Academic Regulations

Policy on FSU Electronic Mail

Fayetteville State University provides to each student, free of charge, an electronic mail account that is easily accessible via the Internet. The university has established email as the primary mode of communicating with enrolled students about impending deadlines, upcoming events, and other information important to student progression at the university. Students are responsible for reading their email on a regular basis to remain aware of important information disseminated by the university. The university maintains open-use computer laboratories throughout the campus that can be used to access electronic mail.

Students making inquiries via email to FSU faculty and staff about academic records, grades, bills, financial aid, and other matters of a confidential nature are required to use their FSU email account. Rules and regulations governing the use of FSU email may be found at: http://www.uncfsu.edu/policy/general/FSUE-mailFINAL.pdf

Catalog Policy

Students are not permitted to combine the requirements of two or more catalogs for one major. However, double or dual majors can use separate catalogs to meet degree requirements if the second declared major was not in existence at the time of the initial declared major. Students must complete the curriculum requirements as outlined in the catalog that is in effect at the time of their initial enrollment at the university, except for the following reasons:

1. Time to degree – Degree requirements remain in effect for six years for students who maintain six years of continuous enrollment from the date of their initial enrollment at the university. Students who do not complete all degree requirements within six years of continuous enrollment will be guided by the catalog in effect when they apply for graduation. Students who do not maintain continuous enrollment must apply for readmission to the university.
2. Readmitted students - Students who are not enrolled for more than two consecutive semesters (fall and spring or spring and fall) must apply for readmission to the university. If readmitted, students may follow the catalog in effect at the time of their re-enrollment or any subsequent catalog. For readmitted students, the time limit for completing all degree requirements will be calculated from the date of their re-enrollment. Readmitted students who are unable to complete their degrees within the time to degree limits must complete the curriculum requirements as outlined in the catalog that is in effect when they apply for graduation.
3. Selection of current catalog - Students may choose to be guided by any catalog in effect subsequent to their admission or readmission to include the catalog in effect when they apply for graduation. Students must meet all of the requirements of that catalog. Students who are unable to complete their degrees within the time to degree limits must complete the curriculum requirements as outlined in the catalog that is in effect when they apply for graduation.

This policy applies only to degree program requirements. Students are governed by the academic regulations of the current catalog. Students must become thoroughly familiar with all current regulations of the university. Students are solely responsible for complying with all regulations of the university, of their school or college, and of the departments from which they take courses. They are also responsible for fulfilling all requirements for their respective degree programs. Requirements are considered complete only when appropriate documentation is recorded in the Office of the Registrar.

Classification of Students

Undergraduate students at Fayetteville State University are classified according to the number of semester hours they have earned, including hours transferred from other institutions, in keeping with the following table:

Students are also classified according to the following categories:

1. Regular Student - A regular student is one who has met all admission requirements and who is pursuing a degree program.
2. Full-Time Student - A full-time student is one who registers for a minimum of twelve credit hours during a regular semester or six credit hours during a summer session. Students enrolled at the Fort Bragg Center or in Weekend and Evening College classes are considered full time if they enroll in at least six hours per term for a minimum of twelve hours for the semester.
3. Part-Time Student - A part-time student is one who registers for fewer than twelve credit hours during a regular semester or fewer than six credit hours during a summer session. A part-time student in weekend and evening classes is enrolled in fewer than six credit hours during a term.
4. Special/Visiting Student - A special visiting student is one who is not pursing a degree program. Most special visiting students are enrolled in a professional licensure program, have permission from a home university or college to enroll in FSU courses, or are high school students earning university credit, or non-degree seeking students enrolling for life enrichment.

Majors

Degree seeking students must complete all requirements of a major field of study, including all correlative requirements such as a minor, concentration, or track. Admission to the university does not guarantee admission to a specific degree program. Therefore, students must submit the online “Declaration of Major” form to request admission to a degree program. Students cannot declare the same program for their major and minor.

Students who enter the university as first-time freshmen are required to declare a major in the second semester of their freshman year if they meet the admission requirements of their intended major. Transfer students must declare a major in their first semester of enrollment. If the department chair accepts a student into a degree program, the department chair will assign an advisor to the student. If students select a major and do not meet the admission requirements for the major, the department may recommend a pre-major category. The department must notify the student of the pre-major and the requirements to be accepted into the major.

A student wishing to change his or her major after officially declaring a major should recognize that the hours completed for the initial major may not be applicable to the new major, which may delay the student’s progress toward graduation. Hence, students should take advantage of the educational guidance offered by advisors, administrative officers, the catalog, and the online degree evaluation program, before changing majors. To change a major the student must complete the online change of major form. The chair of the department of the new major will assign the student an advisor.

All degree-seeking students are required to declare a major prior to earning 60 credit hours. Students with no officially declared major and 60 or more credit hours will be blocked from registering for classes.

Special-visiting students must change their status to degree-seeking before submitting the declaration of major form.

Time to Degree

Students can complete a 120-hour undergraduate degree program in eight semesters of 15 hours each. Students completing programs with more than 120 hours will have to take additional hours per semester to complete the program in 8 semesters. Changing majors, withdrawing from, dropping, or failing courses, enrolling in fewer than 15 hours and/or receiving Ds in major area coursework will extend the length of time to complete a degree.

Academic Advisement

All students are assigned an advisor with whom they must consult in planning their academic programs, registering for classes, and making other decisions regarding their academic progression. Although students are expected to consult advisors on a regular basis, students bear final responsibility for the decisions they make.

Advisors are assigned to students according to the following guidelines:

1. University College faculty members serve as advisors for undeclared students who enter as first-time freshmen.
2. Department chairs assign an advisor to each student admitted to a major. Students may request an advisor or change an assigned advisor by contacting the appropriate department chair.
3. Academic Counselors in the College or School Academic Advising Offices serve as the initial point of contact for new transfer students, readmitted students, and those students who are experiencing academic difficulty.
4. Undecided students who are juniors or seniors should see the College or School Academic Advising Office that has the major that they might be interested in pursuing.

To facilitate effective advisement and degree completion, students are required to take the following steps:

1. Students are required to check their FSU email on a regular basis to receive notifications about upcoming events and deadlines and information from academic advisors.
2. Students must communicate with the officially assigned advisor at least two times each semester to review the student’s progress toward degree completion. Students are responsible for initiating this communication in person, by phone, or through FSU email.
3. Students whose GPA falls below 2.0 are required to meet with their advisor to complete an Academic Success Plan and take all actions agreed upon with advisors.
4. Through Self-Service Banner, students must run their online degree evaluation to develop a plan for degree completion.
5. Students are eligible to apply for graduation once they have earned 90 credit hours. Students should run their online degree evaluation and confer with their advisor to determine graduation eligibility. Students must apply for graduation using their online Banner account.
6. Students must remain aware of and make decisions consistent with university policies, deadlines, and degree requirements as stated in the catalog, the FSU website, and other official documents.
7. Students must recognize that failure to follow the steps outlined above will delay their graduation.

To facilitate their advisees’ degree completion, Academic Advisors must take the following steps:

1. Advisors will be available during published office hours and at other times by appointment to assist advisees in completing the student responsibilities outlined above.
2. Advisors will provide accurate information in a timely manner. Advisors will usually respond to student inquiries within two business days. When advisors are not available (i.e., summer or other extended leave), they will arrange for back-up.
3. Advisors will help students understand their responsibilities, as outlined above, in the advisement process.
4. Advisors will direct students to appropriate university resources for assistance as needed. For students whose GPA falls below 2.0, advisors will work with the student to develop an Academic Success Plan and monitor student’s implementation of the plan.
5. Advisors will review online degree evaluations with students and advise them accordingly based on degree requirements and university policies.
6. Advisors will respect advisees as individuals with different backgrounds and educational/life goals.
7. Advisors will respect the confidentiality of information shared by advisees and protect the privacy of students as defined by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
8. Advisors are responsible for maintaining accurate records of meetings with advisees.
9. Advisors must recognize that failure to complete the responsibilities outlined here will likely delay a student’s graduation.

