Undergraduate Policies

Academic Calendar

The undergraduate academic calendar is posted in the Wesleyan College Catalog, on the website, and on WesPortal, Wesnet tab, Registrar’s Office section. The semester ends with the last day of the final exam week.

Academic Advising and Registration

Academic advising plays an important role in students’ academic success. Each Wesleyan student will be assigned a dedicated academic advisor who will follow their progress closely and help answer questions about campus resources, study techniques, time management, asking professors for help, registering for courses, and more. Students should plan to check in with their advisor at least once a semester to ensure they are on track to timely degree completion. Advisors will assist students with degree planning and course scheduling, but students are responsible for acquainting themselves with College regulations and ensuring they fulfill all requirements for degree completion.

Students who plan to continue in the next term are encouraged to register during the advertised advising and registration periods in the fall and spring semesters. Students must register before the drop/take period listed in the college calendar for the terms posted each year. No student may be admitted to class until their registration has been completed and their fees have been paid. The last day to enter the College and the last day to drop or add a class are the same. Special situations of late admission will be considered by the admissions committee. A First Year student may register at Wesleyan only after taking new student assessments in modern foreign language, writing, and math (or providing approved standardized test scores).

Residential students without health forms, insurance, and/or current immunization and screening on file will not be allowed to move into the residence and will not be allowed to register for courses.

Advising Program for the First-Year Student

During the first year, advisors assist students in clarifying and articulating their personal academic and career goals. Throughout the first year, students will:

1. Make connections between their interests, abilities, values and career aspirations and the nature and purpose of a liberal arts education.
2. Develop an educational plan consistent with their personal, academic and career goals.
3. Identify curricular and co-curricular opportunities at Wesleyan College that can enhance their learning experience.

All students must declare a major by the end of their sophomore year.

Academic Recovery

Each student’s cumulative GPA will be reviewed by the College at the end of each semester. Any student whose cumulative GPA falls below the 2.0 GPA required for good academic standing will be placed on academic recovery for the following semester. Students placed on academic recovery will be notified by the Provost’s Office.

Students on academic recovery will have one semester to raise their cumulative GPAs to 2.0 or above. A staff learning specialist from the Academic Resource Center (ARC) will help each student on academic recovery identify barriers to their academic success and develop an academic recovery plan to address those barriers. The learning specialist will meet with each academic recovery student regularly throughout the semester to provide ongoing support and guidance for the academic recovery plan. (Online Program students will be guided through the academic recovery process by their designated academic advisor.)

Students who do not raise their cumulative GPA to 2.0 or above after the academic recovery semester will be excluded from the College for one semester, with an opportunity to appeal.

Academic Exclusion/Dismissal

A student who is placed on academic recovery at Wesleyan College will have one additional semester (not counting Wesleyan summer terms) to raise the cumulative grade point average above 2.00. If the student’s GPA remains below 2.00 after one additional semester on recovery, the student will be excluded from attendance at Wesleyan. Students enrolled in the Dual Enrollment program will be excluded after any one semester if the cumulative grade point average is below 2.00. Exclusion is understood to mean exclusion for at least the following fall or spring semester; the student may apply for readmission after that time. The student who is excluded at the end of either fall or spring semester may enroll in Wesleyan summer terms to attempt to improve the grade point average. If, during the summer terms, the cumulative grade point average is raised to 2.00 or above, the student will be allowed to re-enroll the following fall semester without academic probation. The student may appeal exclusion to the Admissions Committee; the process of appeal is outlined in the letter of exclusion. A student may be excluded at any time for other than academic reasons as explained in The Student Handbook.

Academic Violations of the Honor Code

1. Determining violations of academic integrity should start with initial informal contact between the student and faculty member to clarify details about the concern. Depending on the situation and level of comfort, the professor or student may request to have the department chair present to corroborate any exchange of information. If the faculty member concludes that the student is not in violation of the policy, no further action is required.
2. If the faculty member determines that the student is in violation, then the next step is to report the academic violation of the Honor Code to the Provost’s Office via the form located on the Wesleyan College website via General Reporting and Appeals > Reporting a Violation of the Code of Conduct or Honor Code. It is important that the form be completed regardless of the outcome or sanction imposed, as this is the formal record of the incident and enables the College to identify repeat offenders.
3. Once the form has been submitted, the faculty member may proceed to impose a sanction in keeping with the Academic Honesty Policy as stated on the corresponding course syllabus. If the academic integrity violation is minor and/or the student’s first in the course, the faculty member may choose not to impose a sanction and instead treat the issue as a “teaching moment” in which case the student may be permitted to rework and resubmit the assignment or make amends in another way the faculty member deems appropriate.
4. Upon receiving the Honor Code Violation form from the faculty member, the Provost will notify the faculty member if this is a first time or repeat offense. The Provost may also choose to impose additional sanctions for repeat offenders or based on the information provided by the faculty member. If any violation occurs near the end of the course or cannot be resolved prior to final grade submission, the faculty member should assign and Incomplete (I) until official action is taken.
5. In cases where a sanction is imposed, either by the faculty member or the Provost, a letter will be sent to the student as a record of the reported violation of the Honor Code and the penalty that was imposed. In addition, the student will be given the procedure for appealing the decision. A severe first offense or a second offense can result in failure of the course or removal from the College. (Students will not be sent a follow-up letter if a teaching moment is selected, but the incident will be recorded.)

Appeals

To request a formal appeal, the student must submit the Academic Violations Appeal form located under “Filing an Appeal” on the General Reporting and Appeals Information Section of the College website, along with any supporting documentation within five business days of being notified of sanctions resulting from an academic violation of the Honor Code.

1. Once an appeal is received, the Provost will review the submitted appeal and any documentation and assign it to the division chair (or a selected division chair if the faculty member in question is the division chair) for investigation. The Provost will also send a copy of the submitted appeal to the faculty member in question.
2. The division chair will:
   1. Read through the information submitted by the student.
   2. Talk with the faculty member in question about the situation. Faculty may either submit information in writing to the division chair or have a conversation with the division chair about the situation.
   3. Talk with the student in question.
   4. Review other information as needed.

