St. John Fisher College welcomes qualified transfer applicants from other regionally accredited two- and four-year institutions. Applicants are reviewed when the first two items listed below are on file. The Committee on Admissions makes decisions on a rolling basis. Notifications are communicated to applicants two to three weeks after an application is complete. Transfer Credit Evaluations are provided to students upon or soon after being accepted to the College. For more information, refer to the College’s Transfer Admissions website.

Procedures for admission are:

• Submit application.
• Submit official transcripts of all previous college work, including official score reports from Advanced Placement, CLEP, International Baccalaureate, if relevant. Once St. John Fisher College receives these transcripts, they become part of the student’s official academic record and cannot be released and/or forwarded to any other individual, including the student.
• Official high school transcripts (if you have completed fewer than 24 credit hours at the college level)
• SAT/ACT scores (if you have completed less than one semester of college level coursework) NOTE: St. John Fisher College is test-optional for fall 2021 and fall 2022.
• Every entering student is required to provide an acceptable health history as well as a record of current immunizations. These documents must be presented to the Health and Wellness Center prior to the start of the semester.

Admissions Requirements

Transfer candidates must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 (4.00 scale) in order to be considered for admission, for some programs, a higher GPA may be required. Exceptions will be reviewed on an individual basis. Students transferring to St. John Fisher College from colleges operating under the quarter system will have their credits evaluated by taking two-thirds of the total number of acceptable hours taken at the other college(s). For example, if a student takes and passes 60 acceptable quarter hours at another college, a total of 40 hours will be transferred to Fisher’s semester-hour system.

Procedures applicable to the various types of transfer students/credits are listed below.

Students With Associate Degrees

The College guarantees acceptance of a minimum of 60 credits in transfer to applicants who hold A.S., A.A., or A.A.S. degrees from fully accredited* colleges at the time of transfer, provided the courses are in reasonable conformity with the St. John Fisher College curriculum and no Fisher credits were used to earn that degree. Normally, the College does not accept credit for courses with earned grades below “C;” however, in some cases this policy may be waived to ensure that associate degree holders receive the minimum 60 credits. In most cases, these associate degree holders will be able to complete their bachelor’s degree in four semesters of full-time study at St. John Fisher College.

*Fully accredited means that a college is accredited by both the State Department of Education and the appropriate regional accrediting association.

Students transferring to the College with an associate degree may require more than an additional 60 credits (or more than two academic years) to complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree.

• In certain majors/programs, state regulations require that a specific number or level of courses be completed either at the upper-division level or at the college conferring the bachelor’s degree.
• Transfers from an associate degree program to one at the bachelor’s degree level may involve a significant change in academic orientation similar to a change in major within the same college (for example, from history to chemistry). Therefore, it may be necessary for the student to enroll in certain prerequisite courses at St. John Fisher College before completing the major requirements.
• In certain programs (for example, Education), some courses require a minimum grade of “C” for successful completion. If a course transferred as part of an associate’s degree carried a grade lower than “C,” that particular course must be repeated at St. John Fisher College to satisfy the major requirement. Since credit cannot be awarded twice for the same course, the transfer credit will be lost when the course is repeated at the College. If extra credit exists on the associate degree transcript, the lost credit will be replaced with other credit. If no additional credit is available, the student’s transfer total will be reduced.

Students From Two-Year Colleges Without Associate Degrees

Students who transfer to the College without an associate degree but with coursework from programs which grant A.S., A.A., or A.A.S. degrees will be able to transfer credit for courses in which grades of “C” or above are obtained. Regardless of whether the student has an associate degree or not, the maximum amount of credit that can be applied to a degree from St. John Fisher College from a two-year college or a combination of two-year colleges will be 66 credits or their equivalent. This limit includes courses taken in the summer, in the evening, or through inter-institutional registration before the student has enrolled at the College, as well as courses the student may take at any two-year college after enrolling at St. John Fisher College. This limit also applies to credits a student may have obtained through testing sources such as CLEP, IB, and AP.  The one exception to this is credit earned through the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).  ACTFL credit earned through the appropriate score and test does not apply to the 66 credit hour limit.

