- Student Responsibility to be Informed
- Disclosure of Student Records
- Code of Academic Integrity
- Registration
- Course Add/Drop Period
- Course Withdrawal Period
- Unit of Credit
- Course Load
- Student Classification
- Course Numbering Policy
- Non-Degree Seeking Student
- Class Attendance
- Declaration of Major
- Graduation Application
- Second Degree, Major, or Minor
- Eligibility
- Final Examinations
- Transfer Credit
- Grading System
- Grade Review
- Statute of Limitations
- Grade Point Average
- Repeated Courses
- Duplication of Credits
- Dean’s List
- Graduation with Latin Honors
- Academic Probation and Separation
- Probationary Regulations
- Limitation Rules
- Students on Leave
- Readmission
- Readmission on Probation
- Transcripts
- Appeals to Academic Regulations
- Nursing Program Regulations
Student Responsibility to be Informed
The responsibility for keeping fully informed about the degree requirements of the college, the requirements of their individual majors, all academic regulations, and their academic standing at the college rests entirely with the students.
Disclosure of Student Records
Randolph-Macon College adheres to a policy of compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended (Buckley Amendment) which became law on June 17, 1976, and has as its objective to insure the privacy of student records. As such, it is the policy of the college to
- permit students to inspect their education records,
- limit disclosure to others of personally identifiable information from education records without students’ prior written consent, and
- provide students the opportunity to seek correction of their education records where appropriate.
In accordance with the Buckley Amendment, Randolph-Macon College has the right to make public without prior authorization from the student the following directory information: name, addresses, telephone number (on and/or off-campus), campus email address, date and place of birth, previous institution(s) attended, current enrollment status (e.g. class standing-freshman), dates of attendance, major and/or minor fields of study, awards and honors (e.g. Dean’s List), degrees conferred (including date), full-time or part-time status, participation in college recognized activities and sports, weight and height of athletic team members, and photograph or videotaped image.
Further explanation of the college’s policy on pr vacy is printed in the student handbook, and the full policy may be viewed on the Randolph-Macon College web site. (Under “Registrar’s Office,” click on “Disclosure of Student Records.”)
Code of Academic Integrity
Randolph-Macon College is a community of scholars in which students and faculty work and study together for the intellectual enrichment of all. For such a community to thrive, it is essential that all of its members honor the principles of intellectual and academic integrity, for without these principles, scholarship is without merit and education is of questionable value. Academic integrity is a matter of exerting the most scrupulous care in acknowledging one’s scholarly debts, giving credit for every source of information, and being fully responsible for the independence and integrity of one’s own work. Academic integrity is an ethical commitment. Such a commitment is made in the knowledge that the existence of a community of scholars depends upon it and in the belief that scholarship is worthwhile in its own right. It is the hope of the college that the commitment will be lifelong.
The faculty and students of Randolph-Macon have agreed on a set of procedures designed to insure the vitality of the code and to handle violations of it in a fair, effective, and timely manner. It is the responsibility of every student to read, to understand, and to obey the code. The complete provisions of the code can be found on the college’s website.
Registration
After having consulted their academic advisers, students are required to register for the courses that they desire in the following term. Registration takes place during periods set aside in the fall and spring terms for this purpose (see the academic calendar on the inside back cover). By registering on time, students have the maximum chance of obtaining their desired courses. Students are responsible for keeping current with their course schedules by viewing MyMaconWeb. Students will not receive credit for courses in which they are not formally registered. Students will receive a failing grade for any course that they are not attending and failed to drop according to the published deadlines.
Course Add/Drop Period
Students may register for a course during the fall and spring terms through the fifth day of classes. Students may drop a course during the fall and spring terms through the tenth day of classes without any notation on their transcripts. Students may register for a course during the January or summer terms through the third day of classes. Students may drop a course during the January and summer terms through the third day of classes without any notation on their transcripts.
