Academic Regulations

Student Responsibility

Students are responsible for knowledge of, and adher­ence to, all university requirements and regulations. Students are also responsible for knowing the degree requirements for their major and enrolling in courses that meet those degree requirements. Students are strongly encouraged to seek information and assistance from appropriate staff should they have any questions regarding requirements or regulations.

Student Grade Reports

Students can access their grades by signing on to the Student Web Information System at www.govst.edu/online. Grade reports are not mailed except upon written request. Students needing official grade reports should complete the Request for Official Grade Report form available online. Official grade reports are not available to students with an outstanding financial obligation to the university.

Grading

At the completion of the work for a course, a letter grade will be assigned by the instructor. Grades provide academic evaluation and are the basis for determining academic standing. Following are the letter grades used at Governors State University and the grade points used to determine the grade point average of the student:

Grade Points Per Grade Description Credit-hour

Grade Point Average

The student’s grade point average (G.P.A.) is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points by the total number of credit-hours attempted. The cumulative grade point average is computed by dividing the total number of grade points that a student has earned in all courses taken at Governors State University by the total number of semester hours represented by those courses. Transfer hours and courses in which a “P”, “NC”, “W”, “X”, “I”, or “E” grade is earned are not used to calculate the grade point average.

                                      Grade

                   Credit            Point            Grade

Grade           Hours            Value            Points

A                 3        x        4        =       12

B                 3        x        3        =       9

C                 3        x        2        =       6

D                 3        x        1        =       3

F                  3        x        0        =       0                   

An example of the G.P.A. calculation: a student attempted five three-hour courses (a total of 15 hours), receiving an “A,” a “B,” a “C,” a “D,” and an “F.” The total number of grade points earned in the five courses is 30. The G.P.A. is 30 (grade points) divided by 15 (hours attempted) equals 2.0.

Incomplete Course Work

Upon written request by the student, an instructor may assign a grade of incomplete (“I”) provided that reasons for not completing the course work are acceptable to the instructor and a reasonable amount of participation was demonstrated by the student during the term of enrollment. The instructor will determine the time allowed to complete the course work, provided it does not go beyond the twelfth week of the next trimester. When the course work is submitted, the instructor will replace the incomplete with the appropriate grade. If the incomplete is not changed to a final grade by the specified date, the “I” will automatically convert to an “F” (or an “NC” for pass/no credit courses), unless a request for an extension of incomplete (“E”) has been approved in writing.

Any request for an extension of an incomplete must be based on extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control or for valid academic reasons and is subject to the dean’s approval. The extension shall not go beyond the twelfth week of the next trimester. All incomplete grades must be removed before graduation. Incomplete or nonpunitive grades cannot be permanently assigned to veterans or eligible persons receiving VA educational benefits. If this is the school policy, the “I” or incomplete grade must be reported to the VA as nonpunitive at the time the grade is assigned. This is necessary to ensure compliance with statutory restrictions on benefit payments.

Grade Appeals

Once a grade has been recorded by the Registrar’s Office, additional work cannot be submitted to raise the grade. Corrections may be made only as the result of either of the following:

1.      A formal grievance proceeding is completed within the time limits set forth in the university grievance procedures.

2.      A grade correction is approved by the faculty member, division/department chairperson, dean, and provost and filed with the registrar on or before the end of Block 2 of the trimester subsequent to that in which the erroneous grade was given.

Pass/No Credit Option

To encourage undergraduate students to participate in areas of learning outside their major interests and to stimulate intellectual curiosity, Governors State University has a pass/no credit option. To receive credit (“P”), the grade must be “D” or better. A grade of “F” will carry a No Credit (“NC”) designation. Pass/no credit designations are not calculated into the grade point average. Only undergraduate degree-seeking students may elect to take graded courses on a pass/no credit basis. The courses can only be applied toward the elective requirements within the student’s degree program. A student may earn a maximum of 12 hours of credit in the pass/no credit option that can be applied toward elective degree requirements. (Note: Students who do not intend to earn a degree from GSU, either undergraduate or graduate, may also use this option.) Changes from the pass/no credit option to traditional grade status are permitted through the end of the registration period for the trimester in which the course is offered. Additionally, selected courses are graded only on a pass/no credit basis. These courses are identified by the “P/NC” designation in the Course Description section of this catalog.

