Academic Regulations

Academic Load Limits

During the fall or spring term a student may register for up to and including the limits below without obtaining special permission:

Undergraduate Academic Alert/Probation Students: 15 hours
All Other Undergraduates: 18 hours
Graduate Students: 15 hours

Summer: Maximum student load is one (1) credit hour per week of instruction (i.e., 4 credit hours for a four-week session or 6 credit hours for a six-week session). During the 8-week summer session, the maximum graduate student load is 9 hours.

Winter: Maximum student load is four (4) credit hours. Requests to exceed the maximum will not be considered due to course credit expectations and contact minute requirements.

Students who wish to register for an overload must complete an online student request for approval in MyUNIverse prior to registration. A 3.00 GPA or above at UNI is usually required for consideration of an overload request for Graduate students.

Classification of Students

Earned Semester Hours:

Freshman: less than 30 hours
Sophomore: 30 - 59 hours
Junior: 60 - 89 hours
Senior: 90 hours and over

Full-time/Part-time Status (All Terms)

Undergraduate

Full-time: 12 or more hours
3/4 time: 9 - 11 hours
½ time: 6 - 8 hours
Less than ½ time: 1 - 5 hours

Graduate

Full-time: 9 or more hours
3/4 time: 7 - 8 hours
½ time: 5 - 6 hours
Less than ½ time: 1 - 4 hours

Academic Advisement Report

The choice of major should be made as early as possible in the student's university career in order to complete the program and fulfill requirements for graduation. The major requirements for degree completion are tied to the catalog year the major is declared. The student is assigned an advisor at orientation based on the major indicated at that time. Those students who are pre-majors, and students adding or changing a major, indicate this to the major department on a Declaration of Curriculum form and a new advisor is assigned. The form is filed with the Office of the Registrar.

Degree-seeking, first baccalaureate students are eligible for an Academic Advisement Report. This is prepared by the Office of the Registrar and made available to the student in their Student Center. Changes in the student's declared major or minor are reflected on the Academic Advisement Report upon processing.

Exceptions to Academic Policies and Regulations

Undergraduate and graduate students who want to request an individual exception be made to a stated academic policy or regulation should complete an Academic Student Request. A student is encouraged to discuss an Academic Student Request with their academic advisor prior to submitting the online form. The student request online form can be accessed through Student Center in MyUNIverse.

Academic Forgiveness

Undergraduate Academic Forgiveness (Policy 3.21)

I. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide an option for undergraduate students to seek one semester of forgiveness for past academic coursework, after separation from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), and subsequently delineate the prescribed process.

II. Policy Statement

Students who have been separated from UNI for four or more years and who have experienced academic challenges affecting their grade point average, may wish to seek academic forgiveness as a means to restarting their academic career in order to graduate from UNI.

Students seeking academic forgiveness are responsible for ensuring their eligibility, initiating the process, and understanding the impact this policy may have on their academic record.

Procedures

Eligibility

Eligibility for academic forgiveness requires that an individual:

is a former undergraduate student at UNI for one or more semesters, and
has been separated from UNI (non-enrolled) for four consecutive calendar years or more, and
has not already earned an undergraduate degree from UNI or another accredited institution, and
has completed an application to re-enroll at UNI, or is re-enrolled at UNI following the designated separation, and
has submitted an Application for Academic Forgiveness within one academic year of a return to UNI, and
is free from unresolved holds placed on enrollment by any UNI offices, and
is seeking academic forgiveness for a semester in which an academic ethics violation of level three or higher was not founded.

General Qualifications

Academic forgiveness is a request to remove a semester of previously completed coursework from UNI’s calculated grade point averages upon approval of the request.
Academic forgiveness is applied to one identified semester of classes from UNI, regardless of the number of credit hours in the semester, in the Application for Academic Forgiveness. All classes within the identified semester are included in the Application for Academic Forgiveness. Forgiveness is not applicable to individual classes.
Major or program exit requirements (e.g. student teaching, culminating major/program field experience or internship) may not be eligible for forgiveness consideration depending on department/program policies.
The semester requested for academic forgiveness must apply to the individual’s previous academic enrollment prior to reentry to UNI.
Academic forgiveness can only be approved one time.
Academic forgiveness is irreversible and final.
Students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours within two calendar years upon or after reentry to UNI or the forgiveness approval will be void.
Tuition refunds are not considered for an academic forgiveness semester.

Academic Records, Standing and Financial Aid Awards

All courses taken and grades earned during the semester of academic forgiveness remain on the student’s official transcript. They will be marked to show they have been removed from the computation of the GPA.
The academic hours earned during the forgiveness semester will not count toward the number of hours required for graduation.
Any courses in the forgiveness semester that satisfied departmental major/minor requirements should be reviewed with the corresponding department by the student at the time of forgiveness application. It is the decision of the department if a previously completed course will count as fulfilling the requirement in question. The acceptance of previously completed requirements for the major/minor is not guaranteed.
UNIFI/General Education requirements satisfied by courses taken during an approved forgiveness semester are not eligible for waiver.
A successfully completed prerequisite course in the major or minor impacted by academic forgiveness (i.e. during the semester forgiveness is requested) must be approved for waiver or substitution by the department for the major/minor degree requirements; all other courses must be repeated.
Other universities and educational institutions may interpret transcripts and earned grade point averages differently. They may recalculate the grade point average to include all courses and semesters of earned credit.
The Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress policy is not impacted by receiving academic forgiveness. All coursework attempted will be included in evaluating a student’s satisfactory academic progress for financial aid purposes. Students placed on financial aid suspension as a result of not meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress prior to academic forgiveness will continue to remain on financial aid suspension. However, students have the opportunity to appeal their satisfactory academic progress standing. Eligibility for specific academic scholarships is determined by the requirements of each academic scholarship program, including how GPA eligibility decisions are determined. Contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships prior to submitting an Application for Academic Forgiveness to better understand any impact on financial aid and the satisfactory academic progress appeals process.

Effective Fall 2018 semester.

Office of the Registrar and Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, approved January 4, 2018

University Council, approved February 12, 2018

President and Executive Management Team, approved February 26, 2018

Graduate Academic Renewal

The purpose of Academic Renewal is to allow a fresh start in pursuing a new graduate degree option at UNI. Academic Renewal allows graduate students to have all the grades they previously earned at UNI for a specific period excluded from their grade-point-average (GPA). This process enables students to have up to 4 academic semesters (completed within consecutive 24 months) excluded from the calculation of their UNI Cumulative GPA. This procedure is not available for degrees already granted.

Eligibility and Requirements:

Graduate student standing
Be within recency status
Have applied to a different graduate program at UNI and in the process of being admitted
Free from university holds including financial holds
Semester(s) with academic violation level 3 or higher is not eligible to be excluded from the calculation. Record is maintained.
Probation and suspension (academic standing) will not be removed from records
Programmatic probation/suspension will not be removed from records
Excluded coursework cannot be reinstated
Tuition cannot be refunded for past coursework
Procedure can be applied only once

Procedure: When a graduate student decides to apply to a different degree program, the student must submit a new online graduate admission application and complete a graduate student request form for "Academic Renewal". The request is available from the Graduate Studies, Graduate Admissions Coordinator. If Graduate Studies approves the student's request for Academic Renewal, the Office of the Registrar will annotate the permanent record indicated work taken during the disregarded semesters, even if satisfactory, may not apply toward graduation. However, all coursework and grades will remain on the students' record to ensure an accurate and complete academic history. Processed Academic Renewal forms are stored permanently in Onbase.

