Academic Policies
Responsibilities of Students
Students are responsible for making sure that they are doing satisfactory work toward completion of a degree at the College. Any changes that affect a student’s individual curriculum must be approved by the student’s academic dean. A copy of the approved changes must be sent to the Office of the Registrar. Students are advised to check their final term reports on the student information system website for accuracy and, if there are questions, to consult the Office of the Registrar. Students may check their academic records in the Office of the Registrar at any time.
Plagiarism — Every student’s work is expected to represent personal efforts. In cases involving allegations of plagiarism (see “Plagiarism” in the Ithaca College student handbook) or any other form of academic dishonesty, the procedures set out in the Ithaca College “Student Conduct Code” (part of the Ithaca College student handbook) are followed. All unresolved differences (as well as repeat offenses) are referred to the Conduct Review Board for hearing in accordance with the code.
Attendance Policy
Students at Ithaca College are expected to attend all classes, and they are responsible for work missed during any absence from class. At the beginning of each semester, instructors must provide the students in their courses with written guidelines regarding possible penalties for failure to attend class. These guidelines may vary from course to course but are subject to the following conditions:
- In accordance with Federal Law, students with a disability documented through Student Accessibility Services (SAS) may require reasonable accommodations to ensure equitable access. A student with an attendance accommodation, who misses a scheduled course time due to a documented disability, must be provided an equivalent opportunity to make up missed time and/or coursework within a reasonable time-frame. An accommodation that affects attendance is not an attendance waiver and no accommodation can fundamentally alter a course requirement. If a faculty member thinks an attendance-related accommodation would result in a fundamental alteration, concerns and potential alternatives should be discussed with SAS.
- In accordance with New York State law, students who miss class due to their religious beliefs shall be excused from class or examinations on that day. The faculty member is responsible for providing the student with an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination, study, or work requirement that the student may have missed. Any such work is to be completed within a reasonable time frame, as determined by the faculty member.
- Any student who misses class due to a family or individual health emergency or to a required appearance in a court of law shall be excused. If the emergency is prolonged or if the student is incapacitated, the student or a family member/legal guardian should report the absence to the Dean of Students or the Dean of the academic school where the student’s program is housed. Students may consider a leave of absence, medical leave of absence, selected course withdrawals, etc., if they miss a significant portion of classwork.
- A student may be excused to participate in local, state, or federal elections. The student is responsible to make up any work that is missed due to the absence. Any such work is to be completed within a reasonable time frame, as determined by the faculty member.
A student may be excused for participation in College-authorized co-curricular and extracurricular activities if, in the instructor’s judgment, this does not impair the specific student’s or the other students’ ability to succeed in the course.
For all absences except those due to religious beliefs, the course instructor has the right to determine if the number of absences has been excessive in view of the nature of the class that was missed and the stated attendance policy.
Students should notify their instructors as soon as possible of any anticipated absences.
Student's Right to Petition
Each currently enrolled graduate student has the right to petition the provost to waive any of the all-College academic regulations. Students may also petition the provost to review any other academic issue that has not been resolved first by the instructor, or subsequently by the graduate program chair, and then by the dean; in order to be considered, any such petition must be received by the office of the provost no later than the last day of classes of the fall or spring semester after the events which gave rise to the academic issue addressed in the petition. Petitions related to grades must first follow the guideline under “Policy on Grade Disputes".
Graduate programs may have earlier deadlines and condensed timelines for appeals than the college to permit the student to continue to progress in their coursework. Students should refer to the policies and procedures of their graduate program regarding appeal deadlines, timelines, and policies.
To petition the provost, the student should submit a written petition to the dean with a copy to the graduate program chair and a copy to any faculty member(s) involved. The dean sends the petition to the provost along with their recommendation. Each petition is considered by the provost or designee on an individual basis and is decided based on the facts that pertain to the particular student’s situation. When it is appropriate and feasible, the provost or designee consults with the individuals involved before making the final decision. While a decision on appeal is pending, the student may continue to take courses in the program, except for clinical or fieldwork courses.
Policy on Grade Disputes
Grade disputes should be resolved directly between the individual faculty member and the student. If that is not possible, the graduate program chair and/or dean may intervene for purposes of mediation. Any student disputing a grade must provide written notification of the disputed grade to the faculty member, no later than two weeks from the date when classes begin in the succeeding fall or spring semester. Failing resolution of the matter at the school level, the student may petition the provost as described under “Students’ Right to Petition." The final resolution of the dispute will be made by the provost. As a general principle, the authority to change a grade rests with the individual faculty member. Exceptions made by the provost occur only for the most compelling reasons.
