Sterling College

Current Sterling College Catalog (pdf) [You must have Adobe Acrobat to view and print .pdf files.]

Academic Requirements and Policies

Definitions

ACCK — a consortium of six Kansas colleges to which Sterling belongs. Students may take courses at these other schools and some degree programs are shared among the schools. The central office is in McPherson, KS.

Audit — an enrollment status in which a student attends a course with the permission of the instructor but receives no grade or academic credit.
Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) — a coalition of over 100 member colleges and universities throughout the United States and Canada which provides support for the member institutions and course opportunities for the students enrolled at member institutions.

Course — a program of study lasting one semester (or one interterm) usually involving lectures, discussions, and/or laboratory experiences.

Credit — the recognition given for successful completion of a course, expressed in “hours” with the standard one semester lecture course being three credits.

Electives — those courses selected by the student to complete the total hours needed for graduation but not required by the core curriculum or the major. These are important options for the student to pursue interests beyond the major.

General Education — the courses required for every student, regardless of major. These courses provide a background of knowledge which allows students to place their chosen major in the context of the entire world.

Grade Point — the number value assigned to the grade a student earns in each course.

Grade Point Average — the total number of credits earned (credits x grade) divided by total hours attempted. The GPA is a measure of the student’s level of achievement and is used to determine academic awards or to assess academic discipline.

Hours — units of credit for a course based on the number of hours a course meets each week. The number of hours each student needs to complete degree requirements is explained in the next section.

May-term — a three-week study period following Spring semester in which students may take a course. Some specialized or travel courses are offered at this time.

Major — the primary field of study selected by a student, usually based on the student’s career objectives.

Minor — a secondary field of study, not required for graduation, selected by some students who wish to develop additional skills.

Prerequisite — any requirement which must be met with a passing grade of C- or better before enrollment in a course.

Semester — a 15 week period of study.

Transcript — an official document from the Registrar’s Office listing all academic work completed or attempted, and the official grades and grade point averages.

ACADEMIC POLICIES
The rules and regulations by which a college operates its program are called Academic Policies. At Sterling College these policies are constantly under review by the Faculty in order to make sure that they are consistent with the curriculum, fair to the students, and as few and as simple as possible. The Academic Policy Committee of the Faculty oversees the implementation of these policies. Some of the more important policies are listed below. Faculty advisors have a more complete list of these policies with supporting rationales.

Class Schedules
Class schedules are published each semester and are available online under “Academics”. Although every effort is made to be accurate in its course offerings, the College reserves the right to make essential course changes, to discontinue any course for which an insufficient number of students register, or to change the semester in which a course is offered.

Attendance
Class attendance is required of Freshmen and is expected of all students. It is the obligation of the student to maintain good standing in the course. Absences, especially unexcused absences, may make this difficult.

Faculty members will specify in the course syllabus at the beginning of the term their policies regarding absences or irregular attendance and will keep a record of attendance. Irregular attendance or excessive absences may result in the lowering of a student’s grade or the student being withdrawn from the course. Activity sponsors will identify participants and their schedules for faculty records.

Excused absences are those that occur because of illness, death in the family, or similar emergency, of which the Vice President for Academic Affairs has been notified. (Appropriate documentation may be required.)

Absences due to college-sponsored activities are those relating to academic or cocurricular field trips (including athletic events and concert tours), conferences or the like. While faculty members are normally expected to work with students involved in such activities, it is the student’s responsibility to inform the instructor prior to the absence according to the instructor’s attendance policy set forth in their syllabus. Such absences do not in any case excuse the student from work required in the course.

Students must complete course assignments missed due to any absence. When an exam, student performance, or laboratory is scheduled for the same time as the student activity, the student’s first responsibility is to the exam, performance, or laboratory, unless special arrangements have been made with the instructor in advance.

Students are responsible for reporting absences to their instructors prior to class. In addition, an extended absence of more than 3 days must also be reported to the Academic Dean’s Office. Students are responsible for all class work.

Course Numbering System
Course numbers are intended to guide students and advisors in appropriate course selection. The levels are:

Directed Study/Independent Study
An Independent Study is a specific program of study, for 1-3 credits, under the direct supervision of a faculty member. The faculty member meets with the student for at least one hour per each hour of credit per month. Enrollment in this type of course is limited to juniors and seniors in their major area(s) only and for a maximum of 6 credits toward degree completion.

