Academic Regulations

Enrollment Policies

Policy for Awarding Credit
A semester hour is defined as 50 minutes of classroom instruction per week for a 15-week semester, or the equivalent amount of instruction for a shorter term. In addition to in-class instruction, students should expect to spend a minimum of 100 minutes per week per semester hour on class-related work done outside of class. Courses will be awarded credit according to this standard, and any deviation from this standard must be approved by the Curriculum Committee. When courses are offered in hybrid or fully online formats, the expectations for overall time spent on a course are the same. The course content and student learning outcomes should match those established for face-to-face sections of the same course.

Registration
A student may not attend a class unless she is officially registered, either for credit or as an auditor. In order to receive credit for a course, a student must be officially registered. Registration dates, as well as deadlines for adding, dropping or withdrawing from a course, are announced every term. Students with academic, financial or other holds on their accounts may not register for classes. It is the responsibility of all students to maintain their eligibility for registration and to ensure that their accounts are in good standing. Further, it is the responsibility of each student to routinely log into the secure section of the MySalem website, where information about course registration (including waitlist status and holds), grades, etc. is updated.

Academic Load
To be considered full-time, the student must enroll in at least 12 semester hours; however, to achieve graduation (minimum of 120 semester hours) in four years requires 30 semester hours each academic year.

With the exception of the approved cross-registration program at Wake Forest University, full-time undergraduate students are not permitted to be dually enrolled at other institutions during the fall or spring term. Any exceptions to this policy must be recommended by the student’s advisor and approved in advance by the College and by the dean of undergraduate studies. Before students submit their appeal, they must: (a) be in good academic standing; (b) have completed one year of coursework at Salem College; (c) complete a transfer pre-approval form; and (d) sign a form stating that they understand that financial aid may not be used to cover the expense.

Students may carry between 12 to 18 semester hours in any fall or spring term with the approval of the faculty advisor; an overload of more than 18 semester hours (including Wake Forest courses) requires permission from the Registrar or the Dean of Undergraduate Studies (see details below).

Petitioning for an Overload (more than 18 semester hours)
All students must request permission to exceed 18 semester hours. Students requesting overloads will be expected to demonstrate sound academic standing, as evidenced by their Salem GPA Therefore, students may not petition to take an overload during their first semester at Salem. Following the successful completion of one full semester, students who wish to petition for an overload should have at least a 2.67 (B-) overall Salem GPA. A course load of 19 to 20 semester hours requires permission of the student’s faculty adviser and the Registrar or the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. Petitions for more than 20 semester hours will be considered only in the most extraordinary circumstances and require permission from the Undergraduate Curriculum Council and should be submitted to the Registrar’s Office. To avoid registration delays, petitions should be submitted as part of preliminary registration for the upcoming semester.

Drop/Add Policy
To add or drop a course, a student must submit a change of registration approved by the student’s academic advisor. This may be done through the Student Information System or through the Registrar’s Office.

A student may drop a course with the following conditions:

1. Without a grade - during the first complete week of classes.
2. With the grade of W (Withdrawal) - after the first week and through the ninth week of the term. The course remains on the transcript with a grade of W.
3. After the ninth week (or the published date of the last date to withdraw from a full term course), students may only withdraw from the College under the conditions described below, under “Withdrawal from the College.”

A student may add courses during the first complete week of classes. After this time, only courses which last half the semester, and which begin in the second half of the term may be added.

Specific registration dates, including summer term courses, are published annually on the Salem College website.

Immunizations
North Carolina law requires individuals attending a college or university, whether public, private or religious, to receive certain immunizations. All new and transfer students are required to submit documentation of state-required immunizations. Per North Carolina state law, students will be WITHDRAWN FROM THE COLLEGE 30 days after classes begin if immunization requirements have not been met.

Withdrawal from the College
Students who wish to withdraw from the College are required to notify the Dean of Undergraduate Studies in writing and provide the dean with any requested information needed to process the withdrawal. If the student withdraws from the College, her grades in those courses are governed by the deadlines referenced in the Add/Drop Policy above. 

Any student who is approved for readmission after one calendar year or more (two consecutive regular terms) or who returns to the College after a “step out” period of one calendar year or more will be bound by all requirements (including general degree requirements and major requirements) of the catalog in effect at the time of re-enrollment; the college may also re-evaluate previously awarded transfer credit. Prior-year catalogs are viewable at registrar@salem.edu.

Medical Withdrawal
Students who are granted medical withdrawal must withdraw from all classes. The student will receive a grade of W in all classes. Grades of W do not affect the student’s grade point average.

Students who must withdraw from the College for health or family medical emergencies may request a medical withdrawal from the College at any point during the term, including the exam period. In order for a request for medical withdrawal to be considered, the student must:

• submit the request in writing to the dean of undergraduate studies during the semester in which the health or family medical emergency occurred;
• submit medical documentation sufficient to support the need to withdraw the student from all classes;
• if the student is receiving financial aid, she must consult with the financial aid office, and then acknowledge and agree to the impact of the withdrawal on the student’s satisfactory academic progress, financial aid eligibility, and financial obligations to the College.

