CWUR 2-90-040

Academic and General Regulations

(1) Calendar

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(A) Following are procedures to follow in setting the university calendar:

1. The Office of the Registrar originates a proposed schedule.

2. The draft is forwarded by September 30 to human resources for holiday schedule review.

3. The draft is forwarded by October 15 to the athletic director for review.

4. The calendar draft is forwarded by October 15 to the provost’s council for review.

a. The ADCO chair reviews the schedule with the department chairs.

b. The faculty senate chair reviews the schedule with the faculty senate.

5. The provost’s council completes its review of the university calendar by December 1.

6. The provost submits the calendar to the president’s cabinet for approval.

(B)  The university calendar process should begin eighteen months before the effective date of a new university catalog. To complete the process in a timely manner, the calendar process should begin in the month of September.

(2) Academic Appeal

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(A) Academic Petitions

1. Procedure Preliminary to Petition

a. Filling a petition to the board of academic appeals for a hearing:

i. A student who wishes to appeal a decision affecting their status in a program must contact the department chair within twenty (20) working days of that decision.

ii. Within ten (10) working days of the contact by the student, the department chair shall meet with both parties to clarify the petition and attempt to resolve it.

iii. If a resolution is not achieved at the department chair level, and the student wishes to continue the petition process, the student must present the petition to the dean of the college or administrative supervisor within five (5) working days of the department chair’s decision.

iv. Within ten (10) working days of the contact by the student, the dean or administrative supervisor shall investigate the petition and attempt to affect a mutually agreeable solution. If such a solution cannot be reached, the dean shall have five (5) working days to weigh the fact and any evidence or testimony and send their decision to the relevant parties. Within five (5) working days of receipt of the dean’s decision, both department chair, and student must notify the dean of the college or administrative supervisor in writing of their acceptance or rejection of the recommendation. Failure to provide this notification shall be construed as acceptance of the dean’s decision.

(B)  Time Limit on Filing Appeals

1. The students must ask for a hearing of the appeal before the Board of Academic Appeals within one academic quarter after determination of the grade of the course in question, or within one quarter after completion of the incomplete work, or in cases involving administrative actions after the fact, such as removal of incompletes, etc., one academic quarter after the administrative deadline for completion of such actions (in the case of spring quarter, by the end of the following fall quarter). The board may suspend this rule in exceptional circumstances, such as, but not limited to, extended illness, sabbatical leave, etc., of one or both parties to the appeal.

2. When any party to the appeal chooses not to attend the scheduled hearing, the board will conduct the hearing with the resources available to it and render a decision resolving the appeal.

(C) Course Grade Appeals

Procedures Preliminary to Course Grade Appeal.

1. The student shall first attempt to resolve the issue with the instructor. Within ten (10) working days of the contact by the student, the instructor and the student shall make a good faith effort to resolve the grade appeal. Should the instructor be on extended leave or no longer employed by the university, the department chair (or administrative supervisor in cases not involving academic departments) shall act for the instructor. The board may suspend this rule in the case of exceptional circumstances; e.g., extended illness, sabbatical leaves, etc., of one or both parties to the grade appeal.

2. If resolution is not achieved between the student and instructor, the student must ask the department chair or administrative supervisor to resolve the grade appeal. Within ten (10) working days of the contact by the student, the department chair shall meet with both parties to clarify the grade appeal and attempt to resolve it. If the grade appeal is not resolved to the satisfaction of both parties, the department chair or administrative supervisor shall forward a written statement of his or her reasoning in the matter to the dean of the college and to the student within five (5) working days of that attempted resolution.

3. The chair or designee shall submit a change of grade form if their decision necessitates a grade change.

4. If a resolution is not achieved at the department chair level, and the student wishes to continue the grade appeal process, the student must present the grade appeal to the dean of the college or administrative supervisor within five (5) working days of the department chair’s decision.

