ACMS™:
Academic Calendar
Fall and Spring Semesters
The academic year consists of two semesters and an optional term in January. The semesters are 16 weeks in length: 14 weeks of instruction with the remaining time consisting of breaks, holidays and an examination period.
The academic year consists of two semesters and an optional term in January. The semesters are 16 weeks in length: 14 weeks of instruction with the remaining time consisting of breaks, holidays and an examination period.
January Term
January Term offers students an opportunity to concentrate on a single course not typically offered during a regular semester, to engage in a research project, or to participate in a travel course.
January Term offers students an opportunity to concentrate on a single course not typically offered during a regular semester, to engage in a research project, or to participate in a travel course.
Summer Term
For students who wish to accelerate their studies, Otterbein offers a Summer Term beginning in late May and ending in mid- August. Courses vary in length, but most are held over either a 6-week or a 12-week period. Summer term course offerings are announced around February 1 at which time registration opens.
For students who wish to accelerate their studies, Otterbein offers a Summer Term beginning in late May and ending in mid- August. Courses vary in length, but most are held over either a 6-week or a 12-week period. Summer term course offerings are announced around February 1 at which time registration opens.
Academic and Enrollment Standards
General Admission Requirements
Admission to Graduate programs at Otterbein University is open to graduates from institutions of higher education that are fully accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agencies. While each program has its own admission criteria (approved by the University Graduate Committee), all programs require that candidates give evidence of the intellectual, academic and personal abilities to succeed in graduate studies. Admission shall not be denied on the basis of race, religion, age, sex, color, disability, sexual orientation, national/ethnic origin, political affiliation, marital or veteran status. If a student feels that a negative admission decision has been arrived at in a prejudiced or capricious manner, he or she may appeal to the Dean of the Graduate School. After meeting with the Graduate Dean, a student can request that Academic Appeals Council (Graduate Academic Appeals Council) consider the appeal. The Council hears appeals brought from other councils and committees and has final authority in many cases involving violation of university rules. After consideration by the Council, a student may appeal the decision to the President of the University.
Admission to Graduate programs at Otterbein University is open to graduates from institutions of higher education that are fully accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agencies. While each program has its own admission criteria (approved by the University Graduate Committee), all programs require that candidates give evidence of the intellectual, academic and personal abilities to succeed in graduate studies. Admission shall not be denied on the basis of race, religion, age, sex, color, disability, sexual orientation, national/ethnic origin, political affiliation, marital or veteran status. If a student feels that a negative admission decision has been arrived at in a prejudiced or capricious manner, he or she may appeal to the Dean of the Graduate School. After meeting with the Graduate Dean, a student can request that Academic Appeals Council (Graduate Academic Appeals Council) consider the appeal. The Council hears appeals brought from other councils and committees and has final authority in many cases involving violation of university rules. After consideration by the Council, a student may appeal the decision to the President of the University.
If a student’s academic credentials are from an institution outside the United States, a World Education Services, Inc. (WES) course-by-course evaluation of all postsecondary education must be provided. WES charges a fee for this service. WES details and instructions are available at their website: www.wes.org. Foreign credential evaluations completed by other agencies must be approved by the director of Otterbein’s Center for International Education and Global Engagement. All contents of the student’s admission file become the legal property of the University and are not returnable or transferrable.
A Graduate School representative serves on each of the departmental admission committees. All admission decisions are reported in writing to The Graduate School.
Any student who knowingly omits or falsifies admissions materials will not be admitted to Otterbein or will be expelled, should the falsification be discovered after admittance. Students are responsible for the accuracy of admissions documents submitted to Otterbein. Unintentional omission of documents will not result in dismissal.
In addition to acts of plagiarism and cheating, acts of dishonesty include, but are not limited to the following:
- Furnishing false information to any University official, faculty member or office.
- Forgery, alteration or misuse of any University document, record or instrument of identification.
- Falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation of information before a judicial body.
- Omitting relevant information or data regarding previous college attendance or earned credit (transcripts, etc.).
