Academic Policies

Registration

The Office of the Registrar, located in Kennesaw Hall, is the central administrative office responsible for registering students, maintaining the permanent academic records, performing degree audits and enforcing the academic policies of the university.

All registration at Kennesaw State University is conducted over the web through Owl Express. There are two phases of registration: Early Registration and Final Registration.

The Early Registration phase is available to students who are currently enrolled and in good academic standing. These students are strongly encouraged to register within the Early Registration phase.

The Final Registration phase is available to new, readmitted, and all currently enrolled students. New students are invited to attend an orientation session where they will have an opportunity to register for classes.

A Drop/Add Session is offered to students during the first week of classes. Students are encouraged to drop courses during this period in lieu of receiving a withdrawal.

NOTE: Specific dates can be found on the academic calendar located on the KSU Registrar Web page, https://www.kennesaw.edu/registrar.

Verification of Class Schedule

Students should verify their class schedule for each semester enrolled. No course additions/deletions are permitted after the Drop/Add period has ended. It is the student’s responsibility to verify their class schedule (including credit hours) on Owl Express for accuracy.

Auditing

Auditing of courses will be permitted for regularly enrolled students who have obtained the approval of their advisor. Proper paperwork obtained in the Office of the Registrar must be filed before the end of Drop/Add. Such courses count at full value in computing the student’s courses and fees, and the student’s name should appear on the official class rolls of the courses audited. The courses being audited should also appear on the student’s approved schedule of courses. No credit is granted for courses scheduled on an auditing basis, and students are not permitted to change to or from an auditing status after the Drop/Add ends. The grade for auditing is “V” (visitor), and this grade should at no time be changed to a “W” on the basis of the auditor’s attendance in the course. The grade of “V” will have no effect upon the student’s grade-point average, and students will not be permitted to have the audit grade changed at any future date.

Credit Hour Definition

Kennesaw State University defines a semester credit hour as one hour (50 minutes) of classroom or direct faculty instruction and one hour forty minutes of out-of-class student work each week for 15 weeks in a semester (a minimum of 750 minutes of class plus 1,500 minutes of out-of-class academic engagement to equal 2,250 engaged minutes per semester credit hour), or an equivalent amount of laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, field experience, and other academic work. Educational activities that involve no classroom or direct faculty instruction require an equivalent amount of work as stated above.

Full-Time Load

For undergraduate students, twelve (12) semester hours is a full-time load in determining such things as veteran status, financial aid, and insurance eligibility. However, the usual load for a full-time undergraduate student is at least 15 semester credit hours in both fall and spring semesters. Since summer term is approximately half the length of these semesters and the workload, therefore, twice as heavy, KSU strongly recommends that students not attempt more than 12 hours of credit during that term. Since 12 hours during the summer may be difficult due to the short length of time, 9 hours may be more reasonable but does not count as a full-time load. For graduate students, 9 semester hours is considered full-time.

Holds on Registration

Holds may be placed on a student’s registration in order to satisfy an obligation owed to the university. Holds are displayed on the student’s advising guide through Owl Express. The most frequent holds are for a debt due to a parking ticket or library fine,  or a Required High School Curriculum (RHSC) deficiency. Failure to return equipment or lab supplies may also result in a registration hold. Registration, transcript requests and graduation cannot proceed unless a hold is removed.

Internships

Up to 12 semester hours of internship may be applied to degree requirements and may be used to satisfy general or free electives, as determined by the individual departments. Minimum requirements for participation in internships for academic credit vary by academic departments, but the following regulations generally apply to all departments, and colleges:

1. The content of the internship will not substantially overlap an existing course in the curriculum.
2. A student may not carry more than 12 credit hours in internship per semester.
3. A student must gain approval by the department where credit is being sought before registering for the internship course.
4. A student must follow the procedures set by the department where credit is being sought plus those required by the university for registration into the course.
5. A student must complete all requirements specified by the academic department for successful completion of the internship. Students interested in pursuing an academic internship should check with the coordinator of cooperative education and internships in the Career Services Center, or the chair of the department where credit is being sought, for specific enrollment procedures.

Directed Study

The following institutional regulations apply to directed study. Additional departmental requirements may exist.

