All students, both undergraduate and graduate, and faculty are urged to read the following Rules Manual carefully. It is intended as a handy reference guide for Institute procedures, useful for both advisors and students. It also serves as a description of the student's academic rights and responsibilities and as a guarantee of equitable treatment for all students.

Each section clearly enumerates Stipulations or Limitations so you will not overlook important restrictions.

Each section describes Procedures as well as rules, so you may know not only what can be done but how to do it.

Each section contains, when necessary, words in UPPER CASE that refer you to other sections which apply to the particular rule under discussion.

Each section concludes with the name of the official or committee under whose jurisdiction that rule or procedure falls and to whom you may apply with questions or for exceptions.

The Institute maintains a strong commitment to take the individual needs of its students into account, so that, with proper cause, there is no rule to which exception cannot be made. By the same token, these rules have been developed from a careful consideration of the demands of the science and engineering curricula, tested through years of experience, and approved by vote of the entire Faculty. Exceptions, therefore, will not be granted casually.

Every attempt has been made to make these rules clear and concise and to keep the procedures up to date. Any person who finds a rule unfair, unclear, or unneeded is urged to direct suggestions for improvement to the Chairperson of the Rules and Discipline Committee.

NOTE:

This 2006 edition of the rules supersedes the 2002 edition. In general, all rules take effect immediately when they are approved by the Faculty and in no case later than the publication date of this booklet. A student who entered Rose-Hulman before September 2006 and who finds a change in the rules that will cause unusual hardship should appeal to the committee in charge of that rule to have the earlier version of it applied.

ABSENCE – See ATTENDANCE.

ACADEMIC ADVISORS – See ADVISORS.

ACADEMIC HONORS – See HONORS AND ACADEMIC AWARDS.

ADMISSION
General Policy. The criteria for admission may be found in the Bulletin of the Institute. The Faculty has the responsibility for determining these criteria, taking into account the changing educational trends in high schools and the needs of the curricula at Rose-Hulman.

Graduate Students. The policies governing the admission of graduate students are established by the Graduate Studies Committee. See the Graduate Bulletin.

Transfer Students. See TRANSFER CREDIT.
     See TRANSFER STUDENT.

Exceptions: Admissions and Standing Committee.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT - See CREDIT BY EXAMINATION.

ADVANCED STANDING - See CLASSIFICATION OF STUDENTS.

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ADVISORS
Faculty Advisors to the freshman class are volunteer members of the faculty who, in addition to the usual responsibilities of course registration, also meet informally with their advisees throughout the academic year to discuss items of mutual interest or concern. The intent of the freshman advising program is to help students with the critical adjustment necessary for college success.

Transfer Students are assigned an ADVISOR in their chosen major field at the time their credits are evaluated.
     See TRANSFER STUDENT

Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors are assigned to an ADVISOR by the Head of their major department.

The Advisor's Role Each student must have a course schedule approved by that student's ADVISOR before REGISTRATION each term and may make no changes in it without the ADVISOR's approval. Mid-Term Reports for each student are made available to the ADVISOR, which provides an opportunity to discuss any problems the student may be having.

Changing Advisors. A student who wishes to be assigned a different ADVISOR should consult the Department Head. A student who changes majors will be assigned a new ADVISOR.
     See CHANGING CURRICULUM.

Related Services. The Institute's Counseling Services, located in the Office of the Dean of Students, offers help to students with personal or academic problems.

Consult: Dean of Students.

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ATTENDANCE
General Policy. The cumulative nature, complexity, and fast pace of the courses at Rose-Hulman make regular classroom attendance a necessity. There are also important benefits to be gained from entering into classroom discussion, learning to express one's own ideas and to benefit from the ideas of others. The Faculty of Rose-Hulman

1.      agree that regular attendance is necessary,

2.      endorse the faculty member's right to require attendance,

3.      support the assessment of grade penalties, including failure in the course, for excessive absence, and

4.      expect each professor to give careful thought to and to announce attendance policy.

Stipulation. In each course, the instructor has the authority to determine and the responsibility to announce at the beginning of the course the extent to which any absence--excused or unexcused--or tardiness will affect the student's final grade. A student whose total absences in a course, excused or unexcused, exceed two per credit is liable to fail the course.

Excused Absences. Instructors will normally permit make-up work to be done when a student has legitimate conflicting obligations, such as illness or emergency, Institute-sponsored activities, or plant trips. These conflicts do not excuse the student from course responsibilities. The student is responsible for informing the instructor of any legitimate excuses and making arrangements for make-up work, if permitted, as soon as possible. Whenever possible, the student must discuss unavoidable absences with instructors in advance.

Group Activities. When more than one student will miss class because of a scheduled school activity, school policy requires that a notice be circulated to the Faculty.

The faculty sponsor for the activity must submit a roster of students involved, stating the purpose, time(s), and date(s) of absence, to the Dean of Students for approval. The sponsor is responsible for having this notice duplicated and distributed to the Faculty not later than one week prior to the anticipated absence.

Plant Trips. An Interview Plant Trip Form, available from the Placement Office, should be used by the student to notify instructors of an intended trip that will result in absence from class.

Exceptions: Dean of Students.

