Courses of Study - William Jewell College

The Academic Program
sources. The college expects students to do their
own work and research, to prepare their own
reports and papers, and to take examinations
without the assistance of others or aids not allowed
in the testing procedure.
Academic misconduct includes, but is not confined
to, plagiarizing; cheating on tests or examinations;
turning in counterfeit reports, tests and papers;
stealing of tests or other academic material;
knowingly falsifying academic records or documents;
and turning in the same work to more than one class
without informing the instructors involved.
Academic misconduct of any sort can result in failing
the assignment, the course, and/or filing academic
misconduct charges. Faculty members who take
action against a student or students in a course on
grounds of academic dishonesty shall report the
action to the Academic Dean
Absences
William Jewell College, while prioritizing academics,
believes in the education of the whole person and
affirms the value of activities beyond the classroom
such as participation in athletics, music, debate and
theater performance, and attendance at professional
and scholarly meetings. The faculty of William Jewell
College work together with sponsors of such
activities to reach a compromise that respects both
the need for students to attend classes and the
benefits of participation in co-curricular activities.
It is the responsibility of students to attend their
classes and complete all assignments according to
the expectations of their instructors. It is the
responsibility of students to be aware of the policies
of each of their instructors, to monitor their own
absences, to inform their instructors in advance of
any absences they anticipate for co-curricular
activities, and to arrange to make up missed work.
It is the responsibility of sponsors of college events to
work in conjunction with faculty to prevent
scheduling conflicts whenever possible. It is the
responsibility of sponsors to schedule events in such
a way as to minimize absences from class as much as
possible. It is also their responsibility to inform the
faculty in advance of any planned group absences
and to offer their assistance in accommodating the
needs of students who must hand in assignments or
take exams. Sponsors of events recognize that
students may not miss unlimited numbers of classes
and that faculty members have the right to set limits
to absences, even if such absences result from
participation in college-sponsored events.
It is the responsibility of faculty members to set
policies that recognize the value of participation in
college-sponsored activities. Such policies might
include allowing students to hand in assignments or
take exams at alternative times, with advance
notification, and might include distinguishing
between excused and unexcused absences. Faculty
members are encouraged to set flexible policies,
rather than rigid ones.
Late Assignments
Students are expected to complete assigned class
work on time. A student anticipating absence from
class on a day when work is to be handed in is
normally expected to submit the work in advance of
the due date.
If unexpected circumstances such as illness or a
personal or family emergency make meeting a due
date impossible, it is the student’s responsibility to
contact his or her instructor in person, in advance
of the due date, explain the situation and make
specific arrangements to reschedule the due date.
Failure to do so will occasion a late penalty, as
determined by the instructor’s judgment and the
policy stated in the syllabus.
Grade Appeals
Students who wish to appeal a grade in a course are
encouraged first to contact the instructor of the
course to resolve the problem informally.
The instructor, and only the instructor, has the
prerogative and responsibility for assigning a grade
in a course. The only basis on which an
administrator has the right to intervene in the
grading process is when there is clear and
compelling evidence of unfairness. A student’s
dissatisfaction with a grade or with an instructor’s
teaching methods or grading standards does not in
itself constitute evidence of unfairness.
To formally appeal a grade, the student makes the
case in writing to the Dean of the College that the
grade is unfair. The Dean forwards a copy of that
statement to the instructor, asking for a response,
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