Academic Requirements and Policies

Grading Policies

Candidates for any graduate-level degree or certificate must attain a final cumulative grade point average of 3.0 before the degree or certificate will be conferred.

Letter and Special Grade Definition

The following letter and special grades are used across all graduate programs. Please note that this document sets the minimum standards for the College. Individual degree programs may have stricter GPA and course grade requirements.

• A: “A” indicates outstanding work.
• B: “B” means that the work is satisfactory.
• C: “C” (2.0) is deemed unsatisfactory at the graduate level. 
  • No more than two courses at the C level (2.0 or higher) will be counted as acceptable toward a graduate degree. Students who receive a third C grade will be required to meet with the program director, and may be dismissed. Alternatively, they may be required to take one semester or more leave to prepare effectively to return for the completion of the degree.
  • Any grade at or lower than a C- is not acceptable for graduate-level work and cannot be counted as credit towards the degree. However, the grade will be counted toward the student’s GPA. If a student receives a grade of a C- or lower in a required course, the student will be required to repeat the course. Review the “Repeat Policy” section regarding repeating courses.
• N: “N” The grade “N” (or Incomplete) denotes work not completed due to some extenuating circumstance. To determine the deadline for submission of incomplete work, students should consult the academic calendar [link here]. Upon completion, the grade will be converted. At the end of the designated time, if the instructor has not informed the Registrar of a new grade, an “N” will convert to an “F.”(Review the “Incomplete Grade” section.)
• NC: “NC” was used during the Spring 2020, Fall 2020, and Spring 2021 semesters only due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The student does not earn any credit for the course and the course is not counted in the GPA calculation.
• H: “H” indicates that the student has audited the course and therefore will not have completed any coursework and will not receive a grade.
• W: “W” means that the student has withdrawn from the course or the College.
• WF: “WF” indicates that a student has withdrawn from a course in which they have been accused of an academic integrity violation for which the penalty is an F for the course.
• U: “U” is used for students who did not complete a course and never formally withdrew. Faculty must assign a last known date of attendance.
• Pass/Fail courses are not permissible, except in extreme extenuating circumstances when approved by the Faculty Senate. Programs may still opt out of allowing pass/fail courses under these circumstances.

Grade Points

While grading policies may differ across programs, the calculation of academic averages for all scholastic purposes and points for each credit hour are assigned as follows:

A    4.0

A-   3.7

B+  3.3

B    3.0

B-   2.7

C+  2.3

C    2.0

C-   1.7

F     0.0

WF 0.0

N    0.0

NC 0.0

U    0.0

Course Listing on Graduate Transcript

The graduate transcript will list all graduate courses attempted as well as completed, including repeated courses. The transcript will include a record of every graduate course taken and the letter grade received. When a course is repeated, the most recent grade earned is the one used to calculate a student’s grade point average. Undergraduate courses taken to fulfill prerequisites before or during matriculation in a graduate program will be listed on the undergraduate transcript and will not be calculated in the student’s GPA average for the graduate degree nor will the credits be counted towards the degree.

Incomplete Grade

Occasionally, extenuating circumstances lead to an inability to complete a course successfully during the regularly scheduled time in which it is offered. At the discretion of the instructor for the course, students may be able to take an incomplete, and complete the course after the semester has ended. An incomplete is not used to extend the time for completion of general course requirements, but is restricted to the completion of a limited requirement, such as a final examination or paper. (See “N” grade above.)

Repeat Policy

Graduate students may be permitted to repeat only two courses that were taken at Merrimack College for graduate credit (i.e., applied towards a graduate degree) and may only repeat each course once. Two courses may be repeated without written approval; if a student wishes to repeat a third course, this must be approved in writing by the instructor. Both grades will appear on the transcript, but only the most recent grade, whether it is higher or lower than the original grade, will be used to calculate the student’s graduate GPA. All repeated courses must be taken at Merrimack College.                                 

Change of Grade

If the student thinks that the grading criteria were not properly applied or the grade is inaccurate, the student must first appeal directly to the course instructor as soon as possible, but ideally within seven days of receiving the disputed grade either in person or through computer mediated means (e.g. email, uploading the grade to the course management system). If the instructor agrees to a change in grade, the instructor must submit a “Grade Change” form to the Office of the Registrar. The form must be dated and signed by the instructor as well as the Dean of the school through which the student’s program of study is offered.

If, after that consultation, the instructor does not agree to change the grade and the student still wishes to appeal further, they must follow the grade appeal process described in Appendix K of the Faculty Handbook.

Grade Appeal

(from Appendix K in the Faculty Handbook)  

1. A student who wishes to appeal a grade would be expected to discuss the matter first with the course instructor, doing so within a week of the posting of the grade. The student should submit the grade appeal to the instructor and program director.
2. The instructor should be willing to listen, to provide explanation, and to be receptive to changing the grade if the student provides a convincing argument for doing so.
3. If, after the discussion with the instructor, the student’s concerns remain unresolved, the student might then approach the instructor’s department chair or program director, or another member of the faculty who is the instructor’s immediate administrative superior. That person, if they believe that the complaint may have merit, would be expected to discuss it with the instructor. If the matter still remains unresolved, it should be referred to an ad hoc or standing faculty committee.
4. The ad hoc standing committee would ordinarily be composed of faculty members in the instructor’s department, program or closely allied fields. The committee would examine available written information on the dispute, would be available for meetings with the student and with the instructor, and would meet with others as it sees fit.
5. If the faculty committee, through its inquiries and deliberations, determines that compelling reasons exist to change the grade, it would request that the instructor make the change, providing the instructor with a written explanation of its reasons. Should the instructor decline, they should provide an explanation for refusing.
6. The faculty committee, after considering the instructor’s explanation, and upon concluding that it would be unjust to allow the original grade to stand, may then recommend to the department chair or to the instructor’s immediate administrative superior that the grade be changed. That individual will provide the instructor with a copy of the recommendation and will ask the instructor to implement it. If the instructor continues to decline, that individual may then change the grade, notifying the instructor and the student of this action. Only that individual, upon the written recommendation of the faculty committee, should have the authority to effect a change in grade over the objection of the instructor who assigned the original grade.