The division chair has five working days to submit their decision to the Provost. The Provost will notify the student and the faculty member in question of the decision.

3. If the student feels the division chair has not resolved the matter, the student may complete a second appeal form within five business days. The student may submit additional documentation if appropriate. If a second appeal is not submitted, then the decision from the division chair will be final.
4. Upon receiving a second appeal, the Provost will:
   1. Read through all information that has been submitted to date.
   2. Talk with the faculty member in question to clarify information as needed or if any new information was submitted by the student.
   3. Talk with the student to clarify information as needed.
   4. Make a ruling within five working days.
   5. Notify the faculty member, division chair, and student of the final decision.
5. If the Provost determines the need for a review committee, the Provost will submit the information to the Student/Faculty Judicial Board for review and to make a recommendation to the Provost on a decision. Decisions by the Provost are final.
6. Appeals of a sanction imposed by the Provost for repeated violations will be sent directly to the Student/Faculty Judicial Board for review and a final decision.

Note: The Provost may make exceptions to the timeline for faculty responses as needed.

Should a grade change result from the appeal, it is the responsibility of the decision-maker at the level of resolution (instructor, department chair, or Provost) to file, in writing, an authorization for grade change with the Registrar of the College. Said authorization should be submitted to the Registrar’s Office within five working days of the decision. A copy of the grade change shall become a part of the student’s permanent file.

Attendance

The semester begins with the first day of class according to the College calendar and ends with the last day of the final exam week. Students are expected to attend all class meetings during the semester. Some classes, such as art, music, and theatre, have required activities scheduled outside of the scheduled classroom time. Please see the attendance policy stated in the course syllabus to determine how many classes can be missed without penalty. It is the instructor’s right to count being late for class the same as an absence.

Students who miss class for an officially documented sanctioned College event will not be counted as being absent for class, but it is the student’s responsibility to notify a faculty member one week in advance. Officially sanctioned College events include official athletic competitions (not practices) for athletes that are eligible to play, required class field trips, and representing the College at academic conferences or activities. However, even for College sanctioned events it might not be possible to make up the missed work (e.g., as in the case of lab work).

If a student cannot attend class, for any reason, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the professor about the possibility of making up missed work. Not attending class regularly may affect eligibility for financial aid and the ability to live in the residence halls.

Attendance for Online Delivery

In the online classroom environment, attendance is demonstrated through active participation. Online students must complete an academically related activity each week to be considered actively participating. Simply logging into an online class is not considered being active and does not count towards attendance.

Auditing Courses

Anyone who wishes to audit a class must be enrolled either as a degree-seeking or non-degree seeking student. Once enrolled, a student may register to audit a class during the drop/take period, with the exception of studio art class or laboratory course. The student may register to audit a studio art class or laboratory course on the last day of drop/take and with the written permission of the instructor teaching the course. The class attendance policy for the auditing student will be the same as required for the student taking the course for credit. Auditors are required to pay all fees that may be associated with the course (lab fee, studio art fees, activity fees, travel, et cetera). Consult the Business Office regarding fees for auditing courses. No individual is eligible to audit any nursing (NUR) course. Auditors for graduate courses are limited to one graduate course per two years.

Course Credit/Credit Hour

Credit is granted on the basis of semester hours and each course will have a value of one to twelve semester hours. One hundred twenty semester hours is required for graduation at the baccalaureate level, while a minimum of thirty semester hours is required for a post-baccalaureate degree.

Except as provided otherwise by the Code of Federal Regulations in 34CFR 668.8 (k) or (l), a credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonable approximates not less than

1. one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for a minimum of fourteen weeks, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time. Wesleyan College will grant one credit hour based on 12.5 hours of direct instruction (37.5 hours of direct faculty instruction for a 3-credit hours course.) Each class will be expected to have a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week, per credit hour.
2. Or at least an equivalent amount of work as required in (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours. (Adapted from Electronic Code of Federal Regulations - current as of June 30, 2011).

Definitions

• Direct instructional activity is when the instructor is present with students to facilitate student learning. This can occur in a physical classroom or through a live remote learning platform.
• Indirect instructional activity is when the instructor develops assignments, activities, etc., that engage students in the material either in collaboration with other students or independently. Out of class student work is the time that is expected for a student to spend independently learning material and preparing for the class.

Course Meeting Type Definitions

• Lecture: direct instruction is delivered face to face, physically present in the classroom.
• Applied Lesson Lecture: One on one student to faculty direct instruction delivered face to face, physically present in the classroom.
• Applied Lesson Online: One on one student to faculty direct instruction delivered online.
• Cross-Registration Online: Course offered on another campus through a consortia agreement. Delivered online.
• Cross-Registration Lecture: Course offered on another campus through a consortia agreement. Delivered face to face.
• Independent Study: Student works independently under careful supervision. Requires program director approval.
• Study Abroad: Course with a face to face travel component.
• Tutorial: One on one student to faculty direct instruction delivered face to face. Must have permission of Provost.
• Asynchronous Online: 100% of the direct instruction occurs under time delay; that is, direct instruction is recorded/stored and accessed later.
• Combined Online: Instruction combines both Synchronous (direct) and Asynchronous (indirect) types.
• Hybrid: Course section where the curricular content is delivered to the student via a combination of direct instruction (the instructor is present in real time with students to facilitate student learning) and indirect instruction (the instructor develops assignments, activities, etc., that engage students in the material either in collaboration with other students or independently) with a minimum of 50% direct instruction. Direct instruction is required to be delivered face to face, physically present in the classroom.
• Hyflex: Combines online and face-to-face instruction simultaneously into one single course section. Students are able to participate in class in different ways: as a synchronous distance learner (via real-time, video-streaming); as an asynchronous distance learner (accessing materials, recorded lectures, and responding at a later time); as a face to face learner (physically present in the classroom); or as a flexible learner (with a degree of choice as to how they participate each week; sometimes face to face, sometimes by streaming class sessions, etc.).

