Academic Policy

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 guarantees to students in postsecondary schools certain rights relative to the academic records maintained by the institution on its students. For information on the policy related to academic records, contact the Registrar’s Office.

Grading System

A student’s scholarship rating in each subject is determined by the combined results of examinations and class work. For this purpose the following grading scale will be used.

Grades may be modified with “+” and “-” designators, indicating levels of performance that rank between the letter-grade definitions provided below. “Plus” and “minus” designators adjust the quality-point value of letter grades according to the formula described below.

Grades of “A, B, C, D, F, W, and AD” are entered on the student’s permanent academic record. Grades of “A, B, C, D, and F” are used to compute the student’s quality point average. The Q.P.A. is determined by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of credits taken for grade.

Each letter grade earns quality points as described in the example provided below. “Plus” and “minus” modifiers are authorized only for the A-, B+, B-, and C+.

The Quality Point Average in this example is 66/27 = 2.444

Mid-semester grade reports and semester grades will be available on-line to students through the campus network. No grade reports will be available for students who have outstanding financial obligations to the University.

Pass-Fail Grading Option

Selected courses may be taken for a “Pass-Fail” grade. The Pass-Fail option may not be used for courses which the student is required to take or for prerequisites for those required courses. Other regulations concerning the Pass-Fail option follow:

1. The Pass-Fail option is not available to Freshmen.
2. One Pass-Fail course may be taken in any given semester of the Sophomore, Junior and Senior years. However, every candidate for graduation must earn a minimum of 112 credits that are graded using the “A through F” grading scale.
3. Students must inform their advisors and the Registrar of their intention to register for a course on the Pass-Fail basis prior to the final Drop-Add date.
4. Faculty members are not informed about students electing the Pass-Fail option. Faculty are to grade all students on the “A through F” scale. The Registrar will convert the grade to Pass or Fail on the final grade confirmation sheet and the transcript.
5. Students registering for a Pass-Fail course will receive either a “P“ for Pass or “F” for Fail on their academic transcripts. Failing grades will be used to compute the Q.P.A.

Appealing a Grade

If a student wishes to question or appeal a grade, the student will, prior to the sixth week of the subsequent Fall or Spring Semester:

1. Contact the instructor to ask for an explanation of the grade determination. The instructor of the course will review how the grade was determined.
2. If the student is not satisfied with the instructor’s explanation, the student will then meet with the department chair or director of the academic program sponsoring the course to express concern. The chair/director will meet with the instructor of the course to ascertain how the grade was determined. The chair/director will then meet with the student to inform the student of the chair’s/director’s determination on the appeal.
   Students wishing to appeal grades in departments or programs having published department/program appeal policies must follow the department/program procedures.
3. If the student is not satisfied with the progress or the results of the inquiry to the instructor and chair/director, the student must, prior to the end of the sixth week of the subsequent Fall or Spring Semester, submit a letter of appeal to the Provost. The letter must include a summary of the meetings with the instructor and the chair/director as well as a rationale for the appeal. The Provost will discuss the appeal with the department chair/director and the instructor of the course to determine their analysis of the appeal. The Provost will review the appeal and render the final decision.

Auditing Classes

Students who wish to take courses for their information only may choose to audit the classes. The courses will appear on the transcript with a grade of “AD” and will not count toward any semester or cumulative totals. Students must specify on their registration forms which courses they are auditing and must pay the audit fee (one-half tuition) if tuition is being determined on an individual course basis. Students may not audit courses which are required for their degrees.

Academic Advising

The primary purpose of an academic advising program is to assist students in the development of meaningful educational plans which are compatible with their life goals. At Saint Francis University, academic advising is viewed as a continuous process of clarification and evaluation. The Center for Academic Success, located in St. Francis Hall, works in conjunction with the academic advisor and the student to help support educational needs and goals. The office is open to all students as an additional and/or supplemental academic resource.

Individual academic advising conferences are available to students each semester. The advisor will review and utilize any available data about the student’s academic and educational needs, performance, goals, and problems. The ultimate responsibility for making decisions about life goals and educational plans rests with the student. The advisor will assist by helping to identify and assess alternatives and the consequences of decisions.
As part of the University’s First Year Experience Program, entering freshmen students are assigned to advisors when the students participate in the Summer Orientation and Academic Registration (SOAR) Program during the summer prior to their freshman year. The advisors work with students during the freshman year. At the end of the freshman year, or in some cases later, students declare an academic major where the department chair serves as advisor or assigns an advisor from the department’s faculty.

