Students are responsible for making themselves aware of the following information:

1. Full-Time Status
2. Registration
3. Auditing Courses
4. Evening Courses
5. Repeating Courses
6. Petitions
7. Withdrawals
8. Readmission
9. Transferring Courses
10. Advance Placement
11. Attendance Policy
12. Grade Point Average
13. Eligibility for Academic Honors

 

Full-Time Status

Normally students carry 16 hours per semester. However, a student must carry at least 12 semester hours to be considered full-time. Full-time tuition covers 12 through 19 semester hours per semester. A student who wishes to carry more than 19 semester hours must request permission to overload by petitioning the Associate Provost for Success and Retention in Academic Services.

 

Registration

A student is expected to register for the next semester during the designated registration period. The registration dates are published in the University calendar and the Master Schedule each semester. Under certain circumstances, approved by the Registrar, a student may register during the first week of classes. The University reserves the right to cancel classes having low enrollments at the end of the registration period.

Cross-Registration

A student registered for 12 or more credits may cross-register for a course offered by a member of the Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE). The student may register only for courses that are not offered at Wittenberg. There is no additional billing as long as the student’s total credits for the semester remain below 20. Registration forms are available in the Registrar’s Office.

Auditing Courses     

Auditing courses is permitted if a petition to audit is first approved by the professor whose course it is to be audited and then by the Registrar’s Office. The student must also agree in writing not to expect credit for the audited course at any future time. The student is not required to take examinations and is not given a grade (instead of a grade, the mark of "L" will appear on the student's transcript). Verification of auditor’s status must be confirmed by the instructor of the course prior to entry on the student’s permanent record. Permission to Audit forms are available in the Registrar’s Office. A traditional student who audits a course is billed for one credit of overload fee for the course.

Evening Courses

Courses scheduled for the evening through the School of Community Education are offered primarily for the benefit of part-time, non-traditional students. Accordingly, these classes are open to full-time students only on a space-available basis.

Repeating Courses

If a student repeats a course, the credit value and grade received from the last registration is used to compute the grade point average. Only the credits earned from the last registration count toward the graduation requirement of 130 semester hours, major requirements, or other requirements. A student’s transcript shows both the original grade for the course and the grade earned when the course was repeated.  Only academic work that has been taken at Wittenberg is repeatable and it can be repeated only with a Wittenberg course

.

Change of Registration

A student may add/drop normal 15-week courses according to the following schedule:

1. Adds are permitted only during the first week of the semester.
2. Drops without penalty are permitted through the fifth week of the semester.
3. Drops with a grade of “W” are permitted through the 10th week of the semester. All drops/withdrawals after this date appear on the student transcript with a grade of “F.” (However, first-year students in the first semester of their enrollment, not including transfer students, may withdraw late from one course and receive the mark of W for that course, through the last official day of classes. The petition for late withdrawal must be signed by the instructor for the course and the student’s faculty adviser. Students should submit the withdrawal to the Office of the Registrar, not later than the last official day of classes.)

Note: Courses that meet for fewer than 15 weeks have different deadlines. Please consult the Master Schedule for appropriate dates.

All changes must be filed with the Registrar’s Office on an Add/Drop form before the specified dates. Credit or grades may not be adjusted on the academic record unless the appropriate forms have been correctly filed before the deadline. Changes of registration that occur after the first day of the semester do not qualify a student for a refund of tuition or overload fees.

Petitions

To request exemption from a University policy or regulation, a student must obtain a petition, complete it in consultation with his/her adviser, and obtain his/her signature denoting approval or disapproval. The student should then take the petition to the Associate Provost Student Success in Academic Services for decision.

 

        The following petitions require the signature of the student, adviser, and other faculty members if necessary:

1. to request permission to enroll in 20 or more semester hours (tuition overload fee is charged),
2. to waive any part of the residence requirements,
3. to request an interdepartmental major,
4. to waive any general education requirements,
5. to request course substitutions for specific learning goal (general education) requirements, or
6. to withdraw from a course after the deadline.