Credit and Grading System

See the Grading policy for Nursing in the BSN section of the Catalog. Letter grades are used. They are interpreted below with the number of quality points per credit hour. The course instructor determines the scale or standards for grading in individual courses. Students should not assume that all professors use identical grading scales or standards. Instructors are required to communicate their grading scales or standards and systems as clearly as possible in their course syllabi.

Students who withdraw from a class must do so through the Registrar’s Office, Tate 120. Students who stop attending class and do not withdraw by the deadline receive a grade of FNA.

Comments:

1. Plus and minus grade designations are not used at Wesleyan.
2. The minimum passing grade is D while the grade F indicates failure.
3. The grade of I is given only when a student has been absent from the final work in a course due to illness or other causes acceptable to the instructor and to the Provost of the College. Permission from the instructor and from the Provost of the College must be requested and given before an I may be recorded.
   The procedure for an incomplete grade is as follows:
   1. Except in cases of emergency (defined as unexpected occurrences such as accidents or sudden illness), the student should consult with the instructor if an incomplete grade would be an option. The grade of I (incomplete) means the student is passing the class but some relatively small part (1/3 or less) of the semester’s work remains incomplete because of illness or another valid and compelling reason that is satisfactory to the instructor. Instructors are not required to give an incomplete grade.
   2. If the instructor supports the incomplete grade, the instructor must submit an Incomplete Grade Form (found on WesPortal, WesNet tab, Provost’s Office section, forms) to the Provost of the College for approval.
   3. Upon approval, the Provost will notify the instructor. The instructor is responsible for notifying the student, in writing, of the deadline for completing all work.
   4. Instructors must remove I grades by 60 calendar days from the last day of the term (date is published on the Academic Calendar).
   5. To remove the I grade, the instructor must complete a grade change form in the Registrar’s Office. Instructors will be reminded by the Registrar prior to the deadline. If the grade is not changed by the deadline, the Registrar will assign a grade of F. It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements for completing all work by the deadline specified by the instructor. A student failing to complete all work shall be regarded as having failed in the course, and a grade of F will be recorded by the Registrar. No extensions to the grade change deadline will be made.
4. Credit hours earned in courses accepted for transfer to Wesleyan College from other regionally accredited institutions are included in the transfer student’s cumulative credit hours earned. Grades earned in courses accepted for transfer credit are not reflected in a student’s Wesleyan cumulative grade point average. Additionally, grades earned in transferred courses that are part of the major are not calculated in the minimum 2.00 grade point average that is required in the major for graduation. For senior honors, grades accepted for transfer of credit to Wesleyan will be computed in the cumulative grade point average. (See Honors and Academic Support for a complete explanation of policies related to senior honors.)

Credit/No Credit

A student may elect up to a maximum of 18 semester hours on the basis of Credit/No Credit grading during their tenure at Wesleyan College. No more than five semester hours per term may be elected on the Credit/No Credit option. Classes required for a major may not be taken from Credit/No Credit except directed independent studies and field studies. The student teaching block (EDU 490 ) and extended internships are special cases in which the student may register for up to twelve semester hours during a semester using the Credit/No Credit grade option.

Credit/No Credit grading is the student’s option. However, the Credit/No Credit grade option may not be exercised or modified after the last day to withdraw from classes. Except in courses requiring Credit/No Credit grading, students should exercise great caution in choosing this option. Opting for more than one course (3, 4 hours) of Credit/No Credit grading disqualifies a student for Senior Honors, and may be looked upon with disfavor by some graduate and professional schools.

The courses listed below are not eligible for the Credit/No Credit grading option:

• Pre-nursing students must have a letter grade in nursing prerequisite classes (MAT 130 , MAT 135 , or MAT 140 , MAT 220 , PSY 101 , PSY 240 , BIO 110 , CHM 101 , BIO 210 , BIO 211 , BIO 245 ) in order to be eligible to apply for the nursing program. If you intend to apply for the Nursing Program, you should not opt for the credit/no credit grading option.
• Nursing classes (NUR) and graduate program classes are not eligible.

Credit By Examination and Course Challenge

See Academic Credit Options section for details. Wesleyan College participates in a program that awards credit for the successful completion of selected standardized examinations. Credit by examination is possible through Advanced Placement of the College Board; the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) of the College Entrance Examination Board; the International Baccalaureate Program; and the Cambridge International Examinations (A-levels). For credit to be awarded, a minimum score is required on selected CLEP General and Subject examinations (50); Advanced Placement examinations (3, 4, 5); International Baccalaureate higher level (4, 5, 6, 7) and standard level examinations (4, 5, 6, 7); and Cambridge International A-level Examinations. Specific minimum scores and course equivalents may be found in the academic credit option section of this Catalog. Thirty semester hours is the maximum amount of credit a student may receive through CLEP, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, Cambridge International Examinations, or departmental examination (course challenge).

A student may exempt courses by challenging courses or taking departmental examinations according to the following procedure:

Up to nine (9) semester credit hours may be awarded through challenging courses; however, not all departments will approve course challenges. To receive credit through a course challenge the student must

1. be unconditionally enrolled;
2. request in writing a course challenge from the Registrar and obtain the written permission from the appropriate program director and course instructor; and
3. pay one-half of the course challenge fee* prior to the course challenge, and pay the remainder of the course challenge fee if credit is awarded.

No student will be permitted credit by examination for a course in which she remains enrolled after the Drop/Take period. Course challenges are graded on the Credit/No Credit grade option only. Credit hours for a successful course challenge are posted in the term during which the challenge is attempted and fees are paid. These credit hours do not affect tuition or overload fees.

*Declared majors or minors in French and Spanish who have placed out of FRN 211  /FRN 212  or SPA 211 /SPA 212  will not be charged a course challenge fee when they challenge those courses.

