Academic Policies and Procedures

FOREIGN LANGUAGE PLACEMENT

Students must enroll in a foreign language course at the appropriate level. Before their arrival on campus, freshmen who have had previous experience in a foreign language are required to take a placement examination online; details are provided to them with registration materials. On-campus students and international students who wish to enroll in a foreign language in which they have had previous experience must contact the Department of Languages and Linguistics (MC 310) in order to receive additional information regarding the placement examination. Students with previous experience in a language which does not have an online placement exam, such as Greek or Japanese, must be assessed and placed in the appropriate level by an instructor in that language.

Placement test results are available to students on Truview in the ‘Placement Test Scores’ section of the Student tab. No self-placement is permitted, and placement test results must be followed. Students may enroll for credit in the course in which they have been placed. Students with three years or more of high school coursework in a foreign language will not earn credit for the first semester of the elementary level in that language, regardless of placement results. Such students may choose to audit the first semester of the elementary level or any higher course they have bypassed through placement. The Languages and Linguistics Department Chair must approve changes in placement. Students who receive permission from the Languages and Linguistics Chair to enroll in a course at a level either lower or higher than their placement will be eligible to purchase retroactive credit for their language study. Heritage speakers (students who have spoken the language in a home setting) should contact the Languages and Linguistics Department for further placement evaluation.

Students who have not taken foreign language coursework for several years, and who may not feel prepared to resume their coursework at the level of their original placement, may request permission from the Languages and Linguistics Chair to retake the foreign language placement examination. These students will receive a second placement, which will supersede the original placement. Students will be allowed a maximum of two foreign language placements during their time at the University.

RETROACTIVE CREDIT FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Degree seeking students enrolling at the University for the first time in the summer of 2012 or later may be eligible to receive a maximum of three semesters (9-11 credits) of retroactive credit in foreign language. Effective Fall of 2018, students are given the option of accepting or declining retroactive credit. Those students accepting the retroactive credit will be charged $30 per credit hour for each course for which the student receives retroactive credit. Students who meet the requirements and choose to have the retroactive credit applied to their transcript will pay a minimal fee (to be determined by the University). A student who is officially placed into Elementary II of a foreign language and passes that course with a grade of C or better on the first attempt is awarded retroactive credit for Elementary I of the same language with a grade of T (Test). A student placed into Intermediate I of a foreign language who passes that course with a grade of C or better on the first attempt is awarded retroactive credit for Elementary I and Elementary II of the same language with a grade of T. A student placed into Intermediate II or higher of a foreign language who passes the course into which they were placed with a grade of C or better on the first attempt is awarded retroactive credit for Elementary I, Elementary II, and Intermediate I of the same language with a grade of T. Retroactive credit may not duplicate credit already on the student’s record earned through Advanced Placement, CLEP, International Baccalaureate or transferred to Truman from another college or university. Students with a second foreign language placement, as noted in the preceding paragraph, will be eligible for retroactive credit based on their second official placement. 

MISSOURI SEAL OF BILITERACY FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Students who have earned the Missouri Seal of Biliteracy may receive 6-14 hours of credit, corresponding to Elementary I, Elementary II, Intermediate I and Intermediate II, in the designated foreign language. The amount of credit granted will be determined by the score attained and by the specific assessment used to confer the Seal. Additional assessments for which credit may be earned through the Missouri Seal of Biliteracy include: STAMP4S and ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL). Acceptance of other exams will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Students who have earned the Missouri Distinguished Seal of Biliteracy will receive 12-14 hours of credit for Elementary I, Elementary II, Intermediate I and Intermediate II, depending upon the designated foreign language. To receive credit for scores, an official score report must be submitted to Truman’s Registrar’s Office.

Students who have earned a Seal of Biliteracy from a state that also requires a proficiency exam, such as Illinois, should contact the Classical and Modern Languages department regarding how to earn foreign language credit for their state’s Seal of Biliteracy.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE WAIVER

Admission to the University automatically qualifies all non-native English-speaking undergraduate international students for a waiver of the foreign language requirement for the Dialogues and for the foreign language requirement for a Bachelor of Arts degree. This waiver does not apply to major requirements.