Grading System
The acceptable grades and corresponding points for grade point average (GPA) calculations are as follows. All grades except S (satisfactory), U (unsatisfactory), P (pass), I (incomplete), PI (permanent incomplete) and W (withdrawn) are used in calculating a student’s GPA. GPA calculations are not rounded.
| Grade | Points |
|---|---|
| A | 4.00 |
| A- | 3.70 |
| B+ | 3.30 |
| B | 3.00 |
| B- | 2.70 |
| C+ | 2.30 |
| C | 2.00 |
| C- | 1.70 |
| F | 0.00 |
Repeating a Course
A student who receives a grade lower than B in a graduate course not designated as repeatable may repeat the course once with permission from the graduate chair. For any course repeated under this policy, credit toward graduation requirements is granted only once, and only the highest grade received in the repeated course is counted in the cumulative GPA. The final grade earned for the repeated course, each time it is attempted, will remain on the transcript. The cumulative GPA will not be adjusted under this policy for any courses repeated after a degree has been awarded, or for any course repeated before the fall semester of 2014. Repeating a course may have financial aid implications; financial aid recipients intending to repeat a course should first seek advice from Student Financial Services. This policy applies only to courses taken at Ithaca College.
Pass/Fail or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Option
Graduate programs are permitted to use P/F or S/U grade options for graduate-level workshops (700-level) and selected courses only.
Time Limitations for Completion of Degree Requirements
Candidates for an advanced degree are required to meet general and major field requirements within six calendar years of their matriculation date. Some graduate programs may have more restrictive timelines that supersede this general policy. Any exception must be approved in writing by the dean of the school and the Office of the Provost.
Incomplete Grades
A faculty member may assign a grade of I (incomplete) to a graduate student whose work on a thesis or other individual study course is not complete at the end of a semester or academic session. Otherwise, incompletes are given only when a student is doing satisfactory work but cannot complete the course for a reason not related to academic performance (i.e. medical, family emergency). The incomplete must be requested by the student, before the semester ends, in a timely manner. The student must schedule a meeting with the faculty member issuing the grade, and provide written documentation of legitimate reasons that justify the request.
Terms for the completion of the course are to be determined by the faculty member, in consultation with the student. Once the faculty member and student agree upon the specific assignments with criteria for assessment and the due date, the incomplete grade form must be filled out completely on IC Workflow and electronically submitted to the Office of the Registrar. This form will serve as a contract between the student and the faculty member and will include a date for course completion.
When the terms of the contract have been met, the instructor of record or appropriate administrator will complete a change of grade request via IC Workflow to change the I to the earned grade.
Students who after consultation with the graduate chair, determine they will not complete a thesis course should request that the instructor complete a grade change form to a Permanent Incomplete (PI). This form requires the approval of the graduate dean of the school. A PI grade cannot be changed back to a regular grade. Students who receive a PI grade and want credit for that course must register again and complete the requirements. Students may graduate with a PI grade provided all degree requirements have been met. A PI grade is not computed into the GPA.
If no complete grade is received by the due date and no PI is approved, a grade of F is recorded on the transcript. Graduate students cannot receive their degree from Ithaca College with a grade of I recorded on their academic transcript.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)
Ithaca College complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. This act was designed to protect the privacy of education records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their educational records, and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings. Education records are defined as records that are directly related to a “student” and maintained by an educational agency or institution by a party acting for the agency or institution. The below information is a direct quote from the FERPA policy provided by the United States government, which does not reflect the Ithaca College policy on gendered language. FERPA affords every student the following rights with respect to their education records:
- The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within a reasonable period of time, but in no case longer than 45 days once a student has submitted a request. A student should submit to the registrar, dean, department chairperson, or other appropriate official a written request that identifies the records they wish to inspect. The College official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the College official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
Records Exempt: The law exempts from student access some school records under specific conditions, which include- Records of instructional, supervisory, and administrative personnel and educational personnel ancillary to those persons that are kept in the sole possession of the maker of the record and are not accessible or revealed to any other person except a temporary substitute for the maker of the record.
- Records of a law enforcement unit of the College (Office of Public Safety) created by the unit for a law enforcement purpose and maintained by the unit.
