Academic Information

Evening Program
If you are a person with day-time obligations, you'll appreciate the convenience provided by our Evening Program. By attending classes only two or four evenings per week, you may earn a master's degree to be eligible to receive the same financial aid benefits as any full-time student. Evening courses are taught on Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday sequences, beginning at 6:00 p.m. and 8:15 p.m., each class running two hours and five minutes. Each semester consists of two modules. Students are not permitted to register for more than six credits in a single module. Students who need additional information or who need specific questions answered should see their respective program directors.

ACCEL Program in Amherst
Medaille's ACCEL is an accelerated adult degree completion program, offering the following degrees: the Associate in Science (A.S.) in Business, the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), and the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.). This unique program is offered exclusively at the College's branch campus at the Centerpointe Corporate Park in Amherst, New York.

ACCEL is designed for the ambitious working adult, who is seeking the challenge of a degree program that is oriented toward the real educational needs of the business world. The innovative schedule enables you to complete one course at a time while retaining full-time student status for financial assistance. In addition, you will master course content through your own student study group. A personal laptop computer, provided through ACCEL is used in the B.B.A. and M.B.A. programs.

Unlike traditional semester systems, classes in ACCEL can begin whenever adults are ready to start. There is no waiting for months for the start of a new school year. In ACCEL, the program's schedule is built around student needs, not vice versa.

Upon enrollment in the program, students receive the ACCEL Student Handbook. ACCEL students should refer to this handbook regarding program policies and procedures.

For complete details on the ACCEL program, including admission procedures, degree requirements, course descriptions, and financial information, contact the ACCEL office at (716) 631-1061 or toll free 1-888-25ACCEL.

Unit of Academic Credit
Generally, one credit represents the equivalent of one hour of lecture or recitation or at least two hours of laboratory work each week for one semeter term or its equivalent.

Student Classification
A full-time graduate student is one who carries a minimum of nine semester hours per semester. A part-time student is one carrying fewer than nine semester hours per semester. Students who wish to qualify for state and/or federal financial aid may need to register for at least 12 credits per semester. A matriculated student is one following a prescribed program of study. A non-degree or non-matriculated student is one taking classes but not applying for a degree. A student must matriculate after completing 12 credit hours.

Class Load
The normal class load of a full-time graduate student each semester is 9-12 hours. Students must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher in order to carry more than 12 hours during one semester or more than six hours during one module. A student is not allowed to carry more than 15 credits in one semester.

Pre-Graduation Review
A pre-graduation review listing outstanding requirements, a Program Requirement Form, and a Diploma Information Form will be mailed to all potential graduates in August preceding the May Commencement. These forms are sent to all master degree candidates who apply for May graduation with a minimum of 21 credit hours earned in the M.B.A. or M.S. in Ed. program by the end of the spring semester. A potential graduate who does not receive this material by September 15 should notify the Office of the Registrar immediately.

General Requirements for College Degrees
Graduation from the College with the award of the appropriate degree (Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Education) will be granted upon fulfillment of the following general requirements:

NOTE: Each graduate program may have specific requirements; therefore, check the individual program in this catalog.

Any person who wishes to participate in the annual Commencement, held during the month of May each year, must complete all academic requirements for graduation in order to participate, except for (1) those students in the process of completing requirements in the semester during which Commencement takes place and (2) those students lacking one to six credit hours, who prior to the ceremony, register to take those outstanding credits during the Summer Session of their graduation year.

Waiver, Course or Policy
Deviation from a prescribed curriculum will be permitted only under extraordinary circumstances. A course waiver must be approved by the student's academic advisor (where appropriate), program director, the Registrar, and the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Academic Dean. No student should begin attendance in a requested substitution unless a copy of the approved waiver has been received by the student. No course waivers will be granted retroactively. Students graduating in May must have course waivers approved by December 1 of the preceding year.

Deviation from a prescribed policy will be permitted only under extraordinary circumstances. An academic policy waiver must be approved by the student's academic advisor (where appropriate), program director, the Registrar, and the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Academic Dean. If the waiver is approved, the student will receive a copy of the completed waiver form. No policy waiver will be granted retroactively.

Validation Exams
Individual graduate programs establish guidelines on specific courses that may be challenged via Validation Exams. The Academic Alternatives Coordinator will have a list of available exams from the program directors. No student will be allowed to take a Validation Exam to replace a course in which a failing grade was earned. The College does not guarantee that a Validation Exam will be available for a particular course in any given semester. A student successfully completing a Validation Exam receives credit; no grade is issued.

Application packets are available from the Academic Alternatives Coordinator. A non-refundable fee of $200 for each Validation Exam is paid in the Business Office. Attach original receipt of payment to your completed application and return it to the Academic Alternatives Coordinator.

