Academic Policies and Procedures

An accelerated program combines both undergraduate and graduate education by allowing the undergraduate student to be conditionally admitted into the graduate program while still completing all undergraduate degree requirements. An accelerated program has a curriculum mapped across both degree programs. Typically, accelerated programs allow for the successful completion of the undergraduate and graduate degrees via a 4 + 1 or 3 + 2 combination of undergraduate and graduate coursework.

Chapman students must apply to a graduate program in their junior or senior year. Students applying to the Accelerated Five-Year Undergraduate/Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction program may apply in their sophomore year. Students will receive conditional admission to the graduate program portion of the accelerated program pending completion of their bachelor’s degree as stipulated in the graduate catalog. (See explanations of conditional admission in the graduate catalog.)

The minimum amount of credits required for any accelerated bachelor’s/master’s program is 148 total credits. If accepted into an accelerated undergraduate/ graduate program students may include up to 12 credits of approved graduate-level coursework once a minimum of 90 undergraduate credits have been completed or will be completed prior to start of the course in order to enroll in a graduate course.

Students complete the remaining credit hours of graduate coursework beginning in the semester after receiving the undergraduate degree. The application process, prerequisites, GPA and graduate program requirements are as specified for the graduate program.

Address Change

Students must notify the University of any change in their addresses or phone numbers. Such changes may be made using “my.chapman.edu”, or a notification to the Office of the University Registrar from the student’s chapman.edu email address.

Attendance Policy

Class attendance policies are determined by each instructor and are included in the course syllabus distributed at the beginning of each term. The University recommends as a minimal policy that students who are absent 20 percent of the course should be failed. Students who do not attend the first class meeting of a course in which they are registered may be administratively dropped, unless they make arrangements with the instructor prior to the first day of class.

Catalog

Students must meet the degree requirements (General Education and major) of the catalog under which they matriculated or may select a later catalog for a year in which they are enrolled. Changing to a later catalog must be officially requested through the Office of the University Registrar. Students have a one-semester grace period to assess the changes in their new requirements during which they may return to their original catalog. After the grace period, the change in catalog year is irreversible. Statements in the catalog are for informational purposes and should not be considered as the basis of a contract between students and the University. In addition to the degree requirements and limitation of credit, students must adhere to the academic requirements, policies and procedures in place in the current catalog. Such requirements include but are not limited to course prerequisites, minimum grades for transfer work, probation and suspension requirements. Information regarding any changes in degree programs, graduation requirements or academic policies will be made available by the Office of the University Registrar and the appropriate academic departments.

Class Level

Students who have completed fewer than 30 credits are considered first-year students; 30-59.9 credits are sophomores; 60-89.9 credits are juniors; 90+ credits are seniors.

Final Exams

All final exams must be taken during the final exams week and according to the final exams schedule posted online.

Students scheduled for three or more final exams on one day may ask the instructors of the courses with final exams scheduled in the middle of the day to provide an alternative date and time that also occurs during final exams week. These requests should be made two or more weeks before the last day of class. Faculty are strongly encouraged to accommodate these students.

Full- and Part-Time Students

A full-time undergraduate degree-seeking student is one who carries a minimum of 12 credits per semester. A part-time undergraduate degree-seeking student is one who carries fewer than 12 credits per semester. During interterm, a student carrying a minimum of three credits is considered a full-time student.

Interrupted Enrollment and Readmission

Permit-to-Register Students

Permit-to-register students are not seeking a degree or credential, but are allowed to take courses during the semester. Undergraduate permit students may take no more than nine credits per semester. If they are admitted to a program a maximum of 27 credits may count towards the degree requirements. Permit-to-register students wishing to audit courses should refer to “course audit” for policies and deadlines.

Classroom Behavior

Faculty Rights and Procedures Concerning Student Classroom Behavior

Faculty members are responsible for ensuring an effective learning environment for all students in their classes, which encourages active student participation, including the right to raise questions and challenge information. Hence, faculty members also have the responsibility and authority to maintain appropriate student behavior. Classes are defined as including laboratories, internships, field placements or any settings that can be designated as a learning environment, such as travel studies and field trips.

Consequently, if a student is considered to be threatening or disruptive in the classroom, behaves in a way that interferes with the learning of other students or refuses to fulfill the academic requirements of the course, the faculty member has the right to have the student who demonstrates such behavior removed from the class, either by administrative withdrawal or by making arrangements for the student to complete the requirements in absentia.

The faculty member should immediately report the matter to the appropriate dean and department chair. The faculty member may also request the assistance of the dean of students to provide advice or to mediate the dispute.

A student who wishes to appeal the decision of the faculty member, must submit the appeal in writing to the relevant academic dean within five working days of the decision. The dean will then conduct an investigation and respond to the student with a written decision within five working days. If, during the appeal, the dean determines that the faculty member is possibly at fault, the dean may address the situation directly with the faculty member or may refer the matter to the provost for disposition. If the student is dissatisfied with this outcome, he or she may submit a written appeal to the provost, whose decision in these matters is final and binding. During this period of appeal, the student may not return to class. Even if the student’s appeal is successful, the student may not return to the class unless the faculty member has specifically agreed to this. If the provost upholds the earlier decision, the student may still be subject to the student conduct system for further conduct review at the discretion of the dean of students.

Course Information

Course Numbering System

Courses are numbered as follows:

001-099 Remedial courses and courses not appropriate for college degree credit but designed to meet specific needs of individuals or groups where degree credit is not required. Remedial courses are noncredit courses.

100-299 Lower-division courses of first-year and sophomore level; first-year level 100-199 and sophomore level 200-299.

129, 229, 329, 429 These numbers indicate experimental coursework offered by a department. Experimental courses are designed to offer additional opportunities to explore areas and subjects of special interest and may be repeated for credit if course content is different. Course titles, prerequisites and credits may vary. Some courses require student lab fees. Specific course details will be listed in the course schedule.

194, 394 These numbers indicate coursework offered through the Chapman Study Abroad program. Courses have been approved for credit but do not equate to any regular Chapman courses.

199, 299, 399, 499 Individual study courses.

290, 490 Internship courses.

291, 491 Student-faculty research and creative activity courses.

300-399 Upper-division courses of junior and senior level that do not yield graduate credit. Sophomores may enroll provided they meet prerequisites and restrictions. First-year students are admitted with written consent of instructor and chair of department offering the course.

400-499 Upper-division courses of junior and senior level that yield graduate credit for graduate students. First-year students may not enroll.

500-699 Graduate courses for graduate students and seniors meeting specific guidelines.

682 Student-faculty research and creative activity courses.

700-799 Post-master’s and doctoral courses.

Individually Directed Courses

Individually directed courses cannot be audited.

Reading and Conference Courses
Reading and conference courses are offered only when absolutely necessary and when the course is not scheduled. The courses are not offered to resolve scheduling conflicts with other classes or work or to complete a schedule.

To enroll in reading and conference courses, students must complete a reading and conference form (available online and from the Office of the University Registrar) and obtain the signatures of the department chair of the course and course instructor. After receiving approval, the student must submit the form to the Office of the University Registrar. A minimum of five hours of instruction for each credit is required for reading and conference courses.

Individual Study and Research
Individual study and research is offered to students to research particular topics that are not provided for by regular curriculum offerings.

To enroll in individual study and research, students must complete the individual study and research form (available from the Office of the University Registrar) and obtain the signatures of the department chair of the course and course instructor. After receiving approval, the student must submit the form to the Office of the University Registrar. Students should spend 40 to 50 hours in instruction and research for each credit of individual study.