Once the letter and documentation have been received and the student has acknowledged receipt of the financial aid office’s review of her situation, the dean of undergraduate studies will provide an answer in no less than 5 business days.

In order to be readmitted, a student who has been medically withdrawn must submit a doctor’s statement that she is cleared to return to classes.

Readmission After Withdrawal
A student who withdraws during the term for other than documented health or family emergency reasons will be required to apply for readmission if she wishes to re-enroll for a subsequent term. If the withdrawal was for health reasons, a doctor’s statement may be required in order to support the student’s request to be readmitted at that time.

Any student who is approved for readmission after one calendar year or more or who returns to the College after a “step out” period of one calendar year or more will be bound by all requirements (including general degree requirements and major requirements) of the catalog in effect at the time of re-enrollment; the college may also re-evaluate previously awarded transfer credit. Prior-year catalogs are viewable at registrar@salem.edu.

Required Withdrawal
The College reserves the right to require, at any time, the withdrawal of a student who does not maintain the required standards of scholarship, whose presence tends to lower the standard of conduct of the student body or who, in the judgment of Salem College’s Director of Counseling Services, could not remain without danger to her own health or the health of others.

The College reserves the right to discipline, suspend or expel a student for conduct not in accord with the spirit of Salem College.

Readmission After Administrative Withdrawal
A student who is administratively withdrawn and who wishes to return to Salem may apply for readmission after one or more terms of successful full-time work (twelve semester hours each) at an institution accredited by an accreditor that is recognized by the Council for Higher Education or the U.S. Department of Education. She must also submit a letter to the dean of undergraduate studies that addresses the following topics: a description of her activities during the period of withdrawal (courses of study at another institution, job description if employed); an analysis of the factors which led to her withdrawal; a statement on how the term of withdrawal has helped her reassess her educational goals; and a statement of the plans she has in place to ensure her academic success. Students readmitted after an administrative withdrawal will be put on probation in their first semester upon return to Salem.

Any student who is approved for readmission after one calendar year or more or who returns to the College after a “step out” period of one calendar year or more will be bound by all requirements (including general degree requirements and major requirements) of the catalog in effect at the time of re-enrollment; the college may also re-evaluate previously awarded transfer credit. Prior-year catalogs are viewable at registrar@salem.edu.

Unofficial Withdrawal
A student who leaves the College or stops attending courses without officially withdrawing will be administratively withdrawn and will receive a grade of WF (or NC, for courses graded P/NC) for those courses. The date of withdrawal is the midpoint (50%) of the semester. The student will be financially responsible for the payment of all tuition and fees, and will be responsible for the repayment of federal financial aid, if applicable. The student who stops attending and who receives all WF’s for a regular semester has 14 days from the last date of the term to apply for a medical withdrawal and provide supporting documentation. After 14 days, the grades of WF will stand, even if the student presents documentation of a medical issue that caused the unofficial withdrawal. Grades of WF are considered as F’s where satisfactory academic progress is concerned and will calculate in the student’s GPA as such.

Leave of Absence
A student who wishes to have a leave of absence for personal reasons or for study abroad must meet with the Dean of Undergraduate studies and fill out the proper form. A leave of absence may be granted for a period up to one year. If the student does not return by the end of that period, the leave will be converted to a withdrawal, and the student will have to apply for readmission in order to re-enroll at Salem.

Any student who is approved for readmission after one calendar year or more or who returns to the College after a “step out” period of one calendar year or more will be bound by all requirements (including general degree requirements and major requirements) of the catalog in effect at the time of re-enrollment; the college may also re-evaluate previously awarded transfer credit. Prior-year catalogs are viewable at registrar@salem.edu.

Class Attendance
Students are expected to attend classes regularly and promptly. The individual faculty member has the right to establish attendance regulations for his or her classes and the responsibility to inform students of these regulations at the beginning of each term. Students assume responsibility for class attendance by meeting the standards set by their instructors and are also responsible for discussing with the faculty member any extenuating circumstances that affect their attendance. If the student is absent from class, it is her responsibility to meet with her faculty members who will determine whether or not the absence was excused and how missing work will be handled. Authority for granting excused absences or extensions for missed class time or assignments rests with each individual faculty member. Faculty may request that the students provide written verification of health or counseling appointments, but this information serves as notification/verification only.

In accordance with Title IX, Salem will excuse all pregnancy and childbirth-related absences for as long as the student’s physician deems the absences medically necessary, and will allow students to make up any work that was missed during that time. Questions about Title IX should be directed to the College Title IX Coordinator.

