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To: Faculty/Staff on the Quarter System Welcome to the Spring Quarter at Drexel!
Please review news, key policies, and dates for the upcoming quarter. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
CRITICAL DATES
IMPORTANT POLICY REMINDERS
KEY PRACTICES
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS Clearing week for graduating seniors will run from June 20-July 5, 2013. Clearing representatives will review students' records during this time to ensure that all students have fulfilled their graduation requirements. A list of Graduation Clearing Collegiate Representatives can be found at the OUR website. For more information on commencement, please see below. Commencement will be held on the University City Campus on Friday, June 14, 2013 and Saturday, June 15, 2013 in the Daskalakis Athletic Center. Ceremonies include:
All students graduating at the end of Spring term will have their diplomas mailed to the primary address established in DrexelOne at the time that they applied for their degree. Diplomas will be mailed between six to eight weeks following the ceremony. To specify a different mailing address to which the diploma should be mailed, students must update the mailing address information in DrexelOne through the degree application process. Senior Privilege affords seniors a one-time opportunity to take an additional final exam to make up a failing grade in a course required for graduation. The following criteria apply:
Senior Privilege does not exempt students from attending class and/or taking final exams in courses for which they are enrolled during the last term of their senior year. Students are required to adhere to class attendance requirements for all other courses as specified by university policy.
Final Examinations for Seniors in the Spring Quarter In the Spring Quarter only, senior undergraduate students in their last quarter of academic work who have applied for a degree may petition to be exempted from a final examination. It is the prerogative of the instructor to approve or deny the petition to grant this exemption based on the following considerations, that:
If a final exam is given for a graduating senior, then the exam must be given during the last week of classes (6/3/13 - 6/10/13), regardless of the final examination schedule for the course. Final grades for all students, (graduating and non-graduating) are due via DrexelOne on June 19, 2013 by 12 PM. Behind Every GraduateAs graduating seniors embark on their careers, they are invited to nominate that special high school teacher who inspired them to pursue a college education and their professional or academic ambition. The Harold W. Pote Behind Every Graduate Selection Committee will review the nominations and select awardees. Please visit the "Behind Every Graduate" page to review the selection criteria. Nominations are due by April 12, 2013. To nominate a former high school teacher, please complete the Nomination Form. The Drexel University Department of Public Safety has developed a number of crime prevention and awareness programs to educate the Drexel community in the various aspects of public safety. Information is provided to students, faculty, and staff to increase awareness of their surroundings, to provide safety and security recommendations, and educate everyone on what to do in emergency situations. We view these informational communications as an integral part of the development and implementation of the University's public safety program. The University's safety and security initiatives focus on the importance of the community and partnerships. We enjoy excellent professional relationships with many public and private institutions, agencies and groups that play an important role in the Drexel community. One of our most important principles is that safety and security is a shared responsibility. It is imperative that our community members know, understand and practice a realistic approach to creating and maintaining the safest possible environment that is based on awareness, practices, partnerships, experience and common sense. The Public Safety website contains a great deal of information that will help guide you. Here are some of the links that we think will be of great interest and benefit to you: The University is developing Drexel Central, a one-stop location for students and families to receive answers to all billing, financial aid and registration inquiries. Drexel Central, slated to open in July 2013, will streamline the services currently being offered through the offices of the Bursar, Financial Aid/Student Resource Center and the University Registrar into one comprehensive department. Dr. Neal Raisman, an expert in higher education customer service who has worked with over 200 schools, colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, and Europe, along with his associate Dr. Marylin Newell, have been retained as consultants for the creation of Drexel Central. Drs. Raisman and Newell began their assessment of our current services with a series of focus groups with 119 key stakeholders, including students. Each participant answered a brief questionnaire to collect the most common questions they are asked by students. During the fall term, a half-day retreat resulted in the drafting of a vision statement, mission statement, functional core values. Vision Mission Core Values