Academic Standards

Full-time Academic Status

A graduate student is considered a full-time student when enrolled in eight or more credits at Merrimack College in a single semester.

Part-time Status

A graduate student is considered a part-time student when enrolled in fewer than eight credits at Merrimack College in a single semester.

Good Standing

The necessary grade point average (“GPA”) for a student to be considered in good standing for all graduate programs is a 3.0. In addition, students must have all bills paid current with an approved payment plan, and required immunizations up to date in order to continue in good standing. The director of each graduate program monitors students’ minimum program cumulative GPA, and failure to meet this requirement in any term will result in the student being placed on academic probation. (See Academic Probation below.)

Academic Probation

Students who fall below a cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the end of any given semester will be notified in writing that they have been placed on academic probation. A copy of the notification will also be sent to their Dean, to the Office of the Provost, the Office of Financial Aid, and the Office of the Registrar. Students who have been placed on academic probation must meet with their program director to develop a written “Academic Improvement Plan” which specifies how the student will address whatever issues have led to the decline in GPA; the plan must be signed by both the student and the program director. Students who are not in a one-year program must bring their GPA up to 3.0 by the end of the second semester after the semester in which their GPA has fallen below 3.0 and they have been placed on probation. At the end of the first semester after being placed on probation, the student must achieve at least a 2.5 GPA; at the end of the second semester after being placed on probation, the student must achieve the 3.0. Thus, if at the end of the first semester following probation a student has not yet achieved a 3.0 cumulative GPA but has obtained a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5, the student may remain on probation for one additional semester. If the student does not achieve a 2.5 GPA by the end of the first semester following probation, the student will be dismissed (see below). If at the end of the second semester following probation the student does not achieve a 3.0. GPA, the student will be dismissed. Being on probation may affect the status of a student’s fellowship, internship, or assistantship. It may also affect a student’s financial aid eligibility. Students in one year programs who fall below a 3.0 are allowed only one semester on probation to bring their GPA up to 3.0 given the accelerated nature of their program. Students on probation can take up to 16 credits during the semester they are on probation.

Low Grade in Required Courses

If a graduate student receives lower than a C in a course that is required by their program, they must retake the course. If the student receives a C or lower for a second time in that course, they will be required to meet with their academic advisor and will be placed on academic probation.

Academic Dismissal

If a student’s cumulative GPA is below a 2.5 in the semester following the assignment of academic probation, the student will automatically be dismissed. A student who has continued on probation for two consecutive semesters during which the student is enrolled in classes, but who does not attain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the end of the second semester of enrollment after the institution of the probationary period, will be automatically dismissed. Students may also be dismissed under the academic integrity policy (see below).

Readmission after Academic Dismissal

A student who is dismissed for failing to remain in academic good standing may apply for readmission at the earliest after the lapse of one term and at the latest after four consecutive terms. To be readmitted, the student must present a petition to the program director explaining in detail how the causes of low achievement have been corrected and what plans are in place to ensure future academic success. The program director will convene an academic board of representatives including at least two additional members from the school in which the program is housed to review the appeal; interdisciplinary program appeals will be reviewed by an interdisciplinary committee. A student may be dismissed and readmitted only one time. A second dismissal may not be appealed.

Time Limits

Degree candidates must fulfill all the requirements for the graduate degree within six consecutive years of the date of matriculation, unless their program specifies a more restrictive time limit. This time limit ensures that the degree conferred represents a well-sequenced, cohesive body of current knowledge. All the program requirements, including coursework, transfer credits, independent studies, and internships must be completed within the six-year time limit. Exceptions may be requested for cases in which the progress to degree is interrupted by circumstances that are beyond control of the student by written appeal to the program director explaining and documenting the circumstances. Final approval of any exception rests with the Dean of the school through which the program is offered.

Withdrawal from the College

Students may discontinue their education by completing the withdrawal request form. Oral notice is not sufficient. The withdrawal request form will be reviewed by the Dean of Students (or designee) who will then notify the Office of the Registrar of the intent to withdraw. Refunds of tuition and room and board charges are implemented according to the schedule given in the Fees and Expenses section of this catalog. Withdrawals associated with any disciplinary action may result in the forfeiture of any fees and expenses to the College. If you choose to return to the College at a later date, you must reapply for admission.

Withdrawal from the Program

Withdrawal is initiated by the student (except as noted below), usually in consultation with their academic advisor. Mere non-attendance does not constitute official withdrawal from the program. It is necessary to email the Registrar to obtain and complete an official withdrawal form and file it with the Registrar. The date of withdrawal will determine any financial implications of doing so.

Non-Attendance

Matriculated students who have not enrolled in two consecutive semesters in which they take at least four credits each semester will be automatically withdrawn from the program without notice; while they may appeal to the program director in writing to be re-activated, depending on circumstances, they may be required to reapply with no guarantee of admission.

International students must adhere to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) regulations regarding taking time off and should consult with the Office of International Student Support with any questions.

Personal Leave of Absence

Matriculated students need to request a personal leave of absence by completing the request for leave form found on MyMack and submitting it to the Dean of Students for approval. Authorization for leaves of absence will be granted by the Dean of Students upon review of the student’s request for leave. The Dean of Students grants and determines the start date of the leave and will notify the Office of the Registrar or approved designee who will then notify the student’s professors and additional relevant College staff. While on leave, students must request the permission of the Dean of Students to be on campus. Requests for a personal leave must be made within three (3) weeks of the effective date requested or before the last two (2) weeks of the semester in which the leave is requested, whichever comes first. 

Personal leaves of absence are granted to matriculated students who determine that circumstances necessitate a temporary interruption of their college careers. A personal leave of absence means that an individual will not be considered a current student; however, should they have questions about campus resources they can reach out to the Dean of Students Office. A personal leave of absence is granted for not more than one (1) year, unless the student receives an extension of the leave from the Dean of Students.