Student-Faculty Research and Creative Activity
Student-faculty independent research and creative activity is available to degree-seeking students only. Projects are normally extracurricular, meaning outside of a degree or minor program’s curriculum and requirements and outside of standard course structure. Student-faculty independent research and creative activity is not intended to replace a capstone in the major or to supply coverage for a gap in the curriculum/degree program.

To enroll in student-faculty research and creative activity, students must meet with a faculty mentor to discuss and prepare the proposal/contract. The faculty mentor submits the final proposal/contract approved by the chair/associate dean to the Center for Undergraduate Excellence by the published deadline posted on the Center for Undergraduate Excellence website. The Center for Undergraduate Excellence will review the proposed research and notify faculty and student and will submit approved projects to the Office of the University Registrar for enrollment.

Course Registration

Add/Drop

Students may add or drop courses during the add/drop period stated in the academic calendar (see “Academic Calendar ”) either via “my.chapman.edu” or in person at the Office of the University Registrar, depending upon course requirements or restrictions. Courses dropped during the add/drop period will not appear on the student’s academic transcript. Being placed by an instructor on the course roll does not constitute being officially registered for the course. Students officially register only through “my.chapman.edu” or at the Office of the University Registrar. After the add deadline, students may not attend courses without being officially enrolled in the course.

Students adding a course after the first week of the term must get the instructor’s approval signature in order to register for the course.

Administrative Drop

Students who do not attend the first class meeting of a course in which they are registered may be administratively dropped, unless they make arrangements with the instructor prior to the first day of class or the class is required per University-wide policy (e.g., MATH 98 or MATH 99 ). Students should contact the instructor if a possible error has been made regarding an administrative drop. Students should not assume that they will be administratively dropped for non-attendance from a class they do not wish to be enrolled in and should check their class schedule to ensure they are enrolled in the appropriate classes.

Course Audit

No credit is earned from audited classes. A notation of “AU” is assigned to audited classes and is not used in computing the GPA. Course requisites are enforced in the determination of registration eligibility for the course. Audit fees will be assessed. It is strongly recommended that students confer with their advisors prior to officially auditing a course.

No preregistration is allowed for courses taken as audit. Students must use the official registration form and obtain the instructor’s signature to register for a course as audit; the deadline for such a transaction is the same as the add/drop deadline for regular courses for all terms. Course requirements such as homework, exams and papers are not graded by the instructor for students who are auditing a course.

Not all courses are eligible to be audited.

Course Load

During regular semesters, students may enroll in a maximum of 18 credits. Enrollment in 18.5 credits up to 21 credits, including coursework concurrently enrolled in at other institutions, requires at least a 3.000 Chapman cumulative GPA and completion of a minimum of 15 credits of graded coursework at Chapman. A maximum of 21 credits during a regular semester may be taken, including coursework concurrently enrolled at other institutions. Additional tuition is charged for registration in more than 18 credits taken at Chapman.

Students may not be enrolled in more than 4 credits within the 4-week time period of Chapman’s interterm, with the following exceptions:

1) Students taking an interterm course at Chapman of up to 4 credits and are also enrolled in a course at another institution that begins during Chapman’s interterm period but takes place over a minimum of 8 weeks, or

2) Students enrolled only at another institution with a 4-5 week session in January that offers a single course with a credit value more than 4 credits allowed at Chapman.

Students may not petition this policy regarding interterm course load.

Note: Any coursework taken at another institution that places a student in an overload status and that is not reported may nullify standard transfer of credit policy. Always contact the Office of the University Registrar regarding concurrent course approval processes prior to enrolling in a course intended to transfer to Chapman.

Any student who is admitted provisionally or who is currently on Chapman academic probation with a Chapman cumulative GPA of less than 2.700 may enroll in no more than a total of 14 credits per semester at Chapman and concurrently at other institutions. Any student who is currently on Chapman academic probation with a Chapman cumulative GPA of 2.700 or higher may enroll in no more than a total of 16 credits per semester at Chapman and concurrently at other institutions.

Registering for Classes

Currently enrolled students and students returning from an interrupted enrollment are assigned registration times based upon their completed credits as of the last term of attendance at Chapman. Students may register on or after their assigned time via “my.chapman.edu” or at a later time in person at the Office of the University Registrar. Registration is not complete until all charges are paid or arrangements have been made in the Business Office.

New students and students returning to Chapman outside the interrupted enrollment limitations will be assigned registration appointments following appointments assigned to currently enrolled students.

Continuing undergraduate students are advised that enrollment is closed in summer during the time period of new first-year and transfer registration periods.

Registering for Graduate Courses as Undergraduate

Undergraduate students are allowed to enroll in 500- and 600-level courses according to the following guidelines:

• Students must get permission from the instructor of the course and the chair of the department where the course is offered. These signature approvals must be provided on the Undergraduate Request to Register for Graduate Course form which is available on the University Registrar’s forms page: www.chapman.edu/students/academic-resources/registrar/student-services/forms or at the Office of the University Registrar.
• Students may enroll in a maximum of 12 graduate credits, depending upon the student’s academic program.
• Undergraduate students must have a minimum 3.000 Chapman cumulative GPA and a minimum of 90 credits that are completed or will be completed prior to the start of the graduate course.
• Students taking the coursework for undergraduate credit, at the time of registration, must inform the Office of the University Registrar that they are taking graduate courses for undergraduate credit; courses will be so designated, will be placed on the student’s undergraduate academic record and will count only toward the undergraduate degree.
• Students in an accelerated undergraduate/graduate program should consult the guidelines for the program for any special conditions on enrollment into a graduate course that is part of the accelerated program.

Course Changes (Add/Drop, Withdrawal)

Students who officially withdraw from a course between the third and the tenth week of a regular term (see “Academic Calendar ” for interterm and summer deadlines) will receive a non-punitive notation of “W” on their transcripts, indicating the withdrawal.

Students cannot withdraw from a course after the tenth week of a regular semester. (See “Academic Calendar ” for interterm and summer deadlines.) It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw officially from a course or all courses.

Failure to attend a course does not constitute a withdrawal. Students who stop attending courses without officially withdrawing will receive a grade of “FW” (failure to withdraw), which is calculated as an “F” grade.

Grading Policies

Challenging a Grade

Professors, as experts in their fields, have the final authority in assigning student grades except for cases involving clear evidence of capricious grading or failure to follow the professional standards of the discipline.

Faculty members may change final grades after submission to the Office of the University Registrar only for clerical error. Furthermore, additional work may not be assigned to enable the student to receive a higher grade.

However, a student who believes he or she has received a grade based on capricious or unprofessional grading on the part of the professor and wishes to challenge the grade received in a class must follow the procedure below:

1. Request from the professor an explanation of the grade and for possible reconsideration of the grade. As a professional scholar and educator, the professor must be able to explain the grading criteria, how the criteria meet the standards of the discipline and how the individual student’s grade derives from these criteria. This request must be made within two weeks of the issuance of the grade.
2. If, after consulting with the instructor, the grade dispute is not resolved or if the student has made a good faith effort to contact the professor and has received no response, the student may appeal directly to the department chair/head of the academic unit in which the course was offered (or the associate dean if there is no department chair). The student needs to provide documentation of attempts to contact the chair in writing a reason why the decision of the faculty is capricious or unprofessional, relating to the reasons given for the grade by the professor. The department chair may deny the student petition, confer committee to review the grade or refer the petition to the dean’s office of the school or college of the department. This appeal must be filed by the student within four weeks of the issuance of the grade.
3. If the student wishes to appeal the action taken at the departmental level, the student may further appeal the decision directly to the dean’s office. The student must submit a written request, within two weeks of the issuance of the chair’s decision, directly to the dean’s office with documentation from the interactions with the professor and the chair/unit head/associate dean. The dean’s office will make the final decision on the petition at the college level.