An organizational chart for the new organization and new or updated position descriptions for all the roles that will exist in the new structure have been developed. We are paying close attention to the core competencies required to meet the superlative level of customer service expected from Drexel Central. Current staff have been identified for the new roles and a comprehensive training planning covering all center functions has begun. Outstanding customer service must be supported by appropriate processes, policies, and procedures, therefore an assessment of all processes is underway to determine which processes should receive attention in the initial phase of improvement. Simultaneous to work on the structure and staffing for the center, SMBW, a Richmond based design firm responsible for the design of the VCU One Stop, has been hired to design a physical space that will support the new service model. Renovations are underway in 105/106 Main Building to house Drexel Central. Withdrawing from courses may impact students' academic progression and financial aid award. Before withdrawing from class, students are urged to review the impact of withdrawal on their program plan, particularly if withdrawing from critical pre-requisite courses. Contact the SRC/Financial Aid Office to determine the potential consequences of withdrawal on fulfillment of federal financial aid criteria. Information on federal financial aid criteria can be accessed at Drexel’s Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. Vacation TermAccording to federal regulations, international students must always maintain full-time status, unless they have been approved for a vacation term. Students who have been enrolled full-time for three consecutive terms are eligible to take a vacation quarter in which they may register less than full time or not at all. The University Registrar reports students who fall to part-time status: undergraduate students who fall below 12 credits and graduate students who fall below 9 credits. Therefore, undergraduate international students who fall below 12 credits; and graduate international students who fall below 9 credits due to course drop anytime throughout the entire quarter can incur serious visa implications if they are not registered or eligible for a vacation term. Temporary Leave of Absence International students who are ineligible for a vacation term and wish to take a term off must apply for a Temporary Leave of Absence (TLOA) with International Student and Scholar Services. The student must exit the U.S. during the term and may not re-enter until the term is over. Students taking leave of absence more than one term or who will be outside the U.S. for more than five (5) months will have their I-20/DS-2019 terminated. The student must apply for a new I-20/DS-2019 before they return to the U.S. to resume their studies. To receive the new I-20/DS-2019, the student will need to obtain a “return support letter” from their academic advisor stating the student’s major, returning term, level of education, and estimated graduation date. The forms and policies relating to vacation terms and TLOAs may be found here. Withdrawal from the UniversityInternational students who withdraw from Drexel will have their I-20/DS-2019 terminated and must plan for immediate departure from the U.S., unless they apply to transfer out to another university within two (2) weeks. Readmission to Drexel Direct questions about any of the above to intlprog@drexel.edu & 215-895-2502 or refer to our website: Office of International Students and Scholar Services (ISSS). DegreeWorks – Degree/Graduation Requirements Audit Software DegreeWorks is a web-based academic advising system for degree auditing and course planning. DegreeWorks can assist students in assessing progress toward degree completion by providing a clear picture of degree requirements and courses completed. Advisors monitor student progress through DegreeWorks with the goal of helping students understand requirements and achieve their academic goals. Graduate and Undergraduate students have access to DegreeWorks. Students, faculty and professional advising staff access DegreeWorks through DrexelOne. There are graphic advising worksheets within DegreeWorks showing options for all requirements, helping students and advisors determine academic progress and providing information to help with registration decisions. Students contemplating major changes can run what-if scenarios to see how completed courses apply to other majors. DegreeWorks provides access to multiple services through hyperlinks: SRC, Term Master Schedule, AskDrexel, DegreeWorks help, catalog pages and lists of Writing Intensive Courses. Reserved Seating capability enables departments to "reserve" a certain number of seats in identified classes for those students who must take a class for proper program progression, such as a graduating senior majoring in a field. By reserving "seats" in courses for special cases, departments can ensure that no student will be "closed out" of a course that they need or that is required for progression in their academic plan. Wait-listing for Courses at Capacity Colleges have the ability to identify courses for which they want to implement wait-listing. When students register into a wait-listed course which has reached capacity they will be placed on a wait-list and notified by email of their placement on the wait-list. As more students are added to the list, a new section may be created at a time that best accommodates student schedules. Students will be notified that they have been added to the newly created course by email. This capability will enable departments and colleges to better anticipate and plan for course schedule needs each term. The placement of a financial hold on a student’s record prohibits course registration. A student who has not registered for a course by the add deadline will not be permitted to attend that course after the end of the deadline, the end of the second week. Accordingly, students should be encouraged to resolve all "holds" on their record by the week two deadline. Those students whose accounts have been placed on hold are prohibited from sitting in courses for which they are not registered. Students placed on hold cannot add courses or participate in co-op until the circumstances contributing to the hold are resolved. Students on hold have until the end of the adjustment period (Friday, April 12, 2013 at 5:00 PM) to resolve the hold placed on their account in order to add courses or participate in co-op by the deadline. “Being on hold” during the first two weeks of the term (the adjustment period) is not considered an acceptable reason for a late or retroactive add. Students on hold with unpaid balances who would like to discuss financing options should be referred to the Student Resource Center / Office of the Bursar in the Main Building, Suite 222. With the switch from Blackboard & Bb Vista to Blackboard Learn for any course section starting on or after June 23, 2012, the schedule types for online courses have changed. Previously, the schedule types for online courses were:
