Academic Advising and Dean of Students Offices
The Academic Advising and Dean of Students Offices are located in Pearsons Hall on the second floor. The staff members in these offices work together to provide students with support and assistance on a wide range of issues relating to their lives at Beloit. If a student is unsure about where to turn for help and advice, the Academic Advising and Dean of Students Offices are good starting points. Staff members have extensive knowledge of the Beloit College campus and will assist students or refer them to appropriate individuals or offices.
Each student is assigned a faculty advisor to assist with program planning, course selection, career choices, academic progress, and personal development. The advisor encourages the student to develop the ability to make responsible decisions. First-year students will be assigned their first-year seminar leader as their advisor, and may remain with that advisor until they are ready to transfer to an advisor from the major department. Once a student has declared a major, his or her advisor will be the chair of the department or program, or someone designated by the chair.
Academic Honors
General Honors: Graduation with honors is determined by the student's Beloit College cumulative grade point average, computed at the time of graduation. To be graduated cum laude , a student is required to have earned a grade point average of 3.400; to be graduated magna cum laude, a student is required to have earned a grade point average of 3.600; to be graduated summa cum laude, a student is required to have earned a grade point average of 3.800. Such honors are recorded on the student's diploma and permanent record.
Dean's List: A student who attains at least a 3.400 cumulative grade point average for the semester will be placed on the dean's list. The student must have taken at least 3 graded units for the term and may not have received a grade of 'F' or 'I' in any course that semester. Students on academic probation or with incompletes from previous terms cannot earn dean's list recognition.
Departmental Honors: Departmental honors work offers the promising student individual counsel and supervision in the accomplishment of a creative or scholarly project, pursued with that intensity and freedom which is seldom possible in the classroom. Intended to encourage and reward independence of thought, intellectual maturity, and distinguished academic achievement, independent study leading to departmental honors is offered by all departments of the College.
Honors work is open to any student who, in the judgment of the department concerned, is promising enough to do it adequately, has earned at least a 'B' average in the major, and has completed six terms of credit work.
Departmental honors work centers upon the writing of a thesis or the undertaking and satisfactory completion of some creative or scholarly project approved by the department concerned. Departments may also require an examination and other requirements, and may withhold the awarding of honors if the student's work is not of honors quality.
Requirements for departmental honors: (a) the consent of the department chair, normally given not later than the beginning of the first term of the senior year, and reported by the department chair to the registrar not later than two weeks after the opening of that term; (b) a minimum of one and a maximum of two courses of honors work to be completed for credit, and to be recorded as departmental honors. Recognition of achievement in departmental honors is recorded on the student's permanent record. The chair will furnish the registrar with the names of those students to whom departmental honors are to be awarded. Those who do not receive honors may be given course credit for their work.
Academic Standing
Classification: Regular undergraduate students who matriculate at Beloit College are classified as first-year students, sophomores, juniors, or seniors, depending on course units earned, and are assigned an expected year of graduation according to the following schedule:
First-year: fewer than 7 earned units
Sophomore: 7 to 14.999 earned units
Junior: 15 to 22.999 earned units
Senior: 23 or more earned units
Special students and auditors are classified as such upon admission. Students who wish to accelerate and graduate ahead of their assigned year of graduation may have their classification changed with the approval of the registrar. Readmitted students will be classified upon re-entrance to the College on the basis of expected year of graduation. Students transferring to Beloit College with advance credits from other schools are classified and assigned a year of expected graduation according to the schedule above.
Standards of Academic Progress: A student is expected to maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average and to be accumulating units under the normal course load of 4 units at a rate consistent with achieving 31 units by the end of eight semesters. A student may be given a probationary period when he or she falls below either of these expectations.