Native English-speaking students placing into a foreign language at a level higher than that required by their degree program may fulfill their foreign language requirement in any of the following ways: 1) take the course in which they are placed even though it is at a higher level than required, and by successfully completing this course fulfill the foreign language requirement; 2) take the CLEP exam for French, German, or Spanish. If an appropriate score is earned, the student may waive the foreign language requirement. University credit is granted depending on the score earned by the student. Truman’s Assessment and Testing Office administers CLEP exams.  See the Registrar’s exam equivalency brochure, available at registrar.truman.edu, for specific information regarding scores and credit.

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (ASL)

Truman complies with the State of Missouri’s law on American Sign Language satisfying foreign language requirements. While Truman does not offer ASL, courses in ASL taken at other Missouri institutions can be transferred in as foreign language credit.

Truman operates on a semester calendar. Instruction is scheduled during 15-week fall and spring semesters, and summer sessions and interims of varying lengths. Truman also offers courses during fall and spring semesters in sessions shorter than the full semester, such as block courses (8 weeks). 

Truman assigns semester credit hours to all forms of instruction, at both the undergraduate and graduate level. In accepting transfer credit from other institutions, Truman converts quarter hours to semester credits.

Assignment of credit hours for courses will occur during the course approval process and be monitored through Faculty Senate, Undergraduate Council (undergraduate courses), Graduate Council (graduate courses), and the Institute for Academic Outreach Intake Committee (professional development courses).

Review of credit hour assignments will be included as part of regular program reviews. In the event of an audit, either by Truman or by an external agency, the Provost (or designee) must be able to provide appropriate documentation as evidence of such reviews.

Regardless of the mode of instruction, all sections of a given course will be mutually consistent in terms of purpose, scope, quality, assessment, and expected learning outcomes according to the Truman credit hour definition.

The syllabus for a course, each time it is offered, will provide information on the minimum investment of time by the average student necessary to achieve the learning goals of the course. Such information will be tailored to the length of the session and the format of the course.

For purposes of the application of this policy and in accordance with federal regulations, state guidelines, and the Higher Learning Commission standards, a credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is the equivalent of:

1. Not less than one hour (50 minutes) of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours out-of-class student work each week for fifteen weeks for one semester, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time, or
2. At least an equivalent amount of work as outlined above in item a. 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.
3. The minimum requirements identified in item 7a and 7b represent average time per week for an average student over the course of fifteen weeks. It is understood that some weekly variations may occur.
4. Points 7a and 7b should not be construed to suggest that any course at the undergraduate or graduate levels could not exceed these minimums. Likewise these points should not be construed to suggest that an instructor cannot shift the time commitment between in-class and out-of-class time, where the sum total of work performed remains the same as the total of those elements as described above.

Classes that do not have the required face-to-face contact time specified under 7a (for example, hybrid or online courses) will meet the credit hour standard under 7b if they meet one of the following criteria: the course covers the same material in the same depth as a face-to-face version of the same course; or, in the absence of a comparable face-to-face class, the course has been evaluated by the department and school for content and rigor, and the department and school have approved and documented the credit hours awarded.

For Independent Study or Directed Readings courses, credit hours awarded must be comparable to those for courses administered in other formats based on scope, content, rigor, and student study time. Faculty must produce a syllabus for all such courses that appropriately documents the activities that warrant the credit hours awarded.

The reasoning for this policy is to ensure that the number of credits awarded for completion of each Truman course reflects the requirements set forth for awarding academic credit for Title IV institutions eligible for financial aid, which are outlined in 34 CFR 600.2 US Department of Education.

Under policy no 3.10(a), the HLC will review an institution’s assignment of credit hours in the following context:

The Institution’s assignment of credit hours shall conform to commonly accepted practices in higher education. Those institutions seeking or participating in Title IV federal financial aid shall demonstrate that they have policy determining the credit hours awarded to courses and programs in keeping with commonly-accepted practices and with the federal definition of the credit hour, as reproduced herein for reference only, and that institutions also have procedures that result in an appropriate awarding of institutional credit in conformity with the policies established by the institution.
 

