Academic Regulations

Academic Standing

In order to earn one of the degrees offered by the college, the student must:

1. Satisfactorily complete all the course requirements prescribed by the College Catalog (see specific program requirements by major), including the Experiential Learning Program ,
2. Earn at least a “C” average (defined as a grade point average of at least 2.00) over all coursework completed.

The grading system employed by the college is:

*The Incomplete grade may be assigned by the instructor if work in a course has been of passing quality, but is incomplete for reasons beyond the student’s control. The “I” grade indicates that a substantial portion of the coursework has been satisfactory but not entirely completed as of the end of the semester. The “I” grade is applied only in cases where the student is unable to complete the course during the term of enrollment due to serious illness or other extreme factors beyond the student’s control. An Incomplete Contract specifying the work to be completed and the due date for a final grade is required and must be signed by the instructor and the student. The grade of “I” is recorded on the transcript and is not calculated in the cumulative grade point average. Students who receive the “I” grade will not be placed on the Dean’s List for that semester.

The grade of “I” must be resolved by the end of the add/drop period of the next semester (an Incomplete in the fall semester must be resolved by the end of the add/drop period in the following spring semester; an Incomplete for the spring or summer must be resolved by the end of the add/drop period in the following fall semester). An extension beyond this timeline may be requested by the faculty member and must be approved by the Registrar.

When the course is completed, the final grade will be entered for that course and used to calculate the cumulative average. Unresolved “I” grades are converted to “F” grades.

**The IP (In Progress) and NG (No Grade) grades are used at the discretion of the faculty member for such things as research, independent study, etc. and are not included in the calculation of the academic average.

Calculating the GPA

The measure employed to gauge the student’s total progress is the cumulative grade point average (GPA) which is calculated as follows:

1. For each course the number of credits is multiplied by the quality points earned per credit (for example, a 3-credit course in which the student earns a “C” grade yields 3 x 2 = 6 quality points).
2. These quality point totals are summed for all courses attempted (courses completed as well as courses in which the grade of record is “F” or “FA”) to obtain a grand total of quality points earned. Pass/Fail courses are not used in the computation of the GPA.
3. Total earned quality points are divided by total attempted credits to yield the cumulative academic average.
4. Courses may be repeated an unlimited number of times. Although the course will appear with a grade each time it is taken, only the highest grade is calculated in the GPA, and credit is received only one time.
5. The grade for a course repeated after graduation is replaced, however the original grade remains in the graduation GPA.

Academic Honors

Dean’s List

Day students that have a declared major and have excellent academic records will be included on the Dean’s List if they meet the following criteria:

1. Completion of 12 or more credits in the respective semester
2. A semester academic average of 3.3 for Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors and a 3.5 for Seniors
3. Satisfactory behavior

Evening students who are degree candidates and who complete six credits and earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher in a semester or term will be placed on the Dean’s List at the conclusion of the fall and spring semesters. The six credits must be taken in the Evening College.

The Vice President for Academic Affairs is pleased to acknowledge those who have earned a place on the Dean’s List at the close of each semester. Appropriate media coverage is released by the Office of Communications and Public Relations as well.

Academic Integrity

Any substantiated dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarism, in examinations, reports, themes, class or laboratory work will result in the following actions:

First Offense: The instructor will either (1) fail (zero) the student in the assignment/exam or (2) fail the student for the course. The decision is at the discretion of the instructor based on the policy stated in the instructor’s syllabus.

Second Offense: Automatic failure in the course and subject to suspension from the College upon recommendation by the instructor or Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Third Offense: Automatic suspension from the College for one or more years as determined by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

The office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs will monitor each incident to determine if incidents of academic dishonesty have occurred with the student in other classes. A student who has been assigned a grade “F” due to academic dishonesty will not be permitted to withdraw fom the course and receive a grade of “W.”

