College Catalog: 2010-2011

Ramapo College is organized into Schools rather than departments. Each School is composed of faculty members from several related disciplines and each School projects its own academic identity and thematic approach in the programs it sponsors. The five Schools offering major programs are as follows:

• Anisfield School of Business
• Salameno School of American and International Studies
• Contemporary Arts
• Social Science and Human Services
• Theoretical and Applied Science.

Academic Schools / Major

All students associate with a particular school when they choose a major, and thereby establish close contacts with faculty and other students sharing similar interests. The choice of school does not restrict the choice of courses, however. Ramapo’s comprehensive General Education Program consists of courses from every school, and students are encouraged to take minors and/or other coursework from across the College.

The courses and requirements for each program are governed by a convening group composed of faculty members who teach in the discipline area and led by a convener.

Students who have chosen a major/minor or who are interested in a certain program should consult with the appropriate convener and/or a faculty  member  from that convening group. A list of conveners is available on the web, from each school, and from the Center for Student Success.

More information concerning majors, minors and concentrations may be found in the  Majors/Minors/Schools section of the Catalog. Course descriptions may be found in the online Course Catalog.

Class Size

At Ramapo, most classes are small to moderate in size. The largest lower-level classes typically hold 35 students; labs, studios, seminars, writing intensive courses and many upper level courses are capped at 20-25 students. Students are expected to participate actively in their coursework and maintain regular and prompt attendance. A syllabus that outlines expectations and responsibilities is distributed during the first week of class. The academic year is made up of two regular semesters, Spring and Fall. In each of these semesters the College provides some 900 course sections representing about 500 different courses. Classes are scheduled Monday through Saturday, 8 am through 9 pm.

Summer Session

Summer Session at Ramapo College provides opportunities for Ramapo students and visiting students to pursue undergraduate, graduate, and Study Abroad opportunities.

Summer study allows students to investigate new areas of knowledge, take advantage of cooperative education placements or internships, supplement degree programs, complete program requirements, and explore the world. More than 200 classes and some 10 Study Abroad programs are offered during two regular five-week sessions, two three-week mini sessions, one ten-week Saturday session, and various Study Abroad calendars.

For questions regarding Summer Session registration, contact the Registrar by e-mail at registrar@ramapo.edu.

Summer Session

Winter Session

A limited number of courses are offered online over a four-week period between the Fall and Spring semesters. Students may take no more than one course per Winter Session. Incomplete grades may not be requested for Winter Session courses.

For questions regarding Winter Session registration, contact the Registrar by e-mail at registrar@ramapo.edu.

Religious Holiday Observance

Ramapo College seeks to attract students with a variety of religious beliefs. While the State of New Jersey only recognizes certain days of religious observance as State holidays, the faculty of the College will help students whose religious observances come at other times to meet their academic obligations. Whenever possible, tests are not scheduled for those religious holidays and students are assisted in making up any work, including tests, that they missed by being absent from class.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify a faculty member within the first three weeks of the semester if any class session will be missed due to religious observance and make the appropriate arrangements.

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World Wide Web: www.ramapo.edu
Telephone Listing – Area Code (201):
Main Switchboard: 684-7500
Public Safety: 684-7432 – Public Safety TTY: 684-7011
Snow Closing: 236-2902

Telephone Numbers for School Offices

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All matriculated students must declare a major by the time they have earned 64 credits towards graduation.

The following procedures apply for students who are undeclared or school undeclared, have earned 48 credits towards graduation and are enrolled for a subsequent term.

• A student who has earned 48 credits towards graduation and is enrolled for additional credits will be notified by email from the Registrar’s Office of the requirement to declare a major before he or she can register for more than 64 credits. The student will also be informed that he or she will have a registration hold placed on their account if they fail to comply.
• If, by the time a student attempts to register for beyond 64 credits, he or she has not declared a major, a registration hold will prevent him/her from registering beyond 64 credits.
• A student must submit the Declare a Major form to the Registrar’s Office with the signature of the Convener of the major they are declaring. Upon receipt of the form, the Registrar’s Office will remove the hold flag from student’s account and the student will be eligible for registration.

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Transfer students who apply and will be transferring in more than 60 college credits need not submit high school transcripts or SAT/ACT scores.

Transfer course work completed at a regionally accredited college/university or program with a grade of C (2.0) or better will be accepted, provided it is consistent with Ramapo College’s curriculum. Please be aware that only credits transfer and not grades. A student’s grade point average at Ramapo will reflect only course work completed at Ramapo College.

Transfer students must complete a minimum of 48 credits in residency in Ramapo course work and a residency of at least one half the requirements for a major (and/or second major and/or minor) to qualify for a Ramapo College degree. Although credits accepted in transfer count toward the 128 required for graduation, the specific applicability of these credits toward course requirements must be approved through the transfer evaluation and advisement process. For General Education purposes, only those transfer credits which are accepted in the semester of matriculation will be considered for possible waiver of general education requirements.

Transfer credits which are not approved as applicable toward any specific course requirements will count as electives. Transferred courses may apply toward major, minor, school core, general education, and/or elective requirements. In some cases, it may be necessary to complete more than the minimum number of credits required for graduation from Ramapo College.

Accepted students will receive a “Record of Transfer Credits” by mail after each official transcript from previously-attended college(s) has been reviewed by the Transfer Credit Evaluator.

Only 65 credits (including 100/200 level CLEP) credits may be accepted from a two-year college. A maximum of 80 credits from past course work may be earned by submitting any of the following to the Admissions Office for evaluation:

• Scores achieved in Advanced Placement Examinations of the College Entrance Examination Board;
• Credits earned at other accredited colleges and universities or at new, but non-accredited colleges and universities where the institution is a recognized candidate for accreditation;
• Course work taken in military service which is recommended for baccalaureate credit by the National Guide to Evaluation of Educational Experiences in Armed Services, published by the American Council of Education;
• Course work taken through training programs which is recommended for baccalaureate credit by the National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs, published by the American Council of Education;
• Scores achieved on examinations taken through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or the like, used to earn college credit;
• Foreign language credit through Foreign Language Proficiency Testing Service of New York University (NYU). In addition, students may earn credit through the Prior Learning Experience Program (PLEX).