Credit For Transient Work at Another Institution

The student who wishes to participate in transient course work at another college or university should submit the transient request form to the Registrar’s Office for approval and determination of course equivalency. The student must be in good academic standing and should meet with an academic advisor to determine how the course(s) relate to the academic program at Wesleyan College. In the summer semester, if the course is on the current schedule at Wesleyan College as a fully online course, a student will not be approved to take the course at another institution. In a fall or spring semester, if the course is being taught during the current academic semester at Wesleyan College, a student will not be approved to take the course at another institution. The student is responsible for having an official transcript sent to the Registrar of Wesleyan College. Grades below C will not be transferred to Wesleyan for credit.

Foreign Language Placement Policy

1. All incoming students with any prior instruction or significant experiences in Chinese (Mandarin), French, Japanese, Korean, or Spanish must take the language placement test in that language, even if they do not plan to continue in that language. Placement decisions will be made by the foreign language faculty on the basis of the examination, the high school transcript, and, in some cases, an oral interview, especially for placement above the second-semester level. No academic credit hours will be awarded for exempted courses except for declared majors or minors in Spanish according to the policy listed with those programs or for any language course taken below the level of placement. If a student needs a reconsideration of their placement level, they need to talk to the Department Chair. Students are urged to take courses in a foreign language in sequence, fall-spring or in the course of one summer, without skipping a semester, and to complete their language proficiency requirement in the first four semesters at the College.
2. Students may begin studying a new language at the 101 level without taking a placement test as long as they have no previous experience or instruction.
3. Students who place above proficiency level may earn credit for foreign language courses at or above the intermediate level by passing the appropriate departmental challenge exam(s) if they are declared majors or minors once they complete more courses in the program (see policy) or by submitting Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, Cambridge, CLEP or SAT II test scores.

Grade Appeals

Appeals for a change in the final course grade must be initiated within 5 working days after the Registrar’s office has posted final grades for the term in which the course was taken.

Any student considering a grade appeal should understand that each faculty member has the right and responsibility to determine grades according to any method chosen by the faculty member as long as these methods follow professional and disciplinary standards, are clearly communicated to everyone in the class, and are equally applied to all students. Therefore, grades should only be appealed under circumstances such as the following:

1. The instructor erred in the calculation of the grade.
2. The assignment of a grade was on the basis other than performance in the course (though a grade may reflect a penalty for academic misconduct).
3. The assignment of a grade had a substantial departure from the instructor’s previously announced standards.
4. The grading decision was based upon standards unreasonably different from those which were applied to other students in the same course and section.

The grade appeal procedure is NOT to be used to review the judgment of an instructor in assessing the quality of a student’s work nor is it to be used if the student disagrees with the instructor on how the course was conducted or a clearly communicated course policy. Such concerns should be shared with the instructor and/or the appropriate department chair.

The student must contact the faculty member in question about the grade. If the student feels this conversation did not resolve the matter then the student should proceed with the appeal. If a student wishes to appeal a grade the following process should be followed:

1. The student should fill out the Grade appeal form located on wesleyancollege.edu/about/compliance/reporting.cfm.
2. The provost will submit the form and any documentation to the division chair (or a selected division chair if the faculty member is the division chair) for investigation. The Provost will also send the form to the faculty member in question. The division chair will:
   1. Read through the information submitted by the student.
   2. Talk with the faculty member in question about the situation. Faculty may either submit information in writing to the division chair or have conversation about the situation.
   3. Talk with the student in question.
   4. The division chair can review other information, as needed, in making a decision.

The division chair has five working days to submit their conclusion to the Provost. The Provost will notify the student and the faculty member in question.

3. If the student feels like the division chair has not resolved the matter, the student may appeal the decision. The student may submit additional documentation, if appropriate. If an appeal is not submitted, then the decision from the division chair will be final.
4. Upon receiving an appeal, the Provost will:
   1. Read through all information that has been submitted to date;
   2. Talk with the faculty member in question if any new information was submitted by the student;
   3. Talk with the student to clarify any needed information;
   4. Make a decision within five working days; and
   5. Notify the faculty member and student of the final decision. Decisions by the Provost are final.

Should a grade change result from the appeal, it is the responsibility of the decision-maker at the level of resolution (instructor, department chair, or Provost) to file, in writing, an authorization for grade change with the Registrar of the College. Said authorization should be submitted to the Registrar’s Office within five working days of the decision. A copy of the grade change shall become a part of the student’s permanent file.

No change of grade may be made later than one semester (or term) following the semester in which the grade was received. The Provost may make exceptions to the timeline for faculty responses as needed.

Complaints of an Academic Nature

Complaints related to academics but unrelated to grade appeals will follow the same general procedures as outlined above for grade appeals. To file a complaint, use the Personnel Complaint form or General Campus Incident form located on https://www.wesleyancollege.edu/about/compliance/reporting.cfm. If the complaint is not resolved, the student may appeal to the division chair, then the Provost of the College, and finally the President of the College.

Graduation

Each student must file an application for diploma with the Registrar of the College at the beginning of the semester that precedes the semester in which they expect to complete degree requirements. Undergraduate degrees are conferred at the end of each academic semester with the prior approval of the Provost and faculty. Graduate degrees are conferred upon satisfactory completion of all requirements, as announced on the individual program academic calendar.

The College will host one annual commencement ceremony for undergraduate degree programs in May. The college will also host one annual commencement ceremony for graduate program students in May.

Attendance at graduation is required. A student may graduate in absentia only with the written permission of the Provost of the College. Students must pick up their diploma from the Registrar’s Office or will be required to pay a shipping fee to have it mailed. Diplomas will be shipped or made available for pickup during regular business hours the first working day after commencement.

Each student’s diploma and transcript will bear the student’s legal name. If the name has changed since admission to the College, the student must submit a court order or other document indicating a legal change of name to the Registrar no later than March 1st prior to completion in May, or June 1st prior to completion in August or December. Refer to the Name on Official Records policy.

The commencement program will bear the student’s preferred name as indicated on the application for diploma. If the preferred name has changed since submission of the application for diploma, the student must submit a request to change the preferred name to the Registrar no later than April 1st prior to the commencement ceremony.

