ACADEMIC INFORMATION

Chapter 4

Academic Info

ACADEMIC INFORMATION

NOTEBOOK COMPUTERS AT Clayton State University

ACADEMIC ADVISING AND CHOOSING A MAJOR

REGISTERING FOR COURSES

ONLINE INSTRUCTION

WITHDRAWAL FROM COURSES

GRADING SYSTEM

LEARNING SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS

ACADEMIC STANDING

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

STUDY ABROAD AND INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

ACADEMIC HONORS

OTHER ACADEMIC POLICIES

R.O.T.C.

Notebook Computers at Clayton State University

In January 1998, through the Information Technology Project (ITP), Clayton State University became one of the first public universities in the nation to require all of its students to have and use notebook computers. This innovative and exciting approach to learning has been dubbed “ubiquitous mobile computing.” Electronic communication between faculty and students and among students has become the normal way of doing business at Clayton State University. Over the past three years, ITP has developed into an unqualified success in its most important measure–the improvement of the learning and teaching process. Indeed, a recent survey of students and faculty found that more than three-quarters of them believed that ITP had enhanced learning at Clayton State. Clayton State is proud that ITP has won wide recognition, including a “Pioneer Award” from the national Conference on Ubiquitous Computing.

In the initial years of ITP, the University charged students a $300 per semester technology fee and then issued University-owned computers to students along with a standard software load and Internet service provider (ISP). While that approach was appropriate for a pilot program nearly four years ago, circumstances have changed. Since 1998 prices on computers and ISP services have fallen considerably, and the typical incoming student has become more computer savvy. In response to these changes, the University has modified its approach to insuring ubiquitous computing. The new program is called ITP Choice. Under ITP Choice the technology fee has been reduced to $38 per semester to cover basic infrastructure and services, and the student is personally responsible for insuring that he or she has ready access to an appropriate notebook computer. The details of the policy follow:

Notebook Computer Policy

The basic Clayton State University notebook computer policy is listed here. For hardware and software specifications and additional details, go to the University's ITP Choice website (www.clayton.edu and click ITP-Choice).

1. Computer Access. Each Clayton State University student is required to have ready access throughout the semester to a notebook computer that meets faculty-approved hardware and software requirements for the student's academic program. Students will sign a statement attesting to such access.

· A student has a variety of options for “access.” Student ownership of an appropriate computer will be the most common approach, but students may also lease, rent, or share a notebook computer that meets minimum requirements as long as the student has regular, unrestricted access to the machine.

· For students who choose ownership, a list of vendors of notebook computers is provided to all students on the University's ITP Choice website. Note the "Preferred" vendor status next to some of the vendors' names. Vendors are given preferred status only after training and authorizing the Clayton State University help desk (the HUB) to perform in-warranty repairs on notebook computers purchased by Clayton State University students. Use of a Clayton State University preferred vendor is not required.

2. Standard Software. The notebook computer that the student has ready access to must include the Clayton State University standard software load (MS Office 2000 Professional) plus additional software needed for the student’s major program.

· Clayton State University will make the standard software load available to currently enrolled students as part of the $38.00 technology fee. It will be the student’s responsibility to bring the notebook computer to the help desk (the HUB) to obtain the software.

· Additional software necessary for specific courses and/or programs will be available for purchase from the Clayton State University Campus Store and/or other vendors.

3. Internet Access. Each Clayton State University student is required to have ready access to the Internet (World Wide Web) and to use a Clayton State University e-mail address.

· Each student will be responsible for making his or her own arrangement with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) such as AOL, Juno, Bell South, or Yahoo. No specific ISP is considered preferred by Clayton State University although students are cautioned to pay careful attention to the ISP’s reputation for reliability and customer service.

· Clayton State University will provide each student with an e-mail address through the Clayton State University electronic post office. The student will be responsible for monitoring this address on a regular basis for official communications from Clayton State University faculty and administrators.

4. Computer Skills. Students will be responsible for having or obtaining basic computer skills including e-mail, Web surfing, and word processing. Higher level skills will be expected for many courses.

· Clayton State University will make training opportunities in basic computer skills available to students for no additional cost.

· Through a variety of means including free workshops, fee-based workshops, for-credit computer courses, and modules in courses. Clayton State University will make training opportunities available in the computer skills necessary for the student’s chosen program.

· Clayton State University will provide a computer help desk (the HUB). The HUB will assist students with software problems. The HUB will assist with hardware problems only if the machines are under warranty and the HUB is certified by the vendor to service those machines.

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Academic advisors, usually faculty members in the program, are available for each of the programs of study offered by the University. Advisement is optional or required depending on major and/or stage of program. In addition, students who have not selected a program of study will be assisted in the Office of Counseling & Career Services. Faculty advisors maintain regular office hours during the academic term to encourage student conferences whenever questions arise or further information is needed. Students are strongly urged to see their advisors well in advance of registration for classes.

Although academic advisement is available at Clayton State University, each student is responsible for knowing and for fulfilling the curriculum requirements of a program of study and the graduation requirements of the University as explained in this catalog, in the semester Schedule of Classes, and in any supplements to this catalog.