St. John Fisher College 2+2/Dual Admission Transfer Agreement

This agreement establishes cooperative degree programs between select community colleges and St. John Fisher College. Students currently enrolled at a participating community college are eligible to be considered for this cooperative degree program. In most cases, students selected for this program will, upon completion of a prescribed sequence of courses leading to an associate’s degree from the participating community college, be able to complete the appropriate bachelor’s degree in two years of full-time study at St. John Fisher College. All coursework must be completed in conformity with St. John Fisher College’s Standards of Academic Progress.

Student Selection

Candidates must present strong records of academic achievement and preparation. Candidates selected for the program will receive confirmation from the participating community college. Participants in the 2+2/Dual Admission cooperative degree program must complete their associate degree with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00. Some agreements may require a higher GPA. In addition, they must complete the prescribed sequence of courses for their designated academic program.

Program Selection

2 + 2/Dual Admission agreements are available in all undergraduate majors at Fisher. A complete list of 2 + 2/Dual Admission agreements and the participating community colleges is available by contacting the Office of Transfer and Graduate Admissions at (585) 385-8064.

Application Procedures

Students who are applying for admission into a 2 + 2/Dual Admission agreement are initially required to file only the community college application for admission. Formal application to Fisher is necessary for students participating in the 2 + 2/Dual Admission program. Participants are required to submit an application the semester prior to enrolling at St. John Fisher College.

Transfer Students From Four-Year Colleges

For transfer of credit, courses must be in reasonable conformity with the curriculum of St. John Fisher College and a grade of at least “C” must have been earned in these courses. There is no limit to the number of credits that can be transferred from four-year institutions; however, students must be aware of the St. John Fisher College residency requirements.

Credit From Non-Collegiate Institutions

The American Council on Education (ACE) and the New York State Education Department (NYSED) evaluate selected educational programs in non-collegiate institutions, such as the armed forces, industries, the Chartered Life Underwriters (CLU), and American Institute of Banking (AIB) programs. ACE and NYSED recommend appropriate baccalaureate credit; St. John Fisher College accepts these recommendations in awarding transfer credit, provided that the courses are compatible with the character of the College.

Transferring Course Credit

Current students desiring to take courses at other colleges must complete the online Transfer Credit Equivalency Request form in order to ensure that the course(s) they plan to take will be accepted in transfer. Credit will not transfer for courses in which a student earns grades below “C,” unless the student is guaranteed these hours as part of an associate degree at the time of the original transfer. Students should keep in mind that grades earned in courses taken at other colleges are not calculated into their Fisher grade point average (GPA). Exceptions are made for students majoring in a modern language at Fisher who enroll in courses in that major at Nazareth College. In this case, both the credit and the grade will be transferred and averaged into the Fisher GPA.

Credit will not be granted for the same course more than once whether earned at St. John Fisher College, at another institution, or by examination. It is the student’s responsibility to be certain not to enroll again in the same course for which credit has been received. In doubtful cases, consult with the Registrar’s Office.

New incoming transfer students should consult with the Office of Transfer and Graduate Admissions if they have questions concerning their transfer credit evaluations or have additional transfer credit to submit for evaluation.

Maximum Transfer Credits

The maximum transfer credit awarded for any combination of associate’s degree, Advanced Placement (AP), Excelsior College Examinations (ECE), International Baccalaureate (IB), College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), and ACE and NYSED recommendations for credit based on study in non-collegiate institutions will be 66 credit hours or their equivalent. This limit includes courses and examinations taken through inter-institutional registration before the student has enrolled at St. John Fisher College, as well as courses or examinations taken after enrolling at the College. This limit does not include credit earned though American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) testing.

Residency Requirement

Every student must complete a minimum of 30 credits in residence at the College and take a minimum of one-half of the major courses in residence. All students must complete 30 of their last 36 credits in residence at the College.

Deferral Admissions and Readmission

Admitted students who wish to delay their entrance may do so for one semester. Students may request a deferral by contacting the Office of Transfer and Graduate Admissions. Students who do not request a deferral must reapply with the Office of Transfer and Graduate Admissions when they are ready to begin their studies. Official updated transcripts may be required to ensure minimum admissions requirements are still being met.