Most registration changes will be conducted via the add/drop function on MyMaconWeb. In cases where a signed add/drop slip is necessary, students must deliver that add/drop slip fully completed to the registrar’s office within the allowed time. No change will be made until the completed add/drop slip is delivered by the student and processed in the registrar’s office.
Course Withdrawal Period
Students may withdraw from a course after the tenth day and through the thirty-fifth day of classes, but they will be assigned a grade of W by the registrar. Students may withdraw from a course during the January and summer terms after the third day and through the tenth day of classes, but they will be assigned a grade of W by the registrar. Courses dropped after the thirty-fifth day of the fall or spring terms or after the tenth day of the January and summer terms will be assigned a failing grade, unless the registrar authorizes a W.
Unit of Credit
The unit of credit is the semester hour. Courses may carry from zero to six semester hours of credit.
During the Fall and Spring terms a semester hour represents 60 minutes per week of classroom work (direct faculty instruction) or 180 minutes per week of laboratory/clinical work. A minimum of 120 minutes of outside work per week is expected for each semester hour. There are multi-semester courses for which no credit can be earned until all semesters of that course have been completed in a satisfactory manner.
During the January and Summer terms a semester hour represents 200 minutes per week of classroom work or 600 minutes of laboratory work with at least 400 minutes of outside work.
Courses offered during the Summer terms may be delivered in an online format (distance learning with partial or no direct faculty instruction). A course taught online covers the same material in the same depth as a face-to-face version of the same course taught with direct faculty instruction. Prior to scheduling, the academic department or interdisciplinary program council must review courses taught online to ensure the standards for awarding credit are consistent and met by all students across all instructional modalities.
Courses that carry zero credits are typically participatory in nature with the expectation of low or minimal work outside of class and are assigned marks of Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U). Zero-credit courses are approved in the same manner as credit-bearing courses.
Course Load
In any fall or spring semester, students must enroll in at least one course of three or more semester credit hours. In order to be considered a full-time student in a fall or spring term, a student must carry a minimum of 12 credit hours. An additional per-credit fee is charged for enrolling in more than 17 credit hours in the fall or spring term. In either the fall term or the spring term, students may not drop to a course load of less than nine semester hours without permission of the registrar.
Students who enroll in January or summer term must enroll in at least one course of three or more semester credit hours or a credit-bearing internship. In order to be considered a full-time student in a January or summer term, a student must carry a minimum of 3 credit hours. An additional per-credit fee is charged for enrolling in more than 7 credit hours in the January term.
For purposes of determining course load for full-time status only, courses which have previously been passed with a grade lower than a C- and which are being re-taken will be counted at their normal credit hour value. However, these courses will carry no credit hour value toward graduation.
Student Classification
Length of residence alone does not determine class standing.
Freshman
Students are classified as freshmen until they have satisfied the conditions for advancement to a higher class.
Sophomore
To be classified as a sophomore, a student must have earned at least 30 semester hours in courses carrying academic credit. (Physical education courses at the 100 level do not carry academic credit.)
Junior
To be classified as a junior, a student must have earned at least 60 semester hours in courses carrying academic credit.
Senior
To be classified as a senior, a student must have earned 90 semester hours in courses carrying academic credit.
Course Numbering Policy
All courses approved for degree credit must be numbered according to guidelines established by the College. Courses numbered between 100-499 are undergraduate-level courses and those at or above 500 are graduate level courses.
UNDERGRADUATE
The numbers assigned to undergraduate-level courses are generally categorized as follows:
100-199 – Lower-level courses that provide an introduction to the discipline or specific skills within an area of study. These courses generally have no prerequisites, although some courses taken in sequence may have other 100-level courses as a prerequisite.
200-299 – Intermediate-level courses that provide an introduction or foundation for the major. The inclusion of prerequisites for these courses varies by discipline, but generally they build on other lower- or intermediate-level courses, or courses that students would have completed as part of their secondary education.
