Academic Information and Policies

Academic Grievance Policy & Procedure

Academic grievancaes arising in Champlain College Online courses are to be handled initially between the student and the faculty member teaching the course involved. Students with academic grievances may use the Academic Grievance Policy and Process below.

Scope and Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide Champlain College Online students the opportunity for additional review of the facts pertaining to an academic decision affecting them. The process is designed to provide objective and fair treatment of both students and faculty and to resolve disputes in a timely manner. Concerns related to bias or harassment should be addressed through the Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedure.

An academic grievance is a claim that a specific academic decision or action that affects the student’s course status has violated published policies or procedures. Grade disputes are addressed through the Grade Appeal Policy.

RESOLUTION PROCESS

1. A student who believes that they have been aggrieved must first attempt to seek a resolution with the faculty member involved in the dispute.
2. Disputes that are not resolved directly between the parties involved may be brought to the appropriate CCO program director. The program director will seek to reach a resolution between the parties.
3. If the matter is not resolved, then the student may choose to seek recourse through the Office of the Vice President for Online Education to begin the formal resolution process.

Latin Honors and Awards

Trustee Scholar: A designation awarded to students who attend Champlain College full-time and maintain a 4.0 average for two consecutive semesters.

President’s List: A designation awarded to students who attend Champlain College full-time and achieve a semester average of 4.0.

Dean’s List: A designation awarded to students who attend Champlain College full-time and achieve a semester average of 3.50 or better.

Graduation Honors: Latin distinctions are given to graduating undergraduate students with the following minimum cumulative grade point averages:

Divisional Honors: Divisional honors are awarded to the student in each division with the highest cumulative grade point average.

Academic Honesty

Introduction

In addition to skills and knowledge, Champlain College aims to teach students appropriate ethical and professional standards of conduct. The Academic Honesty Policy exists to inform students and faculty of their obligations in upholding the highest standards of professional and ethical integrity. All student academic work is subject to the Academic Honesty Policy.

It is the student’s responsibility to understand and comply with College-wide policy as well as to ensure that any assigned work-including examinations, tests, quizzes, term papers, reports, and other assignments conform to strict standards of academic honesty. Academic honesty entails creating original assignments, using your own words, and when using the words and ideas of others, documenting those sources using the method specified in the course syllabus.

Any attempt to deceive a faculty member or to help another student to do so will be considered a violation of this standard.

Unauthorized Assistance

The student may not give or get any unauthorized assistance in the preparation of any work. Group-work contexts often need extra clarification. For example, sharing work without explicit authorization to do so is a violation of the Academic Honesty Policy. Students in doubt about the instructor’s expectations should seek clarification, or assume that the work must be completed individually.

Online submission of, or placing one’s name on, an exam, assignment, or any course document is confirmation that the student has not received or given inappropriate assistance in completing it and that the student has complied with the Academic Honesty Policy in that work. Contributing to or obtaining material from an online assignment repository is considered a violation of academic honesty that can result in disciplinary action.

Consequences

Any violation of the Academic Honesty Policy, as determined by the instructor, may result in sanctions. The instructor may also impose a sanction on the student that varies depending upon the instructor’s evaluation of the nature and gravity of the offense. Possible sanctions from the instructor include the following:

1. Requiring the student to redo the assignment;
2. Requiring the student to complete another assignment;
3. Assigning a grade of zero to the assignment.

Students may be subject to additional sanctions at the college level, particularly for offenses considered egregious. For students who are repeat offenders, additional sanctions may be imposed.

Academic Probation and Academic Dismissal

The College will place on probation any matriculated student who, after attempting 12 or more credits, fails to achieve either a cumulative GPA (CGPA) of 2.0 or a semester GPA of 2.0.   Students who fail to achieve a cumulative GPA of 1.8 after attempting 12 credits or who fail to achieve a CGPA of 2.0 after 30 credits will be subject to dismissal.   

Academically dismissed students wishing to take courses as non-degree students may do so only with permission. Champlain College Online students must have the permission of the Vice President for Online Education.

