A. Student Classifications Regular Student status applies to anyone whose objective is to complete a degree. The following classifications apply:  Freshman 90 credits  Non degree status applies to anyone who has a degree and is enrolled for additional courses, or anyone who is enrolled for courses but not following an established program.  B. Grade Point Average The grade point average is determined by calculating the total number of grade points earned and dividing by the number of credit hours in which a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F was received. Other letter grades such as I, S, U, AU and W carry no grade point value and are not included in the calculation of the grade point average.  C. Grading and Grade Point System Grades are reported in letter symbols. Each grade carries a value in grade points per credit hour. The system used is as follows:     Grade Significance Grade Points A Excellent 4.00 B Good 3.00 C Average 2.00 D Passing 1.00 F Failure 0.00 I Incomplete 0.00 S Satisfactory 0.00 U Unsatisfactory 0.00 AU Audit 0.00 W Withdraw 0.00 D. Incompletes    The grade of incomplete is negotiated between instructor and student. This infrequently used option accommodates the student who was affected by conditions beyond his/her control (e.g. prolonged illness, family death) and who could not reasonably complete the course work during the term of enrollment, but who has in other respects done passing work for the semester. Whether or not a grade of I is assigned is entirely the prerogative of the course instructor. The student and instructor will develop a written contract detailing the assignments which remain to be completed and the time frame for completion. The grade of incomplete must be removed by the tenth week of the regular semester following the term in which it was reported. If the deficiency is not made up within the specified time, the incomplete will revert to the grade earned at the time the incomplete was negotiated. The instructor may request an extension of the time period by emailing the Office of the Registrar.  E. S-U Grade Option A limited number of courses are graded on a satisfactory-unsatisfactory basis. No grade points are assigned.  To encourage students to explore subjects where they might not otherwise take a course, they may request permission to enroll in courses that are not required for their graduation on a satisfactory-unsatisfactory basis. No grade points are assigned. The student must notify the Office of the Registrar of his or her S-U grade option request no later than the last day to add the course. A maximum of 15 semester hours of non-required S-U graded courses may count toward graduation. Work of C level or better is required to receive an S grade.      F. Audit    Audit means to register and participate in class activities at the discretion of the instructor. No credit is awarded for an audited course. The student must notify the Office of the Registrar of his or her intent to audit a course no later than the last day to add the course. Cost of audit is one half tuition plus applicable fees.  G. Repeating a Course     A student may repeat a course to improve a grade. The original and repeated course grade will appear on the transcript. Only the most recent grade will be calculated in the cumulative grade point average.     H. Academic Honors     Dean’s Honor Roll. A student who completes 12 semester hours of Valley City State University classes for which grade points are earned and who received a grade point average of at least a 3.50 at the end of any semester qualifies for the Dean’s Honor Roll. President’s Honor Roll. A student who completes 12 semester hours carrying grade points with a 4.00 grade point average at the end of any semester qualifies for the President’s Honor Roll. Honor Roll. A student who completes 6-11 semester hours of Valley City State University classes for which grade points are earned and who received a grade point average of at least a 3.50 at the end of any semester qualifies for the Honor Roll. Graduation Honors. The student who has achieved a cumulative grade point average between 3.50 and 3.74 at the time of graduation qualifies for the honor, cum laude. The student who has achieved a cumulative grade point average between 3.75 and 3.89 qualifies for the honor, magna cum laude. A student who has achieved a cumulative grade point average between 3.90 and 4.00 qualifies for the honor, summa cum laude. I. Probation and Suspension: See policy V530.05. Sponsored by: Academic and Scholastic Standing Committee Reviewed: Winter 1996  Reviewed: Winter 2005  Revised Number: February 2010  Revised: March 2015  Revised: March 2016 Reviewed: Spring 2022

