V. Academic Policies & Procedures
Add/Drop
Adding a Closed Course
Change of Major
Change in Name, Address or Phone
Withdrawal from a Course
Withdrawal from the College
Repeating a Course
Repeating a Course and Financial Aid Eligibility
Progress Reports & Deficiencies
Registration Holds
Incomplete Grades
Grade Grievance
Pass Fail Option
Taking Courses at Other Colleges
Academic Standing
Academic Probation
Academic Dismissal
Good Academic Standing
GPA Calculator
Recognition of Academic Excellence
Study Abroad
Academic Policies & Procedures
Add/Drop
The add/drop period runs through the first Saturday of each semester. Students may make any necessary changes to their schedules during this time provided the courses are open or they receive permission from an instructor to be signed into a closed course. First semester freshman cannot add/drop on line by themselves because they are not provided with their registration pin numbers. They must meet with their academic advisor or an advisor in the Student Advisement Center to make any schedule changes.
Dropping a Course
Students are responsible for dropping any course that they no longer wish to take. All drops should be made via the web during the drop/add period.
Adding a Closed Course
Students may attempt to get “signed into” a closed course by completing a Registration Permit Form with the proper signatures and returning it to the Office of Student Records and Registration.
Change of Major
Any student wishing to declare a major or change a major should complete the following steps:
To declare or change a single major:
Complete a Change of Major Form and submit it to the Office of Student Records and Registration, located in Bagen Hall Room 106. Forms are available in the Office of Student Records or the Student Advisement Center.
To declare or change a dual/triple major:
Students in the College of Arts & Sciences and the Wehle School of Business should pick up the Majors and Minors Form in the Student Advisement Center in Bagen Hall Room 103. Students in the School of Education and Human Services should pick-up the form in Bagen Hall Room 206. Complete the form and obtain the following signatures:
- The signature of the department chairperson for each major being declared.
- Return the completed form with the department chairpersons’ signatures to either the Office of Student Advisement or Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education for an Associate Dean’s signature.
- The completed form will be sent to the Office of Student Records and Registration by the Associate Dean after they have signed the form
- All majors will be changed once the signed form is received by the Office of Student Records and Registration.
It is the responsibility of each individual student to notify the College of any change of name, address and/or phone number. Change-of-address forms are available in the Office of Student Records and Registration.
Withdrawal from a Course
A student wishing to withdraw from a course must submit a Course Withdrawal Form to the Office of Student Records and Registration after it has been signed by the course instructor, the student’s academic advisor, and a financial aid counselor. A COPE counselor must also sign if the student is involved in programs through that office. The instructor indicates either approval or disapproval of the student's request to withdraw. An instructor might disapprove withdrawal if there is evidence of academic dishonesty. In cases where the instructor disapproves of the withdrawal, permission to withdraw is determined by the associate dean of the student's school in consultation with the instructor of the course. Requests for withdrawal are not granted automatically, nor are they denied automatically.
The deadline for withdrawal without academic penalty is the end of the twelfth week of each fall and spring semester. See the official College Calendar for dates each semester. Summer sessions have their own deadlines for withdrawal. Consult the summer session course schedule for details. Withdrawal from a course results automatically in a notation of “W” (withdrawal) for the course. Failure to submit the withdrawal form results automatically in a grade of “FX” (failure due to excessive absence) being entered on the student's record. A grade of ”D” (failure) will be entered for graduate courses.
Ordinarily, no student will be allowed to withdraw from any course after the deadline. However, in extreme circumstances, a student may request a late withdrawal from the associate dean of his/her school. Before such a request can be granted, the student must submit to the appropriate associate dean a Late Withdrawal Form and written documentation explaining the reasons for requesting a late withdrawal. The associate dean will confer with the instructor of the course. In all requests for late withdrawal, the final discretion to grant it resides with the relevant associate dean. Withdrawals will not be granted during Finals Week.
*Athletes and International Students should consult with their directors before withdrawing from any course.
Withdrawal from the College
A student desiring to withdraw from the college must consult the Director of Student Retention, who will forward the petition to the appropriate associate dean. In the case of freshmen, a parent or guardian must indicate approval of withdrawal by signing the Withdrawal from College Form. The official date of the student's withdrawal is the date on which the petition is received and approved by the appropriate dean. A student withdrawing from the college at any time during a semester without proper authorization fails all his/her courses for that semester.