At the end of each term, the Academic Performance Committee reviews the grades of all students who have not met standards. Each case is reviewed individually, but the Academic Performance Committee is guided in its decisions by certain minimal standards. Students may be placed on academic warning for excessive incompletes and/or a term average between 2.0 and 1.85.Students may be placed on academic probation for a term average below 1.85; a cumulative grade point average less than 2.0; or two consecutive semesters of term averages between 1.85 and 2.0. Probationary status may endanger the continuation of financial aid. Students with extremely low term or cumulative averages are subject to the actions of academic suspension or academic dismissal. A student may be dismissed or placed on academic suspension without having been placed on warning or probation the previous semester. A student may be placed on academic suspension if both the semester and cumulative grade point averages are significantly below a 2.0, but not low enough to meet dismissal criteria. A student may be subject to academic dismissal if his or her cumulative grade point average at the end of the semester is below 1.0 after the first term; below 1.5 after the second term; below 1.65 after the third term; below 1.8 after the fourth term; below 1.85 after the fifth term; or below 1.9 after the sixth term. A student is subject to academic dismissal for a semester of all “F” grades. Normally first-term first-year students are not dismissed for academic deficiency, but are instead warned, put on academic probation, or suspended. However, the Academic Performance Committee may dismiss first-year students if its findings indicate such action to be appropriate in the individual case.
Academic Performance Committee: The Academic Performance Committee, which is composed of faculty and administrators and is chaired by the dean of students, is charged with monitoring academic performance. The committee also acts on individual petitions from students with regard to academic regulations, probation, and dismissal. All students have the right to petition the Academic Performance Committee to waive any academic requirement. A student seeking an exception to an academic regulation (e.g., late withdrawal from a course) must petition the Academic Performance Committee. The student’s request must be in writing and must indicate the way(s) in which the regulation works to the student’s disadvantage. In most instances, a statement of support from one or more faculty members (the student’s advisor, the instructor of the course) must accompany the request. All requests are reviewed individually, and the committee may grant an exception to the regulation if it believes the request has sufficient merit.
Attendance and Comportment
- Attendance at classes is required and is considered an essential component for each course. Failure to attend classes may affect the final grade, depending on the policy of the instructor of each class.
- If at any point before the add deadline a student has missed more that half of the scheduled class sessions, an instructor may, in consultation with the student's advisor, drop a student from a course. The instructor shall submit a drop card to the Registrar's Office, signed by both the instructor and the student's advisor. The Registrar's Office shall notify the student about the instructor-initiated drop. Note: The intent of this policy is to enable faculty, during the first week of classes, to enroll a wait listed student in place of an enrolled student who has absences as described above.
- Each instructor should report to the Director of Academic Advising any excessive number of absences which, in the opinion of the instructor, affect the student's work. Negligence in attendance indicates that the student is not attempting to fulfill course requirements. Continued indifference to attendance obligations may result in separation of a student from the College. A student who discontinues attendance in a course without officially withdrawing may receive an "F" in the course.
- When a student has an emergency (death in the family, severe illness, or other compelling circumstances), the student should notify the Dean of Students Office, which shall inform the various administrative offices and the student's instructor(s) and advisor(s) about the absence. However, all absences, including emergencies, are evaluated by the instructor. It is the student's responsibility to notify the instructor in advance whenever possible about an absence. In all cases, the student is responsible for course work missed.
- Excused absences for religious holidays must be arranged in advance with individual faculty members. Faculty members are encouraged to be sensitive to students' religious preferences, and will, if at all possible, accommodate student requests for an excused absence. Faculty members will also make every effort not to schedule exams or quizzes on religious holidays when a student's desire to observe that holiday has been expressed. However, the final decision to schedule an exam or quiz rests with the faculty member.
Audit Policy ( Fall 2007 & Spring 2008)
Spring 2008: Audits may be added through Tuesday, January 22. Audited courses may not be converted into credit courses. A credit course may be converted to an audit course at any time prior to the end of the period to add courses. Forms for registering for an audit may be obtained at the Registrar's Office.
Fall 2007: Audits may be added through Tuesday, September 4. Audited courses may not be converted into credit courses. A credit course may be converted to an audit course at any time prior to the end of the period to add courses. Forms for registering for an audit may be obtained at the Registrar's Office.
Registration Check-in Procedure: Monday, January 14, 2008
Note: (1) You are not officially registered until you have turned in a signed check-in form (pre-registered students ) or a registration approval form (students not pre-registered).
(2) If you cannot complete the check-in process on the morning of January 15 , please contact the Registrar’s Office. You must be officially registered (including taking care of any outstanding holds on your registration) by the end of Tuesday, January 22 . If you are not registered by January 23 , you cannot be considered a currently enrolled student, and your access to various buildings and services will be limited.
