ACADEMICS

Tusculum College believes that learning is an intimate process best supported on a personal basis between teacher and student and that no environment nurtures this process more completely than a small college community.

Academic Advising

All students are assigned an advisor by the director of academic advising. Advisors are either faculty, staff with faculty status or selected staff members. In order to establish close personal contacts, each advisor typically works with 15 to 20 advisees.

Freshmen enrolled in Tusculum Experience (OREN 105) will be advised in their first semester by their orientation instructor. After the first semester, if the student has decided upon a program of study, an advisor will be assigned from that area of study. If the student is undecided about a major, the Director of Advising will assign an advisor from a pool who work with those who are still exploring their majors. Once a major has been declared, the student will normally be reassigned to an advisor from the group working with that major. All students meet with their advisors on the first day of every block.

Academic Dismissal

Dismissal occurs when a student has been unsuccessful during the probationary semester following an Academic Suspension in remedying the cause of the probation. Dismissal is ordinarily a final revocation of eligibility to return to the College.

Academic Misconduct

Cheating and plagiarism are violations of Ethics of Social Responsibility—one of the outcomes that has been identified as essential to the Civic Arts. Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty. It consists of knowingly presenting in writing or in speech the intellectual or creative work of others as if it were one’s own. This includes:

Failing to identify direct or word-for-word quotations by use of appropriate symbols and reference to the source.
Restating in your own words the work (ideas, conclusions, words) of another without reference to the source.
Presenting as your own the creative work (for instance, music or photographs) of another without proper acknowledgment.

Besides plagiarism, other forms of academic dishonesty include the following:
Submitting the same work in two or more courses without significant modifications or expansion and without the approval of the instructors involved.
Submitting purchased, borrowed, copied or specially commissioned work as if it were one’s own.
Knowingly permitting others to submit your work under their names.
Copying the work of others during an examination or other academic exercise.
Knowingly allowing others to copy your work during an examination or other academic exercise.
Using “cheat sheets” or any other unauthorized form of assistance during an exam, quiz or other academic exercise.
Manipulating or fabricating data to support erroneous conclusions.

NOTE: AUTHORIZED HELP is encouraged and includes:

attendance at help sessions.
tutoring received with your instructor’s knowledge (responsible tutoring does not provide answers to specific assignments but focuses on general principles, concepts, rules and information, as well as on skills development).
work with Academic Resource Center or Student Support Services staff done with the knowledge of your instructor.

The effect of cheating within a community is to destroy the environment of honesty and trust on which the community depends. A dishonest performance diminishes the achievement of those who have worked hard and demonstrated real mastery of a subject. For this reason you are encouraged to confront peers who violate the standard of honesty by any form of cheating or plagiarism and, if necessary, to report their behavior to an appropriate authority (instructor, director or authorized college agency or body). No one but you can know if you should take the kind of action just described.

Sanctions:

Stage 1 - In a case of unintentional or doubtful plagiarism, the student receives a written warning from the faculty member. Whether the student receives an “F” for the assignment is up to the faculty member.

Stage 2 - This stage is for an offense after warning or for a first offense in which the student knowingly and willfully engages in academic misconduct. The penalty is automatically an “F” in the course. The action is reported to the Admissions and Standards Committee. The student is warned in writing of the consequences of a future Stage 3 offense.

Stage 3 - Depending on where the student started (with unintentional or intentional violation), Stage 3 is for a second offense in cheating or a second or third offense in plagiarism. The penalty is an “F” in the course and suspension or expulsion from the College - a matter that is recorded on the student’s transcript. Most students suspended for academic misconduct may not be readmitted until one calendar from the date of their suspension. Most accredited institutions will deny admission to a student currently on suspension.

Academic Probation

A student will be placed on academic probation for his/her next term of enrollment if he/she fails to meet any standard as outlined above for any term. In no case may a student remain on academic probation for more than two consecutive terms.