5. Within ten (10 ) working days of contact by the student, the dean, or administrative supervisor shall investigate the grade appeal and attempt to affect a mutually agreeable solution. If such a solution cannot be reached, the dean shall have five (5) working days to weigh the facts and any evidence or testimony and send their decision to the relevant parties. Within five (5) working days of receipt of the dean’s decision, both department chair, and student must notify the dean of the college or administrative supervisor in writing of their acceptance or rejection of the recommendation. Failure to provide this notification shall be construed as acceptance of the dean’s decision.

6. The dean, or designee, shall submit a change of grade form if their decision necessitates a grade change.

(D) Procedures for filing an Academic Appeal to the Board of Academic Appeals for a Hearing)

1. An appeal before the board is heard as if the matter has not been heard previously.

2. A student may withdraw the appeal for a hearing at any time by notifying the board in writing through the office of the dean of student success.

3. The parties to the appeal will be provided with the rules governing the board of academic appeals by the dean of student success. The Board will assign a hearing advisor to each party. The role of the hearing advisor is defined in CWUR 2-90-040 (K).

4. The office of the dean of student success will provide the student with appropriate forms for filing an appeal.

5. The following steps ensure that the student and the faculty member both have the opportunity to view and respond to each other’s materials before the Board hearing takes place:

a. The student has ten (10) working days to complete the forms and return them to the deal of student success.

b. Within five (5) working days of the receiving the student’s forms and materials, the office of the dean of student success will provide the involved parties with copies of all those forms and materials prepared by the student.

c. Within ten (10) working days of their receiving the appeal, the faculty member against whom the complaint has been lodged must file a written response with the board chair and the student through the office of the dean of student success.

d. Within five (5) working days of receiving the faculty member’s response, the office of the student success will provide that response to the student.

e. Within ten (10) working days of receiving the faculty member’s response the student can provide a rebuttal to the office of student success.

f. When steps a-e above have been completed, the office of the dean of student success shall arrange for a hearing panel, and notify the parties involved of the time and place for the hearing.

7. Other interested persons may, upon request of one of the parties to the appeal or upon the request of the hearing panel, submit in writing any observations or relevant information to the instructor, student and hearing panel.

8. If, without prior notice, either party to the appeal does not appear at the scheduled hearing and does not present evidence that uncontrollable circumstances have prevented an appearance, it will be assumed that the party has nothing to add to the evidence already made available to the board.

(E) Board Proceedings

1. The hearing shall be closed to all but the members of the hearing panel, the involved parties and hearing advisors, witnesses, and a representative from the office of the dean of student success.

The record will be retained for a period of six years. The material will be regarded as confidential. Copies of the record or any part thereof will be made available to the parties to the appeal by the records request process through the business services and contracts office. The cost will be borne by the party making the request.

2. The board may:

a. administer oaths and affirmations, examine witnesses, and receive evidence;

b. require witnesses to appear upon the request of any party to the appeal or upon its own motion;

c. take or cause depositions to be taken;

d. regulate the course of the hearing;

e. hold conferences for the settlement or simplification of the issues with the consent of the parties;

f. dispose of procedural requests or similar matters;

g. make decisions or proposals for decisions; and

h. take any other action authorized by this procedure.

3. All testimony will be sworn.

4. Both parties to the appeal have the right to advice from a third party of his or her choosing during the hearing of the grievance. Either party may ask for a recess.

5. Both parties to the appeal have the right to question the other party as well as any witness involved in the hearing.

6. Members of the hearing panel may question both parties and witnesses. Questions must be germane to the issues of the appeal. The board chair will rule on such matters.

7. The hearing will be held in a physical space that is isolated acoustically from its surroundings and large enough to comfortably accommodate all participants to the hearing. The student and instructor shall be seated across from the hearing panel and separated by the advisors and representative of the office of the dean of student success. The student and the instructor shall not face each other.

8. The dean of student success, or his/her designee, shall facilitate the hearing, take responsibility for electronically recording the hearing, and oversee the various stipulations contained in policy and/or procedures.

(F) Decision of the Board

1. Decisions of the board are based on a majority vote of the hearing panel appointed for the hearing, and shall be based exclusively on the evidence and on matters officially noted.

2. The decision and reasons for the decision will be reported in writing to both parties involved in the matter, to the officials who reviewed the appeal, and to appropriate authorities mentioned in the disposition of the decision. Minority opinions may be included in the report.