General restrictions:

• Content in the directed study will not substantially overlap an existing course in the curriculum.
• A student may not carry more than three semester hours in a directed study per semester.
• A maximum of ten semester hours of directed study may be used to satisfy degree requirements with a maximum of three hours used as related studies electives and a maximum of three hours used as free electives. The department shall determine the maximum number of hours allowed within the major.
• A student must have an overall adjusted GPA of at least 3.0 and a cumulative GPA in the major of at least 3.0 in order to be eligible for a directed study.

Any student wishing to do a directed study must obtain an approval form from his/her advisor and complete a Directed Study Form, which goes to the Registrar’s office.

Maximum Loads

Only students in good standing (which includes students on academic probation but excludes students under academic dismissal or exclusion) may register for classes.

During the fall and spring semesters, the maximum number of credit hours allowed for students with a cumulative grade point average under 3.5 is eighteen credit hours; and the maximum number of credit hours allowed for students with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher is twenty-one credit hours. Students requesting to enroll in more than 18 hours must submit a request to the Office of the Registrar. While these restrictions apply also to the summer term, KSU strongly recommends that students not attempt more than 12 hours of credit during that term.

The Registrar must approve all exceptions to the above restrictions.

Prerequisites

Students should attempt to schedule courses that serve as prerequisites for advanced study early in their academic career. Lower division courses are designed to serve as preparatory for upper division requirements.

First-Year Seminar or Learning Community Requirement

All first-year full-time students entering Kennesaw State University with fewer than 15 semester hours are required to complete a First-Year Seminar or join a Learning Community and complete all courses that comprise it. This requirement must be satisfied during a student’s first term of enrollment at Kennesaw State University. Students with 30 or more credit hours are not eligible to enroll in a First-Year Seminar or a Learning Community. “First-Year Seminar” courses are: KSU 1101, KSU 1111, KSU 1121, and KSU 1200.

Cross Registration - Atlanta Regional Consortium for Higher Education (ARCHE)

Kennesaw State University is a member of the Atlanta Regional Consortium for Higher Education, an association of colleges and universities in the Atlanta area offering a combination of reciprocal academic services, such as cross registration, interlibrary loans and visiting scholars program.

The cross registration program is available to students officially enrolled in Atlanta Regional Consortium Institutions. This program is distinct from transient status in that it is possible for a student to register for an approved course at any of the 20 consortium schools and receive credit, while paying tuition costs to the home institution. The intent is to allow qualified students to take course work in their area of study that is not available on their own campus.

To be eligible to participate, the student must be in good standing and must have the recommendation of the faculty advisor or department chair at the home institution. Cross registration may be pursued only for courses not offered at the home institution for the given term and is not recommended for students in their last semester before graduation. Students who wish to enroll in courses at member institutions of the Atlanta Regional Consortium should obtain a Cross-Registration form from the cross registration coordinator in the Office of the Registrar. Check with the coordinator for individual member college cross registration deadlines.

Member Colleges

Agnes Scott College
Brenau University
Clark Atlanta University
Clayton College & State University
Columbia Theological Seminary
Emory University
Georgia Gwinnett College
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia State University
Interdenominational Theological Center
Kennesaw State University
Mercer University of Atlanta
Morehouse College
Morehouse School of Medicine
Oglethorpe University
Savannah College of Art and Design - Atlanta
Southern Polytechnic State University
Spelman College
State University of West Georgia
University of Georgia

Student Records

Change of Status/Record Verification

The Office of the Registrar provides a list of other services including: change of address, change of name, letters of verification, removal of certain holds, early grade letters, transient grade letters and a variety of other services. Call the Office of the Registrar at (770) 423-6200 for additional information.

Changing or Declaring Majors

Students who wish to declare or change his/her major or add/change their concentration will need to request this through Owl Express, Student Records. The appropriate academic department of the new major will address the request. The updated major will appear on the Academic Transcript in Owl Express after the academic department has approved the change. Some students may wish to change from a major to undeclared status. In this case, they must contact the Student Success Services Office. These services are also available on the web. Students should note that when changing majors, there is a possibility that additional hours of course work beyond those required for the completion of the original program may need to be taken. Students should declare a major as soon as possible so that they can be assigned an advisor to help them expedite their progress toward a degree and to help them in preparing for a career.