A Directed Study
Is a catalog course which is offered on an independent basis because it is not on the current schedule, or it is offered in conflict with another required course. The amount of time spent with the student is at the faculty member’s discretion. Faculty members are not obligated to teach a course as a Directed Study, and the department may also identify courses which cannot be taken in this format.

Procedures:

• 1. The student and the faculty supervisor must plan the course in advance.
• 2. The faculty member must design a syllabus to meet the requirements of this individualized course of study.
• 3. To register for the course, the student must present a completed contract form with the course syllabus to the Registrar’s Office no later than the 1st week of the Fall and Spring semesters, or the first day of Interterm.
• 4. Directed or Independent Studies over the summer must be the exception rather than the rule. The approval of the course instructor and department chair must be obtained. The completed contract with syllabus must be submitted to the Registrar's Office no later than April 15th.
• 5. The Academic Dean must approve all requests prior to enrollment in the course.

Auditing
All persons wishing a grade in a course must take it for credit. All persons wishing to attend a course without credit must enroll in the course as an auditor. No change from audit to credit or from credit to audit may be made after the initial 10-day drop/ add period. Audits will be limited to one course a semester for students enrolled fulltime. Part-time students may audit a maximum of two courses during a semester. Audit fee is $55 per credit and applies to anyone auditing a course, regardless of special tuition arrangements. The fee is waived only if the credits fit within the fulltime load of 12-17 credit hours.

Before enrolling for an audit course, students must obtain a form from the Registrar’s Office and secure the permission of the instructor. Where a course has enrollment limits, students taking the course for credit will be given priority. Auditors must understand that the instructor is under no obligation to evaluate their work and/or performance. Audits, successfully completed, will be recorded on transcripts. Students desiring to audit courses must first be admitted to the College in order that an academic record may be established.

Concurrent Enrollment Any course taken at another institution while a student is enrolled at Sterling College (correspondence or summer school, as examples) must have the prior approval of the Registrar to ensure appropriate application to a Sterling College degree program.

General Enrollment Policies

• 1. Course Registration: Students may not attend a class unless they are properly enrolled and registered in accordance with the procedure set by the registrar’s office.
• 2. Adding or Dropping Courses after Registration: Students who wish to drop or add a class must obtain a form from the registrar’s office and have it signed by their academic advisor. Deadline for adding or dropping a course is the 10th class day of each respective semester at 5:00 p.m.
• 3. Withdrawal from Courses: To officially withdraw from a course students must obtain a card from the registrar’s office, and have it signed by their academic advisor and by the course professor. The signed card must then be returned to the registrar’s office. In order for the withdrawal to be “official” this process must be completed before the fifth school day after mid-term grades are released. A “W” will be recorded on the academic transcript. Grades for “unofficial” course withdrawals will be recorded as an “F” on the academic transcript. Please consult the academic calendar to determine the last day to withdraw from a course.
• 4. Withdrawal from College: To officially withdraw from Sterling College after a term has begun students must report to the Student Life office to receive a withdrawal form. The withdrawal form must be signed by the following college personnel or their designees: the Vice President of Enrollment, Vice President of Student Life, Director of Financial Aid, Resident Director (if a resident student), Academic Advisor, Director of the Library, Registrar, and the Vice President for Finance. Refunds will be made where applicable. Students who officially withdraw from Sterling College will not be permitted to eat on campus or live in the residence halls after their official withdrawal date. The last official date to withdraw from college is the same as the last date to withdraw from courses.

Course Load

Note: To be eligible to participate in any extracurricular activity representing the college off-campus, a student must be a full-time student enrolled in at least 12 credits. Students on probation are not permitted to carry more than 13 credits. Students wishing to take an overload must obtain permission from the Registrar. Refer to Schedule of Charges for overload fee.

* Students enrolled in 18 credit hours who are also enrolled in Band, Choir, or an ensemble are not charged an overload fee.

Grading And Recording Policies

• 1. Definition of Credits
  A course credit unit is equal to 14 50-minute classroom sessions or the equivalent. laboratory credit unit is equal to at least 28 hours in the lab. An out-of-class experience unit is equated in terms of performance rather than time.
• 2. Grading System
  Grade reports are given to students and advisors at mid-term, at the end of each semester, and at the end of the interterm period. The report is sent to the student’s home address at the end of each semester. A brief description of letter designations is given below:

  A. “Superior performance of all required work, or, in some cases, performance beyond that which is actually required.

  B. “Distinctly good work in all class requirements.”

  C. “Fairly good performance of assigned work.”

  D. “Inferior work”

  F. “Failure to meet minimum performance requirements."

  I. “Incomplete.” Students who, for unavoidable reasons due to serious illness or family emergency, are unable to complete the course requirements before the end of the course may request that the course instructor assign to them a grade of “I” (incomplete).
  NOTE: a grade of incomplete WILL NOT be assigned unless the student requests it. The Incomplete Grade Form must be signed by the student, as well as the instructor. An incomplete grade must be removed by the course instructor by the seventh Friday of the following semester. Failure to remove the “I” results in an “F” or the grade assigned by the instructor.

