Academic Information and Procedures

www.umes.edu/Academic/

Academic Clemency

It is the policy of UMES to allow undergraduate students returning to the campus after a separation of at least five years to petition for the removal of a limited number of unsatisfactory or failing grades earned previously at the Eastern Shore Campus. Contact your Department Chair immediately after being readmitted or reinstated since you must file your petition prior to the first day of classes of your first semester back on campus. To ensure prompt review of your petition, apply EARLY for readmission or reinstatement so that you will have ample time to select courses and register. Courses which are excluded will be identified on your transcript by the notation, “Academic Clemency.”

Academic Honesty Policy for Graduate and Undergraduate Studies

Academic honesty and integrity lie at the heart of any educational enterprise. The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) is committed to the values of academic honesty and integrity, and ensuring that these values are reflected in behaviors of the students, faculty, and staff.

UMES is committed to the prevention of academic dishonesty. To reinforce that commitment, information, including definitions and examples of academic dishonesty, will be published in the UMES Student Handbook and the University catalog. The intention of this information is to prevent acts of academic dishonesty. Prevention is the primary goal of the University in general and the Division of Academic Affairs in particular.

When there is evidence that a student has disregarded the University’s Academic Honesty Policy, that student will be subject to review and possible sanctions. Students are expected to do their own work and neither to give nor to receive assistance during quizzes, examinations, or other class exercises.

One form of academic dishonesty is plagiarism. Plagiarism is intellectual larceny: the theft of ideas or their manner of expression. Students are urged to consult individual faculty members when in doubt. Because faculty and students take academic honesty seriously, penalties for violation may be severe, depending upon the offense, as viewed by the committee selected by the appropriate Dean to review such matters. The minimum sanction for cases of proven cheating is failure of the course. Instructors will explain procedures for taking tests, writing papers, and completing other course requirements so that students may understand fully their instructor’s expectations.

One of the objectives of UMES is to promote the highest standards of professionalism among its students. The integrity of work performed is the cornerstone of professionalism. Acts of falsification, cheating, and plagiarism are acts of academic dishonesty, which show a failure of integrity and a violation of our educational objectives; these acts will not be accepted or tolerated. The following definitions and guidelines should be followed:

1. Falsification is unacceptable. Falsification includes but is not limited to
   1. creating false records of academic achievement;
   2. altering or forging records;
   3. misusing, altering, forging, falsifying or transferring to another person, without proper authorization, any academic record;
   4. conspiring or inducing others to forge or alter academic records.
2. Cheating is also unacceptable. Cheating includes but is not limited to
   1. giving answers to others in a test situation without permission of the tester;
   2. taking or receiving answers from others in a test situation without permission of the tester;
   3. having possession of test materials without permission;
   4. taking, giving, or receiving test materials prior to tests without permission;
   5. having someone else take a test or complete one’s assignment;
   6. submitting as one’s own work, work done by someone else;
   7. permitting someone else to submit one’s work under that person’s name;
   8. falsifying research data or other research material;
   9. copying, with or without permission, any works, (e.g., essays, short stories, poems, etc.), from a computer hard drive or discs and presenting them as one’s own.
3. Plagiarism as a form of cheating is also unacceptable. Plagiarism is the act of presenting as one’s own creation works actually created by others. Plagiarism consists of
   1. taking ideas from a source without clearly giving proper reference that identifies the original source of the ideas and distinguishes them from one’s own;
   2. quoting indirectly or paraphrasing material taken from a source without clearly giving proper reference that identifies the original source and distinguishes the paraphrased material from one’s own compositions;
   3. quoting directly or exactly copying material from a source without giving proper reference or otherwise presenting the copied material as one’s own creation.

Acts of falsification, cheating, plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty are grounds for failure of a course. The University reserves the right to impose more severe penalties for any of these forms of academic dishonesty. The penalties may include, but are not limited to suspension from the University, probation, community service, expulsion from the University, or other disciplinary action the University believes to be appropriate.

Procedures for Alleged Acts of Dishonesty

In accordance with existing policy in the University System of Maryland (USM), students accused of plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty will be given due process. When an instructor believes that a student has committed plagiarism or other acts of academic dishonesty, the following steps will be taken:

1. A faculty member who has sufficient reason to believe that a student is guilty of academic dishonesty will notify and subsequently meet with the student within ten calendar days from the time the alleged academic dishonesty is discovered.
2. Prior to the initial meeting of the faculty member and the accused student, the faculty member should check the files on academic dishonesty kept in the office of the Provost to determine whether the student has been previously disciplined for academic dishonesty. The University reserves the right to impose more severe disciplinary action against a student who is a repeat offender or who has previously been found guilty of egregious incidents of cheating.
3. At the initial meeting the student will be given the complete and detailed charges in writing, and an opportunity to respond to the faculty member regarding the charges.
4. If the student wishes, he/she may submit a written response to the charges. This response must be delivered to the aforementioned faculty member within five calendar days of the initial meeting.
5. If the student admits to the charge of academic dishonesty, and the offense is his/her first offense, he/she will be asked to sign a statement consenting to the punishment imposed. Consent statements will be filed with the appropriate records in the Office of the Provost. For first offenses, the punishment will be failure of the course.
   1. If the case is a repeat offense, the faculty member is also required to send the matter forward to the next level of review.
   2. The faculty member will notify the department chair and the Dean of his/her findings, and within five calendar days forward to the Dean a written explanation of the circumstances, along with copies of any pertinent evidence.
   3. The Dean will review the explanation and any supporting evidence, and may, at his or her discretion, interview the accused student and/or the faculty member, for purposes of clarification and adherence to the University’s Academic Honesty Policy.
   4. The Dean will notify the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs of his/her findings and within five calendar days forward a written explanation of the circumstances, along with copies of any pertinent evidence.
   5. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will review the explanation and any supporting evidence, and may, at his/her discretion, interview the accused student and/or faculty member, for purposes of clarification and adherence to the University’s Academic Honesty Policy.
   6. After the careful review by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs has occurred, the final decision will be documented in writing, to the student, faculty member, department chair, dean and registrar.
   7. If the student refuses to sign the consent form, the faculty member will proceed to the next step in the process.