Academic Renewal

Under certain circumstances, unsatisfactory course grades may be coded so that they do not adversely impact the student’s CGPA. The following conditions apply to the Academic Renewal policy as a whole:

1. Academic Renewal will be granted only once
2. The student must request, and be considered for, Academic Renewal at time of change of major or when re-entering the institution.
3. All courses and grades will appear on the student’s transcript with the addition of a code indicating Academic Renewal where appropriate
4. Academic Renewal will not be used to alter a student’s record for financial aid qualifications, scholarships or other purposes not outlined below
5. Only the Registrar’s Office, in consultation with the Vice President for Online Education, as appropriate, will make the change to the student’s record
6. This decision applies only to academic status and there may be additional financial aid implications

Students who are returning to Champlain may be eligible to have course grades eliminated from their CGPA calculation using the following criteria:

1. The student has not attended Champlain College during the past three years and has been readmitted to a degree program
2. All courses in which a student earned less than a “C-” will no longer be used to calculate either the student’s overall CGPA or the credits earned toward graduation
3. If a readmitted student was previously Academically Dismissed or on Academic or Conditional Probation Status, the college reserves the right to require the student to demonstrate academic success prior to granting Academic Renewal.

Current students who have chosen to change majors may be eligible to have course grades eliminated from their CGPA calculation. The following conditions must apply:

1. The student must request that Academic Renewal be applied at the time of the change of major. (Changing from an associate’s program to a bachelor’s program does not constitute a change of major.)
2. The student must retain grades from any course in which they earned a “C-” or better
3. The student must retain any course or specific elective type that is required in the new major (exclusive of technical and business focus electives)
4. All courses not retained in the above points 2 and 3 will no longer be used in the calculation of the student’s overall CGPA or graduation credits
5. The student must stay enrolled in the new major. If the student elects to change back to the original major, the Academic Renewal will be reversed

Course Participation

Audit Policy

Certificate Requirements

To be eligible for a professional certificate, you must meet the following requirements:

1. Satisfactorily complete all requirements for the certificate selected
2. Earn at least three-quarters of the certificate’s credits at Champlain College
3. Achieve an overall cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in courses completed at Champlain College. Students who are enrolled in a degree program should work with their academic advisor because of limited course offerings and course sequencing. Students pursuing both a certificate program and a degree program are not guaranteed to complete both on the same timeline.

Change of Major

Requests for change of major for students in Champlain College Online will be reviewed by their academic advisor.

Drop/Add: Changes in Courses or Schedules

Class-Related Behavior

Each instructor is authorized to maintain an online learning environment that facilitates effective teaching and learning. The College includes electronic communication in its definition of class-related behavior to include, but not limited to, email, video conference, telephone meetings, and activities in Canvas (or other platforms) related to each course.

Examples of inappropriate, disruptive class-related behavior include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Abusive language or epithets directed towards other persons;

• Posting inappropriate online posts;

• Refusing to comply with the directions of the instructor.

Under the authority of this Class-Related Behavior Policy, an instructor may use their discretion to delete inappropriate posts.

Continued inappropriate conduct may result in the student being reported to the appropriate program director on a Student Code of Conduct violation.

Commencement Ceremony - May Participation

Bachelor’s and associate degree candidates who have completed all of their degree requirements may participate in and have any appropriate academic honors announced at the Commencement ceremony. Bachelor’s degree candidates within 8 credits of meeting all program requirements and Associate degree candidates within 4 credits of meeting all program requirements are eligible to take part in the ceremony as non-graduating participants. All participating undergraduates must also have an overall cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher. Students who wish to participate in the commencement ceremony as non-graduating participants must have a plan to complete the degree within two semesters. This plan must be filed with and approved by the Registrar.

Non-graduating participants are ineligible to have Latin honors designated in the program; to have Latin honors announced during the event; or to have their name listed in local media until they have successfully completed their remaining academic program requirements.

