Policies & Information

General Definitions

The Academic Year differs from the calendar year in that it is only nine months in duration, beginning late August and ending in May. The academic year begins with the FALL SEMESTER and ends with the SPRING SEMESTER. The academic year, therefore includes portions of two calendar years. The SUMMER SESSION consists of two terms, each approximately five and
one-half weeks in duration. The MAY TERM is a three-week interim term which is scheduled after Spring Commencement and before the beginning of the Summer Session. It is described more fully in a later section under the heading of “Courses of Study.” The student should refer to the ACADEMIC CALENDAR which appears at the beginning of this publication.

Credit Hour. McMurry University defines a credit hour in accordance with the federal regulations. A credit hour as a reasonable approximation of the student learning outcomes that can be achieved in the context of a course that requires 42-45 hours of student work including both contact time between student and faculty and the student’s independent work. While hours of work and contact time can provide guidance in the establishment of credit hour equivalencies, it is understood that the student achievement associated with any credit hour can only be measured adequately in terms of documented qualitative and quantitative outcomes. The successful completion of a credit hour will always take into consideration expectations based on degree level, discipline, the type of learning experience (e.g., didactic, clinical, practical, or internships), and the mode of delivery (e.g., face-to-face or online). This definition is a minimum standard that does not restrict faculty from setting a higher standard that requires more student work per credit hour.

Term Of Enrollment. Enrollment in a specified semester or term is identified by the term designation (i.e. Fall, Spring, May, Summer I, Summer II). Example: A student enrolled in 6 hours for the full fall semester, plus 3 hours mini I and 3 hours mini II, is considered to be a full time student for the fall semester enrolled in 12 credit hours, since all fall courses carry the same term designation. Final grades for all courses in a designated term are posted to the students’ transcripts at the end of the semester.

Course Numbers. Credit in college courses is counted in semester hours. (A course meeting three lecture hours per week for one semester has a credit value of three semester hours.) College level freshmen courses are numbered in the 1000s (see information on developmental courses below); Sophomore-level courses are numbered in the 2000s; Junior level courses are numbered in the 3000s; and Senior-level courses are numbered in the 4000s. Music Ensembles begin with a digit of 0.

The second digit in the course number designates the number of semester hours credit for the course (exceptions include some labs and developmental courses); the third and fourth digits distinguish one course from another.

All Junior- and Senior-level courses are called advanced courses and are numbered in the 3000s and 4000s. A student who does not have the necessary standing or prerequisites will not be allowed to register for an advanced course.

Developmental courses have a prefix of ACAD, ENGL, or MATH, begin with a 1, and have a 0 as the second digit and a designator of “D” at the end of the course number. These courses are not college level and do not count towards hours used for graduation. They are calculated in the GPA, and used for semester creditload and financial aid purposes.

Grades

Calculated in the Grade Point Average:

Not Calculated in the Grade Point Average:

Grade Symbols

The instructor is responsible for whatever grade symbol (A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F, P, I, WF, WP) is to be assigned. Other symbols used are indications of registration or grade status and may or may not require action by an instructor and are NOT included in the GPA.

Incomplete Grade Policy

Incomplete is a temporary grade indicating course requirements were not completed and arrangements have now been made between the instructor and the student to complete the remaining requirements after the close of the semester. Assigning an incomplete grade requires the approval of the dean and is reserved for special and unusual circumstances such as family emergencies or serious illness. The course instructor must obtain and complete the Request to Assign Incomplete Grade form, which is available from the office of the Dean or the Registrar. If approved, the dean will submit the incomplete grade to the Registrar’s Office.

The incomplete grade must be completed with the instructor who taught the course and will expire on the dates outlined below. If no grade is submitted, the incomplete will expire to an F on the date indicated. A grade change form completed in the Registrar’s Office is required to change an incomplete grade to a final grade. In order to change an F to an alternate final grade, a grade change form is required, along with the signature of the VPAA.