To return from a leave of absence, students must complete a request to return form on MyMack that will be sent to the Dean of Students for approval. Upon review of request to return, the Dean of Students may require additional steps which could include: individual meetings and/or the review of disciplinary actions while on leave. Once reviewed by the Dean of Students and will be approved.   

Students on leaves of absence of more than one (1) year’s duration may be held to any changes in the College curriculum or their programs of study occurring during their leave. Upon return, a student’s academic circumstances, including academic monitoring and/or probation, will remain the same as it was when the student was granted a leave. 

There will be no refunds for fees and expenses. However, there is no added cost to take a leave of absence and students will not be charged for semesters in which they did not attend Merrimack College However, if undergraduate students take courses at another college during this time without prior approval from their Academic Advisor, they will be charged $100 per semester credit to transfer credits to Merrimack. Please note that not all credits transfer from one college to another. 

Acceptance for return as a resident student is always contingent upon available space in the residence halls.

No refund is provided for a Personal Leave of Absence, even if the student is enrolled in the College’s Tuition Insurance. 

Voluntary Medical Leave of Absence

Matriculated students need to request a medical leave of absence by submitting a written request by email to the Associate Dean of Health and Wellness. A Medical Leave of Absence is requested when a student experiences a medical condition that precludes them from attending class and/or taking part in the college experience. The application must include written documentation from a physician or other qualified licensed professional that is unaffiliated with the College detailing the need to take a leave. The Associate Dean of Health and Wellness will assign a provider in Hamel Health Center or a clinician in the Counseling Center to review the application and speak with the student. After review, the Associate Dean of Health and Wellness will make a recommendation to the Dean of Students. Authorization for medical leaves of absence will be granted by the Dean of Students upon review of the student’s application for leave and in consultation with the Associate Dean of Health and Wellness. The Dean of Students grants and determines the start date of the leave and will notify the Office of the Registrar or approved designee who will then notify the student’s professors and additional relevant College staff. While on leave, students must request the permission of the Dean of Students to be on campus. 

Requests for a medical leave must be made within three (3) weeks of the effective date requested or before the last two (2) weeks in the semester in which the leave is requested, whichever comes first. 

The leave should provide enough time for the student to pursue appropriate treatment. After each semester on medical leave, the Associate Dean of Health and Wellness will contact the student and ask if they intend to return for the next semester. When a student wishes to return to the College following a medical leave, the student will submit documentation from a treating physician or other qualified licensed professional responsible for the student’s care that is unaffiliated with the College regarding their readiness to return. The documentation should be from a provider related to the reason for taking leave. The Associate Dean of Health and Wellness or Dean of Students will then arrange a meeting with the student. The Associate Dean of Health and Wellness will then make a recommendation regarding the student’s return to the College to the Dean of Students, who will make the final determination and notify the Office of the Registrar and relevant College staff. Students may extend their leave of absence for as many semesters as needed. In order to extend their leave, they must communicate with the Associate Dean of Health and Wellness each semester. If a student does not respond to outreach for two (2) consecutive semesters, they will be automatically withdrawn from the College. After two (2) semesters of no communication from the student, they will receive communication of their automatic withdrawal and need to reapply if they wish to return. 

Students on leaves of absence of more than one (1) year’s duration may be held to any changes in the College curriculum or their programs of study occurring during their leave. Upon return, a student’s academic circumstances, including academic monitoring and/or probation, will remain the same as it was when the student was granted a leave. 

There will be no refunds for fees and expenses. However, there is no added cost to take a leave of absence and students will not be charged for semesters in which they did not attend Merrimack College. However, if undergraduate students take courses at another college during this time without prior approval, they will be charged $100 per semester credit to transfer credits to Merrimack. Students must get prior approval from the dean of their school AND the Associate Dean of Health and Wellness. Please note that not all credits transfer from one college to another. 

Acceptance for return as a resident student is always contingent upon available space in the residence halls.

For students enrolled in the College’s Tuition Insurance program, assuming that the student provides sufficient and proper documentation, insurance coverage is available.

For students not enrolled in the College’s Tuition Insurance, no refund will be provided. 

Commencement Participation

Students who have completed all degree requirements for their program may participate in the College’s annual Commencement exercises. A student may participate in Commencement if they complete the Declaration of Intent to Graduate form and their expected total is no more than eight (8) credits less than the minimum requirement for their degree program. For example, a student in a graduate degree program requiring 36 credits may participate if their expected total is at least 28 credits.

Diplomas will be awarded if and when the student has been certified by their program director as having completed all academic requirements and has been certified by the Bursar as having met all financial obligations to the College. Students are required to complete the Declaration of Intent to Graduate form during their last semester by the date published by the Office of the Registrar.

Students who have not satisfactorily completed all academic requirements for graduation at the time of Commencement may participate in the ceremony if they meet or exceed the criteria described below; however, they will receive a blank diploma. They may also opt out, and choose to participate at a subsequent Commencement. Requirements for participation in Commencement are not subject to appeal.

Determination of eligibility occurs at the end of the drop/add period in the final academic term preceding Commencement. At that time, the Registrar will calculate each student’s expected credit total, which is the number of credits earned plus the number for which the student is registered at that time. 

Degrees are conferred three times per year: May, August 31, and December 31. Diplomas are mailed within the following month.

Individuals who wish to submit verification of degree completion to employers or to graduate schools during the period between the end of their final grading period and the conferring of degrees may obtain a letter of completion from the Office of the Registrar.

Replacement Diplomas

Replacement diplomas may be ordered through the Office of the Registrar for an additional fee.

Additional Academic Policies

Academic Advising

Each graduate student should consult with their program director or designated academic advisor before enrolling in courses to ensure that their course of study aligns with program requirements.

Attendance

Regular attendance in all courses is required. The course instructor will establish the specific attendance policy for each course.