After the dean’s office notifies the student of its decision, the student has two weeks to request a review by the Office of the Provost. The student may not appeal the college-level position only in order to receive a different opinion based on information that has already been reviewed at the college level. An appeal to the provost’s office will only be considered if there is compelling new evidence that was not previously available or if there is substantive evidence that the grade challenge process was not followed in accordance with the grade challenge policy. This appeal is sent to the Office of the University Registrar, who will forward it to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education for review.

Changes in grades can occur only through the petition process initiated by individual students.

Changing a Grade

Faculty members may change final grades after submission to the Office of University Registrar only for clerical error. Furthermore, additional work may not be assigned to enable the student to receive a higher grade.

Courses Repeated for Higher Grades

Most undergraduate-level courses numbered 100-499 at Chapman may be repeated to improve the grade. The lower grade remains on the record with a notation that the course has been repeated. Only the higher grade and credit are computed in the GPA, “P” grades will be calculated as described in the “Pass/No Pass” section and will be considered the higher grade only in cases where the original grade was “C-” or below. “NP” grades will never be considered as the higher grade and the original grade will remain in effect. Credit is given only once for a repeated course, except as noted in the course description. It is recommended that a course be repeated as soon as practical if it is to be taken for a higher grade. In exercising this option, an undergraduate student must repeat the course at Chapman University. Repeats will be assessed after grades are posted.

Grades earned at Chapman remain counted in the student’s GPA if the coursework is repeated at another institution.

Grade Points

Grades and corresponding grade points follow:

Incomplete Grades

The grade of Incomplete may be assigned by an instructor if a student, through circumstances beyond their control, has not completed a small portion of a course by the conclusion of the term. The student must request the grade of Incomplete and must propose a date acceptable to the faculty member by which the missing work will be completed. A grade of Incomplete may not be assigned to give a student a chance to do more work to improve a grade. A grade of Incomplete may also be assigned by an instructor if academic integrity is in question at the time grades are due and the instructor requires more time to resolve the issue.

The deadline for removal of an Incomplete is one year from the first day of the term in which the Incomplete was recorded, unless a shorter period of time is specified by the instructor. In certain circumstances in which the student must attend the class to fulfill the remaining requirements and when the course is not offered every semester/trimester, at the instructor’s discretion, the deadline for removal of the Incomplete will be one year from the end of the term in which the Incomplete was recorded. The deadline determined by the faculty member must be specified at the time of original submission of the incomplete grade.

When issuing an Incomplete grade, instructors may issue the grade the student would have earned by assessing scores on all graded requirements. This grade is determined by including all zero points for all missing assignments in the calculation of the final grade. If the agreed upon remaining coursework is not completed in the period allotted, the assessed grade will become the grade of record.

If the instructor determines that the student would receive an “F” grade based upon the zero point calculation, then an “I” grade is entered as the final grade, with zero credit given and zero points calculated. “I” grades will become “F” or “NP” if the agreed upon coursework is not completed in the period allotted.

Pass/No Pass

Undergraduates may take up to six semester credits per academic year (considered Fall through end of Summer semesters) on a Pass/No Pass basis, excluding courses offered only on a Pass/No Pass basis. Students should consult with the department chair regarding the choice of “P/NP” grading for courses in the major. Some courses require letter grades only and other courses allow only Pass/No Pass as the grading option. Courses that are only Pass/No Pass are noted in the course descriptions.

After initial registration in a course, in order to change the grading basis (e.g., to “P/NP”) students must submit a registration form to the Office of the University Registrar by the end of the fifth week for fall and spring semesters. (See Academic Calendar for corresponding dates for interterm and summer semesters.) Changes in grading basis cannot be done via “my.chapman.edu”. Once a course is graded, students cannot request a change in grading option.

A student who satisfactorily completes a “P/NP” course will receive a “P” grade. Credit will be granted. However no grade points are assigned and it is not computed in the GPA. “P” grades are equivalent to a “C-” grade or higher.

A grade of “NP” (no pass) will be assigned when the requirements for credit in the course have not been satisfied at the level of “C-” or higher. “NP” grades are given for “D+” and below. No credit is granted, no grade points are assigned and the “NP” is not computed in the GPA.

Transfer and Cumulative GPA Calculation

• All transferable credit attempted is calculated into the transfer and cumulative GPAs. This includes courses not meeting the minimum “C-” grade for transfer.
• When a course is repeated in transfer from one or more transfer institutions, the credit and grade for the course with the higher grade is counted in the transfer and cumulative GPAs.
• When a course is repeated between Chapman and a transfer institution, only credit for one course will apply and both grades are calculated into the cumulative GPA.

Probation and Dismissal

Academic Probation

Any student whose term or Chapman cumulative GPA drops below 2.000 will be placed on academic probation.

• Students on academic probation may enroll in no more than 14 semester credits each term they are on probation, if their Chapman cumulative GPA is less than 2.700.
• Students on academic probation may enroll in no more than 16 semester credits if their Chapman cumulative GPA is 2.700 or higher.
• In addition, students on academic probation will be expected to consult with the Academic Advising Center for guidance and assistance regarding methods of improving their academic status. Optimally, such consultation should occur no later than two weeks into the semester in which the student has been placed on probation.

Academic Dismissal

A student is subject to academic dismissal from the University if

• the student’s Chapman cumulative GPA remains below 2.000 for two consecutive semesters or
• the student’s Chapman term GPA falls below 2.000 for two consecutive semesters and their cumulative GPA falls below 2.700.

Students who wish to appeal an academic dismissal must demonstrate both extraordinary circumstances explaining the unsatisfactory academic performance and a likelihood of success if allowed to continue at Chapman.

Dismissed students who seek to return must demonstrate a substantial likelihood of success if allowed to return. Such likelihood of success may be demonstrated in part by successfully completing at another regionally accredited institution a minimum of 12 letter-graded transferable credits in one term with a term GPA of at least 2.400, with no grade lower than a “C.” Verification of this information through an official transcript must accompany the petition for reinstatement. Prior to beginning coursework elsewhere, it is recommended that students contact the Academic Advising Center to review the coursework they plan on taking outside Chapman University to ensure the courses fulfill the requirements set forth by Chapman. In accordance with the University’s graduation requirements not all credits may be accepted in transfer upon a student’s return.

Students who have been awarded financial aid or Veterans Administration benefits for the coming semester are advised that academic dismissal carries with it the cancellation of any financial aid or benefits. Students who are reinstated may be reconsidered for financial aid at that time. However, reinstatement does not necessarily mean that financial aid will be available for that semester or any future semester.

Students seeking to return within two years of dismissal must submit their requests to be reinstated to the Student Standards Committee via the Office of the University Registrar; students seeking to return after more than two years from the time of dismissal must reapply for admission via the Office of Admission. All students who return after academic dismissal will be placed in a probation status. Reinstated students may enroll in no more than 14 semester credits and are required to earn a term GPA of at least 2.400 or achieve a Chapman cumulative GPA of at least 2.000. Any student who fails to achieve a Chapman cumulative GPA of at least 2.000 will remain in probation status. Any reinstated student who remains on probation after two semesters will be subject to permanent dismissal.

Permanent Dismissal

Once a student is permanently dismissed by the Student Standards Committee, the only appeal available is to the Office of the Provost.