As of the 201145 term, there is one schedule type for online sections – “ON”. Going forward, online courses will be identified as follows:
Attribute codes can be identified through Hyperion in the following ways:
Students who are on co-op are given a time ticket to register for courses. The time ticket for students on co-op for the Summer term will open on Monday, June 3, 2013 through Sunday, June 9, 2013. The Co-op Coordinator will ensure that the student's requested course does not interfere with the co-op assignment. In some cases, the student's co-op employer may be contacted. For example, a student working during the day should only register for an evening course whereas a student working evenings would be permitted to register for a day course. Registration is subject to course availability within established enrollment limits. No new course sections will be added. Undergraduate students enrolled in a co-op education program may register for up to four (4) credits during each term for which they are on a co-op assignment without additional charge. If this course carries more than four (4) credits, the additional credits are billed on a per-credit basis. Students on co-op are permitted to register for a maximum of six (6) credits per co-op term. If student's are interested in registering for over four (4) credits and/or registering for an enrichment course, student's should contact the co-op coordinator. For additional details and limits regarding adding classes during co-op, please see the Classes During Co-op policy. CRITICAL DATES The Academic Calendar provides detailed information regarding important academic deadlines; critical SCDC/Co-operative education dates; and University holidays in particular. Please note the academic deadlines below. Spring Quarter Examination Period Spring Quarter Examinations Begin
Spring Quarter Examinations End
Spring Term Courses Course Add/Drop
Classes During Co-op Registration
Course Withdrawal
Students should be provided an assessment of their performance by the end of Week 5 and before the course withdrawal deadline. Students should be made aware of financial aid policies when considering drop and withdrawal from courses (see Satisfactory Academic Progress policy). Accelerated Courses Course Add/DropTerm A
Term B
Course Withdrawal Term A
Term B
Saturday Scholars Course Add/Drop Term A
Term B
Course Withdrawal Term A
Term B Midterm Grades / Early Warning SystemThe Early Warning System (EWS) identifies students who are in danger of underperforming in on-campus and online courses that are critical to their academic progress. Professional academic advisors outreach to students identified through this process to provide just-in-time support and guidance. The success of this initiative is dependent upon the submission of midterm grades by faculty for students earning a grade of C minus ("C-") or below. We are asking that midterm assessments (or at the very least, midterm examination grades) be uploaded into Banner no later than Thursday, May 9, 2013 at 12:00 NOON for students earning a C minus ("C-") or below in the following courses. Critical On-Campus Courses
Online Courses
Assessment of Student Progress In order for students to make a reasonable decision regarding course withdrawal, it is important to provide information regarding their performance before the withdrawal deadline. It is critical that every instructor make certain students are provided an assessment of their performance in their course by the end of the fifth week of classes (Friday, May 3, 2013) and no later than the end of the sixth week of classes (Friday, May 10, 2013). Faculty are encouraged to structure courses accordingly, to include assessments such as quizzes, exams, lab work, essays, etc. Graded course material should be returned to students by the end of the sixth week to provide a sufficient basis upon which the student can usefully gauge their standing in the course. Instructors for accelerated sessions are also asked to abide by this practice by providing information - such that all of their students will know where they stand in the course - by the end of the second week of the accelerated session. Late Add/Drop/Withdraw Form Submission After Week 7 Late Add/Drop/Withdraw appeals will only be considered in the event of exigent circumstances. All such requests made after Week 7 must be coordinated with the student's academic advisor. All form submissions after Week 7 should be sent by the advisor to the Office of Academic Advising, Retention, and Diversity, Main Building Suite 308 or in the case of graduate students, to the Office of Graduate Studies in Randell Hall Suite 240. Exceptional consideration is afforded to military veterans who are called upon for active duty. Military veterans called to active duty should coordinate with their academic advisor accordingly. For a list of undergraduate academic advisors, please visit the undergraduate advising directory. Due Dates for Final Grades for All Students