Drop/Add Courses Policy

The Academic calendar, posted on the Office of the Registrar web page lists the precise date for the end of the “drop/add period” for each term. To formally drop a course during this period, the student must do so through MyMack, Merrimack College’s online resource portal. Courses dropped in the regular drop/add period will not appear on the student’s permanent record or transcript. Students who fail to officially drop a course will remain enrolled and be required to pay tuition and applicable fees. In addition, students who fail to officially drop a course and who cease to attend classes will receive an “F” on the official transcript. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that their schedule is accurate.

Auditing a Course

With the written approval of both the program director and the course instructor, a graduate student may register for a course on an audit basis. No examinations or assignments are required, no grade is assigned, and no credit is granted for course completion. If they wish to take tests or the final examination or complete assignments for no credit and no grade, they may do so only with permission of the instructor. Under no circumstance can a course taken on an audit basis be assigned credit at a later date. Financial aid is not available for audited courses. Audited courses do not count toward federal financial aid eligibility.

Students may, with the written permission of both the course instructor and the program coordinator, make a change in registration from audit to credit or credit to audit during the drop/add period.  

Transfer Credits   

Visit the “Transfer Credit ” section (under the “Admissions Policies and Processes” heading within the “Graduate Admission” section) for more information.

Requesting Transcripts

Students may visit the Office of the Registrar website to request an official transcript. There is a fee for requesting a transcript. Please contact the Office of the Registrar with any questions.

Credit Hour Policy and Definitions

Merrimack College’s policy on credit hours is in compliance with the New England Commission of Higher Education’s policy on credits and degree, which defines a credit hour as an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is consistent with commonly accepted practice in postsecondary education and that reasonably approximates not less than:

• One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or 10 to 12 weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
• At least an equivalent amount of work as required in the above paragraph for other academic activities as established by the institution, including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

Courses Meeting Fewer than 15 Weeks and Blended Delivery Courses

The credit hours awarded for a course must be reasonably equivalent to the standard of three hours of combined direct instruction and student work per credit hour for a 15-week semester. The hours of direct instruction and out-of-class student work may consist of course activities including, but not limited to:

• Face-to-face course meetings
• Time to read assigned texts or other assigned materials
• Virtual course meetings, student-instructor, or student-student interactions
• Experiential learning activities consistent with the learning objectives of the course, such as service learning projects, research with faculty, or practicum placements
• Synthesis/processing/reflection time and activities (may be used for writing or production of creative work which may take many forms, including but not limited to journals, formal papers, blogs, art, music, etc.)

Assigned activities should reflect a reasonable expectation by the instructor of the time it would take to meet the learning objectives of the course or assignment.

Online Courses

The credit hours awarded for an online course must be reasonably equivalent to the standard of three hours of combined direct instruction and student work per credit hour for a 15-week semester.

Internships / Practicums

The credit hours awarded for an internship / practicum course must be reasonably equivalent to the standard of three hours of combined direct instruction and student work per credit hour for a 15-week semester. Specific internship guidelines are provided at the School in which the course is housed.

Course Type Definitions

Blended Course Definition

24-74% of course work is done via distance education in which instruction and interaction occurs via electronic communication or equivalent mechanisms, with the faculty and students physically separated from each other.

Online Learning Course Definition

All or the vast majority (75% or more) of the instruction and interaction occurs via electronic communication or equivalent mechanisms, with the faculty and students physically separated from each other. The academic unit sponsoring the course or program will use this definition to determine if the course is a distance learning course.

Independent or Directed Study Course Definition

The credit hours awarded for a directed study course must be reasonably equivalent to the standard of three hours of combined direct instruction and student work per credit hour for a 15-week semester. A directed study must be developed in consultation with the faculty member who will supervise the work and then must be approved by the program director and submitted to the Office of the Registrar.

Independent/directed study courses are often offered as variable credit hours, generally one (1) to four (4) credits. The hours of direct instruction and out-of-class student work may consist of course activities including, but not limited to:

• Time spent on course-related reading or other content delivery media

• Substantive face-to-face or virtual student-instructor interaction

• Writing assignments or other forms of learning assessments

• Experiential education activities

Field-based Experiences: Graduate Fellowships, Assistantships, Internships, and Practicums

Some programs offer fellowships, internships, or practicums. Fellowships and internships may offer some sort of financial aid or reimbursement.

Fellowship

Fellowships are competitive internal (institutional) or external awards to support a full-time course of study for qualified graduate students. Fellowships provide financial support through tuition-reductions and link graduate study with an on-site professional experience that builds and enhances professional skills.

Assistantship

Assistantships provide various levels of support and tuition remission for students engaged in experiences, practices, and/or labors that are connected to their fields of study and career preparation. Categories of assistantship include, but are not limited to research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and graduate assistantships.

Internship

An internship is a credit-bearing form of experiential learning/job training that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Students are required to apply through the O’Brien Center for Career Development and consult with their department as guidelines vary by academic program.

Practicum

A practicum is a graduate-level course, often in a specialized field of study, which is designed to give students supervised practical training in the application of a previously or concurrently-studied theory. Practicums are common for students in education and social work programs to fulfill requirements for licensure.

Institutional Review Board (“IRB”) for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research

The mission of the Merrimack College IRB is to safeguard the rights and well-being of human subjects in projects conducted at or sponsored by Merrimack College. All College sponsored projects involving research with human subjects are within the jurisdiction of Merrimack College’s IRB.

The specific responsibilities of the Merrimack College IRB include:

1. Developing and disseminating federally-compliant policies for the protection of human subjects.
2. Developing and implementing institutionally-appropriate procedures for ensuring the protection of human subjects, in collaboration with other members of the Merrimack College community.
3. Educating members of the Merrimack College community about the ethical and legal obligations associated with human subject projects.
4. Conducting reviews of generalizable research projects to ensure that such research will be carried out in a manner which safeguards the rights and well-being of the subjects.
5. Promoting professional development in research ethics for Merrimack College employees in support of their instructional, research and administrative work.

