Academic Policies

• Student Regulations and FERPA
• Academic Grievance Process
• Semester/Credit Hour Definitions
• Grades and Grading
  • The Dean’s List
  • Latin Honors
• Academic Classification
• Academic Status
• Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
• Course Registration Policies
  • Academic Overload Policy
  • Auditing a Course
  • Repetition of Courses
  • Cancellation of Registration
  • Attendance and Excused Absences
• Transfer/Transient Credit Policies
• Transcripts
• Academic Suspension, Interim Administrative Actions, Leave of Absence, or Withdrawal
• Participation in Commencement Exercises
• Policy on Faculty Recording Class Sessions
• The Summer Session
• Time Limit for Degree Completion

Student Regulations and FERPA

Student Regulations - The College reserves the right to change the regulations governing admission, tuition, the granting of degrees, or any regulation affecting the student body.

Confidentiality Of Student Records - Westminster College abides by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) as amended. Students are given three primary rights under FERPA. They have the right to:

• Inspect and review their education records;
• Seek to amend incorrect education records; and,
• Have some control over the disclosure of information from their educa­tion records.

Westminster College will not disclose information contained in education records without the student’s written consent, except under conditions specified by The Act. Further information about the confidentiality of student records is available in the Student Handbook and from the Office of Student Affairs.

Westminster College is committed to following FERPA guidelines for protecting student privacy while providing strong educational experiences for all students. The purpose of Westminster College recording class sessions is only to make it available for other students enrolled in those classes who may have missed that particular class or wish to re-visit a particular class. The recordings will not be maintained beyond the semester in which the class was recorded. In accordance with guidance from the United States Department of Education Student Privacy Policy Office, FERPA does not limit or prevent the use of such recordings or require obtaining written consent so long as access to those recordings is limited to other students enrolled in the course. By remaining enrolled in a course that includes recording of a student’s image, voice, electronic comments (i.e., “chat”), and/or likeness, the student agrees that those recordings may be available to other enrolled students in the course and to the faculty member teaching the course through the College’s learning manage­ment system.

Academic Grievance of a Final Course Grade

Westminster College defines an academic grievance as a student’s complaint about the manner in which a final course grade is determined. Through a formal, written grievance, a student makes an argument that a final course grade was based on (1) factors unrelated to performance in the course; or (2) standards for evaluating performance that differed from those that the same faculty member used to evaluate the performance of other students in the same course; or (3) a significant, unreasonable and unannounced change in the performance standards that were published in the syllabus or pertinent materials.

If a student determines that a formal grievance is warranted for one of these three reasons, then the following steps should be taken:

1. Within 10 business days of the posting of the final grade, the student should contact the course faculty member to discuss concerns about how the final grade was determined.
2. The faculty member has 5 business days to respond to the student.
3. The student and faculty member may be able to reach an informal resolution to the student’s concern. In such cases, no further action is required.
4. If the faculty member does not respond to the student within 5 business days, or if an informal resolution cannot be reached, the student may file a formal grievance with the chair of the department/school in which the course was taught.
5. A formal grievance to the chair must be made in writing and include the following information:

• Name of the course and name of the faculty member.
• The reason for which a final grade is being questioned (must be one of the three reasons described in this policy).
• Evidence to support the student’s claim that the final grade was not correctly assigned (e.g., published standards in syllabus, rubrics used to evaluate performance).
• Efforts that the student took to resolve the concern informally and the outcomes of those efforts (e.g., “I met with the faculty member during office hours, and we discussed the standards for grading…”)

6. The department/school chair has 10 business days to investigate the grievance with the student and faculty member and to respond formally to the student.
7. If the department/school chair does not respond to the student within 10 business days, or if a resolution cannot be reached, the student may forward the written grievance to the Dean of the College. The grievance must be updated to include a description of efforts the student took to resolve the concern with the department/school chair.
8. The Dean of the College has 10 business days to investigate the grievance with the student, faculty member, and department/school chair and to respond formally to the student.
9. The decision of the Dean of the College is final.

Semester (Credit) Hour Definitions

Federal Regulation 34 CFR 600.2 provides the following definitions for clock and credit hours:

Clock hour - a period of time consisting of:

1. A 50- to 60-minute class, lecture, or recitation in a 60-minute period;
2. A 50- to 60-minute faculty-supervised laboratory, shop training, or internship in a 60-minute period; or
3. Sixty minutes of preparation in a correspondence course.

Credit hour - Except as provided in 34 CFR 668.8(k) and (l), a credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reason­ably approximates not less than:

1. One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
2. At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this defi­nition for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

At Westminster College, the standard unit of credit is a semester hour. The College meets these requirements using a 16-week semester calendar in which each class period meets at least 14 days each semester.

The standard course at Westminster is worth four semester hours. In every four semester hour course, students receive a minimum of 180 minutes of instruction per week, except for the final week of the semester during which each standard course has one 150-minute examination period. This means every standard course includes a minimum of 2,670 minutes of instruction. Additionally, a minimum of two hours of out of class student work is expected for every hour of instruction. Academic pro­grams that offer courses bearing less than four semester hours of credit are responsi­ble for ensuring that those courses conform to the federal guideline outlined above.

This semester hour policy applies to all courses, both undergraduate and graduate, that award academic credit (i.e., any course that appears on an official transcript issued by the College). Instruction time is the same regardless of whether the course is delivered face-to-face or online. Courses that have less structured classroom schedules, such as independent studies, internships, studio work, research seminars, or any other academic work that is awarded academic credit must also meet or exceed the federal guidelines.

Grades and Grading

Quantity of course work is expressed in semester hours. Quality of course work is expressed in letter grades and grade points. Grades are defined and given by the instructor of each course. The assignment of plus and minus to the letter grade is an option open to the individual instructor.

