Policies and Procedures

Academic Advising

Academic advising is provided to all Adventist University of Health Sciences’ students. Advisors assist with setting academic goals, interpreting academic policies and procedures, course selection, registration, and personal development. Advisors may refer students to additional resources as needed.

All students are assigned an academic advisor upon acceptance to Adventist University. Students must contact their academic advisor prior to the beginning of each trimester for course selection and approval and to monitor progress toward their educational and career goals.

Academic Appeal

Should a student have an academic grievance concerning a grade or other matters concerning a particular course, he or she should follow the appeal procedure outlined below:

1. The student should discuss the grievance with the instructor involved no later than five business days after the incident prompting the grievance.
2. The instructor must respond to the student within five business days of the appeal.
3. If the grievance is not resolved, a written statement should be submitted to the department chair no later than ten business days after the instructor’s response. The chair will then speak with the instructor involved and reply in writing to the student within five business days of receiving the student’s written statement. In departments where there is a program director, and when it is appropriate, the written statement may be submitted to that individual. The program director will respond within five business days of receipt of the statement. If the matter is not resolved, the student may appeal in writing to the department chair who will respond within five business days.
4. If a resolution has not been reached, the student may request that all materials concerning the grievance be given to the Office of Academic Administration. This individual will then review the grievance materials and return a written decision within ten business days of their receipt. The decision of the Office of Academic Administration is final.

Should a student have an academic grievance concerning a decision of his or her academic program, he or she should follow the appeal procedure outlined below:

1. The student should discuss the grievance with the department chair no later than five business days after the decision prompting the grievance.
2. The department chair must respond to the student within five business days of the appeal.
3. If resolution has not been reached, a written statement should be submitted to the Office of Academic Administration no later than ten business days after the chair’s response. This individual will then speak with the department chair and reply in writing to the student within ten business days of receiving the student’s written statement. The decision of the Office of Academic Administration is final.

Academic Classification

An Adventist University student’s academic classification is based on the number of credit hours earned including transferred hours.

Freshman

Students are classified as freshmen when they have enrolled and/or successfully completed a minimum of 1-31 credits. Freshmen are limited to lower division courses, except when granted permission by the chair of the department in which the course is being taught.

Sophomore

Students are classified as sophomores when they have successfully completed 32-62 credits.

Junior

Students are classified as juniors when they have successfully completed 63-93 credits and have been accepted to a baccalaureate degree program at Adventist University.

Senior

Students are classified as seniors when they have successfully completed 94 or more credits and have been accepted to a baccalaureate degree program at Adventist University.

Graduate

Students are classified as graduate students when they have been accepted to a graduate degree program at Adventist University.

Academic Dismissal

A student is subject to academic dismissal when any one of the following occurs:

• Failing to meet the requirements of the probationary admission status.
• Failing to achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.00 after being placed on academic probation for two trimesters.
• Earning a GPA below 1.00 during any trimester.
• Displaying a high degree of academic irresponsibility in matters of course attendance or class assignments.
• Displaying a high degree of academic dishonesty (see the Academic Integrity section).

To petition for readmission, see the Readmission after Academic Dismissal section. Please be aware that if readmission is granted, additional admission documents may be required by the Office of Enrollment Services.

Academic Placement Testing

Students admitted with less than a 19 composite on the ACT or 910 combined score (Critical Reading and Math) on the SAT will be placed into review courses in English, math, and anatomy. Students have the option to complete academic placement testing for English or math to improve their skills and be allowed to register for more challenging courses. Placement tests may be taken one time and are available at the Center for Academic Achievement. Tests may be scheduled by calling 407-303-7747 x 110-6413.

Math Courses

Students pursuing a non-nursing degree who score less than 19 on the Math section of the ACT or less than 470 on the Math portion of the SAT may take the Compass Placement Test.

English Courses

Students who score less than 19 on the English section of the ACT or less than 470 on the Critical Reading portion of the SAT may take the Compass Placement Test.

Science Courses

Students who score less than 19 on the Science Reasoning section of the ACT will be required to take BIOL 091  before they can take BIOL 101 .

Academic Probation

A student is placed on academic probation when his or her trimester grade point average falls below 2.00. The student has one trimester to raise his or her GPA above 2.00. At the end of that trimester, the Academic Review Committee will review his or her status (see the Academic Dismissal section). A student on academic probation should not take more than 12 credit hours during the fall and spring trimesters or six credit hours during the summer trimester. Students on academic probation should consult with their assigned advisor regarding strategies for academic success.

Academic Evaluation

The following grading system records students’ achievements and computes their progress:

Additional Designations

¹ This designation is given at the initiative of the instructor when he or she is unable to submit a final grade.
² Students must apply for an incomplete grade prior to the end of the trimester (see the Fee Schedule  section for charges).

Audit Policy

Any student has the option to audit a course. An audited course does not contribute toward grade point average, does not meet degree requirements, and does not count toward residency requirements or financial aid hours. The student may participate in all aspects of a course, but will not receive a grade or trimester credit. A student who registers for an audit must do so within the drop/add period. The designation “AU” will be placed on the transcript for each audited course. Students who wish to audit a professional program course must receive permission from the department chair. The tuition rate for audited courses is listed in the Fee Schedule  in the Financial Information  section.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

A student’s grade point average for admission, academic standing, and graduation is based on the quality points assigned to each letter grade. Non-letter grade designations (AU, DG, etc.) do not earn quality points and do not affect the grade point average. Adventist University of Health Sciences uses the following GPA designations:

Trimester GPA

GPA for each term

AS/BS Degree GPA

Adventist University courses that meet specific degree requirements

Adventist University Residency GPA

All courses taken at Adventist University of Health Sciences

CUM GPA

Includes only coursework at Adventist University and does not include transfer credits

Admission GPA

May include credits earned both at Adventist University of Health Sciences and at previously attended institutions (used for University and/or program admission).

Incomplete Policy

An Incomplete (I) is assigned when an approved or extenuating personal circumstance prevents a student who is passing a course from completion of final assignments and other course requirements by the end of the trimester. Circumstances may include, but are not limited to, illness, the death of a family member, a family emergency, program remediation, or extension/interruption of a clinical schedule. Students must request an incomplete grade in writing from the course instructor prior to the end of the course. The instructor determines whether an Incomplete grade is appropriate and submits the completed Request for Incomplete Grade Form to the Office of the Registrar with approval from the department chair.

To change an Incomplete, a student must submit all completed work established by the department. If required work is not completed by the established deadline, the Incomplete will automatically be changed to the grade noted on the Request for Incomplete Grade Form. Students may have up to the end of the following trimester to complete the outstanding assignments. A student who cannot complete course requirements by the specified deadline may request an extension from the instructor and department chair. Incompletes issued for the spring term must be completed by the end of the summer to ensure that the updated grades and hours may be reported to the State so funding may be verified.

Students are assessed a charge for the processing of an Incomplete grade. Refer to Fee Schedule  in this Academic Bulletin.

Pass/No Pass Grade Designation

The Pass (P) grade receives academic credit but no quality points, while a No Pass (NP) grade receives neither credit nor quality points. The P or NP notation does not affect a student’s grade point average. For courses that receive a P or NP as a final grade, a P is designated as equivalent to a minimum grade of “C.”

Academic Honors

Academic Honors

The Academic Honors List is published each trimester identifying students who have earned a trimester GPA of 3.00-3.49 and have no grade below a “B” (3.00) on at least 12 hours of college-level work.

Dean’s List

The Dean’s List is published each trimester identifying students who have earned a trimester GPA of 3.50-3.99 and have no grade below a “B” (3.00) on at least 12 hours of college-level work. The Office of Academic Administration notifies students selected for this list.

President’s List

The President’s List is published each trimester identifying students who have earned a trimester GPA of 4.00 on at least 12 hours of college-level work. The President notifies students selected for this list.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is fundamental to the vision and mission of Adventist University of Health Sciences. We place a high value on truth, which implies a corresponding intolerance of academic dishonesty. It is important that all students are judged on their ability, and no student is allowed an unfair advantage over others. Anything which affects the security and integrity of the learning process or diminishes the reliability and quality of a conferred degree is not acceptable. To graduate ethical, skilled professionals and citizens is a desired outcome of the University.

