Academic Policies

Academic Calendar

Spring Arbor University is on a semester calendar. Each graduate program determines course start and end dates within the semesters, and students may not register for courses that overlap semester start and end dates.

Academic Integrity

The Spring Arbor University Concept - the heart of this institution - is based on the common commitment to Jesus Christ as the perspective for learning. This means that the Spring Arbor University community seeks to live in close adherence to the example and teaching of Jesus Christ in all personal and scholarly pursuits and live a life of highest integrity in these areas. Additionally, any community of teachers and scholars recognizes that truth and honesty are absolutely essential in academic work. The expectation at Spring Arbor University is that these principles will be rigorously followed in all academic endeavors. This expectation assumes that all work is completed by the person who purports to do the work, without unauthorized aid. With the purpose of encouraging responsible conduct, this policy flows from the Concept and assumes these important community expectations:

• Everyone who is part of the Spring Arbor University community will seek to live a life of highest integrity, both personally and academically.
• Full truthfulness is essential for all those in the SAU Community.
• Faculty and students will carefully and diligently guard themselves from stealing either material or intellectual property - whether physical or electronic in nature.
• Silence about others’ disregard for these standards devalues and violates the principles and spirit of our faith, the Concept, and this policy. With prayerful introspection and loving confrontation, we should strive to hold one another accountable to the standard of our faith.

Acknowledging the call in the principle above, the Spring Arbor University community is challenged to maintain integrity in all academic pursuits. There shall be no cheating, misrepresentation, or plagiarism (borrowing ideas, images, facts, stylistic phrasing, or quoted materials without credit) on assignments, tests, lectures, handouts, or any other written materials.

Violations of this policy will carry disciplinary consequences. A zero on the assignment or test can be expected, but failure of the course or suspension may also occur. Students, faculty, or staff may also be subject to dismissal from the university for failure to adhere to his policy. Some actions, such as altering official university documents or records, may be further subject to criminal penalties. While any breach of this policy affects the entire community, only incidents of cheating or plagiarism must be reported immediately to the appropriate professor, department chair, dean, or other university employee. Students are encouraged to report in writing, and employees are expected to report situations in writing to the Academic Affairs Office. Confidentiality will be honored unless specific written permission to disclose sources is obtained. No one will be disciplined solely on the testimony of one report without further substantiation. It will be presumed that every student, faculty, and staff member of the university community is familiar with this policy. Details for handling academic integrity concerns may be found in the Spring Arbor University Academic Integrity Policy Disciplines Process and Procedures.

Course Cancellation or Section Changes

The University reserves the right to cancel a scheduled course or section or combine sections of a course for reasons it deems appropriate, including but not limited to staffing, low enrollment or program changes. Students will be notified of changes to their enrollment via SAU email sections. The University will accommodate students affected by these changes as much as is reasonably possible to facilitate on-time graduation.

Class Session Cancellation

In the event of inclement weather, instructor illness, or other unforeseen circumstance, a scheduled class session may be canceled, rescheduled, or moved to an alternate delivery method. Students will receive notification through their SAU email for changes to a class meeting time or delivery method.

Academic Responsibility of the Student

SAU commits to helping students achieve their academic goals by providing numerous resources and tools, including academic advisors, degree audits, schedules, and the academic catalog. Students must assume certain responsibilities that include but are not limited to:

• completing courses in an order that meets prerequisite and core requirements,
• becoming familiar with all academic policies and specific polices of the program to which the student is admitted,
• preparing work that is representative of the student’s own individual efforts,
• submitting work by the specified due dates, and
• communicating with instructors to clarify or assist with assignments or required work.

Attendance Policy

Class participation is important for academic success at Spring Arbor University, no matter the method of course delivery.

Synchronous Class Attendance

Synchronous (a.k.a. face-to-face) classes are those in which the instructor and students come together on regularly scheduled meeting dates and times. Students are required to attend all synchronous class meetings for the classes in which they are registered. Absences for registering into the class late are not excused.