All financial obligations to the College must be paid in full in order for a student to be cleared for graduation. No student who owes an outstanding balance of any amount will be permitted to participate in the commencement ceremony. No degree will be conferred to any student who owes an outstanding balance of any amount to the College. Degrees held due to financial obligations will be conferred in the next commencement ceremony after all obligations to the College have been met.

Participation in the Annual Commencement Ceremony

A student is eligible to participate and will receive their diploma during the commencement ceremony upon meeting all obligations to the College and completing academic requirements for the degree.

A student who has not met all academic requirements may be eligible to participate in the commencement ceremony only with written permission from the Provost under the following circumstances:

• Undergraduate program students must have no more than 7 credits of academic requirements remaining.
• Graduate program students must have no more than 6 credits of academic requirements remaining.
• Students must present a proposal for the completion of their remaining requirements.
• Must be in good financial standing with the College and without a past due balance hold.
• Must not have any holds on their account from any department at the College.

Please note the following additional information pertaining to commencement participation prior to the completion of academic requirements:

• Students will not receive a diploma during the commencement ceremony.
• Upon meeting all obligations to the College and completing academic requirements, students will pick up their diploma from the Registrar’s Office or will be required to pay a shipping fee to have it mailed.
• The commencement program will include an asterisk next to the student’s name to indicate “pending completion of degree requirements.”

Independent Study

To make possible the college ideal of individual development, students may participate in independent study opportunities under faculty supervision in each academic area. Variable credit is permitted with a maximum of six semester hours in one field of study. To guarantee quality, the special approval of the program director of the area concerned is required.

International Students Normal Academic Progress

Wesleyan College follows the F-1 Visa regulations to ensure international students’ academic success. For allowing international students to maintain status, they must attend and pass their classes.

• While studying at Wesleyan College, all F-1 students must register at least 12 credits each semester except their last semester before graduation per the regulations. Students must attend and pass at least 66.7% of all courses attempted at Wesleyan. If a student fails to meet the 66.7% requirement, the student’s F-1 status will be terminated.
  • The student will have one chance to appeal to Wesleyan College for an additional semester. If the student fails to meet the 66.7% requirement again, Wesleyan will terminate the student’s record and the student must leave the U.S. immediately.
• A course is considered “attempted” if the student was enrolled after the Drop/Take period.
• The grades of A, B, C, D, or CR count as successful completion of a course. The grades of F, FNA, W, I or NC do not count as the successful completion of a course.
• If students believe that they will be unable to complete their program by the end date listed on their Form I-20, they must talk with the International Student Office about requesting a possible program extension:
• If the students are maintaining status and making normal progress towards program completion, the DSO may be able to grant an extension for delays caused by any of the following or for other extenuating circumstances:
  • Change in major or research topic
  • Unexpected research problems
  • Documented illness
• The DSO will not grant an extension for any of the following reasons:
  • Request for an extension made after the program end date on a student’s Form I-20
  • Suspension from school
  • Academic probation
• All F-1 students must take a full course of study each semester; if they cannot study full-time, the students must contact the International Student Office immediately.
• International students may not drop below 12 credits without first speaking with the International Student Office and part-time status may be considered only in the event of an extenuating circumstance that meet the regulation requirements.

Leave of Absence

A leave of absence is designed to allow a student a break in their studies for a limited time without having to withdraw from or apply for readmission to Wesleyan College. The leave of absence applies to any matriculated student who is in good academic and financial standing with the college. The leave of absence may last for a minimum of one semester, and a maximum of a 12-month period; a student may only accrue a total of two semesters (excluding summer semesters) for leave of absence during her college career. International students must comply with immigration regulations regarding continuous enrollment. International students should consult with the Student Affairs office concerning regulations.

The student will apply to the Registrar of the College for a Leave of Absence during the semester preceding the leave of absence period. A student cannot take a leave of absence after the semester begins.

Upon her return, it is the responsibility of the student to notify both her advisor and the Registrar during registration to reinstate her academic standing. At this time, the student does not need to apply for readmission. If a student exceeds the allotted leave time, she will be deemed to have withdrawn and must apply for readmission. General education and major requirements in effect at the time of the student’s approval for a leave of absence will continue in effect upon her return within the allotted leave time.

During the leave, a student may take courses at another college. However, only a maximum of 6 hours for a one-semester leave and 9 hours for a two-semester leave may transfer to Wesleyan if such hours are allowable under other transfer credit policies and limitations.

The Provost of the College may make exceptions to this Leave of Absence policy under extraordinary conditions.

Military Leave Policy

Wesleyan College values military service by its employees and students and therefore will grant a leave for members of the community to serve. For this policy, active military duty means service, whether voluntary or involuntary, in the Armed Forces, including service by a member of the National Guard or Reserve, on active duty, active duty for training, or full-time National Guard duty under Federal authority, for a period of more than 30 consecutive days under a call or order to active duty of more than 30 consecutive days.

Military Leave and Grades

When a student is called to active military duty during an academic term, the student must notify the Office of the Register of the call to military service, provide documentation showing the length of the call and request one of the following three options to complete the semester:

1. The student may request retroactive withdrawal of all classes to the beginning of the semester, with a full refund of any tuition and fees that have been paid.
2. If at least 75 percent of the term has been completed, the student may request that the faculty member assign a grade for the course based on the work completed. Each faculty member has the right to determine if this is a reasonable option or not.
3. If at least 75 percent of the term has been completed, request a grade of Incomplete (I) for the work to be completed upon return. If the call to service is for a lengthy period of time, this option is not recommended. Each faculty member has the right to determine if this is a reasonable option or not. If the faculty member agrees to offer an incomplete, the student will have a minimum of two weeks after returning to campus to complete the course requirements. Additional time may be granted if alternative arrangements are made with the faculty member.

The Registrar’s Office will communicate with faculty and notify the student of final grading options. Upon return from the leave, if a student has taken an incomplete in any class, the College will make every effort to ensure the student is fully prepared to complete the required work.

