GENERAL POLICIES
General Policies
Financial Policies
Financial Aid
Employee Assistance
Personal Funds
Refunds
Withdrawal Refund Percentages
Admission
Admission Requirements
Admission Process
Admission Status
Conditional Admission
Administration of Admission Policy
Withdrawal and Readmission
Withdrawal Policy
Readmission Procedure
Tuition for Readmission
Academic Policies
GPA
Attendance
Inclement Weather Policy
Commencement
Diploma Dates
Transcripts
Enrollment Verification
Degree Completion Requirements
Academic Honors
Turnitin
Academic Integrity
Library Use Policies
Journal Articles
Hartzler Library Books
Requests for Materials
Overdue Notice
Recall of Materials
Reference and Other Assistance
Information Resources
Student Support Services
Student Account Assistance
Counseling Services
Academic Support Services
Writing Tutor
Computer Resources
GENERAL POLICIES
The information in this Policy Handbook applies to the 2018-2019 academic year. The university reserves the right to change programs of study, academic requirements, the announced university calendar and other matters described herein without prior notice, in accordance with established procedures. This Policy Handbook is descriptive and is not to be construed as a legal contract.
Additional details regarding your experience as a student at EMU at Lancaster can be found in the EMU at Lancaster student handbook, in the catalog, or in the General Student Orientation Moodle course at the following links:
Student Handbook: https://emu.edu/lancaster/docs/lancaster-handbook.pdf
Catalog: http://www.emu.edu/catalog/
Orientation Moodle: https://moodle.emu.edu/course/view.php?id=14164
FINANCIAL POLICIES
links:
Student Handbook
Undergraduate Catalog
Orientation Moodle
FINANCIAL POLICIES
Each student must submit a completed Payment Plan Worksheet for approval by the Coordinator of Student Financial Services prior to matriculation. Any amount for semester one not covered by employer assistance, Direct Student Loan, grant, or other approved plan, is due on or before the first night of class. In order to begin the next semester, student accounts must be up-to-date according to their payment plan.
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Any account not paid in full will be assessed interest at the rate of 1.5 percent per month on the unpaid balance. A diploma and transcript will not be furnished to a student until the account is paid in full. Failure to meet financial obligations may result in the referral of the delinquent account to an outside agency for collection of the total amount due plus all applicable collection costs.
FINANCIAL AID
Most LOM and LOMV students are eligible for a Federal Direct Student Loan (FDSL), if the undergraduate FDSL aggregate maximum hasn’t been borrowed and student is not in default on prior federal student loan. Students may also be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant; eligibility determined by the Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To begin the application process for federal financial aid, two forms must be completed: 1) Free Application for FAFSA, and 2) Degree Completion Financial Aid Information Sheet (FAIS). All anticipated outside sources of aid must be included (ex: employer assistance.) Students should use the Financial Aid Checklist to ensure each step of the process is completed. Timely completion of federal aid forms/steps is important!
Information and forms to apply for the second academic year will be distributed prior to the end of the first academic year. Questions regarding financial aid can be answered by the EMU Financial Assistance Office at 540-432-4137 or emailing finaid@emu.edu.
EMPLOYER ASSISTANCE
To be eligible for employer assistance, students must complete the Employer Assistance Information form. This form is for any student whose employer will pay the university or the student. If the employer requires submission of a grade to pay for tuition, students are responsible for submitting grades to the employer within one week of receiving it. If the employer will make payments to the student rather than the university, the student should show this as employer assistance on the Payment Plan Worksheet and FAIS. Students must pay Eastern Mennonite University when they receive payment from their employers. A student who fails to apply their employer assistance payment to their EMU account as designated on the employer assistance information form will be required to make immediate payment in full or be administratively withdrawn from the program. Students are ultimately responsible for their own accounts. All exceptions must be cleared with Coordinator of Student Financial Services before the first class session.
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- EMU LOM/LOMV Monthly Payment Plan: Students may enroll in a semester-long payment plan through CashNet. Your monthly payment will be adjusted in accordance with your other funding sources. There is a $35 enrollment fee each semester.