Academic Standing (requirements for continued enrollment)
Graduate students must maintain a 3.0 (B) cumulative average. Students will be placed on academic probation when the overall GPA falls below 3.0. If a student’s GPA for a semester falls below a 3.00, a review by the Graduate School office will be conducted and a decision regarding status will be made. Written notice of academic probation will be sent to students and their advisors. A student may be on probation only once during the program of study. A probationary period consists of up two registered academic terms. Students must raise their GPA to 3.0 or above during the next two semesters of enrollment in required or elective courses. If the cumulative GPA falls below 3.00 a second time, the student will be dismissed from the program.
Grades of B-, C+, and C, while acceptable in meeting graduate degree requirements in some programs, are considered “marginal progress” outcomes. Any such outcome, or a GPA that falls below 3.0, or a Satisfactory Academic Progress rate that falls below expectations, warrants an academic advising conversation between the advisor and student, and possibly with the program chair or the Dean of The Graduate School. In some cases, students earning a marginal progress in selected courses may be required to repeat and achieve a grade of satisfactory progress in these select courses to continue in the program of study.
Graduate students must maintain a 3.0 (B) cumulative average. Students will be placed on academic probation when the overall GPA falls below 3.0. If a student’s GPA for a semester falls below a 3.00, a review by the Graduate School office will be conducted and a decision regarding status will be made. Written notice of academic probation will be sent to students and their advisors. A student may be on probation only once during the program of study. A probationary period consists of up two registered academic terms. Students must raise their GPA to 3.0 or above during the next two semesters of enrollment in required or elective courses. If the cumulative GPA falls below 3.00 a second time, the student will be dismissed from the program.
Grades of B-, C+, and C, while acceptable in meeting graduate degree requirements in some programs, are considered “marginal progress” outcomes. Any such outcome, or a GPA that falls below 3.0, or a Satisfactory Academic Progress rate that falls below expectations, warrants an academic advising conversation between the advisor and student, and possibly with the program chair or the Dean of The Graduate School. In some cases, students earning a marginal progress in selected courses may be required to repeat and achieve a grade of satisfactory progress in these select courses to continue in the program of study.
Through the advising process, the University may direct the student to improve graduate-level academic skills (e.g., through a formal study of writing or use of other academic support resources), to take a reduced academic load or to take other steps to promote academic success.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) must be maintained in order to remain eligible for Federal Aid consideration. The Financial Aid Office evaluates SAP after the completion of each academic period (Summer, Fall, and Spring). All terms of enrollment, including Summer, must be considered in the determination of SAP (even periods in which the student did not receive federal student aid funds must be counted).
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) towards a degree is determined by three tests:
1. Academic Standing, the appropriate GPA based upon credit hours as outlined above;
2. An undergraduate student’s successful completion of credit hours attempted; and
3. The completion of one’s degree within a reasonable time period.
1. Academic Standing, the appropriate GPA based upon credit hours as outlined above;
2. An undergraduate student’s successful completion of credit hours attempted; and
3. The completion of one’s degree within a reasonable time period.
Credit Hours Attempted versus Hours Earned: To maintain eligibility for federal student financial assistance, a student must successfully complete two-thirds (67%) of the credit hours attempted. Any course with a grade of “F” (failing), “W” (withdrawal), or “IP” (in progress) on the student’s academic transcript is considered an unsuccessful completion of hours attempted. Once the “IP” has been completed, the grade will stand as either successful or unsuccessful completion as mandated by the Federal Government.
Degree Completion: In addition to completing two-thirds of the credit hours attempted, a student must also complete his/her academic program within a reasonable timeframe, not to exceed 150% of the published length of the program. All periods of attendance are counted towards the maximum timeframe.
Since Academic Standing and SAP are interrelated, a student may meet an adequate Academic Standing level (higher than a 2.0 cumulative GPA, for example), but not meet SAP standards. If the student has not successfully completed enough classes (those classes with a “D” or above on the academic transcript) to meet the two-thirds (67%) earned hour rate, he or she would not be making SAP for federal financial aid purposes.