Transfer Degree Requirements

Each student passes through three overlapping phases in preparing for a degree: General Education course work, a school core program, and a major program of study. This format applies to all students, and is guided by the College’s academic expectations and graduation requirements.

To be eligible for a baccalaureate degree at Ramapo College, each student must:

1. Complete a minimum of 128 graduation credits (126 credits in Nursing);
2. Have a 2.0 cumulative grade point average as well as a 2.0 grade point average in the major;
3. Complete a minimum of 48 credits at Ramapo;
4. Complete the last 32 credits at Ramapo;
5. Satisfy all the General Education, School Core, and Major requirements.

Transfer General Education Requirements

• Some of the General Education requirements are waived for transfer students with an Associate of Arts (AA) or an Associate of Science (AS) or over a specified number of credits. General Education courses required are noted on the audit. Refer to the Comprehensive Advisement Guide on the Center for Student Success webpage.
• Any General Education requirement can be fulfilled with the appropriate transferred course.
• An Associate of Applied Science (AAS) does not waive any General Education requirements.
• The fact that a course is waived from a student’s General Education requirements does not mean it is also waived from a School core or major requirement. Only the convener of the major can waive a course from the major. Only the Dean can waive a course from the School core.

Double counting: In many instances, a course may fulfill more than one requirement. A course may count in a major and/or minor and/or General Education and/or School core. Although the course may fulfill two requirements, its credit value does not double.

Ramapo College’s New Jersey Statewide Transfer Agreement Appeals Process

Students who wish to appeal a perceived misinterpretation of the policies agreed upon in the NJ Statewide Transfer Agreement  must submit a written appeal to the Director of the Center for Student Success within 30 days of receiving his/her credit evaluation. Appeals should be submitted electronically to success@ramapo.edu.  They must include the reason for the appeal and any needed documentation supporting the request.

The appeal will be reviewed by the College’s NJSTA appeals committee.  The Center for Student Success director will then provide a decision to the student within 14 days of receipt of the appeal. All decisions will be communicated to the student via the student’s Ramapo College email account, which requires the student to establish and regularly maintain a Ramapo e-mail account prior to submitting the appeal.

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This program is administered through the Center for Student Success, which is located on the second floor of Building D.

Recognizing that knowledge may be acquired in many different ways, Ramapo offers the adult student the opportunity to apply for academic credit for learning that has taken place outside the College classroom.

The work world, non-credit courses, workshops, seminars, community work, travel, hobbies, and other activities are often learning experiences. A student who demonstrates the knowledge gained from an experience corresponds to the knowledge expected in courses offered at Ramapo (or to courses which could be offered within the existing curriculum) is often granted equivalent academic credit. (Credit is not awarded for experience per se, but for knowledge gained from the experience.)

Students interested in participating in the PLEX Program should go to Center for Student Success Website (link below) for an introductory guide to the program and eligibility requirements.

Advisement/Plex

The PLEX Program is restricted to students who have been away from formal schooling for two or more years. A student may receive up to 80 credits from the PLEX Program. (The 80-credit limit refers to the combination of credits transferred from other colleges and/or given for CLEP, PEP, TECEP, or PLEX. Special assessment through the PLEX Program will not be undertaken for subject areas in which standardized examinations are available.)

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To qualify for the Dean’s List, a student must be matriculated, complete a minimum of 12 cumulative credits (not including “P” grades), receive no incomplete grades for that semester, attain a semester grade point average of at least 3.5 and a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. Part-time students taking fewer than 12 credits per semester are not eligible for Dean’s List.

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Latin Honors will be awarded to graduates who have completed a minimum of 64 credits (not including “P” grades) at Ramapo College and achieved a cumulative grade point average (including “R” grade credits) as follows:

3.500 – 3.699 – cum laude
3.700 – 3.849 – magna cum laude
3.850 – 4.000 – summa cum laude

Students who have graduated from Ramapo College and who return for a second degree are awarded Graduation with Distinction as follows:

• Students completing 64 or more graded Ramapo credits are awarded Latin Honors based on the guidelines outlined above.
• Students completing between 30 and 63 graded Ramapo credits and have a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.5 or higher from both the first Ramapo degree and the second Ramapo degree are awarded Latin Honors based on the final G.P.A. of the second degree (career) as indicated above.

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H+, H; Honors
These grades are awarded to students in the College Honors Program who have engaged in a more extensive course of study than that required of the majority of students in the class.

P; Pass
This option may be initiated by the instructor or student. Instructors will specify that a course is being offered only for P/F grades in the course description;  in some cases, the student may then petition for A to F grading before the end of the Schedule Adjustment period.  In the event that a course is being offered with A to F grading, students must select the P/F option prior to the end of the Schedule Adjustment period, and it cannot be changed thereafter. The P/F option may be selected by the student for a total of four credits in any semester (fall, winter, spring, or summer), and for a total of no more than four out of each 12 credits earned for a grade. This option is available only for elective courses.

This option is available only for free-elective courses; courses fulfilling any requirement, including (but not limited to) general education, school core, major and/or minor requirements, are not eligible to be taken for P/F.

Please refer to the grading table (above) for information regarding how P and F grades impact your credits earned and GPA.

W; Withdrawn
Given in exceptional circumstances, with permission of the instructor, for withdrawal from a course. Withdrawal deadlines for each semester are posted on the semester’s Academic Calendar.

Cessation of class attendance or notification to the instructor is NOT considered an official withdrawal. Unless students officially withdraw from a course through the Registrar’s Office, they are still registered for the course and will receive a grade of “F” even though classes were not attended.