(1) NEW/READMITTED Spring 2008 STUDENTS
Follow procedures for pre-registered students.
(2) PRE-REGISTERED CONTINUING STUDENTS:
If you need to change your schedule:
Step 1: Report to the drop/add area 1st floor of Pearsons Hall: 10:15-Noon.
Step 2: Pick-up form at Wilson Theatre, Mayer Hall: 10:00-Noon.
Step 3: Take care of holds (indicated on the check-in form) with the appropriate department(s) (e.g. Accounting Office, Academic Advising, etc.)
Step 4: Report to the check-out tables on the 2nd floor of Pearsons Hall.
If you do not need to change your schedule:
Step 1: Pick-up form at Wilson Theatre, Mayer Hall: 11:00-Noon
Step 2: Take care of holds (indicated on the check-in form) with the appropriate department(s) (e.g. Accounting Office, Academic Advising, etc.)
Step 3: Report to the check-out tables on the 2nd floor of Pearsons Hall.
(3) CONTINUING & SPECIAL STUDENTS NOT PRE-REGISTERED:
Step 1: Report directly to the drop/add area on the 1st floor of Pearsons Hall (Do not go to the Wilson Theatre!)
Step 2: Go to the Accounting Office on the 2nd floor of Pearsons Hall.
(You will receive a Registration Approval Form that will have to be signed by the Accounting, Financial Aid, and Dean of Students offices.)
Step 3: Turn in your drop/add materials and Registration Approval Form at the check-out tables on the 2nd floor of Pearsons Hall.
Course Selection and Changes
All academic programs of the College are open to all students who meet (or who have had waived) the eligibility requirements.
Course Load: The normal course load at Beloit College is 4 units. To be considered full-time, a student must be registered for no fewer than 3 units, unless he or she has received approval from the advisor and the registrar. To be considered half-time, a student must be enrolled for 1.5 to 2 units. For any given term, a student may preregister for a maximum of 4.75 units. On or after registration day, students wishing to elect units in excess of 4.75 may do so with the written authorization of both the major advisor and the registrar. Such approval requires that the student have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 and no incompletes, and shall be made only after evaluating the student’s academic progress and the reasonableness of his or her program.
Disability Services: Disability accommodations and/or services may affect a student’s decision regarding course selections. A student with a disability, who seeks accommodation and/or services, must meet with the Director of the Learning Support Services Center (LSSC) and have his/her documentation verified before she/he is eligible to receive disability accommodations and/or services. If a student alerts a College official (faculty/staff) about his/her disability, the student should be referred to a staff member in the LSSC. The Disability Policy for Students can be found in Chapter IV of the Administrative Policy Manual. Additional related information is available here.
Dropping and Adding Courses: After the student has completed preregistration, any changes in course election must be approved by the student’s advisor and the course instructor. After the first day of classes, a course may be elected as late as the end of the first week of the term, with the approval of the advisor and the instructor of the course. After the first week of the term, students must obtain approval of the registrar before adding courses to their schedules and will be assessed a $25 per course late fee.
A course dropped at any point prior to the beginning of the second half of the course will be expunged from the student’s record. If a course is dropped after this date, the grade of “F” will be recorded unless a late drop or the grade of “WP” has been approved by the Academic Performance Committee upon petition from the student.
Students intending to drop courses must indicate their intent to the registrar prior to the drop deadline by submitting a drop card signed by the instructor and the advisor. Failure to turn in the signed card on time will result in a fine of $25 for each course dropped at a later date if the intent to drop is proved to the satisfaction of the Academic Performance Committee. If the committee is not satisfied that the student intended to drop the course prior to the deadline, the student must be graded in the course.
Credit by Examination
Credit by examination may be earned for any course unless specifically excluded by the offering department. The word 'examination' is taken to mean any form of evaluation required by a department and may include as much written, laboratory, studio, or other type of evidence as is normally required of students who are regularly enrolled in the course. If such evidence is not required, the examination should involve methods of evaluation equally rigorous. A department may suspend credit by examination in particular terms, if required by the absence of particular faculty members from the campus.