  IP. “In progress.” Grades have not been recorded.

  P. “Pass.” This grade is given when students select the pass option and under the traditional grading policy would receive a grade of C- or above. The “P” grade is also recorded for students who successfully complete the requirements of any course which uses only the Pass/Fail grading system.

  W. “Officially withdrawn"

• 3. Pass Option
  After the freshman year, students may elect to take certain courses on a pass basis. The purpose of this option is to encourage students to take courses outside their major areas or in fields with which they are unfamiliar, in order to get broader exposure to the liberal arts without being penalized by a possible low grade. Regulations governing this option are as follows:

  A. Only four such options may be exercised while attending Sterling, no more than one per semester and only after the freshman year. (Courses which only assign the pass/fail letter grades do not count toward the total of four such courses that students may elect.);

  B. Students on academic probation are not eligible to exercise this option;

  C. The option may not be used for courses in a student’s major discipline or in any courses which may be outside the discipline but are required for minor or in the teacher certification program;

  D. Students should indicate their desire to exercise this option when first enrolling in a particular course. No change will be allowed in the selection of the Pass Option after the initial 10 day drop/add period;

  E. When signing up for a course on a pass basis, students may indicate a desire to take a proposed grade rather than the “pass.” If the student receives the desired grade, this grade is automatically recorded on the transcript rather than the “pass.” In such a circumstance this option still counts as one of the four pass options available;

  F. The option may not be used in courses needed to meet a Basic Skills requirement; and

  G. The Pass Option applies only to grades of C- or higher. Grades of D+, D, D-, and F will be recorded as grades on the transcript.

• 4. Grade Points
  

  A 4.0	A- 3.7	B+ 3.3
  B 3.0	B- 2.7	C+ 2.3
  C 2.0	C- 1.7	D+ 1.3
  D 1.0	D- 0.7	F 0.0

• 5. Time Limitation
  Students have seven (7) years from their initial enrollment to complete the requirements of the catalog under which they initially enrolled. Those taking longer will have to complete the requirements of the current catalog. Appeals will be considered by the Academic Dean working with the Academic Policy Committee.
• 6. Classification of Students
  Class standing is determined at the beginning of each semester as follows:

  Year	Credits
  Freshman)	0-31 credits
  Sophomore	32-62 credits
  Junior	63-93 credits
  Senior	94 or more credits

• 7. Transcript requests
  Students needing a copy of their Sterling College transcript must submit a personally signed, written request to the Registrar’s office. Forms are available. The first request is free, thereafter a $3.00 fee per transcript must accompany each request. Transcripts will be released only if all financial obligations to SC are satisfied and educational loans are not in default.

ACADEMIC STATUS

• I. SATISFACTORY PROGRESS
  Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 in order to graduate. The College will notify students when their performance is not reaching that minimum level. Students who cannot reasonably expect to successfully finish their academic program will not be allowed to continue enrolling at Sterling College. These standards are consistent with federal and state financial aid regulations and the NAIA athletic regulations and apply to academic standing, financial aid, and athletic eligibility. Students must meet the following two minimum standards:

  A. To avoid suspension, full-time students MUST earn at least six credit hours each semester until they have accumulated 31 hours toward graduation. Beyond that point, they must earn at least eight credit hours each semester.

  B. Summer study may be used to make up deficiencies for athletic eligibility in either minimum hours or in GPA. However, students should
  seek the approval of the Registrar before they schedule summer work to be sure that the courses they take are appropriate and will be
  acceptable to the College.

  C. Full-time students must complete the Chapel and convocation requirement during every semester during which they are enrolled in the College. Chapel/Convocation is a requirement for graduation.

  D. Additional rules apply to financial aid and athletic eligibility. For example, financial aid will NOT be continued after two semesters on
  Financial Aid Probation.

  E. Students readmitted following academic suspension are not eligible for financial aid that semester.

  Even these minimal standards may not be sufficient for some varieties of financialaid or for students wishing to attend graduate or professional schools. Students should seek advice from their academic advisors about the level of academic performance that is appropriate.