I; Incomplete
Given in extenuating circumstances (for instance, reasons of illness or other emergency) when approved by the instructor and when requested by a student who has satisfactorily completed at least two-thirds of course requirements prior to the end of a term on an Incomplete Request form. The default deadline for completion of course work is posted on the Academic Calendar for each semester (typically February 26 for Fall semester incompletes and October 15 for Spring and summer incompletes, or the next business day); however, the instructor may set an earlier deadline at the time the Incomplete grade is requested. When the work is completed prior to the completion deadline, the instructor completes a ‘Grade Adjustment Request’ form; the new assigned grade replaces the I. If work is not satisfactorily completed by the completion deadline, the grade is changed to F. A student may not graduate with an I grade outstanding.

AU; Audit
Given for completion of course (except for exams and required papers), if requested at the time of registration. No credit is given for this course. This option may not be changed after the end of schedule adjustments. If a student who has selected Audit fails to attend the class, the instructor may give an Administrative Withdrawal for that class.

R; Repeated Grade
An R grade is given (together with an F grade) when a course failed in an earlier term is successfully retaken. The credits attempted for the RF are changed to E (excluded) when the repeated course is successfully completed. The following limitations apply:

• Only one RF per course can be issued, regardless of how many Fs were previously awarded for the course.
• This option is only available twice during a student’s academic career at the College.
• The course must be the same as the earlier failed course.
• The course must carry the same number or greater number of credits
• If a student receives an F in a course in which an Academic Integrity violation occurred and a sanction was imposed, the course is not eligible for RF grading.

T; Temporary Grade
A grade of T (Temporary) may be issued in rare circumstances when a faculty member has not submitted grades.  This will be changed to the appropriate grade once grades are received.  Transcripts will not be sent until T grades are resolved.

Y; Grade
A grade of Y is assigned  for non-degree credit Basic Skills courses only, and indicate the instructor’s recommendation that the student retake the course. Y grades cannot be changed.

General Information on Grading

A grade is to be given whenever a student is enrolled in a course after the end of the 50% refund period. If a student drops a course during the 50% drop period a grade of NG will appear on the unofficial transcript.

A term grade point average and a cumulative grade point average are calculated for each student after the end of each term. These averages are computed by dividing the total quality points by the total quality hours earned. Only courses taken at Ramapo are counted in these calculations.
Credit hours are based on a semester calendar.

The P, W, I, AU, and R grade options are available only by student request and require the submission of appropriate forms to the Office of the Registrar. The Academic Calendar on the web each term indicates the dates for students to take advantage of these grade options.

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Policy

The faculty of the College establishes course requirements and performance standards. Faculty evaluation of students’ academic performance is a qualitative professional judgment and is expressed through the submission of final course grades to the Registrar at the close of each semester. Under certain limited circumstances, a student may appeal a grade.

Procedures for Student Appeals Regarding Grades

Circumstances for which students might appeal grades
Grade appeals will only be considered if a student can provide documentation supporting his/her case. Circumstances that might justify a grade appeal include (but are not limited to): computational error; factual information not in evidence at the time the grade was posted (for example, an assignment that the student can document was submitted, but was not graded by the faculty member and therefore not factored into the final grade); or an alleged violation of College Policy. Appeals that will not be considered include those based on a student’s perceived need for a higher grade (for instance, in order to raise his/her GPA, or to enable the course to transfer to another institution).

Procedure
If circumstances such as those described above can be documented, the student may appeal a grade by taking the following steps:

• No later than twenty calendar days after the posting of grades, a student must bring his/her appeal to the attention of the faculty member, in writing, by email or certified letter. Supporting documentation must be provided. Both parties should make good faith efforts to share viewpoints and mediate differences of opinion.
• If it is mutually agreed that a grade adjustment is warranted, the faculty member forwards a Change of Grade Request, including explanatory reasons and all supporting documentation, to the Dean of the academic unit which sponsored the course. Upon the Dean’s approval, the Change of Grade Request is forwarded to the Registrar.

If a student and faculty member cannot reach an agreement and a student wishes to further pursue a grade appeal, the student must present a written appeal (by email or certified letter), including pertinent course materials or course work, to the Dean of the academic unit which sponsored the course in question, within twenty calendar days of the final determination conference between the student and faculty member.

• The Dean will confer with the student and faculty member, jointly or independently as he/she sees fit, review pertinent documents and course materials, and confer with other faculty or administrative staff members as appropriate.
• If the Dean determines that a grade change is warranted, the Dean will forward a Change of Grade Request with explanatory reasons to the Registrar, and advise the faculty member and student.
• If the Dean determines that a grade change is not warranted, the faculty, and student will be so informed in writing, by email.

If the Dean renders an opinion which does not support the student’s grade appeal, the student may petition for a review by the Office of the Provost. The petition is initiated by the submission of a written statement by the student, submitted by email or certified letter, that explains his/her position and includes any evidence the student has that contradicts the Dean’s decision or contains information that had heretofore been unavailable. Such a petition must be made within twenty calendar days of the final, written, determination by the Dean. The Office of the Provost reserves the right to hear the petition, and will reject any request for review that does not offer clear evidence that the Dean made a factual mistake, violated school policy, or otherwise acted outside the purview of the Dean.

• The Provost or his/her designee will consider only those grade appeals that have previously received full deliberative discussion at both the faculty and dean level.
• After conferring with the student, Dean, and faculty member and reviewing the pertinent documentation, the Provost or his/her designee may take one of the two following actions:
  1. approve or decline the student’s grade appeal; or
  2. request that the Committee on Academic Standards and Procedures review the appeal and render a recommendation to the Provost or his/her designee who, in turn, will advise the student, the faculty member, and the Dean of his/her final recommendation.

  In both step a. and b., the decision of the Provost or his/her designee is final.

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Policy

Ramapo College of New Jersey has established standards for academic good standing which apply to all students (matriculated and non-matriculated), as follows:

• Students who have attempted or earned 12 or more credits are to have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average.
• Students are to have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average, as well as at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average in their major(s) to graduate.