In the event of a family emergency or an extended illness that results in absence from more than two class sessions, students should contact the dean of undergraduate studies, who will provide information regarding the absences to the appropriate faculty. The Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies does not excuse absences. In the same way, the Student Health Center does not write excuses for missing class due to illness.

In cases where college-sponsored activities (sports, choir trips, etc.) will take students away from classes,

• The student is responsible for conferring with her faculty members to determine whether the absence(s) will be excused and how missing work will be handled.
• The college-designated official sponsoring the event is responsible for providing written notification to faculty members of which class periods students may be absent because of the activity. This should normally be done at the beginning of each semester, so that instructors, affected students, and activity sponsors have sufficient time to make the necessary choices and adjustments. This should normally be done by the Director of Athletics (for athletic events), the faculty member or program director (for faculty-sponsored events), the Dean of Students (for student life events), or other appropriate College officials.
• Should a student choose to attend her regularly scheduled class or lab in lieu of participating in a college-sponsored activity that carries course credit, she should not be penalized academically in the course for missing the activity.

Credit and Placement Options

Foreign Language Placement Information
Students who wish to study French or Spanish, who are not transferring college-level credit in those languages, and who either have taken one of those languages in high school or have otherwise learned to speak it, should take the appropriate online language placement test. The results of the test will inform the student of the particular course in French, Spanish, or German in which the student should continue her study of that language.

Math Placement Policy
Mathematics placement recommendations are based on a holistic look at the student’s interests, past high school and college courses (including English and science courses), transfer credits, any end-of-course or end-of-grade standardized test scores, ACT or /SAT scores (when available), planned course of study, and other information in the student’s academic record. provided by the student or their recommenders.

Placement recommendations are provided to first-year advisors, the Registrar’s Office, and the Dean of Undergraduate Studies when a student enters Salem. If, after consulting with her academic advisor, a student wishes to contest the recommended course or to take a course that was not recommended for which prerequisites are not met, she may request that the mathematics program director review the recommendation or may submit an Academic Appeal to request enrollment in a different course.

Students are not placed into MATH 101: Calculus II or higher without prior credit for MATH 100: Calculus I or its equivalent.

Proficiency Examinations
Courses which satisfy core curriculum requirements may be waived if proficiency standards are met, and the total number of requirements is reduced accordingly. However, no credit is granted and the total number of courses required for graduation remains unchanged, unless specifically indicated below. Proficiency examinations may include standardized examinations or individual program testing.

Advanced Placement Credit (scores and credit are subject to change without prior notice)

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Exams
Students may earn credit for a maximum of three courses from the list below (regardless of semester hour value of the course) by taking College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests. The processing fee for recording each successfully completed CLEP examination on the Salem College transcript is $35 each. A student is billed for the recording fee once Salem has received official notification from the College Board that the student has successfully passed an exam. Scores are not recorded on the transcript until the recording fee is paid. If a student does not achieve the required score, the student must wait six months before taking the same CLEP test again. Any exam not specifically listed will be considered for placement and/or credit by the Director of the Salem Impact, in consultation with relevant programs. Students may not receive AP, IB and/or CLEP course credit for the same subject.

*The programs of Biology and Chemistry reserve the right to require the student receiving CLEP credit in biology or chemistry, respectively, to repeat the laboratory portion of the course in their program. Students wishing to have the laboratory requirement waived will be required to show evidence of college level laboratory experience.

** Students who have earned credit for MATH 100 may not receive CLEP credit for MATH 020 or MATH 025.

*** For students who earn a score of 50 on both the Macroeconomics and the Microeconomics exams, credit will be granted for ECON 100. A score of 50 on one test, but not the other will not yield any credit for Salem College course equivalents.

International Baccalaureate Credit
Salem College recognizes International Baccalaureate (IB) for purposes of advanced placement and/or credit for entering students. Placement and course credit are determined by the program and depend on exam scores. Students must submit official IB transcripts in addition to secondary school transcripts. Scores of 5 through 7 on high level IB exams may be considered for credit as follows:

Exams not listed above will be considered for credit and/or placement by the Director of the Salem Impact, in consultation with relevant programs. Students may not receive AP, IB and/or CLEP course credit for the same subject.

Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)
Students may receive academic credit for college-level learning derived from life experiences begun prior to admission to a Salem College degree program. Such experiences must be equivalent to a body of knowledge that the student would have acquired and received credit for in any given course at Salem College. These experiences should 1) be associated with a specific academic discipline at Salem and 2) have taken place over a period of at least 160 hours (equivalent to four 40-hour work weeks). Possibilities include, but are not limited to, unique projects, work or volunteer experiences, courses, and non-credit seminars, workshops or institutes. A student may earn a maximum of twelve semester hours of credit from prior learning.

Credits earned through CPL are considered non-residential and are not counted toward the 30 semester hours that must be completed at Salem College. Applications for CPL are accepted after a student is admitted to Salem but only before the student has attained senior class status. Before submitting an application for CPL credit, students should consult with both the dean of undergraduate studies and a faculty member in the academic program in which the student seeks credit to discuss their intended proposal.