Transfer Credit and Credit by Examination Policies

Credit by Examination

Chapman recognizes the need for educational flexibility and opportunity. The University accepts the use of national standardized and recognized testing instruments to measure knowledge acquired outside the classroom. Credit will be given only for exams that meet Chapman standards. Regarding AP, IB, CLEP and DSST examinations and acceptable minimum scores for approved exams, score requirements and credit granted, see the Office of the University Registrar website under www.chapman.edu/students/academic-resources/registrar/student-services/transfer-credit-and-articulation.

Advanced Placement (AP)
Credit is awarded for approved AP exams that meet the minimum score requirements. Students must submit an official AP score report to Chapman University for credit consideration.

International Baccalaureate (IB)
Credit is awarded for approved IB exams that meet the minimum score and diploma requirements. Students must submit an official IB score report or diploma transcript to Chapman University for credit consideration.

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) and DANTES Subject Standardized Test (DSST)
Credit is awarded for approved CLEP or DSST examinations and may apply toward General Education requirements. Students seeking to fulfill major requirements must have preapproval from the department chair. Elective credit only will be awarded for CLEP general exams. Please refer to the “Regulations Governing Credit by Examination” section of the catalog for additional policies related to earning credit by exam.

Chapman awards credit to students whose score meets the established minimum for approved CLEP and DANTES Subject Examinations. For more information, contact the Office of the University Registrar. Only elective credit will be awarded for CLEP general exams.

Brigham Young University’s Foreign Language Achievement Testing Service (BYU FLATS)
Brigham Young University’s Foreign Language Achievement Testing Service (BYU FLATS) is accepted by Chapman to demonstrate foreign language proficiency. Students wishing to waive out of the Language Study requirement may do so with a passing score at the 201 level of the BYU FLATS. No credit is awarded. Proctoring for these exams is not available at Chapman University. For more information and to find a testing location, please contact BYU FLATS directly.

Regulations Governing Credit by Examination

• When credit through examination is awarded, it is not included in the GPA.
• After matriculation, students may take each exam only once. If they do not receive passing scores, they will be required to complete the necessary coursework.
• Students must be currently enrolled and matriculated at Chapman to take institutional challenge examinations.
• Students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisers concerning the degree applicability of the test prior to registering for it.
• Credit by examination will not be awarded when equivalent coursework has been attempted.
• Credit will not be granted for specific examinations for a course or subject area in which the student has received instruction in a college or university or in a foreign language that is native to the student.
• A maximum of 32 credits may be earned via passing courses by examination.
• Credit by examination cannot be awarded for lower-division introductory courses after students have completed more advanced courses in the same area.
• Chapman does not provide supervised testing outside of its own math and language placement examinations. Contact the Office of Academic Advising www.chapman.edu/students/academic-resources/advising for further information.
• Chapman does not recognize other institutions’ credit by exam, proficiency or challenge exams. Only nationally recognized exams approved by Undergraduate Academic Council are accepted.

Chapman Departmental Examinations
Subject matter examinations developed by academic departments at Chapman to measure achievement in specific areas are available for some courses through the online testing. Information is provided by the Office of Academic Advising www.chapman.edu/students/academic-resources/advising or the department offering the tests. Proficiency in subject matter can be used to meet prerequisites or waive specific course requirements. No credit is awarded.

General Transfer Credit Policy

• Only credit from regionally accredited institutions is evaluated for transferability.
• Credit is only given for baccalaureate courses.
• Credit is not given for preparatory-level, technical, vocational, professional and work experience/co-op credit. For further information on courses not accepted for credit see “Limitation of Credit ” in the Undergraduate Degree Requirements section of this catalog.
• A total of not more than 15 credits of baccalaureate-level correspondence, extension or continuing education courses may be accepted. Of these 15 credits, no more than six credits may apply toward general education credit and no more than six credits may apply toward the major. General education courses must be approved by the Office of the University Registrar and major courses must be approved by the department chair.
• Minimum grade of “C-” is required for transfer credit.
• A maximum of 70 semester credits of community college credit will be applied toward the bachelor’s degree. (See “Limitation of Credit ” in the Undergraduate Degree Requirements section of the catalog.)
• No limit is placed on the number of transferable credits from regionally accredited four-year colleges or universities prior to matriculation. A student however, must meet all the credit, grade and residence requirements as stated in the “Undergraduate Degree Requirements” section.
• No internship or practicum credit is accepted in transfer.
• Independent study and special topics credit in transfer is not automatically accepted. Materials detailing the content studied may be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar for credit consideration.
• Credit will not be granted for coursework that duplicates other courses successfully completed, unless specifically allowed by the institutions involved.
• California State University (CSU) transferability does not guarantee that courses taken will transfer to Chapman.
• A student is allowed to transfer a Massively Open Online Course (MOOC) if the institution sponsoring the MOOC grants institutional academic credit to any student for successful completion of the MOOC.
• For additional information, refer to “Graduation Requirements ” in the Undergraduate Degree Requirements section of the catalog.

General Education (GE) Block Transfer

Completion of the full California State University GE Breadth certification or University of California Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (UC IGETC) certification or an ADT degree from a California community college or equivalent GE transfer degree or certification from an out-of-state community college prior to matriculation satisfies all GE areas, except the following:

• 2 upper division Inter/Multidisciplinary Cluster (Themed Inquiry) courses (6 credits)
• Language requirement

General Education (GE) Block Transfer from CSU or UC System schools only

Transfer credit is evaluated on a course-by-course basis for general education requirements. Based on total transferable credits, excluding AP, IB, A-Level and dual credit, students transferring to Chapman with 60+ credits prior to matriculation will satisfy the following GE areas:

• First-year Foundations.
• Two lower-division Inter/Multidisciplinary Cluster (Themed Inquiry) courses (6 credits).

Students transferring to Chapman with 30 to 59 credits, excluding AP, IB A-Level and dual credit, prior to matriculation will satisfy the following GE areas:

• First-year Foundations
• One lower-division Inter/Multidisciplinary Cluster (Themed Inquiry) course (3 credits).

The First-Year Foundations Course (FFC) requirement is waived for students who have transferred in 24 or more credits from another institution of higher education prior to matriculation. Dual credit (AP, IB, A-Level or college-level coursework) completed while in high school is not included; the 24 transferable credits must follow the completion of secondary school.

Students who have attended a four-year institution prior to matriculation, and who have taken a first-year seminar course for a minimum of 3 credits that is focused on critical thinking, may petition to have this course evaluated to substitute for the FFC requirement. A syllabus of the prior course must be provided.

International Transfer Credit

Chapman University considers for transfer academic credit earned at international institutions that are fully accredited degree-granting institutions recognized by their country’s Ministry of Education. Only courses that meet general transfer credit policy will be accepted. Evaluation of credit is done at the time of admission based on official transcripts.

English Language Courses: Credit is not awarded for coursework in English language instruction abroad.

General Certificate of Education (GCE) A-level credit: Chapman recognizes the British A-Level curriculum as lower-division degree-applicable credit. Two semesters’ worth of credit is awarded per subject for grades “D” and higher and one semester of credit for AS-Advanced Subsidiary. No credit is granted for any grades below a “D” (equivalent to “C” in the United States).

Students must provide their original A-level certificates to have their scores evaluated for credit. Provisional certificates or “statement of provisional results” are not accepted to award credit but may be submitted for unofficial evaluation to determine placement or prerequisites if official certificates are not available prior to the start of the first semester at Chapman. Exam descriptions are required for course equivalency designation.