August Graduates
File by: February 1
Take by: August 1

Directed Study
Directed Study is individualized instruction identical in regard to the title, course objectives, course content, and evaluative criteria of the course.

Directed Study is made available only under the most extraordinary circumstances and is implemented to fulfill a graduation requirement that is not otherwise available to the student. GPAs of 3.0 are required of students who wish to undertake Directed Study. The faculty and College do not guarantee that this is available during any particular semester.

Students may not take a Directed Study to replace a course in which a failing grade was earned.

Before completing an application, a student should discuss the matter with the program director and the appropriate instructor. The instructor should be aware of what the student intends to accomplish and be willing to direct the study. The student and the instructor must agree on the time that will be devoted to supervision and the manner in which the instructor will evaluate the study.

Servicemember's Opportunity College
Medaille College has been identified as a Servicemember's Opportunity College (SOC) providing educational assistance to active duty servicemembers. An SOC institution offers the following benefits for servicemembers:

The Grading System and What It Means
Graduate programs require that students maintain at least a B (3.0) average for all courses taken in fulfillment of degree requirements at Medaille.

	Grade	Quality Points
High distinction, an exceptionally high achievement	A	4.0
	A-	3.7
High achievement	B+	3.3
Average, average achievement	B	3.0
Pass, below average achievement	B-	2.7
	C+	2.3
	C	2.0
Failure, unsatisfactory grade	F	0.0
Official withdrawal	W
Incomplete	I
Audit	AU

Cumulative Average
The cumulative average is computed for all of the courses you have taken at Medaille. It changes whenever a new semester's grades are calculated and is a reflection of how a student is doing in all of his/her work. In cases of repeated courses, only the last grade earned is utilized in the cumulative GPA calculations.

(W) Course Withdrawal
In order to withdraw from a course after the drop/add period, a student must obtain a Course Withdrawal Form from the Office of the Registrar. The signature of the advisor should be obtained. If the student's advisor is not available, however, the student must write on the Withdrawal Form that he/she takes full responsibility for withdrawing from the course, sign and date it. The completed form is returned to the Registrar's Office.

A student may withdraw from a course up to the firtst two-thirds of a semester or module. See the Academic Calendar for specific dates. A grade of "W" appears on the transcript for an official withdrawal. No withdrawal is permitted after the deadline. Depending upon the withdraw date and the number of credits a student is carrying during a particular semester, course withdrawal may affect tuition. (See Tuition Liability Policy.) There is the possibility of reduced financial aid if withdrawing from a course means the student would carry fewer than 12 credits.

Please note: Discontinuance of attendance in one or all classes does not constitute an official withdrawl. A student who does not follow the proper procedure and/or stops attending class (an unofficial withdrawal) will receive from the instructor the grade earned according to the student's performance.

(I) Incomplete
An Incomplete is given only for a good and sufficient reason as determined by the instructor. It is completed in a manner determined by mutual agreement of student and instructor as indicated on the Incomplete Form, which must be signed by both student and instructor.

Incomplete Grade Forms may be obtained by the instructor in the Office of the Registrar. It is the responsibility of the student to complete the requirements of the Incomplete by the date stated on the form which is not to exceed the termination of the semester immediately following the initiation of the Incomplete. The student assumes the risk of not being able to complete the study if a faculty member is no longer at the College. All information must be complete when the form is submitted to the Office of the Registrar. If any part of the Incomplete Form is left unanswered, the form will be sent back to the instructor and no grade will be issued until the form is correctly filed.

(AU) Audit
A student desiring to audit a course must receive the approval of the appropriate instructor and complete the normal registration forms. Only officially audited classes will appear on the transcript. Students who audit are expected to attend classes but their work is not subject to review by the instructor and they will receive no grade at the completion of the class.

An Incomplete must be removed from the student's record by the end of the semester following the semester in which the Incomplete was received. Exceptions will be made to this rule only prior to the stated deadline and under compelling circumstances with the approval of the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Academic Dean.

Any student receiving an Incomplete ("I") grade will not be considered for Dean'sList or Merit List status during the semester in which the Incomplete was issued.

Repeating a Course
In cases of repeated courses only the last grade earned, whether higher or lower, is used in calculating the grade point average. All grades earned for courses taken at Medaille, however, remain a part of the student's permanent record. Students must complete and submit the appropriate form at the time of registration.

Students should take note that if the repetition is not required by the College, New York State will not allow the credit hours for the course to be counted in determining the minimum course load required for financial aid purposes.

Academic Warning
Students who are in danger of failing a course receive an academic warning. Students who receive a warning should immediately talk with the instructor to find out how the grade can be improved.

