Ramapo College is organized into schools rather than departments. Each school is comprised 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
• Contemporary Arts
• Salameno School of Humanities and Global Studies
• Social Science and Human Services
• Theoretical and Applied Science.

Academic Schools / Majors

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 comprised of faculty members who teach in the discipline area and led by a convener.

Ramapo College provides a curriculum that is current and that meets the needs and interests of our students. To that end, courses will periodically be deleted from the Ramapo College Catalog.

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, and various study abroad calendars.

For questions regarding Summer Session registration, contact the Office of 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.

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

Religious Holiday Observance

The faculty of the College will help students who miss class for religious observance to meet their academic obligations.

A student who plans to miss one or more class sessions for religious observance, whether the religious holiday is recognized by the State of New Jersey or not, must notify the course instructor as soon as possible but no later than prior to the date of the religious holiday or the 50% refund date of the term in which the student is enrolled in the course (whichever comes first). The course instructor will assist the student in making up any work missed while absent for religious observance but will not penalize the student for the absence..

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

Telephone Numbers for School Offices

Ramapo College sets admission criteria for different groups of applicants in keeping with its vision and mission:

Undergraduate Admissions (first year)

Applications for first-year admission are reviewed by the staff in the Office of Admissions. All applications that are received with an application fee or approved waiver will be reviewed and action will be taken.  Applications that are received by the established deadline and complete (application with fee or waiver, official transcript, standardized test score, letter of recommendation) will be issued a decision (acceptance, denial, wait list). Any application received by the deadline that is not complete by office-established deadlines will receive a denial letter and will be coded as IW (institutional withdrawal).

All applications will be reviewed completely and holistically by the Office of Admissions. Evaluative criteria may vary from year to year and program to program based on the number of applicants and the established Strategic Plan and Enrollment Management goals for that period. 

Undergraduate Admissions (Transfer)

Applications for transfer admission are reviewed by the staff in the Office of Admissions. All applications that are received with an application fee or approved waiver will be reviewed and action will be taken.  Applications that are received by the deadline and complete (application with fee or waiver, official college transcript(s), letter of recommendation, Transfer Candidates Form) will be issued a decision (acceptance, denial, wait list).  Any application received by the deadline that is not complete by office-established deadlines will receive a denial letter and will be coded as IW (institutional withdrawal).

All applications will be reviewed completely and holistically by the Office of Admissions. Evaluative criteria may vary from year to year and program to program based on the number of applicants and the established Strategic Plan and Enrollment Management goals for that period.

Undergraduate Admissions (Non-Degree)

Applications for non-degree admission are processed by the staff in the Office of Admissions. All applications that are received for non-degree status are considered actionable.  Students will self-disclose that they are in good standing academically and socially at any prior institutions they have attended and will agree to all stipulations outlined on the non-degree application.  A decision letter (acceptance, denial) will be sent.

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 his/her account if he/she fails 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 Major/Minor Declaration form to the Office of the Registrar with the signature of the Convener of the major he/she is declaring. Once processed, the hold flag will be removed from student’s account and the student will be eligible for registration.

Ramapo College accepts credits from all accredited colleges and universities in the United States of America  in accordance with the procedures, laws, and/or standards of the College, the State, and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.  Ramapo College may accept credits from international institutions after an evaluation of coursework has been completed by a recognized evaluation service.

Ramapo College allows for credits earned in settings outside of the Ramapo College curriculum, regardless of mode of delivery, to be applied to the Ramapo degree program provided those credits meet the established criteria associated with the specific type of transfer credit.  Transfer credit at Ramapo College consists of the following types:

• Scores achieved in Advanced Placement Examinations of the College Entrance Examination Board or scores earned on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level Test;
• 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;
• International coursework evaluated by a recognized evaluation service that is approved by the National Association of Credit Evaluation Services (NACES);
• 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);
• Students can also earn credit for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) after the completion of a portfolio and review by a faculty member (Please see PLA policy for details on PLA credits).

All transfer student applications and transcripts are reviewed by the Office of Admissions. Transfer students who apply and will be transferring in 45 or more college credits do not need to submit high school transcripts or SAT/ACT scores.  Those with below 45 college credits must also submit high school transcripts and are encouraged to submit standardized (SAT/ACT) scores.

Transfer of academic credits completed at a regionally accredited college/university or program with a grade of C (2.0) or better, regardless of mode of delivery, will be considered for advanced standing, provided it is consistent with Ramapo College’s curriculum. In evaluating a student’s transcript, only the academic credits transfer; the grade does not transfer. A student’s grade point average at Ramapo will reflect only credits earned at Ramapo College.

International students must submit an evaluation of coursework by a recognized evaluation service (e.g., WES). Based on that evaluation, credit is awarded on a course-by-course basis.

Although accepted transfer credits 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.

According to the State-Wide Transfer Agreement that was signed on December 13, 2006, “An A.A or A.S degree from a NJ Community college will be fully transferrable as the first two years of a baccalaureate degree program at NJ four-year institutions.  (See NJ Transfer Agreement for all related procedures.)

The transcripts of Associate of Applied Science degree recipients who are admitted to the college will be evaluated on a course per course basis because of the technical or occupational nature of such programs.

Up to 65 credits (including 100/200 level CLEP) credits, regardless of mode of delivery, may be accepted from a two-year college, or 80 from a four-year college. A maximum of 80 credits, regardless of mode of delivery, 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 or scores earned on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level Test;
• 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).

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 cases where academic approval for course equivalency has not yet been established and approved by a Convening Group (i.e. a student has been accepted from an institution that Ramapo has never accepted before), credit will not be equated at the time of initial transfer.  It will count as elective credit, but not towards a particular degree program.    If a student wishes to have a particular course evaluated or counted, the student may contact the Convener of a program to review the course and its potential for transfer credit. If the Convener approves the transfer equivalency, that approval will be sent to the Associate Director of Transfer Admissions who will update the appropriate systems.

In some cases, it may be necessary to complete more than the minimum number of credits required for graduation from Ramapo College.

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;
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

• All of the General Education requirements are waived for transfer students with an Associate of Arts (AA) or an Associate of Science (AS) from a NJ community college. Some of the General Education requirements are waived for transfer students with a degree from a college outside of NJ or with a specified number of credits. General Education courses required are noted on the audit.
• 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 may waive a course from the major. Only the Dean may 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.

Ramapo College will grant academic credit through assessment of  prior learning  at the undergraduate level.

Matriculated undergraduate students at Ramapo College of New Jersey are eligible to apply for, and may acquire credit for, knowledge that they have gained outside the traditional academic setting through work, training, community service, and other accomplishments.  The process of Prior Learning Assessment involves the development of a portfolio reviewed by an identified faculty member who confirms that the prior learning for which the student wishes credit is relevant to a particular program’s or course’s learning outcomes.  Credit by PLA portfolio is available to all undergraduate students, but is most commonly used by adult learner.  Ramapo follows the standards developed by The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) regarding assessment of prior learning (www.cael.org/pla). The following procedure outlines the steps by which a PLA portfolio review begins and culminates with the awarding of credits.

Reviewing PLA portfolio policies with student General information about earning credits through PLA portfolio is made available to students at transfer and adult orientation sessions.   Any matriculated undergraduate student interested in earning credit through PLA portfolio must schedule a meeting with the Director of the Degree Completion Program (DCP) to discuss courses for which he or she is requesting PLA credits.  The DCP Director provides the student with the PLA Student Handbook, as well as the Application Packet and other resources, and reviews the following policies with the student:

• Students may earn a maximum of 16 credits through PLA portfolio in an undergraduate program.
• Credits awarded through PLA portfolio are treated as transfer credits. Transfer credits are comprised of transfer courses from previous institutions, CLEP credits, and PLA portfolio credits. Undergraduate students who have already reached the maximum amount of 80 transfer credits may not earn credits through a PLA portfolio.
• Students must adhere to the College residency requirement and thus may not earn credits through PLA as part of their final 32 credits of degree.
• PLA must address the outcomes of a specific course in the current Ramapo catalog. Portfolios may be submitted for 100-300 level courses only and may not be used to substitute for a capstone course.
• Courses petitioned through PLA must not duplicate transfer credit or any other coursework used to fulfill degree requirements. Students who enroll in a Ramapo course and do not earn a passing grade may not petition to earn credit for that same course through PLA portfolio.
• The credit request for a PLA portfolio must match the amount of credit normally awarded for the course being petitioned.