Repeating Courses

A student may elect to repeat a course. The highest grade awarded will be used in the G.P.A. calculation; the lower grade will be replaced by an “R” to indicate a repeated course. Students electing to repeat a course should obtain a Repeated Course Request form from the Registrar’s Office.

Veterans and eligible persons receiving benefits can only be certified to repeat courses if a certain grade is required by the institution, e.g., a grade of “C” or higher is required to reach the approved objective and if overall satisfactory progress standards are met. There is no limit on the number of times a course may be repeated, as far as the VA is concerned, as long as the grade assigned to the repeated course at the end of the term is punitive, unless mitigating circumstances are approved by the VA. If established school policy is to replace a prior punitive-failing or below required standards - grade with a creditable passing grade following a successful repetition of the course, that fact alone constitutes mitigating circumstances. Incorrect certification can result in overpayments.

Independent Study

Independent study enables a student to pursue individual research and reading in a field of special interest under the guidance of a faculty member. A written proposal for an independent study, planned and developed by the student, must be approved by the Division/Department chairperson in consultation with the faculty sponsor. Independent study credit may be used to meet elective credit only, and shall not be used as a substitute for courses specified in the student study plan. A maximum of nine undergraduate credit-hours and six graduate credit-hours of independent study may be applied to degree requirements. Individual colleges and programs may have more restrictive policies. A student may enroll for a maximum of three credit-hours of independent study in any one trimester.

Veterans and eligible persons receiving benefits can only be certified in independent study courses that lead to a standard college degree, consisting of a prescribed program of study with interaction between the student and the regularly employed faculty and offered without any regularly scheduled conventional classroom or lab sessions.

Degree Requirements

Students who are admitted to Governors State University for the 2008-2009 academic year must fulfill the degree requirements stated in this catalog and its addendum, or they may elect to substitute the requirements in any subsequent catalog published while they are enrolled in the university. A student must, however, meet the requirements from one catalog only, rather than choosing a portion from one catalog and the remainder from another.

Students who are reactivated to Governors State University and who did not attend within the past four consecutive trimesters may be required to meet the requirements of the current catalog as determined by their faculty/academic advisor. Students who are readmitted to Governors State University who did not attend within the past 16 consecutive trimesters (or otherwise required by accredited programs) must meet the requirements of the current catalog unless written approval to continue under an earlier catalog is obtained from the dean of the college in which they enrolled. The written permission must be forwarded to the Registrar’s Office along with the graduation application.

Concurrent Registration or Dual Enrollment

Students may enroll at another regionally-accredited institution of higher learning while working toward a degree at Governors State University. Students must consult with their advisor before enrolling.

Permission to apply any credit earned at another institution toward degree requirements must be approved by the program advisor and division/department chair and/or dean.

Audit Registration

A student who is interested in a particular course(s) but does not wish to take it for credit may audit the course(s). All attendance and work is voluntary. A student may register to audit a course during the registration period upon paying the required fee and obtaining the instructor’s approval. Audit registrations do not appear on the academic transcript. A change from audit to credit registration or from credit to audit registration must be made during the registration period. See the schedule of classes for complete information on auditing a class.

Veterans and other eligible persons cannot be certified for audited courses per 38 CFR 21.4252(i) of the code of federal regulations.

Change in Major

Degree-seeking students who wish to change their major must complete the appropriate forms available in the Registrar’s Office or on the web. Students who change their course of study are subject to any special admission and degree requirements in effect for the new major at the time of the change.

Confidentiality of Records and Notification of Rights under FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

(1) The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the university receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The university official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the university official to whom the request was submit­ted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

(2) The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate. Students may ask the university to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. They should write the university official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate.

