Academic Advising
Making the most effective use of the learning opportunities a college experience offers is a basic challenge each student faces. Hartwick provides special help in this process with its system of academic advising. Students are assigned a faculty member as their regular academic advisor. For first-year students, every effort is made to have this advisor be a professor the student has in a Fall Term course, so that advisor and advisee come to know each other. If students declare a major, every effort will be made to have an advisor in that department. Students must meet with their advisors prior to each course registration period, but students are encouraged to visit their advisors regularly as the year proceeds. Helping the student plan a challenging, satisfying, and coherent program is one of the best ways an advisor can be of assistance, but the advisor also can discuss career options and resources available for dealing with specific problems a student may be facing. Students may change advisors as their needs or interests change and, when a major field is selected, the advisor should be from the major department. To change advisors, students complete the necessary form in the Office of Advising and Registration.
Academic Dismissal
Three situations may lead to dismissal:
A student who meets the standards, but who either withdraws from all courses for insufficient reason, or fails all courses in a term, may be dismissed from the College. Furthermore, a student may be placed on academic probation or dismissed any time there is grave doubt concerning either seriousness of purpose or completion of a degree program.
The Committee on Academic Standards will notify in writing each student on academic probation as to future status at the College. A student who is dismissed may appeal to the Committee on Academic Standards which will then consider any extenuating circumstances in the student’s case.
Students whose appeal has been granted and probationary students who have come to the Committee’s attention will often be required to meet special conditions if they are to be allowed to continue at the College. Some of the conditions specified in recent years are the following:
Questions concerning probation and dismissal should be directed to the Registrar or the chair of the Committee on Academic Standards. Appeal of a decision to dismiss should be directed to the Dean of Academic Affairs.
Academic Honesty
The principles of honesty and integrity govern all academic work at Hartwick College. Violation of these principles by plagiarism or other forms of academic dishonesty will lead to serious penalties, up to and including dismissal from the College. For details of this policy, see the Academic Honesty Policy.
Academic Probation
The Committee on Academic Standards places students whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 on probation. Additionally, the Committee may place students whose previous term grade was unsatisfactory on probation, even if their cumulative GPA is 2.0 or better.
Students on probation sign a probationary agreement with the Office of Advising and Registration and are expected to follow the exact terms of the agreement. There are specific programs designed for probationary students at different levels.
All students on probation will work in one or more of the above programs to facilitate their academic success.
Academic Standards
As of July 1, 2009, Hartwick's academic standards have changed. Review the new standards on pages 235-236 of the 2009-10 College Catalog. The new policy is in effect for all students.
Academic Support
Students are encouraged to take advantage of a variety of academic support services, including:
Add/Drop/Withdrawal
Forms on which to add or drop course selections may be obtained in the Office of Advising and Registration and must be approved by the student’s advisor. Classes may not be added after the beginning of the second class meeting of any course unless the instructor grants permission. Courses meeting the full term must be registered by the end of the second week of Fall or Spring term. Courses meeting for less than the full term must be registered by the end of the first week of that course's meetings. Independent or directed studies and internships for 3 or 4 credits must be registered by the end of the second week of Fall or Spring terms. Independent or directed studies for 2 semester hours must be registered by the end of the eighth week of Fall or Spring terms, and independent/directed studies for 1 semester hour must be registered by the end of the 11th week of Fall or Spring terms. Independent/directed studies must be registered by the end of the first week of January Term, regardless of offering credit. Forms and information on registration procedures are available from the Office of Advising & Registration. Completed forms, including departmental approval, must be on file in the Office of Advising & Registration.be registered by the end of the first week of that course’s meetings. For information about late adds and late drops, please see Late Add/Late Withdrawal.
AP, CLEP, & IB Credit
Hartwick College offers advanced placement and credit for scores of 3 or better on many of the advanced placement (AP) tests of the College Board. Exceptions include music and several languages. AP scores should be submitted to the College so that credit and/or placement may be awarded. Advancement placement and/or credit is also offered through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) under specified conditions for non-traditional students who have acquired mastery of a subject through experience or other avenues outside the traditional classroom setting.
Hartwick also recognizes the International Baccalaureate Diploma for purposes of admission. Course credit will be granted for higher-level subjects with grades of 4 or better. Standard-level subjects will be evaluated on an individual basis. A-levels are also considered for Hartwick College credit. Other coursework will be evaluated on an individual basis. Please contact the Office of Advising and Regitration at 607-431-4460 for more information.