 

Withdrawal/Refunds

When considering withdrawal from the University, students are encouraged to use fully the following resources available for counseling and consultation:

 

Student Development Office

Dean of Students, Associate Dean of Students, Assistant Dean of Students, and the Director of Multicultural Student Programs

 

Faculty

Faculty adviser, a preferred professor, department chair

 

Administrative Staff

Assistant Provost for First-Year Experience, Director of Career Services, Dean of Students, Associated Dean of Students, Assistant Dean of Students, Director of Financial Aid, Director of Multicultural Student Programs, Pastor to the University, Registrar, University Counselor, University Physician

 

If the student believes it is in his/her best interest to withdraw, he/she needs to complete the appropriate form in the Registrar’s Office or Student Development Office and complete an exit interview with a staff member in the Dean of Students Office.  An exit interview appointment may be arranged by calling 937-327-7806.

 

Mid-Semester Withdrawal

A student who wishes to withdraw from the University during a semester must apply for permission to withdraw in good standing. A mid-semester withdrawal form is available at the Registrar’s Office or Student Development Office. When the withdrawal form is completed, the student should have an exit interview with a member of the Dean of Students staff before leaving campus.

 

The date of withdrawal determines the grades to be received for the courses in which the student has been enrolled:

        one-five weeks   ....................................Without Grade or Credit

        six-ten weeks:   ..................................... W (Withdrawn)

        eleven-fifteen weeks:   ......................... F

 

It is the student’s responsibility to petition the Academic Services Office if circumstances warrant a waiver of the above policy.

 

The student who withdraws mid-semester receives no refund of the application fee, student insurance premium, or comprehensive fees except as mandated by federal law. Prorated board refund is available through the fifth week of the semester.

 

Tuition charges and charges for applied music lessons are refunded according to the following schedule:

        one week or less  ......................................... 90% refund

        two weeks or less   ...................................... 80% refund

        three weeks or less   ................................... 60% refund

        four weeks or less   ..................................... 40% refund

        five weeks or less   ...................................... 20% refund

        more than five weeks   .................................... no refund

 

End of Semester Withdrawal

Students are not officially withdrawn from the University until completion of an exit interview with the Office of Student Development.  The date of the exit interview is the official date of withdrawal. If housed in University halls or houses, the student has 48 hours to vacate after withdrawal.   The Admission Deposit Refund Policy requires a student to submit appropriate withdrawal paperwork to the University by the following dates: December 31st if withdrawing for the spring term; June 15th if withdrawing for the fall term. If the formal withdrawal process is completed before these dates, the student will receive a refund of their deposit. If the University doesn’t receive notification until after these dates, the deposit will be forfeited. The form is available at the Registrar’s Office and Student Development. The student who is interrupting attendance to study abroad or to participate in a special program may request a leave of absence.

Note: A student suspended or dismissed from the University for failure to maintain academic standards or for infringement of University regulations is allowed no financial refund of any kind except that mandated by federal financial aid policies.

 

 

Readmission

Students who withdraw from the college or who have been asked to withdraw are eligible to apply for readmission upon completion of a formal application for readmission. Application forms may be obtained from the Admissions Office. The completed application must be received by the Admissions Office at least four weeks before the beginning of the semester in which reapplication is sought.

Transferring Courses

Credit for course work taken at any institution accredited by an agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education, including distance-learning courses, may be applied toward the completion of a Wittenberg program, subject to review by the Registrar, the Director of General Education, and/or the Chair of the Department in which the credit is requested. In order to transfer credit back to Wittenberg, the student must complete a Request to Transfer Credit Form, obtained from the Registrar’s Office, and secure the required signatures.