The University Hearings and Appeals Board is established for the purpose of providing an avenue of final appeal of a decision made by a university official or by an established university committee. The University Hearings and Appeals Board also acts as a hearing body in maters dealing with alleged violations of the Student Code of Conduct. Decisions of the Board are final. In the case of appeal of an action of an established university committee, the appeal shall be limited to a review of the record of the initial hearing and supporting documents (except as required to explain the basis of new evidence) and for one or more of the following reasons. To consider new evidence which may alter the decision. To determine if the original hearing was conducted fairly and in accordance with published procedures. To consider whether the sanctions imposed by the committee were appropriate and in accordance with policy. OPERATING GUIDELINES The University Hearings and Appeals Board will include on (1) administrator, two (2) faculty members (Faculty Senate nominations forwarded to the President), and two (2) students (Student Senate nominations forwarded to the President) appointed each year by the President of the University.  The board will be chaired by the appointed administrator. A student who wishes to appeal a decision of a university committee or the decision of an administrator of the university may request a hearing of the Board within five (5) business days of the decision under question. Requests for a hearing should be made to the Director for Student Academic Services. The Chairperson of the Board has the responsibility of instructing the person requesting the hearing regarding the information required. Format for the information must include: General purpose; Specific statement of charge, and the grounds for the appeal; Background pertinent to the charge; Previous action taken and the result. Notification of a request for a hearing must be made to all parties within two (2) business days. This notification is the responsibility of the Chairperson of the University Hearings and Appeals Board. The Board will consider the request and inform the parties involved of the hearing date if a hearing is deemed advisable. The hearing must be held within four (4) class days of the Board decision to hold the meeting. All parties involved in a hearing must present any printed materials that will clarify the case to the Chairperson of the Board within one (1) day of the hearing. The Chairperson of the Board has the responsibility for the distribution of these materials to the other members of the Board. All matters upon which the decision may be based must be introduced at the proceedings before the Board. The findings and recommendations of the Board will be sent to the President of the University for his/her consideration. The President will announce his/her decision to all involved parties within five (5) days of the receipt of the complete and final committee report. A written report of the proceedings will be kept confidentially on file in the President's Office for the period of one (1) year or until any further appeals are completed. Sponsored by: Vice President for Student Affairs  Reviewed: Winter 1996 Reviewed: Summer 2005 Revised Number: February 2010

Students not making satisfactory progress will be placed on academic probation. The following standards for satisfactory progress have been established and apply to all enrolled students:  Total Hours Attempted Cumulative GPA Required 12 1.60 30 1.80 60 2.00   Any student who does not make satisfactory progress according to these standards is placed on academic probation. Until the student brings his or her cumulative grade point average up to the required level, the student is continued on probation, providing he or she achieves at least a 2.00 grade point average during the subsequent semester(s) of enrollment. The summer session is considered equivalent to a semester. Full-time students not accruing adequate credits may be placed on academic probation or suspension at the discretion of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Adequate credits is defined as two-thirds of the hours attempted. First year students who have completed fewer than 12 credits and earn a GPA less than 2.0 will receive an academic warning letter. The academic warning will not appear on the transcript but requires the student to meet with the Director for Student Academic Services to discuss options for academic support, such as tutoring and a one-credit course in study skills. In order to increase the probability of future academic success, academic probation status restricts the student to a maximum course load of fifteen credits during fall and spring semesters (6 credits during summer) and recommends the student complete a one-credit course in study skills as part of the restricted course load. Satisfactory progress while on probation means achieving a grade point average of at least 2.00 or better during the semester. Failure on the part of the student to achieve a semester grade point of at least 2.00 while on probation results in academic suspension from the University. A student who has been suspended from the University may submit a petition to the Academic and Scholastic Standing Committee for readmission. (Form AA-8). The Committee reviews the petition, considers the evidence, and makes a decision regarding the status of the student. Any student who is reinstated by this Committee is required to meet obligations set forth by the Vice President for Academic Affairs or designee. A suspended student who returns after one calendar year may be readmitted on probation and is not required to petition for readmission. Any transfer student who is not eligible to return to the previous institution must submit a petition to the Academic and Scholastic Standing Committee for admission to VCSU. Transfer admission following the academic suspension/dismissal from another institution will be coordinated with that institution to determine conditions under which the student may be admitted.  Sponsored by: Academic and Scholastic Standing Committee Effective: Fall 1990 Reviewed: Winter 1996 Reviewed: Winter 2004-2005 Revised Number: February 2010  Revised: March 2015 Revised: April 2020 Revised: Spring 2022