1. The faculty member will notify the student whether or not the matter will be taken to the next step in the process within five calendar days of receiving from the student a written response to the charges. The student shall file his/her written response with the Office of the Provost.
2. If the student does not respond within the time indicated, the faculty member must proceed to the next step in the process. If, upon receiving the written response, the faculty member does not accept the student’s explanation, the faculty member is required to send the matter forward to the next level of review.
   1. If the case is not a repeat offense, and the student does not respond within the time indicated, the faculty member must proceed to the next step in the process.
   2. If the case is not a repeat offense and upon receiving the written response the faculty member does not accept the student’s explanation, the faculty member is required to send the matter forward to the next level of review.
3. Once the student has been duly notified of the charges, he/she will not be permitted to drop the course, but will continue as a student, completing and submitting all work required throughout the remainder of the semester.
4. The faculty member will notify the department chair and the Dean of his/her findings, and within five calendar days forward to the Dean a written explanation of the circumstances, along with copies of any pertinent evidence.
5. The Dean will review the explanation and any supporting evidence, and may, at his or her discretion, interview the accused student and/or the faculty member, for purposes of clarification and adherence to the University’s Academic Honesty Policy. If the matter cannot be resolved at that level to the satisfaction of the faculty member bringing the charges, within five calendar days it will then be forwarded to the school’s committee on academic dishonesty.
6. A five member committee on academic dishonesty will be appointed by the respective Dean of each school at the beginning of the academic year. It will be comprised of three full-time tenured faculty, one exempt employee of the University, and one junior or senior level student. In the event that the alleged dishonesty occurred on the graduate level, the student member will be a graduate student. The Dean will appoint the chair of the committee. In order for its actions to be official, at least three members of the committee must be present when decisions are made. The verdict will be decided by the majority, in this case two votes of three. If four or more members are present, the majority shall be three or more votes.
7. A faculty member, who has brought or is in the process of bringing charges against a student for academic dishonesty in the current academic year, will not be eligible to serve on the committee. The Dean will appoint a replacement.
8. The committee will meet to review cases and to hear any testimony it considers relevant to the matter on dates requested by the Dean. At the meeting, the student will be allowed the opportunity to appear and respond to the charges, and answer any additional questions from the committee. All proceedings will be tape recorded, and the recording will be entered into the academic dishonesty records maintained in the Office of the Provost. In the event of academic dishonesty allegedly occurring during summer sessions or during final work at the conclusion of a semester, the alleged dishonesty charge will be reviewed during the committee’s first meeting in the fall. In the interim, the student will receive a grade of “I.”
9. The committee review shall be informal, with neither party represented by an advocate. Witnesses may be asked and/or permitted to make a statement to the committee if the committee is informed prior to the meeting. The meeting shall not be open to the public. If the student wishes he or she may have an associate present for consultation purposes only. Lawyers, parents, or any form of professional advocate may not serve as an associate.
10. The committee shall meet privately at the close of the meeting to decide whether a majority believes a preponderance of evidence supports the allegation of falsification, cheating or plagiarism.
11. If the allegation is sustained, the committee will also determine whether the standard minimum penalty of failure in the course shall be accompanied by an additional penalty or penalties. If the allegation is not sustained, the student is not guilty of violating the Academic Honesty Policy.
12. The records of the proceedings, both written and electronically recorded, are to be kept in the files on academic dishonesty maintained in Office of the Provost.
13. The committee shall notify, in writing, the student, the instructor, and the Dean within ten calendar days of having reached its decision. The decisions of the committee may be appealed on procedural grounds only. All appeals should be made to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, who will then have the following options:
    1. affirm the decision and the penalty imposed by the committee;
    2. affirm the decision, but amend the penalty; or
    3. vacate the decision and order a new hearing with a different committee.

After a careful review of the record of the proceedings, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will render the final decision of the University.

Academic Dismissal and Reinstatement

When a student is academically dismissed from UMES, he/she is not eligible to register with any campus or program of the University System of Maryland. To become eligible for registration once again, he/she must complete and file the Application for Reinstatement. For students who have sat out a semester or more and not currently enrolled, applications should be received by the following deadlines:

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

Applications received after the deadline indicated above will be considered for the next session. Applications may be obtained online at www.umes.edu/registrar o

Deadlines for reinstatement applications will be indicated within the dismissal letter for currently enrolled students who are placed on dismissal at the end of a semester.

A student wishing to transfer to another program at UMES must wait until reinstatement has been granted before applying for admission to that program. The UMES Academic Dismissal and Reinstatement Appeals Committee will not normally grant reinstatement until at least one semester has elapsed from the time of the student’s dismissal.

A student who is reinstated after academic dismissal will be on academic probation. The same conditions of probation may be imposed on any student who seeks admission by transfer from another university or college and whose record at the previous school warrants this action.

Any appeal concerning the regulations governing academic probation or academic dismissal shall be directed to the University’s Academic Dismissal and Reinstatement Appeals Committee, which is empowered to grant relief in unusual cases if the circumstances warrant such action.

No student on academic probation is permitted to register for more than thirteen (13) semester hours. The student on academic probation should carry twelve (12) academic semester hours in order to absolve academic probation in one semester. Students on probation are urged to work with a faculty advisor before registering in order to take full advantage of the exceptions and special provisions.

Classification

Class standing for purposes of taking upper level courses, voting in Student Government Association (S.G.A.) elections, selective service reports, etc., is determined on the following scale:

Students should complete the general education courses and earn 56 academic hours before they enroll in upper level courses.

Academic Standing

ACADEMIC PROBATION AND DISMISSAL POLICY

This policy is intended for students to differentiate between students in good standing and for students who have not-excelled academically. Undergraduate students are placed on academic probation whenever they earn a GPA below 2.0 during the fall and spring semesters. Students whose overall GPA is below a 2.0 are subject to getting dismissed by the university.   The Office of the Registrar is the responsible entity for running the process to make notation on the students’ transcripts if a student is on good standing, academic probation, or academically dismissal.

Good Academic Standing

Students are considered to be in good academic standing and performing satisfactorily at UMES if their cumulative GPA is at least 2.0. The exception to the grid below applies to first-time freshmen during their first two semesters of enrollment at UMES.

Academic Warning

First-time Freshmen (1st semester)  - An incoming freshman who earns less than a 2.0  cumulative grade point average during their first semester  is considered to be on Academic Alert/Warning and will be notified by letter. A notation of Academic Alert is placed on the student’s permanent record. A student on Academic Alert may enroll for the subsequent semester but is required to meet with his/her advisor in the major department or CAAS (Center for Access and Academic Success)  to develop a prescriptive plan to assist him/her in improving the grade point average.

Academic Probation

• First-time Freshmen (2nd semester) - A first-time freshmen that accumulates a GPA below a 2.0 during their first two consecutive semesters will be placed on academic probation.

• Students who earn two consecutive semesters where their overall GPA is below a 2.0 will be dismissed.

Students who have been academically dismissed must submit a Reinstatement application to the Office of the Registrar. The application can be found on the Office of the Registrar’s webpage. Upon reinstatement, students will be academically dismissed again if upon returning their term GPA is below a 2.0.  Reinstated students will not be allowed to add or drop courses, or to register during any semester without the approval of an academic advisor in their college, unless a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 is achieved.

• Note: Students who are approved for reinstatement MUST check with the Office of Financial Aid to verify if they are eligible for Financial Aid and meets the Satisfactory Academic Policy (SAP) policy.

Alleged Arbitrary and Capricious Grading (Procedures for Review - Campus Policy #III-1.20 (A) 1-1-92)

