EOU Academic Catalog 2006 - 08

Policies

Advising Information

When admitted to Eastern Oregon University, all students will be assigned to an adviser who will assist in planning an academic program and help select the courses needed to achieve one’s goals. An adviser serves as the coordinator of a student’s educational experience. Normally, students are assigned to an adviser who is in the same academic program as the student’s intended major.

Most new freshmen, especially those who are undecided about a major, will be assigned to a generalist adviser. This adviser is familiar with many academic programs, will direct students through the general education requirements, and assist students to define future program goals and objectives. Once a major program is decided upon, students may request a major and adviser change by contacting the Advising Office. The Advising Office will see that a student’s advising file is transferred from one adviser to another.

Newly admitted students, all students with 44 or less earned credits, and students on academic warning, probation or suspension are required to have their adviser’s approval and signature prior to registration each term. However, students are strongly encouraged to make an appointment with their adviser at any time to discuss academic programs, to seek other kinds of assistance, or to just talk and ask questions. Although an adviser may not be able to solve all problems or answer all questions, they can refer students to other campus offices which can be of assistance.

Students pursuing their degree via Distance Education should consult with their adviser prior to registering each term.

WEB REGISTRATION

http://www.ous.edu/webster/

Registration for classes at Eastern is done on-line using Webster which is a dynamic system allowing continuous changes in course selection until the term’s deadlines occur. Student personal information, financial aid information, and account information are also available on Webster. Complete instructions for Web registration can be found at the Web site address or on the front page of the current schedule of classes. After academic advising, your faculty adviser can help you register on Webster or you may obtain assistance from the Registrar’s Office or the Advising Office.

ACADEMIC POLICIES

NOTE: THE COLLEGE HAS THE RIGHT TO ALTER THE CURRICULA AND/OR THE SUPPORT SERVICES AS DESCRIBED IN THE CATALOG WHEN NECESSARY.

Academic Bankruptcy

Academic Bankruptcy provides the opportunity for students to resume their college education without the encumbrance of previously earned grades. Through this process, motivated students may receive a second chance to work toward a baccalaureate degree with a new grade point average. Academic Bankruptcy is an extreme measure: it may be granted only once, and only when students provide clear and convincing evidence of a renewed commitment to advancing their education. Academic Bankruptcy may affect financial aid and veterans benefits.

Eligibility

Students may be considered for Academic Bankruptcy if they meet the following three conditions:

1. The student must not have attended any college or university for a minimum of four years prior to returning to any college.
2. The student must be currently enrolled at EOU.
3. The student must have completed a minimum of 12 graded credits numbered 100 or above at Eastern with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better in those credits. Activity courses may not be used to satisfy this condition. (Excluded courses are PEH 180, MUS 194, 195, 196, 395 and 396.)

Procedure

A. To apply for Academic Bankruptcy, the student must submit to the Academic Standards Committee a formal letter of request, which must include:

1. A proposed Bankruptcy Date that precedes the date of application by at least four years;
2. A statement of academic plans; and
3. A rationale for the request.

B. If the student has not already been admitted to Eastern, the student must submit a complete application for admission to the Office of Admissions including official transcripts for all previous college attendance.

The petitioner is encouraged to provide additional information (for example, employment history, letters of support, samples of recent writing, or documentation of successfully completed projects) to aid the committee in its decision.

If Academic Bankruptcy is granted, then:

1. It will apply to all credits attempted by the student prior to the Bankruptcy Date; and
2. The student’s transcript will have a notation typed on it stating: “Academic Bankruptcy granted effective [Bankruptcy Date]. Courses and grades received prior to [Bankruptcy Date] are no longer calculated in the grade point average and do not apply toward graduation.” All coursework will remain on the transcript.

ACADEMIC HONESTY CODE

All members of the Eastern Oregon University academic community are responsible for compliance with its Academic Honesty Code. Students are required to report violations to the respective faculty member of a course. Provisions of the Academic Honesty Code are:

1. Collaboration while taking any quizzes, in-class examinations, or take home examinations without the instructor’s written approval is forbidden. The faculty member is responsible for defining limits for other collaborative learning activities for each course.
2. Plagiarism or representation of the work of others as one’s own is forbidden. The faculty member will make clear the format for properly citing sources of information not original by the student.
3. Explicit approval by all instructors is required if the same work is to be submitted to more than one course, even if it is not within the same term.

Violations of the Academic Honesty Code may result in both academic and behavioral penalties including possible suspension or expulsion from the University. An automatic grade of zero for any work which is a violation of the Academic Honesty Code will be assigned by the instructor. The instructor may also assign a grade of “F” for the course after discussion with the respective college dean. Students may appeal the course grade to the respective college dean, who is the final level of appeal on the matter of course grade penalties for academic dishonesty.

The faculty member is also required to file a disciplinary complaint to the Vice President for Student Affairs about any student believed to have violated the Academic Honesty Code. If deemed appropriate, hearing procedures will be implemented by a University Hearing Officer as outlined in the Code of Student Conduct. Possible sanctions considered by the Student Conduct Committee include probation, suspension, and expulsion.