Academic Suspension

At the end of a term on academic probation, if a student fails to meet retention standards he or she will be placed on academic suspension. However, if the student has earned at least a 2.0 G.P.A. on at least 12 hours of completed coursework during the most current term, he or she will not be suspended, but will remain on academic probation for a second term.

Any student who has been suspended due to academic performance will not be eligible to re-enter the college until one term of suspension has been completed. All students will be identified for potential suspension following the spring term. Final determination of suspension will be determined prior to the beginning of the fall term. Residential College students may use the summer term on probation or suspension to raise their total cumulative G.P.A. to the level required for good standing. Students on probation or suspension are allowed to transfer hours to Tusculum from other accredited institutions to improve their G.P.A. provided they have received prior approval of this coursework from the Registrar’s Office.

All appeals must be made in writing to the Admissions and Standards Committee. No student may return to the college in a fall or spring term either part-time or full-time without following the appeals procedure outlined in his or her suspension letter.

Undergraduate students placed on academic suspension from Tusculum College must meet the specified terms and conditions of that status prior to seeking readmission to the College.

Academic Time

Classes may be scheduled from 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., while science course laboratories sessions may extend until 4:00 p.m. The typical morning class is scheduled between 8:30 and 11:30. The typical afternoon class is scheduled between 12:30 and 3:30. Naturally, when field trips are scheduled, the trip may extend beyond these hours. Course syllabi will identify any additional class meeting times.

Adding / Dropping Classes

Students may add or drop classes for which they have registered. For courses already in progress (that is, the class has met at least one time), students may add or drop during the advising period on the first day of the course. All students are required to meet with advisors during the advising period to handle schedule adjustments and other academic matters. The Registrar cannot accept drop/add forms without the signature of the advisor, instructor, Division Chair or designee, which can be obtained each block at the required first-day meeting. Exceptions to this procedure must be authorized by the Admissions and Standards Committee and affected instructors. Dropping a course without authorization automatically results in a grade of “F” if you attend any course meeting or a grade of “NR” if you never attended the course.

Administrative Appeal

A student placed on academic suspension or academically dismissed may appeal to the Admissions and Standards Committee. The appeal must be prepared in writing and be accompanied by appropriate support of documents. Reasons that may be acceptable for appeal consideration are:

A serious illness or an accident to the student. This will normally require a medical statement from a physician.
Death, serious illness, or injury in the immediate family (parent, siblings, children, or spouse). A physician's statement or appropriate death certificate will be required.
Other extenuating circumstances may be acceptable and will be considered.

Advanced Placement Programs

Tusculum College participates in the AP, CLEP and the DSST Programs. These programs allow a student to receive course credit without participating in the course by successfully completing a standardized examination. Only official scores coming from an authorized testing center will be evaluated. Credit for exams appearing on transcripts from other colleges will not be evaluated. A maximum of 18 semester hours of credit earned through these examinations may be applied by undergraduate students to the total number of semester hours required for graduation. Tusculum College grants credit for satisfactory scores made on AP, CLEP and DSST exams providing the following have been met:

The student has received permission to take the exam from the Registrar (CLEP & DSST only).
The student must pass with the minimum score recommended by the Tusculum College standard for the AP and the American Council on Education (ACE) for CLEP and DSST.
Credit will be received as “pass,” that is, no hours attempted or quality points will be computed in the examinee’s quality point average.
Unsatisfactory scores will not become a part of the student’s record.
The number of semester hours granted will be determined by the scope of the material measured, as recommended by the Council on College-Level Examination (CLEP and DSST).
AP, CLEP and DSST credit may not be acceptable for Pre- Professional and Education majors.

Athletic Eligibility

For purposes of athletic eligibility, a student-athlete in good standing is one who is enrolled as a full-time student, meets the requirements to receive financial aid assistance and continues to earn hours toward a degree.