1. Definitions
   1. “Arbitrary and Capricious Grading:”
      1. The assignment of a course grade to a student on some basis other than performance in the course, or
      2. The assignment of a course grade to a student by unreasonable application of standards different from standards that were applied to other students that were in that course, or
      3. The assignment of a course grade by a substantial and unreasonable departure from the instructor’s initially articulated standards.
   2. “Student” refers to any individual registered and in attendance at UMES, and includes both undergraduate and graduate levels.
   3. “Instructor” Instructor refers to any tenured or non-tenured teacher or any Graduate Assistant teaching a course and assigning grades at UMES.
   4. “Day to Day” Refers to the normal working day at UMES.
2. Informal Procedures
   5. A student who believes he or she has received an improper final grade in a course should inform the instructor promptly. The instructor shall meet with the student at a mutually convenient time and place within ten days of receipt of the information. The purpose of the meeting is to attempt to reach a resolution.
   6. If the instructor has left the University, is on approved leave, or cannot be reached by the student, the student should contact the Department Chairperson. The Department Chairperson, or a designee, shall meet with the student as described above to solve the problem.
3. Formal Appeal
   A formal appeal is available only upon a showing that the informal process has been exhausted.
   7. General Requirements
      1. An appeal must be made in writing, addressed to the appropriate dean, and contain the following: the course title and number, the instructor’s name, a statement detailing why the grade is believed to be arbitrary and capricious as defined in this policy, and all relevant supporting evidence.
      2. An appeal must be received in the Dean’s Office within 20 (twenty) days of the first day of instruction of the next semester (excluding summer).
   8.  Procedures
      1. Each school shall have a standing committee of two tenured professors and one senior level student for the undergraduate school or graduate student for the graduate school to hear appeals of arbitrary and capricious grading. The appeal shall be heard within the academic unit offering the course. If the instructor of the course is a member of the committee, that instructor shall be replaced by an alternate designated by the dean.
      2. Each written appeal is to be reviewed by the entire committee for a decision by the majority. The committee shall either dismiss the appeal or move it forward.
      3. Grounds for dismissal: The student has submitted the same complaint to any other grievance procedure; the allegations, if true, would not constitute arbitrary and capricious grading; the appeal was not timely, or the informal process has not been exhausted.
      4. If the appeal is dismissed, the committee shall notify the student in writing within ten days of the decision, and include the reason or reasons for the dismissal.
      5. If the appeal is not dismissed, the committee shall submit a copy of the appeal to the instructor. The instructor must reply in writing to the committee within ten days.
      6. If, based on the instructor’s reply, the committee feels there is a viable solution, that solution should be pursued with the student and the instructor.
      7. If no solution is reached, a fact-finding meeting with the student and the instructor shall be held promptly. It is to be non-adversarial and informal with neither party represented by an advocate. Witnesses may be asked to make a statement to the committee if the committee is informed prior to the meeting. The meeting shall not be open to the public.
      8. The committee shall meet privately at the close of the fact-finding meeting to decide whether a majority believes the evidence supports the allegation of arbitrary and capricious grading beyond a reasonable doubt.
      9. The committee shall notify the student, the instructor, and the Dean in writing of the decision within five days of the meeting.
4. Authority of the Committee
   9. The committee has the authority to take any action it believes will bring about substantial justice, including but not limited to:
      1. directing the professor to grade the student’s work anew;
      2. directing the instructor to administer a new final exam or paper;
      3. directing the cancellation of the student’s registration in a course;
      4. directing the award of a grade of “pass” in the course.
   10. The committee does not have the authority to
       1. assign a letter grade for the course, or
       2. reprimand or take disciplinary action against the instructor.
   11. The decision of the committee is final and binding on both parties. The decision may not be appealed to any other body with UMES or the University System of Maryland.
5. Implementation
   The Dean shall be responsible for implementing the decision of the committee.

Catalog Governing Graduation Requirements

It is the policy and practice of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore that all participants in its graduation exercises must have completed all academic requirements as outlined in the catalog in effect at the time of initial enrollment at the University as a degree-seeking student.

Once a non-degree-seeking student declares a major, he or she must fulfill the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time they become degree-seeking. Or, the student may choose to meet requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of their initial enrollment at UMES as long as their initial enrollment and the date they become a degree-seeking student does not exceed five years, and provided that the student indicates this choice at that time by filing an application for catalog change with the Office of the Registrar.

Students transferring from Maryland colleges and universities are expected to fulfill graduation requirements under the catalog in effect at the time of initial enrollment at UMES. Or, the student may choose to fulfill requirements under the catalog in effect at the time of initial enrollment at the other Maryland institution provided the student indicates this choice at the time of initial enrollment at UMES by filing an application for catalog change with the Office of the Registrar.

Students transferring from colleges and universities outside of Maryland are required to fulfill graduation requirements under the catalog in effect at the time of initial enrollment at UMES.

The following applies to the provisions stated above:

If the University changes a program in a way that prevents the student from meeting any graduation requirement as stated in their catalog, the change may necessitate substitutions but will not result in any increase in the student’s requirements.

Substitutions for any graduation requirement must be approved by the student’s department chair and dean by filing the course substitution form with the Office of the Registrar.

If a major program undergoes revision after the year in which a student enrolls, the student may choose to substitute the new requirements in full for those which appear in the catalog of the student’s initial enrollment.

The student must indicate his or her choice to follow the new requirements by filing the application for catalog change with the Office of the Registrar no later than one semester after the program revisions are in effect.

A student may complete the Permission to Change University Catalog form, found on the Academic Affairs forms page at www.umes.edu/Academic/Pages/Academic-Forms/. The request must be approved by the academic advisor, the department chair, and the dean.

Commencement

Commencement is held three times a year, the third Friday in December and May, and in September for the Doctor of Physical Therapy students only. Students who do not graduate as expected must reapply for graduation in order to have their degree conferred in a future Commencement Exercise.

Participation in Commencement

It is the policy and practice of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore that all participants in its commencement exercises must have completed all academic requirements as presented in the catalog in effect at the time of initial enrollment at the University as a degree-seeking student and approved by the degree-granting department. Once a student interrupts his/her program for five years or more, it will be necessary to satisfy the degree requirements as outlined in the University catalog or published curriculum in effect at the time of re-enrollment as a degree-seeking candidate. A student who has an approved registration at another institution during the semester of anticipated graduation will receive his/her degree once an official transcript is received by the Registrar’s Office and all academic and financial obligations are met. Each student is approved for graduation when the appropriate academic department, school, and the Office of the Registrar complete an official graduation audit.

Application for Degree

Winter Commencement

Students planning to graduate in December must complete their academic program requirements by the end of the fall semester. Students who expect to complete the degree requirements at the end of the fall semester should apply for graduation during the period designated on the Academic Calendar. Refer to the Academic Calendar  for the deadline to apply for Winter Commencement. Students who do not graduate as expected must reapply for graduation in order for the degree to be conferred.

Spring Commencement

Students planning to graduate in May must complete their academic program requirements by the end of the spring semester. Students who expect to complete the degree requirements at the end of the spring semester should apply for graduation during the period designated on the Academic Calendar. Refer to the Academic Calendar  for the deadline to apply for Spring Commencement. Students who do not graduate as expected must reapply for graduation in order for the degree to be conferred.

Summer Commencement – Physical Therapy Students Only

Students planning to graduate in September must complete their academic program requirements by the end of the summer session. Students who expect to complete the degree requirements at the end of the summer should file an application for degree during the time period designated. The deadline to apply for Summer Commencement is July 15. If this date falls on the weekend, the deadline will be the following Monday. Students who do not graduate as expected must reapply for graduation in order for the degree to be conferred.

Other

All students will be charged a non-refundable diploma fee each semester the application for degree is filed. This fee and all financial obligations to the University must be satisfied in order to participate in commencement activities and prior to the release of the degree. For additional graduation information, contact the Office of the Registrar at gradaution@umes.edu and or (410) 651-6414.

Graduation with Latin Honors

The faculty of UMES may recommend candidates for graduation with honors in a particular curriculum under the conditions listed below. To be considered for Latin honors, a student must have earned in residence at UMES a minimum of 60 semester hours upon graduation.

1. For the honor of Cum Laude (with distinction), the student must have earned a grade point average of not less than 3.30-3.49 in all courses pursued which are counted toward graduation.  Represented with regalia by a white honors cord.
2. For the honor of Magna Cum Laude (with great distinction), constituting a recognition of work of exceptional merit, a student must have earned a grade point average of not less than 3.50-3.74 in all courses pursued.  Represented with regalia by a silver honors cord.
3. For the honor of Summa Cum Laude (with highest distinction), constituting a recognition of work of superior merit, a student must have earned a grade point average of not less than 3.75 and higher in all courses pursued. Represented with regalia by a gold honors cord.