ACADEMIC STANDING POLICY

Goals

Eastern Oregon University expects students to maintain satisfactory academic progress toward degree completion. At the conclusion of each term, grade point averages are calculated and academic standings determined for all undergraduate students. All GPA references, including cumulative GPA’s are, unless otherwise noted, based only on EOU coursework. Students may request in writing to the Registrar’s Office, on an individual basis, to have their academic standing recalculated due to a change of grade in the immediately preceding term. Requests for recalculation received during fall term may be applied to spring term if no classes were taken during the summer. In cases where the grade change occurs due to faculty error, no action is required on the student’s part; the recalculation will take place automatically in the Registrar’s Office.

In the case of ambiguity in the rules following, the Academic Standards Committee should determine in favor of the student.

Definitions

The various levels of academic standing are:

Good Standing:: Students with an EOU term GPA (for the latest academic term) and cumulative GPA of 2.000 or higher.
Academic Warning:: Students with an EOU cumulative GPA of 2.000 or better who are, therefore, in Good Standing will be given an Academic Warning if their term GPA drops below 2.000. First-term freshmen who fail to achieve a 2.000 will be given an Academic
Warning.: This is a caution to the student that there is a lack of satisfactory academic progress.
Academic: Probation: Students who have completed two or more terms at EOU and who have a cumulative GPA below 2.000 will be placed on Academic Probation.
Academic Suspension:: Students who have an EOU term GPA below 2.000 while on academic probation will be placed on Academic Suspension. Suspended (and, hence, “former”) students are denied all student privileges including, but not limited to, registration, class attendance, financial aid and residence in EOU housing. Students who petition for reinstatement should attend classes until their case is resolved with the Academic Standards Committee. There are exceptions for Summer Session registration, see Summer Session, Academic Standards Procedures.

Procedures

Timing:: Changes in academic standing, caused by a term’s grades, take effect midnight of the day grades for the term are computed according to the academic calendar. Changes in academic status caused by action of the ASC take effect midnight of the day in which the ASC takes such action.
Academic Warning:: Students on Academic Warning retain all student privileges. Students in this status are contacted and are strongly encouraged to utilize the various services of the University that are outlined in the letter. These services are designed to assist students with their academic success.
Academic Probation:: Students on Academic Probation are contacted by letter and must acknowledge their status by signing and returning the letter of notification. They are required to participate in an academic intervention designed to assist students on probation with their responsibility to attain good academic standing. A probationary hold will be administered to the student’s account until he or she signs up for or completes the intervention program. This hold prevents the student from registering, paying fees, and adding/dropping courses.
Advisers will be notified at the end of each term of those students on probation. Students who attain a term and a cumulative GPA of 2.000 or better will be removed from Academic Probation and placed on Good Standing. Students with consecutive terms of probation who have a term GPA greater than 2.000 but still have a cumulative GPA less than 2.000 are making progress and will not be required to participate in the intervention program again. Students with two or more terms below 2.000 will be required to meet with a designated adviser prior to registering for that term.
Academic Suspension:: Students on Academic Suspension for the first time will be notified by letter and may petition the ASC for possible reinstatement. There are exceptions for Summer Session registration, see Summer Session, Academic Standards Procedures. In the meantime, students are strongly encouraged to attend classes for which they are registered. Petitions for reinstatement must be typewritten and include (at a minimum) information about the causes of poor academic performance and information about possible remedies. Petitions not meeting these minimal requirements will not be considered.

Petitions must be received by 5 p.m. on the Friday before the term in which the suspended student seeks reinstatement. The ASC will not consider petitions received after the deadline for the term in which the student seeks reinstatement.
Students attending on-campus classes will then be required to meet with the committee as part of the decision process. A student who does not attend will not be reinstated unless they have obtained written permission from the committee.
Advisers will be notified at the end of each term of those students who are on academic suspension.

The committee must meet and consider all petitions before the end of the first week of the term. Should the ASC act favorably upon such a petition, the restrictions are lifted and all the conditions of probationary status are applied but ‘suspension’ will still appear on the transcript. The committee may also require the student to meet other conditions as appropriate. These conditions may include (but are not limited to) meeting with the student’s adviser, limitations on credits taken, and testing (where appropriate) to determine the student’s academic level. Such conditions are intended to help the student achieve academic success.

Students returned to probationary status after being suspended must maintain term GPA’s of 2.000 or better in order to maintain, at least, probation status. A student who has been reinstated to probationary status and who subsequently has a term GPA drop below 2.000 will be suspended. This suspension may not be appealed to the ASC without at least one term of good standing since the previous suspension.

Suspended students seeking reinstatement will be automatically reinstated if one year has passed since the suspension or if they have earned, after their suspension, a GPA of 2.000 or better with at least 24 graded credits from accredited colleges or universities. Their academic status upon reinstatement will be academic probation.