- Records on a student who is 18 years old or older that are made or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other recognized professional or paraprofessional acting in his or her professional capacity or assisting in a paraprofessional capacity and that are used only in connection with treatment of the student and disclosed only to individuals providing the treatment.
- Financial information submitted by parents.
- Records relating to individuals who are employed by the institution, when the records are made and maintained in the normal course of business, relate exclusively to individuals in their capacity as employees, and are not available for use for any other purpose. However, records of students who are employed as a result of their status as students (e.g., work-study) are education records.
- Records that contain only information about the student after they are no longer a student at the College.
- If the education records of a student contain information on more than one student, the parent or eligible student may inspect, review, or be informed of only the specific information about the student.
- Confidential letters and statements of recommendation placed in the records after January 1, 1975, to which the student has waived his or her rights to inspect and review and that are related to the student’s admission, application for employment or job placement, or receipt of honors.
- The right to request amendment of the student’s education record that the student believes is inaccurate or misleading. A student may ask the College to amend any part of his or her record that the student believes is inaccurate or misleading. The student should write to the College official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the College decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the College will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student upon notification of the right to a hearing.
- The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent or that such information has been designated by the College as directory information. FERPA permits disclosure without consent to school officials with legitimate interests. A school official is any person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including public safety personnel and health services staff); a person or company providing services or functions or otherwise authorized to act on behalf of the College (such as a consultant, attorney, auditor, volunteer, or collection agent); a person serving on the board of trustees; or a student serving on an official committee (such as a disciplinary or grievance committee) or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.
A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. The College is permitted to disclose, without consent, when the College is returning records to the apparent creator (e.g., a transcript or a letter of recommendation) to verify authenticity. Under certain emergency situations, it may be necessary to release information to protect the health or safety of the student or other students. The College may disclose education records if it determines that there is an articulable and significant threat to the health or safety of a student or other individuals, but only to those persons whose knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals. The College will keep a record in the Office of Student Affairs and Campus Life of the articulable and significant threat that formed the basis for the disclosure and of the parties to whom the information was disclosed.
FERPA also permits disclosures of personally identifiable information, including updated or corrected information, without consent to schools in which a student seeks or intends to enroll; to federal, state, and local authorities in connection with an audit or evaluation of compliance with education programs; in connection with financial aid; to organizations conducting studies for or on behalf of educational institutions; to accrediting organizations; in the context of a lawsuit that the student brought against the institution or the institution brought against the student; to parents when a student is a “dependent” for tax purposes; to a victim of an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or nonforcible sex offense; to parents of a student under the age of 21 if the student has violated College alcohol or drug laws; and to comply with a judicial order or subpoena. The College is also permitted to disclose information concerning a student’s status as a registered sex offender in accordance with state and federal disclosure requirements.
Directory Information: In accordance with FERPA, College policy limits disclosure of personally identifiable information from the educational records of students (with the exception of “directory information”) to those instances authorized by FERPA. In accordance with FERPA, Ithaca College has designated the following list of student information as public or “directory information”: name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, dates of attendance, class, full- or part-time status, previous institutions attended, major field of study, awards, honors (including dean’s list), degrees conferred (including dates), past and present participation in officially recognized sports and activities, physical factors (height and weight of athletes), date and place of birth, and ID pictures. Such information may be disclosed by the College for any purpose, unless specifically requested not to do so by the student.
A currently enrolled student may withhold disclosure of directory information under FERPA by completing a request form available at the Office of Student Affairs and Campus Life (330 Egbert Hall). Directory information will continue to be withheld until the student rescinds this request.
Disclosure of Education Record Information to Parents: An Ithaca College student has the opportunity to declare whether they are independent or dependent for income tax purposes on the enrollment confirmation form provided to all incoming first-year and transfer students at the time of their acceptance to Ithaca College. If a student’s status changes, they should notify the Office of the Registrar. Ithaca College may disclose information (including grades) from a student’s education records to the parents of an eligible student who claim that student as a dependent for income tax purposes, unless there is a court order, state statute, or other legally binding document prohibiting such disclosure. If a student claims they is not a dependent, the parents will need to submit their most recent federal income tax form to the Office of the Registrar as evidence that the student is a dependent. - The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Ithaca College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The office that administers FERPA is the Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-4605.
A complete copy of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 is available in the College library. Questions concerning FERPA may be referred to the Office of Student Affairs and Campus Life or the Office of the Registrar. Copies of this policy may be obtained in the Office of Student Affairs and Campus Life.