I: INCOMPLETE. This is a temporary grade given when a student is unavoidably delayed in completing a course. Students must be passing and attending the class in which they request an Incomplete. The student is responsible for providing evidence for the extenuating circumstances to the satisfaction of the faculty member, who has sole authority to grant the Incomplete. Such work must be completed, submitted, and graded by a date established by the faculty member not to exceed the end of the following Fall/Spring semester. After this period, whether or not the student attends the College, the Incomplete grade automatically converts to an F or U. Students may not register for the same class in which they have an Incomplete. A student’s financial aid status may be affected by an Incomplete. Given that financial aid requires successful completion of courses to maintain satisfactory progress, and an Incomplete is not successful completion, students should check with the Financial Aid Office prior to requesting an Incomplete. Students may not graduate with an Incomplete on the transcript. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all Incomplete grades are removed prior to graduation.

M: MILITARY. Students who take a leave of absence for service-related reasons will be readmitted with the same academic status as he or she had when last attending or being admitted to Westminster College. The grade transcript for all classes shall show an “M” or “Military” to indicate that the military member or his/her spouse was unable to complete courses because of military service. A grade of “M” is not counted in a student’s GPA.

S/U: SATISFACTORY/UNSATISFACTORY. The S grade represents work of at least C- quality; the U represents work of D+ or lower quality. Students in good standing who have attained junior or senior classification may choose to have one course per academic year graded on an S/U basis, provided that it is outside their major or minor field. This option must be declared either at the time of registration or during the add/drop period. Courses in which a student chooses to be graded on an S/U basis may not be used to satisfy any stated requirement. However, courses that are designated S/U for the entire class may be used to satisfy such require­ments. Courses in which a grade of S is attained will be counted towards graduation, but a student will earn no credit for a course if the final grade is a U. Neither an S grade nor a U grade is counted in a student’s GPA and may not be changed to a letter grade.

T: TEMPORARY. Grade recorded for an Honors Project or a capstone course pending completion. A grade of T may not remain on a student’s transcript as a permanent final grade.

W: WITHDRAWN. This grade will be recorded for withdrawal from a course between the third and tenth weeks of the semester if withdrawal is necessitated by illness or other good reason. Granting of the W grade requires approval by the in­structor. A grade of W is not counted in a student’s GPA and associated credit hours are calculated as attempted but not earned.

Note: Credits earned through Advanced Placement, CLEP, or International Baccalaureate opportunities are not calculated into a student’s career or major grade point average.

Dean’s List

Full-time undergraduate students who achieve a grade point average of 3.60 or higher in a minimum of 12 semester hours (not S/U) during the fall or spring semesters are recognized by being placed on the Dean’s List. This list is announced twice each year. Graduate students are not eligible for the Dean’s List.

Latin Honors

An undergraduate student who has completed all of the requirements for graduation may be grad­uated with honors, provided that the student earns a GPA of 3.600 or higher (non-rounded) in all academic work completed at Westminster College. The three levels of honors and the minimum grade point average for each level are:

In computing eligibility for Latin honors, the grade point average is obtained by dividing the total grade points earned by the total semester hours carried, exclusive of courses graded on the basis of satisfactory/unsatisfactory. For all students participating in Commencement exercises, the Latin honors printed in the Commencement program will be based upon the student’s GPA at the end of the fall semester preceding gradua­tion; however, the diploma and final transcript will reflect the accomplishments for the student’s entire academic career. Graduate students are not eligible for Latin honors.

Academic Classification

Students are classified as first year, sophomore, junior, or senior on the basis of career earned semester hours.

Students are classified as First Year students until they have earned 28 semester hours. The earned career semester hours for each subsequent classification are:

Academic Status

Good Academic Standing - Undergraduate students must attain the following minimum cumulative grade point averages (GPA) to remain in academic good standing:

Failure to maintain these grade point averages can change academic status and im­pact eligibility for financial aid and intercollegiate athletics. It can also affect choice of major, impede progress toward earning a degree, or render a student ineligible to remain enrolled at Westminster College.

Academic Warning - Beginning with a student’s second semester, if the career GPA meets the required GPA for good academic standing, but the semester GPA falls below the standard, an Academic Warning Notice is sent to the student. Students receiving an academic warning are strongly encouraged to arrange an appointment with their academic adviser. The Academic Warning is not noted on the academic transcript. Students with an Academic Warning are considered to be in academic Good Standing.

Academic Probation shall be assigned to students and noted on the academic transcript at the conclusion of the semester during which the student falls below the minimum career grade point average for attempted hours. A student will receive written notification if they are placed on academic probation. The student will remain on academic probation for the next full semester (fall or spring). However, if students who have been placed on academic probation attend summer session and raise their GPA to the point where they have achieved the minimum level needed for good academic standing (as defined above), probation will automatically be rescind­ed and will be removed from the academic transcript. Students will again receive written notification of this change.

Students on academic probation should curtail their involvement in the Westminster community to focus on their academic classes. Recommended actions include:

• limiting their participation in any co-curricular activities that do not carry academic credit;
• meeting with their adviser during the first week of classes to discuss the value of a curtailed schedule of classes, improvement of individual study skills, participa­tion in co-curricular activities, and related problems; and
• using support resources in the Office of Academic Success, the TRIO program (for eligible students), and the Wellness Center.

Continued Academic Probation may be assigned to students who, after a semes­ter on Academic Probation, have made significant improvements in their academic standing (>2.00 term GPA), but whose career GPA is still below the level required for academic Good Standing. Students who appeal an Academic Suspension may also be put on continued probation. Cases of continued academic probation are decided by Dean of the College in consultation with the Academic Standards Committee. Continued academic probation is noted on the student’s Academic Transcript.

Academic Suspension - Students who have two consecutive semesters below the minimum required GPA may be subject to Academic Suspension. These decisions are made by the Dean of the College in consultation with the Academic Standards Committee. Students who have been placed on academic suspension will remain separated from the College for a minimum of one academic semester.

Any student who earns below a 1.00 grade point average for any semester shall be placed on Academic Probation and may be subject to Academic Suspension at the recommendation of the Academic Standards Committee to the Dean of the College. These students will be notified that they are required to meet with the Dean of the College to return to Westminster. For students who do not follow through with this meeting, their next semester’s schedule of classes will be canceled. Students who have not yet registered will have a registration hold that will prevent them from registering until they have met with the Dean of the College.

