The information contained herein is accurate according to the best information available at the time of publication. However, all statements regarding offerings, requirements, tuition charges and fees, academic regulations, and student life are subject to change without notice or obligation.

Students should also consult specific program requirements in respective College and Program Handbooks for any additional requirements. The institutional policies represent a minimum expectation from the University. An individual academic program may have academic policies that are more stringent than the institutional policies.

Academic Probation and Dismissal

To remain at the University, students must demonstrate progress in learning. A student who falls below the following minimum grade point average is placed on probation:

Academic Probation and Dismissal

Hours	GPA
0-33 hours earned	1.75 Cumulative GPA
34-50 hours earned	1.90 Cumulative GPA
51+ hours earned	2.00 Cumulative GPA

Registration and Progression for Nursing Students

In order to register for Sophomore II level nursing courses at Lewis University, pre-licensure nursing students, including transfer students, must have a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or above. Students who earn a grade of “D” or “W” in any required nursing course at any level must repeat that course prior to moving to another level of nursing coursework. Students who earn a grade of “F” in any required nursing course at any level will be dismissed from the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Students who earn two “D” grades or receive two “W” grades in required nursing courses (two “D” or “W” grades in one course, or one “D” or “W” grade in each of two courses) will be dismissed from the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Students must receive a grade of “C” in required science courses to progress to the next semester in the program. Sciences must be taken at Lewis once a student is accepted into the nursing major. Students who receive only one failing grade in a science (“C-”, “D”, “F”, or “W”) will be allowed to repeat that course once. Science theory and science labs are counted as separate classes. Upon a second failed science, or if the student fails or withdraws from both theory and lab during the semester, the student will be notified that he/she has been academically dismissed from the nursing major. A student may repeat a required general education support course in which he/she earns a “C-”, “D”, “F”, or “W” only once and if the student does not earn a minimum of a “C” on the second attempt he/she will be academically dismissed from the nursing major. Dismissal from the College of Nursing and Health Sciences does not necessarily result in dismissal from the University.

Probation

Students who fail to maintain the required GPA are placed on academic probation, which is noted on the permanent academic record. Students on academic probation are not allowed to take more than 12 to 14 credit hours. They are also mandated to take Academic Study Skills (READ 15300), a three hour course that emphasizes the development of better learning through improved study skills. SGPCE students who are on academic probation are not allowed to take more than six credit hours and/or one class at a time. The Academic Advisor will develop an academic improvement plan that will be discussed with the student.

Academic probation is a period of one regular semester (fall, spring, and/or summer terms) during which a student must satisfactorily complete all courses registered for and raise his or her GPA to the required minimum, as a condition for remaining in the University. An Incomplete (I) grade is evidence of failure to meet the conditions of probation. Due to the timing of the five- and eight-week accelerated sessions, academic probation may be addressed at times other than January, May, and August.

Academic probation may bring with it restrictions on a student’s participation in campus activities, as indicated in the Student Handbook .

Dismissal

Students who do not achieve the required grade point average during their semester of academic probation are subject to dismissal from the University. The professional staff in the Academic Services department will review the academic standing of each student subject to dismissal and will send written notification of academic dismissal.
Policy and Procedure for Appealing Academic Dismissal from the University

1. If a student wishes to appeal a decision to dismiss, a written letter of appeal must be sent to the Dismissal and Appeals Committee by the dismissed student according to the instructions outlined in the letter of dismissal. Written appeals must include specific reasons and details justifying re-admission consideration. Appeals will be accepted only if they are in writing.
2. The Dismissal and Appeals Committee, which includes faculty representatives from each of the Colleges/School and professional staff from the Academic Services department and SGPCE advising staff, will review the material and render a recommendation to the Provost.
3. The Provost will review the material and recommendation, render a final decision and communicate the decision to the student in writing via certified mail.

Re-Admission After Academic Dismissal

Students dismissed from the University for academic reasons may apply for re-admission in one of the following ways. More specific information is available through the Director of Academic Support Services.

1. An academically dismissed student may apply for re-admission if he or she has been absent from Lewis University for two semesters (which may include one summer); has completed the equivalent of two semesters of full-time academic work at another college or university (with a minimum of 12 credit hours each term); and has earned a grade point average of at least 2.00 each semester. The Dismissal and Appeals Committee will review the courses taken and determine whether a student has demonstrated the ability to do satisfactory work if readmitted to Lewis. If a student is allowed to return to the University, the student’s GPA will not be altered, and coursework transferred into the university will have no effect on the Lewis GPA. In addition, the student must meet with professional staff in the Academic Services department or SGPCE advising staff to develop an Academic Recovery Plan.
2. An academically dismissed student who does not attend any school for three calendar years may then apply through the Admission Office. Re-application must also be made through the Academic Skills Coordinator. If allowed to return to the University, a student may request the Forgiveness Policy. The Forgiveness Policy allows students academically dismissed who have been absent from Lewis for three calendar years and have not attended any other college or university during that time to apply for re-admission. Such students are re-admitted, and all previous grades of “D” or “F,” the courses in which they were earned, and the credit earned in “D” courses, will not be used in determining progress toward graduation. (Nursing students adhere to the CONHP readmission policy.)

Disciplinary Dismissal

Participation in the academic setting requires students to be responsible community members. Students must conduct themselves in accordance with the standards of personal behavior which are defined in the Student Handbook  as a necessary condition for continuing at Lewis University. Violations of those standards of conduct may result in a restriction or loss of the academic benefits of the University according to the severity of the misconduct.

Students dismissed from the University for misconduct lose all fees and payments, as well as the right to attend classes or make use of University facilities. Such students are re-admitted to the University only upon approval of the Office of Student Services. Students dismissed from the University prior to the end of a semester receive no academic credit for that semester.

Grade Appeal Process

1. The first step should always be a conversation with the professor. If a student wishes to appeal a final grade for a course, the student must, prior to the third week of the subsequent fall or spring semester, contact the instructor of the course to express concern.¹ The instructor of the course will review with the student how the grade was determined.
2. If the student is not satisfied with the explanation, he or she may submit a letter of appeal with a rationale for a change of grade to the chair of the department where the course is offered or to the faculty designated by the dean if the instructor is the department chair² The department chair or dean’s designee will communicate with the instructor to review the student’s letter of appeal and to ascertain how the grade was determined. The department chair or dean’s designee will then meet with the student to inform the student of the department chair or dean’s designee determination on the appeal.
3. If the student is not satisfied with the result of the grade appeal and wants to appeal to the dean, the student must submit a letter of appeal to the dean of the college. The appeal must contain a summary of the meetings with the instructor and the department chair or dean’s designee, and it must include any evidence supporting the claim for a grade change.
4. 4.The dean will review the material, consult the instructor and render the final decision. The dean will communicate the decision in writing to the student and to the instructor of the course. The dean’s determination is final.
5. Appeals must move with reasonable speed through the review process. The full process from when the student first contacts the instructor should take no longer than four weeks. Anecdotal notes will be made and signed by all participants in all phases of review of the grade.

¹

Students in programs with a lockstep sequence and/or who must maintain a specified GPA may need to accelerate the grade appeal process. Please consult your college guidelines for specifics.
 

²

If the course has a UNIV prefix, or the instructor is a dean or member of the dean's office, the appeal will be reviewed by the Office of Academic Affairs

University Policies and Procedures for Appealing Other Academic Matters

All appeals regarding academic matters other than grade appeal and academic dismissal are handled according to the following guidelines:

1. If a student wishes to appeal an academic decision, a written letter of appeal must be sent to the appropriate academic dean.
2. The dean will review the situation and render a decision. The dean will communicate the decision in writing to the student.
3. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the academic dean, the student may petition the Provost. Documentation submitted with the written petition must include the original letter of appeal and the decision of the academic dean.
4. The Provost will establish an ad hoc committee composed of:
   • one faculty member appointed by the appropriate academic dean;
   • one representative from the Office of Student Services;
   • one faculty member chosen by the student.
5. The ad hoc committee will hear the appeal and make a recommendation to the Provost, who makes the final decision. The Provost will communicate the decision in writing to the student.

Academic Honesty

Scholastic integrity lies at the heart of Lewis University. Plagiarism, collusion, and other forms of cheating or academic dishonesty are incompatible with the principles of the University. Students engaging in such activities are subject to penalties, up to and including loss of credit and expulsion from the University.

There are four primary types of academic dishonesty:

Plagiarism is a form of cheating or academic dishonesty that occurs when a student submits work or documentation that is in whole or in part the work of another person, group, entity, or source, and presents it as their own without proper attribution or citation, and without prior knowledge or consent of the instructor. All forms of plagiarism violate the University Policy on Academic Integrity and will be handled in accordance with the processes outlined in this document. 

Collusion is a form of cheating or academic dishonesty that occurs when a student, together with other student(s) or individual(s), conspire to gain an unfair advantage or misrepresent their individual knowledge or achievement by defrauding, misleading, or gaining unfair access to resources or information. All forms of collusion violate the University Policy on Academic Integrity and will be handled in accordance with the processes outlined in this document. 

Cheating occurs when a student gains an unfair advantage or misrepresents their individual knowledge or achievement by defrauding, misleading, or gaining unfair access to resources or information from another person, group, entity, or any other source. All forms of cheating violate the University Policy on Academic Integrity and will be handled in accordance with the processes outlined in this document. 

Professional Standards infractions occur accepted standards of ethical behavior that apply to specific fields and/or to activities within specific fields have been violated. These activities may include the conduct or publication of research, clinical practice, lab-based work, creative practice, or any other activity in which a student may engage during their course of study. Professional standards are generally communicated by the instructor or facilitator of a particular activity or in a particular field. Violations of professional standards represent a violation of the University Policy on Academic Integrity and will be handled in accordance with the processes outlined in this document.

Guidelines on levels and penalties for academic integrity violations

The University has defined levels of severity of academic honesty violations. The examples below should not be considered an exhaustive list; instructors, supervisors, or others should use the lists as a guideline coupled with their own judgment when a violation of academic integrity is suspected. 

Level 1:  Minor - Unintentional or first-time omission of citations; 1^st-time or minor violation of professional standards; other minor or one-time infraction.

A Level 1 academic honesty violation may occur in a lab, research, clinical, or other setting when a student fails to meet professional standards as expected but demonstrates efforts to improve. (Collusion or cheating are, at a minimum, level 2 violations and are discussed in the relevant sections below.) A Level 1 plagiarism violation may have occurred when a written document or oral presentation (research paper, essay, proposal, letter, discussion board post, formal test, or any required or independently written document or presented work) prepared by an author to represent their own thoughts, opinions, positions, or findings possesses lack of quotation marks around direct quotes, inappropriate paraphrasing without proper citation, or where or references are present but inconsistent.

Level 1 violations require a meeting between student and instructor, review/reinforcement of expectations as relevant to the nature of the violation, and referral to academic support or other support services if needed. The instructor may choose to require revision and resubmission of assignment, assess a grade penalty for the assignment or unit. 

If behavior is repeated with no attempt by the student to remedy, the instructor should report to the Office of Academic Affairs, and may choose to impose additional penalties. In such cases the violation will be considered a Level 2 violation. 

Level 2: Moderate - Partial plagiarism; repeated plagiarism despite attempts to address; repeated professional standards violation; moderate professional standards violation; cheating.  

A Level 2 academic honesty violation may occur in a lab, research, clinical, or other setting when a student fails to meet professional standards as expected, despite an attempt to address the behavior, or when a student’s behavior constitutes a higher level of concern. A Level 2 violation may also occur when a student cheats on an exam or other assessment by misrepresenting their individual knowledge or achievement through defrauding, misleading, or otherwise gaining unfair access to resources or information from another person, group, entity, or any other source without the instructor’s prior knowledge and consent. Level 2 plagiarism may have occurred when a written document, oral presentation, or any other work (research paper, essay, proposal, letter, discussion board post, formal test, or any required or independently written document or presented work) prepared by an author to represent their thoughts, opinions, positions, or findings possesses evidence that the work may not be the student’s own, either in whole or in part. This may include significant lack of attribution, limited or inconsistent use of quotation marks, abrupt changes in tone content or language inconsistent with the rest of the assignment or with student’s prior work, or other markers of plagiarism. 

Level 2 violations require the same actions as level one, plus reporting to the Office of Academic Affairs, Athletics (if an athlete), International Student Services (if an international student), and advisor, faculty mentor, or success coach, depending upon the student’s status. 

In a Level 2 violation, the instructor may choose to require revision and resubmission of assignment or assessment, with or without a grade penalty, or to assess a grade penalty for assignment or assessment, up to and including a grade of 0. If behavior is repeated with no attempt by the student to remedy, the instructor may choose to impose additional penalties or to elevate to Level 3.

Level Three: Severe - Deliberate plagiarism with intent to deceive; collusion; multiple instances of cheating; severe or repeated violation(s) of professional standards; any severe or repeated violations of academic integrity policies in a single course or across multiple courses. 

A Level 3 academic honesty violation may occur in a lab, research, clinical, or other setting when a student fails to meet professional standards as expected, and/or when the student’s behavior in such a setting constitutes a high or urgent level of concern. A Level 3 violation may also occur when a student cheats on an exam or other assessment by misrepresenting their individual knowledge or achievement through defrauding, misleading, or otherwise gaining unfair access to resources or information from another person, group, entity, or any other source without the instructor’s prior knowledge and consent, and/or when the student is part of a group (2 or more persons) attempt to misrepresent their own or another’s knowledge, understanding, or achievement (i.e. collusion). A Level 3 plagiarism violation may have occurred when a written document, oral presentation, or any other work (research paper, essay, proposal, letter, discussion board post, formal test, or any required or independently written document or presented work) prepared by an author to represent their thoughts, opinions, positions, or findings possesses evidence that the work is not the student’s own, either in whole or in part. Such evidence may include the use of artificial intelligence or other technology; evident self-plagiarism, or copying the work of another student; commissioning work from another student or entity and submitting as one’s own or accepting commissions to produce work for another student(s); submission of one’s work from an unauthorized IP address; or other similar evidence. 

Level 3 violations include the interventions and reporting listed for level 2, in addition to the possibility of receiving a grade of F in the course. All instances of level 3 academic integrity violations will be referred to the Academic Honesty Judicial Board for a hearing. The hearing board may assess additional penalties including dismissal from an academic program; academic suspension; or disciplinary dismissal from the University.

Process for determination and appeal of decision

In Level One cases, or in cases that are not referred to the Academic Honesty Judicial Board, violations of academic integrity are initially considered and determined at the instructor level. The instructor may determine the consequence appropriate to the violation, using the guidelines provided in this policy. If the student is not satisfied with the instructor's decision, the student may appeal using the University Policies and Procedures for Appealing Other Academic Matters. 

Cases heard through the Academic Honesty Judicial Board hearing procedures (below) may be considered for additional penalties, up to and including dismissal from an academic program; academic suspension; or disciplinary dismissal from the University. Appeals of these decisions may be made using the University Policies and Procedures for Appealing Other Academic Matters.