Blended Class Attendance

A blended class consists of partial and/or alternate meetings in synchronous and asynchronous delivery mechanisms, where at least 50% of the course is synchronous. Attendance is based upon physical or virtual attendance in the synchronous meetings and upon electronic records of student participation in the class. A student who is absent from a synchronous meeting of the class will be considered absent, and a student who logs into the course but does not submit asynchronous coursework or participate in class activities is not actively attending. To be eligible for Financial Aid, students must actively attend a course. If the course is dropped/withdrawn by the student or if the student is administratively dropped/withdrawn from the course by the institution for lack of participation, recalculation of financial aid eligibility may be necessary.

SAU Online Class Attendance

Attendance in an online course is based upon electronic records of student participation. A student who logs into the course but does not submit coursework is not actively participating. To be eligible for Financial Aid, students must actively participate in the course. If the course is dropped/withdrawn by the student or if the student is administratively dropped/withdrawn from the course by the institution, recalculation of financial aid eligibility may be necessary. According to Federal regulations, “Attendance” in an online class requires academically-related activity. Academically-related activities include any of the following:

• Physically attending a class where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and students;
• Submitting an academic assignment;
• Taking an exam, an interactive tutorial or computer-assisted instruction;
• Attending a study group that is assigned by the school;
• Participating in an online discussion about academic matters; and
• Initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course.

Administrative Drop or Withdrawal Due to Nonparticipation

Students have until no later than the seventh (7th) calendar day of course to voluntarily drop from a course without financial penalty. A course dropped before the seventh (7th) calendar day will not appear on a student’s transcript. Students who do not participate by the end of seventh (7th) day of a course may be administratively dropped. After that date, students have until the 60% point in the course to voluntarily withdrawal. A withdrawal results in a “W” on the academic record and may result in a partial refund on tuition. Withdrawing from a course after the designated withdrawal period deadline will result in a “WF” on the academic record and no tuition refund.

A student in attendance of an online course who ceases to actively participate for 14 consecutive days may be withdrawn from the course upon the discretion of a SAU Online Administrator or the instructor of record. Any potential tuition refund will be based on the date of the withdrawal. An administrative withdrawal from a course, after the 60% point, will result in a “WF” on the student’s academic record and no tuition refund.

Academic programs may have requirements beyond those outlined in this policy for which a student will be accountable.

Academic Advising

In each graduate program, an academic advisor is available to assist students with planning and implementing their academic program. The University provides the Academic Planner for all students to use for planning and registering. The Academic Planner is available through the MySAU Portal (http://mysau.arbor.edu ) and is a tool that all students are expected to use. For support in using the Academic Planner, students should refer to instructions and tutorials provided online. When further assistance is needed in dropping and adding courses within the allowed drop and add period, or withdrawing, the students should contact their academic advisor for assistance.

Student Responsibilities in the Advising Process

While Spring Arbor University will aid in planning academic programs, students are ultimately responsible for ensuring they satisfy the requirements of their program. Students are expected to become familiar with degree requirements and expectations and take the initiative for requesting academic advising assistance. The academic advisor does not carry the burden of responsibility for ensuring students complete degree requirements.

Academic Status

All graduate students are required to earn a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0. The academic policy exists to encourage student success toward that end. Any graduate student is in good standing whenever that student’s cumulative grade point average is 3.0 or better. Academic status can also impact financial aid eligibility.

All semester and cumulative GPA’s are reviewed at the end of each semester by the Academic Status Committee. The committee, with input from graduate academic advisors and program administrators, makes the following decisions:

Good Standing: the CGPA is 3.0 or better.

Warning: the semester GPA is less than 3.0, but the CGPA is 3.0 or higher.

Probation: the CGPA falls below 3.0. The student is placed on probation for the immediate, subsequent semester. Students must raise their CGPA to 3.0 in the semester of probation to be removed from probation.

Continued on Probation: Probation semester GPA is above 3.0 and CGPA improved but remains below 3.0. At the discretion of the committee, the student may be continued on probation for one additional semester. Financial aid may not be available for students continued on probation. 