Diploma Names

Your name will appear on your graduation diploma as it appears in your official student record. If you have legally changed your name due to adoption, court order, or a change in your marital status and you want to change how your name will appear on your diploma, please follow the procedures outlined below. Following this process will ensure that your name as it is printed on the diploma and in the Commencement Program is correct.

ALL name changes must occur no later than the end of the ADD Period of any semester. Check the Academic Calendar to identify the last day to ADD for a particular semester.

1. Take all pertinent documents showing the legal name change (i.e., driver’s license, birth certificate, court order, marriage certificate, divorce decree, social security card, etc.) to the appropriate admissions office (see the list below).
2. Complete the Change of Name form and submit to the appropriate office.
3. Affix the new name on the Application for Degree only if it has been officially changed by the appropriate office.
4. If your application for degree was submitted prior to the name change, contact the Office of the Registrar immediately.

   Career	Office and Location
   Undergraduate	Office of Admissions & Recruitment 1st Floor Suite 1140 Student Development Center (410) 651-6410
   Graduate	Office of Graduate Studies Engineering & Aviation Sciences Complex, Suite 3046 (410) 651-6507
   Professional (Pharmacy)	Office of Student Affairs 116 Somerset Hall (410) 651-2292

Class Attendance

1. The University expects all students to take full individual responsibility for their academic work and progress. All students must meet the qualitative and quantitative requirements of each course in their curricula to progress satisfactorily. They are expected to attend classes regularly, for consistent attendance offers the most effective opportunity open to all students to gain command of the concepts and materials of their courses of study. Absences (whether excused or unexcused) do not alter what is expected of students qualitatively and quantitatively.
2. In many courses, such as those requiring group discussion, laboratories, clinics, public speaking or language conversation, or performance of particular skills, in-class participation is an essential part of the work of the course. In other courses, occasional in-class assessments may occur without prior notice.
3. The University will excuse the absences of students that result from instances such as: illness (where the student is too ill to attend class), death in the immediate family (family members are defined as being one or more of the following persons: father, stepfather, grandfather, or legal guardian, mother, stepmother, grandmother, sister, brother, stepsister, stepbrother, any person living as an integral member of a student’s home), religious observance (where the nature of the observance prevents the student from being present during the class period), participation in University activities at the request of University authorities, and compelling circumstances beyond the student’s control. Students requesting excused absences must furnish acceptable documentation to their course instructors to support their assertion that absences were the result of one of these causes. However, the nature of some courses will preclude makeup of assessments missed. In these cases, students will not be penalized for excused absences; grades will be computed on actual assessment as explained in the course’s syllabus. Otherwise, students with excused absences will be given an opportunity to make up missed assessments. The responsibility for granting excused absences and determining which assessments can be made up lies with the instructor of each individual course. Absences (whether excused or unexcused) do not relieve the students of their responsibility to complete the course assessments. Instructors are especially understanding in cases related to health and/or death, provided the student provides proper documentation.
4. Students must notify their instructors of the reason for any absence as soon as possible. Where the reason for an absence from a scheduled assessment is known in advance (for example, in cases of religious observance or participation in University activities at the request of University authorities), students must inform their instructors two weeks prior to the absence, if known that far in advance, or immediately upon discovering the impending absence. Prior notification is particularly important in connection with examinations and other major assessments, since failure to reschedule them before conclusion of the final examination period may result in loss of credits during the semester. When the reason is not known in advance (for example, in cases of health related emergencies or compelling circumstances beyond their control), students must inform their instructors as soon as possible after its development.
5. Each department and school may develop a general policy for class attendance as long as it conforms to this UMES Policy for Class Attendance.
6. Each instructor is responsible for distributing to each student a written statement as part of the course syllabus at the beginning of the semester in order to inform each class of the nature of in-class participation and assessments expected and what effect absences will have on the evaluation of the student’s work in the course. This statement must include any department and school policies, which are applicable to the course. The instructor in accordance with this statement, the general policy of his or her department and school, and this UMES Policy for Class Attendance shall handle absences.
7. In cases of dispute, the student may appeal to the chair of the department offering the course within one week from the date of the refusal of the right to a make-up assignment. In those instances where the instructor is the chair, the appeal may be made to the dean. The dean’s decision will be final in all cases. When permitted, a makeup assessment must be given on campus unless the published schedule or course description requires other arrangements. The makeup assessment must be held at a time and place mutually agreeable to the instructor and student. The makeup assessment must not interfere with the student’s regularly scheduled classes. In the event that a group of students requires the same make-up assessment, one make-up assessment time may be scheduled at the convenience of the instructor and the largest possible number of students involved, and a second make up for the remaining group.
8. All students are expected to attend all classes. Excessive unexcused absences for any reason may result in either a low grade or course failure. All students will be considered excessively absent from a class if they miss a class more hours during the semester or term than the class meets each week. For example a student should not miss (unexcused absence) a class that meets three hours per week more than three hours during the semester or term nor be absent from a class that meets one hour per week more than once during the semester or term. At the beginning of each semester or term, the class instructor will distribute this written policy and other relevant information as part of the course syllabus, regarding his/her expectations on absenteeism, attendance, warnings, requests for withdrawal, and make-up privileges.
9. Instructors are to document students’ class attendance through the process of taking and maintaining daily attendance during each semester.

Procedures for Student Absences

Although the University does not encourage constant absence from class, it is aware that situations may arise when a student will not be able to attend class for one or more reasons (i.e., death, illness, etc.). It is the responsibility of the student to inform the department of his/her major, if the student is unable to attend class. Once this information has been received from the student, the departmental office is to notify the faculty of all courses of which the student is enrolled of the student’s absence. It will be the responsibility of the student and faculty to decide on how the missed assignments are to be handled. Upon the student’s return, he/she must provide documentation to the departmental office.

If a student decides not to return to the University, then the student should refer to the policy on Withdrawal from the University. A form is required to complete this process.

Change of Grades

Grades that have been submitted to the Office of the Registrar can be changed only by submitting the official change of grade form certifying that either an error was made in recording the grade, the grade was omitted on the official grade roster, or work has been completed to remove the grade of ‘I.’ Courses in which students officially withdraw and the grade of ‘W’ has been recorded do not qualify for the change of grade process.

Grade changes must be initiated by the instructor on the required change of grade form available in the Office of the Registrar. Such petitions require the approval of the department head and the dean of the instructor’s school before the Registrar will make changes on the student’s record.

Any grade change must be received in the Office of the Registrar no later than 60 calendar days immediately following the beginning of classes in the semester succeeding the one in which the grade was given or omitted. For a winter term, the changes are due in the Office of the Registrar no later than 60 calendar days immediately following the beginning of classes in the succeeding Spring semester. For a summer term, the changes are due in the Office of the Registrar no later than 60 calendar days immediately following the beginning of classes in the succeeding Fall semester. If a student is not enrolled in the succeeding semester, then the grade change is due 60 calendar days following the beginning of classes in the next regular semester.

For courses in which the grade of ‘I’ (Incomplete) has been awarded, the work must be completed and the terminal grade must be submitted by the end of the next semester of enrollment, otherwise the “I” becomes “W.”

Credit by Examination

Credit towards the bachelor’s degree may be established by examination under the conditions below. For further information, please contact the Office of the Registrar at (410) 651-6414.

