Academic Procedures and Policies

Course Load

To be considered full time a student must carry a minimum of 12 credits per term. In addition, a student will not be allowed to take more than 18 credits per term without special permission from the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs at Pitt-Bradford and Pitt-Titusville. A student will never be allowed to carry more than 21 credits per term. A course load above 18 credits carries an additional tuition charge.

Background Checks and Clearance for Certain Academic Programs

Please be advised that some programs or courses of study require that students complete rotations, fieldwork, internships/externships and/or teaching assignments at facilities external to the university, while other programs or courses of study may offer voluntary internships or externships at facilities external to the university. Depending on the program or course, such facilities will or may require a criminal background check, an act 33/34 clearance (if applicable), and perhaps a drug screen, at the applicant expense, to determine participant qualification or eligibility. Additionally, in order to become licensed, many states will inquire as to whether the applicant has been convicted of a misdemeanor, a felony, or a felonious or illegal act associated with alcohol and/or substance abuse.

Course Changes and Resignation

Students may change their course schedule by adding and dropping courses according to the deadlines printed in that term’s class schedule (also see Dropping a Course[s] below).  Dropping below full-time status may adversely affect a student’s financial aid. Students may also resign from the University following the deadlines listed in that term’s class schedule. A student will receive a W grade if dropping a course after a certain point in the term, and an R grade if resigning. Neither grade, however, will affect a student’s grade point average.

Dropping a Course(s)

Students who need to drop courses should contact the Office of Student Services.  The Office of Student Services processes all drops.

Specific dates for every add/drop period are published in the Schedule of Classes. Students who decide not to attend the University may drop all of the courses they are registered for during the add/drop period with no financial liability. Students who make this decision after the add/drop period must process a resignation form through the Office of Student Services.

Extended Drop Period

Under special circumstances, undergraduate students may be eligible to drop a course in the third week of the fall or spring semester, effective with the Spring 2018 semester. Students must meet all of the following criteria to drop a course during the extended drop period:

• Undergraduate students at all campuses
• Undergraduate courses
• Fall and spring semesters
• Students must remain in full-time status after dropping the course(s).
• The Office of Student Services must provide permission to drop.

Academic Standing, Probation, and Suspension

Academic Standing

Good Academic Standing: A student is in good academic standing so long as both the GPA in the previous term and the cumulative GPA are 2.00 or higher. Note: Minimum GPA requirements for some programs may be higher than 2.00.

Academic Probation: If the GPA for a given term is below 2.00, or if the cumulative GPA is below 2.00, a student is placed on academic probation.

Satisfactory Academic Progress: A student placed on academic probation must maintain satisfactory progress toward a degree in order to avoid suspension. Satisfactory academic progress is defined as a 1.00 or higher for first-term freshman and a 2.00 or higher for all other students.

Suspension

Students who are on academic probation for two consecutive regular (fall and spring) terms are subject to academic suspension from the University.  First-term students who have completed only one term of full-time study and who have failed to attain a grade point average of at least 1.00 are subject to suspension. Factors such as academic motivation and campus citizenship will be considered in making such decisions for suspension after only one term.

Students who are suspended for academic reasons are not eligible to enroll for the following regular (fall or spring) term and are required to wait at least one full term before a reinstatement request will be considered. Students are either expected to take courses at another institution or do summer work at Pitt-Bradford to qualify for reinstatement. These requirements will be waived only for truly extraordinary circumstances.

Summer Course Work

Students who have been suspended may be allowed, with permission of the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs at Pitt-Bradford and Pitt-Titusville, to enroll in course work during the summer sessions. A student who moves back to good academic standing through summer course work may request reinstatement to resume studies on continued probation in the following fall term.