Credits and grades of all Ramapo course work contribute to the cumulative grade point average. Courses transferred from other colleges count only as credits earned; accompanying grades are NOT calculated toward the grade point average at Ramapo.

The standards used and the actions prescribed are as follows:

• Students who have a cumulative GPA below 2.00 for ONE semester are placed on academic warning.
• Students who have a cumulative GPA below 2.00 for TWO consecutive semesters are placed on academic probation.
• Students who have a cumulative GPA below 2.00 for THREE consecutive semesters are suspended from the College for one full fall or spring semester.

Procedures for Determining Academic Standing

At the close of each fall and spring semester, once final grades have been posted, the Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs reviews records of all matriculated students enrolled at the College who have completed 12 or more credits. Those students whose academic performance has fallen below the College’s established standards (above) are advised of the deficiency in writing by the Office of the Provost. Non-matriculated students should check their status on the web.

The following procedures apply for students who have not met the standards for academic good standing.

Students Placed on Academic Warning or Academic Probation
Students placed on academic warning or academic probation are required to develop an academic plan with a Center for Student Success advisor; Center for Student Success may consult with the student’s assigned faculty advisor. (The faculty advisor provides planning advice within the major; the Center for Student Success advisor provides planning advice with respect to other aspects of the curriculum, including (but not limited to) course load and general education.) The academic plan must be developed within the first month of the semester for which the warning or probation is in effect (for students placed on warning/probation after the Fall semester, the plan is due February 15; for students placed on warning/probation after the Spring semester, the plan is due September 30). Students who do not complete this requirement will have a registration hold placed on their account for the subsequent semester; this hold will be removed once the student has met with their Center for Student Success advisor. Additionally, the student may be advised to register for no more than 3 courses for that semester and to meet with their Center for Student Success advisor at specified intervals throughout the semester. Support programs available to the student may be identified, and may include (but are not limited to) the Center for Student Success, Counseling Services, and the Office of Specialized Services.

Students placed on Academic Warning or Academic Probation may not appeal their standing.

Students placed on academic warning or academic probation are restricted as to the types or extracurricular activities in which they may participate. They may NOT (a) serve as an executive board member of a recognized student organization or serve as an active member of a fraternity or sorority, (b) serve on any College committee or advisory board, (c) serve as a representative of the College, or (d) participate in intercollegiate sports.

Students placed on academic warning or academic probation may not participate in Study Abroad programs.

Towards the end of each fall and spring semester, the Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs sends an email to students currently on Academic Warning or Academic Probation, reminding students of their standing and the actions to be taken once grades have been posted at the end of the semester. At that time, students in peril of being placed on Academic Suspension, who wish to appeal for immediate reinstatement, should take appropriate steps to ensure that the documents required for the appeal can be submitted by the appeal deadline.

Once grades are posted at the end of the semester, the Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs notifies students by email of their status for the upcoming semester:

• Students on Academic Warning or Academic Probation who have achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 are placed in good standing.
• Students on Academic Warning whose cumulative GPA remains below 2.0 are placed on Academic Probation.
• Students on Academic Probation who have made good academic progress by completing at least 75% of their course load and achieving a semester GPA of at least 2.5, but whose cumulative GPA is still below a 2.0, are allowed to continue on academic probation for one further semester. If the student’s cumulative GPA is not raised to a 2.0 by the end of the following semester, the student will be placed on Academic Suspension.
• Students on Academic Probation who have not made good academic progress and whose cumulative GPA remains below 2.0 are placed on Academic Suspension. If extenuating circumstances contributed to the student’s grades, the student may appeal the suspension (see below). Appeals will only be considered if they are received by the deadline specified in the notification email.

Academic Suspension
Students who have not made adequate academic progress are placed on Academic Suspension for one semester. Students must meet with the Associate Director of Academic Advisement to determine their best course of action for the semester. Students on Academic Suspension must apply for reinstatement; reinstatement is not automatic. The reinstatement process is described in the next section.

Upon notification of suspension, the student is given an opportunity to submit a written appeal for immediate reinstatement to the Committee on Academic Standards and Procedures (CASP), which is comprised of faculty, staff, and administrators (including a Dean and representatives from Student Affairs, the Registrar’s Office, EOF (ex-officio), OSS (ex-officio), Athletics (ex-officio), Counseling and Health Services (ex-officio) and Center for Student Success, and chaired by the Vice Provost (ex-officio). The deadline for appeals is five business days after the posting of final grades; the date will be specified in the written notification sent to the student by the Office of the Provost / Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Committee meets approximately five business days later.

Appeals must be received in writing (by email to casp@ramapo.edu) by the specified deadline. Appeals must include the following materials:

• Letter from the student requesting reinstatement. The student should explain any unusual circumstances which contributed to the academic difficulty, and describe how he/she will be able to make better progress if reinstated. An academic plan for the following two semesters must be included.
• Supporting documentation, which may include (but is not limited to) letters of recommendation from Ramapo faculty/staff and/or letters from medical practitioners documenting that the student was receiving care during the current semester.

The Committee, after having considered the appeal, recommends whether the student may remain at the College on academic probation or must accept the one full fall or spring semester suspension. A student who does NOT appeal to the Committee in writing by the designated deadline is viewed as accepting the one full fall or spring semester suspension.

Committee recommendations, based on appeal letters, are forwarded to the Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs informs the student of the decision in writing, by email; this decision is final.

Students informed that they may continue on academic probation may enroll for another semester only with an academic plan endorsed by their Center for Student Success advisor, who may consult with the student’s faculty advisor. (The faculty advisor provides planning advice within the major; the Center for Student Success advisor provides planning advice with respect to other aspects of the curriculum, including (but not limited to) course load and general education.) The plan must also include a detailed self-reflective statement indicating how the academic problems of past semesters will be addressed. In addition, students are required to find a faculty/staff mentor. Their records are again reviewed at the end of the probationary period.