Summer Session Academic Procedures

Academic standing requirements are waived to register for summer courses, except:

- Students on Probation MUST participate in an academic intervention before registering for summer courses in either summer session (academic hold on payment.)
Student academic standing at the end of summer session can result in the following actions:
- Students entering a summer session on Suspension will NOT be given a chance to appeal to the Academic Standards Committee (ASC) for Fall reinstatement if their overall Summer GPA is below a 2.000.
- Students entering a summer session on Probation MUST petition the ASC for Fall reinstatement if their academic standing moves to Suspension as a result of summer coursework.
Students who improve their academic standing to Good Standing during a summer session will NOT be required to appeal to the ASC for Fall reinstatement.

ADDING A COURSE

Prior to the first day of class, students may add on-line via web registration. Once classes begin, during the first two weeks (or up to 20% of the duration of a class) students may add classes at the discretion of the instructor, who must provide a signature on a paper add form. Thereafter, only the College Dean may approve exceptions, along with the Dean of Distance Education when appropriate. Requests for exceptions may be brought to the Deans only upon prior approval of the instructor to approve the request.

No class may be added after the end of the regular instructional period under any circumstances. This means that no courses may be added during finals week, nor may they be added after the end of the term.

Add/drop fees will be assessed in accordance with the fee policies stated in the Schedule of Classes.

ADMINISTRATIVE WITHDRAWAL

An instructor may cancel the course registration of a student where there is justification for such action. Students who have not attended class by the third full class hour of the term and who have not made appropriate arrangements in advance with the instructor may be administratively withdrawn from that class.

The approval of the college dean is necessary for an Administrative Withdrawal. To withdraw a student, the instructor shall notify the Registrar’s Office in writing. The Registrar’s Office will then mail a notification of the Administrative Withdrawal action to the student’s local address. Students may appeal Administrative Withdrawal to the Academic Standards Committee. Once an appeal has been filed, the student may attend class. The time frame for the Administrative Withdrawal will be the same as for the drop period.

Not attending a class does not guarantee that a student will be administratively withdrawn. Students should always check their class enrollment on-line or with the Registrar’s Office.

AGENCY SPONSORED LEARNING (ASL)

Admitted students may be eligible to receive credit for completed agency sponsored courses/programs. Agency sponsored learning takes place through formal educational programs and courses sponsored by noncollegiate organizations which are nondegree-granting and which offer courses to their employees, members, or customers. These noncollegiate organizations include business and industry, labor unions, professional and voluntary associations, and government agencies.

Only educational programs or courses conducted on a formal basis and with official approval of the sponsoring organization are considered. Courses must be under the control of the sponsoring organizations. Informal on-the-job training and job experience are not considered to be agency sponsored learning.

Credit recommendations for agency sponsored learning may only be awarded for college-level knowledge within a discipline offered at Eastern Oregon University and upon recommendation by a faculty member at EOU. Since ASL awards at EOU are considered as transfer credit, such credit will not likely transfer to another institution.

Credit earned through agency sponsored learning will be officially transcripted after 35 EOU credits have been earned and after full payment has been made. Agency sponsored learning credit will not count toward fulfilling EOU’s residency requirement.

Students wishing to initiate a request for agency sponsored learning or who need further information should contact the Division of Distance Education.

ASSESSMENT OF PRIOR EXPERIENTIAL

LEARNING FOR CREDIT (APEL)

Students admitted to EOU may receive credit for experiential learning that demonstrates college level mastery of curriculum areas. The Portfolio Development course, APEL 390, must be taken prior to students preparing a portfolio of learning essays. The portfolio is evaluated by on-campus faculty. The evaluator(s) will decide how much academic credit is to be granted. APEL credit is not eligible for financial aid. Such credit may not always be transferable to other institutions. Please contact the Division of Distance Education for further information.

AUDITING OF COURSES

The grade of AU is assigned if a student enrolls in a course for no credit. If they are an auditor, they are not considered to be a regularly enrolled student and therefore are not expected to complete assignments or take examinations. If the student enrolls initially for credit, they may change to the auditor status through the second Friday of the term. They also have through the second Friday of the term to change from audit to credit. Audit hours are charged the same amount as credit hours.

BACCALAUREATE DEGREE AND PROFESSIONAL DEGREE

After the third year at EOU, students may transfer to a school offering a professional degree that requires work beyond a baccalaureate degree. Students may be granted a baccalaureate degree at the completion of an additional year in the professional program. No more than 48 credit hours from the professional school may count toward the baccalaureate degree. Before transferring, students should satisfy all graduation requirements that cannot be satisfied at the professional school. The application for this degree must be submitted to the dean of the school responsible for the program prior to completion of the student’s third year.

