The College uses a traditional grading system based on the four-point scale. Letter grades may carry plus and minus marks that are computed in the grade point average. The interpretation of letter grades is as follows:

Only courses for which grades of A to D and S are earned are granted credit, and only courses for which grades A to F are earned are awarded grade points and used in the calculation of grade point averages. The following scale is used in assigning grade points. Each credit hour earns the grade points shown.

The grade point average (gpa) is an index of academic achievement in work taken at Huntington and is computed as the average of grade points earned in courses for which grades A to F were given.

To encourage students to explore challenging courses outside of their major program or Core Curriculum, the College permits a student to take limited elective courses on a Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory basis. Such electives taken for S/U count toward graduation requirements but are not computed in the student’s gpa. Internships and practicums are graded only S/U.

A student may elect up to five hours in a given semester to be taken as S/U. Not more than twenty-two hours other than in January courses may be counted toward graduation. Courses in the Core Curriculum program, those counted in the major program (except those offered only on an S/U basis) and those required for teacher licensing may not be taken S/U. However, if a student subsequently elects a major program in a discipline in which a course had been graded Satisfactory, that course (but not more than one) may be counted in the major program requirements.

A student on academic probation may not petition to take any course S/U in the probationary semester.

To elect S/U in qualifying courses, the student must petition the registrar within the first ten days of the semester or the first three class days of January Term or summer session. No change in the grading is permitted after the announced date.

Students selecting S/U grading are expected to participate in courses as though they were taking the course normally. Professors are not advised that a student is taking S/U in a graded course, and professors submit grades as usual. The registrar transcribes grades of C- or higher as Satisfactory and lower grades as Unsatisfactory, and those become the only existing grades of record.

A grade of Incomplete in regular courses is given only under the most compelling circumstances. Lack of adequate time to complete course requirements is ordinarily not sufficient cause to grant an I unless there has been serious illness or another extenuating circumstance that directly affects the completion of requirements that justifies additional time for one student that others do not have.

Instructors are encouraged to determine a grade that reflects work done in the course by the end of the term, and work not completed within the time allotted for all students should not ordinarily be included in the grade evaluation. Internships and directed studies may not conform to the academic calendar; and, therefore, instructors may request that grades be reported at a later specified date.

Requests for Incompletes are to be initiated by the student and supported by the course instructor by petitioning the Dean of the College. The extension of time agreed upon by the instructor and student may be days or weeks depending on the work to be completed.

Extensions are not permitted beyond midterm of the following semester unless the student is not in residence in which case the work must be completed by the end of the following semester. Failure to complete work by the agreed date will result in a grade of F for the course unless the Academic Concerns Committee approves an additional extension of time.

The Incomplete I grade is replaced in the electronic permanent record when the new grade is reported. Incomplete credit does not count toward that semester’s work until the grade is recorded by the registrar. Student athletes must be alert to implications for NAIA eligibility based on successful completion of minimum credits.

Any Incomplete carried into a semester and completed in that semester becomes a part of the cumulative record reviewed at the end of that semester. If a grade is reported which replaces an I prior to the beginning of the semester, the registrar will compute the grade index and show the work as having been completed. The Academic Concerns Committee determines any change in a student’s probationary status resulting from such grades reported before the beginning of the semester.

Students may repeat courses in which they have received an unsatisfactory grade of D or F. With the permission of the academic dean, they may also repeat courses in which they have received a grade of C or above.

The student registers for the course as a Repeat course and is charged tuition as with any other course. Should the student be unable to schedule a required course to be repeated before graduation, it may be necessary to arrange to take the course by tutorial instruction which will incur an additional charge.

Although both grade entries become part of the permanent record, only the Repeat course counts as credit toward graduation and is used in computing the cumulative grade point average.

Students who are readmitted with a poor academic record may qualify for Academic Recovery. Students who are granted AR have all work prior to a specified date before their readmission treated as though it had been completed on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis.

To be eligible for Recovery, the student must not have been enrolled as a full-time student at Huntington for a period of at least three years before readmission and must have attained a grade point average of 2.3 or better in at least twelve hours of work completed after re-enrolling at Huntington. A student may be granted AR one time only.

If AR is granted, a complete record of all work taken, all grades received and the grade average at the time of the action remains on the student transcript. The transcript will include a notation of the Recovery action indicating the date the action was granted.