Students may obtain a CPL proposal form from the dean of undergraduate studies. Proposals for CPL credit must be submitted with a nonrefundable $25 application fee; payment of this fee should not be construed as assurance that course credits will be approved. The proposal form must be accompanied by 1) a paper comparable in quality, length, and demonstrated satisfaction of learning outcomes to a term paper required as the final submission for a seminar course at Salem College, and 2) documents supporting the CPL proposal (e.g., supervisor’s letter, notice of seminars attended, certificates, performance appraisals, etc.). Students should keep a copy for their records. Once submitted, the proposal is evaluated by a faculty advisor; at the faculty member’s discretion, an oral examination may be required. On the basis of a rigorous assessment of the student’s materials, the faculty advisor makes a semester hour recommendation to the dean of undergraduate studies. The dean of undergraduate studies reviews all recommendations before submitting the final semester hour recommendation to the Office of the Registrar for inclusion on the student’s transcript. If approved, the credit will be added to the student’s transcript for a fee.

Grading Policies

Grading System
Salem College uses the following system of grading:

Other valid grades are:

To earn a grade of “P” (pass) for a course that is graded pass/no credit, the student must earn at least the equivalent of a C (2.00).

A grade of “NR” (not reported) may be entered temporarily, pending receipt of official grades. A student may not graduate with an “I” or “NR” on their record. NR’s will be changed to F’s by the Registrar’s Office 36 hours after the grading deadline each semester. See the “Grade Change Policy” (below) for information about changing these and other grades.

Midterm grades are assigned only for courses in which the student is earning a C- or less. These grades are available to the students through Salem’s student information system but are not part of the student’s permanent record and do not appear on the official transcript.

Prior to fall 2000, plus and minus grades were used for qualitative evaluation only. The GPA is calculated by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of courses attempted. Grades of I, P, NC, NR, W or AUD do not affect the student’s GPA.

Any student who holds a major office in any college organization must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher.

Grades earned after the completion of the requirements for a degree are not included in the GPA effective at the time of graduation.

Repeating Courses
Certain courses at Salem may be repeated for additional credit. These include music ensembles, physical education (PHED) activity courses, music performance and selected individual courses which indicate in their course descriptions that they may be repeated.

Students who earn a grade of F, D+, D or D- in a course have the option of retaking that course one time at Salem to improve their proficiency in the subject matter and to improve their grade point average. If a student repeats a course, the higher grade will count in the student’s GPA; however, all grades will be reflected on the student’s academic transcript. Students receiving financial aid should consult with the Office of Financial Aid before electing to pursue this option.

Failing Grade (Grade F)
A grade of F indicates that the student has failed the course; no credit is given. It will, however, be included when computing the GPA If the course is required, it is to be repeated; if the course is an elective, it may be repeated or another course may be taken instead to make up the credit. If the course is repeated, the higher grade will be included in the overall GPA computation. All grades will be reflected on the student’s academic transcript. Students receiving financial aid should consult with the Office of Financial Aid before electing to pursue this option.

Incomplete (Grade I)
A grade of I is a temporary indication on the student’s record that the requirements of the course have not been completed for justifiable reasons. Given at the discretion of the faculty member, typically for the following three reasons: illness, accident or death in the student’s family, Incompletes must be made up within 8 weeks, or the grade will automatically turn into an F. Extensions beyond the 8 weeks may be granted by the Dean of Undergraduate Studies or the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies with the written support of the faculty member. If the student is receiving financial aid, they must consult with the financial aid office to discuss the impact of the Incomplete on the student’s satisfactory academic progress and financial aid eligibility. A student may not graduate with an “I” or an “NR” on their record.

Grade Change Policy
Faculty who wish to change a grade already recorded by the registrar must complete a grade change form in the registrar’s office. This should be done as soon as possible. A faculty member who wishes to change a grade a calendar year or more after the grade was first submitted must present the grade change request in writing to the vice-president of academic and student affairs and dean of the college, explaining the reason for the change and the reason for the delay.

Grade Appeal Policy
Student appeals of grades earned in a course are welcomed on a professional basis by the faculty. Students must explain to the instructor involved their specific disagreement with the grading outcome. If the matter is not resolved at this level, the student may then take the matter to the division chair of the program in which the course was offered (or to the vice-president of academic and student affairs and dean of the college if the division chair is the instructor involved in the appeal). If the matter is not resolved at the chair’s level, the student may then refer the matter to the vice-president of academic and student affairs and dean of the college for a final decision. The student must begin the grade appeal process no later than one calendar year after the grade in question was due for submission.

