Undergraduate Academic Policies, Procedures, and Regulations

Expectations and Responsibilities

The college emphasizes the responsibility of each student to participate in the educational process. This involves the conscientious preparation of assignments and the recognition of the frequent interdependence of students when individual contribution to a group or class effort is required.

Attendance: Students are expected to attend classes and to complete assignments as required by the instructor. They should expect their academic progress to suffer if they miss classes.

Advising: Students are also expected to meet regularly with their college advisors in the College Advising Center and with their faculty advisors in their major and minor departments. As part of the advising process, students are expected to understand their degree requirements and their academic progress toward the completion of thier intended degree.

Co-curricular Activities: The college supports student activities that provide broad opportunity for the exercise of interests and talents. These include participation in the Student Government Association, participation in professional organizations, cultural experiences, social activities, sports clubs, and informal meetings between students and faculty.

The college prohibits the following conduct:

All forms of academic dishonesty, including, but not limited to:

• cheating,
• plagiarism,
• knowingly furnishing false information to the college,
• forgery,
• alteration or fraudulent use of College documents, instruments, or identification.

For more about this read Academic Integrity

Registration

Registration for continuing degree-seeking students typically begins in the middle of each semester for the subsequent semester. Registration is conducted online through the college’s Online Administrative Student Information System (OASIS). To participate in registration, students may be required to meet with their faculty advisors for an advising clearance. Students should contact the department of their major for further information. Students must have no outstanding financial, academic, or immunization obligations to the college. (See also Orientation and Registration for New Students .)

Dropping/Adding/Withdrawing from Classes

The college’s official schedule revision period ends on the Monday of the second week of classes in the fall and the Saturday of the first week in the spring semester. Students may make changes to their class schedules (i.e., add or drop classes) at any time prior to the end of the official revision period. No classes may be added or sections chaged after the first week of classes, but students may drop classes through the second week of the semester and may withdraw through the eighth week during the fall and spring semesters. (Refer to the Summer Semester Schedule for guidelines on dropping or withdrawing from summer classes.) If a student drops a course before the end of the second week, the course will not appear on the student’s academic record. Withdrawals between the third and eighth week will appear on the record as W (Withdrawal), which may affect compliance with Satisfactory Academic Progress. Students are advised to consult with a college advisor in the College Advising Center before deciding to withdraw from a class. Failure to attend a class does not equal withdrawal.

Administrative Withdrawals

Columbia College Chicago recognizes there may be extenuating and mitigating circumstances affecting students (death of a relative, significant change in personal circumstances, etc.). A student may petition for a TOTAL administrative withdrawal from ALL classes after the end of the official withdrawal period by submitting a petition supported by appropriate documentation. An administrative withdrawal after the end of the semester will not be permitted if the petition is submitted later than two consecutive semesters (including the summer semester) following the semester in question. Petitions for administrative withdrawals are evaluated and approved or denied by the College Advising Center and Student Financial Services. Students may appeal a denial of petition to the Assistant Dean of Student Development, whose decision will be final.

Leaving the College

Students are strongly advised to see their College Advisor in the College Advising Center before deciding to leave the college. This is a decision that involves a loss of time, effort, tuition, and credit, and should be considered carefully in consultation with a College Advisor. In the event that a student decides to no longer attend the College, he or she must return all school property and make necessary financial arrangements with Student Financial Services prior to his or her departure. The deadline for withdrawals is stated in the calendar for each semester.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

 Columbia College Chicago (CCC) will evaluate the satisfactory academic progress (SAP) all undergraduate students at the conclusion of the grading period each semester. Columbia will determine a student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA); cumulative completion rate (total credits attempted divided by total credits earned); and the student’s total credits attempted to date, including transfer credits.

An undergraduate student is considered to be meeting SAP if the student:

• has earned a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better; and
• has a cumulative completion rate of 67% or better; and
• has attempted less than 160 credits.

At the end of each grading period, students who are not meeting the above SAP requirements will be placed on Warning for their next semester of attendance.

While on Warning, students must meet with the College Advising Center but are not restricted from taking coursework or receiving financial aid.

If a student on Warning does not meet SAP at the end of the warning semester, s/he will be Dismissed. In order to register for a future semester, a student must meet with the College Advising Center.

Some students may be eligible to appeal their SAP status if they experienced one of the following that hindered their academic performance:

• Death of a relative; and/or
• Physical or mental health illness or injury; and/or
• Extraordinary and unusual change in personal circumstances.

Appeals must be submitted on or before the established deadline for the appropriate term and is subject to approval by the Exception Committee. Students who do not submit an appeal or whose appeal is denied are not eligible to register for future terms of enrollment at Columbia and must follow the Readmission after Dismissal policy.