300-399 – Upper-level courses that cover a breadth of topics for the major. The upper-level courses have one or more prerequisites that ensure students have attained a sufficient-level of knowledge before embarking on a broader range of topics within the discipline.
400-499 – Advanced-level and discipline related experiential courses. These courses generally require the completion of a significant number of hours at the lower-levels either within the discipline or across the College.
SPECIAL COURSE NUMBERS
Some undergraduate-level course numbers designate certain kinds of courses, regardless of level or discipline. These special course numbers are as follows:
x80 - x84 – Course numbers that end with numbers in the range 80-84 are used to designate “Special Topics” courses. These courses, which enable faculty to offer timely courses of special interest to students, introduce a topic not currently covered by other formal courses. The topic covered by a Special Topics course cannot be offered for more than three times, regardless of the level at which it was offered, without the course becoming a formal permanent course.
391-392 – Independent study in which students work one-on-one with a faculty member on an agreed upon topic not addressed elsewhere in the curriculum. These courses require prior approval of the Committee on the Curriculum.
450-459 – Field study and academic internship courses.
491-492 – Advanced independent study in which students work one-on-one with a faculty member on an agreed upon advanced topic not addressed elsewhere in the curriculum. These courses require prior approval of the Committee on the Curriculum.
493-499 – Supervised research and project courses.
COURSE REQUISITES
Some courses may have one or more prerequisites or corequisites. A prerequisite is a course, skill level, or other requirement that must be completed prior to enrolling in a specific course or program. A corequisite is a course, skill level, or other requirement that must be completed either prior to enrolling in a specific course or program or it must be taken at the same time as another course or requirement.
GRADUATE
The guidelines for numbers assigned to graduate-level courses, which are designated by the Physician Assistant Program’s Curriculum Committee, are categorized as follows:
600-699 - Preclinical phase courses in the PA program
700-799 - Clinical phase courses in the PA program - Students must successfully complete all required elements of the Preclinical Phase in order to progress to the Clinical Phase.
Non-Degree Seeking Student
Non-degree seeking students are those students who have not been admitted as candidates for a degree at Randolph-Macon College. Categories of non-degree seeking students may include but are not limited to college preview students, exchange students, post-baccalaureate students, and college faculty and staff and their dependents.
Generally, non-degree seeking applicants must present academic or other credentials comparable to those of admitted full-time students. Randolph-Macon does not generally accommodate non-degree seeking status requests from traditional college applicants who are initially denied admission or persons not eligible to return to the last institution attended.
Non-degree seeking students are expected to maintain academic standards comparable to those of degree seeking students. Non-degree seeking students whose academic performance is unsatisfactory may be prohibited from future enrollment.
Class Attendance
Randolph-Macon College believes that student attendance in the classroom and participation in classroom activity is an essential part of the educational process. Students are responsible for all work covered in class and all assignments made on the day or days of an absence. Faculty members shall establish attendance policies in their courses and shall notify students in writing at the beginning of each course what the policy in that course shall be and what penalties shall be imposed for infractions. No penalty will be imposed until a student has exceeded one hour absence per semester hour of a course. Even in cases where absences have not reached the permissible limit, no absences are allowed from laboratories, nursing clinicals, performances, or on the dates of announced tests without approval of the instructor.
Randolph-Macon College values highly the participation of students in activities representing the college, such as organized athletics and the performing arts. To that end, faculty members are encouraged to accommodate students representing the college in these activities. Students who wish to participate in these activities should communicate in writing their schedules with each instructor early in each term.
Only the provost’s office may authorize an absence from a final examination.
Declaration of Major
Students are expected formally to declare their major area of study by the end of their sophomore year. They should do so by meeting with an adviser in their prospective major and submitting their Declaration of Major through the registrar’s office.
Graduation Application
In the semester prior to which students expect to receive their degrees, they must submit to the registrar’s office a Notice of Candidacy for Graduation. This candidacy form must be signed by the student’s academic advisor following a review of the student’s academic program. The deadline for submitting candidacy forms is found in the college calendar. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that the information on the application is correct, to track their academic progress, and to complete in a satisfactory manner all of the requirements needed for graduation.
