Academic Policies and Procedures

Academic advisors, who are required to post office hours, are assigned to students during the first term of their graduate program. Academic advisors and students work in partnership to achieve the student’s educational requirements and goals. An academic advisor:

• Assists the student in understanding and meeting all requirements for graduation.
• Monitors incomplete grades and progress toward completing course work.
• Assists in clarifying learning objectives and career plans.
• Addresses problems regarding work, instructors, and expectations.
• Counsels or refers student to appropriate source for assistance.
• Serves as an advocate for the student.

The Academic Success Center (ASC) plays a significant role in supporting the intellectual and academic life of Springfield College students. Offering a broad array of services, the ASC provides academic support for all Springfield College students in their pursuit of academic excellence and helps students maximize their learning opportunities and realize their academic potential.  The Center provides a safe and nurturing environment where students can readily access services to support their learning. There are ten distinct services with the Academic Success Center:  

Tutorial Services:

• Writing & Reading Support Services offers students help with all aspects of the writing and reading processes.

• Math-Science Support Services provides assistance to students taking courses in Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, Biology and Chemistry

• The Content Tutorial Program delivers support for course work that is outside what is covered by Writing & Reading Support Services and Math-Science Support Services.

• The Conversation Partners Program provides support for non-native speaking students wishing to improve conversation and comprehension skills.

Disability & Accessibility Services:

• Disability & Accessibility Services offers academic accommodations and support services to students with documented disabilities.

• The Assistive Technology Program provides training in a range of assistive technologies.  

Academic Coaching Program

• The Academic Coaching Program is available to help students improve time management and learning strategies.  

• The Academic Progress Program provides assistance and support for the students in academic jeopardy to help improve their academic skills, performance and standing.

MTEL Assistance Program

• The MTEL Assistance Program provides support for students preparing to take the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure®.  

The Academic Success Center is located on the third floor of the Learning Commons 300 and can be contacted at 413-748-3389 or ASC@springfieldcollege.edu.  More detailed descriptions of its services can be found on its website:  http://springfield.edu/academic-success-center

Hours:

Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sunday, 4-9 p.m.    

The unit of measure for student progress at Springfield College is the “credit hour.” One credit hour is generally equated with one hour of lecture each week through the duration of one fifteen-week semester.

Full-time graduate/post-graduate student-enrolled for nine or more credit hours
Half-time graduate/post-graduate student-enrolled for four and one-half to eight and one-half credit hours
Less-than-half-time graduate/post-graduate student-enrolled for less than four and one-half credit hours

Graduate students are responsible to complete the requirements for their program and for graduation that were in place upon admittance to the College as a degree-seeking student. In certain circumstances, with the approval of the student’s advisor, department chair/program coordinator or SPCS campus director, and the Dean of the School, a waiver or substitution for program requirements may be processed. All waivers or substitutions must be properly documented with the Registrar.

If circumstances warrant, graduate students (with the approval of their program director/department chairperson or School of Professional and Continuing Studies Campus Director) may petition the dean of their school to change their catalog year for their program/concentration.

The College may approve changes to requirements that all students must fulfill, regardless of their date of entry. Students who change concentrations or programs will be responsible to complete the requirements in place upon their acceptance into the new concentration or program. If a student is readmitted to the College following withdrawal or dismissal, he or she is responsible to complete the requirements in place on the new matriculated date.

This Institutional Academic Progress Policy applies to both full-time and part-time matriculated graduate students enrolled in the School of Arts, Sciences, and Professional Studies (ASPS); the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (HPER); the School of Health Sciences and Rehabilitation Studies (HSRS); the School of Professional and Continuing Studies (PCS); and the School of Social Work (SSW). A student is matriculated if he or she received official acceptance into Springfield College through the admissions process as a graduate degree-seeking student.

Academic Review

Following the close of each full semester/term (Spring, Summer, Fall), a systematic graduate academic records review is conducted by the Registrar to determine student academic standing status classifications. Graduate students will not be subject to institutional review until they have attempted the completion of nine (9) graduate credits at Springfield College.

• For the purpose of determining academic progress, attempted hours are defined as:
  Credits for courses graded “A” through “C-“, “F”, “P”, “W”, “NR”, “I”,”IC”, “IE”, “PI”,”CP” and accepted transfer credits. 

A graduate student’s institutional academic standing status is assessed according to the Good Academic Standing cumulative grade point average criterion (CGPA) of 3.00. As a result of academic standing review, graduate students are assigned the appropriate institutional academic standing status actions (listed below). Graduate students must have a CGPA of 3.00 or better to be eligible for graduation with master’s and doctoral degrees or a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study. Academic departments or schools may have higher standards for entrance into or continuation in their graduate programs and students are responsible for reviewing program standards and requirements that are found in the official department, school, or institutional publications.

Academic Standing Status Categories

Following determination of status by the graduate academic records review process, academic standing status actions (Good Academic Standing, Academic Probation, Continued Academic Probation, and Academic Dismissal) go into effect at the start of the successive semester (Fall, Spring, or Summer).

• Good Academic Standing

A graduate student whose CGPA is at or above the minimum standard of 3.00 is classified as a graduate student in good academic standing at the College.

• Academic Probation

The graduate student who at any academic review point fails to meet the 3.00 CGPA academic standing criterion on or after attempting the completion of nine (9) credit hours is placed on institutional academic probation. A graduate student who is placed on academic probation will maintain matriculation status but will only be eligible for financial aid, including research fellowships if they are granted an appeal through the Office of Financial Aid.

