Academic Policies

Policies which apply to all JBU graduate degree programs are set forth in this section. Requirements applicable to specific degree programs are stated in the curricular outlines which appear in the academic program sections of the catalog.

The ultimate responsibility for understanding university policies and meeting all degree requirements rests with the student.

Students Subject to the Catalog Provisions

All students are subject to the provisions of the catalog which was in effect at the time of their first enrollment at John Brown University, with the exception of charges for tuition, etc., which apply only for a specified period of time. Students may change to a later catalog with approval of their advisor and college dean or department chair.

Changes in Requirements and Regulations

The university reserves the right to make modifications in policies, procedures, and regulations: e.g., grading system, transfer of credit, guidelines for degree requirements, housing regulations and charges, tuition and fees, and admission standards, and to make such modifications applicable to any or all currently-enrolled students. When modifications occur, sensitivity to reasonable dates of implementation and appropriate categories of currently-enrolled students affected will be exercised. Students will be notified of such changes through their advisors, written notices, and campus publications.

Academic Year

John Brown University’s school year for graduate students consists of three semesters-fall (16 weeks), spring (16 weeks), and summer (14 weeks). Each semester is divided into two terms, A & B, each consisting of 8 weeks in the fall and spring and 7 weeks in the summer.

Commencement exercises follow each fall and spring semester, scheduled on the Saturday after the on-campus final examination week.

Course Credits

The basic unit of course credit is the semester hour.

One semester hour of credit, for on-campus course work, normally represents participation by the student in the activities of one fifty-minute class period per week for 15 weeks together with adequate preparation through the use of approximately two hours outside of class for each period in class.

Where additional supervised time is required such as for laboratories or listening sessions, an extended period of two to three hours may replace one regular class period. One hour of practicum credit requires weekly involvement of three to five hours, depending on the nature of the assignment.

For online course work, one semester hour of credit represents the amount of work required to achieve a reasonable approximation of the student learning outcomes that can be addressed in the context of the equivalent on-campus course.

Email Communication

Any and all email communications for university related matters between students and JBU faculty or staff should use official JBU email accounts.

Enrollment Status

Graduate students are considered full time at six or more hours and part time at fewer than six hours.

Graduate students who are allowed to register with an incomplete file (accepted pending or accepted lacking) must complete the admission process including submitting all references, transcripts, and test scores no later than the end of their first semester or summer session of classes. Students who fail to complete the admission process become ineligible to register for the following semester.

Students should notify their advisor and the appropriate department when any change is made to their enrollment status.

Non-Degree Seeking Students

In most cases, a maximum of 12 hours may be completed under non-degree status. Permission to take more than 12 hours is subject to approval by the respective department chair and the vice president for academic administration. Students enrolled in degree programs have priority over non-degree students in class registrations and on waitlists.

Non-degree seeking students must meet the admissions requirements required for JBU Graduate Programs in order to register. Such students may enroll for no more than 5 hours per semester, and credit earned may count toward a degree only after students reapply and are accepted for admission under regular student status.

Availability of Courses

Accompanying the description of each course is an indication of the semester in which the course is to be offered. This data is subject to occasional modification. Accordingly, the university reserves the right to withdraw, with reasonable notice, any course offering for a particular semester.

Course Offering Definitions:

In-Person - Course instruction takes place in an in-person setting. Online information and tools may be used to supplement the in-person learning, but they do not replace any of the in-person meeting times. In-person meeting dates, times, and locations are listed in the Course Schedule.

Asynchronous Online - Course instruction is entirely online with no face-to-face meetings of the entire class required. No specific meetings times are listed in the Course Schedule.

Synchronous Online - Course instruction is entirely online with some meetings online where the instructor and students engage in real-time. Real-time meeting dates and times are listed in the Course Schedule.

Hybrid - Course instruction takes place in both in-person and online (either asynchronous or synchronous) settings. Meeting dates, times, and locations are listed in the Course Schedule.

HyFlex - All course instruction is available in in-person, synchronous online, and asynchronous online settings. Students can move between the various settings as they see fit. Meeting dates, times, and locations are listed in the Course Schedule.