Diploma Name

On the graduation application, each student has the opportunity to write their name as they would like it to appear on the diploma. The College reserves the right to approve all diploma name requests.

Course Load and Credit Hours

To be considered full-time, a student must enroll in courses totaling at least 12 credit hours per 15-week semester. Students making changes that affect their full-time status should first check with the Financial Aid Office to determine the effect of such changes on aid eligibility.

Normally, one unit of credit is based on 15 hours of classroom instruction and 30 hours of homework per semester. Students enrolled through Champlain College Online whose cumulative credit load for the 15-week semester totals at least 12 credits, even though those credits may be divided between two seven-week terms, and regardless of when those credits are added to the term, are considered full-time.

Students enrolled through Champlain College Online may not take more than nine (9) credit hours in an online 7-week term (or 18 credit hours in a 15-week semester.)

Credit Hour

Champlain College is responsible for regulating and maintaining standards related to the awarding of credit hours for student work consistent with national standards.  The College operates on the semester credit system using the standard Carnegie unit of 750 minutes of instruction per credit hour (2,250 minutes of instruction for a standard, three-hour course).

• One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester.

At least an equivalent amount of work as outlined above for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.  

Course Waivers and Course Substitutions

Course Withdrawal

It is the student’s responsibility to officially withdraw from a course. Students wishing to withdraw must alert their academic advisor. The withdrawal becomes effective as of the date of request on the Course Withdrawal Form. Initial notification by the student can be communicated in writing via Champlain email; a Course Withdrawal Form must then be submitted within 24 hours. Failure to formally withdraw may result in failing grades, reduction in financial aid and academic dismissal from the College. Deadlines for withdrawing are strictly enforced. Please contact your academic advisor for exact dates.

There are instances in which the College may administratively withdraw a student. These include, but are not limited to, students removed from courses due to lack of attendance within the first 8 days, violations of the College’s Standard of Conduct or Class-Related Behavior Policy. Students removed for disciplinary problems will have a grade of W assigned and will need to retake the course if it is a program requirement. 

Course Withdrawal Deadlines

Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)

A student’s CGPA is calculated by multiplying the credit hours for each course by the grade point per credit hour of that course as determined by the final grade. For example, a 3-credit-hour course in which a student receives a “B” (3.0 grade points per credit hour) will equal 9.0 grade points for that course. The cumulative grade point average will then equal the total grade points divided by the total number of credit hours. Grades earned in transferred courses are not used in CGPA calculations.

Curriculum Changes

The College reserves the right to adjust the curriculum and course content whenever such adjustments are academically appropriate and approved by the administration. The curriculum requirements in effect during the catalog year in which the student enters will remain in effect for that student unless the changes have no material effect on the student’s graduation date, or the student wishes to pursue a more recent set of requirements.

Degree Requirements - Associate

To be eligible for the associate degree, students must be enrolled with Champlain College Online and meet the following requirements:

1. Earn at least 60 credit hours, 15 of which must be earned at Champlain College
2. Achieve a cumulative grade point average  of at least 2.0 in courses completed at Champlain College
3. Apply for graduation by completing an application for graduation form by the deadlines determined by the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar’s Office will notify all eligible

Degree Requirements - Bachelor’s

To be eligible for a bachelor’s degree from Champlain College, you must meet the following requirements:

1. Matriculate into a Champlain College baccalaureate major and satisfactorily complete all its specific requirements;
2. Earn at least 120 credit hours, 30 of which must be earned at Champlain College.
3. Achieve an overall cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 2.0 in courses completed at Champlain College
4. Apply for graduation by submitting an application for graduation form by the deadlines determined by the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar’s Office will notify all eligible graduates and provide a link to the online form.

Major

A major is a compilation of courses designed to give proficiency in a specific area within an academic discipline.  This is considered the student’s primary field of study.  Major courses of study are comprised of a minimum of 39 credits. Students should be able to demonstrate a significant level of prowess within their discipline upon program completion. 