Saint Francis University’s goals for academic advising are as follows: clarification of life and career goals; development of suitable educational plans; selection of appropriate courses and other educational experiences; interpretation of institutional requirements; increase student awareness of available educational resources; evaluation of student progress toward established goals; development of decision-making skills, and referral to and use of other institutional and community support services where appropriate.

If you need additional help beyond your assigned academic advisor, individual and walk-in appointments are available at the Center for Academic Success in St. Francis Hall.

Academic Honors

Four major honors are awarded to Saint Francis University students in recognition of their academic accomplishments.

No Dean’s List designation will be made for a particular semester until all “CN” and “I“ grades (except students in Independent Study or Honors 444) for that semester have been removed from a student’s academic record. The Dean’s List, which appears each semester, contains the names of those full-time undergraduate students who attain a quality point average of at least 3.5 for the given semester.

Part-time students enrolled at Saint Francis University will be eligible for the designation, “Academic Honors in Continuing Studies,” if they have completed a minimum of 15 credits between September 1 of one year and August 31 of the following year. Such students must achieve at least a 3.5 quality point average on all Saint Francis University courses taken in the particular year. These students must carry a part-time status throughout the year. A part-time student who enrolls full-time (12 credit hours) in a particular semester (excluding summer sessions) forfeits the opportunity to earn “Academic Honors in Continuing Studies.” Such a student, however, is automatically eligible for the Saint Francis University Dean’s List during the semester in which he or she is enrolled as a full-time student. In such a case, the student would have to attain at least a 3.5 quality point average on at least 12 credit hours of coursework taken during one semester.

The Saint Francis University Honor Society is comprised of those students who have met the following qualifications: (a) completion of the freshman year; (b) maintenance of overall quality point average of 3.5 or better; (c) attainment of the Dean’s List at least once; (d) no “F” grade in any course; (e) approval of the Provost.

Degrees with honor are conferred by the University for exceptional scholastic achievement at Saint Francis University, subject to the following considerations: 1) one or more semesters spent abroad or in a Washington, D.C., semester as part of a degree program offered by Saint Francis University shall be considered as study at Saint Francis University; 2) one or more semesters spent at cooperating hospitals as part of the University’s Medical Technology or Podiatric Science programs shall be considered as study at Saint Francis University; 3) in the case of students who accelerate their program, honors shall be computed on the basis of total courses taken at Saint Francis University; 4) no student is eligible for academic honors who has not completed at least 64 credits of his or her course work at Saint Francis University. The degrees with honors are as follows: Cum Laude for a cumulative Q.P.A. of 3.5; Magna Cum Laude for a cumulative Q.P.A. of 3.7; Summa Cum Laude for a cumulative Q.P.A. of 3.9. Students enrolled in degree completion programs in the Continuing Education division who have completed at least 48 credits at Saint Francis University with a cumulative QPA of at least 3.50 are eligible for the designation of “Honors in Continuing Education.”

A student whose Independent Study project has been judged by the Independent Study Committee to be of outstanding quality is given public recognition for that achievement. On the graduation program the student’s name is followed by the expression “Honors in (Name of Academic Discipline).”

Class Standing

1. To attain sophomore class standing: 28 credits
2. To attain junior class standing: 60 credits
3. To attain senior class standing: 96 credits

Academic Standing

Academic standing is based on semester and cumulative grade point average (G.P.A.) on all Saint Francis University courses. The quality point averages determining good academic standing, academic warning, academic probation, and academic dismissal are established to provide students with a clear understanding of their responsibilities during their college careers.

Students placed on academic probation are required to participate in a structured study laboratory program entitled Study Acceleration: Gaining Excellence (S.A.G.E.). S.A.G.E. consists of supervised study periods, individual tutoring, skills workshops, and self-assessment under the direction of University faculty and staff.