Academic Honors

Dean's List

To be eligible for the Dean's List, which is published each fall and spring semester, an undergraduate student must have earned a grade point average of no less than 3.50 while earning a minimum of 12 semester hours in which at least 1 semester hour is graded credit. Students who earn a minimum of 12 semester hours in field experience, practicum, internship or cooperative education courses that are offered only as nongraded credit are eligible for the Dean's List. Undergraduate and graduate semester hours will be combined to meet minimum credit hour requirements for students in combined (graduate/undergraduate) degree programs who have not yet finished their bachelor's degree but meet the 3.50 undergraduate GPA minimum. A Dean's List is not compiled for the summer session, nor does the list include graduate students

Graduation with Honors

Three levels of honors are awarded to students graduating with a bachelor's degree. To receive an honors designation, the student must earn at least 32 undergraduate credit hours from this university (effective Spring 2025).

The names of the students receiving honors are identified in the commencement program and on their academic transcript.

Summa Cum Laude

Students whose undergraduate cumulative UNI grade point average places them in the top 3% of those students graduating from their academic major college/division will be awarded Summa Cum Laude.

Magna Cum Laude

Students whose undergraduate cumulative UNI grade point average places them in the top 4% through top 8% of those students graduating from their academic major college/division will be awarded Magna Cum Laude.

Cum Laude

Students whose undergraduate cumulative UNI grade point average places them in the top 9% through top 15% of those students graduating from their academic major college/division will be awarded Cum Laude.

Academic Standing

Undergraduates

Undergraduate students at the University of Northern Iowa are expected to meet academic standards set by the university and to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress towards earning a degree. Academic Alert and Academic Probation serve to warn students that unless their academic performance improves, they may be placed on Academic Suspension. No student in their first-semester in attendance at the University of Northern Iowa will be placed on Academic Suspension.

First-semester students (freshmen and transfer students) at the University of Northern Iowa placed on Academic Alert or Academic Probation may be subject to conditions designed to increase academic success. A student who does not agree to these conditions may have their course schedule canceled for the semester.

All continuing students (students who are in their second semester or beyond at UNI) who are placed on Academic Probation should also seek assistance for academic improvement from academic advisors, the Academic Learning Center, or the Counseling Center.

Undergraduate students wishing to discuss the Undergraduate Academic Standing Policy at UNI, or seeking information regarding readmission after Academic Suspension, may make an appointment with a representative of the Office of the Registrar, Gilchrist 115 or call 319-273-2241.

Academic Alert

Any first-semester student who has a 1.00 – 1.99 UNI Term GPA will be placed on Academic Alert. Only first-semester students new to the university can be placed on Academic Alert. While on Academic Alert, the student will be limited to 15 credit hours. Academic Alert is not recorded on the student’s official academic transcript.

At the end of a student’s semester on Academic Alert, one of the following actions will be taken:

The student will be removed from Academic Alert and shall be in Good academic standing if their UNI cumulative GPA is a 2.00 or higher.
The student will be placed on Academic Probation if their UNI cumulative GPA is less than a 2.00.

Academic Probation

Any first-semester student who has a UNI Term GPA below 1.00 will be placed on Academic Probation. Also, any continuing student will be placed on Academic Probation when their UNI cumulative GPA is below a 2.00. A student placed on Academic Probation must earn a minimum UNI Term GPA of 2.00 for each semester while on Academic Probation until their UNI cumulative GPA reaches 2.00 or higher.

While on Academic Probation, a student will be limited to 15 credit hours. Once a student’s UNI cumulative GPA reaches 2.00 or higher, they will be removed from Academic Probation. Academic Probation is not recorded on the student’s official academic transcript.

At the end of a student’s semester on Academic Probation, one of the following actions will be taken:

The student will be removed from Academic Probation and shall be in Good academic standing if their UNI cumulative GPA is a 2.00 or higher AND their UNI Term GPA is a 2.00 or higher.
The student will continue on Academic Probation if their UNI Term GPA is a 2.00 or higher and their UNI cumulative GPA remains below a 2.00.
The student will be placed on Academic Suspension if their UNI Term GPA is less than a 2.00.

Academic Suspension

A student on Academic Probation who fails to earn a UNI Term GPA of 2.00 will be placed on Academic Suspension. Academic Suspension is for a minimum period of one academic semester and is permanently noted on the student’s official academic transcript. Once suspended, a student will not be allowed to re-enroll at the University of Northern Iowa until they have been academically reinstated.

Readmission after Suspension

Academic Suspension is for a minimum period of one regular academic semester. Only with strong justification, demonstrated potential for future success, and an agreement to enter the Early Admission Program (ERP) would a student be readmitted prior to sitting out for a semester. Entry into the ERP does not remove the suspension from a student's record.

An undergraduate student placed on Academic Suspension may be readmitted only after completing an application for readmission and receiving formal reinstatement from the Committee on Admission, Readmission, and Retention. The application for readmission can be completed and submitted online.

To request early readmission prior to sitting out one semester, complete the Application for Early Readmission from Academic Suspension. Readmission prior to sitting out a semester is contingent on the Committee's recommendation, and the student's acceptance of entry into the ERP. As a condition of reinstatement, a student will be subject to stipulations designed to increase academic success. A student who does not agree to these conditions will be denied early readmission or have their course schedule canceled for the semester.

To request readmission after sitting out a semester, complete the Application for Readmission from Academic Suspension.

A student who is readmitted after a first suspension, either through admission to the Early Readmission Program (ERP) or after sitting out for one semester, will be placed on Academic Probation following Suspension. A student readmitted after suspension must earn a UNI Term GPA of 2.00 for each semester until their UNI cumulative GPA reaches 2.00 or higher. While on Academic Probation following Suspension, the student will be limited to 15 credit hours for a semester. Failure to earn a UNI Term GPA of 2.00 or higher will result in a second suspension.

A second Academic Suspension will be for two regular semesters (summer sessions excluded). Students suspended for a second time may apply for early readmission through the Committee on Admission, Readmission, and Retention by completing the Application for Early Readmission from Academic Suspension, only after having sat out for a minimum of one regular semester.

If a student sits out for two regular semesters, then the student will complete the Application for Readmission from Academic Suspension. A third Academic Suspension is considered permanent. Only the most extenuating circumstances would warrant consideration for readmission from Academic Suspension a third time.

At the end of a student’s semester on Academic Probation following Suspension, including semesters in the Early Readmission Program, one of the following actions will be taken:

The student will be removed from Academic Probation following Suspension and shall be in Good academic standing if their UNI cumulative GPA is a 2.00 or higher.
The student will continue on Academic Probation following Suspension if their UNI Term GPA is a 2.00 or higher and their UNI cumulative GPA remains below a 2.00.
Following a first suspension, the student will be academically suspended for the second time if their UNI Term GPA is less than a 2.00.
Following a second suspension, the student will be permanently academically suspended if their UNI Term GPA is less than a 2.00.

Undergraduate students wishing to discuss the Undergraduate Academic Standing Policy at UNI, or seeking information regarding readmission after Academic Suspension, may make an appointment with the Office of the Registrar, Gilchrist 115 or call 319-273-2271.

Graduate Academic Standing

Degree-Seeking Students

Graduate students in degree programs are expected to maintain high academic standards. Probation or suspension status might be required for students who fail to meet expectations either in their coursework or in educational requirements outside of regular courses such as comprehensive exams, thesis/dissertation work, field experiences, practicum, or internships. At the end of each term and when incomplete grades revert to F (Failure) graduate student records are reviewed. Students with unsatisfactory performance are placed on probation or are suspended from graduate degree programs and any graduate enrollment at UNI. Students are evaluated for probation and suspension based on attempted degree hours. Attempted degree hours are any credit hours on the advisement report for which the student receives a mark (A through F, W, I, RC, CR, NC) or for which the term and dates of the course have passed, even if there is no mark.