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AUDITING
Auditing, (taking a course without receiving credit), enables a student to sit in on a class which would be valuable but in which the student does not wish to enroll because of weak background, a desire to reduce course load, etc.

An audit does count as academic load. That is, if an OVERLOAD is incurred, the student must meet the minimum GPA requirements and will be charged accordingly.

A student's registration may be changed from credit to Audit or from Audit to credit, but may not do so later than the fifth day of classes in the term.

To Audit a course, the student must pick up an Audit Approval Form from the registrar’s office and check with the instructor who will determine if an Audit is permitted, what the criteria for 'successful completion' are, and what degree of participation will be expected or permitted. Then the student should consult the ADVISOR and return the signed form to the registrar’s office.

 A course successfully completed on an Audit basis does appear on the student's permanent record. It does not count toward graduation requirements, since no credit is given. It is assigned a “AU” rather than a credit GRADE, and if the instructor decides that the audit has been 'unsuccessful,' the instructor may direct that the “AU” not be awarded and the Audit will be removed from the student's record.

(A friendly note: many students who sign up to Audit a course later drop it or petition, unsuccessfully, to receive credit. Think twice before auditing).

Exceptions: Admissions and Standing Committee.

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CHANGING CURRICULUM
A student who wishes to change curriculum, i.e., move from one major to another, should consult the Head of the new department in order to be assigned an ADVISOR. The student is responsible for transferring the student file to the new ADVISOR and must notify the Registrar immediately of the change in curriculum. The Registrar, in turn, will send official notification of the change to the appropriate Department Heads and to the Dean of Students.

     See COURSE SUBSTITUTION for a discussion of how courses in the old curriculum may be transferred to the new curriculum.

Consult: Registrar.

CLASS HONORS – See HONORS AND ACADEMIC AWARDS.

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CLASSIFICATION OF STUDENTS
Regular Students.

1.      An entering freshman is a person who has never been enrolled as a full-time student at an accredited college or university. 

2.      A freshman is a student who has acquired less than 45 quarter-hour credits acceptable toward graduation.

3.      A sophomore is a student who has acquired at least 45 quarter-hour credits approved for the curriculum in which the student intends to receive a degree.

4.      A junior is a student who has acquired at least 95 quarter-hour credits approved for the curriculum in which the student intends to receive a degree.

5.      A senior is a student who has acquired at least 145 quarter-hour credits approved for the curriculum in which the student intends to receive a degree.

Special Student. A Rose-Hulman student who plans to transfer out of Rose-Hulman or who wishes to take courses for some special purpose may be classified as a Special Student. As such, the student is not a candidate for a degree and may enroll in courses of choice (subject to prerequisite requirements).

Credits earned while classified as a Special Student may be applied toward the requirements for a degree at a later date if the student petitions for and is granted reclassification as a regular student.

A student desiring classification or re-classification as a Special Student should submit to the Registrar a written petition to the Admissions and Standing Committee. If approved, student's records will show the classification and notification will be given to the student's ADVISOR and the Dean of Students.

If a student who has been granted Special Student classification departs from the established curricula and later petitions to become a regular degree candidate, the student may not use the Special Student option as a means of circumventing any of the usual degree requirements.
     See ENROLLMENT OF LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL OR NON-DEGREE STUDENTS

     See PART-TIME STUDENT.
     See TRANSFER STUDENT.

Exceptions: Admissions and Standing Committee.

CLEP EXAM - See CREDIT BY EXAMINATION.

CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT - See CROSS-REGISTRATION.

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CONCURRENT PURSUANCE OF THE B.S. AND M.S. DEGREES
General Policy. A student who, by reason of CREDIT BY EXAMINATION, TRANSFER CREDIT, and/or OVERLOADS, etc., will have completed most of the requirements for the B.S. degree and would be carrying less than a normal load while finishing those requirements may elect to begin work toward the M.S. degree while still completing B.S. degree requirements. Provision for Concurrent Pursuance of the B.S. and M.S. degrees is designed for the student who is likely to enroll for more than 12 credit hours of graduate credit before completing B.S. requirements. Normally, a student may not transfer more than 12 credit hours into the graduate program, but this provision permits the student, within the limitations discussed below, to enroll in an M.S. program at Rose-Hulman while still completing a B.S. degree.

A student who wishes to take 12 hours or less for graduate credit should refer to the section entitled GRADUATE COURSES.

Limitations:

1.      The student's academic record at the time of petition for this program must meet the level of achievement necessary for admission as a candidate for the M.S. degree.

2.      The student must formally apply to the graduate program and complete a Concurrent Pursuance Application Form. On this Form the student in conjunction with the ADVISOR must propose a term by term plan of study, showing both the plan for completing the requirements for the B.S. degree and the proposed courses which are to apply only toward the M.S. degree. The proposed plan of study must be endorsed by the Head(s) of the department(s) concerned--i.e., of both the B.S. and M.S. programs--and approved by the Graduate Studies Committee. Application materials should be obtained from and returned to the Director of Graduate Studies.

3.      In case of schedule conflicts, courses for the B.S. degree take precedence, and COURSE SUBSTITUTION for required courses of the B.S. program will not be approved for the purpose of removing such conflicts.