Pass/No Credit Courses
By vote of the faculty, certain courses are always evaluated as pass/no credit (P/NC) for all students enrolled. These include MUSI 223. A student must receive a grade of pass (P) in order to earn credit for the course. If a pass/no credit course is required for a major or any other degree requirements, the grade of pass (P) in such a course indicates that the college requirement in that area has been met. Neither the pass (P) nor the no credit (NC) grade will be counted in computing the GPA To earn a grade of “P” (pass) for a course that is graded pass/no credit, the student must earn at least the equivalent of a C (2.00). Courses offered on a pass/no credit basis only are marked with “P/NC” following the course description.

Pass/No Credit Option
During her junior or senior years, a student may, with the permission of her advisor and the instructor, enroll in up to four elective courses, but no more than one course per term, to be taken on a pass/no credit basis. Under this option, a student will receive full academic credit for the course if she receives a grade of pass (P). Neither the pass (P) nor the no credit (NC) grade will be counted in computing the GPA. Courses selected for pass/no credit grading must be electives - they cannot satisfy core curriculum requirements or requirements for the major or minor. A student may elect to take a course pass/no credit at any time during the first four weeks of class in the fall or spring term by filing the appropriate signed form with the registrar. After the four-week period, she may not change it to a letter-grade basis, nor may she change a graded course to a pass/no credit option. To elect pass/no credit in a graded course during summer school, a student must file the appropriate form by the end of the first week of classes. To earn a grade of “P” (pass) for a course that the student elects to have graded pass/no credit, the student must earn at least the equivalent of a C (2.0).

Audited Courses
A student may not attend a class unless she is officially registered, either for credit or as an auditor. Registration as an auditor permits a student to enroll in a course without working for a grade or credit. An auditor is expected to attend class regularly and participate in class discussions or activities as invited by the instructor. The auditor is not required to take tests and examinations and is not usually expected to submit papers. An auditor who finds it necessary to completely discontinue class attendance must formally drop the course. Since an audit course does not involve academic credit, it may be taken in conjunction with credit courses, and it has no bearing on course load status for full-time students. The full-time student may not audit more than one course each term, and audit courses cannot be repeated for academic credit at a later date, unless permission is granted by the dean of undergraduate studies upon recommendation of the student’s academic adviser and with the cognizance and input of the course instructor. (Students who enroll in certificate programs at Salem and who audited courses required for the certificate prior to their matriculation in the program may repeat courses audited prior to Fall 2009 for academic credit.) An audit course may be changed to a credit course and a credit course may be changed to an audit status only before the end of the drop/add period.

Auditors may not register for a research course, a seminar, a practicum, a studio, a laboratory or another course where, in the instructor’s opinion, auditing would be inappropriate. The final decision for admittance to the class as an auditor rests with the instructor. Students registering for credit have priority over students who wish to audit only.

Fresh Start Policy
Salem offers a Fresh Start policy as a re-entry option for former Salem students re-enrolling as degree candidates. Under this provision, three or more years after the last enrollment (six regular terms), the student may opt to have only those Salem courses with a grade of “C-” or better considered for credit. While all “D” and “F” work will remain a part of the student’s permanent record, the quality points for these grades will not be used in computing the new average, nor will the courses be applied toward meeting degree requirements. Once initiated, a Fresh Start is irrevocable. The student may only opt to invoke the Fresh Start policy once. A student who has been academically excluded twice may apply for Fresh Start; if it is granted, and if the student subsequently excludes herself, that third exclusion is permanent.

Any student who is approved for readmission after one calendar year or more or who returns to the College after a “step out” period of one calendar year or more will be bound by all requirements (including general degree requirements and major requirements) of the catalog in effect at the time of re-enrollment; the college may also re-evaluate previously awarded transfer credit. Prior-year catalogs are viewable at registrar@salem.edu.

Grade Reports and Transcripts
Grade reports are available to students shortly after the end of each term through the student information system, the secure section of the MySalem website. Grade reports are not printed and mailed. Grades and student academic performance may only be discussed with parents, guardians or spouses of students if the student has signed a FERPA release form or has indicated dependency status.

A fee applies for each copy of the transcript and must be paid in advance of the release of each transcript. NOTE: transcripts cannot be released if students are indebted to the College or if any other holds (including, but not limited to, library fines, unreturned athletic equipment or immunization records) are on the student’s record. Requests for transcripts may be made online at registrar@salem.edu. For full disclosure of Salem College’s FERPA policy, see page 2 of this catalog.

Classification
Classification is determined at the beginning of each term and is based on the total number of semester hours earned at Salem.

A student who enters Salem with college-level credit from an early-college/dual enrollment high school program, whereby the student typically completes high school and works toward an associate’s degree at the same time, and who has not attended another college subsequent to her high school graduation, shall be considered a first-time, first-year student during her first semester at Salem, and will be included in the incoming class cohort. During her first semester at Salem, such a student will be required to enroll in SALEM 110 and will be considered a first-time, first-year student for advising, housing, parking and other purposes dependent upon first-year standing, regardless of her student classification (first-year, sophomore, junior or senior).