  Any student who is not making satisfactory progress may lose financial aid and athletic eligibility and/or the right to continue academic coursework.

Academic Warning If the academic deficiency can be corrected with only slight improvement in grades in one semester, the student is placed on academic warning. There are no restrictions of activity but the student needs to be aware of the GPA requirements for graduation.

Academic Probation When a deficiency is serious enough to require significant improvement in grades for more than one semester, in order to achieve the GPA requirements for graduation, students are placed on academic probation. During the first semester that students are placed on academic probation, they are required to participate in GD099 and a study skills group in order to obtain the skills needed to be successful in college. Students on academic probation should be aware that their academic careers are in serious jeopardy. Some programs and activities, financial aid, and athletic eligibility may not be available. Students on academic probation will not be allowed to enroll in more than 13 credit hours.

II. ACADEMIC SUSPENSION
Students whose residential GPA falls below the specified standards, or who fail to meet the standards for satisfactory progress as defined above, will be suspended fromthe college for at least one semester. Readmission following suspension is NOT automatic. Readmission will be based upon evidence that the difficulties encountered have been resolved.

III. ACADEMIC DISMISSAL
Suspended students who are readmitted and who fail to raise their residential GPA, or any student who suffers from a deficiency which makes it unreasonable to anticipate eventual completion of degree requirements, will be permanently dismissed.

Minimal Academic Standards

ACADEMIC HONORS

Dean’s Honor Roll
The Dean’s Honor Roll is announced at the end of each semester. To be eligible students must have a GPA of 3.5 or better in at least 12 credits of graded residential work. A student receiving a grade of F or Incomplete (I) in any course (including Chapel/Convocation) will not be eligible for consideration.

Kelsey Scholars and Alpha Chi
At the end of the spring semester of each year, full-time students who have met the following standards are designated as Kelsey Scholars and are recognized at Keynote Convocation the following fall. From this group, a limited number of students are eligible during their junior or senior year for membership in Alpha Chi, a national honorary scholastic fraternity.

Requirements:

1. Sophomore standing or above
2. GPA of 3.5 or above in both residential and cum GPA
3. Minimum of 2 semesters in residence at Sterling College
4. No incompletes on record

Graduation honors
Students who complete at least 60 credits at Sterling will be eligible for graduation honors. Residential GPA and cumulative GPA will be considered independently and both must meet the following criteria. If the GPAs are at two different levels, the lower GPA will determine the honor.

BACCALAUREATE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Sterling College grants the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science. All candidates for the baccalaureate degree must meet the following requirements:

1. Candidates must be recommended by the Faculty and approved by the Board of Trustees;

2. Candidates must have completed 124 credit hours (no more than 65 credit hours from a 2-year college – see page 12), with a cumulative grade point
average of 2.0 (C). A cum gpa of 2.5 is required for education certification;

3. Candidates must have completed at least 24 of their last 30 credit hours at
Sterling College;

4. Candidates must have fulfilled the requirements of the general education portion of the liberal arts curriculum, including the Chapel and Convocation requirement;

5. Candidates must have fulfilled the requirements for a major, and must have attained a minimum grade point average of 2.5 in their declared majors and minors;

6. Candidates must complete testing required for institutional assessment in both general education and the major upon recommendation of the Assessment Committee; and

7. Candidates must attend the graduation ceremony to receive their diplomas.

Degree Requirements Exemption
In order to receive exemption from any degree requirement a student must file a written petition with the Academic Dean. The student’s major advisor should also make a recommendation to the Academic Dean. Final authority rests with the Academic Dean working with the Academic Policy Committee.

Graduation Ceremonies
The annual baccalaureate and commencement ceremonies are held at the end of the spring term each year. Students who complete their work at the end of the Fall Semester or Interterm will not receive their diplomas until the following spring commencement, but may receive a transcript indicating their eligibility for the degree. The program for each commencement ceremony carries the names of all students who have completed the requirements for graduation and also the names of those who will have completed such requirements prior to the beginning of the Fall semester of that year.

Academic Integrity
Sterling College faculty and students form an academic community committed to the
Biblical principles of justice and honesty and to the core values of faith, calling, learning, integrity, service and community. Within this context, Sterling College has a covenant with its students – past, present, and future. Our commitment to academic integrity requires that each student and faculty member be responsible for creating an environment of trust and respect in which the search for knowledge, truth, andwisdom can be successfully accomplished. These are the expectations:

Students will:

• Perform and represent honestly their own academic work.
• Properly acknowledge others’ ideas, words, and creations when appropriate.
• Respect the classroom environment and the expression of others’ ideas and opinions.
• Demonstrate good stewardship in the use of academic resources.