Registration

Students will be notified of online registration dates by emails sent from the Registrar’s Office.

Students should first discuss their course selections with their advisor before registering.

If students have technical questions or problems, they should contact JBU’s Help Desk at 479-524-7256 or help@jbu.edu. For advising, students should contact the office of their graduate program department.

Prerequisites and Corequisites

Students are not permitted to enroll in courses for which they have not completed all prerequisites. A prerequisite course must have been completed with an acceptable passing grade before enrollment in the given course is permitted unless approved in advance by the department chair. A corequisite is a course in which a student must be enrolled and satisfactorily participating simultaneously to the given course.

Prerequisites Policy for Graduate Business Program

Applicants must demonstrate a minimum competence in business math and statistics, accounting, economics, and finance. The prerequisite course component is designed to provide the essential business knowledge and skills required for successful completion of the M.B.A. program. All students must satisfy the following prerequisites:

• Accounting and Finance
• Economics
• Quantitative Methods or Statistics

These prerequisite requirements can be met in one of the following three ways:

1. Students holding regionally accredited college or university undergraduate degrees in business that address the three prerequisite content areas within the last five years go directly into graduate courses.
2. Students holding undergraduate degrees in business more than five years prior to enrollment may consider the credit by examination process to attempt to demonstrate course content mastery to waive one or more prerequisite classes. The credit by examination process involves successfully passing an examination addressing the course content. A prerequisite course may be challenged by exam only one time. This exam could be a College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam or a faculty-developed exam, administered at the discretion of business faculty.
3. Students holding nonbusiness undergraduate degrees from a regionally accredited institution will be required to take the prerequisites unless they have completed comparable course work at the undergraduate or graduate level within the last five years with a grade of ‘C’ or higher.

Auditing Courses

Students may register for courses as an ‘audit’ with instructor approval, either at initial registration for the term or by official change of registration prior to the stated deadlines referenced below. Because of the participatory nature of most graduate classes, students wishing to audit a graduate class must secure the permission of the instructor and the approval of the department chair.

The student’s name will be entered on the class roll, and the course will appear on the student’s academic record, but without credit and with a final grade of ‘AU’ for satisfactory completion or ‘U’ for unsatisfactory completion. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain a statement of grading criteria for satisfactory participation from the instructor. Tuition is charged at one-half of the rate of for-credit registrations and subject to the same regulations.

The last day to add a course under ‘audit’ status and the last day to change a course from ‘audit’ to ‘credit’ status is the last day to add a course. The last day to change from ‘credit’ to ‘audit’ status is the last day to drop a course. Specific dates are provided on the JBU university calendar. Students auditing a class may be asked to drop if the seat is needed for a student who requires the class for credit.

Adding and Dropping Courses

Students register for graduate courses during the official published registration time periods. Students may not register for courses after the close of the late registration time period. Course registrations completed during the late registration period are subject to a late fee.

Courses dropped by the approved procedure before the end of the first week of classes will not appear on the permanent record.

Courses dropped after the first week but before the end of the 8^th week for semester courses, or the 4^th week for half-semester courses, will receive a grade of ‘W’.

Non-completion of a course thereafter will result in a letter grade based upon the student’s performance relative to the required work for the entire course.

In the event of withdrawal from school, courses are posted on the transcript with each showing a grade of ‘WP’ (withdrew, passing) or ‘WF’ (withdrew, failing). No credit is earned for the term. Withdrawal from the university or dropping a course for all students may have implications for student financial aid or veterans’ benefits.

See the official academic calendar for specific deadlines on the University Academic Calendar .

Transfer Credit

Applicants who have taken graduate courses at other universities may be allowed to transfer some of their previous courses into their JBU graduate program. Students may transfer up to 25% of the degree program toward fulfillment of a graduate degree. No grade below a ‘B-’ may be transferred into a graduate degree program at JBU. Transfer of credit must be approved by the department chair and the college dean. Grades from transfer credits are not included in the calculation of JBU grade-point averages.