Graduate students are considered to be making SAP for purposes of financial aid eligibility only if they are in good academic standing with Otterbein.
The first time a student fails SAP they will be placed on warning. A student on warning status may receive one term of financial aid. If a student on warning fails SAP they may appeal his/her SAP and possibly receive one term of federal aid on probation. Student failing SAP may be required to submit a written plan signed off by a member of the Center for Student Success. The SAP Appeal form may be used for this purpose and is available in the Financial Aid Office or through the website in the forms section. SAP is administered by the Office of Financial Aid (614-823-1502).
Program-Specific Policies
In addition to the University academic standing policy outlined above, some programs may have grade policies that must also be satisfied in order to continue the program. Please refer to your program’s section of this catalog for any additional academic or grade specific requirements.
In addition to the University academic standing policy outlined above, some programs may have grade policies that must also be satisfied in order to continue the program. Please refer to your program’s section of this catalog for any additional academic or grade specific requirements.
Plagiarism, Cheating and Dishonesty
It is necessary to ascertain with accuracy an individual’s strengths and weaknesses in order to prepare a proper academic program for students and to evaluate their work. Thus, the “high standard of personal integrity” in the classroom means that an individual will not receive credit for work which is not his or her own.
It is necessary to ascertain with accuracy an individual’s strengths and weaknesses in order to prepare a proper academic program for students and to evaluate their work. Thus, the “high standard of personal integrity” in the classroom means that an individual will not receive credit for work which is not his or her own.
In the taking of examinations, any attempt to receive assistance from persons, papers, or printed materials without the permission of the faculty member constitutes dishonesty. This definition applies not only to activities within the examination room, but also any attempt to obtain beforehand copies of examination questions without the faculty member’s consent, including attempts to obtain them from students taking the exam at an earlier time during the year. In short, all such unauthorized activities constitute dishonesty. A student who willingly provides assistance not condoned by the University to another student is also in violation, whether or not the student providing the assistance has completed the examination.
In preparing essays, reports, and other out-of-class projects, any use of the words or ideas of someone else as though they were one’s own constitutes plagiarism. This definition applies to the use of both printed and unprinted sources, including the work of other students or faculty. To avoid plagiarism, all borrowed materials must be fully documented. Direct quotations, however short, must be placed in quotation marks or indented beyond the regular margins, and their sources must be clearly identified. Ideas or arguments not directly quoted but paraphrased must also be documented; merely altering the wording does not make their substance a student’s own work. Facts, formulas, and other types of information which are widely known and considered common knowledge in a field do not always require documentation, but a student may not falsely claim the independent derivation or observation of such materials, nor borrow without acknowledgment of someone else’s special arrangement or use of it. When in doubt, the student should consult a member of the faculty. If acceptable methods of documenting borrowed materials are not clear, the student is to consult beforehand with the faculty member who will receive the finished work.
The use of an identical or nearly identical piece of work to fulfill requirements in more than one course without the knowledge of the faculty members involved constitutes dishonesty. If a student wishes to prepare a single piece of work for more than one course, the written permission of both faculty members must be secured beforehand. If a student wishes to submit a revised version of an earlier piece of work, written permission must be secured beforehand and the earlier version must be submitted along with the final version. When in doubt, a student should check with the faculty member.
In addition to acts of plagiarism and cheating, acts of dishonesty include, but are not limited to the following:
- Furnishing false information to any University official, faculty member or office.
- Forgery, alteration or misuse of any University document, record or instrument of identification.
- Falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation of information before a judicial body.
A faculty member who suspects the student may have committed an act of academic dishonesty shall meet with the student before the date that grades are due for the semester during which the incident took place to determine if academic misconduct has occurred and, if necessary, impose an appropriate sanction. If the faculty member determines that the misconduct was minor, he/she may provide appropriate counseling and have the student revise or entirely re-do the assignment. For minor academic misconduct, the faculty member will send a memo to the student briefly describing the misconduct, the counseling provided, and any follow-up steps required of the student. The faculty member will place a copy of this memo in the student’s departmental file.
