Academic Information, Procedures & Regulations

Academic Standards and Progress

Academic Standards

The College provides high quality instruction, maintains a high standard of academic performance in the classroom, and endeavors to maximize student learning. Students whose performance does not meet the College standards will be required to improve their performance or be dismissed. The College assumes students to be mature and responsible, and students are expected to fully apply themselves in academic endeavors. Furthermore, the College expects students to have knowledge of the information and policies presented in this Catalog and other College publications.

Academic Progress

It is students’ responsibility to be aware of individual academic standing at all times, and to maintain satisfactory progress toward completion of the program requirements for the curricular program in which they are enrolled. During the semester, if a student is uncertain of academic standing in a course, or realizes standing is unsatisfactory, the student should request a conference with the instructor(s) concerned. During such conferences, the instructor informs the student of the quality of individual work and seeks to help the student improve academically. Information about services to help assure student success is available in the College Services section of this catalog.  At the close of each semester, students’ grades are made available in the Portal at my.sunyulster.edu.

Grading and Quality Point System

Grades are issued at the end of each semester. The College uses an alphabetical system to describe the quality of the student’s work in each course. To determine a students’ academic standing for purposes of course progression, honors, graduation, probation, and dismissal, a quality point system is used.

Grades and their numerical values are:

The semester and cumulative averages are computed by dividing the number of quality points earned by the number of semester hours of credit attempted. Example: A student who attempts 15 credits and earns a total of 30 quality points would have a grade-point average of 2.0.;

Other Grade Designations

Grades followed by # are awarded in developmental courses, which carry no college credit. They are not calculated in the student’s average. Grades followed by > indicate that the courses were removed from calculation in the student’s grade point average under the Transcript Re-Evaluation or Fresh Start policies. Information about Transcript Reevaluation is available below, and information about Fresh Start is available in the Admissions section of this catalog.

President’s and Dean’s Lists for Full-Time Students

Excellence in scholastic achievement at SUNY Ulster is recognized each semester by the compilation of the President’s and Dean’s Lists. The Lists are distributed to the local media, and students receive a letter honoring their achievement. Students are eligible provided:

President’s List:

• They are formally matriculated.
• They have completed at least 12 semester hours of credit-bearing courses.
• They have a semester grade-point average of at least 3.75.
• They have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.3.
• They have no current semester grade lower than a C.
• They have no I or F grades in the qualifying semester.

Dean’s List:

• They are formally matriculated.
• They have completed at least 12 semester hours of credit-bearing courses.
• They have a semester grade-point average of at least 3.3.
• They have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.0.
• They have no I or F grades in the qualifying semester.

President’s and Dean’s Lists for Part-Time Students

Part-Time students become eligible provided:

President’s List:

• They are formally matriculated.
• They are registered as part-time students (fewer than 12 credits).
• They have a semester grade-point average of at least 3.75.
• They have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.3.
• They have no current semester grade lower than a C.
• They have no I grades in the qualifying semester.

Dean’s List:

• They are formally matriculated.
• They are registered as part-time students (fewer than 12 credits).
• They have a semester grade-point average of 3.3.
• They have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.0.
• They have no I or F grades in the qualifying semester.

Part-time students are reviewed for eligibility as they accumulate units of 12 or more credits. Once reviewed, students must accumulate an additional 12 credits to be eligible for the next review. Students who register as full-time students but drop to part-time status after the census date are not eligible for the part-time President’s and Dean’s Lists.

Probation and Dismissal Policy for Matriculated Students

Students are expected to remain in satisfactory academic standing, meaning that the student has maintained an acceptable grade-point average (GPA) for course work at SUNY Ulster:

A matriculated student who fails to maintain a satisfactory GPA is subject to academic probation or dismissal. Academic probation, including any accompanying restraints upon the student’s activities, is intended to encourage greater effort by the student who appears to be having difficulty meeting academic standards. Probation lists are compiled at the end of the fall and spring semesters and applied to the student’s academic standing for the following semester(s). A student on probation who does not achieve the minimum acceptable GPA by the end of the next spring or fall semester will be subject to dismissal review by the Academic Review Committee.

The progress of part-time matriculated students will be reviewed in units of six or more credits. A part-time student placed on probation for two consecutive semesters (excluding summer sessions) will be subject to dismissal review by the Academic Review Committee.

Academic dismissal means that the student has lost matriculated status at the College and must petition for reinstatement.

A student who has been dismissed and who believes that an error has been made or extenuating circumstances exist has the right of appeal. A student who is currently enrolled will be permitted to continue attending classes until a decision is made on the appeal.

