Academic Standards Policy

The Academic Standards Committee has discretionary authority to suspend, place on probation, or warn undergraduate students who are not achieving progress toward completion of their educational programs. Students are considered to be in good academic standing when both quarter and institution grade point averages (GPA) are 2.0 or higher.

Freshman Warning

Freshmen whose last quarter GPA or cumulative GPA has fallen below 2.0 are given an academic warning. This warning notifies students that they must earn a minimum 2.0 GPA within the next two quarters and thereafter until they achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0. Failure to do so results in academic suspension. A freshman warning is sent in a letter to students following the end of the term. Students are asked to make an appointment with a faculty advisor for assistance in identifying sources of difficulty and determining the appropriate actions or services. Students receiving a freshman warning should not enroll for more than 14 credits.

Academic Probation

Students with more than 45 credits whose last quarter GPAs or cumulative GPAs have fallen below 2.0 will be placed on academic probation. This status serves as a warning that they must achieve a minimum 2.0 GPA in the current quarter and thereafter until they achieve an institutional GPA of at least 2.0. Failure to do so will result in academic suspension.

At the end of the fall 2001 term, a new procedure was implemented for students on academic probation. Students now receive a letter and grade report notifying them that they are on academic probation at the end of the term. When the new term begins, students must return the letter in person to the Office of the Registrar (Britt 230) to acknowledge that they are now on probation and to obtain a midterm academic report form. During the quarter, students must take the midterm form to each instructor to receive a progress report, as well as to their advisor to discuss their progress. Finally, students must return the midterm report form to the Registrar's Office prior to preregistration for the next term. Students who fail to follow this procedure will not be allowed to participate in preregistration with their class group; instead, they will have to wait until open registration to register for the next term.

If students do not comply with this procedure and are subsequently placed on academic suspension, they will not be allowed to petition for early readmission and will have to stay out for a full year. Students on academic probation should not enroll for more than 14 credits.

Suspension

Academic suspension means students are not allowed to enroll in courses for a period of one academic year, with the exception of summer school classes. To resume studies, students must petition the Academic Standards Committee through the Office of the Registrar. The petition should include evidence of a change in the circumstances, attitudes, or goals that led to the initial suspension. In unusual cases or cases in which clear evidence of change is provided before the passage of a full year, the committee has the right to reduce the suspension period.

Overload Limitations

The minimum number of credits for regular students is 12, and the maximum is 18; these totals include correspondence and extension courses.

These limits may be extended for undergraduate students under the following conditions: Students may take up to 21 credits, providing they received a 3.0 GPA during the preceding term or they have a 3.0 cumulative GPA. To enroll for more than 18 credits, students must obtain special approval from their academic advisor. During the eight-week summer term, students may take up to 15 credits.

Application for Degree

Students planning to graduate are encouraged to apply for graduation at least two terms in advance of the term they plan to complete the degree requirements.

A $35 fee is charged to all students applying to graduate from Southern Oregon University.

While a student may graduate at the close of any term, formal commencement exercises are held only at the end of spring term. Degrees and diplomas are not awarded until the student has fully met graduation requirements and fulfilled all financial obligations to the Institution.

Commencement for Summer Graduates. Students planning to complete degree requirements during a summer session may participate in the June commencement ceremony, providing their degree application has been approved.

Graduation Honors

Students graduating with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher are eligible to receive graduation honors. The honors are listed on students' transcripts and diplomas. Graduation honors are based on SOU GPA only. Honors are as follows:

Cum Laude: 3.50

Magna Cum Laude: 3.75

Summa Cum Laude: 3.90

Catalog Option

Students must meet all degree requirements from one SOU catalog. The catalog may be chosen from the year students are first admitted and enrolled or from any subsequent year of enrollment. However, at the time of graduation, the catalog chosen may not be more than eight years old.

Requirements in Major

Students must meet all requirements for the major, including supportive coursework from the catalog chosen. However, departments that make significant changes in major requirements may establish alternative courses to meet those requirements.

Classification of Students

Undergraduate

Freshman: Has accumulated fewer than 44 credits applicable toward a scholastic objective at the time of the last enrollment.

Sophomore: Has accumulated at least 45 credits, but no more than 89 credits.

Junior: Has accumulated at least 90 credits, but no more than 134 credits.

Senior: Has accumulated at least 135 credits toward the scholastic objective, but has not yet been awarded the baccalaureate degree.

Graduate

Postbaccalaureate: Pursuing a program not leading to a master's degree.

Postbaccalaureate nongraduate: A holder of an accredited baccalaureate degree who has not been admitted to a graduate degree program and who submits an official application for admission to pursue a second baccalaureate degree or enroll in coursework not to be used for graduate credit.

Grad-master: Admitted to a master's degree program.

Nonadmitted student: An undergraduate or graduate student who is not admitted to SOU, not working toward a degree or certification, and not enrolled for more than 8 credits.