Students are limited to 12 credits per semester while they are on academic probation. Students on academic warning will be reviewed by the Academic Standing Committee where recommendations will be made as to possible credit limitation, required S.A.G.E. and/or other requirements.

Students who are on warning or probation at the end of spring semester are encouraged to attend summer semester at Saint Francis University and raise their cumulative G.P.A. to that required for good standing. Students’ academic standing may change as the result of summer semester courses.

Academic dismissal will occur:

1. when students’ cumulative G.P.A. is less than 1.000;
2. after two consecutive probationary semesters (excluding summer semester), or
3. if students on academic probation do not participate in S.A.G.E. as required and do not achieve academic good standing by the end of the semester.

After the first academic dismissal, students may appeal to the Provost. If the appeal is granted, students may return to the University for the next semester (fall, spring, or summer). If the appeal is denied, students may not apply for readmission for at least one calendar year, at which time the readmission request must be approved by the Provost upon the recommendation of the Academic Standing Committee. When students return from academic dismissal, they are on academic probation, and additional stipulations may be specified.

Students who have been away from the University for at least five years after a second dismissal may apply for readmission at that time. Their application would be presented to the Provost, who will consult the Committee on Academic Standing for a recommendation, and then make a decision.

Academic Honesty

Academic honesty is an essential part of the Saint Francis University experience. Dishonesty in any aspect of the life of the University is viewed as being incompatible with its moral tradition. Saint Francis University’s policy on academic honesty guides students in dealing with such issues in the process of learning. A copy of the policy is published in the Student Handbook and is available for review in the Academic Affairs Office.

Maintenance of Academic Scholarships

Several academic scholarships are available at Saint Francis University which are granted by the Committee on Scholarships and Student Aid. It is understood by the recipient that academic scholarships continue from one year to the next provided that the student maintains a specific Q.P.A. each academic year.

Failure to maintain a Q.P.A. during any given year will result in the loss of a student’s academic scholarship for the following year. A student who twice fails to maintain a specific Q.P.A. forfeits his/her scholarship permanently.

Matriculation

A full-time undergraduate student is one who is registered for 12 credits or more per semester.

A part-time undergraduate student is one who is registered for 11 or fewer credits per semester.

A matriculated student is one who is a candidate for a degree; matriculated students may, in consultation with their academic advisors, work toward a degree on a part-time basis.

A non-matriculated student is one who is not a candidate for a degree. Non-matriculated students may enroll on a full-time or part-time basis with the approval of the Vice President of Enrollment Management, who may grant matriculated status to qualified non-matriculated applicants.

Once a student has matriculated at Saint Francis University, all courses in the major must be completed at Saint Francis University. Likewise, it is expected that all collateral courses will be completed at Saint Francis University. Applications for exception may be directed to the Registrar.

General Requirements for Graduation

The Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science degrees are conferred by the University only at commencement. The program of study leading to each degree is usually completed in eight semesters. To qualify for graduation, a student must have followed a program of study approved by the Provost, completed a total of at least 128 credits, and have repeated for an acceptable grade any course in the major field in which the grade of “F” has been received.

Students are required to follow the course curricula as stated in the Saint Francis University catalog in effect at the time of the student’s entrance into the University or when the student declares a major. A student who wishes to follow a curriculum, in its entirety, adopted after that time, must file a Policy Waiver Request Form available at the Registrar’s Office. A student wishing to follow parts of both the old curriculum and the new curriculum must file a Course Waiver Substitution Form for each new course.

A candidate for any degree must complete the last 30 credits at Saint Francis University. Upon the recommendation of the appropriate department chair, specific individual cases requesting a waiver of this regulation may be given consideration by the Provost.

Every candidate for a degree must make formal application for the degree at least one semester before the graduation date. Proper completion of the official Application for Degree Card, obtainable at the Registrar’s Office, constitutes formal application.

Candidates for a degree must be present at the annual commencement exercises to receive their diplomas in person. To participate in commencement, a student must have completed all requirements for the appropriate degree or, if the student is within six (6) credits of completing degree requirements (or within two courses of completing degree requirements, not exceeding eight credits) and has at least a 2.0 cumulative and major quality point average, must apply in writing to the Registrar for permission to attend commencement ceremonies Permission to participate in commencement exercises may be granted if the student is able to demonstrate that the remaining credits will be completed during the subsequent summer session(s).