Professional Standards

Graduate students participating in field-based experiences through Merrimack College are required not only to maintain satisfactory academic progress but also to meet appropriate professional standards as well. The student’s performance and progress at the field site will be monitored by the program director or a faculty member within their program. If the student fails to meet satisfactory professional standards set by the program, they will be at risk of being dismissed from their placement, as well as losing any financial aid that accompanies it. Depending on the circumstances, dismissal from the placement may also entail dismissal from the program. For specific details regarding your program’s process, see your program’s handbook.

Fellows/assistants/interns are retained only if they are doing acceptable work, maintaining academic good standing (overall 3.0 GPA), making progress towards their degrees, and meeting their obligations to their departments and to the College in an acceptable manner. The student may be informed in writing that there is risk of termination as soon as it becomes evident that their performance is unsatisfactory. The warning letter may:

• Outline the performance concerns
• Suggest required remedies
• Set a date by which the matter will be reviewed and a determination made of whether there has been sufficient improvement 

In serious cases, a field experience may be terminated effective immediately. In these cases, the department is not obligated to use the above warning procedure. The program director may immediately suspend any/all duties of the fellow/assistant/intern pending the program director’s decision regarding termination. Serious cases include, but are not limited to, violations of college policy/procedures and violations of ethical or professional codes or standards. Termination appeals may be made in writing first to the student’s program director, then to the dean of the appropriate school. All financial support ends on the date of termination. 

Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures

Academic Integrity Code

[Adapted from policies and procedures at Villanova University]

The academic purpose of attending college is to pursue knowledge and truth, a purpose wholeheartedly embraced by St. Augustine in his own intellectual life. The collegial pursuit of knowledge and truth depends on cooperation and trust between student and teacher, among students, and between the student and the College. This pursuit involves learning methods of research and writing whereby such knowledge and truth are both learned and subsequently conveyed through competencies and skills acquired through academic study.

Academic integrity is fundamental to creating and maintaining an atmosphere of cooperation and trust. It is thus a concern for everyone in the college community. The academic integrity code below is designed to help students understand what is not permissible in their academic and intellectual lives at the College. It seeks to protect students from unintentional acts of dishonesty and to preserve the trust inherent in the student-teacher relationship, which is compromised if suspicion arises regarding the integrity of a student’s work. The code is also designed to inform students of the rules which will be used to judge academic integrity infractions.

Academic Integrity Code

In the broadest sense, academic dishonesty results from any attempt to gain an unfair advantage over others. The following definitions and examples are meant to guide you as students in the matter of avoiding academic dishonesty in your studies at the College. The code is also designed to inform you of the rules which will be used to judge academic integrity infractions.

Cheating

While taking a test, quiz, or examination, you must rely on your own mastery of the subject and not attempt to receive help in any way not explicitly approved by the instructor. For example, students cannot use books, notes, study aids, assistance from electronic devices, or another’s work without the instructor’s permission.

Trying to take someone else’s examination or trying to have someone else take your own examination is prohibited, as is lying about a class absence or about the need for an extension on a paper or exam, claiming that an exam or paper has been submitted but lost by the instructor, or changing exam answers after the exam has been returned. Obtaining, in advance, specific questions on any test, quiz, or examination not authorized by the instructor is likewise prohibited. Similarly, purchasing a term paper or copying another student’s work and submitting it in whole or in part as your own are prohibited and constitute plagiarism (see below).

Team or collaborative projects, however, where students are told by their instructor to work together and the submission represents joint effort, are permissible.

Fabrication

You must not falsify, invent, alter, or use in a deliberately misleading way any information, data, or citations in any assignment. For example, making up or changing data or results or relying on someone else’s results in an experiment or lab assignment is prohibited, as is citing sources that either don’t exist or have not been actually used or consulted.

Complicity

You must not help or attempt to help another student commit an act of academic dishonesty as, for example, allowing another student to cheat from your exam or assignment or helping another student on a take-home exam. This prohibition does not apply to team projects where students are directed by their instructor to work together.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is intellectual theft. At Merrimack, the failure to acknowledge the intellectual contributions of others is considered plagiarism. It is important to avoid even unintentional plagiarism by being familiar with accepted ways to acknowledge sources and by developing good note-taking and research habits. The explanations and examples below are designed to help you avoid plagiarism.

The most common way to acknowledge the reliance or indebtedness to someone else’s work is to provide footnotes, end-notes, in-text citations, or other documentation. Commonplace knowledge such as well-known dates, proverbs, or colloquial expressions seldom require documentation, but you should consult your instructor or cite the source if you are in doubt. In general, the harder it would be for someone to find the fact you have mentioned, the more likely you need to acknowledge its source. It is your responsibility to show clearly when and where you are relying on others, in part because your readers may wish to learn from the same sources you have used.

Since the internet has made information so readily available and the indebtedness of students to sources of many kinds raises issues of how best to handle sources, the following instructions are meant to be helpful in avoiding plagiarism. They are not, however, a substitute for instructions from your particular teachers.

It’s plagiarism if you use someone else’s words without acknowledgment. If you use someone else’s words, not only must you give the source, but you must also put these words in quotation marks or use some other appropriate means of indicating that the words are not your own. This requirement applies to spoken as well as written words and mathematical formulations, whether or not they have been formally published.

It’s plagiarism if you use someone else’s ideas, facts, data, or arguments without acknowledgment, even if the words you use are your own. If you use someone else’s examples, reasoning, or experimental results, you must acknowledge that use. Paraphrasing, summarizing, or rearranging someone else’s words, ideas, or results does not alter your indebtedness to the source, which must be acknowledged.

It is plagiarism if you acknowledge someone in a way that will lead a reader or listener to think your indebtedness is less than it actually was. If you use a whole paragraph worth of ideas from a source and include as your final sentence a quotation from that source, for example, you must indicate that your indebtedness includes more than just the quotation. If you simply put a page number after the quotation, you will lead your reader to think that only the quotation comes from the source. Instead, make clear that you have used more than the quotation.