4.      The student will be admitted no earlier than three quarters before the expected completion of B.S. degree requirements. Application should be made well in advance of the start of the quarter for which admission is sought.

5.      The student may request graduate financial aid (tuition grant or assistantship) at the time of formal application to the graduate program, but graduate aid can be awarded only for terms which follow the successful completion of the requirements of the B.S. degree.

6.      Until the requirements for the B.S. degree are completed, the provisions on OVERLOADS apply.

Exceptions: Graduate Studies Committee.

CONSORTIUM - See CROSS-REGISTRATION.

COUNSELING - See ADVISORS.

COURSE LOAD   - See PART-TIME STUDENT, OVERLOADS.

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COURSE SUBSTITUTION
General Policy. Course Substitution permits a student to substitute an equivalent course for a required course in the student's curriculum. Because of the strict requirements set for science and engineering curricula by accrediting agencies, such changes in curricular requirements cannot be made casually.

Substitutions may be approved in the case of a student who is changing curriculum and has already taken a course in the old curriculum that is equivalent to one required in the new curriculum. Substitutions may also be approved if compliance with some course requirement of a published curriculum would require unreasonable hardship for the student.

Procedure. The student must complete a Course Substitution Approval Form, available on the registrar’s web-site or in the registrar’s office. The completed from should be returned to the registrar who takes it to the Curriculum Committee for approval or denial. If there are two or more dissenting votes on the Committee, the petition must be brought before the entire Faculty for approval or denial.

Limitations:

1.      Approval for Course Substitution must be obtained prior to registration for the student's final term at Rose-Hulman.

2.      The course(s) substituted should generally be in the same or a related area and of the same or higher academic level as the one(s) for which the substitution is sought.

3.      It is not the intention of the Course Substitution provision to allow a student to circumvent a course which is part of the student's normal curriculum.

4.      A student who fails a required course must repeat that course and may not substitute another in its place.

5.      If a student has been granted classification as a Special Student and departs from the established curricula and later petitions to become a regular degree candidate, the student may not apply for Course Substitution for courses taken while a Special Student.

           See CLASSIFICATION OF STUDENTS: Special Student

6.      DIRECTED STUDY courses can not be used for Course Substitution.

Exceptions: Curriculum Committee.

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CREDIT
The number of academic credits awarded for successful completion of a course in a given term is usually equal to the number of class meetings per week. This applies to lectures and recitation periods which are typically 50 minutes long and also to laboratory sessions which may be of two to four periods duration.

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CREDIT BY EXAMINATION
Definition. Credit by Examination (graduation credits earned by demonstrating knowledge of course subject material but without enrolling in the course) may be obtained in a number of ways, as described below. Entering students most often obtain Credit by Examination through National Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate examinations or by taking Placement Examinations offered by the various departments at Rose-Hulman. Students already in attendance may use Course Examination and By-Passing.

A student who receives Credit by Examination for a course may use it to satisfy graduation requirements and may enroll in more advanced courses. Note that Credit by Examination does not carry a grade and hence does not influence the student's GPA.

National AP Examinations. Students who receive a score of 4 or 5 on a national AP examination will receive credit by examination as described below. The decision whether or not to grant credit for courses other than those listed will be made by the appropriate Department Head.

International Baccalaureate Examinations. In general, a student who receives a score of 5 or better on a higher level examination in the IB program will receive Credit by Examination for the corresponding course at Rose-Hulman.

CLEP Examination. Some institutions offer credit for successful performance on the CLEP (College Level Examination Program) given by the College Examination Board. This exam tests for college level experience obtained primarily by non-traditional means, such as correspondence courses, courses taken at non-accredited institutions or in the armed services or in industry or by independent study. However, due to the strict accreditation requirements for the science and engineering curricula, these exams are not applicable at Rose-Hulman. The Institute will set its own examinations for entering students who feel that their previous experience would enable them to by-pass certain courses. (See below under "Course By-Passing.") The decision whether or not to grant credit for such exams is made by the appropriate Department Head.

Rose-Hulman Departmental Placement Examinations. An entering student who takes a departmental placement examination may receive Credit by Examination and be placed in more advanced courses in the following areas:

1.      Chemistry. Students (except those exempted on the basis of AP or IB credit) may take the online chemistry placement examination prior to enrollment.

A student with a sufficiently high score on the departmental examination will be given the option of enrolling in CHEM112, General Chemistry Honors, which carries 5 hours of credit. The student will then be exempted from the required chemistry sequence--CHEM111 and CHEM113, General Chemistry I and II--which carries 8 hours of total credit.

Upon completion of CHEM112 with a grade of A, B+, or B, the student will also be granted 3 additional hours of Credit by Examination, (so that the total of 8 credits represents the 8 credits normally earned in CHEM111 and CHEM113). A grade of C+ or lower means that the student enrolls in CHEM113 (if the academic major requires CHEM113).

2.      Foreign Language. A student who qualifies through the foreign language examination administered during Freshman Orientation Week will be permitted to enroll in the appropriate level of German, Spanish, or Japanese as determined by the foreign language faculty. Upon successful completion a quarter of more advanced language at Rose-Hulman with a grade of C or better, the student will be granted 4 hours of Credit by Examination for each quarter of language by-passed. (Note: a minimum of two terms of college language must be completed in order to receive Humanities credit.)