Bruce G. Batts Medal

Prior to his passing after a heroic struggle with leukemia in September 1992, Bruce G. Batts was the founding director of the Warren W. Hobbie Center for the Civic Arts. His vision, creativity, careful thinking, determination, and concern for others were crucial factors in launching the major changes that continue to shape Tusculum College today. It was Bruce who first suggested the name "Commons" for the newly developed core curriculum. It was Bruce who worked diligently to assist in finding sources of funding for the important innovations taking shape here. It was Bruce from whose frequent essays and thoughtful conversations members of the community learned to think more deeply about goals and methods in transforming the College.

With the Bruce G. Batts Medal Tusculum College perpetuates the memory of this outstanding pioneer and honors a graduating student who has demonstrated to a high degree the qualities that characterized Bruce and, in fact, qualities which well represent the Civic Arts: consistent civility in dealing with others, a high level of scholarship and careful thinking, and a strong pattern of service to others.

Class Attendance

Students are responsible for all work from the first day of class and are expected to attend all meetings of the class for which they are registered. Absence for whatever reason, including participation in a college-sponsored event, does not relieve a student from responsibility for any part of the work covered in the class during the period of absence. During a block, students may miss up to three classes to participate in college-sponsored events without penalizing their grade. Students who miss more than three classes, without instructor approval, will fail the course. Students should refer to specific course syllabi for additional attendance policies.

All students must attend three or more classes to be considered for a refund of any Financial Aid monies if a refund is due.

Classification of Students

For administrative purposes, the following criteria are used in determining the class in which a student is placed:

Credit Hours Earned	Class
0-23	Freshman
24-47	Sophomore
48-71	Junior
72 and above	Senior

Correspondence Courses

Students wishing to earn the Bachelor of Arts degree may be allowed to take one correspondence course a year in their major only if the course will not be offered at Tusculum College during the period in which the student will be fulfilling graduation requirements. A student may take a total of two correspondence courses to fulfill teacher certification requirements if Tusculum does not offer those courses in an acceptable time frame. B.A. students taking correspondence credit must receive prior permission from the Registrar and department chair.

Course Levels

All courses at Tusculum College are identified by numbers composed of three digits with the first number designating the level of instruction.

Pre-College division: Courses number 000 to 100 are precollegiate developmental/remedial courses offering no college credit.

Lower-division: Courses numbered 101 to 199 are primarily freshman exploratory discipline or introductory Commons courses open to all students without restriction, if no other prerequisite is listed. Courses numbered 200-299 are primarily second- level discipline or Commons courses intended for students with sophomore standing or students who have met the prerequisite.

Upper-division: Courses numbered 300-399 are primarily junior- level discipline or Commons courses carrying a wider range of prerequisites and are designed to build on foundations learned in lower-division courses. Courses numbering 400-499 are primarily senior-level advanced discipline or Commons capstone courses which depend heavily on prerequisite foundations and are designed to lead to post-baccalaureate employment, graduate study, or professional school.

Graduate-division: Courses numbered 500-599 are designed for post-baccalaureate students.

Course Load

A Bachelor of Arts student may enroll in a maximum of 18 semester hours of academic credit per fall, spring or summer term without prior approval by the Registrar and without extra tuition charges. Students may register for up to two hours per Block in addition to a three or four semester hour course. Students required to enroll in the Bridge program will not be charged an overload fee. Residential students whose registration exceeds 18 hours and the overload is a Graduate and Professional Studies course will be charged the full amount for the Graduate and Professional Studies course. Registrations exceeding 18 semester hours require approval from the Admissions and Standards Committee.

Courses at Another Institution

All courses taken at another institution must be approved by the Tusculum College Registrar. Courses taken online through another institution must have Tusculum College Faculty and Registrar approval. Unauthorized course work may result in duplication of previously earned credit or denial of credit. Official transcripts are required upon completion of coursework at another school.

Coursework

The Bachelor of Arts requires satisfactory completion of college work that must include the Commons courses as well as a major program of study. Elective courses constitute the remainder of the student's academic program. Many students also choose to earn a minor, although this is not a graduation requirement.