CLASSIFICATION OF STUDENTS

1. The class level of an undergraduate student is determined by the number of cumulative credit hours; freshman 0-44; sophomore 45-89; junior 90-134; senior 135 and over. Graduate - holder of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
2. By credit hour load:
Full-Time Undergraduate - Enrolled for 12 through 21 hours inclusive.
Full-Time Graduate - Enrolled for 9 through 16 hours inclusive.
Part-Time Admitted Student - Enrolled for less than full time.
Non-Admitted Student - Student not admitted as a regular student pursuing a degree or certification - may enroll for only 8 hours or less if in good academic standing at Eastern Oregon University.

CLASSROOM DECORUM

Instruction is the most valuable function at Eastern Oregon University. So all students gain full benefit of instruction, the University insists that appropriate classroom decorum be maintained. Minimum elements of appropriate classroom decorum include: punctuality, courtesy, civility, purposefulness, and integrity. To achieve these elements, faculty may establish rules about such matters as: tardiness, absences, argumentation, collaboration, presence of children and guests, eating and drinking, and basic forms of conduct to minimize disruption of the educational process. Such rules established by individual faculty will be clearly and explicitly communicated to students in the course using such means as the course syllabus. Persons judged by a faculty member to be disruptive may be referred by the faculty member for University disciplinary review and action. Further, a faculty member has the responsibility and right to excuse disruptive persons from a class session. Students with concerns about a faculty member’s actions are encouraged to contact the dean of the college in which the faculty member is located.

Information regarding appropriate student conduct, disciplinary procedures for violations, procedures for conduct hearings, and students’ rights and responsibilities can be found in the EOU Student Handbook, available in the Office of Student Affairs.

CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT

Students are considered to be continuously enrolled if attendance is not interrupted for three or more consecutive terms (not including summer.) Continuous enrollment also includes enrollment at any Oregon University System institution or Oregon community college. Students who maintain continuous enrollment may satisfy major or minor requirements from one catalog applicable during their enrollment while satisfying institutional and general education requirements from a different catalog applicable during their enrollment. Continuous Enrollment ends when a baccalaureate degree is granted. If it takes longer than 7 years to complete a degree program, graduation requirements will be reviewed individually.

CORNERSTONE PROGRAM

EOU challenges students to learn actively and reflectively and explore the diverse and changing world beyond the classroom. Therefore, the university encourages students to complete “cornerstone” projects in experiential learning. The four EOU Cornerstones are:

I. Community Service Learning

EOU students serve their communities and world through engagement and reflection. EOU offers students opportunities to join community organizations, take service learning courses and develop service projects.

II. Internships or Mentoring

Explore your career interests through work-related experiences in the field. This can be achieved through internships, practica, or mentoring.

III. Research or Creative Activity

The EOU curriculum provides great opportunities to conceive and conduct research or creative projects. Present your findings at EOU’s Spring Symposium or an academic conference, or publish them in journals such as the Oregon East literary magazine or the Eastern Oregon Science Journal.

IV. International or Intercultural Experience

Appreciation and knowledge of diverse cultures is among the fundamental attributes of 21st century humans. EOU will help you to broaden your awareness locally and internationally. Visit the International Studies office to find out about opportunities to study abroad.

Each Cornerstone includes a process of engagement; reflection before, after, and during the work, communication with others about the work. Often, a single large project provides multiple Cornerstone experiences. A minimum of 25 hours is required for each Cornerstone experience, but most projects go beyond this standard.

Students completing these experiences will be recognized at graduation. All completed Cornerstones are noted in student transcripts.

To learn more, check the Cornerstone Web site at http://www.eou.edu/corner and talk to your adviser and instructors about Cornerstone opportunities.

COURSE CHALLENGE

Admitted students who are currently enrolled and have completed 12 EOU credits may petition for credit for a specific course by special exam. They may not challenge a course for which they have already received a grade. Courses to demonstrate prior knowledge must be challenged before enrolling in a higher level course in that discipline. Students educated in a language other than English cannot receive credit for that language at the first or second year level through challenge or CLEP exams. Students should consult with the appropriate modern language faculty for evaluation and placement. The petition form must be signed by the assigned course instructor, the adviser, and the appropriate college dean. Students may choose to have their challenge graded by the S/U option by filing the proper S/U form with the Registrar’s Office prior to taking the examination.

Successful completion of a course challenge will be recorded on the transcript with A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, or S. Other grades will make the challenge unsuccessful and will not be recorded on the transcript.

COURSE LOAD LIMITATIONS

The minimum number of hours for a regular full-time undergraduate student is 12, a normal load is 15-18 and the maximum is 21, including distance education credits. A student may enroll for more than 21 credits with the permission of the college dean, who will consider the student’s academic record, major program, and proposed courses. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or a GPA of 3.0 or better from the previous term ordinarily is necessary for an overload.

The maximum load for graduate students is 16 hours a term during the academic year, 6 hours during a 4-week summer session, or 13 hours during the 8-week summer session. Exceptions must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.

COURSE NUMBERING

0-99 - Non-credit courses or credit courses of a developmental, terminal, or semi-professional nature are not applicable toward degree requirements. These courses count toward athletic eligibility, financial aid eligibility, and veteran’s benefits. These courses do not count toward graduation requirements.