If the university decides not to amend a record as requested by the student, the university will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

(3) The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the university in an administra­tive, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

(4) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the university to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20202-4605

University Holds

University holds are a means of identifying students with unsatisfied financial or academic obligations to the university. Students with holds may not register until holds are released.

English Proficiency of Instructors

Governors State University has adopted a policy that all instructional staff shall be proficient in oral English. Students who have difficulty understanding an instructor should address their concerns to the chair of the division/department in which the instructor is teaching. If the Division/Department chair finds that the instructor’s oral English proficiency is satisfactory, the chair will so notify the student, who may appeal the finding to the dean of the college in which the division/department is housed.

Honors

Governors State University recognizes outstanding academic performance of undergraduate degree-seeking students by giving special attention to those students who achieve excellence in their work. At the end of each trimester, degree-seeking students who have completed at least six hours of graded course work without any incomplete grades, with a grade point average of 3.70 or better, will be included on the Dean’s List. Undergraduate students who maintain a cumulative grade point average at Governors State University of 3.80 or better, and complete at minimum of 24 graded credit-hours at Governors State University course work, are given special recogni­tion upon graduation. The honors categories are:

G.P.A. of 3.80 to 3.94 Honors

G.P.A. of 3.95 to 4.00 High Honors

The achievement of “honors” or “high honors” will be designated on the student’s transcript and diploma.

The University Honors Program

While recognizing academic excellence, the University Honors Program is designed to give undergraduate students an opportu­nity to pursue an enriched education while attending Governors State University. In so doing, honors students develop greater depth within their academic major by completing advanced work within their existing curricu­lum. Additionally, honors students obtain greater breadth by taking an interdisciplinary honors seminar in which guest speakers from across the university’s campus address a common integrative theme. Having been exposed to a rich diversity of academic perspectives, students then complete projects relevant to their academic majors. Lastly, students work on their final honors project in cooperation with a faculty mentor.

Curricular Components:

* one course within the student’s major in which they “contract” with the instructor to do advanced work;

* one advanced interdisciplinary Honors Seminar; and

* an honors thesis/project/internship which is completed under the supervision of a faculty mentor.

Beyond the above enriched academic program, honors students also have the combined benefits of a speakers series, the support and guidance of a faculty mentor, participation in special social events, and membership in a community of scholars and learners. This will be reflected on the student transcripts and with a letter of commendation by the president of the university.

For more information, contact an academic advisor or the office of the director of the University Honors Program at 708.534.4578.

Transcripts

Students may request official transcripts of their records by writing to the Registrar’s Office or submitting a transcript request form available on the web. Students should allow three working days for processing time from the date the transcript request is received. Due to the number of requests received during certain periods processing may take longer. Students who have an outstanding financial obligation to the university or who have not satisfied certain academic obligations will not receive transcripts until the obligation is met. GSU charges a fee of $5 per transcript.

Academic Honesty

Students are expected to fulfill academic requirements in an ethical and honest manner. This expectation pertains to the following: use and acknowledgment of the ideas and work of others, submission of work to fulfill course requirements, sharing of work with other students, and appropriate behavior during examinations. These ethical considerations are not intended to discourage people from studying together or from engaging in group projects. The university policy on academic honesty appears in the appendix.

Academic Standing

Undergraduate students who maintain a minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 2.0, and graduate students who maintain a minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 are in academic good standing. Students must be in academic good standing to graduate.

Academic Probation/Suspension

Students failing to meet the required cumulative G.P.A. for academic good standing for the first time are placed on Probation I for the subsequent trimester. If a satisfactory G.P.A. is not achieved by the end of the Probation I trimester in which the student was enrolled for credit, the student shall be placed on Probation II for the next trimester. If a satisfactory G.P.A. is not achieved by the end of the Probation II trimester in which the student was enrolled for credit, the student shall be academically suspended from the university for one year. Students may appeal the length of suspension and seek early readmission through the University Committee on Readmission and Special Admission.