A student who has attempted at least six (6) semester hours on the advisement report and attained a UNI cumulative GPA less than 3.00 will be placed on probation. If the student attempts eight (8) or more hours while on probation without qualifying as a degree candidate (GPA of 3.00), the student is reviewed for suspension from graduate degree programs. If the GPA is so low as to make it impossible to raise it to 3.0, the student may be suspended even if fewer than 8 hours were attempted while on probation.

Students on academic probation will not be permitted to graduate even if all the coursework has been completed. A UNI cumulative GPA of 3.0. will not be waived for students on probation/suspension status.

Students placed on academic suspension cannot enroll in non-degree graduate status or take courses at another institution to transfer to the student's degree, or advance in their program during the semester of academic suspension. It may be permitted for the student to register in undergraduate courses during the semester of suspension.

Reinstatement

When a student is suspended, at least one semester must elapse before a request for readmission to a graduate degree program may be made. After one full semester on suspension, a suspended student who wishes to enroll in classes must submit an online student request "Readmission after Suspension" and receive approval from the graduate program/department and Graduate Studies for reinstatement and removal from suspension.

A student reinstated after suspension who fails to attain a UNI cumulative GPA, Total, of 3.00 with the first 8 credits after reinstatement will be terminated from the graduate program. If the GPA is so low as to make it impossible to raise it to 3.0, the student may be terminated even if fewer than 8 hours were attempted during the reinstatement.

In determining a graduate student's GPA, all graded coursework attempted will be used as a basis for computation. If a graduate student repeats a course, the grade of the second course attempt will be used in computation of the GPA.

If a student feels there has been some procedural irregularity concerning her/his suspension from the university, the student may request a review by Graduate Studies. This review may be conducted by the Dean of GROE (or designee).

Non-Degree Seeking

0-6 credits taken - no action
7-9 credits taken - GPA 2.6 – 2.99 - Probation; GPA less than 2.59 - Suspension
10 or more credits taken - GPA less than 3.00 - Suspension

If a student is put on probation, the student must bring the cumulative GPA to 3.00 or better in the next term of enrollment or the student will be suspended.

Suspension is for a minimum of one semester. Non-degree students who have been placed on academic suspension cannot enroll in graduate courses during the time they are suspended. After one full semester, students who wish to enroll in graduate classes must submit an online request for "Readmission after Suspension" and receive approvals from Graduate Studies (and the department, if applicable).

Combined Graduate & Undergraduate Enrollment (Dual Career Students)

A student may take graduate and undergraduate credit courses in the same term in the circumstances below. A student must be degree-seeking in and enrolled at least half-time in their primary career in order to be eligible for federal financial aid. See the appropriate circumstance below to explain the primary career and for tuition billing information.

Graduate Credit as an Undergraduate

An undergraduate student of senior standing (90 or more credits earned) at the time of registration, earning the first bachelor’s degree, and with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00, may register for a maximum of 12 total credit hours for graduate credit. Undergraduate Students may take graduate level courses only at the 5000 or 6000 level. Such registration requires approval on an online undergraduate student request (available via MyUniverse Student Request Link) by the student’s advisor, the course instructor, the head of the department offering the course, and Graduate Studies. The combined total of course credits, both undergraduate and graduate, may not exceed 15 hours in a semester or 9 hours in a summer session. Overload requests must be approved by the student’s advisor and Graduate Studies. Any waiver of these requirements must be approved by Graduate Studies prior to enrollment. The Division of Graduate Studies may allow undergraduate students of junior standing to register for graduate courses. Students must meet GPA requirements and have departmental/program approval. An online student request must be submitted.

No course may count toward both an undergraduate and a graduate degree (except for students declared in an Accelerated Degree program or a Graduate Certificate program). Graduate credit earned as an undergraduate will not be counted toward the undergraduate degree (except for Accelerated Degree programs or Graduate Certificate programs). A maximum of 12 credit hours can count toward both an undergraduate degree and Graduate Certificate program. Graduate Certificates can stack into Graduate Degree programs at the discretion of the graduate program. Some graduate programs have early admission procedures which the student must follow in order for the graduate credit to apply to the graduate degree. The earliest graduate course that applies to a student’s graduate program marks the beginning of the recency period for the completion of the degree. Exceptions to the recency period may be made at the request of a graduate program.

Financial Aid and Tuition

Students earning graduate credit as a senior are classified as seniors but will pay graduate tuition for the semester hours for which they will receive graduate credit (except for Accelerated Degree Programs). The maximum tuition will be the full-time graduate rate for the student's residence classification. The undergraduate career is the student’s primary career for financial aid purposes. The student must be enrolled at least half-time in undergraduate courses to be eligible for federal financial aid, which will be at the undergraduate level.

Students enrolled in Accelerated Degree Programs taking both graduate and undergraduate courses are charged undergraduate tuition rates for the semester hours for which they receive graduate credit. Students and advisors are encouraged to consult with the Financial Aid Office.

Accelerated Degree Programs

These are accelerated programs which allow students to complete both a bachelor's and a master's degree in five years. Graduate degree programs with 30-36 hours may share 12 graduate credit hours between undergraduate and graduate degrees. These graduate hours are counted toward the completion of an undergraduate degree and toward a graduate degree if declared in an Accelerated Program plan. Graduate degree programs with more than 36 hours cannot apply more than 18 hours or 1/3 of the graduate credits to the undergraduate and graduate degrees (whichever is less).

Admission and acceptance:

Students must apply to the graduate program and can do so upon completion of 60 undergraduate hours (junior standing).
Students accepted into the accelerated program will be in non-degree seeking graduate status until the undergraduate degree is conferred.
Minimum number of completed undergraduate hours to begin enrollment in graduate courses is 60 hours.
Completion of undergraduate degree: 24 months from first day of the semester for which the student was admitted to the Accelerated Degree Program (ex. from beginning spring 2021 to the end of spring 2023).

Senior Year:

At the end of the senior year, students will have completed the BA/BS requirements and may participate in the graduation ceremony of their bachelor's degree.

Graduate Year:

During the final year of the program, students fully enroll in their graduate degree program.
Graduate students should meet all degree requirements and apply for graduation per the Division of Graduate Studies policies and procedures.

*If a student decides to complete a bachelor's degree and not continue with a master's degree, the graduate courses already completed will be used to meet the 120 required hours for a bachelor's degree, and these courses will count only once toward degree completion. Then, the student will be discontinued from the graduate portion of the program.

Academic Regulations:

Admission with provision does not apply.
No transfer credit will be accepted into the graduate component of the program.
Undergraduate honors thesis cannot be used to meet graduate thesis/non-thesis requirements.
Self-paced courses may be used toward graduate degree completion.
Courses taken at the 4000 level cannot be retaken at the 5000 level.
Maximum graduate academic load per semester: 15 hours (fall and spring).
Students in Accelerated Degree Programs during a transition period are also subject to graduate regulations/procedures.
Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.
A student on GPRE status (transition period) who fails to maintain good academic standing will be removed from the Accelerated Degree Program.
Students dismissed from the Accelerated Degree Program are eligible to pursue a traditional graduate degree program in accordance with the admission policies set by each program at UNI.
Continuous enrollment: Students in Accelerated Degree Programs must maintain continuous and consecutive enrollment at UNI. Students who miss more than two half semesters will be withdrawn from the program.

Graduate Student Taking an Undergraduate Course

Graduate students wishing to take an undergraduate course for any reason must submit an online graduate student request "Request registration in an undergraduate course" through MyUNIverse. Once the request is approved, and assuming the requested course is open, the Office of the Registrar will enroll the student in the course. Undergraduate courses taken by graduate students will appear only on an undergraduate transcript and will not be included in the graduate GPA.