3.      Mathematics. A student may contact the mathematics department head well in advance of the start of classes to schedule a placement exam for one or more of the freshmen calculus sequence courses: MA111, MA112, and MA113. The exam will be administered during Freshmen Orientation week.

The Mathematics Department also offers a five-week intensive study of calculus during the summer for advanced students. For successful completion of this course, a student is granted 15 hours of Credit by Examination for MA111, MA112, and MA113 (the freshman year course).

4.      Military Science/Air Science. A U.S. veteran with one year's service and members of a reserve component of the U.S. armed forces may be given Credit by Examination for Basic Military/Air Science.
     See MILITARY/AIR SCIENCE.

5.      Physics. A student who qualifies through the physics placement examination administered during Freshman Orientation Week will be given 4 hours of Credit by Examination for PH111, Physics I.

Course Examination. A student may receive Credit by Examination through successful performance on a comprehensive examination covering the material of a course. The student must apply to the head of the appropriate department for such an exam and it is subject to the following limitations.

1.      The granting of Credit by Examination is normally limited to courses or areas available at Rose-Hulman or compatible with the curricula offered at Rose-Hulman.

2.      Credit by Examination cannot be used to make up a course failure (F or WF).

3.      Credit by Examination carries no grade and does not affect the student's GPA.

4.      Evaluation of special examinations will be made by the head of the department to determine whether a sufficient demonstration of knowledge of the particular course has been made to warrant Credit by Examination.

Course By-Passing. A student might, by reason of previous experience, be challenged little by a particular course. In such a case, the student may, with the approval of the ADVISOR, the head of the department in which the course is offered, and the instructor concerned, enroll in the succeeding course in the same subject and, on completing that course with a grade of C or better, be granted Credit by Examination for the course(s) by-passed.

Consult: Head of the appropriate department.
Exceptions: Curriculum Committee.

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CROSS REGISTRATION
General Policy. Cross Registration permits a Rose-Hulman student to enroll simultaneously at Indiana State University or St. Mary-of-the-Woods College. This provision is designed to aid the student who desires a wider range of electives.

Limitations:

1.      Normally, permission for Cross Registration will be granted only when the course(s) taken can be applied to the student's graduation requirements at Rose-Hulman.

2.      The usual regulations for OVERLOAD apply. If the combined academic load will exceed the stipulated limits, the student must petition the Admissions and Standing Committee in advance of enrollment.

3.      The usual regulations for TRANSFER CREDIT apply.

Procedure: At least two weeks prior to the first day of classes at the other institution, a Rose-Hulman student wishing to take a course there must obtain the necessary application form from the Rose-Hulman Registrar. The form must then be approved by the Dean of the Faculty, the Registrars of both institutions, the appropriate Department Heads, ADVISOR, and the course instructor before the beginning of classes at the other institution.

Tuition and Fees. Under the present Cross-Registration arrangement, a full-time Rose-Hulman student pays no additional fee for courses taken at I.S.U. or at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College during the regular school year (excluding summer sessions).

     See COURSE SUBSTITUTION.
     See TRANSFER CREDIT.

Consult: Registrar.

DIRECTED RESEARCH/ INDEPENDENT STUDY
In order to increase the breadth and flexibility of course offerings, many departments offer courses under the designation Directed Research/ Independent Study. A student who desires a course not normally offered or not available during a given term should approach the instructor in whose discipline the course would normally fall to discuss the possibility of Directed Research/ Independent Study. If the instructor agrees, a written proposal may be required from the student, specifying the reading and/or research to be undertaken, reports or tests to be used for grading purposes, number of meetings per week, number of credits to be awarded, etc.

Procedure: The student should pick up and complete a Directed Research/ Independent Study form, available in the registrar’s office. The completed form should be returned to the registrar’s office.          

Limitations:

1.      Directed Research/ Independent Study courses may not be used to replace a failed course.

2.      Directed Research/ Independent Study courses may not be used for COURSE SUBSTITUTION.

3.      All Directed Research/ Independent Study courses must receive the approval of the appropriate Department Head.

Person in Charge: Department Head.

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DISCIPLINE AND SUSPENSION

     See also  INVOLUNTARY MEDICAL WITHDRAWAL

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I: GENERAL DISCIPLINE POLICY

An Overview.

1.      The sections that follow discuss the discipline policies of the Institute in detail. This section summarizes those policies, showing the areas of jurisdiction and the levels of appeal. The major focus in this document is on the procedures of the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee, since rules governing general student conduct are discussed in the appropriate student handbooks.

2.      There are two major areas of jurisdiction. The Dean of Students and the Dean's staff handle cases of Non-Academic Misconduct. Individual faculty members and the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee handle cases of Academic Misconduct. All cases of misconduct must be reported to the Dean of Students.

3.      Whenever a student is charged with Non-Academic Misconduct, a disciplinary conference will be scheduled with the Dean of Students.

4.      Any student charged with misconduct is urged to consult with the Dean of Students or the Chairperson of the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee to be informed of the procedures that will be followed and to receive assistance in preparing a defense.

General Policy.