Since online information is so readily available and cut-and-paste procedures are so easy to use, you must understand and use accepted techniques for citing internet sources and must be particularly on guard not to claim authorship of any idea or words of another. Since many internet sources do not include an author’s name, it is easy to assume that the work is part of the public domain and may be used without acknowledgment. This is not the case. All work taken from another must be acknowledged. The same rules apply to citing internet sources as apply to citing print sources, but the form of the citations may differ. Information on how and when to properly cite sources is available from your instructor. You can also seek help from staff in the McQuade Library or visit the library’s webpage. Help is also available at the Writing Center located in the McQuade Library.

The words or ideas of a roommate or tutor or of an encyclopedia, or notes from another class all require acknowledgment. Introductions and notes from books also require acknowledgment. Speak with your instructor about the best way to handle such acknowledgments for your particular class.

It’s still plagiarism if you use unacknowledged material accidentally or even unintentionally. Avoiding plagiarism begins with good note-taking, research, and essay-drafting habits. Take careful notes on sources, keeping track of these sources throughout the various stages of the writing process. Notes should identify the information you have obtained and where you acquired it so that later you can acknowledge your indebtedness accurately. A paper can be plagiarized even if you have simply forgotten that you used a certain source, or even if you have included material accidentally without remembering that it was taken from another source. One of the most common problems is that students write a draft of a paper without proper documentation, intending to go back later to “put in the references.” In some cases students accidentally hand in such papers instead of the documented version, or they forget to include some citations in their final draft. The fact that the wrong draft was submitted is not a defense against an accusation of plagiarism. In general students are held accountable for the work that they actually hand in, rather than the work they intended to hand in.

Appropriation

You must acknowledge the original source when using or incorporating an existing work into the production of a new work for a variety of purposes such as creating parody, offering commentary, or extending meaning and/or expression through a new context for the original work. Appropriation is particularly relevant to the fine arts. It is an expressive option that requires attention to legal and historical practice and responsibility since copyright and other laws may be involved. You should acknowledge the original source(s) according to your instructor’s guidelines.

Multiple Submissions

You must not submit academic work for a class which has been done for another class unless your instructor gives prior approval. In any assignment, an instructor is justified in expecting that a certain kind of learning will be taking place. Handing in something done previously may preclude this learning.

Unsanctioned Collaboration

When doing out-of-class projects or assignments, you must work individually unless collaboration has been expressly encouraged or permitted by your instructor. In many disciplines, collaboration is considered not simply a vital tool for learning, but more importantly, one of the primary means for generating knowledge. Thus it is expected, encouraged, and in some cases mandatory that students collaborate with each other, with faculty, and with tutors as they complete their assignments. You should follow your instructor’s guidelines with respect to whether and what kind of collaboration is permissible with regard to an assignment or project. You should follow your instructor’s guidelines with respect to seeking the help of tutors for a graded assignment and to the manner of the acknowledgment of such help. If you are in doubt as to whether collaboration is acceptable, you should assume that you are expected to do your work independently unless cooperation is specifically authorized by the instructor. When in doubt, ask your instructor.

Penalties for Academic Dishonesty

Individual Course Penalty

The academic course penalty will be determined by your instructor. A student who violates the academic integrity code in a course may receive an F for the course, or, at the discretion of the instructor, a less severe penalty. If you withdraw from any course in which you have been accused of an academic integrity violation for which the penalty is F for the course, the Provost / Vice President for Academic Affairs (“VPAA”) will record the grade of WF on your transcript.

College Penalty

If the course penalty results in failure for the course, you will be referred to the instructor’s academic dean. The severity of the violation may, in the judgment of the dean and upon the recommendation of the instructor, require an additional college penalty beyond failure for the course. A college penalty may result in such actions as suspension or expulsion from the College. Your academic dean will be notified of the action. If not expelled from the College, you must complete an educational program devised by the Office of the Provost / VPAA and supervised by your academic dean, to help you come to a fuller understanding of the academic integrity code. If you fail to complete the educational program to the satisfaction of your dean, and within the timelines specified by your dean, a hold will be placed on your transcript until the program has been completed.

Right of Appeal

If you acknowledge the integrity infraction but believe that the course grade penalty is inappropriate, you may appeal the grade through the normal college procedure for resolving grade disputes. Your instructor can inform you of the process as can your academic advisor or your academic dean. If you acknowledge the integrity infraction but believe the college penalty, if one has been imposed by the instructor’s dean, is inappropriate, you may appeal the dean’s penalty to the Provost / VPAA. All college penalty decisions are reviewed by the Provost / VPAA. If you believe that you have not committed an integrity infraction, your instructor or your instructor’s dean will refer your case to the Academic Integrity Board (“AIB”). You may also appeal directly to the AIB. If you withdraw from the College before your appeal is completed, the Provost / VPAA will enter the grade of WF on your transcript for the course and any reapplication for admission to the College may be denied.

Academic Integrity Review Procedures

These procedures cover all cases where students are alleged to have committed infractions of the academic integrity code. Materials on academic integrity violations will be considered an internal and confidential record. These materials will be retained in the files of the Provost / VPAA until the student graduates or withdraws from the College. At that point, the files will be removed and destroyed.

Note: All references to “dean” in the following procedures are to the instructor’s academic dean unless otherwise indicated.

Reporting the Violation

The Academic Integrity Code helps students understand what is permissible and what is not regarding academic course conduct. Any additional requirements an instructor seeks to impose must be specifically published and accessible to students on either an instructor’s course syllabus and/or course website.