Reinstatement

Reinstatement after suspension is not automatic.  A suspended student seeking to resume studies in a subsequent term, after one or more terms on nonattendance, must request reinstatement in a letter to the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs at Pitt-Bradford and Pitt-Titusville. If the request is approved, the reinstatement letter will stipulate the conditions that must be met the following term, e.g., a limited load, repeats of courses, or change of major. Reinstatement does not cancel the suspension; rather, the reinstated continues to be on academic probation.  Applicants for the Nursing program have additional requirements for re-admission to the ASN Major.  Contact the Office of Admissions or the Nursing Program office for full details

Dismissal

A student who has been reinstated after suspension and subsequently fails to remain in good academic standing is subject to dismissal. A student who is dismissed for academic reasons may not request reinstatement.

Re-admittance for Summer Course Work after Suspension

Students who have been suspended in the spring term may be allowed, with the permission of the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs at Pitt-Bradford and Pitt-Titusville, to enroll in course work during the summer sessions following that particular spring term. A student who moves back to good academic standing through summer course work may request reinstatement to resume studies on continued probation in the following fall term.

Academic Honors

Dean’s List

Full-time students who earn at least 12 credits in a term (excluding courses with S grades), with no grade lower than a C and no temporary grades, and with a term GPA of at least 3.50 or higher, are placed on the Dean’s List at the end of each regular term.

Graduation Honors

Those students of a graduating class who have attained an outstanding scholastic record may be graduated with honors.  To qualify for honors, a student must have earned a minimum of 60 Pitt credits and attained a cumulative GPA of 3.25 for cum laude, 3.50 for magna cum laude, or 3.75 for summa cum laude.

Readmittance

A student who has left the University for any reason and remained unregistered for at least one year must apply and be readmitted before resuming his or her program. Students who attend another university during their absence from Pitt-Titusville must be readmitted and submit a transcript for evaluation. Reinstatement and readmission decisions are made by the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs at Pitt-Bradford and Pitt-Titusville. It should be noted that the University of Pittsburgh will not accept credits earned at another institution while the student is on academic suspension or probation at a Pitt campus.

Admittance of Students with Prior Pitt Degrees

Students who have received a prior degree from another University of Pittsburgh campus must reapply through the Admissions Office if pursuing an additional degree.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a moral obligation of both students and faculty; it is expected that both students and faculty behave in a professional manner in the University setting. The following guidelines follow those established by the University of Pittsburgh for each group:

Student Responsibilities

The student must conduct himself or herself in an appropriate manner in and out of the classroom. Principally, this involves doing one’s own work at all times and complying with each instructor’s class guidelines and requirements, including class attendance. A student violates academic integrity when he or she is involved in any of the following:

1. Cheating (such as unauthorized use of a text or notes during an exam, copying the work of another student, or obtaining and using a copy of an exam in advance of its administration)
2. Plagiarism (presenting as one’s own the work of another without proper acknowledgment)
3. Deceitful practice (such as knowingly allowing one’s work to be submitted by another student)
4. Class conduct that is so disruptive as to infringe upon the rights of the instructor or fellow students

If a student is involved in any of the preceding, there is a specific set of guidelines explained in the Student Handbook for actions that may be taken by the University and for sanctions imposed. This may involve a hearing before the Academic Integrity Board and sanctions ranging from dismissal from the University to failing the course involved.

Faculty Responsibilities

Faculty members also have obligations under the academic integrity guidelines. These include the following:

1. Meeting classes as scheduled
2. Being available for, and keeping, established office hours and appointments
3. Making appropriate preparations for all classes
4. Grading and returning all tests and assignments promptly
5. Describing course goals, prerequisites, and grading procedures before the end of the add/drop period
6. Using good-faith professional judgment as the basis for all academic evaluations
7. Not considering, in academic evaluation, such factors as race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital, veteran, or disability status
8. Respecting the confidentiality of information regarding a student as stated in University guidelines
9. Not exploiting their professional relationship with a student for private or personal advantage
10. Respecting the dignity of students, individually and collectively, in the classroom and other academic settings

If a student feels that any of these have been violated by a professor, he or she should seek appropriate judgment of the grievance by the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs at Pitt-Bradford and Pitt-Titusville.