The requirements for a baccalaureate degree are completion of 128 or more credits (as outlined in the remaining sections of this publication) with a cumulative Q.P.A. of 2.00 or better in all courses taken at Saint Francis University, and a cumulative Q.P.A. of 2.00 or better in all major and collateral requirements, and fulfillment of General Education CORE Curriculum  requirements.

Registration

Registration is held for current students at an announced date preceding the end of each semester. Incoming freshmen are registered during the summer months immediately preceding the opening of the semester.

Students have complied with registration requirements when they have their schedule of studies approved by their advisor, when they have registered for their courses, and when they have completed arrangements for the payment of their semester accounts.

Students must register for a Saint Francis University course before or during the semester in which the course is taken. Students may not register for a course later than seven calendar days after the first scheduled class meeting of the fall or spring semester or three calendar days after the first scheduled class meeting of a summer session. In no case will credit for a course be awarded retroactively.

No student is considered enrolled in a class until the student’s name appears on the official class list.

The University reserves the right to cancel any course on the basis of insufficient enrollment.

Schedule Changes

Students wishing to add or delete a course must access the web-based registration program to make changes to their schedules. Students should consult academic advisors for approval of the changes to class schedules prior to adding or dropping courses. Changes of schedule may be made through the seventh day of the semester. In order to add variable-credit courses (including but not limited to Internships, Independent Study, and applied music tutorials), students should contact the Registrar’s Office for instructions.

Course Waivers and Substitutions

Students wishing to request waivers or substitutions of courses required for their degrees may get the proper forms at the Office of the Registrar.

Class Attendance Regulations

Students are expected to attend all classes as scheduled as an academic obligation. Students’ grades are based on prompt completion of all assignments, presence for all examinations, reading of the required references, and participation in class discussions as well as on the general quality of work. Instructors have no inherent obligation to provide make-up opportunities for an absence unless, in their judgment, the reason for the absence warrants such consideration.

Every instructor maintains a record of attendance and has a right to determine the importance of any absences a student may incur during the course insofar as the absence affects the student’s performance and achievement in class, the taking of examinations, class participation, laboratory work, or any other factor considered by the instructor in determining the grade a student will receive. All course work must be completed with the last meeting of the class.

After the instructors have explained the standards and requirements during the first meetings of a class, the student is responsible for successful completion of the course based on these criteria.

If students absent themselves excessively from consecutive classes, the absences are reported to the Vice President for Student Development.

Once reported, efforts will be made to intervene with the student to accommodate any reasons the student might not be attending classes. The student’s parents may be contacted. The University attempts to maintain a safe, positive, and nurturing atmosphere to help every individual student succeed. If, after intervention, the student continues a pattern of chronic absenteeism, then he or she shall be subjected to immediate dismissal from the University.

Students reporting late for class may be denied admission by the instructor and be recorded as absent.

After the final class enrollment lists have been processed, interested students may attend any class in which they are not registered with the permission of the instructor. Students so attending will not be subject to extra tuition or audit fees. No student may attend a class on this basis at a time when he or she is regularly scheduled for a class in which he or she is registered.

Normal Course Load

A normal full-time load is 12 to 18 credits. With the approval of the Provost, students may take up to 21 credits, provided that they have a cumulative Q.P.A. of at least 3.0 or that they are seniors who need the extra credits for graduation.

Credit-By-Examination Policy

Certain Subject CLEP (College-Level Examination Program) examinations, which have been approved by the appropriate department chair, are recognized for the purpose of course fulfillment and credit at Saint Francis University and are administered by the Center for Academic Success (CAS) in St. Francis Hall. Any individual is eligible to take a CLEP examination. An individual who achieves a qualifying score on a particular examination will receive credit for the course corresponding to that examination. In the absence of local norms the recommendations of CAS will be followed in determining a satisfactory score. The optional essay section of the CLEP is required by the history department at Saint Francis University.