1. If an instructor believes that a student has violated the academic integrity code, the instructor will, under normal circumstances, notify the student, allowing the student an opportunity to respond. Depending on the circumstances, the instructor may choose to notify the student orally or in writing. At their sole discretion, the instructor may take a variety of actions, including taking no action, requiring the student to redo the work or complete an alternative piece of work, giving the student a failing grade for the assignment in question, or giving the student a failing grade for the course, which requires written notification to the student.
2. When an instructor assigns as penalty a failing grade for the course, the instructor must also report the matter in writing to the instructor’s department chair. If the department chair has questions, the chair may refer the matter back to the instructor for further discussion or clarification. Unless the instructor wishes to withdraw the action, the department chair will report the matter to the dean. The dean will notify the Office of the Provost / VPAA’s of the instructor’s action. If the dean decides to impose a college penalty, then such a penalty can include suspension or expulsion from the College. The dean may request further consultation with the instructor, the department chair, or the student before imposing such a penalty
3. Students who believe an academic integrity violation by others has occurred should report the suspected violation to the instructor. If the instructor does not act on the report, students may also report the matter to the instructor’s department chair, the instructor’s academic dean, or to their own academic dean who will report the complaint to the instructor’s academic dean. The instructor’s department chair or academic dean will investigate and determine how to proceed.

Appeals

Appealing the Course Grade Penalty

If a student believes the course grade penalty imposed by the instructor is inappropriate, the student can appeal the course grade through the normal college procedure for resolving grade disputes (see Appendix K of the Faculty Handbook).

Appealing the College Penalty

If a student believes the College penalty imposed by the dean is inappropriate, the student may appeal the college penalty to the Provost / VPAA.

Appealing the Allegation

If a student denies that an academic integrity violation has occurred, the dean will refer the matter to the AIB. A student may also appeal directly to the AIB.

Upon receiving notice from the dean that an alleged academic integrity violation has occurred and the student(s) involved have denied the allegation, the Provost / VPAA will direct the Chair of the AIB to assemble a hearing panel consisting of faculty and student members of the AIB (see “Composition and Procedures of the Academic Integrity Board” in Appendix A). If several students are involved in one case, the dean may request that the panel consider the situation of all involved students, even if one or more do not deny having committed an academic integrity offense. The panel will make a determination regarding whether academic dishonesty has occurred and convey its findings to the dean, who will advise the student and the instructor of their rights of appeal.

The sole purpose of the hearing panel is to determine whether an academic integrity violation has occurred.

If the hearing panel determines that a violation has occurred, the original action of the instructor will stand, subject to decision on any appeal of the board’s findings (see “Appealing the Findings of the AIB” below). The Chair of the AIB will notify in writing at the same time the instructor’s academic dean and all parties of the hearing panel’s findings. If the student believes, nonetheless, that the instructor’s action is inappropriate, the student may appeal the grade through the normal college procedure for resolving grade disputes. The grade appeal process will only consider the grade and not reconsider or review the decision that an academic integrity violation has occurred.

If the hearing panel determines that a violation has occurred, the dean may impose on the student a college penalty. If, in the dean’s judgment, there are no extenuating or mitigating circumstances and the penalty for the academic integrity violation assigned is expulsion from the College, the dismissal and the reason for the dismissal may be noted on the student’s transcript. If the hearing panel determines that a violation has NOT occurred, the Chair of the AIB notifies in writing the instructor’s dean and all parties, at the same time, of the hearing panel’s findings. The instructor’s department chair will then request that the instructor re-grade the student’s work based on the premise that no violation has occurred. If the instructor refuses, the instructor’s department chair will follow the normal college procedure for resolving grade disputes to resolve the matter.

Appealing the Findings of the AIB

Findings of the hearing panel of the AIB can be appealed in writing to the dean by either the student(s) or the instructor within five (5) business days. There are only two grounds for an appeal: (1) there was a material procedural error in the panel’s review of the case; (2) new evidence not reasonably available to the panel at the time of its deliberations has come to light.

After reviewing the records of the hearing panel, written materials submitted with the request for an appeal of the panel’s findings, and the results of any further consultations with the parties, the dean may either affirm the finding of the hearing panel or remand the case to the hearing panel on the basis of either or both grounds for appeal.

If the case is remanded to the hearing panel, the panel will review and correct any substantiated violation of procedure and examine any new evidence; it will once again forward its findings to the dean. At this point, the dean will review the findings to be sure the grounds for the appeal of the hearing panel’s original findings have been addressed. If so, the findings of the board will stand.

Required Educational Program

Once the determination has been made that an academic integrity violation has occurred, either by admission of the student(s) or findings of the hearing panel of the AIB and the penalty is not expulsion from the College, the student’s academic dean, in consultation with the AIB Chair, will require the student to complete a program of education and reflection on the meaning and importance of academic integrity. This program will be designed by the Office of the Provost / VPAA and may include written exercises, community service, and/or participation in an integrity educational program supervised by the College.

If the educational program is not completed in a timely and satisfactory manner as determined by the student’s academic dean, the student’s dean will impose a hold on the student’s academic records, thus preventing the student from registering for further courses, transferring coursework to another institution, or graduating until the conditions of the educational program have been met.

Composition and Procedures of the AIB

The AIB is the appeals mechanism for allegations of academic integrity code violations. It consists of faculty members and students. From its ranks come the members of a hearing panel for any case of alleged academic dishonesty. The sole purpose of the hearing panel is to determine whether an academic integrity violation has occurred. The hearing process is an internal community-based procedure governed by the policies of Merrimack College and is limited to members of the Merrimack College community as defined below.

Membership

The Provost / VPAA will constitute the membership of the AIB according to the requirements below. Except for the Chair of the AIB, who is a member of the Provost / VPAA’s staff, AIB members will normally serve three-year terms to provide experience and continuity to the hearing panels.

1. A Chair of the AIB from the Office of the Provost / VPAA who will have faculty status, as defined in the Faculty Senate Constitution and Bylaws in the Faculty Handbook. The job of the Chair will be to oversee the academic integrity policy at the College, including ensuring that incoming students are aware of the code, that the code is widely disseminated and regularly communicated, working with faculty and academic support staff in devising ways that promote and support academic integrity, devising an educational program to aid understanding of academic integrity by students who have violated the code, and overseeing all procedures of the AIB, including the training of board members on issues such as conflicts of interest, the importance of confidentiality, and how to assess evidence.
2. At least five (5) full time faculty with at least one faculty person from each of the College’s disciplinary divisions (business, humanities, science and engineering, social science) chosen by the Faculty Senate. The faculty will normally serve for three-year terms.
3. At least four (4) graduate students chosen by the Graduate Student Government Association are drawn from each of the College’s Schools. Students will serve for the duration of their tenure at the College.