Academic Grade Changes

Once a final grade is recorded in the Registrar’s Office, it cannot be changed except to correct a documented error made by the Instructor or Registrar. A student who believes a final grade is incorrect has one year from the time the final grade was issued to challenge the grade. The instructor must document the error in writing and the grade change must be approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Academic Grievance

Students have the right to present a grievance free from interference, coercion, discrimination or reprisal. The following steps must be followed in the event of an academic grievance:

1. Student confers with the instructor in an effort to resolve the disputed issue.
2. If the issue cannot be resolved at this level, the matter may be brought to the attention of the Department Chairperson/Program Director of the department in which the issue is being raised. If the instructor involved is the Chairperson/ Director, the matter may be directed to the appropriate Dean of Academic Administration. The grievance or dispute must be thoroughly documented in writing when being brought to the instructor’s supervisor.
3. If the Chairperson/Director or Dean is unable to resolve the matter, a written complaint may be presented to the Academic Standards Committee. The chairperson of the Academic Standards Committee will appoint a panel of three Committee members to investigate the grievance and make a recommendation within thirty days.
4. The recommendation will be reviewed by the Academic Standards Committee as a whole and then forwarded to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President for Academic Affairs may accept the Academic Standards Committee’s recommendation or pursue the matter further with the parties involved. The decision of the Vice President for Academic Affairs is final.

Academic Year

The academic year consists of 30 weeks of instructional time, during which the student is expected to complete a minimum of 24 semester hours.

Academic Progress Policy

Academic Probation / Dismissal

The academic records of all students are reviewed at the end of each semester. The following credit/Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) scale is used to determine whether a student is in good academic standing and maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress, is placed on probation, or is subject to academic dismissal. This progression scale is aligned with federal financial aid regulations regarding Satisfactory Academic Progress:

• After 1-32 credits completed

In order to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress, a student who has completed a maximum of 32 credits* at Delaware Valley College is required to earn a GPA of 1.75 or above.

If the GPA is between 1.00 and 1.74, the student is placed on academic probation. If the GPA is below 1.00, the student is subject to academic dismissal.

For those students who have been placed on academic probation, academic course loads for the subsequent semester are limited to 13 credits, and the student will be required to meet with Academic Support Services.

• After 33-64 credits completed

In order to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress, a student who has completed a minimum of 33 credits*, but no more than 64 credits, at Delaware Valley College is required to earn a GPA of 1.85 or above.

If the GPA is between 1.5 and 1.84, the student is either placed on or continues on academic probation. If the GPA is below 1.5, the student is subject to academic dismissal.

• After 65 credits completed

In order to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress, a student who has completed a minimum of 65* credits at Delaware Valley College is required to earn a GPA of 2.00 or above.

If the GPA is below 2.00, the student is either placed on or continues to be on probation, or is subject to academic dismissal.

* Only includes credits that are graded on A to F scale; and excludes Pass/Fail courses and those institutional credits that are not part of a student’s degree requirements

Appeal Process

A student who has been placed on academic probation, non-degree status, or academically dismissed may appeal the decision to the Academic Affairs Committee consisting of: the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the student’s major area dean, and the Registrar.

Academic Renewal

Students who have been readmitted to the College after two years of absence may opt to have all coursework with a grade less than “C” not calculated in the cumulative GPA or counted for graduation. All applicable course work accepted by the Department Chair/Director and the Registrar with a grade of “C” or better will count toward the cumulative GPA and graduation. All course grades will show on the academic record and the record will be noted  as Academic Renewal at that time. A student may apply for and receive Academic Renewal only once.
Students who have been granted Academic Renewal are not eligible for graduation honors.

Academic Renewal will be considered when:

1. the student has not been actively enrolled at Delaware Valley College for two or more years; and
2. the student has completed at least 12 credits of course work at any accredited higher education institution; and
3. earned a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.