Hybrid Courses

All hybrid/blended courses must provide 50% or more of the instruction in a face-to-face modality.  For a three credit course, this would amount to 22.5 hours of face-to-face contact.  The percentage of face-to-face (in classroom) hours and the percentage of online hours must be stipulated in the course syllabus so that the expectations are clear to students.

Grades

The following is a list of grades used by the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville and their numerical value, which is used to calculate a student’s grade point average:

A final grade in a course represents the cumulative evaluation and judgment of the faculty member placed in charge of that course. If a student feels the final grade or an academic decision in a course was not determined in accordance with university policies or was determined arbitrarily, the student may appeal by adhering to the procedure described in the Student Handbook.

It is the responsibility of the student, before seeking to have a grievance adjudicated, to attempt to resolve the matter by personal conference with the faculty member concerned, and, if such attempts are unsuccessful, to call the matter to the attention of the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs at Pitt-Bradford and Pitt-Titusville for consideration and adjustment by informal means. If a matter remains unresolved after such efforts have been made, the grievance procedures shall be employed.

This grievance procedure must be initiated by the student and the written statement of charges must be received by the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs at Pitt-Bradford and Pitt-Titusville within the first ten (10) regularly scheduled class meeting days of the term immediately following the term in which the appealed grade was received. The written statement must be an accurate and complete statement of all facts pertaining to the matter.

Complete details pertaining to this policy can be found in the Policy Manual of the University of Pittsburgh, Academic Affairs, Academic Integrity, Guidelines on Academic Integrity-Student and Faculty Obligations and Hearing Procedures, Document Number 02-03-01.

Other Grades

The following entries may also be made on a student’s transcript:

Transfer Credits

A student who has earned credits at another college, university, or post secondary educational institution may have the credits evaluated for transfer into the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville. Official transcripts are evaluated and are subject to the individual requirements of the program to which a student is applying. Credit cannot be given for courses taken at another university while the student is on probation or suspension from any University of Pittsburgh campus. The following general rules will apply in most cases:  

1. Credits will be considered for transfer based on course equivalencies.  The University will not refuse to consider transfer credit based on accreditation of the sending institution.
2. Course work must have been completed in the time frame required by the program.
3. Course work must have been completed with a grade of C or better (C- is not acceptable)
4. Transfer courses that are part of a sequence may or may not be transferrable depending on requirements of the specific program for which the student is enrolling
5. The maximum number of credits that the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville will transfer toward an associate degree is 30.
6. The number of credits granted for a course cannot exceed those on the transcript from the school where they were earned; nor can they exceed the number of credits for the corresponding course at UPT.
7. Quarter credit hours are considered as follows:  5 quarter credit hours = 3 semester credit hours; 3 quarter credit hours = 1 UPT semester credit hour

Cross Registration

Only students who are on unrestricted academic standing at Pitt-Titusville will be allowed to cross register during the fall and spring terms. Cross registration is limited to two courses or eight credits per term or session.  Students enrolled at Pitt-Titusville wishing to take courses at another University or at another University of Pittsburgh campus must receive written permission of the Director of Student Services.

Course Repetitions

In general, students are allowed to repeat courses at the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville. The last grade earned is the one used in calculating credits to be awarded and in computing the GPA. In other words, grades are not averaged when a course is repeated. Course repetitions are limited in the Nursing program. Contact the program office for more specific information about the course progression requirements. Students are encouraged, and sometimes required, to repeat courses in which they have earned less than a C- grade. This policy is limited, however, by the following exceptions:

1. No sequence course may be repeated for credit after a higher-numbered course in the same area has been passed.
2. No course may be repeated more than twice except by special permission of the instructor and the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs at Pitt-Bradford and Pitt-Titusville. In no case will a student be allowed to repeat a course more than three times. NOTE: If the student has received a W or an R in a course, this rule does not apply.
3. No course may be repeated for credit at another institution outside of the University of Pittsburgh system. Nursing students enrolled in the Associate of Science in Nursing degree program are subject to additional curriculum policy requirements including the policy that no NURSING course may be repeated more than once.  See the Nursing Program Curriculum Policy for more details.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The University, in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), affirms the University’s commitment to safeguard the privacy of education records and to comply with the relevant regulations through policy AC 04: FERPA: Access to and Disclosure of Education Records. 