Registration

Students are responsible for registering for classes according to procedures and deadlines established by the University. The classes in which a student is registered at the close of the official registration period constitute the student’s official schedule and course load. Tuition and fees are based on the student’s total hours of enrollment at the close of the official registration period.

Attending a class does not constitute official enrollment in that class. Students will not receive credit or a grade for any class in which they are not officially enrolled. Therefore, students must ensure that they are officially registered for the classes they attend.

Failure to attend class does not constitute official withdrawal from that class. Students are responsible for initiating the class withdrawal process if they wish to discontinue enrollment in a class.

Financial aid will be canceled for any class(es) that a student does not attend.

Dropping and Adding Classes

Students may adjust their schedule of classes through the last day of late registration (see Academic Calendars for specific dates). After this date, students will be permitted to adjust their schedules only for unusual and documented circumstances beyond their control and must be approved by the faculty member, department chair, dean, and provost. Students are cautioned that adjustments of their official schedule may affect tuition, fees, and financial aid eligibility, and may require additional payment and/or reimbursement of financial aid awards.

Credits

The following terms apply to a student’s enrollment and academic record:

1. Credit hour – The minimum credit hours required for any baccalaureate degree at Fayetteville State University is 120. FSU follows the federal definition of a credit hour. A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:
   1. One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
   2. At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (a) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.
2. Attempted hours – The credit hours in which a student is enrolled at Fayetteville State University, to include hours transferred from other institutions.
3. Earned hours – The credit hours for each course in which a student earns a final grade of D or better at Fayetteville State University and credit hours transferred from other institutions with a grade of C or better.
4. GPA hours – The credit hours used in the calculation of a student’s GPA. The minimum GPA required for any baccalaureate degree at Fayetteville State University is 2.0.

Course Load

The maximum credit hours in which a student may enroll in a semester or summer session is governed by the following guidelines.

Students with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 may exceed these course load limits only with written approval of the advisor, department chair, and dean using the Course Overload Form. Such approvals will normally be given only in cases when the overload will enable the student to complete degree requirements in the semester/term for which the overload is requested.

Class Withdrawals

Students may withdraw from individual classes until the deadline each semester, term, or session (see Academic Calendars for specific dates). Students who complete the class withdrawal process will receive a grade of W. Tuition and fees are not adjusted for withdrawing from individual classes. Students are required to earn at least 67% of their attempted hours each semester to maintain financial aid eligibility. Students who withdraw from more than 33% of their attempted hours in a semester will lose financial aid. Failure to attend class does not constitute official withdrawal from that class.

Note that if students are enrolled in only one (1) course and choose to withdraw from the course, the student must withdraw from the university instead of withdrawing from the course.

Students are permitted to withdraw from a maximum of 16 credit hours throughout their undergraduate career. After a student has exceeded this limit, the student must earn a final grade of A, B, C, D, F, or FN.

If a student, using the online course withdrawal process, withdraws from all courses for which the student is enrolled, the student is considered to have officially withdrawn from the university. The official university withdrawal date will be the date the student withdrew from the last class.

Withdrawal from the University

Before deciding to withdraw from the university, a student must consult with his or her advisor to discuss the reasons for the withdrawal and the student’s plan for continuing his or her education. The student can then begin the official university withdrawal process by submitting the online University Withdrawal form. Students who are under 18 years of age must have the approval of a parent or guardian before withdrawing from the university. The official date of withdrawal (for purposes of computing charges and grades) will be the date the student submits the online form. The university will not make any refund of tuition/ fees or room and board charges until four (4) weeks after the student completes the official withdrawal process. All refunds will be made by the method selected by the student for refunds. Students may withdraw from the university until two weeks prior to the beginning of final exams (see Academic Calendars for specific deadlines).

Students seeking to withdraw from the university after the published deadline and who do not meet the criteria for “Withdrawal for Extenuating Circumstances” must make the request, in writing, to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. This request must include documentation of unavoidable and unforeseen circumstances that prevented the student from meeting the published deadline. Such requests must be made no later than the end of the next regular semester after the semester for which the university withdrawal is requested.

Students who officially withdraw from the university will receive a WU grade in all of their classes (see “Grades” below). Students who receive WU grades may re-enroll in the next regular semester or summer term without making application for readmission, but cannot enroll in the same semester for an 8-week term. Students who seek to withdraw from the university within the deadline but have earned grades in the previous 8-week session will retain those grades. The student will be assigned a WU for the remaining courses.

Hours with a grade of WU count as hours attempted but not completed for the purposes of financial aid. Withdrawal from the University may therefore have an adverse effect on financial aid. In addition, a student who withdraws from the University the semester after being placed on Academic Probation will be considered to have two consecutive semesters below 2.0 for the purposes of calculating academic standing. Withdrawal from the University may therefore have an adverse effect on academic standing as well.

Mandatory Withdrawal from the University

The university reserves the right to request the withdrawal of a student at any time if (1) the student’s conduct is judged to be undesirable; (2) the student persistently disregards the regulations of the university; (3) the student fails to maintain an acceptable standard of work; or (4) the student’s mental or physical health precludes satisfactory academic progress or becomes detrimental to others.

Withdrawal for Extenuating Circumstances

Students may withdraw from individual courses or from the university for extenuating circumstances without academic penalty:

• WU will be recorded on the transcript;
• Course(s) count in attempted hours;
• Course(s) do not count for tuition surcharge;
• Course(s) do not count in GPA calculations;
• Course(s) will not count toward the withdrawal maximum of 16 hours;
• Course(s) are subject to Title IV regulation (SAP rules and calculations).

Extenuating circumstances include:

• Military Service Obligation: Duty on a voluntary or involuntary basis in connection with service in the Armed Forces, Reserves, or National Guard including, but not limited to active duty, active duty for training, initial active duty for training, and inactive duty training.
• Serious Medical Debilitation of the Student: Illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition requiring inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility.

Documentation required includes:

• Military Service Obligation: Verification of the student’s voluntary or involuntary basis in connection with service in the Armed Forces, Reserves, or National Guard including, but not limited to, active duty for training, initial active duty for training, and inactive duty training. Acceptable documentation may include, for example, copies of orders, letters from a commanding officer, etc.
• Serious Medical Debilitation of the Student: A certificate issued by the treating health care professional(s) stating each of the following:
  1. Approximate date on which the student’s condition began;
  2. Extent to which the condition has impacted the student’s pursuit of a degree;
  3. Relevant and appropriate medical facts regarding the student’s condition.

Review Process for Course Withdrawal for Extenuating Circumstances

The student will submit a statement and all required documentation to the Center for Personal Development. The statement must include:

• Student name and Banner ID, date of request, names and section numbers of requested course(s) for withdrawal, and detailed reason the student is requesting withdrawal for extenuating circumstances.

The Center for Personal Development will review the request and documentation and forward with a recommendation to the Dean of the College or School and the Office of the Registrar.

If approved by the Dean of the College or School (or designee), the Office of the Registrar will process the withdrawal for extenuating circumstances. If not approved by the Dean of the College or School (or designee), the Dean’s office will contact the student and the advisor to determine the best course of action for the student. A student may appeal a denial through the Office of the Provost.