An academic year commonly consists of 30 to 34 credits. A typical class carries 3 credits. The terms semester hour and credit are synonymous.The normal class load for the semester is 15-17 credits. Twelve credits must be taken to be considered a full-time student for financial aid and other purposes. Students employed in outside work should make necessary adjustments in the number of credits they attempt to carry. It is recommended that the class load be reduced by 2 to 3 credits for each 12 hours of outside work undertaken per week. A veteran must be enrolled in 12 credits as an undergraduate to receive maximum benefits.

The maximum standard class load for fall and spring semesters is 17 credits for undergraduate, or 15 credits for graduate students. The maximum standard class load for the summer term is 9 credits for undergraduates, and 6-14 for graduates (based on course length, see Graduate Studies ). The maximum standard class load for an interim session is one course or workshop. Students desiring to enroll in more than the maximum standard class load should have a 3.0 overall GPA and must obtain the permission of the Chair of the Academic Standards Committee via the Academic Appeals form on TruView to carry an overload. Additional tuition costs are incurred by carrying an overload.

Courses are numbered to include the level at which the course is generally recommended; i.e., 100- and 200-level courses would usually be completed during the freshman and sophomore years, and 300- and 400-level courses would usually be completed during the junior and senior years. The 500-classification indicates courses of graduate performance level which may be completed by seniors who meet the graduate performance standards demanded in the course.

In no case is credit allowed in any course for which the student is not duly registered. Registration is not complete until all fees have been paid.

ADDING CLASSES AFTER THE PUBLISHED DEADLINE

Students are not allowed to add full-semester or block courses after the published deadline except in extraordinary circumstances. In those circumstances, the student must submit an Add/Drop Form signed by the instructor and the Department Chair of the course. Add/Drop Forms are available through the Registrar’s Office. Students may add second block courses prior to the start of these courses without needing an Add/Drop Form. 

If approved to add a course after the published deadline, the student must have the Add/Drop Form processed through the Registrar’s Office. A $50 processing fee (per day) is charged for changes initiated by the student after the first five days of the semester (or the equivalent period of time for summer and interim sessions). A student may not drop a full-semester course and take the same one as a block course in the same semester.

LATE REGISTRATION

Late registrants will be accepted only in cases where the instructors believe that work missed may be conveniently made up. A late registration fee of $20 will be assessed in addition to regular registration fees for any student who initiates registration (i.e., enrolls for the first time) on or after the first day of the semester. After the first week of classes, these enrollments must be processed in person through the Registrar’s Office.

CHANGE OF SCHEDULE POLICY

Changes in class schedule should be made during the specified “Add/Drop Period” (prior to or during the first five days of the semester or the equivalent period of time for summer and special sessions).

Students dropping individual courses on or after the first day of the semester are not entitled to a reduction in enrollment fees (i.e., tuition costs…) for that semester.

Students should consult with their academic advisor before making any changes to their course schedules.

A $50 processing fee (per day) is charged for changes initiated by the student after the first five days of the semester (or the equivalent period of time for summer and special sessions). 

For a full semester (15 week) course if a course is dropped before the end of the fourth week, it does not appear on the student’s transcript. If a course is dropped between the end of the fourth week and the normal drop deadline, a grade of “W” is placed on the student’s transcript. See the Schedules and Calendars page for exact add/drop deadlines. Any course dropped after the schedule change deadline must be approved by the Chair of the Academic Standards Committee. If this approval is granted, the Registrar’s Office will drop the student from the course and will assign a “W” grade. 

Courses that are not full semester (fifteen weeks) courses (i.e., block, summer, or interim courses) have a “W” assigned if dropped after the second week of the course. 

PERMISSION OR WAIVER TO ENROLL IN A COURSE

Some specialized courses require the permission of the instructor and the Department Chair before a student may enroll.  Additionally, students not meeting the prerequisites, co-requisites and/or other requirements to enroll in a course may request a waiver from the Department Chair with responsibility for that course. The Department Chair has the authority to issue the waiver and permit the student to enroll.

