Academic Policies

These Academic Policies are effective for the 2006-2007 entry year. Students are bound by the Academic Policies in effect when they entered the College.

The Academic Year

The academic year at Simon’s Rock consists of two fifteen-week semesters, preceded in the fall by a week-long Writing and Thinking Workshop for newly admitted students. Each fall a list of important dates and deadlines in the academic year is printed in the Student Handbook. Students are responsible for meeting these deadlines when implementing changes in their course schedules.

Academic Advising

Each student has an academic advisor who is responsible for working with the student to design an academic program compatible with the student’s interests, abilities, and goals.

New students are assigned advisors and are required to meet with them weekly. A student may elect to change advisors by contacting the Registrar. At Moderation, students select a B.A. Program advisor to guide their work in the B.A. Program.

Course Numbering

Courses at Simon’s Rock are offered through four divisions: Arts; Languages and Literature; Science, Mathematics, and Computing; and Social Studies. Some courses are interdivisional. Level-100 courses develop basic skills appropriate to the subject matter. They also help the student make the transition to more advanced work. Level-200 courses build on the skills achieved in level-100 courses and work in greater depth in a subject area. Most courses in the 100- and 200-levels are taught every year or in alternating years as a course, tutorial, or independent study. Level-300 and -400 courses assume the student’s ability to work in depth and with increasing independence on more complex or advanced materials in a subject area. They include advanced topics, advanced seminars, tutorials, and independent study projects. These courses are offered periodically within a four-year period, their frequency partially determined by student interest and demand.

Enrollment in these courses is normally restricted to Upper College students. 

Course Load

Most courses meet for three hours per week. Courses at the 100- and 200-level typically earn three credits; courses at the 300- and 400-level earn 4 credits. Laboratory courses, accelerated beginning language classes, and 100- and 200-level general education seminars may also earn four credits. The credits assigned to each course are noted in the course descriptions.

All Simon’s Rock students who are working toward a degree are expected to be full-time, whether they live on or off campus. The minimum credit load to maintain full-time status is 12 credits per semester; the normal credit load is 15-16 credits per semester; the maximum credit load, without surcharge and Dean of Academic Affairs’ permission, is 18 credits per semester.

The normal course load for Lower College students is five courses per semester. The normal course load for Upper College students is four courses per semester, one of which is a Tutorial, Independent Study Project, Extended Campus Project, or Senior Thesis. Juniors and seniors with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above may register for one additional course. Any junior or senior whose GPA falls below 2.5 may not register for a Tutorial, Independent Study Project, or Extended Campus Project.

Exceptions to these credit and course limits must be approved by the Dean of Academic Affairs. Students who are given permission to exceed the maximum number of credits will be allowed to register for the additional course(s), for which there is an additional fee, only after all students have completed their registration. A student who withdraws or is suspended from a course for nonattendance, thereby reducing his/her course load to fewer than 12 credits, may be suspended from the college. Permission to carry fewer than 12 credits must be granted by the Dean of Academic Affairs.

Course Changes

Students who wish to change, add, or drop courses must do so through the Office of the Registrar within the deadlines listed in the academic calendar in the Student Handbook. Such changes are formally approved only when students have completed the necessary forms and obtained the required signatures of instructors and advisors.

Courses may be added only during the first two weeks of the semester, with consent of the instructor and the student’s advisor. Changing registration in courses that require determination of a mastery level, such as those in music, dance, or foreign language, is permitted through the third week of instruction.

Courses dropped by the end of the fourth week of the semester will not appear on the student’s academic record. First semester students may drop courses through the ninth week of the semester. A student may withdraw from a course with a grade of W between the fifth and ninth weeks of the semester. After that time, a student may not withdraw from a course and will receive a grade. A student who attends a course without formally registering for it will not be awarded credit for the course; a student who ceases to attend a class without completing a drop form will receive a final grade of F for that course. 

Grading System

Students receive written evaluations of their performance at midterm and following the completion of courses. Letter grades are also assigned as an abbreviated indication of overall performance. Together, the grade and comment sheets make up the student’s academic record. Final semester grades are recorded on the student’s official transcript in one of two ways: letter grades or Pass/Fail grades. Letter grades represent the following levels of academic achievement:

A = performance with distinction

B = good performance

C = satisfactory performance

D = minimally passing performance

F = failure; no credit

A plus (+) attached to a letter grade indicates a higher achievement at the level of that letter grade; a minus (-) indicates a lower achievement at the level of that letter grade.