In general, the student who successfully completes a course will earn the equivalent of four semester hours of credit; 32 courses or one hundred and twenty-eight semester hours are required for graduation.

Satisfactory completion of work for graduation requires that the student earn a minimum grade point average of 2.00, or an overall "C" for all courses taken. The student must earn a minimum grade point average of 2.25 in the major program of study. All students are required to complete at least 32 of their last 36 hours at Tusculum College.

Declare or Change Major

When students know what major program of study they wish to pursue, an official declaration of major form should be completed with the advisor and forwarded to the Registrar or the Advising Director. Accurate knowledge of students’ major program intentions is used by the College to assign academic advisors, assist in accurate advising about program requirements, anticipating the need for various courses and ensuring that graduation requirements have been met.

Students may change majors while at the College. When this happens, a new declaration of major form must be completed with the advisor, and forwarded to the Registrar or the Director of Advising. A change of major may entail a change of academic advisor as well.

Changing majors, particularly as an upperclassman, may require additional time in order to complete all graduation requirements.

Degree Requirements

To earn the Bachelor of Arts degree, the student must:

Complete 128 semester hours of coursework, with an overall grade point average (G.P.A.) of 2.00.
Complete a minimum of 25% of the credit hours required for the degree through instruction offered at the College.
Complete 32 of the last 36 hours on campus.
Complete a Major program of study, with a G.P.A. of 2.25 in the Major.
Satisfactorily complete all coursework in the Commons core curriculum.
Submit all official postsecondary transcripts.
Participate in all outcomes assessment activities as required.
Make payment of all tuition and fees.

Although advisors are available to guide students in planning, it is the student’s ultimate responsibility to see that all requirements for graduation are met, including Commons requirements, requirements within a chosen major program of study and any other degree requirements applicable to individual students.

Students who have completed all graduation requirements and are in good standing with the institution are eligible to participate in graduation exercises. No certification will be given until work is completed and all graduation requirements are met and approved.

All graduates are expected to participate in the winter or spring commencement exercises of the College.

Degrees with Distinction

Degrees with distinction are granted to Bachelor of Arts students for outstanding academic performance. All collegiate level work, including work taken at other accredited colleges, will be used to determine the required average. The grade point averages required for these degrees are as follows: cum laude, 3.50; magna cum laude, 3.75; summa cum laude, 3.95.

Grade Appeals

A student who believes a course grade is not a fair reflection of his or her performance in a given class has the right to appeal that grade. She/he must, however, present this concern within one block after the grade was assigned. (If the grade is assigned during block eight, then the process will begin in the first block of the following year.) Students are strongly encouraged to begin the appeal process as quickly as possible.

Whenever possible, appeals should be made in person. If a meeting is not possible, then the concerns/questions should be listed clearly in a dated letter or memo addressed to the professor and signed by the student. The student is responsible for contacting the professor to make an appointment. If an appointment is not possible, then the student is responsible for ensuring that the professor receives the letter. If the appeal is submitted in writing, then the professor must respond in writing within 5 class days after receiving the letter. If the professor’s explanation of the grade—either oral or written—is satisfactory to the student, then the matter is resolved.

If the student is still not satisfied, then he/she must file a formal written appeal (including relevant documentation) to the chair of the division or the director of the school in which the class was offered. This appeal must be dated and signed by the student, and given to the Division Chair or School Director within the second block after the grade is earned. If the professor who assigned the grade is the Division Chair or School Director then the student will appeal to another Division Chair or School Director designated by the chair of the Admissions and Standards Committee.

The Chair/Director must meet with the professor within 5 class days of receiving the appeal from the student. After discussing the appeal with the professor, the Chair/Director has 5 class days to communicate a recommendation in writing to the student, the professor, and the Chair of the Admissions and Stan dards Committee.

If the student is not satisfied with this recommendation, or if the professor does not follow the recommendation of the Chair/ Director, then the student may at this point forward the appeal, with accompanying documentation and additional commentary, if any, to the Admissions and Standards Committee. This appeal must be submitted within the first five class days of the third block after the grade was assigned.