Readmission

Readmission to the College is required for returning matriculated students who meet at least one of the following criteria:

• It has been more than two semesters (NOT including summer) since you last attended Fisher.
• You have graduated from Fisher and are returning to earn a second bachelor’s degree or certificate.
• You have been dismissed from Fisher for academic and/or disciplinary reasons.

A student readmitting to the College after an absence of 4 calendar years from the date of last attendance, will be held to the degree requirements in place at the time of re-admittance.

Process for Readmission

• Application: Complete and submit the Application for Undergraduate Readmission online for the semester you intend to return.
• Transcripts: Submit official transcripts from each college and/or university that you attended since you last attended  St. John Fisher College.

St. John Fisher College is pleased to provide information regarding our institution’s graduation/completion rates. The information is provided in compliance with the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. At St. John Fisher College, the normal time to complete a bachelor’s degree is four years. The graduation rate describes the completion status of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students at 150% of the normal time to complete all requirements of their program of study. Thus, the graduation rate will reflect the percentage of students who graduated within six years.

• The graduation/completion rate is based on the cohort of full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at the College on the October 1 census date.
• The calculation of the graduation/completion rate does not include students who left the school to serve in the armed forces, in the foreign aid service of the federal government, or on official church missions. Students who died or were totally and permanently disabled are also excluded from the calculation.

The graduation/completion information can be found on the Institutional Research webpage. Questions related to this report should be directed to the Office of Institutional Research.

Annual Notification of Rights Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

St. John Fisher College complies fully with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Under FERPA, students have, with certain limited exceptions, certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the College receives a request for access.

Students should submit to the appropriate official written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The College official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the College official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

Only records covered by FERPA will be made available. Students may have copies made of their records, except for an academic record for which a financial “hold” exists or a transcript of an original or source document. Copies will be made at the student’s expense at prevailing rates.

Type, Location, and Custodian of Education Records Maintained by the College

Admissions Records

Location: Office of Admissions
Custodian: Director of Admissions

Academic Records

Location: Registrar’s Office
Custodian: Director of Academic Information and Registrar

Health Records

Location: Health and Wellness Center
Custodian: Director of Health and Wellness Center

Financial Aid Records

Location: Office of Student Financial Services
Custodian: Director of Student Financial Services

Financial Records

Location: Office of Student Financial Services
Custodian: Director of Student Accounts

Graduate Placement Records

Location: Career Center
Custodian: Director of Career Services

Disability Records

Location: Center for Student Accessibility Services
Custodian: Coordinator of Student Accessibility Services

Student Conduct Records

Location: Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
Custodian: Vice President for Student Affairs

The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading.

Students may ask the College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the College official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the College decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the College will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment.

Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

One exception is disclosure to parents of dependent students. Another exception is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests, on a “need-to-know” basis, as determined by the administrator responsible for the file. A “school official” includes: anyone employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); any person or company acting on behalf of the College (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); any member of the Board of Trustees or other governance/advisory body; and any student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility; to perform a task that is specified in his or her position description or contract; to perform a task related to a student’s education or to student discipline; to provide a service or benefit related to the student or student’s family (e.g., job placement, health insurance); or to maintain safety and security on campus. Upon request, the College may disclose education records without the consent of the student to officials of another school in which the student seeks or intends to enroll.

Other exceptions are described in the FERPA statute and regulations at 34 CFR Part 99.

The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202-4605

Directory Information

The College has designated the following information as directory information:

• Student’s name
• College email address
• Address
• Telephone number
• Date and place of birth
• Photo
• Hometown
• High school
• Field(s) of study
• Advisor name(s)
• Full-time/part-time status
• Class year
• Dates of attendance
• Date of graduation
• Degrees and awards received
• Most recent previous educational institution attended
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Weight and height of members of athletic teams

The College may publicize or respond to requests for such information at its discretion. However, the use of the records for commercial or political purposes is prohibited unless approved by the appropriate dean.