Grades of A+ and D- are not used on academic records.

A grade of Pass (P) indicates acceptable performance; a grade of Fail (F) indicates unacceptable performance and is calculated in a student’s GPA as 0 points. Pass/Fail grades are awarded when the instructor wishes to distinguish only two different levels of accomplishment in a course or when an eligible student elects the Pass/Fail option.

Pass/Fail option: A student taking at least 14 credits of course work in a given semester may elect to take one course on a Pass/Fail basis. This option is designed to encourage students to explore courses outside previously defined areas of competence and is not available for required courses in the core curriculum or in the B.A. concentrations. The option exists even if some of the student’s courses are already designated by the instructor as Pass/Fail courses.

With consent of the instructor, a student in a Pass/Fail course may elect to receive a letter grade. The deadline for both options is the end of the fourth week of the semester. The student must fill out the applicable form and submit it to the Registrar.

The senior thesis is graded High Honors (HH), Honors (H), Pass (P), No Credit (NC), or Fail (F). The grades of High Honors, Honors and No Credit are used exclusively for theses and are not calculated into the GPA.

Academic and Class Standing

To determine whether or not a student is in good academic standing, a GPA is computed for each student. Letter grades are assigned the following equivalents: A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, and F=0. A plus (+) adds 0.3 and a minus (-) subtracts 0.3. Pass grades and the credits they represent are not included in the GPA. Fail grades are the same as Fs and are treated as such in the GPA.

To be in good academic standing at the end of a semester, a student must earn at least 12 credits and have both a semester and a cumulative GPA of 2.0.

Class standing is based on the total number of credits earned toward the degree:

First-year student 29 or fewer credits

Sophomore 30-59 credits

Junior 60-89 credits

Senior more than 90 credits

Satisfactory Academic Progress

To maintain eligibility for financial aid, students must make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) in accordance with federal, state, and Simon’s Rock guidelines.

Satisfactory academic progress means that students must annually achieve at least a C (2.0) grade point average and accumulate credits toward a degree according to the following schedule:

Academic years completed 1 2 3 4

Credits successfully completed 24 48 72 96

Failure to meet the standards of satisfactory progress at the conclusion of any academic year will result in ineligibility for further financial aid. There is a maximum time frame of 6 years or 180 earned credits, for students pursuing their B.A. degree. Time beyond that is not financial aid eligible. Students in pursuit of an A.A. degree are eligible for financial aid for a maximum time frame of 3 years, or 90 earned credits.

Once eligibility is suspended, it cannot be renewed until the student has regained satisfactory progress as defined above, or, a waiver from the Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee has been granted. A detailed letter explaining the circumstances surrounding the loss of credits, or GPA, must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office. All such appeals will be reviewed by the Standards & Procedures Committee. Students are notified of the appeal result in writing.

Academic Probation and Suspension

A student who is not in good academic standing at the end of a semester will either be placed on academic probation for the following semester or suspended from the college.

The conditions under which a student who is not in good academic standing may continue at the College are determined by the Dean of Academic Affairs in consultation with the Dean of Student Affairs and the student’s advisor. These conditions, which vary depending on the nature of the student’s difficulties, are formally recorded in a letter to the student from the Dean of Academic Affairs.

A student who achieves a semester GPA and cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher is automatically removed from academic probation at the end of the semester. If at the end of the probation semester a student has failed to achieve good academic standing, the Dean of Academic Affairs confers with the student’s instructors and advisor to determine whether the student may continue at Simon’s Rock and, if so, under what conditions.

A student who does not fulfill the conditions of probation, fails to earn a GPA of 1.5 in any given semester, fails to earn a GPA of 2.0 for two consecutive semesters, or after four or more semesters at Simon’s Rock does not achieve good academic standing in at least half the semesters is subject to suspension.

Suspended students, or students who have withdrawn, wishing to be considered for readmission are expected to involve themselves in activity that enhances study skills, self-discipline, and ability to work within a structured setting before applying to return to the College. Suspended students who are readmitted to the College following the period of their suspension are not eligible to receive financial aid from the College until good academic standing has been reattained.

The Dean’s List

The Dean’s List recognizes academic excellence. Students taking 14 or more graded credits in a given semester who earn either a semester GPA of 3.5 or a semester GPA of 3.3 with no grade below a B are named to the Dean’s List. Thesis-carrying seniors may be named to the Dean’s List with 12 graded credits (apart from the thesis) and a semester GPA of 3.5.