Grades are expressed in letters, with equivalents as follows:

A		Superior		4 honor points
B		Above Average		3 honor points
C		Average		2 honor points
D		Below Average		1 honor point
F		Failure		0 honor points

The following grades do not affect a student’s grade point average (GPA):

W		Withdrew
P		Pass
AU		Audit
Y		Credit earned in a credit/no credit course
Z		No credit earned in a credit/no credit course
IC		Incomplete
IP		In Progress
T		Test Credit
NC		No Credit (generally assigned to laboratory courses)
NS		Not Submitted

CALCULATING GPA

To compute GPA, each course’s earned honor points are multiplied by the credit hours of that course. This produces quality points for each course. GPA is calculated as the total earned quality points for the semester divided by the total credits attempted in that semester. An earned grade of “A” equals 4 honor points, a “B” equals 3 honor points, a “C” equals 2 honor points, a “D” equals 1 honor point, and an “F” is zero honor points.  

Honor Points x Course Credit Hours = Quality Points
For example: A grade of “A” in a 4 credit hours course would equal 16 quality points. 

Total Quality Points / Total Semester Credit Hours = GPA
For example: If a student attempted 13 credit hours and earned 48 quality points in a semester, they would earn a GPA of 3.69 for the semester. 

PASS/FAIL COURSES (P/F)

Some Truman courses have a Pass/Fail grading system instead of “A” to “F” grading. Primary examples of Pass/Fail courses include Book and Discussion and some internships. Students receive either a “P” (Pass) or “F” (Failure) grade. A “P” does not calculate into the student’s GPA, but an “F” grade is calculated in the student’s GPA.

CREDIT/NO CREDIT (Y/Z)

To provide students the opportunity to broaden their experiences, Truman allows students to enroll in a limited number of classes on a Credit/No Credit (Y/Z) basis. Forms to request a Credit/No Credit grading system for a course are available in the Registrar’s Office. The following Credit/No Credit guidelines apply:

1. A student may complete “free elective” classes using the Credit/No Credit grading option. “Free electives” are those courses that are not used to fulfill requirements in the Dialogues, in the student’s major program (including required support courses), in the additional foreign language component for the BA, in the additional science component for the BS, minor requirements, departmental honors requirements, or honors scholar requirements. For example, a student may not elect the Credit/No Credit grading option in courses like COMM 170, ENG 190, or STAT 190. In addition, required English courses (e.g., ENG 152) for international students may not be taken as Credit/No Credit.

2. A student may complete a course as Credit/No Credit if the course is being used to fulfill the writing-enhanced (WE) requirement, the Missouri Statute requirement, the 40 required credits of 300+ level undergraduate coursework, and/or the cumulative credit graduation requirement using the Credit/No Credit grading option if that course is not being used to fulfill any other requirements in the student’s program.

3. Credit standing is achieved by earning a “D” grade or above, while failing a course results in No Credit (Z).

4. A student may take up to five (5) credits per semester as Credit/No Credit. Seniors may request a waiver to take two courses (up to 8 credits) in a single semester. The request must be submitted to the Chair of the Academic Standards Committee using the Academic Appeals form in TruView at appeals@truman.edu.

5. Up to twelve (12) credits of Credit/No Credit may be counted toward graduation.

6. A student may change to or from a Credit/No Credit grading option by the last day allowed to change to the Credit/No Credit grading option. See the Schedules and Calendars page for exact deadlines. 

7. With a Credit standing (Y), the student receives credit for the course, and recognition of passing the course appears on the student’s transcript.

8. With a No Credit standing (Z), the student does not receive credit for the course. The course will still appear on the student’s transcript as attempted but no credit was received. 

9. Courses taken under the Credit/No Credit grading option do not affect the student’s grade point average.

10. Courses taken under the Credit/No Credit grading option cannot be repeated.

11. During the semester, the student, the student’s advisor, the course instructor, and the Registrar’s Office know that the student is taking the course on a Credit/No Credit basis.

All students should consult their academic advisor prior to deciding to take a course Credit/No Credit to ensure they do not negatively impact their time to graduate. 

Pre-Master of Arts in Education (MAE) students are advised that professional education courses cannot be taken as Credit/No Credit. Students planning to pursue the MAE degree should contact the Certification Office in the Department of Education for specific information about this requirement. 