If an Appeal is approved, the student will be placed on Probation. While on Probation, the student must meet the terms and conditions of their academic plan and are eligible to continue receiving financial aid. Students must meet the SAP requirements after their Probationary term in order to continue their enrollment. In some cases, a student may be eligible for a Probation Continuance if they are unable to meet the SAP requirements after their probationary semester but were meeting their academic plan. These students must meet with the College Advising Center.

Students who do not meet the SAP requirements after a semester on Probation Continuance are Dismissed from Columbia and are not eligible to register for future terms until they follow the conditions outlined in the Readmission after Dismissal policy.

This Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy for undergraduate students is effective July 1, 2011. All previous SAP policies students may have in their possession are no longer valid and students may not be “grandfathered” under old policies.

For complete information and a definition of the terms used, visit www.colum.edu/sap.

Grading System

Grades reflect the instructor’s evaluation of a student’s achievement, improvement, effort, and motivation within the framework of this system. Columbia’s grading system is as follows:

Treatment of W, I, NG, P, F, and Grades Reported

• Course withdrawals (W), courses dropped after the add/drop period, are not included in the GPA calculation but are considered in the completion rate and maximum time frame calculations.
• Incomplete (I) grades are not included in the GPA calculation but are considered in the completion rate and maximum time frame calculations. The I grade is issued when a student makes definite arrangements with the instructor to complete course work outside class. Grades of I automatically convert to F’s if the agreed upon work is not completed by the end of the semester after the semester in which the I grade was assigned, but as early as the instructor wishes to stipulate. For this purpose, the summer semester is considered a regular semester. If medical excuses are part of the student’s documentation for requesting an I grade, these must be submitted during the semester in which the incomplete is requested. A student may not complete the work for a course in which an I grade was received by enrolling in the same class in the next semester. An Incomplete Grade (I) can only be issued for an undergraduate student who has met one of the following criteria:
  1. The student has successfully completed all course requirements to date but is faced with unexpected circumstances during the final weeks of the semester resulting in the inability to complete course requirements by the end of the semester.  The student must have, in the instructor’s estimation, the ability to complete missed course requirements outside of class and by the end of the eighth week of the following semester. The instructor must agree to evaluate the student’s work and replace the Incomplete grade before the end of the following semester. A Student-Faculty Agreement for Incomplete Grade  specifying work to be completed and a due date must be signed by both instructor and student and approved by the Department Chair. In the event that an instructor is no longer employed by the College, a program Coordinator, Director, or the Department Chair can evaluate the work and assign the course grade.
  2. An external supervisor for an Internship has failed to submit a final report and grade recommendation by the deadline for grade submission or the Internship conclusion date falls beyond the end of the grade submission deadline.   The Internship Coordinator /faculty member is responsible for obtaining the final evaluation and submitting a letter grade to replace the Incomplete by the eighth week of the following semester.  An agreement specifying the need for the final evaluation from the external supervisor must be signed by both instructor and approved by the Department Chair. In the event that an instructor is no longer employed by the College, a program Coordinator, Director, or the Department Chair can evaluate the work and assign the course grade.

• Unreported grades (NG) are not included in the grade point average but are considered in the completion rate and maximum time frame calculations.
• Pass (P) grades are not included in the GPA calculation but are considered in the completion rate and maximum time frame calculations. The pass/fail option must be declared before the end of the fourth week of class (or, in the summer semester, by the end of the first week of class) by completing a form obtained in the Records Office. The instructor’s approval is required. Once this form is submitted the decision cannot be reversed.
• Failure grades (F) are included in the computation of the grade point average, and they are considered in the completion rate and maximum time frame calculations.
• Grades of A, B, C, and D (including pluses and minuses) are included in the grade point calculation and are considered in the completion rate and maximum time frame calculations.

Class Standing

Class standing for undergraduate students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, or Bachelor of Fine Arts is classified by the number of credits earned:

Repeating Courses

Academic Forgiveness

Students are permitted to repeat a course to improve their grade, provided the course is not designated repeatable (read Courses Designated as Repeatable below). The repeated course must have the equivalent number and title as the initial course. Students must pay tuition and fees for the repeated course. The grade achieved in the repeated course (whether higher, lower, or the same) is included in the computation of the grade point average and is considered in the completion rate and maximum time frame calculations. The original course title and original grade remain on the student’s academic record. The original grade is not calculated in the grade point average but is included in completion rate and maximum time frame calculations. The student’s academic record will always reflect the academic transaction and Satisfactory Academic Progress compliance status that is true for each semester of enrollment.

