DE Handbook-Academic Issues

Exceptions to Academic Policy
Students who would like to request an exception to academic policy–such as making a registration change after a registration deadline has passed–must complete an Academic Exception Request form on theROCK in which they present details and supporting documentation for their request. The request must clearly present the specific policy for which the exception is requested and the rationale behind the request.

Academic Appeals
Academic appeals for academic standing are to be submitted using the Academic Standing Appeal form on theROCK. The request will be presented to the appropriate appeals committee. All appeal decisions are final.

Course-related appeals (such as course grades, class expectations, unfair or discriminatory actions, etc.) are to be submitted to the Director of Dual Enrollment who will present them to the appropriate appeals committee. Appeals are to be submitted via e-mail within three weeks of the decision in question. Written appeals should clearly document all pertinent facts, circumstances, collaborating information (if available), basis for appeal, documentation of resolution attempts made, and action requested. In cases of alleged plagiarism or cheating, the appeals are to be submitted to the Assistant Dean of the College of Graduate, Online, and Adult Learning following the decision letter from the instructor. All appeal decisions are final.

Before a course-related appeal is submitted, all DE students should make every effort to resolve an issue by taking the following actions:

Speaking with the instructor directly involved with the decision.
Speaking with the Program Manager if the issue remains unresolved.
Appealing to the Director of Dual Enrollment if there is still a problem. In the event that the Director of Dual Enrollment is the Program Manager, appealing to the Assistant Dean of CGOAL.
Final appeals go through the Dean of CGOAL or, ultimately, the Registrar.

Grievances
Students who feel they have been unfairly treated by any faculty or staff member should speak directly with the individual involved. If the student feels that additional action is required or feels unable to speak directly with the faculty or staff member involved, the student should speak with the appropriate supervisor.

Student Concerns and Complaint Policy
Our desire is to provide the best experience possible for students as they pursue their education. We realize there may be an occasion where students have a concern or complaint. In such cases we seek to provide an efficient response and resolution to students' concerns and complaints. We have established several situation-specific processes for students to express their concerns and complaints. We strongly encourage you to attempt resolving the situation directly with the offending person/department prior to filing a concern/complaint. Full information regarding complaints can be found on the Student Concerns & Complaints page on myUNW > All Pages > Student Services > Student Concerns & Complaints for appeal and complaint procedures.

Dual Enrollment students may go to their academic advisor to start the conversation about any concerns or complaints. Students may then be directed to the Director of Dual Enrollment (non-responsive faculty situations, grade policy concerns or complaints) or the Assistant Dean of CGOAL (academic dishonesty questions, plagiarism, academic integrity, academic exceptions, or academic appeal concerns and complaints) depending on the nature of the concern.

Disciplinary Process
Northwestern may initiate disciplinary action against students for violations which arise either on or off campus when the student is in violation of federal, state, or local laws or if the violation materially or adversely affects the university or an individual’s suitability to be a member of the Northwestern community. Northwestern reserves the right to immediately remove a student from a class or school as a whole for behavior which is determined to impede the academic success of the class or the safety of the community. The university reserves the right to immediately remove a student from school when any community guideline has been violated or any conditions agreed upon during disciplinary due process have been broken.

Northwestern reserves the right to report to or work with appropriate authorities in the case of a city, state, or federal violation. Students charged with or convicted of a criminal act off campus may be subject to disciplinary action by the university and/or loss of institutional aid.

Disciplinary Action
There are no set formulas or automatic sanctions for most violations. Students who violate university policy subject themselves to the full range of disciplinary sanctions including but not limited to expulsion. In reviewing each violation, the following variables will be considered: attitude, previous history, impact of the violation on the community, and specific circumstances. The university may respond to behavioral violations with one or more of the following options:

Restitution/Reconciliation: The student is required to initiate action to mend a relationship with an individual, a specific group or the university community at large. That action may be through an apology, financial reimbursement, and/or service to the community.
Fines or Sanctions: Penalties deemed appropriate by corresponding departments.
Disciplinary Warning: A warning is communicated to a student that his or her behavior and/or choices should change or cease. A warning may be issued when a student is in jeopardy of further disciplinary action.
Disciplinary Accountability: Accountability is an expectation, initiated by the university or student, to spend a period of time actively addressing matters of concern through accountability.
Disciplinary Probation: Probation is an opportunity for the student to actively address areas of concern through accountability when choices that have been made violate community guidelines. Continued violation of community guidelines will result in disciplinary suspension from the university.
The purpose of disciplinary probation is to provide additional external discipline and counseling for a student struggling to abide by Northwestern’s standards and policies. Conditions of probation may include but are not limited to: a contract stating behavior changes and expectations; weekly meetings with an assigned faculty/staff member; pledge of adherence to the Declaration of Christian Community; and completion of a topical assignment, seminar, or series addressing personal development. Students involved in co-curricular or extracurricular activities (i.e., athletics, music, drama, leadership roles) are subject to certain restrictions that would adjust levels of involvement for a determined period of time. Specific information on these restrictions is available from the DE office or from the appropriate coach/advisor.
Disciplinary Suspension: A suspension is when a student loses the privilege of continuing at Northwestern for a designated period of time. Disciplinary suspension may be implemented at any time (immediately or at the completion of a semester), based upon flagrant or repeated violations of Northwestern’s standards.
The university intends that disciplinary suspension allows the student to reevaluate personal spirituality, values, and attitude toward Northwestern’s standards. A student placed on disciplinary suspension is restricted from the university premises for the duration of the suspension. Requests for permission to be on campus must be processed in advance through the Director of Public Safety and/or the Director of Dual Enrollment.
Applications for readmission must include a written account of this evaluation and a pledge to abide by Northwestern policies. Readmission requests are submitted to and approved by the Director of Dual Enrollment. All students who are readmitted return under disciplinary accountability or probation. In the rare case that a student is subject to disciplinary suspension for a second time after being readmitted, the student is not permitted to re-enroll at Northwestern.
Disciplinary Expulsion: An expulsion is when a student permanently loses the privilege of attending Northwestern. Expulsion may be implemented at any time (immediately or at the completion of a semester), based upon flagrant or repeated violations of Northwestern’s standards.

Parent/Guardian Notification (Dependent Students)
Whenever dependent students are involved in a violation of community guidelines, they will be encouraged to share the information with their parent(s)/guardian(s). If students violate the community guidelines, official notification to the parent(s)/guardian(s) is at the discretion of the DE office. In the case of disciplinary suspension or expulsion, the parent(s)/guardian(s) will be notified unless unusual circumstances exist. This policy assumes dependent status of unmarried students under 24 years of age unless the university is otherwise notified.

Student Rights
The university recognizes that respect for all individuals provides rights that uphold truth, fact, reason, and order. In cases where students are subject to the process of disciplinary action by the university, the following rights are protected:

Rumors: Students have the right to be informed of any rumors about them that come to the attention of the university.
Innocence: Students have the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Equality: Students have the right to be assured university guidelines are applied equally to all students.
Notification: Students have the right to be notified of any disciplinary action by the university in writing and/or in person. In either case, students may request a meeting with a DE supervisory staff member to explain the disciplinary action.
Clarification: Students have the right to be informed of non-confidential matters pertaining to the disciplinary action. A student may request a meeting with a DE supervisory staff member for clarification.
Access of Information: Students have the right to read all non-confidential information contained in their university records and files.
Testimony: Students have the right to provide their side of the story. Students may choose to ask for testimony of others.
Advocacy: Students have the right to request the presence of an advocate at any disciplinary meeting. That person must be a current member of the Northwestern community (faculty, staff, or student).
Appeal: Students have the right to appeal a disciplinary action enacted on them by the university.
Release of Information: Students have the right to confidentiality. Only administration, faculty, staff, students, or off-campus individuals or agencies with a legitimate “need to know” will be consulted concerning or informed of confidential information related to students. Beyond the aforementioned individuals, students must grant the university written permission before information is released to other administration, faculty, staff, students, or off-campus individuals and agencies.

Disciplinary Appeals
If a student is the recipient of an academic-related disciplinary action and wishes to appeal the decision, an e-mailed request for an appeal must be submitted to the Director of Dual Enrollment within three weeks of the date in question. An appeal must include an explanation of the situation and a reason for the appeal, based upon one or more of the following reasons:

The student, in fact, did not commit the act(s) that led to the disciplinary action,
The disciplinary action is not appropriate for the act(s) committed, and/or,
Specified procedures have not been followed in disciplining the student.

When a request for an appeal is made, the Director of Dual Enrollment or designee will determine the appropriate response. When need arises, the Director of Dual Enrollment or designee may call for an appeals hearing. Further information on the appeals hearing may be obtained by contacting the DE office.

Student Concerns Committee
Northwestern reserves the right to respond to a student’s needs, including emotional and/or behavioral instability, through an assessment of the student’s needs along with consideration of community needs. The Student Concerns Committee is a team of individuals who gather to assess, consult, and review student situations that require multiple services and resources. The goal of the committee is to increase the academic success of a student, to reduce crisis or ongoing situations that may negatively impact students and the general Northwestern community, and/or to provide clarity regarding on- or off-campus services and procedures. Students are responsible for any charges incurred through off-campus services.

If a student is asked to withdraw from classes, information will be provided that will enable the student to re-enroll at a later time. Re-enrollment may require evidence of ability to undertake academic rigor and participate successfully within the community.