ACADEMIC STANDARDS

Academic Standing/Criteria for Continuation

Students maintain acceptable academic standing by meeting the following criteria:

• an average of “B” or above (GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale)
• completion of program within the specified time limits
• no more than two “Incomplete” or “RP” grades on the transcript
• a ratio of “Attempted” to “Completed” credits, excluding credits in the current semester, of .75 or better
• an acceptable level of professional behavior

To maintain matriculation students must complete one course each year (September-August) at Sage Graduate School.

Students who do not maintain acceptable academic standing are subject to dismissal from the program, based on the recommendation of the program director. If such dismissal becomes necessary, fees will not be refunded or remitted, in whole or in part, and neither Sage nor any of its officers shall be liable whatsoever for such exclusion.

Academic Standing/Criteria for Graduation

To be eligible to receive a graduate degree, a student must have a “B” average (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) at the time of graduation in the graduate courses taken as part of the degree program at Sage.

Time Limit for Degree Completion

A graduate degree program requiring fewer than 42 credit hours must be completed within six years from the end of the semester of completing the first applicable course. Seven years is allowed for completion of graduate programs 42 credit hours or more.

Academic Dishonesty/Misconduct

Academic dishonesty and misconduct violate the essential mission of an academic institution and will not be tolerated at The Sage Colleges in any of its forms. Academic dishonesty and misconduct include cheating; failing to obtain Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval before beginning any research; plagiarism; multiple submissions; complicity in academic dishonesty/misconduct; abuse of materials; or alteration of records. Following are several definitions and examples of academic dishonesty:

Academic Fraud = The alteration of documentation relating to the grading process (e.g., changing exam solutions to negotiate for a higher grade or tampering with an instructor’s grade book).

Collaboration = Deliberate facilitation of academic dishonesty in any form (e.g., allowing another student to observe an exam paper or recycle one’s old term paper).

Copying = Obtaining information pertaining to an exam question by deliberately observing the paper of another student.

Cribbing = Use or attempt to use prohibited materials, information, or study aids in an academic exercise.

Fabrication = Unauthorized falsification or invention of any information in an academic exercise (e.g., use of a purchased term paper or falsifying lab records).

Plagiarism = Representing the work or words of another as one’s own through deliberate omission of acknowledgment or reference.

Sabotage = Destruction of another student’s work related to an academic exercise (e.g., destroying a model, lab experiment, computer program, or term paper developed by another student).

Substitution = Using a proxy, or acting as a proxy, in any academic exercise.

A faculty member may take any of the following disciplinary actions when a student engages in an act of academic misconduct:

• a written reprimand
• A zero or “F” on the assignment(s) involved
• An “F” in the class involved
• Revocation or a change of grade

Sanctions beyond those listed here, including suspensions or dismissal in serious cases, may be issued by the Institution only, not by an individual faculty member. To view the complete Student Conduct Code, see http://www.sage.edu/sgs/academics/conduct/

Sage Graduate School Grievances and Appeals

Students who wish to request reconsideration of academic decisions made with regard to their progress and performance in the academic program may appeal to the Academic Standards Subcommittee of the Sage Graduate School Curriculum Committee. Students who wish to appeal to the Academic Standards Subcommittee must write to the Dean of Sage Graduate School, explaining the nature and rationale for the request. The student’s program director and the dean each make a recommendation to the Academic Standards Subcommittee, which then makes a determination regarding the student’s request. The Dean of Sage Graduate School communicates the determination to the student.

The Sage Graduate School Grievance Appeals Panel reviews student grievances which have been acted upon by the Academic Standards Committee of the SGS Curriculum Committee. The Grievance Appeals Panel will consider student grievances concerning academic matters including:

• the degree process such as grading, evaluation, or status
• allegedly unprofessional conduct toward students
• allegedly unfair or discriminatory treatment of students
• allegedly unfair disciplinary actions

The request for an appeal must be made in writing to the Dean of Sage Graduate School, within 30 days of the student’s receipt of the determination of the Academic Standards Subcommittee. The letter requesting an appeal must state the basis of the grievance and the facts that support it. It should include a summary of steps already taken (or why steps were omitted). The student/appellant must state why the resolution is unfair or unsatisfactory. The student must state what the desired remedy is. The Dean will transmit the appeal to the Sage Graduate School Curriculum Committee (SGSCC) Chairperson to determine whether or not the appeal will be accepted for review. If the appeal involves a student from the program in which the Chair of the SGSCC serves, the Chair will designate a member of the SGSCC who is not affiliated with the appellant’s program to determine whether or not the appeal will be accepted for review. If an appeal is accepted for review, a Grievance Appeals Panel will be formed to hear the case within 20 business days of receipt of the student’s request.

Conditions for Dismissal

The administrative officers at Sage reserve the right to require at any time the withdrawal of students for reasons of health or conduct or whose academic standing does not comply with the regulations; in such cases fees will not be refunded or remitted, in whole or in part, and neither Sage nor any of its officers shall be under any liability whatsoever for such exclusion.