Military Leave and Readmission

A student who has been granted a military leave is eligible to be readmitted upon return if there is no dishonorable or bad conduct discharge from the military. To be readmitted, the student must submit the application for readmission.

Readmitted students will be granted the same academic status as they had when requesting the leave. Specifically, this means the student will be admitted:

1. to the same program, unless the service member requests or agrees to admission to another program. If the service member’s program is no longer offered, the College will admit the service member to the program that is the most similar
2. at the same enrollment status, unless the service member requests or agrees to a different enrollment status
3. with the same number of credit hours completed, unless the service member is admitted to a different program and the hours are not transferable
4. with the same academic standing
5. if admitted in the same academic year, the student will be admitted with the same tuition and fee charges as when they left. For subsequent academic years or for a different program, the student will be assessed tuition and fee charges that are no more than the institution is charging other students. Students readmitted must fulfill the general education program, major requirements and any and all other requirements for the degree in effect at the time of their readmission. However, students who completed their general education program at Wesleyan before their withdrawal will be deemed to have completed general education when they are readmitted.

Name on Official Records

The Registrar’s Office is responsible for maintaining a student’s official academic record, and as such is the office that controls student name changes at Wesleyan College. All inquiries and requests should be directed to this office. Legal name is defined as the name verified by a birth certificate, marriage certificate, social security card, passport, or court order. Students wishing to change their name on their official academic record from the name under which they were admitted to the College must provide the Registrar with legal documentation reflecting their new legal name.

Change of name requires (1) presentation of a current Social Security card reflecting the new name and (2) a government-issued photo ID, marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order reflecting the new name. Please present the original legal document or a certified (i.e., notarized) copy with the original notary seal to the Registrar’s Office. Faxes cannot be accepted. Original documents will be copied for your file and returned to you.

International students’ names must appear on academic records exactly as they appear on the passport issued by the home country. The U.S. entry visa may not be used as documentation for a name change.

Alumnae who wish to order a replacement diploma may do so through the Registrar’s Office. Diplomas are only printed twice a year corresponding with commencement. See tuition and fees section for replacement cost.

Numbering of Courses and Abbreviations

• Courses numbered 100-199: Introductory courses. Generally, courses numbered 100 to 199 are introductory and general education courses that are appropriate for students with less than 27 semester hours and others with no special background. These courses rarely have prerequisites.
• Courses numbered 200-299: Lower level undergraduate courses. Generally, courses numbered 200-299 might build on materials and knowledge from 100 level courses and are ideally taken by students with between 27 and 60 semester hours. These courses may or may not have prerequisites.
• Courses numbered 300-399: Upper level undergraduate courses; courses for majors; courses that require prerequisites to be successful. While these courses may or may not have specific prerequisites, they are more intellectually challenging than 100 and 200 level courses and usually not appropriate for students with 27 or fewer semester hours.
• Course numbered 400-499: Advanced upper level undergraduate courses, including seminars, advanced independent study courses, honors thesis work, etc. Almost always, courses numbered 400-499 have prerequisites. Except in very rare circumstances, courses numbered 400 to 499 are unsuitable for students with fewer than 90 credit hours.
• Courses numbered 500-699: Graduate level courses.

Subject codes are indicated by the letters preceeding each subject:

ACC Accounting
ADA Applied Data Analysis
AMC Advertising & Marketing Communication
AMM Arts Management
AMS American Studies
ARH Art History
ART Art (Studio Art)
AST Asian Studies
BIO Biology
BUS Business
CEO Creating Equal Opportunities (CEO) Institute
CHM Chemistry
CHN Chinese
COM Communication
CSC Computer Science
EAT Equine Assisted Therapy
EBA Business Administration (MBA)
ECO Economics
EDR Education in Reading
EDU Education
EDS Educational Studies
ENG English
ESC Environmental Science
FRN French
FSC Forensic Science
HCA Healthcare Administration
HIS History
HPE Health and Physical Education
HUM Humanities
JPN Japanese
KOR Korean
LED Leadership and Social Change
MAT Mathematics
MUP Music Performance
MUS Music
NSC Neuroscience
NUR Nursing (BSN)
PBH Public Health
PDE Professional Development Experience
PHI Philosophy
PHY Physics
POL Political Science
PSY Psychology
REL Religious Studies
SPA Spanish
THE Theatre
TRA Travel Study
WGS Women, Gender & Sexuality
WIS Wesleyan Integrative Seminar Experience
WRI Writing
WST Women’s Studies

Privacy in Teaching & Learning Spaces

In order to promote an environment in which ideas may be freely expressed, the interior offices; in-person and virtual classrooms; and Canvas course sites at Wesleyan are private spaces. The unauthorized creation of photographic images, audio recordings, or video recordings of students or faculty in these spaces is considered to be disruptive behavior which may result in a student’s removal from class according to the professor’s discretion. The distribution of unauthorized images or recordings, or of class meeting recordings shared by a professor for instructional purposes, without the express written permission of the College is strictly prohibited and is subject to disciplinary action by the Provost of the College.

Readmission

A student who has withdrawn from the College and wishes to return after a lapse of time, must apply for readmission. Students readmitted must fulfill the general education program, major requirements and any and all other requirements for the degree in effect at the time of their readmission. However, students who completed their general education program at Wesleyan before their withdrawal will be deemed to have completed general education when they are readmitted.

If the student was approved for a hardship withdrawal and wishes to return to Wesleyan College at a later date, they must apply for readmission. Documentation and a personal interview may be required before an application for readmission is considered. Receipt of medical documentation does not automatically guarantee readmission.

Repeating a Course for Grade Replacement

If a student earns a D or F in a course, the student may retake the course to earn a higher letter grade. If the course is repeated, the lowest grade will be replaced and will not be counted toward the computation of the cumulative grade point average. Grades from each attempt will appear on the transcript. A student may earn credit hours for the course only once.

If a student earns a D or F in a course required for proficiency or as a prerequisite for advancement to the next level, the course must be repeated. In general, it is also recommended that a student repeat a course if the student is interested in pursuing graduate school or other program admission, if the student needs to improve their academic standing, or if the course is required for a declared program.

