Academic Advising
Academic advising at Simpson is integral to the total academic program. Each new student is assigned to a member of the faculty who acts as the academic advisor. For the purpose of proper guidance, this relationship typically exists until the student selects a major field of concentration. At that time, the student chooses or is assigned to an advisor in that field.

The Academic Plan
In consultation with an academic advisor, students project an academic plan that reflects their personal and academic goals. Depending on how clearly objectives are defined at the time students enter the College, the academic plan is projected for as little as one or for as much as four years.  The academic plan requires the approval of the faculty advisor and is subject to review by the Dean for Academic Affairs.

Orientation
New students are expected to attend Simpson College’s orientation program. Orientation sessions include educational assessments and topics relating to liberal arts education, the basic programs and regulations of the College, student government, co-curricular life, and contemporary issues pertinent to the academic community. Social activities are also held during this time.

Registration
The process of registration begins with a conference between the student and the academic advisor. The act of registration is complete when the student makes proper financial arrangements with the Business Office, completes all other instructions, and completes online registration.  The individual student is responsible for fulfillment of graduation requirements.

No credit is allowed for a course unless the student is officially registered for the course.  To be considered full time, a student must enroll in a minimum of 12 credits.  Terms 1 and 2 count toward full time fall enrollment, Terms 3 and 4 and May Term count toward full time spring enrollment.

Advanced Placement Opportunities Students at Simpson are encouraged to progress in the curriculum as rapidly as proficiency permits. In general, there are three ways to secure advanced placement:

1. A student who achieves a score of three (corresponding to a C) or better on any College Entrance Examination Board Advanced Placement Test (subject matter) is given advanced placement with credit for the course in which the test was taken.

2. A student may earn up to 24 semester credits by examination in those courses or subject areas available through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or Advanced Placement (AP) combined.

3. Students may also request permission from the appropriate department chairperson to test out of those courses for which there is no CLEP test.

4. For any additional fees for exams, see tuition and charges.

Grading Procedures
At the end of each semester, grades are recorded in the Registrar’s Office in accordance with the following definitions: A, outstanding; B, very good; C, adequate; D, poor; F, failure. Letter symbols used for other purposes on grade reports and the academic transcript are: I, incomplete (a temporary designation indicating the student was unable to complete the work for reasons beyond his/her control); W, withdrawn; H, honors; P, passing; NP, not passing; CR, credit, RG registered (a temporary designation when for some reason grades are not available when processed).

In computing the cumulative grade point average, grades are assigned the following quality points: A,4.0; A-,3.7; B+,3.3; B,3.0; B-2.7; C+,2.3; C,2.0; C-,1.7; D+,1.3; D,1.0; D-,.7; F,0. Course work in which an incomplete is received must be made up within 60 days following the close of the semester; otherwise zero (0) quality points are assigned. The cumulative grade point average is determined by dividing total graded semester hours attempted into total quality points earned. A grade of P is equivalent to a C- or better.
Grades of H and P are assigned credit but are not used in determining the cumulative average. The grade of NP receives no credit. The grade of CR receives credit but no quality points. The choice for grading a course as H/P/NP lies with the department.

If a student repeats a course, the last grade received is the grade earned. All courses and grades will be recorded; however, only the last grade will be used to determine the student’s grade point average. Repeat courses must be taken at Simpson College.

The Dean’s List
The Dean’s List is announced after each fall and spring semester of the regular academic year. The Dean’s List includes the names of all students who, regularly enrolled in the College, complete at least 12 semester hours with a grade point average of 3.70 or better. In the event one of the courses is taken on the Honors/Pass/Non-Pass basis, an Honors grade must be achieved.

Matriculated part-time undergraduate students who complete at least 12 credits in a calendar year and achieve a grade point average of 3.70 or better in that calendar year are named to the annual Dean’s list for part-time students.

Special recognition is accorded those with similar qualifications who have achieved a grade point average of 4.00 by their being named to the President’s List.

Academic Standing
Cumulative college, major and minor G.P.A. minimums of 2.00 are required for graduation. No grade below C-  or P will count towards fulfilling the requirements for the major or minor.

To remain in good academic standing, a student must achieve the following cumulative grade point average at the end of the respective year:

Freshman (1-29 semester hours) 1.80 Sophomore (29.01-61.00) 1.90 Junior (61.01-95.00) 2.00 Senior (95.01-graduation) 2.00

Progress Toward Degree (revised 5/23/11)
Each full-time student is expected to make normal progress toward the completion of the degree. A course load of 16 credits per semester, plus one May Term course every other year, constitutes the normal course load necessary to complete the degree in four academic years. Minimal progress means the successful completion of at least 12 credits each semester.

Although there are no semester hour guidelines for normal progress of the part time student, he/she is requested to apply to become a degree- seeking student and to declare a major by or before the time 40 credits. The 40 credits include transfer credit. Transfer credit will be added to the student’s Simpson transcript at the time he/she becomes degree-seeking.

The progress of each student is reviewed by the Office of Academic Affairs at the end of each semester. If a student does not maintain normal progress toward the degree, an academic warning will be issued by the Office of Academic Affairs. If a student successfully completes less than 12 semester hours for two consecutive semesters, the student will be acknowledged as a part-time student and, thus, ineligible for Simpson College financial assistance during the third consecutive semester.

Declaration of Major
All degree seeking students are to declare a major on a Declaration of Major form submitted to the Office of the Registrar by the time he/she has completed 40 semester hours.

Class Attendance
Students are expected to be present at regularly scheduled meetings of classes and laboratories. The privilege of being excused from class or making up work missed because of absence from the class is granted wholly at the discretion of the instructor.

The instructor has the obligation of explaining to his/her class at the first meeting of the group his/her particular requirements as far as class attendance is concerned.  Instructors report to the office of the registrar the names of students who have excessive absences for no apparent reason.  That office likewise will report to the faculty appropriate information available concerning student absences.

Withdrawal
Course Drop Policy:  Within the first five (5) school days of the fall or spring semester, the first two (2) days for May Term or comparable period for other terms, courses may be dropped using the online system and without any record on the transcript.  The days a student may drop a course is call the “drop period.”  It is recommended that the student consult the academic advisor and the instructor of the courses to be dropped.

Withdrawal from Courses:  After the “drop period,” a student may elect to withdraw from a course but not later than the 14th school day following midterm, at which time the designation of “W” (withdrawn) is placed on the transcript.  The”W” has no effect on the student’s grade point average.

A full-time student who withdraws from courses to complete fewer than 12 credits for two consecutive semesters will be enrolled as a part-time student the third consecutive semester.  Students who withdraw from the college or interrupt their registration for any reasons, and who wish to return to the college, must apply for readmission to the college through the dean for academic affairs.

Withdrawal from Institution
Students who wish to withdraw from the college, either during or at the end of any semester or term, should contact the office of the dean of students to initiate the process. Students are also urged to keep their records with the college active by filing a withdrawal in the registrar’s office. When the withdrawal process has been completed, the registrar notifies the student’s instructors, academic counselor, and appropriate administrative offices.

Students withdrawing from college prior to the completion of any final examinations receive the designation of “W” for each course in which they were enrolled. The “W” carries no credit or quality points.

Upon enrollment at Simpson, each student pays a deposit which is kept on file until the student leaves Simpson. The deposit is refundable under the following conditions: first, that the student has no outstanding financial obligations to the college; second, that timely notice of withdrawal from the institution is provided by the student who plans not to re-enroll at Simpson. Notification should be provided by July 1 for a change in fall semester plans and December 31 for a change in spring semester plans. Notification of plans to withdraw should be directed to the Student Development Office.

Requests for Transcripts and Grade Reports
Copies of transcripts will be mailed to whatever address is indicated by the person making the request. Requests must be made in writing to the Office of the Registrar and must include the signature of the person whose transcript or grade report is being requested.

Continuous Attendance and Requirements for Graduation
In the event a student does not remain in continuous attendance at Simpson, the requirements for graduation at the time of initial registration shall remain in force, provided that the non-attendance period does not exceed one full calendar year. In the event that the non-attendance period exceeds one full calendar year, the student will be required to complete the catalog requirements in force at the time of readmission.

The requirements for the major are to be those in effect at the time of the declaration of the major program. The time of the declaration of the major is determined by the date of its receipt in the Office of the Registrar. The student is to declare a major on a Declaration of Major form submitted to the Office of the Registrar by the time he/she has completed 40 semester hours.

Students who initiate their studies at Simpson College through the Evening, Weekend, and Graduate program and subsequently become degree-seeking students will not, under guidelines for part-time students, lose their status of duly admitted student if they interrupt their studies for no more than two consecutive calendar years.

Credit for Non-Resident Study
Approval of credit for non-resident study must be filed with the Registrar prior to undertaking such study. Applications for approval may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar.

Academic Integrity Policy (revised 5/23/11)
In all endeavors, Simpson College expects its students to adhere to the strictest standards of honesty and integrity. In keeping with the College’s mission to develop the student’s critical intellectual skills, while fostering personal integrity and moral responsibility, each student is expected to abide by the Simpson College rules for academic integrity. Academic dishonesty includes (but is not limited to) any form of cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, fraud (falsifying documents, forging signatures, altering records, etc.), misreporting any absence as college-sponsored or college-sanctioned, submitting a paper written in whole or in part by someone else, or submitting a paper that was previously submitted in whole or in substantial part for another class without prior permission. If the student has any questions about whether any action would constitute academic dishonesty, it is imperative that the he or she consult the instructor before taking the action.

All cases of substantiated academic dishonesty must be reported to the student’s academic advisor and the Dean for Academic Affairs.

Penalties for Dishonesty Academic Dishonesty within the Context of a Course: The penalty for academic dishonesty that occurs within the context of a specific course and is substantiated by firm evidence is: failure of the course; failure of the assignment; or the requirement that the work be redone with a substituted assignment.

The instructor may choose from the above options to reflect how knowing, intentional, or serious he or she judges the incident to be. If the instructor determines that the student shall fail the course, and even if that decision is made within the withdrawal period, the student may not withdraw, and the faculty member will immediately enter a grade of “F” for the course. If the instructor determines that the student will not automatically fail the course, but must redo the assignment, and it is within the withdrawal period, the student may withdraw from the course.

Academic Dishonesty outside the Context of a Course: If a student is suspected of committing academic dishonesty outside the context of a course (e.g., fraud involving college documents and/or records that do not involve a course), and it has been substantiated with evidence, the Academic Dean shall then decide whether to place the student on academic probation, academic suspension or academic dismissal depending upon the severity of the case. Records of the case and the subsequent punishment will be kept in the student’s file as a permanent record.

Repeat Offenses: Upon the second report of substantiated academic dishonesty, the Academic Dean will convene the Academic Appeals Committee to recommend appropriate punishment, which may include academic probation, suspension, or dismissal. The decision of the Academic Dean is final

Suspected Academic Dishonesty
In cases of suspected academic dishonesty that cannot be substantiated by evidence, the instructor may give the student a warning and may require the student to redo the assignment. In a case where academic dishonesty is strongly suspected but cannot be substantiated, the instructor will issue a formal warning, along with a report to the academic advisor and the Academic Dean. Repeated instances of suspected academic dishonesty may lead to appropriate disciplinary action, including academic probation, suspension, or dismissal, at the discretion of the Academic Dean. In addition to the above sanctions, the college reserves the right to take additional action as it deems appropriate.

Appeal: If a student wishes to appeal a charge of substantiated academic dishonesty, he or she may request a hearing before the Academic Appeals Committee. The student(s) shall present to the Registrar of the College a written appeal stating clearly what is being appealed and the rationale. The instructor shall present the evidence to the committee. The committee’s decision shall be final.

Study Abroad
Simpson College offers both May Term travel courses and semester-long study abroad programs in French-, German-, and Spanish-speaking areas of the world. Language students at all levels are strongly encouraged to take advantage of Simpson’s immersion opportunities, particularly the Simpson Experience Abroad programs in Tahiti, French Polynesia; Schorndorf, Germany; and Rosario, Argentina. More information about study abroad can be obtained from World Language faculty, as well as from the Office of International Education.

Career Observation, Employment Experience and Internships (revised 02/15/11)
Simpson’s experiential learning programs integrate classroom work with learning on the job. Two different experiences (courses numbered 119, and 319) are available and may be taken individually or in sequence. No more than 16 credits in Coop 319 internship may be counted toward graduation.  Grading for 119 and 319 will be H/P/NP.  See department chairpersons and Director of Career Services for further information.

Co-op Ed 119: Career Observation: Career observation is an opportunity for students to investigate career directions while earning 4 credits.  Student requirements include attendance at one (1) Co-op 119 group session and one (1) individual session during spring semester (April); a minimum of 40 hours of career observation at one or more sites during May Term; class time on campus including participation and reflection, and submission of a career portfolio.  The student must be in good academic standing and must be a freshman or sophomore..

Co-op Ed 319: Internship: An Internship is an opportunity for a sophomore, junior or senior student to participate in professional training, assume initial decision-making responsibilities, or engage in project-based research and development with an off-campus organization in the private or public sector.  The internship may consist of from 1 to 16 credits.  Students must work at least 30 hours for each credit.

To qualify as an internship the position must provide the student with professional training or managerial responsibilities appropriate to an entry level opportunity available normally only to a candidate with a college degree.  The position will ordinarily require some specific academic training or skills related to a major, minor, or program at the college, and may or may not provide compensation.  The student must be in good academic standing and be a sophomore, junior or senior.

Life Experience Portfolio Assessment
The Life Experience Portfolio Assessment Program is designed for adults who have limited college education, and who seek to complete an undergraduate degree. Adults of at least 25 years of age who have at least five years of full-time work responsibility or its equivalent are eligible to apply. Candidates may receive up to 24 semester hours of credit through this program. The total number of transfer credit hours, credit hours earned at Simpson and life experience credit is not to exceed 64 semester hours at the time the portfolio is submitted. The candidate must be degree-seeking. The portfolio is assessed by a faculty committee which makes a recommendation of award based on the experience’s being educationally pertinent to the pursuit of the student’s course of study. Inquiry should be directed to either office of the Division of Adult Learning.

Credit Granting Policy for Non-Traditional Credit
The following guidelines apply to CLEP credit, military credit, vocational-technical credit, and life experience credit.

1. A maximum of 32 credits may be granted to a student in the combined areas of coursework taken through the armed services, CLEP credit, life experience credit, vocational-technical credit, and credit through non-accredited associations.

2. Students will be able to earn credit in the non-traditional areas only within the first 64 credits of graduation credit, which is equivalent to the first two years of work toward a degree.

3. Credits granted for coursework taken in and through CLEP general exams, the armed services, life experience credit, or vocational-technical coursework may not be used to fulfill required courses in the major or cornerstone studies. CLEP subject exams may apply to cornerstone or requirements subject to department approval.

4. The student must demonstrate that the credit applied for meets the curriculum and standards of Simpson College by supplying appropriate supporting documentation.

Sources for non-traditional credit include:

1. CLEP. A maximum of 24 credits may be earned by taking examinations. A maximum of four credits can be earned through CLEP tests in each of the following general subject areas: Humanities, Natural Sciences and Social Science-History, for scaled scores corresponding to the “B” grade in the ACE (American Council on Education) guidelines, for CLEP general exams, credit will be given for scores at the 65th percentile or better. NOTE: A student may earn up to twelve (12) credits in a foreign language by taking the CLEP examination. If the student scores at least the minimum passing score of 101-102 level, eight (8) credits will be given to the student for Foreign Language 101-102. If the student scores at or above the minimum passing score for 201-202 level, the student will be given eight (8) additional credits for Foreign Language 201-202, but only after having successfully completed a course in the same language numbered higher than 202. Students who are enrolled in a Simpson College language course and who wish to take the CLEP must do so before completing the first semester of their language course.

2. International Baccalaureate. Simpson recognizes the IB program and grants credit on a course by course basis for examination scores of 4 or better on the Higher Level courses only. A maximum of 24 credits may be earned through the IB.

3. Armed Services Credit. A maximum of 16 credits may be awarded for coursework equivalent to Simpson College courses taken while in and through the armed services that meet ACE (American Council on Education) guidelines for course transfer. The Dantes tests (Military CLEP) will be accepted under the guidelines; pertaining to Simpson CLEP standards. To be eligible for credit, each course transferred must be approved by the Dean of Academic Affairs.

4. Vocational-Technical Credit. A maximum of 16 credits may be awarded for vocational-technical credit earned from an accredited community or junior college. The vocational-technical credit will be designated on the transcript as undesignated approved vocational-technical credit.

5. Professional Organization. A maximum of 16 credits may be awarded for coursework equivalent to Simpson courses taken through unaccredited organizations such as LOMA (Life Office Management Association), ABA (American Banking Association), CPCU (Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriters), and Bible Schools. Each course must be approved by both the chairperson of the department in which the credit is being granted and the Dean of Academic Affairs.

6. Life Experience. A maximum of 24 credits may be awarded for life experience credit, and credits are limited to that number that would bring the student’s total credits to 64 hours. The total number of life experience credits available to a student will be determined at the date of submission of the final portfolio.

Summer Session
A variety of courses are conducted on the Inianola campus and on campuses in West Des Moines and Ankeny as well as on-line throughout the summer. Courses range from two to eight weeks in duration and are offered days, evenings, and Saturdays. Students may enroll in those courses approved either by their academic advisors or by the Director, Evening, Weekend and Graduate Program. Through these offerings students are provided an opportunity to accelerate progress toward degree objectives, make up deficiencies, or distribute their course work over a longer period of time. Many elementary and secondary teachers take summer courses for certification purposes or to increase competence in their specialties.

The College Catalog: Limitation of Applicability
A student in continuous attendance must complete the graduation requirements listed in the Simpson College catalog which is current at the time of initial registration. If a student does not remain in continuous attendance, the graduation requirements at the time of initial registration pertain, provided that the non-attendance period does not exceed one full calendar year for full-time students or two full calendar years for part-time students. If the non-attendance period exceeds one or two full calendar years respectively, the student will be required to complete the catalog requirements in force at the time of readmission.

The requirements for the major are those in effect at the time of the declaration of the major program. The time of the declaration of the major is determined by the date of its receipt in the Office of the Registrar. The student is to declare a major on a Declaration of Major form submitted to the Office of the Registrar by the time he/she has completed 40.0 semester credits.

Dunn Library
Dunn Library, at the center of campus, offers a collection of more than 120,000 books; over 600 periodical subscriptions; and access to almost 15,000 online journals; and a variety of CDs, videos, DVDs, and other research materials. The library staff provides reference assistance and coordinates campus media services. Dunn also houses a computer lab, curriculum workroom, and the college archives. The library’s web site provides access to the online catalog, including items at the Indianola Public Library, as well as many full-text databases, e-books, and links to other resources.

Hawley Academic Resource Center
The Hawley Academic Resource Center, located on the third floor of Dunn Library, is designed to provide students with individualized help to meet the requirements for competencies and courses.The Center provides guidance at any point in the writing process (including the revising and editing of portfolios), gives assistance for any math or foreign language course, and assigns tutors for most classes. Students can learn academic strategies for test taking, note taking, reading college textbooks, and time and stress management. All tutoring services available at Hawley are free to Simpson students. In addition, the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) test is available upon request, and graduate school test registration and study materials are also available.