2010-2011 - Sweet Briar College

2010-2011 Catalog academic programs3. In cases where students have been approvedto take courses on the pass/credit/no creditbasis, the office of the Dean will notify theRegistrar in writing of this modification.4. Grades earned in courses identifiedas affected by a specific disability andattempted before the disability was diagnosedand confirmed by the Dean of theCollege or Director of Academic Advisingmay be converted to the pass/credit/nocredit grade, and the grade-point averagemay be adjusted at the request of the studentand with the approval of the Dean ofthe College. The Dean will consult with thefaculty member who recorded the originalgrade to verify that clear evidence exists tosupport the student’s claim that the disability,rather than other factors, directlyinterfered with the student’s ability to performon an equal basis with other studentsin the course. This policy will not apply tostudents diagnosed with disabilities afterthey have completed the degree.Other GuidelinesIn order for Sweet Briar College to considerrequests for accommodations or modificationsor both, the student must provide documentedevidence of the disability or disabilities based onan evaluation done by an appropriate professionalwithin four years of the date the requestis submitted. In cases of learning disabilities orother “hidden disabilities” the required evaluationmust also include specific test results.The Office of the Dean will submit anannual report to the Instruction Committee,including the number of students diagnosedwith learning disabilities, and summarizing thenature and scope of accommodations, modifications,and support services provided tostudents under this policy.AcademicProgramsAcademic AdvisingThe advising program at Sweet Briar encouragesstudents to make informed decisions abouttheir own academic progress. Coordinated bythe Director of Academic Advising, the programprovides assistance for students as theydevelop their educational objectives and integratetheir academic and co-curricular experiences.Prior to her arrival, each student is matchedwith a first-year academic advisor on the basisof shared interests. Throughout her careerat the College each student will add campusspecialists and even selected alumnae to anadvising team, which she will manage. Upondeclaration of a major, her principal academicadvisor will become a faculty member fromthat program. Supplementary advising of firstyearstudents and sophomores is normallythe responsibility of the Director of AcademicAdvising. Supplementary advising of juniorsand seniors is normally the responsibility of theDean of the College.In the process of helping students maketheir own choices, academic advisors interpretCollege requirements, assist with course selections,monitor advisees’ academic progress, andmake referrals to campus resources.The responsibility for advising studentsabout graduate programs and career plans isshared among the Dean of the College, theDirector of Academic Advising, members of thefaculty, and the Career Services staff.First-Year Academic AdvisingSweet Briar students actively participate inplanning their own education. For this reason,the College’s advising program maintains astrong focus on self-assessment and decisionmaking.25