Double Majors

A double major requires careful planning and sequencing of courses and the endeavor will very likely require additional time to complete both programs. Students who wish to pursue a double major must first consult with their academic advisor.  Students must fulfill all the requirements of both programs, and there must be a difference of at least 24 credits between the two programs. Upon completion, one bachelor’s degree will be granted, and the transcript will list one degree and both majors.

Communication

All students are given a mymail.champlain.edu e-mail address. This channel is used for all official Champlain College correspondence. It is our expectation that students will receive and send information through this channel.

Grade Appeal

GRADE CORRECTIONS 

The Registrar’s Office is responsible for making corrections to grades reported in error. Faculty should contact the Vice President for Online Education with the grade change requested and the rationale. The processing of the grade will be researched, and the grade will be corrected, if in fact there was a reporting error. Students who want to appeal the grade reported should refer to the section on “Grade Appeals.”

GRADE APPEAL POLICY

Champlain College Online faculty are responsible for making a professional judgment about the quality of students’ academic work and performance. Policy and procedure have been established to give students an opportunity to appeal if there is reason to contest a grade received in a course offered through the College. The student must contact the faculty member within 14 calendar days of the grade posting. 

GRADE APPEAL PROCEDURES 

Step I. Student-Faculty Level 

The student must contact the faculty member in writing within 14 calendar days of posting of the grade in question to request a reconsideration of the final course grade, including in the written request the basis for the appeal. If the faculty member determines that there was an error in the grade calculation, or the request is otherwise appropriate, the faculty member can then initiate a change of grade for the course through the Vice President for Online Education. 

If the faculty member determines that there was no error in the grade assigned, he or she will explain in writing the criteria and process used in determining the grade. The faculty member will advise the student of his or her decision in writing within 14 calendar days, providing a copy to the Program Director responsible for the course. If the student is not satisfied with the decision, he or she may proceed to Step II. 

Step II. Program Director 

If the student wishes to appeal the faculty member’s decision to the Program Director responsible for the course, he or she must do so in writing within 14 calendar days of receiving the faculty member’s decision. The appeal should include the specific reasons for disputing the grade. The Program Director may request that the student or faculty member provide, within 7 days, in writing, further documentation as needed. 

The Program Director will respond in writing to the student with a copy to the faculty member and the student’s Academic Advisor within 14 days of receiving the appeal to either: 

1. Inform the student that there is not adequate reason to reconsider the grade. 

2. Request that the faculty member reconsider the grade based on the criteria of a lack of reasonable process in assigning the grade, and/or a lapse of professional judgment. If the student is not satisfied with the decision, he or she may proceed to Step III.

Step III. Vice President for Online Education

If the student wishes to appeal the Program Director’s decision to the VP for Online Education, they must do so in writing within 7 calendar days of the date of the Program Director’s decision. The appeal should clearly state the ground(s) on which the student is asking to have the grade reviewed and any relevant information. The Program Director will forward all materials concerning steps already taken and information received in Step II to the VP for Online Education. The VP for Online Education will review the appeal and provide to the student and faculty member a final written decision. (A non-disclosed disability is not sufficient reason on its own for approval of a grade appeal.)

Grades - Semester or Term

At the end of each semester or term, faculty members submit to the registrar a final grade for each student. 

*There may be exceptions in certain programs. These exceptions are detailed in the program web pages.

Incomplete Work

At the discretion of the instructor, and with the approval of the Vice President for Online Education, an interim grade of incomplete may be assigned for a course in which the student has met the following criteria:

1. Completed a major portion of the course with a passing grade.
2. Been unable to complete course requirements before the end of the term because of documented illness or serious circumstance beyond the student’s control.
3. Obtained agreement from the instructor and VP for Online Education and arranged for resolution of the incomplete grade.