Military Credit

Military students are awarded 6 credits for a minimum of one year of United States military service terminated under honorable conditions. A certified copy of a DD-214 or DD-295 is required. Additional transfer credit may be awarded under the following conditions:

• Submission of official Joint Services Transcripts (JST) utilizing ACE guidelines.
• Only military training and experience with a credit recommendation at the lower-division or upper-division baccalaureate degree category is eligible for consideration.
• Written endorsement from Chapman faculty in the discipline area the credit/experience falls under must be submitted with transfer credit petition.
• Final approval granted by the Undergraduate Academic Council.

Transfer and Cumulative GPA Calculation

• All transferable credit attempted is calculated into the transfer and cumulative GPAs. This includes courses not meeting the minimum “C-” grade for transfer.
• When a course is repeated in transfer from one or more transfer institutions, the credit and grade for the course with the higher grade is counted in the transfer and cumulative GPAs.
• When a course is repeated between Chapman and a transfer institution, only credit for one course will apply and both grades are calculated into the cumulative GPA.

Transfer of Credit from Study Abroad Programs Not Affiliated with Chapman University

All study abroad credit taken independently will be considered transfer credit and is subject to the transfer policy described in the current catalog. Students who decide to study abroad during the semester or summer without enrolling in one of Chapman University’s study-abroad programs should be sure to read the information posted on the Office of the University Registrar’s website regarding transfer of credit. Interested students are required to submit forms and information to the Center for Global Education, to the Office of the University Registrar, to the Dean of Students Office and to other campus offices according to the terms outlined by the program. Student applicants must provide the name of the intended university program and the location of the study abroad site and must have courses reviewed for transfer before departure. Depending on previously transferred credits, academic program, completed credits, class level and catalog year, students may not be eligible to earn additional credit in transfer.

International internship credit and independent study credit as part of an independent study abroad program will not be accepted in transfer. Transcripts from overseas institutions and programs must be in English with accompanying credit and grade conversions. If the transcript is in a foreign language, the independent study abroad participant will be responsible for paying a translation-service fee. Students who select programs that are not affiliated with Chapman are subject to a reduction of advising and transfer resources when compared to Chapman supported programs.

Preapproval and Reevaluation of Transfer Credit

Students requesting preapproval or reevaluation of transfer credit should refer to the Office of the University Registrar Web page. Detailed information regarding transfer credit policies and procedures is available under www.chapman.edu/students/academic-resources/registrar/student-services/transfer-credit-and-articulation.

Academic Petition Process

Academic Petitions

Chapman University is sensitive to the educational advantages of a flexible curriculum but is also conscious of a responsibility to ensure equity for all students. Permission to deviate from published regulations is neither automatic nor done as a formality; each request is considered on its own merits and in light of the petitioner’s complete academic record. Internal guidelines have been established to help committee members with their deliberations on individual cases. These guidelines are not intended in any way to discourage or encourage someone to seek exception to University regulations, nor should it be inferred that these guidelines mean automatic approval of a petition request.

The Undergraduate Academic Council is responsible for creating academic policies and procedures within the University. A student’s petition to deviate from general University policies is submitted to the Office of the University Registrar via an Undergraduate General Petition form. These forms may be secured online at www.chapman.edu/students/academic-resources/registrar/student-services/forms or at the Office of the University Registrar. Initial petition review is by the Student Standards Petitions sub-committee. Petitions requiring further review are sent to the appropriate review authority, as follows:

Student Standards Committee:

• Adding or dropping courses after enrollment deadlines.
• Changing the grading option after the specified deadline.
• Overload of credit.
• Late withdrawal of courses not related to a medical reason, family emergency or military/occupational relocation (done via dean of students).
• Other miscellaneous petitions.

Undergraduate Academic Council:

• Limitation or acceptance of credits.
• Self-designed majors.
• Other degree-related issues.

General Education Committee:

• General Education requirements.
• Self-designed minors.

The decisions on petitions/requests made by the above units are recorded in the student’s record. Please note that a fee may be assessed for certain petition types.

The following policies may not be petitioned by students:

• A student may not petition to graduate with less than 120 credits, which are the minimum number of credits required for graduation.
• A student may not petition to graduate with less than a 2.000 GPA which is the minimum Chapman GPA and cumulative GPA (including non-Chapman credits) required for graduation.
• A student may not petition to have the non-punitive W mark for a late course withdrawal removed from his/her transcript.
• A student may not petition for an overload beyond 4 credits for the interterm semester. (See “Course Load” under Course Registration)

Appeals Process

Students may appeal a decision of the Undergraduate Academic Council, General Education Committee or Student Standards Committee by providing documented evidence demonstrating one or both of the following grounds for appeal:

• Procedural error made by the presiding council or committee.
• Additional evidence that could serve as cause for further review.

Students who wish to appeal a decision of the Undergraduate Academic Council, General Education Committee or Student Standards Committee must submit a written appeal within 10 working days of the date they are notified of the decision of the presiding council or committee. The written appeal must include the following:

• A signed cover statement presenting the reasons for the appeal with specific reference to one or both of the grounds for appeal described above.
• Documentation, including a copy of the original petition and all materials submitted to the presiding council or committee.
• A copy of the written decision of the presiding council or committee.

The appeal and accompanying documents submitted to the Office of the University Registrar will be forwarded to the Office of the Provost and will not be returned to the student.

Students submitting appeals may request to meet with the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education to discuss their appeals. This meeting should normally occur within five working days of submission of the materials described above. The Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education will consult with the presiding council or committee in reviewing the appeal.

Students will be notified of the decision of the Office of the Provost in writing. The decision of the Office of the Provost on the student academic appeals is final and there is no additional process of appeal.

Graduation Policies

Application for Degree Conferral

Although a student may have completed all requirements, graduation is not automatic. Every degree candidate is required to submit the online Application for Degree Conferral with the Office of the University Registrar. Students can apply for degree conferral after they have completed 90 credits. This does not include in-progress coursework. If the student should fail to complete requirements by the intended graduation date, the student must immediately request a future graduation date. If a student fails to complete requirements and has not requested the application be moved to a future date, the application shall become void and the student must refile when anticipating degree completion.

Submission of the application is done online via “my.chapman.edu”. For information and application deadlines, refer to the Chapman University website. All degree requirements must be completed by the last day of the month in which the degree is to be conferred. Work completed at external institutions must be received on or before the conferral date in order to be considered in meeting degree requirements.

Commencement

Formal University commencement ceremonies are held annually in May. To participate in ceremonies, students must RSVP online. To be eligible, at the time of the participation form deadline, students must have filed the online Application for Degree Conferral. For further event information visit chapman.edu/commencement. Information and deadlines are available at www.chapman.edu/students/academic-resources/graduation/deadlines.

Release of Transcripts and Diplomas

No transcripts or diplomas are released to any student who has an unpaid balance to Chapman University or to any Chapman sponsored agency or who has not completed the required Financial Aid exit interview.

Diplomas are mailed out approximately three weeks after the date of conferral of the degree. Under no circumstances will a diploma be released prior to the conferral date.

Unless otherwise allowed by Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations, all official transcripts are issued only with written permission of the student. Information on requesting official transcripts is available at www.chapman.edu/transcript. Unofficial transcripts are available only via “my.chapman.edu”.

Student Responsibility

It is the responsibility of each graduating student to refer to the program evaluation in “my.chapman.edu” to check which requirements have been completed and which requirements still need to be completed. A student may not shift this responsibility to an adviser or to the staff of the Office of the University Registrar. It is recommended that students check their program evaluation regularly. Checking the program evaluation after registration will ensure that the courses for which the student has just registered meet the needed requirements for graduation. Questions should always be referred to the Office of the University Registrar.