Any student desiring a change of course schedule after completing the initial registration for the term must complete the process in Campus Connection or at the Office of the Registrar.  Changes in course schedule may result in additional tuition charges. Tuition refunds for dropped courses are governed by State Board of Higher Education policy 830.2 Tuition Refund Policy.  A. ADDING A COURSE Students may add a course through Campus Connection or the Office of the Registrar during the first 10 calendar days of the fall semester and the first 11 calendar days of the spring semester. The last day to add for part term courses will be prorated based on the length of the class session. Specific dates are listed in the academic calendar. B. DROPPING A COURSE Drop with no record: A student may drop from a full semester course and no record of the course will appear on the student’s record if the drop is processed on or before the 10th calendar day of the fall semester or 11th calendar day of the spring semester by accessing their  Campus Connection.  The last day to drop from part term courses will be prorated based on the length of the session. Specific dates are listed in the academic calendar. Drop with record: A student may drop a semester-length course at any time during the first twelve weeks of the semester. A grade of “W” will be recorded on the student’s transcript for all courses dropped after the Drop with No Record deadline. Courses within a shorter session and the summer term will have a proportional last day to drop with record. Specific dates are listed in the academic calendar. C. LATE DROP OF A COURSE After the last day to drop a course in a semester, no changes in schedule are permitted except in extenuating, non-academic circumstances beyond the student’s control, such as medical, family death or emergency, or natural disaster. The student must submit a petition to the Academic and Scholastic Standing Committee and include third-party documentation. A student may be requested to appear for a hearing. Petitions (AA-8) are available in the Office of the Director of Student Academic Services.  One Time Drop Policy: Each student may late drop one course after the deadline (up to and including the last day of the semester) without proof of extenuating circumstances one time during his or her undergraduate enrollment at VCSU. This “one-time drop” must be processed using a petition available in the Office of the Director of Student Academic Services. A symbol of W will appear on the transcript. Sponsored by: Academic and Scholastic Standing Committee Effective: Fall, 1986  Reviewed: Spring, 1992  Reviewed: Winter 1996  Reviewed: Winter 2004-2005  Revised Number: February 2010  Revised: March 2015  Revised: April 2020

Students have protection through orderly procedures against prejudiced or capricious academic evaluation. At the same time they are responsible for maintaining standards of academic performance established for each course in which they are enrolled. The following is the procedure to be followed by a student seeking an avenue of appeal for cases in which the student feels an evaluation was prejudicial or capricious.    Students are expected to discuss any grade concerns with their instructors prior to initiating this process. This complaint process assumes that attempts for informal resolution have failed. All complaints must be submitted in full (including documentation) within ten class days of the regular semester following the term in which the grade was reported. Fall and Spring semesters are considered 'regular' semesters, for the purposes of this policy. Any attempt to carry the appeal outside of the procedure set forth may negate the entire appeals process for that case. 1. The student must complete the Grade Appeal form (AA-39) and submit it, along with supporting documentation, to the Office of Student Academic Services. The Director of Student Academic Services will date-stamp the complaint and schedule a meeting with the student, instructor, and department chair that occurs within ten class days of receipt of the complaint.  Copies of the form and supporting documentation will be provided to the instructor and department chair prior to the meeting.    2.  The Director of Student Academic Services will accompany the student to the meeting.  The Director’s role is to ask questions, guide discussion, and otherwise provide support for the student. At the completion of the meeting, the department chair will complete the “Department Review” section of the appeal form.  Copies of the form will be provided to the department and the student.  The original form is filed in the Office of Academic Affairs office.  If indicated, the instructor will file a change of grade form.   3.  If the situation is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction the student may sign the appeal portion of the complaint form and submit it to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) along with the documentation within 10 class days following the department review meeting.  The student may choose to provide additional documentation.   4.  Within 10 class days of receiving the appeal, the VPAA or a designee will meet with the student to discuss the complaint. After reviewing the documentation and consulting with other parties as necessary, the VPAA or designee will make a final decision in the matter within twenty class days of receiving the appeal, and record this decision in the “VPAA Review” section of the complaint form. Copies of the updated form will be provided to the department and the student via official VCSU email; the original will be  filed in the Office of Academic Affairs. Sponsored by: Academic and Scholastic Standing Committee Reviewed: Winter 1996 Reviewed: Winter 2004-2005 Revised Number: February 2010  Revised: May 2015 Revised & Name Change:  April 2020

Students are expected to participate in all class sessions of courses for which they are registered, including online sessions. In accordance with policy V605.15 (Absence Reporting Policy), all faculty are required to maintain records that allow them to document the last day of attendance, information that may be requested by the Financial Aid officer for compliance with federal regulations. In addition, faculty are encouraged to report to the Director of Student Academic Services the names of students who appear to need additional assistance to be academically successful. Sponsored by: Vice President for Academic Affairs Reviewed: Winter 1996 Reviewed: Winter 2004-2005 Revised: February 2010 Reviewed: December 2020