Ethical and Professional Behavior

Students are expected to adhere to the ethical and professional standards associated with their programs and academic courses. Such standards are generally communicated to students by instructors and are available through publications produced by professional organizations. Unethical or unprofessional behavior will be treated in the same manner as academic dishonesty.

Categories of Academic Misconduct

The following document is concerned with students’ actions - not their intentions. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following actions:

Cheating on Examinations

Cheating is using or attempting to use materials, information, notes, study aids or other assistance in any type of examination or evaluation which has not been authorized by the instructor.

Clarification

1. Students completing any type of examination or evaluation are prohibited from looking at another student’s materials and from using external aids of any sort (e.g., books, notes, calculators, electronic resources, or conversation with others), unless the instructor has indicated specifically in advance that this will be allowed.
2. Students may not take examinations or evaluations in the place of other persons. Students may not allow other persons to take examinations or evaluations in their place.
3. Students may not acquire unauthorized information about an examination or evaluation and may not use any such information improperly acquired by others.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is intentionally or carelessly presenting the work of another as one’s own. It includes submitting an assignment purporting to be the student’s original work, which has wholly or in part been created by another person. It also includes the presentation of the work, ideas, representations or words of another person without customary and proper acknowledgement of sources. Students must consult with their instructors for clarification in any situation in which the need for documentation is an issue. Students will have plagiarized in any situation in which their work is not properly documented.

Clarification

1. Every direct quotation must be identified by quotation marks or appropriate indentation and must be properly acknowledged by parenthetical citation in the text, in a footnote, or in an endnote.
2. When material from another source is paraphrased or summarized in whole or in part in one’s own words, that source must be acknowledged in a footnote or endnote or by parenthetical citation in the text.
3. Information gained in reading or research that is not common professional knowledge must be acknowledged in a parenthetical citation in the text or in a footnote or in an endnote.
4. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, the use of papers, reports, projects, and other such materials prepared by someone else.

Fabrication, Forgery and Obstruction

Fabrication is the use of invented, counterfeited, altered or forged information in assignments of any type including those activities done in conjunction with academic courses that require students to be involved in out-of-classroom experiences. Forgery is the imitating or counterfeiting of images, documents, signatures, and the like. Obstruction is any behavior that limits the academic opportunities of other students by improperly impeding their work or their access to educational resources.

Clarification

1. Fabricated or forged information may not be used in any laboratory experiment, report of research, or academic exercise. Invention for artistic purposes is legitimate under circumstances explicitly authorized by an instructor.
2. Students may not furnish instructors with fabricated or forged explanations of absences or of other aspects of their performance and behavior.
3. Students may not furnish, or attempt to furnish, fabricated, forged, or misleading information to University officials on University records or on records of agencies in which students are fulfilling academic assignments (including clinical sites, service-learning, etc.)
4. Students may not steal, change, or destroy another student’s work. Students may not impede the work of others by the theft , defacement, or mutilation of resources so as to deprive others of their use.
5. Students may not access or use patient information in ways that violate HIPAA regulations.

Multiple Submissions

Multiple submission is the submission of the same or substantially the same work for credit in two or more courses. Multiple submission shall include the use of any prior academic effort previously submitted for academic credit at this or a different institution. Multiple submission shall not include those situations where the prior written approval of the instructor in the current course is given to the student to use a prior academic work or endeavor.

Clarification

1. Students may not normally submit any academic assignment, work, or endeavor in more than one course for academic credit of any sort. This will apply to submission of the same or substantially the same work in the same trimester or in different trimesters.
2. Students may not normally submit the same or substantially the same work in two different classes for academic credit even if the work is being graded on different bases in the separate courses (e.g., graded for research effort and content versus grammar and spelling).
3. Students may resubmit a prior academic endeavor if there is substantial new work, research or other appropriate additional effort. The student shall disclose the use of the prior work to the instructor and receive the instructor’s permission to use it PRIOR to the submission of the current endeavor.
4. Students may submit the same or substantially the same work in two or more courses with prior written permission from all faculty involved. Instructors will specify the expected academic effort applicable to their courses, and the overall endeavor shall reflect the same or additional academic effort as if separate assignments were submitted in each course. Failure by the student to obtain written permission from each instructor shall be considered a multiple submission.

Complicity

Complicity is assisting or attempting to assist another person in any act of academic dishonesty.

Clarification

1. Students may not allow other students to copy from their papers during any type of examination.
2. Students may not assist other students in acts of academic dishonesty by providing material of any kind that one may have reason to believe will be misrepresented to an instructor or other University official.
3. Students may not provide substantive information about test questions or the material to be tested before a scheduled examination unless they have been specifically authorized to do so by the course instructor. This does not apply to examinations that have been administered and returned to students in previous trimesters.

Misconduct in Research Endeavors

Misconduct in research is a serious deviation from the accepted professional practices within a discipline or from the policies of the University in carrying out, reporting, or exhibiting the results of research or in publishing, exhibiting, or performing creative endeavors. It includes the fabrication or falsification of data, plagiarism, and scientific or creative misrepresentation. It does not include honest error or honest disagreement about the interpretation of data.

Clarification

1. Students may not invent or counterfeit information.
2. Students may not report results dishonestly, whether by altering data, by improperly revising data, by selective reporting or analysis of data, or by being grossly negligent in the collecting or analysis of data.
3. Students may not represent another person’s ideas, writing, or data as their own.
4. Students may not appropriate or release the ideas or data of others when such data have been shared in the expectation of confidentiality.
5. Students may not publish, exhibit, or perform work in circumstances that will mislead others. They may not misrepresent the nature of the material or its originality, and they may not add or delete the names of authors without permission.
6. Students must adhere to all federal, state, municipal, and University regulations for the protection of human and other animal subjects.
7. Students may not conceal or otherwise fail to report any misconduct involving research, professional conduct, or artistic performance of which they have knowledge.

Computer Misuse

Use of computers that is disruptive, unethical, or illegal use of the University’s computer resources, including any actions which violate the ADU Student Computer Use Policy is prohibited. Misuse of computers also includes disruptive, unethical, or illegal use of the computers of another institution or agency in which students are performing part of their academic program.

Clarification

1. Students may not use the University computer system in support of any act of plagiarism.
2. Students may not monitor or tamper with another person’s electronic communications.
3. Students may not use University computer resources to engage in illegal activity, including but not limited to the following: illegally accessing other computer systems, exchanging stolen information, and violating copyright agreements which involve soft ware or any other protected material.
4. Students may not use any University computer as a host system for any unauthorized service or application.

Misuse of Intellectual Property

Misuse of intellectual property is the illegal use of copyright materials, trademarks, trade secrets, or intellectual properties.

Clarification

1. Students may not violate the University policy concerning the fair use of copies. This policy can be found in the ADU Academic Bulletin.

Policies and Procedures for Dealing with Academic Misconduct

Students suspected of academic misconduct, whether acknowledging involvement or not, shall be allowed to continue in the course without prejudice pending completion of the disciplinary process. If the instructor must submit a final course grade before the case is resolved, then the student should be given an “Incomplete,” which will not affect his or her GPA.

