D

• Deans
• Declaring a Minor
• Degree Evaluation Report (DER)
• Department of Basic Studies
• Department, Programs, and Centers
• Disability Services, Office Of
• Discrimination
• Double Degree/Double Major
• Dropping a Course
• Due Process for Students

Deans

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Declaring a Minor

A student cam declare a minor by filling out the selecting the Minor option on the Change of Major form and taking the form to the Registrar's Office. The standard processing time to add or change a minor is 2-3 business days from the time the request is received.

Official recognition of the minor will appear on the transcript, not on the diploma.

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Degree Evaluation Record (DER)

The Degree Evaluation Record, DER, has replaced the CAPP Report. The DER can be accessed through ISIS or the Enrollment Services tab in CougarNet.and is available to both the individual student and their academic advisor. It lists the progress a student has made towards the completion of their degree program. The DER has the capability to generate a "what if" evaluation if the student is considering changing their major.

If an academic advisor feels that an adjustment should be made to the DER, a DER Adjustment form can be completed and forwarded to the Assistant Registrar.

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Department of Basic Studies

The Department of Basic Studies serves highly motivated students who desire to pursue a college education but need additional academic preparation to enter four-year programs. These students fall into one or more of the following categories

• Adult students who graduated from high school five years or more prior to admission and need refresher courses before enrolling in regular classes; Students whose SAT or ACT test scores are too low for regular or limited admission into a four-year college;
• Students who failed to complete required college preparatory courses (CPC deficient) while in high school

This department offers the following non-degree credit classes:

• Learning Support classes in English, mathematics, and reading. Learning Support classes for students who are CPC deficient in science or social science.
• Learning Support classes for students who transfer to CSU deficient in computer skills.
• Refresher modules for adult re-entry students.

The Department of Basic Studies is a unit of University College.

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Departments, Programs, Centers

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Disability Services, Office Of

Accommodations for disabilities are made in accordance to the ADA (The Americans for Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973). These accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis

Criteria for accommodations are based on guidelines provided by the Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia as well as The Technical Assistance Manual published by the Department of Justice. Accommodations are also based on medical or psychological and/or vocational documentation provided by the student. A student should contact the Office of Disability Services as soon as he/she has documentation to support the presence of a disability according to the ADA.

Instructors are notified of a student's accommodation needs via confidential letter by the Office of Disability Services.

The student has the responsibility of requesting services at the beginning of each semester to take to each instructor. It is also the student's responsibility to contact the instructor before or during the first week of classes to discuss the accommodation plan. The student has the responsibility of making arrangements for testing accommodations if eligible.

The instructor has the responsibility of meeting with the student and discussing the appropriate accommodations according to the instructor letter and accommodation plan. For students needing testing accommodations, the Testing Accommodation Procedure form will be provided for the instructor to fill out and return to the Office of Disability Services.

A student with a disability may have some absences due to his/her disability. A student must provide the Office of Disability Services with a doctor's excuse if the absence is related to the student's disability.

If any questions arise concerning accommodations, please inquire with the Program Coordinator for the Office of Disability Services, at extension 2330.

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Discrimination

It is the policy of Columbus State University to ensure equal opportunities for all employees, students, applicants for employment and student applicants. No person shall be excluded from participation in, denied benefits of or be subject to discrimination under any University program or activity on the basis of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age or veteran status.

Columbus State University is committed to creating and maintaining a University community in which all persons can work and learn together in an atmosphere free of all forms of harassment. Therefore, sexual harassment within the Columbus State University community is expressly prohibited.

Any individual with a complaint or concern that is related to these standards should contact the Affirmative Action/EEO Office at 706-568-2436. The Office is located in the Human Resources Department in Richards Hall.

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Double Degree/ Double Major

In order for a student to earn both associate and baccalaureate degrees in the same discipline, all requirements for the associate degree must be satisfied at least two semesters before requirements for the baccalaureate degree are satisfied. Otherwise, only the baccalaureate degree will be awarded. Further, any student graduating from Columbus State University with a baccalaureate degree cannot concurrently receive an Associate of Science degree in General Studies.

To earn an additional baccalaureate degree in a significantly different discipline (as determined by the dean of the college offering the degree sought), students must meet the following requirements:

• Have earned a baccalaureate degree at Columbus State University or at another accredited institution.
• Meet all major program requirements for the degree sought with a minimum 30 semester credit hours of additional upper division work in residence at Columbus State University and a minimum degree progress grade point average of 2.0.
• Satisfy the U.S. and Georgia history and constitution requirements if the prior degree is not from a University System institution.

To earn an additional associate degree in a significantly different discipline (as determined by the dean of the college offering the degree sought), students must meet the following requirements:

• Have earned an associate degree at Columbus State University or at another accredited institution.
• Meet all program requirements for the degree sought with a minimum of 21 semester credit hours of additional work in residence at Columbus State University and a minimum degree progress grade point average of 2.0.
• Satisfy the U.S. and Georgia history and constitution requirements if the prior degree is not from a University System institution.

Students seeking two baccalaureate degrees or two associate degrees simultaneously must meet the above requirements for the additional degree. If the two disciplines are not significantly different, the student may seek a double major. Contact the Office of the Registrar (706-507-8800) for more information on double degrees and double majors.

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Dropping a Course

See Withdrawal from a Course.

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Due Process for Students

1. Procedures for Alleged Academic Violations
2. Procedures for Alleged Violations of Student Conduct Standards and Non-Academic Violations
3. Housing Judicial Procedures
4. Sanctions/Remedies

Since educational institutions have the responsibility for protecting the educational purposes for which they exist, and for establishing safeguards to insure that those charged with violations of institutional standards on scholarship and behavior are accorded equal protection from unfair disciplinary measures, the following procedures have been established for the resolution of disciplinary problems.