Credit by Exam

A student may receive up to 30 semester hours of credit by CLEP, AP, IB, institutional or other such examinations.

Institutional Examination for Advanced Standing

Students who offer satisfactory evidence may receive credit for a course by an examination for advanced standing. If the examination is passed, the students will receive the appropriate college credit, which will not be included in the calculation of the grade point average.

Requests for institutional advanced standing examinations should be initiated with the department chair responsible for the course in question and must be approved by the registrar.

Forms are available in the Office of the Registrar. Approval of these requests will be subject to the following criteria:

1. Authorization will not be given for a course under any of the following circumstances:
   
   1. If the student has previously audited the course.
   2. If the student has previously scheduled and failed the course.
   3. If the student has previously scheduled the course, but has withdrawn after the first two calendar weeks from the day the semester begins.
   4. If the student is currently enrolled in the course.
   5. If the course is either a prerequisite or an introduction to a course already completed. (This provision does not apply to skill courses such as physical education or music, for example.)
2. Credit earned by institutional advanced standing examination may be used neither to satisfy residency requirements nor to satisfy more than one-half of the major-field or minor-field requirements in a program of study.
3. A passing grade for an institutional advanced standing examination is a grade of 75 percent or higher for a lower-division course and a grade of 80 percent or higher for an upper-division course.
4. A fee of $60 will be assessed for each institutional advanced standing examination attempted; no course may be attempted more than once.
5. A student must be admitted to the university at the time of application for advanced standing and must be enrolled in the university to receive credit for a course by advanced standing examination.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) for Advanced Standing

Students with business, military or professional experience are eligible to take standardized examinations in a number of areas to earn credit for certain specific courses, provided a minimum score is attained on the tests. Credit earned will be recorded on the student’s permanent record. For specific information concerning subject areas in which tests are available, the cost and minimum score required for credit and dates tests will be given, contact Student Success Services Office (SSS).

Advance Placement (AP)

Kennesaw State University honors Advance Placement (AP) credit for certain classes in which an equivalent is offered and for which the required grade is achieved. For details on the scores required and course equivalencies, contact the Office of the Registrar.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Kennesaw State University honors International Baccalaureate (IB) credit for certain classes in which an equivalent is offered and for which the required grade is achieved. A maximum of 24 semester hours of credit may be awarded for International Baccalaureate classes. For details on the scores required and course equivalencies, contact the Office of the Registrar.

Degree Audits

Undergraduate students should submit a formal petition for the degree through the online petition process. Login to Owl Express; select Registration and Student Records tab; select Petition to Graduate. Once submitted, the graduation petition process will initiate a petition fee assessment and a review of the student’s academic record to determine eligibility toward the degree. Expect up to eight weeks for a completed degree audit. Petition status changes are viewable at the Display Petition Status link in Owl Express, and the student will be prompted by email to view status changes in addition to essential audit results and graduation policies.

Grade Reports

Official grade reports are no longer mailed. They are available on the web. All grades reflected are those submitted by the faculty members at the time of posting. Grade reports, in addition to the official grades for that semester, contain a semester grade point average, an adjusted grade point average when required, and a cumulative grade point average. For graduate students, a semester GPA and a cumulative GPA are issued.

Transcripts

Current and formerly enrolled KSU students may request a Kennesaw State University Transcript using the on-line order process. Students may request transcripts to be mailed or delivered electronically. The cost is $5.00 per transcript. Telephone requests will not be honored.

Due to provisions of the Student’s Right to Privacy Act, the student is the only one who can authorize release of his/her records.

Transfer Evaluations

Copies of transcripts from other universities cannot be reissued to the student.  When a transfer student is fully accepted to Kennesaw State University, the Office of Admissions notifies the Office of the Registrar that a transcript has been received. Transcripts are evaluated in the order they are received from the Office of Admissions and are completed on average within 2-3 weeks. Once completed, an evaluation notice is emailed to the student and transfer credits are viewable on the Owl Express transcript. DegreeWorks may be used to determine placement of transfer courses to the degree.