Failure to Meet the Minimum Grade Requirement

If a student fails to earn the minimum grade required for a course in order to progress to the next course in a sequence or level of a discipline, they may repeat the course in an attempt to earn a higher grade, unless the course is designated as repeatable (see Courses Designated as Repeatable below). Students may retake a course to improve their grade no more than twice (total of three attempts). Students must speak with a faculty advisor before taking a course for the third time. The retaken course must carry the same number and course content as the original course. Students must pay tuition and fees for the retaken course. State and federal aid-granting agencies may authorize financial aid payments to fund the retaken course.

Courses Designated as Repeatable

Some courses in the curriculum are designated repeatable for the purpose of allowing students to improve their proficiency in a specific area. Generally, students may repeat these courses only once unless otherwise specified by the department in which the course is offered. Students may register in several consecutive semesters for skill-building courses and workshops such as dance technique, music lessons, and chorus. Grades received for repeatable courses will appear separately on the transcript. Tuition and fees are paid for each repeatable course taken. Some financial aid limits may apply. Before registering for a course designated repeatable, students should consult an advisor.

Academic Options and Opportunities

Independent Projects

Independent Projects are advanced, student-driven learning experiences involving substantial student independence in project design and project execution. Independent Projects are appropriate for students who wish to explore a subject on their own beyond what is possible in regular courses offered by the College. An independent project must not be equivalent in content to courses currently offered by the College. Independent Projects must be approved by a faculty advisor who will also evaluate the final results and award a grade. Credit for an independent project cannot be applied toward the student’s LAS Core Curriculum requirements. Independent Projects 

Directed Studies

Directed Studies are learning activities involving student independence within the context of regular guidance and direction from a faculty advisor. Directed Studies are appropriate for students who wish to explore a subject beyond what is possible in regular courses, or for students who wish to engage in a subject or activity not otherwise offered that semester by the College. Directed Studies involve close collaboration with a faculty advisor who will assist in development and design of the project, oversee its progress, evaluate the final results, and submit a grade.  Directed Study 

Internship Program

The internship program integrates classroom theory with practical work experience by placing students in training positions related to their academic studies. The academic departments work with students and employers to ensure that students are offered a worthwhile learning experience closely related to the academic program. More detailed information about requirements and credit fulfillment can be secured from the academic departments or the College Advising Center.

Study Abroad

Columbia College Chicago strongly encourages students to spend a term abroad. Whether it is a summer, J-term, semester, or full-year program, there are numerous options for students to earn credit while seeing the world. In a global society the true professional artist needs an international consciousness. Through International Programs we offer students the opportunity to challenge their cultural assumptions and develop as artists and world citizens.

Through Columbia’s Cornerstone College-wide International exchanges, students can spend a full semester abroad studying at one of our partner institutions in Europe. With Columbia’s departmental programs, students have the opportunity to participate in a Columbia College faculty-led program specific to a course of study run at varied sites and time periods (J-term, summer, and semester-long). Lastly, Independent Study Abroad allows students who are interested in a location, course of study, or time frame that is not offered by Columbia programming to select an option from outside the College and with proper approval, via the Columbia College Study Abroad Agreement, receive credit and federal financial aid.

International Programs serves as the central point for all the various options to earn credit abroad. Please visit the website at: www.colum.edu/InternationalPrograms for more information.

Graduation Audit and Posting of Degrees

Students must complete an online application for graduation from the Graduate Application link on the Students tab in Oasis. The application should be submitted one academic year before the expected graduation date. (For example, if a student intends to graduate at the close of the spring 2012 semester, he or she should submit his or her graduation application in the spring 2011 semester.) Once the application is received, the Office of Degree Evaluation will send an initial graduation audit. When all degree requirements are satisfied, a final audit will be completed and the degree will be posted. Once the degree is posted, the transcript of a student’s academic record at Columbia College Chicago will not be changed. Attendance at the commencement ceremony does not constitute degree completion or graduation. The diploma and official transcript cannot be issued until all financial obligations to Columbia College Chicago are settled.

Academic Distinction

Dean’s List

Students are eligible for the Dean’s List if they are full-time degree-seeking students (12 or more credits per semester) and have an earned grade point average of 3.75 or higher for the term. The Dean’s List for each school of the College is announced for the fall and spring semesters, and the Dean’s List designation is reflected on the student’s transcript.

Graduation Cum Laude

Students whose final cumulative grade point average is between 3.5 and 3.79 will graduate cum laude (with praise). Students whose grade point average is between 3.8 and 3.89 will graduate magna cum laude (with high praise). Students whose grade point average is 3.9 or higher will graduate summa cum laude (with highest praise).