Annual Notification of FERPA Rights

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students attending, or who have attended, certain rights with respect to their education records. Students are considered to begin the period of attendance at the University once they are registered for their initial term of enrollment. 

These rights include: 

(1) The right to inspect and review their education records within 45 calendar days of the receipt of a request.  

• Students may formally request to inspect and review their own Education Record, by submitting a request in writing to the Office of the University Registrar.  The Office of the University Registrar shall identify appropriate Records Custodians to whom the request should be addressed and/or provide guidance in this process when necessary.

• Once a request is received, the Record Custodian will coordinate the opportunity for the Student to inspect and review the requested Education Record within 45 calendar days of the request. The Record Custodian shall verify the identity of the requester through proper photographic identification prior to allowing inspection of the Record. 

(2) The right to exercise limited control through written consent over the disclosure of information contained in their education record. 

The University discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interest.  A School Official is an individual who engages in the instructional, supervisory, advisory, administrative, governance, public safety, research, and support functions of the University. They need not necessarily be a paid employee of the University. A School Official may include a contractor, consultant, volunteer, service provider, or other party under the direct control of the University to whom the University has contracted institutional services or functions for which the University would otherwise use an employee.  Legitimate Educational Interest is the need for a School Official to access specific student education records in the course of performing their duties for the University. 

The University may disclose education records without a student’s prior written consent to school officials of another postsecondary institution where the student seeks or intends to enroll or where the student is already enrolled so long as the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer. 

(3) The right to request to amend their education records if they believe the record to be inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of their privacy rights. 

• Students may submit a request in writing to the appropriate Records Custodian to request an amendment to their Education Record. Such a request should clearly identify: the Student; the part of the Record believed to be inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of their FERPA rights; and the change being requested. The Office of the University Registrar shall identify appropriate Records Custodians to whom the request should be addressed and/or provide guidance in this process when necessary. 

• Records Custodians must respond to Students’ amendment requests within 30 days. If the Records Custodian agrees with the request, they may make the change and must notify the Student in writing of the amendment. If the Records Custodian disagrees with the request, the Records Custodian must notify the Student of the denial of the request and their right to request a hearing. 

• Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing and can be found in University Policy and Procedure AC04. 

(4) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education if they believe one of their primary rights under FERPA regulations has been violated or concerning alleged failures by the University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. 

Complaints regarding alleged FERPA violations can be filed with the U.S. Department of Education at: 

https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/file-a-complaint  

U.S. Department of Education 
Student Privacy Policy Office 
400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, DC 20202-8520 

FERPA.Complaints@ed.gov 

Questions concerning the University’s FERPA Policy AC 04 may be directed to the Office of the University Registrar at 412-624-7600. 

Directory Information 

The University has established categories of information known as “Directory Information” within University Policy AC 04. It may disclose directory information from education records without written consent from a student unless that student has notified the University in writing of their request to restrict the disclosure of their directory information.  When the Office of the University Registrar receives a student’s request to restrict the release of Directory Information, no further disclosures of Directory Information are made without that student’s written consent. A student may rescind this action by submitting a request in writing to the Office of the University Registrar via a form available through the FERPA information webpage.   