Adding/Dropping Courses

Students are permitted to add courses for the first seven calendar days of the semester and/or drop courses for the first 14 days of the semester. Students may add and drop through WebAdvisor without an advisor’s signature or in person at the Registrar’s Office with the appropriate form and advisor’s signature. Courses dropped during this period are not recorded on the student’s transcript, and courses cannot be added to the student’s schedule beyond this period. Students may not change full-time/parttime enrollment status after the add and drop period.

Withdrawing from Courses

From the third through the tenth week of classes in a semester, students who want to withdraw from a course must submit a “Withdrawal from Course” form to the Registrar’s Office. (Withdrawal from a course may not be done through WebAdvisor.) Students who stop attending classes but do not complete the official withdrawal process specified above will receive a grade of “FA” (failure due to excessive absence). After the tenth week of classes, students will receive a letter grade for the course.

Address Change

It is important that a student keep the College informed about address changes. Notify the Registrar’s Office either in writing or by submitting the Change of Address form.

Animal Use Policy (Academic)

As a student at Delaware Valley College, you may be required to use living or deceased animals in class. Procedures which involve the use of animals have been reviewed and approved according to state and federal regulations and by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), where applicable. Procedures that involve the use of animals are designed to allow students to acquire skills they will need in their chosen career fields after graduation.

A list of activities will be given to students as part of each course syllabus. Any student who has a moral or ethical objection to performing a procedure should carefully consider whether this course of study is right for him/her. If a student objects to performing a specific procedure, the instructor may designate a required alternative to the procedure. If the instructor does not provide an alternative, it is the responsibility of the student to find and provide an acceptable alternative. All alternative procedures must be reviewed and approved by the instructor of the course and the department chair at least one week prior to performing the original procedure. If no alternative is found, or an alternative is not approved by the instructor and department chair, the student is responsible for performing the originally scheduled procedure. Refusal to perform required procedures will result in a failing grade for that class assignment and all future assignments requiring that procedure.

Attendance Policy

Students are expected to regularly attend scheduled classes and laboratories. The College’s attendance policy is that a student shall not be permitted to miss more than the equivalent of two weeks of classes in a course during a semester. For example, if a course is three credits with a laboratory (that is, two lecture hours and a three-hour laboratory scheduled per week), the student may not miss more than six class meetings, to include no more than two laboratory periods. Absence in excess of these criteria may result in the grade of “FA” (failure due to absence) for the course. Additionally, the individual professor has discretion with regard to how he or she will utilize the College’s attendance policy. The instructor’s attendance policy will be stated clearly from the beginning of the semester in the syllabus.

The Office of the Registrar may be petitioned for an official excuse in cases of prolonged absence (lasting more than three consecutive days, but no more than two weeks) for bona fide medical or personal problems. A student must submit a completed Excused Absence Request Form to the Registrar with official documentation as to the reason for the absence (e.g. doctor’s excuse). The request will be reviewed by the Registrar in consultation with the student’s Area Dean; the Registrar will communicate the decision directly to the student. A student must provide documentation in order to return to the College.

Absences for personal reasons (e.g. brief illness, lack of transportation) are not considered excused absences. Students may receive an excused absence for up to three days for a death in their immediate family. Immediate family is defined as a parent (or legal guardian), grandparent, brother, sister, child or spouse. Documentation must be submitted immediately upon returning to class (within one calendar week upon returning to class and prior to the start of final exams) to the Office of the Registrar in order to obtain an official excused absence. Students should notify their instructors of the courses they will miss prior to the absences, if possible. The Office of the Registrar does not notify faculty except when the Registrar has granted an official excuse.

Excused absences will not be granted for any other reason than those specifically outlined above. All other absences from class must be discussed with the faculty members. Students are responsible for all work missed during any absence from class at the direction of the faculty member.