Reinstatement and Readmission following Academic Suspension
A students on academic suspension must apply to the College for reinstatement. Reinstatement is neither automatic nor guaranteed after academic suspension.

• A student on academic suspension who wishes to return to the College after a one-semester absence must appeal for reinstatement to the Dean of the School to which they wish to return; undeclared students must direct their appeal to the Vice Provost.
• A student on academic suspension who wishes to return to the College after an absence of two or more full semesters must apply for readmission to the College through the Office of Admissions. The Office of Admissions will consult with the Dean of the School to which the student wishes to return (or the Vice Provost if the student in undeclared).

In both cases, the student will be required to submit the following materials:

• a detailed self-reflective statement indicating how the academic problems of past semesters will be addressed. This will include documentation and demonstration that the student has addressed the problems which initially led to academic difficulties OR a work record which demonstrates a resolution of the heretofore mentioned difficulties OR other indication of academic success (for instance, the successful completion of credits at another school during the semester(s) in which they were absent from Ramapo);
• proof that the student has no outstanding financial obligations to the College;
• an Academic Plan, prepared with and endorsed by a Center for Student Success Advisor; the Center for Student Success advisor may consult with the student’s faculty advisor. (The faculty advisor provides planning advice within the major; the Center for Student Success advisor provides planning advice with respect to other aspects of the curriculum, including (but not limited to) course load and general education.)

The office that is hearing the appeal (i.e., Dean, Vice Provost)

• will verify that there are no outstanding disciplinary charges or assessed sanctions not completed;
• will verify that there are no outstanding financial obligations to the College.
• may confer with the Committee on Academic Standards and Procedures and consult the student’s CASP file;
• may request a conference with the student, at their discretion.

Upon a successful appeal, a student will be conditionally reinstated/readmitted and placed on Continued Probation. The Dean or Vice Provost may stipulate additional conditions beyond the minimum standards cited below. He/she will be required to regularly meet with his/her Center for Student Success advisor and may be advised to take a lower credit load. At the end of the semester for which a student was conditionally readmitted:

• A student who achieves a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 will be placed in good standing;
• A student who does not achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0, but whose semester GPA is 2.5 or better after completing at last 75% of their attempted course load, will be allowed one final semester on probation in which he/she must achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better.
• The student must also meet any additional conditions set by the Dean or Vice Provost.
• If neither of these conditions is met, the student will be permanently dismissed from the College.
• If a student has been reinstated/readmitted, and in any subsequent semesters is suspended for a second time, the student will be permanently dismissed from the College and is ineligible for reinstatement/readmission.

If the office hearing the appeal renders an opinion that does not support the student’s reinstatement/readmission appeal, the student may petition for a review by the Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. The petition is initiated by the submission of a written statement (submitted by email or certified letter) by the student that explains his/her position and includes any evidence that contradicts the hearing office’s decision or contains information that had heretofore been unavailable. The Provost (or his/her designee) reserves the right to hear the petition, and will reject any request for review that does not offer clear evidence that the hearing office made a factual mistake, violated school policy, or otherwise acted outside the purview of the hearing office.

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Policy

All members of the Ramapo community are expected to be honest and forthright in their academic endeavors.  Since violations of academic integrity erode community confidence and undermine the pursuit of truth and knowledge at the College, academic dishonesty must be avoided.

Procedures

The Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs has the responsibility for the oversight and enforcement of the academic integrity policy and for making the policy an institutional priority. The Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs is also responsible for publishing the policy and for educating both faculty and students about the policy.

Faculty members play a crucial role in the academic integrity policy. They are responsible for educating their students about the importance of academic integrity and for communicating to students their expectations with respect to academic integrity in course work.

Students have the responsibility to understand the College academic integrity policy and to comply with the policy in all their academic work.

Criteria

There are four broad forms of academic dishonesty:

1. Cheating
   Cheating is an act of deception by which a student misrepresents his or her mastery of material on a test or other academic exercise. Examples of cheating include, but are not limited to:

• copying from another student’s work;
• allowing another student to copy his/her work;
• using unauthorized materials such as a textbook, notebook or electronic devices during an examination;
• using specifically prepared materials such as notes written on clothing or other unauthorized notes, formula lists, etc., during an examination;
• collaborating with another person during an examination by giving or receiving information without authority;
• taking a test for another person or asking or allowing another to take the student’s own test.
• Plagiarism
  Plagiarism occurs when a person represents someone else’s words, ideas, phrases, sentences, or data as one’s own work. When a student submits work that includes such material, the source of that information must be acknowledged through complete, accurate, and specific footnote references; additionally, verbatim statements must be acknowledged through quotation marks.To avoid a charge of plagiarism, a student should be sure to include an acknowledgment of indebtedness:
  • whenever he or she quotes another person’s words directly;
  • whenever he or she uses another person’s ideas, opinions, or theories, even if they have been completely paraphrased in one’s own words;
  • whenever he or she allows another individual to contribute to the work in some significant fashion (for instance, through editing, or sharing of ideas);
  • whenever he or she uses facts, statistics, or other illustrative material taken from a source, unless the information is common knowledge.

  Examples of standard citation formats can be found on the Library Website: Citation Manuals and Style Guides.

• Academic Misconduct
  Academic Misconduct includes the alteration of grades, involvement in the acquisition or distribution of unadministered tests, and the unauthorized submission of student work in more than one class. Examples of academic misconduct include, but are not limited to:
  • changing, altering, falsifying, or being the accessory to the changing, altering, or falsifying of a grade report or form or other academic record, or entering any computer system, College office or building for that purpose;
  • stealing, buying, selling, giving way, or otherwise obtaining all or part of any unadministered test or entering any computer system, College office or building, for the purpose of obtaining an unadministered test;
  • submitting written work (in whole or in significant part) to fulfill the requirements of more than one course without the explicit permission of both instructors;
  • disregarding policies governing the use of human subjects or animals in research;
  • sabotaging another student’s work through actions designed to prevent the student from successfully completing an assignment;
  • knowingly facilitating a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy by another person.
• Fabrication
  Fabrication refers to the deliberate use of invented information or the falsification of research or other findings with the intent to deceive. Examples of fabrication include, but are not limited to:
  • citation of information not taken from the source indicated;
  • listing of sources in a “works cited” that were not used in that project;
  • altering, stealing and/or falsifying research data used in research reports, theses, or dissertations;
  • submission as one’s own of any academic work prepared in whole or in part by others, including the use of another’s identity;
  • falsifying information or signatures on registration, withdrawal, or other academic forms and records.