The University designates the following types of personally identifiable information within an education record as Directory Information: 

• Name 
• Address 
• Telephone Number 
• E-mail Address 
• Dates of Attendance 
• Enrollment Status 
• Level and Classification 
• Field(s) of Study 
• Degree Candidacy and/or Expected Graduation Date 
• Degree(s) Conferred and Credential(s) Awarded, including the Date(s) of such Conferrals or Awards 
• Awards, Scholarships, and Honors 
• Thesis and Dissertation Titles 
• Previous Institution(s) Attended 
• Image or Likeness 
• Past and Present Participation in Officially Recognized University Activities 
• Date of Birth* 

*Given the sensitive nature of date of birth, the University does not disclose a Student’s date of birth as Directory Information except as required by law or for legitimate purposes to confirm the identification of a specific Student Education Record when the date of birth is furnished by a third-party. 

Statement of Compliance Regarding Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for VA Educational Beneficiaries - 38 US Code Section 3675(b)

This policy applies to students who are VA beneficiaries and is intended to prevent the submission of VA-claims (“certifications”) for those students who are suspended.  Specifically:

• In this instance, VA beneficiaries are defined as students receiving VA educational benefits under Chapter-30, Chapter-33, Chapter-35 and Chapter-1606, Title 38 U.S. Code.
• Students placed on academic probation at the end of the term may be certified for VA educational benefits for the subsequent term.  If the student does not meet satisfactory academic progress in that subsequent term-defined as attaining a cumulative GPA at or above 2.00 for full-time students or attaining a cumulative GPA at or above 2.00  after attempting 12 additional credits for part-time students-the university will immediately suspend further VA certifications on behalf of the student. 
• Students returning from one calendar year of suspension must re-apply for admission to the university.  If accepted, those students may be certified for VA educational benefits.

Certification of Chapter-31 students will be at the discretion of the student’s VA vocational rehabilitation counselor. 

Statement of Compliance Regarding VA Educational Beneficiaries - 38 US Code Section 3679(e)

As a matter of policy, the University of Pittsburgh allows students identified as covered individuals* to attend and participate in all course(s) of education for any given term in which the student has been certified for VA educational benefits.  This policy includes those circumstances in which VA payment(s) for student tuition and fees is late or delayed for up to 90 days after date of certification.  The University retains the right to impose late fees upon those students who incur or retain an outstanding balance beyond the amount of expected VA tuition & fee payment for the term.  

It is school policy to request all beneficiaries of VA educational benefits-including covered individuals*-provide the following documentation as part of certification process:

• VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) or Statement of Benefits as printed from the VA.gov website
• Completion of a certification request form (in hard-copy or on-line), which includes biographical information necessary for submission in the VA’s IT system of record-VA-Once. 

Failure to provide such documentation will result in the delay of any VA claim or certification. 

* Note:  VA defines a Covered Individual as any individual who is entitled to VA educational assistance under the VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program (38 U.S. Code Chapter 31) or the VA’s Post-9/11 GI Bill® (38 U.S. Code Chapter 33).

(“GI Bill®” is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.)

Statement of Compliance Regarding the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 - Section 1018

In accordance with the “Responsible Education Mitigating Options and Technical Extensions Act” or the “REMOTE Act” of 2021 to Section 1018 of the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 (Public Law 116-315)., the University of Pittsburgh provides a College Financing Plan (formerly known as Financial Aid Shopping Sheet) to every student who completes a FAFSA application including all VA beneficiaries. 

Per Veterans Benefits Administration notification, “Isakson and Roe, Section 1018 Changes, dated June 13, 2022: The REMOTE Act affords the opportunity for schools to use the College Financing Plan (CFP), available through the U.S. Department of Education as a means to satisfy the requirements of section 3679(f). An Educational Training Institution that utilizes this form is providing sufficient consumer information, will be exempt from all section 3679(f) requirements, and does not need to apply for a waiver.   An Educational Training Institution does not need to be participating in Federal Title IV Federal Student Aid to utilize the CFP to satisfy the requirements of section 3679(f).