1. An instructor or other staff member who suspects a student of academic misconduct or receives a complaint alleging misconduct that raises suspicion may consult the Office of Academic Administration to learn whether there is any record of prior academic misconduct. The instructor will inform the student in writing within seven (7) days of discovering the misconduct. The instructor will include in the letter that he or she desires to meet with the student to discuss the allegation. The student must respond within seven (7) days from the date of the letter.
2. The instructor reviews all evidence, interviews any witnesses, and meets with the student to discuss the allegation and to hear the student’s explanation. The student may have an Adventist University faculty or staff member of his or her choice present at the meeting with the instructor, if he or she chooses. The instructor then makes a decision regarding the allegation.
3. If the student does not respond to the notification within seven (7) days, the instructor continues with the investigation and report without the student’s input.
4. If the instructor determines that the student has not violated the policy, the student will be notified in writing within seven (7) days of the meeting with the instructor, whether or not the student responded.
5. If the instructor determines that the student has violated the policy, the instructor completes the Academic Dishonesty Report Form (ADRF) within five (5) days of the initial meeting with the student or from the end of the student’s seven (7) day response period. The student then has five (5) business days to respond and to attend a formal meeting with the instructor.
6. If the student fails to respond, the instructor completes the Academic Dishonesty Report Form and imposes a final academic sanction which may include referring the matter to the Office of Academic Administration.
7. If the student responds, the student is given the ADRF and is asked to initial and sign the appropriate response. Th e student may have an Adventist University faculty or staff member of his or her choice present at the meeting with the instructor, if he or she chooses.
8. A copy of the ADRF is given to the student (if he or she responds), Academic Administration, and the Department Chair. A copy is also given to the University Disciplinary Committee, if the matter is referred to them.
9. If the instructor takes no action within (5) five days of meeting with the student, the allegations will be considered dismissed.

The disciplinary authority of Adventist University of Health Sciences is vested in the President, those asked by the President to act on his or her behalf, and in the committees and administrators of Adventist University for whom jurisdiction may be conferred for specific cases or specific areas of responsibility.

If violations of academic integrity come to light subsequent to a student’s graduation from the University, the instructor, program director, or department chair may make recommendations for disciplinary action to the Office of Academic Administration. This action may include nullification of the degree awarded. Decisions of this nature may be appealed to the President of the University.

Disciplinary Sanctions for Academic Misconduct

Sanctions will be imposed according to the severity of the misconduct. Multiple sanctions may be imposed should the behavior call for the imposition of a more severe penalty. In all cases, the University reserves the right to require counseling or testing of students as deemed appropriate. Definitions of disciplinary sanctions include the following:

1. Academic action
   May include altering a grade or assigning a failing grade for the assignment, examination, or course.
2. Disciplinary report
   All academic misconduct and sanctionsare recorded on an Academic Dishonesty Report Form, which is kept on file with the Office of Academic Administration for the duration of the student’s attendance at the University. If academic misconduct reoccurs, the report will be taken into consideration in determining further sanctions.
3. Restitution
   Students are required to compensate the University or other persons for damages, injuries, or losses. Failure to comply could result in suspension or dismissal.
4. Probation
   There may be specific restrictions or extra requirements placed on the student for a specified period. These may vary with each case and may include action not academically restrictive in nature, such as restriction from participation in University activities or other requirements. Disciplinary action should be consistent with the philosophy of providing constructive learning experiences as a part of the probation. A student may be required to meet periodically with designated persons. Any further misconduct on the student’s part during the period of probation may result in disciplinary suspension or dismissal.
5. University suspension
   Suspension prohibits the student from attending the University. It prohibits the student from being present on specified University-owned, leased, or controlled property without permission for a specified period of time. Students placed on University disciplinary suspension must comply with all suspension requirements. A student seeking to attend the University aft er the conclusion of his or her suspension may apply for readmission to the University.
6. University dismissal
   Dismissal permanently prohibits the student from attending classes at the University and permanently prohibits the student from reenrolling at the University.

Resources

The following institution’s policies were the sources referred to for guidance in the creation of the Adventist University Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures for Dealing with Academic Misconduct:

• The University of Cincinnati
• The University of New Orleans
• Rutgers University
• Iowa State University
• Central Michigan University

Copyright Policy

1. Introduction

Adventist University of Health Sciences expects all members of the University community to make a good faith effort to respect the rights of copyright owners. This policy serves to affirm the University’s commitment to comply with copyright law, to educate members of the University community about copyright law and rights available under that law, and to provide a standard approach for addressing complex copyright issues. This policy outlines the relevant statutes, codifies University practices relevant to copyright, and recommends tools by which faculty, staff , and students can ensure they respect the rights of copyright owners.

2. Copyright Basics

2.1. The Extent of Copyright

Copyright is the right of an author, artist, or other creator of an original work of authorship to control how his or her work is used. Under the United States copyright law (title 17, U.S. Code), copyright attaches the moment the original work of authorship is fixed in any tangible form-no formal registration is necessary. Copyright protection extends to literary works; musical works; dramatic works; pantomimes and choreographic works; pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works; sound recordings; and architectural works. Ideas, concepts, principles, procedures, processes, methods of operations, and discoveries are not protected by copyright.

United States copyright law grants copyright owners the exclusive rights to copy and/or distribute their work, to create derivative works, and to publicly perform or display their work (17 U.S.C Section 106). There are limitations on these rights, but in general the unauthorized reproduction, performance, display, or distribution of a copyrighted work is copyright infringement and may subject the infringer to civil and criminal penalties.

2.2. Limitations on Exclusive Rights

The exclusive rights of copyright owners have several limitations placed on them by copyright law. These limitations include copyright term limits, the first sale doctrine, special classroom exceptions, reproduction by libraries and archives, and fair use. Uses that fall under these limitations are allowed without the permission of the copyright owner. For any other use of copyrighted materials, the user must seek permission from the copyright owner.

2.2.1. Copyright Term Limits and Public Domain (Sections 301 - 305)

Copyright protection is not eternal. In the United States, copyright now lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years. For works where the author is unknown or the copyright owner is a corporation, copyright lasts for the shorter of 120 years from the creation date or 95 years from the publication date (17 U.S.C Section 302). Once a work’s copyright term expires, it enters the public domain and can be freely used by anyone without permission. Works created by officers or employees of the United States government as part of their official duties are also part of the public domain; however, works published by state governments may be copyrighted.

All works published before 1923 have entered the public domain, and other works will be added as their copyright terms expire. For more information and guidelines for determining the copyright status of a work, see Cornell University’s “Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States” (http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/public_domain/) and the American Library Association’s Digital Copyright Slider (http://librarycopyright.net/digitalslider/).

2.2.2. The First Sale Doctrine (Section 109)

Section 109 (17 U.S.C Section 109) grants certain rights to the owner of a particular copy of a copyrighted work. The owner of the copy may, without permission, publicly display or sell it. The owner may also lend or lease his or her copy, though the commercial lending or leasing of computer software and sound recordings is specifically prohibited.

The first sale doctrine provides libraries with the right to lend out books and movies. Section 109 also gives libraries and non-profit education institutions the special right to lend computer software and sound recordings.

2.2.3. Special Classroom Exceptions (Section 110)

In a strict sense, any presentation of a copyrighted work in a classroom, such as reading aloud from a textbook, qualifies as a public display or performance and requires permission from the copyright owner. While drafting the copyright law, Congress was aware of the need of teachers to present copyrighted material during their lessons. Schools could not function if teachers had to obtain permission before discussing any copyrighted works in class. Section 110 (17 U.S.C Section 110) addresses this problem by granting teachers and students the right to perform or display copyrighted works in face-to-face teaching situations.

For a use to qualify under the exception granted by section 110, it must meet a number of requirements. The display or performance must be an integral part of the class, must be supervised by an instructor, must take place in a classroom or similar location, and must be open only to members of the class. Also, the copies displayed or performed must be lawfully obtained.

In 2002, Congress passed the TEACH act, which extends section 110 rights to distance education. TEACH allows the digital transmission of “a performance of a nondramatic literary or musical work or reasonable and limited portions of any other work, or display of a work in an amount comparable to that which is typically displayed in the course of a live classroom session” (17 U.S.C Section 110); digital educational works (works marketed specifi cally for transmission in distance education) are not covered.

TEACH also adds to the existing section 110 requirements. The educational institution must apply technological measures to prevent students from retaining the work past the class session or sharing the work without permission. And the institution must have in place copyright policies that promote copyright compliance and warn students that the works may be copyrighted.