Graduation with Honors

A student earning the A.A. degree with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 graduates With Distinction.

Honors are awarded to B.A. degree candidates as follows:

For cum laude, a student must earn a GPA of at least 3.3 and a thesis grade of Pass.

For magna cum laude, a student must earn a GPA of at least 3.5 and a thesis grade of Honors.

For summa cum laude, a student must earn a GPA of at least 3.7 and a thesis grade of High Honors.

Incomplete Grades

A student who falls behind in a class may request a grade of Incomplete (I) from the instructor. A grade of Incomplete is not awarded automatically; rather it is given at the instructor’s discretion. A student must request an Incomplete and submit the appropriate form to the Registrar by the last day of classes.

A student may request only one Incomplete per term except for medical reasons. Approval for more than one incomplete per semester must be requested from the Dean of Academic Affairs.

In granting an Incomplete, the instructor sets a deadline by which all work must be submitted, usually one month from the last day of the semester. The instructor then submits a revised grade to the Registrar. If no revised grade is received by the second week of classes in the subsequent semester, the I becomes a final grade of F. No grade changes for a given semester will be accepted after the second week of the subsequent semester. 

Repeated Courses

A student who earns a course grade of C- or lower may repeat the course at Simon’s Rock. The new grade becomes the grade of record, and the original grade is eliminated from calculation of the GPA, and from the student’s transcript, although an indication that the course was repeated is retained. The student must file a Repeated Course Notification Form with the Registrar during the first two weeks of the semester. Transfer credit cannot replace a Simon’s Rock grade.

Transfer Credits

Students wishing to receive transfer credit at Simon’s Rock for work completed at other accredited institutions and programs should contact the Office of Academic Affairs prior to enrolling in such programs. Juniors who plan to study elsewhere during the academic year must file a form requesting leave to study elsewhere with Office of Academic Affairs. Only liberal arts and sciences courses in which the student has earned a grade of C or better will be considered for transfer. A total of 10 transfer credits may be applied toward the A.A. degree; up to 60 credits may be applied toward the B.A. degree. Grades awarded by other institutions for courses accepted for transfer are not used in calculating a student’s GPA at Simon’s Rock.

The process of transferring course credits begins by having an official transcript from the other institution sent to the Registrar at Simon’s Rock. The Registrar evaluates the acceptability of the courses and determines the number of allowable credits. Students may also be required to provide a course description and syllabus. Final approval of transfer credit rests with the Dean of Academic Affairs.

A course approved for transfer credit may be used to satisfy a core or concentration requirement only if the course is similar in content and scope to those used to satisfy the relevant requirement at Simon’s Rock. In order for a transfer course to be approved as meeting one of the school’s requirements, the student must submit a course description and syllabus for approval to the head of the division in which the corresponding Simon’s Rock course is listed. Students planning to take summer courses to satisfy core requirements should seek prior approval from the Dean of Academic Affairs and the appropriate division head.

Advanced Standing

Advanced standing for College Board Advanced Placement courses may be given at the discretion of the faculty in the appropriate discipline. A score of 5 is required for credit.

Students should be aware that AP credit counts in the 10 credits not earned at Simon’s Rock which may be counted toward the A.A. degree requirements.

High School Equivalence

Since most students enter Simon’s Rock before completing high school, they do not normally have high school diplomas. Many high schools will award a diploma after a student has successfully completed one year of college study. Students who want to obtain the diploma should check with their former high schools. Alternatively, a certificate of high school equivalence may be obtained by passing the General Educational Development (GED) examination, which is available to Simon’s Rock students through Berkshire Community College. A high school diploma is generally of significance only to those students who do not earn at least the associate of arts degree.

Attendance Policy

Students are expected to attend all classes. An absence from class is an irrevocably lost part of the course for both the individual and the group. Generally, an instructor’s evaluation of a student’s work depends partly on class participation. Classes immediately before and after vacations are as important as any other classes in the term. Students are expected to attend them and to limit their vacations to the days prescribed in the college calendar.

Students may obtain excused absences for such observance by informing their professors of their absences at least two weeks ahead of time and making arrangements to complete any work missed (see Statute on Absence due to Religious Beliefs below).

The only excused absences are for observance of religious holidays. If illness or emergency necessitates missing a class, the student should talk with the professor about how to make up the work missed. 

