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Policies and Practices || Grades || Academic Records || Transcripts || Confidentiality || Appeals/Grievances || Suitability || Academic Honesty || Subject to Change || Delivery of Services || Ethical Behavior || Credits from other Institutions/Life Experiences ||   Grades Grades to be included in the calculation of the Q.P.A. A = 4.00 A- = 3.67 B+ = 3.33 B = 3.00 B- = 2.67 C+= 2.33 C = 2.00 F = 0.00 F* = 0.00 (Unofficial withdrawal; failure to resolve "I" grade.) Grades not included in the calculation of the Q.P.A. S (Satisfactory) = Pass U (Unsatisfactory) = Fail W = Official Withdrawal WP = Official Withdrawal Passing Grade WF = Official Withdrawal Failing Grade AD = Audit I = Incomplete Grade Grades transferred in from another institution. Note: An "Incomplete" (I) is given to a student who has done satisfactory work in a course but not completed the course requirements because of illness or some other emergency situation. The student must submit to the course instructor a written request for the grade "I". (Forms may be obtained at the School of Social Work Office or from the Registrar's Office.) An incomplete must be resolved within four weeks after the end of the semester in which it was received, or it becomes an "F*", and no credit is received for the course. It is the student's responsibility to make arrangements with the instructor for completion of the course requirements.   Academic Records A student who believes that an error has been made in assignment of a grade should initiate contact with the faculty member involved within 90 days of the end of the semester for which the grade was assigned. Failure to act within the 90 day time period will disqualify the student from further consideration of the matter. The student is responsible for reporting to the Office of Academic Records any other error on his or her academic record within 30 days after a grade or academic report is received. The University will not be liable for unreported errors on student records.   Transcripts A transcript is issued only upon the written request of the student. A transcript form (or letter) should be submitted for each transcript requested. Transcript forms are available at the Office of Academic Records.   Confidentiality of Student Records Marywood University intends to comply fully with the Family Education and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, which was designed to protect the privacy of education records, establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records and provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings. A policy statement explaining Marywood University procedures for compliance with the Act can be found in the Office of the Registrar and in the Office of the Dean. Academic Appeals and Student Grievances The School of Social Work has its own grade appeals policy and procedure. Grades are appealed to the Director. The School follows the overall university academic appeals process for other academic related appeals and/or student grievances. Copies of these policies are available in the School office and are included in the University Handbook, distributed to all MSW students every year.   Suitability for Professional Social Work An Academic and Professional Standards Review Committee is established when concerns arise pertaining to the academic and professional performance of individual students. The committee is responsible for gathering and evaluating information concerning the student's academic and professional performance for the purpose of formulating recommendations for the Director for resolution of these institutions. Recommended resolutions may include: 1) continuation in the program in good standing without remedial action. 2) continuation in the program in good standing contingent on successful completion of remedial action; and 3) dismissal from the program. The committee does not reconsider grades. Academic progress toward the MSW degree is reviewed each semester for all students. Formal review by an Academic and Professional Standards Review Committee will occur for any of the following reasons: Substandard academic performance: a grade point average that falls below 3.00 after completion of 6 or more credits. Receipt of an "F" or "U" grade in a graduate social work course. Alleged violation of the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers by report from the field instructor, faculty liaison, educational coordinator, faculty member or peer. Alleged violations of the Code of Academic Honesty of Marywood University by report from the field instructor, faculty liaison, educational coordinator, faculty member or peer. Alleged failure to demonstrate the capacity to engage in appropriate social work roles, by report from the field instructor, faculty liaison, educational coordinator, faculty member or peer. Academic and Professional Standards Review procedure are detailed in the School of Social Work Student Handbook.   Academic Honesty Policy Statement of Academic Honesty The Marywood University community functions best when its members treat one another with honesty, fairness, and trust. The entire community, students and faculty alike, recognize the necessity and accept the responsibility for academic honesty. Students must realize that deception for individual gain is an offense against the entire community.   Violations of Academic Honesty Cheating and plagiarism are behaviors destructive of the learning process and of the ethical standards expected of all students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Cheating is defined as (but not limited to) the following: having unauthorized material during an examination; copying from another student or permitting copying by another student in a testing situation; completing an assignment for another student (e.g. exam, paper, laboratory or computer report); submitting out-of-class work for an in-class assignment; changing grades; unauthorized retention of exams; unauthorized submission of the same paper in two different classes; inventing data or falsifying an account of data collection. Plagiarism is defined as the offering as one's own work the words, ideas, existing imagery, or arguments of another person without appropriate attribution by quotation, reference, or footnote. Additional examples of violations of Academic Honesty may include the provision of material to another person with knowledge of improper use, possessing another student's work without permission, selling or buying material for class assignments, changing another student's assignment, forging a signature on official academic documents, and altering any official student record including grades.   Sanctions and Guidelines Sanctions for violations of Academic Honesty are ordinarily determined by the Instructor. If necessary, the Chairperson and/or appropriate Dean may become involved. Sanctions determined by the Instructor may include a grade of "F" for the coursework and/or course in which the infraction occurred. Academic probation, dismissal from the program and/or dismissal from the university are sanctions determined by the appropriate Dean after consultation with the Chairperson. Students are to be notified of the alleged violation of academic honesty in writing within two weeks of discovery of the occurrence. This notification must include: the nature of the violation; possible sanctions that might be imposed; whether further review by department chairperson and/or appropriate Dean is being sought; and student's right to appeal through the Academic Appeal Process.   Regulations Subject to Change The educational process necessitates change. These documents must be considered as informational and not binding on the University. Each step of the educational process, from admission through graduation, requires continuing review and appropriate approval by university officials. The University, therefore, reserves the right to change the requirements and regulations contained in these documents with adequate notice and communication.   Delivery of Services The University assumes no liability, and hereby expressly negates the same, for failure to provide or for delay in providing educational or related services or facilities, or for any other failure or delay in performance arising out of or due to causes beyond the reasonable control of the University. Causes may include, without limitation, power failure, fire, damage by the elements and acts of public authorities. The University will exert reasonable efforts, when in its judgment it is appropriate to do so, to provide comparable or substantially equivalent services, facilities or performance. However, its inability or failure to do so shall not subject it to liability. Standard for Ethical Behavior The National Association of Social Workers' (NASW) Code of Ethics is the established standard of ethical behavior for professional social workers. Students in the School of Social Work are preparing for positions of professional responsibility, and their conduct while students is governed by this code. Students are referred for further information about the Code to the Student Handbook, the Practicum Manual, and to NASW's publication "Code of Ethics" available from NASW and at the Marywood University bookstore. Entering students are to sign a prepared statement acknowledging their acceptance of this standard of behavior.   Credits from Other Institutions/Life Experience Students from other accredited graduate schools of social work may receive recognition of up to 31 credits, provided the courses were completed not more than five years prior to the date of application. No credits, other than those from an accredited graduate school of social work, will be transferred from other institutions. Credits earned within five years in courses approved by the School of Social Work in the Marywood University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences may be applied as elective credits toward the MSW degree. Not more than six elective credits can be earned at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and those must be reviewed by the MSW faculty for appropriateness to social work education. No credit is awarded for life or work experience.

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Last update Friday, May 8, 2000
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