Status of Students on Probation

Any student who is entering a second consecutive semester on probation, or who has been reinstated and is still on probation, may not take more credits than are specified for the student’s program in the College Catalog. The student will also be restricted from holding a club or Student Government office, from assuming the editorship of a College publication, and from participating in intercollegiate athletics until such time as the student is removed from probationary status. Further credit restrictions may be imposed by the Academic Review Committee.

Graduation Information

Requirements

It is the student’s responsibility to make a formal application for a degree, certificate, or diploma in the Registrar’s Office. Forms are available from that office or on the Portal. Applications for spring semester graduation should be filed early in the semester, no later than March 1. Fall graduation should be filed no later than November 1 and summer graduation by July

Students determined by the College to be eligible for graduation shall be awarded the appropriate degree, certificate, or diploma for their program.

Responsibility for meeting the requirements for a degree, certificate, or diploma rests with the student. In order to be graduated, a student must meet the following requirements:

• Submit an application for Graduation by the deadline. Applications are available on the Portal and from the Registrar’s Office.
• Have a cumulative grade-point average for all courses of at least 2.0. There may be additional, specific requirements for particular programs.
• Successfully complete all the requirements as stated in the catalog for the year the student was matriculated in or those in place at the time a change of major was recorded. Any change in meeting these requirements must be approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs prior to registration for the semester in which the student expects to receive the degree, certificate, or diploma.
• Satisfy the College’s residency requirement: at least 30 hours of successfully completed credits taken at SUNY Ulster for a degree, 15 hours for a diploma, and at least half of the total required credits for a certificate program.
• Satisfy the College’s General Education requirements. Information about these requirements is available in the General Education and Electives section of this catalog.

Course Waivers and Substitutions

Students need the recommendation of a faculty advisor for all waivers and substitution of courses from prescribed curricula. After the advisor has recommended the change, it must go to the appropriate department chair and then to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for final approval. This should be done before students register for the semester in which they plan to be graduated.

Graduation with High Honors

To be graduated with High Honors, students must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher. A notation of “W High Honors” will then appear on the student’s transcript.

Graduation with Honors

To be graduated with Honors, students must have a cumulative grade point average between 3.3 and 3.74. A notation of “W Honors” will then appear on the student’s transcript.

Transcript Requests

Requests for official transcripts to be sent to other agencies or schools must be made in writing by the student. Transcript request forms are available in the Registrar’s Office, on the Portal or on the College’s website here.

The request should include the student’s name, current address, phone number, date of last attendance, any name change, student’s ID or social security number, and the name and address where the transcript is to be sent. No transcripts will be sent for students who have outstanding debts to the College (financial obligations, library books, traffic violations, equipment, etc.) until these obligations have been met with the appropriate office. Until that time, requests will be returned and the student must submit a new transcript request when the hold is released.

There is a nominal per official transcript request. Payment must be submitted at the time of the request by credit card, personal check, or money order if requesting the transcript via mail; by cash, credit card, personal check, or money order if requesting the transcript in person, or by credit card if requesting the transcript via fax;. Requests are processed approximately two weeks after grades are submitted.

Students with Financial or Other Obligations to the College

Students who have completed their academic requirements, but who have outstanding financial or other obligations to the College, will be graduated. The diploma, however, will be held and no transcript or certification of graduation will be released until financial or other obligations are met.

Students can access final grades and their entire academic record on my.sunyulster.edu, as long as there are no outstanding debts to the College.

Other Academic Information

Change of Address

Students who change their legal or mailing address should notify the Registrar’s Office immediately so that records may be corrected in conformity with the law. Students must present a picture ID in order to request any change to their student record.

Change of Major Program

If a matriculated student wishes to change a major area of study, the student must complete a Change of Curriculum form. A formal change of program requires the signature of the student’s academic advisor Forms are available at the Registrar’s Office and on the Portal.  Students are bound by the program and degree requirements as stated in the catalog for the academic year in place at the time of a change in curriculum.

Transcript Re-Evaluation

A student who changes programs within the College may desire a modification of the academic record to delete non-applicable grades from the academic average. Students selecting this option must utilize the credits and grade-point average of all courses required in the previous program, that are also applicable to the new program, as determined by the coordinator or chairperson of the new program. The student may also request to utilize toward the new program, the credit and grade-point average of any courses fulfilling the previous program’s unspecified elective requirements, as determined by an advisor. Changes involving modification of transcripts must receive final approval of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

The grade-point average of those courses applicable to the new curriculum will be calculated in the student’s cumulative average at the end of the first semester (spring or fall) in the new program. This re-evaluation may occur only once during a student’s studies at SUNY Ulster.