1. The applicant must have completed at least 12 semester credits at UMES with an average grade of “C” or better before making application for an examination to establish credit. The Department Chair and Dean may waive this regulation for entering freshmen who wish to pursue the examination to establish credit based on previous training.
2. The total number of credits that may be established by examination cannot exceed 60 semester credits. “Credit by Examination” cannot be used for a course in which the student has previously earned a letter grade (A, B, C, D, or F); or in which the student received a W or an “I” grade. Additionally, credit by examination cannot be awarded for a course which was audited during a previous semester. Usually credit by examination will not be accepted for any part of the final thirty (30) semester credits which must be completed in residence. However, if permission is granted by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, six (6) semester hours of the final thirty (30) may be established by examination. However, in no case does this permission waive the minimum residence requirement of 30 semester credits.
3. The fee for credit by examination is $30.00 per semester credit hour for full-time students. A grade of “C” or higher must be obtained in order to establish credit by examination.
4. Applications to establish credit by examination must be approved on an individual course basis. Approval will not be granted at the same time for examinations in a sequence of courses. Approval to take an examination in any course will depend upon the student having established credit in all prerequisites or having received the approval of the Department Chair, the Dean and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Application for credit by examination is equivalent to registration for a course with the following conditions:
   1. A student may cancel an application at any time prior to completion of the examination with no entry on the permanent record. The examination instructor will make the results of the examination available to the student prior to formal submission of the grade. A student may elect not to have the grade recorded. In this case, a symbol of “W” will be recorded. No course may be attempted again in this manner.
   2. Grades earned on examination to establish credit will be posted on the student’s transcript and used in computing the student’s grade point average. Such credits shall be accompanied by the phrase, “Test Credit,” “By Exam” or “By CLEP,” whichever is applicable.
   3. The instructor must certify on the report of the examination that copies of the examination questions and the student’s answers have been filed in the Office of the Registrar.
   4. Part-time or special students are not eligible to establish credit by examination.

Note: Students are advised that UMCP and UMBC and many other institutions will not accept transfer credits taken through this process.

Class Delivery

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore publicly discloses the mode of class delivery for all courses offered. This information can be found in the University catalog under Types of Class Delivery, online in the Schedule of Classes published each semester, and in our student administration system – PeopleSoft/HawkWeb within the enrollment and catalog components. The mode of class delivery at UMES includes: Assessment, Clinical, Discussion, Hybrid, Independent Study, Internship, IVN/Direct TV, Laboratory, Lecture, Online, Practicum, Research, Seminar, Studio, Tutorial, Web, and Workshop.

Types of Class Delivery

Distance Education Policy

To ensure compliance with Section 495 of the Higher Education Opportunity Act Distance Education and Correspondence Education Policy, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore has specific measures in place. For a detailed explanation of the measures, please see Appendix 2.

Credit Unit and Load

The semester hour, the unit of credit, is the equivalent of a subject pursued one 50-minute period a week for approximately 14-15 weeks. Two or three periods of laboratory are required for each credit hour in any course. In order for students to complete most curricula in four calendar years, their semester credit load must average 15 credits each semester or 30 hours each year toward their degree. Students are not allowed to register for courses in which a conflict will be created.

A student registering for more than 18 hours per semester must have special approval from the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Students having a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above must complete a Request for Additional Credit Unit Load in consultation with the Department Chair. The Department Chair will forward the request to the Dean who will request permission from the Vice President for the student to register for more than 18 semester hours. The Office of the Registrar will not accept the Registration Schedule if an overload of credit hours is requested without such approval. The request for more than 18 credits should be completed during the Academic Advising period. Established dates for Academic Advising are posted on the Academic Calendar. Under no circumstances will a student be allowed to carry more than 21 credit hours per semester. Semester hour credit may be converted to quarter hour credit by dividing by two-thirds.

Disruptive Behavior in Academic and Social Settings

Students, faculty, and staff each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Students who fail to adhere to behavioral standards established by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore may be subject to conduct intervention as documented in the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Student Code of Conduct .

Faculty and staff have the professional responsibility to set reasonable standards and behavioral expectations for their classrooms and campus facilities, and have the obligation to take the appropriate course of action when student behavior substantially interferes with their ability to execute their assigned duties.

Disruptive behavior is defined as conduct by a student that negatively impacts the University community. This behavior detracts from any student’s ability to benefit from an environment that is conducive to academic, spiritual, emotional, and social growth. The University of Maryland Eastern Shore considers disruptive behavior to be inclusive of, but not limited to, speech or actions which: 1) are disrespectful, offensive, and/or threatening; 2) interfere with the learning and or social activities of other students; 3) impede the delivery of University services, and/or 4) have a negative impact in any learning environment – including department and staff; offices, the Library, the Computing Center, the Learning Assistance Centers, labs, clinical sites, services learning sites, classrooms, and residential facilities, etc. (See Student Code of Conduct ). Disruptive students in the academic setting hinder the educational process. The purpose of this statement is to clarify what constitutes disruptive behavior in academic and social settings; what actions faculty, staff, and the Office of the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management may take in response to disruptive conduct; and the authority of University officials to initiate disciplinary proceedings against students for disruptive conduct.

Disruption, applied within the academic setting, means behavior that a reasonable faculty or staff member would view as interfering with normal university functions. Examples include, but are not limited to: persistently speaking without being recognized or interrupting other speakers; behavior that distracts the class from the subject matter or discussion (i.e. use of cell phone); or in extreme cases, physical threats, harassing behavior or personal insults, or refusal to comply with directions given by members of the faculty or staff.

Civil expression of disagreement with the course instructor, during times when the instructor permits discussion, is not in itself disruptive behavior and is not prohibited.

Some disruptive students may have emotional or mental disorders. Although such students may be considered disabled and are protected under the Rehabilitation Act/ADA, they are held to the same standards of conduct as any other student.

Policy Statement

• Students are required to adhere to the behavior standards listed in the University Of Maryland Eastern Shore Student Code Of Conduct  and to refrain from disrupting classes, university settings or sponsored events.
• If a student is disruptive, the faculty/staff member and/or the relevant chair’s office may ask the student to stop the disruptive behavior and warn the student that such disruptive behavior can result in academic or disciplinary action.
• Faculty/staff members are authorized to ask a student to leave a classroom or other facility, if they deem it necessary. If the faculty/staff member does this, s/he shall file an Incident Report with the Conduct Administrator, the Office of the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, and the Department Chair or Director within 24 hours. The incident report should contain the name of the student, a full detailed description of the behavior, location, date, and time of the incident, including the response, involvement and role of the faculty/staff member involved, as well as the names of witnesses. The Conduct Administrator shall provide the student with a copy of the report.
• Faculty/staff members may also exclude a student from the classrooms or other facility pending resolution of the matter by: (1) informing the student of the exclusion, (2) informing the student of his/her rights to request an expedited review of the exclusion, and (3) immediately referring the matter to the Conduct Administrator by submitting the Incident Report, and by informing the relevant departmental chair, the Office of the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs/Conduct Administrator. If such exclusion occurs, and if the student requests a review, the Conduct Administrator shall review the exclusion within five business days of the date the student requests the review.
• Nothing in this policy prohibits an immediate call to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Office of Public Safety (Police Department), or referral of the matter to another policy office, as determined to be appropriate by the classroom instructor or staff member.

Possible Sanctions

Authority of Instructor and Relevant Assistant/Associate Vice President for Student Affairs:

• Warning
• Exclusion from the instructor’s classroom or academic area, pending expedited review by the Conduct Administrator
• Academic sanction, if course participation is a component of the final grade and is indicated in the course syllabus

Authority of the Conduct Administrator/Conduct Board

• Warning
• Educational Sanctions, such as class, papers or community service
• Disciplinary Probation
• Suspension
• Expulsion
• Exclusion from any part of or all of campus

Authority of the Vice Presidents or Assistant/Associate Vice Presidents

• Summary Suspension
• Exclusion from any part of or all of campus

Documentation

Instructors should be aware that notes of the dates, times, witnesses and details of the incidents of disruption, and the impact of the disruption on those present, may be important in any future proceedings which may be necessary. Referrals to the Conduct Administrator require written documentation containing factual and descriptive information. The student is entitled to see this documentation.