If a student takes one or two summer courses at Westminster and raises the GPA above suspension level, then status is changed to probation for the fall semester. If a student earns grades in summer courses that raise GPA, but not above suspension level, then status can be reviewed to determine if fall semester suspension should be converted to probation. If a student does not take summer course(s) at Westminster or does not improve the GPA above suspension level after taking summer courses at Westminster, then the student is suspended for the fall semester.

Suspended students must apply for readmission prior to their return to Westminster.

Academic Dismissal - Students who are readmitted after having been placed on academic suspension, but who fail to make acceptable progress towards achieving the minimum GPA needed to regain good academic standing (as defined above), are subject to permanent Academic Dismissal. Students who fail to make reasonable progress toward the degree are also subject to dismissal. These decisions are made by the Dean of the College in consultation with the Academic Standards Committee.

Appeals

Appeal of decisions on suspension and dismissal must be made in writing to the Dean of the College. Appeals must be received by the deadline established by the Dean of the College. The student will then meet with the Dean of the College to explain the basis for requesting an appeal. The decision of the Dean of the College is final.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal legislation mandates that institutions of higher education establish minimum standards of satisfactory academic progress (SAP) for students receiving federal financial aid. These standards apply to all Federal Title IV financial aid programs.

Students must meet minimum academic requirements at the conclusion of each academic year to remain eligible for most types of financial aid, particularly federal and state assistance. The annual review of a student’s SAP is conducted after spring term grades have been posted. Please note: SAP standards are the minimum criteria for maintaining federal financial aid eligibility. Certain forms of financial aid may carry other requirements for renewal.

SAP Requirements

The federal financial aid SAP requirements include a qualitative measure (minimum cumulative grade point average) and a quantitative measure (maximum time frame for completion of the education program). All periods of enrollment are considered, including summer sessions, whether or not a student received financial aid. Transfer credits accepted at Westminster College are assessed as part of SAP. These credits will be counted as both hours attempted and hours completed. Grades for courses transferred to Westminster College are not included in the student’s accumulative grade point average (GPA).

Quantitative Progress (Maximum time frame)

Students are required to earn 67% of the credit hours attempted. For the purposes of calculating the percentage of credits completed standard, and the maximum time frame standard, credits attempted includes any class for which a grade is assigned. Grades include (besides A,B,C,D,F), “I” (incomplete), “W” (withdrawn),”WF” (withdrawn failing), “S” (satisfactory) or “U” (unsatisfactory) in a Pass/Fail course, and “P”(pass), “C”(credit) or “NC”(no credit) in semesters when an alternative grading policy is active due to a disrupted learning environment.

Students are expected to complete all academic requirements for their degree within 150% of the published length of the educational program in which they are enrolled (See the chart below).

General Unsatisfactory Academic Progress Policy 

Financial Aid Suspension

If at the conclusion of an academic year a student fails to meet the GPA or credit hours standard a student will be placed on financial aid suspension. The student will be notified of the financial aid suspension status by mail (both regular and College email) as soon as possible after all final grades have been submitted to the Westminster College Registrar’s Office.

Appeal of Financial Aid Suspension

Students have the right to appeal financial aid suspension if they feel that the academic deficiency is a result of extenuating circumstances (illness, injury, etc.). A detailed explanation of why the student failed to make SAP and what has changed that will allow the student to make SAP at the next evaluation, along with relevant supporting documentation should be submitted to the Financial Aid Office. Appeals submitted without appropriate documentation will be denied.

Approval of Financial Aid Suspension Appeal (Probation)

Once the appeal has been submitted, the Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee will review the documentation. Approval of the appeal will change the student’s status to financial aid probation for one semester. An approval of an appeal may also include certain conditions that a student must fulfill. At the conclusion of the financial aid probation semester the student must be making SAP, or successfully following an academic plan if one was included as part of the appeal approval. Students will be notified of appeal decisions by mail (both regular and college email).

Denial of Financial Aid Suspension Appeal

If the appeal of financial aid suspension is denied, students have the option of enrolling at Westminster College without eligibility to receive financial aid. If a student enrolls at Westminster College without the benefit of financial aid and subsequently meets satisfactory academic progress standards, they can then regain financial aid eligibility. Please note: Students are limited to 1 (one) financial aid suspension appeal while enrolled at Westminster College.

Unsatisfactory Progress Policy for Students Using Veterans Ed­ucational Benefits

Students who receive Veterans Education Benefits and who earn below a 1.00 grade point average for any semester will be placed on Academic Probation and will be subject to Academic Suspension at the discretion of the Academic Standards Committee. These students will be notified that they are required to meet with the Dean of the College to return to Westminster. Students who do not follow through with this meeting will be dropped from their next semester’s classes. Students who have not yet registered will have a registration hold which will prevent them from registering until the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs indicates such a meeting has taken place and the student is allowed to register.

The law requires that educational assistance benefits to Veterans and other eligible persons be discontinued when those students do not make satisfactory academic progress toward completion of their educational training objective. Based upon this re­quirement, any students using Veterans Education Benefits will be suspended from Westminster College when they have two consecutive semesters below the minimum required GPA, or those who earn a semester grade point average below 1.00. These decisions are made by the Dean of the College in consultation with the Academic Standards Committee. These students will be notified that they are required to meet with the Dean of the College to return to Westminster. For students who do not follow through with this meeting, their next semester’s schedule of classes will be canceled. Students who have not yet registered will have a registration hold that will prevent them from registering until they have met with the Dean of the College. Students receiving Veterans Education Benefits and who have been placed on academic suspension will remain separated from the College for a minimum of one academic semester. 

Veteran Education Benefits can be resumed if the student reenrolls in the same educational institution and in the same program. When a student has failed to maintain prescribed standards of academic progress, the VA will be informed promptly so that benefit payments can be discontinued in accordance with the law. The termination date assigned by Westminster College will be the last day of the term or other evaluation period in which the student’s progress became unsatisfactory. Upon recertification to VA, Westminster’s certifying official should maintain in the student’s file a state­ment that describes the conditions for the student’s continued certification to VA. These conditions will prescribe the minimum performance standards to be achieved by the student during the next enrollment/evaluation period.

For questions regarding SAP standards, please contact us at (724) 946-7102 or visit the Financial Aid Office in Old Main Room 107, Westminster College, 319 South Market Street, New Wilmington, PA 16172.