Military Transfer Credit Policy

Military Transfer Credit may be awarded for undergraduate students accepted to Kennesaw State University Fall 2012 or later that have served in the U.S. Military and who desire to have their military experience considered for transfer credit. Students may have the option of accepting or declining up to 12 semester hours of undergraduate elective transfer credits towards a degree program, if applicable. Students must submit official AARTS or SMART transcripts to the Office of the Registrar, Graduation, Audit, Transfer, and Evaluation Services (G.A.T.E.S.).

Kennesaw State University limits academic residency for active-duty servicemembers (including Reservists and National Guardsmen) to no more than twenty-five percent of the degree requirements for all undergraduate degrees. Active-duty servicemembers can satisfy academic residency requirements at any time during their program of study, specifically avoiding any final year or final semester residency requirement, subject to stated requirements in specific course areas such as majors.

Kennesaw State University has been approved as a designated member of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Consortium (SOC). As a member of the SOC Consortium, Kennesaw State University affirms its commitment to fair, equitable, and effective policies and practices that recognize and deal with the special conditions faced by military students who want to obtain a college education.

SOC was created in 1972 to provide educational opportunities to servicemembers who, because they frequently moved from place to place, had trouble completing college degrees. SOC functions in cooperation with 15 higher education associations, the Department of Defense, and Active and Reserve Components of the Military Services to expand and improve voluntary postsecondary education opportunities for servicemembers worldwide. SOC is funded by the Department of Defense (DoD) through a contract with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). The contract is managed for DoD by the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES).

Withdrawal from Courses

Students may withdraw from one or more courses any time before the last three weeks of the semester. Summer withdrawal dates vary according to part of term student is enrolled. However, as of fall 2004, students will be allowed a maximum of eight total withdrawals if they enter KSU as a freshman. Transfer students will be allowed one withdrawal per fifteen credit hours attempted, for a maximum of eight. Students who choose to pursue a second degree at KSU will be allowed two additional withdrawals. Students who entered KSU before fall 2004 will be allowed one withdrawal per fifteen credit hours attempted for a maximum of eight after the institution of this policy. Students who exceed the maximum number of withdrawals will receive a grade of “WF” for any subsequent withdrawals. To completely or partially withdraw from classes at KSU, a student must withdraw online through Owl Express.

Students who officially withdraw from courses before the last day to withdraw without academic penalty will receive a grade of “W” and receive no credit. Students who officially withdraw after the last day to withdraw without academic penalty and before the last three weeks of the semester or who have exceeded the maximum number of withdrawals will receive a grade of “WF,” which will be counted as an “F” in the calculation of their grade point average.

The only exceptions to these withdrawal regulations will be for instances involving unusual circumstances, which must be fully documented. Students may appeal to the Academic Standing Committee for consideration of unusual circumstances. Exact withdrawal dates are published in the official academic calendar. Students who simply stop attending classes without officially withdrawing usually are assigned failing grades. Students will receive refunds only when they withdraw from ALL their classes and only by the schedule outlined in the University System refund policy.

Grading System

Issuance of grades and formulation of individual attendance policies are the prerogative of the instructor. Faculty must provide feedback to students about their progress prior to the last published day to withdraw without academic penalty. Grades are expected to conform to those listed below. Any deviations must be approved by the Faculty Senate and the Office of the Registrar.

The following are the final grades included in the determination of the scholastic grade point average:

* Quality points are not awarded in learning support courses. These courses give institutional credit only, not graduation credit. The following symbols will be used in the cases indicated:

I—Indicates an incomplete grade for the course, and will be awarded only when the student has done satisfactory work up to the last two weeks of the semester, but for nonacademic reasons beyond his/her control is unable to meet the full requirements of the course.

The specified time limits to have an “I” grade removed are as follows:

• The course requirements must be completed, as agreed upon between the student and the faculty member, by the end of the next semester or term student is enrolled.
• If the student fails to enroll within one calendar year from the end of the semester or summer term in which the “I” was originally assigned and does not complete the course requirements, then the “I” will be changed to an “F”.

The “F” grade is assigned for a course which awards letter grades of “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, or “F”) and the cumulative and adjusted grade point average will be recalculated accordingly or, the “I” will be changed to a “U” (for a pass/fail course which awards a grade of “S” or “U”).