Disruptive Classroom Incident Report

The Disruptive Classroom Incident Report shall contain the following information:

• Date of Report:
• Student’s Name:
• ID#:
• Instructor’s Name:
• Instructor’s Phone Number:
• Instructor’s E-Mail:
• Title of Course, Course Number and Section:
• Date/Time/Location of Incident:
• A detailed summary of the incident, including a description of the disruptive behavior:
• Witnesses:
• Action, if any, taken by the instructor (e.g. student warned, asked to leave the class, etc.):
• Recommended course of action and reasons for this recommendation?
• Instructor’s Signature:

English Proficiency Exam

The English Proficiency Examination (EPE) is a two-hour examination required by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore to meet a University System of Maryland (USM) requirement to assure that all undergraduate students are able to write at an acceptable level. In order to graduate, every student who enrolls at the University for the first time, beginning fall 1998, must pass the English Proficiency Examination. No student will be exempt. Subsequently, students are eligible to take the examination only after successful completion of ENGL 101  and ENGL 102  or have current registration in ENGL 102 .

Final Examinations

A final examination shall be given in every course. Exceptions may be made with approval of the Department Chairperson and Dean. Normally the final examination, additional tests, quizzes, term papers, and reports are used to determine a student’s comprehension of a course. The order of procedure in these matters is left to the discretion of the department and should be announced to the class at the beginning of the course. All final examinations must be held in conformity with the Official Final Examination Schedule. No final examination shall be given at a time other than that scheduled in the Official Examination Schedule without approval from the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Department Chairperson and Dean must keep a file of all final examinations.

Grades and Quality Points

The academic achievement of a student for a specific course is rated as follows:

Any deviation from the above grading scale must be included as part of the course syllabus distributed by the faculty member at the beginning of each semester.

Students must earn a grade of “C” or better in major and minor courses. All students must also earn at least a “C” or better in ENGL 101  and ENGL 102  and MATH 099 . All Teacher Education majors must earn a “C” or better in Teaching Internship. Grades of “D” in major and minor courses, ENGL 101  and ENGL 102  or Teaching Internship do not count toward fulfilling the requirements for a degree.

In certain specified courses, the grading system involves only Pass or Fail (“P” or “F”), Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory (“S”/”U”).

Grade Point Average

To compute the grade point average (GPA), the number of credits for each course is multiplied by the quality points of the corresponding grade. The total number of quality points is divided by the total number of credits earned to obtain the grade point average for the semester. The cumulative grade point average is computed in a similar manner by including all courses earned at the University of Maryland. Courses transferred from other institutions are not included in the grade point average.

Incomplete Grades

The grade of “I” (incomplete) is to be given only to students whose work in a course has been qualitatively satisfactory, when because of illness, or other circumstances beyond their control, they have been unable to complete the requirements for the course. In no case will the grade of “I” be recorded for a student who has not completed satisfactorily the major portion of the course work. In cases in which this grade is given, the student may not re-register for the course until the “I” is removed by completing work assigned by the instructor.  Work must be completed by the date indicated on the Incomplete Grade Contract and the terminal grade must be submitted no later than end of the next term in which the student is registered.  Otherwise, the “I” defaults to the Default Grade on the Incomplete Grade Contract. 

Along with the recording of the incomplete grade, the instructor must also file a completed “Incomplete Grade Contract” with the Department Chairperson.  This includes a written description of the work which must be completed, the deadline by which it must be completed and the default grade that will be assigned in the event the work is not completed.  This form must be signed by the student, instructor and department chair

When a student receives the final grade, he or she may repeat the course, as per the University’s Course Repeat Policy. The student’s Department Chairperson and Dean may grant exception to the time period cited above on a written request by the student if circumstances warrant further delay. An “I” cannot be removed by earning “credit by examination.”

In the computation of the cumulative grade point average, the course hours in which the grade of “I” is assigned are not included as hours attempted. When the grade of “I” is removed, the course hours are then included as hours attempted, and the Office of the Registrar makes an appropriate entry to adjust the cumulative grade point average.

View the Incomplete Grade Contract.

Other Methods of Earning Credits

UMES grants college credit for non-traditional learning experiences, either from credit by examination, or a combination of examination, and credits earned on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis.

Accepted Sources of Credit

Elective and Required credit is available for the following:

• ACE Non-Collegiate Courses
• Advanced Placement (AP)*
• CLEP*
• DANTES*
• International Baccalaureate (IB)
• Military Credit*

Complete information is available from the Office of Admissions and the Office of the Registrar.

Registration

In order to attend classes at UMES, all students must officially enroll through HawkWeb, the online student administration system. Dates for course selection and enrollment are listed in the Academic Calendar for each semester or session.

Entering freshmen and transfer students will be registered for their first semester’s courses during Enrollment 101 scheduled for each semester. Dates for Enrollment 101 are communicated to students from the Office of Admissions after a student has been admitted. Students are not permitted to attend a class if his or her name does not appear on the official class roster.

Adding a Class

Students who are properly registered may add courses during the Add Period published in the Academic Calendar for each semester or session. Only in exceptional cases, and with the permission of the Dean, will a student be permitted to enter a class later than the Add Period.

Auditing a Course

A student who wishes his record to show that he has attended a course regularly but does not wish credit for that course may register as an auditor. No grade is given for an audited course, nor are any credits attempted or earned. No quality points are calculated. Any student may change his initial registration in a course for credit to audit during the Add period only. He or she may drop an audited course during the drop period.

Fees for an audited course will be based on the regular credit value of the course. Once a student has audited a course, he or she cannot establish credit by examination in that course.

Dropping a Class

Students may drop courses during the Drop Period published in the Academic Calendar for any semester or session. Only in exceptional cases, and with the permission of the Dean, will a student be permitted to drop a course later than the end of the drop period. Should a student officially exit a class prior to the end of the drop period, no grade will be recorded on the transcript.

Registration at Other Institutions

Written permission must be obtained from the Department Chair and the Dean before students advance their hours earned toward a UMES degree through study at another institution of higher learning or at another campus of the University of Maryland. The appropriate forms may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar, student’s department and academic advisor. After having obtained the approval of the Department Chair and the Dean, the permission form should be filed in the Office of the Registrar. The same rule applies for both the fall and spring semesters and for any summer or winter sessions.

Credits earned at institutions other than the University of Maryland campuses do not carry quality points and have no effect on the student’s grade point average. The cumulative grade point average is based solely on credits attempted at the University of Maryland campuses (when enrolled through inter-institutional registration). A maximum of seventy (70) credits will be accepted from an accredited two-year community or junior college.

Students requesting permission to register in the summer or winter program of another school will not be permitted to take more semester hours than there are weeks in that school’s summer or winter session. A student who earns a grade of “F” or “D” in residence at UMES MAY NOT advance credit hours earned toward a UMES degree by repeating the course at another institution.

Ordinarily, all students must take their final thirty (30) credit hours at UMES. Only under extraordinary circumstances, may the Dean grant permission to take a maximum of six hours of the final thirty (30) hours on another campus. However, in no case does this permission waive the minimum residence requirement of 30 semester hours.