Academic Honors

Cheverton Trophy
A gift of the class of 1929, the Cheverton Trophy displays the name of the graduating senior who has earned at Chapman at least 48 credits, has a cumulative GPA of at least 3.750, has made outstanding contributions to student activities, exhibits leadership skills and best represents the spirit of Chapman. The trophy remains on permanent display at the University.

Departmental Honors
Students who achieve outstanding performance in their major are eligible for consideration for departmental honors. Inquire at your department about the particular requirements.

Graduating with Honors
A student with superior academic achievement throughout their University career may be graduated with University honors. To be eligible for honors, the student must have a Chapman GPA and cumulative GPA, including all transfer work, at or above the specific honors criterion. A minimum of 54 credits must be Chapman coursework and taken for letter grades. Categories of honors are cum laude (3.500 GPA), magna cum laude (3.700 GPA) and summa cum laude (3.900 GPA). Continuing education courses will not be counted for residence credit. For notation of honors at the May commencement ceremony, a student must have all degree requirements completed or pending for May conferral date, including a minimum of 54 letter-graded Chapman credits.

Provost List
Published at the end of each semester, the Provost List includes the names of all full-time students who maintain a 3.600 GPA or higher in at least 12 credits of residence coursework taken for a letter grade. This excludes continuing education and courses by examination. Assigned Incompletes must have grades recorded within 30 days after the end of the semester to be considered for the Provost List.

Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa recognizes and honors exceptional academic achievement in the arts and sciences. It is a mark of outstanding personal achievement and an honor conferred upon fewer than ten percent of each graduating class. Students do not apply for membership. They are selected during the spring semester each year by the Phi Beta Kappa chapter as a whole, after a careful review of the academic records of each eligible candidate. More information can be found at the Chapman Psi Chapter of California at Chapman University web page at www.chapman.edu/academics/pbk/.

University Honors Program
See the “General Information ” section of the catalog.

Military and Veteran Student Services

Chapman University provides assistance to active military, veterans and their dependents who are admitted to Chapman and may be eligible for various educational benefits. Information for applying and using these benefits may be obtained by contacting the Veterans Resource Center Director located at the Veterans Resource Center at 526 N. Shaffer, Orange. Military/VA students must complete the VA Student Responsibility form before registering for their first term and submit it online to va@chapman.edu. Students must also submit the VA Certification Request form prior to each term they are attending in order to be certified to receive VA benefits. Additional information regarding VA benefits can be viewed from the Chapman University Military website www.chapman.edu/students/services/veterans-resource-center/ or from www.va.gov.

Academic Integrity Policy

Principle

Chapman University is a community of scholars that emphasizes the mutual responsibility of all members to seek knowledge honestly and in good faith. Students are responsible for doing their own work, and academic dishonesty of any kind will be subject to sanction by the instructor/administrator and referral to the University’s Academic Integrity Committee, which may impose additional sanctions up to and including expulsion.

This section of the website represents the Academic Integrity Policy of Chapman University as it pertains to students and to the responsibility of faculty in handling cases of alleged academic dishonesty, including research integrity.

Authority

The Academic Integrity Committee (AIC) is charged by the Faculty Senate under the Faculty Constitution and bylaws to be responsible for defining academic integrity and establishing policies and procedures for investigating, hearing and sanctioning alleged violations of academic integrity. The committee shall also make investigations and determinations of alleged violations of academic integrity policies and invoke the appropriate sanction as stipulated by Chapman University’s policies on academic integrity. The committee includes:

1. Faculty membership: The committee shall include at least three faculty members from diverse disciplines, one of whom must teach in graduate programs, plus the chair (at least four faculty total). All faculty members serve two-year, staggered terms.
2. Chair: The chair shall be elected from among the second year/returning faculty members.
3. Ex-officio members: The Dean of Students or their designee shall serve as an ex-officio, non-voting member.
4. Student members: One undergraduate student appointed by the Student Government Association and one graduate student appointed by the Graduate Student Council, shall serve on the committee.
5. Voting privileges: Faculty and student members serve as voting members of the committee.

Academic Integrity Violations

Academic dishonesty can take a number of forms including, but not limited to the following:

Cheating: Using or attempting to use unauthorized assistance, information or study aids in any academic exercise.

• Copying answers from or looking at another student’s exam.
• Accessing or possessing any material not expressly permitted during an exam, such as crib sheets, notes, books.
• Using electronic devices such as cell phones, digital cameras, PDA’s, data storage devices, computers, internet or other electronic devices unless expressly permitted by the instructor for the required coursework.
• Continuing to write after a timed exam has ended.
• Taking the exam from the room and later claiming the instructor lost it.
• Fraudulent possession of a test prior to exam date.
• Submission of the same term paper or other work to more than one instructor, where no prior approval has been given.
• Submission of purchased term papers or projects done by others.

Fabrication: The falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.

• Changing answers after an exam has been returned.
• Falsifying/omitting data and/or sources, otherwise violating the ethical principles of research.

Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: Knowingly helping or attempting to help another to violate any provision of this policy.

• Allowing another student to copy one’s work.
• Having another person take an exam or complete an assignment for oneself.
• Taking an exam or completing an assignment for another student.

Plagiarism: Representing the words, research findings or ideas of another person as your own in any academic exercise. [At their discretion, faculty may submit student work to plagiarism-detection software, such as Turnitin for review without prior notice to students.]

• Copying word for word without proper attribution.
• Paraphrasing without proper attribution.
• Using phrases from another source embedded into original material without proper attribution.
• Copying of intellectual property without proper attribution.

Misrepresentation of Academic Records: Misrepresenting, tampering with or attempting to tamper with any university academic document, either before or after coming to Chapman University.

• Creating or altering a Chapman University transcript, diploma, verification of enrollment or any other official university document (In this case the student(s) may also face prosecution for violation of Federal and State statutes).
• Submitting false records or other documents such as transcripts from another institution.
• Failure to report all previous academic work at the time of admission.
• Failure to report all academic work attempted at other institutions after admission to the university.
• Forgery, alteration or misuse of official academic documents (e.g., petition forms, advising forms, internship forms, etc.).

Other Violations:

• Violating professional ethics rules referenced or outlined in the honor codes or student handbooks of graduate or professional programs or colleges.
• Violating applicable health, safety or ethical requirements in lab(s) or experiential clinical assignments.
• Failing to observe rules of academic integrity established by a faculty member for a particular course.

Academic Integrity in Research

Chapman University students are expected to adhere to standards of ethics and integrity in research and scholarship. Misconduct in research includes fabrication, falsification, plagiarism or other practices that deviate significantly from those that are commonly accepted within the scholarly, creative and scientific community for proposing, conducting or reviewing research or in reporting research results. Key examples of such misconduct are listed below:

Plagiarism:

• Taking credit for someone else’s work and ideas, stealing others’ results or methods, copying the writing of others without acknowledgment or otherwise taking credit falsely.
• Taking or releasing the data of others which were given in the expectation of confidentiality, e.g., appropriating ideas from submitted grant or contract proposals, or manuscripts for publication when one is a reviewer for granting agencies or journals.

Falsification of Data:

• Dishonesty in reporting results, ranging from fabrication of data, improper recording of data, negligence in collecting or analyzing data, to selective reporting or omission of conflicting data.

Dishonesty in Presentation and Publication:

• Knowingly presenting material or publishing articles that will mislead listeners or readers, e.g., misrepresenting data (particularly its originality).
• Adding the names of other authors without permission or authors who have not earned the credit.
• Citing unpublished papers without permission or including inadequate footnote or endnote attributions so that readers cannot tell who produced which data.
• Publishing the same material more than once without identification of prior publication.
• Serving as a coauthor of a research paper or article without reviewing the material to be published.