Repeating a Course
Students who are dissatisfied with their grade in a course may repeat the course one time (exceptions may be approved by the appropriate associate dean in consultation with the department chair). In such cases both grades will be entered in the student’s record, but, for the purpose of computing cumulative G.P.A.’s, only the second grade will be used for the calculation. See next section for important financial aid information pertaining to this policy.
Repeating a Course and Financial Aid Eligibility
Courses in which the student has already received a passing grade cannot be included in meeting full-time study requirements for state-sponsored financial aid. Repeated courses may be counted toward full-time study requirements if a student repeats a failed major course, if a student repeats the course for additional credit, or when a student has received a grade that is passing at the institution but is unacceptable in a particular curriculum.
When a student registers to repeat a course the Banner system will automatically check to see if they have previously completed the course. If the student has previously completed the course and received a passing or a failing grade, the student will get the following registration error message "Repeat Count Exceeds 0". This is being done to help inform the student there may be a financial aid problem. If the student is only registering for 12 credit hours, the repeated course may not count toward FT status for financial aid. The financial aid problem only exists if the student is just taking the minimum FT load of 12 credits for undergraduates. The system does not check if the student is receiving financial aid, so any student registering for a repeated course will get the error. This will also help with students that register for a course a second time when they don't realize they have already completed the course. The Student Records Office will override these errors for students upon request.
Progress Reports and Deficiencies
After approximately the sixth week of the semester faculty will be asked to complete a progress report for each freshman, transfer student, student athlete, international student or student in academic difficulty in their classes. Progress reports help the students’ advisor to assess how well the student is progressing and whether tutoring or other intervention is needed. In order to do a thorough job in completing the reports, it may be very helpful to have students complete several types of assessment early in the semester (quizzes, tests, writing assignments, projects) so that judgment of the student may be based on several specific assessment instruments.
At about week nine of the semester faculty will be asked to file a deficiency report for those students who are having significant academic difficulty or who are in danger of failing a course. The Office of Student Records and Registration will send deficiency notices to these students, alerting them to their situation and recommending that they contact the instructor. A deficiency notice does not remain a part of a student's academic record; its purpose is to compel a student to evaluate his/her commitment to the course. It also serves as a reminder that if he/she feels the need to withdraw from the course, the deadline is approaching.
Registration Holds
Students may find they are unable to access the registration screen if they have a hold on their account. The issue behind the hold must be resolved through the appropriate department before the student will be allowed to register for classes or make changes to his or her schedule. Some of the more common holds are as follows:
- Student Accounts Hold (contact Student Accounts)
- Library Hold (contact the Library)
- Immunization Hold (contact the Student Health Center)
- Academic Hold (contact Associate Dean)
A student who, for serious and well-defined reasons, has failed to fulfill all requirements of a course or has failed to take the final exam may petition an instructor to request, from the appropriate associate dean, a grade of “I,” indicating “Incomplete Performance.” Students have six weeks to complete any incomplete course work.
Only the appropriate associate dean may grant an Incomplete grade. It will not be granted to a student whose only reason is excessive absence during the semester or failure to complete the work of the course before the close of the semester without an exceptionally good reason. Examples of such good reasons might be prolonged illness or hospitalization during the semester, serious illness at the time of the final examination, or other unusual circumstances. An Incomplete grade, when granted, is merely temporary and will automatically be changed to an “FX” grade if a final grade is not submitted to the appropriate associate dean.
Grade Grievance Process
Occasions may arise when a student does not agree with the grade he/she has received in a course. When this happens, the question of whether the grade should be reconsidered is addressed in two stages.
A. The initial stage in the grievance procedure is as follows:
1. The student first contacts the course instructor to discuss the grade in question within four weeks of the start of the semester (regular academic session) immediately following that in which the grade was awarded. If the instructor agrees that the grade in question was inaccurate, a grade change is processed by the instructor.
2. If the student and the instructor cannot agree on the appropriateness of the grade in question, the student may petition the chair of the instructor’s department, in writing, within ten working days after the meeting with the instructor. If a mutually agreeable decision is made through mediation conducted by the chair, the instructor will submit the agreed-upon grade and the process is completed. If there is no outcome that is mutually acceptable to the student and the instructor, the process may continue. If the instructor is also the chair, then Step 2 is omitted and the process goes to Step 3.