Inter-Institutional Enrollment with Salisbury University

Full-time students may register for approved courses at nearby Salisbury University (SU) for the fall or spring semesters and receive credits earned for the courses at full value. The same is true for SU students who wish to enroll in courses offered at UMES. Registration must be completed at the student’s home campus according to scheduled dates. There are other institutions within the USM that participate in inter-institutional enrollment. Specific information is available from the Office of the Registrar.

Withdrawals

From A Class

Should a student officially exit a class after the drop period, but before the end of the withdrawal period, a grade of “W” will be recorded on the transcript. Withdrawal requires the signature of the Advisor and the Instructor of the course in which the student is withdrawing. The end of the withdrawal period is published in the Academic Calendar for each semester or term.

From the Institution

If a student desires or is compelled to withdraw from UMES for any reason at any time during the academic year, the student should complete an application for withdrawal from the Office of the Registrar, obtain the proper signatures as indicated on the form, and file it with the Office of the Registrar. The Office of the Registrar will record a grade of “W” for all courses. The last day to withdraw from the institution will be in concurrence with the last day of class.

Withdrawal grades are not included in the computation of grade point averages or in the determination of the level of the total hours attempted. In the case of a minor, withdrawal will be permitted only with the written consent of the student’s parent or guardian.

Penalties for Unofficial Withdrawal

A student who fails to withdraw in the required manner will not be entitled to an honorable dismissal, will forfeit the right to any refund to which he/she might otherwise be entitled, and will receive marks of failure in all courses being carried.

Withdrawal and Refund of Fees

Fall and Spring Semesters

Any student who desires or is compelled to withdraw from the University for any cause at any time during the academic year should secure an application for withdrawal from the Office of the Registrar, obtain the proper signatures and file it in the Office the Registrar.

The effective date for withdrawals, with regard to refunds and grades, is the date the form is filed at the Office of the Registrar. No student may withdraw after the last scheduled day of classes in a given semester. Exceptions will be referred to the Academic Appeals Board.

Students withdrawing from the University during a semester will be credited for all academic fees charged to them, in accordance with the following schedule.

No part of the charges for room and board is refundable, except when the student officially withdraws from the University or is given permission by the appropriate officials of the University to move from the residence facility and/or to discontinue dining hall privileges. When permission is given to discontinue dining hall privileges, the meal card must be turned in to the Office of the Vice President for Administrative Affairs. In these cases, the room refund will be computed by deducting ten percent (10%) of the charge for the semester as a service charge and the remainder will be prorated on a weekly basis. Refunds to students for board (dining hall) charges will be calculated in the same manner. No room and/or board refunds will be made after the fourteenth week of the semester. Weekly basis shall be defined as a complete week or any fraction thereof.

Title IV Recipients

(UMES Refunds and the “Return of Title IV Funds” Policy)

If a student withdraws or is expelled from UMES, then the school or the student may be required to return some of the federal funds awarded to the student. The student may also be eligible for a refund of a portion of tuition, fees, and room and board paid to UMES for the semester. If the student received financial assistance from outside of the student’s family, then a portion of the refund will be returned to the grant, scholarship, or loan source from which the assistance was received.

If a student will be withdrawing, then the student should visit the Office of the Registrar and complete a “Notification of Withdrawal” form to begin the withdrawal process. This procedure will enable UMES to refund the maximum possible institutional charges. The withdrawal will not be complete until the student has returned the Notification of Withdrawal form (with all appropriate signatures) to the Office of the Registrar.

UMES’ refund policy exists for calculating the refund of institutional charges. The federal “Return of Title IV Funds” formula dictates the amount of Federal Title IV aid that must be returned to the federal government by the school and the student. The federal formula is applicable to a student receiving a federal Pell grant or federal aid other than Federal Work-study, if that student withdraws on or before the 60% point in time in the semester. The student may also receive a refund of institutional charges through UMES’ refund policy (see above). Room and/or Board charges will be pro-rated according to the policy of the Office of Residence Life.

The federal formula requires a return of Title IV aid if the student received federal assistance in the form of a Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Direct Student Loan or PLUS Loan and withdrew on or before completing 60% of the semester. The percentage of Title IV aid to be returned is equal to the number of calendar days remaining in the semester divided by the number of calendar days in the semester. Scheduled breaks of more than four consecutive days are excluded.

If any funds are to be returned after the return of Title IV aid, they will be used to repay UMES funds, state funds, other private sources, and the student in proportion to the amount received from each non-federal source, as long as there is no unpaid balance at the time of withdrawal. If there is an unpaid balance, then all aid sources will be repaid before any funds are returned to the student.

NOTE: If funds are released to a student because of a credit balance on a student’s account, then the student may be required to repay some of the federal grants if the student withdraws. A work sheet used to determine the amount of refund or Return of Title IV Aid is available upon request.

Readmission after Voluntary Withdrawal

A student who voluntarily withdraws or who is administratively withdrawn from the University for reasons such as medical, judicial, personal, financial, lack of interest, military and employment may apply for readmission to the University by completing and filing an Application for Readmission with the Office of the Registrar. Applications for readmission must be filed by the following deadlines: November 1^st – Students wanting to return for the Winter or Spring Session. April 1^st – Students wanting to return for the Summer and Fall sessions.

Applications may be found online under Frequently Used Forms at www.umes.edu/registrar or in the Office of the Registrar, Student Development Center, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD 21853-1299.

Reinstatement Following Academic Dismissal

When a student is academically dismissed from UMES, he/she must complete the Application for Reinstatement prior to the desired date of reinstatement. Reinstatement will not normally be granted by the UMES Academic Appeals Board until at least one semester has elapsed from the time of the student’s dismissal. Reinstatement is not automatic; however, if the Application for Reinstatement is denied, a student may again apply for reinstatement after a lapse of an additional semester.

Upon being reinstated following Academic Dismissal, the student will be placed on Academic Probation and will be subject to the conditions of Academic Probation.

Any appeal concerning the regulation governing academic probation or academic dismissal shall be directed to the School’s specific Academic Appeals Board, which is empowered to grant relief in unusual cases if the circumstances warrant such action.

Repeating of Classes

Any course may be repeated, but if a student repeats a course in which he or she has already earned a passing grade, the subsequent attempt shall not increase the total hours earned toward the degree. Credits for repeated courses will be counted only once toward graduation requirements and in computation of the cumulative grade point average. Only the highest grade will be used in the computation of the cumulative grade point average; however, all grades earned remain on the permanent record with repeated courses identified. Repeat credits and corresponding grades are used when computing the semester grade point average. If a course a student wishes to repeat has been discontinued or has not been offered for two semesters, the student should request the department Chairperson and Dean to designate a substitute course, which when taken, will remove the grade of the discontinued course. Courses failed at UMES with the grade of ‘F’ or ‘D’ should be repeated at UMES. The course so named and the student involved should be reported in writing to the Office of the Registrar.

Only in extenuating circumstances will the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs consider requests to repeat a course at a USM institution that was failed at UMES. In this case, the department chair of the failed course will need to certify the equivalency of the course at the other institution and communicate this in writing to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Academic departments have the prerogative to limit the number of times a student may attempt to successfully complete major core courses.

Selecting a Major

In selecting a major or a minor, students must consult with the chairs of the department(s) involved no later than the beginning of their junior year. Students may declare a major at any time up to the beginning of their junior year. At that time they will be assigned a faculty advisor and fill out an official Request for Change of Major, Minor or Concentration Form. Declaring a major does not in any way bind a student permanently to that program.

