AMC

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Campus Policies

Student Resource Center/EOP College of Arts, Media, and Communication 

Reference Sheet of Important Campus Policies 

Student Conduct Code

As a preface to enumerating these policies, the CSUN catalog states:

“The personal behavior and ethical conduct of each student at California State University, Northridge impacts, positively or negatively, on the climate and reputation of the entire institution. Thus it is imperative that each student act at all times with integrity and with respect towards all members of the campus community. The University assumes that all students will conduct themselves as mature, responsible, and law-abiding citizens who will comply with University policies and regulations.” Students and applicants for admission who do not abide by the policies on conduct are subject to discipline as provided by the Educational Code. This discipline could include any of the following: expulsion, suspension, administrative probation, or a lesser sanction as dictated by campus authority. Whenever it appears that there has been a Student Conduct Code violation, a complaint will be filed with the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs for investigation. The office of the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. William Watkins, is located in University Hall 310, (818) 677-2391.

Academic Dishonesty

In order to preserve the integrity and quality of the educational process, students must adhere to a level of honesty that prohibits them from participating in any form of academic dishonesty, such as cheating, fabrication of information, or plagiarism. It is the responsibility of the faculty to evaluate student performance and to ‘make reasonable efforts to guarantee that work is done by the student who is to receive credit for its completion’. If a faculty member determines that a student has in some way been academically dishonest then it is up to the faculty member to determine the appropriate penalty to be imposed on the student (see 2006-2008 catalog, pg 537). The faculty member may:

  1. Assign a lower or failing grade for the assignment, exam, or the entire course.
  2. Request that the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs send a letter to the student notifying them that the alleged act of academic dishonesty has been forwarded to the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs.
  3. Request disciplinary action against the student through the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. If requested, this can be a lengthy process that also requires the faculty member through the Department Chair and/or College Dean to submit a formal request and written report of the offense. The incident will then be investigated and an appropriate action taken. 
  • Cheating: Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise (see 2006-2008 catalog, pg 536).
  • Fabrication: Intentional falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise (see 2006-2008 catalog, pg 537).
  • Plagiarism: Intentionally or knowingly representing the words, ideas, or work of another as one’s own in any academic exercise (see 2006-2008 catalog, pg 537). 

Grades and Grading Policies 

Incomplete ( I )

The symbol “I” indicates that a portion of the required coursework has not been completed and evaluated in the prescribed period due to unforeseen, but fully justified reasons, that a substantial portion of the course requirement has been completed with a passing grade, and that there is still a possibility of earning credit. The work that is incomplete normally should be of such a nature that it can be completed independently by the student for later evaluation by the instructor. An incomplete shall not be assigned when a student would be required to attend a major portion of the class when it is next offered. It is the responsibility of the student to bring pertinent information to the attention of the instructor and to determine from the instructor the remaining course requirements which must be satisfied to remove the incomplete. A final grade is assigned when the work agreed upon has been completed and evaluated.

Unless an approved “Request for Extension of Time to Remove Incomplete” form has been filed with Admissions and Records, an “I” must normally be made up within one calendar year immediately following the end of the term during which it was assigned. This limitation prevails whether or not the student maintains continuous enrollment.

An incomplete will be counted as equivalent to an F (or an NC if applicable) for grade point average computation under the following conditions:

If the Incomplete is unresolved within the allotted time – A& R will change the grade to “F”. Students should NOT be encouraged to petition the removal of this “F”. It is a legitimate part of their permanent Academic Record. 

 

Withdrawal Unauthorized ( WU )

For purposes of grade point computation, the “WU” grade is equivalent to an “F”. The symbol “WU” indicates that an enrolled student did not officially withdraw from the course and failed to complete course requirements. It may also be assigned by the instructor when assignments or course activities or both were insufficient to evaluate academic performance using A,B,C,D, or F. (Replaces “U” grading symbol.) 

WU counts as F as soon as it is posted. 