All work completed prior to the requested Recovery date will be calculated as Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory grading and will no longer be included in the computation of grade point average. Work for which a grade of C- or higher was earned will be assigned a mark of S and may be counted toward completion of degree requirements. Course work for which a grade of less than C- was earned will be assigned a mark of U and will not count as earned hours and will not count toward any degree requirement.

Since all credits earned with a grade of less than C- are lost when AR is granted, students should carefully consider whether it is in their best interests to apply for Recovery. A student wishing to request AR will submit a written request to the College registrar.

Students who wish to take courses in residence at another institution while maintaining their academic standing at Huntington may register for courses as transient students at the other institution provided they have received prior permission from Huntington’s registrar who will approve of courses eligible for transfer (see section on Transfer Students). This applies to January and summer courses as well as regular semesters.

Students who wish to take courses by correspondence from another institution must obtain prior approval from the registrar. No more than eight credits in correspondence courses may be counted toward a degree, and correspondence may not be used to complete Core Curriculum or teacher licensing requirements or courses to be counted toward the major program, except by demonstrating in a petition to the Academic Concerns Committee that required courses cannot be taken as regular course offerings. Grades earned for correspondence courses are not included in the student’s grade average.

Final semester grades are submitted by the instructor to the Office of the Registrar and are made available to the student and the advisor by that office. Students may access their grades via the internet at myinfo.huntington.edu. Students who do not have access to the internet at the time final grades are available may request paper copies of their grades in writing at the registrar’s office. Final grades are released to the student only by the registrar.

At midterm unofficial grades of D and F only are submitted by instructors and provided to students as indicators of unsatisfactory progress in those courses. Midterm grades are not printed on the transcript and are not included in gpa calculations. Students are encouraged to meet with professors to discuss their work and to learn what may be required to perform satisfactorily.

Students in good standing who have met all financial obligations may obtain without charge unofficial student copies of their complete transcripts from the registrar’s office, which will be stamped as Issued to Student. Students may also print their own unofficial academic records for personal use from the internet at myinfo.huntington.edu. Requested official copies bearing the seal and signature of the registrar are sent directly to the designated employer, agency, or graduate school only at the written request of the student. Federal law requires that the request be signed in writing and dated.

When a student is enrolled at an institution of higher learning, a substantial amount of personal information and educational data is collected, maintained, used, and disseminated. Students are encouraged to review the information available to them on the internet at myinfo.huntington.edu. Huntington College recognizes and desires to protect the rights of privacy of the student over the age of eighteen, providing access to his or her educational data and the right to challenge the contents of his or her records for inaccurate or misleading information.

In general only those persons directly involved in the educational process have access to the student’s records unless the student gives written permission to release the information. Parents of dependent children have access to academic and disciplinary information.

Some information has been designated as directory information by the College. The College may release directory information to outside parties without the student’s prior consent. Directory information includes the following: name, address, home telephone number, date and place of birth, major fields of study, classification, participation in recognized activities and sports, photograph, dates of attendance, full-time and part-time status, and degrees and awards received. Students may request that directory information not be disclosed by completing a request in the registrar’s office. The College maintains a complete policy statement in accord with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, published in the Student Handbook or obtainable from the registrar’s office.

Full-time undergraduate students who are pursuing a specific program or are candidates for a degree are designated as regular students and classified as freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors according to the following:

Full-time students are those enrolled for at least 12 hours in a given semester, and part-time students are those enrolled for less than 12 hours.

First-time freshmen are students who have not previously been regularly admitted students in a recognized institution of higher learning during a regular term.

Unclassified students are those whose transfer of credits is incomplete or pending.

Special students are those enrolled as auditors or visitors or taking a credit course but not planning to complete a recognized program of study. A special student application does not require full admission.

Post-graduate students are those who have already completed a recognized baccalaureate degree and are enrolled in undergraduate courses.

Graduate students are those enrolled in the Graduate School of Christian Ministries who have completed a recognized baccalaureate degree. Full-time graduate students are those enrolled for at least 9 hours in a given semester, and part-time graduate students are those enrolled for less than 9 hours. Special graduate students are those who do not meet regular admission requirements or who do not wish to take graduate courses for credit.

