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Hastings College Academic Catalog
2004-2006
Academic Policies
ACADEMICS
Hastings College grants two undergraduate
degrees: the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Music. Students
may meet academic requirements for a degree as set forth in
any catalog in use during the period they are in college,
provided the catalog was not issued more than five years before
graduation. The final 30 hours for a degree must be earned
in residence. The Academic Affairs Committee may make exceptions
to this policy.
Requirements for graduation with the Bachelor
of Arts degree or the Bachelor of Music degree include the
completion of 127 hours of college work, with a cumulative
average of 2.0 or above in all work applied toward graduation,
together with a minimum average of 2.0 in the major field,
and a total of 42 hours of upper-division work (courses numbered
300 or above).
Degrees are awarded at commencement exercises
in May. Students who complete requirements during the summer
session or at mid-year may receive a statement from the Registrar's
Office certifying that requirements for the degree have been
met and that the degree will be awarded at the next regularly
scheduled commencement.
In order to become official candidates for
a degree (B.A., B.M., or M.A.T.), students must file an application-for-degree
form in the Registrar's Office during the fall semester of
the academic year of anticipated graduation. A list of candidates
for graduation, limited to those students who can reasonably
expect to complete degree requirements before the conclusion
of the spring semester, will be kept current throughout the
academic year by the Registrar's Office. Students whose names
are on the graduation list at the time the commencement program
goes to the printer will be permitted to march in the commencement
ceremony. Students on the list who fail to complete all degree
requirements prior to the spring deadline will receive an
empty folder instead of a diploma, and will not be eligible
for official conferral of the degree until the commencement
ceremony one year later. Effective in 1989, the official list
of Hastings College degree recipients for each year is printed
in subsequent issues of the Hastings College Catalog, and
a statement to that effect appears in the commencement program.
Each spring before registration the Registrar's
Office will furnish the advisors a current summary sheet for
each of their advisees. Although the Registrar's Office and
the advisors will assist students with their planning, final
responsibility for meeting degree requirements lies with the
student.
Minimum requirements for majors and supporting
areas can be found in the departmental listings. The number
of hours required for a major ranges from 27 to 45, although
students may apply as many as 48 hours in a single discipline
toward the 127 hours required for graduation. For purposes
of this requirement, each of the following will be counted
as two separate disciplines: English/Journalism, German/Spanish,
Business Administration/Economics, Business Administration/Accounting,
Studio Art/Art History, and Speech/Theatre. This requirement
does not apply to the Bachelor of Music degree. Requirements
for minors can be found in the departmental listings. A minimum
of 15 hours, including 6 hours of upper-division, is required,
as well as a 2.0 grade-point average in all courses included
in the minor.
Academic Advising
All new, full-time students are assigned
an academic advisor (advocate) by the Director of Academic
Advising. The advisor is assigned once all admissions procedures
are completed and the new student requests an appointment
to register. New first-year students are assigned an advocate
who is trained to assist them during the transition to college
in both academic and student life issues. Transfer students
will be assigned an advisor in their major interest area.
Students who are deciding on a major will be assigned to an
advisor who works well with undecided students.
Student Loads
A full-time student load is defined as 12-16
hours during the fall and spring semesters and 3 hours during
the Interim Term. Students carrying fewer than 12 hours during
the fall and spring semesters are considered part-time. Students
who wish to exceed 16 hours during the long semesters or 3
hours during the Interim must have the permission of the Dean
of the College and will be assessed overload charges. The
only exceptions to this overload provision are STS 130 and
121, which are 1-hour classes for first-year students.
Classification of
Students
Students are classified according to hours
completed as follows:
| Freshman |
0-26 hours |
| Sophomore |
27-56 hours |
| Junior |
57-86 hours |
| Senior |
87+ hours |
| Special |
Not pursuing a degree |
Students Rights under FERPA
The Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
affords students certain rights and protection with respect
to their education records. They are:
- The right to inspect and review the student’s
education records within 45 days of the day the College
receives a request for access. Students should submit
to the Registrar, or other appropriate official, written
requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect.
The College official will make arrangements for access and
notify the student of the time and place where records may
be inspected.