1. Transfer credit from semester system institutions is evaluated and placed onto the academic record on a 1:1 ratio, e.g., three semester hours are evaluated as three semester hours on the academic record.
2. Transfer credit from quarter system institutions is evaluated and converted to semester hours on .67:1 ratio, e.g. four quarter hours are evaluated as 2.68 semester hours on the academic record.
3. The Registrar, in consultation with the Director of General Education, determines how, or whether, transfer credits may satisfy general education requirements. The Department Chair determines how, or whether, transfer credits may satisfy requirements in the department’s major and minor programs. The student may be asked to present a portfolio of work, syllabi, or other materials to assist with this determination and to establish placement in a major or minor program. At least 50 percent of the credits required for a major program must be taken in residence.
4. In applying transfer credits to general education requirements, three semester hours are sufficient to fulfill a four -semester-hour requirement. This rule can apply to major requirements if prior approval has been granted by the Department Chair.

Although the grades granted for the transfer work appear on the transcript, they are not calculated into the GPA.

An enrolled student who completes a course at another institution in mathematics, computer science, or statistics (including Management 210 and Psychology 107) will receive transfer credit at Wittenberg only if the student has met the prerequisites for the course at Wittenberg.

Course work to be taken through international education programs sponsored either by Wittenberg University or by other accredited institutions must be approved by the Office of International Education at Wittenberg prior to enrollment in the program.

Grades are reported for all study abroad programs (including affiliated domestic programs) as they are transmitted to the Registrar. The grades are shown on the transcript but not calculated in the GPA.

Transfer credit is not accepted for courses in which the content has already been included in previous credit on the record. Transfer credit is also not accepted for a course taken at an institution affiliated with the Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education if the course is available at Wittenberg.

Also, work taken at another institution does not count under the repeat rule; i.e., the grade earned at the other institution does not replace the grade earned at Wittenberg.

Advanced Placement (AP)     

Superior students have the option of receiving advanced placement. Advanced placement is generally based on scores received on standardized examinations in such subjects as english, foreign languages and mathematics. Advanced placement and credit are granted for a grade of 4 or 5 on any Advanced Placement Examination of the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB). Based on departmental recommendations, advanced placement and/or credit is granted for a grade of 3. Neither placement nor credit is granted for a grade of 2 or 1. Notification of placement and/or credit is made soon after a student’s arrival on campus.

Internship and Independent Studies 

A student may earn credits by participating in internship opportunities or independent studies supervised by a faculty member. In order to participate in either of these opportunities, the student must have completed the sophomore year and be in good academic standing with a cumulative grade point average of 2.000 or better. The student must fill out the appropriate form with the supervising faculty member, secure all necessary signatures and submit the form by the semester deadline for adding courses. Independent Study forms are taken to the Academic Services Office for final approval. Internship agreement proposals are approved in the Witt Pat Career Services Office. A student must register for an internship experience during the period the internship is completed. Credit will not be granted for an internship completed in a prior semester. A total of 16 semester hours of credit through a combination of internships, independent study, and/or senior thesis is permitted. A maximum of eight hours of internship credit is possible.

Placing Out  

A student may request to place out of any required course or any prerequisite course in the curriculum by taking and passing an examination. To gain permission to take the examination, the student should present reasonable evidence of preparation to the department responsible for the course.

Credit by Examination   

A student may also acquire credit by examination. However, a student may not receive credit for any course that includes content for which a grade has already been received (including NC or F) or that was audited officially or unofficially. The chair of the department and the instructor of the course in which credit is to be earned must approve the student’s petition to attempt credit by examination. The petition must also be approved by the Academic Services Office. After all approvals are granted, the student must then pay the appropriate fee (cost of one overload credit) before taking the exam. The grade for the examination appears on the student’s transcript.

The Class Day 

A typical four-semester-hour class meets three hours per week, normally in one of three patterns: three 1-hour (MWF), two 1.5-hour  (TTh), or one three-hour period. A few classes may be held on a daily basis and some schedule additional laboratory periods.