Reporting Violations

To ensure due process, any member of the Ramapo community who is aware of violations of the College’s academic integrity policy is expected to report the incident to the Office of the Provost.

Faculty members who choose to resolve the matter themselves are urged also to report the incident to the Office of the Provost, since the incident may be a repeat offense, or there may be a subsequent grade appeal.

Hearing Process

Faculty members have the option of resolving the charges with the student themselves; or, they may refer the matter to the Vice Provost.

For all conferences with students, the procedures and procedural protections provided in this Catalog and the Code of Conduct section of the Student Handbook will apply.
The following steps are to be taken:

1. Resolution by faculty members.Faculty members may choose to resolve the charges themselves; they are encouraged to consult with the Vice Provost and/or their Dean. Faculty will arrange a conference with the student, reminding the student to review the Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure before the meeting. Faculty members need to keep records for their own reference and are urged to report the outcome (on the Reporting Form) and submit all supporting documents to the Vice Provost. In the case of a factual finding that a violation has occurred, the faculty member may require the student to redo the assignment, assign a failing grade on the assignment, or assign a failing grade for the course.If the case is not resolved, faculty members must refer the matter to the Vice Provost for further review and determinations; the case will typically be heard by a subcommittee of CASP (Committee on Academic Standards and Procedures).If prior violations by the student have been found by prior, independent hearings, the current case will subsequently be referred for further action to the College Judicial Board, which may impose additional sanctions.If the student prefers the case to be heard by the Office of the Provost, or if the student fails to attend the scheduled conference with the faculty member, the faculty member will refer the case to the Vice Provost.
2. Resolution by the Office of the Provost.If the case is referred to the Office of the Provost, the faculty member must provide all pertinent documentation and evidence to the Office of the Provost, with the specific factual allegations set forth on the reporting form. A copy of the form must be provided to the student.Once the allegation of a violation is made to the Office of the Provost, the Vice Provost (or the Vice Provost’s designee) will determine the factual sufficiency of the charge(s) and the forum for the hearing (i.e., whether the case remains in the Office of the Provost or is to be referred to the Office of Student Conduct). For cases to be heard by the Office of the Provost, there will be a conference between the Vice Provost and the student, at which time the student will be notified of the nature of the allegation(s) and will be provided an opportunity for a closed hearing before a subcommittee of CASP, comprised of two or three faculty members and the Vice Provost (ex-officio). The CASP subcommittee will also hear those cases referred to the Vice Provost after unsuccessful attempts by the faculty member to resolve the issue. For the hearing, the procedures and procedural protections provided in this Catalog and the Student Handbook will apply. Both the complainant and the person charged will have an opportunity to appear before the CASP subcommittee. In the case of a factual finding that a violation has occurred after a plenary hearing, penalties may include an official warning, a failing grade on the assignment, a failing grade for the course, and/or disciplinary probation.If the student fails to attend the hearing, the Office of the Provost will place an Academic Affairs hold on the student’s account, preventing registration. The hold will be removed upon resolution of the matter.

Multiple or Egregious Occurrences

If the student has been previously found guilty of violations of the Academic Integrity Policy, or if the Vice Provost considers that the violation is egregious (e.g., the stealing of an exam), the current case will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. All information pertaining to the case will be made available by the Office of the Provost to the Office of Student Conduct. A Judicial Board hearing is required under the provisions of the College Code of Conduct. The procedures and procedural protections provided for in the Catalog and the Student Handbook will apply. In the case of a guilty finding after a Judicial Board hearing, penalties may range from an official warning or receipt of a failing grade on the assignment, to a failing grade for the course. A student may also be penalized by being placed on disciplinary probation, suspended for a specified period, or expelled from the College.

Honors Program

If the student is found to have violated the Academic Integrity Policy and is enrolled in the College Honors Program, the Honors Program Director will be notified, in order to review the student’s status in the program.

Final Grades

When a student is suspected of academic dishonesty and the case is not resolved prior to the official submission of final grades to the Registrar’s Office, a “Z” grade will be assigned by the instructor for the course involved, using a “Z” grade form. Once a Z grade has been issued, the procedures described above will be followed. If the Z grade is not resolved by the completion of a grade adjustment form within one calendar year, the grade will be changed to an F on the student’s academic transcript.

Appeal Procedures

A student who is found guilty of violations of academic integrity may appeal the decision of the hearing officer/body (i.e., the faculty member, Vice Provost, CASP or the College Judicial Board) to the Provost, if certain circumstances exist. Appeals may be made only if:

• sanctions are grossly disproportionate to the offense, and/or
• specific procedural errors or errors in interpretations of College regulations were substantial, and/or
• new and significant evidence becomes available which could not have been discovered by a properly conducted investigation prior to or during the original hearing.

The following procedures apply to appeals:

• Appeals must be submitted by the student in writing to the Provost, within five (5) business days from the date of the letter of finding. Failure to appeal within the allotted time will render the original decision final and conclusive.
• In the instance of a student appealing a faculty-resolved case, the student will address their appeal to CASP; for cases heard by the Vice Provost, CASP or the College Judicial Board, the student will address their appeal to the Provost. The Vice Provost (on behalf of CASP) or the Provost, as appropriate, reserves the right to hear the appeal, and will reject any appeal that does not offer clear evidence that one of the heretofore mentioned circumstances applies.
• In the case where an appeal is filed in writing, the imposition of the sanction will be delayed upon the written request in the appeal letter for such action. The decision on the delay is solely at the discretion of the Provost or Vice Provost (as appropriate).
• Appeals shall be decided only upon the record of the original proceeding and upon the written letter of appeal. Reversal or modification of sanctions, or a finding of no guilt, may only occur if one of the heretofore mentioned circumstances applies.