Course Prerequisites Policy

Course prerequisites are designed to ensure that students registered for a course have the required minimum background for study of the course content. This background may be obtained through courses equivalent to the listed prerequisites or through other educational experiences. In such cases, students should consult the instructor. Instructors have the authority to admit into their courses students with backgrounds equivalent to the listed prerequisites.

Minimum Class Size

Classes with fewer than ten students may be cancelled.

Double Major

An undergraduate student may earn a double major if all of the requirements for the two majors are met. This includes general education, school, and departmental requirements of the curricula represented by the majors.

This policy applies to the following majors: anthropology, art, biology, business, chemistry, communication, computer science, criminology, economics, English, geography, geology, history, international studies, mathematics, music, physics, political science, psychology, sociology, Spanish, and theatre (BFA).

Grading System

The University uses letter grades and the four-point maximum grading scale. The grade of A is the highest possible grade. Plus (+) or minus (-) symbols are used to indicate grades that fall above or below the letter grades. For purposes of calculating grade points and averages, the plus (+) is equal to the grade point +0.3 and the minus (-) to the grade point -0.3 (e.g., a grade of B+ is equivalent to 3.3, and B- is equivalent to 2.7). The following grades are used at SOU.

Other grades are:

E: Final exam not taken. The E is assigned when a student fails to take a final examination. Unless the grade is changed by the instructor, it automatically changes to an F at the end of the next regular term.

I:Incomplete. When the quality of work is satisfactory but the course has not been completed for reasons acceptable to the instructor, a report of I is made. The student has a maximum of one calendar year to complete the course requirements. An I grade automatically changes to an F after twelve months.

P:Pass (equal to C- or above)

NP: No pass

W: Withdrawn. Appears on the grading register when the student formally withdraws from school during the first four weeks of the term and is not responsible for a grade.

WP: Withdrawn passing. Assigned if the student withdraws after the fourth week and by Monday of dead week, and if the quality of work is sufficient to warrant a grade of D- or higher.

WF:Withdrawn failing. Assigned if the student withdraws after the fourth week and by Monday of dead week, and if the quality of work warrants a failing grade. A WF is not counted when determining grade point average.

X:No basis for grade. May be used if the student has not come to class for a long time (e.g., only took the first exam), but is still on the roster at the end of the quarter.

Grade Point Average

Grade point average (GPA) is computed by dividing grade points earned by the number of credits attempted. Grades of E, I, P, NP, W, WP, WF, and X do not carry grade points, and the credits are not calculated into the GPA. Credits attempted for F grades are calculated into the GPA. Only grades earned at SOU are used to calculate quarterly or cumulative GPAs. The following example illustrates computation of the GPA:

Credits with grade points (16) divided into total grade points earned (48) = GPA (3.0). Total credits earned = 17.

Repeating a Course

Students who fail to perform satisfactory work are required to repeat the course if credit is desired. When a course is repeated, the most recent grade is used for computing the cumulative GPA, regardless of earlier grades. It is the student's responsibility to request adjustment of a GPA using the form provided in the Registrar's Office.

Pass/No Pass Grades

1. A student is permitted to enroll in one course a term that is graded Pass/No Pass (P/NP). A course is a subject or an instructional subdivision of a subject offered during a single term.

   The definition of one course (as stated in the catalog) may include two courses normally taken concurrently to produce an integrated treatment of the subject, such as a lecture course on principles coordinated with a laboratory course on applications. A specific example is Ch 201 with Ch 204. Such pairs are considered for P/NP grading only when taken concurrently.

   Departments indicate whether the course is available for the P/NP option in the class schedule.

2. Students have until Friday of the seventh week of the term to declare a P/NP option or to change to the A - F grading method.
   
   
3. The criteria for a P are the same as those for earning at least a C- grade in the course.
   
   
4. Instructors submit conventional grades for all students; the registrar is responsible for converting these grades to Pass or No Pass when applicable.
   
   
5. P or NP is entered on the student's transcript, and the credits successfully completed count toward graduation. Credits recorded as Pass/No Pass are not, however, included in the computation of the grade point average.
   
   
6. A maximum of twelve courses taken at Southern Oregon University on the P/NP option may be applied toward requirements in a total undergraduate program. Not more than three courses may be taken P/NP in any one department or under any one prefix not in an organized department.
   
   
7. Courses required by the student's major department may be included in the P/NP option with prior approval of the major department. Each degree program publishes lists of such courses.
   
   
8. In addition to any other P/NP courses, students are permitted to enroll in one departmentally approved Activities course on a P/NP basis each academic term. Activities courses are broadly defined and include a variety of options, principally in journalism, music, physical education, speech, and theatre arts. Such courses are designated in the class schedule.
   
   
9. P/NP grading may not be used for graduate credit courses.
   
   
10. SOU courses offered only on a Pass/No Pass or Pass/Fail basis are not subject to the listed limitations.

Auditing

A student may choose to take a class for audit with permission of the instructor. The student is not required to do any of the coursework and does not receive a grade. Classes are often audited if they are not needed for graduation and if the student is interested in learning the course material, but not in earning a grade. There is no fee reduction for auditing a class.