Upon completion of the course requirements within the specified time limits, a final grade will be assigned on the basis of the student’s total performance. An “I” cannot be removed by re-enrolling in the course.

K—Indicates credit awarded for CLEP or Advance Placement (AP) exams.

W—indicates that the student was permitted to withdraw from the course without academic penalty. A course in which a grade of “W” has been assigned will not be included in the calculation of the student’s grade point average.

WF—indicates that the student was permitted to withdraw from a course with the approval of the registrar after the withdrawal date listed in the Semester Schedule of Classes. The grade of “WF” is counted as an F in the calculation of the student’s grade point average.

S—indicates satisfactory completion of a credit course and is not included in the calculation of the grade point average. It also indicates satisfactory completion of certain credit laboratory-type internships, or co-op courses.

U—indicates unsatisfactory completion of a credit course and is not included in the calculation of the grade point average. It also indicates unsatisfactory completion of certain credit laboratory-type courses.

IP—indicates progress in a learning support credit course, but not sufficient to meet the prerequisite requirements for the succeeding course. It is not included in the calculation of the grade point average.

V—indicates that the student was given permission to audit the course. It is not included in the calculation of the grade point average. Students may not transfer from audit to credit status or vice versa.

NR—indicates that no grade was reported.

Grade Changes

Errors in grades must be reported to the Office of the Registrar immediately. In general, no grade changes will be made after the end of the next semester after the grade was assigned, except with the approval of the Academic Standing Committee. In general, the Academic Standing Committee will not consider requests for grade changes beyond one year from the end of the semester in which the grade was assigned. A petition for a grade change will not be accepted after the date of graduation.

Deficiencies

A student who has received a grade of “I”, “IP”, “F” or “WF” in a course has a deficiency in the course. A student whose final grade is “F” or “WF” has a failure in that course. The student should repeat and pass the course in residence at Kennesaw State University before credit will be allowed. Repeating the course does not remove the “F” or “WF” from the total cumulative average.

A student who has otherwise completed all of the requirements for graduation and who has earned an incomplete in a course scheduled during the final semester in residence may remove the incomplete at the convenience of the department of instruction concerned.

Repeating Courses

When undergraduate courses taken at KSU with earned grades of “D”, “F”, or “WF” are repeated at KSU with a “C” or higher grade, the unsatisfactory grades and course attempts will not be included in the calculation of the adjusted grade point average (AGPA). When repeating an undergraduate course with a grade of “C” or higher both grades are calculated in the AGPA. The student’s permanent record and cumulative grade point average will retain all course attempts and grades.

Re-enrollment Policy

Effective Spring 2012, after taking or attempting an undergraduate course for the second time, students will not be allowed to re-enroll in that class without the permission of the department chair or his/her designee. It is the sole discretion of the department chair/designee to decide if and when a student will be allowed to enroll in a class that they have taken/attempted twice. There is no obligation on the part of the chair to allow a student to enroll in a course after the student’s second attempt to take the course. This limitation is in place regardless of previous grades including grades of “W or “WF”. The standing exception to this policy is for courses described in the KSU undergraduate catalog as being repeatable for credit.

Grade Point Averages

Kennesaw State calculates a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) for each student. The CGPA is the total number of quality points earned, divided by the total number of semester credit hours in which a final grade has been assigned, excluding courses in learning support (0097, 0098, 0099) or Regents’ Skill Classes (0198, 0199). This average is inclusive of all courses attempted through KSU and does not include transfer credits.

A semester grade point average (SGPA) is calculated similarly each semester for courses attempted that semester. This SGPA becomes particularly significant for students on academic probation who must maintain a 2.0 SGPA to avoid academic dismissal.