Valedictorian

Valedictorians are students selected to address the graduating class at one of the College’s commencement ceremonies. A unique valedictorian is selected for each ceremony. Students are selected for this honor based on sustained academic excellence and other outstanding accomplishments that contribute to life at Columbia College, the community, and/or the arts

Academic Integrity

Students at Columbia College Chicago enjoy significant freedom of artistic expression and are encouraged to stretch their scholarly and artistic boundaries. However, the College prohibits all forms of academic dishonesty. “Academic dishonesty” is understood as the appropriation and representation of another’s work as one’s own, whether such appropriation includes all or part of the other’s work or whether it comprises all or part of what is represented as one’s own work (plagiarism). Appropriate citation avoids this form of dishonesty. In addition, “academic dishonesty” includes cheating in any form, the falsification of academic documents, or the falsification of works or references for use in class or other academic circumstances. When such dishonesty is discovered, the consequences to the student can be severe.

Read the full policy here: Acaemic Integrity Policy and Procedures  

Academic Grievances

A student has the right to appeal academic decisions that affect his or her record at Columbia related to grade changes, attendance penalties, and incomplete grades.

Academic Petitions

Columbia College Chicago has established clear and reasonable academic requirements, and students must meet these requirements to remain in good academic standing. Under extraordinary and exceptional circumstances, the student may present a written petition to the dean of the appropriate school requesting an exception to a departmental academic requirement. Exceptions are made only on rare occasions and are based on the specific circumstances of the case at hand. A designated representative of the dean will review the petition and determine whether an exception to an academic requirement is appropriate. That decision will be final. For more information on academic petitions, see an advisor in the College Advising Center.

Grade Changes

Only an instructor can change a grade. The request for a grade change must be submitted by the end of the semester following the term for which the original grade was awarded. Both the department chairperson and the dean of the appropriate school must approve the change.

Procedures for Grade Grievance

The faculty member and chairperson of the department in which the disputed grade was awarded resolve grade grievances. Every attempt should be made to resolve the grade grievance through consultations between the student and the instructor or among the student, instructor, and the department chairperson (or subject-area coordinator when that person is charged with resolving grade grievances). In the event that these consultations fail to resolve the grievance, an appeal procedure is available to students. For the procedure to go forward, written documentation is required. All documents must be dated.

The grading and evaluation policies outlined in the course syllabus will form the basis for resolution of all grade grievances.

1. A grade grievance occurs when a student protests a grade awarded on the final grade roster. The grievance must be filed within three weeks of the student’s receipt of the grade.
2. Every grade grievance must be submitted in writing by the student to the instructor who awarded the grade. The student must copy the department chairperson when the original grievance is submitted to the instructor.
3. The instructor will respond in writing to the student and send a copy to the department chairperson.
4. If the response from the instructor is not satisfactory to the student, a written petition of appeal to the department chairperson (or, in some departments, to the subject-area coordinator, designated by the chair) must be submitted.
5. The chairperson or coordinator will respond to the student’s petition of appeal.
6. If the decision of the chairperson or coordinator is unsatisfactory to the student, he or she may appeal to the dean of the appropriate school, whose decision over every substantive, procedural, or related issue shall be final and cannot be appealed.

Student Code of Conduct

Columbia is proud of its creative and diverse community of faculty, students, and staff who create and participate in educational opportunities in the arts, media, and communications. The college provides a caring environment: one in which freedom of expression is valued and civility is observed. Students are encouraged to value this community and to accept responsibility for their individual behavior, as well as for the common good. Columbia’s Code of Conduct is primarily a positive guide to the creation of a community that encourages the personal and intellectual development of each person, and, secondly, a list of behaviors that would interfere with the important work of the college community. In addition, it is understood that students assume responsibility for the behavior of their guests on campus. Students are expected to share information regarding college policies with their guests and to ensure that their guests’ behavior conforms to the college’s expectations. For the complete Code of Conduct, including sections on disciplinary procedures, students should contact the Dean of Students’ Office.

Anti-Discrimination and Harassment Policy

Columbia College Chicago is committed to maintaining an environment that respects the dignity of all individuals. Accordingly, Columbia will not tolerate harassment or discrimination based on race, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, age, disability, or religion are illegal. Students can file complaints of harassment and/or discrimination, or obtain a copy of Columbia’s Anti-Discrimination and Harassment Policy, from the Office of Human Resources.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Annual Notice to Students

Columbia College Chicago complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended, by publishing an annual notice to students of their rights under the Act in Columbia College Chicago’s Catalog and Student Handbook.