Minors

A minor normally consists of 21 to 30 credits in a subject field outside the major. The minor typically includes 12 to 18 credits of upper division coursework, in addition to any lower division courses necessary as a foundation for the upper division part of the minor program.

The total requirements for a minor depend on the structure of the academic discipline, the prerequisites for required courses, and the student's starting level in the discipline.

Students contemplating a minor should carefully study the list of required courses and prerequisites and then consult an advisor in the academic unit with jurisdiction over the minor. This advisor must approve the program for the minor and completion of course requirements with a minimum 2.0 GPA.

A minor is not required for the subject matter degree programs. Students may elect to complete one or more minors during their course of study. Students list their minors on their applications for graduation and, after certification by the appropriate academic units, minors are entered on their transcripts.

Courses that are required for a major but are outside of the department granting the major (i.e., supporting courses) may count toward a minor, as well as toward the major requirements. Courses used for a minor may also be used to satisfy the general education requirements.

Students must complete at least 9 credits of upper division coursework toward an optional minor while in residence at SOU.

Reserved Graduate Credit

Students within 9 credits of completing an SOU bachelor's degree at SOU may, with the consent of the school dean, enroll in approved courses for graduate credit. These students must carry a 3.0 GPA cumulatively and in the major.

This graduate credit may not be counted toward a bachelor's degree, but it may become part of an advanced degree program after the student completes the baccalaureate degree requirements (when approved by the department and school). Reserved graduate credit is limited to a total of 12 credits earned over a period of
not more than three terms of enrollment. Application forms for reserved graduate credit are available in the Registrar's Office.

Residence Requirements

For the baccalaureate degree, students are required to complete 45 of the last 60 credits at SOU, with the last term completed on the SOU campus. These two requirements are waived for students enrolled in selected preprofessional programs. Consult individual preprofessional program advisors to determine if a particular program is approved for this waiver.

Credits earned by extension work or awarded through prior learning are not eligible for residence credit.

Students must complete at least 15 credits of upper division coursework toward the major while in residence at SOU.

Students must complete at least 9 credits of upper division coursework toward an optional minor while in residence at SOU.

Second Bachelor's Degree

Students may be granted a second bachelor's degree, concurrently or consecutively, provided they meet the requirements for both degrees and complete an additional 36 undergraduate credits on campus (45 credits are required if the first degree was not granted by SOU).

If the first bachelor's degree is from an accredited institution, as determined by SOU's Admissions Office, the general education requirements for the second bachelor's degree are waived.

Students interested in a second major should refer to the catalog section, Double Major on printed catalog page 30. A double major does not qualify students for a second baccalaureate degree unless they have achieved the additional credits required.

Veterans

Certification and Progress Standards

The veterans clerk certifies veterans in attendance at Southern Oregon University. All veteranswhether new, returning, or transfer studentswho expect to receive benefits from the Veterans Administration must notify the veterans clerk in the the Registrar's Office. The veterans clerk also administers the progress standards for students who are receiving VA benefits. In addition to the Ashland campus, SOU's Medford Campus is an approved site for veterans.

Progress standards for veterans and other persons receiving federal Veterans Administration educational benefits at SOU are defined as follows:

1. SOU has the capability and responsibility to report that veterans are satisfactorily pursuing their education objectives.
   
   
2. All undergraduate students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 to graduate. Less than a 2.0 GPA constitutes unsatisfactory progress.
   
   
3. Graduate students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0. A grade of D is not considered satisfactory.
   
   
4. Students must complete all drop and withdrawal procedures within the first four weeks of each term. Students withdrawing or dropping after the start of the fifth week may be subject to the noncompliance provisions of the Satisfactory Progress Standards.
   
   
5. VA benefits are paid according to the number of course credits specifically required for the student's major:

These requirements are for fall, winter, and spring terms. For summer certification, veterans must check with the veterans clerk concerning required credits.

6. Students receiving VA educational benefits at Southern Oregon University must make satisfactory progress toward their certified educational objectives.
   
   Veterans not meeting the satisfactory progress requirements are notified at the end of each term and placed on probationary status relative to receipt of VA educational benefits. This probationary period will not exceed one term in length. Any veteran placed on probationary status is referred to the ACCESS Center for academic counseling.
   
   Veteran students are not considered to have made satisfactory progress when they withdraw from all courses, and the VA will be notified.
   
   
7. Veterans are permitted to take any deficiency course once. Those finding it necessary to repeat deficiency courses more than once are required to obtain the recommendation of their academic advisors and the approval of the veterans' clerk.
   
   
8. SOU notifies the Veterans Administration within thirty days of any change in status or failure to meet satisfactory progress.
   
   
9. The veteran is responsible for notifying the veterans clerk of any of the following:

   a) Advance registration for any future term;

   b) Change of school or major;

   c) Adds or drops that might change student status;

   d) All withdrawals from courses or from the University; and

   e) Any change of address.

10. A copy of this statement is distributed to a new veteran at the time of first enrollment.