Courses satisfied by means of the CLEP will be listed in a student’s file and total credits earned will be recorded on a student’s transcript under the heading “Credit-by- Examination.” Taking the CLEP will not affect a student’s option for P-F grades in that the student will still be entitled to the maximum number of P-F course grades allowable. A student may fulfill a maximum of 30 credits by means of Advanced Placement and/or College Level Examination Program examinations for a bachelor’s degree and 15 credits for an associate’s degree. A student may substitute a free elective in place of a course requirement satisfied by examination and a student who satisfies a course requirement by examination will not be charged tuition for that course.

A student will not be entitled to receive credit for a lower-level course after having taken a higher-level course. This holds true even if the student has failed the higher-level course. For example, a student who has taken Spanish 201 cannot receive CLEP credit for Spanish 102 .

Arrangements for taking an examination may be made by contacting the Center for Academic Success. Examinations are administered on a rotating basis. The cost for one CLEP examination is $80.00, payable to the College-Level Examination Program. A non-refundable service fee of $20.00 is charged and payable to Saint Francis University. Saint Francis University test center code number is 2797. Applications for CLEP are available at CAS, St. Francis Hall, or by calling 472-3024.

Withdrawal from Class

A student may officially withdraw from class no later than the 49th day of classes for the semester. To do so, a student must request a withdrawal form from the Registrar’s Office, and obtain the signatures of the instructor and the student’s advisor. If approval is given, the student will receive a grade of “W.” Remission of tuition and/or fees will be made in accordance with institutional policy.

Withdrawal after the 49th day subjects a student to an “F” grade. If a student can show just cause (illness or family emergency), the student may, in consultation with the instructor, apply for a grade of “CN” or “I” for any course from which he or she withdrew. If such arrangements are not made by the student, the “F” grade will apply. As usual, the “F” grade in this instance is calculated in the student’s quality point average.

Suspensions from Class

In keeping with the University’s policy on academic honesty, a student apprehended for dishonesty during a class meeting may, at the discretion of the instructor, be suspended indefinitely from the class. Such a suspension is recorded on the student’s official transcript as an “F.” A second offense may result in dishonorable dismissal from the University.

A copy of the academic honesty policy is published in the Student Handbook and is available for review in the Office of the Provost.

Final Examinations

Final examinations are held in all courses at the end of each semester and all students are required to take all examinations.

A student absent from a final examination because of serious illness or other equally grave reason will receive the grade of “CN” or “I.” A contract form for the grade of “CN,” available in the Registrar’s Office, must be completed by the faculty members and the student.

Permission for taking a special final examination must be secured from the Associate Provost. A fee of $25.00 is charged for each special examination.

Comprehensive Examination

All students must pass a comprehensive examination in their major field of study as a requirement for graduation. The purpose of the examination will be to assess the student’s command of the material and methodology used in his or her major.

Students who pass their comprehensive examinations will be automatically registered for EXAM 401, Comprehensive Exam, or EXAM 402, Comprehensive Exam With Distinction, and a grade of “P” will be recorded. The non-credit requirement will not affect the students’ cumulative quality point averages, and there will be no additional fees charged to the students.

Writing Competency Examination

All students must pass an examination designed to assess ability to write a clear, developed, and organized essay as a requirement for graduation. This examination will be given in the junior year, and its purpose will be to insure that all Saint Francis University graduates possess acceptable ability in written communication.

Students are responsible for registering for EXAM 301 as they would register for a regular course. The Writing Competency Examination is graded “P” or “F” (pass/fail), with an alternative grade of “HP” (“high pass”) for students whose performance on the examination is especially meritorious. No additional fees are charged for this non-credit requirement, and the grade for the Writing Competency Examination does not affect a student’s quality-point average.

Change of Major

The Change of Major form is available at the Registrar’s office. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain all necessary signatures prior to returning the completed form to the Registrar’s Office. The student’s program of study in the new major will be governed by the Saint Francis University catalog in effect when the change of major process is completed.

Students should be aware of departmental entrance criteria for the major in which they are interested and must understand that there is no guarantee of admission into the new major.

A Second Bachelor’s Degree

A candidate for a second bachelor’s degree who previously had been awarded a bachelor’s degree must complete a minimum of 32 credits in residence which have not counted toward the first bachelor’s degree, and must satisfy the requirements of a major other than those taken for the first bachelor’s degree. These students will not be eligible for academic honors for the second bachelor’s degree, unless the candidate completes at least 48 credits at Saint Francis University pursuant to completion of the second bachelor’s degree.

