A student is expected to attend every meeting of a class for which she is registered. The responsibility for attendance rests with the student. Excused absences may be granted to students who must miss class(es) for legitimate and documentable reasons of personal health, family concerns (illness, funeral, wedding), or participation in varsity athletics or other officially recognized activities. However, every absence carries the penalty of the loss of instruction given during absence, which may result in a lower grade for the course. Limited excused absences for personal health or family concerns are granted by the Advising Office. It is at the discretion of the faculty as to how missed work is accounted for – please consult the course syllabus for details. It may be necessary to withdraw from courses in the event of prolonged absence.
Instructors send deficiency notices to all students whose work is not satisfactory at midterm. Failure to receive a midterm deficiency notice does not preclude the possibility that the student may still fail the course nor does it imply that the student will automatically pass the course. A deficiency notice does not become part of a student’s permanent record. Deficiency notices are available online through PRISM. Notices are not sent via mail.
The final exam schedule is published at the beginning of the semester, and students are responsible for knowing the dates and times of their exams; transportation should be planned accordingly. Students should request a final exam change if they are scheduled for three exams in one day or three consecutive exam periods.
Saint Mary’s College and the University of Notre Dame maintain a cooperative program permitting students to take courses at the neighboring institution. First-year students do not participate in co-exchange courses, except in unusual circumstances, and only with approval from the the Advising Office.
When a student has been out for more than two semesters (inactive student status), they must complete an Application for Readmission. In addition to updating the standard personal contact information, the form asks why the student left, what the student has done while being away (including any other colleges attended), and the reason for their planned return. The application is reviewed by Academic Advising for academics, the Dean of Students for conduct, and Student Accounts for any outstanding balance. Any other existing holds need to be resolved before a student can return. For further information, see College Bulletin.
Students may receive credit for college courses taken before entering Saint Mary’s College under the following conditions:
Approval of courses is based on official transcripts and course descriptions, to be provided by the student.
After five weeks a first-year student may withdraw from a course with the permission of her instructor and the Advising Office. If a student withdraws from a course with a passing grade, the grade recorded is a W. If she is not passing, the grade is recorded as an F. With permission, a student may withdraw from a course up to the last class day. However, in most cases, a late withdrawal is not advisable.
The standard for continuance (good standing) in the College is a 1.80 cumulative GPA for students completing the first semester of the first year; 1.90 cumulative GPA for students completing the second semester of the first year; and 2.00 cumulative GPA thereafter.
The record of a student whose GPA falls below these figures is reported to the Academic Standards Committee at the end of each semester. If, in the opinion of this committee, the record offers little or no promise of successful completion of work for a degree, the student is subject to dismissal. Otherwise, she is placed on academic probation for one semester. Students on academic probation are not allowed to participate in major co-curricular activities, may not hold a major student leadership position, or participate in varsity athletics. The notation “academic probation” appears on the student’s permanent record.
A student is subject to dismissal under the following circumstances: academic probation for two consecutive semesters or for three non-consecutive semesters; first academic probation with little or no promise of academic success; or unsuccessful in two majors. Dismissal will be recorded as part of the student’s permanent record. If a student is dismissed for poor scholarship, she may reapply after one year, provided she can present evidence of potential academic success to assist the Academic Standards Committee in making this decision.
A student has the right to appeal a dismissal. Her appeal must include new information that was not taken into consideration at the time of her dismissal and a plan for future success. The student must submit this appeal to the chair of the Academic Standards Committee within 10 working days upon receipt of notification. The dean of faculty and two committee members will hear the appeal.
Saint Mary’s College is committed to providing a supportive community environment for students with disabilities. We assist students who self-identify as persons with a disability and determine their eligibility for services. Through an interactive process of dialogue and documentation review, we will implement reasonable accommodations where there is a demonstrated need for equal access. Accommodations are considered and assigned on a case-by case basis. It should be noted that it must be the student who submits the request and that the student is responsible for ongoing communications with the ARO.
We comply with the applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADAAA as amended) and Section 504 subpart E of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. As defined by these Acts, an “individual with a disability” is any person who:
1. has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities,
2. has a record of fundamental impairment to access,
3. is regarded by the College as having a fundamental impairment to access.
Documentation provided must be current and specific with the impact of the disability clearly noted. You must upload documentation of your disability from a qualified professional who specializes in that field. A list is provided at the end of this document. Documentation must include a formal diagnosis (ICD 11 or DSM-V) as well as a discussion of how the diagnosis is an impairment to a major life activity. All documentation will be kept confidential and separate from your student academic file. Once the documentation is submitted and reviewed, the student will be contacted by email to their Saint Mary's account to advise of the determination.