2.2.4. Reproduction by Libraries and Archives (Section 108)

Copyright law recognizes several special rights that apply only to libraries. The primary right is the right of libraries to make and distribute a single copy of a work for non-commercial use (17 U.S.C Section 108). A library can copy an article or small portion of other types of works and give it to a library user provided that the library includes a copyright notice on the copy and has no notice that the user intends to use the copy for anything other than private study, scholarship, or research.

Section 108 also gives libraries the right to make multiple copies of works for preservation and to provide access to unpublished works.

2.2.5. Fair Use (Section 107)

One of the purposes of copyright is “to promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts” (U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 8). United States copyright law recognizes that there are uses, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research that are necessary to promoting intellectual progress. Such “fair use” is not an infringement of copyright. While the other exceptions to copyright are put forth in some detail, fair use is left intentionally broad. Section 107 lists four factors to consider in determining whether a use qualifies as fair use:

1. “the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
2. the nature of the copyrighted work;
3. the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.” (17 U.S.C Section 107)

These factors are not precise, and different people may make different determinations about what constitutes fair use. Only the court can officially state whether a given use is fair use or copyright infringement.

2.3. Infringement and Damages

If a copyright owner believes that a use violates his exclusive rights, he can sue the person responsible for copyright infringement. If the court agrees that the use is infringing, the user must cease the use and can face damages of up to $150,000 per violation plus the copyright owner’s court costs and attorney fees (17 U.S.C Chapter 5). If a person makes 10 copies of a copyrighted work, each copy counts as a single violation, so damages can quickly reach millions of dollars.

A person or institution can be guilty of infringement without directly violating copyright. United States copyright law recognizes three types of infringement: direct, contributory, and vicarious. Direct infringement is the actual act of violating copyright. Contributory infringement takes place when a person or institution knew or should have known about the infringement and contributed to it. Vicarious infringement takes place when a person or institution knew or should have known about the infringement and benefited financially from it. Adventist University of Health Sciences would be guilty of vicarious infringement if a professor made illegal copies of an article for a class rather than paying for it from the department’s budget.

3. Responsibility

Individual Adventist University faculty and staff members are responsible for reading and understanding the University’s copyright policy and shall be held accountable for willfully disregarding it in their use of copyrighted works. The University will provide faculty and staff with access to resources that assist with determining permitted use. Faculty and staff are responsible for consulting those resources and applying them in accordance with the law.

At no time shall a faculty member, staff member, or student assistant who reproduces or distributes copyrighted materials in accordance with the written or verbal instructions of a supervisor be liable for any failure to follow copyright law. This protection does not apply if the faculty member, staff member, or student assistant acts without instructions or in a manner that falls outside of such instructions.

4. Guidelines for Proper Use of Copyrighted Materials

Adventist University of Health Sciences endorses the following guidelines on the correct use of copyrighted materials in various situations:

• Agreement on Guidelines for Classroom Copying in Not-for-profit Educational Institutions with Respect to Books and Periodicals (http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ21.pdf)
• CONTU Guidelines for Interlibrary Loan Photocopying (http://www.librarycopyright.net/presentations/GLsInterlibLoan.pdf)
• Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia (http://ccumc.org/node/210)
• Guidelines for Off -Air Taping for Educational Purposes (http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/Kastenmeier.html)

Members of the University community are expected to abide by these guidelines where applicable. However, the guidelines represent an attempt to define the minimum use that would be considered non-infringing. They should not be considered statements of the maximum use allowed. Many uses that fall outside the recommendations of the guidelines may be covered by fair use. The guidelines are also not infallible guards against infringement. A use that seems to fit within a guideline’s boundaries may actually be infringing under certain circumstances. It is important to consider how the four factors of fair use apply to every proposed use that is not clearly covered by one of the exceptions in sections 108, 109, and 110.

5. Resources

Copyright is a complex issue. In addition to guidelines, Adventist University of Health Sciences provides access to the following resources for students, faculty, and staff to use in determining if a use of work is permitted.

• University of Texas’ Copyright Crash Course (http://www.lib.utsystem.edu/copyright/)
• Stanford University Libraries, Copyright and Fair Use (http://fairuse.stanford.edu/)
• North Carolina State University’s TEACH Act Toolkit (http://www.provost.ncsu.edu/copyright/toolkit/)
• Columbia University Libraries, Copyright Advisory Office’s Fair Use Checklist (http://www.copyright.columbia.edu/fair-use-checklist) For additional help in making decisions regarding copyright, please contact Adventist University’s copyright resource officer.

6. Peer-to-peer Filesharing

Peer-to-peer filesharing has gained popularity over the last several years as a way to obtain copies of music and movies. Peer-to-peer networks allow people to download and upload material to and from any computer on the network. These networks make it easy for people to freely copy and distribute or download copyrighted music and movies.

Copying and distributing copyrighted movies and music for entertainment purposes without permission is a clear violation of copyright law. A growing use of peer-to-peer filesharing among college students is downloading textbooks. Even though the textbooks are used for education, downloading them simply to avoid paying for them is copyright infringement, not fair use. See Indiana University’s “Filesharing and Copyright” (http://www.copyright.iupui.edu/fileshare.htm) for a more detailed discussion.

Adventist University of Health Sciences’ computer use policies state that the computer network on campus is not to be used for any illegal activity. This includes downloading and uploading files in violation of copyright law. Anyone who downloads or uploads copyrighted files illegally, whether through a peerto-peer network or other means, will be subject to the penalties outlined in the University’s computer use policies.

7. Permissions

If a proposed use of copyrighted material is not within fair use or any other exception, it doesn’t mean that you cannot use the material. You may be able to obtain permission from the copyright owner. The copyright owner may control licensing directly, or rights may be available from a licensing agency.

Rights are often readily available. Check with the library to find out what rights the University already has. The library’s licenses for electronic access to a text-based work may include some reproduction and distribution rights. Licensing agencies, such as the Copyright Clearance Center (http://www.copyright.com/) or the Authors Registry (http://www.authorsregistry.org/welcome.html), can quickly provide rights the library doesn’t have. For audio-visual materials, the library may have public performance rights for a performance not covered by section 110, or the library staff may be able to obtain those rights from the distributor.

For a comprehensive discussion of licensing and how to search for the owner of a copyright, see the Columbia University Libraries’ Copyright Advisory Office (http://www.copyright.columbia.edu/permissions).

Active Military Duty

Any student called to active duty from the reserves of any branch of the military or the National Guard will receive special consideration from Adventist University of Health Sciences to ensure a smooth transition. Students should notify their department chair and submit a copy of the military orders. The length of service should be defined when possible. A full refund of tuition and fees for the current trimester will be granted.

Upon returning to the University, the student should provide documentation that he or she has been released from active duty. Students leaving a professional program for active duty will be able to re-enter the program at the beginning of the same trimester in the suggested plan of study. Students should refer to the individual professional program section of this Academic Bulletin for readmission policies. Students in the Department of Health and Biomedical Sciences will be able to begin courses at the beginning of the next trimester following their return to civilian life. Exceptions and special needs will be addressed on an individual basis.

Attendance Policies

Adventist University students are expected to attend all scheduled courses, laboratories, clinicals, and/or practicums. The following attendance policies are in effect:

• Regular attendance in courses, laboratories, and clinicals is required.
• The student is considered to be enrolled in the course unti the completed Drop/Add/Withdrawal Form is submitted to the Office of the Registrar. It is the student’s responsibility to complete these forms as soon as the decision to drop has been made.
  • Failure to submit the completed Drop/Add/Withdrawal Form by the drop deadline will result in the grade of “WF” being given for the course.
• It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor if class appointments have been missed.
• Failure to attend the first day of the course will result in course withdrawal.
• All arrangements for an excused absence must have the instructor’s prior approval. In the event of an emergency (e.g. illness), instructors may require official documentation or verification.
• An Administrative Drop may take place if a student is absent for a period of two consecutive weeks and does not contact the instructor or complete the appropriate paperwork.
• When a student’s number of absences (excused or unexcused) for any course exceeds 20% of the total course appointments, a grade of “F” may be given for that course.
• Students are allowed to consider as excused absences up to five days off for bereavement if the death was an immediate family member (spouse, parent, sibling, child, or grandparent). Other family members, such as aunts, uncles, and cousins, are usually not in this category unless they were part of the immediate family. Additional time must be requested by the student and agreed to by the instructor. Verification must be provided at the time of the student’s return to class. All coursework must be made up within a time frame agreed upon with the course instructor.
• Please refer to the program handbook for additional attendance policies.