The adjusted grade point average (AGPA) is calculated like the CGPA, but excludes unsatisfactory grades (“D”, “F”, “WF”) in repeated courses. The AGPA may be restarted for returning nontraditional students who petition the Registrar for an “academic fresh start” or the KSU students who return to work on a second degree and who petition the Registrar. The AGPA will be used to determine academic standing (probation or dismissal) and eligibility for program admission. The AGPA will also be used to determine eligibility for graduation and eligibility for honors, but with some restrictions. To graduate, students must have at least a 2.0 AGPA and at least 30 earned hours of credit for KSU course work not excluded because of repeated courses or “fresh start” status. If the student has fewer than 30 earned hours of credit for non-excluded KSU course work, he/she must have a 2.0 cumulative grade point average. To receive honors at graduation, “second degree” and “fresh start” students must have at least 60 earned hours of credit at KSU after the “second degree” or “fresh start” status was granted. In addition, for honors, students who have repeated courses must have at least 60 earned hours of credit at KSU after the hours for the repeated courses have been excluded.

Grade Appeals

Students’ rights to grade appeals are defined in the university catalog. A key element in the grade appeal procedure is the faculty member’s responsibility to publish a specific grading policy for each of his/her classes. Specifically, the grade appeal procedure states: “Each faculty member must specify his/her grading policy, at the first of the semester. He/she may change his/her grading policy for cause after that time, but he/she must do so uniformly, with ample notification to students, if at all possible.”

Note that failure to publish the grading policy would mean that a faculty member would have great difficulty in sustaining his/her assigned grade if a student appealed with anything but a frivolous or irresponsible basis for his/her charge. The grading policy should be quite specific and should be distributed to each class in written form. Some departments may also require faculty members to file grading policy statements in the departmental office. Because the student can submit a grade appeal to the Department Chair within 20 business days after the first day of classes of the next academic term after the academic term in which the final grade was awarded to the student (see Grade Appeals Procedure, section B), it is strongly recommended that instructors retain any student papers, tests, projects, or other materials not returned to the student for 70 days after the end of a semester or if an appeal is filed until the appeal is resolved. Refer to the following section for specific grade appeal procedures.

Grade Appeal Procedure

Kennesaw State University is committed to treating students fairly in the grading process. Students may appeal a final grade that they receive in a course, but interim grades or grades on specific assignments are not appealable. Any such appeal must be based on an allegation that the faculty member has violated his/her stated grading policy or that the grade was a result of discrimination or retaliation. The student has the burden of proving these allegations. All formal appeals under these procedures will be based only on the written record.

1. Informal: Students are encouraged to discuss concerns and disputes over final course grades with the faculty member, prior to filing a formal grade appeal, in an effort to understand the basis of his/her grade. Faculty are encouraged to be available to students for such discussion regarding grades so that if possible, grade disputes can be resolved informally. The Office of the University Ombuds can provide assistance to students and faculty with resolving disputes informally in an effort to bring resolution to the matter prior to the initiation of a formal complaint. If the student has evidence of discrimination or retaliation, the student may bring his/her concerns directly to the Ombuds Office without first reviewing the matter with the faculty member.
2. Formal: In situations where such informal resolution does not occur or is not successful, the student may appeal the final course grade to the Department Chair. The appeal must be in writing and describe the precise basis for the appeal. Any pertinent information must be submitted with the appeal in order to be considered in this or subsequent appeals. The appeal must be submitted within 20 business days after the first day of classes of the next academic term (fall, spring, summer[or any other term]) after the academic term in which the final grade was awarded to the student. The Chair will invite the faculty member whose grade is appealed to provide a written response to the student’s appeal statement. The Department Chair (or the Chair’s designee) will review the allegations and conduct any additional fact finding as needed and will provide a decision in writing to the student, within 20 business days of the receipt of the complaint in the Department. The Chair’s written decision will specifically address the relevant issues raised by the student. In preparing the written decision, the Chair shall consult with the EEO officer or the Chief Diversity Officer if there is an allegation by the student that discrimination or retaliation had an impact on the grade that was awarded.
3. The student may appeal the Department Chair’s decision within 20 business days of being notified of the Chair’s decision. Such appeal will be made, in writing, to the Dean of the College in which the Department is located. At the Dean’s discretion, the Dean can appoint an advisory panel, consisting of two (2) faculty members from outside the department where the grade was awarded and one (1) student to review the written documentation and make a recommendation to the Dean. The advisory panel may invite the student and the faculty member who awarded the grade to meet with the panel to share each party’s position on the grade dispute. The panel will provide a written recommendation to the Dean within ten (10) business days of the receipt of the appeal. The Dean will issue a decision to the student, in writing, within ten (10) business days of the receipt of the report from the advisory panel or within twenty (20) business days of the receipt of the written complaint from the student if no panel was appointed.
4. The student may appeal the Dean’s decision to the Provost, in writing, within twenty (20) business days of being notified of the Dean’s decision. [However, if it is a graduate course, the student will direct this written appeal to the Graduate Dean, and the Graduate Dean will issue a decision to the student, in writing, within twenty (20) business days of receiving the appeal. Within twenty (20) days of that decision, the student may then appeal to the Provost as is described in this section]. The Provost, will issue a decision to the student, in writing within twenty (20) business days of receiving the appeal.
5. The Provost’s decision is final, and decisions regarding grades may not be appealed to the Board of Regents (BOR Policy 4.7.1).
6. Nothing in this grade appeals process prohibits the parties from settling this matter at any stage with the assistance of mediation through the Ombuds office. However, any attempt to settle the matter through mediation does not affect time deadlines for this grade appeals process.