The maximum tuition will be the full-time graduate rate for the student's residence classification. If the only enrollment is undergraduate courses, undergraduate tuition will be charged. The graduate career is the student’s primary career for financial aid, regardless of enrollment. The student must be enrolled at least half-time in graduate courses to be eligible to receive federal financial aid, which will be at the graduate level.

Graduate Student Concurrent with Second Bachelor's Degree or Teacher Licensure

A student who has received a bachelor’s degree may be simultaneously active in both an undergraduate career, to work toward a second bachelor’s degree or teacher licensure, and a graduate career, either degree-seeking or non-degree. The student who wishes to do this must submit two applications for admission—one for post-baccalaureate undergraduate admission (see Post-baccalaureate, Undergraduate Study in this university catalog) and one for admission to graduate study (see Admission to Graduate Study in this university catalog). For students pursuing teacher licensure, after submitting an undergraduate post-baccalaureate application and becoming term-activated, all student requests pertaining to licensure must be submitted at the undergraduate level. No course can apply to both a bachelor’s degree and a graduate degree. Students who are admitted in this way will have both an undergraduate and a graduate transcript.

A graduate student (degree or non-degree) who is concurrently working toward a second bachelor’s degree or teacher licensure will pay graduate tuition for the entire registration of a term if any courses are taken for graduate credit in that term. The maximum tuition will be the full-time graduate rate for the student's residence classification.

If the student is graduate degree-seeking, the graduate career is the student’s primary career for financial aid and the student must be enrolled at least half-time in graduate courses to be eligible for federal financial aid, which will be at the graduate level. However, if the only enrollment is in undergraduate courses, undergraduate tuition will be charged, and the Office of Financial Aid will regard the undergraduate career as primary for that term if the graduate career is temporarily discontinued. In that case, the student must be enrolled at least half-time in undergraduate courses to be eligible for federal financial aid, which will be at the undergraduate level. A student cannot apply for graduation with the graduate degree when the graduate career is discontinued.

If the student is graduate non-degree, the undergraduate career is the primary career for financial aid. The student must be enrolled at least half-time in undergraduate courses to be eligible for federal financial aid, which will be at the undergraduate level.

Final Examination Information

The final exam schedule applies to both faculty and students. Unless prior arrangements are made, the official schedule in the semester Schedule of Classes should be followed. Comprehensive finals must occur at the scheduled time and cannot be given in the last two weeks before finals (except for summer sessions or half-semester courses). In the week before finals, unit tests and assignments are allowed if stated in the syllabus or announced before midterm. If a class doesn't require a final, it will still meet at the scheduled time for other activities

For those classes which do not, in the instructor's judgment, require a final comprehensive examination the time of the officially-scheduled final examination will be used for other appropriate class activities, such as evaluation, reports, performance, or regular class work. Therefore, the class will meet at the time of the officially scheduled final examination, whether or not a final examination is administered.

Department heads are responsible for ensuring compliance with the schedule and policies. Students may report policy violations to the appropriate department head, in accordance with the university academic grievance procedures.

Grades

Marks and Grade Points

The marks A, B, C, D, F (Failed), and I (Incomplete) are used in indicating quality of work. Courses dropped during the first one-eighth of the semester or summer session are not recorded on the student's record. Courses dropped during the second- through fourth-eighth of the term are indicated on the student's record by W (Withdrawn). For courses dropped during the final one-half of the term (the specific date of the last day to drop a course without an F is listed in the Schedule of Classes for each semester), F (Failure) shall be reported unless for unusual circumstances specific permission is given to report otherwise.

The time for dropping classes in the summer session is proportionately shorter than in the regular semester. Date deadlines for dropping or adding courses are given in the Schedule of Classes for each semester and the summer session.

Grade points are awarded as follows for each hour of credit marked:

A, 4.00 grade points
A-, 3.67 grade points
B+, 3.33 grade points
B, 3.00 grade points
B-, 2.67 grade points
C+, 2.33 grade points
C, 2.00 grade points
C-, l.67 grade points
D+, l.33 grade points
D, l.00 grade point
D-, 0.67 grade points
F, 0.00 grade points

Grade Index

In determining a student's cumulative grade index, all course work attempted at this university shall be the basis of computation with these exceptions for students enrolled as graduates or undergraduates. If a student repeats successfully a course they have failed, only the grade received for the successful completion will be included in figuring the cumulative grade point. If a student repeats a course they have successfully completed, the grade received the last time the student takes the course will be used in figuring the grade index even though the last grade may be lower than the grade received previously. The student's transcript of record will show every time the course is taken and the grade earned. Post-baccalaureate students as undergraduates enrolled for work to meet requirements for certification as elementary or secondary teachers are given the same grade index advantage as given undergraduate students for courses repeated. This applies only to those courses required for certification.

Incomplete Grades

To receive credit for course work a student must be in attendance for the full semester. Exceptions to this rule are rarely made.

Work lost by late enrollment or by change of registration may be made up for credit by an undergraduate student with the consent of the Office of Academic Affairs. Graduate students must have the consent of the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Work lost because of absence due to illness, or other extenuating circumstances, may be made up, but arrangements for making up work missed are made between the student and the instructor.

Work left incomplete at the end of a semester or summer session will be reported as F (Failure) unless a report of I (Incomplete) has been authorized by the instructor. The Incomplete is restricted to students doing satisfactory work in the class who, because of extenuating circumstances, are unable to complete the work of the course. The Incomplete is limited to assigned work during the final sixth of the term. If a course is reported as Incomplete, a student is not prevented from registering for another course for which the incomplete course is a prerequisite.

Undergraduate

Work reported as Incomplete for undergraduate students in the fall semester must be completed by July 1^st the next calendar year. Work reported Incomplete in the spring semester must be completed by December 1^st. Work reported as Incomplete in the summer session must be completed by February 1^st the next calendar year. The exact length of time to remove the Incomplete within the above guidelines, is set by agreement between the instructor and the student. If the work reported as Incomplete is not made up by the deadline noted above, it is automatically entered as an F (Failure) on the student's record. However, if for sufficient cause an Incomplete cannot be removed in the time allowed, a request for an extension of time may be made to the instructor of the course. The extension, if approved, is for a period of up to another six months as designated by the instructor.

Graduate

Work reported as I (Incomplete) in the fall session for graduate students must be completed by June 1^st the next calendar year. Work reported Incomplete in the spring and summer sessions must be completed by January 1^st the next calendar year. The exact length of time to remove the Incomplete within the above timelines, is set by agreement between the instructor and the student. If the work reported as Incomplete is not made up by the deadline noted above, it is automatically entered as an F (Failure) on the student's record.

Any requests for an exception to the above timelines for graduate students must be submitted on-line through MyUNIverse (refer to Filing Graduate Student Requests). Only under the most unusual circumstances would requests for additional time be approved.

Some courses continue beyond the normal ending date of the semester or session. In such cases, the initial grade reported will be an RC which means Research or Course Continued. Once the extended instructional period is finished, the RC grade will be replaced with the A-F grade assigned by the instructor.

Course Repeats

Failed Courses

A course taken at UNI in an on-campus setting, online, or self-paced, which was failed, may be repeated in any of those settings. A UNI course which was failed may be repeated at another accredited college or university as long as the course has been determined and approved to be an equivalent to the original course.

Regression

Regression occurs when a student enrolls in a course which has content fundamental to another course the student has previously completed successfully. When such regression occurs, the regressive course will be available on an ungraded (credit/no credit) basis only. Credit may be earned but the hours earned will increase the student's minimum degree hour requirement by an equal amount.