Administrative Withdrawals

Fayetteville State University (FSU) expects students to attend all of their classes regularly and consistently and to notify faculty members, in advance, of the reasons for any class absences. Attendance in classes taught online is understood to mean regular and consistent interaction with the course website and instructor and submission of assignments according to stated deadlines. Students who are enrolled for a semester/term but stop attending classes shall be required to officially withdraw from FSU. Students who stop attending all classes during a semester, but fail to officially withdraw from FSU, shall be administratively withdrawn by the university in accordance with this policy.

Administrative Withdrawal Procedure

1. Review of Student Records: At the end of each semester, the Office of the Registrar shall determine which students should be administratively withdrawn by reviewing the final grades of all students. Any student who has a combination of FN and/or W grades for all classes will be assigned a grade of WUA in each class.
2. Effective Date of Administrative Withdrawal: The effective date of an administrative withdrawal shall be based on the latest date of submission of FN grades by faculty or class withdrawal by the student.
3. Adjustment of Tuition and Financial Aid for Administrative Withdrawals: The university’s policy and schedule for refunds will be applied to students administratively withdrawn from the university. Financial aid will be adjusted based on the official withdrawal date, which may result in the requirement for recipients of financial aid to repay all or some of the aid they received for that semester.

Class Cancellations

During any semester or summer session, the university reserves the right to cancel classes. Students will be notified by email of class cancellations. If classes are canceled after the close of the official drop-add period, provisions will be made to allow students to adjust their schedules. Students must have the approval of the instructor of the classes in which they intend to enroll.

Auditing of Courses

Students who wish to audit a course must complete the Course Audit Form and submit it to the Office of the Registrar for enrollment in the course(s). The student must submit a copy of the Course Audit form to Student Accounts for proper billing. Audited courses carry no credit and a grade of AU is given. Students registered for audit will not be permitted to change to credit after the close of late registration. Conversely, students registered for credit will not be permitted to change to audit after the close of late registration.

Independent Study

Independent Study is an individualized, carefully planned, and closely monitored study experience in which a student works under the direct supervision of a faculty member. Permission to pursue independent study will be granted only under the following conditions:

• The student is in his/her senior year of study
• Course credit may not be earned through other regular courses offerings
• The duration of the independent study is at least eight weeks
• The faculty member affirms that the learning outcomes, assessments, and grading criteria for the independent study are equivalent to similar courses as regularly offered

A student may complete no more than one independent study per semester or term. A Request for Independent Study form—with a list of assignments, deadlines for completion, types of assessments, and grading criteria—must be approved by the faculty member who will teach the class and by the department chair and dean of the school/college in which the class is offered.

A course scheduled in a regular class format (whether fact to face, online, or hybrid) may not be delivered as an Independent Study without being approved by the process outlined above.

Grades

Midterm Grades

Midterm grades provide an assessment of student progress in courses during the first half of the semester. Students earning a midterm grade of D or F in a class must take corrective action to improve their academic status. All faculty teaching undergraduate courses are required to post midterm grades for all students. All students are required to review their midterm grades using their online accounts.

Final Grades

Final grades are calculated on a four-point system and affect a student’s grade point average as indicated below. Faculty members will delineate in each class syllabus the methods and evaluative criteria for determining final grades in the class. All students are required to review their final grades using their online accounts.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

At the end of each semester and summer session a grade point average is calculated for each student for the current term and for the student’s entire career. The current GPA is based exclusively on the courses in which the student is enrolled for that specific term, while the cumulative GPA is based on all courses the student has completed at Fayetteville State University. The GPA is based on the following formula:

Your grade point average (GPA) is calculated by dividing the total number of quality points by the total number of credits earned. Specifically, “Total Quality Points” are computed by multiplying the grade by the number of credit hours earned (GPA hours) for each course and then adding the quality points. “Credit Hours Earned (GPA Hours)” refers to the credit hours for courses in which a student earned a final letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F. Withdrawals from the university and incompletes do not affect a student’s GPA hours; however, courses with a grade of F and/or FN are calculated into the GPA. Letter grades are assigned the following grade point values:

A=4
B=3
C=2
D=1
F=0

The following example demonstrates the calculation of the GPA:

A student’s career or cumulative GPA is calculated by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of course credit hours earned (GPA hours) in all of the semesters of the student’s enrollment at Fayetteville State University.

Early Warning System

Fayetteville State University’s Early Warning System (EWS) complies with UNC policy and regulations on Fostering Student Success (400.1.5 and 400.1.5R). The purpose of the EWS is to alert campus personnel to signs of poor academic performance by a student or of behavior likely to lead to a student’s poor academic performance. Such students are considered to be “at-risk”.

A. Identification of At-Risk Students

At FSU, at-risk students are identified in several ways, including midterm grades, academic standing, and non-registration. All instructors are required to assign midterm grades in all undergraduate courses by the midterm grade deadline each term. See Grades in Academic Regulations for more information about midterm grades. Academic Standing other than Good Standing is another indicator of poor performance. Students are placed on academic probation if their cumulative grade point average is below 2.0 at the end of the fall semester. If their cumulative GPA is below 2.0 at the end of the spring semester, they are placed on academic suspension. For more information on probation and suspension, see Scholastic Standards in Academic Regulations.

Once registration opens for the following semester, students who neither applied to graduate nor registered for the following semester are also considered at-risk of not continuing.

B. Notification

At-risk identifiers are available to students, advisors, and other campus officials in Banner. However, FSU takes several steps to ensure that these parties are actively informed.

Students who earn grade alerts receive an e-mail. Students who fail to register for the following semester are sent e-mail reminders. Students are notified by e-mail if they are placed on Academic Probation or Academic Suspension.

Advisors are also informed of grade alerts. Twice each semester, at week five and at midterm, advisors receive an Advisement Reporting Survey that lists their advisees and any grade alerts their advisees may have received. Weekly grade alert reports are sent to department chairs and the directors of programs concerned with student success, such as Athletics and the Early College.

Academic standing is also communicated to advisors, chairs, and program directors. The advisement reporting surveys indicate the academic standing of advisees, allowing advisors to identify quickly students at risk because of low GPA. The grade alert reports that identify interim grade alerts for chairs and program directors also include academic standing.

Once registration for the following term begins, chairs receive weekly reports on which of their majors have registered for the following term. Advisors can see which of their advisees have registered through an advisement reporting survey administered after registration opens.

C. Follow-Up

Advisors are asked to communicate with students who earn grade alerts. Chairs and program directors also communicate with such students. Intervention may take the form of an e-mail, phone call, or office visit.
Students on academic probation are asked to create an Academic Success Plan with their advisor to identify strategies for succeeding in classes during the current term.

Students who fail to register are sent e-mails from their chair or from University College. Post cards and phone calls are also used to remind students to register for the following term.

Course Repeat Policy

Students may repeat a course, but can only earn credit hours once for any given course (except in cases where the faculty designate a course as one that can earn credit more than once). When a student repeats a course, the lower grade is excluded from the calculation of the Grade Point Average and the higher grade is included. A student is allowed a maximum of 16 credit hours for course repeats without penalty (a student cannot replace the grades of the same course more than once). “Without Penalty” means that only the higher grade will be calculated into the student’s Grade Point Average. All original entries and grades will appear on the student’s permanent record with the designation that the lower grade has been excluded from the Grade Point Average.

If a student repeats the same course for a second time or more, and/or exceeds the maximum of 16 credit hours, all attempted hours will be counted and all grades will be calculated into the Grade Point Average. However, students can only earn credit once for each course.

If a student earns a passing grade twice for the same course, only one set of course credit hours will be counted toward graduation (except in cases where faculty designate a course as one that can earn credit more than once).