For Students Who Are Not Candidates For Graduation

For Graduation Candidates

* Exceptions include honors thesis presentations, music recitals, theatre direction, others as applicable with approval of Registrar. The instructor and the candidate should remain in contact with the Registrar regarding the status of these situations.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

The cumulative grade point average includes only McMurry University course grades. Credit accepted for transfer from another institution is included in the total amount of credit applicable to degree requirements, but grades earned in such courses are not recorded on the permanent record at McMurry University and are not used in computing the  cumulative grade point average needed for graduation.

Grade Point Calculation

In order to meet the requirements for a degree, the average grade for all work done must be at least a grade of C (2.0).

The grade point average is calculated by dividing the total hours attempted into the total grade points accumulated.

Only courses taken at McMurry University are computed into the student’s transcript GPA. At the time of graduation, only courses completed at McMurry University will be used to calculate eligibility for honors designations.

Reporting Of Grades

Semester grades are available to students on MYMCM. Grade reports are not printed or mailed. If a paper copy is required, the student can print their grade report from MYMCM. The Registrar’s office can provide assistance if needed. Grade reports are subject to the same privacy laws and requirements as transcripts. Please refer to “Student Privacy” in a prior section of this catalog.

Repetition Of Courses

Once the final grade has been given in a course, this grade may not be altered by additional work or by examination. A course may be repeated for the purpose of raising the grade, but the last grade shall stand as the permanent record in any case, except for courses that are designated as repeatable for credit. If the student wishes to repeat a course such as this for the purpose of raising a previous grade in that course, he/she must notify the Registrar.

Only credit for courses, and not the grades earned in these courses, taken at institutions other than McMurry University (or through intercollege enrollment) can be accepted for transfer to McMurry University. If a student fails a course at McMurry, the student can earn credit for that course at another institution and transfer the credit hours to McMurry. In this case, however, the original grade earned in the course taken at McMurry will remain on the McMurry transcript and continue to be calculated as part of the student’s transcript GPA. Thus, in order to remove a grade of D or F from the calculation of the student’s transcript GPA, the student must repeat the course at McMurry University (or through intercollege enrollment).

Dean’s List And Dean’s Honor Roll

The Dean’s List is an academic honor roll made up each semester of those students who have carried a minimum of twelve semester hours and have achieved a grade point average of 3.5 or above for that semester.

The Dean’s Honor Roll is an academic honor roll made up each semester of those students who have carried six to eleven semester hours and have achieved a grade point average of 3.5 or above for that semester.

Academic Good Standing

Any student who is academically eligible to enroll for classes is considered to be in Academic Good Standing.

Extracurricular Activities and Academic Good Standing

McMurry University offers a wide variety of activities for students in keeping with its mission to provide a Christian liberal arts and professional education. These include but are not limited to the following: band and choral music organizations and ensembles, intercollegiate athletics, intramural athletics, McMurry Christian Ministries, Campus Activities Board (CAB), national honor societies, professional organizations, publications, service clubs, social clubs, special interest groups, and theatre.

In general, a student who is eligible to enroll for classes is considered to be in good standing for extracurricular activities. Additional and more stringent requirements may be established by supervisors of these activities, groups, organizations, or societies. For participation in intercollegiate athletics a student must demonstrate satisfactory progress toward a degree. In order to demonstrate satisfactory progress a student/athlete must be enrolled full-time (a minimum of twelve semester hours) unless fewer hours are required for graduation.

Financial aid requirements for satisfactory progress and other regulations are explained separately in this catalog and elsewhere.

Academic Probation And Suspension

The institutional requirement for graduation is a “C” (2.00 grade point average) or higher; notification of probation is a warning that a student’s grades fall below acceptable standards. If substandard performance continues, a student is then suspended from continued enrollment. At the conclusion of each fall and spring semester, every student’s performance is evaluated to determine whether probation or suspension is warranted. This performance evaluation is based on cumulative hours (the higher of attempted or earned) including transfer hours, as stipulated in the categories below.

Academic Probation.

A student is placed on academic probation when his or her cumulative GPA falls below the minimum requirements in the table below.