The decision as to whether a course is regressive is made by the department offering the courses. Regression does not occur when the more advanced course was failed. (Courses to which this policy applies will be identified in the Schedule of Classes.)

Duplication

When two courses have content highly similar, e.g., one for the UNIFI/General Education and one for major/minor requirements, the department offering the course(s) will determine if degree credit can be earned in both courses. If the department will not allow degree credit in both courses, the credit in the course taken second will increase the student's minimum degree hour requirement by an equal amount. Such second courses may be completed only on an ungraded (credit/no credit) basis.

Prior Experience Credit

There are additional opportunities for earning credit at the University outside of traditional classroom work. You may learn more below.

Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)

This type of credit (undergraduate or graduate) is designed for special projects such as a paper, experiment, work of art, or portfolio assessment of prior learning. The experience(s) upon which the project/portfolio is based may have been completed at any previous time; however, the student must be registered for credit at this university during the semester credit for prior learning (CPL) is requested, and CPL will be recorded only after the student has satisfactorily completed 12 hours of credit at this institution or at least 1/3 of the graduate plan of studies.

A project or portfolio may be submitted any time during the semester up to the last date to add a second half-semester course for credit. There is no guarantee of credit prior to or upon submission of the project.

Undergraduate Students

The project is submitted to an ad hoc faculty committee of three faculty members recommended by the student and approved by the head of the academic department or discipline in which the project falls; two faculty members are chosen from the academic area or discipline of the project and one from any area. The student may not submit a project evaluated by one committee to a second committee for reevaluation. The student may resubmit a project to the original committee at the committee's discretion or with its encouragement. The number of CPL hours assigned to a project/portfolio will reflect the academic evaluation of the project; credit will be awarded for work judged to be of at least C level quality. No letter grades are given. The range of credit is from 0-6 hours per project. A student may apply a maximum of 18 hours of CPL toward graduation requirements. CPL typically fulfills elective requirements, but upon the recommendation of the ad hoc committee, it may be approved for requirements in the UNIFI/General Education with the approval of the Office of Academic Affairs or for major credit with departmental approval. Students should contact the appropriate departmental office for advice in submitting their materials. Application forms are available from the Office of the Registrar.

Graduate Students

A digital portfolio/documentation is submitted to the College of Graduate, Research and Online Education (GRO). GRO then submits documentation to the corresponding academic department and/or graduate program for assessment. Upon completion of the evaluation, the student is notified of the outcome by GRO. If a student disagrees with the departmental assessment, they may appeal to the Dean of GRO. The number of CPL hours assigned to a project/portfolio will reflect the academic evaluation of the project; credit will be awarded for work judged to be of at least B level quality. No letter grades are given. The range of credit is from 0-15 hours per portfolio. CPL typically fulfills elective requirements, but upon recommendation of the academic department/program, it may be approved for program requirements. A student may apply a maximum of 15 hours of CPL toward graduation requirements. Students should contact the appropriate departmental office for advice in submitting their materials. Application forms are found on the College of Graduate, Research and Online Education website.

Credit by Examination

Credit by examination is for undergraduate students only. Credit may not be established by examination for a course:

taken previously through regular course instruction (in-person or online);
for which the student does not meet the prerequisite; or
which is a prerequisite to one for which credit has already been earned.

The academic department establishes the requirements for the grading and administration of the examination. Course credit is earned only if a grade of A or B is received on the examination. A grade of C on the examination will release the student from the course requirement, but no credit is earned. A grade below a C on the examination gives neither credit nor release of the requirement and is not recorded on the student’s record. The grade results are not included on the student’s record nor counted in a student’s grade index (GPA). Credit by examination may be repeated if the student received a grade below a C on the previous attempt and is still eligible to establish credit by examination.

A student should discuss satisfying a course requirement with their academic advisor and then with the department head (from the department offering the exam) before applying for credit by examination. The Application to Establish Credit by Examination can be obtained from the Office of the Registrar (Gilchrist 115 or registrar.uni.edu) and requires approval from the department head and the dean of the college in which the course is offered. A Credit by Examination fee will be assessed with the examination.

Note: For limitations in the total credits earned by examination, refer to Undergraduate Information and Degree Requirements in the University Catalog.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) is a participating university in the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP). Students may complete CLEP tests prior to enrollment to UNI. UNI does not offer CLEP testing on campus.

CLEP offers 33 subject exams, but not all CLEP exams are accepted for credit at UNI. A list of courses for which CLEP examinations may be taken along with the minimum scores to earn credit is available from the UNI Office of Admissions.

Credit earned from a CLEP exam approved by UNI is applied to degree requirements. A maximum of 32 semester hours of credit by examination may apply toward degree requirements. This includes credit earned by CLEP, Advanced Placement, UNI departmental examination, and examinations from other colleges and universities.

A student may not earn credit by examination in an area in which the student previously has attempted or completed an equivalent course, a course of similar level, or one that is more advanced in content level. A course in which a student was enrolled until a W (withdrawal) was submitted in place of a grade is considered to be an attempted course.

Retrocredit for Heritage Speakers

Spanish Retrocredit for Heritage Speakers of Spanish: A student who is a heritage speaker of Spanish, and who takes SPAN 3001 Advanced Writing or SPAN 3006 Spanish for Heritage Speakers, and receives a grade of B- or higher in this course, will receive credit for the following UNI classes: SPAN 1001 Elementary Spanish I (3 hours); SPAN 1002 Elementary Spanish II (3 hours); SPAN 2001 Intermediate Spanish I (3 hours); SPAN 2002 Intermediate Spanish II (3 hours); SPAN 3003 Advanced Conversation and Reading (3 hours). Courses will appear on transcripts as credit; no grade will be assigned.

French Retrocredit for Heritage Speakers of French: A student who is a heritage speaker of French, and who takes FREN 3001/5001 Advanced Composition or FREN 3006 French for Heritage Speakers, and receives a grade of B- or higher in this course, will receive credit for the following UNI classes: FREN 1001 Introduction to French Language and Culture I (3 hours); FREN 1002 Introduction to French Language and Culture II (3 hours); FREN 2001 Intermediate French Language and Culture (3 hours); FREN 2002 Composition (3 hours); FREN 3003/5003 Advanced Conversation (3 hours). Courses will appear on transcripts as credit; no grade will be assigned.

All students enrolled at the University of Northern Iowa are expected to abide by the policies outlined in the University policy manual at policies.uni.edu. Policies are subject to change. For current policy, see policies.uni.edu. Key student academic policies are available below.

Student Conduct

The University of Northern Iowa expects all students to observe university regulations and the city, state, and federal laws, and to fully respect the rights of others. The University Student Conduct Code contains more specific information concerning student conduct and disciplinary action. This information is available by visiting deanofstudents.uni.edu/student-conduct. A printed copy is available in the Dean of Students Office.

Student Records

The University of Northern Iowa complies with the laws of the United States and the State of Iowa in the maintenance of student records, and in permitting access to those student records or the release of information in those records. University policies relative to student records are available at https://policies.uni.edu/311.

Information about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and the regulations required by this act may be viewed at https://registrar.uni.edu/ferpa.

Student Academic Grievances

Equitable due process in academic matters is provided in grievance procedures for students. Copies are also available in all departmental offices and the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost, Seerley 20 and can be found online at www.uni.edu/policies/1201 (12.01 Student Academic Grievance in the Policies and Procedures Manual).

Student Academic Ethics Policy (3.01)

Purpose

The culture of The University of Northern Iowa is characterized by a long-standing commitment to student learning and to excellence in teaching. This commitment has been established through the development of an open, ethical and caring community that promotes diversity, honesty, integrity, respect, fairness, trust and civility among its members. This community has created a culture based on core values that include intellectual vitality, intellectual and academic freedom, the well-being of its members and service to others.