Probation Removed: CGPA improves to 3.0 or better during the probation term. Good standing is restored, and probation is removed.

Academic Dismissal: A student who is admitted to a program on probation and fails to achieve a 3.0 GPA for that first semester may be academically dismissed. A student who fails to attain a 3.0 semester GPA after being placed on probation or fails to increase CGPA to 3.0 or better after being permitted to continue on probation may be academically dismissed.

Dismissal Policy

Program Dismissal

Dismissal from a program is possible in two ways: academic or disciplinary. The factors involved may include but not limited to the following:

For program academic dismissal criteria, see Academic Dismissal above, which is University policy and applies to all graduate programs. Additionally, academic programs may establish academic expectations or policies that are stricter than University policy and are specific to program students. Failure to meet program academic expectations could result in academic dismissal. Those policies are reflected in program sections of the catalog or program handbooks.

For disciplinary dismissal, students may be dismissed due to:

• violating standards of academic integrity,
• violating community, behavioral, program, professional expectations,
• unsatisfactory performance in practicum, internship, or clinical courses
• criminal misconduct,
• failure to comply with established SAU or program timelines and/or requirements,
• unethical practices and/or unprofessional conduct,
• actions that obstruct the training process and/or threaten client welfare.

Academic Dismissal Process

To protect the student’s due process rights and SAU’s interests in upholding academic and professional standards, the following steps will be taken as part of the dismissal review process.

Step 1: All grades, GPA’s, and academic statuses are reviewed at the end of each semester and communicated to the graduate academic program advisors for review. Advisors and/or program administrators comment on the report and return it to the Registrar’s office.

Step 2: Reports are compiled and presented to the Academic Status Committee for review. Academic Status Committee has final decision on the student’s academic status.

Step 3: The Academic Status Committee via the Office of Registration and Records will inform the student in writing of the dismissal decision and of the circumstances which affect the student’s continuance in the program. Notification is sent via student’s SAU email and possibly the student’s home address on record with SAU. The academic status is updated, and the student is dropped from all future enrolled courses.

Disciplinary Dismissal Process

SAU has the right to review any circumstances that may impede the student’s ability to continue in the program at any point while a student is enrolled in a graduate program. At the discretion of the program administrators, the student may be placed on suspension while the matter is being investigated. A student who is placed on suspension may not participate in program-related activities.

To protect the student’s due process rights and SAU’s interests in upholding academic and professional standards, the following steps will be taken as part of the disciplinary dismissal review process.

Step 1: The program administrators will inform the student in writing of the allegations or circumstances that may affect the student’s continuance in the program. These allegations may emanate from personnel both within and outside the SAU community. (Note: if the allegation involves an academic integrity issue, current SAU policy will be followed.)

Step 2: At the discretion of the program administrators, the student may be asked to seek an informal resolution of the allegation with the accusing party. The student will inform the program administrators of the outcome within seven days after the program administrator’s request. If resolution is not achieved in this informal process, then the matter will be brought before a disciplinary committee, consisting of the following individuals:

• program administrators,
• faculty member (chosen by the program administrators), and
• program staff member (chosen by the student) OR current SAU student (chosen by the student)

Step 3: The program administrators will notify the student of the scheduled meeting of the disciplinary committee. The student will be invited to submit a written response to the allegations no later than seven days prior to the scheduled meeting.

Step 4: Following receipt of the student’s response, the disciplinary committee will convene (face-to-face, teleconference, or other means) to discuss the matter and render a decision, which may result in:

• dismissal of the charges,
• allowing the student to continue in the program, pending compliance with specified conditions, or
• dismissal from the program.

Step 5: Within seven days of the committee’s decision, the program administrators will notify the student of the decision in writing. A student may appeal this decision by following the appeal process below.

Dismissal Appeal Process

The student must initiate the appeal process within seven (7) business days after the date on the written notification of dismissal. The appeal must be in writing and submitted to program administrators, who will review the appeal and discuss the appeal with the appropriate committee, as needed. The program administrators may request additional information from the student or the appropriate committee. The program administrators will decide and notify the student in writing within fourteen (14) business days after receipt of the student’s appeal. At all times, the burden of proof lies on the student. The program administrator’s decision on reinstatement is final.