Each year in the Honors Convocation the challenge is given to students, faculty, and administration to strive for excellence in academic and scholarly performances. The Honors Convocation provides a public opportunity to recognize those who have excelled in the previous semester and college career.

Dean’s List honors designation is made at the end of each semester to those students who are classified as regular students and who have been enrolled full-time with a load of 12 hours or more in graded courses earning at least 42 grade points with a semester gpa of at least 3.50.

Cumulative Achievement Honors designation is given those students who have earned a cumulative gpa of 3.50 or above and have completed a minimum of 60 hours at Huntington, carrying at least 30 hours a year. Transfer students may become eligible for such recognition by achieving a 3.50 gpa or above carrying at least 30 hours a year after one year at Huntington, provided all previous work taken was 3.50 or above.

Alpha Chi Honor Society selection is limited to juniors and seniors who rank in the upper ten percent of their classes and who are elected to this Indiana Beta Chapter of the national honor society by the faculty.

Graduation honors are accorded students receiving baccalaureate degrees with appropriate cumulative gpa’s. At least sixty hours must have been completed at Huntington with the minimum gpa, and the student’s combined overall record at Huntington and previous institutions must also be above the minimum grade index. In the traditional undergraduate program, a bachelor's degree is conferred cum laude upon students with a cumulative gpa of 3.50, conferred magna cum laude upon students with a cumulative gpa of 3.70, and summa cum laude upon students with a cumulative gpa of 3.85. Students graduating with a bachelor’s degree from the EXCEL Program with a cumulative gpa of 3.70 will be graduated with honor. Honors are calculated for July graduates upon completion of all requirements and are not noted on the Commencement bulletin.

A student who fails to meet minimum scholastic standards is placed on academic probation. The scholastic index is based upon the average grade points per credit hour computed by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of semester hours attempted at Huntington, not including Incompletes, courses graded S/U, courses replaced with a Repeat course, or courses withdrawn with a W before the end of the tenth week of the semester.

At the end of any semester in which a student fails to meet the minimum cumulative scholastic index required for good standing, the student is placed on academic probation by the Academic Concerns Committee. The student will be on academic probation for the following semester that he or she is in attendance at Huntington College.

Semester hours attempted for minimum scholastic index include all hours in courses attempted at Huntington as well as those attempted at other colleges, whether or not such courses were transferable.

Any student whose cumulative or semester gpa falls below a 1.0 may be required to withdraw from the College or placed on probation even though the cumulative average is satisfactory. Any conditionally admitted student will be dismissed from further attendance.

Special students may be refused permission to re-enroll for any semester based on past poor scholastic achievement and are not eligible for probation.

Students on academic probation are permitted to continue their enrollment under the conditions outlined in an academic support contract developed with the probationary student by the Director of Learning Assistance. Conditions designated in the contract include a reduction of course load to not more than 12 to 13 hours and limitations on participation in co-curricular activities. Additional conditions may include, but are not limited to, reduction or elimination of non-college activities, required study assistance, limits on work commitments, mandatory counseling, arranging for alternative housing, required class attendance and any other measures recommended by the Director of Learning Assistance or the Academic Concerns Committee to ensure concentration on the academic program. Students are automatically registered for SS 102 Guided Studies Program when they are placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation are accountable to the Director of Learning Assistance and the Academic Concerns Committee and are expected to abide by any restrictions established by those individuals as a condition of attendance. A student admitted on probation is subject to the same requirements.

A student admitted, placed, or continued on academic probation must contact the Director of Learning Assistance before the first day of the semester to make arrangements to meet individually with the director before the second full week of classes to develop and sign the academic support contract. The terms of the academic support contract are required conditions for continued attendance for probationary students, and students are expected to honor them. Failure to contact the director before classes begin or to follow through on any requirement placed on a probationary student may result in the student’s immediate dismissal from the College.

Students on academic probation may not participate in public performances or intercollegiate contests of any kind, nor may a student athlete attend practices. Students on probation may not be candidates for positions of honor, such as the Homecoming Court, may not hold office or any other responsible position in organizations, be a member of Student Senate or the Student Activities Board, be a member of a Campus Ministries leadership team, be editors or business managers of student publications, be cheerleaders or student managers of athletic teams, participate in theatrical productions in either technical or performance roles, participate in College broadcasting or forensic activities, or participate in college musical performances unless exceptions are specifically designated in the academic support contract. The Academic Concerns Committee has final authority over the conditions placed on students on academic probation.