100-299 - Courses at the lower-division level.

300-499 - Courses at the upper-division level.

500-599 - Graduate courses.

700- In-service courses. Limited applicability toward advanced degree.

DEAN’S LIST

To qualify for the Dean’s List, an undergraduate student must complete at least 12 credit hours of coursework with letter grades and achieve a GPA of at least 3.5.

DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS

Some of the language used to describe courses and degree programs may not be familiar to students. So, to help them become familiar with the language of academia, some definitions, abbreviations and classifications that will be encountered during college appear below.

Definitions

Academic Year -: The academic year is divided into three terms (fall, winter, spring) of approximately 11 weeks each, exclusive of summer session. Students may enter at the beginning of any term, although fall term entrance is preferred.
Subject -: Designated area of knowledge such as history, education, business or art.
Course -: Subject or an instructional sub-division of a subject offered during a single term.
Year Sequence -: Three closely articulated or consecutive courses in a subject extending through three terms of an academic year.
Curriculum -: An organized program of study arranged to provide specific cultural or professional preparation.
Term or Quarter Hour -: For a normal course, a student can expect to spend at least 30 clock hours of time (e.g. in class, in lab, reading, research, studying or in other activities related to coursework) for every term hour of credit earned.
Field Placement or Practicum -: Field placement and practicum experience are designed to offer students an opportunity to explore career areas and extend the educational experience beyond the classroom through supervised work experience in agencies, schools, or private business.

Abbreviations

In discussion of each course of study, students will encounter several different abbreviations that are commonly used to describe courses of certain aspects of course offerings. Listed below are examples of some of the abbreviations that will be encountered. Under each course description students will find some or all of these illustrative abbreviations and meanings.

PSY 201 - Psychology 201 (Arranged) -: Time, term offered and credit hours are arranged upon request or sufficient demand.
THEA 244, 245, 246 Technical Theatre (2) -: A sequence course which will have two credit hours per term.
Prerequisite: MATH 111 -: MATH 111 is a prerequisite. The course must be successfully completed before a student can enroll in the course described.

DOUBLE DIPPING

There is no University-wide policy prohibiting the double use of courses. Programs may or may not allow ‘double dipping’ between their major and a second major, their major and a minor, their minor and a major, or between their minor and a second minor.

ENROLLMENT IN CLASSES

Eastern Oregon University reserved the right to restrict enrollment to individual courses based on a number of considerations including, but not limited to, class size, satisfactory completion of prerequisite courses or experience, past performance of the student in similar courses, and whether a student is seeking a degree or not.

GRADES & GRADE POINT

Letter grades are awarded for academic performance as follows:

A Superior

B Good

C Satisfactory

D Inferior

F Failed

S Satisfactory

U Unsatisfactory

Other letters are assigned to indicate the student’s credit status for a course:

AU Audit (no credit)

G after the letter grade

indicates graduate credit

I Incomplete

X Work in progress

W Withdrawn (no credit)

Grade points are computed on the basis of grades earned each term:

A 4.00

A - 3.67

B + 3.33

B 3.00

B - 2.67

C + 2.33

C 2.00

C - 1.67

D + 1.33

D 1.00

D - 0.67

F 0.00

Grades of Audit, S, U, I, X and W are disregarded in the computation of the grade point average (GPA). The GPA is the total grade points divided by the total graded term hours attempted. A minimum Eastern GPA of 2.00 and a composite GPA of 2.00 are required for graduation.

GRADE CHANGE POLICY

All grade except for ‘I’ and ‘X’ are final when filed by the instructor in the end-of-term grade report. Thereafter, a grade change may be made only in the case of clerical, procedural or calculation error. No grade other than ‘I’ or ‘X’, once reported, may be revised by re-testing nor by completing additional work. Any grade change must take place within one year subsequent to the term in which the grade was reported.

Instructors who are not prepared to submit a final, closed course grade at the time that grades are due, on account of an individual student’s extraordinary circumstances or special needs, may submit a grade of ‘I’.

GRADUATION WITH DISTINCTION

To be considered for graduation with distinction, an undergraduate student must complete at least 90 graded credit hours; 35 of these hours must be in upper division courses at Eastern Oregon University. To qualify for honors, the EOU GPA and the cumulative GPA (including transfer credits, if any) must be at least 3.5. EOU’s GPA will be used to determine the level of honors.

GPA’s and distinctions:

cum laude - 3.5 to 3.69

magna cum laude - 3.7 to 3.84

summa cum laude - 3.85 to 4.0

honors on a second baccalaureate degree

Student must be eligible on EOU coursework taken since the awarding of the first degree and the student must also be eligible when all college coursework is combined.

The student wishing honors on a second degree must submit official transcripts from all schools attended. These must be received by the Registrar’s Office before applying for graduation. The deadline for applying for graduation is one term prior to the term when the student plans to graduate. See the class schedule for specific dates.