- Semester Payment Plan: Students may pay for each semester at the beginning of each semester.
REFUNDS
- FEDERAL REGULATIONS
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- : Federal regulations require that refunds be proportional to the percentage of classes attended. EMU will calculate refunds to the student’s benefit.
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- A student will be charged again for any course that is retaken.
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- OFFICIAL WITHDRAWAL DATE
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- : The official withdrawal date is the day following the last class attended.
REFUND OF OVERPAYMENT ON OVER-PAYMENT ON STUDENT ACCOUNT
- If a student’s account is overpaid in any semester and a credit balance currently exists on the account, the student may keep those funds on his/her student account to be applied toward other expected expenses, or may request a refund of the credit balance.
- If the student’s account was partially or fully paid by a third party, i.e. employer assistance, the refund to the student will not exceed the amount that the student paid. Any credit balance over the amount that the student paid will be refunded to the third party.
- If students desire to have the credit balance refunded, they should make a request in writing to the business office.
WITHDRAWAL SCHEDULE
Information regarding withdrawal adjustment and refund percentages can be found in the Student Handbook.
ADMISSION
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ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
To be considered for admission to the Leadership and Organizational Management degree program, a student must satisfy the following requirements:
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Technical credits may be accepted in transfer from associate degree or diploma granting institutions accredited by accreditation agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. This includes regional accrediting agencies (e.g., Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, Middle States Commission on Higher Education) and national accrediting agencies (e.g., Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), Council of Occupational Education (COE)) when the technical credits for transfer have been earned as part of a conferred associate’s degree or diploma.
ADMISSION PROCESS
Submit the following items:
- Online application (no application fee)
- Official transcripts from all accredited technical schools, colleges or universities that you have attended
- Letter of recommendation
- Writing sample
- Admission interview for Aviation concentration applicants only
- Reservation deposit of $100.00
ADMISSION STATUS
After EMU receives the application form and assessment of credit earning, students will be given an evaluation of all educational transcripts submitted, an evaluation of the writing sample and an assessment of the credit earning possibilities represented by their list of professional and personal learning experience. When the admission requirements are satisfied, they will be reviewed by an Admissions Committee. Once approval by the Admissions Committee is attained, students will receive a letter of admission to the program. Admission status will be in one of the following categories: unconditional admission or conditional admission. Unconditional admission indicates that the student has met all of the admission requirements.
CONDITIONAL ADMISSION
The student granted conditional admission is one who has minimal entry deficiencies but has submitted an acceptable specific educational plan for removing those deficiencies by the end of semester one. The Admissions Committee will review the educational plan and judge it acceptable or not acceptable. The LOM Academic Advisor will monitor conditional students and change their conditional status to unconditional admission when the plan has been completed.
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ADMINISTERING THE ADMISSIONS POLICY
The LOM/LOMV Admissions Committee is responsible for administering the admission policies. Committee members are appointed annually by the provost and include representatives from the LOM department on the main campus and at the Lancaster location. When the application of a student is complete, the Enrollment Counselor presents the student profile and writing sample evaluation to the Admissions Committee via email. The Admission Committee reviews the profile and writing sample for each student within one week and gives one of the following response: approved, conditional (with specific conditions) or not approved (with reasons).
WITHDRAWAL AND READMISSION
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WITHDRAWAL POLICY
To withdraw enrollment from the program, the student sends an email to the program director confirming his/her decision to withdraw. Withdrawal from the program may jeopardize financial aid for the rest of the academic year because of federal and state government regulations. Students should consult with the financial assistance office about their particular situation before withdrawing from the program.
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The student is charged at the rate current at the point of readmission. In addition, the student will be charged for any course retaken for credit.
ACADEMIC POLICIES
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GRADE POINT AVERAGE
Students must enter the program with a 2.0 cumulative grade point average and maintain a cumulative grade point average of C (2.0).
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ACADEMIC PROBATION
Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA in the program. If a student earns a grade lower than C-, they must retake the class. If the student’s GPA drops below 2.0, or if after retaking a class their grade is still below C-, the student will be considered on academic probation.