Courses taken Credit/No Credit do not fulfill requirements for credit load considerations by the Veterans Administration if the final grade assigned is No Credit (Z).

AUDITING COURSES (AU)

A student may Audit (AU) a class for no credit only on the approval of the instructor. Regular fees and enrollment procedures are required. However, the student is not permitted to take the final examination and no credits earned nor any indication of the level of performance appears on the student’s transcript entry. Audit enrollments do not fulfill requirements for load considerations by the Veterans Administration and they may not be applied toward the determination of full-time or part-time status.

Students auditing a course are expected to make a commitment to their education by attending classes regularly. If the auditing student fails to meet the regular attendance requirement as defined by the instructor, the instructor notifies the Registrar to record a “W” on the final grade report.

Students who initially enroll in a course for credit may be permitted to change their enrollment to audit during the published add/drop deadline for the semester. See Schedules and Calendars for these deadlines. 

During the term that a course is being audited, the audit cannot be changed to graduate or undergraduate credit. 

INCOMPLETE (IC)

An Incomplete (IC) is to be awarded only when extraordinary circumstances beyond the student’s control (i.e., illness, military service, hardship, or death in the immediate family) have impeded the timely completion of requirements for a class. In order to receive a grade of IC, an agreement must be made between the student and instructor and the terms of the agreement described in the “Incomplete Agreement” form. The form must be signed by both the student and the instructor and submitted to the Department Chair of record for approval. A student receiving a grade of IC is allowed a certain period of time (determined by the instructor, but no longer than the end of the subsequent fall or spring semester), in which the student must complete the course requirements to receive credit. If the requirements are not met in that period, the grade becomes what has been predetermined by the instructor and specified on the Incomplete Agreement form. All IC grades must be resolved prior to graduation.

IN PROGRESS (IP)

The grade of In Progress (IP) is assigned only in cases when it is expected that more than one semester is required for course completion. All IP grades must be resolved prior to graduation. The only exception to this policy is if a graduate student is receiving two degrees simultaneously. If a student in this situation has completed all of the requirements for their first degree and a grade of IP is being used only for the second degree, the graduate student will be allowed to graduate with their first earned degree.

NOT SUBMITTED (NS)

A Not Submitted (NS) grade is assigned only when a grade is not submitted by the instructor at the end of the enrollment semester. All NS grades must be resolved prior to graduation. Note: if a student is participating in a Truman-sponsored Study Abroad program, it is typically not possible to graduate in the semester concurrent with that Study Abroad program due to the delay in receiving grades. 

GRADE APPEAL POLICY

The instructor’s grade shall not be changed unless there is clear and convincing evidence that the grade was invalid or was determined in an unreasonable manner or in violation of some other established ethical or legal rule. Reasons for invalidity may include, but are not limited to, errors in computation of the grade, application of standards not specified in the syllabus, or discrimination based upon factors irrelevant to academic standards (for example, race, gender or ideology). Instructors are entitled to the widest range of discretion in making judgments about academic performance consistent with accepted measurement/assessment standards of validity.

In the case where a student has a grievance regarding the validity of a final course grade, the student must first attempt to resolve the matter with the instructor no later than fourteen (14) calendar days after the first day of class of the following semester (not including interim terms). If the instructor agrees to a grade change, it is the instructor’s responsibility to fill out a “Change of Grade Request,” which must be approved by the instructor’s Department Chair and the School Dean. 

If the instructor does not agree to the proposed grade change and the student wishes to appeal that decision, the student must complete a Grade Appeal Petition, which is accessible via TruView. The form must be submitted to the instructor’s Department Chair no later than fourteen (14) calendar days after the date the student receives the instructor’s written (or emailed) grade appeal decision.

If the Department Chair does not approve the Grade Appeal Petition and the student wishes to appeal that decision, the next step is an appeal to the faculty member’s School Dean. This should be initiated by the student no later than fourteen (14) calendar days after the student receives the Department Chair’s written (or emailed) grade appeal decision.

