Credit for the course will be given only once.

• The most recent grade will count toward the GPA with this exception: A "W" grade cannot replace another grade.

Final Course Grade Appeal Process

Assigning final course grades is a responsibility that falls within the professional judgment and expertise of each faculty member. Grades assess as accurately as possible a student's performance according to clear criteria provided in the course such as academic performance, class attendance, and punctuality in submitting assignments. Student appeals of the final course grade must follow the three-step procedure outlined below.

(1) Within two weeks of the beginning of the semester following the conclusion of the course, the student should request an informal conference with the instructor to discuss the grade and attempt to resolve the concern.

(2) If the outcome of the informal conference is not satisfactory to the student, or the instructor is not available, the student may submit a written request to meet with the department chairperson (or another faculty member in the department in instances involving the chairperson) within two weeks of meeting with the instructor. The student's request must include a written statement outlining the basis for the appeal. It is the function of the chairperson to determine the relevant facts and to attempt to resolve the disagreement. The decision regarding the course grade in question will be made by the instructor in consultation with the chairperson (or his/ her stand-in). The student will receive from the department chairperson written notification of the decision within one week of the meeting with the chairperson.

(3) If resolution has not been achieved at step two, the student or the instructor may make a written appeal to the Dean of the College within two weeks of the depart- ment chairperson's written notification. In order to resolve the disagreement, the Dean will confer with the student and the instructor in private sessions, and may call additional witnesses. If the Dean is unable to accomplish a resolution, she/he will forward the case to the Committee on Academic Standards, which will make a final decision on the matter. The Dean will communicate in writing to the student and the instructor the final decision within three weeks of receiving the appeal. This is the final step in the appeal process.

Academic Levels

The following table is used to determine the academic grade level of degree candidates. See page 17 for related Financial Aid information.

Year Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior

Semester 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2

Number of Semester Hours Earned Fewer than 12 At least 12 but fewer than 24 At least 24 but fewer than 40 At least 40 but fewer than 56 At least 56 but fewer than 76 At least 76 but fewer than 96 At least 96 but fewer than 112 More than 112

Academic Standing

Good Academic Standing

Students will be considered in good academic standing if they meet the following standard:

Semester Hours Completed

Minimum Cumulative GPA

 

Probation

Students who do not meet the standards for good academic standing and/or who have earned two or more failing grades at the end of any given semester, will be placed on academic probation for the next semester.

Students on academic probation are required to pass ARC 100, Success Skills Workshop, if they have not already done so and are encouraged to attend programs developed by the Freshman and Sophomore deans.

Suspension

Students are eligible for suspension from the College when:

• their cumulative grade point average is below good standing for any two semesters, or

• they earn a grade point average of 1.50 or under in any one semester.

The period of suspension will be for a mini-mum of one full semester, not including May term or the summer sessions.

• After this time students may apply for readmission to the College. The decision for readmission will be made by the Committee on Academic Standards. Readmission is not guaranteed.

• Students readmitted after suspension will be on academic probation.

• Students readmitted after suspension who fail to meet the required standards may be dismissed.

• Students may request permission to take courses at another institution. Courses not receiving prior approval will not be accepted for transfer.

Dismissal

Students will be subject to dismissal from the College when:

• they exceed 24 semester hours of unsuccessful course attempts (grades of F and W) except in the case of withdrawal for documented medical or psychological reasons, or

• they cannot reasonably complete all requirements for a degree.

The standard length of dismissal will be for a period of two years.

• After this time students may apply for readmission to the College. The decision for readmission will be made by the Committee on Academic Standards. Readmission is not guaranteed.

• Students readmitted after dismissal will be on academic probation.

• Students may request permission to take courses at another institution. Courses not receiving prior approval will not be accepted for transfer.

Probation, suspension, and dismissal become effective at the end of the semester in which

the student fails to meet the academic standards listed above. The student will be notified of such action via U.S. mail. Receipt of such notice is not a prerequisite to the student's being placed on probation, suspension, or dismissal.

Academic Honesty

The integrity of the academic process of the College requires honesty in all phases of the instructional program. The College assumes that students are committed to the principle of academic honesty. Students who fail to honor this commitment are subject to dismissal. Procedural guidelines and rules for the adjudication of cases of academic dishonesty are printed in The Student Handbook.

Academic Honors

Dean's List

Students are admitted to the Dean's List at the end of the fall and spring semesters if they meet all of the following conditions:

• complete at least 12 semester hours for the semester

• earn a minimum grade point average of 3.50 for the semester

• do not incur grades of F

• do not incur grades of P (except in those courses graded only as P/F)

• do not repeat any courses (except those which may be repeated for credit)

Graduation Honors

Students are awarded the Bachelor of Arts degree or the Bachelor of Science degree with honors when they have earned the following grade point averages based on all courses attempted at Lycoming, with a minimum of 64 semester hours (16 units) required for a student to be eligible for honors:

summa cum laude exactly 3.90-4.00

magna cum laude exactly 3.67-3.89

cum laude exactly 3.33-3.66

Academic Honor Awards, Prizes, and

Societies - Superior academic achievement is recognized through the conferring of awards and prizes at the annual Honors Convocation and Commencement and through election to membership in honor societies.

SOCIETIES

Biology ............................................................................................... Beta Beta Beta

Business ............................................................................................. Delta Mu Delta

Chemistry ................................................................................ Gamma Sigma Epsilon

Communication ............................................................................. Alpha Epsilon Rho

Criminal Justice ................................................................................ Alpha Phi Sigma

Economics .............................................................................. Omicron Delta Epsilon

Education .......................................................................................... Kappa Delta Pi

English ............................................................................................. Sigma Tau Delta

Foreign Language ................................................................................ Phi Sigma Iota

General Academic ............................................................................... Phi Kappa Phi

History .............................................................................................. Phi Alpha Theta

Mathematics ................................................................................. Kappa Mu Epsilon

Philosophy ........................................................................................... Phi Sigma Tau

Physics .............................................................................................. Sigma Pi Sigma

Political Science ................................................................................. Pi Sigma Alpha

Psychology .................................................................................................... Psi Chi

Social Science .................................................................................... Pi Gamma Mu

Theatre .......................................................................................... Alpha Psi Omega