Academic Regulations

Policy for Participating in the Commencement Ceremony

Colgate holds commencement (graduation ceremony) annually in May. The following criteria outline eligibility for Colgate students to participate in this ceremony.

To fully participate in commencement (i.e., to graduate), students must have satisfactorily completed a minimum of 32 course credits (including no more than two course credits from add-on fractional credit) and have fulfilled all graduation requirements. Students who have not completed their graduation requirements but would like to participate in commencement events are eligible if they have:

1. at least 28 credits (including earned and in-progress) after the spring term withdrawal deadline, and
2. no more than one additional semester in residence needed after the spring semester.

Additionally, an “Application for Commencement Participation” must be submitted to the registrar’s office by March 31. With approval, students in this category will be eligible to participate in all aspects of the commencement ceremony. These students’ names will be included in the commencement program with a symbol and associated reference indicating the anticipated graduation date. These students will receive an empty diploma cover on stage and will not receive their diploma until all degree requirements have been satisfied. Students may participate in only one commencement ceremony.

Students who do not have at least 28 Colgate course credits (including earned and in-progress courses) and/or need more than one additional semester in residence will not be permitted to participate in graduation ceremonies on any basis and will not be listed in the commencement program, irrespective of their class year upon matriculation at Colgate University.

Questions about this policy should be referred to the Office of the Registrar in 103 Lathrop Hall.

Policy on Review of Course Grade

Preamble

The instructor of record for a course is the sole judge of students’ academic performance in the course (or instructors of record for team-taught courses). Instructors are responsible for clearly articulating the basis for determining students' grades, and students are entitled to fair, equitable treatment in their academic relationships with members of the faculty. Grades are to be assigned in a manner consistent with institutional policies and procedures. Sharing the basis for grades is essential to ensure fair and equitable treatment of students and their work, and students have the right to be informed in a timely and clear manner of the basis for the evaluation of their academic performance in a course.

In all possible instances, questions regarding grading should be settled through informal communications between students and faculty. Students should explore this option before pursuing a formal review of a course grade.

Formal Review of Course Grade Procedure 

Courses at Colgate are typically housed within a department, with an associated department chair, or a program, with an associated program director; and the department or program is housed within an academic division, with an associated division director. Below, ‘department’ will be used to refer to a department or program, and ‘chair’ will be used to refer to both department chairs and program directors. Any questions regarding the department, chair, or division director associated with any given course should be directed to the Dean of Academic and Curricular Affairs.

The Dean of the Faculty and the Dean’s Advisory Council have established the following formal review of course grade procedure:

Disagreement with or disappointment in an instructor’s judgment of the quality of academic work will not be considered grounds for a student’s request for a formal review of a course grade. Students may initiate a formal review of course grade if, after receiving an explanation of the basis of the course grade from the faculty member (or having clearly requested an explanation of the basis in writing and not having received a written response), the student has compelling reasons to support the argument that the grade in the course was improperly arrived at due to any one of the following four factors:

1. computational error,
2. the instructor clearly and substantially deviated from the basis for grading in the course,
3. the course grade resulted from the application of criteria or factors other than academic performance,
4. the instructor assigned the course grade in a manner inconsistent with Colgate’s policies and procedures (including, but not limited to, Colgate’s Non-Discrimination/Sexual Misconduct Response Policy.)

Students who have a complaint about a course grade based on one (or more) of the above improper factors should in all but the most sensitive cases raise their concerns directly with the instructor of the course. The student should write the instructor with an explanation of their basis for believing the assigned course grade is inaccurate based upon one (or more) of the improper factors listed above. The student should write to the faculty member as soon as practicable once course grades have been made available by the Registrar (but within 30 days of grades being posted by the Registrar). The instructor should normally respond to the student in writing within 30 days of receipt of the written concerns, either explaining how the course grade was assigned in a proper fashion, or acknowledging that a mistake was made and that a change of course grade will be initiated by the faculty member if allowed by Colgate policy. If the written communication between the instructor and student results in the instructor desiring to change the course grade, then the instructor will submit a change of course grade form following established procedures.

