Policies and Standards

Grading System
A student’s academic standing is expressed at the end of each semester by a grade point
average (GPA) computed as follows:

A cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher is required for graduation. Students must receive a C grade or higher in all their program courses (e.g., for students in the accounting program that means all ACC courses).

The grades of P, X, I, W, and V (discussed below) are not computed in the GPA. Note: Students who are receiving financial aid may not be eligible to receive a grade of P, X, I, W, or V under some conditions. Consult the Financial Aid Office for information specific to your situation.

Pass(P)/Fail(E)
Although the P is not calculated in the GPA, the E is included. The College offers a limited number of courses on a Pass/Fail basis:
ENG 87 Listening/Speaking for Non-native Speakers
ENG 88 Reading/Writing for Non-native Speakers
ENG 90 Basic English
ENG 99 College Preparatory English
IT 98 Introduction to Keyboarding
MAT 90 Basic Mathematics
MAT 97 Introductory Algebra

“X” (Additional Proficiency Required)
Students who put forth a sincere effort (complete projects, take exams, attend class) but do not achieve the required proficiency to receive a Pass grade or a C grade or higher, may be given an X only in the following skills-based courses:

ENG 87 Listening/Speaking for Non-native Speakers
ENG 88 Reading/Writing for Non-native Speakers
IT 98 Introduction to Keyboarding
IT 109 Skillbuilding
MAT 90 Basic Mathematics

“X” (Additional Proficiency). The X does not affect the grade point average. To receive credit and a grade for the course that will apply toward graduation, students must register in a subsequent semester and achieve the proficiency required.

“I” (Incomplete). An I is given rarely and only when extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control occur after the last date of withdrawal from classes. Incompletes are given only if students are passing the course and would be capable of completing the work before the end of the subsequent semester. An incomplete grade contract must be completed and signed by both instructor and student. Students must take the contract to the Cashier’s Office, pay the $5 incomplete grade fee, and return the incomplete grade contract to the instructor. If the incomplete work has not been finished by the end of the semester after the I was given, the I will be changed by the Registrar’s Office to a letter grade. This will be the grade the student earned in the course prior to the signing of the Incomplete Grade Contract. Class attendance in a subsequent semester or reregistering is not permitted to make up the incomplete.

“W” (Official Withdrawal). When students officially withdraw from a course, a W will appear on the transcript.

“UW” (Unofficial Withdrawal). Students who never attended class or who stop attending class but do not officially withdraw by the withdrawal deadline will receive an unofficial withdrawal. The UW is calculated in the GPA as a failing grade.

“V” (Audit). V is used when students audit a class (register for class as a “listener” without receiving credit).

Repeating Courses
A student may repeat a course in which a low grade has been received. The student must register and pay tuition for the semester/term in which the class is repeated. The student must notify the Registrar’s Office at the end of the semester/term in which the class was repeated. The original grade remains on the record and is marked as a repeated course. The highest grade received in the course will then be used in calculating the student’s cumulative grade point average. Hours earned in repeat courses may be counted toward graduation requirements only once. If after having repeated the course the student still has not achieved a required grade (i.e., a C grade or higher in the program classes), the student must obtain approval from the program director to repeat the core course. (Different rules may apply for financial aid eligibility. )

Academic Standing
Honors: Students with outstanding academic records are recognized in two ways: the Dean’s List and the Honor Roll. Students who carry at least 12 credit hours per semester, and who attain a 3.7 semester GPA or higher, qualify for the Dean’s List. Students who have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours and attained a cumulative GPA of 3.7 or higher qualify for the Honor Roll. Both lists are published after each semester and posted on campus bulletin boards. Copies are available from the Academic Administrative Assistant.

Satisfactory Progress: Students who maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and are moving steadily and progressively toward degree completion are considered to be making satisfactory academic progress.

Probation: Students are placed on academic probation if their cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 (C average) at the end of any semester. They are removed from academic probation when their cumulative GPA once again reaches 2.0 or higher.

Suspension: Students who are on academic probation and who fail to achieve a 2.0 cumulative GPA during the subsequent semester are automatically suspended from the College. However, they are allowed to submit a letter petitioning the Appeals Committee for readmittance without interruption of attendance. Readmittance is granted only at the discretion of the Appeals Committee, and conditions of readmittance are set by the Committee. If the Committee does not allow a student immediate readmittance without interruption of attendance, the student will be advised in writing as to the length of time required and the conditions that must be met before eligibility to attend the College will again be granted.