The graduate student who is placed on academic probation will be notified of this academic standing by letter. Following this notice from the Office of Academic Affairs, an academic plan for the graduate student on academic probation will be designed by the academic advisor and the academic program or PCS campus. This plan may require the graduate student to take certain courses, limit the number of courses taken, or fulfill other conditions as specified.

Academic probation status will be recorded on the student’s academic transcript.

A graduate student will be removed from academic probation when he or she meets or exceeds the criterion 3.00 CGPA.

• Continued Academic Probation

A graduate student who was on academic probation during the semester of review will be continued on academic probation if his/her CGPA is below 3.00 and the student has attempted the completion of fewer than 18 credits at Springfield College or the student’s CGPA is above 2.8 but below 3.00 following the completion of 18 credits at Springfield College. If continued on academic probation, the graduate student will be subject to the conditions specified under Academic Probation.

Continued academic probation status will be recorded on the student’s academic transcript.

Note that a student on academic probation or continued academic probation is not considered to be in good academic standing.

• Academic Dismissal

A graduate student on academic probation will be dismissed from candidacy for the graduate degree if his/her CGPA is below 2.8 at the end of the semester in which he/she has attempted 18 s.h. of graduate credit at Springfield College. Additionally, a student whose CGPA is below 3.00 following the completion of the required number of semester hours in his/her program plus six credits is subject to dismissal.

Academic dismissal status will be recorded on the student’s academic transcript.

The Office of Academic Affairs will send the student notification letters of all decisions concerning probation and dismissal. The student may appeal the institutional academic dismissal and is required to submit the request for an appeal in writing to the Graduate Appeals Committee via the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs.

A student who is dismissed may not take courses at Springfield College for one academic year following dismissal, but may reapply for admission thereafter. When the student is readmitted to the College, his or her academic standing will be reviewed. The appropriate academic standing category will be determined at that time.

• Appeal Process for Academic Dismissal

A graduate student who has been academically dismissed from the College may appeal the academic dismissal to the Graduate Appeals Committee by submitting a letter to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs to request a hearing. The timeline for the appeal will be specified in the dismissal notification letter.

The student’s appeal should contain information about circumstances affecting his or her academic performance and the student’s plans to remedy the situation. Students may bring one Springfield College employee to the appeal meeting for emotional support or to present brief information on the student’s behalf. A lawyer may not be present at the appeal meeting, either as a legal representative or as one of the above college personnel. A College employee who is invited to attend is under no obligation to do so. Any College personnel speaking on behalf of the student will not be in the room during the student’s presentation but will be invited to speak following the student’s appeal presentation. The student may also bring letters of support written by any individual.

The Graduate Appeals Committee will review the appeal. If the committee recommends that the appeal be supported, and the Vice President for Academic Affairs concurs, the student will be allowed to seek readmission for return on continued probation. Readmission of the graduate student will be contingent upon his/her meeting one of the two conditions of Dismissal Appeal Readmission. The graduate student who is re-admitted will be required to follow the requirements stated in the section on Academic Probation and to adhere to all academic standing policies.

The Office of Academic Affairs will inform the student of the decision by letter.

• Academic Dismissal Appeal Readmission

A graduate student whose academic dismissal appeal is supported by the Graduate Appeals Committee and the Vice President for Academic Affairs will be allowed to seek readmission for return on continued academic probation. In order to be readmitted, the graduate student must meet one of the following two conditions:

a) the program of matriculation officially readmits the student, contingent on all program standards being met; and the final readmission is approved by the School Dean.

b) the student is officially granted admission to another Springfield College graduate program and the final readmission is approved by the School Dean.

Students may register for one course for audit designation per semester. An audit carries no credit, has no grade-point equivalent, and is recorded as an X on the transcript. Students may change to audit in a course at any time in the semester up to the point at which twenty percent of the semester (three weeks in a fifteen-week course) is completed.

Cancellation of classes because of inclement weather will be updated on the Springfield College website news page. Students, faculty and staff may sign up for SC Alert by clicking on the SC Alert button on the College’s home page and following the links. This program sends emergency notifications to a person’s mobile phone, Blackberry, wireless PDA, pager, smart or satellite phones, and e-mail addresses, including “pop ups” to Google, Yahoo, or AOL members. Cancellations will also be aired on radio stations WHYN AM 560 and television stations WWLP TV 22, ABC 40 and CBS 3. Students and faculty are advised to tune in to one of these stations on the morning in question. After 6:00 A.M., students may also call the school closing information line at (413) 748-5999 or refer to the Springfield College Cable TV station, which is aired in campus academic buildings and throughout the residence halls. Generally, if no cancellation is indicated by the 7:00 A.M. media announcements, classes will take place as scheduled.

Nonmatriculated Graduate Students
A student who has not been admitted to a graduate program but who wishes to take graduate courses is required to file a non-matriculated student data form along with submitting transcripts demonstrating receipt of the bachelor’s degree. Non-matriculated students may be admitted to those courses for which they have the prerequisites, with the approval of the faculty members who teach the courses, and with Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs authorization. Since no more than twelve semester hours of credit taken as a non-matriculated student at Springfield College prior to admission to graduate study may be applied toward the master’s degree, students interested in working toward a degree should apply for graduate standing as soon as possible. Non-matriculated students who seek financial assistance for the term in which they are enrolled, must apply for and be accepted into a degree program by the following deadlines:

• October 1 for the Fall Semester
• February 15 for the Spring Semester
• June 1 for the Summer Semester

Non-matriculated students who are accepted to a degree program after these deadlines will not be considered a degree student or qualify for financial assistance until the start of the next semester. The major departments evaluate the work taken previously concerning its applicability within the degree program and specify how much, if any, will be accepted toward degree requirements. (This option is not available in Social Work.)