Violation of Regulations:

• Failure to adhere to safe research practices or to receive the approval required for work under research regulations of federal, state, local or university agencies.
• Failure to adhere to Chapman University Institutional Review Board research procedures.
• Misuse of research funds.

Unethical Research Practices:

• Failing to report episodes of misconduct or breaches of research ethics as set forth in this policy.

Legal Violations:

• Stealing or destroying the property of others (research, research papers, supplies, equipment or products).
• Misuse of research funds.

Academic Integrity Sanctions

Sanctions are determined by the instructor and/or the AIC. While sanctions may begin with a less severe action and then progress to more severe actions, the instructor and/or the AIC may initiate sanctions in any order, if in its opinion the circumstances so warrant. Nothing in the policy shall be construed to limit the right of the AIC to impose any form of discipline a student without a prior violation including suspension or expulsion. Generally, the order of recommended sanctions are as follows:

First violation: Instructor imposed sanction and a letter from the AIC. If the recommended sanction by the instructor (or the sanction imposed by the AIC which may be a warning, a recommendation for suspension or a recommendation for expulsion from the university) is an F grade for the course, the student cannot drop the course and the F grade cannot be eliminated by retaking the course.

Second (and subsequent) violations: Instructor imposed sanction, AIC sanction appropriate to the nature of the violation and a letter from the AIC. The AIC sanction may be a warning, a recommendation for suspension or a recommendation for expulsion from the University.

Possible Sanctions

The sanction given to a student is entirely up to the instructor/administrator based on the severity of the violation. The following are only examples of possible sanctions.

• Disciplinary warning.
• A make-up assignment that may be more difficult than the original assignment.
• No credit for the original assignment/exam.
• A failing grade on the assignment/exam.
• A reduced final grade for the course.
• A failing grade for the course.
• Denial of access to internships or research programs.

Additional Information on Sanctions

• If an alleged violation occurs at the Tutoring, Learning and Testing Center, the AIC will notify the faculty and student, leaving it up to the faculty to impose a sanction.
• A student cannot withdraw from a course before receiving the violation notification from the AIC. If a student withdraws prior to notification, the AIC may reinstate the student to the course.
• After the sanction has been determined, a student may withdraw from the class with the instructor’s permission, providing that the alleged violation occurred before the university deadline for withdrawing, and provided the sanction is not a failure for the course. Withdrawing from a class does not automatically remove the violation report.
• A grade of F received as a result of an academic integrity violation cannot be removed from the calculation of the GPA should the course in question be repeated.
• Any grade received as a result of a second academic integrity violation cannot be removed from the calculation of the GPA should the course in question be repeated.
• For students taking a course P/NP, the letter grade of an “F” can be given as the sanction for an academic integrity violation.
• The AIC sanction letter will be placed in the student’s file in the Office of the Provost along with the instructor’s report.
• A copy of the letter will also be sent to the Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students and the University Registrar.
• False statements made during the course of the process may result in additional sanction(s) and a referral to the Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students for a Student Conduct Code violation.

Interim Action

• The Provost or their designee involved may suspend the student from one or more classes, experiential clinics or labs for an interim period prior to resolution of the academic integrity proceeding if they believe that the information supporting the allegations of academic misconduct is reliable and determine that the continued presence of the student in classes or experiential assignments poses a significant threat to any person or property.
• The Provost or their designee must provide a written notice of the interim suspension to the student, with a copy to the Provost and the Dean of Students Office. The interim suspension will become effective immediately on the date of the written notice.
• A student who is suspended for an interim period may request a meeting with the Provost or their designee to review their decision and to respond to the allegations that they pose a threat, by making a written request to the Provost or their designee for a meeting. The Provost or their designee will schedule the meeting no later than five (5) days following receipt of the written request and decide whether the reasons for imposing the interim suspension are supported by the evidence.
• The interim suspension will remain in effect until a final decision has been made on the pending academic misconduct charges or until the Provost or their designee, determines that the reasons for imposing the interim suspension no longer exist or are not supported by the available evidence.

Important Guidelines for Faculty

1. Course outlines should include the academic integrity principle statement and refer students to the catalog for more information.
2. To encourage compliance with academic integrity standards, instructors shall make an effort to explain to students at the outset of a course or the start of an examination the behavior expected of them when taking examinations or when preparing and submitting other course work. Further, faculty should actively monitor examinations. Additionally, at the faculty’s discretion, the faculty may submit work to plagiarism detection software, such as Turnitin for review without prior notice to students.
3. In all cases of alleged violations of academic integrity, faculty members must maintain confidentiality and not disclose information beyond those individuals who had a need to know.
4. Faculty must collect accurate records of an academic integrity violation and submit those records to the AIC chair at the Office of the Provost.
5. Faculty should encourage students who have been accused of an academic integrity violation to contact the Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students or designee, who can serve as a resource.

Procedure for Faculty Charging a Student with a Violation

When a faculty member or member of the Tutoring, Learning and Testing Center staff has evidence of an alleged violation of the Academic Integrity Policy, the steps listed below should be followed:

1. Notify the student by Chapman e-mail and/or personal communication of the allegation within 10 calendar days.

2. Arrange a meeting with the student and course faculty member to be held as soon as possible, but at least within three (3) business days’ notice to the student. Any discussion of sanctions should be reserved for the meeting.

• If the student fails to attend a scheduled initial meeting with the faculty without a compelling excuse, the student will lose their opportunity to appeal the violation report and/or sanction to the AIC.
• An exception to meeting with the student may occur at the end of a semester when a student is no longer accessible for a meeting with the faculty member. In these cases, the faculty member should make every reasonable effort to contact the student by Chapman e-mail to discuss the matter. If reasonable attempts to contact the student fail, the instructor may resolve the issue by submitting an academic integrity violation report form, which the student has the right to later appeal to the AIC.
• Both faculty and student may invite witnesses with first-hand information to the meeting who can knowledgeably provide relevant information about the alleged infraction.

3. Request that a faculty designee of the AIC be present as an observer of the meeting at least 48 hours before the scheduled meeting time. Complete the online request form available on the academic integrity website. The AIC designee will:

• Ensure that the student knows where to find the Academic Integrity Policy and direct the student to the catalog.
• Inform the student that they have the right to appeal the violation report and/or sanction to the AIC based on the guidelines provided in the catalog for appealing a violation report and/or sanction to the AIC.
• Advise the instructor to submit the report of academic integrity violation, no later than 14 calendar days after the meeting.
• Observe, but not participate in deciding whether a violation has occurred or which sanction should be imposed.

4. Be familiar with the guidelines for sanctions to determine an appropriate sanction for the type of violation.

• A list of common instructor-imposed sanctions for various violations of academic integrity can be found in the academic integrity sanctions area.
• Instructors are encouraged to use these guidelines to ensure consistency and fairness in assessing student sanctions.

5. In the meeting, present the student with the allegation and all evidence in support of the charge against the student. The student should be given the opportunity to respond and, if they wish, to submit evidence refuting the allegation.

6. At the conclusion of the meeting, the faculty member determines if it is more likely than not that the student has violated the Academic Integrity Policy, and if so, the faculty member charges the student with a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy.

• If the student is found responsible, impose a suitable grade punishment. Examples of violations and common sanctions can be found above in this policy. Inform the student that they will receive a sanction letter from the AIC.
• If the faculty member needs more time to decide on the case, give the student a reasonable timeframe for a response. A grade of Incomplete may also be assigned by the instructor if academic integrity is in question at the time grades are due and the instructor or AIC require more time to resolve the issue. (See Academic Policies and Procedures in the catalog for more details on “Incomplete Grades.”)