Athletic Eligibility
In order to maintain continuous athletic eligibility beyond the first year, a student athlete must register for and pass a minimum of 24 credits prior to the beginning of each academic year or have passed 24 credits during the two terms previous to competition. January Term courses and approved courses taken during summer sessions may be counted toward the compilation of courses needed to fulfill this requirement. A student-athlete must remain a full-time student (must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits for the Fall and Spring terms). Repeating a course for which a passing grade was issued does not count toward the required number of credits for that term or for the academic year. Incomplete courses do not apply toward the required number of credits for that term or for the academic year until all course work has been completed and a passing grade issued. A student-athlete must also maintain good academic standing. The Committee on Academic Standards may curtail or suspend athletics participation for student-athletes with a cumulative GPA below 2.00. Dismissal or suspension from the institution for academic or disciplinary reasons may result in an interruption of continuous athletic eligibility per institutional and NCAA regulations.
Career Development
The Office of Career Development and Education offers information and programming related to majors and careers, internships, graduate school, resumes and cover letters, and the job search. More about career development…
Changing Advisors
Students may change advisors as their needs or interests change and, when a major field is selected, the advisor should be from the major department. To change advisors, students complete an Advisor Change form and return it to the Office of Advising and Registration.
Committee on Academic Standards
The Committee on Academic Standards is comprised of faculty and student members who review exceptions to policy and evaluate student progress. The Committee meets weekly during the Fall and Spring terms; petitions to the Committee must be turned in to the Office of Advsing and Registration by noon the day before each meeting to be heard. Committee decisions are provided in writing.
Counseling Services
Counselors are available to help students deal with a wide range of issues, problems, and concerns in an atmosphere of confidentiality and trust. More about counseling services…
Course Load
A normal course load for a full-time student is 30 academic credits per year, possibly distributed as: 13-14 credits in the Fall Term, 3-4 credits in the January Term, 13-14 credits in the Spring Term. This excludes physical education skill courses and music performance credit courses. Full-time course load is defined as 12-16 credits in Fall or Spring Term and 3-4 credits in January Term. With the advisor’s approval, students who have no incompletes and are above a 2.0 cumulative grade point average may enroll for 19-20 credits during either Fall or Spring term. Registering for 21 or more credits requires approval from the Committee on Academic standards. A 24 credit load for the academic year is the minimum required of all full-time matriculated students as they work toward the total of 120 academic and 4 physical education credits required for graduation.
Course Overloads
Students who wish to overload may need to petition the Committee on Academic Standards (forms can be found in the Office of Advising and Registration).
There is an Over Election fee of $245.00 per credit over 20 credits in Fall and Spring and over 4 credits in January.
Curriculum: XXI and LAiP
Please click here for an easy-to-read pdf document detailing CXXI requirements. More information on CXXI can be found in College catalogs prior to the 2008-09 edition - click here for a list of online College catlogs.
Please click here for more information about Hartwick's new Liberal Arts in Practice curriculum (LAiP), effective Fall 2008.
Dean’s List
Effective Fall 2002, to be eligible for a Fall Term or Spring Term Dean’s List, a student must complete within that term at least 12 academic credits, earning a term grade point average of at least 3.500. Any student with a grade of Incomplete in any course in that term other than Senior Project/Thesis is not eligible for Dean’s List. Dean’s List is issued only at the end of Fall and Spring terms (not for summer sessions or January Term).
Early Evaluations
After the fourth and eighth week of the Fall and Spring terms, faculty are asked to identify those students who seem to be doing poorly in class. These students, their parents, and their advisors are notified of the problems, and the students are encouraged to seek the special help they need.
FERPA
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. More about FERPA…
Full Time Status
Full- and Part-Time Matriculated Student Status
A matriculated student is one accepted by the College to work full- or part-time toward a degree. A full-time matriculated student is expected to complete at least 24 credits per year. (Please note that students should complete at least 30 credits each year in order to graduate in four years.) All matriculated students must abide by the regulations established by the faculty and enforced by the Dean and the Committee on Academic Standards. Since Hartwick is designed primarily as a residential institution for full-time students, exceptions to the fulltime status will be granted only in cases falling within the following categories:
Grades
Physical education courses are graded on a Passed-Not Passed basis. The work of students in all other courses is graded by letter and by number of quality points as follows:
Additional markings regarding grades:
In addition to the grades and quality points referred to above, a faculty member may write a commentary concerning the student’s work in a class. Such statements must be typed on the proper form obtained from the registrar’s office; only then will they be incorporated as part of the transcript.