Academic Probation
Conditions of probation are based on the student’s cumulative GPA. Students place themselves on academic probation if, at the end of a fall, spring or summer term, they do not earn at least the cumulative GPA listed below. 

Students on probation will adhere to the following requirements:

• When a student places herself on probation for the second consecutive term, she must meet with the Director of Academic Support to develop a learning plan for the following term. The plan must be submitted to the dean of undergraduate studies within the first two weeks of the term; failure to do so will put the student in jeopardy of losing her financial aid and of being academically excluded. Once she is placed on academic probation for the second consecutive semester, her term GPA must improve her cumulative GPA, or she excludes herself. Any exception to this policy must be approved by the dean of undergraduate studies.
• Students may not overload while on probation. Any student wanting to take more than 15 semester hours must apply for an exception to the Undergraduate Curriculum Council.
• Students may not add a major or a minor beyond the College’s requirement of one major while on probation. However, students may change their major or minor.
• Students on probation may not hold leadership positions on campus unless approved by the dean of undergraduate studies.

Please note that measures of satisfactory academic progress for purposes of financial aid eligibility rely on the above academic probation policy as well as a calculation of the student’s pace of completion toward degree, measured by hours earned. See the Financial Aid section of this catalog for details.

Academic Exclusion
Any student, other than a student in her first term, may be excluded if her term GPA in a fall or spring term is 0.500 or less, regardless of her overall GPA.

Additionally, any student will exclude herself if after her first two consecutive terms (fall or spring term) she does not earn the minimum cumulative GPA listed below:

• 6 to 24.99 attempted semester hours at Salem: 1.200 G.P.A.
• 25 to 51.99 attempted semester hours at Salem: 1.500 G.P.A.
• 52 to 78.99 attempted semester hours at Salem: 1.700 G.P.A.
• 79 or more attempted semester hours at Salem: 1.800 G.P.A.

The dean of undergraduate studies monitors academic progress and will notify students whose academic performance causes them to exclude themselves from continuing as Salem Students. An excluded student may not return for the following term, unless she successfully petitions for and is granted a special exception from the vice president of academic and student affairs and dean of the college.

Readmission After Exclusion
Students who have excluded themselves for academic reasons will be notified of this fact in a letter from the dean of the College. This letter will also include instructions regarding the steps that should be followed if the student wishes to apply for readmission following the period of exclusion. Any application for re-admission will be reviewed by the vice president of academic and student affairs and dean of the college, who will then determine whether or not the student may be readmitted. Any student who excludes herself more than once is ineligible for re-admission to Salem College, with the exception of students who reapply and are readmitted under the Fresh Start policy.

A student who has been excluded may apply for readmission after one or more terms or semesters of successful full-time academic work at an institution accredited by an accreditor that is recognized by the Council for Higher Education or the U.S. Department of Education. She must also submit a letter to the dean of undergraduate studies that addresses the following topics: a description of her activities during the period of exclusion (courses of study at another institution, job description if employed); an analysis of the factors which led to her exclusion; a statement on how the term of exclusion has helped her reassess her educational goals; and a statement of the plans she has in place to ensure her academic success. In some cases, students may be able to petition for an exemption to exclusion following successful completion of two 3-semester hour courses in a summer term. Students readmitted after exclusion are automatically considered to be on probation in their first semester upon return to Salem.

Any student who is approved for readmission after one calendar year or more or who returns to the College after a “step out” period of one calendar year or more will be bound by all requirements (including general degree requirements and major requirements) of the catalog in effect at the time of re-enrollment; the college may also re-evaluate previously awarded transfer credit. Prior-year catalogs are viewable at registrar@salem.edu.

Academic Honors

Latin Honors
Latin graduation honors are awarded in accord with the following graduation G.P.A. listed below. Grade point averages are not rounded up. A transfer student must have completed 30 semester hours at Salem to be eligible for Latin honors. Waived courses do not count toward the required 30 semester hours at Salem College. Latin honors are based on the following GPA’s: cum laude: 3.500 - 3.699; magna cum laude: 3.700 - 3.899; summa cum laude: 3.900 - 4.000

Dean’s List
All full-time undergraduate degree students who have achieved a 3.5 average in a given fall or spring term for a study program, including at least twelve semester hours in which grades were given, qualify for the Dean’s List. In order to be eligible for Dean’s List consideration, students with Incompletes or who are enrolled in directed studies must have their work completed and final grades submitted to the registrar by February 1 for the fall Dean’s List and by August 1 for the spring Dean’s List.