7. After notifying the student of the sanction in writing by university e-mail, complete the academic integrity violation report form which can be found on the academic integrity website.

8. The completed academic integrity violation report form and other pertinent documents must be submitted as soon as possible, but not later than 14 calendar days after the meeting unless there are exceptional circumstances and an extension has been granted by the AIC chair.

9. The report/documents can be sent by the instructor to the AIC chair in the Office of the Provost. The form and documents may also be sent by e-mail to aic@chapman.edu. In most cases, submission of this form and documents will complete the academic integrity violation process for the faculty member.

10. The student will receive a letter of sanction from the AIC chair along with information for appealing the violation report and/or sanctions.

Important Guidelines for Students

1. Students should strictly avoid any appearance of academic dishonesty. This includes, but is not limited to: joking to others about cheating, permitting others to cheat off them, talking during examinations, plagiarizing, fabrication or falsification of information or forging documents. Students should keep their eyes on their own exams during examinations and protect their exams from the view of others.
2. Students should be aware and adhere to instructor guidelines for projects, papers and exam situations including use of appropriate citations. This includes the extent of independent and collaborative work allowed for an assignment. All electronic devices (cellular phones, tablets and computers) should be turned off and placed completely out of site during test situations, unless otherwise directed by the instructor.
3. Academic dishonesty can take a number of forms. Please see the academic integrity violations area for a number of examples.
4. Students who discover an apparent violation of this policy should report the matter to the instructor of record or if the instructor is not known or unavailable, to the Vice President of Student Affairs/Dean of Students.

Appealing to the Academic Integrity Committee

If the student accepts responsibility for the charge and the imposed sanction, then the matter is immediately resolved. If the allegation or founded violation represents a second violation of the Academic Integrity Policy, the AIC will review the case regardless of whether the student decides to appeal the violation report and/or sanction.

1. Any student who has received an AIC sanction letter is encouraged to schedule a meeting with the Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students or designee to discuss the situation prior to appealing the case.

2. If the student disagrees with the violation report, the sanction, and/or the prohibition to withdraw, the student can appeal any of the above to the AIC by writing an appeal letter addressed to the AIC chair. The appeal letter and any supporting documents can be sent via e-mail to aic@chapman.edu.

• Appeals must be made within 10 Chapman University business days from the date of the sanction letter.
• In exceptional circumstances, a student may request additional time to appeal the violation report and/or sanction by e-mailing aic@chapman.edu, addressed to the AIC chair and extensions are granted at the sole non-appealable discretion of the AIC chair.
• Requests for extensions must be made within ten (10) Chapman University business days of the date of the sanction letter.

3. Appeals are not granted automatically as they must be thoughtful, well-reasoned and substantive and must demonstrate that at least one of the following criteria exists:

• New evidence not available at the time of the meeting with the faculty member’s/administrator’s member has become available and is potentially sufficient to alter the faculty member’s/administrator’s decision.
• There was a substantive procedural error made in charging the student
• The sanction(s) imposed was not appropriate for the violation of Academic Integrity that occurred.
• The facts in the case were insufficient to establish that a violation of the policy occurred.

Appeals must also include pertinent evidence supporting one of the above criteria and names of witnesses the student requests be called who have first-hand information about the matter. New evidence will not be accepted at the hearing unless it can be demonstrated that it could not have been known or available to the student at the time of the appeal. Evidence submitted will be reviewed by the AIC chair and may be denied if cumulative or not probative of the disputed facts or to the determination of the case.

4. The AIC chair will notify the student via Chapman e-mail whether or not the AIC has determined that there are grounds to conduct a hearing. Should the AIC determine there are grounds to conduct a hearing, the AIC will notify the student of the hearing and where it will be held at least five (5) Chapman University business days in advance of the scheduled hearing date.

5. If the AIC decides to hear the student’s case, the following individuals will be invited to participate:

• The AIC chair and the AIC faculty members.
• The student representatives on the AIC.
• The Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students or their designee (ex-officio, non-voting).
• The student.
• Any other persons called by the AIC chair, including material witnesses (such as the faculty member) whom the student or the AIC members deem relevant to the case.
• The student may also invite one person to provide support (e.g., friend or family member). This support person may not speak for the student and this individual may not be an (practicing or non-practicing) attorney.
• A quorum is necessary for all AIC business. A quorum is defined as three (3) voting members of the AIC.

6. Should the student fail to appear at the hearing before the AIC, the AIC shall have full authority to proceed in the student’s absence. Any student that misses the scheduled hearing with the AIC forfeits the right to appeal the AIC’s decision to the Office of the Provost.

• If for any reason, the student needs to reschedule the hearing with the AIC, the committee needs to receive a 24 hours’ notice. Hearings will be rescheduled only for exceptional circumstances at the sole non-appealable discretion of the AIC chair.

7. At the start of the hearing, the student is invited to present their case. The student has the right to present relevant evidence supporting their claims that has been previously provided to the AIC in their appeal. The student should be brief, concise, and organized in presenting their case.

• The AIC chair may conclude the hearing at any time should the committee feel that the student is straying from the relevant facts of the case or reasons for the violation report and/or sanction to be vacated.
• Although the committee may ask the student to review briefly the events of the case, the student comments should focus primarily on specific reasons the violation report and/or sanction meet one of the above specified grounds for appeal.
• AIC members may ask the student questions about the case for clarification.
• The student and witnesses are expected to maintain proper decorum during the proceeding or risk being excused. If a student is excused, the hearing will continue in their absence.

8. After the student has presented the case and all questions have been addressed, the student and faculty member will be excused and the AIC will deliberate. Deliberation may result in the following:

• A decision to uphold, modify or overturn the initial sanction. The AIC reserves the right to modify or overturn the instructor’s sanction.
• A determination that additional information is needed. In this case, the decision is suspended until all necessary information has been obtained. In this case, the student will be notified as soon as possible, but within a few days, after the meeting.

9. After the AIC makes its decision, the chair will notify the student in writing and via Chapman e-mail. Decisions of the AIC are based on the standard of proof whether it is more likely than not that the student violated the Academic Integrity Policy of Chapman University.

Appealing to the Provost

If unsatisfied with the outcome of the AIC hearing to contest the violation report and/or sanction, the student may appeal the decision of the AIC to the Provost by e-mailing aic@chapman.edu within five (5) Chapman University business days of receiving the AIC decision letter. This period is known as “the appeal period.” A review will be conducted by the Provost or their designee.

In exceptional circumstances, a student may file a request to the Provost for an extension to the appeal period by e-mailing aic@chapman.edu. Requests for extensions must be made within the appeal period.

Appeals are not granted automatically as they must be thoughtful, well-reasoned and substantive and must demonstrate that at least one of the following criteria exists:

• New evidence not available at the time of the hearing has become available and is potentially sufficient to alter a decision.
• There was a substantive procedural error that may have prohibited the hearing from being conducted fairly in light of the violation report and/or sanction.
• The sanction(s) imposed was not appropriate for the violation of Academic Integrity that occurred.
• The facts in the case were insufficient to establish that a violation of the policy occurred.

Upon appeal, the Provost or their designee shall review the faculty member’s decision, sanctions and supporting evidence, and any evidence provided by the student, and may confer with the faculty member and the student. The Provost or their designee shall have the authority to uphold, modify, or overturn the AIC’s decision and sanctions.

The Provost or their designee shall notify the student, the faculty member and the Dean of Students in writing of their decision. The Provost or their designee’s decision is final on all Academic Integrity Policy violation cases. No further review or consideration will be granted following this decision.