The following procedures apply:

1. The written request must be made by, or on behalf of, the student by Wednesday of Week 6 for 7-week classes or Week 14 for 15-week classes.
2. If an incomplete is granted by the Assistant Provost, the instructor will outline the remaining coursework and the timeline for completion.  The deadline cannot be later than the end of the eighth week after the last day of final exams for a 15-week course and the end of the fourth week, after the last day of final exams for a 7-week course. 
3. Incompletes granted as a result of academic accommodations must be verified by the Counseling & Accommodations Center.
4. When the required work is complete, the earned grade will permanently replace the “I” grade on the transcript. If the work is not completed within the established time frame, the student will receive a grade of “F” for the course.
5. The student is responsible for making sure that the faculty member receives all required coursework according to the established timeline.

Microcredentials

A measurable academic achievement that is shorter than a degree or certificate program.  Microcredentials provide academic or professional growth in a specified area.  Skill and proficiency is measured by either earning academic credit  or demonstrating competency in the specified area.

Legal Name Change

Students who petition to change their Legal Name on their academic record (such as transcript,) must complete a form and present legal documentation of the name change.

Note, this is different from a Chosen Name, which Champlain College allows students to use a chosen name while enrolled at the College. Please visit this webpage for more information on name change requests.

Non-matriculated Students

A maximum of 15 credits may be completed by students who enroll with non-matriculated (non-degree) status.  To enroll as a non-degree student, a person must not already be enrolled in a program at Champlain College, and a short application must be completed.  If courses requested require prerequisites, proof of prerequisite knowledge will be requested and approval from the Program Director may be required..

Continuing beyond 15 credits requires application and acceptance into a degree or certificate program, or approval from the Vice President for Online Education.    Students seeking matriculated status must be admitted to the College through the appropriate Champlain admission office. 

Credit-based tuition and institutional policies for non-degree students are the same as those for degree-seeking students.  Enrolling as a non-matriculated student does not guarantee access to all campus services. Academic achievement in courses taken as a non-degree student does not guarantee admission to the institution. 

Posthumous Degree Policy

Champlain College may award an undergraduate degree posthumously in recognition of a student’s work and satisfactory progress toward the degree at the time of death.

An undergraduate degree may be awarded posthumously if:

1. At the time of death, the student was enrolled in courses required for completion of the degree or nearing completion of work required for award of the degree;
2. The student was in good academic standing ;
3. A favorable recommendation for award of the degree is made by the Program Director;
4. The Vice President for Online Education approves the recommendation to award the degree.

Reenrollment and Readmission to Champlain College

Students in good standing who have missed two consecutive semesters of classes will be withdrawn from the College and will be required to submit a formal application for readmission. Upon readmission, the student’s academic requirements are those required for the most current catalog year.

Students on academic probation who have missed two consecutive semesters of classes or who have been academically dismissed, are required to submit a formal appeal to the Vice President for Online Education in order to be reinstated. If the appeal is approved, the student’s academic requirements will be those required for the original catalog year under which the student began his or her studies, provided the program is still active. Additional conditions may apply to those reinstated following academic probation or dismissal.

Retaking Courses

Students may retake a course up to two times, for a total of three attempts, in order to pass the course or improve their grade in the course. Course withdrawals are counted as attempts. Students may not repeat the course simply to improve a grade if a more advanced course in the sequence has already been completed. Credit for the course will be granted only once (unless otherwise specified), and the highest grade received will be counted toward the CGPA. All grades received for a course will remain on the transcript, even though only the highest will be used in the calculation of the CGPA.

Campus Technology Lab and Studio Usage

When a Continuing Professional Studies student is taking an on-campus class in a computer lab or studio space, the following policy applies:

All Champlain College technology labs and studios have specific rules defining usage and a code of conduct. Some labs and studios may have additional protocols that must be followed based on usage. All Champlain College students using these facilities are required to follow this policy and accept its terms upon entry to the lab. This policy is posted publicly in each lab, and can be found under Student Resources and Policies in Canvas.

Failure to adhere to the usage terms and code of conduct may result in disciplinary action, which could include loss of access to campus technology labs.