Second Degree, Major, or Minor
A student who has earned a bachelor’s degree from a college or university other than Randolph-Macon may pursue a bachelor’s degree from Randolph-Macon in a different major. Credits from the original baccalaureate program will be evaluated toward the Randolph-Macon degree according to the college policy on acceptance of transfer credits. The student is expected to fulfill all requirements for a Randolph-Macon degree as listed in the catalog.
A graduate who has earned the degree of bachelor of arts from Randolph-Macon may pursue courses at Randolph-Macon College to fulfill the current requirements of a bachelor of science. The transcript will attest the completion of the requirements of the degree of bachelor of science.
After receiving a bachelor’s degree from Randolph-Macon, a graduate may pursue courses at Randolph-Macon College to fulfill the current requirements of an additional major or minor. The transcript will attest the completion of the requirements for the additional major or minor.
A Randolph-Macon graduate who subsequently meets the requirements for the additional bachelor of science degree, major(s), or minor(s) will not receive a new diploma and will not be part of the graduation ceremony. Students wishing to pursue any of these options must apply to the registrar and receive approval from the chair/director of their programs of study.
Eligibility
Any person representing the college in the capacity of a student must in fact be enrolled at the college. Students wishing to participate in intercollegiate athletics are advised that the National Collegiate Athletic Association also has standards for eligibility: to compete, a student-athlete must be in good academic standing; therefore, they may not be on academic probation. To practice or compete, a student-athlete must be full-time except when the student is in the final semester of the baccalaureate program.
Final Examinations
Examinations are conducted in courses at the end of each term. Final papers, projects, or presentations assigned in lieu of a final examination should be due or scheduled for the final examination period assigned to the class. The final examination policy covers the failure to submit or attend to any final examination or final project, paper, or other culminating experience. This policy appears at the top of each semester’s final examination schedule.
In cases involving illness or other extraordinary compelling circumstances, the provost may permit a student to defer the final examination in a course to a time agreed upon by the student, the instructor in the course, and the provost. The symbol I will be recorded if the instructor cannot report a definite grade when final term grades are due. (See Incomplete Grade under Grading System section.) Any student who is absent from a final exam or other culminating experience without approval from the provost’s office will not receive credit for that final exam and will be subject to the grading policies contained on the course syllabus.
Transfer Credit
Courses taken at other regionally accredited U.S. institutions or approved international institutions will be accepted in transfer provided that these courses are in subjects generally recognized as appropriate for liberal arts colleges and are either comparable to courses offered at Randolph-Macon or are applicable to a degree program at Randolph-Macon. To guarantee transfer credit, these courses must be approved by the appropriate department chair and the registrar prior to enrollment in the course. All work will be evaluated without prejudice as to method of delivery. Courses accepted in transfer will receive credit but will not count in the calculation of the Randolph-Macon GPA. Only courses which have been passed with the grade of C or higher will be accepted in transfer. Any transfer course counting on a major or minor is calculated into the major or minor GPA. At least one-half of the semester hours of the major or minor must be taken at Randolph-Macon. If credit was earned at a U.S. institution accredited by a non-regional accrediting body, the institution will be reviewed for potential credit transfer. Interested students should contact the registrar.
A department may recommend that a course passed with a D be accepted to satisfy a collegiate requirement. However, in such a case, no credit will be awarded at Randolph-Macon College.
A student may receive a maximum of 75 semester hours through transfer work from two-year and four-year institutions and/or credit-by-examination (e.g. Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate).
Applicants for admission who have attended one or more other colleges must have a minimum GPA of 2.00 on all previous college work undertaken. They must be eligible to return to their current (or last attended) institution at the time they enroll at Randolph-Macon. Any exception to these regulations must be approved by the Committee on Academic Policies.