Relevant course work completed within the last 10 years will generally be accepted for credit in a program of study.

Transfer Credit Policy for Graduate Counseling Program

Students may transfer up to nine (9) credits of “equivalent counseling course work” from an accredited institution towards the fulfillment of the M.S. in Counseling degree. Eligible courses for transfer credit review will meet the following requirements:

• Graduate-level course in counseling or related field.
• Course was taken for equivalent credit (1 semester hour or 1.5 quarter hour per JBU semester credit hour).
• Course is substantiated by:
  • Grade of B- or higher on an official transcript
  • Course syllabi or course description from academic catalog with dates corresponding with when course was taken per official transcript
• Course must contain equivalent key performance indicators (KPIs) as the JBU course being waived as determined by the graduate counseling faculty and/or department chair. In the event the course lacks certain key performance indicators (KPIs), the graduate counseling faculty and/or department chair will “develop alternative methods to assess and record the transfer student’s performance in those areas (including assessments of dispositions)” as per CACREP’s Guiding Statement on Best Practices for Transfer of Credit.

Students must take all courses in their last semester within the graduate counseling program at JBU to ensure that final key performance and dispositional indicators can be reviewed by program faculty per the Professional Development Gate 5 - Pre-Graduation assessment. Clinical courses (e.g., Counseling Skills, Group Counseling, Practicum, Internship, MFT Field Experience 1, MFT Field Experience 2) are not eligible for transfer credit to “safeguard against potential threats to ethical practice and clinical competencies” (CACREP, Guiding Statement on Best Practices for Transfer Credit). Transfer credit applications can be made in writing to the department chair. All transfer credit decisions are made at the discretion of the department chair.

Independent Study

Independent study courses are those in which students do not meet in a regularly-scheduled course but study independently under the regular supervision of a graduate faculty member. Such arrangements must be approved in advance by the instructor, the student’s advisor, the department chair, and the college dean. A student is limited to three hours of independent study per semester or summer, and a total of six hours per degree program. A non-refundable fee of $145 per semester hour will be charged to the student. In some special circumstances, the college dean may waive the fee. The student will also pay all normal per-credit tuition charges.

Graduate Credit Toward Undergraduate Degree

John Brown University undergraduate students may receive permission to substitute JBU graduate courses for required or elective courses in an undergraduate degree program and then subsequently count those same courses as fulfilling graduate requirements in a related graduate program that the institution offers. Graduate courses must have been taken at JBU or through a JBU approved study abroad program. Applicability of specific graduate courses toward undergraduate degree requirements is determined by the respective undergraduate department chair. Graduate minimum grade requirements are ‘C” for most graduate programs and ‘B-’ for graduate counseling programs. A maximum of 12 graduate hours may apply toward both an undergraduate degree and a graduate degree. For more details, see the JBU Undergraduate catalog.

Grading System

Indication of each student’s progress is reported regularly by instructors. The following grading system is used for all courses.

Grade points per semester hour (in effect as of Fall 1999) are determined as follows:

Note: In most programs, a graduate level course in which a grade of ‘C-’ was received cannot be applied toward a graduate degree. In graduate counseling programs, a grade of ‘C’ or lower cannot be applied toward a graduate degree.

The following are not included in grade point average:

Syllabi for graduate courses should specify the specific grading scale used to determine the letter grade earned.

Incomplete Grades

In extenuating circumstances, students may request to receive an incomplete (‘I’) grade for a particular course before the last day of class. Students should submit a written request by email to their instructor, including any and all supporting documentation. 

An ‘I’ grade must be made up within a time frame established by the instructor but no more than 30 days after the last day of the term.

Upon completion of the course work, the instructor will notify the Registrar’s Office to replace the ‘I’ grade with the earned grade. If the student does not complete the work by this deadline, the instructor will assign a grade based on work received, or the grade will convert to ‘F’ automatically.

If warranted, the instructor may request an extension date for the incomplete grade from the dean of academic services.