Independent Study

A qualified student may, with the approval of the appropriate program director and her faculty advisor, enroll in a program independent study which may carry from one to five semesters hours, depending on the program. The amount of credit to be awarded for a particular independent study course will be determined jointly by the program director and the faculty sponsor/instructor of the course. The student should refer to the independent study course listing under the particular program in which she wishes to pursue this study in order to determine specific program requirements, including minimum GPA, and guidelines. The purpose of independent study is to provide qualified and motivated students with the opportunity to work individually with a faculty member on a project involving supplemental research and study in an academic area of interest. An independent study may not normally be used to substitute for a regular course in the curriculum. However, in certain circumstances (e.g., a student needs a course to stay on track to graduate, and the course is canceled for low enrollment, or will not be offered by the College in a timely fashion), the student’s request for an independent study to satisfy a catalog requirement, should a faculty member be willing to teach it, may be approved by the director of the program offering the independent study and by the dean of undergraduate studies. Honors independent study is open to students in their major only. Any exception to this policy must be approved by the Undergraduate Curriculum Council. Grades for independent study courses are due at the end of the term in which the student has registered for the course.

Directed Study 

Directed study tutorials are the equivalents of courses listed in the Salem College catalog that are offered to students on a one-on-one basis due to scheduling issues. Typically, directed studies are only offered when either (1) a student cannot attend class during the time the class is being offered due to a documented schedule conflict, or (2) the student needs a catalog course not being offered in order to graduate. Therefore, that student may apply to take the course as a tutorial, subject to eligibility, agreement by the supervising faculty, and approval of the associate vice president for academic affairs. At least twenty hours of contact time (including in-person, phone, e-mail) with the instructor is expected, in addition to work done independently. Students may complete no more than three directed studies as part of their program of study at Salem College. Approval for directed studies for courses being offered that semester is limited to students who have documented scheduling conflicts and/or need the course in the semester it being offered in order to remain on pace for graduation. Proposals must include supporting documentation for the request, such as a work schedule demonstrating that the student works during the time the course is offered.

Students who obtain the agreement of the supervising Salem College faculty member and the associate vice president for academic affairs must submit a Salem Directed Study learning contract to codify the arrangement. A contract form may be obtained from the Registrar’s office website and must be submitted, with all necessary signatures, no later than the last day of the add/drop period in a given semester. 

Only degree or certificate-seeking students with a 3.0 cumulative GPA are eligible to enroll in a directed study. Students with fewer than12 completed semester hours at Salem may demonstrate academic readiness for a directed study with a 3.0 GPA in completed coursework at Salem and/or prior institutions.

Internships

Salem College provides internship opportunities for students to link their academic work with practical experience in a variety of career areas. Qualified students may take internships during the regular term as well as during the summer. To qualify, a student must have a 2.0 GPA and have completed her first year of college. Several academic majors at Salem require internships as an integral part of the student’s program. A student must work a minimum of 40 hours in her internship for every semester hour of credit awarded. It is left to the discretion of each program to determine the amount of credit that will fulfill major/minor internship requirements.

Before undertaking an internship, the student should consult with her faculty advisor and the appropriate program director to determine the availability and appropriateness of the desired internship. There is also an internship session that students must attend before registering for an internship. The Lucy Rose Center offers these workshops. Any student who wishes to earn academic credit for an internship experience must obtain approval from the appropriate Salem College officials before the internship is arranged. The student will also need to secure both a faculty sponsor and an on-site supervisor for the internship, and she must register for the internship under the appropriate program listing during regular term registration. The term in which the internship site work is to be done is the term under which the student must register for the internship in order for the registration to be valid. She must also properly complete and submit the required internship contract and release forms before the end of the drop/add period during the term in which the internship is undertaken. All required documentation and assignments including internship contract, supervisor’s evaluation and academic assignments required by the faculty sponsor, must be submitted in a complete and timely manner in order for the student to qualify for an evaluation of the internship for academic credit.

Most summer work experiences do not qualify for academic credit. However, a student who wishes to do an internship for academic credit during the summer must follow the procedures outlined above and must register for Salem College summer school and pay the appropriate registration fees prior to undertaking the internship.

In order to meet the educational goals of an internship, students wishing to intern at their current place of employment must submit (along with the application for the internship) for approval a written proposal that makes a clear distinction between the work to be performed for internship credit and the work performed as part of their regular job. The work approved for an internship must also be distinguished from work accepted for any credit for prior learning. No more than 16 semester hours of internship credit may be counted towards the semester hours required for graduation.

Most internships are unpaid; transportation costs and expenses of a personal nature are borne by the student. No more than 16 semester hours of internship credit may be counted toward the semester hours required for graduation.

Summer Study

Salem College Summer School
Salem College offers a non-residential program of college courses during the summer. The courses are standard college courses which typically meet four days a week for five and one-half weeks or two days a week for a ten-week session. Online and hybrid classes are also offered. Information about specific courses will be available early in the spring term. Independent study and internship programs are offered according to student and faculty interest. The School of Music may offer individual instruction in music during the summer; credit may be earned for a maximum of 2 semester hours. A student may take no more than two courses or a maximum of 10 semester hours in any 5-week summer session at Salem. A maximum of four courses may be taken in the summer. To be eligible for financial aid, students must take a minimum of 6 semester hours over the course of the summer session(s).