Additional information is available at https://www.ramapo.edu/adult-students/

A deans’ list that recognizes undergraduate students for outstanding achievement in any given semester will be published at the end of the fall and spring semesters

To qualify for the Deans’ List, a student must be matriculated, complete a minimum of 12 cumulative credits (not including “P” grades), receive no incomplete grades for that semester, and 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 the Deans’ List.

As New Jersey’s Public Liberal Arts College, Ramapo College provides a high quality education which is based in the liberal arts.  Through a common general education program spanning the 100-300 levels, students will be provided the opportunity to develop those core skills related to a liberal education.  Required courses include First Year Seminar, Critical Reading and Writing, Readings in the Humanities, and Social Issues/Perspectives of Business in Society.  Other requirements include courses in mathematical reasoning, history, intercultural North America, science, international issues, and topics in social sciences/arts and humanities.

All Ramapo College students must complete the general-education requirements in reading and writing as well as mathematics by the time that they have earned 64 credit hours.

Ramapo College General Education Website

Latin Honors will be awarded to undergraduate students of Ramapo College who have met the criteria as set forth by the College.

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, as indicated above.

For information email provost@ramapo.edu.

In issuing final grades, course instructors adhere to the established grading systems at the undergraduate levels.

Course work is evaluated using the following grading scale:

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 by the date posted on the Academic Calendar.  In the event that a course is being offered with A to F grading, students must select the P/F option by the date posted on the Academic Calendar, and that grading option 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 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 a students’s 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 a 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. It is not reversible at a later date. For more information, see Policy and Procedure 300-E: Repeat Course.

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 indicates the instructor’s recommendation that the student retake the course. Y grades cannot be changed.

X; Fresh Start

Grades beginning with X have been excluded from student’s GPA as part of the College’s Fresh Start program

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.

Ramapo College recognizes a students’ right to file an appeal of an academic nature. Student appeals of an academic nature fall into two general categories: grade appeals and other appeals of an academic nature.

Grade Appeals

Course instructors establish course requirements and performance standards. Instructors’  evaluation of students’ academic performance is a  professional judgment based on the requirements set forth in the course syllabus 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.

Circumstances for which students may appeal grades

Grade appeals will be considered only 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 course instructor and therefore not factored into the final grade); or an alleged violation of College Policy. Appeals that will not be considered include, but are not limited to, 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) and those based on grades that were penalized (for example, 0 on an assignment) because the student was found responsible for violating the Academic Integrity Policy.

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 course instructor  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 course instructor forwards a Instructor Grade Adjustment 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 Instructor Grade Adjustment Request is forwarded to the Office of the Registrar.

If a student and the course instructor 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 the course instructor.

• The Dean will confer with the student and the course instructor, 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 Instructor Grade Adjustment Request with explanatory reasons to the Office of the Registrar and advise the course instructor and student in writing.
• If the Dean determines that a grade change is not warranted, the course instructor 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 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 instructor and dean level.
• After conferring with the student, Dean, and course instructor and reviewing the pertinent documentation, the Provost or his/her designee may  approve or decline the student’s grade appeal. The Provost or his/her designee will advise the student, the course instructor, and the Dean of his/her final recommendation.

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

Other Appeals of an Academic Nature

Course instructors exercise the right of academic freedom. In addition, they have responsibility for managing their classrooms. If, after considering those faculty prerogatives and reviewing relevant policies, students still wish to make appeals of an academic nature (other than grade appeals), they must follow this procedure:

Procedure

Preferably as soon as a student believes that he or she has cause to make an appeal, but no later than 20 calendar days after the last day of the semester in which course is scheduled, the student may meet with the course instructor or, if the student prefers and makes a compelling case for doing so, with the Dean of the school in which the course is offered.

1. If the student meets with the instructor, both student and instructor should make good faith efforts to share viewpoints and discuss differences of opinion. If the student and the instructor are unable to reach a mutually acceptable resolution, the student may appeal to the Dean of the school in which the course is offered within 20 calendar days after the conference between the student and the instructor. If that Dean is different from the Dean of the instructor’s primary convening group, the Dean of the school in which the course is offered may consult with the Dean of the instructor, depending on the nature of the appeal. The Dean(s) may also confer with the student, the instructor, and/or other appropriate College personnel jointly or independently to reach a resolution. The decision of the Dean of the school in which the course is offered is final.
2. If the student prefers to meet with the Dean of the school in which the course is offered first, the Dean may decide, depending on the nature of the concern, either to offer the student strategies for communicating directly with the instructor or to accept the appeal without prior consideration by the instructor. If the Dean accepts the appeal immediately, the Dean of the school in which the course is offered will consult with the instructor in addition to the student and, depending on the nature of the appeal, may consult with the Dean of the instructor, and/or other appropriate College personnel jointly or independently to reach a resolution. The decision of the Dean of the school in which the course is offered  is final.

Students who have attempted 12 or more credits must have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average to be in academic good standing.

Determination and Notification of 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 attempted 12 or more credits. 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 and thus do not affect academic standing at Ramapo College. Matriculated students whose academic performance has fallen below a cumulative 2.0 GPA, which is required to graduate from Ramapo College, are advised of the deficiency in writing by the Office of the Provost via e-mail. Matriculated students must check their e-mail regularly for notification of their status. Non-matriculated students should check their status on the web.

Academic Warning

Students who have a cumulative GPA below 2.0 for one semester are placed on Academic Warning. Students placed on Academic Warning may not appeal their standing. Students placed on academic warning are required to develop an academic plan with the Center for Student Success, which will consult with the students’ respective deans. The academic plan must be developed by the 50% refund deadline as stated on the academic calendar of the semester for which the warning is in effect. However, it is strongly encouraged that students develop that plan before the last day to make class adjustments on the web. Development of the plan will be enforced by a registration hold. Students may be advised to meet with their campus support services at specified intervals throughout the semester. All meetings and academic plans will be recorded and tracked through the College’s advising Software. Towards the middle of each fall and spring semester, the Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs sends emails to matriculated students currently on Academic Warning, reminding them of their standing, the registration hold on their student account, and the actions to be taken once grades have been posted at the end of the semester. Once grades are posted at the end of the semester, the Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs notifies matriculated students by email of their standing for the upcoming semester.

• Students previously on Academic Warning who have achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 are placed in good standing.
• Students previously on Academic Warning whose cumulative GPA remains below 2.0 are placed on Academic Probation.

Academic Probation

Students who have a cumulative GPA below 2.0 for two consecutive semesters are placed on Academic Probation. Students placed on Academic Probation may not appeal their standing. Students placed on academic probation are required to develop an academic plan with the Center for Student Success, which will consult with the students’ respective deans. The academic plan must be developed by the 50% refund deadline as stated on the academic calendar of the semester for which the warning is in effect. However, it is strongly encouraged that students develop that plan before the last day to make class adjustments on the web. Development of the plan will be enforced by a registration hold. Students may be advised to meet with their campus support services at specified intervals throughout the semester. All meetings and academic plans will be recorded and tracked through the College’s advising Software. Towards the middle of each fall and spring semester, the Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs sends an email to students currently on Academic Probation, reminding students of their standing, the registration hold on their student accounts, 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 matriculated students by email of their standing for the upcoming semester:

• Students previously on Academic Probation who have achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 are placed in good standing after probation.
• Students previously on Academic Probation who have made good academic progress by achieving a semester GPA of at least 2.5 but whose cumulative GPA is still below a 2.0 are placed on continued probation for one semester. . If their cumulative GPA is not raised to a 2.0 by the end of the following semester, they will be placed on Academic Suspension.
• Students previously on Academic Probation who have not made good academic progress (as defined above) and whose cumulative GPA remains below 2.0 are placed on Academic Suspension.
• Students previously on Continued Probation who have achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 are placed in good standing after probation.
• Students previously on Continued Probation whose cumulative GPA remains below 2.0 are placed on Academic Suspension.