3. Parties to the appeal will be notified in writing of the decision of the board no later than five (5) working days after conclusion of the hearing.

(G) Power of the Board of Academic Appeals

1. The board may reject the petition or grade appeal after due consideration.

2. In cases involving grade changes or change in class status, the board may order a grade changed or a change in class status.

3. In cases or aspects of cases determined by the board to involve procedural problems, the board may make recommendations for adjustments to any of the parties to the appeal and/or to the appropriate authority.

4. In cases involving conduct, the board may take one or more of the following actions depending on the seriousness of the case as determined by the board:

a. The board may issue a no contact or no trespass order to prevent continued or subsequent actions with respect to the specific situation in question.

b. The board may reprimand one or more of the parties to the appeal and/or lodge the reprimand with the appropriate authority.

c. The board may submit to the proper authority a recommendation for disciplinary action for any party to the appeal in accordance with provisions of the Central Washington University and United Faculty of Central Washington University Collective Bargaining Agreement and/or the Student Conduct Code (Chapter 106-125 WAC).

(H) Procedures for Implementing Grade Changes and Withholding Suspension

1. If the board decides a grade should be changed, the dean of student success, or his/her designee, will send to the Office of the Registrar a copy of the decision authorizing and directing that the grade on the student’s official record be changed. The student, the instructor, and the dean of student success, or his/her designee will be notified by the Office of the Registrar when the change has been accomplished.

2. If the grade in question has resulted in the suspension of the student the dean of student success, or his/her designee, will notify the office of the registrar to withhold suspension pending outcome of the hearing. If the Board finds in favor of the student such that suspension is no longer a consideration, the board chair will notify the Board of Academic Appeals and Academic standing in writing of the decision and the suspension will be withdrawn. If the Board finds against the student, the Dean of Student Success, or his/her designee, will notify the office of the registrar accordingly in writing, and the student will be withdrawn from the university or be subject to such action as the board deems appropriate, and the student’s fee will be returned according to university fee return policy.

(I) Membership of the Board of Academic Appeals

1. The board shall be made up of fifteen (15) members:, seven (7) faculty and eight (8) students.

2. Faculty members of the board will be chosen by the faculty senate from among faculty who are not members of the university’s administration. The definition of “faculty member” will be that which is used in the Central Washington University and United Faculty of Central Washington University Collective Bargaining Agreement.

3. Student members of the board will be chosen by the Associated Students of Central Washington University Student Government (ASCWU SG) from students who are not members of the ASCWU SG. The definition of “student” will be that used in determining membership in the Associated Students of Central Washington University as indicated by the constitution.

4. The term of office for faculty members will be three years with staggered terms. Faculty members may be appointed to serve subsequent three-year terms. Students may serve up to three years at the discretion of the ASCWU SG.

5. The board chair shall be appointed yearly by the dean of student success or his/her designee. The chair shall preside at all meetings and hearings before the board and be responsible for all business of the board.

6. Hearings before the board and judgments by the board will be conducted and rendered by the hearing panel made up of the board chair or his/her designee, two faculty and two student members of the board. The board can elect a pro tem chair from among the board members to act as a hearing panel chair. The student and instructor shall be notified about the content of the hearing panel five (5) working days before the hearing and may request a change in the panel within one (1) working day after that notification. The board chair shall decide if changes to the hearing panel are warranted and, if so, shall make those changes.

(J) Administrative Affairs of the Board of Academic Appeals

The dean of student success or his/her designee will be responsible for the administrative affairs of the Board of Academic Appeals. The records of the board will be housed in the office of the dean of student success. All requests for a formal hearing of academic appeals will be filed with the dean of student success or his/her designee, and it will be the dean’s or his/her designee’s responsibility to advise students on the functioning of the board; to verify and insure that required procedures preliminary to, during, incidental to, and following formal hearings are adhered to; and to call the board into session. After a complaint has been filed and verified, the Dean of Student Success, or his/her designee, shall notify all parties to the complaint; to call for evidence and ensure safekeeping of said evidence; to keep and maintain the records of board correspondence, transactions, hearings, decisions, etc., and to implement the decisions and directives for the board.