Transcripts

A transcript is an official copy of a student’s permanent record with the College and cannot be changed. Transcripts are issued by the Registrar’s Office only at the written request of the student or alumnus. Written requests can be made in person, via fax or via postal mail. Requests will be honored as quickly as possible in the order of application. However, during especially busy periods (Commencement, registration, etc.) there will be delays in processing, so transcripts should be requested well in advance. Five copies of a student’s transcript will be provided free of charge. A fee of $5 will be charged for each subsequent copy.

Transcripts - Official

(Those with the College seal)
Official transcripts are sent only to a college or university, a state or federal agency, or an employer. Only under special circumstances will an official transcript be sent directly to the student. Unofficial transcripts for a student’s personal use do not bear the official seal of Champlain College and may be sent directly to students. Note: transcripts will be sent only when a student’s account is paid in full.

Transfer of Credits

All transfer applicants are required to submit official transcripts of their high school and college records. The acceptance of transfer credits is at the sole discretion of Champlain College.

A student who transfers from another college may be awarded transfer credit of up to one-fourth of the total credit hours toward a professional certificate, up to 45 credit hours toward an associate degree, and up to 90 credit hours toward a bachelor’s degree.

Transfer credits from regionally-accredited institutions of higher education are accepted based on equivalency of course content and learning outcomes to meet degree requirements. Transfer credits from post-secondary institutions with national accreditation recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDOE) or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) may be awarded to meet general elective requirements.

Students in bachelor’s degree programs must complete 15 hours of 300-level or higher courses in the major. Judgement of transder course equivalence is based on criteria provided by the appropriate academic division, and judgements are made at the College’s discretion.

When necessary, students may be requested to provide course descriptions, course outcomes, and syllabi to assist in the evaluation of credit. Graduate level coursework will not be applied in transfer toward undergraduate credit.

Credit hours for transferred courses are given full value, but grades are not transferred to a student’s permanent Champlain College record and do not become part of a student’s cumulative grade point average at Champlain College. In order to be considered for transfer credit, a course must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher.

Transfer to Other Institutions

Credit for courses taken at Champlain College is generally transferable to other institutions of higher education. However, because the decision of whether to grant credit for any particular course is made by the receiving institution and not by Champlain College, students should consult with officials at the receiving institution concerning the transferability of credits earned at Champlain College.  Non-degree students wishing to take Champlain College courses to transfer to another institution must meet any prerequisites for the Champlain College course prior to enrollment.

Undergraduate Taking Graduate Courses

Approved students may take up to 9 credits at the graduate level toward completion of their undergraduate degree that may also be applied toward completion of a graduate program.  Students who wish to pursue enrollment in a graduate program must apply for admission no sooner than the final semester of their undergraduate degree program.  

Students must submit their request to participate to their advisor.  With the support of the advisor, the request will be forwarded to the Program Director of the graduate program who, in conjunction with the Program Director of the student’s undergraduate program, will determine preparedness for graduate level coursework and eligible courses for approved students.

Students in graduate level classes are expected to adhere to the Academic Information and Policies as outlined in the Graduate College Catalog as they pertain to those courses.

Withdrawal from College

It is the student’s responsibility to officially withdraw from the College.  Any student withdrawing from the College begins the process by working with their academic advisor. The withdrawal date recorded on the student’s official College record will be determined by the Registrar when the requested withdrawal is received. 

Failure to formally withdraw may result in failing grades, reduction in financial aid and academic dismissal from the College.  A student should contact the Office of Financial Aid and the Student Accounts Office to discuss how a withdrawal may impact current and future semester charges and aid. 

Additionally, the College reserves the right to administratively withdraw any student for academic, safety or disciplinary reasons.  Any student who stops attending all their classes may be administratively withdrawn from the College with or without the student’s consent. If a student wishes to contest the College’s initiation of an administrative withdrawal that is for more than a temporary period, the College will provide an appeal opportunity.  The appeals procedure is specified in the College’s Conduct Review process.