A. Procedures for Alleged Academic Violations

The academic grievance procedure is primarily designed as a route to the resolution of academic or related differences concerning academic fairness, which may arise between a faculty member and a student within a particular course during a single semester/term. This procedure is not available to challenge university policy; although, an alleged improper application of policy may be considered. If there is uncertainty about the appropriate form or direction of a grievance in a particular case, the Director of Judicial Affairs should be consulted.

Students are responsible for maintaining the standards of academic performance established by the faculty for each course in which they are enrolled. Faculty members are responsible for informing the students in their classes of their requirements for each course that they teach, including attendance policies and methods for course evaluation. Examination situations should be clearly defined, as well as requirements for outside projects or papers, and plagiarism should be carefully defined.

Timeliness of Grievance

Grievances should be addressed in a timely fashion. Academic grievances should be initiated within the semester/term the problem occurs or within the first ten-(10) university working days of the next semester/term. The Grievance Review Board
may consider extenuating circumstances for any exception to this time limitation. Those circumstances must be beyond the control of the student such as hospitalization or military assignment.

Informal Academic Grievances

Any student who has an academic fairness complaint with a faculty is encouraged, but not required, to meet with the faculty and/or the faculty member’s department chair seeking to resolve the problem informally at the lowest level.

Faculty have a responsibility to post and maintain regular office hours and to make special appointments to met with students, answer questions concerning course material and attendance records, share the record of a student’s grades in the course, explain how particular grades were derived, and to answer questions about examinations within a timely fashion. The faculty is the best authority to explain course requirements and to settle misunderstandings about grades.

Department chairs maintain an open door policy to talk with students. The department chair can assist the student in understanding university or system policy, can direct the student to the times a particular faculty will be available, or attend a meeting with both the student and the faculty. The chair serves as an objective third party acting as a resource to both the student and the faculty. Chairs and deans are responsible for knowing and being able to explain student and faculty rights and responsibilities, as well as, grievance and appeal procedures. The chair will also supply each party with a Student Handbook referring the parties to the section on formal grievances and noting the filing deadline. If the deadline for filing a formal grievance is less than five (5) university working days away, the department chair may write a letter to the director of judicial affairs indicating that significant progress is being made in the informal handling of the case and that the deadline for filing the formal grievance should be extended by an additional ten (10) university working days.

If the department chair is not available within three (3) university working days or if the department chair is the faculty member with whom the student has a complaint, the dean of the college may act as a facilitator as described above. There is no required meeting with the dean.

Formal Academic Grievances

If the informal attempt fails or if the student does not wish to meet informally with the faculty member, the department chair, or the dean, the student may file a formal, written complaint with the director of judicial affairs. If the Director of Judicial Affairs is away from campus or has a conflict of interest in the case, the complaint may be filed with either the assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs or the Vice President for Student Affairs. Henceforth for the purpose of this policy, any of these three (3) administrators who receives a written complaint shall be referred to as the "Judicial Officer."

Due Process for formal academic grievances at Columbus State University includes:

1. written notification of charge(s);
2. the opportunity to review evidence supporting the charge(s);
3. he opportunity to present evidence in response to the charge(s);
4. the right to have an advisor from the university community present during any hearing (sometimes an attorney—see Academic Grievance Policy Brochure, Advisors); and
5. unless time extensions have been granted, the right to a written decision based on the evidence within forty (40) university working days from the date of the filing of the formal grievance.

NOTE: For additional information see the Academic Grievance Procedure Brochure, the Director of Judicial Affairs, the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, or the Vice President for Student Affairs.

See Academic Grievance.

B. Procedures for Alleged Violations of Student Conduct Standards and Non-Academic Violations

1. Alleged non-academic violations or infringements of student rights will be referred to the office of the Dean of Students for an administrative hearing.

2. After an administrative hearing, the Dean of Students will take one of the following actions:

• Recommend an appropriate sanction.
• Refer the complaint to the Director of Judicial Affairs for a hearing before a Student Rights and Responsibilities Hearing Panel.
• Complaints involving appeals of traffic or library fines may be forwarded to the Student Government Judicial Council. Questions of a constitutional nature pertaining to student organizations, and student government impeachment proceedings, will be forwarded to the Student Government Judicial Council.

NOTE: For additional information see the Student Handbook, or the Office of Judicial Affairs.

C. Housing Judicial Procedures

All students who are alleged to have violated housing policies of Columbus State University will be afforded the following process:

1. An incident report will be completed by the staff member involved. The student will sign this report thus indicating that he/she has seen the report. Signing of this report is not an admission of guilt.
2. The report is referred to the Director of Residence Life.
3. The Director of Residence Life decides which of three actions to take:
   • Discuss the matter with the student and resolve the incident.
   • Refer the matter to the Dean of Students.
4. Appeals from these decisions may be made to the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs.

D. Sanctions/Remedies

A hearing official or judicial body may recommend to the appropriate administrative official one or more of the following sanctions/remedies.

• Expulsion - permanent forced withdrawal from the university.
• Suspension - forced withdrawal from the university for a specified period of time.
• Forced withdrawal from the course and/or department within which the offense occurred, with or without credit for the course as may be adjudged.
• Reprimand - an admonition which may be either verbal or written.
• Restitution - compensation to the person or university body whose property rights have been violated by the offender.
• An appropriate change in grade.
• Revocation of privileges - loss of right or denial of privileges to participate in campus functions or have access to the campus or university facilities including parking or housing. This may include revoking the charter or official recognition of an organization.
• Probation - placing of the student or organization under restrictions for a specified period of time.
• Referral - may include referral to agencies or individuals for specific evaluation, treatment, assistance or action.

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For more information see The Student Handbook.