Saint Francis University undergraduate students who are seeking their first bachelor’s degree, and desire to complete two majors, one involving the Bachelor of Arts degree and the other the Bachelor of Science, must complete the requirements of each degree program.

A candidate for a second bachelor’s degree who previously had been awarded a bachelor’s degree from Saint Francis University will not be eligible for academic honors for the second bachelor’s degree, unless the candidate completes at least 64 credits at Saint Francis University pursuant to completion of the second bachelor’s degree.

A graduate from another college wishing to pursue studies at Saint Francis University in order to earn a second bachelor’s degree may be required to undertake additional course work as determined by the Admissions Office and the Provost. Six credits of Religious Studies must be completed at Saint Francis University in order to fulfill core requirements.

General Regulations for Academic Minors

1. All courses used to fulfill minor requirements must be graded with the regular letter grades of “A-D.” Pass-Fail grades are not permissible.
2. A cumulative Q.P.A. of at least 2.0 must be earned in the courses used to fulfill minor requirements.
3. An “F” grade in the discipline of the declared minor must be removed even if that course is not included in the minor requirements, unless the chair of the minor discipline were to determine that repetition of the failed course would be impossible or impractical.
4. No more than six credits of the minor requirements may be fulfilled by an independent study project, an internship, practicum, fieldwork or similar activity.
5. At least half of the credits for a minor must be completed at Saint Francis University.

Transfer of Outside Courses

A student who enters Saint Francis University directly from high school may transfer credits from other institutions such as College in High School, Advanced Placement Tests, CLEP, PEP, and Armed Forces Course Equivalencies. Such credits do not count toward the student’s quality point average at Saint Francis University. A matriculating student who wishes to take a course from another institution must obtain permission to do so prior to enrolling in the course. Necessary forms are available in the Office of the Registrar. Transfer credit will not be granted if the student fails to obtain approval prior to taking the course. A student who is on academic probation is not authorized to enroll in courses at other institutions.

At least sixty-four (64) credits of study must be completed at Saint Francis University for a student to be eligible for a bachelor’s degree, except those students studying for a second bachelor’s degree (see second degree requirements listed here), selected non-traditional degrees through the office of Continuing Education, or a teaching certificate. The last thirty (30) of those credits must be taken at Saint Francis University.

Candidates for the Associate of Applied Science Degree program must fulfill appropriate degree requirements. At least twenty-seven (27) credits of study must be completed at Saint Francis University for a student to be eligible for an Associate of Applied Science degree. The University will accept a maximum of nine (9) credits of a combination of transfer courses and CLEP examinations, in addition to 27 credits awarded in a prescribed technical curriculum from the partner institution.

Candidates for the Associate of Science Degree program must fulfill appropriate degree requirements. At least thirty-three (33) credits of study must be completed at Saint Francis University for a student to be eligible for an Associate of Science degree. The University will accept a maximum of thirty (30) credits of a combination of transfer courses and CLEP examinations.

Repeating Courses

Students may repeat any course, subject to the restrictions specified below. Courses in which “F” grades are earned may be repeated only at Saint Francis University. Both the original course and grade, and the repeated course and grade, appear on the academic record, but only the higher grade is used in the computation of the Q.P.A. A course which is a prerequisite for a more advanced course in the same discipline may not be repeated after a more advanced course has been successfully completed.

Change of Name or Address

The Registrar is to be informed immediately of the change of a student’s home address and/or change of a student’s name.

Withdrawal from the University

It is recommended that students contemplating withdrawal from the University first discuss this question with their advisor or counselor. If students decide to withdraw, the Career Services’ staff is available to assist them in clarifying and reaching their future goals. Information and counseling are available regarding transferring to other institutions as well as assistance in reaching new occupational objectives.

Withdrawal Procedures

Students who need to withdraw from Saint Francis University are required to complete an official withdrawal form from the Center for Academic Success, St. Francis Hall. This form will then be signed by the director CAS (or designee) and sent to various offices at the university. The official withdrawal process includes the completion of the official withdrawal form, clearing of all financial obligations, and returning the laptop.