Cancellation of Course Section

A course may be cancelled if the enrollment in a particular section of a course does not reach at least six students. If necessary, course sections may be combined and/or moved. Every effort will be made to keep scheduled courses open in a given trimester.

Emergency Course Cancellation

All decisions regarding emergency school closure will be made by Adventist University of Health Sciences Administration. Information on campus closings may be obtained from the following sources:

■ Campus voice message system: (407) 303-9798 or (407) 303-7747
■ Campus plasma screen displays
■ University Web sites: www.adu.edu; my.adu.edu
■ Local area TV stations: WESH (2), WKMG (6), WFTV (9), Central Florida News (CFN 13)

College Credit by Examination

Adventist University of Health Sciences (ADU) recognizes the following types of college credit by examination:

• Advanced Placement Credit (AP)
• College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
• ADU Challenge Exam
• International Baccalaureate Credit (IB)
• Credit by Validation for Professional Licensure and Registry

College credit that is earned by examination:

• Will be recorded as a credit received (CR) grade for which no quality points will be given.
• Will not count toward residency or financial aid hours.
• Will be awarded only in areas which fall within the regular curricular offerings of Adventist University and which are related to the student’s educational goals.
• Must be completed within the first week of the course a student wishes to challenge.
• Must be successfully completed before the last trimester prior to graduation.

Fees charged for CLEP and ADU Challenge Exam and recording fees are listed on the Fee Schedule  in the Financial Aid  section of the Academic Bulletin. Applications are available in the Center for Academic Achievement and the Office of the Registrar.

Advanced Placement Credit

College-level credit may be granted to students who have completed Advanced Placement (AP) college-level courses in high school and have passed the College Board AP Examinations with a minimum score of 4. Partial credit will not be awarded for AP scores below the required minimum score of 4. Credit granted may not exceed credit for similar courses offered at Adventist University. Please contact the Office of the Registrar for a list of exams that are eligible for transfer of credit.

College Level Examination Program

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) gives students the opportunity to receive college credit for course content they have already mastered through previous coursework or through life experiences. The computer-based program, offered through the CollegeBoard, is available at the Center for Academic Achievement. Students must take a CLEP test rather than the ADU Challenge Examination if there is a CLEP test available.

To qualify for the CLEP test, a student must:

1. Have already taken college-level coursework or obtained equivalent knowledge and/or skill in the subject.
2. Contact the Center for Academic Achievement for application materials.
3. Complete the exam before the last trimester prior to graduation.

Repeat Policy: CLEP exams may not be repeated.

Adventist University of Health Sciences does not award credit for all of the CLEP exams provided by the College Board. If a student has already enrolled in a course he or she wishes to challenge, the CLEP must be completed within the first week of the course. Test credit is applied according to the University policy at the time the credit is received and posted by the University. Contact the Center for Academic Achievement to register for the exam. Information on Adventist University courses that qualify for CLEP may be obtained by contacting the Office of the Registrar or the Center for Academic Achievement.

ADU Challenge Exam

The ADU Challenge Exam may be taken if there is no equivalent CLEP test available. Other institutional challenge exams will not be recognized or transferred.

The ADU Challenge Exam may only be taken once. The ADU Challenge Exam must be passed at the 80% level.

To qualify for the exam, a student must:

1. Have already taken college-level coursework or obtained equivalent knowledge and/or skill in the subject.
2. Petition the department in which the test will be prepared.
3. Receive approval from the department chair and the Office of Academic Administration.
4. Complete the exam before the last trimester prior to graduation.

Repeat Policy: ADU Challenge Exams may not be repeated.

If a student has already enrolled in a course he or she wishes to challenge, the ADU Challenge Exam must be completed within the first week of the course.

International Baccalaureate Credit

College-level credit may be granted to students who have completed International Baccalaureate (IB) college-level courses in high school and have passed the IB Examinations with a minimum score of 5. Partial credit will not be awarded for IB scores below the required minimum score of 5. Please contact the Office of the Registrar for the current policy on awarding college-level credit for successfully completed International Baccalaureate exams.

Licensure and Registry

Adventist University of Health Sciences validates college-level credit for eligible students. Students must meet the following criteria:

1. Acceptance into one of the three Bachelor Completion programs:
   1. Diagnostic Medical Sonography (32 credits)
   2. RN-BSN Completion Program (32 Credits)
   3. BS in Radiologic Sciences (37 Credits)
2. Current and valid professional licensure or registry in the following areas:
   1. Diagnostic Medical Sonography
   2. Nuclear Medicine Technology
   3. Nursing
   4. Radiography

University Credit for Experience

It is not the policy of Adventist University of Health Sciences (ADU) to grant credit for life or work experience.

University Credit by Validation

Under certain circumstances, Adventist University of Health Sciences may give credit for prior coursework in a particular field when the student validates knowledge and ability by successful completion of more advanced coursework at Adventist University in that field (see individual program conditions and specifications).

A student must submit a petition to be given credit by validation. The petition must be approved by the department chair and the Office of Academic Administration before the last trimester prior to graduation.

Credit granted by validation will not generate quality points or affect the grade point average, but will apply toward degree credit requirements. Credit by validation is awarded only in areas which fall within the regular curricular offerings of the University and which are related to the student’s current educational goals. Credit by validation will not count toward residency or financial aid hours.

Communication Policy Adventist University of Health Sciences (ADU) employs three electronic modes of communication to meet the needs of its student population. Instructors will communicate in their syllabus their preferred method of communication with their students. This will vary from course to course. It is expected that all students will check these electronic modes of communications at least weekly. Students are held accountable for all information communicated to them through these systems.

• My Academic Resource System (MARS): MARS is used primarily for communication between students and key offices on campus relating to their enrollment and progression at Adventist University. Students can access their academic advisor or ask questions about placement testing in addition to communicating with the following departments or offices: Enrollment Services, Business Office, Registrar, Financial Aid, Bookstore, Residence Hall, and Student Services. All communication in MARS is logged and recorded for future reference. To access MARS:
  • Log in to my.adu.edu
  • Under Academics, click on My Messages.
• Adventist University E-mail Account: Adventist University e-mail accounts will be used to inform students of upcoming events, such as social events, registration and application information, school closings, and department-specific communications.
• E-Learning E-mail: The e-learning courseware management system includes an e-mail component which allows the members of the course and their instructors to communicate with each other. The instructors who utilize the e-learning courseware management systems will communicate in their syllabus their preferred method of communication with their students. This will vary from course to course.

Convocation

An annual Convocation event is held each fall, bringing together and celebrating the entire Adventist University family during the new school year. All students are required to attend this campus-wide event. The President’s Reception is held following Convocation for all students, faculty, and staff.

Course Classification

All courses are classified as remedial, lower division, upper division, or graduate. Remedial courses are numbered 090 through 099. Lower division courses are numbered 100 through 299. Upper division courses are 300 through 499. Graduate courses are 500 and above. Students should take courses in the order prescribed in their plan of study and follow the requirements for prerequisites to avoid scheduling conflicts.

Course Credit

Students will not receive credit for a course unless they are officially registered for it by the end of the approved registration period. Please refer to the Academic Calendar  for registration dates and the Late Registration Policy for more information.

Course Evaluations

Students are required to complete end-of-course evaluations for all courses, including didactic, clinical, and lab sections, in which they are enrolled. Evaluations must be completed by the last day of class (or as otherwise determined by the course instructor). Failure to comply with this mandatory requirement will result in a grade of incomplete (I) being awarded for the class, including the process and fees attached (see Academic Bulletin for complete guidelines and fees).

