Unsatisfactory Academic Progress

A required course in which a grade of F is received must be repeated until a passing grade is achieved. If a grade of F is received in an elective course, the course may be repeated, or another elective course may be attempted. In either event, the cumulative grade point average of a student must be maintained at the level of at least 2.0 on a scale of 4.0 for the student to continue working toward graduation without restriction.

Academic Probation

Academic probation is a temporary status following a semester when a student has not met the minimum grade requirement of 2.0.

The associate dean will determine the number and scope of courses a student on academic probation for low GPA may take during the probationary period. Limitations may include:

• the maximum number of hours the student can take during a semester,
• the sequential priority for scheduling previous courses that must be retaken and new courses which may be allowed, and
• the nature and extent of any counseling or remedial action deemed necessary.

Advisors will monitor probationary students throughout the semester using monthly reports from professors on attendance and grades. If the student does not earn a 2.0 or above, and their cumulative GPA is not 2.0 or above at the end of the semester, the student will continue probation for another semester. When the student has earned a semester 2.0 or above with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above, they will be released from academic probation.

Academic Dismissal

The College reserves the right to dismiss students whose academic progress is unsatisfactory. Students on academic probation for two consecutive semesters without raising their cumulative grade point average to the minimum 2.0 on a scale of 4.0 are subject to academic dismissal and may be required to withdraw from the College for at least one semester.

Veteran students on academic probation for two consecutive semesters without raising their cumulative grade point average to the minimum 2.0 on a scale of 4.0 are subject to academic dismissal and will have the veteran education benefits terminated until a 2.0 grade point average on a scale of 4.0 is obtained.

Disciplinary Dismissal

The locus of authority in dealing with discipline problems is the faculty through the dean of men, the director of Student Life, the dean of women, and the Student Disciplinary Committee.

It is the desire of Mid-America to be responsive to the needs of the student in all areas of his or her life. Policies and procedures, therefore, in both academic and financial areas as well as personal, moral/ethical, and spiritual development have been established. These policies and procedures are intended to cover most circumstances that may arise; but it is recognized that on occasion there are situations that warrant special, individual consideration.

Suspension

A suspension may occur at the end of one probationary term for the following regular academic term(s) (the next fall or spring semester). Suspensions may be imposed on a student for the following situations:

• A student who fails to attain an appropriate standard of satisfactory progress or fails to comply with any condition and/or requirement imposed as part of the probation.
• A student who chronically withdraws from courses and does not make any academic progress may be suspended.
• An academically suspended student may be reviewed for readmission to The College at Mid-America after an absence of one semester.

Dismissal

A student may be dismissed from The College at Mid-America if he/she is granted readmittance after the suspension and fails to achieve a satisfactory cumulative grade-point average in the next term (semester).

Returning from Suspension

A student must write a letter of appeal to the Dean and apply for readmission after a suspension or dismissal period is completed. The student’s record is reviewed, and a decision is made regarding eligibility and conditions of return. Readmission to the College is not automatic and does not establish student eligibility for financial aid.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

All students who receive federal or state financial aid must be enrolled in a program leading to a degree. Students must meet federal and institutional standards for academic progress to establish and retain aid eligibility.

Academic progress for federal and state financial aid programs is based on three measures:

• Cumulative Grade Point Average.
• Pace of Progression based on credit hours completed compared to attempted.
• Maximum Timeframe for degree completion.

While the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy is a minimum requirement to maintain financial aid eligibility, students are encouraged to work closely with academic advisors and college personnel to achieve their educational goals. Good financial planning includes selecting meaningful coursework, completing all registered classes with satisfactory grades, and seeking a degree in a timely manner.

The following describes the College’s standards for each of these three measures, and how these standards are reviewed:

Cumulative Grade-Point Average

The following standards apply to the transfer/college cumulative GPA as determined by our current transfer GPA policy. Students must meet the following minimums which are consistent with the College’s standard. Quality hours are those credits used to compute the grade-point average including grades of A, B, C, D, or F and transfer credits with a grade of incomplete. The first attempt of a course that is repeated is excluded from the quality hour computation.

Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA to receive federal and/or state student aid.

All students are required to complete a minimum of 67% of all credit hours attempted. Courses with a grade of "D" or better count as completed. Credit hours attempted include audits, incompletes, withdrawals, and repeated or failed classes.

Maximum Timeframe

The maximum timeframe for the completion of an undergraduate degree is limited by federal regulations to 150% of the published length of the degree program. Undergraduate programs at The College at Mid-America are 120 hours. The maximum number of hours during which a student is eligible to receive financial aid is 180. The 180 hours includes transfer hours and all attempted hours. A student fails the maximum timeframe standard when they reach the point that it is mathematically impossible for them to graduate before attempting 180 credit hours. Credit hours attempted include incompletes, withdrawals, and repeated or failed classes. Up to 30 hours of required remedial/developmental courses are excluded from the maximum timeframe.
 
GPA, Pace of Progression and Maximum Timeframe are assessed for transfer students based upon information available from the Admissions office at the time the student matriculates.

GPA, Pace of Progression and Maximum Timeframe are assessed for continuing students annually at the end of each spring semester.

Note: If a student is on financial aid probation after having an appeal approved, SAP measurements will be reviewed at the end of each semester.

Notification/Appeals

After the end of each spring semester, the academic records of all students who are receiving or applying for federal financial aid will be reviewed. Students whose financial aid eligibility is suspended because of failure to meet one or more of the standards of satisfactory academic progress will be notified by the College.

According to federal regulations, financial aid appeals can only be approved for one semester at a time. If the appeal is approved, the student will be asked to accept and follow an academic plan designed by the College. After the plan is accepted, the student will be placed on academic probation, and granted an approved academic progress standing for one semester. The academic plan is designed to help students maintain financial aid eligibility while they bring their grades and/or completion rate back up to good standing. The student's grades and completion rate will be reviewed at the end of each semester.

When students have returned to good standing, they will no longer be on financial aid probation. If they have not regained good standing, but have met their academic plan for the semester, financial aid probation will be extended for one more semester with no need for a new appeal. However, students who are also failing the maximum timeframe standard will also be required to meet the graduation date listed on their graduation plan or submit a new appeal explaining why they were unable to do so and include an updated graduation plan that has been approved by their academic advisor. Students who do not meet their academic plan, and do not return to good standing are no longer eligible to receive financial aid. Students are then responsible for paying their own fees and are not eligible for aid until the standards of satisfactory progress are met.

Students have the following options to maintain or restore financial aid eligibility:

• Improve academic performance enough to meet the standards,
• Successfully follow the academic plan as instructed and developed by the College, or
• Submit additional satisfactory academic progress appeals for different extenuating circumstances.

CAMA Standards of Conduct

In moral/ethical or spiritual development, the College recognizes the freedom of each student to develop under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. However, it must also be noted that students are preparing for positions as Christian leaders in the community. Thus, it is essential that they exemplify a God-controlled life both on and off the campus, conforming to the highest standards of conduct.

All members of Mid-America—trustees, faculty, administrative staff members, or students—assume the responsibility to conduct themselves in compliance with the objectives and standards of conduct established by the College. Misconduct that renders a member of the College liable for discipline, up to and including dismissal, falls into the following categories:

1. Dishonesty, including cheating, theft, plagiarism, forgery, or giving false information on official documents.
2. Obstruction or disruption of teaching, research administration, or Mid-America sponsored activities by force or violence or threat of violence.
3. Physical, verbal, written, or mental abuse or threat of abuse of another member of the College.
4. Theft or damage to Mid-America or community property or the personal property of a member of the Mid-America community, which includes taking materials from the library.
5. The use of tobacco, alcohol, or the abuse of controlled substances.
6. Solicitation to or participation in immoral relationships, including but not limited to sodomy, adultery, sex outside of marriage, or participation in same-sex relationships (“marriage”).
7. Any blurring of the boundary between maleness and femaleness, such as identifying oneself as a transvestite, transsexual, or transgendered, is contrary to biblical standards and is considered grounds for removal from the College.
8. Participation in or viewing of pornography.
9. Participation in spousal abuse, whether physical, verbal, mental, or psychological.
10. Unauthorized entry to or use of Mid-America facilities or equipment.
11. Failure to comply with directions of the president or other officers of Mid-America when acting in the performance of their duties.
12. Conduct which adversely affects the member’s suitability as a member of the Mid-America community or which interferes with the rights and privileges of another member of the Mid-America community.
13. The willful commission of any act which is a crime under the laws of the states of Tennessee that results in a criminal charge and conviction in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Academic work is evaluated on the assumption and the expectation that the work presented is the student’s own, unless designated otherwise. Anything less is unacceptable and is considered academically dishonest. Collaboration, plagiarism, and cheating—all defined below—are considered forms of academic dishonesty and students guilty of such are subject to disciplinary action.

1. Collaboration: Submission of a paper that is paraphrased from, or identical to, another student’s paper. A “paper” is defined as “any materials submitted by a student for credit in a course.”
2. Plagiarism: Submission of a paper in which substantial portions are paraphrased without documentation or are identical to published or unpublished material.
3. Cheating: The improper use of books, notes, another student’s test(s), or other aids during an examination. It is the responsibility of the student to get approval for the use of such aids prior to the time of the examination, and without such approval they will be considered improper. An “examination” is defined as “any testing situation in which the score will be used for credit in a course.”

Failure on a student’s part to live up to this standard becomes the concern of the director of Student Life, dean of women, and dean of men. (It is assumed, however, that any matter of concern in this area between members of the College community will first be dealt with according to the principles of Matthew 18:15–22.) All disciplinary matters are subject to review before the student disciplinary committee.

Due process in dealing with disciplinary problems is primarily for protecting the reputation of a student against false or unsupported accusations. The purpose of disciplinary action is always redemptive, with every effort made to help the student involved to gain insight into his or her own needs and motivations as a student.

A student disciplinary committee will handle all cases referred to it by the dean of women or dean of men and will be the appellate body for decisions made by the dean that are appealed by the student. The committee will handle any case involving the possible dismissal of a student, and dismissal may only take place by action of the faculty. The student will receive a written statement of charges against him or her. He or she may be accompanied by a personal representative, may bring witnesses on his or her own behalf, and may choose not to answer any of the questions placed on him or her when meeting with the disciplinary committee. If either the Student Disciplinary Committee or the student deems the advice of a lawyer necessary, such a person may give any advice he or she believes pertinent; but he or she may not enter the proceedings and/or deliberations of a student disciplinary committee.

Should the situation warrant it, the student may be given a warning, a disciplinary probation, a required leave of absence, or a dismissal. Appeal of any action of the student disciplinary committee may be made to the faculty in writing. Further appeal may be made after the faculty’s decision to the president of Mid-America. Such an appeal must be in writing, and a personal interview will be granted with the appeal.

The Student Disciplinary Committee

While not a standing committee, the Student Disciplinary Committee is appointed by the president to deal with disciplinary matters. The dean of women, dean of men, vice president of Student Life, director of Student Life, and the president of the Student Council Association serve on the committee. Other members are appointed as needed to deal with specific issues. This committee addresses specific student ethical or moral problems. After due and fair consideration, the student disciplinary committee, in consultation with the student involved, may recommend that disciplinary action be taken by the full faculty. The faculty has authority to impose loss of academic credit, probation, or dismissal, as appropriate to the seriousness of the situation. Information regarding student rights and due process is published in the Student Handbook.

Readmission after Academic and/or Disciplinary Dismissal

A student dismissed from the College for academic and/or disciplinary reasons must remain out of school for at least one semester or as otherwise stipulated in the notice of dismissal. If the student desires readmission after the conclusion of the stated period, he or she must follow the procedure set forth under the Readmission of Former Students section in this catalog, with the stipulation that the final approval of the terms of such readmission must be authorized by action of the faculty. Mid-America reserves the right to refuse readmission to any person who has been dismissed for academic and/or disciplinary reasons or to specify terms of readmission under conditional status.