1.      The Institute values its reputation for moral leadership as much as its reputation for academic excellence and expects all persons associated with it to maintain this reputation. The Institute's Code of Ethics is simple and direct:  Rose-Hulman expects its students to be responsible adults and to behave at all times with honor and integrity.

2.      All students are expected to abide by this Code and to aid in its enforcement by reporting violations of it.

3.      All Institute administrative officials, faculty, and staff are authorized to enforce the rules and policies of the Institute, are expected to report any violations thereof to the appropriate disciplinary agencies, and will be given full legal support for Institute-related disciplinary actions they may take, on or off campus.

4.      All Institute personnel are urged to be both firm and fair in taking disciplinary action and to do so in consultation with other Institute personnel to avoid illegal actions.

Authority.

1.      The Board of Trustees has granted authority to the President of the Institute, in an instance of major disturbance or civil disobedience, to immediately dismiss any student or employee who refuses to leave the scene of the disturbance.

2.      The Board has granted authority to the Faculty to admit and dismiss (suspend) students and the responsibility for all matters involving student discipline.

3.      The Faculty has delegated to the Dean of Students and to the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee the authority to dismiss a student, i.e., to impose temporary or permanent suspension.

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II: NON-ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

Procedures and Appeals in Cases of Non-Academic Misconduct.

1.      Non-Academic Misconduct includes action such as theft, damage, or unauthorized use of Institute property, the disruption of Institute activities on or off campus, disorderly conduct on Institute property or in off-campus fraternity or sorority houses, or violations of Institute regulations as set forth in the Student Handbook.

2.      Jurisdiction in such cases lies with the Dean of Students and instances of such misconduct witnessed by Institute students, faculty, or staff should be reported to the Dean.

3.      Routine problems in the residence halls are handled by the Resident Assistants with the help of professional members of the Student Affairs staff (the Associate Dean or the Director of Residence Life).  A student may appeal their rulings to the Dean of Students.

4.      Whenever a student is charged with Non-Academic Misconduct, a disciplinary conference will be scheduled with the Dean of Students. If the facts of the case and the penalties to be imposed can be agreed upon, the Dean of Students and the student will sign a Statement of Agreement.  This Statement of Agreement, when signed, will constitute a waiver of the right to a hearing or any appeal and an acceptance of the findings and penalties imposed.

5.      If an agreement cannot be reached regarding both the facts of the case and the penalty to be imposed (i.e., a Statement of Agreement has not been signed) and the Dean of Students has determined that suspension from Rose-Hulman may be warranted, then the Dean of Students has the authority to suspend the student or refer the case to the Rules and Discipline Committee.  If the Dean of Students determines that suspension is not an appropriate penalty, and a Statement of Agreement has not been signed, the student must select one of the following three committees to hear the case. The chair of the chosen committee must be contacted within five business days. If none of the chairs are contacted within five business days, then the Dean of Students will issue a ruling which is final.

a.       A hearing by the Student Judicial Council. The Student Judicial Council is a committee of students appointed by the Student Government Association to handle cases of non-academic misconduct. The student may have counsel with him or her (a current student, faculty, or staff member).  Appeal of any sanctions assigned by the Student Judicial Council may be made to the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee if initiated within five business days. If the chair of the Rules and Discipline Committee is not contacted within five business days, then the decision of the Student Judicial Council will be final. The appeal to the Rules and Discipline Committee will be final.

b.      A hearing by the Student Affairs Judicial Board.  The Board consists of three members of the professional Student Affairs staff and cannot include the Dean of Students.  In all cases the student may have counsel (a current student, faculty, or staff member) with him or her. Appeals of sanctions assigned by the Student Affairs Judicial Board may be made to the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee if initiated within five business days. If the chair of the Rules and Discipline Committee is not contacted within five business days, then the decision of the Student Affairs Judicial Board will be final. The appeal to the Rules and Discipline Committee will be final.

c.       A hearing by the Rules and Discipline Committee.  This is a committee consisting of faculty, staff, and student(s) that hears cases of academic and non-academic misconduct. A Committee decision to suspend may be appealed to the Faculty (see below, "V: Appealing a Suspension to the Faculty"). In all other cases the decision of the Committee is final. An appeal of suspension by the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee decisions must be initiated within five business days by contacting the chair of the Rules and Discipline Committee. If the chair of the Rules and Discipline Committee is not contacted within five business days, then the decision of the Rules and Discipline Committee will be final.

Suspension by the Dean of Students.

1.      The Dean is specifically delegated by the Faculty the authority to suspend a student, temporarily or permanently.  The student may appeal such a decision to the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee within five business days and should be informed of the right to do so by the Dean.

2.      The Dean may, in consultation with the President of the Institute, invoke summary suspension, barring a student from the Institute immediately.  This may be done when required for the well-being of the student, of other persons, or of the Institute.  The student must comply with this ruling, but may appeal to the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee within five business days.

3.      A suspension ruling will be recorded on the student’s academic record, unless the case is successfully appealed.  In the case of temporary suspension, this record will be removed at the end of the suspension period.  In the case of permanent suspension it will remain permanently.

4.      The Dean of Students shall report all instances of suspension of a student by the Dean of Students at the next regular Institute Meeting.