Grades are reported electronically at the end of each grading period.
College policy permits the withholding of a transcript until a student’s debts have been paid, including library and traffic fines.
Changing Grades
Once a student’s grade has been submitted to the Registrar’s Office it cannot be changed without authorization by the Committee on Academic Standards. Normally students are expected to initiate grade changes within a 15-day period. A student should have protection against prejudicial and capricious grading. The following policy is established for reviewing complaints about end-of-term grades: the student shall first consult the professor and department chair; if no agreement is reached, the student may then bring the case to the Committee on Academic Standards. The committee shall serve as a review board and, if a change seems justified, the committee shall be empowered to recommend a change of grade to the professor.
Incompletes
A grade of incomplete indicates that the course work was incomplete at the end of the term and that the instructor granted additional time to complete the work or additional time was required for grading practices. It should be understood that incompletes are issued for a number of reasons and do not necessarily indicate negligence on the part of the student. For the student to receive credit for the course, all work must be completed by one of the following dates, or by an earlier date as set by the instructor: Spring and Summer Term courses—October 30. Fall and January Term courses—March 30 (students can request an extension from the faculty member). If a grade is not submitted by the appropriate date, an automatic “F” will be recorded. Students wishing to receive a grade of incomplete should speak directly to their professor.
Independent and Directed Studies
Students wishing to engage in a study for which no course exists but in an area in which an instructor is qualified, may pursue either an independent or directed study pursuant to the following restrictions. Credit for an independent or directed study may be 1, 2, 3, or 4 credits.
Independent Studies permit junior and senior students with a GPA of 2.3 or higher to examine specialized topics with minimal supervision. To qualify for an independent study, a student must have prior academic experience (either a completed course or directed study with at least a C for each course) in the general field or fields in which the study is to be undertaken. Departmental approval shall come only after a formal departmental review and concurrence that the proposal has sound academic merit. To assist in this process, the student must provide a list of the courses that qualify the student for pursuing such a project, a detailed explanation of the goals of the project and a detailed listing of available resources. Justified exceptions to this policy can be brought to the Committee on Academic Standards for decision.
The following course numbers will be used to indicate independent studies:
398 for Junior Independent Studies
498 for Senior Independent Studies
Directed Studies are open to all students above the freshman level and in good academic standing. In such projects the student works closely with the instructor on an individual basis. The instructor will provide evaluations and guidance at least one hour per week during the tenure of the project. Departmental approval shall follow the same formula as that for independent studies.
The following course numbers will be used to indicate directed studies:
299 for Sophomore Directed Studies
399 for Junior Directed Studies
499 for Senior Directed Studies
Independent or directed studies for 3 or 4 credits must be registered by the end of the second week of Fall or Spring terms. Independent or directed studies for 2 semester hours must be registered by the end of the eighth week of Fall or Spring terms, and independent/directed studies for 1 semester hour must be registered by the end of the 11th week of Fall or Spring terms. Independent/directed studies must be registered by the end of the first week of January Term, regardless of offering credit. Forms and information on registration procedures are available from the Office of Advising & Registration. Completed forms, including departmental approval, must be on file in the Office of Advising & Registration.
Forms and information on procedures are available from the Office of Advising and Registration. Completed forms, including departmental approval, must be returned to the Office of Advising and Registration. A student may take no more than two independent and four directed studies during a four-year career and no more than two independent and two directed studies during a two-year career. No more than four studies of any combination with the above guidelines may be taken with the same instructor unless the Committee on Academic Standards grants special permission.
Individual Student Program (ISP)
Students whose needs and interests are not met by standard Hartwick majors are encouraged to develop an Individual Student Program, a self-designed area of concentration. More about the Individual Student Program…
Internships
Internships are academic experiences supervised primarily by a Hartwick faculty member in cooperation with an on-site work supervisor. They are open to seniors, juniors and sophomores, although some departments limit them to juniors and seniors. Each department retains its own specific requirements for students wishing to undertake internships. However, the following requirements govern overall:
The following course numbers will be used for internships:
295 Sophomore
395 Junior
495 Senior
Registration for an internship establishes the same commitment as registering for a course. Withdrawals must be initiated by the end of the ninth week for Fall or Spring terms, the end of the third week of January Term, and by July 25 for summer or summer-for-fall registrations.
For more information, please visit the Career Development internship site.