Grade Renewal

A student may repeat any course on their academic record with prior approval of the department chair and the registrar, with the understanding that all courses and grades will remain on the permanent record. However, only one taking of the course may contribute hours to the total for graduation, and only the highest grade received will be included in the calculation of the student’s cumulative grade point average. If the student receives permission and renews a grade by means of transferring an equivalent course from another institution, the completed course is posted with a grade of ‘CR’, and any prior attempts are excluded from graduation hours and the grade point average.

Withdraw Policy

A student may petition for permission to withdraw from all course work for a semester after the last date to drop a course. Such a petition should be directed to the dean of academic services. Every student withdrawing from the university before the end of a semester is required to submit an application for withdrawal, have it properly signed by the necessary officials and return it to the Registrar’s Office. Failure to execute such an application may result in refusal to grant any possible adjustment to the student and will result in the student being assigned the grade earned in the course.

In the event of withdrawal from school, courses are posted on the transcript with each showing a grade of ‘WP’ (withdrew, passing) or ‘WF’ (withdrew, failing). No credit is earned for the term.

Adjustment of Accounts

Graduate students who withdraw from the university or drop a course may be entitled to an adjustment of that term’s tuition and course fees. The percentage of adjustment is determined by the official date of withdrawal, according to the following schedules:

If the program follows the traditional semester format (14-16 weeks):

For short terms or courses (typically 7 and 8 week terms):

For non-sequential weekend courses:

For example, for classes that meet Fridays and Saturdays, the first week of class begins the day of the course and ends Thursday of the following week. The second week begins the Friday after the first class meeting and ends Thursday of the next week, even if no further class meetings have occurred.

For 1-4 day seminar courses:

Courses that are presented in different formats, such as international study trips and seminars, are not subject to the above adjustment schedule. Information regarding adjustment schedules for these types of courses is available upon request from the respective graduate program office.

Other fees are non-refundable.

In the event of medical withdrawal prescribed by a physician, special consideration will be given to tuition adjustment. Refer to the Medical Leave Policy.

Late Enrollment

Any student who enrolls after the close of the regular registration period may be subject to limitations in the course load and a late registration fee.

Inclement Weather Policy

The main campus of John Brown University rarely cancels classes due to inclement weather, even on days when local schools may be closed. With the majority of our students living on campus, JBU strives to maintain academic continuity and quality as much as possible. However, we recognize that weather conditions may occasionally prevent instructors and off-campus students from safely traveling to campus.

JBU will operate on a two-tier system: Tier 1 is the default with in-person classes if possible, and Tier 2 is declared by administration, with all classes remote if possible.

Tier 1 Details - In effect at all times unless Tier 2 is declared by administration

If an instructor is unable to make it to campus, they should notify students and their college dean by email whether their classes will be held remotely or cancelled. They should also post an announcement in the course Blackboard site and have someone post a notice in their classrooms. If an off-campus student is unable to make it to campus, they should notify their instructor, and the instructor should make reasonable accommodations. Instructors are encouraged to make a Zoom link available for remote participation if the scheduled class is conducive to a remote format.

For graduate courses at locations other than the main campus, any closures will typically be announced on the Crisis Alert System (CAS) and social media by 2 pm on the date of inclement weather. Instructors and students should also follow the previous procedures as appropriate if safe travel is impossible.

Inclement weather should generally not impact online courses, though related power outages may limit access to the internet. In those situations, instructors and students should communicate with each other and make reasonable accommodations.

Tier 2 Details - Only in effect if declared by administration

In some rare situations, extreme weather may require that all in person classes go remote. If this is the case, the university will make a general announcement to that effect through multiple communication channels, e.g., email, social media, Crisis Alert System (CAS). Instructors should then follow up with students about details for their classes.

Attendance Requirements

A student must be registered for a class and on the official roster in order to attend. This includes students who are attending under audit status. Attendance at and participation in all class sessions is regarded as essential, except for times when students are absent for reasons beyond their control. Class activities are planned for the benefit of all students.