Academic Renewal Policy
Academic renewal is a policy that provides a means by which students with poor past academic performance may, under certain limited conditions, petition to eliminate grades of D+ or lower from the calculation of their GPA. Before submitting a petition for academic renewal, students must meet the following conditions:
• Students must have been out of attendance at LDS Business College for at least two full academic years (four consecutive semesters);
• Upon return, students must have completed at least 24 credit hours (not including Religion credit) with a GPA of at least 2.5 and with all classes at C or higher; and
• Students must be currently enrolled.

Petitions for academic renewal are considered on a case-by-case basis, and there is no guarantee that academic renewal will be granted. Submit petitions to the Registrar’s Office.

If academic renewal is granted, all courses on the transcript with a grade of D+ or lower will no longer be calculated into the GPA. Although the courses must continue to appear on the transcript, they will not count toward required courses or credit hours needed for graduation, or toward courses in residence. A code will appear on the academic transcript next to those courses with grades of D+ and lower indicating they are not calculated into the cumulative GPA. (For purposes of academic honors, however, all grades on the transcript will be calculated into the GPA.)

Students may take advantage of the academic renewal option only once during their academic studies at LDS Business College.

Academic Advising
LDS Business College provides a systematic program of academic advising. The mission of this program is to ensure that all students attending LDS Business College are (1) informed regarding College and program policies and procedures, (2) assisted in planning career goals and selecting appropriate educational programs to achieve those goals, (3) directed to campus services and resources designed to provide regular contact and support, and (4) tracked from entry through completion of their educational programs.

The academic advising process is divided into two functions: preparatory advising and academic program advising. Preparatory advising occurs at the student service level and includes information relative to admissions, college orientation, college policies and procedures, career counseling, and placement testing through the Learning Assistance Lab. Academic program advising occurs with an academic advisor with backup provided by student services. Based upon the educational program declared while registering for the first semester, students are assigned to an academic advisor. They provide students with academic advising departmental graduation plans that guide them in selecting and sequencing their courses and tracking their progress from entry to graduation. Advisors also advise students concerning special resources, challenge exams, transfer issues, career decisions relative to their current academic program, and special resources designed to provide support through completion of their educational program. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic advisor each semester during Academic Advising Week or as necessary to ensure they complete their program in a timely manner.

Tutoring
Tutoring services are provided free to all students. Students may arrange for convenient times and places to meet with qualified student and Church-service missionary tutors by contacting the Learning Assistance Coordinator at 524-8118. Students may also sign up for individual tutoring or to attend group-tutoring sessions as designated on the tutoring schedule in the Learning Assistance Lab.

Class Attendance and Absence
Students are responsible for class attendance. No absences are “excused” in the sense that the student is relieved from work assigned or carried out in class during the absence. Students are responsible to obtain assignments and notes for classes missed from another student, if possible. Students should consult the course syllabus for specifics concerning missed assignments, quizzes, or exams. Because repeated absences typically result in missed or late assignments, quizzes, and exams, students can expect a lower grade, or a failing grade may result from not attending class..

Emergency Leave of Absence
In the event of unusual circumstances such as serious illness or injury, students may be granted a leave of absence from their program of study. To qualify for a leave, students must submit in writing to the Appeals Committee a request that such a leave be granted. If the leave is for illness or injury, a doctor’s statement is required confirming the student’s inability to continue school at the present time. Students who are on financial aid must also submit copies of the appeal, the doctor’s statement, and the decision of the Appeals Committee to the Financial Aid Office for inclusion in the financial aid file. If the leave period expires without the student’s returning to school, s/he will be withdrawn effective the date the leave was granted. Students may obtain only one leave during a 12-month period.

Last Exam Day
The last exam of a course must be taken as scheduled on the course syllabus. Exceptions are at the discretion of individual instructors but are strongly discouraged.