The student must complete a minimum of 36 EOU hours beyond the awarding of the first degree. Of these 36 hours, 25 must be graded (A-D) and 25 must be upper division. The cumulative GPA on credits received since the awarding of the first degree and the overall cumulative GPA (including transfer credits, if any) must be at least 3.50. The GPA on coursework completed since the awarding of the first degree will be used to determine the level of honors awarded.

HONORS FOR TWO OR MORE DEGREES EARNED SIMULTANEOUSLY

Eligible students will receive honors on all degrees obtained simultaneously.

Eastern also offers an Honors Baccalaureate degree for qualified students and the Cornerstone Experience.

INCOMPLETE AND IN-PROGRESS COURSEWORK

The I grade is assigned by the instructor if the quality of work is satisfactory, but students have been prevented by circumstances beyond their control from completing all of the requirements of the course. It is the instructor’s prerogative to judge the validity of these circumstances. The instructor determines the step the student must take to remove the deficiency, the time allowed for doing so, the alternate grade (usually F) to be assigned if they fail to complete the work in the time allowed. The student and the Registrar’s Office are informed of the instructor’s requirements in writing. Incomplete grades not removed by the date specified (limited to one term unless otherwise noted) automatically revert to the alternate grade specified by the instructor.

The grade of X is assigned when a student is enrolled in a course which extends beyond the end of the term. This includes thesis, practicum, capstone, and other experiential endeavors not aligned with the academic calendar.

INTER-INSTITUTIONAL CREDIT

Credits earned at EOU are generally accepted at all universities in the Oregon University System, as well as other accredited institutions. However, the transfer of credit is controlled by the receiving institution and may be limited because of low grades or other factors. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the institution where they want to transfer and determine what information will be needed for transfer.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

Full admitted students in good academic standing and who have attended EOU for at least two terms are eligible for one leave of absence. A leave of absence may be for up to eight consecutive terms (including summer.)

Students granted a leave of absence will be able to continue under the catalog requirements that were in effect when they originally enrolled. Such students will not be required to pay an application fee upon returning.

See the Registrar’s Office to apply for a leave of absence.

MILITARY EVALUATION FOR CREDIT

Students may receive college credit for military classes. A DD-214 and supporting documents along with the ‘military evaluation’ cover sheet, available in the Registrar’s Office, must be submitted to the Office of Admissions. These credits will be considered unofficial until 35 Eastern credits have been earned.

MINORS

All EOU minors require a minimum of 10 EOU credits in the minor. Admitted students may choose to have their minor(s) recognized. To do so, they must complete the ‘Recognition of Minor’ form that is available in the Registrar’s Office. Minors are transcripted only at the same time as the awarding of an EOU Bachelor’s degree.

MULTIPLE MAJORS

Students who have completed the degree requirements in more than one major program, but who have not completed sufficient extra credits to earn a second degree will be recognized as follows:

1. The student will choose which major will be recorded on the diploma. Only one major will be listed. The diploma, for example, will read ‘Bachelor of Science in History.’
2. All majors will be posted on the final transcript.
3. All EOU majors require a minimum of 20 EOU credits, at least 10 of which must be upper division in the major.

Please see listing of the majors available at Eastern Oregon University.

Please Note: Admitted students who have already earned a baccalaureate degree may earn a major by completing the program requirements.

It will be the responsibility of the student to complete the ‘Application for Additional Majors’ form that is available in the Registrar’s Office. Majors are transcripted only at the same time as the awarding of an EOU Bachelor’s degree.

POST-BACCALAUREATE NON-GRADUATE STUDENT CLASSIFICATION

A holder of an accredited baccalaureate degree who has not been admitted to a graduate degree program and who submits an official application for admission to pursue a second baccalaureate degree or enroll in coursework not to be used for graduate credit will be called a post-baccalaureate non-graduate student and will be assessed tuition at undergraduate rates after completing the proper form available in the Registrar’s Office.

Baccalaureate degree holders who are admitted to post-baccalaureate non-graduate status at undergraduate tuition rates are precluded from claiming graduate credit for graduate hours taken while in that status. However, individual institutions may allow the reservation of not more than twelve of their graduate hours (only six per term) to apply in their institution’s graduate programs. Graduate credit hours reserved in combination as an undergraduate and post-baccalaureate non-graduate cannot exceed 15.

Baccalaureate degree holders who are not admitted with post-baccalaureate non-graduate status will be assessed graduate tuition rates.

Students who have been admitted to the advanced degree program may convert to post-baccalaureate non-graduate student status only if the graduate degree has been awarded or if the student has been dropped from the degree program by the institution, or upon a request approved by the Dean of the Graduate School for voluntary relinquishment of graduate status.

Students in the education programs who are admitted to the 45-hour standard norm certificate program are not eligible for the post-baccalaureate non-graduate student status. Graduate tuition rates are applicable whether or not graduate credit is sought by students in this program.

PRACTICUM COURSES

Undergraduate-level practicum-type courses (109, 209, 309 and 409 numbers), including cooperative education placements, will be graded by the S/U option only unless excepted elsewhere in the catalog.