Course Registration Policies

The Registrar’s Office publishes the undergraduate and graduate schedules of classes and course registration schedule in advance of each semester. Students register in the manner prescribed by the Registrar’s Office. All changes in registration must be approved by the student’s academic adviser. In certain cases, the approval of the Dean of the College may be required.

Add/Drop - Students may Add or Drop courses from their fall or spring semester schedules through the end of the sixth day of the semester. First-year students may drop one course during weeks 1-10 of classes in the fall semester with no fee, but there is no tuition adjustment for a course dropped in weeks 2-10 of classes.

Withdrawal - A student may withdraw from a course after the add/drop period ends and receive a grade of W (Withdrawal). Students are not permitted to with­draw from a semester-long course after week 10 of the fall or spring semesters. Students may not withdraw after week 5 of a seven-week course. Students also may not withdraw from a course in which they have been charged with violating the College’s Academ­ic Integrity Policy, unless they successfully appeal the finding that a violation has occurred. Students must complete the Course Withdrawal Form on my.Westminster to officially withdraw from a course before the deadlines posted each semester.

Academic Overload Policy

The full-time tuition charge for one semester allows students to enroll in 12-19 se­mester hours of course work. Any student wishing to carry an academic load above 19 hours must appeal to the Dean of the College for approval. Eligible students may petition to take up to 21 hours in one semester. To be eligible to apply for an academic overload, a student must have second semester status or higher and a grade point average of 3.00 or higher in the previous semester. A student carrying an academic overload may incur additional tuition charges. A number of courses are tuition-exempt in overload situations only. These include: physical education activity classes and Westminster 101, music ensembles, music lessons, and certain other courses. Such tuition-exempt courses are marked in the official course schedule published each semester. However, if the approved course load includes more than 19 semester hours of tuition-incurring courses, each semester hour beyond 19 will be billed at the semester-hour rate. See section on tuition and fees for more details on comprehensive charges. Students who withdraw from the All-College Honors Program during an academic semester in which an overload has been approved will be responsible for paying applicable overload fees, on a prorated basis at the time the program withdrawal is processed by the Registrar.

Auditing a Course

A person who desires to attend a class without receiving credit or a grade may do so by petitioning to and paying the audit fee. The fee is waived for full-time students. The Audit Request Form, available on my.Westminster, must be used to secure the consent of the instructor and the department chair. Students must declare their intentions to audit a course by the end of the add/drop period. Any student who audits a course must satisfy minimum attendance and participation requirements as set forth by the instructor. The instructor must certify completion of these minimum requirements in order for a record of the audit to appear on the student’s transcript. An auditor may not, at a later date, request conversion of an audited course to a regular course, nor may an auditor test out of the course.

Repetition of Courses

If a student elects to repeat a course at Westminster College, the grade and credit for the most recent effort are counted and the previous grade, credit, and credit hours are removed from the GPA calculation. However, each effort is recorded on the student’s permanent record; the earlier efforts are notated as having been repeated. Students may take a course three times (i.e., repeat twice). A student’s undergraduate GPA at the time of his or her graduation cannot be changed by grades received in courses retaken thereafter.

Students will not be permitted to attempt a course more than three times.

If a student elects to repeat a course at another college or university, the credit for the most recent effort is counted and the grade earned at Westminster is no longer calculated in the student’s GPA, as described in the table below. The grade earned at the other college or university is not calculated in the student’s GPA, which is noted in the Transient Credit Policy. As with courses repeated at Westminster, each effort is recorded on the student’s transcript or permanent record; the earlier efforts are notated as having been repeated. The Transient Credit Policy and procedure apply. The approval of the student’s adviser, department/school chair, and the registrar are required before registering at another institution.

Repetition of First-Year Program Courses

Inquiry. Students must obtain a passing grade in either INQ 111  or INQ 211  in order to graduate from Westminster College. Students who fail Inquiry in their first attempt must take INQ 211 . In this case, INQ 211  will be treated as a repeat for INQ 111  and the INQ 211  grade will replace the INQ 111  grade for GPA calculations.

Writing and Speech. Students who do not earn a grades of C- or better in WRI 111 and/or SPE 111 must repeat the course(s) before the end of their sophomore year.

INQ 111  or INQ 211, WRI 111, SPE 111, and WST 101 must be completed by the end of the sophomore year.

Cancellation of Registration

Westminster’s faculty and administration reserve the right to cancel at any time the registration of any student whose academic performance is unsatisfactory. The administration also may cancel the registration of any student who has not taken care of any financial obligation to the College.

Attendance and Excused Absences in Undergraduate and Graduate Courses

Regular attendance in class, labs, field or clinical experiences, and creative performances or exhibits is essential if students are to realize the full benefits of a Westminster education.

Students are expected to attend all classes and associated activities, unless specifically excused for a valid reason. The requirements for attendance for each course will be stated by the instructor in each syllabus at the College. Instructors may define attendance differently depending on the type of course and whether it is offered in a traditional classroom or online. Instructors may penalize absences in various ways, including lowering a student’s grades or entering failing grades for the course. Westminster College will enforce the policy each instructor sets for each course. It is a student’s responsibility to read each course syllabus and comply with the policy regarding attendance for that class.

In general, excused absences are allowed only for the following reasons, and with appropriate documentation:

• Course-related field trips and other College-sponsored activities (e.g., athletic competitions, but not athletic practices or conditioning sessions).
• Illness that requires confinement to bed on physician’s orders, confinement in a hospital, or a visit to the College’s Wellness Center.
• Medical appointments or symptoms/issues related to past, current, or prospective pregnancy.
• Death or serious illness in a student’s immediate family. Immediate family includes a student’s spouse, children (including foster or step), grandchildren, parents or primary caregivers, grandparents, siblings, or a legal dependent.
• Appearance in court.
   

Students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities; these functions are often closely tied in to their academic and professional preparation. Students who are involved in extracurricular or co-curricular activities at Westminster College must communicate to their instructors in advance when participation is anticipated to require them to be off campus at specific times, and such conflicts should be minimized. Excused absences do not excuse a student from completing the work that is missed. When possible, students should complete the assigned work in advance, or at such time as the instructor specifies. 