Course Levels

A student is generally not permitted to take a course if the student has successfully completed a higher-level course in the same discipline.

Drop and Add Course Period

Full-time and part-time students will be allowed to make changes to their schedules during the first four days of full semester fall and spring classes. Add/Drop periods are significantly shorter during summer and Winternet sessions and accelerated courses. The Add/Drop dates are available on the academic calendar here. Students must obtain an Add/Drop form from the Registrar’s Office. Changes in which a different course is selected, not just a different section of the same course, must have the approval of the student’s advisor.

Final Examinations

There is an end-of-semester culminating experience in each course. This may take the form of a final examination; a unit examination; a term project; or a final evaluation of projects, papers, or performances completed by students. Within the first two weeks of classes, the individual instructor will inform students of the method to be used.

Minimum Competency in Writing

At the end of the semester, students taking OTP081or ENG101 must take and pass a writing competency test, which is evaluated by a panel of instructors. Students who pass the test receive the grade earned during the semester; those who do not pass must repeat the course. Passing the Departmental final exam is required for successful completion of these courses. In addition, the student must have earned at least a C as a final grade to advance to the next course.

Repeat Course Policy

When a course is repeated, only the last grade (A-F) will count in the grade-point average, even if the last grade is lower than the grade(s) received on the previous attempt(s). No repeated courses or their grades will be removed from the student’s transcript. Repeating a course may affect a student’s financial aid status. This policy does not apply to courses which, because of their varied content, have been designated as courses that may be repeated for credit.

Residency Requirement

To be eligible for graduation, a student must have successfully completed at least 30 credits for a degree, 15 hours for a diploma, and at least half of the total required credits for a certificate program.

Second Degree Policy

To earn a second degree at SUNY Ulster, a student must successfully complete a minimum of 15 credits, in residence, beyond those earned for the first degree. These 15 credits must be in a different field of study and must, when combined with the other credits, fulfill the requirements of the second degree. Intermediate Studies courses may not be included in the 15 credit-bearing residency requirement.

Withdrawal from Courses

Students wishing to withdraw from a course must secure the necessary withdrawal form from the Registrar’s Office. The withdrawal must be processed promptly by the student by immediately notifying their advisor, and the Registrar’s Office. The instructor is notified via an automated email when the withdrawal code is entered into the student’s record.

A student may officially withdraw from a course through the first two thirds of the time period of that course and will receive a grade of W. Withdrawal deadlines are available here.

Withdrawal from classes early in the semester may entitle the student to a partial refund. Information about withdrawal and refund policy is available here.

A student may withdraw during the last third of the course only for verified special circumstances, such as death in the family, hospitalization, transfer from area, or prolonged illness. In these cases, information must be submitted by the instructor through the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, on a form available in the Registrar’s or Vice President’s Offices. Supporting documentation must accompany special circumstances withdrawals.

Withdrawal can impact financial aid eligibility. Students receiving financial aid should consult the Financial Aid Office to understand their individual circumstance. Information about withdrawal and financial aid is here.

Withdrawal from College

Full-time students wishing to withdraw from the College must secure the necessary withdrawal form from the Office of the Assistant Dean of Student Services. These forms must be signed by the advisor, a representative of the Student Accounts Office, Financial Aid, the Library, and the Enrollment and Success Center. Failure to withdraw properly may lead to grade problems for the student.

Withdrawal can impact financial aid eligibility. Students receiving financial aid should consult the Financial Aid Office to understand their individual circumstance. Information about withdrawal and financial aid is here.

Leave of Absence

SUNY Ulster students in good academic standing who voluntarily withdraw from all courses prior to the end of an academic term, or who intend to disrupt continuous enrollment at the College for one calendar year or less, are eligible to take a Leave of Absence.

• The Leave, which may be for a maximum of one calendar year, allows the student to maintain matriculation during the period of non-attendance.
• When the student returns to College, he/she is eligible to register for courses and remains subject to the Catalog and policies and procedures in place at the time of initial matriculation.
• In extraordinary circumstances, students may request an extension of the initial Leave of Absence for a period not to exceed one additional calendar year.
• Students who do not request a Leave of Absence, and who have a gap of more than one academic term (Fall or Spring), will be required to reapply for admission to the College, and will be subject to the Catalog, policies and procedures in place at the time of readmission.  Readmitted students who were in competitive, selective programs such as Nursing or Veterinary Technology, will have to reapply to those programs, as well. Readmission to the College does not guarantee re-admission to specific programs.