 

Credit/No Credit Policy

Undergraduate students, not on probation, may elect the Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) option for one or more courses each term, up to a maximum of 18 units applicable to the bachelor’s degree. The CR or NC grade will not be considered in computation of the student’s grade point average. Students with a catalog year of 1986-87 or after CANNOT apply courses taken on a CR/NC basis toward the satisfaction of ANY of the following degree requirements:

  • THE MAJOR, except those courses offered on a CR/NC basis only, subject to department approval. (NOTE: additional courses in the discipline of the major beyond those used to satisfy major requirements may not be taken for Credit/No Credit.)
  • THE MINOR, except those courses offered on a CR/NC basis only. 
  • GENERAL EDUCATION
  • TITLE 5 REQUIREMENTS 

 

Policies and Scholastic Regulations 

Repeat Policy

The University recognizes that undergraduate students may need to repeat one or more courses in order to fulfill degree requirements and/or enhance previously acquired skills. Student should seek academic advisement before deciding to repeat any course. A maximum of 16 semester units of CSU Northridge coursework may be repeated for the purpose of excluding a grade (grade forgiveness), the subsequent enrollment must be on the same basis of grading as the first. Only one repeat per course is permitted for the purpose of improving the grade. The higher of the two grades is counted in the student’s grade point average. The lower grade is “forgiven” from the GPA computation, but both grades appear on the student’s permanent record (transcript).

In addition to the 16 units of repeats available for grade forgiveness, a student may repeat an additional 12 units for grade averaging. In these units, both the original grade and the repeat grade shall be calculated into the student’s GPA.

Students may not improve grades of courses taken at other institutions by repeating them at CSU Northridge, nor may students improve grades of courses taken at CSU Northridge by repeating them elsewhere. Registration in repeated courses is prohibited during the priority registration period and is restricted to the 1st day of class or later. Students must secure a valid permission number to be eligible to enroll in any repeated course.

Additional Policy Provisions

  • Repeats for grade replacement are limited to grades of “C-“ or lower.
  • A maximum of three attempts per class is permitted. Students attempting to enroll in the same course for a third time must be approved by the Associate Dean of the college of the student’s major or face administrative withdrawal from the course by the end of the third week. (This does not apply to those courses in which repeated enrollments are required or allowed.)

Excessive Enrollment 

If a student enrolls in a course beyond catalog limitations, units earned will not be counted towards the baccalaureate degree. The units attempted and any grade points, however, will be averaged with the student’s other grades. (NOTE: This applies to articulated equivalent courses as well).

Probation and Disqualification
(SCHOLASTIC PROBATION)

An undergraduate student will be placed on probation if his or her cumulative or CSUN grade point average is below 2.0. A student will be continued on probation until both the overall and the CSUN grade point average are 2.0 or better, or until he or she is disqualified under one of the provisions of the disqualification regulations.

(DISQUALIFICATION)

Undergraduate students on academic probation will be disqualified when:

a) they are admitted or readmitted on probation and fail to meet the conditions established at the time of their admission or readmission, or

b) either their overall Cumulative GPA or their CSU Northridge GPA falls below the floor levels indicated below:

  • As a freshman (less than 30 units completed) below a 1.50 GPA 
  • As a sophomore  (30 through 59 units completed) below a 1.70 GPA
  • As a junior (60 through 89 units completed) below a 1.85 GPA 
  • As a senior (90 or more units completed) below a 1.95 GPA 

Additionally, any student who falls below a 1.00 cumulative GPA at the conclusion of a semester will be disqualified immediately without first being placed on probation. This policy will not apply to first-time freshmen who fall below a 1.0 in their first semester only. In all subsequent semesters, all students are subject to this policy. (effective Spring 2009) 

Criteria for Late Add/Drop or Changes in the Basis of Grading

Enrollments recorded by the end of third week of instruction are considered official and unalterable. Unless unforeseen events occur which in the University’s judgment justify an adjustment, students are expected to complete all courses in their academic programs. Students should note that a deficient academic performance is not sufficient reason for dropping a class or changing the basis of grading. The following conditions are used by faculty as guidelines to judge the merits of each particular situation. These conditions should be evident for all late adjustments for any course after the deadlines listed in the above table. Students in these circumstances will be asked to provide appropriate verification in writing that they meet both of these conditions:

A. There is a serious and compelling reason, and

B. There is no viable alternative. (See current Schedule of Classes for extended information and deadlines.)