Late Add/Late Withdrawal
In order to add or drop a course after the deadlines set by the Office of Advising and Registration, students must submit a petition to the Committee on Academic Standards. Petitions can be picked up in the Office of Advising and Registration and must be signed by both the student’s professor and advisor. Completed petitions, including a narrative signed by the student, the professor, and the advisor, must be returned for the Committee’s review. There is a $50.00 fee to add a class after the add deadline.
Leave of Absence
A leave of absence may be granted to a student for a period of not more than one year. There are three kinds of leaves: general, academic, and medical.
General leaves are granted to students who need to take time away from their studies for financial, personal, or family reasons. A student desiring a general leave should consult with his or her advisor, schedule an exit interview with the Office of Advising and Registration. A student returning from a general leave, or requesting an extension on a current leave, must notify the Office of Advising and Registration at least one month prior to the beginning of the term in which he or she wishes to return.
Academic leaves are granted to students who wish to study at another college for a specified period of time. A student desiring an academic leave should contact the off-campus programs office for approval of the leave and the course of study. The student will be notified of approval in writing.
Two categories of medical leaves are granted:
Both categories of medical leave are granted upon approval of the Hartwick College medical director. A student in the first category should contact the health center to help him or her determine if a medical leave is appropriate. A student in the second category should contact the counseling center staff to help him or her determine if a medical leave is appropriate. A student wishing to return from a medical leave must have his or her attending physician or mental health professional write a letter (at least one month prior to the student’s return) attesting to the appropriateness of returning and any follow-up treatment that will be required once reinstated. See the Wellness Center or Counseling Center staff for further information.
Majors and Minors
All students must declare a major or an Individual Student Program by the second semester of their sophomore year. Undeclared students can find helpful information and resources regarding majors at the Undeclared Students Web site.
Students also have the option to pursue minors and programs such as education and pre-professional studies.
To declare or change a major, students should fill out and return the MAJOR AND/OR ADVISOR CHANGE form (located in the Office of Advising and Registration). Since students should be advised by a faculty member within their major, students may need to select a new faculty advisor when they process their change of major form.
Official Withdrawal
A student who wishes to leave Hartwick and has no plans to return must schedule an exit interview and submit a withdrawal form in the Office of Advising and Registration. Students may officially withdraw from the College up to the last day of classes for the term; however, to receive a grade of “W,” a Course Change Form must be submitted to the Office of Advising and Registration by the regular term deadline for withdrawal with a “W.” Students who officially withdraw will have the notation of Official Withdrawal on their record. Students who leave the College without submitting a completed withdrawal form will be considered to have unofficially withdrawn and will have such a notation posted on their academic record. If a student withdraws and later wishes to resume study, an Application for Readmission must be made to the Office of Advising and Registration.
Perrella Wellness Center
Students can make free appointments with the center's medical staff and receive other services when needed. More about the Perrella Wellness Center...
Pre-professional Programs
Hartwick offers pre-professional programs in the following areas:
Repeating of Courses
A student may retake any course for the purpose of gaining additional knowledge and improving the grade. Retaking a course for which the student has credit (the course was passed) will not add to the student’s total number of credits completed for graduation. For courses repeated at Hartwick, the higher grade will be used to calculate the grade point average. For courses repeated elsewhere, if the course is allowed to transfer in, and if the Hartwick grade in the earlier attempt was D+ or lower, the Hartwick grade will not be included in the student’s grade point average. The transfer grade will not be used in the grade point average either; the student will just have credit for the transfer course rather than the Hartwick course. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the Registrar’s Office when a course is being repeated.
Second Degree
Students who wish to earn two degrees must satisfy the major requirements of a department in each area and complete and additional 30 credits for a total of at least 150 credits. (Performance music credits beyond 12 credits, foundations and physical education credits do not count toward this requirement.) Curriculum waivers specific to certain majors do not apply to the second degree; e.g., a nursing major who wishes to complete a sociology major cannot request an exemption from the language department.
Services for Students with Disabilities
Hartwick is committed to providing equal access to students with disabilities. Patty Jacobsen, the Coordinator of Disability Services in the Loft of the Stevens-German Library, Yager Hall, works with students who have special learning, attentional, and physical needs to coordinate the academic accommodation process. More about services for students with disabilities…
Study Abroad/Off Campus Study
Studying off campus – either nationally or abroad – can compliment and enhance any degree program. More about study abroad…
Taking Courses at Another Institution
Courses Taken Elsewhere During Regular School Year
Such study must be approved by the director of off-campus programs and/or the Registrar. No more than 8 credits (semester hours) can be transferred to Hartwick from a two-year college after achieving 60 credits (unless specific permission has been granted as part of an Individual Student Program). Grades for courses taken elsewhere are included when determining a student’s eligibility for honors at Commencement.