Non-matriculated graduate students must make payment arrangements with the Business Office at the time of registration.

Matriculated Graduate Students
These are students who have completed a bachelor’s degree program and who have been accepted for admission to a particular program of graduate study leading to an appropriate degree at Springfield College.

Change of Graduate Program

Once matriculated into a graduate program, a student remains matriculated in that program until such time as he or she completes or withdraws from the program.  Graduate students may apply to a new program by sending a letter to the new program director expressing interest in the new program.  At the direction of the new program director, the student should then submit a letter to the registrar requesting the release of a copy of their academic folder to be forwarded to the new program director for review. Please note that the folder does not include “soft credentials” (e.g. letters of recommendation, essay), which are kept in the graduate admissions office for two years. If these credentials are required, the student must contact the graduate admissions office to arrange the release of these documents.  The program director, at his/her direction, may also request more information from the registrar or graduate admissions, to include any of the following: an essay (if letter did not suffice), letters of recommendation or anything else he/ she feels is relevant.

 
If the new program director approves of the internal transfer, the student will then fill out a change of application for change of graduate program form, which can be obtained through the office of the registrar.

Students wishing to take a course for pass/fail credit must complete a petition prior to registration and obtain the approval of the program director of their major. Once approved, the pass/fail election is irrevocable.

Degrees are conferred three times per calendar year, once at the annual commencement ceremony following spring semester and again following both the summer and fall academic terms. Students who have completed requirements for a Master’s degree, Doctoral degree, or Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study during the spring semester or the previous summer or fall sessions are eligible to participate in the annual commencement ceremony. All students must complete a Degree Application and submit it to the Registrar’s Office in order to participate in the May commencement ceremony. Degree applications for the May ceremony are generally due to the Registrar by the beginning of the preceding December.

All students are advised that, even after completing all academic requirements for any degree, the College reserves the right to withhold the granting of the degree in the event that any disciplinary proceedings have been or are being commenced against the student.

Students who successfully defend their thesis, dissertation or independent study in programs where such requirements exist, and are registered for any remaining requirements in the subsequent summer term are eligible to participate in the May ceremony.  While students may be granted permission to march in May, conferral of the degree will occur at the end of the academic term in which all degree requirements are completed.

Students who have successfully defended their thesis, dissertation or independent study, but are not registered for remaining requirements in the subsequent summer term, will need to complete a Permission to March Early Request, documenting their plan for completion.  The form will be distributed by the Office of the Registrar and must be signed by the student, the student’s academic advisor, and program director / department chair, and approved by the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Posthumous Degree Policy

Pending approval of the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Vice President of Student Affairs, Springfield College may award a graduate degree posthumously. The deceased student must have been in good academic standing and should have begun the capstone experience as determined by his/her School Dean.  The posthumous nature of the degree will be indicated on the student’s official transcript.

The community hour is a protected time in the course schedule.  No courses or course-required meetings may be regularly scheduled during the community hour.

Course levels:

Graduate full-time enrollment is defined as nine credit hours. Students wishing to take an overload must have completed one full term, be in good academic standing with a B average, and have the permission of their academic advisor. More than 18 credits is considered an overload. The petition to take an overload is available in the Office of the Registrar.

Upon meeting the following conditions, Springfield College students are eligible to register for a class offered by the School of Professional and Continuing Studies, or the undergraduate schools through the course cross-registration process.

1. Prior approval of course cross-registration must be secured using the Springfield College Cross-Registration/All-College Requirement Substitution Form.
2. Students must fulfill course prerequisites, if any, prior to course cross-registration.
3. Graduate CORE requirement (RSCH 610) may not be met through course cross-registration.
4. Undergraduate students are eligible to cross-register for undergraduate courses only. Graduate students are eligible to cross-register for graduate courses or undergraduate prerequisites only.
5. Course cross-registration is limited to one course per semester, with a maximum course limit of three.
6. Course cross-registration is allowed only in those courses where space is available.
7. Course cross-registration is not allowed during January and summer sessions.
8. Tuition charge for a cross-registration course is based on the rate applicable to the individual’s degree program.

If a student believes that she or he has been treated unfairly in his or her academic work (grade, departmental/program standards, etc.), the student has the right to seek resolution of the concern through informal and formal processes. At any step in the process, the student may consult with his or her academic advisor or any other faculty or staff member for advice.

Step 1 (informal process):
Within 30 calendar days of the disputed action, the student must raise the concern with the instructor or appropriate party. The instructor or other party should respond to the student regarding this concern within 14 calendar days. (If the 30 days are interrupted by the close of a term or semester break, the remaining days will extend into the beginning of the following term or semester. In situations in which the instructor is on leave or no longer employed by the College, the student should proceed to Step 2.)

Step 2 (informal process):
If the student and the instructor do not agree to a resolution, the student has 14 calendar days from the instructor’s response to raise the concern with the chairperson of the department in which the grievance occurred or the campus director. The chairperson or campus director should respond to the student regarding this concern within 14 calendar days and must notify the instructor of the continuation of the grievance process.