For students who receive military benefits, a withdrawal or non-passing grade (U/F) can alter their rate of pursuing their educational program. This may change their eligibility for benefits.

Transient Credit

Current students may take classes at other colleges or universities. An ap­proved Transient Credit Permission form, available on my.Westminster, must be on file prior to registration for transient coursework. Ac­ceptance of credits submitted without having had prior approval is not guaranteed. After completion of approved transient coursework, students must submit an official transcript from the other institution directly to the Registrar’s Office to receive cred­it. Transient credit approvals are valid for one academic year only.

The following policies apply to transfer/transient credit:

• Credit for approved and successfully completed transient coursework is awarded according to the original semester or credit hour values on the official transcript from the institution of record; e.g., a 3-credit course will be credited as 3 semester hours on the Westminster transcript.
• Courses earning credit other than semester hours (quarter hours, units, etc). will be converted to semester hours.
• If a 3 semester/credit hour course is approved to meet a 4-semester hour re­quirement, total hours for graduation must be monitored. If additional hours are needed, physical education courses cannot count for the extra semester hour(s).
• No grade lower than C- will be accepted.
• Courses that are graded on a pass/fail or satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis will not be accepted
• Grades earned for transient credit will not be included in the Westminster College GPA, except for those earned through approved study abroad experiences.

School of Business Policy on Transient Credit

For academic programs offered in the School of Business, a maximum of two major or minor course requirements may be transferred in after a student has matriculated full time to Westminster. With permission of the School of Business chair, courses taken during a semester abroad while a student is still a Westminster student can be con­sidered courses taken at Westminster.

Transcripts

Official transcripts of a student’s academic record may be requested online. Financial holds or other obligations to the Col­lege must be resolved prior to the release of a transcript. Westminster College partners with Parchment to provide online official transcript requests and delivery through a secure website. Parchment charges a processing fee for each recipient (tran­script addressee).

Academic Suspension, Interim Administrative Actions, Leave of Absence, or Withdrawal

The College recognizes that extenuating circumstances may arise that lead a student to request a temporary leave of absence or to withdraw from the College. Other circumstances may mean that the College must act to withdraw a student from the College. There are different types of leaves and withdrawal processes that are described in the Student Handbook:

Types of Separation

Academic Suspension

Academic Suspension is an academic standing that results in a one-semester separation from the College at the conclusion of an academic term. Students who are placed on Academic Suspension will receive written notification from the Dean of the College that includes the process of appeal and return to Westminster College. More information about academic standing can be found in the College Catalog.

Academic suspension can have implications for financial aid eligibility, athletic eligibility, and time to degree completion.

Emergency Removal/Interim Administrative Actions

The College may remove a student from an education program or activity on an emergency basis when it determines that the student poses an immediate threat to the health or safety of any individuals or the campus community. This decision is made only after the College conducts an individualized risk assessment, as outlined below.

Criteria for Emergency Removal

A student may be subject to emergency removal if any of the following conditions are met:

1. The student poses a direct and immediate threat to the physical health or safety of themselves or others;
2. The student’s behavior disrupts the peace and orderliness of the campus or the College’s educational mission or causes property damage; and/or
3. directly and substantially impedes the lawful activities of others.

Emergency Removal Procedures

1. Risk Assessment: The College will conduct an individualized safety and risk analysis to evaluate the necessity of emergency removal. In some cases, the Dean of Students may require the student to be evaluated by a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist chosen by the College and at the student’s expense. If the Dean of Students requires that a student be evaluated, the student shall be informed of the requirement, in writing. The evaluation must be completed within five business days of the date on which the student is notified of the requirement, unless an extension is granted. If the student does not submit the required evaluation within the approved time, the student will be removed and forfeits further right to appeal. After receiving the evaluation, the Dean of Students will decide within two business days whether a withdrawal or leave of absence of the student from the College is appropriate. The Dean of Students will convey the decision in writing to the student. NOTE: The Dean of Students is not required to obtain an outside evaluation to administratively withdraw a student.
2. Written Notice: A student who has been removed on an emergency basis shall be given written notice via email by the Dean of Students.
3. Opportunity to Challenge: A student who has been withdrawn on an emergency basis will be given an opportunity to appear before the Dean of Students within two business days from the date of the written notification of the emergency removal. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss only the following issues:
   1. The reliability of the information received by the responsible administrator concerning the student’s behavior;
   2. Whether the student’s behavior poses a danger of causing imminent and serious harm to self or others, property damage on campus, disruption of the peace and orderliness of the campus or impediment of the lawful activities of others.
   3. Requirements for an external evaluation, if any.
4. Advisor: A student who has been withdrawn on an emergency basis may be assisted in the meeting by an advisor of their choice, who may be, but is not required to be an attorney. The role of the advisor is to support the student through the process and not to speak on behalf of the student.
5. Decision and Documentation: After meeting with the student and receiving and reviewing all relevant information, the Dean of Students will decide within two business days whether the potential risk of harm is such that the emergency removal should be applied for the duration of the associated grievance process should be made permanent or permit the student to return to the College. Grievance procedures for student conduct and sexual misconduct must be conducted to provide students the appropriate due process. The decision will be conveyed to the student in writing. More information about the grievance process can be found in the Student Handbook.

Leave of Absence

A Leave of Absence allows a student to take a leave from all of their current courses, voluntarily, for medical, military, or personal reasons. While on leave, students who are in good financial standing remain eligible to register for future classes, maintain their ability to secure a residence hall room assignment, and maintain their online access to important Westminster College services such as email, my.Westminster, and D2L.

A Leave of Absence, except those related to military service, is reflected on the official academic transcript as a “W” for each course and is not calculated in the GPA.

A Leave of Absence can have implications for financial aid eligibility, academic standing, and may be accompanied by conditions for a student’s return.

A Request for Leave of Absence must be submitted in advance of the leave unless unforeseen circumstances prevent the student from doing so. A student must specify the reason for leave, the date the leave will begin, and must sign the request. If a student is prevented from making the request due to unforeseen circumstances, Student Affairs will process the leave of absence, document the reason for its decision, and will collect the request for the student at a later date.