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ACADEMIC REVIEW
The performance of students on academic probation will be reviewed by the director in consultation with faculty. The student may be denied continued enrollment or given conditional enrollment for the second semester.
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Students will be permitted to have up to three non-consecutive absences in the program regardless of the reason for these absences. There is no appeal process to have absences excused. Once a fourth absence occurs, the student may be administratively withdrawn from the program at the discretion of the LOM Program Director, in consultation with members of the faculty and the Lancaster Academic Advisor.
Recording AttendanceRECORDING ATTENDANCE
- Attendance is recorded each class session and reported to the director at the end of each course. Attendance records are essential to comply with the regulations established for recipients of federally insured student loans, government grants or VA benefits.
- On rare occasions, and for work-related reasons only, a student may be able to join the class using distance technology (such as Zoom), and be counted as present. In this case, the student MUST discuss this plan with the instructor in advance. The student is responsible for arranging a Zoom session with the instructor and the EMU at Lancaster User Services coordinator. If the technology or connection fails, the student will be counted as absent.
- The instructor may decide that the class activities for that session are not conducive for distance participation. In this case, the student will be counted as absent.
- Zoom accommodations will not be made for illness or vacation-related reasons, except in the case of a significant, long-term health-related recovery.
Making up AbsencesMAKING UP ABSENCES
Within any given year there may be a few unavoidable absences. These absences must be arranged with the course professor, preferably before class meets. If the absence is unavoidable, and the professor is informed, the following guidelines apply:
- The professor teaching the course shall determine the make-up activities designed to compensate for classroom absence.
- If two absences occur within one course, the student must physically make up work for at least one of the missed sessions. An I (incomplete) grade will be given until the make-up assignment is complete. If the two absences are not cleared up, an F grade must be given for that course.
- The instructor may require additional assignments regarding tardiness and early departures.
Absence for Three Absences During One CourseTHREE ABSENCES DURING ONE COURSE
Except in the case of a death in the family or significant illness, the student will be administratively withdrawn from the program.
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To assure the confidentiality of academic records, any request for a transcript must be made in writing and must come from the student. Requests should be addressed to the registrar’s office and students should allow one week for processing. There is a $5 processing fee for each transcript. All tuition and fees must be paid in full before a diploma or transcript may be released.
Additional information for requesting official transcripts can be found at: http:on the Registrar's web page. https://www.emu.edu/registrar/transcripts/
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- Cum Laude: 60 – 3.79
- Magna Cum Laude: 80 – 3.89
- Summa Cum Laude: 90 – 4.00
TURNITIN
Turnitin is an internet-based plagiarism-prevention service used by many schools and universities that allows students to submit submit papers to the Turnitin website and checks the documents for unoriginal content. There is NO grade associated with Turnitin
This website provides information regarding how to submit a paper for review as well as how to access and interpret feedback.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Eastern Mennonite University fosters a culture where faculty, staff, and students respect themselves and others. In this culture, faculty, staff, and students gain confidence in their desire and ability to discover their ideas, construct new knowledge, and think critically about their own ideas and the ideas of others. In doing so, EMU community members grow as competent thinkers and writers.
EMU faculty and staff care about the integrity of their own work and the work of their students. They create assignments that promote interpretative thinking and work intentionally with students during the learning process. Honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility are characteristics of a community that is active in loving mercy, doing justice, and walking humbly before God.
At EMU, academic integrity means
- honesty in producing one’s own work.
- use of documented course information and aids.
- submission of work that is one’s own.
- honesty in representation of research results, one’s credentials, and facts or opinions.
- honesty in use of technology, including cell phones and the Internet.
- honesty in acknowledging sources used in research and presented in papers and other assignments.
- honesty in establishing and maintaining the appropriate parameters of collaborative work.
Academic integrity includes
- documenting and citing work that was created for a previous assignment, whether for the current course or for another one.
- using accurate quotations. When used, quotations are exact, word-for-word as they appear in the original document. Every quotation, including a short phrase or a single word if it is unusual, includes the required citation and quotation marks.
- using appropriate documentation when using words from a class speaker, including the class instructor, in an assignment, i.e. cite professors’ lectures.
- using appropriate paraphrasing with documentation. Paraphrasing is more than rewording the original material. It must be nearly entirely in the writer’s own words, using new phrases and synonyms. The writer may repeat technical terms. Place quotation marks around any exact words that are retained. The sentence structure should not be the same as in the source. In the paraphrase, do not add interpretations, ideas, and assessment that are not in the original source.
- using common knowledge appropriately. Common knowledge is information that is easily observed, commonly reported facts (George Washington was the first president of the United States.), or proverbs. Common knowledge does not need to be cited, but be certain that these words are in the public domain. When in doubt, ask the professor.
EMU defines plagiarism as occurring when a person presents as one’s own someone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material without acknowledging its source (adapted from the Council of Writing Program Administrators, 2005, http://www.wpacouncil.org).
Academic integrity violation for students may be evidenced as a:
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Minimal Violation
A minimal violation of academic integrity codes includes doing the following without appropriate documentation:
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The graduate, seminary, and undergraduate units use this policy for processing academic integrity violations with the exception of student appeal. (See above.) This policy appears in yearly course catalogs; the Student Handbook; on graduate, seminary, and undergraduate websites; and at z://provost/forms.
LIBRARY USE POLICIES
JOURNAL ARTICLES
- Articles from print journals owned by EMU will be scanned and posted to the web. Students will receive an email which gives details on how to access these documents.
- Interlibrary Loan (ILL) photocopies will be posted to the web or sent via email for students or administration at the Lancaster location.
HARTZLER LIBRARY BOOKS
- Books are checked out from the Hartzler Library on the main campus and shipped via courier to the Lancaster location. When the student returns items to the Lancaster office, the return date should be marked on the yellow wrap. Materials may be sent back to Harrisonburg by courier or mail.
- Hartzler Library books taken to the Lancaster location by a professor as a resource for a class are charged to the professor’s account and the professor is responsible for these items.
REQUESTS FOR MATERIALS
Requests for materials should be made using the following methods:
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Books secured through ILL for Lancaster personnel will be shipped to Lancaster as soon as possible. EMU faculty, staff and students are expected to honor all due dates and make sure these materials are returned to Harrisonburg by the date they are due. Interlibrary loan books should be mailed back via UPS.
OVERDUE NOTICES
Patrons receive an email reminder notice three days before items are due and an overdue notice on the day after the due date. Both of the emails provide a link into Sadie to renew items if there are no holds or overdue fines.
RECALL OF MATERIALS
Holds may be placed on materials that are checked out. After an item has been checked out for two weeks it is subject to recall. The Hartzler Library reserves the right to recall any materials requested by a professor for use in a class.
REFERENCE AND OTHER ASSISTANCE
The library staff is available to assist students in their research by calling (540) 432-4185 or (800) 205-9996. Students should identify themselves as EMU students and clarify that they attend class at the Lancaster location. There is a Help form available at the library website; click on the “Need Help” link and choose the “Ask a Librarian” link.
INFORMATION RESOURCES
Students have access to numerous resources available through the library website. There are links to research databases which provide access to journal articles. Students can find electronic books and reference sources through Sadie. When using these resources from off-campus and at the Lancaster location, students will need to authenticate using their Royal username and password.
STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
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STUDENT ACCOUNT ASSISTANCERESOURCES
The Coordinator of Financial Services serves as the cashier on the Lancaster campus. Lancaster Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students should have their EMU ID number available for each transaction.
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Students enrolled in the LOM have access to EMU’s computer resources. Login ID’s and passwords are distributed prior to orientation. Students are expected to abide by the conditions presented in the Technology Code of Responsibility for Students found at http://www.emu.edu/is/policies/. Students will periodically be prompted during the network login process to affirm that by using the EMU network they are agreeing to this code of conduct.
Additional information regarding computer use may be obtained from the information systems office Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at helpdesk@emu.edu or (540) 432- 4357. LOM staff do not have access to login ID’s or password.