President’s List and Dean’s Lists

The president’s list and the dean’s list are announced after each semester or summer term. These lists apply only to undergraduate students not under academic or disciplinary probation. The president’s list includes the names of all students who, for the semester or summer term in question, (1) were enrolled in at least 9 credit hours of courses awarding letter grades, and (2) earned a grade point average of 4.0. The deans’ lists includes the names of all students who, for the semester or summer term in question, (1) were enrolled in at least 9 credit hours of courses awarding letter grades, and (2) earned a grade point average of at least 3.5 (but less than 4.0). Please note that learning support courses are not included in the above calculations.

Academic Fresh Start/Renewal

If a current student who was previously enrolled at KSU discontinued her/his college studies for at least five years, that individual may petition in the Office of the Registrar for a onetime “academic fresh start”. If the Academic Fresh Start is approved, the student’s Adjusted Grade Point Average (AGPA) will be readjusted to the term he/she was readmitted. The student’s transcript and cumulative GPA will retain all previous course attempts and grades. The granting of Academic Fresh Start does not supersede Financial Aid policies regarding Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Students who wish to participate in the Academic Fresh Start program must contact the Office of the Registrar to complete the Academic Fresh Start Request Form. The request must be submitted within three semesters after re-enrollment or one calendar year, whichever comes first. A student can be granted Academic Fresh Start status only one time. Once granted, the petition for Academic Fresh Start cannot be rescinded.

The Adjusted GPA will be used for determining academic standing and eligibility for graduation. To earn a degree, a student must meet the institution’s residency requirements after acquiring Academic Fresh Start status. For students to receive honors at graduation, Fresh Start students must have at least 60 earned hours of credit at KSU after the Academic Fresh Start status was granted.

Academic credit for previously completed coursework, including transfer coursework received prior to the student discontinuing studies at KSU, will be retained only for courses in which a grade of “A,” “B,” or “C” has been earned. Retained grades are not calculated in an Adjusted GPA. Such credit is considered in the same context as transfer credit, credit by examination, and courses with grades of “S.” Courses with grades of “D” or “F” must be repeated at the Academic Fresh Start institution if they are required in the student’s degree program. Further, all remaining courses for the current degree objective must be completed at the Academic Fresh Start institution, i.e., no transient credit will be accepted. Applicability of retained credit to degree requirements will be determined by the degree requirements in effect at the time Academic Fresh Start status is conferred on the student. Specific institutional program regulations must also be met.

A student who has been dismissed from KSU and has attended one or more USG institutions during the period of dismissal is not eligible for Academic Fresh Start. A student who has not been dismissed from KSU but who has been absent from that institution five years or more and who has attended a school other than that institution may choose only one of the following options: 1) a student may return to the same institution subject to all relevant transfer and re-entry policies. No Academic Fresh Start will be granted and transfer credit will be granted for applicable courses taken during the absence or 2) a student may apply for Academic Fresh Start. If Academic Fresh Start status is approved, no transfer credit will be granted for coursework completed during the absence.

The granting of Academic Fresh Start does not supersede the KSU dismissal policy. Any dismissal that occurred in the past shall remain recorded on the student’s permanent record.