Step 3 (formal process, if needed):
If accord is not yet reached through the steps above, the student may file a written grievance using the Academic Grievance Form. The grievance form must be submitted to the dean of the school in which the grievance occurred within 14 days following the chairperson or campus director’s response to the student. Upon receipt of the form, the school dean will conduct whatever review is needed to arrive at a resolution, including, if necessary, a meeting with the student and instructor. The dean will notify all parties involved in writing of her or his decision and any subsequent actions. The decision of the school dean regarding the grievance is final.

Note: A student should also use this process to resolve a dispute with a department, program coordinator, department committee, etc. In such a case, the student should raise the concern with the relevant department chair or campus director within 30 calendar days of the disputed action (extending into the next semester or term if necessary). The chairperson should respond within 14 days. If accord is not reached, the student should proceed to Step 3, filing a written grievance with the appropriate dean within 14 calendar days of the chairperson or campus director’s response.

This policy is not intended to supercede the Academic Integrity and Honesty Policy or the Harassment/Discrimination Policy.

Students’ work will be evaluated by faculty members and course grades assigned. Examinations, written papers, or oral assignments, and/or fieldwork may constitute the basis for the grade awarded in class. Faculty members generally outline the details for determining grades on the course syllabus. Often, any weighted factors for assignments will be outlined in the syllabus. Grade points are assigned to each grade and used in the calculation of the student’s grade point average for the semester’s work or cumulative average. The grades and point values are:

Faculty have sole responsibility of awarding all grades except W, X and NR.

Attempted credit hours - include credits for courses graded “A” though “F”, “P”, accepted transfer credits.

Earned credit hours - include credits for courses graded “A” through “C-“, “P”, and accepted transfer credits.

Graded credit hours (used for calculation of GPAs) - include credits for courses graded “A” through “F”.

GPA is computed by dividing the total grade points earned by the total credit hours attempted. For example:

Calculation:
Total grade points divided by total credit hours equals GPA.
27 divided by 12 equals 2.25 GPA

Grades obtained through course work transferred from another institution or grades for undergraduate courses taken at Springfield College whether as prerequisites or as supplements to a student’s total program, are not included in the calculation of the GPA.

The designation of “CP” (Credit Pending) is given only in courses in which work extends beyond the end of the semester; use of “CP” must be approved in advance by the Department Chair or Campus Director, and the Registrar. Courses eligible for “CP” include independent study, dissertation, thesis, research or courses designed to extend beyond the end of a typical semester. The designation of “CP” does not affect the GPA calculation. In order for a student to graduate a “CP” designation must be converted to a grade.

A student may request from the instructor a grade of incomplete (I) in situations where exceptional circumstances beyond his or her control (such as incapacitating illness or a death in the family) prevent him or her from completing course requirements. In order to be eligible for an incomplete, the student must have completed the majority of the coursework (e.g., 75 percent or more) with passing grades. The decision to grant an incomplete is at the discretion of the instructor. If he or she agrees, a Contract for Incomplete Grade must be completed and submitted to the Registrar. The contract will specify what the student must complete and by when (no later than the conclusion of the next term - see deadline for grade submission below).

The faculty must submit a final grade to the Registrar’s Office by the last day to submit grades in the term following the term in which the incomplete grade (I) was received. If no grade is submitted by that date, the Registrar will automatically change the ‘I’ grade to the alternate final grade designated by the instructor on the contract, or an ‘F’, if an alternate grade is not designated. Of course, all incompletes must be completed, or alternate grades assigned, prior to a student’s graduation.

This policy applies to all students enrolled at Springfield College, effective Fall 1999. It does not affect “I” grades given prior to this date.

If a student withdraws from the College or a graduate student’s candidacy period expires with a grade of I on his or her record, the grade will be converted by the Registrar’s office to a ‘PI’ (permanent incomplete). This grade is permanent and cannot be changed in the future. Students who withdraw and subsequently apply for readmission to the College must re-register for, and complete, the course in order to earn credit for it.

Instructors may not submit grade changes later than one calendar year following the semester or term in which a course was originally graded. This policy is not intended to supercede the academic grievance policy or the policy governing incompletes. Grades can be changed only if a grade was miscalculated or erroneously reported by the faculty member or if an incomplete grade needs to be changed. A form for grade changes is available in the Office of the Registrar. Only faculty may complete the form and submit it to the registrar. Students will receive notification of the grade change from the Office of the Registrar.

A graduate course for which a student receives a grade of F must be repeated if it is a required course. Other courses may be repeated by a student. To repeat a course, the student must re-register for the course. Both grade entries will appear on the transcript, but only the credit hours and the grade resulting from the repeated course will be used in computing hours and grade points for graduation. This will be true whether the grade for the repeated course is higher or lower than the original grade. A course taken for graduate credit may not be repeated more than once.

Students who repeat a course because they have received a grade of F may choose to register for an approved equivalent course at another institution. In accordance with the graduate transfer policy and following petition to do so, students may transfer the credit for the equivalent course to their graduate program if they have earned a grade of B or better. The original grade of F will appear on the transcript but will be removed from the calculation of the CGPA. A grade of P for the transfer course will appear on the transcript and will be used in computing hours but not grade points for graduation.

Instructors are required to provide accommodations, including use of identified access to technology, as determined by the Academic Success Center for a student.  Absent a need for academic accommodations, it is up to the discretion of the course instructor to determine what technology (i.e. laptop, tablet, recording device, calculator, and other electronic devices) students may use during scheduled class time.