In order to comply with state and federal regulations regarding class hours, classes will end on Monday, June 10, 2013. Final examinations will be administered from Tuesday, June 11, 2013 to Friday, June 14, 2013. All grades are to be submitted by Wednesday, June 19 at 12:00 PM (Please see the Final Examination and Final Grade Submission policy below).IMPORTANT POLICY REMINDERS Please encourage students to review the class absence policy established in their course syllabus. The syllabus should provide important information to students to guide their decisions about absence from class. For perspective, please review the Absence from Class policy which includes the protocol for absences due to University-sponsored activities, religious observances, medical illnesses, and extended absences. Please note that the Drexel Health Center does not provide notes to excuse absences for students missing class due to their visit to the Health Center, or to excuse class absences due to most common illnesses. The Health Center will also not provide notes to excuse absences for medical conditions which were not treated at the Health Center. Please be sure to review the Health Notes / Excused Class Absence Policy. Class Cancellation due to Unexpected Instructor Lateness or AbsenceOn rare occasions, instructors may be delayed or unable to conduct a class due to unforeseen circumstances. In the event that there is an unexpected delay and the class has not been notified of the instructor’s expected arrival time, class is cancelled after 15 minutes of the scheduled start of class. Please review the full Class Cancellation policy. Audit OptionThe Audit Option provides undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity of attending a course, but carries no credit and no standard letter grade. Participation in the course will be evidenced by the "AUD" grade designation on the transcript. The "AUD" grade designation does not affect a student's GPA. Please review the full Audit Option policy. Quarter / Semester Credit ConversionWhen converting credits from semester to quarter or vice versa the following conversion can be used: Final Examinations and Final Grade Submission Unless waived by the Department Head and with the exception of laboratory courses and senior exemption as specified in the Examinations and Grading Options policy, a final examination given during exam week is required in all undergraduate courses. Take-home exams approved in advance by the Department Head may be used and are due at the officially scheduled examination hour.
During finals week, no student is obligated to take more than two finals on any given day. Students with more than two examinations in one day may be directed to appeal to the Office of the Provost for relief. The Final Examination policy states that students must appeal to the Office of the Provost for accommodation at least three (3) business days before the examination date. Students are directed to download the appeal form and submit it to the Office of Academic Advising, Retention and Diversity in the Main Building Suite 308. Spring Quarter 2012-2013 student exam schedules will be reviewed to provide relief as follows:
Please take a moment to review the Examinations and Grading Options policy. Final Grade Submission
All grades are to be submitted by Wednesday, June 19 at 12:00 PM. Grade of Incomplete (INC)A grade of "INC" (Incomplete) may be reported in place of a letter grade for any course in which the instructor deems that the incomplete work can be completed by the student within an agreed upon time (which must be in accordance with the Grade of Incomplete Guidelines and the statute of limitations governing grade changes). The conditions and terms for the completion of the course are at the discretion of the instructor and are to be mutually agreed upon by the instructor and the student before the end of the term. It is strongly recommended that the student and instructor enter into an Incomplete Contract to clarify expectations, deliverables and timeline. General guidelines for considering an INC are:
The grade of "INC" should be entered for the student at the time grades are submitted for the course. Students are expected to fulfill the requirements of the agreement within one academic year of the incomplete. If the grade is not submitted by the date established with the course instructor in the Incomplete Grade Contract the INC grade will become a failing grade (F) on the student’s academic record; this grade will be reflected in the student’s GPA and will be considered as the final grade without the possibility to change. Students are advised that once an incomplete grade is assigned, withdrawal from the course will not be considered. No Grade Reported (NGR)The system generated grade of NGR is a temporary indicator. A grade of NGR will be recorded only if the student has never attended the course. Students should be advised that the NGR is not a grade, but a temporary indicator that requires prompt resolution leading either to the removal of the course from the student’s record or the assignment of a grade. If a final grade is not reported by the end of the following term, an administrative grade of "F" will be reported and recorded on the student's transcript. If the "NGR" notation is left unresolved by the last day of classes of the next term immediately following the term that the original NGR was reported, it will become an "F". This grade will be calculated as a failure in the student's GPA and is considered a permanent grade. Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Policy The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ("FERPA") affords a student certain rights with respect to his/her Education Records. Please take a moment to review the FERPA policy. KEY PRACTICES Code of Conduct and Academic Honesty Policy Undergraduate Students We encourage students to review and abide by the University policy on Academic Integrity. The Academic Integrity policy is written in support of the University's strong commitment to high academic standards and integrity and has been endorsed by the Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA). The Academic Affairs Committee of the USGA has authored a Statement of Honor, which furthers these ideals; the Statement of Honor was approved by the USGA on August 4, 2006. As members of the Drexel University undergraduate student body, we seek to uphold a learning environment that embraces preeminent standards of education, integrity, and community. We strive to conduct ourselves in a manner that is beyond reproach, adhering to the University's Code of Conduct and Academic Honesty policies. Devoted to the principles of mutual respect, equality, and honor, we assume an obligation to serve one another. Graduate Students As a Drexel University graduate student and aware of the University's mission, I commit myself to excellence in research, teaching, and service. In furtherance of that aim and because I understand that my actions affect all members of the Drexel community and my profession, I pledge to conduct myself with the highest integrity, honor, and respect in all my endeavors. Through the Office of Disability Resources ("ODR") the University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities to ensure equal educational and employment access, including equal access to University courses, programs, facilities, services, and activities. Please see the Office of Equality and Diversity's general policies page to access the Reasonable Accommodation of Individuals with Disabilities policy. ODR also provides resources to faculty/staff with disabilities to assist them in becoming self-sufficient, independent, and successful members of the University's community. Faculty or staff seeking reasonable accommodations for their disabilities must register with ODR to receive an accommodation. The staff of ODR will work closely with faculty/staff to review medical documentation, assess their individual needs, and link them to the resources necessary to ensure them the opportunity to participate fully in college life. Please visit the Office of Disability Resources website for more information. The Office of Disability Resources is a department within the Office of Equality & Diversity. When a Student is in Distress - How You Can Help The Counseling Center has launched a resource for Faculty and Staff with regard to assisting a student in a time of distress. The website includes information on:
If confronted with distressing circumstances, students may turn to you for assistance. The University is committed to promoting an environment that supports cultural and spiritual diversity. It is essential that students contact their instructors before the conclusion of the add/drop period, end of week 2, in order to request religious observance consideration for the term. For more information, please review the Office of the Provost Statement on Religious Observances. For consultation concerns, please contact the Coordinator of Religious and Spiritual Life in the Office of the Dean of Students. Working with Drexel Student-VeteransDrexel is proud to sponsor the Yellow Ribbon Program and provide educational opportunities for military veterans across all of the University's programs. The Office of Veteran Student Services unifies services and support, and provides mentorship for veterans. These services include the provision of: Admissions Assistance, Financing & Certification of Benefits, Academic Resources and Support Services Referrals. The University is committed to promoting an environment that supports student-veterans at Drexel by assessing their individual needs and linking them to the services necessary to ensure the opportunity to participate fully in college life while meeting their service requirements. To achieve this, the University takes into account the unique demands of student-veterans' military requirements; for instance, deployment and readmission. In those instances, the University will uphold the “Higher Education Opportunity Act” (posted September 18, 2009) which is posted on the Provost’s Academic Policies web page. Student-veterans with questions regarding how to manage your deployment requirements or other service oriented issues should consult with your School/College Academic Advisor who will assist them with the development of a plan of action. In addition, veterans may contact Dr. Rebecca Weidensaul, Associate Dean of Students at (215) 895-2501 or rebecca@drexel.edu. For more information visit the Veteran Student Resources Page. Promoting a Diverse and Fair Learning Environment The mission of the Office of Equality & Diversity is to promote, support, and sustain a welcoming University environment of equality, fairness and respect that fosters life-long learning through diversity and inclusion. The Office of Equality & Diversity is responsible for ensuring equal opportunity and compliance with University policies and federal, state and local laws prohibiting discrimination based upon race, color, religion, gender (sex), marital status, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, and any other prohibited characteristic. See Drexel's Equality and Non-Discrimination Policy OED-1. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”) prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity. Sexual harassment, which includes sexual violence, is a form of sex discrimination. Drexel University is committed to providing an environment free from discrimination, including discrimination based upon sex. The University provides supports and resources to students, faculty, and professional staff to address concerns related to sex discrimination and has appointed Michele Rovinsky-Mayer, Associate Vice President, Office of Equality and Diversity, as its Title IX Coordinator. See Drexel’s University’s Title IX Resource Page for resources, including a listing of Deputy Title IX Coordinators. Students, faculty and professional staff with questions about or complaints concerning discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation should contact Michele M. Rovinsky-Mayer, J.D., Associate Vice President of Equality and Diversity at 215-895-1405 or mrovinsky@drexel.edu. Please visit the Equality & Diversity website for more information.
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