Reinstatement Following Academic Suspension

At the end of the suspension period, students dismissed for the first time will be eligible for reinstatement and may reenter the university provided they apply and petition for readmission through the University Commit­tee on Readmission and Special Admission before established deadlines. Reinstated students reenter the university with the cumulative G.P.A. they had upon suspension and are readmitted on academic probation extended. This status allows students to continue as long as their trimester G.P.A. meets the minimum requirement for their level (undergraduate/graduate) for academic good standing, and they do not receive any grades of incomplete. Students are returned to academic good standing when their cumulative G.P.A. is raised to the minimum requirement for their level. Students failing to make satisfactory progress after two suspensions may not be considered for readmission at any later time.

Withdrawal From the University

Any student who wishes to withdraw from Governors State University should follow the procedures and deadlines for withdrawing from courses. Unofficial withdrawal from the university may result in failing grades being assigned. Any student withdrawing from the university who is receiving financial aid or who has any outstanding accounts at the university must meet with a representative of the Financial Aid Office and/or the Business Office to satisfy all outstanding financial obligations.

Academic Amnesty

1.      The university shall establish a readmission process to be called academic amnesty which allows students to have their grade point average calculated for the purpose of establishing academic standing, from the point of reentry forward.

2.      Academic amnesty shall be granted only to students who have previously been suspended or on probation and have not been enrolled at GSU for at least three trimesters prior to applying for readmission with academic amnesty.

3.      Readmission with academic amnesty must be to a major other than the major in which the student was previously enrolled.

4.      The student’s academic record of courses and grades shall not be changed nor deleted from the transcript as a result of reentry with academic amnesty; additionally, the transcript shall indicate that academic amnesty has been granted.

5.      Subject to approval by the appropriate division/department chair and dean/director, a student’s prior completed course work with grades of “C” or better for undergraduates, or “B” or better for graduates, may be applied to the new degree requirements. However, these grades shall not be used in calculat­ing the grade point average from reentry forward.

6.      All undergraduate students readmitted to the university with academic amnesty shall complete a minimum of 24 graded credit-hours after reentry, before graduation.

7.      Graduate students readmitted to the university under academic amnesty must complete at least one-half of the number of credit-hours required for the degree in the new major prior to graduation, in addition to other requirements of the new major.

8.      A student shall be granted academic amnesty by Governors State University only once.

Withdrawal From Courses

Students who register for a course but who do not attend classes must officially withdraw from the course to avoid receiving a failing grade. Students may officially withdraw from any or all course(s) through the end of the tenth week of classes for any regularly scheduled Block 1 course or through the end of the fifth week in any regularly scheduled Block 2 or Block 3 course(s) by using the web or Touchtone registration system. (Note: Some short-term courses have more restricted deadlines.) Specific dates for withdrawal are published in the schedule of classes for each trimester. Students may appeal for exceptions to these deadlines based upon extenuating circumstances.  A recommenda­tion from the faculty member or division/department chair is required for exception or appeal. Appeals must be in writing and received in the Registrar’s Office no later than the last day of the trimester in which the course is scheduled. 

A student receiving any form of financial aid who withdraws from one or more courses must see a representative of the Office of Financial Aid for a review of the award. Withdrawals will appear on the student’s academic record as “W” and will not be included in calculating a student’s cumulative grade point average or academic standing. Withdrawals will be subject to the university’s tuition refund policy, which is stated in this catalog and the schedule of classes.

The registrar may withdraw a student from all courses with written, verified notification of illness, disciplinary reasons, or other reasons within established university policy. The Registrar’s Office will notify the Student Development Office, Business Office, Financial Aid Office, and faculty member(s) of the withdrawal as appropriate. The appropriate offices will contact the student regarding the withdrawal. Such withdrawals will appear on the student’s academic record as “X” (admin­istrative withdrawal) and with an appropriate message. Administrative withdrawals do not appear on the official transcript.