The following flowchart gives an overview of the procedures described in this section. In case of discrepancies, the text of the procedures takes precedence over the flowchart.

Click here for flowchart.

III: ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

Actions by an Instructor.

1.      Academic Misconduct includes actions such as cheating, plagiarizing, or interfering with the academic progress of other students.

2.      In such cases, the instructor may choose to give reduced credit or no credit for work dishonestly done. This may result in a lowering of the student's course grade.

3.      In addition, the instructor may appropriately levy some further penalty, since the student has violated the Institute Code. Penalties include but are not limited to a warning, (further) lowering the course grade, failure in the course, or turning the case over to the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee.

4.      The student has the right to appeal the instructor's decision to the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee. The instructor should inform the student of this right of appeal at the time the decision is discussed with the student.

5.      In all instances, the instructor shall submit a brief written report of the case and any action taken to the Dean of Students, the Head of department, and the student. In case a penalty course grade (F, D, or D+) has been assigned, a copy of the report shall also be submitted to the Registrar. These reports will be kept on file until the student graduates, at which time the records will be destroyed. If the case is successfully appealed, the records will be expunged unless the student requests that they be retained. For example, they may be retained in an instance where the course grade has been lowered by the instructor but the Committee subsequently exonerated the student. (See: "Hearings Before the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee: Committee Actions.")

Bringing a Case to the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee.

1.      If a student accused of Academic Misconduct feels that an instructor has been unfair or has imposed a penalty too severe the student may appeal to the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee.

2.      An instructor, who would like a recommendation of what further penalty should be assessed or would like a penalty that carries the weight of faculty action, may bring the case to the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee. This should be done particularly if the instructor feels that the case is serious enough to warrant suspension from the Institute. In turning the case over to the Committee, the instructor should indicate what actions have already taken in the case to aid them in judging what further penalty, if any, is appropriate. The instructor should also be prepared to abide by the recommendation of the Committee, whatever it might be.

3.      If the Dean of Students finds a student involved in more than one instance of Academic Misconduct, the Dean may bring the case to the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee.

4.      If a Board of Inquiry finds evidence of Academic Misconduct, it will bring the case to the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee. (See Below.)

Board of Inquiry.

1.      A student or any other person connected with the Institute who witnesses Academic Misconduct or who has reason to believe that it has occurred should discuss this with the instructor, the Department Head, or the Dean of Students. They may bring the case directly to the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee or, if more investigation is required, they will bring the matter to the Dean of the Faculty who, in consultation with the Dean of Students, will appoint a Board of Inquiry.

2.      This Board will consist of two faculty members who are not members of the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee.

3.      If the Board finds sufficient evidence of misconduct it will bring the case to the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee.

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IV: HEARINGS BEFORE THE INSTITUTE RULES AND DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE

Types of Cases Heard by the Committee.

1.      A student may appeal a disciplinary action of an individual instructor.

2.      A student may appeal a suspension ruling by the Dean of Students.

3.      A faculty member, the Dean of Students or other Institute official, or a Board of Inquiry may bring a case against a student.

General Procedures.

1.      The party requesting a hearing shall submit a complete written statement to the Chairperson of the Committee, who will distribute copies to all persons involved and to the Dean of Students. The Chairperson shall invite the other parties involved to submit written rebuttal statements. The Chairperson shall schedule a hearing date and notify all parties, calling the procedures herein described to their attention so that they will be aware of their rights and of the conduct of the hearing. All this shall be accomplished as expeditiously as possible, preferably within a few days.

2.      At the hearing, the student may be accompanied by a faculty member or other person affiliated with the Institute to serve as counsel. The Chairperson shall contact the student prior to the hearing to ascertain whether counsel is required and, if necessary, shall assist in the selection.

3.      The accused has the right to hear all testimony, to examine all evidence, to question all witnesses, to present evidence, and to ask that witnesses be called on the accused's behalf. The student also has the right to remain silent and a decision to do so will not be taken as an admission of guilt.

4.      Witnesses may be requested to appear before the Committee by the Chairperson if desired by the accused, by the person bringing charges, or by the Committee itself.

5.      Any member of the Committee directly involved in the case under consideration or who, for any reason, would be biased in the case, will be excused from the hearing by the Chairperson. The accused and the accused's counsel may petition the Chairperson to excuse a Committee member whom they believe holds a serious bias in the case.

6.      Guilt or innocence in a case shall be determined solely on the merits of that case. The Committee shall not review the previous disciplinary record of the accused before the hearing, or permit such information to be introduced in the hearing, or allow such knowledge as they may have to bias their judgment.

7.      Any finding requires concurrence by a majority of Committee members taking part in the hearing.

8.      A recording of the hearing will be made.

9.      After the close of the hearing, the Committee will privately consider the case, call additional meetings if necessary, reach a decision, notify all parties of the decision, and prepare a brief written statement. Copies of this statement will be sent to all parties and to the Dean of Students to be made a part of the student's personal (not academic) record.

10.  The intent of the foregoing procedures is to make clear to all parties what will occur during the hearing and to safeguard the rights of the accused. It is also their intent to make the hearings as relaxed as possible and to permit free interchange of information between the accused and the Committee in an effort to ascertain the relevant facts of the case.