Academic Suspension

Students who have a cumulative GPA below 2.0 for two or three consecutive semesters (as described in the section on Academic Probation immediately above) are placed on Academic Suspension for one regular semester. 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). Appeals must be received in writing and submitted by email to casp@ramapo.edu by the specified deadline. 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. 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 (signed on official College letterhead or sent directly from the faculty/staff e-mail account) and/or letters from medical practitioners (signed on official letterhead) documenting that the student was receiving care during the current semester.

CASP, after having considered the appeal, decides 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.

CASP’s decisions are forwarded to the Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs informs students of the decisions in writing, by email; these decisions are final.

Students who have accepted their suspension or who have been informed that their suspension will be enforced must meet with a Center for Student Success advisor to determine their best course of action for the semester. Students on Academic Suspension who wish to return to the College must apply for reinstatement; reinstatement is not automatic. The reinstatement process is described in the next section. Students informed that they are reinstated 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.

Students’ records are again reviewed at the end of the probationary period:

• Students who achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 will be placed in good standing after probation;
• Students who do not achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 but have made good progress by achieving a semester GPA of 2.5 or better will be placed on continued probation one final semester at the end of which they must achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better or will be permanently dismissed.
• Students who do not achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and have not made good progress (as defined above) are permanently dismissed. Students previously on Continued Probation (after having been on Academic Probation following suspension as delineated in this section) who have achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 are placed in good standing after probation.
• Students previously on Continued Probation (after having been on Academic Probation following suspension as delineated in this section) whose cumulative GPA remains below 2.0 are permanently dismissed.

Reinstatement and Readmission following Academic Suspension

A student on academic suspension wishing to return to the College must apply for reinstatement or readmission. Reinstatement or readmission is neither automatic nor guaranteed after academic suspension. Students are strongly urged to apply by August 1 for the fall semester and by December 1 for the spring semester.

The student begins the process for reinstatement or readmission by making an appointment with a Center for Student Success advisor who will assist the student in preparing 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 he/she was absent from Ramapo); and an Academic Plan. 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 Center for Student Success advisor will verify that the student has no outstanding financial obligations to the College, no outstanding disciplinary charges, no assessed sanctions, or any other holds.

Then, depending on how long the student has been away from the College, the student follows one of two paths:

• A student on academic suspension who wishes to return to the College after an absence of one regular semester must appeal for reinstatement to the Dean of the School to which he or she wishes to return; an undeclared student must direct his/her appeal to the Vice Provost.
• A student on academic suspension who wishes to return to the College after an absence of two or more regular semesters must apply for readmission to the College through the Office of Admissions after successfully appealing to the Dean of the School to which he or she wishes to return; an undeclared student appeals to the Vice Provost. 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 is undeclared).

Regardless of the path that the student takes (reinstatement or readmission) the Dean or the Vice Provost   considers the appeal and, in so doing, may request a conference with the student, at his/her discretion. Then the Dean or the Vice rejects or accepts the student’s appeal.

If the Dean or the Vice Provost rejects 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. The decision of the Provost (or his/her designee) is final.

If the Dean, the Vice Provost, or (in the case of a review of a rejected appeal) the Provost (or his/her designee) accepts the appeal, a student will be reinstated/readmitted on Academic 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 students were readmitted:

• Students who achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 will be placed in good standing after probation;
• Students who do not achieve a cumulative GPA of at least a 2.0 but have made good progress by achieving a semester GPA of 2.5 or better and who meet any additional conditions set by the Dean or Vice Provost (if applicable) will be allowed one final semester on continued probation, at the end of which he/she must achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better or will be permanently dismissed.
• Students who do not achieve a cumulative GPA of at least a 2.0 and have not made good progress (as defined above) will be permanently dismissed from the College.
• Students previously on Continued Probation (after having been on Academic Probation following suspension as delineated in this section) who have achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 are placed in good standing after probation.
• Students previously on Continued Probation (after having been on Academic Probation following suspension as delineated in this section) whose cumulative GPA remains below 2.0 are placed on Academic Dismissal.

Academic Dismissal

Students who have been suspended (whether they serve the suspension term and are later reinstatement/readmitted to the College or successfully appeal for immediate reinstatement to the College) and meet the standards for Academic Suspension (as described above) a second or subsequent time are permanently dismissed from the College. Upon notification of dismissal, the student is given an opportunity to submit a written appeal for immediate reinstatement to the Committee on Academic Standards and Procedures (CASP). The appeal process is the same as that for students who have been suspended. CASP, after having considered the appeal, decides whether the student may remain at the College on Academic Probation or must accept permanent dismissal from the College. A student who does not appeal to the Committee in writing by the designated deadline is viewed as accepting permanent dismissal. CASP’s decisions are forwarded to the Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs informs students of the decisions in writing by email; the decisions are final.

Students informed that they are readmitted 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.

Student records are again reviewed at the end of the probationary period:

• Students who achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 will be placed in good standing after probation;
• Students who do not achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 but have made good progress by achieving a semester GPA of 2.5 or better will be placed on continued probation one final semester at the end of which he/she must achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better or will be permanently dismissed.
• Students who do not achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and have not made good progress (as defined above) will be permanently dismissed with the right to appeal (as described above).
• Students previously on Continued Probation (after having been on Academic Probation following a dismissal) who have achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 are placed in good standing after probation.
• Students previously on Continued Probation (after having been on Academic Probation following a dismissal) whose cumulative GPA remains below 2.0 are permanently dismissed with the right to appeal (as described above).

Repeat Fail (RF) Grade

Students who have been notified that they are suspended or dismissed and wish to appeal their suspensions or dismissals must apply for all applicable RFs prior to submitting written appeals for immediate reinstatement. Students who accept their suspensions or dismissals or who are later notified that CASP did not accept their appeals may not apply for any RFs  until such time as they regain probationary status (as applicable). Suspended students who serve their suspension terms and later apply successfully for reinstatement or readmission on probationary status may again use the RF option.

All members of the 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 is not acceptable.

Procedure

Responsibilities

The Office of the Provost has responsibility for the oversight and enforcement of the Academic Integrity Policy and for making the policy an institutional priority. The Office of the Provost is also responsible for publishing the policy and for educating faculty, staff, and students about the policy.

Faculty members play a crucial role in implementing 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. They also report alleged violations of the policy to the Vice Provost.

Students have the responsibility to know and understand the Academic Integrity Policy, to comply with the policy in their academic work, and to inform the faculty and/or the Vice Provost if they are aware of violations of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Criteria

There are four (4) 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 authorization from the instructor;
    • taking a test for another person or asking or allowing another to take the student’s own test.

2. 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 or endnote 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 George T. Potter Library Website: Library Website: Citation Manuals and Style Guides

3. 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, transcript, or other academic record, or entering any computer system or College office or building for that purpose;
    • stealing, buying, selling, giving way, or otherwise obtaining all or part of any unadministered test or paper or entering any computer system or 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.

4. Fabrication
   Fabrication refers to the use of invented information or the falsification of research or other findings.  Examples of fabrication include, but are not limited to:

• • • citing information not taken from the source indicated;
    • citing 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;
    • submitting as one’s own 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

In order to ensure due process, any member of the community who is aware of a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy is expected to report the incident to the Vice Provost. A faculty member may choose to resolve the incident him/herself or send the case to the Vice Provost for review (see below). In either case, the faculty member reports the incident to the Vice Provost on the reporting form, which serves not only to report the incident but also to record the finding and the sanction in situations in which the faculty member chooses to resolve the case. A faculty member is encouraged to report an alleged violation of academic integrity within 30 days of the discovery of the alleged violation but must do so no later than the last day to submit grades for the term in which the alleged violation occurred. A faculty member may report an incident after that date, but only if he/she has new evidence.