If the faculty member determines that the misconduct was significant; he/she will impose an appropriate penalty, such as lowering the grade or giving a “0” for the assignment. If the offense is sufficiently serious, the faculty member may determine that the student should receive an F for the course. The following policies apply:
- Within five business days of the meeting, the faculty member will inform the student in writing of the penalty to be imposed and of his/her right to appeal this decision.
- Within five business days of the meeting, the faculty member will send a memo to the department chair and the Graduate School Dean that describes the offense and the sanction imposed. The student shall also receive a copy of this memo.
- If a student decides to appeal this decision, he/she will have five business days to schedule a meeting with the department chair to present his/her case. The chair will inform the faculty member involved of the student’s decision, and afford him/her the opportunity to present any evidence he/she deems relevant. The student has the option of having his/her advisor attend this meeting. If the advisor is not available the student may arrange to have another faculty member attend.
- If the student disagrees with the decision of the chair regarding the appeal he/she may proceed through the established procedure for appealing a course grade.
If there is a second incident of significant academic misconduct, the Dean of the Graduate School shall (with the advice and consent of the Graduate Committee) appoint an ad hoc committee to consider the case within five business days. This committee shall include two graduate faculty members and one graduate student who do not have prior involvement with either incident and be chaired by the Dean. This committee will verify that appropriate due process was employed in regard to the two incidents of academic misconduct and determine an appropriate consequence. The committee may decide to suspend the student for a semester or a year or to permanently dismiss the student from the program. Within five business days of a decision by the ad hoc committee to suspend or dismiss him/her, the student may file an appeal to the University Appeals Council.
- A graduate student may file an appeal once he or she has completed the departmental student grievance process. Processes are found in department handbooks, the Graduate Handbook, and on the Otterbein web site. Departmental policies are required by the Ohio Administrative Code, Rule 4723-5-12. Students are first expected to express their views and try to resolve conflict on an informal basis. Ample opportunities exist for students to express these views and concerns through individual and/or small group discussion.
If an informal conversation does not resolve the academic conflict, students should follow the appropriate departmental policies. If students believe the outcome of the departmental process was prejudiced or capricious, students may file an appeal to the Graduate Academic Appeals Council.
Departmental policies and processes:
Business, Education and Nursing
- Graduate Students may appeal two types of decisions – 1) those regarding grades, academic progression, and/or academic misconduct made within the Department according to each Department’s grievance policy, and 2) those decisions regarding academic standing made by the Dean of The Graduate School. Appeals for resolution of department policies or Dean’s decisions must be made to the Graduate Academic Appeals Council within five (5) business days. The Graduate Committee oversees the Graduate Academic Appeals Council. Call The Graduate School at 614-823-3210 to request an appeal form and a hearing date and time.
- The evidence leading to the decision to be appealed shall be presented by the student in writing to the department Director of Graduate Programs and to The Graduate School within five (5) business days of the department or Dean’s decision. The chair of the Graduate Academic Appeals Council shall disseminate the information to the Council and set a meeting within five (5) business days of receiving the appeal and all evidence. Pending action of the Graduate Academic Appeals Council, a student’s status shall not be altered, nor the right to be present on campus and attend classes suspended, except for reasons relating to physical or emotional safety and the well-being of students, faculty/staff, or University property. For more information or questions on academic appeal, please contact The Graduate School at 614-823-3210. The student will be informed in writing of the Graduate Academic Appeals Council decision within three business days of that decision.
- Procedure for Review by the President: A student has the right to submit a final appeal of a decision of the Graduate Academic Appeals Council to the President. A student requesting the President to review a decision must do so in writing, (not through email) explaining the reason(s), within a week after receiving notification (in written form) of the decision by the Graduate Academic Appeals Council. At the President’s convenience, the appellant may be requested to appear. The President may also request an appearance by the chair of the Graduate Academic Appeals Council.
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