Academic Policies

Students are asked to read their course syllabus very carefully as they are the written contract between the professor and the student. The syllabi describe what students must do in order to earn a passing grade. Active attendance to course requirements is a must in order to pass the course. Keeping up with the readings and assignments are also strongly encouraged in order to pass the course. It is strongly suggested that students communicate with their professor if something will cause the student to miss more than one class session.

If this is the first time in which you are taking an online course, please do not get into the habit of waiting to complete assignments until close to the end of the term. That is not the process of online education. Students need to attend class each week and complete all reading assignments and homework for each class session.

Semester Hours System

WCLU operates under a six-week term. This means that there will be five terms each year between September and the end of June with three weeks between term.

This also means that each term is fairly intense so students need to keep up with assignments. The terms for the 2022-2023 AY are as follows:

Term #1

September 19 – October 24, 2022

Term #2

November 14 – December 19, 2022

Term #3

January 16 – February 20, 2023

Term #4

March 20 – April 24, 2023

Term #5

May 22 – June 26, 2023

Each class session is a basic three-hour session each week with a short break. These classes meet on Zoom and are the synchronous session of the course. There is a second session each week, the asynchronous session, in which the faculty member gives the class specific assignments to be done that week – either as a group, such as discussion sessions or a group project – or a special research assignment to be done that week with a report back the following week. These asynchronous sessions are accounted for and monitored as well and are part of the attendance portion of the student’s evaluation and grade. These two class sessions is what gives the students the required amount of time on task required for the courses.

With each term being a six (6) week term, students need to pace themselves and manage their time so that they can complete all assignments within the term. Students should take into consideration their work schedule and their ministry schedule when deciding how many courses they wish to take each term.

Course Registration

Students may register for courses the first week of each term. They may register for as many as 4 courses a term. However, because of the short terms, it is highly recommended that students seriously take into consideration their own personal schedules and time limitations when registering for courses. Students may add and drop courses up to five days after the first day of class in each term. To add and/or drop a course, students need to request the Add/Drop form from the Registrar.

Course Completion

Students are expected to complete course assignments by the due date noted on the course syllabus. If the student cannot complete all course assignments within the time frame noted by the professor, it is up to the professor as to whether or not the student will be given an Incomplete and allowed to complete the assignments before the start of the next term. In addition, the professor may also choose to reduce the grade for the course for late submissions. Incompletes may be given for illness, family emergencies or a situation that is beyond the student’s control. If the student believes that they may not be able to complete their assignments, they are encouraged to speak with their professor and let him/her know of their situation. Faculty are generally more understanding when the student is in communication with them. If the student is given an Incomplete, they must complete the outstanding assignment by the end of the next term at the very latest. Otherwise, they will receive the grade of F for the course.

A student who receives a failing grade for the course will not receive semester hours for the course. If the course is a required course, the student must take the course again. If the course is an elective course, they student may choose to retake that particular course or register for another course.

In addition, if a student needs to withdraw from a Program, those semester hours that were completed will remain on the student’s academic record. All other semester hours will be noted as not completed. If the student re-enrolls in the Program, their previous semester hours will still be on their academic record. However, if the Program’s curriculum or requirements have changed since the student had withdrawn from the Program, they will be responsible for completing the new curriculum in place at the time when they re-enroll in the Program.

Academic Integrity

As a faith-based institution, it is expected that students will follow the highest standard of academic integrity. This means that their work will be the product of their own efforts and study. Plagiarism and other acts of academic dishonesty are serious violations of academic integrity. The penalty for a violation of this nature is disciplinary probation, suspension or dismissal.

Grades

Grading is a way in which a professor or course instructor can objectively evaluate a student’s achievement in the course. The evaluation is done on the basis of the assignments, exams and discussions. All grades are entered into the student’s academic record. Semester hours will be awarded to the student only for the courses in which they receive a passing grade.

In computing students’ cumulative grade point average (G.P.A.), the following scale is used.

F’s assigned to Pass/Fail courses do not compute in the G.P.A.

Grade Appeal/Grievance Process

If a student feels that there is an error on his/her grade report, he/she must begin the appeal process within thirty (30) days of receiving the grade report. After thirty days, the grade is considered final and is not subject to appeal by the student or any third party. Often times, students receive a lower grade because of a missing assignment or an incomplete assignment. However, WCLU is not responsible for lost tests, projects, etc. This is why WCLU encourages all students to please make copies of all assignments and materials submitted for a course or for grading purposes. This will prevent any confusion about missing or incomplete assignments.

Honors

Students who earn a high G.P.A. will be awarded honors. Students with a G.P.A. of 3.95—4.00 will receive the honor of Highest Distinction. Students earning a G.P.A. of 3.75—3.94 with receive the honor of Distinction. All honors (if applicable) will appear on the official transcript and upon the Program if applicable.

Transcripts

All students requesting transcripts must submit the “Transcript Request Form” which can be provided by the Admissions Office. No transcripts will be issued until all financial, administrative and academic requirements have been met fully by the student. As noted in the Finance section earlier, the fee for the first transcript is $20.00 and the fee for additional transcripts will be $10.00.

Transcript Format

All courses taken at WCLU will be listed with Course Number, Course Name, Course Grade, and Semester Hours. All transfer hours will be listed by total hours transferred and accepted by WCLU. No course names, numbers, or grades will appear for transfer hours. Diploma earned and diploma date of completion will appear on each official transcript. Transferring to schools which require special formatting will require an additional fee. Call the Registrar for current formatting fees.

Poor or Inactive Status

No information will be released for accounts that are in poor standing or for students who are listed as “inactive status.” To remain in good standing, a student must be current on his/her tuition payments. Those not in good standing are not eligible for transcripts, Programs, grade reports, etc.

Withdrawal from Courses

Students may withdraw from a course after the Add/Drop period. Withdrawals are permitted up to but not including the last week of a term. Therefore, students may not withdraw from a course after Week 5 of any given term. To withdraw from a course, a student needs to request the Course Withdrawal form from the Registrar, fill out the form, ask the course instructor to sign the form then send it in to the Registrar. Failure to do so will result in the student receiving a failing grade for the course.