Auditing Courses

Students must register to audit a course and may not change the audit status once registered. Students may change from taking a course for credit to audit up until midterm (the last date that midterm grades are due according to the published academic calendar), but once registered as audit may not change to credit. The cost to audit is half the regular tuition charged. After the add/drop period, no refund is given for the change of status to audit. No college credits will be awarded for auditing a course and students are accepted on a space available basis. The course will appear on the student’s transcript with the final grade of AU.

College Reading

Entering students who earned a score of less than 400 on the SAT-Verbal section will be required to enroll in ED 0016 - Learning Strategies  to elevate their reading level. Reading is important in any discipline to comprehend the material that supplements classroom lectures. Statistics show that students who have successfully completed the course have eliminated their deficiencies and the reading level has been elevated by as much as two years. Students who do not pass College Reading must repeat and pass the course or take and pass ED 0016 - Learning Strategies  prior to moving to sophomore status.

Course Challenge

Students in good academic standing (2.0 GPA or higher) who believe they have at least an average (“C” or better) competence in a course’s subject matter may petition the Registrar’s Office to challenge the course. Not all courses may be challenged. All prerequisites must be satisfied prior to challenging a course. The student may not have been previously registered for the course. Unsuccessful challengers are not permitted to challenge the same course again. The fee for a course challenge is not included in regular tuition charges. The student will consult with the Chairperson of the course’s department to request an appropriate instructor to administer the challenge. The instructor will determine the basis upon which the challenge will be assessed and will confer with the student in preparing a portfolio of evidence in support of the student’s contention of competency. A successful course challenge is graded with a grade of “CC” which does not affect the GPA. Students may petition to challenge a course at any time during the semester, but the challenge must be completed within the semester in which it was approved.

Credit Hour Policy

(1) Delaware Valley College defines a traditional semester hour of credit as follows: 50 minutes per week in class; at least two hours of study outside of class; 15 weeks of instruction (including exam week). A minimum full-time load is 12 credit hours per semester. Coursework that is offered in an alternative or non-traditional format must include an appropriate amount of in-class instruction and study outside of class in a manner that will ensure the student is able to achieve the course outcomes as outlined in the course syllabus; or

(2) At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by Delaware Valley College including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

Diagnostic Testing Requirements

Diagnostic Testing is required for all new students at Delaware Valley College as a measure of support for students in preparing them for a successful college experience by placing them into courses and programs that match their skill level. The diagnostic tests are described below along with the requirements for each of the subject areas. Skill in English, Mathematics, and Reading is necessary in every program of study. Therefore, Delaware Valley College tests incoming students in English and Mathematics in much the same way as every other college or university.

It is strongly recommended that students who are required to take two or more of the developmental courses (English Essentials, Basic Mathematics, College Reading) enroll in one or more of these courses prior to coming to Delaware Valley College. These courses may be taken at Delaware Valley College during the summer or at any other post-secondary institution.

English Diagnostic Testing

All incoming students are required to complete the SAT Essay prior to registering for their first English course. Exceptions are as follows:

• Students who have received transfer credits in English Composition
• Students who have received a score of 3 or better on the AP English exam

The SAT and ACT essays are designed to assess the student’s preparedness for college-level courses offered by the English department. Based on the results of these exams, the English department will recommend which course is most appropriate for the student. Because the goal of the diagnostic testing process is to maximize the opportunity for success, the student may not register for a course at a level higher than the English Department’s recommendation.

Mathematics Diagnostic Testing

All students who are new to the College are required to take one or more mathematics diagnostic tests prior to registering for their first mathematics course. Some exceptions are as follows:

• Students who have received Advanced Placement (AP) credit for MP 1204 Calculus I
• Students who have received transfer credit for a mathematics course taken at another institution and approved by the Mathematics and Physics Department as equivalent to MP0010, MP1102, MP 1203, MP 1204, or MP 1205
• Students who have not completed Algebra II in high school (such students must enroll in MP 0009, High School Algebra II)