Attendance Policy

Each Wittenberg student is expected to attend class except for reasons of ill health, of travel mishaps, or of illness or death in the family. From time to time legitimate educational activities or participation in university-sponsored co-curricular activities may result in student absences. In such cases, the faculty or staff members planning these activities should weigh carefully their educational benefits.

A student’s absence from class due to any of these circumstances is considered excused. Nonetheless, each student is expected to meet the academic responsibilities for each course, even though excused from class. Faculty members are expected to cooperate in helping the student to meet these responsibilities.

The Health and Counseling Center provides written verification of illness only when the university physician orders hospitalization or strict bed rest for a specific affliction.

The following procedures are to be followed for excused absences:

1. In each case, the student should tell the appropriate faculty members the circumstances of the absence and should request assistance in meeting academic responsibilities. This should be done before the absence, if possible.
2. Faculty or staff members sponsoring group activities will email the Faculty/Staff listserv a roster of the persons involved, an explanation for the absence and the date(s) on which the students are to be absent.
3. A student or faculty member may ask the Dean of Students to clarify the circumstances of an absence and to verify that the absence is excused.

Grading System 

The letter grades A, B, C, D, NC (No Credit), S (Satisfactory), and F are awarded by instructors and describe the student’s performance relative to the expectations of completed course work. The first four grades may be further described by the use of a plus (+) or a minus (-) sign to indicate a greater or lower level of achievement for that letter grade. Marks of I (incomplete), L (audited course work), X (satisfactory, course in progress), NR (no report), W (withdrawal), and XF (failure due to academic dishonesty) may also be given under appropriate circumstances.

Grade- Point Average

For the letter grades A, B, C, D, including any related pluses or minuses, and for the grade F, the Registrar determines a grade-point average by dividing the total number of quality points earned (semester hours for each graded course times the quality-point factor for the grade awarded) by the number of graded semester hours attempted. The semester and cumulative grade-point averages reflect only course work so graded and are the averages used to determine scholastic standing, certification for selected honors, qualifications for graduation and other actions based upon a grade-point average.