The Admissions and Standards Committee will render an opinion on such an appeal at the first scheduled meeting following receipt of the appeal. Petitions for late appeals may be submitted, but these appeals will be considered only if the Admissions and Standards Committee determines that extraordinary extenuating circumstances prevented the student from meeting the stated deadline(s).

Decisions made by the Admissions and Standards Committee regarding appeals are final. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with their advisors when preparing grade appeals.

Example Timeline

The following example is provided as an illustration of the deadlines involved in the appeal process.

In Block 1, a student earns a grade that he/she wishes to appeal.

As soon as possible, but no later than by the last day of Block 2, the student must notify the professor, either in person or in writing, of the intent to appeal. If the appeal is in writing, the professor has five class days to respond to the student in writing.

By no later than the last day of Block 3, the student must submit an appeal to the Division Chair if the matter was not resolved satisfactorily. The Chair has five class days to meet with the professor, and the Chair then has five class days to respond to the student, the professor and the Chair of the Admissions and Standards Committee in writing.

By no later than the fifth class day of Block 4, the student must submit an appeal to the Admissions and Standards Committee if he/she is still not satisfied. The Admissions and Standards Committee will render a final decision at its next scheduled meeting.

Grade Changes

In order to maintain consistent college-wide standards, grade changes are permitted only under special circumstances. Once a student's final course grade has been officially recorded by the Registrar, the grade may be changed only under the following conditions:

If a new grade is determined through the official grade appeal process and is submitted by the instructor or by the Admissions and Standards Committee.
If a grade of "Incomplete" or "In Progress" is replaced in accordance with existing procedures specified in the College Catalog.
If an error in computing or recording the grade has been verified by the instructor. It is the student's responsibility to call the instructor's attention to a possible grading error in a timely manner, typically during the semester following that in which the questioned grade was received. If twelve months have elapsed since the grade was issued, no grade change will be made.

Under special circumstances, if the faculty member is absent for an extended period or is no longer employed by the College, a Grade Change Form may be submitted by the appropriate School Director or Division Chair for consideration by the Admissions and Standards Committee. Once a grade of "A" through "F" is recorded by the Registrar, it may not be changed based on work submitted or exams retaken after the completion of the course. In extreme cases of extenuating circumstances, the instructor may petition the Admissions and Standards Committee to change a grade of "A" through "F" to an "Incomplete." Such petitions must include documentation of the specific extenuating circumstances that apply.

Grading Procedures

Coursework is evaluated in the following terms:

Grade	Quality Points Assigned	Interpretation
A	4.0 per semester hour
A -	3.7 per semester hour
B +	3.5 per semester hour
B	3.0 per semester hour
B -	2.7 per semester hour
C +	2.5 per semester hour
C	2.0 per semester hour
C -	1.7 per semester hour
D +	1.5 per semester hour
D	1.0 per semester hour
F	0.0 per semester hour
NR	No Grade Reported	Calculated as an "F"
E	No Points Applied	Excused
I	No Points Applied	Incomplete
IP	No Points Applied	In Progress
GP	No Points Applied	Grade Pending
P	No Points Applied	Passing
W	No Points Applied	Administrative Withdraw
WP	No Points Applied	Withdraw-Passing
WF	No Points Applied	Withdraw-Failing
AU	No Points Applied	Audit
X	No Points Applied	Drop, No Penalty