If a vacancy in the board occurs, the Provost / VPAA will ask the Faculty Senate and/or the Graduate Student Government Association to fill the respective vacancy.

The Hearing Panel

A hearing panel will be formed from the membership of the AIB to hear cases involving an alleged breach of the academic integrity code. A new panel for each case will be formed by the Chair of the AIB on the basis of availability and impartiality. A panel will consist of six (6) members from the following AIB membership categories: the Chair of the AIB, who will be a non-voting member, who will provide continuity among the various hearing panels, convene and preside over the proceedings, and assure compliance with the requirements of reviewing the complaint at all levels including the hearing process; one faculty member, preferably from the school of the course involved in the alleged violation; two (2) other faculty members, preferably one from the student’s school if different from that of the course instructor; two (2) students.

The Hearing Panel Review Process

1. When a case is referred to the AIB, the Office of the Provost / VPAA will ask the Chair of the AIB to convene a hearing panel to determine if a violation has occurred. Normally the panel will be convened within thirty (30) days of receipt of notification. If the violation occurred prior to the final exam in the course, the hearing panel will, if possible, be convened prior to the scheduled time of the final exam. If the violation is reported during the examination period or between semesters, the hearing panel will, if possible, be convened within thirty (30) days after the beginning of the next fall or spring semester.
2. The Chair of the AIB will inform, in writing, the student(s), the instructor, the instructor’s department chair or Program Director, the instructor’s dean and the student’s dean (and, if appropriate, any additional or other complainant) of the time, place, and membership of the hearing panel. The AIB Chair will do so within a reasonable time to permit adequate preparation for the hearing. The hearing will not be delayed if a student cannot be reached for lack of a correct address in the College’s student record system. If the student fails to appear for the hearing, the hearing panel will make its judgment on the basis of the evidence presented at the hearing, and the student will forfeit any right to a further hearing or appeal.
3. Members of the hearing panel will disqualify themselves from hearing a case if they feel there is a conflict of interest or a perceived conflict of interest. A disqualified member will be replaced by another member of the same membership category, if possible (see “The Hearing Panel” above for the definition of categories). If another member of the same membership category is not available, the Chair of the AIB will select another member of the AIB to fill the vacancy. In no case, however, will the number of students on the hearing panel exceed two. If the AIB Chair cannot perform the responsibilities of chairing the hearing panel either because there is a real or perceived conflict of interest or other special circumstance that prevents it, then the Provost / VPAA will provide a person to serve as hearing panel chair, preferably a past or present member of the AIB. An accused student or a complainant may object to any single panel member assigned to the case. The objection must be written and received by the AIB Chair at least two (2) business days before the hearing. Upon ruling that a challenge is valid, the AIB Chair, after notifying the student and complainant, as applicable, will replace the challenged member with another from the same category if possible. If another member of the same category is not available, the AIB Chair will select another member of the AIB to fill the vacancy.
4. The student(s), the instructor, and the instructor’s chair or program director may attend the hearing. Each may, with the approval of the AIB Chair, address the panel. Any member of the panel may question the student(s) or the instructor. The student may present relevant evidence, including witnesses, in support of their position. The hearing will be conducted at the College and is closed to the public (including parents, legal guardians, and legal counsel). The AIB Chair will preside but not vote. Formal rules of evidence will not apply. The AIB Chair may admit or exclude witnesses during the testimony of other witnesses and may exclude any person who, in the Chair’s judgment, disrupts the proceeding. The student or instructor may each be accompanied by a student or faculty member whose role is limited to advising the student or instructor. This adviser may not make statements, examine witnesses, or otherwise intervene. Advisers cannot be attorneys in any case.
5. The hearing panel will deliberate among themselves with no other persons present and make its determination by confidential majority vote based on the evidence. The sole purpose of the panel is to consider whether an academic integrity violation has occurred. The panel does not make recommendations on issues such as mitigating circumstances or the severity of the punishment. All materials and discussions with respect to any case are considered confidential educational records and are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”), and any release of case materials is guided by the College’s FERPA guidelines. All communications follow the official Merrimack College communication policy as outlined in the Student Handbook. The minutes of the hearing or hearings are the responsibility of the AIB Chair and will be part of the official confidential file to be kept by the Chair of the AIB in the Office of the Provost / VPAA. The minutes should include the names of the student(s), the faculty member, the panel members, and any witnesses, advisers, or other individuals who attended the hearing, and should tell the result of the panel’s decision. The minutes should not include the actual vote count. The Chair may, at their sole discretion, also summarize information that was brought up in the hearing but that does not appear in the record.
6. The Chair of the AIB will notify in writing the instructor’s dean and all parties, at the same time, of the hearing panel’s findings.

Academic Dishonesty Sanction Guidelines

Copying answers from other students on exam (quiz, test, other course work): F for the course.

One person allowing another to cheat from their exam (quiz, test, other course work): F for the course.

Possessing or using material during the exam (crib sheets, notes, books, etc.) which is not expressly permitted by the instructor: F for the course.

Taking exam from room and later claiming that the instructor lost it: F for the course and further disciplinary action.

Failing to submit an assignment and later claiming that the instructor lost it: F for the course and further disciplinary action.

Changing answers after an exam (quiz, test, and other course work) has been returned: F for the course and further disciplinary action.

Fraudulent possession of exam prior to administration: F for the course and further disciplinary action.

Obtaining a copy of an exam or answer key prior to administration: F for the course and further disciplinary action.

Having someone else take an exam: F for the course and further disciplinary action for both students.

Plagiarism: F for the course.

Submission of purchased term papers or papers written by others: F for the course and further disciplinary action.

Submission of the same term papers to more than one instructor, where no previous approval has been given: F for the course and further disciplinary action.

Unauthorized collaboration on an assignment: F for the course for both students.