Specific types of leaves of absence:

Medical Leave of Absence

A Medical Leave of Absence applies when the reason for leave relates to a student’s mental or physical health. The Medical Leave of Absence typically is used for situations that will require no more than one semester (and no more than 180 consecutive days) before the student returns to Westminster College and enrolls in courses. Specific conditions, including the conditions for future re-admittance, are stipulat­ed at the time of approval of a leave of absence. These conditions may specify what professional medical documentation is required for the leave to be granted, and/or a period of time for a leave. Before the student will be permitted to return to campus, the College may require an evaluation or assessment (at the student’s expense) by a licensed and appropriate mental health or medical professional and will require a statement from the professional expert that the student is presently capable of fully engaging in their academic and the social life.

A student must request a Medical Leave of Absence at the time that it is identified that the medical circumstances have impacted the ability of the student to successfully complete the semester and no later than the last week of classes.

United States Military/Reserves Service

If a student is called to military service during a semester–active duty or reserves–the stu­dent will be granted a leave of absence from the College and will not be penalized financially as a result.  If the student chooses to withdraw from courses (academic record shows a “M” for all courses and is not calculated in the GPA), tuition and fees will be refunded for the semes­ter. If the student has completed sufficient work to qualify for incomplete grades as determined by the instructors of record for their courses (academic record shows an “I” for all courses), the student may return at a future date to complete the courses with tuition and fees already paid. With either option, housing and food (if applicable) will be prorated on a percentage basis through the effective date of the leave of absence. More information related to a leave of absence for military service can be found in the College Catalog (https://catalog.westminster.edu/content.php?catoid=8&navoid=257#medical_loa_withdrawal).

Personal Leave of Absence

A Personal Leave of Absence applies when the reason for leave is personal/professional. The Personal Leave of Absence typically is used for situations that will require no more than one semester (and no more than 180 consecutive days) before the student returns to Westminster College and enrolls in courses. Specific conditions, including the conditions for future re-admittance, are stipulat­ed at the time of approval of a leave of absence.

A student must request a Personal Leave of Absence at the time that it is identified that the personal circumstances have impacted the ability of the student to successfully complete the semester and no later than the last week of classes.

Withdrawing from Westminster College

Withdrawal from Westminster College means that a student or the institution has determined, for any reason, to end their enrollment on a long-term basis. If the withdrawal occurs within a semester, a withdrawal from the College requires the removal from all courses for that term.

A withdrawal from the College is reflected on the official academic transcript as a “WD” for each course and is not calculated in the GPA. Note: Course withdrawal means that a student intends to stop attending an individual class in a given term, which differs from institutional withdrawal.

Withdrawing can have implications for financial aid eligibility, academic standing, athletic eligibility, and future enrollment at any college or university.

The process of withdrawing from the College is initiated in the Student Affairs Office.

Specific types of withdrawals include:

Administrative Withdrawal

A student may stop attending class or leave the College without notifying college officials. When this happens, faculty should submit a CARE alert, which will be investigated by the Student Affairs Office. If it is determined that the student has stopped attending class, the Office will approve an administrative withdrawal in the absence of the student and provide official written notice of the administrative withdrawal to the student and their parent/guardian.

Medical Withdrawal

In rare situations, a student’s medical needs may prevent them from being able to complete their degree or may require that they take an extended break (two or more consecutive semesters) to seek appropriate treatment. In these circumstances, a medical withdrawal may be appropriate. Medical withdrawal requires approval from the Dean of Students and can be requested [insert link to application].

An approved medical withdrawal allows a student to withdraw from all current enrolled courses and all future courses without consideration of whether they will return to the College. When a student completes a medical withdrawal, it is assumed they will not be returning to the College.

A medical withdrawal is reflected on the official academic transcript as a “W” for each course.

Stop Out (Interruption in Enrollment)

A stop out is an interruption in enrollment, for no more than one academic year, after having successfully completing a previous term. The student leaves the college in good-standing but simply fails to enroll/attend subsequent term(s).

The process of stopping out from the College is initiated in the Student Affairs Office. Student Affairs will process a Stop Out when a student successfully completes a term, but does not register for a future term or when a student does not attend classes within the add/drop period despite being registered.

Stop Out can have implications for financial aid eligibility, academic standing, athletic eligibility, and future enrollment at any college or university.

A student who does not return within one academic year of the temporary withdrawal will be administratively withdrawn from the College.

Attendance Tracking and Withdrawal Date

Students may or may not provide official notification of their intent to withdraw. Generally, the last day of a semester, before final exams, will be considered the withdrawal date when a student completes a semester and provides notice of their intention to withdraw.

However, there are circumstances where a student will withdraw without completing a semester. When a student provides official notification of their intent to withdraw without completing the semester, a student’s withdrawal date will be the date the student begins the withdrawal process, specifically the date the student notifies Student Affairs of their intent. When a student does not provide official notification or cannot provide notification because of circumstances beyond their control, the student’s withdrawal date will be the date Student Affairs received information that the student has ceased attending classes.

Last date of attendance is defined as the last engagement with any academically-related course activity, including exams, tutorials, computer-assisted instruction, academic counseling, turning in class assignments, or attending a study group that is assigned by the professor. Student Affairs will request the student’s last date of attendance in each enrolled course and will use the most recent date as the withdrawal date. The last date of attendance has implications for student financial aid and other financial calculations.

When a student does not return from a leave of absence, the earlier of the dates of the end of the leave of absence or the date the student notifies the College they will not be returning. 

Westminster College is not required to take attendance for Title IV purposes, though faculty must provide last date of attendance when requested by Student Affairs.

Considerations Related to Separation from the College

Federal Title IV Financial Aid, Veterans Education Benefits/GI Bill®: If a withdrawing student has Federal Title IV Financial Aid, the Financial Aid Office is required by federal statute to recalculate eligibility for this aid. A reduction in financial aid may result in a balance due to the College for which the student remains responsible. See Financial Policies Related to Institutional Separation detailed later in this Policy.