Academic Honesty
Students are expected to be honest in all academic work and to help others fulfill the same responsibility. Violations of academic honesty include, but are not limited to:

1. Cheating – giving or receiving unauthorized help during an examination.
2. Altering without authorization any grade record or any test or assignment after submission for grading.
3. Submitting as one’s own academic assignment the work of someone else, or knowingly allowing one’s own academic work to be submitted by someone else.
4. Plagiarizing – claiming the language, ideas, or structure of another as one’s own either by (1) failing to cite the source of quoted or paraphrased passages or (2) failing to distinguish clearly between one’s own language and the language of a cited source through the proper use of quotation marks or attribution.
5. Knowingly giving false information.
6. Misusing College software. Computer software is provided for student use only on campus computers. It is unethical, illegal, and a breach of academic honesty and of the Honor Code to make and/or to use unauthorized copies of College software.
7. Unlawfully copying and using copyrighted materials, including photocopying of textbooks.
8. Condoning or participating in violations by other students.

When in doubt about permissible uses of material in written, oral or computer-based work, students should consult with the Directory of Library and Information Resources.

When an instructor feels that a student has violated the Honor Code in regard to academic honesty, the instructor is obligated by College policy to confront the student. If the violation is confirmed, the instructor must give the student a grade of E on the exam or assignment and submit a report to the Dean of Students. If there is a previous violation in the student’s records, further action will be taken. Possible consequences of violations of academic honesty include receiving an E for the course and/or dismissal from the College.

Communicating with Students through E-mail
At LDS Business College, staff and faculty use the College’s GroupWise e-mail software to communicate with students. It is the student’s responsibility to check his or her GroupWise e-mail daily for messages that pertain to the course. Students who have a personal e-mail address should transfer their College e-mail to their personal address so they will not miss messages from their instructors or College personnel.

Confidentiality of Records
Student educational records at LDSBC are generally accessible to eligible students according to the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). LDSBC has adopted an Access to Student Records Policy that explains in detail student rights relating to their educational records. A copy of the policy is available at the Office of the Registrar.

The following is notice of student rights to their educational records, a summary of the procedures for exercising those rights, and a description of student directory information that may be disclosed to the public without the student’s consent as required by law:

Eligible students, admitted and enrolled at LDSBC, generally have the right to:

1. Inspect and review their educational records within a reasonable period of time upon submitting a written request to the appropriate department managing their educational records specifying the records to be inspected along with proof of identification. The department will notify the student of the time and place the records may be inspected.

2. Petition LDSBC to amend or correct any part of the education record believed to be inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of their privacy rights. Students may submit a written request to the department holding the record clearly identifying the part of the record they want changed and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the department decides not to amend the record as requested, the department will notify the students of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures as outlined in College policy will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

3. Consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s educational record, except as otherwise authorized by law. Examples of exceptions to consent of disclosure include:
a. Access of educational records by LDSBC officials and agents having a legitimate educational interest in the records. This category includes any LDSBC official or agent who accesses student educational records for the purpose of performing a
task or responsibility relating to his or her employment or professional responsibility at the College. These individuals may include faculty, administration, staff, and other College agents who manage student educational record information including,
but not limited to, student education, discipline, or financial aid.
b.Parents who establish the student’s dependency for federal income tax purposes.
c. Upon request, LDSBC will disclose educational records without consent to officials of another college or university to which the student seeks or intends to enroll.

4. File a complaint with the Department of Education concerning failures by LDSBC to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is Family Policy and Compliance Office, US Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-4605, www.ed.gov/offices/om/fpoc.

LDSBC has designated the following student information as the directory information that it may disclose to the LDSBC community without the consent of the student:

Name, addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses
Date and place of birth
Names of parents or spouse
Major fields of study
Current class schedule
Pictures
Dates of attendance (current and past) and number of months/semesters enrolled
Class standing (freshman, sophomore) and total hours earned
Enrollment status (full-time, part-time, less that half-time)
Degrees and awards received
Previous educational institution attended
Anticipated future enrollments
Course registrations prior to the beginning of a semester or term
Expected date of graduation
Religious affiliation to a student’s local church or congregation

Students have the right to restrict disclosure of the above directory information. To request restriction of disclosure, students must file a written request on or before the tenth day of a semester or the sixth day of a term. Forms for this request are available in the Office of the Registrar.

Student Right to Know and the Cleary (Campus Security) Act
The College makes available its annual security report (Institutional Security Policies and Crime Statistics) and information on completion or graduation rates. This information is available in the Dean of Students Office.