Interested students may obtain from the department titles of books normally used in the course and a course syllabus or other information as to course content. A student who believes he or she has the necessary knowledge, preparation, or background to establish credit by examination shall make application to the appropriate department chair no later than the end of the second week of the semester. If the student has a reasonable chance to establish credit, he or she shall arrange for the examination, together with all relevant material required by the department, to be completed no later than the exam period for that course. Credit by examination shall be evaluated as 'satisfactory' (equivalent to a grade of 'C' or above) or 'unsatisfactory,' and shall be recorded on the permanent record if satisfactory. Failures will not be recorded. A student attempting credit by examination shall not be entitled to formal instruction in the subject matter of the course. There will be a $50 fee for completed credit by examination.
Final Exam Schedule
| SPRING 2008 FINAL EXAMINATION SCHEDULE | ||||
Examination |
Friday |
Saturday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Time |
May 2 |
May 3 |
May 5 |
May 6 |
9-noon |
10 MWF/11T |
1-3 TTH |
11 MWTHF |
12 MTWF |
2-5pm |
2-4 MW |
9 MWF/8T |
All other courses |
3 TTH/2-4F |
7-10pm |
8 MWTHF |
1 MWF/12TH |
9-11 TTH |
7-9pm TTh & 7-11pm T |
Final examinations are scheduled for May 2, 3, 5, & 6. Students should take examinations at scheduled times, except in cases of: (1) more than 2 final exams in one day; (2) 4 exams in a row; (3) hardship, such as illness or psychological disturbance, as confirmed with the Dean of Students. Students qualifying for an exception should consult with their instructor and work out suitable arrangements. |
||||
| FALL 2007 FINAL EXAMINATION SCHEDULE | ||||
Examination |
Friday |
Saturday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Time |
Dec 14 |
Dec 15 |
Dec 17 |
Dec 18 |
9-noon |
9-11 TTh |
All other courses |
10 MWF/11T |
3 TTH/2-4F |
2-5pm |
8 MWTHF |
2-4 MW |
9 MWF/8T |
1 MWF/12Th |
7-10pm |
11 MWTHF |
12 MTWF |
1-3 TTH |
7-9pm TTh & 7-11pm T |
Final examinations are scheduled for December 14, 15, 17, 18. Students should take examinations at scheduled times, except in cases of: (1) more than 2 final exams in one day; (2) 4 exams in a row; (3) hardship, such as illness or psychological disturbance, as confirmed with the Dean of Students. Students qualifying for an exception should consult with their instructor and work out suitable arrangements. |
||||
Honors Term Awards
Honors Term proposals for Fall 2008 are due Wednesday, March 12 .
Description and purpose of awards: A limited number of Honors Term Scholar Awards and Honors Term Service Awards are available to outstanding students who would like to continue their study at Beloit College for an additional term beyond graduation. Students who are selected will receive full tuition remission in exchange for undertaking a project that contributes significantly to the academic and/or co-curricular programs of the College and simultaneously furthers their own academic or professional development.
Honors Term Scholar Awards may be given for projects that involve academic research, educational research or program development. Honors Term Service Awards may be given for service to the College, service to the community, or a combination of these. All applications should state clearly the major emphasis of the proposed
honors project.
Applicants must have a strong record at Beloit College, which includes
o good academic standing, with a minimum 3.200 cumulative grade point average required for a Scholar Award
o active participation in one or more departments or disciplines
o a curricular or co-curricular record that demonstrates the ability to organize, manage, and complete an honors term project independently
o a strong record with respect to the background required for the proposed project: for example, honors term service projects that include service to a local community organization or effort must be supported by a history of involvement with that, or a closely related organization. Similar demonstrated background is expected for other types of service to the College or to departments within the College.
General Information and Application Process: Honors term students enroll in HTRM 100 (scholar) or 101 (service) for two units and may take up to three additional units of credit. Any courses taken will be graded and included in the student's grade point average. In order to be eligible for an honors term award, a student must have completed all credit-bearing requirements for graduation. The proposal may include the completion of non-credit-bearing requirements to achieve honors in a major the student has already completed. An honors term may not be used to complete an additional major, minor, or certification.
Applications must be submitted to the Office of the Dean of the College no later than the Wednesday after mid-term break during the term in which the student expects to complete all credit-bearing graduation requirements. The Academic Performance Committee will review each proposal. Applications for either type of honors term consist of a narrative proposal and supporting documents.