Grading System
Randolph-Macon College employs the symbols A, B, C, D and F as grades, while the symbols I, NG, S, U, W, WP, WF, and AU are used for informational purposes only but are not considered grades.
The grades are interpreted as follows:
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| A | Excellent |
| B | Good |
| C | Satisfactory |
| D | Lowest passing grade |
| F | Failure |
Instructors may append a “+” or a “-” to any one of these grades (except F).
The other symbols carry the following interpretation:
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| S | Satisfactory |
| U | Unsatisfactory |
| AU | Audit |
| I | Incomplete |
| NG | Assigned when all work has been completed but there is no grade available to report |
| W | Withdrew from course or college |
| WP | Withdrawn from college, passing |
| WF | Withdrawn from college, failing |
Only courses which are graded enter into the determination of the GPA.
Audits
With permission from the instructor and the student’s advisor, a student may sign up to audit a course, or may change a course from credit-bearing status to audit status, through the last day to add a course in any semester. An audited course carries no credit hours (but is counted by the business office in the fee structure). Should a student not meet the attendance and course requirements stipulated by the instructor, the instructor has the right at any point in the term to revoke audit status. Revocation of audit status must be submitted in writing to the Registrar’s Office and will result in the course being dropped from the student’s record.
Incomplete Grade
The symbol “I” is to be reported only if
- a grade is called for, but
- the student has not completed some required work
- the instructor is willing to accept that work after the final grades are due.
When an I is reported, the instructor must set a specific deadline for submission of the missing work and inform the student of that date. The date must be selected so that the instructor can report a final grade not later than 31 calendar days from the end of the final examination period. In cases where the instructor believes that more than 31 days is warranted, he or she must submit a written request for an extension to the Committee on Academic Policies, giving the reasons for an extension. If that committee grants an extension, it is the duty of the instructor to notify the student of the duration of the extension granted. Otherwise, at the expiration of the 31-day period, the Registrar is required to replace the symbol I with the grade of F.
Students will not be reviewed for academic standing (i.e., academic probation and separation) until all pending incomplete grades have been resolved. If, upon receipt of all final grades, the review results in a change to academic standing, that change will take effect at the time of review, even in cases where a student may be separated for academic deficiency following the start of the next term.
Withdrawal from the College
The symbol W will be recorded when a student withdraws from the college prior to the end of the 9th week of classes in a fall or spring term or prior to the end of the 3rd week of the January term. Students who withdraw from the college after these indicated times will receive the grade of F in every course in which they are currently enrolled, unless the registrar authorizes a W. The registrar will grant such permission only in cases of illness or other compelling circumstances and only through the final day of regular classes in a semester. Grades of F are recorded on the student’s academic record, are included in the student’s GPA, and result in automatic separation from the college.
The symbols W, WP, and WF will be recorded when a student is withdrawn from the college at any point during the semester prior to when grades are awarded.
Withdrawal from a Class
A student will receive a W when withdrawing from a course between the 10th and the 35th day of semester classes, or the 3rd and 10th day of January or summer term classes. Students who withdraw from a course after these indicated times will receive the grade of F in the course unless the registrar authorizes a W. The registrar will grant such permission only in cases of illness or other compelling circumstances and only through the final day of regular classes in a semester.
Students may withdraw from any course of 0 credit hours at any time through the last day of classes with no notation on the transcript. A student who does not satisfactorily complete the course, including any required work that occurs after the last day of classes, such as a final examination or culminating experience, and who fails to withdraw prior to the last day of the term, will receive a U.
Symbols S and U
The symbols S and U are used only in ungraded courses, such as zero-credit physical education courses at the 100-level, or in two-term courses for which the final grade is entered after completion of the second term. Additionally, the symbols S and U are used in the BSN program for credit-bearing clinical courses without a didactic component.
Grade Reports
Grade reports, including midterm reports of unsatisfactory progress, are distributed to students through their MyMaconWeb accounts.