REGISTRATION

Registration is completed prior to the beginning of each term. Late registration will be accepted until 20 percent of the meeting time of that course has elapsed following the instructions under ‘Adding A Course.’ Since the Division of Distance Education has different registration deadlines, please contact that office or refer to their Web site: http://www.eou.edu/dde.

REPEATED COURSEWORK

Students may repeat a course to improve a grade or to increase mastery of a subject, although the credit hours and grade points earned for that course count only once. The most recent grade earned will be used in computing the GPA and credit toward graduation. Grades of U and W are not used to replace A-F grades. All grades will remain on the transcript. Students are responsible for notifying the Registrar’s Office that a course is being repeated so that their GPA can be recalculated and their credit hour total reduced.

SATISFACTORY/UNSATISFACTORY OPTION

The purpose of the S/U option is to encourage students to take courses outside their major program without the earned grade affecting their GPA. The S/U grading option must be elected by the second Friday of the term. To elect the S/U option, the student must file the request form with the Registrar’s Office. Of the 180 term hours required for the bachelor’s degree, students may elect up to 36 for S/U. Courses offered only on an S/U basis are not included in the 36-hour limit.

The grade of S indicates a grade comparable to a grade of C- or better. An S/U grade may be elected for any course except those used to meet specific program requirements, unless it is allowed by the academic college offering the course. If a required course is offered only on an S/U basis, it may be counted in the major program. If students have questions regarding which courses can be taken S/U, they should see their faculty adviser.

SECOND BACCALAUREATE DEGREE

An EOU student may earn a second bachelor’s degree from EOU, either concurrently or subsequent to another EOU bachelor’s degree or institutional partner-program degree, by satisfying all program requirements as determined by the appropriate major department. A minimum of 36 credits supervised by EOU faculty must be completed. If earned concurrently, a minimum of 216 total credits are required. If earned subsequently, 36 credits beyond the awarding of the first degree must be earned. Separate applications for graduation must be completed for each degree. A minimum cumulative EOU GPA of 2.00 is required.

If a student has earned a first baccalaureate degree from another accredited institution, a second baccalaureate degree from EOU may be earned by completing a minimum of 45 credit hours supervised by EOU faculty. Thirty of the 45 credit hours must be upper division. All program requirements for the degree as determined by the appropriate major department must be satisfied. A minimum cumulative EOU GPA of 2.00 is required.

If the first degree is from a non-accredited institution, a student may earn a baccalaureate degree from EOU by completing a minimum of 45 credit hours supervised by EOU faculty and by satisfying all program and current institutional requirements which have not been completed within the first degree. A minimum cumulative EOU GPA of 2.00 is required. Prior to meeting with a faculty adviser, official transcripts from all schools attended must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office with a request to have them evaluated for institutional requirements.

STATE OF OREGON RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS

Non-resident graduate students are assessed a non-resident fee. (For further information, contact the Registrar.)

Students with reasons for questioning a decision on their residence classification may appeal the decision under Oregon Administrative Rules #580-10-045 Review of Residence Classification Decisions.

Students wishing to apply for Oregon residency may go to the Registrar’s Office for more information.

Student Called to Active Military Duty

Students called to active military duty may examine the following tuition refund policy as stated in the OUS Academic Year Fee Book. The policy states ‘Any student with orders to report for active military duty may withdraw at any time during the term and receive a full refund. If sufficient course work has been accomplished and the instructor feels justified in granting credit for the course work completed, credit may be granted and withdrawal proceedings are unnecessary.’

If called to active military duty, students should meet with the Veteran’s Affairs Office if already receiving benefits, with the Financial Aid Office if applicable, and with their academic adviser to discuss their options. These options are total withdrawal, partial withdrawal or no withdrawal. Any withdrawal from on-campus courses must be done through the Registrar’s Office and any withdrawal from Distance Education courses must be done through the Distance Education Office. A copy of the active duty letter is required.

Tenth Week & Finals Week Policy

Exceptions to this policy may be requested from College Deans, who will forward recommendations to the Provost for review.

Tenth Week (Monday through Sunday of the week preceding final examinations for Fall, Winter and Spring Terms)

A. No examination worth 20 percent or more of the final grade will be given, with the exception of make-up examinations.
B. No final examinations will be given under any guise with the exception of exercises that require more than a two-hour block of time.
C. No papers or projects will be due, unless they have been clearly specified on the syllabus, within the first week of the term.
D. No institutionally-sponsored events will be scheduled, unless they have been clearly specified or scheduled on a course syllabus or events calendar within the first week of the term.

Finals Week (Monday through Friday, the last week of Fall, Winter and Spring Terms)

A. Take-home final examinations and projects will be due no earlier than the day of the formally assigned final examination for the class in question.
B. Proctored final exams will be given no earlier than the day of the formally assigned final examination for the class in question.
C. No institutionally-sponsored non-academic events will be schedule beginning Monday of finals week through the last day of finals.