If the School Dean does not approve the Grade Appeal Petition and the student wishes to appeal that decision, the final phase is an appeal to the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs (Provost), which must be initiated by the student no more than fourteen (14) calendar days after the student receives the School Dean’s written (or emailed) grade appeal decision. 

Final authority in regard to changing grades rests with the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs (Provost).

Once the process is initiated and a Grade Appeal Form Petition begun, it is the responsibility of each reviewing authority to review documentation forwarded by the previous reviewer, and notify all participants by email of the opportunity to present additional arguments and evidence regarding the validity of the grade; to inform the student by email of the decision; to identify the contact person for the next level of appeal; to sign/date the form; and to forward the form and supporting documentation to the next level if the student initiates such request. 

It is the responsibility of the student to initiate the next phase of appeal within fourteen (14) calendar days of the date on which the reviewer’s email was sent. The student must indicate their intention to appeal a review’s decision in a reply to the reviewer’s written (or emailed) decision.

At the end of the Grade Appeal Petition process, the Office of Academic Affairs instructs the Registrar to alter the grade if approved. The grade appeal form and its accompanying documentation are filed in the Office of Academic Affairs with a copy sent to the instructor of record.

COURSE REPEAT POLICY

Taking Repeatable Courses (i.e. Topics Courses)

Course descriptions in the University Catalog indicate whether a course may be repeated for credit. The description indicates how many times or how many credits can be earned by successfully completing the course. If the course is not described as repeatable, a student may only count the course once toward degree requirements and credits earned.

(Approved January 31, 2019 SB2619)

When retaking repeatable undergraduate courses, all credits earned satisfy graduation and degree requirements and all credits are used in the calculation of a student’s GPA. Upon a student’s petition, the Registrar will replace a grade with the higher grade when both attempts of the repeatable course cover the same topic. In this case, credit for the course will be counted only once in satisfying graduation and degree requirements as well as in calculating GPA.

Retaking Non-Repeatable Courses (e.g., to Improve a Grade)

When retaking non-repeatable undergraduate courses, the highest grade achieved will be used in the calculation of the student’s GPA. When a non-repeatable course is retaken, both the old and new grades for all attempts will remain on the transcript. Regardless of how many times a student retakes the course, credit is only earned once, and those credits may only be used once to satisfy graduation and degree requirements and for the calculation of GPA.

Students who wish to retake a course for which they have already received a “C” or higher must wait until the free enrollment period that occurs after all other current students have had an opportunity to enroll. Students who earned a “D” or an “F” may enroll as soon as they are eligible for registration; they do not have to wait until the free enrollment period. 

Students who wish to enroll in a non-repeatable course for which they previously earned credit and earned a grade of “D” or better require a repeat override from the Office of the Registrar. 

REGULAR AND SUBSTANTIVE INTERACTION POLICY

Academic Engagement: Students are expected to actively engage in the courses in which they are enrolled. Active engagement in response to faculty-initiated interactions, as well as the content of the curriculum is essential to successful progress in, and completion of, coursework. At the end of the substantive interaction period, students who do not actively engage in their coursework face administrative removal from their course(s).

Administrative Removal From Coursework: Students must demonstrate engagement (as defined above) in each of their courses, each semester, during the substantive interaction period, commencing the first day of the first week of courses and ending at 11:59 pm Central Time on the Saturday ending the first week of courses. Failure to make such engagement in a course or to notify the instructor of the course of extenuating circumstances (such as technological programs, health emergencies, etc.) will result in the student being removed administratively by the Registrar at the request of the instructor. Said removal shall be completed no later than the end of the second full week of classes in the semester.

Consequences of Disenrollment: Students receiving financial aid will have the appropriate amount of aid, as defined by Truman policy and federal regulations, returned. Students who have paid tuition to the University will receive funds in accordance with the refund policy and adjusted to the date they are disenrolled. The University is not responsible for delays in processing that may impact refund amounts. To ensure the maximum refund, if applicable, students should drop a class or classes they do not intend to participate in as soon as they are aware and students should withdraw from all classes for the applicable semester if they do not intend to participate in any classes.

The University has established the following academic standing categories to guide and support students in meeting minimum academic requirements to graduate. Academic standing is determined at the end of each fall, spring, and summer term. Academic standing does not change during a term if the student attempts fewer than six credits.