Grade Review
Whenever students wish to have a grade explained, they should consult the instructor in the course. In the case of a final grade, if after consultation with the instructor, students still believe that this grade was improperly awarded, they should confer with the chair of the department in which the grade was given. If, after conferring with the chair, the student still believes that the grade is not appropriate, the student may bring the matter to the Provost’s Office, who may confer with the instructor and the department chair/director. If they consider that the matter warrants further review, then they may refer the matter to the Committee on the Faculty, which may hold an investigation into the student’s allegations and make recommendations to the instructor in the course.
Statute of Limitations
Grades appearing on a student’s academic record may not be changed after one calendar year from the end of the term in which the grade was received. Final grades appearing on a student’s academic record cannot be changed after graduation.
Grade Point Average
The college assigns quality points in order to indicate the quality of the student’s work. The college uses quality points to calculate the GPA, which is referred to in recognizing superior academic achievement and in making decisions about probation and separation. Every grade is assigned a quality point weight as follows:
Quality Points per Credit Hour
| Grade | Quality Points |
|---|---|
| A+ | 4.3 |
| A | 4.0 |
| A- | 3.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 |
| B | 3.0 |
| B- | 2.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 |
| C | 2.0 |
| C- | 1.7 |
| D+ | 1.3 |
| D | 1.0 |
| D- | 0.7 |
| F | 0.0 |
No other grade notations (W, WF, WP, AU, I, S, U) are assigned quality points.
The college calculates a cumulative GPA for every student by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of semester hours attempted in graded courses. The GPA is truncated at the hundredths place. The GPA is final upon graduation from the college.
Repeated Courses
No student may take the same course twice for credit.
A student may repeat a course in which he or she has received a grade of D+, D, D-, or F. When a course is repeated at Randolph-Macon, both the initial grade and subsequent grade(s) appear on the transcript. Credit is awarded once and only the most recent grade is computed into the grade point average. Course repeated via transfer credit will not result in change in GPA.
Certain courses are designed to be repeatable for course credit. In such cases, the repeat policy does not apply.
For nursing majors, see Department of Nursing section of the Catalog for progression and dismissal policies related to repeated courses.
Duplication of Credits
Once a student has been awarded credit for a course, either through successful completion of that course at Randolph-Macon, through transfer credit acceptance which includes dual enrollment credit, or through various credit-by-examination, the student may not receive duplicate credit for the same course through any other means.
Dean’s List
A dean’s list is produced following each fall term and spring term and is based on the student’s performance in that term. Students earn a place on the dean’s list for that term only if they were full-time; completed all of the courses in which they were enrolled; and earned a GPA of at least 3.25 with no grade lower than C-.
Work done at another institution may not be used to qualify a student for the dean’s list.
Graduation with Latin Honors
In order to graduate with Latin Honors, students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 on all work taken at Randolph-Macon. The Latin Honors are awarded according to the following scale:
| Grade | Latin Honor |
|---|---|
| 4.00 | Summa Cum Laude |
| 3.75-3.99 | Magna Cum Laude |
| 3.50-3.74 | Cum Laude |
Academic Probation and Separation
The academic year is divided into two periods for the purpose of handling most questions of academic deficiency that may result in either probation or separation from the college. The first consists of the fall and January terms. The second consists of the spring term and summer term. Students are placed on probation or are separated for academic deficiency at the end of either period if their work falls below the standards set by the college as described below. In the event a student does not attend January term, decisions regarding probation and separation will be made after the fall term. In the event a student does not attend the summer term, decisions regarding probation and separation will be made after the spring term.
Probation
At the end of an academic period, students will be placed on academic probation if their Randolph-Macon College GPA is below the value required in the table below. Placement on Academic Probation may not be appealed.
| Number of Credit Hours Attempted at R-MC | Minimum Cumulative GPA to Avoid Probation |
|---|---|
| 1-17 | 1.50 |
| 18-34 | 1.67 |
| 35-47 | 1.81 |
| 48-55 | 1.92 |
| 56 or above | 2.00 |
Separation for Academic Deficiency
Students will be automatically separated for academic deficiency when one or more of the following conditions are present:
- They earn a GPA of 0.00 for either fall term or spring term.