Details related to Veterans Education Benefits/GI Bill® can be found here:
Veterans & Military Service Members / Financial Aid / Admissions & Aid / Westminster College

Tuition Charges: Students are responsible for fulfilling their financial obligation to the College and complying with Title IV federal regulations, even when they separate from the College. College tuition and certain fees may be refundable if a student withdraws prior to the date determined by federal aid requirements. Details are available in the Financial Policies section of this Policy.

Academic Progress: Separation from the College will delay academic progress and time to degree completion. Failure to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress may impact federal and institutional financial aid.

Academic Standing: When a student reenrolls following separation, they will return at the academic standing that existed at the time of departure. Students who reenroll at Westminster College will enter under the College Catalog that is in effect at the time of reenrollment.

Access to Facilities: Only enrolled students are eligible to access facilities and resources (e.g., meal plans, library resources, fitness centers). Individuals who separate from the College may pay for meals in the dining hall and may visit the library, but will have limited access to resources. An active Titan Card is required for access to fitness centers.

Fraternity Housing: Only enrolled students are eligible to live in a fraternity house. Students who separate from the institution will be required to move out of a fraternity house.

Student Life and Leadership: Only enrolled students are eligible to hold leadership positions and participate in student life. Individuals who separate from the College may attend events as a guest.

Financial Aid Exit Counseling

All students who separate from Westminster College (graduating, leave of absence, withdrawal) will be afforded the option to meet with a financial aid representative to review in detail their financial aid received during their time at Westminster College. Students will be notified of the option via letter from the Office of Financial Aid.

Residence Hall Move Out

Students who separate from the College for any reason during the semester are generally expected to vacate College housing within 48 hours of the effective date. The check-out date impacts any potential refunds and is determined when all possessions are removed from the room and the student completes check out procedures with Residence Life.

Return to Campus Procedures

Return from Leave of Absence or Stop Out (Temporary Withdrawal)

Students wishing to return after a Leave of Absence or temporary withdrawal should apply online or contact the Office of Student Affairs. Students who do not return from a Leave of Absence will be administratively withdrawn from the College.

Readmission

Students who have been withdrawn from the College may apply for readmission.

Readmission Following Academic Suspension

Students who have been placed on academic suspension may apply for readmission after being separated from the College for a minimum of one semester, using the readmission application form. The completed form must be returned to the Registrar’s Office along with a $200.00 registration deposit. This deposit is non-refundable, even if the student subsequently cancels the readmission application. Students who are readmitted after being formally separated from the College as the result of being placed on academic suspension must satisfy the graduation and program require­ments as specified in the College Catalog that is in effect at the time of their readmission, and they will be placed on Probation until their GPA reaches the minimum threshold for Good Academic Standing.

Readmission for US Armed Forces Members

Students who take a leave of absence for service-related reasons will be readmit­ted with the same academic status as he or she had when last attending or being admitted to Westminster College. State law requires colleges or universities to grant a member of the Pennsylvania National Guard or other reserve component of the armed forces or the member’s spouse a military leave of absence from their education if he or she is called to active duty (other than active duty for training). The grade transcript for all classes shall show an “M” or “Military” to indicate that the military member or his/her spouse was unable to complete courses because of military service. A grade of “M” is not counted in a student’s GPA.

Financial Policies Related to Institutional Separation

Charges and Refunds

Students are responsible for fulfilling their financial obligation to the College and complying with Title IV federal regulations, even when they separate from the College.

College tuition and certain fees may be refundable if a student withdraws prior to the date determined by federal aid requirements. The Last Date to Withdraw from Semester Courses is published in the Academic Calendar for each semester. Using the withdrawal date as defined previously in this Policy, charges are calculated on a pro-rated basis and refunds will be adjusted accordingly. Students who separate for military service are eligible for a full refund of tuition and fees.

The pro-rata refund is applied to tuition, certain fees, meal plans, and housing. This pro-rata formula is also applied to College and outside sources of financial aid to determine the amount of aid earned through the date of leave of absence or withdrawal. Specific federal regulations apply to Federal Title IV Financial Aid.  All earned aid is applied against the pro-rata charges to determine the balance due to/from the withdrawing student. An administrative fee of 5% of actual charges (up to $100) will be assessed against the account.

Tuition charges will be pro-rated based on the following calculation:

• The number of calendar days through the official withdrawal date divided by the total number of calendar days in the semester, excluding breaks of five days or more. No refund will be provided after the semester is more than 60% complete.
• Additionally, after the 60% completion date, the student will be deemed to have earned 100% of their Federal Title IV Aid.

After the withdrawal date, housing charges will be pro-rated based on the room type and check-out date. No refund will be provided after the semester is more than 60% complete.

Meal plan charges will be pro-rated based on the specific plan option and withdrawal date. Additional charges to the meal plan that occur after the withdrawal date through the date of check out from the residence hall will be calculated and charged.  Unused Dine Dollars are not refundable and no meal plan refunds will be provided after the semester is more than 60% complete.

Federal regulations apply to Federal Title IV Financial Aid and are described below.

Summer Session Course Withdrawal 

This policy applies only to students who withdraw from Summer Session course(s) while maintaining enrollment at Westminster College in upcoming academic terms. Students who withdraw from Summer Session courses remain eligible for fall and spring term enrollment.  Tuition and fees are calculated as follows (summer housing does not apply to the table below and is billed at a daily rate): 

Students who withdraw from a course after the add/drop period of the first session, and are registered for a second session course, are considered to still be enrolled at the College. In this case, the student will be charged full tuition and mandatory fees for the first session course and no proration will be performed on Federal Title IV Financial Aid.  

Federal Title IV Financial Aid

The percentage of unearned aid (100% minus the percentage of earned aid determined in the applicable formula above) is applied to the total amount of the Title IV aid that could have been disbursed for the semester to determine that amount of aid that must be returned to the federal financial aid programs.  

From time to time, the full amount of Title IV aid for which the student is eligible has not been fully disbursed when the withdrawal calculation is being performed. In such a case, if the student earned less than the amount of Title IV aid that was disbursed, both the institution and the student would be required to return a portion of the funds.  

If the student earned more than the amount of Title IV aid that was disbursed, the institution would owe the student a post-withdrawal disbursement of aid.