Course Load

Course load is expressed in trimester credits. A trimester credit represents one 55-minute lecture course or equivalent per week for one trimester of 14 weeks with approximately two hours of preparation per hour in each course. Thus, a four-credit lecture course would meet 220 minutes and require eight hours of preparation per week. Laboratory courses are measured with either a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio, with two or three 55-minute periods of lab time making up one trimester credit. Each department sets clinical ratios.

Full-time students are defined as those who are enrolled in 12 or more credits per trimester. The normal course load for a student at Adventist University of Health Sciences is 12-16 credits per trimester, although more than 16 credits may be required by specific programs in some trimesters (see the Academic Department sections of this Academic Bulletin). Main and Denver campus students who wish to register for more than 16 credits in any given trimester must obtain permission from their advisor and their department chair. Distance education students who wish to register for more than 12 credits in any given trimester must obtain permission from their advisor and their department chair. Additionally, distance education students can enroll in no more than two courses in any seven-week period. Students requesting an overload will receive appropriate counseling from their respective program advisers.

Course load includes all outstanding incompletes. For example, nine credits of incompletes from the prior term will limit the number of credits a student may take in the current enrollment period.

A student may not be concurrently registered at another college or university and Adventist University of Health Sciences without permission from the Office of Academic Administration. Refer to the Transient Policy in the Academic Information section for more information.

Directed Study

Students have the opportunity to participate in courses that are designed to concentrate on a particular problem or area in any of the academic disciplines offered at Adventist University of Health Sciences. These courses may be taken for up to three-credit hours and are recorded on the student’s permanent academic record as Directed Study. Students interested in these courses should complete the Application for Directed Study available from the Office of the Registrar.

Drop Policy

It is the responsibility of the student to withdraw in writing to the Office of the Registrar prior to the deadline published in the Academic Bulletin. The student must submit a completed drop form (Main campus and Denver, Drop/Add/Withdrawal Form; Distance Education, Drop/Withdrawal Form) by the deadline. The assigned grade is determined by the date the student or faculty member notifies the office, not the last date of attendance. The last day to drop a course is determined by the week number in the session. Students may withdraw during the first week of the course without penalty. No record will appear on the permanent academic record. Beginning with the second week of the course to the published Drop deadline, students will receive a “W” for the course. Students who withdraw after the published deadline will receive a “WF” for the course. This grade is equivalent to a failure.

Student-initiated Withdrawals

Important information for students seeking to withdraw from a course(s).

Students should be aware that course withdrawals may affect:

• Anticipated graduation dates
• Immigration status
• Financial status
• Eligibility for a professional program
• Progression requirements for a professional program.

Before a student withdraws, we recommend that the student:

• Meet with the professor to discuss his or her progress in the course
• Meet with an academic advisor to discuss how the withdrawal will affect his or her educational plans
• Meet with a financial aid advisor to discuss how the withdrawal will affect his or her financial aid
• Refer to the Refund Policy in the Financial Information  section of the Academic Bulletin.

Faculty-initiated Withdrawals

An Administrative Drop may take place if a student is absent for a period of two consecutive weeks and does not contact the instructor or complete the appropriate paperwork.

Drop Deadlines for All Academic Sessions

Duplicate Diploma

Duplicate diplomas may be issued under the following conditions:

• Lost
• Damage
• Legal name change

Students must submit a notarized letter detailing his or her request. Additional documents may be required. Please contact the Office of the Registrar for more information. Students will be charged a $100 processing fee.

Examinations and Grade Reports

Credit will not be granted for any course unless the student has completed the required work. Students are expected to adhere to the published final examination schedule. If multiple examinations are scheduled concurrently or the student is required to sit for more than three examinations in one day, arrangements for alternate test dates (within the final exam period) may be made with the department chair.

Grade reports are available online. Grades will be disclosed to third-parties only with a student’s signed consent. Refer to the Student Rights and Confidentiality of Records section in this Academic Bulletin.

Jury Duty

The individual course instructor will make reasonable accommodations for any student required to fulfill jury duty obligations. This includes providing additional time to complete assignments, tests, or quizzes missed during the absence. Students should submit a copy of their jury duty notice to the course instructor.

Laptop Policy

All students are required to have a laptop that meets the Adventist University of Health Sciences specifications (see the Software and Hardware Requirements section below in the Academic Bulletin). Students may purchase a laptop from the University or bring their own if they meet the standards. Some professional programs may require that the laptop be purchased from the University-approved vendor. Students should contact their program of interest for more information. Financial aid may be available to cover the cost of purchasing a new computer. Please check with your Financial aid counselor. If approved, financial aid will only be approved for use with the approved University vendor. For more information, please use the following link: http://www.adu.edu/about/bookstoreandcafe.

Software and Hardware Requirements

Adventist University’s computers use the Microsoft Windows-based operating system. Students are required to submit all work in a format compatible to Microsoft Office 2010.

Requirements

The Adventist University campus offers an open wireless environment. To use the Internet, your computer should be able to access an 802.11 g/n wireless network, have the latest version of FLASH and JAVA installed, and have a current and updated version of antivirus software installed.

Laptop/Mobile Device Policy

The use of laptops/mobile devices in the classroom is strictly for learning activities related to the class in session. Instructors have the prerogative to ask that all electronic devices be turned off. Students may bring laptops to all classes as long as they abide by this policy.

Library

The Robert A. Williams Library provides instruction and resource materials that support the educational programs and goals of Adventist University of Health Sciences. The Library is located on the first and second floors of the General Education building.

Individual reference service is offered during library hours of operation. Customized group and individual instruction in the effective use of information resources, such as databases or educational modules, are available upon request. A group study room, individual study carrels, computers, scanning, printing, photocopying, and faxing are available at the Library.

Access to materials from other libraries is available through Interlibrary Loan. The online catalog, subscription databases, e-journals, e-books, streaming video, Refworks citation management tool, copyright guidelines, Internet-based learning modules, APA Style Guide, Ask-A-Librarian (reference questions), and Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery request information may be accessed remotely at library.adu.edu. Several multidiscipline academic and general reference databases are available, as well as specialty databases in nursing, allied health, consumer health, business, literature, computer technology, opposing viewpoints, student resources, and newspapers. Specialty database reference modules are offered in health, science, arts, humanities, psychology, social science, women’s interests, children’s issues, education, law, international issues, military, and multicultural topics.

Readmission after Academic Dismissal

Students not enrolled in an academic program who have received an academic dismissal from the University may petition the Office of Academic Administration for readmission. If readmission is granted, additional admission documents may be required by the Office of Enrollment Services.

Students within an academic program who have received an academic dismissal from the program must refer to individual program readmission policies.

Registration

Registration is conducted via the University website my.adu.edu for both new and returning students. Students must select courses and submit them for advisor approval to reserve their seats in the desired courses. All remaining steps must be completed for the registration process to be finalized.

To accommodate web registration, a schedule of all courses will be published in advance of the designated term (fall, spring, or summer). The schedule includes the courses offered, sections, days, times, and building and room locations. Additionally, registration deadlines, dates and times of final exams, and other important announcements will be published.

All Adventist University students must complete the following to register for courses:

• Complete New Student Orientation to register for courses.
  • Online Modules
• Complete the required background, drug testing, and immunization requirements as outlined in your admissions/acceptance package.
• Receive Background Check clearance.
• Activate ADU student-issued email account.
• Submit a passport-sized photograph and a scanned copy of a state issued driver’s license by the Drop/Add deadline.
  • This applies to Distance Education students only
  • If the appropriate documents are not submitted, a registration hold will be placed for the subsequent registration term
• Have an approved Adventist University Graduation Application on file in the Office of the Registrar to register for their final term.

Late Registration

All students must complete the registration process within the approved registration periods. Exceptions to this policy will be considered only under extenuating circumstances when students submit a Late Registration Form accompanied by appropriate documentation.

Remedial Courses

The Department of Health and Biomedical Sciences offers several remedial courses. These courses are designed to provide students with the opportunity to bring their academic skills and knowledge in particular areas up to levels that will enable them to successfully complete college-level work in those areas. As such, they are neither factored into a student’s GPA for admission to the University or professional program, nor are the credits transferable. Courses are designated Pass/No Pass. Students required to take these courses have the opportunity to take a placement test one time in an attempt to place into higher-level courses.