Students wishing to take a Leave of Absence should contact the Assistant Dean for Student Services.

Semester Credit Hour Policy and Compliance

Definition: To define the college’s policy on the assignment of semester / credit hours and the method by which the college’s compliance with credit hour assignment is assured.

New York State - Credit Hour Definition

All credit-bearing degree and certificate programs at SUNY Ulster are approved by the New York State Education Department (NYSED). Calculation of credit hours for these programs follows NYSED guidelines, which are consistent with the U.S. Department of Education’s definition of a credit hour.

Codes, Rules and Regulations of the State of New York, Title 8 - Education Department, Chapter II - Regulations of the Commissioner, Subchapter A - Higher and Professional Regulations, Part 50 - General, Section 50.1 (o) stipulates the following: “Semester hour means a credit, point, or other unit granted for the satisfactory completion of a course which requires at least 15 hours (of 50 minutes each) of instruction and at least 30 hours of supplementary assignments, except as otherwise provided pursuant to section 52.2(c)(4) of this Subchapter. This basic measure shall be adjusted proportionately to translate the value of other academic calendars and formats of study in relation to the credit granted for study during the two semesters that comprise an academic year.”

Section 52.2(c)(4) stipulates: “A semester hour of credit may be granted by an institution for fewer hours of instruction and study than those specified in subdivision (o) of section 50.1 of this Subchapter only: (i) when approved by the commissioner as part of a registered curriculum; (ii) when the commissioner has granted prior approval for the institution to maintain a statement of academic standards that defines the considerations which establish equivalency of instruction and study and such statement has been adopted by the institution; or (iii) in the event of a temporary closure of an institution by the State or local government as a result of a disaster, as defined in section 50.1(w) of this Title, when the commissioner has granted approval for the institution to maintain a statement of academic standards that defines the considerations which establish equivalency of instruction and study and such statement has been adopted by the institution.”

U.S. Department of Education - Credit Hour Definition

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, Title 34: Education, Part 600 - Institutional Eligibility under the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, Subpart A - General, Section 600.2 stipulates the following: “Credit hour: Except as provided in 34 CFR 668.8(k) and (l), a credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than - (1) One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or (2) At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.”

U.S. Department of Education guidance on Program Integrity regulations related to the credit hour (https://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/reg/hearulemaking/2009/credit.html) also stipulate: The credithour definition does not dictate particular amounts of classroom time versus out-of-class student work. Further note that the definition provides that a credit hour may be for an equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time. There is no requirement that a 3-semester hour course meet 3 hours per week during a semester or a 3-quarter-hour course meet 3 hours per week during a quarter. The requirement is that the institution determine that there is an amount of student work for a credit hour that reasonably approximates not less than one hour of class and two hours of out-of-class student work per week over a semester for a semester hour or a quarter for a quarter hour. For example, an institution with a semesterbased calendar has a graduate seminar for which it awards 3 semester hours. The class meets only one hour per week over a 15-week semester with the students expected to perform a substantial amount of outside research that is the equivalent of 8 or more hours of student work each week of the semester. For purposes of the Federal definition, the institution would be able to award up to 3 semester hours for the course.”

SUNY Ulster Policy:

All semester / credit hours awarded by SUNY Ulster will conform to the federal and state definitions. These guidelines are also in compliance with policies set forth by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

SUNY Ulster generally follows a semester system with fall and spring semesters consisting of a minimum of 15 weeks, which includes one week for exams. Summer terms are typically less than 15 weeks but adhere to the policy in terms of meeting time and the amount of student work required. Terms for certain academic programs (for example, Express courses and WinterNet) have been adjusted but nonetheless adhere to the policy in terms of the amount of work required.

The faculty and program administrators are responsible for developing, maintaining and evaluating the curriculum within an academic program, although the Board of Trustees or their representative retain final control and approval of the curriculum. Assignment of credit hours for courses are determined within the program based on faculty expertise and course learning objectives and SUNY directives. Existing courses will be evaluated for adherence to the federal credit hour regulation during routine program evaluations. New courses will, upon review and approval at the program level, be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee and recommended to the President for approval or denial.

The Curriculum Committee is charged with following the policy on credit hours in their review and approval of all courses and curricula and for certifying that the expected student learning for the course meets the credit hour standard.