All repeated courses are included in a student’s total attempted hours. The tuition surcharge will apply to all hours attempted beyond 140 once the student exceeds eight enrolled semesters, excluding summer terms.

Incomplete Grades

The grade of “I” may be assigned only when a student has maintained a passing average but for reasons beyond his or her control, is unable to complete a specific course requirement such as a report, field experience, experiment, or examination. An Incomplete Grade may not be assigned to students who have failed to fulfill multiple requirements in a class.

An “I” grade must be removed before the end of the next regular (fall or spring) semester immediately following the semester or term in which the “I” grade was assigned. If the “I” grade is not removed within the stipulated time limit, the grade will be converted to a grade of “F.” Students are responsible for initiating the actions necessary to remove “I” grades.

Incomplete Grades for Students Who Miss Final Exams

A student not present at an officially scheduled final exam may only be assigned an Incomplete grade if he/ she contacts the instructor of the course before the end of the final exam week to request a deferred final examination. Students who need to defer an examination must furnish valid support for the request. If the faculty member approves the deferred examination, a grade of “I” will be assigned.

Students whose requests for deferred exams are not granted or who miss final exams without contacting the instructor before the end of the final exam week are not eligible to receive an Incomplete Grade.

Extension Grade Policy

An Extension Grade may be assigned in lieu of a final grade of D or F for undergraduate students taking any course in which the university provides a structured program of academic support. The Extension Grade may only be used the first time a student takes the course at Fayetteville State University.

The Extension Grade will be designated as “EX-D” or as “EX-F” and is not calculated into the student’s Grade Point Average but will remain on the student’s transcript. Any student requesting an Extension Grade must sign an Extension Grade Contract not later than the end of the fifth week of the semester, not later than the end of the first week of each summer term, or not later than the end of the second week of an eight-week term. The Extension Grade Contract will specify the course and section, the nature and duration of the academic support, and the individual or office that will verify completion of the academic support. An Extension Grade Contract must require at least 10 hours of academic support.

To be eligible for the Extension Grade, a student must complete all requirements for the course and all requirements of academic support services. The instructor will certify completion of the course requirements, and a representative of the appropriate academic support unit will verify completion of academic support requirements. When a student receives an Extension Grade, the student must re-enroll for the course in the next semester that the student matriculates at the university. If the student does not re-enroll in the course, the Extension Grade will revert to the original grade of D or F, and will be calculated into the student’s Grade Point Average.

Grade Appeals

If a student thinks that a final grade is inaccurate, he or she should first consult with the faculty member who awarded the grade. The university expects the majority of grade appeals to be resolved by the student and instructor. If the instructor agrees to change the student’s grade, the instructor must submit a grade change form for approval by the Department Chair, Dean, and Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. If these informal efforts are unsuccessful in resolving the student’s concern, the student may initiate a formal grade appeal.

The formal grade appeal must include documentation that one or more of the following occurred: 1) the instructor made an error in calculating the final grade; 2) the final grade was based on criteria and/or standards at variance with the course syllabus; and/or 3) the final grade was based on factors other than student achievement/performance. Failure to address one or more of these three reasons is a basis for rejection of that appeal. Students must recognize that they bear the burden of proof in the grade appeal process and that a grade appeal will not be successful without appropriate documentation.

The student must submit the written appeal, with documentation, first to the instructor. If the instructor rejects the appeal, the student may submit the appeal to the instructor’s department chair. If the department chair rejects the appeal, the student may submit the appeal to the dean of the college/school of the instructor. If the dean rejects the appeal, the student may submit the appeal to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. If the department chair or dean supports a grade appeal, he or she will forward to the next administrative level for review. The grade appeal will be considered at each administrative level only after it has been reviewed at all previous levels. To ensure review of appeals at each level, each respondent to the appeal will send a copy of the response to next higher review, i.e., faculty will send copy to department chair, department chair to dean, and dean to provost. The department chair and dean will respond to the grade appeal either by upholding the original grade or working with the faculty member (and, in the case of the dean, with the chair) to propose a means of re-evaluating the student’s final grade. The chair and dean do not have the authority to change a student’s grade.

If the student submits the written appeal to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Appeals, the appeal will be submitted for review to the Academic Credits Committee, which is comprised exclusively of faculty members. If the appeal is based on grounds other than the three specified above, the Academic Credits Committee will reject the appeal without further review. If the appeal is based on one of three grounds specified above, the committee will discuss the appeal with the instructor and the student and, after a careful review of all relevant information, recommend either that the original grade be upheld or that a new grade be awarded. If the committee upholds the original grade, the student will be informed in writing of the decision of the committee. If the committee recommends a new grade and the recommendation is approved by the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the committee’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Registrar, with a copy to the faculty member, for notation on the student’s record. A complete record of the grade appeal process will be placed in the student’s permanent file.

The decision of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs regarding a grade appeal is final and may not be appealed further.

Timeline for Formal Grade Appeal Process

Students must initiate the formal grade appeal process no later than the 20th day of class in the next fall or spring semester after the contested grade was received. Grade appeals submitted after this deadline will not be considered. Grade appeals will be resolved before end of the semester in which they are submitted. Grade appeals are not considered during the summer.

Graduating seniors who initiate a formal grade appeal in the same semester that they plan to graduate should be aware that the grade appeal will very likely NOT be resolved in time for graduation clearance.

Class Attendance

Students are expected to attend all class meetings, laboratories, and other instructional sessions for all courses in which they are enrolled. Students are also expected to arrive to class on time and remain in class for the entire scheduled period. When students must miss class(es) for unavoidable reasons—i.e., illness, family emergencies, or participation in official university sponsored activities – they are responsible for informing faculty of the reasons for the absences, in advance if possible, and completing all missed assignments. Faculty members will indicate in their syllabi the conditions for making up missed assignments, as well as any penalties for unexcused absences or tardiness.

During the first half of the semester/term, faculty will assign an interim grade of “EA,” Excessive Absences, for students whose class absences exceed 10% of the total contact hours for the class. Students who receive EA interim grades must either withdraw from the class or resume attendance. Students who resume attendance must consult with the instructor about completion of missed assignments. The EA is not a final grade, so students who are assigned an interim grade of EA, but do not withdraw from the class, will receive a final grade based on the evaluation criteria for the class.

Course Substitutions and Waivers

Under exceptional circumstances a substitution of or exemption from prescribed courses in a curriculum will be permitted. The request for a course substitution or course waiver must be prepared and initiated by the student’s advisor for approval by the chair of the department and the dean of the college or school in which the student is earning a degree. The request must provide academically defensible arguments justifying the substitution or waiver.

Credit hours are not awarded when a course is waived. Hence, when a course waiver is approved, the student will usually need to complete additional electives to ensure completion of credit hours.

Scholastic Standards

Students must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0, a minimum term GPA of 2.0, and meet the threshold for Satisfactory Academic Progress (earning at least 67% of the hours that they have attempted) to maintain good academic standing. Students who fall below the 67% threshold for Satisfactory Academic Progress and/or whose term GPAs fall below 2.0 will receive a status of Good Standing with Warning. Meeting these standards does not guarantee financial aid eligibility. See Financial Aid , “Satisfactory Academic Progress”. The university will evaluate students for satisfactory academic progress at the end of the fall and spring semesters. The student’s academic status will be noted on the student’s transcript. Students are responsible for remaining aware of their academic status.

Academic Suspension – If a student’s GPA is below 2.0 at the end of the spring semester, the student will be placed on academic suspension and the student must successfully appeal for continued enrollment and financial aid eligibility.

If a student’s GPA is below 2.0 for the second time at the end of the spring semester, the student will be placed on academic suspension, will not be eligible for financial aid, and will not be permitted to re-enroll unless the student successfully appeals the academic suspension, attends summer school to improve the GPA, or participates in Academic Fresh Start (see “Academic Regulations” for appeal procedures).

A student who has a cumulative GPA below 2.0 and withdraws from the university during the spring semester will be evaluated for continuous enrollment according to the guidelines above.

Academic Probation – Students who fail to maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 at the end of the fall semester will be placed on Academic Probation and will be permitted to enroll in a maximum of 14 credits for the subsequent semester. Students on probation will be required to complete an Academic Success Plan with their advisors.

Appeal Procedure

Students may appeal academic suspension, excessive hours, and low Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) by submitting the online Letter of Appeal form. The appeal form must be submitted by the timelines indicated: May 15 for summer I, June 1 for summer II, July 1 for fall, and October 30 for spring. The completed form must address each of the following:

1. The special or unusual circumstances, with documentation, which contributed to the student’s academic suspension;
2. Actions the student has taken to change the circumstances so that they will not contribute again to poor academic performance;
3. Specific steps the students will take to improve his or her academic status in the upcoming semester;
4. An address and phone number at which the student may be notified of the committee’s decision.

Appeals will be granted only under extraordinary circumstances that are appropriately documented. Student appeals submitted after the deadline may not be considered.

Students suspended for a second time will be permitted to re-enroll only under the provisions of the Academic Fresh Start Policy.

Academic Fresh Start

Academic Fresh Start allows degree-seeking students whose academic record would otherwise prevent them from enrolling to resume their studies at Fayetteville State University after a period of non-enrollment without the burden of their prior grade point average. Academic Fresh Start does not apply to Special Visiting Students. Under Academic Fresh Start:

1. All course work completed at FSU prior to the semester of re-admission will be excluded from the GPA calculation.
2. All previous courses in which the student earned a final grade of C or higher will be used to fulfill degree requirements. Such courses will be designated “XG” in the academic transcript.
3. Previous courses in which the student earned a D or lower will not be used to fulfill degree requirements and will not count as earned hours. Such courses will be designated “XC” in the academic transcript.
4. All course work will remain on the transcript with the following notation: “Academic Fresh Start.”
5. All attempted hours will remain on a student’s record, and, hence, hours covered by Academic Fresh Start will be used in determining possible tuition surcharges and financial aid eligibility.

To be eligible for Academic Fresh Start, students must meet admissions criteria at Fayetteville State University. Students must demonstrate the potential for degree completion in one of the following ways:

1. They must have a period of non-enrollment for at least four consecutive semesters and provide evidence in their request that the conditions that led to poor academic performance have been corrected; OR
2. They must have a record of academic performance at another institution subsequent to their departure from FSU that demonstrates the potential for academic success at FSU.

A record of academic performance may be demonstrated by earning an Associate’s degree, completing an academic certificate program, or earning at least 15 semester hours with a C or better. The following provisions will apply for students readmitted under this program:

1. A student will be granted Academic Fresh Start only one time.
2. Students readmitted under the Academic Fresh Start program will be required to enroll in a Student Success Program approved by the student’s College or School Academic Advising Office to help them achieve success while re-enrolled.
3. Academic Fresh Start students will be eligible for financial aid in the first semester of re-enrollment only if their request is based on a record of academic performance at another institution subsequent to their departure from FSU. If a student does not have a record of academic performance from another institution, he/she will be responsible for all tuition and fees the first semester of reinstatement and must enroll as a full-time student. Academic Fresh Start students will be eligible for financial aid if they meet satisfactory academic progress; to do this, they must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 and a progression rate of 67% in hours attempted after their reinstatement with less than 180 attempted hours.

Requests for Academic Fresh Start must be submitted using the Letter of Appeal. The request must specify (1) the period of initial enrollment at Fayetteville State University, (2) the period of nonenrollment, (3) the conditions that led to the academic difficulty during the initial period of enrollment at Fayetteville State University, (4) the actions the student has taken to improve these conditions and circumstances, and (5) any record of academic performance at another institution.

Academic Fresh Start will be applied to the student’s record at the end of the semester (fall or spring) of his/her return after final grades have been posted.

Veterans Affairs

Entitled veterans, participants in the G. I. Bill contributory program, active duty military, drilling National Guard, drilling Reservists, and eligible spouses and offspring who have applied, met all admissions criteria, and are actively matriculating may be certified to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office as enrolled and in pursuit of an approved program of education.

All veterans and dependents wishing to receive VA Educational Benefits through Fayetteville State University must bring a copy of the DD Form 214 or Certificate of Eligibility and/or any other document(s) that entitles receipt of benefits to the Student Veteran’s Center. The Student Veteran’s Center is located at 1073 Murchison Road, Bronco Square, Suite 102. Students applying for these benefits are required to provide copies of transcripts to include a high school transcript, a copy of the acceptance letter to the university, and proof of a declaration of major before certification can be made to the Veterans Administration for payment. Any change in the veteran’s or dependent’s course of study should be cleared with the veteran’s advisor to ensure continuation of benefits. The office of the Registrar must have file copies of all transcripts, transfer evaluation forms, and other necessary documents.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (The Buckley Amendment)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), also known as the Buckley Amendment, guarantees certain rights to students and qualified parents regarding a student’s education records. Fayetteville State University adheres to those statutory rights and has implemented this policy in order to comply. Specifically, students are afforded the following rights with respect to their educational records:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s educational records;
2. The right to consent to disclosure of the student’s education records to third parties, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent;
3. The right to request amendment of the student’s education records to ensure that they are not inaccurate or misleading;
4. The right to be notified annually of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA and;
5. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by FSU to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

FSU will not release personally identifiable student information in education records or allow access to those records without prior consent of the students, except as provided by FERPA. For more details of this policy, see http://www.uncfsu.edu/policy/students/Student_Education_Records-FERPA.pdf. Such consent must be written, signed and dated, and must specify the records to be disclosed, the party to whom the records are to be disclosed, and the purpose of the disclosure.

Release of Directory Information

Unless a student requests in writing to the contrary, FSU is permitted to release directory information without consent. FSU recognizes the following as directory information: a student’s name, local and permanent address, email address, telephone number, enrollment status (undergraduate, graduate, full-time or part-time), date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, honors, degrees and awards (including scholarships) received, participation in officially recognized activities/organizations and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended.

Under FERPA, a student has the right to request that the disclosure of directory information be withheld as long as the student is enrolled at FSU. If a student wishes to have the student’s directory information withheld, the student should submit a written request to the Office of the Registrar by completing the Request for Non-Disclosure of Directory Information form (http://www.uncfsu.edu/registrar/forms/nondisclosure.pdf). Directory information may be released without permission for students no longer enrolled at FSU unless that student, at his/her last opportunity as a student, requested otherwise.

A student or parent may not use the right to opt out of directory information disclosure to prevent FSU from disclosing or from requiring a student to disclose the student’s name, identifier, or institutional e-mail address in a class in which the student is enrolled.

A copy of complete FERPA policies and procedures may be obtained online.

Examinations and Assessments

Profile Examinations

Profile Examinations assess entering students’ basic academic skills. The results of these examinations are used in conjunction with students’ academic records to ensure effective advisement. Entering students should contact University Testing Services for information about dates, times, and locations for the administration of profile examinations. Profile Examinations are required of new students according to the following guidelines:

First-time freshmen, including students admitted as Special Visiting pending acceptance as degree-seeking students, must complete profile examinations before enrolling in classes.

Transfer students will not be required to complete profile examinations if they are transferring in 30 or more credit hours, including at least six credit hours of university-level English and at least six credit hours of university-level mathematics. Any transfer students not meeting all of these conditions must complete profile examinations. Transfer students who are unsure if they meet one or more of these requirements are advised to complete profile examinations to avoid possible delays in advisement and registration.

Special/Visiting students who do not plan to earn a degree at FSU (i.e. who are seeking teachers certification or life enhancement, or who have permission from another institution to enroll at FSU) are not required to complete profile exams UNLESS they plan to enroll in a mathematics or English course for which they have not completed the appropriate prerequisite.

Rising Junior Examination

Fayetteville State University administers the rising junior examination as part of its system of educational accountability. The examination assesses student proficiency in core student learning outcomes upon the completion of the University College Core Curriculum. All students who enter the university with fewer than 60 credit hours are required to complete the rising junior examination before being unconditionally admitted to the upper division.

PRAXIS I fulfills the rising junior examination requirement for students majoring in teacher education programs (contact the School of Education for additional information). The rising junior examination is administered each year. Currently, there is no fee to take the exam. Eligible students will receive notification of the requirement to take the examination at the completion of a minimum of 42 semester hours of course work.

Graduating Senior Assessment

The Graduating Senior Assessment (GSA) assesses critical thinking, analytical reasoning, writing and decision-making. All graduating seniors are required to complete the GSA after completing 90 or more semester hours (including credit by examination), but not later than the graduation semester. While FSU will notify seniors about dates, times, and locations of administration of the GSA through email, campus wide news, and notifications from instructors and advisors, students are responsible for making sure they complete the GSA. Eligible students who have not been notified of the assessment should contact the Office of University Testing Services.

Mid-term and Final Examinations

At the mid-term and at the close of each semester, course examinations are administered. Since a measure of students’ progress in a course is indicated by their performance on these examinations, they are required of all students except the following: (1) Students who are auditing courses or (2) Students who have maintained a 4.0 average in a course and, at the discretion of the instructor, are excused from the final examination provided that they have been evaluated substantially during the semester.

Since final examination periods are considered part of the instructional time for each class, final examinations are required in all classes. Students not present at an officially-scheduled final examination must contact the instructor of the course before the end of the final exam week to request a deferred final examination. Students who need to defer an examination must furnish valid support for the request. If the deferred examination is granted, a grade of “I” will be assigned. If the instructor is unavailable, the student should seek assistance from the instructor’s department chair or dean in contacting the faculty member before the end of the final exam week.

Other Institutional Assessments

As part of Fayetteville State University’s comprehensive efforts to assess its programs and services, students may be required to complete other examinations and/or surveys. The purpose of these surveys is to guide improvement of the university. Results of examinations and survey responses are confidential.

Credit by Examination

Fayetteville State University recognizes four types of examination programs for which students may receive credit toward baccalaureate degree requirements, provided that all departmental major or minor requirements have been satisfied. These examination programs include the awarding of credit for successfully passing approved examinations, subject to the following conditions:

1. Credit will not be awarded when equivalent degree credit has been granted for regular course work.
2. Credit will not be awarded for any course in which a student has previously earned a failing grade.
3. Duplicate credit will not be awarded for overlapping tests, i.e., CLEP and AP.
4. The total number of credits by examinations that a student may earn, whether the exams are internally or externally developed, is thirty (30).
5. Students may not attempt credit by examinations after earning (90) semester hours of study at the university.
6. Credit by examination may not be attempted if the student has acceptable college credit for more advanced courses, or for courses whose content includes material similar to a course for which college credit has already been received.

Advanced Placement Program (AP)

Many high schools offer advanced classes to superior students in conjunction with the Advanced Placement Program of the College Entrance Examination Board. The university awards college credits in most areas for scores of 3 (good), 4 (high honors), or 5 (high honors). To be eligible for credit, students must request the College Board to send an official score report to the Office of Admissions for review.

College Level Exam Program (CLEP)

The following College Level Exam Program tests may be substituted for college credit, subject to the achievement of specified scores and the fulfillment of conditions stated in the policy on credit by examination outlined above and in the policy brochure available in University Testing Services. Students may not apply for College Level Exam credits for courses they have audited. 

CLEP General Exams are offered in the following areas: English Composition, Humanities, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and History.

CLEP Subject Exams are offered in the following areas: Composition and Literature, Foreign Languages, History and Social Sciences, Business, Mathematics and Science.

DANTES Subject Standardized Tests

Fayetteville State University participates in the DANTES (Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support) program. DANTES tests, similar to CLEP tests, offer students opportunities to earn degree credits for work and life experiences. This examination program provides opportunities for students to gain college admission, earn academic credit, and obtain professional certification, as well as to identify their interests and aptitudes for purposes of educational counseling. DANTES tests are administered through the University Testing Services by appointment only.

Challenge Examinations

The university recognizes that exceptional students, by means of special studies or experiences, may already have achieved the objectives of certain courses in the core curriculum; therefore, students may petition to receive credit in selected courses by special departmentally approved examinations referred to as challenge examinations. Credit and a grade of “P” (pass) will be awarded to those who pass the challenge examination. Students may attempt a challenge examination only once per course. Students may not apply for challenge examination credits for courses they have audited, or for lower level courses when credit is received for higher numbered or subsequent courses in the same field or for lower level courses in the same field when the student is currently enrolled in higher number courses. Permission for challenge examination will be given only when there is evidence the student has gained a fundamental knowledge of the subject through prior preparation or experience. Candidates for the baccalaureate degree may earn no more than nine credit hours by challenge examinations. A passed challenge exam will be recorded as earned institutional credit with a grade of “P” (pass) on the student’s transcript. A $30.00 fee is required per challenge exam.

Procedures for Requesting Credit by Examination

Students interested in pursuing credit by examination should complete the Request for Credit by Exam form and obtain approval from their respective advisor, department chair or the Dean of University College (for students without a declared major), and the Registrar. After receiving all approvals, the student’s request will be forwarded to University Testing Services, which will administer the exam. For the Challenge Exams, the department chair is responsible for ensuring the exam results are forwarded to the Office of the Registrar using the Grade Submission Form and providing a copy of the exam.

For detailed information about these programs, call or visit University Testing Services, 134 Collins Administration Building, Fayetteville, NC 28301, (910) 672-1301.

Senior Enrollment for Graduate Level Courses

An undergraduate student will be permitted to enroll in 500-level classes if he/she meets the following stipulations:

1. has a senior classification;
2. has a G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher;
3. obtains approval from his/her advisor and department chair;
4. consults the instructor of the course(s) in which the student seeks to enroll to ensure its appropriateness; and
5. enrolls in a maximum of fifteen credits per semester (of which no more than six may be graduate credits) or a maximum of six hours in a summer session (of which no more than three may be graduate credits.)

Students are not permitted to pursue an undergraduate and graduate degree at the same time. Graduate credits earned by undergraduate students may subsequently be counted toward a graduate degree only if the credits were not used to fulfill undergraduate requirements.

Study at Another Institution

Students in residence at the university who wish to earn credits at another institution must obtain pre-approval for the courses to be completed. In the absence of such pre-approval, credits earned at other institutions may not be used to fulfill FSU degree requirements. To obtain approval for study at another institution, students must consult their department chair to ensure the course will transfer. Once the course is completed, the student must submit the official transcript to the Office of the Registrar.

Credit will be awarded only for courses in which students earn a grade of C (2.0) or higher. Since grades earned at other institutions do not affect the FSU GPA, students seeking to improve their GPAs should not pursue study at other institutions.

Academic Honors

The university recognizes student academic excellence through the Chancellor’s List, the Deans’ List, and invitation to membership in a number of honor societies. The annual Honors and Awards Day Ceremony highlights excellent academic achievements by students.

Chancellor’s List

Students who successfully complete at least twelve (12) semester hours during one semester (or two consecutive terms for Fort Bragg students), earn a GPA of 3.75 or higher, and have no incomplete grades are placed on the Chancellor’s List.

Deans’ List

Students who successfully complete at least twelve (12) semester hours during one semester (or two consecutive terms for Fort Bragg students), earn a GPA of 3.2 to 3.74, and have no incomplete grades are placed on the Deans’ List.

Honors and Awards Day

Students eligible for recognition at the Honors and Awards Day ceremony must be degree seeking undergraduate students. The criteria for recognition during the Honors and Awards Day ceremony are as follows:

1. The student must be full-time for both the fall and spring semesters.
2. The student must have a GPA of 3.2 or better.
3. The student must have earned the following hours at Fayetteville State University:
   1. Freshman -12 or more
   2. Sophomore - 20 or more
   3. Junior - 40 or more
   4. Senior - 60 or more

Honor Societies - General

Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society

A chapter of Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society was established at Fayetteville State University in 1940 to promote scholastic excellence among the students of the institution. To qualify for election to membership in Alpha Kappa Mu students must:

1. be classified as juniors or seniors.
2. have earned a minimum of sixty (60) semester credits.
3. maintain a GPA of 3.3 or higher.
4. graduate with fifteen (15) or more credit hours earned at FSU with a GPA of 3.7 or higher.

Transfer students are not eligible for membership in the organization until they have been in residence at the university for two semesters.

Phi Eta Sigma

Phi Eta Sigma is a national honor society for college freshmen. Its goal is to encourage and reward academic excellence among freshmen in institutions of higher learning. The oldest and largest freshman honor society, Phi Eta Sigma was founded at the University of Illinois in 1923. The chapter at Fayetteville State University was established in 1992. To be eligible for membership in Phi Eta Sigma students must:

1. verify eligibility in the freshman year of study.
2. have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 at the close of the semester in which membership is sought.
3. apply for membership.

Tau Sigma

Tau Sigma is an academic honor society designed specifically to recognize and promote the academic excellence and involvement of transfer students. Tau Sigma was incorporated as a non-profit in 1999 with Auburn University being the home of the first chapter. The chapter at Fayetteville State University was established in 2008. To be eligible for membership in Tau Sigma students must:

1. transfer to a four year institution of higher learning from another academic institution with at least one full years’ academic credits satisfied at the prior institution(s).
2. be registered in a course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree for an amount of work equal to an average full load (at least 12 hours).
3. attain superior academic achievement during their first term in the institution to which they transfer (only credit hours that count toward a bachelor’s degree can be used to determine Tau Sigma eligibility). The minimum academic average required for membership is a 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.
4. apply for membership.

Honor Societies - Discipline Specific

Commencement and Degree Conferral

Official degree conferral and commencement are two distinct events.

Degrees are officially conferred only after the Registrar verifies that a student has completed all degree requirements and designates a degree conferral date on the student’s official transcript. Degrees are officially conferred four times a year, in May, June, August, and December. Diplomas bearing the official degree conferral date are mailed to graduates four to six weeks after the Registrar verifies completion of all requirements. Diplomas and transcripts will be withheld from any graduate with unpaid university bills.

Commencement is a traditional academic ceremony that celebrates students who have attained the important milestone of degree completion. The conferral of degrees by the Chancellor at commencement is for ceremonial purposes and does not guarantee official degree conferral.

Commencement is conducted once a year, at the end of the spring semester.

Graduates with degrees conferred in December are eligible to participate in the spring commencement immediately following degree completion. Prospective graduates with degree conferral scheduled for May, June, or August will be permitted to participate in commencement of the same year as scheduled degree conferral if they are enrolled in all outstanding courses required for degree completion, which may include one or more summer terms.

All students must apply for graduation and pay the graduation fee regardless of whether they participate in commencement or not.

Graduation with Distinction

Graduation distinctions are awarded based on final cumulative statistics. To be eligible to graduate with honors, baccalaureate students must have completed a minimum of sixty (60) earned hours at Fayetteville State University. 

Baccalaureate graduates may be awarded with the following honors:

Summa Cum Laude: to those having a scholastic average of 3.800 - 4.000
Magna Cum Laude: to those having a scholastic average of 3.500 - 3.799
Cum Laude: to those having a scholastic average of 3.200 - 3.499

Students will be recognized for graduation with distinction at commencement exercises based on their grade point average when they are cleared for participating in commencement exercises. Graduation with distinction will be recognized on the final transcript and diploma on the basis of the complete academic record.

Application for Graduation

Students are eligible to apply for graduation once they have earned 90 or more credit hours. All students who expect to graduate must submit the online graduation application and pay the non-refundable graduation fee, through their online Banner account. Before doing so, the student should review and discuss their online degree evaluation with their advisor to determine if they are on track to meet degree requirements.

Students must apply for graduation in order to participate in commencement exercises. Prospective graduates for Spring Commencement must apply for graduation by March 30 of the same year. Prospective graduates for Winter Commencement must apply for graduation by October 30 of the same year. The university assumes no responsibility for making special adjustments for students who file late applications for graduation. The university cannot guarantee that names of students who file late applications will appear in the Commencement booklet or the Honors supplement.

Students who fail to meet graduation requirements automatically void their candidacy for that particular graduation term. If the student does not complete the necessary degree requirements within two semesters of his/her expected term of graduation, then the student must re-apply and pay an additional application fee.

Requirements for Graduation

To be eligible for graduation, a student must:

1. Be admitted as a degree-seeking student. Special Visiting students are not eligible to earn a degree.
2. Complete the online Declaration of Major form. Pre-major students and students who have not declared a major cannot earn a degree.
3. Complete all requirements of the major degree program, to include the University Core, the minimum number of earned credit hours, and the minimum cumulative GPA required for the degree program. No student will be awarded a degree without having earned at least 120 hours and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. Some programs require a higher GPA and additional hours. See degree program information for specific requirements.
4. Complete a minimum of 25% of the total earned credit hours required for the degree program curriculum in residence at Fayetteville State University. Depending on the degree program, the minimum requirement will range from 30 to 33 hours.
5. Earn the minimum required Grade Point Average for courses in the major. Some programs require a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the major, while others require a minimum grade of “C” in all major courses. See degree program for specific requirements.
6. Complete the Graduating Senior Assessment (see Examinations and Assessments)

Students must check their official FSU student email account on a regular basis for updates on their graduation status. Students must maintain contact with their academic department and/or advisor to ensure that all necessary documents are completed and all graduation requirements are met. Requirements are considered complete only when appropriate documentation is received by the Office of the Registrar.

Students are subject to the institutional regulations in effect when they apply for graduation. Changes in institutional regulations may change the graduation requirements specified above. Hence, students are encouraged to know the institutional regulations in effect at the time of their anticipated graduation. Once a degree is conferred, the academic record is closed and therefore no changes may be made relevant to that particular program.

Diploma Distribution

Students can begin to request official transcripts through their online Banner account four weeks after the commencement ceremony. Diplomas will be mailed to students four to six weeks after the commencement ceremony. Students must satisfy all financial obligations to the university and complete the financial aid exit interview, if applicable, to receive a diploma and/or transcript.

Diplomas and transcripts for students who complete requirements in the summer will indicate the date at end of the summer term the student completes requirements.

Certificate Students

Students who only want to complete an undergraduate certificate must:

1. Be admitted into an undergraduate certificate program per Admission guidelines.
2. Complete all requirements of the certificate program.
3. Earn the minimum required Grade Point Average for courses in the certificate.