The mission of the academic advising program is to promote student development, provide resources for academic success, and prepare students for their careers, citizenship, and their lives. Academic advising is coordinated through the Office of the Registrar. Each student is assigned an adviser at the time of enrollment from the appropriate academic program area. The assigned adviser assists the student with interpreting academic requirements and regulations, establishing career and educational goals, and determining course schedules. The adviser will also advocate for student success and persistence. While input from other professionals on campus is valuable, the official adviser serves as the best individual on campus for students to seek counsel from in terms of their program, course scheduling, and achieving academic success. The student has the primary responsibility for making decisions about career and educational plans and for meeting all appropriate academic requirements. The student is responsible for meeting with their official adviser at least once per semester to receive assistance with class scheduling. The adviser, through collaboration with the advisee, will maintain an advising record containing general and pertinent information. The adviser adds or changes information as the student progresses academically and personally. A student may request a change of adviser at any time. Advisers must be approved by the appropriate department's chair.  Any change is processed in the Office of the Registrar. INSTITUTIONAL PROCESS Undergraduate, degree seeking students, including undeclared, will be assigned an adviser at the time of their matriculation. Advisees will be assigned to advisers based on guidelines provided by each academic department. Advisee assignments will be communicated to the academic departments. Undeclared students and University Studies may be assigned to the Director for Student Academic Services. Upon assignment, Advisers will make contact with new advisees to begin the advising relationship, communicate any department expectations, and describe advising work flow. Departments are expected to determine advising expectations for students in their programs. Expectations may include, but are not limited to: required advising sessions, group advising, or use of non-department based advising. Departments will coordinate with Student Academic Services, the Registrar’s Office, and other campus services to ensure expectations are being upheld. Requests for changes to an academic plan should be initiated by the student using the "Major Minor, Certificate, or Advisor Change Form" found in OneStop. Changes to an academic plan may require a change of adviser. New advisers will be assigned by the Office of the Registrar, based on guidelines provided by academic departments. The Office of the Registrar will communicate the change of academic plan and adviser assignment to the necessary faculty members and department chairs. Newly assigned faculty advisers are responsible to communicate with the previous adviser to gather any information maintained in the student’s advising record. Students wanting to change advisers should complete the "Major Minor, Certificate, or Advisor Change Form" found in OneStop. Students may indicate their first choice of new adviser on the form. The Registrar will consult with the department chair when there is a discrepancy between the student request and the general guidance provided by the department for assigning advisors. The department chair may also recommend a different adviser be assigned in order to maintain faculty workload balance and to ensure appropriate faculty assignments. Sponsored by: Vice President for Academic Affairs Effective: Fall, 1990 Reviewed: Revised Number: February 2010 Revised: August 2016 Revised Spring 2022

VCSU operates an academic calendar on the semester system, according to the guidelines in SBHE policy 406.1 (Academic Calendars). Each semester is 80 days, or 16 weeks (including exam week). One semester hour of credit represents one academic hour of class instruction or two or more academic hours of laboratory work per week for a period of 15 weeks, or the equivalent. In organizing their schedules, students should plan to spend about two hours of study for one hour of classroom instruction. Therefore, a student taking 15 credit hours should expect to spend about 30 hours studying each week. In seeking a course overload, students should consider carefully the impact of this load on their available study time. Academic Semester Course Load While full-time enrollment is 12 semester hours per semester, students who plan to graduate in four years should take 15-16 credit hours per semester. A student in good standing may register for up to nineteen hours. Students wishing to enroll in more than nineteen hours must meet the appropriate grade point average. The student wishing to take 20-21 semester hours must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00. The student wishing to take 22-23 semester hours must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50. No student will be allowed to enroll in more than 23 semester hours in any one semester. Summer Terms Course Load Summer terms compress the regular term, by meeting 3, 4, or 8 weeks instead of 15, but the expectation for academic rigor, course content, and study remain the same. Therefore, a 3 credit course offered during an 8 week session will take the same amount of time as 6 credits would in a regular academic term, and a 3 credit course offered during a 4 week session is equivalent to 12 credits (or full time) during a regular academic term. Students and advisors should use these guidelines to plan summer work realistically, so students may gain the full benefit of the course and have sufficient time for study. Full-time status during Summer term is 6 credits; the maximum load is 9 concurrent credits for a student in good academic standing. If a student wishes to register for more than 9 credits that are not concurrent, s/he should contact the Office of the Registrar; in any case, no more than 9 credits may be taken concurrently and no more than 14 semester hours in any Summer (total for all summer terms; this is the equivalent of one credit per week for the full summer). Any exception to the above policy requires a petition to the Academic and Scholastic Standing Committee. Petitions are available in the Office of the Director of Student Academic Services. Sponsored by: Vice President for Academic Affairs Effective: Fall, 1986 Revised: Spring, 1990 Reviewed: Winter, 1996 Revised Number: February 2010 Revised: January 2012 Revised & Name Change: April 2020