The narrative should include the following elements:
a. a statement of the proposed project, and courses to be taken;
b. an explanation of the project's value to the student;
c. an explanation of the value of the selected courses to the student;
d. a description of the proposed project's contribution to the College;
e. a summary of the student's qualifications for carrying out the project;
f. the name(s) of the faculty or staff member(s) who will be the primary sponsor(s) for the honors term project.
g. If a project relates to a department or program other than the one represented by the primary sponsor(s) evidence that the department or program to which the program pertains has been consulted and supports the project.
The narrative proposal should be accompanied by:
o letter(s) of support from the primary sponsor(s), including an assessment of the student's qualifications and of the project's value to the student, the College, or the community:
o a copy of the student's College transcript.
Students who wish to drop an honors term may do so in acccordance with the College policy for dropping classes. A student who drops an honors term must also drop all other courses in which she or he enrolled. An incomplete for the honors term will be granted in accordance with the College policy for incompletes.
Selection: Selection of Honors Term Awards will be competitive, and applications will be judged on the merit of the proposal; the qualifications of the student; the value of the project to the student; the value of the proposed contribution to the academic and/or co-curricular programs of the College or to the community; and the quality of the recommendation. Final selection will be made by the dean of the College, upon recommendation of the Academic Performance Committee. Applicants will be notified of the decisions approximately two weeks following the date when applications are due. Specific decisions will not be based on a particular quota in any given year, but will favor projects that combine scholarship and service.
Final Report: An honors term student shall file a report of the project with the dean of the College at the end of the honors term. The report is due by the end of the final exam period of the semester in which the honors term is undertaken. The honors term recipient's primary sponsor will inform the Dean of the College whether the student should receive a grade of CR or NC for HTRM 100 or 101. Students must receive a recommendation for CR and file their report in order to receive a grade of CR on their transcript: otherwise a grade of NC will be assigned and appear on the transcript.
Incompletes
Spring 2008: A grade of incomplete (I) will be granted only in cases of serious illness or injury, family crisis, or some other substantiated unforeseen circumstance beyond your control that would make it impossible for you to complete all course requirements by the end of the semester. You may obtain Incomplete Contracts from the Registrar. The contract must be in by the last day of the final examination period. In cases of illness occurring at the end of the semester, notification from the Dean of Students to the Registrar will suffice to initiate the process.
Unless the instructor stipulates a shorter time period for completion of the work, an incomplete must be satisfied within eight weeks of the end of the semester in which it was received. Incompletes received for Spring 2008 will be due on July 6, 2008. In exceptional cases, e.g. lengthy illness, the instructor may petition the Academic Performance Committee to extend the period of the Incomplete. Unless otherwise stipulated, an incomplete unresolved by the end of the eight-week period will convert to a grade of F.
Fall 2007: A grade of incomplete (I) will be granted only in cases of serious illness or injury, family crisis, or some other substantiated unforeseen circumstance beyond your control that would make it impossible for you to complete all course requirements by the end of the semester. You may obtain Incomplete Contracts from the Registrar. The contract must be in by the last day of the final examination period. In cases of illness occurring at the end of the semester, notification from the Dean of Students to the Registrar will suffice to initiate the process.
Unless the instructor stipulates a shorter time period for completion of the work, an incomplete must be satisfied within eight weeks of the end of the semester in which it was received. Incompletes received for Fall 2007 will be due on February 16, 2008. In exceptional cases, e.g. lengthy illness, the instructor may petition the Academic Performance Committee to extend the period of the Incomplete. Unless otherwise stipulated, an incomplete unresolved by the end of the eight-week period will convert to a grade of F.
During the sophomore year, students, in consultation with their advisors, are expected to consider their personal goals, both academic and co-curricular, and develop a MAP in consultation with their advisor. In order to complete the MAP, students must answer a number of target questions relating to their interests and aspirations and also prepare a two-year plan. They will consider the many opportunities available at
Readmission
Students who have been dismissed or who have withdrawn voluntarily may apply to the Academic Performance Committee for readmission to the College. Those who have been dismissed may apply for readmission no earlier than one year after the dismissal. Students may be readmitted on the approval of the committee, which will consider each application on an individual basis. Students seeking readmission should contact the dean of students.
