Academic Policies
Attendance
Glenbow College expects regular and punctual class attendance. Punctuality is as important as good attendance. As a student, you are expected to attend classes, including any make-up sessions, on a regular basis and notify the campus immediately of any absences or lateness in accordance with your contractual agreement. Student absences will be recorded from the first day the class meets. The student is also responsible for notifying the third-party funder, if applicable, of the absence.
Interruption of Studies
If for any reason a student interrupts his or her studies by being absent from scheduled classes for more than five (5) consecutive days or by missing a scheduled examination, he or she must meet with the Campus Director or Designee. Non-attendance does not constitute notice of withdrawal. The College will consider only two reasons as valid for interruption of studies:
1. Medical Reasons – The student must provide a physician’s note attesting to the illness and stating the dates that the student was required to be away from college.
2. Compassionate Reasons – The student must provide a letter explaining the circumstances surrounding the absence. A compassionate reason for absence must meet the definition “a suddenly-arising situation beyond the control of the student.”
Re-admission
Re-admission will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Students must submit a written letter to the Campus Director or designee requesting re-admission. The student will be responsible for payment of all fees relating to the College up to and including the date of termination in accordance with the Refund Policy. Students may not be able to resume their program where they left. The student’s scheduling and/or completion dates may also be changed as a result.
Resumption of Studies
Students who have interrupted their studies by an absence of 5 or more consecutive days, or by missing a scheduled examination, must obtain permission to resume classes. Students should make an appointment for a formal interview with the Campus Director as soon as they are sure of their return date. Students must be in good financial and academic standing in order to be re-admitted. If proper notice was not given of the absence, a student may be re-admitted under probationary terms. An exception may be made if the student has a valid reason for the absence.
Cheating and Plagiarism
Cheating is the purposeful, willful, and concealed use of unauthorized sources for a test, exam, or other forms of academic work. Glenbow College enforces a zero-tolerance cheating and plagiarism policy. Any student who cheats or plagiarizes material for academic grading will be penalized. This generally means that they will be expelled from the College. Cheating is any act of academic dishonesty. Plagiarism is the act of representing someone else’s work as your own.
Acts or behaviours which constitute cheating include but are not limited to the definitions listed below:
1. Submitting the same work or part of the same work for credit in two different courses without the prior agreement of the instructor(s) involved
2. Bringing (and using) unauthorized and/or concealed materials/aids into a test or exam situation. (Aids include, but are not limited to, calculators, electronic organizers, cell phones, cameras, crib notes, notes, books, electronic recording devices, photocopied materials, etc.)
3. Presenting oneself as another student for a class, test, or exam
4. Unauthorized sharing of material (copying, or allowing others to copy) during a test or exam
5. Unauthorized communication with another student in a test or exam
6. Submitting another person’s work as your own or providing work for another person to submit as his or her own
7. Falsifying or misrepresenting academic records
8. Gaining or attempting to gain access to an examination or test, or a part thereof, without permission from the instructor
9. Plagiarism includes using another person’s essential style and manner of expression. Any act of representing others’ work as your own is a dishonest act. This includes, but is not limited to, homework, written papers, exams, lab assignments, published work, circuit design, software, etc. This includes copyrighted materials. Students should give credit explicitly and clearly, as well as provide appropriate reference to ideas, thoughts, and writings of another, whether the source is oral, from a written source such as books or journal articles, or from the Internet. By not placing direct quotes in quotation marks and footnoting the source, and by not footnoting indirect reference to another’s ideas, a student has disguised the fact that the ideas and thoughts, or even exact words, come from another source first. (When in doubt, consult with the Instructor for the course.)
Violations that threaten the academic integrity of the College may be subject to disciplinary actions. Sanctions may include but are not limited to:
• Award of zero marks for the piece of work or examination
• Award of a fail grade for the whole course
• Academic Probation
• Suspension
• Expulsion
Student appeals can be made in writing in accordance with the Dispute Resolution Policy.
Copyright
Glenbow College comply with the copyright laws as applied to educational institutions. The use of and/or photocopying of copyrighted material in violation of the copyright laws by instructors, students, alumni, and staff is prohibited. This standard applies to printed, software, audio, video materials, and web-based information.
Canadian copyright legislation states that only the creator or rights-holder has the right to reproduce his or her own work. Copyrighted works include but are not limited to: Documents, graphics, sounds, video, software on company computer systems, or information from the Internet.
Course Repeat Procedure
It is important to note that each course/module within a program of study must be successfully completed in order to achieve graduation. For some students it may be necessary to repeat a course/module during their program. Not all programs allow students to repeat a course/module. Students may only fail one (1) course/modules over the duration of their studies unless otherwise stated. Should the student fail a course/module, he or she may receive one course/module repeat at no cost. Subsequent failed modules will be charged the full cost of the course/module, as well as any other incidental cost. The Campus Director will make a determination based on the circumstances.