Unearned aid is returned to the appropriate federal aid program within 30 days after the determination of the date of the student’s withdrawal in the following order:  

• Unsubsidized Stafford Loans 
• Subsidized Stafford Loans 
• Federal Parent Plus Loans 
• Federal Pell Grants 
• Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grants  

Post-Withdrawal Disbursement

If Direct Loan funds are used to credit the student’s account, Westminster College will notify the student (or parent, in the case of a PLUS loan) and provide the student (or parent) with the opportunity to accept or decline disbursement of all or a portion of the loan(s). A notification for authorization to make a post-withdrawal disbursement of a Direct Loan is sent to the student/parent via mail or email within 30 days of the College’s determination that the student withdrew. The student/parent must return the signed notification for authorization within fourteen (14) days from the date is sent out to the student/parent.

Any amount of a post withdrawal disbursement that is not credited to a student’s account will be offered to the student (or parent for a PLUS loan) within 30 days of the date the institution determined the student withdrew. This notification will be made in writing and will include the following:

• An identification of the type and amount of the Title IV funds that make up the post withdrawal disbursement (not to include any amounts that have been applied to the student’s account);
• An explanation that the student (or parent for a PLUS loan) may accept or decline some or all of the post withdrawal disbursement (that which has not been applied to the student’s account); and
• A notification that Westminster College is not required to make a post withdrawal disbursement if the student (or parent for a PLUS loan) does not respond within 14 days of the date that the College sent the notification.

Once Westminster College’s Financial Aid Office receives a timely confirmation from a student, or parent in case of a Direct PLUS Loan, that he or she wants to receive the post- withdrawal disbursement of loan funds, the post-withdrawal disbursement of Title IV loan proceeds is made as soon as possible but no later than 180 days after the date of the determination that the student withdrew.

Westminster College maintains the right to decide whether or not to make a post withdrawal disbursement in the event that the student/parent responds after the fourteen (14) days of the date that the notification was sent to them. If Westminster College decides not to make a post withdrawal disbursement, it will inform the student/parent via mail or email.

Participation in Commencement Exercises

The College hosts Commencement exercises every May at the conclusion of the spring semester. Participation in these exercises is a graduation requirement, and eligible students must apply for graduation. Eligi­bility for participation in Commencement exercises is determined during the spring semester, based on all work completed at the end of the fall semester. Students can participate in the Commencement exercises as graduates if at the conclusion of the fall semester they will meet all graduation requirements at the end of the spring semester, assuming the successful completion of all in-progress semester hours taken in the final spring semester.

Provisional Graduation. Students pursuing an undergraduate degree can participate in the Commencement exercises as provisional graduates if they lack no more than 12 semester hours beyond their in-progress spring courses, OR, lack student teaching and no more than 4 semes­ter hours beyond their in-progress spring courses. Students who participate in the Commencement exercises as provisional graduates must sign a provisional gradua­tion contract provided by the Registrar’s Office indicating that these additional requirements will be accomplished in no more than one year from the Commencement exercises. If requirements are not completed within one year, the student will need to reapply to Westminster to complete any remaining requirements. Provisional graduates participate in Commencement exercises only once, and the diploma is issued only after all requirements for graduation have been satisfied.  Provisional graduation is not available for graduate students.

Westminster College Policy on Faculty Recording Class Sessions

Any faculty member recording a class will provide written and verbal notice to students that a class is being recorded and the purpose for which the recording will be used, for example through a course syllabus and additional verbal notice provided at the outset of each recorded class. Those notices will include that the class sessions will all be audio-visually recorded for students in the class to refer back and only for enrolled students who are unable to attend live. Students who participate with their own camera engaged or utilize a profile image are agreeing to have their video or image recorded. If you are unwilling to consent to have your profile or video image recorded, be sure to keep your camera off and do not use a profile image. Like­wise, students who un-mute during class and participate orally are agreeing to have their voices recorded. If you are not willing to consent to have your voice recorded during class, you will need to keep your microphone muted and communicate ex­clusively using the written chat feature, which allows students to type questions and comments live.

If recordings that include students asking questions, making required presentations, leading a class, etc., the faculty member will password-protect recordings on the College’s learning management system and then delete the recording at the end of the semester during which it was made. To protect student privacy and faculty in­tellectual property, the faculty member must ensure that virtual meeting settings do not permit others to record a class session. Students who record or share recordings of class sessions with non-enrolled students are in violation of College policy.

When recordings are available only to students enrolled in the class and to the faculty member teaching the class and will not be maintained at the conclusion of the semester, student consent to record the class is not required beyond the general written and verbal notification. In the event that a recording will be made available to people who are not enrolled in the course, the faculty member must obtain writ­ten consent from each student whose voice or image was recorded or who can be personally identified in the recording, indicating that the student understands that the recording will be shared with others; with whom it will be shared; how the re­cording will be shared and for what purpose(s). The “FERPA- Consent to Release Student Information” form can be found on my.Westminster. Recordings made available to individuals not enrolled in the course must be edited by the faculty member to either omit any student who has not consented to the use of their voice or image, or be edited to de-identify the student in the recording (which can include avoiding or removing any mention of the student’s name, blurring the student’s image, altering voice recordings, etc.). Faculty members can also plan recordings so that students (such as those asking questions during a class) are not recorded in any way.

Summer Session

Westminster’s summer session begins in late May and ends by early August and includes undergraduate and graduate courses. The summer session course schedule is generally published in March, and registration for current Westminster students opens concurrently with registration for the following fall. High school students in the Westminster Early College Program seeking dual enrollment credit and students from other colleges and universities may apply for the summer session at Westminster College. Contact the Office of Admissions for more information.

Time Limit for Degree Completion

Students must complete all requirements for the undergraduate degree within a ten-year calendar period after matriculation. If they do not complete the degree within this time period, then they forfeit the right to complete the degree and will be withdrawn from the College. Students may contact the Registrar’s Office to petition for an extension as warranted. If granted, the student’s course work and full record will be evaluated, and additional or replacement course work may be required in order to complete the degree. Students are advised to contact the Financial Aid Office to review eligibility.