Any violation of these expectations will be considered academic misconduct and will result in disciplinary actions. The following definitions illustrate violations of the Sterling College expectations:

• Cheating is the unauthorized use of data, information, study guides or other materials within the context of an academic exercise.
• Falsification or fabrication of data involves creating or altering information from exercises, experiments, fieldwork, or internships. It also involves modifying official records such as transcripts, grade cards or other report forms.
• Plagiarism is the presentation of another person’s work as one’s own. Plagiarism can be avoided by proper use of quotations, footnotes, and bibliographic citations.
• Disrespect of the classroom environment or misuse of academic resources is any action that could prevent another student from succeeding academically.

If an instructor believes academic misconduct has occurred, the instructor is to checkwith the office of the Academic Dean to determine whether or not the alleged offense is a first violation. The instructor is to discuss the situation with the student, giving the student the opportunity to confirm or deny the allegation; if personal contact is not possible, the instructor must notify the student of the action taken.

For the first violation:

The instructor is to assess the case and determine the penalty. While the ordinary penalty for the first academic misconduct offense is a failing grade for the test, paper, project, etc., the instructor has the option of requiring the assignment to be redone, or giving a failing grade for the course.

For repeated violations:

The instructor is to report the case to the Academic Dean, who will assess the penalty in consultation with the instructor and the student. The ordinary penalty for a second offense of academic misconduct is academic suspension for at least one semester. The Academic Dean is to inform the student of such suspension.

Appeal of Disciplinary Action:

The student always has the right to appeal any judgement and/or penalty. The Academic Policy Committee will hear the case of the student and of the instructor, and have the authority to confirm, modify, or overturn the judgement and/or the penalty.

STUDENT ACADEMIC APPEALS PROCESS
Students may appeal an academic decision when the basis of that appeal would be:

a. inappropriate application of syllabus standards in grading by a faculty member, or inappropriate application of an academic policy or procedure by the Registrar.

b. unethical conduct in grading or in regard to academic policy or procedural decisions.

The appeal process must begin by the end of the seventh (7th) week of the following semester.

Note: It is in everyone’s best interest if the issue can be resolved at the lowest level, between the student and the faculty member or the Registrar. While the student may discuss his or her concern privately with anyone, an appeal is not considered to be official until the student submits a written appeal to the appropriate person. In that written appeal, the student should request a written response.

Order of Appeal Procedure

For syllabus standards and/or grading appeals:

1. Instructor
2. Academic Dean
3. Academic Policy Committee

For academic policy and procedure appeals:

1. Registrar
2. Academic Dean
3. Academic Policy Committee

ACADEMIC SERVICES

Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU)
One of the major benefits to the students enrolled at Sterling College is the CCCU’s student programs. Students can enroll in courses of study including the American Studies Program, Australian Studies Centre, China Studies Program, Contemporary Music Program, Los Angeles Film Studies Center, Latin American Studies Program, Middle East Studies Program, Programmes in Oxford, Russian Studies Program, Summer Institute of Journalism, and Uganda Studies. See complete descriptions of these programs at www.cccu.org.

Computer Center
The Computer Center is dedicated to providing electronic resources to support research and learning. The Center works to create an environment that emulates that which students will find in the marketplace. Resources are used to provide students access to up-to-date equipment and software. While hardware and software are important, the Center’s primary focus is to provide quality instruction and advising so that students receive the highest possible benefit from technology. The Center is located on the second floor of Thompson Hall.

Library Instruction Program
“The mission of Mabee Library is to serve the information needs of the Sterling College community through acquiring, organizing and preserving books and serials, non-print and electronic resources, and providing guidance, consultation and instruction to assist users in effectively obtaining, evaluating and applying needed information.”

Mabee Library contains a growing collection of books, periodicals, audiovisual and multimedia resources selected to support student learning. Print and electronic reference tools point to a wealth of information resources that can be delivered to students through interlibrary loan or printed as full-text. Computer workstations provide network access to the on-line catalog, bibliographic databases, and the Internet. Through cooperative agreements, faculty and students have easy access to the resources of ACCK libraries and to other academic and public libraries in Kansas.

Librarians participate with classroom instructors in helping students to develop “information literacy,” the skills and concepts essential for functioning effectively in aninformation society. Information literacy includes the ability to locate, evaluate and use needed resources in a variety of formats.