Some scholarships such as the Hope Scholarship do not forgive grades in the computation of grade point calculations. In addition, if a student repeats a course to receive a better grade and that course does not count towards the 120 credits needed for graduation, those repeated hours may not be eligible for funding of financial aid. Students should consult with the Financial Aid Office regarding scholarship or funding rules.

Safe Learning Spaces

In order to ensure an environment that is conducive for all students to learn, students, faculty, and staff are expected to treat one another with respect in all interactions, whether in the classroom, in office spaces and hallways, in academic spaces such as the Library, or through electronic communication. Rude, disruptive, and/or disrespectful behavior interferes with other students’ rights and with the instructor’s ability to teach. Any student who is rude, disruptive and/or disrespectful during a class will be asked to leave and will be counted absent for that class period. Refusal to leave the classroom may result in the faculty member requesting assistance from Campus Safety and Security and additional consequences. Physical, threatening, or illegal activities will not be tolerated and are subject to legal consequences. Behavior that interferes with learning is considered a violation of the Wesleyan Honor Code and will be investigated via the process outlined in the Wolf Guide Student Handbook.

Transcript Requests and Release of Records

Wesleyan College recognizes the privacy rights of students with regard to their educational records, including the right of access to their own records and the right to a hearing to challenge the accuracy of such records. The College will not release personally identifiable data about students from education records without written permission from the student to any individual, agency, or organization, except to the extent that the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as Amended (FERPA) authorizes disclosure without consent. A full statement of Wesleyan’s policy concerning the privacy rights of students is printed annually in The Student Handbook.

Students and alumnae can electronically send official transcripts to the destination of their choice. Instructions for ordering a transcript are located on Wesleyan’s Website: www.wesleyancollege.edu. Click on Programs & Academics, Request a Transcript. Unofficial transcripts are only available to currently enrolled students through their WesPortal account at no charge. Fees for transcripts are given in the Tuition and Fees section of the Catalog. Wesleyan College is not responsible for incomplete or incorrect mailing addresses provided with requests for transcript releases.

Requests for transcripts will be checked and approved for release within 5 working days by the Registrar’s Office at Wesleyan College. During peak periods of activity in the Registrar’s Office such as the opening and closing of semesters, registration, and graduation, the processing time for release of transcripts may extend slightly beyond five working days.

Withdrawal

It is strongly recommended that any student receiving financial aid who is contemplating withdrawal from the College, first contact the Office of Student Financial Aid to determine the impact of that decision.

Withdrawal Limit

Undergraduates may withdraw from a maximum of five (5) courses for their entire enrollment at Wesleyan College. Students who have reached their maximum number of withdrawals will not be allowed to withdraw from a class and will receive the grade they earned.

Only withdrawals incurred at Wesleyan College count toward the maximum number of withdrawals. Withdrawals incurred prior to the implementation date (Fall 2023) will not count toward students’ number of allowed withdrawals. Transfer students, irrespective of their classification upon enrolling at Wesleyan College, are also limited to five (5) course withdrawals at Wesleyan College.

Exceptions

Automatic exceptions are as follows:

• Withdrawals are automatically exempt from the maximum number of withdrawals when students withdraw from all classes for hardship, military, or personal reasons that are documented and approved by the Provost.
• Linked lecture-lab courses will count as a single course withdrawal.
• Zero credit hour courses/labs are exempted from the maximum number of withdrawals.

Petitions for exception based on other circumstances are heard in the following manner:

• Once the withdrawal limit is reached, students will be allowed to withdraw from an individual course only for extenuating circumstances beyond their control. To withdraw without penalty in these cases, students must petition to the Provost by submission of the hardship withdrawal form and provide the required documentation (see Hardship Withdrawal Policy).

Voluntary Withdrawal

Students who find it necessary to withdraw from the college during the regular academic year must file with the Dean of the College a withdrawal request form requesting administrative approval for such action. Voluntary withdrawal is considered official by the College only upon receipt of said request. Honorable dismissal is granted only if all financial obligations to the College are satisfactorily cleared. A residence hall student should also notify the Director of Residence Life of her intention to withdraw. Students who withdraw and do not complete the semester enrolled, the date the student initiated the withdrawal process will serve as her withdrawal date and the date the college determined she withdrew. If a student voluntarily withdraws after the last day to withdraw as determined on the academic calendar, punitive grades or the grades earned will apply. If a student withdraws before the last day to withdraw as determined on the academic calendar, a grade of ‘W’ - withdrawn will be applied (no academic penalty). Students who withdraw and complete the semester enrolled, the date of the last day of the term enrolled will serve as her withdrawal date and the date the college determined she withdrew. Students who do not officially withdraw, but fail to register for the next term are considered voluntarily withdrawn as of the last day of the last term enrolled. See also, Non-Attendance and Unofficial Withdrawal and Readmission.

Administrative Withdrawal

The Provost of the College may withdraw a student from a class or dismiss her from the College for failure to cooperate with an instructor’s policies for classroom behavior or for repeated failure to respond to an instructor’s requirements for a course. The date the Provost initiated the administrative withdrawal will serve as the student’s withdrawal date and the date that the college determined she withdrew. If the student is unable to complete the course with a passing grade, a grade of ‘W’ - withdrawn will be applied (no academic penalty). Notification must be given to the Registrar.

Administrative Medical Withdrawal

A student who has an illness or condition that might endanger or be damaging to the health or welfare of the student or any member of the College community, or whose illness or condition is such that it cannot be effectively treated or managed while the student is a member of the College community, could be withdrawn from the College by the administration. The Dean of Students will make a recommendation to the Provost for an Administrative Medical Withdrawal. If the student is withdrawn, they may appeal the decision to the Admissions Committee. The date the College administration initiated the Administrative Medical Withdrawal process will serve as the student’s date of withdrawal and date that the College determined the student withdrew. If the student is unable to complete the course with a passing grade, a grade of ‘W’ - withdrawn will be applied (no academic penalty). The withdrawn student may be readmitted after the withdrawal via the Readmission Policy to the College.