English

Students with an ACT score below 19 on the English portion, a combined SAT score below 910, or an SAT Critical Reading subtest score below 470 will be placed into ENGL 091 - English Review (3) .

Mathematics

Students with an ACT score below 19 on the math portion, a combined SAT score below 910, or an SAT Math subtest score below 470 will be placed into MATH 091 - Introduction to Algebra (3) . If the student chooses to take the placement exam, the score will determine which math course the student may enroll in: MATH 091 - Introduction to Algebra (3) , MATH 105 - Intermediate Algebra (3) , or MATH 120 - College Algebra (3) .

Science

Students with a standard composite ACT score of less than 19 or a combined SAT score of less than 910 will be placed into BIOL 091 - Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology (3) . There is no placement testing for this area.

Repeated Courses

If a student chooses to repeat a course, the following policies apply:

• If a course taken elsewhere is repeated at Adventist University of Health Sciences, the Adventist University course and grade will be recorded on the transcript and will be used in computing the GPA. The other course will not be transferred. Students who choose to repeat courses that have already been transferred must notify the Office of the Registrar in writing so that the transferred course may be removed from their transcript.
• If the course was taken and repeated at Adventist University, both courses and grades will appear on the transcript. The lower grade will remain on the transcript, but the quality points will be disregarded. The higher grade will be used in computing the GPA.
• Courses taken at Adventist University of Health Sciences must be repeated at Adventist University in order to receive grade forgiveness.

Permission to repeat a course may be limited by the policies of certain degree programs. Please consult the individual program sections of this Academic Bulletin.

Student Conduct

Adventist University of Health Sciences (ADU) will admit and retain only those students who demonstrate by their conduct that they are in accord with its mission and standards outlined in the student handbook. These objectives and standards can be found summarized in the Student Handbook policies and procedures, which is available electronically through the ADU website. Students who register for classes agree to accept and abide by the standards and regulations of a Seventh-day Adventist University.

Student Grievance Policy

Students with grievances which are not covered under the Academic Appeal Policy (Academic Bulletin) or the Discipline Policy (Student Handbook) are encouraged to take the appropriate steps to resolve the issue informally by discussing it directly with the individual(s) involved. If informal resolution is not possible or the issue was not resolved, students may submit a written grievance to the Office of Student Services within ten business days of the incident. The Office of Student Services will investigate the case and respond to the student in writing within ten business days.

Time Limits for Completion of a Program

• Certificates (one-year) 24 months
• A.S. degrees 48 months
• B.S. degrees 84 months
  • B.S. Biomedical Sciences
  • B.S. Health Sciences
  • B.S. Nuclear Medicine Technology
  • B.S. Nursing
• Bachelor’s completion degrees 60 months
  • B.S. Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS)
  • B.S. Radiologic Sciences (R)
  • R.N. to B.S.N. - Nursing (N)
• Bridge programs 84 months
  • BSDMS bridge
  • BSRS bridge
  • BSN bridge

Students may request short extensions beyond these time limits by submitting a petition to the department chair. The decision either to grant or deny such a request is final.

Transcripts

The Registrar issues transcripts of a student’s Adventist University of Health Sciences academic record upon receipt of the Transcript Request Form or by written and signed request of the student. Requests for transcripts should be received by the Office of the Registrar at least ten business days before they are needed. Telephone or e-mail requests cannot be honored. Official transcripts will not be issued to students with unpaid accounts or those who are in default on federal loan payments and/or who owe a repayment on any federal grant unless the student can provide official documentation that arrangements have been made with the lending institution.

Transfer Credit

College-level credit earned at another institution will be transferred and applied toward degree requirements under the following policies. Grades and quality points are not transferable and will not be added or reflected in the Grade Point Average (GPA).

1. All credit must appear on an official transcript from the original institution at which the credit was earned.¹
2. Foreign transcripts must be evaluated (course-by-course evaluation) and/or translated by an evaluation organization approved by Enrollment Services. Information regarding the approved organizations may be obtained from the Office of Enrollment Services.
3. Only general education courses that are required in the curriculum of the student’s professional program will be transferred.
4. Only courses with a minimum grade of “C” (2.00) will be considered for transfer. Courses considered equivalent with grades of “P” (Passing) or “S” (Satisfactory) as the final grade will be evaluated individually, based on the institution’s interpretation of a passing grade.
5. Transfer credit will be placed on a student’s transcript during the first trimester in which the student enrolls as a degree-seeking student. Time limits on prerequisite courses are based on date of acceptance to the University rather than the date of entrance to the degree program.
6. Math, science, and computer courses must have been completed within five years of acceptance to Adventist University of Health Sciences.² Courses completed more than five years before the date of acceptance will require the student to validate competency by passing a challenge examination or by enrolling in the appropriate course or courses.
7. All other general education courses must have been completed within seven years of acceptance to the University, unless the courses are encapsulated in an earned degree.³
8. The total number of credits transferred may not exceed those allowed by the residency policy. According to the residency policy, a student must complete 50 trimester credits at Adventist University of Health Sciences to earn the Associate of Science degree and 36 additional trimester credits at Adventist University to earn the Bachelor of Science degree.
9. Students who wish to transfer courses from a professional program (for example, a nursing course) must petition the respective department for evaluation of credit.
10. Courses that are not clearly defined on a transcript may not be automatically transferred. The student will be asked to submit course descriptions and/or syllabi for further evaluation.
11. Current Adventist University students wishing to take coursework at another college or university while enrolled at Adventist University of Health Sciences may do so only after receiving permission from their department chair and the Office of Academic Administration. The student must file a Petition for Transient Letter Form with the Registrar no fewer than 15 business days before registration at the other institution. Please refer to the Transient Policy.
12. The credit-granting institution must have regional accreditation.⁴
13. Transcripts and/or diplomas rceived from institutions affiliated with regionally accredited U.S. institutions will not be subject to an independent transcript evaluation.

¹ A transcript is considered official when stamped with the school seal, signed by the appropriate school official, and received in a sealed envelope directly from the sending institution. Adventist University of Health Sciences will not accept transcripts issued to students or submitted by students as official documents.
² Transfer students entering any bachelor’s completion program or certificate with an A. S. degree or higher may be exempt from the five-year limit on math, science, and computer courses. Please refer to the program section of the Academic Bulletin.
³ If a student has a break in enrollment at Adventist University of Health Sciences of longer than one year, the time limit policy will be applied, based on the trimester the student re-enters the University.

⁴ If the institution was placed on provisional status or lost its accreditation (by the regional accrediting body to which it belongs) at the time of the student’s attendance, those courses will be evaluated on an individual basis. If the institution was placed on candidacy status at the time the student took the course, Adventist University of Health Sciences will accept the courses for transfer under general Adventist University guidelines. If the institution was regionally accredited at the time the student took the course, but is no longer accredited or is on provisional status at the time of transfer evaluation, Adventist University of Health Sciences will accept the courses for transfer under general Adventist University guidelines.

Transient Policy

Transient Students from Another Institution

Students seeking degrees at another college or university who wish to enroll at Adventist University of Health Sciences for one trimester are classified as nondegree seeking. In order to register as a transient student, the official transient form(s) from the student’s current institution verifying eligibility must be submitted to the Office of Enrollment Services.

Transient students who have not been previously enrolled at Adventist University, must submit an Adventist University Application with their verification document(s) to the Office of Enrollment Services.

• Registration as a transient student does not imply acceptance to the University or to a degree or certificate program.
• Financial Aid is not available to transient students.
• Transient students are subject to add/drop policies that apply to Adventist University students.
• Prerequisite coursework (if required) must be successfully completed before enrolling in the desired course(s).
• Transient students may be asked to submit official transcripts to verify successful completion of prerequisite courses.