Academic Standards: Academic Alert, Probation, Suspension, Dismissal
At the conclusion of each semester, all student grades are reviewed. Any student experiencing academic difficulty (semester or cumulative grade point average below 3.0) is reviewed for appropriate action. The following policy is adhered to in usual situations.

Students whose semester grade point averages fall below 3.0 but whose cumulative grade point averages remain at 3.0 and above for any given semester are given academic alerts. These official academic alerts are considered official warnings to recipients that continuation of such performance may lead to academic probation.

Students with cumulative grade point averages below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Two consecutive semesters on academic probation will result in academic suspension or academic dismissal. All students on academic probation are limited to a maximum of six credits per semester while on probation and are required to sign and adhere to a prescribed probationary contract. Failure to adhere to the prescribed conditions of the probationary contract will result in immediate academic suspension or academic dismissal. Any student with a 0.0 semester average will be subject to automatic academic dismissal.

Students may be dismissed for academic reasons following review of semester grades. Students may be suspended rather than dismissed if extenuating circumstances have been the cause for poor grades.

Students placed on academic suspension may, upon signing a Probationary Contract with the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Academic Dean, continue studies after the lapse of one regular (fall, spring) semester; those who have been dismissed may apply for readmission after the lapse of two regular semesters. Such students who then again are placed on probation must earn removal by the end of one semester or be subject to suspension or dismissal.

Students affected by the academic standards are contacted by the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Academic Dean's Office and directed to meet with an Advisement Center representative. Counselors, academic advisors, and the Academic Skills Center staff work with students having academic difficulties to help solve problems that may be affecting their grades.

If a student wishes to appeal a decision or policy, he/she may do so by appeal through the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Academic Dean. The initial appeal must be in writing within 14 calendar days of notification or by the end of the first week of the next semester (whichever comes first) and state, in specific terms, the student's case for appeal.

Attendance
Regular attendance is expected at all classes and academic activities related to a course (for example, field trips) unless otherwise specified. Medaille College subscribes to the "Guidelines on Students and Religious Observance" adopted by the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities. Absence does not excuse a student from course work and responsibility. Excessive absence is detrimental and it may affect certain types of financial aid. Discontinuance of attendance does not constitute an official withdrawal.

Course Disclosure Policy
At the beginning of every course, the instructor distributes a written course disclosure statement to all students taking the course. The course disclosure describes the objectives and content for the course and the method by which students' work will be evaluated for grades. Make sure you keep all of your course disclosure statements so that you may refer to them throughout the semester.

The Evaluation of Students' Work
An evaluation system is required for each course. Examinations are ordinarily part of the evaluation system, but alternative methods of overall evaluation may be employed. At the first class period of the semester or module, the instructor will inform students through the course disclosure of the type of evaluation system that will be used for that course throughout the semester.

Academic Decorum
Medaille College does not tolerate sexual or racial harassment of students or employees by College faculty, staff, or students. Students are legally protected from such activity by both state and federal legislation and are asked to report any occurrence to the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Academic Dean without fear of recrimination.

The College does not tolerate immature or abusive behavior in the classroom setting. Upon receipt of a written complaint from the instructor, the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Academic Dean may immediately remove the student from the class. The Vice President for Academic Affairs/Academic Dean and Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students will review the evidence and render a final decision within 30 days.

Academic Dishonesty
Medaille College does not condone acts of academic dishonesty such as cheating or plagiarism. When a student is accused of an act of academic dishonesty, the following process below will be implemented.

The instructor will present evidence to the program director who will decide within one week if a charge is warranted. If a charge is not warranted, the accusation will be rejected and no action will be taken. If the charge is warranted, the case will be presented to the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Academic Dean.

The Vice Presidents/Deans will review the evidence, interview the student, and interview the faculty member. They will render a decision within 30 days to dismiss the charges, or to fail the assignment, or to fail the course, or to dismiss from college. Dismissal will be reserved for serious instances where premeditation, recidivism, etc. are present.

Academic Grievance Procedure
Should a student wish to resolve an academically related conflict with an instructor, the Academic Grievance Procedure should be followed. The student should attempt to resolve the conflict directly with the instructor, if possible. If the conflict cannot be resolved between student and instructor, the student should bring the problem to the program director. If still not resolved, the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Academic Dean should be contacted in writing. If still lacking a resolution to the problem, the final step would be to approach the President with the conflict.

Grade Appeal
Students wishing to appeal a final grade in a course must do so in writing within 60 days of the semester's grade report. This written appeal should be directed to the instructor of the course in question. Next, the instructor's program director and, thereafter, the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Academic Dean.