In order to realize its commitments and values, all members of the UNI community must demonstrate academic integrity and ethical behavior and foster academic integrity and ethical behavior in others. Those who violate UNI’s standards of academic ethics must be held responsible for their misconduct. Those who observe violations of academic ethics have a responsibility to address it.

It is the purpose of this document to describe the responsibilities, provide definitions and examples of conduct which violates academic ethics and recommend appropriate sanctions in the case of misconduct.

Policy

Responsibilities of Academic Administrators

It is the responsibility of the Administration to foster and maintain the culture of the institution, including that of academic ethics and integrity. Ways of supporting this aspect of the University's mission and culture may include:

Collaborating with faculty in the creation of procedures, policies, and tools for the education and enforcement of academic ethics and integrity.
Assisting and supporting faculty in the investigation and appropriate correction of violations of academic ethics and integrity
Discussing the importance of academic honesty and ethics with students.
Addressing violations of the academic ethics policy by students.
Communicating with faculty and students actions taken to address violations of academic ethics.
This policy will be included in the Office of the Provost’s Syllabus Statements link within each course in eLearning.
The Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President may notify the Office of the Dean of Students regarding cases with extenuating circumstances, including but not limited to repeat behaviors and violations at Level Two or above.

Responsibilities of Faculty Members

Faculty members have responsibilities to model academic integrity and ethics for their students, to educate students about these qualities and behaviors and to promote compliance with the standards described in this policy, being mindful of cultural differences. They may do so by:

Describing in writing and distributing the objectives and requirements of the course they are teaching at the beginning of each semester and summer term;
Discussing the importance of academic honesty and ethics with students;
Making clear on their syllabus their expectations regarding individual or collaborative work, the use of supplemental aids for examinations and assignments and other specific guidelines they want students to follow in completing assigned course work;
Being available to answer students’ questions about issues of academic honesty and proper procedures for course work;
Addressing violations of the academic ethics policy by a student.

Responsibilities of Students

Students have responsibilities to become educated about the standards of ethics and behavior in the academic community and to adhere to those standards in all of their academic work. Students fulfill their responsibilities by:

Reading and becoming familiar with the Academic Ethics policy;
Understanding and avoiding actions that violate the Academic Ethics policy ;
Undertaking a commitment to act with honesty and integrity in completing any and all academic work;
Understanding and applying the proper methods of attribution and citation in all written, oral and electronic submissions;
Making sure they understand the requirements and expectations for academic work of each of their professors and to seek clarification from the faculty member when they are unsure if their behavior will violate those expectations;
Maintaining University standards by reporting acts of academic misconduct to the faculty member for the course or another academic administrator such as a department head or dean.

Academic Ethics Violations

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is intentionally or knowingly representing the works of another as one's own. Plagiarism includes both the theft or misappropriation of intellectual property and the substantial unattributed textual copying of another's work. Examples include but are not limited to:

Copying information word for word from a source, including cutting and pasting information from an electronic text, without using quotation marks and giving proper acknowledgment of the source or providing a proper citation.
Paraphrasing, or putting into one’s own words, the text of a source without providing proper acknowledgment of the source or providing a proper citation. The paraphrasing leads the reader of the text to believe that the ideas and arguments presented are one’s own.
Paraphrasing extensive portions of another source, even with citation. The extensive paraphrasing leads the reader of one’s own text to believe that the ideas and arguments presented are one’s own or it results in one’s own contribution to the work being minimal.
Presenting any work or part of a work or assignment that has been prepared by someone else as one’s own. This would include using unauthorized assistance in preparing the work or acquiring written work (e.g. from another person or AI-generated), purchasing a paper or assignment from a commercial organization, using the work of another person or obtaining the answers or work from any other source.
Reproducing, without proper citation, any other form of work of another person such as a graph, experimental data or results, laboratory reports, a proof, or a problem solution, in full or in part.

Misrepresentation

Misrepresentation is a false statement of fact. Examples in the academic arena include but are not limited to:

Arranging for another student to complete course work for one including taking an exam on one’s behalf.
Taking credit for work one didn’t complete, such as taking credit for a team assignment without participating or contributing as expected by one’s instructor or teammates.
Turning in the same or substantially similar written work to satisfy the requirements for more than one project or course, without the express, prior written consent of the instructor or instructors. If the work is from a prior term’s course one would need the express written consent of the current instructor. If you want to submit the work in more than one course during the same term one needs the express written consent of all instructors who will receive the work.

Fabrication and Falsification

Fabrication means making up data or results in any academic exercise. Falsification is manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record. Examples include but are not limited to:

Making up data collected during a research activity.
Making up a source for a citation.
Citing a source the writer did not use.
Altering and resubmitting assignments, tests, quizzes or exams to gain additional credit.

Cheating

Cheating is the use or attempted use of any unauthorized assistance in any academic exercise. Examples include but are not limited to:

Copying from someone else’s assignment, paper, quiz or exam.
Looking on someone else’s exam before or during an examination.
Unauthorized use of notes or other aids during a quiz, exam or other performance evaluation.
During a quiz or exam, using an electronic device that contains unauthorized information.
Communicating or attempting to communicate answers, hints or suggestions during an exam using any means including electronic devices.
Collaborating, without prior permission from one’s professor, in the preparation of assignments, lab reports, papers or take home exams.
Using another person’s answers for an assignment.
Providing test questions to other students either orally or in written form.
Stealing or attempting to steal an exam, exam questions or an answer key.
Unauthorized use of AI generated content or analysis

Impeding fair and equal access to the educational and research process.

Examples of this include but are not limited to:

Tampering with, damaging, hiding or otherwise impeding other students’ access to library materials or other related academic resources.
Attempting to prevent access by others to the computer system or destroying files or materials in the e-learning system for the course.

Misrepresenting or misusing one’s relationship with the University.

Examples of this include but are not limited to:

Falsifying, misusing, or tampering with information such as test scores, transcripts, letters of recommendation or other materials required for admission to and continued enrollment and access in the University’s programs or facilities.
Altering, forging or misusing academic records or any official University form regarding self or others.
Presenting false information at an academic proceeding or intentionally destroying evidence important to an academic proceeding.
Making a bad faith report of an academic integrity violation.
Offering bribes to any University representative in exchange for special favors or consideration in an academic proceeding.

Facilitation

Facilitation occurs when you knowingly or intentionally assist another in committing a violation of any of the previous sections of this academic ethics policy.

Academic Ethics Sanctions

A record of all documented violations will be maintained in the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President. Notice of documented violations may be shared with the Dean of Students. Any reported violation that involves a research activity, as defined in the research misconduct policy, will be reported to the Research and Integrity Officer and the investigation and sanction of research misconduct will be coordinated.

Students accused of a violation of academic ethics may appeal the decision using the Academic Grievance process described in 12.01 Academic Grievance Policy

Notice of Academic Ethics Concern

Notice of Academic Ethics Concern occurs when the incident rises above the level of a routine grading issue for a course but is still the result of inexperience or lack of knowledge of principles of academic ethics on the part of the student. These instances only involve a small fraction of the total course work, are not extensive, occur on a minor assignment and would not have appreciably increased the student’s grade in the course. Multiple Notice of Academic Ethics Concern may result in a violation, see below.

Examples include but are not limited to:

Working with another student on a homework assignment or a lab report when the instructor has not explicitly authorized collaborative work.
Failure to cite once in a paper.

Possible sanctions beyond the Notice of Academic Ethics Concern are, but are not limited to:

Reduction in the grade of the assignment.
Giving no credit for the assignment; course grade determined in the usual manner.
Requiring an alternate assignment.
Completing an assignment involving the practice of citations.

