Office of the Provost: Memorandum
To: Faculty/Staff on the Quarter System (except School of Law)
From: N. John DiNardo, Ph.D., Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
Subject: Key Policy Reminders for the Summer Quarter
Date: 19 June 2009
Key Reminders for Faculty & Staff: Summer 2008-2009
Welcome to the Summer Quarter at Drexel!
- Summer Quarter classes begin on Saturday, June 20th for Saturday Scholars.
- Summer Quarter classes begin on Monday, June 22nd for all other full-time and part-time students.
Please review news, key policies, and dates for the upcoming quarter. For other student resources and information, please visit www.drexel.edu/BlueLine/
CRITICAL DATES
• Academic Calendar
• Course Add/Drop/Withdrawal
• Student Progress
IMPORTANT ANNOUCEMENTS
• DegreeWorks – Powerful Degree Audit Tool
NEW POLICIES
• Absence from Class
• Audit Option
• Class Cancellation due to Unexpected Instructor Lateness or Absence
IMPORTANT POLICY REMINDERS
• Grade of Incomplete (INC)
• Grade Not Reported (NGR)
• Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Policy
• Final Examinations and Final Grade Submission
• Late Add/Drop/Withdraw Form Submission After Week 6
KEY PRACTICES
• Disability Accommodations
• Religious Observances
• Promoting a Diverse and Fair Learning Environment
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 following academic deadlines:
Non-Accelerated Courses
Course Add/Drop
- Sunday, July 5th via DrexelOne by 11:00 PM, or Monday, July 6th with Academic Advisor assistance by 5:00 PM
Course Withdrawal
- Friday, July 31st
Students should have an assessment of their performance by the end of Week 5 and before the course withdrawal deadline (see Student Progress)
Accelerated Courses
Course Add/Drop
- Friday, June 26th with Academic Advisor assistance by 5:00PM or Sunday, June 28th (part of Term A) via DrexelOne by 11:00PM
- Friday, July 31st with Academic Advisor assistance by 5:00 PM or Sunday, August 2nd (part of Term B) via DrexelOne by 11:00 PM
Course Withdrawal
- Friday, July 10th (part of Term A)
- Friday, August 14th (part of Term B)
Saturday Scholars
Course Add/Drop
- Friday, June 26th (part of Term A) at 5:00 PM with Academic Advisor Assistance or 11:00 PM via DrexelOne
- Friday, August 7th (part of Term B) at 5:00 PM with Academic Advisor Assistance or 11:00 PM via DrexelOne
Course Withdrawal
- Friday, July 10th (part of Term A)
- Friday, August 21st (part of Term B)
In order for a student 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 apprised of their performance in courses by the end of the fifth week of classes (i.e., by Friday, July 24th).
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.
Courses should be structured accordingly; graded quizzes, exams, lab work, essays, etc. should be returned to students by the end of the fifth week and should provide a sufficient basis on which they can usefully gauge their standing in the course.
DegreeWorks – Powerful Degree Audit Tool
The University has implemented DegreeWorks, a web-based academic advising system for degree audit and course planning. DegreeWorks is a powerful tool to assist students in reaching their academic goals and better understand degree requirements. All undergraduate students entering the university in September 2007 or later have access to DegreeWorks.
Students, faculty and professional advising staff access DegreeWorks through Banner Self-Service. There are graphic advising worksheets within DegreeWorks allowing students to see how courses they’ve completed apply to the requirements for their majors, helping students and advisors to 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, Drexel BlueLine, Term Master Schedule, AskDrexel, DegreeWorks help, catalog pages and lists of Writing Intensive Courses.
For more information, please reference the Advisor DegreeWorks Manual or email askdrexel@drexel.edu.
IMPORTANT POLICY REMINDERS
At the discretion of an instructor, the grade of "INC" (Incomplete) may be reported in place of a letter grade for any course in which the instructor deems that the work has not been completed and that the student can complete the work within an agreed upon time (which must be in accordance with University policy and the statute of limitations governing grade changes). A grade of "INC" may be entered for a student at the time grades are submitted for the course. 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. It is recommended that a written agreement be developed between the student and instructor to clarify expectations and process. If the grade is not submitted within one full academic year, the "INC" will turn into an "F" on the student's record and be reflected in the student’s GPA. The grade of "F" will be considered a permanent grade.
An NGR is recorded when an instructor does not report a grade normally. Typically, this should only be used if the student is known not to have attended the course.
This 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.
Final Examinations and Final Grade Submission
Unless waived by the Department Head and with the exception of laboratory courses, 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.
No final examination may be given in the 10th week of the quarter.
During finals week, no student is obligated to take more than two (2) finals on any given day. The Final Examination policy states that students may appeal to the Office of the Provost for accommodation at least three (3) days before the examination date. Students who are seeking accommodations may download the appeal form and submit it to the Office of Academic Advising, Retention and Diversity in Main 308.
Instructors for those courses with the lowest course number will be asked to give a special exam for the Summer 2009 quarter.
Final Grade Submission
- For classes with enrollment less than 50: grades will be due 48 hours after the final exam
- For classes with enrollment of 50 or more: grades will be due 72 hours after the final exam
The ability to submit grades via BannerWeb will be removed at noon on Wednesday, September 9th.
Please take a moment to review the Final Examinations policy.
Late Add/Drop/Withdraw Form Submission After Week 6
All Add/Drop/Withdraw or late appeals should only be advanced in the event of exigent circumstances. All submissions after Week 6 must be coordinated with the student’s academic advisor. All form submissions after Week 6 should be sent by the advisor to the Office of Academic, Advising, Retention, and Diversity in Main 308.
KEY PRACTICES
It is the University's policy to provide a learning environment that provides all students with the opportunity to realize their full potential. To this end, the goal of the Office of Disability Services ("ODS") is to assist students with disabilities in becoming self-sufficient, independent, and successful members of the University's community and to provide students with disabilities with equal opportunity of access to University courses, programs, facilities, services, and activities.
Students seeking reasonable accommodations for their disabilities must first register with ODS. The staff of ODS will work closely with students to review medical documentation, assess their individual needs, and link them with the services necessary to ensure them the opportunity to participate fully in college life. The Office of Disability Services website can be found at http://www.drexel.edu/ods.
The University is committed to promoting an environment that supports cultural and spiritual diversity.
It is essential that students contact their instructors at the beginning of the term for religious observance accommodation requests.
For more information, please review the Office of the Provost Statement on Religious Observances
Promoting a Diverse and Fair Learning Environment
The mission of the Office of Equality and Diversity is to promote, support, and sustain a living, learning and working environment of diversity, equality, fairness, inclusion, and respect. The Office of Equality and Diversity is responsible for ensuring equality of 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 and veteran status. University policy and the City of Philadelphia also prohibit discrimination based upon sexual orientation, identity and expression. The Office of Equality and Diversity investigates and attempts to resolve complaints of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
Students, faculty and staff with questions about or complaints concerning discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation should contact Michele M. Rovinsky, J.D., Executive Director of Equality and Diversity at 215-895-1403 or mrovinsky@drexel.edu. The Equality and Diversity website can be found at www.drexel.edu/oed.
Drexel University Office of the Provost | 3141 Chestnut Street | Philadelphia, PA 19104 | 215-895-2200
This message to Drexel Official Mail was approved under the authority of
Dr. Mark Greenberg, Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs