Academic Requirements and Honors
2007-2008 Academic Register Disclaimer
Registration Confirmation: Every student must personally confirm his or her registration each term on the dates indicated in the College calendar, and in accordance with any special instructions announced by the Registrar, to avoid payment of a late registration fee or other penalties. Students who fail to confirm their registration according to instructions will not be considered to have been in attendance at the College for the term in question. Students returning from a leave of absence may confirm their registration only with the prior approval of the Dean of Students.
Enrollment in Courses: Each term the Registrar holds prescheduling for continuing students who, with the help of their advisors, select three courses for the coming term. Prescheduling must be completed during announced periods. Students who do not intend to preschedule should notify the Dean of Students of their intended withdrawal from the College. After prescheduling, a request for a change of course ordinarily must be filed with the Registrar no later than the fifth academic day of the term; such changes should be recommended by the advisor. With written permission from the instructor, a student may enter a course as late as the second week of the term. Failure to finalize their course schedule will result in assessment of a late charge on the student's bill. Students not enrolled in courses by the end of the second week of classes will be withdrawn from the College for the term and will have to reapply for admission to the Dean for Undergraduate Education.
No regular student may take fewer than three courses each term, unless exception is recommended by the faculty advisor or the student's physician. All regular undergraduate students are charged each term's full tuition, which covers enrollment in three courses during that term. The tuition is not prorated for single courses unless the student has been in attendance for 12 full terms (or, for five-year programs, 15 terms).
Students must attend those sections of courses to which they have been scheduled by the Registrar. A change of section may be made only with the specific approval of the Registrar.
Fourth Courses: In each academic year, students are allowed to enroll in one fourth course at no charge, provided they have a grade point average of at least 3.3 and are making satisfactory progress in their program of study. These courses, meant to enhance the student's academic experience at Union, will appear on the transcript with the grade factored into the cumulative GPA. These courses can be used to fulfill program requirements; however, they will be considered additional credits beyond the 36 required for graduation and can only be used towards graduation should the student fall behind in credits at a later date. If these credits are used towards graduation, a fourth course fee will be charged.
Note: This policy includes fourth courses taken on a Term Abroad. Students going on a Term Abroad that requires four courses may use this course as an additional credit beyond the 36 required for graduation. It can only be used towards graduation should the student fall behind in credits. If this credit is used for graduation, a fourth course fee will be charged.
Fourth courses can also be used to make up a deficiency in credits because of withdrawals or failure. This requires the Dean's approval if the student's academic index is below 2.5, and entails a fourth-course fee of $2,720. There is also a fourth course charge if students do not have the requisite GPA. Any exceptions to these rules must be granted by the Dean for Undergraduate Education.
A student in good standing may audit a course if the instructor gives permission. An audit is not made a part of the student's permanent record.
Choice of Courses: Keep in mind the requirements of the General Education program and the regulations in the major field. Those courses required in the departmental majors, including related courses offered by other departments, appear at the head of each departmental course listing. See requirements for interdepartmental and organizing theme majors in 'The Undergraduate Program' section. The major should be viewed as a coherent series of courses providing a solid background in the field as well as an introduction to advanced study. Beyond the requirements specifically listed for the particular major, a student may choose other courses within the department, as long as the total number of major courses and related courses does not exceed two-thirds of the number required for the normal four-year program. The College recommends that students give serious consideration to electives in fields other than the area of concentration.
Some departments offer a modified major for students interested in the field but also wanting to take courses in related fields. The same spirit pervades the interdepartmental major. In many programs, a student need not begin a major during the freshman year in order to complete that major by the end of the fourth year. In engineering and science, however, it can be extremely difficult to complete a major in four years unless course sequences are begun in the freshman year. Students in premedicine also need to consider taking the requisite courses in their freshman year. Students should consult academic advisors.
Academic Honesty
The College assumes that students will not resort to plagiarism, theft and mutilation of library books and periodicals, or any other form of academic dishonesty. Any student found guilty of academic dishonesty will be subject to disciplinary action. Normally the penalty for academic dishonesty is failure in the course. Additional information is found in the booklet Plagiarism: A Cautionary Word to Students, furnished to all entering students and available from the Dean's Office.
Attendance
Classroom Absences: The College expects students to attend classes and laboratories regularly, but it leaves to each instructor his or her statement of policy with respect to absence. It is the student's responsibility to be aware of the policy and to inform instructors in advance of unavoidable, excused absences. An instructor may lower a grade or assign a failing grade for excessive absence.
Absence from Final Examinations: Students are required to appear for scheduled final examinations. Absence from a final examination produces an automatic grade of 'Failure' on the exam. It is the student's responsibility to be present during the examination period. In cases of a student's absence caused by verified personal misfortune, the Dean may allow a grade of 'Incomplete,' and the student must arrange with the instructor to take a makeup examination not later than two weeks after the last day of the examination period of the term in which the 'Incomplete' was given.
Withdrawal from Courses: With proper notice to the Office of the Registrar, a student may drop a course during the first eight weeks of a term after consulting with his or her advisor and getting that advisor's approval. After the end of the second week of classes and until the end of the eighth week, a grade of 'W' will be assigned in such cases. Dropping a course after the end of the eighth week will result in a grade of 'F' unless there is a showing of extraordinary circumstances beyond the student's control that prevented him or her from completing the course. The Dean for Undergraduate Education must approve the withdrawal. In such a case the grade shall be 'WP' or 'WF,' depending on whether the student was passing or failing at the time the course was dropped. A 'Failure' ('F') shall be posted to a student's record if proper notice of withdrawal from a course is not given to the Registrar.
Should a student elect to drop or withdraw from a course or not register for a full load, and as a result take less than a full course load for the term in question, tuition will not be prorated.
Incomplete Course Work: Students must submit all course work not later than the closing hour of the last scheduled final examination period of each term, unless the instructor has set an earlier deadline. A grade of 'Incomplete' may be requested only for extraordinary extenuating circumstances beyond the student's control, and the instructor's approval must be obtained. The instructor must complete the appropriate form and file it with the Registrar. When an 'Incomplete' is granted, the course work must be completed not later than two weeks after the last day of the examination period of the term in which the 'Incomplete' was given. Course work not completed within the allotted period of time will be assigned a failing grade unless the Dean for Undergraduate Education, in consultation with the instructor, grants an extension of the incomplete.
Students receiving financial aid who elect or are permitted to drop a course may be ineligible for such aid in subsequent terms. See the chapter on 'Financial Aid' for details.
Repeat Course Policy: Students who repeat a course that they have previously failed will have both grades listed on their transcript. All credits attempted and total quality points earned will be used in calculating the cumulative grade point average. Students who repeat a course that they have previously passed (grade of 'D' or better) will have both grades listed on their transcript, but neither the quality points nor the credit associated with the second grade will be factored into their cumulative grade point average. The one exception to this policy is when the course is a required prerequisite that the department has stipulated must be completed with a minimum grade of 'C-.' If a student retakes a prerequisite course that they have previously passed with a grade of 'D,' both grades will be equally factored into their gpa but they will only receive credit for taking the course once.
Withdrawal from College: Withdrawal from the College at any time is considered official only upon written notice to the Dean of Students. The withdrawal date is considered the date on which written notification is received. Notification to another office or person, failure to preschedule or confirm registration, nonpayment of the term bill, or a request for a transcript are not considered notice of withdrawal. A student who wishes to withdraw permanently or take a voluntary leave of absence should notify the Dean of Students as far in advance as possible to avoid or reduce financial penalties.
Summer Study: After matriculation at Union College, a student may transfer in a maximum of three course credits for courses taken through other institutions (in non-Union approved programs of study). Prior approval must be obtained for these courses from the appropriate department chair and the Dean for Undergraduate Education. Permission is normally granted only if the student is behind in credits. Such students may be approved for summer course work to enhance their Union education; however, these credits are considered additional credits beyond the 36 required for graduation and can only be used towards graduation should the student fall behind in credits at a later date. Normally students are not allowed to take courses at other institutions during the academic year. Students who withdraw and take courses elsewhere will not be allowed to transfer in the credits.
Suspension: Students are not allowed to take courses at other institutions while under suspension from the College. This applies to both academic and social suspension.
Readmission: All applications for readmission or return from absence must be made in writing to the Dean of Students, normally at least one month before registration for the term. Readmission becomes official only if or when the admission and security deposit is on hand or has again been paid.
Standing
Academic Ratings: Instructors submit grades at the end of each term. A report of a student's term grades is available to the student at www.webadvising.union.edu. A grade report will be mailed to the parent or guardian if the student requests one in writing. No other grade notices will be mailed to the student's home address. The grades of scholarship and their associated quality points are A (4.0), A minus (3.7), B plus (3.3), B (3.0), B minus (2.7), C plus (2.3), C (2.0), C minus (1.7), D (1.0), P (pass), and F (failure). A course in which a student receives the grade of 'F' does not count toward graduation. If the course is required to complete a sequence in the major or otherwise required for graduation, a student must repeat this course and obtain a satisfactory mark. Some courses do not carry graduation credit and a few earn double credit.
Pass/Fail Grading: In order to encourage students to explore the curriculum, students may take up to four electives to be recorded as 'pass' or 'fail.'
- No course registered as 'pass/fail' may be used in fulfilling a requirement for the major, for a minor, for General Education or Writing Across the Curriculum, or for a term abroad.
- The 'pass/fail' option is not open to students in their first two terms.
- A student may take no more than one 'pass/fail' course per academic year (defined as the fall, winter, and spring) in the first three years.
- A student may take up to two 'pass/fail' courses in the senior year (defined as the fall, winter, and spring), and may register for no more than one 'pass/fail' course per academic term.
- A student may register for no more than one of the four 'pass/fail' courses in any academic department and no more than two of the four 'pass/fail' courses in any academic division.
A grade of 'pass' will be equivalent to the lowest passing grade or better. A grade of 'pass' will not be calculated in the term or cumulative index; a grade of 'fail,' however, will count as any other failing grade. A course is registered as 'pass/fail' by means of a form provided by the Registrar and the option must be exercised (or revoked) no later than the end of the third week of the term. The instructors (who will be informed of this choice by a particular student only by request) will submit regular letter grades, which will be appropriately converted to 'pass' or 'fail.' Later reconversion to the letter grade will be done only if absolutely required by a student's official change of major or minor and only upon the specific request of the student.
Students who plan to pursue studies in graduate or professional schools should discuss with their advisors the effect of 'pass/fail' grades on admission to such programs. Some graduate schools regard a grade of 'pass' as a weak grade.
Independent study courses may not be taken Pass/Fail. The only exception might be independent studies taken in conjunction with an off-campus internship.
Academic Recognition
Dean’s List: A student achieves Dean's List standing for an academic year, which is defined as the fall, winter, and spring term, by meeting the following requirements:
- An academic index of at least 3.50 for the year.
- At least three regular courses in each of the three terms, with no fewer than seven courses included in the index.
- No grades of 'D' or 'F.'
A student who spends part of an academic year at the College may be declared a Dean's List student by the Dean for Undergraduate Education if extraordinary circumstances prevent full-time attendance or if the student is on a Union-sponsored term in industry or special Union- sponsored internship, has taken at least six courses for a grade, and the academic index for the courses taken is at least 3.50 with no grades of D or F. Normally, such a student would be expected to take eight courses at Union to qualify for Dean's List.
Graduation with Distinction: Union College recognizes academic distinction by awarding some degrees summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude, these Latin honors signifying various levels of the graduates' cumulative grade point averages. The faculty has the responsibility and authority for setting the levels necessary to attain the various honors. Standards are summa cum laude (3.80 or better), magna cum laude (3.65 or better), and cum laude (3.50 or better). To be eligible, students must have taken at least eighteen courses toward their undergraduate degree while enrolled at Union.
Departmental Honors: In general, students become eligible for departmental honors provided that they (1) have achieved a cumulative index of 3.3 or better; (2) have an index of 3.3 or better in courses taken in the major with grades of A- or better in at least three such courses, exclusive of the senior thesis; (3) completed their Senior Writing Experience on which a grade not lower than A minus has been earned (4) satisfy any other requirements set by the major department, and (5) have taken the final six terms of their program at Union or elsewhere in a study program approved by Union. Students should consult their departments for complete information. In the case of interdepartmental majors, students must satisfy the above for each department, except that for (2), they need to have at least two (not three) grades of A- or better in each department. Interdepartmental majors also must submit to the Honors Committee, through the major departments, evidence of independent work of substance and distinction, in the form of a thesis or some other written or documented work on which a grade not lower than A minus has been earned, and they must be nominated by the major departments.
Academic Good Standing: Union College regards a student as 'in good standing' academically if he or she is permitted to enroll for a subsequent term. However, a student who fails to maintain a cumulative grade point index of 2.00, or whose prior term grade point index was below 2.00, will be warned of the need to improve by being placed on 'Academic Warning,' as explained below. An exceptionally weak record in a single term or a failure to improve after warning may result in suspension or dismissal from the College, also as explained below. It should be noted that for graduation, a student must present a cumulative grade point index of at least 1.80 and an index of at least 2.00 in the major. The Subcouncil on the Academic Standing of Students will review the status of any student whose cumulative grade point index or immediate prior term grade point index falls below 2.00 or of any student for whom other considerations, particularly standing in the major, suggest questions of satisfactory progress toward graduation. If, after such a review, it is felt warranted, the Subcouncil may adopt one of the following actions:
- Academic Warning: The student may remain in college, but unless the record improves, he or she will be subject to subsequent action. (This action is the minimum that will occur if either the cumulative grade point index or the prior term grade point index is below 2.00).
- Special Academic Warning: Normally, the student must achieve a 2.00 or better index in the next term to remain in college. To be removed from Special Academic Warning, the student must achieve two consecutive term indexes of 2.00 or higher while carrying a full course load, with at least two graded courses in both terms. If the student's cumulative index is still below 2.00, he or she remains on academic warning.
- Suspension: When, in the judgment of the Subcouncil on the Academic Standing of Students, a student's record makes it inadvisable to continue in college, he or she may be suspended. The subcouncil may recommend a one- or two-trimester suspension. The student then may petition the Dean of Students for readmission. The subcouncil may deny readmission in some cases.
- Dismissal: In certain cases the subcouncil may dismiss a student permanently.
Petitions for readmission or for waivers to college-wide graduation requirements must be submitted in writing to the subcouncil through the Office of the Dean of Students. Requests to the subcouncil for reconsideration of its decisions must be submitted in writing. Reconsideration will occur only when information not previously available to the subcouncil is submitted and, in the judgment of the subcouncil, that information could have affected its decision. Such reconsideration in no way implies that the subcouncil will subsequently reverse its original decision. Appeals (as opposed to requests for reconsideration) should be directed to the Dean of the Faculty. Such appeals will be considered only with respect to procedural issues.
Students' Rights and Confidentiality of Student Records
One of the goals of a Union College education is to enable students to gain the maturity, independence, and confidence to function as responsible adults. According to New York State law, students who have reached the age of 18 are considered to be adults and are accorded the full rights that such status entails. Because of this, it is the policy of Union College to communicate directly with students on all academic matters, such as grades, academic standing and issues of credit.
The 1974 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) stipulates that in the case of students who are dependents of their parents in the eyes of the Internal Revenue Service, the College is allowed to disclose information from the student's educational records without obtaining the student's consent. It is the policy of the College to notify both students and parents in writing of formal academic warnings, probationary status and dismissal. Additionally, the College will notify the parents of a student in connection with a health or safety emergency as expressly permitted under FERPA.
In other communications with parents, the College will normally respect the privacy of the student. Information from the student's educational records will not be disclosed without the student's formal written consent. Grades are considered to be part of the student's educational record and beginning with the Class of 2008 grades will not be disclosed to parents without the student's formal written consent. Upon obtaining such written consent, the College will provide information to parents (or guardians).
All students will be required to declare their tax status at the commencement of each academic year. Any student who claims not to be a legal dependent must provide appropriate evidence to the College in writing within the first month of each academic year.
Academic Honor Societies
Alpha Kappa Delta: Omega chapter of New York of Alpha Kappa Delta, the national honor society of sociology, was established at Union in 1979. Juniors and seniors who have done outstanding work in sociology are eligible.
Eta Kappa Nu: Phi chapter of the national honor society of Eta Kappa Nu for electrical engineers was established at Union in 1926. Students of outstanding academic achievement who show admirable qualities of character are invited to become members during their junior and senior years.
Eta Sigma Phi: Eta Phi chapter of Eta Sigma Phi, the national honor society for Classics, was established at Union in 2005. Students who demonstrate high achievement in the study of Greek or Latin are eligible for election to full membership.
Omicron Delta Epsilon: Alpha Beta chapter of New York of Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international honor society in economics, was established at Union in 1973. Juniors and seniors who have shown outstanding achievement in the study of economics are invited to become members.
Phi Alpha Theta: Alpha Iota Chi chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the national honor society for history, was established at Union in 2001. Students who have compiled outstanding academic records in history are eligible.
Phi Beta Kappa: Juniors and seniors of academic distinction who are candidates for the B.A. or general B.S. degree are eligible for membership in Phi Beta Kappa. Election is based on scholarship and character, with particular attention given to intellectual maturity and breadth. Union's Phi Beta Kappa chapter. Alpha of New York, was established in 1817 and is the fifth oldest in the country. Election to membership is one of the highest distinctions to be gained by academic achievement.
Pi Sigma Alpha: The Union chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national honor society in political science, was established in 1974. Students who have compiled outstanding academic records in political science are eligible.
Pi Tau Sigma: Established in 1915, Pi Tau Sigma is the national honorary mechanical engineering fraternity. Juniors and seniors with high academic achievement and character are eligible.
Psi Chi: Psi Chi is the national honor society founded to encourage, stimulate, and maintain scholarship in and advance the science of psychology.
Sigma Delta Pi: Established at Union in 1993, the Tau Mu chapter of Sigma Delta Pi honors juniors and seniors for outstanding achievement in the study of Spanish language and literature.
Sigma Pi Sigma: Founded in 1975, the Union chapter of the national honor society Sigma Pi Sigma recognizes outstanding scholarship in physics.
Sigma Xi: The Society of Sigma Xi is an honorary organization dedicated to the encouragement of scientific research pure and applied. The Union chapter, the third in the nation, was begun in 1887. Annually, the society elects to associate membership selected students in science or engineering who have demonstrated, usually by a written report, marked aptitude for scientific research. In addition, students and faculty who have demonstrated noteworthy research achievement may be elected to full membership.
Tau Beta Pi: Established at Union in 1964, Tau Beta Pi annually elects as members a rigorously- selected group of juniors and seniors who have achieved outstanding records in engineering studies and have demonstrated excellence of character.
Student Right-to-Know Act
In compliance with the federal Student Right-to-Know Act requiring institutions of higher education to make available graduation rates, Union has calculated a six-year graduation rate of 84 percent based on the first-time freshman cohort entering in September, 1999. This calculation does not include students who have transferred to the College from other institutions.