Hardship Withdrawal

If, for medical reasons or personal emergency, a student seeks to withdraw from the College after the last day to withdraw without academic penalty, they must complete the Hardship Withdrawal Form and provide documentation of their illness through an official medical report from their physician or provide other justification for emergencies. The hardship withdrawal must be approved by the Provost of the College before the student’s official withdrawal is accomplished through the Registrar’s Office. The request must be made before the last day of the term. If the student is unable to complete the course with a passing grade, a grade of ‘W’ - withdrawn will be applied (no academic penalty). If the student fails to document their illness or provide justification for an emergency, and/or is not approved for a hardship withdrawal by the Provost of the College, the student is responsible for completing the course requirements. The date the student initiated the hardship withdrawal process will serve as their withdrawal date and date that the college determined they withdrew. See also, Readmission in the College catalog.

Non-Attendance and Unofficial Withdrawal

Students receiving federal financial assistance, who do not pass any courses and who do not officially withdraw from Wesleyan College are considered “unofficially withdrawn”. The following procedures are used to determine if students never attend class and/or withdraw unofficially, and to determine repayments due back to aid programs. Students who are unofficially withdrawn must apply to the College for readmission in future semesters (See Readmission, in the College catalog).

Beginning of each term:

1. Faculty members are required to report students that never attend class after the first two-weeks of the semester. Some programs that require reporting attendance to an outside entity such as Nursing and Education must track attendance for the entire semester.
2. Refunds of financial aid will not be disbursed to students who do not attend class. Students who claim they are attending class(es) may have aid reinstated ONLY if their professor(s) confirms attendance by directly contacting the Registrar’s Office and Financial Aid Office (e-mail required). The student’s claim to have attended class, absent positive confirmation from the faculty member, does not constitute confirmation of class attendance.
3. Students will be administratively dropped from class(es) not attended. Federal awards are adjusted to pay only for classes the student is attending. This adjustment could result in the reduction of aid awarded and/or the loss of grant, scholarship or loan funds. If attendance rosters indicate the student never attended any classes, all federal financial aid is canceled and the student will be unofficially withdrawn from the College and must reapply for readmission.

The College returns aid to the financial aid programs and bills the student for funds received for classes never attended. Repayment may be required with funds other than financial aid. If this occurs and the bill remains unpaid for more than 120 days, a third party collection agency will be used and the debtor will also become liable for any additional collection costs associated with the collection of any amount not paid. Students are ineligible for future aid until debt is repaid in full.

Midterm (Before Withdrawal deadline):

1. Faculty must report all students’ last date of attendance or academic activity and who at the midterm date are academically deficient in the class via WesPortal by the reporting deadline. Using this method, faculty reports students’ academic progress, including students who have ceased class attendance.
2. After all faculty have reported to the Registrar, students who have ceased attending class(es) for more than two weeks will be urged to officially withdraw from class(es) before the withdrawal deadline. If the student does not respond to the Registrar and reengage in class(es) within one week, an unofficial withdrawal from the class(es) will occur. The last date of academic activity reported by faculty will serve as the school’s date of determination and date of withdrawal for the student.
3. Faculty must submit a midterm grade for each student by the date specified on the academic calendar. Midterm grades will not appear on the transcript and will not be calculated into a student’s overall GPA. A midterm grade does not necessarily reflect 50% of a student’s total course grade.

End of each term (After Withdrawal deadline):

1. Faculty must report all students’ last date of attendance or academic activity when submitting final grades. Students who ceased attendance for more than two weeks and receive no academic credit for all classes are considered unofficially withdrawn from the College. Students who have ceased attendance for more than two weeks and do not receive an approved administrative withdrawal will maintain punitive grades as well as being unofficially withdrawn.
2. The Registrar reports to the Director of Financial Aid all students with all “F”, “FNA”, “NC”, “W” grades.
3. Once the withdrawal date is determined, the Financial Aid Office calculates the amount that must be returned to aid programs by the College and the student, in accordance with federal and state regulations and College policy. For details, see the Return of Title IV Funds policy which follows. The last date of academic activity reported by faculty will serve as the school’s date of determination and date of withdrawal for the student.

Return of Title IV Funds Policy for Students Receiving Federal Financial Aid at Wesleyan College

The Higher Education Amendments of 1998 and the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 set forth regulations governing the treatment of Title IV funds (Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant [SEOG], Academic Competitiveness Grant [ACG], National SMART Grant, Federal Subsidized Loan, Federal Unsubsidized Loan, and Federal PLUS) when a student withdraws completely from an institution.

When a student withdraws during a period of enrollment in which he/she has begun attendance and has received federal Title IV financial aid, Wesleyan College is required to determine the amount of earned and unearned Title IV aid. A student is eligible to retain the percentage of Title IV aid disbursed or that could have been disbursed that is equal to the percentage of the enrollment period completed by the student (calculated daily). Scheduled breaks of 5 or more consecutive days are excluded. The unearned Title IV aid must be returned to the appropriate federal aid program(s). If the student has completed more than 60% of the enrollment period, no Title IV aid needs to be returned.

Workload

A normal course load is between 12 and 18 semester hours during the fall and spring semesters. Students who wish to take 19 or more hours must have a cumulative GPA of 3.00 and permission of the Registrar. To maintain visa status, all international students must enroll and maintain at least 12 credit hours during fall and spring semesters. Exceptions to this regulation must be discussed with the international student advisor. Only one online or distance learning class (maximum three credits) can count toward a full course of study for an F-1 student during each terms or semester. A hyflex class can be considered as an in person class if the class is offered principally in person and the student’s physical attendance for classes, examination or other purposes is integral to completion of the class. Online classes do not count towards full-time enrollment for J-1 students. Consult the business office for overload fees for hours above 18.

A student with 27 or fewer semester hours may not register for a 300- or 400-level course without permission of her advisor and the course instructor or chair of the department in which the course is being offered.