Currently enrolled students may request that directory information be withheld from disclosure by filing the appropriate form with the Registrar within two weeks after the first day of classes for the fall semester. Requests made after this date should still be forwarded since they will prevent directory information from being released in the future. The College assumes that failure on the part of the student to specifically request the withholding of any directory information indicates approval of disclosure.

Request for nondisclosure will be honored by the institution and remain in effect until withdrawn by the student in writing. Students are advised to exercise caution in requesting nondisclosure of directory information since the inability to verify attendance and/or graduation may adversely affect future employment. For nondisclosure, complete the St. John Fisher Request to Prevent Disclosure of Directory Information form available in the Registrar’s Office.

Note: Notification to students of their rights under FERPA is sent via College email each year at the start of the fall semester.

Release of Personal Information to Military Recruiters

At the request of military branches, the regulations under the Solomon Amendment, 32 CFR Part 215, require the College to release select information on currently enrolled students to military recruiters for the sole purpose of military recruiting. Before releasing the requested information, the College will ask if the intent is to use the requested information only for military recruiting purposes. The military is entitled to receive information about students who are “currently enrolled,” which is defined as registered for at least one credit hour of academic credit during the most recent, current, or next term.

Under the Solomon Amendment, the military is entitled to receive the following student information:

• Name
• Age or year of birth
• Address
• Major
• Telephone number
• Level of education (i.e., freshman, sophomore, or degree awarded to a recent graduate)

If a student has requested that his or her directory information not be disclosed to third parties, as is permitted under FERPA, that student’s information will not be released to the military under the Solomon Amendment. In such instances, the school will remove the student’s information sent to the military and note “We have not provided information for X number of students because they have requested that their directory information not be disclosed as permitted by FERPA.”

Release of Disciplinary Records

The College may disclose only the final results of a disciplinary proceeding to a victim of an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense. The disclose of the final results may occur regardless of whether the institution concluded that a violation was committed. The offenses that constitute a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense include arson, assault offenses, burglary, criminal homicide (manslaughter by negligence), criminal homicide (murder and non-negligent manslaughter), destruction/damage/vandalism of property, kidnapping/abduction, robbery, forcible sex offenses, statutory rape, and incest. FERPA prohibits the victim from re-disclosing this information.

Students wishing to make appeals or to bring forward complaints or concerns about instructional matters including final grades should first discuss the issue with the faculty member. If the issue is not satisfactorily resolved at that point, the student should then meet with the department chair. If further discussions are necessary, students should contact the appropriate School dean.

To ensure a fair and systematic review, students must follow the steps outlined below.

Process to Reconcile Academic Decisions

If a student wishes to appeal an academic decision of an instructor, he or she must follow the process described below.

• The student is to initiate a discussion with the instructor responsible for the initial decision in question.
• The instructor is responsible for documenting the outcome of the discussion with the student. Copies of that document are to be provided to the student and to the department chair.
• If the student is not satisfied with the outcome and wishes to further pursue the matter, the student is responsible for notifying the instructor and the department chair within five business days of receipt of the instructor’s communication.
• When the student meets with the department chair, the role of the chair is to ascertain to the extent possible the facts surrounding the matter and to clarify applicable academic policies. The department chair has the option of scheduling a subsequent meeting to include the instructor. The department chair is responsible for documenting the discussion outcome(s). Copies of that document are to be provided to the student, the instructor, and the School dean.
• If the student is not satisfied with the outcome and wishes to further pursue the matter, the student is responsible for notifying the instructor, the department chair, and the School dean of his or her desire within five business days of receipt of the department chair’s communication.
• The School dean will forward all relevant information to the School’s Grade Appeal Committee or other comparable committee within the School. This committee will review all pertinent facts and make a recommendation to the School dean for final review. The School dean shall notify the student, the instructor, and the department chair in writing of the decision to maintain or modify the original academic decision. The School dean’s decision is final.

Process to Reconcile Policy and/or Grade Issues Related to Academic Deadlines

Appeals relating to academic policy, withdrawal, or to a student’s academic status are considered by the Committee on Academic Standing, a standing committee of the Faculty Assembly. This committee meets monthly and considers appeals only from students. For information, the student should contact the Center for Career and Academic Planning.

Note: Appeals related to a final grade must be made within one year from the end of the term in which the grade was received.

In order to graduate from St. John Fisher College, a student must earn a 2.00 cumulative grade point average for all courses at the College. In addition, the student must earn a 2.00 cumulative GPA in the major and minor department in courses completed in residence. (See Degree Requirements.) Academic standing is calculated whenever grades are entered or changed. This standing is based on the cumulative grade point average (cumulative GPA) and falls into one of the categories listed below.

Cumulative Grade Point Average* For:

*Averages will not be “rounded.” For example, 1.49 will not be rounded to 1.50. Therefore, 1.49 will be within the academic disqualification range.

**Includes all hours (Fisher and transfer hours) applied toward the St. John Fisher College bachelor’s degree. However, only Fisher credits are used in calculating the grade point average.

***Students may only be placed on Probation standing after their first semester at the College, whether as freshmen or transfers. First semester students will not be academically dismissed. Students may however, continue on Probation standing.

Good Standing

All students with a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher are considered to be in Good Standing.

Warning

Students with a cumulative GPA within the appropriate Warning range, though making satisfactory academic progress, are placed on Warning. These students receive a letter from the Committee on Academic Standing cautioning them that their academic performance is not completely acceptable.

Early Intervention Academic Contract

Students with a cumulative GPA within the relevant Early Intervention range receive a letter from the Committee on Academic Standing stating that the student is being given an Academic Success Plan and must have a meeting with an advisor in the Center for Career and Academic Planning for a discussion of their academic performance, registration choices/adjustments, and an improvement plan.

The academic standing for these students is Early Intervention. Each student in Early Intervention status designs an individual Success Plan with an advisor. The terms of this plan must be met at the end of the specified semester.

Students enter the Early Intervention category as a result of the cumulative GPA declining from the Good Standing or Warning categories:

• At the end of the semester in Early Intervention status, if the student’s cumulative GPA rises above a 2.0, the student is placed into the Good Standing category.
• At the end of the semester on Early Intervention status, if the student has met the terms of the Success Plan (semester GPA of 2.00 or higher), but the cumulative GPA remains below 2.00, the student will be placed into the appropriate category according to the Standards of Academic Progress chart and will not be dismissed.
• At the end of the semester on Early Intervention status, if the student has not met the terms of the Success Plan (semester GPA of 2.00 or higher) and the cumulative GPA remains below 2.00, the student will be placed into the appropriate category according to the Standards of Academic Progress chart and may be dismissed.

The Committee on Academic Standing reviews students on Early Intervention Success Plans at the end of each semester, evaluating their performances and compliance with the terms of the Success Plan.

Probation

A first semester student (i.e., first semester freshman or first semester transfer) with a cumulative GPA below the appropriate threshold for Probation receives a letter from the Committee on Academic Standing stating that the student is being placed on Probation. The student must schedule a meeting with an advisor in the Center for Career and Academic Planning (CCAP) for a discussion of the student’s academic performance, registration choices/adjustments, and an improvement plan. This meeting is mandatory; the student’s account is not active until this meeting takes place and failure to schedule this meeting before the end of the first week of classes in the new semester may result in withdrawal from the term.

The academic standing for these students is Probation status and each student designs an individual Success Plan with a CCAP advisor. The student must meet the terms of this plan at the end of the specified semester.

• At the end of the semester on Probation status, if the student’s cumulative GPA rises to or above 2.00, the student is placed into the Good Standing category.
• At the end of the semester on Probation status, if the student has met the terms of the Plan (semester GPA of 2.00 or higher), but the cumulative GPA remains below 2.00, the student is placed into the appropriate category according to the Standards of Academic Progress chart and will not be dismissed or remains on Probation if the cumulative GPA has not risen to another category.
• At the end of the semester on Probation status, if the student has not met the terms of the Plan (semester GPA of 2.00 or higher), the student is dismissed.

The Committee on Academic Standing reviews all students on Probation at the end of each semester, evaluating their performances and compliance with the terms of the Success Plan.

On Hold

Students with one or more Incomplete grades at the end of the term have an academic standing of On Hold until the Incomplete grade(s) is resolved. When all Incomplete grades are converted to letter grades, the term and cumulative GPA are recalculated and academic standing is set according to the Standards of Academic Progress.

Academic Dismissal/Post-Dismissal Contract

Students with a cumulative GPA below the appropriate threshold for Academic Dismissal are sent a letter informing them of their dismissal from the College.

A student who is academically dismissed may appeal this decision to the Committee on Academic Standing. Information concerning such appeals is sent with the dismissal letter, and is also available from the Center for Career and Academic Planning. How to appeal and the appeal form can be found on the Center for Career and Academic Planning’s website at Center for Career and Academic Planning.

If the appeal is granted, the student receives a letter from the Committee on Academic Standing stating that the student is allowed to return and will be placed on a Post-Dismissal Success Plan once the student has met with an advisor in the Center for Career and Academic Planning (CCAP) for a discussion of his or her academic performance, registration choices/adjustments and an improvement plan.

The academic standing for these students is Post-Dismissal status and each student designs an individual Success Plan with a CCAP advisor. The student must meet the terms of this plan at the end of the specified semester.

Students who enter the Post-Dismissal category as a result of having their appeals for reinstatement granted by the Committee on Academic Standing must adhere to the follow contract requirements:

• At the end of the semester on Post-dismissal status,  if the student’s cumulative GPA rises to or above 2.00, the student is placed into the Good Standing category.
• At the end of the semester on Post-dismissal status, if the student has met the terms of the Success Plan (semester GPA of 2.00 or higher), but the cumulative GPA remains below 2.00, the student will be placed into the appropriate category according to the Standards of Academic Progress chart and will not be dismissed.
• At the end of the semester on Post-dismissal status, if the student has not met the terms of the Success Plan (semester GPA of 2.00 or higher), the student is dismissed.

If a student appeals the dismissal and the appeal is denied, the academic standing remains dismissal. Students who have been dismissed for academic reasons and who later reapply for admission to the College are reviewed by the Committee on Academic Standing in order to determine their readiness to return to St. John Fisher College.

Students placed into either type of Academic status receive a letter from the Committee on Academic Standing directing them to arrange a meeting with an advisor in the Center for Career and Academic Planning (CCAP) for a discussion of their academic performance at the College and to finalize the Academic Success Plan. This meeting is mandatory; failure to schedule this meeting before the end of the first week of classes in the new semester may result in withdrawal from the term.

The Committee on Academic Standing reviews all students who have Academic Success Plans at the end of each semester, evaluating their performance and compliance with the terms of the plan.

Academic Standing and Athletic Participation

Students whose academic standing is Good Standing or Warning are considered to be making satisfactory academic progress and are eligible to continue competing on the College’s NCAA athletic teams. However, students who are placed on either Early Intervention, Probation, or Post-dismissal status are not considered to be in Good Academic Standing and are therefore ineligible to engage in NCAA athletic competition as defined by NCAA Bylaw 14.02.5. They may, however, continue to practice with their athletic teams at the discretion of the institution’s athletic director and individual coaches.

General Grading Information

St. John Fisher College operates on a semester basis with final examinations at the close of each semester.

These grades indicate passing work:

• Outstanding: A, A-
• Good: B+, B, B-
• Satisfactory: C+, C, S
• Passing: C-, D+, D, D-

These grades indicate work below the passing standard:

• Failure: F
• Unsatisfactory: U
• Failure due to excessive absence: FA

To earn credit, a student must repeat and pass the course in which a grade of “F,” “FA,” or “U” has been received.