- The right to request the amendment of the student’s
education records that the student believes is inaccurate
or misleading. Challenging a grade does not fall
under the purview of FERPA regulations. The student may
ask the College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate
or misleading. The student should make the request in writing
to the Registrar; clearly identifying the part of the record
they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.
If the College decides not to amend the record as requested
by the student, the College will notify the students of
the decision and advise the student of his or her right
to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. A request
for a hearing must be made in writing to the Vice President
for Academic Affairs, who, within a reasonable amount of
time will inform the student of the date, place and time
of the hearing. The panel will include the Vice President
for Academic Affairs, Vice President for Student Affairs,
and Vice President for Enrollment Management.
- The student may not inspect certain records according
to FERPA including the following:
- Financial information submitted by their parents.
- Confidential letters and recommendations associated
with admissions criteria, employment or job placement.
- Honors to which the student has waived their rights
of inspection and review.
- Education records containing information about more
than one student.
- The right of consent in writing to disclose personally
identifiable information contained in the student’s
education records, except where FERPA authorizes disclosure
without consent. The exceptions being:
- School officials who have a "legitimate educational
interest" as defined by FERPA.*
- Parents of a dependent may request access as defined
by the Internal Revenue Code.
- A judicial order or subpoena which allows the in
the College to release records without the students
consent.
- A person, company or organization providing financial
aid or contracted by the College.
- An accrediting agency carrying out their accreditation
function.
- To persons in an emergency in order to protect the
health and safety of students or other persons.
*A College official has a legitimate educational interest
if the official needs to review an education record in
order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
- The right to notify the College in writing (within
two weeks of the beginning of each semester) if the student
does not want any or all of the information designated as
directory information to be released internally or externally.
Hastings College designates the following as directory information:
- Name
- Local address
- Local phone number or extension
- E-mail address
- Permanent address
- Parent/Guardian’s name
- Date of birth
- Previous educational institution most recently attended
- Level of education classification (Fr. through Grad.)
- Academic major
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department
of Education concerning alleged failures by Hastings College
to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and
address of the Office that administers FERPA is:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
600 Independence Ave. SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-4605
Grades and Grade Point
Average
Grades are determined on the basis of A,
excellent; B, good; C, average; D, poor; F, failure.
Change of Grade: Once grades have been reported
to the Registrar's Office, they may be changed only if the
instructor has made an error. Under no circumstances may grades
be changed for students who hand in work after the grade is
reported.
Incompletes: A student who has done satisfactory
work but because of illness or circumstances beyond his or
her control is unable to complete all course requirements
may be given a grade of Incomplete. The instructor, not the
student, makes this decision and files the R-IG-I form with
the Registrar's office. Incompletes must be removed within
the first six weeks of the following semester for credit to
be allowed. Otherwise, a grade of F will be submitted by the
instructor and entered on the transcript. Extensions of time
for urgent reasons may be made by the Dean of the College.
A student may retake a course in an attempt
to earn a higher grade. Only the second time will count for
credit, and only the second grade will count in the grade
point average. A student's grade point average is figured
by dividing the total number of hours of credit into the total
grade points received according to the following table:
| A |
4 grade points |
| B |
3 grade points |
| C |
2 grade points |
| D |
1 grade point |
Pluses and minuses are recorded on the transcript
but do not affect the grade point average.
Academic Transcript
Policies
An alumnus/alumna, previous student, or
current student may request an official transcript at the
Registrar's Office, in person, by mail, or by a FAX request.
Official transcripts directed to the student will be stamped
ISSUED TO STUDENT. To send a transcript to a third party,
the request must include student's name (at the time of attendance),
social security number, approximate dates of attendance, and
signature, along with the address where the transcript is
to be sent. The fee is $3.00 per copy. The FAX number is 402-461-7490.
For additional clarification call 1-800-532-7642 and ask for
the Registrar's Office.
Students transferring to Hastings College
must send all official transcripts to the Admissions Office.
A FAX transcript is not acceptable for the permanent file
but can be used for assessment of transfer credit. International
students must submit all official transcripts translated into
English or be charged a fee for translation by authorized
sources prior to being accepted to Hastings College.
