For a full listing, consult the University Bulletin at http://bulletin.dom.edu/.
Academic Integrity Policy
Students of the university must conduct themselves in accordance with the highest standards of academic honesty and integrity. Failure to maintain academic integrity will not be tolerated. The following definitions of plagiarism, cheating and academic dishonesty are provided for understanding and clarity.
Definitions of Plagiarism, Cheating, and Academic Dishonesty
Student plagiarism is the presentation of the writing or thinking of another as the student’s own. In written or oral work a student may make fair use of quotations, ideas, images, etc., that appear in others’ work only if the student gives appropriate credit to the original authors, thinkers, owners, or creators of that work. This includes material found on the internet and in electronic databases.
Cheating entails the use of unauthorized or prohibited aids in accomplishing assigned academic tasks. Obtaining unauthorized help on examinations, using prohibited notes on closed-note examinations, and depending on others for the writing of essays or the creation of other assigned work are all forms of cheating.
Academic dishonesty may also include other acts intended to misrepresent the authorship of academic work or to undermine the integrity of the classroom or of grades assigned for academic work. Deliberate acts threatening the integrity of library materials or the smooth operation of laboratories are among possible acts of academic dishonesty.
Sanctions for Violations of Academic Integrity
If an instructor determines that a student has violated the academic integrity policy, the instructor may choose to impose a sanction, ranging from refusal to accept a work project to a grade of F for the assignment or a grade of F for the course. When a sanction has been imposed, the instructor will inform the student in writing. The instructor must also inform the student that she/he has the right to appeal this sanction and refer the student to the academic appeals process described in the bulletin. The instructor will send a copy of this letter to the Office of the Dean of the college in which the course was offered. The dean will note whether a student, in her or his academic course work, has committed multiple violations of the academic integrity policy over time. In such cases, the dean may impose further sanctions, including warning/reprimand, failure of a course, suspension, or expulsion, with written notification to the student and instructor when appropriate. The student may appeal the dean’s sanction to the committee (within the appropriate college or school) responsible for overseeing educational policies.
Academic Appeals Process
Any disagreement with regard to academic procedure, including individual cases of alleged violation of academic integrity and final grades, should be first taken up with the instructor. If this does not settle the matter satisfactorily, the matter should be taken up with the department chair or school director, whichever is appropriate. If the issue cannot be resolved at the department level or with the school director, it should then be presented to the dean of the college/school in which the course was offered. If the issue is still not resolved, the student has the right to present the issue in writing to the committee of that dean’s college or school responsible for overseeing educational policies. The committee will request a written response from the instructor and may, at its discretion, seek further clarifications from the student, instructor, and/or dean. The committee will evaluate the student’s appeal and vote to approve or deny it. A written response will be sent directly to the student presenting the appeal, including grade adjustments if appropriate, with a copy to the faculty member. In the event of a successful appeal of an alleged violation of academic integrity, the original letter of notification from the instructor will be expunged from the dean’s file. Students wishing to file an appeal based on fall courses must do so no later than the end of the subsequent spring semester. Students wishing to file an appeal based on spring or summer courses must do so no later than the end of the subsequent fall semester.
Declining Performance, Probation, and Dismissal
To ensure students get the needed academic assistance when they are struggling, students who are not on probation, but have a semester grade point average below 2.0, will be encouraged to take advantage of the academic resources the university offers. If a student has a semester grade point average below 2.0 for two consecutive semesters and is not on probation, he or she will be required to:
- Meet with an advisor in the Rosary College of Arts and Sciences office twice in a semester.
- Complete an Academic Recovery Plan and Academic Preparation Plan.
- Students are placed on probation if their Dominican cumulative grade point average falls below 2.00, at which point students are not in good academic standing. While on Academic Probation, students are required to:
- Register for ID 102 - Strategies for Academic Success (3 credit hours).
- Students who have a cumulative GPA of 1.67 or higher may register for a maximum of four additional courses.
- Students who have a cumulative GPA below 1.67 may register for a maximum of three additional courses.
- Meet with an advisor in the Rosary College of Arts and Sciences Office on a monthly basis.
- Complete an Academic Recovery Plan and Academic Preparation Plan.
- Attend Scholars Hour
Normally, students are dismissed if they have earned no credits by the end of their first semester or are on probation for two semesters. Students who have been dismissed must wait at least one semester before applying for readmission. Other restrictions may apply. Further details are available in the Rosary College of Arts and Sciences Advising Office. Neither the university nor any of its officers shall be under any liability whatsoever for the actions of probation or dismissal.
Repeating Courses
A student who has previously passed a Dominican course may repeat that course only once. If a passing grade is earned in the repeated course, the credit will be posted for the term in which the course was repeated and deducted from the totals for the term in which the course was previously passed. Both grades will remain in the student’s record and be posted to the student’s transcript; if both grades are C or higher, both will be calculated into the cumulative grade point average. A student may repeat at Dominican a course he or she previously failed at Dominican until the student passes the course, at which time the above policy comes into effect.
The policy for grades below C is covered below as part of the Grade Forgiveness policy.
Grade Forgiveness
If a student repeats at Dominican a course in which a C-, D, or F grade was previously received in a course taken at Dominican, each grade will remain in the student’s record and be posted to the student’s transcript, but only the most recent grade will be counted in calculating the cumulative grade point average.
Satisfactory Progress
Full-time students are expected to maintain an average rate of progress during each academic year of 12 earned credit hours per semester of registration. The university reserves the right to deny further full-time enrollment to a student who falls below this standard. Neither the university nor any of its officers shall be under any liability whatsoever for such denial. While 12 hours per semester are necessary for satisfactory progress, a student taking no more than 12 hours per semester will need more than ten semesters to complete the 124 hours required for a degree.
Withdrawal
Students who wish to withdraw from the university must inform the Rosary College of Arts and Sciences Advising Office in person or in writing. No refund is given for unauthorized withdrawal. Upon notification that the student has withdrawn from the university, grades of W will be recorded for all courses from which the student withdrew. When the student accounts office has received notice of withdrawal from the advising office, refunds, if appropriate, will be made in keeping with the schedule outlined on the page.