Retention of Records

Case files will be retained in the Office of the Provost as a disciplinary record for five years after graduation or termination from Ramapo. Such records may be retained for longer periods of time or permanently, if so specified in the letter of finding.

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Exemption by prior testing:
Students are exempt from basis skills placement testing if they have taken one of the following placement tests at a college or university within the last two years: ACCUPLACER, Companion, COMPASS, or Asset. These students should contact the institution where they tested and arrange to have an official copy of their scores transferred to the Testing Center at Ramapo College at least two weeks prior to attending student orientation and registration. Testing Center FAX (201) 684-6607.

Exemption by SAT:
SAT-Critical Reading Score of 550 or above exempts ACCUPLACER English tests.
SAT-Math Score of 560 or above exempts ACCUPLACER Elementary Algebra and Arithmetic tests.

Exemption by ACT:
ACT Composite Score of 26 or above exempts ACCUPLACER English, Elementary Algebra and Arithmetic tests.

Exemption by Advanced Placement Test:
College Board AP English Test score of 4 or 5 exempts English test

Exemption by Transfer Credit:
Students who transfer a college-level English composition course and a college-level mathematics course that satisfy Ramapo College’s General Education Requirements in these two areas are exempt from basic skills placement testing.

Exemption by Degree:
Students who hold a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college in the United States are exempt from basic skills placement testing.

Placement Testing Exemption Policy

Testing Website

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Ramapo College will honor coursework that is successfully completed [with a grade of (P)Pass, C or better] from another accredited college or university and accepted as direct equivalents to the following courses as having satisfied remedial and/or developmental requirements in the following areas:

Reading

READ 011  Basic Reading
READ 020  Developmental Reading

Writing

WRIT 015  Basic Writing
WRIT 021  Developmental Writing

Mathematics

MATH 013  Basic Math
MATH 022  Transitional Math
MATH 024  Elementary Algebra Topics

Ramapo College matriculated students must obtain the appropriate approvals prior to taking the course.  Transfer students who satisfy remedial and/or developmental courses at another college or university will not require retesting prior to registration in the subsequent college-level course taken at Ramapo College.  However, it is strongly recommended that students whose remedial and/or developmental transfer course work is more than 2 years old consider a placement retest in order to ensure appropriate next course placement.

Students who transfer courses as not direct equivalents (for example, MATH 099 or MATH 098) should contact their advisors to determine appropriate next course placement.

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Fall and Spring
The College has established course load limits for its students. Except in very unusual circumstances, these are 18 credits for matriculated students and 11 credits for non-degree students. Normally, a full-time student completes four courses each semester and is therefore eligible to graduate in four years, having accumulated 128 credits and satisfied all other degree requirements (including a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 and a major GPA of at least 2.0). If, for extenuating circumstances, a matriculated student wishes to register for more than 18 credits, the permission of the Center for Student Success must be obtained. If approved, permission will be noted on the student’s record to enable registration.

Summer
All courses are open to all students, unless there are prerequisites listed which the student has not taken.
In general, students may register for a maximum of two (2) courses (or 8 credits) per session for a maximum of 19 credits for the entire Summer Session. In unusual circumstances permission to enroll for more than the maximum noted above may be granted by the Center for Student Success.

Winter
Winter Session courses are only offered online. In general, students may register for a maximum of one (1) course per session. In unusual circumstances permission to enroll for more than the maximum noted above may be granted by the Center for Student Success.

Non-Degree Seeking Students:
Non-degree seeking students are limited to a maximum of 11 credits per semester for a total of 30 cumulative credits, at which point they may not continue unless they matriculate, well in advance of registration, through the Admissions Office.

[More Information]

Visiting Non-Degree Seeking Students:
Non-degree seeking students who are visiting from other accredited colleges may enroll for more than 11 credits if they present a Visiting Student form, completed by the home institution, which verifies good academic standing, advisor approval of courses, and the home institution’s raised seal.

[More Information]

Post-Baccalaureate Non-Degree Seeking Students:
Non-degree seeking students who already possess bachelor degrees may enroll for more than 11 credits.

[More Information]

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Policy

An R grade is given (together with an F grade) when a course failed in an earlier term is successfully retaken. The credits attempted for the RF are changed to E (excluded) when the repeated course is successfully completed. The following limitations apply:

• Only one RF per course can be issued, regardless of how many Fs were previously awarded for the course.
• This option is only available twice during a students academic career at the College.
• The course must be the same as the earlier failed course.
• The course must carry the same number or greater number of credits
• If a student receives an F in a course in which an Academic Integrity violation occurred and a sanction was imposed, the course is not eligible for RF grading.

Procedure

If a student wishes to apply an R grade to a previously-failed course, then in the semester in which the course is being retaken, the student must apply to the CCenter for Student Success for the RF. The deadline by which to apply for the RF is posted on the Academic Calendar.

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This policy refers to courses taken and passed in the major and establishes procedures for the achievement of the required G.P.A. in the major. It is not to be confused with the Repeat Grade Policy.

1. Students may retake a maximum of three courses in the major.
2. Students may only retake those courses in the major in which they received  the lowest grades (or courses in the major approved by the convening group as especially important regardless of the original grade).
3. Students may only retake a previously-passed course once.

Credits from a retaken course are not counted toward graduation credit and must be subtracted from the “earned credit” column on the transcript. When a course is completed the second time, both grades are used in determining cumulative G.P.A. and G.P.A. in the major.

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Degree candidates must complete a minimum of 48 credits at Ramapo College to be eligible for a Ramapo degree.