Committee Actions.

1.      In the case of a student appealing the disciplinary action of an instructor, the Committee may uphold the action of the instructor, may decide that the student is innocent, or may decide that the student has been too severely penalized. Accordingly, it may recommend that the instructor reconsider actions (such as lowering a grade) that have been taken. However, because of the limitations of academic freedom, the Committee is not empowered to change any grade. If the instructor chooses not to follow the Committee's recommendation the Committee will prepare a written statement of its findings for inclusion in the student's personal records. It is hereby specifically noted that, in cases of student appeal, the Committee may not recommend penalties in addition to those which the instructor has already imposed.

2.      In the case of a student appealing a suspension by the Dean of Students, the Committee may affirm the suspension, may mitigate the suspension (changing permanent suspension to temporary suspension or reducing the terms of suspension), or may remove the suspension and recommend that the Dean substitute other penalties or that no penalties be assessed. The Committee may not levy additional penalties. The Committee is not empowered to review other disciplinary actions of the Dean, such as removing a student from the Residence Halls, which may be appealed to the President of the Institute.

3.      In the case of a hearing initiated against a student, if the Committee finds the student innocent it may recommend, but cannot require, that any penalties previously assessed be removed. Its report shall include its determination of innocence and shall direct that all written reports of the case be expunged from the student's personal record unless the student requests that they be retained. For example, they may be retained in an instance where a course grade has been lowered by the instructor but the Committee subsequently exonerated the student.

4.      In the case of a hearing initiated against a student, if the Committee renders a finding of guilty, the Dean of Students will then review the student's previous disciplinary record, if any, to aid the Committee in its decision as to the penalty. Penalty options include, but are not limited to, a reprimand, a recommendation to the instructor that the student's grade be lowered or that the student be failed in the course, suspension of the student from extra-curricular activities, a referral of the case to civil authorities, or suspension of the student from the Institute. The Committee will not seek to devise 'novel' penalties or forms of restitution unless they seem clearly appropriate and do not constitute 'cruel and unusual punishment'.

5.      A decision to suspend may be appealed to the Faculty. (See below.) In all other cases, the decision of the Committee is final; that is, no further appeal is permitted by the student and no penalties beyond those recommended by the Committee should be assessed by the instructor.

Suspension by the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee.

1.      Should the Committee decide to suspend the student from the Institute, it will notify the Dean of Students, the Registrar, and the Chairperson of the Admissions and Standing Committee of the suspension. A student choosing to appeal the decision to the Faculty, may remain enrolled and in attendance at the Institute until the appeal has been heard, unless the Committee shall decide on immediate dismissal for reasons relating to the well-being of the student, of other persons, or of the Institute.

2.      The Committee may stipulate suspension for one, two, or three terms. After the suspension period the student will normally be permitted to submit a written petition to the Dean of Students who will review it. After the review, the Dean of Students will submit a recommendation to the Admissions and Standing Committee for final action.
     See PROBATION AND DISMISSAL and RE-ADMISSION.

In unusual cases, such as repeated misconduct, personal injury, or serious violations of law, the Committee may impose permanent suspension, thus ruling out readmission.

3.      A suspension ruling will be recorded on the student's academic record, unless the case is successfully appealed. In the case of temporary suspension, this record will be removed at the end of the suspension period. In the case of permanent suspension it will remain permanently.

4.      A student who is suspended forfeits all rights to a refund of any portion of fees paid and will remain liable for all monies owed.
     See TUITION AND FEES.

5.      The Committee may stipulate that the Institute will not accept TRANSFER CREDIT earned at another school by a student during the period of suspension from the Institute.

6.      The Chairperson shall report all instances in which the Committee has suspended a student at the next regular Institute Meeting.

V: APPEALING A SUSPENSION TO THE FACULTY

Overview.

The grounds for appeal will generally be (but are not limited to):

a.       That the hearing was not fair (because of biases of members of the Rules and Discipline Committee, etc.)

b.      That the findings of the hearing were not accurate (because evidence was overlooked or improper evidence taken into account.)

c.       That the findings were accurate but the penalty too severe (because mitigating circumstances were not taken into account.)

d.      That the student accepts the findings and the penalty as just but wishes to plead for special consideration.

General Procedures.

1.      A student who is suspended and wishes to appeal this ruling to the Faculty must submit a written appeal to the Chairperson of the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee within five business days of the Committee's ruling.

2.      The Chairperson will provide the student with a copy of the minutes or a recording of the hearing.

3.      Within five business days of receiving the minutes or recording, the student must make a written appeal to the President of the Institute, who will distribute copies to the Dean of Students, the Chairperson of the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee and other persons involved.

4.      The case will be heard at either a regular or special Institute Meeting at the discretion of the President, who will preside at the appeal.

5.      All parties in the case will be permitted to appear at the hearing to make statements and answer questions. The student may be accompanied by a faculty member or other person affiliated with the Institute whom the student selects to serve as counsel.

6.      The proceedings will begin with a report by the Chairperson of the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee, summarizing the previous hearing(s). Then the parties involved shall make their statements of appeal and answer questions from the Faculty. Since this is an appeal and not a re-hearing, witnesses will not be re-heard nor evidence reviewed. The focus will be on errors in the previous hearing, unfairness, or mitigating circumstances.