(K) Hearing Advisors for the Parties

1. Hearing Advisors will be drawn from existing members of the board of academic appeals. The dean of student success or their designee will select hearing advisors that do not have a conflict of interest regarding the particulars of the case. If a hearing advisor determines that they have a conflict of interest, they should inform the dean of student success and request to be removed from their role as hearing advisor.

2. The responsibilities of the hearing advisors are exclusively as follows:

a. To ensure that all informal prerequisites as specified in Section V of rules governing the Board of Academic Appeals have been completed by the complainant;

b. To assist the complainant in properly completing or replying to the complaint form; and

c. To make recommendations concerning presentation of necessary information to the Board of Academic Appeals (i.e., complaint form, letters of correspondence between parties, documents, witnesses, etc.).

[02/21]

(3) Academic Advising and Orientation

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(4) Admission to Major

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(5) Registration

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(6) Continuous Registration for Graduate Students

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(7) Course Numbering and Class Standing

(A) Lower Division courses are delineated as:

First Year level - 101 through 199

Sophomore level - 200 through 299

(B) Upper Division courses are delineated as:

Junior level - 300 through 399

Senior level - 400 through 499

(C) Cumulative credits required for each class level are:

First Year - 0-44.9

Sophomore - 45-89.9

Junior - 90-134.9

Senior - 135 or more

(C) Students may enroll in courses one year level ahead of their present current status unless otherwise specified in the course description.

(D) Seniors may enroll in graduate level courses (501 and above) with the approval of both the instructor of the course and the department chair of the department offering the graduate course. Those wishing to designate the course for graduate credit must obtain approval from the dean of graduate studies and research.

(8) Undergraduate Student Study Load

No procedures

(9) Graduate Student Study Load

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(10) Concurrent Enrollment

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(11) Auditing a Course

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(12) University Catalog

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(13) Preemptory Withdrawal from a Course

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(14) Hardship Withdrawals

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(15)  Withdrawal from the University

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(16)  Withdrawal from the University Due to Military Exigency

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(17)  Grading Policies and Regulations

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(18) Grade Point Average

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(19)  Credit/No Credit Option

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(20)  Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Courses

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(21)  Statute of Limitations on Grade Changes

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(22) Grade Reports

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(23) Honor Roll

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(24) Academic Dishonesty

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(A) Students accused of academic dishonesty will have an opportunity to meet with the course instructor and department chair to discuss the accusation and confirm or deny its correctness. If academic dishonesty is confirmed to the satisfaction of the instructor and department chair, the instructor and/or department chair should immediately contact the dean of student success, especially the office of the registrar and the associate dean of student living.

(B) The student will be notified in writing by the instructor and/or department chair of pending action from the dean of student success, with a copy of notification sent to the dean of student success and the office of the registrar.

(C) The dean of student success will investigate the case both as a violation of academic honesty and as a violation of the student code and report findings to the student, instructor, and the office of the registrar.

(D) If academic dishonesty is confirmed, the instructor may issue a failing grade for the specific assignment and/or for the course.

(E) Withdrawing from a course does not excuse academic dishonesty. In circumstances when academic dishonesty is confirmed, a W can be replaced by a letter grade (see CWUP 5-90-040(11)).

(25) Grade Appeals

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(26)  Repetition of Courses

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(27) Incompletes

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(A) To submit an incomplete grade the instructor must submit a grade of “I” on the MyCWU roster,

(B) The instructor will designate what the student must do to complete the course. The instructor will inform the department chair of the incomplete, the work that remains to be done, and the deadline for satisfactorily completing that work.

(C) In cases where the instructor has requested a specific completion date earlier than one year, if the work is not completed by the date which was communicated to the student and the chair, then the instructor should submit the change of grade form to convert the “I” to an appropriately earned grade.

(D) When a student satisfactorily completes the prescribed work within the indicated period, the instructor must file a Change of Grade form by the end of the quarter in which the work was completed.

(E) Students may not re-register for a course in which they receive a grade of incomplete.