- They do not remove themselves from academic probation at the end of an academic period.
- Their Randolph-Macon College GPA is below the value indicated in the table below at the end of an academic period:
Separation Number of Credit Hours Attempted at R-MC Minimum Cumulative GPA to Avoid Separation 1-17 1.00 18-35 1.25 36-54 1.45 55-69 1.60 70-83 1.70 84-97 1.75 98-108 1.79 109-119 1.83 120-130 1.86 131+ 1.90
The Committee on Academic Policies may permit students who have completed one academic period on probation to continue on probation for one succeeding academic period provided that, in the opinion of the committee, they have shown satisfactory improvement in their academic performance.
The committee may permit students more than two consecutive academic periods on probation. In every such instance, however, students must have earned a GPA above 2.00 in their most recent academic period and, in the opinion of the committee, be making satisfactory progress toward the completion of their degree requirements.
Students separated for academic deficiency for earning a GPA of 0.00 in either fall or spring term or for falling below the GPA separation threshold may not appeal their academic separation. Students who are separated for academic deficiency for failure to remove themselves from academic probation may appeal to the college’s Committee on Academic Policies for reconsideration of their separation.
Students who have been separated for academic deficiency are eligible to apply for readmission on probation after one fall or spring term has elapsed. (See Probationary Regulations.) Normally students who have twice been separated for academic deficiency will not be readmitted.
Probationary Regulations
Randolph-Macon College considers education as the primary purpose of its students. Those students who are not making satisfactory progress toward finishing their degree should devote their energies and time to their academic work. The primary obligation of students on academic probation is to remove themselves from probation.
Consequently, students on academic probation may not drop below 12 semester hours nor take more than 14 semester hours without permission of the registrar. Among these hours, there may be no more than one one-semester-hour course. Students on probation may not compete in intercollegiate athletics. Students on academic probation may have certain additional regulations imposed upon them. Compliance with such regulations will be enforced by appropriate action by the registrar. (See Course Load and Eligibility.)
Limitation Rules
Students must complete all requirements for the degree within 10 terms (fall or spring) and five January terms beginning with their initial enrollment at Randolph-Macon. Work offered in transfer, summer school, or part-time status will be counted with the understanding that five courses of at least three semester hours each constitute one fall or spring term. For nursing majors, see Department of Nursing section of the Catalog for progression requirements.
Students must fulfill the degree requirements in effect at the time of their matriculation at the college. Students who fail to complete all requirements for the degree within six consecutive calendar years lose the privilege of graduating under the requirements in effect when they entered. Instead, such a student must meet all of the degree requirements in effect on the date the degree is awarded. In the case of transfer students, their six calendar years will include all full-time residence at other colleges. Time spent in military service will be excluded from the six consecutive calendar year rule.
Students on Leave
A student who has been at Randolph-Macon College for at least one regular semester and who has a compelling medical, military, personal, or academic need may qualify for the status of “Student on Leave from Randolph-Macon College.” Completed applications for Student on Leave status are received by the registrar on behalf of the Committee on Academic Policies.
To qualify for such status, students must, in addition to completing the application:
- provide a written statement explaining the need for the leave of absence;
- provide appropriate documentation supporting the request (such documentation might include military orders, medical information, or proof of acceptance in a one-or two-semester non-degree program at another accredited institution); and
- be in good academic standing.
Any unsettled academic, judicial, or financial obligations to the college must be fully resolved before approval will be granted. The maximum term granted will be 12 months from the start date of the leave of absence. After 12 months have expired, students on leave must formally apply for readmission to the college. (See Readmission.)