Students considering withdrawal from the university should be aware that they are subject to the regulations governing withdrawal from courses. Therefore, if students withdraw from Saint Francis University after the official date for dropping a course, they will receive a grade of “F” for all courses carried that semester. If a student can show just cause (illness or family emergency) the student may, in consultation with the instructor, apply for a grade of “CN” or “W” for any course from which he or she withdrew. If such arrangements are not made by the student, the “F” grade will apply. As usual, the “F” grade in this instance is calculated in the student’s quality point average.

If a student requests a leave of absence for the semester or year, he or she will complete the official withdrawal process. When the student is ready to return to the university, he or she will contact the Admissions Office and request to reactivate their studies. Any student who withdraws from the university may request to be re-admitted by contacting the Admissions Office.

Please refer to “Financial Information” and “Refunds” for information on financial refunds in the case of withdrawals.

Withdrawal Procedures due to Military Service

Students called to active duty as reservists should provide a copy of their military order to the Registrar. Copies of this order will be forwarded to the Business Office, Financial Aid Office, and the Office of Veterans Affairs.

Students who request a full semester withdrawal will receive a full refund of tuition and fees. Any University room/board contract fees would be refunded on a pro-rated basis for the actual services the student has received up to the date of the withdrawal.

If a substantial part of the semester has been completed at the time the student receives deployment orders, the student may make arrangements with Faculty to complete his/her academic responsibilities for the semester and apply for a “CN” grades according to the procedure described in the University catalog. Room and board will be pro-rated as mentioned above.

Students who receive university-issued laptop computers are required to return the computers at the time they leave to fulfill their military obligation.
Students who complete their active military duty and request re-admission to the university will be automatically re-admitted with all admission fees waived. The student’s academic standing at the time of re-admission shall remain as it was prior to the call to active military duty.

This policy also includes military dependents whose families must move due to redeployment and/or relocation.

Transcript Service

Official transcripts of a student’s academic record will be sent to educational institutions, government agencies or employers only upon the signed written request of the student. Telephone requests for transcripts cannot be accepted, and transcripts cannot be sent by FAX.

Requests should be filed at least one week in advance of the date the transcript is needed and should be accompanied by a $5.00 fee for each transcript. Requests by mail should include the following personal data: full name of student (maiden name if applicable); current address; date of last attendance at the University; whether attendance was as an undergraduate, graduate, or Continuing Education student, and whether the student graduated or not.

To insure receipt of the transcript by the proper person, please include the following: full name and title of the person to whom the transcript is to be sent; the particular office, e.g., Admissions Office, Personnel Office, etc.; the name of the institution or company, and the correct address, including phone number, street, city, state and zip code.

Unofficial transcripts, i.e., those not signed by the Registrar and bearing no University seal, are available to students for their personal use and will be so marked: FOR STUDENT USE. For purposes of self-evaluation, one unofficial transcript will be provided without fee for each student during the senior year. No transcript will be issued for students who have outstanding financial obligations to the University.

Institutional Review Board

Saint Francis University has established an Institutional Review Board (IRB) to review all research involving the use of human subjects and to implement institutional policies and procedures regarding such research. The use of human subjects in research imposes both ethical and legal responsibilities upon the University, the project directors, and those conducting the research to ensure that the rights and welfare of those subjects are adequately protected. The primary function of the IRB is to assist researchers in the protection of the rights and welfare of human subjects. Review and approval by the IRB is meant to aid both the subjects and the researchers by objectively assessing the potential risk and accommodations made to minimize the risk within the study.

All research involving the use of human subjects conducted by Saint Francis University faculty, staff, or students, or sponsored in part or in whole, by Saint Francis University must be reviewed and approved prior to the start of the project and then conducted in full compliance with applicable IRB policies and procedures. Research is defined by federal regulations as a systematic investigation including research development, testing, and evaluation designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. It encompasses work which is conducted on or off campus and includes questionnaires, interviews, surveys, tests, observations, and other experiments, even if the work is preliminary to a more extensive study. It includes secondary analyses of data previously collected. It also includes any systematic collection of data from human subjects that occurs in conjunction with classroom projects, unless the work is done as a learning exercise for the student and will never be published or presented outside the course.