Approved courses are sent to the Registrar’s Office for inclusion in the College Catalog. The Registrar’s Office reviews the class schedules prior to the start of each semester to ensure that all classes are scheduled for the minimum number of minutes corresponding to the credits assigned, or otherwise notes when course schedules do not match assigned credit hours. Any discrepancies are brought to the attention of the Vice President for Academic Affairs who will work with department chairs to provide correction or explanation.

The following provides general guidance on the how the credit hour translates to the particular instruction method. Note, however, that the credit-hour definition does not dictate particular amounts of classroom time versus out-of-class student work - the information below serves as general guidance only.

Lecture and Seminar: Courses with multiple students which meet to engage in various forms of group instruction under the direct supervision of a faculty member.

Laboratory: Courses with a focus on experiential learning under the direct supervision of a faculty member wherein the student performs substantive work in a laboratory setting. The minimum contact time per credit is typically twice that of a lecture (2:1 ratio)

Clinicals: Courses with a focus on experiential learning under the direct supervision of a faculty member wherein the student performs substantive work in a clinical setting. The minimum contact time per credit is typically three times that of a lecture (3:1 ratio), depending upon the amount of outside work assigned.

Underenrolled Courses: Courses of study designed in instances where enrollment has fallen below established standards but under conditions where the College agrees to offer the course to allow students to progress academically (such as the need for a particular course in order to graduate). The course will meet at the times and for the time periods specified in the relevant course schedule.

Individual Study: Courses in which a student(s) needs a particular course in order to progress academically or to graduate in a timely fashion, and the course is not scheduled to be offered during the term in question. In such cases, the most-recent syllabus/course outline will be followed by the instructor and the student(s), with direct meetings occurring at least 50 percent of the contact hours expected in a regularly scheduled course. The remainder of the contact hours and the student work hours will be arranged by the faculty member and the student(s) to meet minimum required hours as specified by NYSED.

Independent Study: Courses of study in which a faculty member regularly interacts and directs student outcomes with periodic contact. Minimum credit hours are determined based on faculty instructional contact minutes and student outside work time. In all such instances, such courses must match the total amount of work using the examples listed above.

Internship/Practica/Field Experience: Courses of study in which a faculty member regularly interacts and directs student outcomes with periodic contact, but where the actual learning environment takes place off-campus at an approved site. The learning experience will typically involve a site supervisor or preceptor and directed activity/learning will occur outside of a lecture setting. Contact time and outside student work requirements must be established and documented, and must match the total amount of work using the example above. The faculty member or program director responsible for the experience is required to keep records of amount of supervised work and the amount of outside work assigned so that contact hours can be calculated.

Accelerated Courses: Courses offered outside of a standard 15 week semester in which the credit hours offered are the same as standard semester courses and the content and substantive learning outcomes are the same as those in the standard semester. These courses must meet the total amount of instructional and student work time as the examples above even if delivered within an accelerated time frame.

Online Courses: Courses offered entirely online without any on-site face-to-face meetings. These courses have the same learning outcomes and substantive components of a standard lecture / seminar course with an alternate delivery method. Contact time is satisfied by several means which can include, but is not limited to, the following: a.) regular instruction or interaction with a faculty member once a week for each week the course runs. b.) Academic engagement through interactive tutorials, group discussions moderated by faculty, virtual study/project groups, engaging with class peers and computer tutorials graded and reviewed by faculty. In all such instances, these courses must meet the total amount of instructional and student work time as the examples above even if delivered online or asynchronously.

Blended Courses: Courses offered in a blended format with 1 or more on-site face-to-face class sessions and at least one or more online sessions, both containing direct interaction with a faculty member. Contact time is assessed using both on-site definitions (for the on-site portion) and online definitions as above (for the online portion). In all such instances, these courses must meet the total amount of instructional and student work time as the examples above even if delivered online or asynchronously.

PROCEDURES

1. On a regularly scheduled basis, all courses offered at the college will be reviewed by the program faculty and program director for evidence of compliance with the semester /credit hour definitions as set forth by New York State and the U.S. Department of Education. Information indicating such compliance will be provided to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Such results will be shared with the Registrar to ensure ongoing compliance of assignment of credit hours to courses.
2. Completed credit hour reviews will be made available to the college community and appropriate administrative offices (such as the Registrar) and to academic program administrators.
3. Courses which appear to be out of compliance will be evaluated and immediate measures taken to rectify the discrepancies. New courses or changes to existing courses and curriculum will normally be evaluated as part of the Curriculum Committee approval process.
4. The college catalog shall serve as the official college publication providing information on credits assigned to each college course.
5. Records of credits assigned for each course will be maintained in Banner, the college’s administrative database.