Hearing Process

A faculty member has the option of resolving a case of an alleged violation of the Academic Integrity Policy with the student or referring the case to Vice Provost. When an unresolved case reaches the Vice Provost, he/she will determine the factual sufficiency of the case and identify the appropriate hearing body, either the Vice Provost or the Academic Integrity Board, which is charged with hearing cases that may result in Suspension or Expulsion, cases of students found responsible for prior offences, and other cases that the Vice Provost would like the board to review. The Vice Provost will also send to the board for review a case resolved by the faculty member that constitutes a second or subsequent violation.

• Resolution by the faculty member.A faculty member may choose to resolve the case him/herself. The faculty member will notify the student of the allegation in writing and arrange a review conference with the student, reminding the student to review the Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure before the meeting. At the conference, the faculty member will present the evidence to the student and give the student two options: to resolve the case with the faculty member or to send the case to the Vice Provost for further review. If the student elects to resolve the case with the faculty member, the faculty member will issue a finding (i.e., responsible or not responsible for violating the Academic Integrity Policy) and, if responsible, a sanction. Sanctions may include requiring students to redo the assignment or to retake the exam with or without penalty, assigning a failing grade on the assignment or the exam, or assigning a failing grade for the course. The faculty member may also recommend that a student seek the support, for example, of the Center for Reading and Writing. The faculty member reports the incident as well as the finding and the sanction on the reporting form and submits it with all supporting documents to the Vice Provost. The Vice Provost will acknowledge receipt of the report via Ramapo e-mail. If, once the case is reported, the Vice Provost determines that the student has been found responsible for a prior offense, the Vice Provost may refer the case to the Academic Integrity Board for review. The finding and the sanction of the Academic Integrity Board override the finding and the sanction of the faculty member.If the student or the faculty member prefers the case to be reviewed by the Vice Provost, if the student fails to attend the scheduled conference with the faculty member, if the student contests the faculty member’s finding and/or sanction, or if the case is not otherwise resolved, the faculty member must refer the matter to the Vice Provost for further review and resolution. If the case is referred to the Vice Provost, the faculty member must provide all pertinent documentation and evidence to the Vice Provost with the specific factual allegations set forth on the reporting form.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 case. The Vice Provost will also determine the Hearing Officer/body (i.e., the Vice Provost or the Academic Integrity Board), depending on the nature and the severity of the case. If the Vice Provost (or his/her designee) determines that the case has factual sufficiency, he/she will charge the student with violating the Academic Integrity Policy via e-mail. The charge will include the hearing date and the hearing body.
• Resolution by the Vice Provost.The Vice Provost (or designee) will hear cases that, while serious, are not egregious enough to result in Suspension or Expulsion from the College. The Vice Provost (or designee) will arrange a hearing with the student.  At the hearing, the Vice Provost (or designee) will review the policy and procedure, present the evidence to the student, and determine the finding (responsible or not responsible for violating the Academic Integrity Policy) and, if responsible, the sanction. Sanctions may include, but are not limited to, issuing an official warning, requiring the student to redo the assignment or to retake the exam with or without penalty, requiring the student to seek the services of the Center for Reading and Writing, assigning a failing grade on the assignment or the exam, assigning a failing grade for the course, suspending the student from activity privileges, and/or placing the student on disciplinary probation. Failure to comply with sanctions by the prescribed time may result in a registration hold or other disciplinary action. For specific definitions of these sanctions, the student should consult section N of the Student Handbook. The Vice Provost will communicate the finding and the sanction (if applicable) to the student and the faculty member via Ramapo e-mail.
• Resolution by the Academic Integrity Board.  The Academic Integrity Board will hear all cases of students found responsible for prior offenses as well as all other cases that, because of their egregiousness, may result in Suspension or Expulsion from the College. Egregious cases may include, but are not limited to, ones in which graduate students allegedly plagiarized any part of their theses or capstone projects. In addition, the Vice Provost (or designee) reserves the right to send to the board for review any case at any time for any reason. The board is comprised of five members: two matriculated students and three faculty and/or professional staff. A quorum consists of three members of the board. The Vice Provost appoints board members upon positive recommendation from deans (in the case of faculty), divisional vice presidents (in the case of professional staff), and any faculty member, administrator, or professional staff member (in the case of students). The Vice Provost also trains each new board member for service on the board and apprises the entire board of any approved procedural changes. The Vice Provost (or designee) will provide the student with the option to meet prior to the hearing to present the evidence and to the review the policy and procedure. At the hearing, the Vice Provost (or designee) will serve as Board Advisor and, in that capacity, will present evidence, comment on procedure and admissibility of evidence, manage the hearing, and protect the rights of all parties. In addition, the Board Advisor has the right to remove from the hearing any individual who disrupts the hearing or otherwise fails to follow the procedures outlined in this policy. The Board Advisor will be present during the deliberations of the board but will not vote. The board will hear testimony from, and pose questions to, the student, the complainant, and any witnesses. The student will in turn have an opportunity to question anyone who provides information at the hearing and to respond to any evidence presented against him/her. After the hearing, the board will determine the finding (responsible or not responsible for violating the Academic Integrity Policy) and, if responsible, the sanction. Sanctions may include Suspension or Expulsion as well as the imposition of lesser sanctions as appropriate. Graduate students found responsible for plagiarizing any part of their theses or capstone projects may be sanctioned with permanent dismissal from their programs in addition to or instead of other sanctions as appropriate. Failure to comply with sanctions by the prescribed time may result in a registration hold or other disciplinary action. The Vice Provost will communicate the finding and the sanction (if applicable) to the student and the faculty member via Ramapo e-mail.

Procedural Protection

For any hearing conducted by the Vice Provost or the Academic Integrity Board, the student shall have the following procedural protections:

1. The student will receive, in addition to the reporting form, written notice of the charges that is dated at least three (3) business days prior to any scheduled hearing with the Vice Provost (or designee) and seven (7) business days prior to any scheduled hearing with the Academic Integrity Board. A student may relinquish his or her right to the notification period by signing and executing a waiver with the Office of the Provost. All correspondence will be sent to the student’s Ramapo College e-mail address. It is the responsibility of the student to access his/her electronic mail on a daily basis.
2. The student will have reasonable access to the case file prior to and during the hearing, provided that all reviews of files must take place in the Office of the Provost. All case materials shall be retained in the Office of the Provost.
3. The burden of proof shall be upon the complainant, who must establish that the person charged is responsible for the conduct violation “more likely than not” based on the credible evidence. This “preponderance of the evidence” standard is a lower one than the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard employed in criminal prosecutions within the court system.
4. The student has the right to remain silent and not to present evidence against him/herself.
5. The student has the opportunity both to question those who provide information at the proceeding and to respond to any information being presented against her/him. Formal rules of evidence shall not be applicable pursuant to the Code of Conduct. The Hearing Officer or Board Advisor, as applicable, shall give effect to the rules of confidentiality and privilege but shall otherwise admit all information for consideration that reasonable persons would accept as having material value. Unduly repetitious or irrelevant information may be excluded.
6. Any member of the College community may, upon showing relevance and necessity, request witnesses to appear at a hearing conducted by the Vice Provost or the Academic Integrity Board. Character witnesses are not permissible in campus disciplinary proceedings. It is the responsibility of the complainant and the charged student to notify the Vice Provost, by fax, electronic mail, or in writing of the persons they wish called as witnesses at least three (3) business days before the proceeding. The Vice Provost will notify students who are identified as witnesses that their appearance is expected. It is generally expected that witnesses will appear in person to give testimony. Under rare circumstances, a signed, dated, and notarized statement of a witness who is unable to appear or who has been excused may be introduced at a proceeding. The decision as to whether such a document or any other alternative means of testimony may be used lies solely with the Vice Provost. Under extraordinary circumstances, the Vice Provost may require students to serve as witnesses. Students who refuse to appear as witnesses for either the complainant or the charged student may be charged with “failure to comply with the directions of College officials, including campus Public Safety officers, or officers of the law, acting in performance of their duties (Code H.17).” Witnesses will be excluded from the proceeding during the testimony of other witnesses. All parties to the case and witnesses shall be excluded during any deliberations determining responsibility or sanctions.
7. A student charged with alleged violations, complainants, and witnesses may be accompanied by an advisor, who may be an attorney, to the hearing. An advisor may provide counsel to the student but may not speak on his/her behalf nor appear in lieu of the student. A student who wishes to have an attorney as an advisor must inform the Vice Provost, in writing by fax, electronic mail, or by telephone at least three (3) business days before the scheduled hearing. When informed that an attorney will be present at the proceeding, the College may consult with General Counsel and/or the New Jersey State Attorney General’s Office for advice on whether legal counsel for the College should also be present.
8. In accordance with current guidelines established in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA) and implemented by Ramapo College, the record of most disciplinary proceeding’s findings is not open to the public.
9. In cases in which a student charged does not appear after proper notice and has no justifiable reason for non-appearance, the finding will be an “uncontested admission of violation,” and an appropriate sanction will be imposed.
10. A student will be subjected to the College’s judicial process if the alleged violation occurred while s/he was a registered student. In cases where a student charged withdraws from the College prior to the disciplinary proceeding, the judicial process will not be deferred.
11. Hearings will not be postponed unless under unusual circumstances set forth in the “Justifiable Excuse” policy for non-appearance. The policy is available in the Office of the Provost. The process is designed to be educational in nature and support the student speaking for herself/himself; therefore, only the responding student may make a request to postpone a hearing. Requests by third parties, including counsel, will not be considered.
12. Where Suspension or Expulsion is a possible sanction, proceedings will be tape-recorded. Other proceedings may be recorded at the discretion of the College. These recordings are solely for the purpose of providing assistance to the Hearing Officer, the members of the Academic Integrity Board, and the appeals officer in their deliberations. These recordings remain the property of the College and constitute an official record of the proceeding.
13. Final decisions and a listing of any sanctions imposed will be noted by the Hearing Officer or the Board Advisor, who will be responsible for ensuring such information is conveyed in writing to the charged student and to all others as deemed necessary or appropriate. The finding will be e-mailed to the charged student no later than ten (10) business days following the date of the hearing. Notification of others with a need or right to know under the law will only take place after all possible appeal processes have upheld the finding.

College Honors Program

If the student is found to have violated the Academic Integrity Policy and is enrolled in the College Honors Program, the Director of the College Honors Program 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, the Vice Provost will assign a Z grade for the course involved, using a Z grade form. Once a Z grade has been issued, the procedures described above will be followed.

Repeat / Fail (RF) Option

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.

Appeal Procedures

A student who is found responsible of violating the Academic Integrity Policy may appeal the decision of the Academic Integrity Board only if certain circumstances exist. The student may not appeal the decision of the faculty member or the Vice Provost. 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:

• An appeal 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.
• The Provost 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 in which an appeal is filed in writing, the imposition of the sanction will be delayed.
• Appeals shall be decided only upon the record of the original proceeding and upon the written letter of appeal.  Reversal or modification of sanction, or a finding of not responsible, 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 until five (5) years after graduation or termination.

Ramapo College students who present the following SAT or ACT scores are exempt from placement testing:

• Students with 560 or greater in Critical Reading on the old SAT (prior to March 2016) are exempt from the Writing Placement Essay test.
• Students with 560 or greater in Math on the old SAT (prior to March 2016) are exempt from the Math Placement test.
• Students with 620 or greater in Evidence Based Reading and Writing on the new SAT (March 2016 or after) are exempt from the Writing Placement Essay test.
• Students with 580 or greater in Math on the new SAT (March 2016 or after) are exempt from the Math Placement test.
• Students with 26 or greater on the ACT composite score are exempt from both portions of the placement test.

All students intending to take Calculus, Pre-Calculus, or Discrete Structures must take the College Level Math (CLM) test before registering for courses.

If you have questions or wish to schedule an appointment for testing please visit the Testing website at www.ramapo.edu/testing or call (201) 684-7543 .  All needed testing must be completed prior to attending orientation in order to register for classes.

Testing Website

Ramapo College will honor coursework that is successfully completed [i.e., with a grade of (P) Pass, C (2.0) 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:

Writing:

Mathematics:

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 without direct equivalents (for example, MATH 099 or MATH 098) should contact their advisors to determine appropriate next course placement.

Ramapo College has established course load limits for undergraduate students.

Fall and Spring — Matriculated Students

Matriculated students are limited to a maximum of 18 credits per semester. Normally, a full-time student completes four four-credit 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). A matriculated student who wishes to register for more than 18 credits per semester (at additional cost) must request that the Office of the Registrar raise his/her credit limit. If the student has under a 3.0 cumulative GPA, that student must obtain approval to raise the credit limit from his/her assigned primary advisor prior to making the request to the Office of the Registrar.

Fall and Spring – 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 prior to registration. [More Information]

Summer

All courses are open to all students (matriculated and non-degree seeking) who have met prerequisites, if any. In general, students may register for a maximum of two (2) courses (or 8 credits) per session for a maximum of 16 credits for the entire Summer Session. In unusual circumstances, permission to enroll for more than the maximum noted above may be approved by the assigned advisor or the dean of the school in which the student is majoring.

Winter

Winter Session courses are offered only online. In general, students (matriculated and non-degree seeking) may register for a maximum of one (1) course (up to 4 credits) per session. In unusual circumstances permission to enroll for more than the maximum noted above may be approved by the assigned advisor or the dean.

Visiting Non-Degree Seeking Students:

Non-degree seeking students who are visiting from other accredited colleges may enroll for more than 11 credits per semester 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 a bachelor’s degree may enroll for more than 11 credits per semester. [More Information]

Undergraduate students may repeat courses under certain circumstances.

The decision to repeat a course is left to student discretion except in the case in which the student has received an ‘F’ and is required to repeat the course to fulfill requirements in his/her degree program. A student wishing to repeat a course should consult with the Office of Financial Aid to determine if repeating a course has any impact on financial aid.

A student who wishes to repeat or must repeat a course has two options:

1. An undergraduate or a graduate student may repeat a previously-passed or a previously-failed course. If the course was previously passed, the student must submit a Request to Re-Take a Course Form in the Office of the Registrar before registering for the course except in the case in which a course was designed and approved to be repeated.
2. An undergraduate student may repeat a failed course and apply for the RF option. The student should consult with his/her advisor before applying for the RF. Students who have been notified that they are suspended or dismissed and wish to appeal their suspensions or dismissals must apply for all applicable RFs prior to submitting written appeals for immediate reinstatement. Students who accept their suspensions or dismissals or who are later notified that CASP did not accept their appeals Academic probationary status. Suspended students who serve their suspension terms and later apply successfully for reinstatement or readmission on probationary status may again use the RF option. All RFs must be requested by the time a student applies for graduation following the Graduation Application deadline posted on the Academic Calendar.
3. The following limitations apply to RF grading:
   • 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 bear the same subject, course number, and title as the earlier failed course. A student may not substitute an independent study for the originally-failed course and use the RF option.
   • 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.
   • A student may not repeat a failed independent study and use the RF option.
   • A student may not repeat a failed Topics course unless the student repeats the course with a topic identical to the one of the originally-failed course.

If an undergraduate student wishes to apply for the RF option, the student must apply to the Center for Student Success.