Students may only repeat a course if class space is available. All repeated courses will appear on the student’s academic transcript.
Organizational Student Communications
All students and instructors receive an organizational e-mail address. As part of class preparation, please ensure you have received your e-mail address. When communicating with other students or staff, please use the email address provided to you.
A device (tablet, notebook, or laptop) suitable to the student’s curriculum is required to access LMS course materials and resources.
All devices must be able to connect to the Internet wirelessly via the campus Wi-Fi “Glenbowguest” and be capable of fulfilling all curriculum IT requirements.
Student devices must meet or exceed the corresponding specifications based on operating system. All devices must support Microsoft Office 365 or Microsoft Office 2016. If you are not using a Windows device, you are responsible for using a browser that can emulate a Windows device (i.e. Puffin or others). The specifications noted here are only a guide and may change without notice.
Grading
Glenbow College uses a letter and or percentage grade to indicate academic performance. Students are given a letter and or percentage grade for each course/module, work experience, practicum, or preceptorship completed or attempted. Grading may be based on classroom performance, assignments, projects, and examinations. All grades are available for student review by request; however, we strongly encourage students to keep track of the grades they receive in order to resolve any discrepancies that may arise. Some externally regulated programs have their own set of grading/academic criteria. Individual courses may have different passing requirements. Make sure you understand what is required for each course. Course outlines will describe the course assessment model and the grading criteria.
| 95-100 4.00 | A+ | Out Standing |
| 90-94 4.00 | A | Exceptional |
| 85-89 3.67 | A- | |
| 80-84 3.33 | B+ | Excellent |
| 75-79 3.00 | B | Very Good |
| 70-74 2.67 | B- | Good |
| 67-69 2.33 | C+ | Satisfactory |
| 64-66 2.00 | C | |
| 60-63 1.67 | C- | |
| 57-59 1.33 | D+ | Unsatisfactory |
| 50-56 1.00 | D | Poor |
| 0-49 0 | F | Fail |
Pass (P) A “Pass” grade is given for students who successfully complete a course that is designated by only a pass or fail mark (i.e. Practicum). A “P” grade counts toward graduation.
Withdrawal (W) Students who withdraw before 33% of the course has elapsed will receive a grade of “W” (Withdrawal).
Fail (F) Students who do not complete all required components of a course, or who receive a cumulative score of less than 60% in a course will receive a fail. Students who withdraw beyond 33% of a course or who do not complete all of the required assignments in any course will be given an “F” or an “I” at the discretion of the Instructor.
Incomplete (I) An “Incomplete” grade does not remain on the student transcript provided all required assignments are satisfactorily completed within 30 days after the course has ended. Should an “Incomplete” be left unresolved past 30 days, it will automatically become an “F” and remain on the transcript.
All final grades must be submitted by the instructor 5 business days after the last day of class.
Please note that externally regulated programs may have their own grading scale.
Grade Disputes
A student in disagreement on an academic/education matter should attempt to resolve the issue first with their instructor. If a satisfactory resolution cannot be found with the instructor, the student can seek a resolution with the Campus Director. Students who feel they have received an erroneous grade must appeal that grade to their instructor and/or Campus Director a maximum of five (5) business days after the start of the following module/course or term. (Externally regulated programs may have their own policy. Check with your Campus Director.) Only final grades may be appealed. If the student and instructor do not reach a resolution, the student may appeal to the Campus Director of the College. The Campus Director, after consultation with the instructor and student, will make a determination. The student, if still dissatisfied, may appeal by following the Dispute Resolution Policy found in this manual.
Graduation
Graduation ceremonies are held annually. In order to receive an invitation to participate in the Graduation Ceremony, students must:
- Complete all requirements of the academic program, as set out in the program outline, by the graduation cut-off date.
- Ensure that all borrowed resources have been returned in good condition, or that payment has been made to the College for the replacement of the borrowed resources.
- Ensure that all necessary tuition and other fees have been paid in full.
Recording in the Classroom
Students need the instructor’s permission to record the lesson/lecture. Recording may be permitted solely if the student wishes to record the lesson and use it privately, i.e. not upload or share the recording. If the student has a disability and needs to record the lesson because of the said disability, he or she has the right to do so according to the regulations agreed upon regarding the disability.
Official Transcripts Students will receive one official copy of their Diploma or Certificate upon graduation. This official copy is at no charge to the student. Additional copies of official College Diplomas or Certificates will be provided upon request at a cost of $25 per transcript. Diplomas and Certificates required for admission to other institutions will be sent directly to the admitting institution at a cost of $25 per transcript. If it will be sent via courier the student is responsible for courier charges.