Academic Suspension.

 A student on academic probation whose cumulative grade point average falls below that indicated below, will be placed on academic suspension. The third consecutive semester of grades below probation but above suspension will result in suspension.

Students on suspension may appeal for reinstatement to the Student Appeals Committee. Suspended students may not enroll at McMurry for a minimum of one full semester and must receive readmission approval before re-enrolling. Suspended students who are allowed to re-enroll are placed on probation for the semester in which they are readmitted.

The Application for Readmission is obtained from the Registrar’s Office and is processed through the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA), Vice President for Enrollment Management, and the Vice President for Financial Affairs. The VPAA will notify the student of the action taken on the Application for Readmission. Applications for Readmission should be submitted to the Registrar at least 7 days before the beginning of the semester for which the student desires readmission.

Grade Appeals

Grade appeals involve disputed course grades. If a student disagrees with the grade received in a class, he or she has the right to appeal using a formal appeal process. Grade appeals deal with the policies, as stated on the course syllabus, by which grades were to be determined. All grade appeals must thus be confined to class policy and the assignment of grades. Concerns or complaints about faculty attitudes, ideas, or behavior should be directed to the chair of the department offering the class or to the Dean of Students. If the chair is the subject of the complaint, the student should speak with the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

The process for appealing a grade must be completed within 30 working days of the posting of the grade in question. In exceptional circumstances (e.g., an instructor being out of town or otherwise unavailable), the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs for Curriculum (AVPAA-C) can extend the 30-day time limit. The pro-cess works as follows (except for graduate courses and courses taken in the Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing):

1. Within a week of receiving the semester grade report with the grade in question, the student should contact the instructor of the course and determine if he or she reported the grade correctly.
2. If meeting with the instructor does not resolve the dispute, the student can proceed with the complaint by discussing the issue with the Department Head. Depending on the situation, the chair may request a follow-up meeting to include the student and instructor.
3. If meeting with the Department Head does not resolve the dispute, the student can appeal to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs for Curriculum (AVPAA-C). The student must submit documentation to the AVPAA-C consisting of the following materials: (1) A written statement of the issue and chronological review of past attempts to resolve it with the instructor and department chair; and (2) additional pertinent documentation in support of his or her argument, including a copy of the course syllabus and specific assignments or course work related to the complaint.
4. If necessary, the AVPAA-C will seek additional information from the instructor and other relevant sources. The AVPAA-C will deny or uphold the appeal within 10 working days of receiving the information.
5. If either the student or the instructor wishes to appeal the AVPAA-C’s decision, a written request to that effect should be sent to the chairperson of the Student Appeals Committee within two working days. The chairperson will contact both student and instructor to set a meeting for the appeal before the committee. The chairperson will request all materials pertinent to the appeal from the AVPAA-C, and will disseminate those materials to the members of the Student Appeals Committee at least five working days prior to the scheduled meeting.
6. At the appeal before the Student Appeals Committee, both student and instructor, in turn, will have no more than five minutes each to provide any other supporting materials or to make a statement. Both will be questioned by the members over the materials placed before them as well as over the individual statements of the student and the instructor for a period not to exceed twenty minutes. Time limits may be modified or waived by a vote of the committee membership. Then, both student and instructor will be excused and the Student Appeals Committee will vote on the matter. A simple majority vote is required either to uphold or to deny the appeal. The student, instructor, chairperson,AVPAA-C, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Registrar (if necessary) will be notified in writing of the decision within three working days.
7. Grade appeals related to academic dishonesty (cases wherein students have been penalized by an instructor for having cheated on any assignment) fall under the same procedures as described above.
8. Grade appeals in academic programs that do not fall under the divisions of the University (e.g., developmental courses) should be handled in this order: the instructor, the program director, the AVPAA-C, and the Student Appeals Committee.
9. Decisions of the Student Appeals Committee are final, and cannot be further appealed.

