Catalog 73 - National University

Policies and Procedures• Date of birth• Place of birth• Major field of study• Dates of enrollment• Degrees and dates conferred• Academic honors and awards received• Addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of alumniwill be placed in the Alumni Directory• Any other personal information voluntarily provided by alumnito be distributed to other alumniIf students do not want the University to release directoryinformation they must submit the FERPA Request for Non DisclosureForm to the Office of the Registrar. This form is found on theUniversity website. For more information, and for particularquestions with respect to a student’s rights under FERPA, studentsshould contact the Office of the Registrar at 858-642-8260 or e-mailregistrar@nu.edu.Academic Policies andProceduresSome degree programs may have additional policies and procedures.Please see the appropriate section of the catalog for moreinformation.Grade AppealsFaculty members are vested with the authority to establish courserequirements and standards of performance. It is the responsibility offaculty to articulate and communicate course requirements andstandards of performance to students at the beginning of each courseand apply all grading criteria uniformly and in a timely manner.Final grades submitted by faculty to the Registrar’s Office arepresumed to be accurate and final. A student, who has questionsabout a grade received in a course, should ordinarily seek to resolvethe issue by first consulting with the instructor. If the issue has notbeen resolved after consultation, and the student believes there aregrounds for appealing the grade, the student may invoke the gradeappealprocedure outlined below.Grounds for a Grade Appeal. Students can appeal a grade only whenthey can document that one or a combination of the following hasoccurred:• An error in calculating the grade• Failure of the instructor to notify students clearly and promptly ofthe criteria for grade determination• Assignment of a grade based on reasons other than theannounced criteria and standards• Assignment of a grade based on factors other than studentachievement, e.g., personal bias• Inconsistent or inequitably applied standards for evaluation ofstudent academic performance• If the student believes that the grade received is based uponunlawful discrimination, or sexual harassment, as defined in thesepolicies and procedures, the student should proceed under theprocedures in this handbook for “Complaints Relating toDiscrimination and Sexual Harassment.”The Appeal ProcessWhen students believe that they have grounds for appealing a gradeissued by an instructor because of an occurrence of one or more ofthe above mentioned circumstances, the following procedures mustbe followed:The student must submit a written appeal to the School Dean withinforty-five (45) days of the submission of the grade for the course.The student must provide clear documentation that demonstrates theoccurrence of one or more of the above-listed grounds for appeal.Documentation may be in the form of e-mail correspondence, gradedassignments, proof of timely submission, etc. The student must alsoprovide evidence of the level of achievement in support of theparticular grade that the student believes he/she should have beenawarded. If the evidence meets the criteria, the dean forwards thestudent’s written statement to the instructor for a response, whichthe instructor must provide within fifteen (15) days. The dean thenrefers all documentation to the grade appeals committee.Grade Appeals CommitteeA standing committee within each school in San Diego, the gradeappeals committee consists of three faculty members (full-time orassociate) appointed by the appropriate school dean. The gradeappeals committee considers the documentation and may decideeither to change or uphold the grade.The grade appeals committee will render a final decision withinthirty (30) days of receiving the grade appeal information from thedean. This decision is forwarded to the dean who informs thestudent, the instructor, and the Registrar’s Office of the decision inwriting.The decision of the grade appeals committee on these matters is finaland cannot be appealed.Accelerated StudyMaximum Number of UnitsStudents with a superior academic record and a compelling,demonstrated need may petition the school dean for an acceleratedstudy allowing them to be enrolled in more than 7.5 quarter units inthe same term. The granting of an accelerated study is wholly at thedean’s discretion. With the exception of certain approved programs,applications for acceleration must be approved a month in advance.To be eligible, students must have:1) Completed 13.5 quarter units at National University prior to therequest2) Maintained a 3.5 grade point average for undergraduates or a 3.7for graduates3) Completed all prior coursework with no outstanding grades of“Incomplete”4) Maintained a current account balance, i.e., the balance should notexceed the current month’s tuition. Note: This requirement can bewaived if the student has an approved financial aid packet in theFinancial Aid Office or an approved company-reimbursementplan on file in the Student Accounts Office5) Demonstrated a compelling, exceptional needStudents who believe that they meet the above requirements shouldsubmit their e-form well in advance of the anticipated course startdate since processing time is six (6) to eight (8) weeks.Approval to take more than 18 units in a quarter requires approvalfrom the school dean of the student’s program. Students are notapproved to accelerate their studies every month or to take morethan two classes in one month.If students meet all of the above conditions, they should take thefollowing steps:1) Fill out an Accelerated Study Request, available as an e-form on47Policies andProcedures