Grades of “D” earned in the student’s major will satisfy the course prerequisite requirement; however, grades of “D” cannot be counted in the total number of hours required in the major. The student must either 1) retake the course and earn a grade of “C-” or better or 2) take an elective approved by department chair and the Admissions and Standards Committee and earn a grade of “C-” or better, which may be substituted for the “D” grade.
When a faculty member assigns a grade of “F,” the instructor must record the student’s last date of attendance next to the students’ name on the grade roster.
Faculty members will assign “NR” grades to students listed on the final grade roster who never attend the course.
Incomplete and Excused Grade. If a student is unable, for a satisfactory reason such as illness, to complete the work in a given course, the student will receive either a grade of “Incomplete” or “Excused” for that course. In cases where there is a disputed grade, the instructor may assign a grade of “Incomplete” pending resolution of the case. See Grade Appeals.
1. “Incomplete” grades must be made up according to the agreement between the instructor and the student. In order to extend an “Incomplete” beyond the block following the block in which the “Incomplete” was recorded, the student must have the approval of both the instructor and the Admissions and Standards Committee. If an “Incomplete” is not made up within the prescribed time, the Registrar will automatically convert it to a grade of “F.”
2. In order to receive a grade of “Excused,” students with extenuating circumstances must petition the instructor and the Admissions and Standards Committee by submitting a form within four blocks from the time of the course for which the grade is being sought. A grade of “Excused” will not be approved unless there are documented extenuating circumstances, such as illness, injury or personal tragedy, that have affected the student’s progress in the course. The student must state a specific reason for requesting an “Excused,” and the instructor’s recommendation must be recorded. The Admissions and Standards Committee will make the final decision and notify the Registrar.
3. If a student does not complete the work in a course and has no satisfactory excuse or does not meet the minimum standards set by the instructor, the instructor will give the student a grade of “F.”
In Progress. An “IP” grade may be given in a course where a major project or extended research is required and work on that project cannot be completed by the end of the regular grading period. The “IP” must be completed within a year of the time it is assigned. An “IP” may also be given in the basic skills courses, MATH 099 and 100. It is given to a student who has put forth serious effort but has not yet attained a level of competence sufficient to be given a letter grade. The student must again register for the class within the next semester in order to receive credit. All “IP” grades not made up within the prescribed time automatically convert to the grade of “F.”
Pass/Fail. Courses that are so designated in the catalog are graded on a pass/fail basis. The “Pass” grade is counted in hours toward graduation but will not affect the G.P.A., whereas a “Fail” is figured in the hours completed and will affect the G.P.A.
Audit. Students who desire to explore their interests and abilities in courses of study that are unfamiliar to them, without affecting their G.P.A., may choose to audit courses. Students who audit courses are not held responsible for the work. Audited courses receive no credit, no points applied to the grade point average, and a final grade of AU. A course that is audited cannot change to a credit course, nor can a credit course be changed to an audit course after the drop/add period. Students enrolled fulltime may audit courses without charge. Those enrolled less than full-time may audit courses for a $100 fee.

Grade Reports and Transcripts

At the end of each course, the instructor submits grades for each student. Grades are available on the TCweb system by checking on https://my.tusculum.edu and following the instructions.

The student’s official transcript is prepared by Tusculum College. The transcript will show the courses, grades, credits and terms of instruction for each course. Requests for transcripts of coursework at Tusculum College must conform with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974. This requires that all transcript requests must be submitted in writing and be signed by the student. Transcripts and grade reports will not be faxed.

A transcript cannot be issued until all financial obligations have been met. One official transcript will be provided at no cost; however, a $5.00 fee will be charged for all subsequent requests.

If a student account is on hold with either the Business Office or Financial Aid Office, grades and transcripts will be placed on hold and will not be accessible to the student until the hold is lifted.

Independent Program of Study

If a student wishes to declare a program of study not officially offered by this institution, an "Independent Program of Study" may be declared. Applicants must have at least a 2.75 GPA and have second semester sophomore standing. Students must solicit independent program of study approval from their advisor, the department chair, and the Admissions and Standards Committee. An Independent Program of Study requires a minimum of 24 hours of coursework at the 300 or 400 level.

Independent Program of Study with Two Areas

A minimum of 32 hours in the primary area.
A minimum of 24 hours in the secondary area.
Total of 56 hours.

Independent Program of Study with Three Areas

A minimum of 24 hours in the primary area.**
A minimum of 20 hours in the secondary area.
A minimum of 16 hours in the tertiary area.
Total of 60 hours.