An “online student” is defined as any student enrolled in a course delivered online synchronously or asynchronously.   Online students are expected to: Communicate regularly with faculty. The VCSU email system is the official means of communication for the university. VCSU faculty and administration expect that all students will read and act upon the information sent to them via email. Students are expected to check their VCSU email regularly and in accordance with course requirements. Act with academic integrity. (See policy V530.01 Academic Integrity) VCSU faculty and administrators will vigorously investigate any suspicions of academic dishonesty including but not limited to plagiarism, collusion, and/or any other form of cheating on graded assignments and tests. Students are expected to: Understand and follow online etiquette (netiquette) and civility.  (see VCSU Statement on Etiquette) Request an alternative assignment only when they are not able or willing to divulge their personal information to create online accounts outside of the official VCSU learning management system. Meet course deadlines. The university expects that students either have or will develop good time management skills as they relate to completing online course requirements. Some suggestions include: Identifying specific hours of the day for schoolwork. Setting deadlines based on personal schedules in advance of the official deadline. Creating a personal calendar of class events and requirements, or keep up-to-date to-do lists. Asking for help in a timely manner. VCSU expects that online students will generally spend a similar amount of time to complete an online course as they would to complete the same course offered on campus. The general guideline for college courses is to expect to spend three hours per week (on average throughout the term) for each credit hour of a course. For example, 9 hours of weekly work time would be considered “normal” for a 3-credit course. There are naturally occurring variations to this expectation when looking at specific courses. Be an active course participant. Login to the learning management system and enter their online courses during the first week of class. Ideally, students should enter their online courses on the first day of the term. Attend courses on a regular basis. In the online learning system, “attendance” is determined by student engagement with the classroom tools, with other students, and with the instructor. Students are expected to log-on to the course on a regular basis and in accordance with course requirements to check for news and information, and to maximize their online participation.  Be aware of course and instructor expectations and policies, including: Instructor availability and response times. Grading policy and criteria for how work and participation will be evaluated. Interaction with the instructor, content, and other students. All VCSU policies including the Student Code of Conduct. VCSU strongly encourages students to submit the end-of-term course evaluations for all courses. Students are notified when their overall course grade drops below a percentage set by the instructor. Be equipped with the minimum required course components, technologies, tools and media. Purchase textbooks or other required course materials IN ADVANCE of the start of the term,. Failure to acquire the required course materials in a timely manner is not an acceptable excuse for missing deadlines at the beginning of the course. Have regular and reliable access to the Internet in order to access their online courses. High-speed Internet is highly recommended. See this Technical Requirements page for specific technical requirements. Have or acquire basic computer skills. Failure to do so can be expected to have a detrimental impact on student performance in the online learning environment. Complete the Student Online Orientation Course that is available to all students inside the learning management system portal. VCSU expects online students using non-VCSU technology to resolve their own technology problems related to computers and related equipment as well as Internet access. The college is not responsible for fixing problems or troubleshooting issues that students might have with their own personal equipment or purchased services.     Sponsor: Faculty Senate Effective: May 2013 Revised: May 2021

A. Definition At VCSU, an internship is defined as a supervised work experience related to a student’s academic major or career goal and taken for academic credit. The internship is graded and included on the student’s official academic transcript. B. Student Eligibility Students must have: Junior or senior standing Cumulative grade point average of 2.50 or higher Positions require: A temporary assignment or special project that does not displace a regular employee Approval by the Director for Career Services prior to course registration Direct relation to the student’s major, minor, or career interest to qualify for credit A minimum of 40 hours per credit, ranging from 3-12 credits per academic area (120-hour minimum) Credits must be earned within the timeframe of the semester enrolled. Experience in a new work setting. Existing employment or current position may not be used as an internship. The student agrees that the internship position is primarily educational and all responsibilities of the employer will terminate completely at the end of this experience including any and all present or future employee benefits. The student is not entitled to unemployment compensation after completion of an Internship as the position is a temporary assignment which is not covered under most unemployment compensation laws. Students may complete multiple internships over many semesters, earning 3 to 12 credits per academic area. C. Student Requirements Internships are graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis and success in each of these areas will be required for successful completion of the internship.   Completion of Learning Agreement prior to accruing internship hours Completion of assignments determined by faculty supervisor Completion of Time Log with appropriate number of hours and approval by site supervisor Completion of evaluations sent by the Director for Career Services Sponsor: Vice President for Student Affairs Effective: September 2017 Revised: September 2020 Revised: Spring 2022 Revised: Spring 2023