MSUMAcademic AffairsFaculty GuideStudent Attendance / Conduct

Academic Probation and Suspension
Adding and Dropping Courses
Alcohol and Other Drug Policy
Medical Excuses for Students
Senior Citizens

Smoking and Tobacco Use/ Sale Prohibited
Student Absence Policy
Student Conduct Code
Student Handbook

Academic Probation and Suspension

Students at MSUM are required to make and maintain satisfactory academic progress. This means there are minimum cumulative GPA thresholds and a percent of credit completion that students must achieve each semester. Students determine whether or not they are achieving satisfactory academic progress by comparing their own cumulative GPA/percent of completed following the minimum standards required by MSUM. Refer to the Academic Probation and Suspension Policy for detailed information.

Adding and Dropping Courses

Students may add a class through the fifth class day of the term, except for courses which begin later in the semester, or in special circumstances approved by the Registrar.

Students may withdraw from a class only within the following limits:

• Fall-Spring: by the end of the eleventh week (55th class day).

• Summer Session: dates vary based on the length of the course.

Alcohol and Other Drug Policy

General Philosophy Statement:
Minnesota State University Moorhead recognizes that the misuse of alcohol and other drugs is a serious problem in our society and our community. This University seeks to create a campus environment which promotes healthy and responsible living that is conducive to the intellectual and personal development of students. The University is committed to establishing and enforcing clear campus policies regarding the use of alcohol and other drugs.

For detailed information on this policy, refer to the Student Handbook.

Refer to the Alcohol and Other Drugs web site for additional information and resources.

Medical Excuses for Students

Written medical excuses will not be given to students who are seen at the Hendrix Health Center unless they are hospitalized or advised to go home for an extended period of time. In those instances, with the permission of the student, the Health Center will notify instructors by telephone and mail. Students who are ill are advised by Health Center staff to speak directly with their instructors regarding their illness/condition.                          

[M&C 5/15/92]

Senior Citizens

Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, and Wisconsin residents age 62 or over may either (a) attend class free without credit or (b) receive credit by payment of an administrative fee of $20.00 per credit if space is available after all tuition paying students are enrolled. Contact the Records Office for additional information.
 

Smoking and Tobacco Use/ Sale Prohibited

Smoking, tobacco use, and tobacco sales (including the use or sales of smokeless tobacco products) are prohibited on University-owned, -operated, or leased property, and in University-owned, leased, or - operated vehicles.

Definitions:

Smoking: The burning of any type of lighted pipe, cigar, cigarette, or any other smoking equipment, whether filled with tobacco or any other type of material.

Smokeless Tobacco Products: Smokeless tobacco consists of the use of snuff, chewing tobacco, smokeless pouches, or other forms of loose leaf tobacco.

Cessation Programs and Services
To support MSUM students and employees who wish to reduce and/or quit using tobacco products, a variety of tobacco cessation resources and services are available at http://web.mnstate.edu/aod/tobacco.cfm

Policy Enforcement
Enforcement of this policy will depend upon the cooperation of all faculty, staff, and students not only to comply with this policy, but also to encourage others to comply with the policy, in order to promote a clean, safe, and healthy environment in which to work, study, and live. The University will provide the campus community with training opportunities designed to assist and prepare students and employees to help one another comply with the policy.

In the case of a violation, the person will be informed of the University Smoking and Tobacco Use Policy. Should that person continue to violate the policy, the aggrieved party should contact the appropriate office: for University employees, the person's immediate supervisor; for students, the Judicial Office of Student Affairs; and for those not associated with the University, Campus Security.

Policy Exceptions

1. An exception for instructional purposes allows for the use of tobacco products in laboratory and classroom instruction/experiments, or artistic purposes. All research, educational, and/or artistic purposes that involve the use of tobacco on campus, must be approved in advance by the President and his/her designee. Such use must be predicted by reasonable advance notice to the public.
2. This policy does not apply to specific activities used in connection with the practice of cultural activities by American Indians that are in accordance with the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, 42 U.S.C. sections 1996 and 1996a. All ceremonial use exceptions must be approved in advance by the President of the University or his/her designee.

Approved by President Barden 5/8/07

Refer to the Alcohol and Other Drugs web site for additional information and resources.

Student Absence Policy

Students are expected to attend all class meetings unless they are ill or officially excused as the result of participation in a university function. However, faculty members may or may not take roll in their classes, and they may or may not lower the marks of students for the sole reason of unexcused absences. If a faculty member has a practice of penalizing for nonattendance, he/she must (a) announce the policy regarding the penalty for nonattendance in writing during the first week of class, (b) not penalize the student for nonattendance unless the student is absent without official excuse for more class periods during the term than the number of periods the class meets each week (or more than two class periods during a summer session), (c) maintain accurate attendance records, and (d) submit in writing to the Vice President for Academic Affairs the explicit class attendance policy statement. As a point of clarification, if a student has an unexcused absence for a class session during which an examination or other graded exercise is scheduled and the student has more unexcused absences than the number of times the class meets each week, this policy permits the faculty member to reduce the student’s grade for the sole reason of the unexcused absences and for failure to complete the graded assignment.    

In the case of individual absence due to jury duty or other legal obligations, the student must notify his/her faculty instructors prior to the absence. Each faculty member will determine the work to be made up and any effect on the course grade. For military absences, refer to Military Withdrawal in The Bulletin or refer questions to the Records office.

In the case of individual absence due to health or other emergency, the student must notify his/her faculty instructor as soon as feasible. Each faculty member will determine the appropriateness of the absence, all work to be made up, and any effect on the course grade.  

When an official university activity conflicts with scheduled classes, students participating in the official activity will be regarded as excused. Within the limits of feasibility, an excused absence assures a student the right to make up the missed class requirement(s). The nature, time, and place of the make-up work are at the discretion of the instructor. Official university events are those that are approved by the appropriate dean, athletic director, or vice president. At least two weeks prior to the activity, lists of participating students should be distributed to those affected faculty members by the faculty member or organization advisor who will be overseeing the university activity. In the case of conflict about the appropriateness of an absence or the feasibility of the student making up missed work, the faculty members involved should confer directly; the student should not be expected to mediate the conflict. In cases where the faculty members involved cannot agree to a solution, the dean(s) of the respective colleges can be called upon to mediate. 

Students wishing to appeal academic decisions or policies further may do so by appealing in writing to the Academic Appeals Committee (Owens 206).  

[APAC 4/29/03, Implementation: Fall Semester 2003]
Clarification: Spring Semester 2004

Student Conduct Code

The official university conduct statement sets forth conduct standards, examples of violating acts, probable sanctions that may be expected and the procedure to be followed when the policy is violated. See the Student Handbook for the Conduct Statement of the University.

[M&C 5/15/92]

Student Handbook

Students and faculty can access MSUM policies in the Student Handbook. Hardcopies are available from the Student Affairs office.

MSUMAcademic AffairsFaculty GuideStudent Attendance / Conduct