**Primary area must be an existing major.

Practicums

The College encourages students to take advantage of the educational opportunity presented to them through practicums or off-campus experience such as internships and student teaching. This hands-on learning can be accomplished in most of the programs of study offered by the College.

Removal from Probation

A student will be removed from G.P.A.-related academic probation at the end of the semester if he/she meets retention standards.

Repeating Course

Students may repeat courses. All attempts will be recorded on the permanent record along with the grades received. For all repeated courses, only the last attempt will be used to determine G.P.A. and hours earned for graduation. An “R” will be placed on the transcript by all courses that have been repeated. Students must indicate to the Registrar’s Office at registration that they are repeating a course.

Rentention Standards

To graduate from Tusculum College, a student must have a 2.25 grade point average in the major and a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 for all work attempted. A student is subject to academic probation or suspension if the total grade point at the end of any term falls below a minimum standard which is dictated by the number of total credit hours the student has earned. The standards are as follows:

Credit Hours Earned	Probation/Suspension
0 - 28.99	1.5
29 - 60.99	1.7
61 - 91.99	1.9
92 or more	2.0

Any student that meets the above retention standards is considered in good academic standing with the College.

Second Bachelor's Degree

Tusculum College will confer a second bachelor’s degree when students meet the following requirements:

Completion of a first bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited collegiate institution. Note: Duplicate degrees will not be awarded for any reason.
Acceptance and enrollment at Tusculum College as a degree- seeking student.
Submission and approval of a declaration of major form.
Successful completion of the minimum number of hours for the major as stated in the college catalog.
Satisfaction of any additional core/elective hours for the major.
Satisfaction of the residency requirement, by which 32 of the final 36 semester hours must be completed at Tusculum College. A maximum of 25 percent of the major coursework from the first bachelor’s degree may be used to satisfy course requirements for a second Bachelor of Arts degree. Forty-eight of the fifty-two hours for the Bachelor of Science degree must be taken at Tusculum College.
Adherence to any additional academic/financial obligations.

Service-Learning and the Civic Arts

At Tusculum College, service-learning is an integral part of the curriculum. As part of the Commons curriculum, all students have the opportunity to get practical experience outside the classroom and a chance to serve the community. Students acquire valuable skills in areas such as leadership, collective decision- making, communication, working in groups and public problem-solving. Most importantly students gain knowledge of their ability to work with others to make a difference. Further information about the service-learning requirement will be found under the service-learning heading in the “Academic Programs” section of the catalog.

Special Offerings

On occasion, a student, in consultation with the advisor, identifies a need to take a course listed in this catalog at a time other than its regularly scheduled offering. Since this action may place a substantial burden on the College faculty, the institution seeks to keep special offerings at a minimum. To request a special offering, the student acquires the appropriate form in the Registrar’s Office. The Admissions and Standards Committee has established a review committee to determine whether a request is truly necessary. Upon recommendation from the review committee, the Admissions and Standards Committee then takes final action, either approving or denying the special offering request. Students must submit completed special offering request forms by the first day of the block preceding that in which the special offering is desired. Students may not receive credit for work that has not been officially approved.

Student Leave of Absence

Students who are in good standing with the College may be granted a leave of absence for specific vocational, educational or personal circumstances (financial, medical, mental health, etc.) of up to two semesters (maximum of 180 days in a 12 month period). Students who wish to apply for such a leave must apply in writing to the Admissions and Standards Committee by turning in the request and supporting documentation to the Registrar no later than November 1 for the following spring semester and no later than March 1 for the following fall semester.

An approved leave of absence guarantees a student’s readmission at the end of the specified leave term. All requests to study at another institution during the leave must be approved in advance by the faculty advisor and Registrar.

Financial aid recipients should check with the Financial Aid Office as federal guidelines do not allow for more than 180 day leave of absence without impacting your aid.