Normally, all work for a master’s degree is done at Springfield College. No more than six semester hours of graduate credit may be transferred from one or more other institutions toward the master’s degree in programs requiring less than forty-eight semester hours of credit. However, students who are enrolled in a master’s degree program requiring a minimum of forty-eight semester hours of graduate credit may transfer nine semester hours of graduate credit toward the master’s degree. Courses accepted for transfer credit must be completed during the five-year period of candidacy, have a grade of B or better, and be applicable to the individual’s program of study pursued at Springfield College. Additionally, such courses must carry graduate credit at an accredited institution with a notation to that effect on the official transcript. In exceptional cases, the time limit (the five year period of candidacy) may be extended by the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs following a petition by the graduate student and with the recommendation of the dean of the student’s program, prior to the end of the five year period.

Extension credit from another accredited institution will be acceptable for transfer only where such extension work is accepted toward a master’s degree at that other institution.

Correspondence courses will not be accepted for graduate credit.

For transfer credit policies in the School of Social Work, see the Social Work program section of the catalog.

For transfer credit policies in the Doctor of Psychology program, see the Doctor of Psychology in Counseling Psychology program section of the catalog.

With the exception of College-excused absences noted below, Springfield College students are expected to attend all class sessions for which they are registered.  Beyond those College-excused absences, each instructor has the frredom to set a specific attendance policy for his or her class, and is responsible for communicating that policy to class members via the syllabus.

If a students mises a class meeting for any reason, including illness, emergency, or College-excused absences, he or shee is still responsible for the material covered and any assignments due.

Absences Due to Illness or Emergency

In the event of an absence due to illness or emergency, students should notify their professors as soon as possible via email and/or phone.  Students should ask about options for obtaining missed material and whether it is possible to make up missed work.  In the event of an extended illness or emergency, students should also notify the Dean of Students (studentaffairs@springfield.edu or 413-738-3922).

College-Excused absences

The following situations should be recognized as College-excused absences from class, providing the student follows the guidelines listed below:

1. Participation in intercollegiate athletic contest (including travel time) approved by the athletic director and posted on the Springfield College Athletics website.
2. Participation in a scheduled curricular or co-curricular activity approved by the appropriate dean or vice-president and on file in the dean of students’ office.
3. Observation of religious holidays.

If possible, the instructor should allow the student to make up the class work or complete an alternative assignment. A student who anticipates absences of this nature:

• Must provide his or her instructors with a list of dates of expected absences by the end of the first week of class and discuss with each instructor the impact of such absences. If the instructor deems that the absences will interfere with the student’s ability to successfully complete the objectives of the course, the student must seek to reduce the absences or drop or withdraw from the course.
• Should arrange in advance of the absence for make-up of any work that will be missed and for submission of any assignments due.
• Should notify the instructor as soon as possible in the event of a sudden change of schedule (for example, participation in a game rescheduled due to rain or joining a team mid-season) and provide documentation if requested. Again, impact of the absence(s) must be discussed with the instructor.

Basic Policy

Springfield College students are expected to be honest in all elements of the academic process, including coursework, use of College documents, and when serving as representatives of the College.  Cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts, omissions, or falsifications in any connection with the academic process are violations of the Academic Honesty Policy (hereafter referred to as the Policy). Students found to be in violation of this Policy are subject to a range of sanctions, including, but not limited to, a reprimand, failing a course, and suspension or expulsion from the College. 

The Practice of Academic Honesty

The information below is intended to help students understand the practice of academic honesty and potential offenses against the Academic Honesty Policy.  Misunderstanding these practices or the Policy will not be accepted as an excuse for a violation of it.  If a student is in doubt about how to practice academic honesty in a course or in conduct, he or she should consult with the course instructor, the chairperson of the department, or the dean of his or her school.

Academic Honesty in Course Exercises

A student’s name on any course exercise (which term shall include, but not be limited to, an essay, oral presentation, notebook, report, computer program, paper, quiz, examination, or any other assignment related to a course  or internship) is regarded as assurance that the exercise is the result of the student’s own thoughts and study, stated in his or her own words, and produced without assistance, except as quotation marks, references, and footnotes acknowledge the use of printed sources or other outside help. In some instances, an instructor or department may authorize students to work jointly in solving problems or completing projects. Such efforts must be clearly marked as the results of collaboration. Where collaboration is authorized, students should make sure that they understand which parts of any assignment must be performed independently. Also, students are not allowed to present the same exercise previously or concurrently completed for another course, without the permission of the instructor(s) of the current course(s) in question. Students who perceive the possibility of an overlapping assignment should consult with their instructors before presuming that a single effort will meet the requirements of both courses. Withholding, removing, or destroying materials needed by other students for class exercises is also an offense against the Policy.

Use of Sources

In preparing assignments, a student often is required to consult outside sources of information or opinion. All such sources should be listed in the bibliography/reference section. Commercial research or writing companies are not considered legitimate sources and their use, in whole or part, is cheating and constitutes a punishable offense. For citations, references in text are required for all specific facts that are not common knowledge. New discoveries or debatable opinions must be credited to the source with specific references to edition, page, or Web page even when the student restates the matter in his or her own words. Word-for-word inclusions, even if only a phrase or sentence, from the written or oral statement of someone else (including the Internet) requires citation in quotation marks and using the appropriate conventions for attribution. Paraphrasing or summarizing the contents of another’s work is not dishonest if the source or sources are clearly identified (author, title, edition, page), but such paraphrasing does not constitute independent work and may be rejected by the instructor.  Graduate students and others presenting their own previously published documents must avoid issues of self-plagiarism. Students should be clear to appropriately reference their previous document and to create a new document that appropriately contributes and adds to their original work.