Students on leave are held to the same standards as students on campus and to any other conditions which the committee might stipulate at the time of approval of the application. If all standards and conditions are upheld during the leave, students granted leave are not required to apply for readmission to Randolph-Macon. Such students may pre-register for the term in which they plan to return with the seniority afforded by their class standing. They retain their eligibility for scholarship and financial aid awards upon their return, but they may not apply any Randolph-Macon scholarship or financial aid to any programs or coursework being completed during the leave period.
In the case of military service members being called to duty, the service member may retain their approved leave status through five years after the end of their military service, as long as they provide written notice of their intention to return no later than three years after their service dates end. Whenever possible, such students will be permitted to complete the requirements in effect at the time of their departure. In the case that their program is no longer offered, the College will advise the student on determining a suitable alternative. Students returning from military service are required to provide their discharge paperwork, as well as transcripts recording any college work that may have been completed during their absence. Should the request for leave be granted midsemester, non-punitive grades of “W” will be recorded on the service member’s transcript for the current term, regardless of the withdrawal deadline. In other words, a service member will not be penalized academically for abrupt military leave.
Readmission
All students whose regular enrollment in the college ceases for any reason must file application for readmission if they wish to enroll again, unless they have been afforded student-on-leave status. Readmission is not automatic and is necessary for all terms including summer school. Readmission to summer school does not automatically apply to the following fall term. An application form for readmission should be obtained from and filed with the registrar’s office according to the following schedule:
| Semester | Date |
|---|---|
| For Fall term | July 1 |
| For January term | November 1 |
| For Spring term | December 15 |
| For Summer term | April 15 |
A student applying for readmission following an absence related to personal, academic, or financial reasons must submit an application, which will be reviewed by the Committee on Academic Policies. Applications must be accompanied by a personal statement addressing the reason for the absence from Randolph-Macon, the reason for returning, and the student’s preparedness for success. In cases where students have been separated for academic deficiency, the Committee on Academic Policies prefers to see evidence of successful completion (no grade below a C-) of off-campus coursework during the suspension period.
A student applying for readmission following a conduct suspension must submit an application, which will be reviewed by the College’s Conduct Officer. All sanctions related to the conduct suspension must be satisfied prior to readmission.
A student applying for readmission following a medical withdrawal must submit an application, which will be reviewed by the Director of Student Health Services and the Director of Counseling Services. Applications must be accompanied by medical documentation supporting the student’s return to campus.
No student with pending financial obligations to the College may be reviewed for readmission.
Readmission on Probation
Students who have been separated for academic deficiency and who are subsequently readmitted shall be readmitted on probation. Students who are on academic probation at the time of their withdrawal from the college and who are subsequently readmitted shall be readmitted on probation. (See Probationary Regulations.)
In the case of any student who is readmitted on probation, the Committee on Academic Policies shall have authority, at its discretion, to determine all or part of that student’s academic program for the first full fall or spring term following readmission.
Transcripts
Official transcripts of students’ records may be released by the registrar only upon receipt of their written authorization. While it is preferable to furnish such transcripts only to specifically designated officials of other institutions, agencies, or firms, students may request that they be personally provided with a specially sealed official transcript, not to be opened by the student, for purposes of inclusion in application packets or to be hand carried to the final, third party destination. Transcripts may also be delivered through a secure electronic transmission.
The student’s signature is required to release a transcript; therefore, requests cannot be taken by phone. Transcripts may be requested via the registrar’s office website or via paper form submitted in person or by mail. The fee is $6 for each transcript. Requests for official transcripts will not be honored unless all financial obligations due the college are satisfied.
Appeals to Academic Regulations
Any student wishing to appeal an academic regulation must submit a formal request to the Committee on Academic Policies. Requests should be made by the student in writing through the registrar.
Nursing Program Regulations
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program has academic regulations specific to the BSN. Refer to the Department of Nursing section of the catalog for relevant policies. In cases where the nursing program policies may be more restrictive than institutional policies, including but not limited to those regarding registration changes, academic progression, and repeated courses, the nursing program policies will be applied.