Results of Failure to Attend Class

A grade of ‘F’ is given for any course in which a student has missed half or more of the class meetings, whether the absences are excused or unexcused, unless the student has completed withdrawal from the class before the stated deadline. The instructor, at their discretion, may impose a penalty for any absence and/or require compensatory work for some absences. Substantial tardiness, as well as missing an entire class session, may be charged against the 50% limit.

An Excused Absence

Students will be allowed to make up for full credit work missed because of an excused absence. Under the following circumstances an absence will be excused:

1. Death or serious illness in the immediate family.
2. Participation in intercollegiate athletic events.
3. Class field trips which are required as class assignments*.
4. Club trips which are designated as educational in nature*.
5. Trips sponsored or sanctioned by the university authorities as university business.
6. Trips required by Armed Services or the Veterans Administration.
7. Local emergencies requiring the immediate attention of certain students (i.e. tornado damage, flooding, etc.).
8. Jury duty that conflict.
9. Other reasons which are acceptable to the instructor.

* Professors and club sponsors must propose educational trips to the dean of undergraduate studies for approval as excused absences. Educational trips should be planned in such a way as to minimize potential conflicts with other classes as much as possible.

Absence due to illness of the student does not necessarily qualify as excused. Each instructor has the prerogative to establish policy on this issue. The policy is to be clearly stated in the syllabus. Other absences are considered unexcused.

Procedure for Excused Absences

Although the instructor is obligated to allow the student to make up for full credit work missed because of an excused absence, such credit must be established through the initiative of the student in accomplishing the work to the full satisfaction of the instructor. Prior notice is expected for any known activities which will interfere with class attendance.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify the professor in advance of any activity in another class that will interfere with class attendance. Such notification must be made in a manner consistent with the stated expectations in the professor’s course syllabus. 

An Unexcused Absence

An unexcused absence is defined as an absence that cannot be documented or that is for personal reasons, such as work or non-emergency medical procedures. It is the responsibility of the student to notify the professor in advance of any activity that will interfere with class attendance.

Faculty are neither obligated nor expected to permit a student to make up work missed because of unexcused absences, including unexcused absences for which no penalty is assessed in accordance with the attendance policy. If a student is allowed to make up such work, full credit may not be allowed.

The number of unexcused absences in a course may be used as a factor in determining a student’s grade. It is the obligation of the instructor to explain the policy at the beginning of the course. If the student attends more than half of the class meetings and thus is eligible for credit, the attendance factor may not exceed 25% of the total grade basis in the course.

Non-Attendance Resulting in Withdrawal

Except in cases of extenuating circumstances, students who do not attend any class for ten consecutive days may be withdrawn from John Brown University for non-attendance. It is the responsibility of the student to contact instructors, advisor, the registrar, and student financial services if extenuating circumstances exist. If the withdrawal occurs before the mid-point of the term, students will receive a grade of ‘W’. Students will have a grade of “WP” or “WF” recorded if they are withdrawn after the mid-point of the term, depending on whether or not they are passing the course at the time of withdrawal.

Graduate students in fully online courses are administratively withdrawn from the online course if they have not logged into Blackboard by the second Wednesday of the class.

Classroom Etiquette

Students are expected to be respectful of the learning process, their instructors, and their fellow students, both in person and online. Faculty members have the authority to manage their classrooms and learning environment to ensure these expectations are met. 

Academic Integrity

As a Christian institution of higher education, John Brown University seeks to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. Violations of these standards will result in substantial penalties. Violations and their definitions are as follows:

• Plagiarism: Submitting as part or all of one’s own work material that is copied or paraphrased from another source, including online sources, without the proper acknowledgment of that source. Examples include: failing to cite a reference, failing to use quotation marks where appropriate, misrepresenting another’s work as your own, etc.
   
• Cheating: Using unauthorized material or study aids for assistance on examinations or other academic work. Examples include: looking at a peer’s exam, altering a graded exam, using notes without permission, etc.
   
• Fabrication: Submitting altered or contrived information in any academic assignment. Examples include: falsifying data, text material, or sources.
   
• Facilitating academic dishonesty: Helping another student violate this policy. Examples include: allowing one’s work to be copied, working together on an assignment where collaboration is not allowed, doing work for another student.