1. Upon written request, students may inspect and review their educational records by submitting their request to the registrar. Columbia will endeavor to provide the student an opportunity to inspect and review his or her educational records within a reasonable time after receiving the request, not exceeding 45 days from the receipt of the request. Students’ educational records are maintained under the supervision of the registrar in the Records Office, Room 611, 600 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 60605.
2. It is Columbia’s policy that no personally identifiable information from educational records will be released without prior written consent of the student, except for that information designated in this policy as directory information and such personally identifiable information that may be disclosed under the circumstances allowed under the Act and regulations passed pursuant to the Act. The following personnel are granted access to educational records without prior written consent of the student as a matter of routine and for legitimate educational purposes: the registrar, the General Counsel’s Office, the student services directors, and Student Financial Services, College advisors, the president of the College, the provost, the vice president of student affairs, the deans, and the chairpersons of the academic departments, and any of their agents. Student educational records are made available to the above designated persons in furtherance of the legitimate educational purposes of record maintenance, evaluation and advising, financial aid evaluation, review for disciplinary and academic action, and billing.
3. As required by the Act and regulations, Columbia College Chicago maintains a record of written requests for personally identifiable information whether or not such requests are granted. Each student has the right to inspect and review the record of written requests for disclosures of personally identifiable information that is maintained in his or her permanent record.
4. Columbia College Chicago designates the following information as directory information: the student’s name; information on whether or not a student is registered in the college during the term in which the information is requested; dates of attendance; information concerning the student’s graduation status, including whether or not he or she has graduated from the college, the date of any degree awarded, and the type of degree awarded; major field of study; awards received; and participation in officially recognized activities, sports, and organizations. Students have the right to withhold disclosure of the above information by notifying the registrar in writing. The proper form for refusal of disclosure is available in the Records Office.
5. A student has the right to request amendment of his or her educational records to ensure that the educational record information is not inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s rights. The procedure to seek amendment of a student’s educational records is as follows:
   1. A written request must be submitted to the registrar stating the reason a student seeks to amend his or her educational record and attaching any supporting documentation to the request.
   2. Within a reasonable time after receiving the request, but in no event longer than 45 days, the registrar will issue a decision in response to the student’s request. If the decision is unfavorable, the student has the right to a hearing before a panel of the associate deans on the request to amend. The student has the right to be represented by counsel at the hearing. The decision of the Academic Standards Review Committee is final.
   3. In the event of an unfavorable decision by the Academic Standards Review Committee, the student has the right to include a written statement setting forth his or her reasons for disagreeing with the Committee on the matters presented in the request to amend the records.
   4. Each student has the right to file a complaint with the United States Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Columbia to comply with the requirements of the Act and the regulations passed pursuant thereto.

Campus Security Act

In compliance with the Campus Security Act of 1992, Columbia College Chicago prepares and distributes an annual Campus Security Report. A copy of each annual report may be obtained from the Office of Safety and Security. The annual report contains the following information:

• Current campus polices regarding facilities and procedures for students and others to report criminal actions or other emergencies occurring on campus and the college’s responses to such reports;
• Current campus policies concerning security access to and security maintenance of campus facilities, including the Residence Center;
• Current campus policies concerning campus law enforcement, including a discussion of the enforcement authority of campus security personnel and policies that encourage accurate and prompt reporting of all campus crimes;
• A description of programs designed to inform students and employees of campus security procedures and practices and to encourage students and employees to be responsible for their own security and the security of others;
• A description of crime awareness and prevention programs;
• Statistics for the current and two preceding years concerning the occurrence on campus of the following offenses: murder, sex offenses, aggravated assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft;
• Statistics for the current and two preceding years concerning the number of arrests on campus for the following crimes: liquor law violations, drug abuse violations, and weapons possessions;
• A statement of policy regarding the possession, use, and sale of alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs and the enforcement of federal, state, and local laws relating to alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs;
• Current campus policy on the timely notification to the campus community of the occurrence on campus of crimes considered to be a threat to students and employees;
• Current campus policy on prevention of and responses to sex offenses occurring on campus; and
• Information indicating where law enforcement agency information can be found concerning registered sex offenders.

Information regarding the list of registered sex offenders may be obtained through the Web site of the Chicago Police Department.

Additional Information on College Policies

Each student is expected to be thoroughly familiar with the academic and general requirements and polices of the college, as stated in the Course Catalog, Student Handbook, Class Schedule, and other official college materials and publications. Faculty and staff are available to provide assistance and guidance to students concerning college requirements and policies; however, the responsibility for understanding and meeting college requirements rests with the student. Further information on college policies may be found in the Student Handbook. The Student Handbook is distributed to all students during orientation in the fall and spring semesters.