Upon completion of certificate requirements, students must pay a $35.00 certificate printing fee.

Certificate Completion Dates

To ensure consistency in certificate completion dates and to better monitor when students complete the certificate, the certificate completion dates will be aligned with the published end of term graduation dates. That is, the certificate completion date will be at the end of the term of enrollment, regardless of when a student completes his/her required courses.

Students must check their official FSU student email account on a regular basis for updates on their certificate completion status. Students must maintain contact with their academic department and/or advisor to ensure that all necessary documents are completed and all certificate requirements are met. Requirements are considered complete only when appropriate documentation is received by the Office of the Registrar.

Certificates and transcripts for students who complete requirements in the summer will indicate the date at end of the summer term the student completes requirements.

Certificate Distribution

Students can begin to request official transcripts through their online Banner account four weeks after the commencement ceremony. Certificates will be mailed to students four to six weeks after the commencement ceremony. Students must satisfy all financial obligations to the university to receive a certificate and/or transcript.

An Individual Course that Fulfills Dual Requirements

In some instances, an individual course may fulfill requirements of both the core curriculum and the major requirements, and, in cases of students pursuing a double major or a second baccalaureate degree, two different programs. Credit hours, however, are awarded only once per course. Hence, when a student uses a single course to fulfill dual requirements, he or she will usually need to complete additional electives to ensure completion of the minimum credit hours required by the degree program.

Requirements for a Double Major and/or Dual Degree

A student may earn a degree in two different academic disciplines with the permission of the department chairs of both areas and if all requirements of both majors are fulfilled. Students are not permitted to combine the requirements of two or more catalogs. However, double or dual majors can use separate catalogs to meet degree requirements if the second declared major was not in existence at the time of the initial declared major. A diploma will be issued for each major. Pursuit of a second major does not exempt the student from the tuition surcharge. Students are not permitted to pursue an undergraduate and graduate degree at the same time.

Requirements for Dual/ Multiple Concentrations

A student may earn dual or multiple concentrations within the same major, where applicable, with the permission of the department chair and if all requirements of all concentrations are fulfilled. Students are not permitted to combine the requirements of two or more catalogs. Classes may count toward requirements in more than one concentration, but will be counted only once for GPA purposes. Only one diploma will be issued for the said major. The academic transcript will indicate all concentrations. Pursuit of additional concentrations does not exempt the student from the tuition surcharge. Students are not permitted to pursue undergraduate and graduate concentrations at the same time.

Requirements for a Second Baccalaureate Degree

A student who has already earned a baccalaureate degree from Fayetteville State University may earn a second baccalaureate degree by fulfilling all the requirements of the second degree, including the current core curriculum requirements, and completing a minimum of thirty (30) credits beyond the requirements of the first degree. The tuition surcharge will apply for all hours attempted beyond 110% of the minimum additional credit hours needed to earn the additional degree.

Enrollment Verification Policy

Students may request enrollment verifications through the National Student Clearinghouse for current or previous enrollments. For more details, visit the Office of the Registrar website at http://www.uncfsu.edu/registrar/verification.

Transcript Request Policy

Students may request transcripts through the National Student Clearinghouse for the required processing fee. For more details, visit the Office of the Registrar’s website at http://www.uncfsu.edu/registrar/transcrp.htm. Students who request transcripts using the mail-in or walk-in method will be charged $10.00 per transcript. Faxed requests are not accepted. Transcripts are released only when the student’s account is paid in full and loan payments are current. Requests for transcripts can be mailed to:

Office of the Registrar
Lilly Building, 3rd Floor
Fayetteville State University
1200 Murchison Road
Fayetteville, NC 28301-4298
Phone: 910-672-1185

Students who request to pick up a transcript will be assessed $10.00 per transcript. The transcript will be addressed to the student and the envelope labeled “Released to Student.” Transcripts are not available on demand.

Indebtedness to the University

All indebtedness to the university must be satisfactorily settled before a transcript of record will be issued.

Change of Name and Address

Students should notify the Office of the Registrar of any change in name or mailing address. Legal documentation is required for name changes.

A student’s official name as recorded in university records during the period of attendance will appear on the diploma.

Dishonesty in Academic Affairs

Acts of dishonesty in any work constitute academic misconduct. Such acts include cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation, fabrication of information, and abetting any of the above. Plagiarism in particular presents pitfalls to be avoided: failure to document any words, ideas, or other contributions that do not originate with the author constitutes plagiarism. Widespread use of the World Wide Web (Internet) requires particular attention to proper documentation practices. Individual course syllabi offer additional clarification about requirements for proper documentation. Actions outlined in the Fayetteville State University Student Handbook under Disciplinary System and Procedures will be followed for incidents of academic misconduct. The handbook may be obtained from the Office of Student Affairs located in the Collins Administration Building. Non-disclosure or misrepresentation on applications and other university records will make students liable for disciplinary action, including possible expulsion from the university.

Eight-Week Terms

Information and Guidelines

To facilitate the diverse scheduling needs of its students, Fayetteville State University offers classes in the evenings and on Saturdays during five eight-week terms per academic year. Terms I and II coincide with the fall semester; Terms III and IV coincide with the spring semester; and Term V coincides with summer session (see “Academic Calendars” for specific eight-week term dates).

Requirements that apply exclusively to eight-week classes are delineated below. Classes taught in eight-week terms are the same in content, quality, and requirements as classes taught in the regular sixteen-week semester. During the fall and spring semesters, students may enroll in eight-week term classes only, or simultaneously in eight-week and regular semester courses.

Registration Schedule

Tuition and Fees

Requirements for payment of tuition and fees of students enrolled in the regular semester apply to students enrolled in Terms I and II or Terms III and IV, and students enrolled simultaneously in regular semester courses and eight-week term classes. For such students, tuition and fees will be assessed at the beginning of the semester and based on the student’s total course load for the semester. If eligible, the student will be awarded financial aid based on his or her total hours for the semester. Students in this category will also have the opportunity to utilize the monthly payment plan.

Students enrolled in a single eight-week term must make full payment by the last day of late registration. All payments must be made to Student Accounts, located on the second floor of the Lilly Building.

Course Load

The maximum number of hours in which a student may enroll in a single eight-week term is nine. For students enrolled simultaneously in eight-week and regular semester courses, the total hours may not exceed the number permitted for the entire semester (see “Course Load” above).

Course Withdrawals

The deadline for withdrawing from individual classes in a single eight-week term is the end of the fifth week of classes (see “Academic Calendars” for specific Eight-Week Term dates). Refunds are not given for withdrawals from individual classes. If a student, using the online course withdrawal process, withdraws from all courses for which the student is enrolled, the student is considered to have officially withdrawn from the university. The official university withdrawal date will be the date the student withdrew from the last class.

University Withdrawals

To withdraw from the university, the student must withdraw from all the courses in which he or she is enrolled, according to the official procedure for withdrawing from the university as outlined in the catalog (see “Official University Withdrawal Process ”). Students who withdraw from the university may or may not be eligible for a full or partial refund of tuition and fees depending on the date of withdrawal (see “Refunds of Tuition and Fees”).

The deadline for withdrawing from the university is two weeks prior to the last day of classes for that term.

Note: Students may not withdraw from the university in Term II or Term IV after receiving final grades in any class in Terms I and III, respectively.

Refunds of Tuition and Fees

To be eligible for a refund of tuition and fees, a student must withdraw from all of the classes in which he or she is enrolled. Students who withdraw from the university may be eligible for a partial refund of tuition and fees, depending on the date of the completion of the official withdrawal process.