The final 32 credits of a student’s career must be completed at Ramapo College. A student may be approved to include Study Abroad credits among their final 32 credits; however, the student must still have completed 48 credits at Ramapo College.

A minimum of half the requirements of a major, second major, or minor must be completed at Ramapo College. Student should refer to the Majors section of this Catalog for residency requirements for specific majors.

A minimum of 64 credits (not including “P” grades) completed at Ramapo College and a cumulative grade point average (including “R” grade credits) of at least 3.5 are required in order for students to be awarded Latin Honors.

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Leave of Absence (LOA)

Students in good academic standing may take a leave of absence of one semester by arrangement through the Center for Student Success.  Students who plan to be away for two or more semesters must officially withdraw from the College (refer to Withdrawal from Ramapo College, below).   Students requesting a ‘leave of absence’ due to medical reasons must make arrangements with the Center for Health and Counseling Services (Refer to Medical Leave of Absence, below).

Students who take a leave of absence for one semester do not need to apply for readmission and can simply register for the next upcoming semester during the registration period after consulting with an academic advisor. Students who remain away from Ramapo College for two or more semesters must apply for readmission with the Office of Admissions by the established readmission deadlines: August 1 for the fall semester and December 1 for the spring semester. Students who are readmitted will continue their studies under the graduation requirements in effect at the time of their readmission.

Medical Leave of Absence (MLOA)

Students may apply for a Medical Leave of Absence (MLOA) from the College for reasons of physical or psychological illnesses. Students must withdraw from all registered courses under this policy. Exceptions may be considered on an individual basis. The grade for each course will be recorded as “W” on the student’s transcript. There will be no refund if the request for an MLOA is completed after the College course withdrawal deadline (see Academic Calendar on the web).

Students considering applying for an MLOA need to contact the Center for Health and Counseling Services (CHCS) to request an evaluation for the purpose of pursuing a MLOA.  If the condition is medical in nature, contact Student Health Services (SHS) (201-684-7536); if the condition is psychological in nature, contact Counseling Services (CS) (201-684-7522). In order to obtain an MLOA a student must obtain a medical recommendation from the appropriate unit (i.e., Health or Counseling) within the Center for Health and Counseling Services.  In order for an MLOA to be processed for a given semester, the evaluation must be completed prior to the final day of classes.

Students can take as much time as needed away from the College to recover from their condition; however, students who do not take classes for two or more consecutive semesters must reapply for admission through the Office of Admissions. Students who stay out for longer than two consecutive semesters and are readmitted will continue their studies under the graduation requirements in effect at the time of their readmission.

In order to be approved to return from an MLOA, a student must provide the required documentation and complete an evaluation through the appropriate unit (Health or Counseling) within the Center for Health and Counseling Services.  Students returning from an MLOA must complete the process by the established deadlines: August 1 for the fall semester and December 1 for the spring semester. If the deadline is missed, the student’s return from an MLOA will be postponed until a later semester. If the process to return from an MLOA is not completed by the deadline, the student will be deregistered.

For detailed information, refer to the Center for Health and Counseling Services website.

The College recognizes that exceptional circumstances may prevent a student from applying for an MLOA prior to the final day of classes. Under these circumstances, the student may apply for a retroactive medical withdrawal by taking the following steps:

• No later than the last day of classes of the regular semester (i.e., fall or spring) following the semester for which the student wishes a retroactive medical withdrawal, the student must submit to the Office of the Provost any official documentation of a physical or psychological condition that prevented the student from completing the semester along with an appeal letter with any relevant details, including why the student was unable to withdraw from classes in a timely fashion.
• The Provost or his/her designee will review the medical documentation with the Center for Health and Counseling Services and/or the Office of Specialized Services for professional consultation.
• Based on that evaluation as well as on the information supplied in writing by the student, the Provost or his/her designee will make the decision whether to accept the application for a retroactive medical withdrawal as made. The Provost or his/her designee may also request a meeting with the student in order to reach a final decision.
• If the Provost or his/her designee accepts the application for a retroactive medical withdrawal, typically the student will receive Ws in all courses for the semester in question. The Provost’s Office will communicate the final decision in writing by e-mail.

The decision of the Provost or his/her designee is final.

Withdrawal from Ramapo College

Students who decide to withdraw completely from Ramapo College must consult with an advisor from Center for Student Success and process a ‘Notice of Withdrawal/Leave of Absence’ form. Students requesting to withdraw due to medical reasons must make arrangements with the Center for Health and Counseling Services (refer to Leave of Absence, above).

Adherence to the withdrawal procedure is necessary for possible readmission to Ramapo College. Students who have withdrawn from the College and decide to return must apply for readmission with the Office of Admissions by the established readmission deadlines: August 1 for the fall semester and December 1 for the spring semester.

Officially withdrawing from or taking a leave of absence from the college will not automatically withdraw students from courses.  In addition to submitting the official withdrawal form through Center for Student Success (or Health and Counseling Services for medical leaves), students must drop courses for the semester through the College’s web registration services system (if the add/drop deadline has not passed), or complete a “Course Withdrawal Form” with the appropriate approvals and according to the established deadlines.  Course Withdrawal Forms are available in the Office of the Registrar.

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Matriculated students who wish to earn credits at another accredited institution for transfer back to Ramapo must meet with an academic advisor in the CCenter for Student Success and complete an Off Campus Study request form. This form verifies that the course(s) will be accepted by Ramapo and provides a guide as to how the credits would be applied to Ramapo requirements. In preparation for the meeting it is important to bring the list of courses being considered for approval.

Students with 64 or fewer credit hours may request permission to transfer in courses from any two- or four-year accredited institution of higher education. Students who have earned 65 or more credit hours may request to take and transfer in courses from any four-year accredited institution of higher education. Junior and senior level students may not take and transfer in courses from county or two-year colleges and will be denied permission to take and transfer in courses from two-year institutions.

Note: Before taking classes off campus, review Ramapo College’s residency requirement (above).