However, the primary responsibility for knowledge of and compliance with this policy rests with the student.

Faculty Action Regarding Violations of Academic Integrity

All violations of the academic integrity policy will be reported to the vice president for academic administration, who will maintain a file on student offenses.

First offense: In the first case of dishonesty, the faculty member will normally give the student a zero for the assignment or test on which the student has been dishonest. Faculty members are free to impose more severe penalties if such penalties are announced in the course syllabus.

Second offense: A second violation of the integrity policy in the same course or in any other course will result in an “F” in the course.

Third offense: Any further violations of the integrity policy may result in suspension or dismissal from the university.

Appeal

A student who feels that he or she has been unfairly accused or unjustly treated may appeal to the vice president of academic affairs by sending an email including a well-written appeal letter with specific facts and any documentation available.

Quality Standards for Continuance in Graduate Programs

To maintain satisfactory academic standing, graduate students must make satisfactory progress toward their degrees and have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0. A student whose cumulative GPA falls below a 3.0, who is not making satisfactory progress toward the degree or who is failing to demonstrate an ability to succeed in their plan of studies, may be denied permission to register, required to withdraw, or dismissed from the program.

The grade of ‘C’ is the minimum passing grade for graduate credit (except for Graduate Counseling students; see below*); however, the maximum number of credit hours of ‘C’ or ‘C+’ that may be applied toward a master’s degree is nine semester hours or 25% of the hours required for a degree, whichever is less. A graduate-level course in which the student earned a grade of ‘C-’ or lower cannot be applied toward a graduate degree.

*The grade of ‘B-‘ is the minimum passing grade for graduate credit in Graduate Counseling degree program courses; courses in which the student earned a grade of ‘C+’ or lower cannot be applied toward a Graduate Counseling degree and must be repeated.

An enrolled student whose cumulative GPA (CGPA) falls below 3.0 is automatically placed on probationary status. The department chair and the student will be notified in writing by the Registrar’s Office. Probation becomes effective at the time that a student’s grade point average falls below 3.0, not at the time of notification. Students whose cumulative GPA is still below 3.0 after being on probation for two successive semesters, or a student with less than a 1.5 term GPA, will be suspended unless a petition for re-enrollment is approved by the Graduate Scholastic Appeals Committee. Students whose CGPA is 3.0 or higher will be taken off probation.

A student on academic probation when last enrolled in a graduate program who wishes to be readmitted or change a degree program must petition the Graduate Scholastic Appeals Committee. The petition should provide reasons for the poor academic record; explain how conditions that produced this poor performance have changed; and present specific plans for improvement.

Graduate counseling students will be referred for Student Remediation (see the Department of Graduate Counseling Handbook for details) assistance under any of the following academic circumstances:

• 6 credit hours of graduate counseling course work with grades of ‘U’ or ‘F’.
• 9 credit hours of graduate counseling course work with grades of ‘C+’ or below.
• If, in their second attempt at the same course, they earn a grade of ‘C+’ or below.
• If students do not repeat a course where they earned a grade of ‘C+’ or lower at its next earliest offering.

Graduate counseling students who withdraw from two or more courses with a grade of ‘W’ over the duration of their degree plan may be subject to a Professional Development Hold (see the Department of Graduate Counseling Handbook for details) placed on their account until the reasons for withdrawal are determined and otherwise resourced/remediated.

Academic Suspension

A graduate student who earns a term grade point average below 1.5 for an individual semester will be placed on suspension at the end of that semester. The student will be required to petition to the Graduate Scholastic Appeals Committee. The suspension is imposed regardless of the student’s cumulative grade point average.

Time Limits

A student enrolled in a graduate program requiring 40 or fewer hours is allowed a maximum period of four years, measured from the date of first enrollment, to complete the degree under the entering curriculum. A student enrolled in a program requiring 41 or more hours is allowed a maximum of six years to complete the degree under the entering curriculum. Students who do not complete their degree requirements within these time limits are subject to the degree requirements in effect at the time of completing the degree.