Repeating a course will affect the student’s transcript and evaluation in the following ways:

1. Credits from a retaken course are not counted toward graduation credit and must be subtracted from the “earned credit” column on the transcript and degree evaluation.
2. When a course is completed the second time, both grades are used in determining the cumulative grade point average and the grade point average in the major except when the student successfully repeats a failed course and applies for the RF option. In that case, an R will appear with an F grade on the student’s transcript.
3. Once the RF is posted on the transcript, past and current cumulative and semester grade point averages will be automatically updated, but the history of academic standing will not change on the unofficial transcript.

All Ramapo College courses must adhere to regulations and Policies on credit hours established by the U.S. Federal Government, the State of New Jersey, and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.  Following those policies, the College recognizes that a credit hour approximates an amount of student work typically required to meet the stated learning outcomes of a course, learning experience, or competency for which credit is awarded.  Thus, the College permits maximum flexibility in determining credit-hour equivalencies afforded by federal, state, and accreditation regulations and policies.

Procedure

•  Ramapo College bases its procedures for student credit hours on the following regulations, policies, and definitions:
  • Federal regulations set forth that the amount of student work typically required to meet the stated learning outcomes of a course, learning experience, or competency approximates one hour of instruction or examination and two hours of student preparation every week across a fifteen-week semester for every credit hour that the student is awarded.
  • The guidelines of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education provide conventional calculations for specific course types. Those calculations are reflected below.
  • A clock hour consists of 60 minutes, while a credit hour consists of 50 minutes. The calculations below are based on a 60-minute clock hour.
• A face-to-face 4-credit lecture- or seminar-based undergraduate course typically meets the following criteria:
  • A minimum of 15 weeks of instruction or examination per semester. If the course includes a final exam, the final exam will take place during week 15. If the course does not include a final exam, week 15 should be devoted to instruction or some other organized learning activity.
  • A minimum of one day of instruction per week;
  • A minimum of 200 minutes  of classroom instruction or examination  per week;
  • A minimum of 400 minutes of out-of-class student preparation per week.
• All other four-credit undergraduate courses should meet the following criteria or their approximate equivalents:
• Online courses:
  • A minimum of  200 minutes of (online) instruction, examination, discussion, tutorial, or other appropriate learning activity; and
  • A minimum of 400 minutes of out-of-class student work per week across 15 weeks.
• Studio courses:
  • A minimum of 600 minutes of supervised and/or independent practice.
• Internships, co-ops, clinicals, field work, supervised teaching, and independent studies:
  • A minimum of 600 minutes of supervised and/or independent practice and/or work per week across 15 weeks. A portion of this time may be used for classroom instruction and/or out-of-class student preparation.
• Undergraduate courses are generally offered with 4 credits. Undergraduate courses bearing fewer than four credits (other than laboratory courses) adjust their meeting and preparation times proportionately in accordance with the criteria for 4-credit courses. For example, a one-credit undergraduate course should meet the following criteria:
  • A minimum of 50 minutes a week for classroom instruction or examination and
  • A minimum of 100 minutes of out-of-class student preparation per week across a 15-week semester.
• Undergraduate laboratory courses may vary in credit but always meet the following criteria:
  • A minimum of 150 minutes a week for lecture, discussion, and/or laboratory work and
  • A minimum of 100 minutes of out-of-class student work per week across a 15-week semester for every student credit hour assigned.
• Graduate courses generally conform to the undergraduate examples above or their three-credit equivalents.
• Compressed terms (e.g., summer and winter terms) should include the total number of minutes of instruction, examination, and preparation of a conventional 15-week term in the examples above but in a more compressed format (i.e., double the number of minutes per week in a 7-week term). A course should meet a minimum of 1 week for every credit hour awarded.
• Students who wish to receive PLA (Prior Learning Assessment) or GLEX (Graduate Prior Learning Experience) credit must demonstrate that they have met the learning goals of the relevant courses. The student awarded PLA or GLEX credit will receive the appropriate number of credits based on the academic work that a hypothetical student would typically perform to receive those credits in a conventional learning environment.

Students may withdraw from the College, apply for a late administrative withdrawal under extraordinary circumstances, take a leave of absence, or apply for a medical leave of absence.

Students have a number of options, depending on their circumstances, to withdraw or take leave from the College. Students who do not enroll at Ramapo College for two or more consecutive fall and spring semesters/cohort terms 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.

Leave of Absence (LOA)

Students in good academic standing may take a leave of absence of one semester/cohort term by arrangement through the Center for Student Success (in the case of undergraduate students) or their program directors (in the case of graduate students). Undergraduate students who plan to be away for two or more semesters/cohort terms must officially withdraw from the College (refer to Withdrawal from Ramapo College, below). Graduate students who plan to be away for two or more semesters/cohort terms are officially inactive.  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/cohort term 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.

Graduate students in good academic standing whose continuation after a one-semester/cohort term leave of absence is prevented due to the availability of required classes may remain on active status with the approval of the program director until the next time the prerequisite course(s) is (are) offered. The program director will communicate approval to the Registrar.

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 refund 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.

Late Administrative Withdrawal under Extraordinary Circumstances
The College recognizes that extraordinary circumstances may prevent a student from completing the semester. These circumstances include, but are not limited to:

• Personal illness;
• Death of a family member, spouse, or partner;
• Caring for a terminally ill family member, spouse, or partner;
• Recovery from catastrophic circumstances or natural disaster;
• Immediate relocation required by an employer.

Under those circumstances, the student should make every effort to withdraw from courses prior to the last date to withdraw or, if appropriate, to ask instructors for incompletes or to apply for a Medical Leave of Absence (MLOA). In the event that the student is unable to withdraw under standard college procedures, due to reasons beyond his or her control, or is not granted incompletes, he or she may apply for a late administrative withdrawal under extraordinary circumstances by taking the following steps:

• No later than the last day of classes of the regular (i.e., fall or spring) semester following the term (i.e., fall, winter, spring, summer) for which the student wishes a late administrative withdrawal, the student must submit to the Office of the Provost an appeal letter in his or her own words supported by official documentation.
• The appeal letter should address the following points:
  • The student should explain the nature of the extraordinary circumstances that prevented him/her from completing the semester. If the student had a personal illness, the letter should include the nature of the medical or psychological condition. The standards used to grant a late administrative withdrawal for medical reasons are the same as those used to grant the MLOA. The student should review the MLOA policy in the college catalog.
  • The student should explain the reason why he/she was unable to follow standard college procedures for withdrawal or why he/she did not ask for, or was not granted, incompletes. Ordinarily, the student should apply for the late administrative withdrawal before the end of the semester. If the student is unable to do so, he/she should explain why he/she did not apply for the late administrative withdrawal before the end of the semester. All students are academically obligated for the courses for which they are registered and are responsible for withdrawing from those courses properly.
  • The student should indicate the term for which he/she wishes to be withdrawn. Typically, a student who is granted a late administrative withdrawal will receive Ws in all courses for the term in question. In addition, the student will ordinarily be withdrawn from only one term per appeal. However, under extraordinary circumstances, a student may be withdrawn from some courses while the grades for other courses are retained, and a student may be withdrawn from more than one consecutive term per appeal (e.g., spring and summer). Thus, if the student wishes to retain some grades, he or she must justify why, despite the circumstances, he or she was capable of completing some courses successfully and not others. Moreover, if the student wishes to be withdrawn from more than one consecutive term, he or she must justify why circumstances beyond his or her control mitigated his or her best attempts to manage the medical or psychological condition or other relevant circumstance.
• Examples of appropriate documentation may include, but are not limited to:
  • Official documentation from the medical provider addressing diagnosis, date of onset, effect of the medical or psychological condition on the student’s academic performance, effect of the condition on the student’s inability to withdraw from courses using standard college procedures, prognosis, and treatment plan;
  • A death certificate of a family member, spouse, or partner;
  • Relevant medical documentation for a family member, spouse, or partner along with proof that the student was required to provide ongoing medical care that only he or she could provide;
  • Official documentation of relocation due to a natural disaster;
  • A dated letter from an employer requiring immediate relocation.
• The Provost or his/her designee will review the appeal letter and any documentation and consult as necessary with appropriate campus professionals.
• Based on that review, the Provost or his/her designee will make the decision whether to accept the application for a late administrative withdrawal. The Provost or his/her designee may also request a meeting with the student in order to reach a final decision or request supplementary information or documentation. In all cases, the burden of proof is on the student.
• The Provost’s Office will communicate the final decision in writing by e-mail and process the appropriate paperwork if the late administrative withdrawal is granted.