If the written exchange between faculty member and student fails to bring about a resolution, the student may then forward their written complaint with any supporting materials to the chair of the department housing the course in question, copying the instructor. The chair should then consult with the instructor and strive to find a resolution consistent with Colgate policy and procedures. If, after this consultation, the instructor and student remain in disagreement, the chair should forward all written materials to the Dean of Academic and Curricular Affairs, along with the chair’s written summary of the situation. In the case the course instructor is the department chair, the associated division director will serve in the capacity of chair. In the rare and atypical circumstance that the chair perceives a conflict of interest or other history with the instructor of record or the student, the chairperson may contact the Dean of Academic and Curricular Affairs to discuss whether a surrogate for the chair should be appointed by the dean.

The Dean of Academic and Curricular Affairs will share the submitted materials with the Director of Arts and Humanities, the Director of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, the Director of Social Sciences, the Director of University Studies, and the Associate Provost for Equity and Diversity. This group (inclusive of the Dean of Academic and Curricular Affairs) will consider all of the written materials forwarded by the chair, and after a preliminary consideration of that material, may conduct interviews or solicit responses to directed prompts to any of the parties involved (instructor, student, chair, and/or other offices, such as the Office of Equity and Diversity, that may have relevant information). After considering all of the information available, the review group will make a final determination as to whether it is more likely than not that the grade in the course was arrived at in a manner consistent with policy, or instead due to one (or more) of the improper factors listed above.

If the review group determines (via majority vote) that it is more likely than not that the course grade was assigned in a manner consistent with policy, the Dean of Academic and Curricular Affairs will communicate this finding to the student, instructor, and chair, and that will end the matter.

If the review group determines (via majority vote) that it is more likely than not that the course grade was assigned based on one (or more) of the improper factors listed above, the Dean of Academic and Curricular Affairs will communicate that finding to the student, instructor, and chair, along with the Review Group’s determination of how the matter will be resolved.

If the vote is evenly split, the grade will be presumed to have been assigned consistent with policy, and the matter will be closed.

In all instances, the determination of the Review Group shall be final.

Grades appearing on a student’s academic record may normally not be changed after one semester from the end of the term in which the grade was awarded. Under extraordinary circumstances, grade changes beyond one semester — but before graduation — may be approved by the Dean of Academic and Curricular Affairs.

No grades may be changed after a student has graduated.

Footnote: Allegations that a grade resulted from demographically based discrimination are to be adjudicated under the Non-discrimination, Anti-Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policy, rather than via a grade review. 

Policy on Transcript Notation

Ongoing Non-discrimination, Anti-Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Investigation and Hearing or Student Conduct Board Charge

The University reserves the right to place a hold on the release of a student’s transcript if that student has an investigation or charges against them pending for violation(s) of the Student Nondiscrimination, Anti-Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policy or for charges under the Code of Student Conduct.

Suspension or Expulsion

For crimes of violence, including, but not limited to, sexual violence, defined as crimes that meet the reporting requirements pursuant to the federal Clery Act, institutions shall make a notation on the transcripts of students found responsible after a conduct process that they were:

1. "Suspended after a finding of responsibility for a code of student conduct violation" or
2. "Expelled after a finding of responsibility for a code of student conduct violation."

Withdrawal

For the respondent who withdraws from the institution while such conduct charges are pending, and who declines to complete the disciplinary process, institutions shall make a notation on the transcript that they “Withdrew with conduct charges pending.”

The University reserves the right to not permit a student to withdraw if that student has an investigation or charges against them pending for violation of the Student Nondiscrimination, Anti-Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policy or for charges under the Code of Student Conduct. Should a student decide to leave and not participate in the investigation and/or hearing, the University may opt to proceed in absentia to a reasonable resolution and that student will not be permitted to return to Colgate unless all sanctions have been satisfied.

Removal of transcript notation

Appeals seeking removal of a transcript notation for a suspension may occur, but the notation must remain at least one year after conclusion of the suspension. Appeals for removal of a transcript notation should be directed to the Office of Equity and Inclusion for violations of the Student Non-Discrimination, Anti-Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policy and to the Office of the Dean of the College for violations of the Code of Student Conduct. Notations for expulsion shall not be removed. If a finding of responsibility is vacated for any reason, any such transcript notation shall be removed. Questions regarding this policy should be directed to:

Policy on Exemption from Policies and Regulations

The diversity of experiences brought to the campus by some of our students occasionally provides plausible grounds for exemption from a particular requirement or regulation based upon unique circumstances. Students who wish to petition for an exemption from a University requirement or regulation should first consult an administrative dean, who can advise them of the procedures to follow in their particular case.