Recency of Credit

Credit earned ten years or more prior to admission to a student’s current graduate program may not be applied toward meeting graduation requirements without special approval by the department chair and the dean of academic services. This policy applies to transfer credit as well as credit earned at JBU. Students wishing to apply older graduate credit toward a current degree must submit a petition to the respective department chair for acceptance.

Readmission Grace Period

There is a one-year grace period for an accepted student to register for classes. After the one-year period has passed and the student has not registered for class, the student will need to follow the standard admissions process by submitting a new application and any new documentation that may be required. The application fee is waived.

Enrolled students who drop also have one year to return and register for class or they will need to submit a new application and go through the readmission process. 

One year is defined as non-enrollment for three consecutive semesters.

Additional Master’s Degree (after conferral of degree)

A student desiring to begin an additional master’s degree at JBU after having one or more master’s degrees conferred by JBU must apply through the admissions process as a degree-seeking student.

At the point in time when the first degree is conferred, that degree is “frozen.” No additional majors, minors, or emphases will be added to the degree, and the GPA for the degree is final. If a second degree is in progress at the time the first degree is conferred, then the student will be allowed to complete the second degree without readmission.

Students will meet the requirements for the degree in the catalog that is current when they apply for readmission. Students must complete at least 75% of major hours uniquely for the second degree.

Academic Grievance Process

This process applies to alleged violations of student’s rights such as unequal treatment, violation of grading procedures as stated in the course syllabus, disagreements over assigned course grade, disagreements over accommodations given, or other academic matters.

• Student complaints about a faculty person should be discussed first with that faculty person.
   
• If talking with the faculty person fails to bring resolution, the student may meet with the appropriate college dean and present a concise, well thought out, written statement of the problem and the desired resolution.
   
• The college dean will offer to meet with the student and the faculty person in question. If the student is unwilling to attend such a meeting, the college dean is at liberty to dismiss the complaint at that point. If the student consents to the meeting, then the college dean will be responsible for documenting the proceedings and outcome of the meeting in writing.
   
• The accused faculty person or the aggrieved student may request a second meeting within seven days to which both the faculty person and the student, within limits set by the college dean, may invite colleagues and students. Written documentation of the proceedings and outcome of this second meeting is the college dean’s responsibility as well.
   
• If the problem is still not resolved to the satisfaction of either party, an appeal may be made to the vice president for academic affairs.

Academic Appeal Policy

Occasionally a student may wish to appeal an academic action such as a graduation requirement, or a withdrawal penalty. Such appeals should be made in writing to the vice president for academic affairs. In most cases the student should first request the support of their advisor, department chair, or college dean.

Graduation Requirements

All students must complete a program of study that meets the academic policies set by JBU before becoming eligible for graduation. The following graduation requirements apply to all master’s degree programs.

Note: particular degree programs may have additional requirements. It is the responsibility of the student to determine and meet all academic and graduation requirements for their degree.

In order to graduate, each student must:

1. Satisfactorily complete requirements for the specific graduate program for which the student is enrolled within the time designated in the catalog (refer to Time Limits), following acceptance as a graduate student. In the case of extenuating circumstances, a petition for extension of time will be considered by the department chair and the dean of academic services.
    
2. Achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Cumulative GPA is based on all graduate courses completed at John Brown University in the respective discipline. If a student’s cumulative GPA falls below 3.0, the advisor will review the student’s status and may make appropriate recommendations for continuance in the program or removal from the program.
    
3. Submit an Application for Graduation.
    
4. Pay the required $35 graduation application fee.

Application for Graduation

An application for graduation form is provided online as part of the pre-registration process for students registering for their final semester in residence before completion of degree requirements. This application provides information regarding the graduation fee, exit assessment requirements, and a final check of the student’s name as it is to appear on the diploma and in the commencement program. A graduation application fee will be charged to the student’s account at the time the application for graduation has been submitted.