The time set aside for a final examination will be used for course purposes.

Transfer Equivalency

Students with the following Associate Degrees will be considered as having met the general education distribution requirements:

1) Oregon: The Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer or the Associate of Science in Business Oregon Transfer from an Oregon community college.
2) Washington: The Associate of Arts, the Associate of Arts and Sciences, or the Associate of Science degrees from a Washington state community college which have been approved for university transfer. Please refer to the official list maintained in the Registrar’s Office.
3) Idaho: The Associate of Arts or the Associate of Science at both North Idaho College and The College of Southern Idaho.

Vocational-technical coursework

A maximum of 12 vocational/technical credits, completed with a grade of “C-” or better, will be accepted. These credits will be transcripted in a lump sum as lower division electives with a grade of “S”. They may not be used to meet general education or program requirements. A Transfer Evaluation Report acknowledging the courses accepted by the university will be sent to the student after the admission status has been confirmed. Vocational/technical coursework in a clearly articulated program agreement between EOU and another institution is exempt from this policy.

WITHDRAWAL

There are two types of withdrawal - withdrawal from a course and withdrawal from the University.

From a Course:

During the first week of on-campus classes (or 10% of the duration of an on-campus class) a student may drop a class without being held responsible for a grade, and without an instructor’s signature.

During weeks 2-5 (or up to 50% of the duration of a class) students must obtain an instructor’s signature of acknowledgement before dropping a class.

Thereafter, a student may withdraw from a class, but the instructor should grant the W only if the student is doing passing work. Otherwise, a grade of F will be recorded. Withdrawals must be filed in the Registrar’s Office by the last day of regularly scheduled class, (i.e. prior to finals week). All drop slips must be submitted within two regularly scheduled school days after the instructor signs the slip, and no later than the last day of regularly scheduled classes of the fifth week.

Courses through Distance Education may be dropped via the web, no signatures required, up to 50% of the current term.

Drop fees will be assessed in accordance with the fee policies stated in the Schedule of Classes.

From the University:

A student may withdraw from the University at any time during the term by the last day of regularly scheduled classes by completing the proper form in the Registrar’s Office. Official notification in writing must be received before any withdrawal from the University is processed.

STUDENT RECORDS

Student records are maintained for the purpose of preserving a permanent record of the academic achievements and progress of students at Eastern Oregon University. For a limited period, other information pertaining to their attendance and academic progress also is maintained.

Only such provisions as are demonstrably and substantially relevant to the educational and related purposes of the college are generated or maintained. The official academic student records are located in the Registrar’s Office and are under the supervision of the Registrar.

TWO CATEGORIES OF OFFICIAL STUDENT RECORDS ARE MAINTAINED:

1. Records of academic achievement include personal, biographic and academic items relating to admission, enrollment, courses taken, credits earned, grade point average and degree(s) received. The academic records are kept indefinitely.
2. Personal records include information about the student, furnished by the student or others on the student’s behalf at EOU’s request. Applications for admission and supporting documents, various transcripts and correspondence, and other information may be included.

These records are maintained for five years and then destroyed.

Information in student records is deemed confidential and access is RESTRICTED TO THE STUDENT and upon approval of the Registrar, to the institution’s faculty and administrative officers in performance of their assigned responsibilities. THE RECORDS MAY NOT BE RELEASED TO ANY OTHER PERSON OR AGENCY EXCEPT IF AUTHORIZED IN WRITING BY THE STUDENT OR UPON RECEIPT OF SUBPOENA OR OTHER COURT ORDER. These restrictions do not apply to records more than 25 years old.

CERTAIN PUBLIC INFORMATION MAY BE RELEASED FROM STUDENT RECORDS WITHOUT THE STUDENT’S CONSENT. SUCH UNRESTRICTED ACCESS APPLIES TO THE FOLLOWING:

1. Directory information: Name, address, telephone number, electronic mail address, photograph, date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, grade level, enrollment status, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, degrees, honors and awards received, and the most recent educational agency or institution attended of all enrollees is included in a campus directory. This information, however, can be restricted by request. To do so, the student must file a directory information restriction form with the Registrar’s Office before the close of the second week in a term. The Vice President for Student Affairs or other college officials may release otherwise restricted directory information in case of an emergency when contact with the student is imperative. This provision is part of the Buckley Law.
2. Objective evidence of a student’s academic achievement, limited to information as to the number of credits and degree(s) earned, may be released. Student records are considered to be unofficial. They are confidential and are available to institutional personnel in order to fulfill their official and professional responsibilities.

Regulations and recommendations governing the maintenance and use of student records are set forth by the Oregon State Board of Higher Education and may be referred to in Oregon Administrative rules, Chapter 580, Division 13, on file in the Registrar’s Office. ORS 351.070 also addresses the subject of student records.

The Registrar shall draft the necessary regulations and rules to enforce the policy as herein described. These regulations shall be processed by administrative approval prior to posting.