Summer School at Other Institutions
Salem College will assist students in planning courses at approved summer schools at other institutions accredited by an accreditor that is recognized by the Council for Higher Education or the U.S. Department of Education. Before enrolling in a summer school course, the student must obtain approval of the proposed course from the program director concerned at Salem College and from the registrar or dean of undergraduate studies. It will be the responsibility of the student’s faculty advisor and the program to which the summer school course applies to determine whether the course satisfies the needed content requirement. Students should complete the transfer pre-approval form and submit it to the Registrar before registering and paying for any courses. (registrar@salem.edu)

No more than two courses may be completed in a six-week session of summer school or three courses in nine weeks or four courses in 12 weeks. When considering summer school, students should remember that no more than 70 hours from a two-year institution or 90 hours from a four-year institution may be transferred to Salem College.

Credit will be granted for summer school work at another institution only when the grade is a C or better. The right to examine a student on the work pursued at summer school is reserved. Transcripts from the summer school must be received in the Registrar’s office before credit is given. Coursework is considered non-residential transfer credit and follows the transfer credit policy noted earlier in this catalog.

The Salem College student who plans summer study abroad must observe the policies that apply to summer school work in the United States as well as to study abroad credit. The student should consult with the dean of undergraduate studies.

Other Academic Policies

Academic Appeals
The Academic Council reviews petitions for students to overload or underload, proposals for student-designed majors and cases that involve exceptions to other general academic policies and requirements.

Because academic policies are designed to promote fairness and consistency in the treatment of all students and to uphold the integrity of the academic program, exceptions to these policies will be considered only under extremely extenuating circumstances.

A student who wishes to make an appeal should do so in writing to the registrar, who chairs the subcommittee. The request should be accompanied by an endorsement from the advisor and should demonstrate that the student has compelling reasons for making the request. An appeal form is available from the Office of the Registrar.

Student Grievance Policies
Salem College publishes policies regarding grade appeals, sexual harassment, the appeal for financial aid awards and for the appeal of campus parking/traffic citations in the Salem College Undergraduate Catalog. The College publishes policies regarding judicial review of Honor Council rulings in the Salem College Student Handbook.

Salem College students who have concerns in areas not covered by these policies may seek resolution through the following policy:

Students are encouraged to resolve concerns themselves first by talking directly with the College personnel involved. If resolution is not reached, students may file a written grievance with the dean of students (for co-curricular issues) or with the dean of undergraduate studies (for academic issues). This process should be initiated as soon as possible, preferably within 30 days of the occurrence. The student should complete the Student Grievance Form, which is available in the Office of the Dean of Students and in the Office of the Dean of the College, and submit it to the dean of students or the dean of undergraduate studies, respectively. The dean will review the written grievance and respond to the student within 15 business days while the College is in session. Depending upon the nature of the grievance, the dean may request that all parties involved meet to mediate the situation and find a reasonable solution.

If the resolution is not satisfactory to the student, she may refer the matter in writing to the vice president for academic and student affairs and dean of the College for further consideration.

If you were unable to resolve a complaint through the institution’s grievance procedures, please submit a complaint to:

North Carolina Department of Justice
Consumer Protection Division
9001 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-9001
Phone number: 1-877-566-7226

An online complaint form is available at: www.ncdoj.gov/complaint

Examinations
The final weeks of the fall term and the spring term are set aside for term examinations taken in accordance with the regulations of the faculty and the committee on self-scheduled examinations.

Program of Institutional Effectiveness
As part of Salem’s program of institutional effectiveness, academic programs have developed expected student outcomes for the academic majors and programs at the College. All programs provide assessments, which measure the identified outcomes within a given major or program.

Senior Experience/Seminar
In addition to the Senior Interdisciplinary Seminar (SALEM 350), a senior experience is required of all majors. The senior experience may take a variety of forms, such as a senior seminar or course, an examination, a portfolio, a major research paper or other forms as deemed appropriate by each program and the dean of undergraduate studies. The method of grading and the amount of credit will be determined by the program.

The seminar enables the student to integrate the advanced level work in her major with study in an area of particular interest to her. It also provides an opportunity for seniors and the faculty to explore current research in the major field in a setting which stimulates the development of the student’s intellectual independence as a scholar. For students pursuing teacher licensure, student teaching, along with its required electronic evidences, serves as the senior capstone project in the major.

Key to Course Numbering
Salem College does not offer any developmental or remedial courses. Courses numbered from 001 to 199 are generally intended for first-year students and sophomores; courses numbered from 200-399 are generally for juniors and seniors. Courses numbered 400 or higher are graduate-level and are listed separately in the graduate catalog.