Adventist University Students Transient at Another Institution

Currently enrolled Adventist University students wishing to enroll in courses at another institution must meet the following conditions:

• Have regular academic standing.
• The institution at which the student wishes to take the transient course(s) must be regionally accredited.
• Residency requirements for Adventist University must still be met. (Refer to the Residency Requirements.)
• Prerequisite coursework must be successfully completed for the desired course.
• Students must not exceed the Adventist University-approved course load. (Refer to the Course Load Policy.)

A Transient Letter may be issued for the following reasons:

• The required course cannot be completed at Adventist University of Health Sciences by graduation.
• Adventist University students residing outside Seminole, Orange, or Osceola counties wishing to complete courses in their home town during the summer trimester (does not apply to Distance Education students).
• A required course is offered at a time that would present an undue burden for the student.

Process for Granting Transient Status

• Complete the Petition for Transient Letter Form.
• Submit the course description(s) with the Petition for Transient Letter to the Office of the Registrar at least 15 business days before the start of the trimester.

If the student’s request is approved, the student will be mailed a copy of the transient letter. If the request is denied, the student will be mailed notification of denial.

An approved Petition for Transient Status is valid for the requested term only.

Transfer of Credit for Transient Courses

Adventist University of Health Sciences will only accept the credit hours earned from transient courses with a minimum grade of “C” (2.00)¹. Quality points from transient courses are not recorded on the Adventist University transcript. Therefore, credits earned at another institution will not affect the University cumulative GPA.

• Students must request that an official transcript with a record of the completed course be sent to Adventist University of Health Sciences for evaluation and transfer.
• Transferred credit must meet the guidelines under the Transfer of Credit Policy.
• Students may look online at my.adu.edu, to view transferred courses.

Withdrawal Policy

This policy applies to students wishing to withdraw from courses in a given trimester, from a program, or from Adventist University of Health Sciences. Such students must:

• Obtain an Add/Drop/Withdrawal Form.
• Meet with their appropriate department representative(s).
• Meet with representative(s) from Financial Aid and/or Financial Services.
• Submit the Add/Drop/Withdrawal Form with all required signatures to the Office of the Registrar.

Students who temporarily leave the University will be given a withdrawn status if they are gone for more than two academic periods. Students who attend other institutions after leaving will be required to provide updated official transcript(s) for evaluation upon re-entry to Adventist University.

International Student Regulations

Adventist University of Health Sciences is enriched by the diverse body of international students on campus. It is our goal to educate international students as to their responsibility as the recipient of an F-1 Visa from the United States Government. The following information will help explain how to stay in status. Failing to maintain status is serious and could result in removal (deportation). It is each student’s responsibility to make sure that all Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rules and regulations pertaining to international students are observed.

The International Student Advisor in the Office of Enrollment Services is happy to assist our students with documentation, application for Practical Training, and other individual needs. The following regulations apply to currently enrolled international students only. Adventist University is currently accepting a limited number of applications from new international students requiring an F Visa. Contact the Office of Enrollment Services for pre-screening criteria. Additionally, Adventist University of Health Sciences does not admit international students on Probation status. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 must be presented during admission review in order to be eligible to study at the University.

Academic Requirements

All F-1 students are required to enroll in no fewer than 12 credits per trimester. Please refer to “Permission to Fall Below Full-Time Status” for limited exceptions to this rule.

General Requirements

All international students are expected to stay in close contact with the International Student Advisor. Notifi cation of travel, dropping and adding courses, employment arrangements, and anything else that may affect an international student’s status must be communicated to the International Student Advisor. In addition, the Office of Enrollment Services hosts a mandatory meeting for all international students once per school year. All international students are required to attend.

Obtaining a Social Security Card

Effective October 13, 2004, the Social Security Administration will not accept an application for a social security number from an F-1 student who will be engaged in on-campus employment unless the student has both a letter from the Designated School Official and proof of employment. For more information, visit http://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/. Please contact the International Student Advisor for more information or assistance.

On-Campus Employment

On-campus employment is defined as employment on the University’s premises. This would permit eligible F-1 students to work on campus for 20 hours per week or less. Working over 20 hours per week cannot be authorized. F-1 students who are maintaining their status by enrolling in no fewer than 12 credits per trimester may work beginning with their first term at the University. Florida Hospital is considered on-campus employment.

Off-Campus Employment

Students with an F-1 visa are strictly prohibited from working off campus. Only three exceptions apply to this rule:

• Severe financial hardship - If an F-1 student has been enrolled at Adventist University of Health Sciences for one full year and can exhibit severe financial hardship, he or she can appeal to the government for permission to work off campus for up to 20 hours per week.
• Clinical requirements - If an F-1 student is required to complete clinicals at a location other than one of the seven Florida Hospitals located in Orlando, he or she must be authorized for Curricular Practical Training (CPT).
• Optional Practical Training (OPT) - Th is option is available to international students once they have graduated from a degree program and plan to work in the field related to their degree.

The International Student Advisor must be consulted for any of these off -campus employment options. If an F-1 student is found to be working off -campus without CPT or economic hardship authorization, he or she will be terminated from Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) immediately and must exit the country as soon as possible. Any appeals for reinstatement will be automatically denied by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Traveling

F-1 students planning to travel out of the country during school breaks should contact the International Student Advisor no fewer than two (2) weeks before their departure date. The Advisor must sign the student’s I-20 before leaving the country to ensure a smooth return into the United States. The signature on the student’s I-20 is good for one year only.

Permission to Fall Below Full-Time Status

There are three main instances in which F-1 students may legally fall below full-time student status (12 credits per trimester). They are:

• Language difficulty (this can only be authorized for the student’s first trimester).
• Medical reasons (will be approved only with proper documentation from a Medical Doctor, Doctor of Osteopathy, Psychologist, or Psychiatrist).
• Final trimester of study.

If any student would like to use one of these options, the International Student Advisor must be consulted for proper documentation in SEVIS. All other international students have the responsibility to maintain at least 12 credits per trimester. If 12 credits are not maintained, the student will fall out of legal status.

Permanent Residency Application

Once an F-1 student has filed an I-485 Form with USCIS to apply for Permanent Residency and has received a Notice of Action from USCIS, that student is no longer required by law to maintain full-time student status. However, Adventist University of Health Sciences strongly recommends to its F-1 students with a Notice of Action that they continue to maintain full-time student status in the event that the Notice of Action is withdrawn. Please consult with the International Student Advisor as to the best course of action in this situation.

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a temporary employment benefit extended to F-1 students aft er graduation who have been maintaining their full-time student status for at least one full academic year. Its purpose is to give students the opportunity to gain work experience related to their degree, and is limited to 12 months total for each degree level in a field directly related to the students’ course of study. A 17-month Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) extension for OPT is available to graduates of the B.S. Biomedical Sciences or B.S. Health Sciences degrees only. For more information on this STEM extension, please contact the International Student Advisor.

Students with an active I-20 cannot attend school to pursue a degree while completing OPT. Students are allowed to take up to 6 credits of courses per trimester while on OPT as long as a degree is not being pursued. Optional Practical Training (OPT) authorization expires the day an international student enrolls in a new academic program with an I-20 prior to the expiration of the OPT. Part-time classes may be taken for enrichment purposes only during OPT.

To apply for OPT, make an appointment with the International Student Advisor at least three months prior to the date of graduation. Do not apply for OPT if you think you may not graduate on time.

Requirements Following Graduation

Students graduating from an Associate of Science degree program intending to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree program at Adventist University of Health Sciences should see the International Student Advisor, once acceptance to the B.S. program has been obtained and no less than one month before graduation for an updated I-20.

After graduation, all F-1 students have a 60-day grace period before returning to their home country or enrolling in a new academic program. If no arrangements are made to maintain legal status in the United States, the student will be in violation of their F-1 status on the 61st day after graduation.

Keep in Touch

One of the most common difficulties encountered by international students is miscommunication. Abiding by the government regulations pertaining to F-1 students is the responsibility of each F-1 student, but the International Student Advisor is always willing to assist with questions. It is very important to keep in touch with the International Student Advisor, and you can do so by calling 407-303-7742 or 407-303-7747, ext. 110-6111.