Pass Fail Grading
Policy
Full-time students with a grade point average
of 2.0 and above may participate in a limited pass-fail program
of up to 4 hours in the sophomore year and up to 4 hours in
any term of the junior and senior years, to a total of 16
hours. The decision to take a particular course pass-fail
must be made at the Registrar's Office by the end of the fourth
day of the semester. The pass-fail option may not be taken
in any course applied to the L.A.P., major field or minor
field, nor is it open to students on academic probation. Students
may not retake a course pass-fail unless the course was taken
pass-fail the first time.
Academic Dishonesty
As stated in the Hastings College Manual
of Operations and the Alpha Chi brochure The Challenge
of Academic Integrity. Ethics are of concern to a liberally
educated individual and institutions dedicated to the education
of these people should make clear the concern for ethical
behavior. The ethical person assumes responsibility for her
or his own behavior while giving credit to others for their
ideas and accomplishments.
Academic plagiarism and cheating will not
be tolerated, and violators are subject to disciplinary action.
Faculty members are encouraged to discuss plagiarism and cheating
with their classes at the start of each term and to emphasize
the value of academic integrity and honesty. In the event
that academic dishonesty is suspected, the following procedure
is recommended.
- Hold a private conference with the student. It would
be desirable that the problem be resolved at this point
to the satisfaction of both the faculty member and the student.
- Some possible consequences a faculty member might exercise:
- Redo the assignment.
- Fail the assignment.
- Fail the course.
- If penalties are imposed by the faculty member, he/she
should file a written report of the incident, with the Academic
Dean.
- Repeat offenses will be addressed by the Academic Dean
and the Academic Affairs Committee.
- The appeal process for the student is through the Academic
Affairs Committee.
Satisfactory Academic
Progress: Probation, Suspension, and Dismissal
Each full-time student is expected to make
satisfactory progress toward completion of the degree. Minimum
standards of satisfactory academic progress are as follows:
- Completion of at least 12 semester hours for each semester
enrolled as a full-time student.
- Minimum cumulative grade point averages as follows:
- 1.65 After one semester
- 1.8 After two semesters
- 1.9 After three semesters
- 2.0 After four or more semesters
Students who do not meet these minimum standards
will be placed on academic probation. At the conclusion of
each semester the record of every student on academic probation
will be carefully reviewed. One of the following three actions
will be taken:
- The Dean will remove the student from academic probation
if the student now meets the standards of satisfactory academic
progress,
- The Dean will continue the student on academic probation
for another semester, or
- The Dean will refer the student to the Academic Affairs
Committee for possible academic suspension.
There is one exception to the practice
of allowing students at least one semester on academic probation
prior to an academic suspension. Any student who earns less
that a 1.25 grade-point average in his/her first semester
at Hastings College is referred to the Dean and Academic Affairs
Committee for possible immediate academic suspension. Each
case will be decided individually and on its own merits.
- Students placed on probation may be restricted to a reduced
course load, provided structured study hours, or directed
to meet with their academic advisor and/or the Counseling
Center on a regular basis.
- Students on probation may not take advantage of the pass-fail
option.
- Students placed on academic suspension may apply for
re-admission after one semester. Readmission is by act of
the Academic Affairs Committee or by the Dean of the College
on behalf of the Academic Affairs Committee. Such readmission
will always be on academic probation.
- Students who cannot qualify for removal from probation
after a suspension will be subject to academic dismissal.
Dean's List
The Dean's List, issued twice during the
academic year, includes those students who achieve a 3.7 grade
point average or higher in a minimum of 12 hours graded on
the traditional A-F scale. Interim Term grades are not used
in compiling the Dean's List. Students with grades of Incomplete
pending are not eligible for the Dean's List.
Alpha Chi
The official national scholastic honorary
society at Hastings College is Alpha Chi, a local chapter
of which was established in 1949. Membership is limited to
the top 10 percent of each of the junior and senior classes.
Those eligible must have been on campus at least one year,
completed at least 12 hours of course work in the semester
in which they are eligible, and meet the academic standards
established by the organization and Hastings College. Students
with grades of Incomplete pending are not eligible for Alpha
Chi.