ACADEMIC PROBATION

Students who earn a semester grade point average of less than 2.0 while attempting six hours or more are on academic probation for that semester. In order to return to good standing, a semester grade point average of 2.0 or above in at least six credit hours is required. The Truman cumulative grade point average must also be at least 2.0 to return to good standing.

ACADEMIC SUSPENSION

Students whose cumulative Truman GPA is below 2.0 and who earn semester grade point averages below 2.0 for two consecutive terms of six hours or more are suspended. Academically suspended students may not take courses at Truman. Academically suspended students must wait at least one semester before appealing to be reinstated on probation. Their appeal letter should include evidence of their capability and commitment to succeed academically, specifically noting changes which would allow the student to succeed academically if readmitted.

Students who become eligible for suspension a second time will be permanently dismissed from the University.

SUSPENSION APPEAL POLICY

Students who believe that they have experienced special or extenuating circumstances contributing to their poor academic performance have the right to appeal a suspension decision. The appeal must be in written form accompanied by supporting documentation and is to be submitted to the Chair of the Academic Standards Committee via the Academic Appeals link in the Student Tools area of TruView. Appeals regarding Satisfactory Academic Progress must be submitted to the Financial Aid office.

REINSTATEMENT PROCESS

After one semester of suspension, a student may petition for reinstatement. The application must be in written form accompanied by supporting documentation, and is to be submitted to the Chair of the Academic Standards Committee via the Academic Appeals link in the Student Tools area of TruView. In evaluating a petition for approval, the Chair considers evidence of academic achievement (transferable credit from another college during the suspension period), any activities or plans that may lead to improved scholastic performance, the student’s grade point average, reasons for poor academic performance, and extenuating circumstances. Appeals regarding reinstatement of financial aid must be submitted to the Financial Aid office.

Students are responsible for initiating withdrawal procedures for any term in which they are enrolled. If a student fails to withdraw from the University officially, grades earned for all courses are entered on the student’s official transcript.

Withdrawal requests must be made online. To withdraw from all classes online, access TruView and navigate to Student Tools and then the Registration Tool. Click on “Withdraw from all Courses for a Selected Semester” to complete the withdrawal process. International students must meet with the Center for International Students prior to withdrawing from all courses.

Students may withdraw from school until the last day of regular classes. If a student withdraws at any time between the date they first enroll for the semester and the end of the fourth week of classes, no record of enrollment will appear on the transcript. If a student withdraws between the end of the fourth week and the last day of regular classes, a grade of “W” will appear on the transcript by each of the courses in which the student was enrolled.

Students who are pre-enrolled for an upcoming semester must officially withdraw from the University prior to the first day of classes. Students who fail to do this will owe a percentage of the University fees, based on the date of withdrawal.

A student who withdraws from all courses during a semester may re-enroll for the following semester without submitting an application for readmission to the Admission Office.

MEDICAL WITHDRAWAL AND LEAVE OF ABSENCE

Students who need to drop courses or withdraw from school for medical reasons have the following options.

None of these options guarantee a refund of enrollment fees. Enrollment fee refunds are made in accordance with guidelines stated in the Return of Enrollment Fees paragraph of this catalog in the Fees and Financial Aid Section and in the schedule of classes.

Any of these options could affect your financial aid. Please contact the Financial Aid office to discuss your plans.

Dropping Courses or Withdrawing from School Before the Final Drop Date

Students who need to drop courses or withdraw from school for medical reasons before the final drop date should use the normal drop or withdrawal process, which allows them to drop or withdraw from school until the final drop date with no GPA penalty. The final drop date for each semester is provided on the Registrar’s website.

Leave of Absence

Students who need to withdraw from school for personal issues (including medical issues) may apply for a leave of absence in the Student Tools area of TruView. All leave of absence requests must include the reason for the request.  The Director of Student Success works with students to structure a leave that makes the most sense for a student’s circumstances, so leaves of absence vary and may include incompletes and withdrawal from courses with “W” grades recorded. Students may not appeal for a retroactive leave of absence.