7.      With all parties dismissed, the Faculty shall discuss its decision. Any faculty member directly involved in the case will be excused from this final deliberation. The decision shall be arrived at by simple majority vote. At the request of any faculty member, the vote will be by secret ballot.

8.      The decision will be announced to all parties and a written report will be prepared by the Institute Secretary, with copies to all parties and a copy to the student's personal record in the Office of the Dean of Students.

The Chairperson will provide the student with a copy of the minutes or a recording of the hearing.

9.      Since the Board of Trustees has granted authority to the Faculty to dismiss students, the Faculty's decision shall be final. 

Faculty Action Options.

1.      The Faculty may affirm the action to suspend.

2.      The Faculty may mitigate the penalty, changing permanent suspension to temporary suspension or reducing the terms of suspension.

3.      The Faculty may substitute another penalty for suspension.

4.      The Faculty may remand the case to the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee for re-sentencing (i.e., specifying that a penalty other than suspension be assigned).

5.      The Faculty may remand the case to the Institute Rules and Discipline Committee for re-hearing (in cases where there seem to have been serious improprieties in the hearing).

6.      The Faculty may remove all penalties.

7.      The Faculty may not levy penalties in addition to those already imposed.

Committee in Charge: Rules and Discipline Committee.

DISMISSAL - See PROBATION AND DISMISSAL as well as INVOLUTARY MEDICAL WITHDRAWAL

DOUBLE DEGREE - See TWO DEGREES.

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DOUBLE MAJOR
General Policy. A qualified student who completes all the requirements for a degree in one discipline and all the departmental courses (including prerequisites) of another discipline will be graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree with a Double Major. OVERLOADS will probably be required.

The order of specifying the majors will be, first, the curriculum which was completed in its entirety and, second, the curriculum in which only departmental (and prerequisite) courses were completed.

Procedure. Proposals for double majors and two degree programs should contain the following four elements and follow these formatting guidelines:

1.      A cover page (available on the Registrar’s website) with signature/date lines, requesting approval of the program and noting any special circumstances such as course substitutions, minors, or certificate programs.  Specifically there should be a check box on the form that may be checked by anyone in the approval process if they believe the request should be brought before the curriculum committee.  It is the responsibility of the student and their advisor to specifically state what exceptions are being sought and supply appropriate documentation.  Common exceptions might be non-standard course substitutions or prohibited two degree/double major programs.  If there are exceptions, the proposal must go to the Curriculum Committee (CC) for approval.  The required signatures are:

·        The Student and his/her Advisor

·        Department Heads of all programs in the proposal (usually two)

·        Program advisor if appropriate e.g., economics advisor or the Biochemistry & Molecular Biology advisor

·        Humanities and Social Sciences Department Head

·        Dean of the Faculty

·        The CC chair will initial the statement on exceptions on the cover page if the proposal is not being brought to the CC and pass the proposal on to the Registrar.     

2.      A complete program schedule, by quarters, which includes the credit hours for each course, the total credit hours for each quarter and the total credit hours.

3.      A table showing how all degree program requirements of the first major are satisfied, in a format acceptable to that major’s department. The table should show the quarter taken, the grade achieved (if known), and the total number of credit hours taken.

4.      A similar table showing how all the named requirements of the second major are satisfied, again in a format approved by the second department.  If the proposal is a two degree program, the full program details must be given for the second degree.  For additional majors or degrees, add more tables as appropriate.

The proposal must be submitted to the Registrar’s office not later than the end of the first term of the candidate's junior year. Courses required for the first major/degree have precedence in scheduling over those required for the second major/degree.

Limitation. A double major in Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering is prohibited.

IMPORTANT NOTE: See OVERLOADS. The fact that a student is pursuing a Double Major is NOT a sufficient reason for approving an overload when the student's GPA is low.

     See also TWO DEGREES.

Exceptions: Curriculum Committee.

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DROP/ADD
Enrollment. Students other than entering freshmen and entering transfer students normally enroll in classes during the sixth week of the preceding term.
     See REGISTRATION.

The following procedures are used to make schedule changes thereafter.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Any change in a student's schedule which would result in enrollment for fewer than 12 credits, exclusive of Military Science/Air Science, must be approved by the Admissions and Standing Committee.
See PART-TIME STUDENT.

Changes before the term begins. If the Registrar's Office discovers a problem in a student's enrollment, e.g., a section overfilled, a course canceled, it may be necessary to move a student to another section of a class. If so, the change will be made automatically and the student will be notified.

If the student finds it necessary to make a schedule change, a Drop/Add Form must be obtained from the Registrar and the change must be approved by the ADVISOR.

Changes in the first week. The first five days of classes in a term are designated Drop/Add week and are used to make last-minute changes in schedule (as in the case of a student who must repeat a course). The student obtains a Drop/Add Form from the Registrar and must first obtain the signature of the ADVISOR, indicating approval, and then the signatures of the instructor in the course being added and the instructor in the course being dropped, indicating that they have been notified of the change. The student then returns the Form to the Registrar.

Note that adding a course is permitted only through the fifth day of classes in the term.

Changes after the first week.