Significance of Grades and Marks

• Grades in the A range indicate outstanding performance characterized by distinguished achievement in all aspects of the course.
• Grades in the B range indicate good performance characterized by a high level of achievement in major aspects of the course.
• Grades in the C range indicate adequate performance demonstrating a basic understanding of the subject.
• Grades in the D range indicate marginal performance characterized by recognizable deficiencies but still deserving credit.
• A grade of F indicates failure to meet the minimum standards of the course. No academic credit is given for course work so graded, even though the grade is calculated into the grade-point average.
• A grade of XF is assigned as a sanction for academic dishonesty. It is recorded on the student’s transcript with the notation “failure due to academic dishonesty.” The grade of XF is treated in the same way as the grade of F for the purposes of grade point average, course repeatability, and the determination of academic standing.
• The marks S (Satisfactory) and NC (No Credit) are used in several circumstances:
  • An academic department or program may determine to use the S and NC marks for selected curricular offerings for all registered students in a course, subject to faculty approval.
• The Pass/Fail Option
  A student may elect one course a semester under the Pass/Fail Option, provided that the student is registered for a minimum of 15 semester hours in the case of traditional students, and 12 semester hours in the case of adult/non-traditional students. The election is to be made during the third week of the semester by completing the appropriate form available in the Registrar’s Office. That a student has exercised this option for a course is known to only the Registrar, who converts the regular grade awarded to an S or NC mark. The S mark replaces all grades from C- to A+ inclusive; the NC replaces all grades from D+ to F inclusive. Neither the S nor the NC mark has any impact on the semester or the cumulative grade-point averages. Once elected, the Pass/Fail Option cannot be changed, nor can there be a subsequent reconversion of the grade. Students should be aware that graduate and professional schools are increasingly counting an S mark as a C when evaluating transcripts. Restrictions regarding this option are:
  • If a student registers for a departmentally determined Pass/Fail course that is weighted at three or more semester hours, the student can make no other Pass/Fail course selection during that semester.
  • A student may not elect the Pass/Fail Option in course work of declared major programs.
  • This option may be used for courses related to the major program only at the discretion of the chair of the major department.
  • In case a student changes the declared major in which one or more courses have already been completed with a mark of S, such courses may be counted toward the requirements of the new major only with the written approval of the chair of the new department, a communication to be forwarded to the Registrar.
  • A Pass/Fail course with the mark of NC is not counted toward the minimum number of credits required for graduation.
• The mark I (Incomplete) is given only at the end of a semester in which course work has not been completed because of illness or other circumstances beyond the control of the student. The mark of I must be removed no later than the end of the eighth week of the next semester or it automatically becomes an F or NC (No Credit).
• The mark X (Satisfactory, Course work in Progress) is given only at the end of a semester for certain kinds of course work that may properly carry over more than one semester. The X is replaced by a final grade at the end of the grading period in which the work involved is completed.
• The mark L (Audited Course) is given to those students who, by petitioning the instructor and the Registrar’s Office, have gained permission to audit a course.
• The mark NR (No Report) indicates that a grade report is missing or has been left blank. The mark is replaced by the appropriate grade when the Registrar has been officially notified of a change.
• The mark W (Withdrawal) indicates that a student, after filing a Change of Registration form with the Registrar’s Office, has officially withdrawn from a course after the fifth week of the semester and before the beginning of the 11th week of the semester. This mark is also used when a student is suspended during the course of a semester for other than academic reasons. First-year students in the first semester of their enrollment may withdraw late from one course and receive the mark of W for that course, through the last official day of classes. The petition for late withdrawal must be signed by the instructor for the course and the student’s faculty adviser. Students should submit the withdrawal to the Office of the Registrar, not later than the last official day of classes.

Notification of Grades

At the end of each semester, a grade report is available online or can be requested from the Registrar.

Eligibility for the Dean’s List

At the end of each Fall and Spring semester, a Dean’s List announces the names of students who have earned a grade point average of at least 3.500 for a minimum of 12 graded semester hours. A traditional student who completes 12 or more graded semester hours over the summer session, with a GPA of at least 3.500 is also eligible for the Dean’s List. Further, students so honored may not have received a grade of F or NC (No Credit) for the semester and may not have been under disciplinary probation or suspension any time during the semester. Parents receive copies of the letters of notification. 

Eligibility for Academic Honors

As a result of distinguished academic performance throughout their undergraduate education, graduating students may receive their degrees with academic honors. Students are awarded academic honors as follows: when the final grade-point average is between 3.500 and 3.699, the degree is conferred cum laude; between 3.700 and 3.799, magna cum laude, and between 3.800 and 4.00 summa cum laude.

Degree Audit

 A degree audit is a computerized review of each student’s course transcript matched against the university’s requirements for a degree. Except for progress in some majors and residency requirements, it tells the student’s standing relative to graduation at a given moment. A degree audit is available online. Other than faculty advisers and university officials, third parties cannot receive copies. An audit is a planning aid only. Its accuracy is not guaranteed, and it cannot be considered a promise or a contract between the university and the student. The student is responsible for reporting printed audit errors to the Registrar. The responsibility for understanding and meeting degree requirements rests entirely with the student.

Transcripts                                                                                                                                                                           

A permanent academic record is maintained by the Registrar’s Office for each student who registers at Wittenberg. Wittenberg student records are administered in accordance with the Family Privacy Act of 1974.An official transcript of the academic record is available only upon the signed, written request of the student. A telephone request cannot be accepted. The request must be accompanied by a payment of $6 per copy. Only official copies can be furnished. Normally, a transcript request is filled within three to five working days after receipt, though a longer time may be required at the end of each semester. An official transcript can be released only if the student’s account is clear of outstanding balances and university holds.