The period of academic probation begins on the first official day of classes of the student’s next term following the semester for which the assessment of academic performance is made and continues through the full semester of attendance. Disciplinary probation may go into effect at any point in the term.

Students on academic probation are consequently subject to the restrictions designated in the academic support contract and ineligible for various activities effective with the first official day of classes of the next semester they are in attendance. At the end of each semester, the Academic Concerns Committee reviews all completed work to date and the recommendation of the Director of Learning Assistance to determine whether the student may be removed from probation or be asked to withdraw from the College.

A student is neither placed on probation nor removed from probation on the basis of a record achieved while carrying less than eight semester hours except that a student who fails to achieve a 1.0 may be placed on probation or advised to withdraw. Neither a record achieved in January Term nor summer session is the basis in and of itself for placing a student on or releasing a student from probation; grades achieved in such sessions are included in the cumulative record reviewed at the end of the subsequent semester. Grades earned at another institution are not considered when releasing a student from probation.

Any student who is on probation for poor scholarship and who fails to earn the required minimum gpa at the end of the subsequent semester of attendance is not permitted to re-enroll except that a student who achieves a C semester average may be allowed to petition to continue for an additional semester. The Academic Concerns Committee must be persuaded that there is reasonable expectation of success and that reasonable progress is being made toward the completion of the degree objective. The Committee may require a higher semester average than C for continued enrollment on probation.

A student denied permission to continue because of poor scholarship may apply for readmission on academic probation after one or two semesters provided the student’s record gives evidence of ability to succeed. Students who were initially admitted on limited load or who have performed unsatisfactorily in their first year and have been subsequently dismissed are not likely to be readmitted. Students applying for readmission must demonstrate a reasonable expectation of success in their written appeal to the academic dean before readmission by the admissions counselor can be considered. A student twice dismissed will not be given consideration for readmission.

The dean of students’ office may place a student on disciplinary probation for misconduct and disregard of the established social rules and regulations. Disciplinary probation may go into effect at any point in the term. Procedures and appeal processes are described in the Student Handbook.

Disciplinary probation precludes a student’s participation in co-curricular activities and may include restriction to the campus or suspension from classes. If the misconduct persists or if disciplinary probation occurs during two consecutive semesters, or more than twice during the four years of college, dismissal from the College will result. A dismissed student may not be readmitted until sufficient time has elapsed since the dismissal and the dean of students has approved a petition for readmission which demonstrates reasonable expectation for conformance to community standards of the College.

Students on disciplinary or social probation may not participate in public performances or intercollegiate contests of any kind, nor may a student athlete attend practices. Students on disciplinary probation may not be candidates for positions of honor, such as the Homecoming Court, may not hold office or any other responsible position in organizations, be a member of Student Senate or the Student Activities Board, be a member of a Campus Ministries leadership team, be editors or business managers of student publications, be cheerleaders or student managers of athletic teams, participate in theatrical productions in either technical or performance roles, participate in College broadcasting or forensic activities, or participate in College musical performances unless exceptions are specifically designated by the Office of the Vice President for Student Development. Disciplinary probation may also preclude off-campus involvement in the wider community, e.g. student teaching, PRIME Experience, volunteer service activities through the Joe Mertz Center and any other activities designated by the Office of the Vice President for Student Development.

The academic community places high value on intellectual honesty. Representation of work as one’s own but taken from another source by plagiarism or cheating is a serious offense, the penalty for which will result in failure for the paper or exam and may result in failure for the course and possible recommendation for dismissal from the College. In addition to academic sanctions that may be imposed, a student may also be placed on disciplinary probation as a consequence of cheating.

Plagiarism is the use of the ideas, information, or wording of another without proper acknowledgement, leaving the false impression that the material is original with the student. Students will be held responsible for knowing the difference between legitimate and illegitimate use of source material.

If a student is persistent in behavior contrary to the standards of the College or placed on disciplinary probation during two consecutive semesters or more than twice during college, or is sufficiently disruptive and, in the judgment of the College, threatening to the general welfare of the campus community, the College reserves the right to dismiss the student and to require the immediate vacating of College housing and the campus. Such action to dismiss a student is taken only by the president or his official designee. The student concedes the right of the College to take such actions when necessary by his or her acceptance of admission.