Graduation Honors
Graduation honors are awarded annually at
Commencement Exercises to those students with outstanding
academic records in their undergraduate work, who have been
in residence at Hastings College for at least two years, and
who have a minimum of 100 hours of credit on the AF grading
scale.
Degrees with distinction are awarded to
the top 12% of the graduating class as follows: Summa Cum
Laude, top 3%; Magna Cum Laude, next 4%; Cum Laude, next 5%.
The minimum grade point average for eligibility for graduation
honors is 3.7.
Departmental honors with high distinction
are awarded to graduating seniors who have earned a 3.85 in
their major area of study; departmental honors with distinction
go to those with a 3.7 average in their major area of study.
Articulation Agreements
In addition to articulation agreements reached
with several individual institutions, Hastings College is
a participant in the Nebraska Association of Collegiate Registrars
and Admissions Officers Articulation Agreement, and the Nebraska
Transfer Initiative. Details are available at the Registrar's
Office.
Credit for Special
Activities
Four hours of credit made up of each of
the following groups of activities may apply toward the 127
hours required for a degree: Collegian/Bronco, forensics/theatre,
and musical groups. Information on such activities may be
obtained from the departments concerned. Students must register
for these activities in order to receive credit for them.
They must also do their work under faculty supervision and
be recommended for credit by their instructors.
Credit by Examination
Students who desire advanced standing may
acquire as many as 20 semester hours of credit through one
or more of the following: (1) The Advanced Placement Program
of the College Board, (2) The College Level Examination Program,
also of the College Board, (3) International Baccalaureate
North America, and (4) Hastings College's own testing out
program.
Policies on Advanced Placement are described
below. Under CLEP, scores above the 50th percentile are normally
acceptable, although most departments require satisfactory
performance on an additional essay examination. Under IB,
scores of 4 or above in the higher-level examinations will
normally qualify for up to four hours of credit, subject to
the approval of the department concerned. For students receiving
an IB diploma see the Special Transfer Policies section. No
additional tuition charge is made for the acceptance of AP,
CLEP, or IB credit.
Under the College's own testing out policy,
students may challenge any course listed in the Academic Catalog.
Students who can demonstrate mastery of course content through
satisfactory performance on a departmentally prepared examination
are entitled to credit for the course after having paid an
examination fee and a special tuition fee. All credit by examination
programs are administered by the Registrar's Office, and any
questions or requests for further information should be directed
there.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT
Advanced Placement (AP) is a program of
the College Board and the Educational Testing Service whereby
students may earn college credit for work completed in high
school. Credit is granted automatically to students whose
scores on AP examinations are 4 or 5. Credit is not granted
to students whose scores are 1 or 2. For a student whose score
is 3, the decision on whether to grant credit will be made
by the appropriate Hastings College academic department, based
on an examination of the student's free response booklet.
Inasmuch as AP will not provide free response booklets directly
to colleges and universities, students with scores of 3 will
need to request free response booklets from AP and then either
send them or bring them to the Hastings College Academic Dean's
Office. The AP mailing address for this purpose is AP Services,
P.O. Box 6671, Princeton, NJ 08541-6671. Telephone (888) 225-5427.
As of this writing, AP is charging $10.00 for each booklet
requested. Students will be reimbursed for this amount when
the booklet is received in the Dean's Office.
Following is a list of the AP examinations
most frequently presented for college credit and the corresponding
Hastings College courses in which credit is given. The grade
on the transcript will be Px, which means "Passed by
Examination." Such grades are not computed in the grade-point
average.