Classification Of Students

• A Freshman is one who has satisfactorily met all University entrance requirements, but who has completed fewer than thirty semester hours of work (0-29 hours).
• A Sophomore is one who has satisfactorily met all University entran-ce requirements, and who has completed thirty or more semester hours of work (30-59 hours).
• A Junior is one who has completed sixty semester hours of work, and who has satisfactorily met all entrance requirements (60-89 hours).
• A Senior is one who has completed ninety semester hours of work, and is a candidate for a degree (90 hours and above).
• A Post baccalaureate student has completed a baccalaureate degree, and is taking courses toward additional certification or for personal benefit only.

Class Attendance

It is understood that attendance is part of the learning commitment - placing oneself in a class setting where effective educational communication and interaction can happen. Both faculty and students are expected to be regular and punctual in their attendance habits. Professors and students cooperate and are responsible for shaping a community at  work. As part of this responsibility, attendance will be noted in some manner suitable to the size of the class, group, and type of activity. Any necessary absence occurring while a student is representing the University in some official way will be considered an authorized absence. Work missed due to such an absence is to be made up as the respective professor determines. Please refer to the Council Fire, Faculty Handbook, or course syllabus for more specific information.

Absences

The following guide will help you determine the number of unauthorized absences allowed before a professor may drop a student from the class. Each professor will determine the consequences for absenteeism in his or her class. This will be noted in the syllabus.

3 absences in MWF classes per semester
2 absences in TR classes per semester
1 absence in a 2 or 3 hour class that meets once a week
3 tardies equal one absence

Adding Or Dropping Courses

A student may add a course with the permission of the advisor at any time during the first 5 days of the semester. A student may drop a course with the permission of the instructor and the advisor with the grade of W at any time through the sixth week of the semester. After the sixth week of class, a student may drop a course with the permission of the instructor and the advisor and will be assigned the grade of WP or WF. For information regarding the last date to withdraw from a class, refer to the Academic Calendar . A course may not be dropped after that date. The process of adding or dropping a course has not been completed until the form requesting permission to add or drop a course has been returned to and processed by the Office of the Registrar.

Withdrawal Process From The University

A student who must withdraw from the University is required to complete the following steps:

1. Report to the Student Retention Coordinator in the Registrar’s Office to obtain a withdrawal form, exit survey.
2. Take the form to the Financial Aid Office.
3. Take the form to Resident Life & Housing Campus Center #104.
4. MOVE Office, Jay-Rollins Library #112
5. Take the form to the Business Office
6. Return the completed form to the Registrar’s Office.

Unless a student officially withdraws, the University has no choice but to record a grade of F in every course in which the student was enrolled. See the Financial Information section for refund dates and amounts.

The University reserves the right to withdraw any student from a course and/ or from the University when the student ceases to attend classes.

Emergency Military Recall, Reactivation, Or Deployment

It is McMurry University’s policy to work with all students on an individual basis as they encounter serious and unusual circumstances affecting their educational progress. McMurry University supports our nation’s military efforts and those who currently serve, those who have served, and those who are family members. Therefore, during times requiring recall/reactivation and/ or deployment, McMurry University will counsel and plan with the specific student to minimize accompanying inconveniences and maximize academic credit established up to the time the student’s military involvement is required. Upon receipt of notification of a status change, the student should immediately contact the Dyess Program Director who will assist the student in making the best decisions for the student’s circumstances.

Number Of Hours A Student May Carry, Fall And Spring Semesters

McMurry University defines a full-time student as one who is enrolled for a minimum of twelve (12) semester hours. A student who is not on academic probation may register for up to eighteen semester hours. A student on academic probation is limited to sixteen semester hours.

Overload Policy

A student must have a B (3.0 grade points) average and secure the approval of the Vice President for Academic Affairs to be eligible to take more than the following limit of credit hours in each semester: Overload permission forms are available in the Registrar’s Office.

19 credit hours in Fall or Spring
4 credit hours in May Term
8 credit hours in Summer I or Summer II

Preparation

An average of two hours outside preparation is expected for each hour in class. A full-time student needs forty-five to sixty hours per week for classroom attendance and preparation for classwork.