Laboratory Work and Assignments

Notebooks, homework, and reports of investigations or experiments must meet the same standards as all other written work. If any of the work is done jointly or if any part of the experiment or analysis is made by anyone other than the writer, acknowledgment of this fact must be made in the report submitted. It is dishonest for a student to falsify or invent data.

Creative Work

A piece of work presented as the individual creation of the student is assumed to involve no assistance other than incidental criticism from any other person. A student may not knowingly employ artwork, story material, wording or dialogue taken from published work, the Internet, motion pictures, lectures, or similar media, without full acknowledgment.

Examinations, Quizzes, and Tests

When completing examinations and quizzes, the student is required to respond entirely on the basis of his or her own memory and capacity, without any assistance whatsoever except such as is specifically authorized by the instructor.

Cheating on examinations and quizzes can take many forms including, but not limited to, using another individual to take an examination in one’s place, bringing into the exam room unauthorized materials from which one gains assistance, appropriating an exam or exam materials without authorization, unauthorized or inappropriate use of technology, purposely missing an exam in order to gain an advantage, copying during an examination, improper collaboration or unauthorized assistance on take-home examinations, or other actions that undermine fairness reduce the objectivity of evaluation of student work.

Internships or Fieldwork

Students involved in community projects, practica, independent studies, or fieldwork experiences related to their academic program should be aware that their behavior is a reflection of themselves and the College; their behavior related to such experiences should be appropriate and professional and is subject to this Policy. Violations of this Policy in such circumstances include, but are not limited to, misrepresenting oneself, misrepresenting the College, misusing a position of authority, or failure to honestly report the results of their experience or research.

Learning Portfolios

In writing and compiling a learning portfolio, including a prior learning portfolio for the School of Professional and Continuing Studies, the student must submit only his or her own written work, identify any sources used (see “Use of Sources” above), and ensure that all information included is accurate. Violations of this Policy include, but are not limited to, failure to submit original work (e.g., uncited passages from published materials, including any part of another student’s portfolio or claim), falsification of any information or source, or forgery of any letter of documentation. Sharing or exchanging claims for credit with another student for any purpose, including their use as examples or models, is also not permitted; both students involved in such an incident will be considered in violation of this Policy.

College Documents and Records

Any misuse of official College documents connected with the academic process constitutes a violation of this Policy. Such documents include, but are not limited to registration forms, change of schedule forms, applications to change majors, grade report forms, applications for internships or fieldwork, transcripts, and diplomas. Misuse of such documents includes, but is not limited to, unauthorized alteration of a form, forging of signatures, misrepresentation of personal or academic information requested, or gaining access to a recommendation (without permission) once rights have been waived. Any falsification of records or routines for grading is also dishonest, whether before or after graduation.

Procedures for Suspected Violations of the Academic Honesty Policy

A student, faculty, or staff member who suspects a student of violating the Academic Honesty Policy is urged to report the incident to the instructor of the relevant course, or if the incident is not related to a course, to the Associate Vice-President of Academic Affairs (AVPAA).  

A.  Course-related Violations

1. All suspected violations of the Academic Honesty Policy related to coursework shall be dealt with initially by the instructor of the course in which the alleged offense occurred. The instructor is responsible to investigate the allegation and determine whether a violation of the Policy occurred. If the student is found to be in violation of the Policy, the instructor must document the incident and evidence, write a letter of sanction, and meet with the student to discuss the incident and sanction.  The letter of sanction should include:
   1. A brief explanation of the violation.
   2. Identification of the sanction.
   3. An explanation of the appeal process. 
   4. A statement that “a report of this incident and my sanction will be forwarded to the Associate Vice-President of Academic Affairs and may be subject to further action.” 
2. If the student is found to be in violation of the Policy, the instructor may penalize the student with one of the following course-related sanctions.
   1. Reprimand - The student will be allowed to repeat the exercise or complete an alternative assignment. Responsibility for evaluation of the student’s work in the course continues under the authority of the course instructor.
   2. Loss of credit in the exercise - The student will forfeit all or partial credit for the exercise, at the discretion of the instructor. The student may be required to repeat the exercise or complete an alternative assignment, with proportion of credit awarded at the discretion of the instructor. The student will be allowed to continue in the course.
   3. A grade of “F” in the course - The student will no longer participate in the course, and the instructor will assign a grade of “F.”

Note: Any accusation of a violation of this policy must be investigated and acted upon by the instructor-no student may withdraw from a course to avoid investigation or adjudication. If it is determined that a violation occurred and the student wishes to withdraw from the class, he or she may only do so with the instructor’s approval (and within the withdrawal period).

3. Within five business days of meeting with the student and imposition of the sanction, the instructor must forward documentation of the incident and a copy of the sanction letter to the Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs (AVPAA).  
4. The AVPAA serves as the central repository for all reported violations of academic integrity. Upon receipt of any report, the AVPAA shall notify the student that the violation and sanction report has been received and will be kept on file.
5. In case of an egregious violation or a history of previous violation against the Policy, the AVPAA may initiate additional action by referring the case to the Academic Integrity Committee. The AVPAA has 30 class days from being notified of a violation and sanction to make such a referral and will notify the student of the referral.
   1. If a case is referred to the Academic Integrity Committee for additional action, the Committee has 30 business days (following a referral from the AVPAA) to schedule a hearing with the student. Following the hearing, the Committee will make a decision regarding whether one of the following sanctions should be imposed, above and beyond sanctions that may have been imposed by the instructor(s).
      1. Academic Honesty Probation - The student would receive a notification that he or she is on academic honesty probation; any additional incidences may result in suspension or expulsion from the College.
      2. Suspension - The student will be suspended from the College for a minimum of one semester and a maximum of two semesters. The student may be restricted from transferring in courses taken elsewhere during the suspension.
      3. Expulsion - The student may be expelled from the College and will not be eligible to return to the College.
   2. The decision of the Academic Integrity Committee will be communicated to the student in writing by the AVPAA, with copies to the instructor, advisor(s), the appropriate dean(s) and the Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs.