| Advanced-Placement Examination |
Corresponding Hastings College Course |
Credit Hours |
| Art—General |
AHT 101, Basic Design |
3 |
| Art History |
AHT 244, Art History I, or AHT 254,
Art History II |
3 |
| Biology |
BIO 100, General Biology |
3 |
| Calculus AB |
MTH 150, Calculus I |
4 |
| Chemistry |
CHM 151, College Chemistry I, and CHM
155, College Chemistry I Laboratory |
4 |
| Economics |
ECO 211, Principles of Micro-Economics,
or ECO 213, Principles of Macro-Economics |
3 |
| English Language/Composition |
ENG 100, Composition |
4 |
| English Literature/Composition |
ENG 110, Introduction to Literature |
4 |
| European History |
HIS 100, Western Civilization to 1648,
or HIS 110, Western Civilization since 1648 |
4 |
| French Language |
FRN 101, Elementary French |
4 |
| German Language |
GER 101, Elementary German |
4 |
| Government & Politics/U.S. |
PLS 100, American Government and Politics |
3 |
| Physics B |
PHY 201, General Physics |
5 |
| Psychology |
PSY 100, Introduction to Psychology |
3 |
| Spanish Language |
SPN 101, Elementary Spanish |
4 |
| US History |
HIS 251, The US to 1865, or HIS 253,
The US since 1865 |
4 |
Transfer Credit
Transfer students are welcome at Hastings
College, and the College will make every effort to see that
all transferable credit is accepted. The Registrar, with the
advice and consent of the academic departments concerned,
makes final determination.
Transfer work from other institutions will
not be officially credited to the Hastings College record
until the student has been officially accepted for admission
and declared a candidate for a Hastings College degree. Official,
raised-seal transcripts must be received directly from all
high schools and colleges attended. Carry-in transcripts are
not acceptable. Transcripts of any AP or CLEP work must be
received directly from CEEB. Any transfer work applied toward
teacher certification requirements is subject to the approval
of the TEPC.
Each transfer student will receive a summary
of credits, indicating which courses have been accepted for
transfer. Any transfer work applied towards a major is subject
to approval by the department concerned. The summary should
be examined closely, and any appeals must be brought to the
attention of the Registrar before the end of the first full
semester as a full-time student at Hastings.
When examining work for possible transfer
credit, the Registrar will consider the following:
- Whether the institution is accredited by one of the regional
accrediting associations: North Central, New England, Middle
States, Northwest, Southern, or Western. Acceptance of credit
from unaccredited institutions cannot be assured, although
exceptions are frequently made in the case of certain special
purpose institutions: Bible colleges accredited by the American
Association of Bible Colleges and nursing schools accredited
by the National League for Nursing. In certain situations
transfer credit may be accepted provisionally and then validated
by additional evidence, such as satisfactory work in residence.
The Registrar makes final determination.
- Whether the work is comparable to work offered at Hastings
College and applicable to a Hastings College degree program.
For example, courses in such fields as automotive technology,
home economics, and secretarial studies normally will not
transfer because Hastings College does not offer comparable
programs.
- Whether the grades are C or above. Grades below C do
not transfer unless accepted as part of an Associate of
Arts degree (see below). For graduation, transfer students
must achieve a C average in all work taken at Hastings College.
Official grade point averages are based on all work taken
at Hastings College and all accept able transfer credits.
If the grading system at the institution from which the
credit is accepted is clearly not comparable to the grading
system at Hastings College, then the grades will go on the
Hastings record as P's.
Hastings College awards credit in semester
hours. Credit from quarter-hour institutions will be accepted
at the rate of two-thirds of a semester hour per quarter hour.
Special Transfer Policies
Registered Nurses who have completed their
work at a school of nursing accredited by the National League
for Nursing may earn a B.A. degree in Nursing from Hastings
College by completing 65 additional hours (at least 28 in
upper-division courses) and by meeting all core requirements.
Hastings College will accept the Associate
of Arts degree from an accredited junior college or technical-community
college and all work, regardless of grade, for which credit
was allowed toward the A.A. degree. To earn the bachelor's
degree from Hastings College, transfer students with the Associate
of Arts degree must complete a minimum of 65 additional hours
(at least 35 in upper-division courses) all LAP requirements,
major field requirements, and the 127 hour graduation requirement.
Hastings College will accept the International
Baccalaureate Diploma, including standard level and higher-level
performance in the course of study. All examinations need
to be verified by the International Baccalaureate North America,
and coursework will be articulated on a course-by-course basis
according to the description provided by the IB high school.
A maximum of one year of coursework will be applied to the
student's H.C. program of study.