Reentry into any program is not automatic. The granting of Academic Fresh Start does not supersede the admissions requirements of certain programs, e.g., teacher education and nursing, which require a specific minimum grade point average based upon all coursework.

KSU follows the Board of Regents’ Academic Renewal policy. (BOR 3.5.3. BOR Academic Affairs handbook 2.5.1)

Academic Fresh Start For Second Degree

A student who returns to KSU for a second KSU undergraduate degree may have his/her Adjusted GPA restarted at the time of re-entry. In order to restart the AGPA, students must petition the Office of the Registrar within three semesters after re-enrollment or one calendar year, whichever comes first. A student can be granted Academic Fresh Start status only one time.

Academic Probation

A student will be placed on academic probation at the end of any semester or summer term in which his/her adjusted grade point average (AGPA) falls below 2.0. Students may remove themselves from academic probation by raising their AGPA to at least 2.0. Priority registration is only open to currently enrolled students who are not on probation.

Academic Dismissal

Students on academic probation will be dismissed for any one of the following reasons:

1. They fail to maintain a 2.0 grade point average for courses attempted in any semester or summer term.
2. They fail to remove themselves from academic probation after completing three consecutive terms of attendance.
3. They fail to remove themselves from academic probation after attempting 30 semester hours.

For counting semesters and terms of enrollment, audits, withdrawals and incompletes will be used.

Students who are dismissed are not in good academic standing at KSU and are not eligible for immediate readmission.

After the first dismissal, a student may be considered for readmission after an absence of one semester or summer term. Dismissed students must reapply for admission prior to posted deadlines. After the second dismissal, a student may be considered for readmission after an absence of one calendar year from the end of the semester or summer term in which the second dismissal occurred. After the third dismissal, the student will not be eligible for readmission. Any exceptions to this policy must be appealed and approved by the Academic Standing Committee.

Learning Support Standing

Grades received in learning support courses (0097, 0098, 0099) are not included in the calculation of a student’s grade point average (adjusted or cumulative). Failing grades in these courses will be considered for the purpose of determining satisfactory progress.

Exclusion - A student who does not complete a learning support area in two (2) attempts shall be placed on exclusion.

A student who has been excluded from the university because of learning support attempts is not eligible for readmission in learning support studies. Completion of learning support requirements elsewhere may restore a student’s eligibility for readmission to Kennesaw State’s undergraduate program.

Students engaged in degree-credit courses before the completion of their learning support requirements will be subject to the requirements of satisfactory scholarship in both types of courses simultaneously. Once the learning support requirements are met, a student’s academic standing will be judged solely on the basis of his or her adjusted grade point average for degree credit courses.

Transient Status (for KSU Students) at Another College/Institution

Students wishing to be transient students at another institution must submit a request to the Office of the Registrar. Once the Registrar has determined that the student is either currently enrolled or has been enrolled in KSU during the past calendar year, and the student is not on academic probation, dismissal or exclusion, then the registrar will issue the appropriate transient letter for the student. The department chair in the student’s major must approve major courses taken as a transient student. Students on disciplinary suspension or expulsion will not be issued transient letters.

Attendance Policy

Attendance in classes, laboratories and lectures is important. All students are expected to attend these activities in accordance with their schedule of courses. The instructor determines the attendance policy for each course. All instructors will provide the students, at the beginning of each semester, a clear statement regarding their policies in handling absences. Instructors will also be responsible for counseling their students regarding the academic consequences of absences.

Students must not be absent from announced quizzes, laboratory periods or final examinations unless the reasons for the absences are acceptable to the instructors concerned. Students should also understand that they are responsible for all material covered during their absences and that they are responsible for the academic consequences of the absences. Students who are absent because of their participation in university-approved activities such as field trips and extracurricular events will be permitted to make up the work missed during their absences.

KSU Telecommunication Policies

The rules for use of all telecommunications equipment, including telephones, computers and FAX equipment, are found on the KSU Web site at: http://its.kennesaw.edu/infosec/ or they can be reached from the KSU Intranet Home Page by choosing the topic Issue Specific System Policies from the Computing Resources section.

Use of any of these facilities implies an understanding of and compliance with these policies.