Academic Honesty Judicial Board

The Academic Honesty Judicial Board (Board) serves as the university-level hearing committee for academic honesty issues. The multi-representative board comprises individuals who are trained to hear cases of alleged academic dishonesty.  Appropriate members of the Academic Honesty Judicial Board shall be convened as an Ad Hoc Hearing Board (Hearing Board) when requested by the Office of Academic Affairs to hear cases concerning violations of alleged academic integrity. It is the responsibility of the members of the Hearing Board to consider all the evidence presented to them and to determine whether there was in fact a violation of the university’s policy on academic integrity. It is further the responsibility of the Hearing Board to prepare a summary of findings and conclusions, along with their recommended actions or consequences. These will be communicated in writing to the student, and to the faculty member who brought the complaint. If the recommendation is program dismissal, the chair or program director will be notified; if suspension or disciplinary dismissal, the college dean will be notified, and the student’s academic record will reflect their status appropriately.

In general, every effort must be made to convene the hearing body no later than 14 days after referral of the case for a hearing. In general, every effort must be made to conclude the hearing and submit findings to the provost no later than 30 days after the body is convened.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

1. A student will be notified in writing if they are involved in a case that has been submitted for a Board hearing.
2. Students accused of violations of academic integrity may waive their right to a hearing. If the hearing is waived, the determination of violation and any disciplinary action that results will be made by the appropriate vice provost, in consultation with the faculty, chair/program director, or others whom it may be appropriate to consult. Such determinations will be final.
3. Students who choose to go forward with a hearing may request the presence of a support person/advocate. This person may be present; however, they will not be entitled to participate (speak or provide documentation) in the hearing, and they are not considered a legal representative of the student. No later than 24 hours prior to the student’s appearance at a hearing, the student should notify the hearing convenor that an advocate/support person will be present, and supply the identity and contact information of that person to the hearing convener. 
4. A student who chooses to participate in a hearing and who has accommodations for a documented disability may request similar accommodations such that enable them to participate in the hearing. Requests for accommodations must be made to the hearing convenor at least 48 hours in advance of the start of the proceedings.
5. A student whose first language is not English and who may benefit from support of a language translator or translation service may request that a translator or translation service be provided for the purposes of the student’s participation in the hearing. Requests for translation support must be made to the hearing convener at least 48 hours in advance of the start of the proceedings.
6. A student has a reasonable expectation of privacy regarding any hearing or outcome thereof, in accordance with FERPA. Only Lewis University employees with a legitimate and relevant purpose will be informed of the hearing or any outcomes thereof. A student may choose to self-disclose information pertaining to the case; however, such self-disclosure does not waive the institution’s responsibility to maintain student privacy to the extent possible given the details of the case.

Student Appeals Procedures

Appeals may be brought by the student as specified in the “University Policies and Procedures for Appealing Other Academic Matters.” In cases of an academic integrity violations, rather than submit the appeal to the academic dean, a student should direct their appeal to the Vice Provost of Graduate and Continuing Education (if a graduate or SGPCE student), or to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs (if an undergraduate student).  The appeal will then proceed as indicated in the University Policies and Procedures for Appealing Other Academic Matters.” 

Appropriate Use of Artificial Intelligence

Unless otherwise specified in a course syllabus or assignment, work generated via AI and submitted as the student’s own will be considered plagiarism.

Lewis University recognizes artificial intelligence (AI) as one of a number of technologies and tools available to students. In keeping with our mission as an educational institution, Lewis University seeks to educate students on appropriate use of AI for multiple purposes and in various contexts. To this end, course syllabi may provide a statement on Appropriate Use of AI for that particular course. This statement will define “appropriate use” for that course only, and the course-level definition of appropriate use will not apply to any other course or courses. Instructors may also define “appropriate use of AI” on a per-assignment basis, in which case this definition will be in force and will apply only to that particular assignment.

In the absence of any course- or assignment-level statement on the appropriate use of AI, the University policy shall apply.