All students should check on their student account with the Business Office prior to taking a leave of absence.

Student Records and Privacy

Tusculum College complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). It states that no academic or personal records or personally identifiable information about students will be released without their permission to persons other than those College staff members with legitimate educational interests in those records. Tusculum students have the right to inspect their records to challenge the accuracy of those records.

FERPA defines requirements that are designed to protect theprivacy of the students concerning their records maintained by the College. The law requires that:

The student must be provided access to official records directly related to the student. This does not include private records maintained by instructional, supervisory or administrative personnel. A student who wishes to see his/her records must make an appointment through the Registrar’s Office. A student may not remove any materials but is entitled, at his/her own expense, to one (1) copy of any material contained in this file.
The student must be given the opportunity for a hearing to challenge such records on the grounds that they are inaccurate, misleading or otherwise inappropriate. The right to a hearing under the law does not include any right to challenge the appropriateness of a grade as determined by the instructor.
The student’s written consent must be received prior to releasing identifiable data from the records to anyone other than those specified in paragraphs 4, 5, and 6 below.
The College is authorized under FERPA to release public directory information concerning students. College personnel authorized to release such information are established through institutional policy and procedure. Students may opt out of having this information released. Data considered to be public directory information by the College which may be released on general request includes the student’s name, address, telephone listing, e-mail, enrollment status (full or part-time), date and place of birth, major field of study and anticipated graduation date, dates of attendance, site, degrees and awards received, most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student, participation in school activities and sports, and any other information authorized in writing by the student. Directory information is subject to release by the College unless the Registrar’s Office has received a prior written request from the student specifying that the information not be released.
Tusculum College is authorized to provide access to students’ records to Tusculum College officials and employees who have legitimate interests in such access; these are persons who have responsibilities in the College’s academic, administrative or service functions.
FERPA provides that educational records of a student who is a dependent of his/her parent(s) for Internal Revenue Services purposes may be disclosed to the parent(s) without first receiving the student’s consent provided documentation showing the student to be a dependent under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code is presented by the parent(s).

Syllabus Requirements

Syllabus Requirements Document [.doc]

Term Honors

President's List: The President's List includes students who have completed 12 semester hours in a four-block period earning a 4.00 grade point average.

Dean's List: The Dean's List includes students who have completed 12 semester hours in a four-block period earning a 3.50 grade point average and above.

Charles Oliver Gray Scholars List: The Charles Oliver Gray Scholars List includes students who have maintained President's or Dean's List standing for two consecutive terms.

Withdraw from Class on the Sixth and Seventh Day

On the 6th and 7th day of the block in which the course is taught a student may drop (with a "WP" or "WF" on the transcript) that course by:

obtaining a Withdrawal on the 6th or 7th day Form in the Registrar's Office
securing the signatures of the instructor and the faculty advisor, and
returning the form to the Registrar's Office before 5:00 p.m. of the 7th day.

Students may not withdraw from a course using the 6th or 7th day option more than one time per academic year except in extenuating circumstances approved by the Admissions and Standards Committee. Students withdrawing from a course should be aware that it may affect financial aid, eligibility for athletics, and graduation date. Withdrawing from a course without authorization automatically results in a grade of "F." Students may withdraw from a semester-long class (Choir, Athletic Training Clinical courses, Student Teaching, etc.) up to the first day of the third block of the course's duration.

Withdrawal from College

A Bachelor of Arts student who wishes to withdraw from the College should apply directly to the Director of Academic Advising for the proper withdrawal procedure. Formal withdrawal from the College must be initiated by a written request to withdraw from Tusculum College signed and dated by the student. Withdrawal is effective upon the College’s receipt of the written request to withdraw and upon approval by appropriate administrative offices. Dropping out of class without official withdrawal earns a grade of “F” or “NR” in each course. A grade of “WP” or “WF” will be posted for the student who properly withdraws. Unless the withdrawal is initiated before classes begin or during the official College refund period, the student will be responsible for all charges for the semester.