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

Withdrawal from Ramapo College

Undergraduate students who decide to withdraw completely from Ramapo College must consult with an advisor from the 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 Medical 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.

Ramapo College students may drop or withdraw from individual courses.

A student who is considering dropping or withdrawing from an individual course is strongly urged to seek advisement, as appropriate, from his/her course instructor, his/her academic advisor, and/or relevant professional staff.  Dropping or withdrawing from a course may affect issues concerning, but not limited to, financial aid eligibility, satisfactory progress towards graduation, athletic compliance, housing status, and involvement in campus activities and functions.

A student who decides to drop an individual course during the add-drop/100% refund period, as indicated on the academic calendar, may do so online. A student who decides to drop from a course during the 50% refund period may do so by accessing a drop form online or in the Office of the Registrar and submitting it to the Office of the Registrar no later than the date published on the academic calendar. The dropped course will not appear on the student’s transcript.

A student who decides to withdraw from a course after the 50% refund period (but no later than the last day to withdraw from a course, as indicated on the academic calendar) may do so by accessing a withdrawal form online or in the Office of the Registrar and submitting it to the Office of the Registrar no later than the date published on the academic calendar. Once the withdrawal form is processed by the Office of the Registrar, the student will receive a W for the withdrawn course, and both student and instructor of record will receive notification that the student has withdrawn from the course.

Matriculated Ramapo College students wishing to take a course or courses at another institution must complete an Off Campus Study form available in the Center for Student Success. Students should consult first with their Academic Advisor to ensure that their planned course selection allows for timely progress towards completion of degree requirements.  Students should be aware of the following information regarding approval and posting of Off Campus courses:

• Approval for any Off-Campus Study must be obtained prior to enrolling in the course.  Retroactive approvals are not approved.
• Only courses with a final grade of C (i.e., 2.0) or better or the equivalent will be accepted as transferrable.
• Ramapo College will evaluate for possible transfer any course, regardless of mode of delivery.
• Non-Ramapo College courses are not included in a student’s overall grade point average.  The credits will transfer to the student’s record, but the G.P.A will not be impacted by off-campus study.
• Once a student obtains 70 credits, he/she is no longer eligible to transfer credits from a 2-year institution or obtain credits through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). If the student’s application for Off Campus Study is rejected by the Center for  Student Success because the student will have exceeded 70 credits by the time of enrollment in the transfer course, the student may appeal in writing to the Provost (or designee) prior to enrollment. The Provost (or designee) may consult with the dean of the school that houses the student’s first major. The decision of the Provost (or designee) is final.
• Once a student obtains 96 credits, he/she is no longer eligible to take any courses off campus. The last 32 credits towards a degree must be completed at Ramapo. A student who wishes to petition for an exclusion from this residency requirement (e.g., to include credits from an approved study abroad program in the final 32 credits) must initiate the petition process with the Office of the Registrar, who will forward petitions to the Provost (or his/her designee) for approval. After consultation with the dean of the school that houses the student’s primary major, the Provost (or his/her designee) will render a decision and communicate that decision to the student, his/her dean, and the Office of the Registrar. That decision is final.
• Once the student completes the course(s), he/she must arrange for an official transcript to be sent to the, The Office of the Registrar at Ramapo College to post the credit.

Students wishing to earn credits at an International institution or through a domestic exchange program must receive prior approval from the Center for Student Success.

Limited opportunities to enroll for course work on an Independent Study basis are available. A student interested in this option should obtain an Independent Study Registration Form from the Office of the Registrar, have it completed by the instructor and the Dean of the school sponsoring the Independent Study, and return it to the Office of the Registrar.

1. Students may not enroll for more than FOUR (4) credits of Independent Study during any semester, including summer.  Independent Study is not available during the winter semester.
2. Normally, students may not exceed eight (8) credits of Independent Study over the course of a student’s career.
3. Students on academic probation or academic warning are ineligible for Independent Study.
4. Students may not take an Independent Study for a course that is offered within the regular schedule for that semester.
5. The Dean of the school sponsoring the Independent Study may make exceptions to the four previous procedures.
6. Students must complete a contract form for Independent Study as well as the Independent Study Registration Form. This form will indicate the purpose, objective, grading criteria, guidelines for hours of work required, discipline and level, and title/credits for the Independent Study.
7. Independent Study registrations will not be accepted after the last day of add/drop as indicated on the academic calendar.

A student who has a documented disability and is registered with Ramapo College’s Office of Specialized Services may be eligible for a modification to degree requirements if his/her disability prevents him/her from completing that requirement.

ELIGIBILITY FOR PETITION

To be eligible to petition for a modification to degree requirements under this policy, the student must meet the following criteria:

1. The student is registered with Ramapo College’s Office of Specialized Services (OSS).
2. The student has a documented disability that precludes the successful completion of the requirement under petition.
3. In situations in which a negative outcome cannot be predicted in advance, it is expected that the student has attempted to complete the degree requirement with all previously-approved accommodations available to the student.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

It is the student’s responsibility to initiate the petition and to provide all required information and documents. The student must provide OSS with the following information and documentation, which will remain in the student’s confidential OSS file.

1. Current, relevant, and comprehensive documentation and assessment data from an appropriate professional (e.g., physician, learning disabilities specialist, neuropsychologist, or psychiatrist). Documentation must substantiate both the specific disabling condition and its impact upon the student’s ability in the subject area.
2. A complete case history documenting the student’s problems in learning related material from high school until the date of the petition, including the following:

a.   A typed personal statement by the student indicating the reasons for the request, including prior experiences with the subject matter;

b.  A history of academic accommodations, if any, used by student during course attempts at Ramapo College;

c. Information regarding special services and degree modifications received during elementary, secondary, and/or post-secondary education at other institutions, if relevant;

REVIEW PROCESS

Phase 1:  Determination of Recommendation by OSS

1. The student submits required documentation, as previously specified, to OSS for review. The student will be interviewed by the OSS Director or designee as part of this phase within 7 business days.
2. The OSS Director will consult with faculty in the subject area under petition to determine if appropriate accommodations other than a modification to degree requirements can be made. The OSS Director will ask the dean of the school that houses the subject area to recommend appropriate faculty for this purpose.
3. Within 7 business days, the OSS Director will notify the student in writing whether additional information is needed to consider the petition. If the student does not submit the requested information by the deadline specified in the written notice, the file will be closed. If the necessary information is secured at a later date, the student may re-initiate the procedure.
4. Within 14 business days of receipt of required documentation, the OSS Director will make a determination and will notify the student of the decision in writing.

a. If the petition results in a recommendation for appropriate academic accommodations other than a modification to degree requirements, a meeting with the student will be conducted to arrange for implementation of the recommendation(s).

b.  If the petition results in a recommendation for a modification to degree requirements, OSS will send a portfolio containing the student request and relevant supporting documents to the Vice Provost. (See phase 2.)

RIGHT TO APPEAL

After Phase 1: If the student disagrees with the recommendation of OSS regarding eligibility for a modification of degree requirements, s/he may file an appeal to the college’s ADA/Section 504 Compliance Officer.  The Compliance Officer will review all pertinent material and will determine whether the review process should continue through Phase 2. The decision of the Compliance Officer is final.