The diagnostic tests, which are administered during orientation programs at the College, are designed to assess the student’s preparedness for college-level mathematics courses offered by the Mathematics and Physics Department. The number of tests required depends on the mathematics course in which the student hopes to begin his/her study. Based on the results of the tests taken, the Mathematics and Physics Department recommends a course for the student. The student may, for the purpose of review, choose to begin in a course at a subject level lower than that recommended by the Mathematics and Physics Department (for example, a student who is recommended for MP 1204 Calculus I may choose to enroll in MP 1203 Elementary Functions, which is a prerequisite course for MP 1204 Calculus I); however, because the goal of the diagnostic testing process is to maximize the opportunity for success, the student may not register for a course at a subject level higher than the Mathematics and Physics Department’s recommendation.

Disruptive Behavior

Disruptive behavior in the classroom is defined as any behavior that interferes with the process of teaching and learning. The disruptive behavior in the classroom policy is not limited to time spent in a traditional classroom, but extends to all academically related activities. Disruptive behavior, which may inhibit or interfere with normal classroom operation, includes but is not limited to:

• Refusal to comply with faculty direction
• Vulgar or offensive behavior
• Inappropriate, disrespectful , or uncivil responses to the comments or opinions of others immediately before, after, and during class
• Threats/challenges to do physical harm
• Excessive chattering
• Arriving late/leaving early without a reasonable excuse
• Use of personal electronic devices, such as cell phones, without permission
• Harassment, ridicule, or intimidation of other members of the class and/or the instructor

If the immediate situation warrants, the faculty member may require the student to leave the classroom or instructional site for the remainder of the class and, if necessary, summon Security to remove the student. If the situation requires the student to leave the classroom, the instructor must notify the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Vice President for Student Affairs as soon as possible and in advance of the next class meeting.

If at any time, the instructor believes the student poses a physical threat to him/her or to other students, Security should be contacted immediately.

A student, whose classroom behavior is judged by the instructor to be disruptive, shall be informed by the instructor of his/her actions, and the following progressive disciplinary actions will be taken:

1. First occurrence: Oral reprimand, which will be documented on the appropriate form, with copies sent to the Department Chair, both Academic Deans, Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Vice President for Student Affairs.
2. Second occurrence: Written reprimand, which will be documented on a form, with copies sent to the Department Chair, both Academic Deans, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice President for Student Affairs, and Counseling. The student must respond with a written commitment to all of the above, including the Professor, to conform to classroom policy before returning to class.
3. Third occurrence: The matter will be referred to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Vice President for Student Affairs for further action.

Written reprimands will be tracked by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. If written reprimands are issued in two separate courses, the matter will be referred to the Vice President for Student Affairs. If a student is permanently removed from the course, a grade of “W” will appear on the transcript.

A student may file an appeal per Student Conduct guidelines.

Dual Degree

Under exceptional circumstances, a student may wish to earn two baccalaureate degrees. Students are not permitted to pursue degrees in the same academic department. The student must meet all requirements for both degrees including restricted and general electives for both degrees. Restricted and general electives cannot be shared, they must be different for both degrees. (example: Ornamental Horticulture 14 general electives and Agribusiness 14 general electives = total of 28 general electives.) All requirements for both degrees must be met prior to graduation. Students seeking dual degrees should meet with their advisors to discuss Experiential Learning requirements. The student will receive two diplomas.

Dual Major

A student may choose to pursue a second major concurrently with the major that was declared upon admission to the College. Students are not permitted to pursue dual majors in the same academic department. Dual major candidates must meet all requirements for both majors. General electives can be shared. The major with the higher number of general elective credits will be the one used to satisfy the general elective requirement. Required courses in one major, including restricted electives, cannot be used as a general elective in the other major. All requirements for both majors must be met prior to graduation. Students with dual majors should meet with their advisors to discuss Experiential Learning requirements. The student will receive one diploma listing the primary degree; the second major will be listed on the transcript only.