The Notice of Academic Ethics Concern will be placed in the student’s file maintained in the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President but will not be made public or attached to transcripts or other records. The Office of the Provost will notify the student in writing that such action has been taken.

Faculty members should document the instance using the online form provided by the Office of the Provost. This form will provide written notification to the student, the faculty department head, the student’s department head (if different) and the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President. The notification should document the academic ethics violation and action taken, as well as advise the student of their right to file a grievance and provide the web address of the grievance policy.

Level One Violations

Level One violations involve dishonesty and/or affect a significant portion of the course work.

Examples include but are not limited to:

Direct quotation or paraphrasing, more than once in an assignment without acknowledging the source.
Copying on an examination.
Giving unauthorized assistance to someone during an exam.
Submitting the same work or major portions of a work to satisfy the requirements of more than one course without permission from the instructor.
Using the work of collaborators on an assignment or laboratory report without acknowledging their contributions.

Possible sanctions include, but are not limited to:

No credit for the assignment and further reduction in course grade.
Completing an assignment or other learning opportunity on academic ethics.

Reprimanding the student in writing in the form of a letter addressed to the student and copied to the faculty department head, the student’s department head (if different) and the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President. The letter should document the academic ethics violation and action taken. The letter must also advise the student of his/her right to file a grievance and provide the web address of the grievance policy. The Provost and Executive Vice President or designee will notify the student in writing that such action has been taken.

A Level One violation will be placed in the student’s file maintained by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President but will not be made public or attached to transcripts or other records. The Office of the Provost will notify the student in writing that such action has been taken.

Level Two Violations

Level Two violations include premeditated dishonesty that affects a major or essential portion of work done to meet course requirements or assisting others to dishonestly complete such work. A third Notice of Academic Ethics Concern or second Level One violation, or three notices/violations at any level, will also be considered as a Level Two violation.

Examples include but are not limited to:

Using prohibited materials during an exam.
Altering an exam or assignment and submitting it for re-grading.
Acquiring or distributing exam questions from an unauthorized source.
Acquiring or distributing an exam answer key from an unauthorized source.
Plagiarism that exceeds the Level One violation threshold.
Presenting the work of another person as one’s own.
Interfering with other students’ access to course materials in the library or electronically posted.
Fabricating research data.

Required sanction:
The student will receive an F in the course.

A Level Two violation will be placed in the student’s file maintained by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President but will not be made public or attached to transcripts or other records. The Office of the Provost will notify the student in writing that such action has been taken.

Possible further sanction, determined by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President, based on the student’s prior record of academic ethics violations, includes disciplinary probation.

Level Three Violations

Level Three violations are the most serious breaches of intellectual ethics.

Examples include but are not limited to:

Breaches of academic ethics which involve forgery, theft or falsification of University documents or credentials.
Taking an exam for someone else or having someone else take an exam for you.
Fabrication of evidence, falsification of data, quoting directly or paraphrasing without proper acknowledgment of the source and/or presenting the ideas of another as your own in a senior thesis, master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation, in scholarly articles submitted to refereed publications or conferences as a student.
Willful violation of a canon of an ethical code of the profession for which a student is preparing.
Repeated lower level violations such as a fourth Notice of Academic Concern, third Level One or second Level Two violation.

Required sanctions:

Permanent expulsion from the University and a notation of “academic disciplinary separation” on the student’s transcript.

Faculty members should document the instance using the online form provided by the Office of the Provost. This form will provide written notification to the student, the faculty department head, the student’s department head (if different) and the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President. The notification should document the academic ethics and actions taken, as well as advise the student of their right to file a grievance and provide the web address of the grievance policy.

Sanctions for violations of this policy, as outlined in §IV, discovered after conferral of a degree will be handled at the discretion of the Office of the Provost.

Faculty Senate, approved April 16, 2012
President’s Cabinet, approved August 6, 2012

UNI Faculty Senate, approved edits on April 24, 2023 and February 26, 2024

Policy on Class Attendance and Make-up Work (3.06)

https://policies.uni.edu/306

Purpose:

It is the expressed focus of the University of Northern Iowa to further the educational development of each of its students. On occasion, events will necessitate a student’s absence from class. This policy delineates the responsibilities of faculty members and students relating to class attendance and make-up work.

Definition:

The term “faculty member(s)” when used in this policy includes all regular, full-time faculty and all part-time course instructors, regardless of any other University employee classification which applies to the individual who teaches on a part-time basis.

Policy

A. General Provisions

Faculty members who choose to have policies related to attendance and make-up work must distribute those policies by the end of the first week of instruction.
Students must adhere to each faculty member’s policies regarding attendance and make-up work.
Faculty members who require attendance at activities or events that may conflict with a student’s otherwise regularly scheduled classes are expected to be reasonable in setting these requirements. If a faculty member will require student attendance at an activity or event outside of the regularly scheduled class period, the affected students must be provided with written notice at least 10 university class days in advance of the event during the fall or spring semester and by the third day of the course for any summer term class. The faculty member must provide each student with a notice that can be given to the faculty member who instructs another course affected by the required attendance of the student. It is then the student’s obligation to notify the other faculty member. In the case of extracurricular activities, a semester-long schedule should be prepared and distributed to the participating students at the beginning of the semester. It is the student’s obligation to provide the schedule to their other faculty members. A student may not be penalized for missing a course activity which is outside of their regularly scheduled class time and conflicts with their other scheduled courses. If a faculty member has course activities which require attendance outside of scheduled class time, that faculty member must either provide the student an opportunity to make up the missed activity or event, or have in place a make-up policy that does not unjustly penalize a student for the missed activity or event.

B. Absences

Occasionally, students will have reasonable cause to miss class. In order for both faculty members and students to plan effectively for these absences, the following procedures have been developed. Faculty members are encouraged to take into account the reason for an absence and make appropriate accommodations. Students are still responsible for demonstrating achievement of course learning goals, even when absences are necessary or reasonable. In situations with many absences, it may be most appropriate for the student to withdraw and retake the course in a future semester.

In the case of mandatory excused absences, students must be allowed to make up missed work, complete an equivalent assignment, or the professor and the student may mutually agree to waive the assignment without penalty. Faculty members have the discretion to determine what constitutes an appropriate make up work assignment. Some course requirements may not require a make-up, such as in cases where the class work has a very minimal point value or where the course requirement of minimal point value is a part of a series of dropped assignments.
1. The following absences must be excused:
  1. Required university related absences, including but not limited to athletic games/matches/meets or their equivalents.
  2. Absences due to military duty or veteran status, including service-related medical appointments where failure to appear might result in a loss of benefits.
  3. Absences because of pregnancy or childbirth for as long as the student’s doctor deems the absences medically necessary. When a student returns to school, the student must be allowed to return to the same academic and extracurricular status as before the medical leave began (see Title IX and related information).
  4. Legally mandated absences such as jury duty or court subpoena.
  5. Absences on a day the provost has declared a severe weather day per policy 4.07.
  6. Religious observances.
2. Students participating in or involved with an excused absence listed in B.1.a. above must inform each faculty member of their known and anticipated absences as far in advance as possible. Such information or notice is not required in situations involving a severe weather day per policy 4.07. Failure to inform faculty beforehand, when it is clearly possible to do so, may be treated as an unexcused absence.
3. Faculty are not required to offer make-up work for extra credit tasks or assignments.
Except as outlined in B1, faculty members have the discretion to determine the reasonableness of absences due to extenuating circumstances, either predetermined or unexpected. Such absences include but are not limited to: non-university sanctioned educationally appropriate events and activities (e.g. attendance at a professional conference, lecture on campus); illness; significant personal emergency; bereavement; etc.
1. When an absence is deemed “reasonable”, the faculty member provides the student an opportunity to make up missed work, or has in place a make-up policy that does not unjustly penalize a student for the absence.
2. Remedies for missed work due to a “reasonable” absence include but are not limited to replacement assignments; policies which may allow students to drop a certain number of assignments or exams; policies which might average a score for a missed exam or account for it in other ways, etc.
3. In each of these remedies, a “reasonable” standard should apply. In determining whether a remedy is reasonable, consideration should be given to the published syllabus.