Phase 2:  Determination of Appropriate Degree Modification by Committee and Provost Approval

1. The Vice Provost will form an ad hoc committee to review the case. The committee members may request additional information at any time during this phase. The committee will be comprised of the following individuals:

a.  The Vice Provost, who will serve as chair.

b.  The dean of the school of the student’s major.

c.  The convener of the student’s major.

d.  One faculty member from the subject area under petition, appointed by the dean of the school that houses that subject area.

e.  OSS Representative.

2. Within 20 business days of review of all requested information, the committee will propose if a modification can be made and will design a plan if a modification is appropriate.

3. The committee will either forward its proposed modification to the Provost or notify the student in writing that a modification cannot be made.

4. The Provost will render a decision and inform the student in writing within ten business days of receipt of the committee’s proposal. Any approved degree modification will be documented in the student’s academic file. The Provost’s decision is final and may not be appealed.

Ramapo College of New Jersey will award a posthumous degree under certain circumstances.

1. A family member or other interested party of the deceased student may make a request for a posthumous degree through the Office of the Registrar.
2. A posthumous degree may be awarded, if, at the time of death, the student has met one of the following:
   • He/she is enrolled in the final semester of coursework to complete degree requirements.
   • He/she has completed at least 50% of the required number of credits for the appropriate degree (Bachelors or Masters) is in good standing with the college, (e.g., judicial, academic, etc.) and is recommended for the posthumous degree by the appropriate Academic Dean to the Registrar.
3. The Registrar will forward all recommendations for posthumous degrees to the Provost for approval.
4. Notation that the degree is presented posthumously will appear on the transcript, on the diploma and in the commencement program.
5. The diploma maybe presented during Commencement to a member of the student’s family. Arrangements for the presentation will be coordinated with the family by the Office of the President.

In order to be awarded a Ramapo College degree, students must be matriculated, meet minimum credit and GPA requirements, and meet all requirements of the degree program.

All students are responsible for all requirements in effect at the time of matriculation. Students may choose to follow the requirements in a later catalog but must file a Change of Major indicating this change prior to applying for graduation (a student must follow all requirements of the chosen catalog and may not choose general education from one catalog and major from another). In order to qualify for a Ramapo College baccalaureate degree, a student must meet the following graduation requirements:

• The student must be matriculated.
• The student must have completed a minimum of 128 credits that count towards graduation. Specific degree programs (i.e., the combined total of major, school core, general education, and electives, which may be used towards a minor) may exceed this minimum. The student should consult the Course Catalog for details.
• The student must have completed a minimum of 48 of those credits at Ramapo College.
• The student must complete the final 32 credits in residence. All official transcripts for approved study abroad and off campus study programs must be received in the Office of the Registrar by the deadline published on the website or the student will not be eligible to graduate and must re-apply for the next graduation cycle.
• The student must declare a major and complete all the requirements for that primary major. If the student declares a second major and/or minor(s), the student must meet all of those requirements as well.
• The student must have completed a minimum of one half of the credits for the primary major, the second major, and minor(s) at Ramapo College.
• The student must complete the general-education requirements and the requirements of at least one school core.
• The student must have a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA).
  • All courses taken at Ramapo College apply to the cumulative GPA. Transfer credit does not apply to the Ramapo College GPA.
• The student must have a minimum 2.0 GPA in the primary major, the second major, and all minors.
  • Some majors require a higher GPA to be certified.  The specific graduation requirements are outlined in the college catalog.
• To graduate from Ramapo College, all students must submit a completed and signed graduation application to the Graduation Office by the posted deadline corresponding with their graduation semester and submit a non-refundable graduation fee. The graduation application must include a detailed degree evaluation and be signed by the advisor in the major or the convener of the major as well as the school Dean to ensure that all general education, school core, major, and minor course requirements have been met or will be met. Student requests for modifications to requirements in the major, minor, and school core will be reviewed and decided upon by the dean of the school that houses those programs. The decision of the dean is final and will be appropriately documented.

The Graduation Office will process all graduation applications for a given cycle and notify applicants of their status (missing requirements, etc.). The Graduation Office will prepare a list of candidates for graduation each cycle.  The Registrar will forward the list to the President for approval and presentation to the Academic and Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees.  The list shall include language indicating that the students listed are candidates for graduation and that degrees will be conferred following the successful completion of all degree requirements and final certification by the Office of the Registrar

Ramapo College undergraduate students may take graduate courses at Ramapo College.

A Ramapo College undergraduate student who wishes to take a Ramapo College graduate course must be a matriculated undergraduate student in good standing, must receive positive endorsement from his/her academic advisor, and must receive permission from the director of the graduate program that sponsors the course that he/she wishes to take. Granted that permission, the student will be considered a non-matriculated student in the graduate program but will pay undergraduate tuition and fees for the graduate course. The student may take a maximum of two graduate courses (i.e., a maximum of 8 credits) during his/her undergraduate career.

The graduate course appears on both the graduate transcript and the undergraduate transcript with the same subject code, number, title, number of credits, and grade. In addition, the course requires graduate-level work.

As part of the undergraduate transcript, the course counts in the student’s undergraduate semester and cumulative GPAs, overall and (if applicable) major GPAs, and total number of credits attempted and earned. The course also affects the student’s undergraduate academic standing, applies towards undergraduate degree requirements (e.g., the required number of credits to graduate), and may satisfy specific course requirements in the major or the minor.

If the student graduates with the undergraduate degree and later matriculates in a Ramapo College graduate program, the student may also use those graduate courses, if applicable, to satisfy graduate degree requirements. In other words, the graduate courses may double-count in both the undergraduate and the graduate degree programs.

Graduates and Candidates for Graduation are permitted to participate in Commencement.

Ramapo College of New Jersey holds one Commencement Ceremony per calendar year at the end of the Spring semester. January graduates and June and August graduation candidates of that calendar year are eligible to process in the Commencement Ceremony.

Students who are unable to complete a course due to military service have several options based on attendance.  The student shall follow the NJ State Law 18A:62-4.2.

Ramapo College of New Jersey will act in accordance with the State Law NJ 18A:62-4.2.which outlines options for students at public institution of higher education that are unable to complete course due to military service.

A student at a New Jersey public institution of higher education who is unable to complete a course because the student is called to partial or full mobilization for State or federal active duty as a member of the National Guard or a Reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States shall be entitled to the options set forth in this section with respect to the student’s grade for the course.   In all cases, the student is encouraged to consult with his/her faculty member (s) on the available options.

Students that are called to partial or full mobilization for State or federal active duty must contact the Office of the Registrar as soon as possible upon receiving their orders to understand their options.   The Office of the Registrar will alert the faculty member, with a copy to the Dean of the school in which the course is offered.

A student who has completed at least 50% of a term may choose to:

1. receive a letter grade; or
2. receive a grade of pass or fail; or
3. receive a grade of incomplete; or
4. withdraw from the course.

A student who has completed less than eight weeks of attendance in a course may choose to:

1. receive a grade of incomplete; or
2. withdraw from the course.

A letter grade or a grade of pass shall only be awarded if, in the judgment of the faculty member teaching the course, the student has completed sufficient work, and there is sufficient evidence of progress toward meeting the requirements of the course, to justify the grade. If the faculty member determines that the student has not completed sufficient work to receive a letter grade or a passing grade, the student should consider options 3 and 4 above. The faculty member’s assessment is final.

A grade of incomplete shall remain valid for a period of one year after the student returns to the New Jersey public institution of higher education.

A student who chooses to accept a grade of pass or fail may, within one year after returning to the New Jersey public institution of higher education, receive a letter grade for the course by completing the work required for the course, in which case the letter grade shall replace the pass or fail grade as the student’s grade for the course.

A student who chooses to withdraw from a course shall receive a full refund of tuition and fees attributable to that course.

A student who has paid amounts for room, board or fees shall receive a refund of that portion of those amounts attributable to the time period during which the student did not use the services for which payment was made.

Any refund payable to a student who is a financial aid recipient shall be subject to the applicable State and federal regulations regarding refunds.