(F) If due to extenuating circumstances the work cannot be completed within one calendar year from the last day of the quarter in which the “I” was received, the instructor will notify the office of the registrar of the new agreed upon completion date as soon as possible.

[04/20] 

(28) In Progress (IP)

(A) Courses for which an “IP” grade is intended must be submitted to and approved by the office of the registrar.

(B) A letter grade is issued when the course is completed (preferably before the end of the subsequent term) and recorded by the Office of the Registrar, upon receipt of the Change of Grade form submitted by the instructor.

(C) The instructor may request an extension from the office of the registrar, if due to extenuating circumstances the work cannot be completed within one calendar year from the last day of the quarter in which the “IP” was received.

[04/20]

(29) No Show (NS)

(A) “NS” is submitted by the instructor any time after the change of schedule deadline and must be approved by the Office of the Registrar.

(30) No Grade Reported (NR)

(A) “NR” is issued by the Office of the Registrar.

(B) “NR” will remain on record until the Office of the Registrar, working with the instructor, department chair or dean, will determine, when possible, an appropriate grade change.

(31) Prior Learning Assessment

(A) Course Challenge

The following rules apply:

1. Special courses such as “individual study,” “special topics,” “cooperative education,” and “seminars” may not be challenged for credit.

2. A list of department-approved courses which may be challenged will be maintained by the Office of the Registrar.

3. The challenge is conducted according to procedures established by the departments.

4. The result of the course challenge is recorded as “S” or “U” on the transcript and is not used in computing grade point average.

5. The application to challenge a course will be denied if:

a. credit for the course has been received previously at this or another college,

b. the course was previously failed,

c. the student previously withdrew from the course,

d. the course was previously unsatisfactorily challenged,

e. the course was previously audited or,

f. registration was canceled.

(32)  Course Substitutions

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(33) Undergraduate Scholastic Standards

Academic Standards. The academic deans are responsible for implementing academic standards.

[06/22]

(34) Academic Standing

1. (See CWUP 5-90-040(35))

2. The office of the registrar will inform students and their professional/faculty advisors when they enter academic warning.

3. The office of the registrar will inform students and their professional/faculty advisors when they enter academic probation.

4. (See CWUP 5-90-040(35))

A. The dean of student success will review the files of all students entering academic suspension and inform each student and their professional/faculty advisors of their suspension status.

B. Students appealing suspension will follow the process established by the dean of student success. The academic standing committee will review suspension appeals before the beginning of the subsequent quarter.

C. (See CWUP 5-90-040(35))

D. Students must meet with a professional/faculty advisor to develop an academic improvement plan after being readmitted.

[06/22]

(35) Graduate Scholastic Standards

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(36) Course Requirement Overlap

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(37)  Academic Forgiveness

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(38) Class Attendance 

(A) Students should obtain written documentation from the faculty member via email correspondence, letter, or any other form of written communication on whether absences in the course will be approved, stating which absences will be approved, and defining any accommodations for missed assignments. The written documentation will serve as verification of the agreement.

(39)  Last Week of Classroom Instruction

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(40)  Final Examinations

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(41) Syllabi

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(42) Athletic Participation

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(43)  Required Student Participation in Assessment Activities

(A) First year students will satisfy all required placement assessment activities before or during the first-year orientation session.

(B) First-year students admitted after all orientation programs, and international students, will satisfy all required placement assessment activities before they register for their second quarter.

(C) Transfer students will satisfy all required placement assessment activities before they register for their third quarter

(44) Student Bereavement Leave

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(45) Developmental and Foundational Course Requirements

(See CWUP 5-90-040)

(46) Student Service Campus

Students who would like to change their service campus must complete a campus change request form. Any change involving the Ellensburg campus must be approved and processed by the Office of the Registrar. All other changes may be approved and processed by university center or online advising staff as appropriate

[Responsibility: Faculty Senate; Authority: Provost/VP for Academic & Student Life; Reviewed/Endorsed by Academic & Student Life Council 03/15/2016; Cabinet/UPAC; Review/Effective Date: 04/06/2016; 4/17/2019; 03/31/2020; 06/15/2022; Approved by: A. James Wohlaprt, President]

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