B.  Non-course-related Violations

Alleged violations of the Policy related to misuse of College documents or other charges not related to courses should be reported directly to the AVPAA, who will conduct an investigation. If it appears a violation of the Policy may have occurred, the AVPAA will refer the case to the Academic Integrity Committee for a hearing (see Step 4a above).

C.  Violations Identified Following Degree Conferral

Discovery of an alleged violation of the Policy by a student whose degree was already conferred, should be reported directly to the AVPAA, who will conduct an investigation. If it appears a violation of the Policy may have occurred, the AVPAA will refer the case to the Academic Integrity Committee for a hearing.  If the Committee determines a violation took place, they may recommend to the Provost that the student’s degree be revoked.  The decision of the Provost in such a case is final. 

Appeal Processes

1. Students may appeal any decision or sanction for a violation of the Academic Honesty Policy made by an instructor by notifying the Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs no later than ten business days following the notification sent to the student from the instructor. 
2. The AVPAA will refer the appeal to the Academic Integrity Committee for consideration. The decision of the Academic Integrity Committee will be communicated to the student, instructor, the appropriate dean(s) and the Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs. The decision of the Academic Integrity Committee is final.
3. In the case of sanctions applied by the Academic Integrity Committee, or in a case initially heard by that Committee, students may appeal any decision or sanction for a violation of the Policy taken by that Committee by notifying the Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs no later than ten business days following the notification sent to the student from the Committee.   The appeal will be forwarded to the Provost for consideration. The decision of the Provost is final. 

Academic Integrity Committee

The Academic Integrity Committee is empowered to:

1. Consider a student’s appeal of an instructor’s findings of academic dishonesty or an instructor-imposed sanction.
2. Hear charges of a violation of the Policy relative to College documents or other offense not related to a course.
3. Hear charges of an egregious violation of the Policy or repeated violations of the Policy.

 As part of its deliberations, the Committee may consider a student’s prior violations of the academic honesty policy.

The Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs will also convene the Committee at least once an academic year to provide a report on the number and severity of all policy violations.  The report shall be distributed to the Provost and to the school Deans for additional distribution at the school level.

The Committee shall consist of a total of nine faculty members.  The deans of the Schools of Arts, Sciences, and Professional Studies; Health, Physical Education and Recreation; Health Sciences and Rehabilitation Studies; and Professional and Continuing Studies will appoint two faculty members to represent his or her school. The faculty members appointed should provide representation for both the undergraduate and graduate level.  The Dean of the School of Social Work shall provide one representative to represent their graduate programs. The AVPAA will chair the committee as an ex-officio (non-voting) member.

Students who attend a course for which they are not officially registered will not receive credit or grades for their work. The registration of all students is conducted under the direction of the Registrar, according to the schedule of classes for the College year. The official registration records are compiled and administered in the Office of the Registrar. All full-time undergraduate and graduate students are registered at specific times and dates as listed in the official calendars. The registrar publishes, in advance of each registration, specific instructions regarding procedures. Students who fail to register by the registration deadline may be required to pay a late-registration fee. Courses with low enrollments are subject to cancellation. Not all courses listed in the course description section of the Catalogs are offered each semester.

All graduate students (full- and part-time) must report to their advisors for registration clearance prior to registering and adding or dropping courses.

Springfield College maintains a five-day add period and a ten-day drop period at the start of each semester. Late registration will be permitted only in an emergency, and a fee may be assessed in such cases.

No graduate student will be placed in a supervised fieldwork or student teaching experience until admitted to graduate standing and candidacy for a degree. Students will not be eligible to register for a course by arrangement, Guided Individual Study (RSCH 618), Thesis (RSCH 625-635), or Dissertation (RSCH 735) until the above condition has been met.*

*On the recommendation of the department and upon approval by the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, exceptions to this regulation may be made for students pursuing approved certification programs.

Springfield College maintains a five-day add period and a ten-day drop period each semester (excluding summer). During the first five days of each semester, students may request additions to their schedule of courses. Students must complete a Change-of-Schedule Form to complete schedule additions. The form may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar. All Change-of-Schedule Forms must be signed by the student’s advisor before they are brought to the registrar for processing. After the five-day add period, students may not make additions to their academic schedules. Students are urged to refer to the Academic Schedule each semester for more specific information.

During the first ten days of the semester, students may drop a course for which they have registered. An approved Change-of-Schedule Form must be signed by the student’s advisor. Students are encouraged to refer to the Colleges publication of Fiscal Facts for additional information.

After the ten-day drop period, students may, with the approval of their advisor and course instructor, withdraw (receive a grade of W) from a course anytime up to a point at which eighty percent of the course is completed (twelve weeks in a fifteen-week semester). Exceptions to the withdrawal deadline can be made only by the Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs. A “W” grade cannot be submitted for a student by the course instructor.