Freshmen Who Do Not Declare a Major

For those students who enter as freshmen and do not declare a major, General Education Requirement courses may be taken; however a major must be declared before the second semester of the sophomore year. It is highly recommended that students become familiar with the requirements for different majors which interest them, and be aware of all the introductory level courses needed, and the frequency which departments offer these and other courses for those majors. Schedules should be planned strategically and in consultation with the academic advisor.

Changing a Major

It is not unusual for a student to change a major after entering college. Students are encouraged to explore several programs within the disciplines involved before deciding upon their major programs and to consult with faculty members and counselors concerning their future plan. A student may change a major at any time simply by completing a new Request for Change of Major, Minor or Concentration Form. Major changes are processed prior to the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. These forms may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar.

Students Called to Active Military Duty

This policy pertains to students who are called to active military. It applies to full-time and part-time students enrolled at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES).

A. UMES students may be called to active military duty. These students may be required to interrupt their academic careers after they and their families have invested considerable resources in the payment of tuition, mandatory and auxiliary fees, and room and board. UMES shall follow this policy which will assist students who are called to active military duty in fulfilling their active military duty obligations by minimizing the negative effects of institutional policies otherwise applicable to students who withdraw from or interrupt their course of study.

B. Students who have been called to active military duty will have the option to withdraw from all courses to receive a grade of W or I (Incomplete). The student must present a copy of the appropriate military orders with the withdrawal request. Students who withdraw from all courses will receive a full reversal of all tuition and fees for the semester and pro-rated credit of room and board fees based on the actual days of occupancy. Students will not be charged for breaking the housing contract if military orders are presented prior to the military departure.

C. As an alternative to the full reversal of tuition (depending on available teacher accommodations to complete the course and/or if 50% of course has been completed), student who has been called to active military duty can receive an incomplete (I) grade for a course until the reasonable period. The reasonable period established is the next earliest semester of the course offerings upon return from military duty.

D. In order to facilitate the reintegration of a student called to military duty, the student must complete the readmission form if the student has been absent for one year or more. Students in good academic standing will be readmitted to the same academic status held at the time of military departure.

Transfer Credit

Transfer of General Education

Students transferring from Maryland institutions of higher education who have completed the General Education requirements at the sending institution shall have met the general education requirements at UMES, except in cases where the general education requirements at UMES exceed those of the sending institution. The transfer student will be required to take no more than the same number of general education credits required of the native student, and will not exceed an additional 10-16 credit hours. The additional courses will be according to the distribution requirements at UMES. For a detailed explanation on course transfer policy, see Appendix 1 .

Transfer from Colleges and Universities

A maximum of seventy (70) credits will be accepted from an accredited two-year community or junior college. UMES does not limit the number of credits transferable for work completed at four-year colleges. However, in order to graduate, a student must complete the last 30 semester hours at UMES.

Maryland Community College Articulated Programs

An articulated transfer program is a list of community college courses that best prepare the applicant for a particular course of study at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. If the applicant takes appropriate courses that are specified in the articulated program guide and earns an acceptable grade, he/she is guaranteed transfer with no loss of credit. Articulated career program guides help students plan their new programs after changing career objectives. The guides are available at the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and in the transfer advisor’s office at each of the community colleges. Applicants can eliminate all doubt concerning transfer of courses by following programs outlined in the guide.

Credit from Other Universities and Colleges

In most cases credit will transfer from institutions of higher education accredited by a regional accrediting association (e.g., Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools; New England Association of Schools and Colleges; North Central Association of Colleges and Schools; Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; Western Association of Schools and Colleges), provided that the course is completed with at least a grade of C and the course is similar in content and level to work offered at UMES. The applicability of these courses to the particular course of study at UMES will be determined by an academic advisor/evaluator in the office of the appropriate department.

Appealing Credit Denials

Students may appeal credit determinations by submitting a written appeal to the Office of the Registrar. The appeal must include the student’s name, ID#, major, contact information, and specific concerns as it relates to the awarding of academic credit. The Office of the Registrar will review the appeal and render a decision for general education courses. For non-general education courses, the Office of the Registrar will forward the appeal to the respective academic department for review and an articulation decision. In the event a consensus is not reached between the Registrar and Departmental review, the Office of the Provost will make the final decision regarding the awarding of credit. The decision will be communicated in writing by the Registrar to the student within ten business days after receipt of the appeal.

Winter Session and Summer School

The Office of Academic Affairs provides the opportunity to take advantage of a wide range of winter and summer learning experiences in condensed format that support educational, career and personal enrichment goals. These activities are designed to reach the total community with courses, workshops and programs that are offered to populations of all ages from children to retirees. The standards of academic achievement and the quality of work required are maintained at the same level as during the regular term.

The winter session is a three-week session which runs from the first full week of January through the third week of January. Courses are not offered on Fridays, unless a make-up day is required. Students cannot take more than three (3) credits, or one four (4) credit course, or a three (3) credit lecture and a one (1) credit laboratory during the Winter Session.

The summer session features several convenient sessions including two five-week sessions and one ten-week session, which runs from the beginning through the end of the third session. Students can take up to nine (9) credits in Session I, and six (6) credits in Summer Sessions II and III (exception is a 4 credit course or a 3 credit lecture and 1 credit laboratory). If a student takes a four (4) credit course or a (3) credit lecture and (1) credit laboratory as well as a three (3) credit course in Summer II or III, he or she must complete the Additional Credit Load Unit Request form. The total maximum number of credit hours for the entire Summer is twelve. (Example: if you take nine credits in Session I, you can only take one three-credit course in Sessions II or III).

Students requesting permission to register in the summer or winter program of another school will not be permitted to take more semester hours than there are weeks in that school’s summer or winter session. A student who earns a grade of “F” or “D” in residence at UMES may not advance credit hours earned toward a UMES degree by repeating the course at another institution.

Students who are academically dismissed during the Fall or Spring semesters are not permitted to enroll in the Winter or Summer Sessions. If a student is enrolled in either the Winter or Summer Sessions and is placed on academic dismissal that student shall be dropped from those courses.

Session Information and Procedures

Below are the policies governing the Winter and Summer sessions:

1. “Deferments” for the Winter and Summer Sessions for undergraduate and graduate students only can be found at www.umes.edu/Academic. Students with an unpaid balance from the previous semester are not eligible for “Deferments.”
2. As always, students are responsible for adding and dropping courses that have not been cancelled by the Office of Academic Affairs.
3. All Winter and Summer Session balances must be paid by the last day of class, to avoid problems with the next semester.
4. Students should not drop a course that is to be cancelled.
5. Courses with enrollment of less than seven (7) students in either the Winter or Summer sessions are subject to cancellation.
6. Students cannot receive a “Deferment,” for the second Summer Session until the first and/or session(s) have been paid in full.
7. If a student who has pre-registered decides not to take the course in either of these sessions, the student must withdraw from the University to avoid being billed for that course and receiving a failing grade. Contact the Office of the Registrar at (410) 651-6413 regarding completion of the appropriate paperwork.
8. All students are required to complete a Payment Confirmation form for the Winter and Summer sessions. Failure to do so will result in students being DROPPED from courses for non-payment of fees. Contact the Office of Student Accounts at (410) 651-6092/6093, for further information.

The Schedule, containing detailed information concerning the number of sessions and course offerings, is located on the UMES webpage at www.umes.edu under Academic Affairs.

Withdrawal Refund Policy

Academic Affairs is committed to pay faculty even if the student withdraws and gets a refund beyond the first week of classes. Courses with an enrollment of less than seven are subject to cancellation by the Office of the Provost. Students should not DROP courses that are scheduled for cancellation.

Winter Session

(Three-Week Session)

Summer Sessions

(Five-Week Sessions)

(Ten-Week Session)