Medical Drops of Individual Courses after the Final Drop Date

Students who need to drop individual courses for medical reasons after the final drop date must submit an appeal and medical documentation to the Chair of the Academic Standards Committee via the Academic Appeals link in the Student Tools area of TruView. Their appeal and medical documentation must demonstrate why the medical condition specifically affected their academic performance in the course to be dropped and not their other courses (e.g. my broken leg prevented me from completing the swimming class). Approved medical drops will result in a “W” for the course.

Medical Withdrawal

Students wishing to withdraw from a semester for medical reasons must submit an appeal to the Chair of the Academic Standards Committee via the Academic Appeals link in the Student Tools area of TruView. The appeal must include:

1. A completed Medical Verification Form. 
2. Measures the student is taking to ensure their future academic success in light of the diagnosis.

If a medical withdrawal is approved, “W” grades will be recorded for all courses for the semester. Appeals for medical withdrawals will only be considered within one year from the end of the semester when the courses were originally enrolled.

CHANGE OF MAJOR

An undergraduate student who wants to change his or her major should select the “Change, Add Drop Majors/Minors or Catalog” option under the Student Tools area in TruView.

Some majors require certain courses or grade point averages prior to accepting students into the major. Students should consult the appropriate major section of this catalog before submitting a “Change, Add, Drop Majors/Minors or Catalog” form to ensure that they meet any requirements for entrance into their intended major.

TRANSCRIPTS

An academic record (transcript) is permanently maintained for each student who enrolls at Truman State University. Transcripts ordered online cost $10.40 each for mailed hard copy and $11.40 for an online pdf order. Transcripts are issued by the Registrar’s Office upon receipt of the appropriate authorization, in accordance with the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974. Partial transcripts cannot be issued.

ONLINE ACCESS TO ACADEMIC INFORMATION

Matriculated students have access to their academic records, including unofficial advising transcripts, accepted transfer credit, semester schedules, early progress reports and final grades via TruView, Truman’s web-based student information portal. Students who first matriculated to Truman in or after the Fall 2004 semester also have access to Truman’s automated degree audit system via TruView. Students are responsible for reviewing all academic information, particularly early progress reports and final grades, that are posted and distributed via TruView. Students are also strongly encouraged to use these services in consultation with their academic advisors to track their progress toward degree requirements.

ACADEMIC CALENDAR

The University academic year is divided into fall and spring semesters, a summer session, and December, May, and August Interims. The summer session classes are generally five or eight weeks in length. Interim session offerings are three weeks or fewer in length. Admission to Truman may be effected at the beginning of any semester or term.

ACADEMIC APPEALS PROCESS

Students may appeal for an exception to University policy if they have experienced special or extraordinary circumstances. This process is separate from the Grade Appeal, Attendance Policy Appeal, and other appeal processes described elsewhere in this catalog.

Students who appeal must demonstrate that they have experienced extenuating circumstances beyond their control. The appeal must be submitted in writing and must be sent with appropriate supporting documentation to the Chair of the Academic Standards Committee via the Academic Appeals link in the Student Tools area of TruView. Academic appeals will only be considered within one year from the end of the semester when the courses were originally enrolled. Students may not submit more than three academic appeals during their attendance at Truman State University.

DATE OF CATALOG FOR CHECKING CREDITS

The date of the General Catalog by which credits are checked may not be more than five years earlier than the date of the issuance of the degree. A student may not be checked by a catalog dated earlier than the time of their entrance. If a student’s work is interrupted by required service in the armed forces, an extension of time is allowed equal to the period of interruption.

WORKSHOPS

Workshops are short, concentrated study experiences with unique purposes and objectives, examining content and issues not otherwise addressed in the curriculum, sometimes utilizing unique pedagogical experiences and techniques. Students interested in such workshops should examine the University website for a description of available workshops. No more than 6 credits earned through workshops may be applied toward undergraduate degree requirements.

UNDERGRADUATE CLASS LEVEL

The designation of class level is based on the number of credits earned to include credits transferred into Truman:

Freshman	0-29 credits
Sophomore	30-59 credits
Junior	60-89 credits
Senior	90 credits and above