Appeal Process Delays: There may be exceptional situations in which an appeal may take longer than 14 business days for the department to investigate and make a final determination. If this is the case the department will notify the student on the fourteen (14) business day point as to the status of the appeal, including an expected date for a determination to be made. Because this is a private university administrative hearing, legal counsel or representation is inappropriate.

If the dismissal appeal is upheld, the academic status will reflect Restored to Probation.

Readmission after Academic Dismissal

Students may apply for readmission after a period of separation from SAU through the program’s advisor according to the following conditions:

• First dismissal - students may not attend SAU for one full semester after the semester of dismissal.
• Second dismissal - students may not attend SAU for two full semesters (one academic year) after the semester of dismissal.
• Third dismissal - students are permanently dismissed from SAU.

The dismissal count does not restart, even for students who are restored to probation after appeal. Once a student receives a dismissal notice, the dismissal is added to the count. Therefore, if a student is dismissed but is allowed to continue on probation after appeal and is subsequently dismissed the next semester, the student has accumulated two dismissals.

When applying for readmission after the specified academic dismissal period, the student will be asked to present evidence of probable future academic success, self-discipline and focus and self-development, which may include transcripts from courses taken during the separation from SAU and/or support letters or documentation from doctors, counselors, employers, pastors, etc.

The Office of Registration and Records may deny readmission if the evidence presented does not support the expectation of future academic success.

Readmission after Disciplinary Dismissal

Students who have been dismissed due to a decision made by the disciplinary committee may apply for readmission after one year has elapsed from the time of dismissal, unless otherwise prohibited by the original dismissal. Evidence to support the request for readmission must be submitted in writing to the program administrators, who will confer with the Academic Affairs office to make a determination on readmission. The burden of proof remains with the student. Students reapplying under dismissal circumstances should verify their financial aid eligibility with the financial aid office. In addition, all University and departmental requirements for readmission must be met.

Time Limits for Completing a Degree

Graduate students at Spring Arbor University must complete all degree requirements within six years from the date of enrollment in the first class after the student is admitted to the program. A student may petition for an extension through their advisor. The Office of Registration and Records will review the petition, but there are no guarantees that the student will be permitted the extension. The student will be notified in writing of the registrar’s decision and possible options. 

Grading System

Coursework will be assigned a grade that carries scholastic points according to the following scale, where plus and minus grades are intended to reflect more accurately the student’s performance in the classroom.

• A/A- (4.00/3.67) - Indicates excellent achievement.
• B+/B/B- (3.33/3.00/2.67) - Indicates good work.
• C+/C/C- (2.33/2.00/1.67) - Indicates fair or average attainment.
• D+/D/D- (1.33/1.00/.67) - Indicates poor, barely passing work.
• F (0.00) - Indicates unsatisfactory, non-passing work. Counted as attempted credit, but no credit is earned.
• AU (Audit) - Not calculated into GPA. Not counted as attempted or earned credit. A student may drop a course for credit and add for audit up to the halfway date of the course. Registration may not be changed from audit back to credit. Certain attendance and assignment requirements may be expected by the instructor. 
• GP (Grade Pending). Not calculated into GPA. Indicates an extension to complete professional, hands-on courses, such as internships, practica, clinical rotations, or other special courses approved by the registrar. All work, including required paperwork, must be completed within six months from the end of the semester in which the student is registered in the course; no exceptions. If a grade change form is not submitted by the instructor to the registrar’s office after six months, the “GP” grade will be changed to “F.” (Independent studies and tutorials are not eligible for the “GP” grade.)
• I (Incomplete) - Not calculated into GPA. Given due to unforeseen, emergency circumstances occurring between the midpoint and end dates of lecture, tutorial, or independent study courses. Not intended to allow students turn in late work due to their own negligence. A grade change form to the registrar’s office is required of the instructor within six weeks of the end date of the course. A one-time additional six-week extension may be granted by the registrar on a case-by-cases basis with a written request from the instructor before the first six-week deadline. The “I” grade will be changed to “F” if no grade change form is submitted by the deadline.
• IP (In Progress) - Not calculated into GPA. Indicates current registration in a course. Not yet graded.
• LL (Life Learning Credit) - Not calculated into GPA. Credit granted through prior learning assessment.
• P (Passing) - Not calculated into GPA. Indicates credit earned through satisfactory work equivalent to a grade of “B” or above.
• W (Withdrawal) - Not calculated into GPA. Indicates authorized withdrawal from classes. A student may withdraw from a course at any time during the semester. Withdrawals through the last day to withdraw (60% of the course) will receive a grade of “W” on the transcript. A “W” does not affect the GPA. Withdrawals after this point will receive a grade of “WF.” All withdrawals count toward attempted credits, but no credit is earned.
• WF (0.00; Withdraw Failing) - Given after the last day to withdraw from a course as described in the “W” description above. A grade of “WF” on the transcript acts the same as a grade of “F” in GPA calculations.