3. The student may appeal the decision to the appropriate dean’s office within ten working days after the mediation process is complete. The dean shall collect written views/and other pertinent material from the involved instructor, student and chair, as well as consult with any other individuals deemed necessary. The dean shall render the decision whether the grade should be reconsidered.
4. The decision of the dean to reconsider or not to reconsider the grade in question is final. If the decision is to reconsider the grade, the procedure outlined in Part B below is followed. If the decision is not to reconsider the grade, the original grade cannot be changed. Cases which are referred to the procedure in Part B can be withdrawn only with the consent of the student, instructor, department chair and dean – and after first informing all parties involved.
B. The final stage in the grievance procedure is as follows:
1. If the dean feels that the reconsideration of the grade in question is appropriate, a panel of tenured faculty who have not been involved in the process described above is formed from the department in question. The panel must be formed within ten days of the dean’s decision. If the department does not have a minimum of four members, it will be expanded to include all the tenured members of the departments within the division (Natural Science, Social Science, Humanities, or Business) of which the department in question is a member.
2. A three-member panel will be selected as follows. The dean, faculty member and student involved will each select one member of the panel from the designated pool.
3. The panel will review all appropriate material and make a determination about the grade change. This review must be completed within thirty days of the formation of the panel. The panel has the authority to assign a grade for the course in question. That grade may be the same grade as assigned by the instructor or a higher or a lower grade, according to the panel’s judgment. The student and the instructor will be informed of the panel’s decision and, when applicable, the authorized grade change will be submitted to the registrar.
4. The decision of the panel may be appealed by the original instructor or the student to the vice president for academic affairs only in the following extraordinary circumstances:
- The grade grievance procedure was not followed.
- Prejudice was manifested against either the student or the instructor.
- New, relevant information was introduced.
5. If the vice president for academic affairs believes that the decision of the panel should be reviewed, a three-member appeal panel will be appointed from the pool of tenured faculty as described in Step B-1. The vice president, the faculty member and the student involved will each select one member. No member of the original panel may serve on the appeal panel. The appeal panel will follow the procedure in Step B-3, including completion of its task within thirty days of the formation of the panel. The decision of the appeal panel is final.
Pass-Fail Option
Seniors and juniors are eligible to elect one course each semester for which they will receive a grade of either “Pass” or “Fail.” The purpose of this option is to enable upperclassmen to take more difficult courses than they would normally take for fear of lowering their GPA.
The program is as follows:
1. Juniors and seniors who have completed at least 30 hours at Canisius may elect one course each semester, not to exceed a total of four courses in their college careers, for which they will receive a recorded grade on their transcript of either “Pass” or “Fail.”
2. This course must be outside the student’s major field and may not serve to satisfy any of the requirements in the core curriculum.
3. Within one week after the semester begins, the student must file a request for “Pass-Fail” grading. Application forms may be found in the office of the appropriate associate dean. If the dean grants permission for a course to be taken pass-fail, grades will still be assigned for all work done during the course and on the final examination. A final grade will be sent to the Registrar. If this grade is “D” or above, the registrar will record a pass for the course on the student’s transcript; otherwise, he will record a failure.
4. Having received permission to take a course on the “Pass-Fail” option, a student may request in the last week of classes to withdraw from the option and receive a conventional letter grade. A form for this request is available in the office of the appropriate associate dean. A student who withdraws from the “Pass-Fail” option receives the letter grade assigned by the instructor.
5. A student attaining a grade of Pass will receive full credit for this course.
6. If a student elects to receive pass or fail in a course, this course will not be counted in the quality-point average. The student must carry at least four courses to be eligible for this program. Part-time students, however, are eligible with fewer than four courses.
7. This plan is entirely optional. A student may or may not elect to take advantage of it.
Taking Courses at Other Colleges
Students matriculating at Canisius should plan to complete all of their coursework at the College. The rationale for this policy rests in the mission and philosophy of the College and in its concern for the essential unity and integrity of all aspects of the curriculum: the college core, major requirements and free electives. Permission to take courses at other colleges during the regular and summer sessions is granted by the appropriate associate dean, who will consider all aspects of the student’s request, including the quality and level of the proposed course and its role in the student’s program. Courses intended to fulfill major requirements must also be approved by department chairs. Permission to take courses at other colleges must be requested on the Permission to Take Courses at Another College Form and in advance of taking the course.