Adding and Dropping
Classes
During the first week of the semester, students
may add a course with just the advisor's signature. During
the second week, the course instructor's signature is also
required. Students may not add a course after the end of the
second week.
Students may withdraw from a class prior
to the close of the first four weeks with just the advisor's
signature and with no notation on the record. Between the
fourth week and the ninth week for freshmen and between the
fourth week and the eighth week for upperclassmen, students
may withdraw with the advisor's and the instructor's signatures
and with a simple W noted on the record. Withdrawal between
the eighth or ninth week and the tenth week requires the permission
of the Academic Dean. A grade of WP (withdrawn passing) or
WF (withdrawn failing) will be recorded. A grade of WF counts
as an F in the cumulative grade point average. Except for
genuine emergencies, withdrawals are not allowed after the
tenth week.
Once a student has registered for a course,
he/she must either complete the course or withdraw from it
officially at the Registrar's Office. Otherwise, a grade of
F will be recorded.
Withdrawing from
the College
Students who are registered for classes
at Hastings College must go through an official withdrawal
process in order to withdraw from the College. This official
process involves the completion of a Withdrawal Form. Withdrawal
Forms are available at the Registrar's Office located in room
108 on the main floor of Hurley-McDonald Hall.
To complete the Withdrawal Forms correctly,
students will be required to visit several administrative
and academic offices in order that they may be cleared to
withdraw. These offices are listed in the Official Clearance
section of the Withdrawal Form.
In order to make the withdrawal process
go as smoothly as possible, it is imperative that all sections
of the Withdrawal Form be completed. Failure to complete the
form in its entirety could delay the forwarding of grade reports
and academic transcripts, and hamper the student when applying
for financial aid at subsequent schools.
If students have questions concerning the
withdrawal process, they should visit with the Academic Dean
(Hurley-McDonald Rm. 224), the Registrar (Hurley-McDonald
Rm. 108) or the Director of Financial Aid (Hurley-McDonald
Rm. 100).
Students who are unable to complete a term
at Hastings College as a result of being called up for active
duty or being drafted and ineligible for deferment, are eligible
for benefits under the policy. The student's options are
- Cancel registration in all classes. Receive a full refund
of tuition and fees.
- Request an incomplete for all classes and arrange to
complete the courses later.
- Request a grade and course credit de- pending on the
extent of the course completed.
- Withdraw from selected courses and receive a pro-rated
refund, while also requesting an incomplete or a grade in
other courses.
Financial aid issues will be addressed on
an individual basis.
Class Size
The College reserves the right to cancel
any course for which fewer than ten students are registered.
Exceptions may be made for courses required of the major field
and offered less frequently than once a year.
Class Attendance
It is essential that each student consult
directly with the course instructor prior to each and every
absence from class. While class attendance policies of individual
faculty members may vary, regular class attendance is expected
of Hastings College students. Students should miss class only
when absolutely necessary. Faculty members have the authority
to request that students with excessive absences be withdrawn
from their classes.
A student who must be absent because of
illness or other important personal reasons may report such
reasons to the Deans of Students Office (461-7425), which
will then inform the student's instructors. This is an informational
service only. Calling the Deans of Students Office does not
excuse the student either from attending the class or from
being responsible for what happened in class during the absence.
Hastings College students have the opportunity
to participate in a variety of college-related activities
which may occasionally take students away from regularly scheduled
classes. As a courtesy, faculty sponsors file, with the Academic
Dean's Office, a list of the students to be absent and the
dates and times of the absences. The Dean's Office sends this
information to faculty so they understand the nature of the
absence when evaluating a student's classroom performance.
The Dean's Office communication does not excuse the student
from responsibility for material covered in the class.
Participation in Extra Curricular Activities
To be eligible to participate in intercollegiate
contests such as debate, forensics, or athletics, students
must be registered for a minimum of 12 hours and doing satisfactory
work in them at the time of participation. Athletes who are
certified to participate in January must be registered for
a course during the Interim Term.
Graduation Rates
In accordance with the Student Right
to Know Act, Hastings College makes available on an annual
basis to students and potential students the graduation rates
of all first-time, full-time students who matriculate at Hastings
College. An annual report is available in the Registrar's
Office after November 1 of each year.
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