Participation in Commencement

Commencement is held in December and May. Two months prior to the intended completion date, each candidate must file an online application for graduation. The Registrar’s Office will notify students by email of the dates and provide a link to the online application. A graduation application fee of $35 will be charged to the candidate’s account without regard to commencement participation. Participation in the ceremony incurs an additional charge for regalia. Regalia can be purchased through the campus bookstore.

Degree candidates may participate in commencement only if all graduate degree requirements will be completed no later than the last day of the semester. Students with extenuating circumstances may petition the dean of graduate studies for permission to participate in commencement with courses pending.

Eligibility to participate in commencement is limited to the commencement exercises at the end of the student’s final semester in attendance.

Furthermore, participation eligibility is dependent upon compliance with all of the deadlines posted on the JBU commencement website.

Fresh Start Policy

A student who re-enrolls in the university after an absence of seven or more years and completes one full-time term with a 3.0 GPA or higher may request a “Fresh Start” by petitioning the vice president for academic administration. This petition must be made within one term following the first term in which a 3.0 or greater is earned. If the petition is approved, none of the credits earned prior to the absence will be included in the GPA calculation and only those with a ‘C’ or higher may be used to fulfill graduation requirements. In effect, the Fresh Start treats early JBU work as transfer work. After the “Fresh Start” is applied to a student’s transcript, those courses with a ‘C’ or higher will be designated by ‘CR’ and those with a ‘C-’ or lower will be designated by ‘NC’. 

For students in the Grad Counseling Program only those courses with a ‘B-’ or higher may be used to fulfill graduation requirements.  After the “Fresh Start” is applied to a student’s transcript, those courses with a ‘B-’ or higher will be designated by ‘CR’ and those with a ‘C+’ or lower will be designated by ‘NC’.

Transcript Request

An official transcript of a student’s academic record may be obtained by submitting a request through the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) at https://tsorder.studentclearinghouse.org/school/ficecode/00110000. The request will be processed provided the student has made satisfactory arrangements with the Business and Student Financial Services  offices with respect to financial obligations. Payment is made at the time the student submits the transcript request through the NSC website above.

FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) extends to all former and presently enrolled students at John Brown University the right of access to certain educational records maintained by the institution. Student rights include (a) inspection and review, (b) explanation or interpretation of contents, (c) duplication of the record at a standard fee, and (d) a formal hearing, if necessary, to challenge the contents of any such record.

“Educational records” include those records, files, documents, and other materials which contain information directly related to a student and are maintained by this institution or by a person acting for this institution. Not included in this term are:

1. Records in the sole possession of the maker thereof, which are not accessible or revealed to any other person.
    
2. Records maintained by a professional or paraprofessional in medical or psychological treatment of the student and which are not available to anyone other than the persons providing such treatment.
    
3. Records of employees of this institution who are not presently in attendance and which pertain solely to their employment.
    
4. Confidential letters and statements of recommendation placed in the student’s file prior to January 1, 1975.
    
5. If the student first signs a waiver the student will not have the access to confidential recommendations subsequently compiled respecting:

a. admission to JBU

b. application for employment

c. receipt of honorary recognition

6. Financial records of parents of students.

Requests for access to educational records should be submitted in writing directly to the school official responsible for custody of the records. A standard form, “Student Request to Review Record,” is available from the Registrar. Consistent with time and record security limitations, access must be granted or permission denied and a reason stated within 45 days of the request to review the record. Access will be denied only for reasons specifically authorized by the act and applicable regulations.

An informal record review and resolution of conflict is urged. If this process does not prove satisfactory, the student may petition the Student Rights Committee for a formal hearing. Petitions for a hearing should be submitted through the registrar.

The Student Rights Committee has been appointed specifically to deal with student petitions under applicable federal laws and regulations, such as the Buckley Amendment. The student has the right to challenge the content of the record only on the ground that it is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the privacy or other rights of the student. No challenges will be heard regarding the merit upon which individual grades have been based. The record may be amended, based upon the committee’s findings, or the student may insert in the record a statement commenting upon or rebutting the document.

All determinations of the Student Rights Committee are subject to a final review by the vice president for academic administration, if requested by the student in writing, within two weeks of the committee’s decision.