Statute on Absences due to Religious Beliefs

Pursuant to the requirements of the law set forth in Chapter 151C, Section 2B of the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a copy of this section is printed here in full. Any student in an educational or vocational training institution, other than a religious or denominational educational or vocational training institution, who is unable, because of his religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study, or work requirement on a particular day shall be excused from any such examination or study or work requirement, and shall be provided with an opportunity to make up such examination, study or work requirement which he may have missed because of such absence on any particular day; provided, however, that such makeup examination or work shall not create an unreasonable burden upon such school. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to the said student such opportunity. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of his availing himself of the provisions of this section. 

Suspension from Class for Excessive Absence

If a student is suspended from class for exceeding the permissible number of absences, the student, academic advisor, and the parent receive notification from the Office of Academic Affairs. The student may apply to the instructor for readmission. If the request is granted, a Reinstatement Form signed by the instructor and stating the conditions for returning to class must be filed with the Office of Academic Affairs within one week of the class suspension.

If the instructor or student decides against reinstatement, the student may drop or withdraw from the course by submitting the appropriate form to the registrar before the deadline unless that results in a course load below 12 credits. Students for whom suspension or withdrawal from class would result in a credit load below 12 credits receive an F for the course and may be liable for immediate suspension from the college. They must meet with the Dean of Academic Affairs immediately.

Leave of Absence

In the event of a serious illness or other severe problem that necessitates a student’s missing several consecutive classes, the student may request a formal Leave of Absence from health services or from the Dean of Academic Affairs. If a student is absent from more than a total of two weeks of class sessions for any reason, completion of the course requirements is often not possible. In such cases, certification from the professor is required that the student has already done sufficient work in the course for it to reasonably be completed by the end of the semester. If the professor or the student judges that a class cannot be successfully completed, a student who has been granted a leave usually will be allowed to withdraw from that class and will receive a W on the transcript. Students are expected to make up work missed during a leave of absence.

Leave of Absence to Study Elsewhere

Juniors who wish to spend a semester abroad or at another American institution must receive prior approval to assure that their programs of study are appropriate and will transfer. They must fill out a Petition for Leave to Study Elsewhere and have it approved by the Dean of Academic Affairs and B.A. Program advisor. The form must be filed in the Office of Academic Affairs. 

Academic Honesty

Honesty and integrity in the performance of all academic assignments are expected of all students at Simon’s Rock. Plagiarism, giving or receiving assistance on any examination or quiz, and falsifying data are serious forms of academic dishonesty. Academic dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated.

A student who submits, without acknowledgment, work that is not his or her own has committed plagiarism. An example of plagiarism is the submission of a paper that is wholly or partially taken from the internet. Plagiarism occurs even when a single sentence or phrase is copied without attribution. Information about the proper use and acknowledgment of source material is available in the library and from the faculty. Special care should be taken when engaging in research on the internet, as there are a vast number of sources that are designed to assist students in academic dishonesty, or that are otherwise unsuitable for academic pursuits. The library has resources available to aid students in finding appropriate materials through internet research. It is the student’s responsibility to consult with the faculty member involved whenever there is a question about the appropriate way to handle the use of source material. An approved style manual should be consulted to avoid unintentional plagiarism.

Any act of academic dishonesty will have serious consequences, regardless of whether it is intentional or unintentional. A student who has committed academic dishonesty will meet with the instructor, advisor, and the Dean of Academic Affairs. A first offense will result in at least a grade of F on the assignment or exam in question and may result in a semester grade of F for the course. Any subsequent offense will become part of the student’s record and will result in a hearing with the Standards and Procedures Committee to determine further consequences. These consequences may include academic probation, revocation of scholarship, and suspension from the College. A student who wishes to contest a judgment of academic dishonesty by the Standards and Procedures Committee may make an appeal in writing to the Appeals Committee within 48 hours of the decision.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

Bard College at Simon's Rock complies with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. This act assures students attending postsecondary educational institutions that they have the right to inspect and review certain of their educational records, and, by following the guidelines provided by the College, to correct inaccurate or misleading data through informal or formal hearings. The act protects students’ rights to privacy by limiting transfer of these records without their consent, except in specific circumstances. Students also have the right to file complaints with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Office, Department of Health and Human Services, 330 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20201.

College policy on the maintenance of student records is available on request from the Registrar.

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