Grade Requirements

Grades below “B” may be considered failing grades and the student may be required to retake the course for graduation requirements (see program-specific details). Courses with grades lower than “C” will not be counted toward graduation requirements.

Grade Changes

Changing of a final grade after its submission to the registrar is permissible in instances in which fairness might justify a final grade change. This might be the case, for example, when there is demonstrable evidence of a mathematical error in the calculation of a grade, or where there has been an egregious error in grading, such as the failure to incorporate an assignment that was turned in on time. Grade changes are not permitted for make-up or additional work submitted after the conclusion of the course, except in cases where a grade of “I” or “GP” has been granted.

Requests for final grade changes must be submitted in a timely manner so that the student may have time to appeal the grade. Grade change requests should be submitted to the registrar with documentation to support the request. The registrar will have final approval.

Grade Appeals

Only final course grades may be appealed through the formal Grade Appeal Process. A formal grade appeal related to a final course grade should be resolved between the student and faculty. The grade appeal form must be completed and submitted to the faculty no later than 30 days after the grade is issued. After 30 days, the grade issued by the faculty is considered permanent. If an academic department has additional levels of final course grade review (e.g., programs with clinical courses, student teaching, practicum courses), the initial grade appeal should be reviewed by the faculty and the department (i.e., chair, program director). After the grade appeal review, based on the evidence considered during the review process, the faculty may raise the grade, lower the grade, or leave the grade unchanged.

If a student and faculty are unable to resolve the grade appeal to the student’s satisfaction, or the student can show at least two unsuccessful attempts to connect with the faculty within one week of time, the student may appeal to the Dean, in writing. If the student and Dean are unable to resolve the grade appeal, the student may send a final appeal, in writing, to the Academic Affairs office within 7 business days of the decision from the Dean. The review by Academic Affairs is considered final.

Please Note: If a grade appeal is decided in the student’s favor by the Dean or Academic Affairs, the course grade may be changed to “P” (Pass), which will remove the course from the GPA calculations. For P/F graded courses, all criteria for passing the course must be evidenced for a grade appeal to result in a grade change from “F” (Fail) to “P” (Pass). At all times, the burden of proof lies with the student.

Academic Policy Appeals

If a student believes that the University has not followed published policies regarding academic decisions, the student may appeal the decision. The student must initiate the process within 30 days of the decision. At all times, the burden of proof lies with the student. The following procedures must be followed.

Step 1: The student should confer with the individual who made the decision for a full explanation of the policy and how it was not followed.

Step 2: If the matter remains unresolved, the student may appeal to the program administrators in writing or by e-mail. The program administrators may consult with the school dean.

Step 3: If the matter remains unresolved, the student may contact the Academic Affairs Office for the appropriate forms. Upon receipt of properly completed forms by the student, the Academic Affairs Office will consider the appeal and render a final and non-appealable decision.

The appeal process can take up to three months. Because this is a private university administrative hearing, legal counsel or representation is inappropriate.