Academic bankruptcy: A student who has been readmitted after an absence of one (1) year (two terms) or more, and whose previous academic record was deficient may, at the time of readmission, submit a request to the Academic Performance Committee that previous work at Beloit be re-evaluated by the registrar on the same basis as credits offered in transfer. A minimum of 16 units of credit for graduation must be completed at Beloit College after a student is readmitted.
Refund Schedule -- See Frequently Asked Questions
Repeated Courses
A student opting to retake a failed course will be evaluated CR/NC. If the student receives a CR in retaking the course, the 'F' shall not be figured into the student's GPA, but shall remain on the student's transcript as 'RF.' If the student receives lower than a 'C' in retaking the course, a grade of 'RNC' shall be posted.
Special Fees 2008-2009
Application: |
$30.00 payable on first application for admission and not refundable. |
Applied Music Lessons: |
$225.00 per course. |
Late Course Addition: |
$25.00 |
Late Course Deletion: |
$25.00 |
Late Payment Fee (after due date): |
$150.00 |
Transcript: |
$2.00 each after the first copy, which is free. Students must make requests in writing to the registrar. All accounts at the College must be paid before transcripts will be issued. |
Reopening Record (non-enrolled student): |
$50.00 |
Credit by Examination: |
$50.00 (for the posting of a successfully completed credit by examination.) |
Auditing (non-degree seeker): |
$574.50 per course. (Laboratory and studio courses and private music lessons may not be audited.) |
Reduced Schedule: |
$3,914.00 per course |
Continuing Education Program: |
$1,149.00 per course. See 'Special programs' below |
Summer Special Projects: |
$150.00 per course. (one time only) |
Summer Field Term (for credit): |
$150.00 (for first unit of credit only). |
Senior Citizen/Alumni Rate: |
$100.00 per course (for students older than 65 or alumni enrolling in courses on a non-credit, space-available basis). |
Special Projects
To register for a Special Project, complete a Contract Agreement for a Special Project. No Special Project/s will be added to your registration without a contract. Please note that the Special Project Contract now requires the signature of your advisor. You must have earned at least 7 units to register for a Special Project. To register for more than 2 units of Special Project in one term, you must receive prior approval from the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Student Status
Course Load: The normal course load at Beloit College is 4 units. To be considered full-time, a student must be registered for no fewer than 3 units, unless he or she has received approval from the advisor and the registrar. To be considered half-time, a student must be enrolled for 1.500 to 2 units. For any given term, a student may preregister for a maximum of 4.750 units. On or after registration day, students wishing to elect units in excess of 4.750 may do so with the written authorization of both the major advisor and the registrar. Such approval requires that the student have a minimum grade point average of 2.500 and no incompletes, and shall be made only after evaluating the student's academic progress and the reasonableness of his or her program.
Transfer Credit
No more than 15 units (60 semester hours) of transfer credits will be applied toward the Beloit degree. Work done elsewhere will be recorded in equivalent credit units (where a unit equals 4 semester or 6 quarter hours). Transfer credit will apply only toward the total number of units required for graduation. Grades from transfer courses will neither be recorded on the transcript nor included in the Beloit grade point average. No more than 3 units of extension or correspondence school work will be allowed toward the degree. With advance permission of the advisor and the registrar, enrolled students in good standing are permitted to take designated courses at other accredited colleges and universities, and to transfer credit earned in such courses to Beloit College without payment of extra fees to Beloit. Beloit degree requirements and any field of concentration restrictions concerning transfer credit must be observed. No more than two units of credit may be transferred during the senior year, except with the approval of the Academic Performance Committee. Official transcripts of such work should be presented as soon as possible after completion of the work.
Normally at least half of the courses used toward fulfillment of major requirements must be completed at Beloit College. Determination of the number of transfer credits used toward major requirements is made by the chair of the major department, in consultation with the registrar. Students who expect to use transfer credits to fulfill major requirements should consult with the major department. This consultation should occur at the earliest possible time.
Vacation Term
1. To register for a vacation term, enter Vacation along with its request code on your registration card.
2. If you find it necessary to convert from a credit term to a vacation term, you should consult promptly with the Dean of Students.