C. Make-up Work Grievances Arising from Absences

Should a faculty member refuse to allow a student to make up missed work, the faculty member’s decision can be appealed by the student using the grievance process outlined in Section 7 of 12.01 Student Academic Grievance Policy.

Faculty Senate, approved February 2021
University Council, approved April 4, 2022
President and President's Cabinet, approved August 2022

Undergraduate Academic Forgiveness (Policy 3.21)

I. Purpose

II. Policy Statement

Students seeking academic forgiveness are responsible for ensuring their eligibility, initiating the process, and understanding the impact this policy may have on their academic record.

Procedures

Eligibility

Eligibility for academic forgiveness requires that an individual:

is a former undergraduate student at UNI for one or more semesters, and
has been separated from UNI (non-enrolled) for four consecutive calendar years or more, and
has not already earned an undergraduate degree from UNI or another accredited institution, and
has completed an application to re-enroll at UNI, or is re-enrolled at UNI following the designated separation, and
has submitted an Application for Academic Forgiveness within one academic year of a return to UNI, and
is free from unresolved holds placed on enrollment by any UNI offices, and
is seeking academic forgiveness for a semester in which an academic ethics violation of level three or higher was not founded.

General Qualifications

Academic forgiveness is a request to remove a semester of previously completed coursework from UNI’s calculated grade point averages upon approval of the request.
Academic forgiveness is applied to one identified semester of classes from UNI, regardless of the number of credit hours in the semester, in the Application for Academic Forgiveness. All classes within the identified semester are included in the Application for Academic Forgiveness. Forgiveness is not applicable to individual classes.
Major or program exit requirements (e.g. student teaching, culminating major/program field experience or internship) may not be eligible for forgiveness consideration depending on department/program policies.
The semester requested for academic forgiveness must apply to the individual’s previous academic enrollment prior to reentry to UNI.
Academic forgiveness can only be approved one time.
Academic forgiveness is irreversible and final.
Students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours within two calendar years upon or after reentry to UNI or the forgiveness approval will be void.
Tuition refunds are not considered for an academic forgiveness semester.

Academic Records, Standing and Financial Aid Awards

All courses taken and grades earned during the semester of academic forgiveness remain on the student’s official transcript. They will be marked to show they have been removed from the computation of the GPA.
The academic hours earned during the forgiveness semester will not count toward the number of hours required for graduation.
Any courses in the forgiveness semester that satisfied departmental major/minor requirements should be reviewed with the corresponding department by the student at the time of forgiveness application. It is the decision of the department if a previously completed course will count as fulfilling the requirement in question. The acceptance of previously completed requirements for the major/minor is not guaranteed.
UNIFI/General Education requirements satisfied by courses taken during an approved forgiveness semester are not eligible for waiver.
A successfully completed prerequisite course in the major or minor impacted by academic forgiveness (i.e. during the semester forgiveness is requested) must be approved for waiver or substitution by the department for the major/minor degree requirements; all other courses must be repeated.
Other universities and educational institutions may interpret transcripts and earned grade point averages differently. They may recalculate the grade point average to include all courses and semesters of earned credit.
The Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress policy is not impacted by receiving academic forgiveness. All coursework attempted will be included in evaluating a student’s satisfactory academic progress for financial aid purposes. Students placed on financial aid suspension as a result of not meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress prior to academic forgiveness will continue to remain on financial aid suspension. However, students have the opportunity to appeal their satisfactory academic progress standing. Eligibility for specific academic scholarships is determined by the requirements of each academic scholarship program, including how GPA eligibility decisions are determined. Contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships prior to submitting an Application for Academic Forgiveness to better understand any impact on financial aid and the satisfactory academic progress appeals process.

Effective Fall 2018 semester.

Office of the Registrar and Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, approved January 4, 2018

University Council, approved February 12, 2018

President and Executive Management Team, approved February 26, 2018

UNI Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policy (13.02)

Purpose

The University (referred to as "University" or "UNI") is committed to providing a workplace and educational environment, as well as other benefits, programs, and activities, that are free from discrimination and harassment based on a protected class, as well as retaliation.

Policy Statement

To affirm its commitment to promoting the goals of fairness and equity in all aspects of the educational program or activity, and to ensure compliance with federal and state civil rights laws and regulations, the University has developed internal policies and procedures that provide a prompt, fair, and impartial process for those involved in an allegation of discrimination or harassment on the basis of protected class, and for allegations of retaliation. The University values and upholds the equal dignity of all members of its community and strives to balance right rights of the parties in the Formal Complaint process during what is often a difficult time for all those involved.

This policy prohibits all forms of discrimination based on a protected class. Sometimes, discrimination involves exclusion from or different treatment in activities, such as admission, athletics, or employment. Other times, discrimination takes the form of harassment or, in the case of sex-based discrimination, can encompass sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, sexual exploitation, dating violence or domestic violence. When an alleged violation of this policy is reported, the allegations are subject to resolution using the University's procedures as determined by the Title IX Coordinator, and as detailed in the policy.

When the Respondent is a member of the UNI community, a Formal Complaint process may be available regardless of the status of the Complainant, who may or may not be a member of the University community. This community includes, but is not limited to, students, student organizations, faculty, administrators, staff, and third parties such as guests, visitors, volunteers, invitees, and campers. The procedures in this policy may be applied to incidents, to patterns, and/or to the campus climate, all of which may be addressed and investigated in accordance with this policy.

The University provides a variety of resources to assist individuals who have experienced discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct to address the effects of the incident and to help them determine whether and how to make a formal complaint about the incident. Additional resource-related information can be found at https://civilrights.uni.edu.

All reports of discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation shall be promptly made to the Title IX Officer (or designated Deputy Coordinator). The Assistant to the President for Civil Rights serves as the Title IX Officer and ADA/504 Coordinator and oversees implementation of the University’s Affirmative Action Plan and the University’s Policy on Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct.

UNI Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination Statement (13.03)

Purpose

To provide guidelines regarding equal opportunity and non-discrimination at the University in compliance with applicable federal and state non-discrimination and affirmative action laws and regulations.

Policy Statement

No person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in employment, any educational program, or any activity of the University, on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, or on any other basis protected by federal and/or state law.

The University of Northern Iowa prohibits discrimination and promotes affirmative action in its educational and employment policies and practices as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other applicable laws and University policies. The University of Northern Iowa prohibits sexual harassment, including sexual violence.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the equal opportunity and non-discrimination policies and serves as the University Title IX Officer and the Section 504/ADA Coordinator: Leah Gutknecht, Assistant to the President for Civil Rights, Office of Civil Rights, 117 Gilchrist Hall, UNI, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0028, 319-273-2846, leah.gutknecht@uni.edu.

UNI Campus Accessibility and Accommodations of Disabilities Policy (13.15)

Purpose

To provide guidelines regarding the University’s compliance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), the Fair Housing Act (FHA), and other applicable federal and state laws and regulations.

Policy Statement

No qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of the University, or be subjected to unlawful discrimination by the University. This policy applies to all aspects of campus activities including employment, education, student programming, and services provided to the community at-large.