Students should declare their major programs of study as soon as possible since the choice of major may affect recommended or required course choices in the Core Curriculum as well as in the major field itself. Major declarations must be filed with the Registrar by paper form or by online process. Majors are listed in the chapters for each school of the University.

A student must submit a Change of Major form (available online or in paper form) to the Office of the Registrar as soon as possible after deciding to make a change. Making the change quickly will help the student to be advised properly and will also prevent delays in the registration process.

Students who are undecided about their programs of study should follow the general guidelines for Areas A-E of the Core Curriculum until they have selected a program of study. Please note that choices in Areas A, B, and D and recommendations in Areas C and E may be influenced by choice of major. Special assistance is available to undecided students in the Office of Counseling & Career Services. The office offers academic planning information, referrals to appropriate departments on campus, assistance with time management and study skills, and intervention strategies for students experiencing academic difficulty.

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A Schedule of Classes is published in paper form and on the University's website each semester (www.clayton.edu). Instructions on how to register are included in this schedule. Registration is accomplished online using the Clayton State University system known as the DUCK (Digital University Campus Kiosk).

Students are responsible for all information published in the Schedule of Classes. Policy and program changes that occur during the academic year are announced in the semester Schedule of Classes.

The University also publishes tentative advance schedules to assist students in their planning for future terms. Every effort is made to implement the current and future schedules as published, but circumstances such as staffing, funding, enrollment, and program changes may result in some changes.

Many courses are listed as having prerequisites, corequisites, or absolute corequisites. See the Course Descriptions chapter of this catalog for definitions and specific listings. In exceptional circumstances, a dean or associate dean may grant a waiver of a prerequisite or corequisite. Faculty members are not permitted to waive prerequisites or corequisites on their own.

In most cases, the University's computer system (the DUCK) is programmed to block a student's registration for a course if he or she has not satisfied the prerequisite or corequisite requirements. However, this computer blocking is not perfect, and students are personally responsible for complying with the prerequisites or corequisites for a course even if they are not electronically blocked from registration. Students who register for courses for which they do not qualify are subject to removal from the course and are responsible for any problems that may result, including the loss of course credit and fees.

Each semester the Schedule of Classes specifies a date as the last day to register for classes or to change schedules through the drop/add process. After this date, the student’s class schedule becomes official and can be changed only by official withdrawal (see below). See the Financial Information chapter for refund policies.

Students may schedule up to 18 hours per semester (15 in the Summer) without special permission. A student who wishes to accelerate his or her study by taking more than 18 hours in a semester (or 15 in the Summer) must have a written overload request approved by the dean or associate dean of the school of the major. In general, a student must have been at Clayton State University for at least two semesters and have achieved an overall B average before an overload will be approved although the dean/associate dean may make exceptions in special circumstances. (Note: Audited courses count in load for purposes of this policy.)

Cross-Registration in the Atlanta Regional Consortium for Higher Education (ARCHE)

The Atlanta Regional Consortium for Higher Education (ARCHE) is a group of colleges and universities in metropolitan Atlanta. Clayton State students may take courses from member institutions on a cross‑registration basis. Cross‑registration courses are considered transfer credit. It is usually more advantageous to the student to take a course by cross-registration than by transient status because cross-registration fees are paid to Clayton State rather than to the institution offering the course. (The Integrative Studies program has special provisions for cross-registration; see the Arts & Sciences chapter of this catalog.) For more information and regulations about how to cross–register, contact the Registrar’s Office in the Student Center Building, 770-961-3504.

Students may choose to take courses on an audit basis. Courses that are audited are assigned a grade symbol of V, and no credit toward graduation is awarded. To audit courses, students indicate their intention at the time of registration. Requests to change to audit status will not be accepted after the drop/add period. All regular fees apply to audited courses.

Courses taken on an audit basis will not be used for certification for financial aid, Social Security, or Veterans’ Administration benefits.

Students may not receive credit for courses in which they were registered as auditors unless they repeat the course for credit.

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Many courses at Clayton State University are offered "online" as well as on campus. In online courses the majority of the instruction is delivered by online computer connection via the Internet. The Internet may be supplemented by television, video conferencing, or other distance learning methods. Use of this technology allows the University to offer learning experiences that are more convenient for many students.

Courses offered via online instruction are identified in the Schedule of Classes each semester. Additional fees will accompany online courses with video components.

Online courses are often attractive for students who cannot conveniently attend on-campus courses. Students can take all of their courses online for a given semester, or they can mix online and on-campus sections. It is important to keep in mind, however, that even though online courses offer schedule flexibility, the total time commitment and academic expectation for an online course is the same as it is for a traditional on-campus class.

Although routine classroom attendance is not required for online courses, some physical presence is required on campus for orientation, testing, and, in some cases, "hands-on" experiences (labs, clinicals, observations, etc.). In addition, some online courses may have additional, optional, or required on-campus sessions for discussion and/or review. For details, please consult the notes in the official Schedule of Classes each semester and the online syllabus for each course.

To take an online course, students must be admitted to the University and be eligible to register for credit courses, including having met all prerequisites and/or corequisites. Students may register for online courses through the University’s online registration process, which is called the DUCK. Details about registration are published each semester in printed and online versions (www.clayton.edu).