In an effort to help clarify what is expected for documentation, please review the following:
Please note that no academic adjustment can fundamentally alter the course or program.
ACCEPTABLE PRACTITIONERS
MD
DO
PhD
DDS
DMD
Psy.D
MSW
LCSW
Fully Licensed Counselor
Licensed Audiologist (Not Audiology Assistant)
Inadequate or incomplete information may involve follow-up contact for clarification by the Accessibility Resource Office.
By requesting accommodations, the student agrees to allow the Accessibility Resource Office to inform her faculty of the accommodations to which she is approved and to discuss their implementation. At no time will your diagnosis or other diagnostic information be shared outside of the office. The student is responsible for reviewing and arranging for accommodations with the Accessibility Resource Office and meeting with her faculty each semester. Faculty should consult with the Accessibility Resource Office before making any accommodations requested by students.
The Saint Mary’s College mission compels its members to “foster an inclusive, academic community where students discover and develop their talents as they prepare to make a difference in the world” (Saint Mary’s College Mission). Committing to a college education at Saint Mary’s College means one is committing to personally engaging and supporting others in the academic work foundational to world-changing endeavors now and in the future. At its heart, the opportunity for discovery cannot exist without academic integrity.
When a student submits any work for academic credit, the student makes an implicit claim that the work is wholly their own, done without the assistance of any person, source or tools not explicitly noted and allowed by the instructor of the course. Additionally, a student does not undermine other students’ ability to complete course work.
Examples of violations of academic honesty include but are not limited to the following:
1. studying and working together on homework assignments without instructor permission to do so;
2. supplying or receiving completed assignments, papers, outlines, or research for submission by any person other than the author;
3. submitting the same, or essentially the same, paper or report for credit on two different occasions without instructor permission to do so;
4. supplying or receiving unauthorized information about the form or content of an examination prior to its administration—specifically including unauthorized exam material prior to the exam;
5. supplying or receiving partial or complete answers, suggestions for answers, assistance in the interpretation of questions on any examination from any source, including AI (artificial intelligence) not explicitly authorized, as well as copying or reading another student’s work or consulting notes or other sources during examinations;
6. copying or allowing the copying of assigned work or the falsification or digital fabrication of information;
7. fabricating data or research results;
8. removing study or research materials or equipment intended for common use in assigned work without authorization;
9. altering any materials or apparatus and, thereby, interfering with another student’s work; and
10.plagiarism (see the following statement in which plagiarism is defined).
Any exception to the above must be explicitly stated by the person giving academic credit for the work.
Faculty members have a responsibility to refer to the College policy on academic honesty at the beginning of each course. Faculty are expected to foster the honesty of their students by conducting each course in a manner which discourages cheating or plagiarism.
Faculty will thoroughly investigate any evidence of cheating in their classes. Course instructors who have evidence of cheating or plagiarism must make the charge and any subsequent action known to the student. Only then will an appropriate penalty be imposed as stated in the course syllabus. Instructors should submit in writing the name of any student found guilty of academic dishonesty serious enough to have been penalized, along with a description of the penalty imposed, to the Dean of Student Academic Services at the time that the penalty is imposed. Such reports will be kept in confidence, except in the case of continued violations by a student, in which case the reports may be presented to the Committee on Academic Standards.
The instructor of the course in which a violation of academic honesty occurs will determine an appropriate penalty. Penalties may range from a refusal of credit for an individual assignment to failure in the course, depending on the seriousness of the offense, and must be consistent with policies stated in the course syllabus. In cases recommended to it for further consideration, the Committee on Academic Standards may also recommend other penalties, including academic dismissal from the College.
In addition:
1. Any member of the College community is encouraged to report a violation of academic honesty of which they have evidence to the instructor of the course. All accusations must be kept confidential.
2. Any member of the College community has the right to refer a violation of academic honesty of which they have evidence to the Dean of Student Academic Services for further consideration. All accusations must be kept confidential.
3. Any student has the right to refer an accusation of academic dishonesty or a grade resulting from such an accusation to the Dean of Student Academic Services for further consideration.
4. At the written request of any involved party, the Dean of Student Academic Services shall refer an appeal to the Committee on Academic Standards for a wider hearing. At the discretion of the Dean of Student Academic Services, a case involving repeated violations of academic honesty by a student may be referred to the Academic Standards Committee for further consideration and possible disciplinary action. The student(s) involved will be notified before any such referral is made.
5. Any student taking a course through the Notre Dame Co-Exchange Program or the N.I.C.E. program shall adhere to and be subject to the host institution’s Academic Code of Honor or Academic Honesty Policy as it applies to that course.
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