Summer School Courses
A Hartwick student may request permission from the Office of Advising and Registration to attend summer school at another accredited college or university (the form to request approval is located here). No more than 8 credits in courses at a two-year college are permitted after two-years’ work (60 credits or more) (unless specific permission has been granted as part of an Individual Student Program). Grades for courses taken in summer school are included when determining a student’s eligibility for honors at Commencement.
Quarter Credit hours convert to semester hours (credits) as follows: 3 quarter hours = 2 credits, 4 quarter hours = 2.66666 credits, 5 quarter hours = 3.33333 credits.
Transfer Credits
The Office of Advising and Registration is responsible for evaluating transfer credit. Please contact Jane Bachman, Assistant Director of Registration , for more information.
Tutoring/Supplemental Instruction
Tutoring is available in most courses, and supplemental instructors are available in some of the most challenging courses. Please contact Jason Stanton, stantonj@hartwick.edu in the Loft for more information or visit the Tutoring and Supplemental Instruction Web page.
Waiver of Academic Requirements
Requests for waivers of academic requirements must be addressed to the Committee on Academic Standards which includes faculty and student members. Petitions should be addressed to the committee and submitted to the Registrar, in the Office of Advising and Registration, who serves as executive secretary to the committee. Requests for waiver of curriculum requirements should be addressed to the Dean of Academic Affairs.
Workshops
The Loft offers academic workshops each semester. More about academic workshops...
Writing Center
The Writing Center (Coordinator, Julia Suarez; Director of Writing, Robert Bensen) is available to any student on campus. Staffed by upperclass students who have demonstrated successful writing skills, known for its comfortable, inviting atmosphere, the Center can help students with writing problems ranging from punctuation to organization, guidance in all phases of the writing process from planning to revising, and access to a variety of resources including handbooks, style manuals, dictionaries, and essay collections. More about the Writing Center...
Writing Competency Requirement
In order to graduate, students at Hartwick College must demonstrate competence in writing at the college level, as defined in Writing Competency: A Handbook. Such demonstration must be made in one of two ways:
Students should take their first writing course during their first year and are expected to satisfy the requirement by the middle of their junior year.
Students admitted to Hartwick will be placed in one of four levels of competency according to results from a writing sample. The writing sample will be required during summer orientation. The sequence of courses described below is designed to offer increasingly complex and challenging writing tasks. Accordingly, the courses must be taken in sequence. That is, a student placed at Level 1 must take English 101 before taking English 110. A student may take a Level 3 course at any time but may not receive writing credit unless he or she is at Level 3.
Level 1 students needing review work in English grammar and in writing and revising short compositions will register for English 101: Writing Tutorial. Students who successfully complete English 101 will pass to Level 2.
Level 2 students needing instruction in composing and developing whole essays will register for English 110: Composition. Students who earn a grade of A- or higher will pass to Level 4; those who complete 110 with a grade of C through B+ will pass to Level 3. Students receiving a grade of D- through C- will pass to Level 2b. Level 2b students passing English 110 with a grade of D through C- and needing extended work in the writing and particularly the revision of compositions will register for English 111: Composition Workshop. Students who successfully complete English 111 will pass to Level 3.
Level 3 students needing additional practice in writing and revising (but not an entire course in writing) will register for lower-level courses offered in many departments and in all divisions, and designated by a WL3 on the class schedule. These courses feature instruction in writing within a discipline. Instructors may recommend further Level 3 course work for a student or pass the student into Level 4. The instructor will determine whether a student is passed to Level 4 at the completion of the course and will make such recommendation independent of the course grade.
Level 4 students placed at Level 4 as first-year students or who attain Level 4 through testing or course work are considered able to write at the college level of competency. They should maintain and sharpen their skills by taking courses that require essays, reports, short papers and essay examinations. Students admitted as transfers who before entry have attained a grade of C or better in a college-level composition course will receive college credit for the course, but will be assigned to a writing level by means of testing at entry. Should review of the writing sample and, when available, SAT scores indicate that the student’s writing is not yet at Level 3, such a student must take either English 110 (see above under Level 2) or English 111 (under Level 2b), which will allow the transfer student to pass to a higher writing level.