Generally, the following guidelines apply:
1. Students are ordinarily limited to one course at another institution for every ten courses taken at Canisius.
2. Junior and senior-level core curriculum and major course requirements are not transferred from community colleges.
3. Courses taken at a four-year college/university will be accepted only if they are offered at a comparable level at Canisius (i.e., freshman-sophomore level/junior-senior level).
4. Students who live outside the greater Buffalo area may receive more lenient consideration in taking a summer course at another college. However, the dean may recommend a cassette course as a preferred option if he/she considers it more appropriate than the off-campus course.
5. No more than one of the two area study requirements within a specific area can be taken at another college.
Academic Standing
Academic standing is determined by the cumulative G.P.A. from the beginning of the student’s studies at Canisius. The following terms are used to describe a student’s academic standing:
Academic Probation
When a student’s G.P.A. falls beneath the level indicated on the chart below, he/she is placed on academic probation – a serious warning that the student’s academic record at the college is unsatisfactory. It is generally not advisable for students on academic probation to take part in extracurricular activities. Varsity athletes, in addition, are governed by NCAA and regional conference regulations. Probation for two successive semesters will result in automatic academic dismissal from the college.
Academic Dismissal
Academic Dismissal results from any one of the following:
- Falling below the G.P.A. indicated on the chart below.
- Failing three courses in a single semester.
- Being placed on academic probation for two successive semesters.
Good Academic Standing
This is a term used to determine a student’s eligibility for financial aid. A student who is on academic probation is considered to be in good academic standing. Further information may be obtained from the Financial Aid Office.
The G.P.A. levels for academic probation and academic dismissal are as follows:
Cumulative G.P.A. based on 0-30 credit hours:
Academic Probation 1.50-1.99
Academic Dismissal below 1.50
Cumulative G.P.A. based on 31 or more credit hours:
Academic Probation 1.75-1.99
Academic Dismissal below 1.75
To be eligible for graduation, a student must have earned an overall cumulative average of 2.00.
G.P.A Calculator
An interactive G.P.A calculator created by Dr. Mark Meyer of the Computer Science department is available at the following link for quick and easy G.P.A. estimates.
/student_advise/gpa.asp
Recognition of Academic Excellence
Two categories of recognition are awarded at the end of each semester. The first recognizes full-time students and the second recognizes both full-time and part-time students. In addition, students in either category who achieve a 4.00 will receive the designation “with Special Distinction.” The two categories are:
Dean's List:
Awarded to students who have attained a grade point average of at least 3.50 for the semester and have completed at least four courses of three credits or equivalent.
Merit List:
Awarded to students who have attained a grade point average of at least 3.25 for the semester and have completed two courses of three credit hours or equivalent.
Students who receive an "Incomplete" grade will be eligible for the Dean's or Merit lists once the work is completed and a passing grade submitted. The “Incomplete” grade must be changed within six weeks from the end of final examinations deadline.
Graduation Honors:
Only students who have completed the last 60 credit hours of academic work at Canisius College are eligible for graduating with honors. The Canisius College cumulative G.P.A. determines graduation with honors according to the following scale:
- Degree is awarded summa cum laude to those whose average is 3.80 or higher.
- Degree is awarded magna cum laude to those whose average is 3.65 or higher.
- Degree is awarded cum laude to those whose average is 3.45 or higher.
The college manages undergraduate study abroad partnerships with:
- Lille, France -- The Catholic University of Lille
- Oviedo, Spain -- University of Oviedo
- London, England -- London Metropolitan University
- Galway, Ireland -- National University of Ireland at Galway
- Dortmund, Germany -- University of Dortmund
- Queensland, Australia -- University of the Sunshine Coast
- Antwerp, Belgium -- University of Antwerp
- Uppsala, Sweden -- Uppsala University
- Tokyo, Japan -- Sophia University
- Beijing, China -- The Beijing Center For Chinese Studies
- Rome, Italy --John Cabot University
- Sicily, Italy -- Mediterranean Center for the Arts & Sciences
- Florence, Italy -- Lorenzo De'Medici
- Atlantis Grant Study Abroad Opportunity (Strasbourg, France & Antwerp, Belgium)
In keeping with the college’s policy on “Courses at Other Colleges,” students who wish to study at the universities listed above must study through the Canisius programs.
Students who wish to study at other foreign universities or in other countries than those listed should confer with the International Student Programs office.