Springfield College will maintain student confidentiality rights and protect access to information as provided by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Except as provided by law, information from a student’s records will not be released without the prior written consent of the student. This legislation also provides numerous exceptions whereby the College may release information without prior notice and/or consent of the student, including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Directory information may be provided unless a student has filed a written request to withhold this information. Students must advise the Office of the Registrar in writing no later than September 15 of each academic year if they wish to restrict the release of this information. Springfield College considers the following information as directory information: name, campus mailbox, campus phone number, enrollment status, dates of attendance at the College, major, credit hours earned, degrees earned, and honors received.

2. Information may be shared with and by Springfield College faculty and staff who have a legitimate educational interest in the student.

3. Academic information may be shared with parents of students who complete an authorization to release academic records information, or if parents provide the Registrar with an annual copy of their federal income tax return documenting the student as a dependent.

Any request for information regarding current or former student’s academic records must be directed to the Registrar.

Students retain the right to review the contents of their educational and academic records. In order to do so, a formal written request must be made through the Office of the Registrar. In such cases, a meeting will be established within forty-five days of the request to permit the student to review materials. Springfield College will comply with a written request initiated by the student to supply information in their behalf. Such requests must be signed and dated and include the specific records or information to be disclosed, the purpose for the disclosure, and the individual(s) to whom the information should be released. Details concerning FERPA are available at the Office of the Dean of Students and the Office of the Registrar.

Students may obtain student-issued, unofficial copies of their academic transcripts for the duration of study at Springfield College. Applications for these transcripts are made in writing to the Office of the Registrar.

A $7 fee (effective June 1, 2018) is charged for transcripts requested to be officially sent to a third party. Official transcript requests must include name and address of the official to whom the information is to be mailed, along with a student’s signature as permission to release a record.

Official transcripts, bearing the College seal, are sent by the registrar directly to the receiver and may not be transmitted by the applicant. Ordinarily, transcript requests will be processed and mailed within ten days of the written request.

Currently enrolled students; non-enrolled students; students who have been separated, dismissed, suspended, expelled, disciplined, withdrawn, or were on a leave of absence may not obtain an official transcript, access to registration for courses, selection of a residence hall room, and/or a diploma if their accounts are not paid in full, as and when due.

Students who do not intend to complete their graduate degree program at Springfield College may withdraw from the College. To withdraw from Springfield College, a student must meet with the School Dean or her/his designee for an exit interview, at which time the various steps of the withdrawal process will be reviewed. The purpose of the interview is to provide the student with an opportunity to review options and bring closure to the experience at the College. At the interview, an effective withdrawal date will be determined. This date will be used in processing any potential refunds. Withdrawal from the College closes out the student’s academic record. A withdrawal may not be rescinded, but a student may choose to reapply for admission to his or her program.

Any matriculated graduate student, who is both within his or her candidacy period and in good academic standing, may apply for a leave of absence. A leave of absence allows for a temporary interruption of the student’s graduate program and by definition will extend the candidacy period of the student for a time period equivalent to the leave. A leave of absence should be requested through the student’s department chair, graduate coordinator, or Campus Director and must be approved by the Dean of the School. The leave of absence option allows the student to re-enroll within the agreed upon time period without going through readmission procedures. A leave of absence may not extend for more than two terms; although the length of a leave may vary as necessitated by program requirements. Specific conditions for academic preparation to return to the program may be required. A written request for an extension of a leave due to extenuating circumstances will be considered by the school Dean. If students do not enroll after their leave of absence expires, they may lose their matriculation status, and may be required to reapply for admission.

Matriculated graduate and post-graduate students at Springfield College are expected to be registered each term until they graduate, unless they file an official leave of absence from the College. Those students who are eligible to enroll for classes, but are not registered for the current term and are working on the completion of a research project, thesis, dissertation, or coursework will be assessed the Continuous Registration fee for each term until degree completion occurs or the candidacy period of the student expires. This status allows students to maintain use of campus facilities including but not limited to off-campus access to library resources.

Springfield College endeavors to promote research in four areas: institutional research, research related to the Colleges objectives and programs, individual and new research, and service research.

The Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, in consultation with the Graduate Council, administers a General Research Fund that is designed to stimulate faculty research and to lead to larger studies that may receive further assistance from private or public sources. Support has been given to a wide variety of investigations. A student research fund, administered by the Graduate Office, is also available to provide financial assistance to graduate students who are conducting research studies.

The College Counseling Center, the East Campus, and the Babson Library offer campus opportunities for conducting research related to student interests and areas of study. Within the community, research is conducted in collaboration with agencies and schools. The Allied Health Sciences Building offers well-equipped laboratories for physiology, physiology of exercise, motor learning, biomechanics, physical therapy, and occupational therapy.

Other study and training projects financed or sponsored by federal and state governments, private industry, the YMCA, other social organizations, and philanthropic foundations are conducted from time to time making the College campus a lively place for students to enlarge their interests and to participate under supervision in many enriching experiences.

Computers are increasingly a necessary tool for instruction throughout the curriculum. Their use extends beyond simple word processing and includes a wide variety of applications which include spreadsheets, E-mail, group discussion databases, presentation programs, Internet research, library search services, and other specialized programs required within individual courses. The Information and Technology Services department (ITS) maintains a student public access computer lab and several training and instructional computer labs in the basement of Babson Library. All computer labs are connected to the campus data network and most provide printing services.

All labs run Windows 2000 operating systems; Apple OS is not supported by the college. The campus software package includes Microsoft Office and Microsoft Internet Explorer Internet access. All Springfield College students are given an individual E-mail account. Each campus residence room is equipped with a live data network outlet for each student.

For specifics on computing on campus, see the computing resources page at http://springfield.edu/information-and-technology-services.