The Petitions Committee receives petitions from students seeking exemption from the graduation requirements of the University, including the transfer credit limit, the residency requirement, and the Liberal Arts Core Curriculum program. The committee does not exist to hear “petitions in general” from students, nor does it exist to hear appeals from administrative decisions. Students should consult an administrative dean and their academic adviser before developing a petition. Exemptions from graduation requirements are granted only by the Petitions Committee. Exemptions are approved for compelling academic reasons, or when a true hardship exists for the student through no fault of their own and when no other solution can be found.

The Committee on Standards and Academic Standing (CSAS) considers petitions from students seeking exceptions from routine deadlines or policies (late course drops and adds, withdrawal from a course after the announced deadline, etc.) that are not mandated by the University Catalog graduation requirements. This committee meets regularly during the academic year, and students may file a petition through an administrative dean. This committee, with expanded faculty membership, also meets at the end of each semester in academic review mode to consider petitions from students who have been academically suspended or dismissed.

Policy on Academic Suspension and Readmission

The Committee on Standards and Academic Standing (CSAS) reviews the academic performance of all students at the end of each term. Failure to meet the academic standards in a term, as described in the University Catalog, will result in academic suspension. Students who have been academically suspended are not eligible to return until two semesters have elapsed. 

Students who have been academically suspended may appeal this decision by filing a written appeal to the CSAS in accordance with the procedures outlined in their dismissal notification letter. If a student’s appeal is granted, their status is changed from “academically suspended” to “retained on academic warning.” A second academic dismissal is permanent.

Following an academic suspension, the student must leave campus and abide by the Policy for Student Presence on Campus While a Student Is Separated from the University contained elsewhere in this handbook.

Colgate’s academic standards are contained in the University Catalog in the Academic Regulations chapter under the headings of “Minimum Academic Progress” and “Academic Warning and Suspension” and are worthy of careful review.

Readmission

One fall and one spring term must elapse before an academically suspended student is eligible to return to Colgate. Students must apply for readmission through their administrative dean, according to the following timetable:

Deadlines**

• Fall term March 15
• Spring term October 1

**Note: If transcripts of academic work cannot be submitted by the due date, they may be submitted at the end of the term. This may result in a delay of the readmission decision. Please note that all other materials must be received by the indicated due dates. 

Failure to meet the above deadlines may result in a denial of the petition or delay readmission until a subsequent semester. Students returning from academic suspension are automatically placed on academic warning for the first term back. The administrative dean will outline the terms of academic warning in the readmission letter.

Requirements for Readmission

Students who have been academically suspended must demonstrate that they have the capacity to succeed in a structured and rigorous academic environment before they are approved to resume their studies at Colgate. They must be employed in a full-time job for at least six months or successfully complete at least two full-time courses (grades of “B” or higher) at an approved two or four-year college or university in the student’s home country. Academically suspended students must consult the Colgate registrar in advance for approval to take courses at another institution for subsequent transfer to Colgate. Note also that no more than six course equivalents may be transferred to Colgate from all sources (e.g., pre-college, Advanced Placement, and other colleges). Please see the Transfer and Pre-Matriculation Credit website for the current information regarding transfer credit eligibility and procedures. While it is not a requirement that coursework be eligible to transfer to Colgate to meet the standards for reinstatement, it is often advised by a student’s academic advisor to take courses that are approved for transfer credit toward their Colgate degree. 

Students should consult their administrative deans in planning their time away from Colgate. Administrative deans need to approve a student’s plans to demonstrate their capacity to succeed in a structured environment. 

Readmission Application

The application for reinstatement should address the issues that led to the academic suspension and present evidence supporting the student’s success upon returning to Colgate. All supporting documentation and the meeting with the administrative dean must take place before the student can be readmitted. The student’s petition must include the following:

• The student’s written statement describing how the time away has been spent, addressing the issues that led to suspension and sharing why those problems will not reoccur should the student return to Colgate.
• If the student plans to work full time for six months has been approved by the administrative dean, the student must document the employment and provide two letters of recommendation, at least one of which is from the employer who supervised the student’s work. Employers/supervisors can also provide a phone reference to the administrative dean in lieu of a written letter of recommendation.
• If the student plans to enroll in at least two full courses at an accredited institution, the student must provide a transcript showing that grades of “B” or better were earned in the courses.
• A meeting with the student’s administrative dean regarding their plan for the upcoming semesters.

Optional: additional letters of recommendation or support.