Academic Policies
Commitment to Ethics and Integrity

Since its founding, the Brennan School of Business has insured that all its academic programs provide students with an understanding of the concepts and theories of ethical decision making as well as numerous opportunities to practice and apply those concepts during their study. This is done through a variety of curricular and co-curricular programs, ranging from case study analyses and service learning courses to student-sponsored lectures and off campus volunteer programs. The first endowed chair in the Brennan School of Business was designated by its donors to be the Christopher Chair in Business Ethics. This chair has enabled the business program to place an ever increasing focus on ethical business practices through annual lectures, workshops and other faculty and student initiatives which ensure that ethics are taught and practiced in every part of the curriculum.
Realizing that students who matriculate in the Brennan School of Business must conduct themselves in accordance with the highest standards of academic honesty and integrity during their course of study, the following academic integrity policy has been developed to guide their actions.

Academic Integrity

Whatever the assignment, students are encouraged to engage in critical thinking and to use quoted or paraphrased material in ways that appropriately support their own ideas. In written or oral work, a student may make fair use of quotations, ideas, images, etc., that appear in others’ work only if the student gives appropriate credit to the original authors, thinkers, owners or creators of that work. This includes material found on the Internet and in electronic databases. Student plagiarism is the deliberate presentation of the writing or thinking of another as the student’s own. Failure to maintain academic integrity will not be tolerated.

The following examples of plagiarism are provided for understanding and clarity:

Inappropriate attribution of sources
• Use of quotation marks, but failure to provide a citation for the material.
• Providing a citation for material, but failure to use quotation marks for material that appears in others’ work. Quotation marks should be used when three or more consecutive words are taken directly from others’ work. Exceptions are made for commonly used phrases such as “triple bottom line” or “corporate social responsibility”.

Paraphrasing others’ work without providing a citation to that work
• Paraphrasing is presenting others’ ideas or thoughts but doing so entirely in one’s own words. Attribution must always be given in a citation at the end of the paragraph, even if the name of the author/s is included in the body of the text.

Direct plagiarism
• This entails using others’ material word-for-word and presenting it as one’s own work without any indication that the words are those of another.
• Simply changing one or two words or phrases does not materially change the character of this form of plagiarism, which is the most serious.

Whatever the assignment, it must be clear that the student is using the quoted or paraphrased material in support of his or her own ideas and not taking credit for the quoted/paraphrased material.

Cheating entails the use of unauthorized or prohibited aids in accomplishing assigned academic tasks. Obtaining unauthorized help on examinations, using prohibited notes on closed-note examinations, and depending on others for the writing of essays or the creation of other assigned work are all forms of cheating. A student who assists another in cheating will be held to the same standard.

Academic dishonesty may also include other acts intended to misrepresent the authorship of academic work or to undermine the integrity of the classroom or of grades assigned for academic work. Deliberate acts threatening the integrity of library materials or the smooth operation of laboratories are among possible acts of academic dishonesty.

Sanctions for Violation of Academic Integrity

If an instructor determines that a student has violated the academic integrity policy, the instructor may choose to impose a sanction, ranging from refusal to accept a work product, to a grade of “F” for the assignment, to a grade of “F” for the course. When a sanction has been imposed, the instructor will inform the student in writing. The instructor must also inform the student that she/he has the right to appeal this sanction, and refer the student to the academic appeals process described below.

Whenever a sanction is imposed, regardless of its severity, the instructor will send written notification to the dean of the Brennan School of Business. The dean will note whether a student has committed multiple violations of the academic integrity policy over time, and in such cases the dean may impose further sanctions, including suspension or expulsion from the university.

Academic Appeals Process

Any disagreement with regard to academic procedures, including cases of alleged violation of academic integrity policies and final grades, should first be raised with the instructor. If this does not settle the matter satisfactorily, it should be taken up with the dean of the Brennan School of Business. If the issue is not resolved, the student has the right to present the issue in writing to the Curriculum Committee of the Brennan School of Business, which is composed of all full-time faculty members. To do this, the student must provide a written statement of the issue to the dean, who will then place it on the agenda for the Curriculum Committee to review. The faculty member involved in the appeal may also choose to present a written statement. The decision of the Curriculum Committee will be provided in writing to the student. All appeals must be made before the last day of the semester following the term in which the disputed issue arose.

Grading System

The following grades and their grade-point equivalents are recorded in the graduate programs:
 
A = 4.00     
A- = 3.67   
B+ = 3.33    
B = 3.00      
B- = 2.67
C+ = 2.33
C = 2.00
C- = 1.67
F = 0.00
 
If a student repeats a course, the lower grade will not be counted in the calculation of the student’s cumulative grade-point average. Both grades, however, will be reflected on the student’s transcript.
The grade of Incomplete (I) may be given at the discretion of the instructor for work of acceptable quality that is unfinished at the close of the term due to serious illness or other extraordinary unforeseen circumstances. A student must request this grade from the instructor. In consultation, the student and instructor will set up a plan of completion that will allow the student to resolve the Incomplete by the end of the following term. At that time, the instructor will report a grade within the ordinary range of scholarship, a grade of “F” or a grade of “No Credit.” No more than six hours of Incomplete grades may be accumulated at one time. Students with six hours of Incomplete grades will be restricted from further registration until incomplete course work is resolved.
 
Degree Requirements

Students are subject to the degree requirements in effect when they matriculate, which is the first semester they attend classes. Students may elect to be subject to any subsequent changes in requirements. A degree may be conferred upon a candidate who has met the following requirements:

• Satisfactory completion of all required hours of credit, taking into consideration course waivers allowed and transfer credits accepted;
•Attainment of a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0;
• Submission of an application for graduation to the Office of the Registrar; and
• Payment of all fees, including the graduation fee.

Academic Progress

Students are expected to complete their graduate degree within a six-year time frame and they are encouraged to meet with their academic advisor for assistance in developing a degree completion plan. Those requiring an extended period of study must meet with the dean to structure a schedule of completion for their degree. Students who wish to return after an absence of more than five years without reapplying as a new student must obtain approval from the dean. Those permitted to return will be subject to the program curriculum in effect at the time of their return.

Probation and Dismissal

A student is placed on probation if his or her cumulative grade point average (GPA) falls below 3.0 after at least three courses. A student on probation will be restricted to one course per semester until the cumulative GPA reaches a 3.0. If a cumulative GPA of 3.0 has not been reached after the completion of two additional courses, the student will be subject to dismissal. A student who has been dismissed must wait at least one semester before reapplying for admission. Dominican University reserves the right to deny registration to any student who, in the opinion of the administration, is not progressing satisfactorily toward a degree or who, for other reasons, is deemed unsuitable for the program. For purposes of this policy on probation and dismissal, only graduate business courses completed at Dominican University will be considered in the calculation of the cumulative GPA.