Other grades:

• Audit: AU
• Incomplete: I
• Withdrawal: W

Calculating the Grade Point Average (GPA)

• A: 4.00 points per credit
• A-: 3.70 points per credit
• B+: 3.30 points per credit
• B: 3.00 points per credit
• B-: 2.70 points per credit
• C+: 2.30 points per credit
• C: 2.00 points per credit
• C-: 1.70 points per credit
• D+: 1.30 points per credit
• D: 1.00 points per credit
• D-: 0.70 points per credit
• F: 0 points per credit

The grade point average is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points by the total number of graded credits attempted. Thus, a student who has attempted 60 credit hours and has accumulated 120 grade points would have a grade point average of 2.00 or a “C” average. Failures are included in the calculation of the grade point average until the course has been repeated and passed.

Dean’s List

Each semester, a list of students who have excelled academically is produced. To be eligible, a student must have:

• A 3.50 or higher term GPA
• No grade lower than “C”
• At least 12 undergraduate credit hours earned in residence in addition to credits earned S/U
• No grades of “U”, “UA”, or “I”

The Dean’s List students will be identified at the end of each semester when academic standing is determined and again at the end of the six-week Incomplete grade period. Students with approved ADA Accommodated Part-Time status are eligible for the Dean’s List as long as they meet all Dean’s List criteria, even though they may not carry full-time credit loads. Students engaged in student teaching during a semester may be eligible to be named to the Dean’s List provided they receive the grade of “S” for student teaching, obtain a grade no lower than “B” in a regular course (if they are enrolled in one), and have been on the Dean’s List for two semesters prior to their student teaching semester. All students with approved incomplete grade extensions or in Study Abroad or Washington Semester Programs are eligible for the Dean’s List when their grades are submitted as long as the incomplete grades did not first change to grades of “F” or default grades.

Honors in Major

In order for the statement “with honors in (major)” to be added to a transcript, the student must:

• Qualify and be awarded a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, or higher
• Complete an honors project approved by a faculty supervisor, the department chair, and the provost and present and defend the project at a colloquium
• Declare the intent to develop an honors project prior to the beginning of the senior year

See individual departments for additional requirements.

Audit Grade

The grade of “AU” is assigned to students who have officially registered to audit a course. With permission of the instructor, any student may register to audit a course. Although the student does not earn credit, the course appears on the student’s transcript with the grade “AU.” Students must choose between credit and audit by the date published in the academic calendar. At the time of approval for the audit, the instructor and student will agree upon the amount of work the student is required to complete and the nature of the student’s participation in the course and the assignments. Generally, an auditor listens to the lectures, reads the material, writes brief quizzes, and may participate in class discussions. Courses which require ongoing, active participation in the work of the course, such as Independent Study and Elementary Foreign Language, are not open for audit. The current per-credit tuition charge applies to audited courses.

Note: Non-matriculated students who wish to audit a course should consult with the Center for Career and Academic Planning.

Incomplete Grade

The grade of Incomplete (I) is used ONLY when required assignments are not completed due to serious circumstances which are clearly beyond the student’s control. The instructor, after consultation with the student, submits an Incomplete (I) grade. The final grade must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the published Incomplete grade deadline date* found on the academic calendar. Therefore, missing coursework should be submitted to the instructor in advance of the Incomplete grade deadline. If the final grade is not submitted by the Incomplete grade deadline, the Incomplete grade will be converted to a Failing (F) or Unsatisfactory (U) grade as appropriate. The instructor and students can review their outstanding Incomplete grades in Fish ‘R’ Net until the Incomplete grade is resolved. An extension of the Incomplete grade may be requested by the instructor and approved by the department chair, using the online Grade Change form.

Note: A student may not graduate from St. John Fisher College with an incomplete grade on his/her record.

*The Incomplete grade due deadline is six (6) weeks from the Friday of final exam week for the term.

Withdrawal Grade

The grade “W” is assigned administratively when a student withdraws from a course within the appropriate time frame as published in the academic calendar. The grade of “W” may be requested by the provost or school dean when there is evidence presented before the end of classes to show that the student is compelled to withdraw for a non-academic reason, such as a serious health emergency or call to military service. The withdrawal grade does not affect the grade point average. After the deadline date to withdraw from a course has passed, all appeals for late grades of “W” must be directed to the Committee on Academic Standing.

The last day on which the grade of “W” can be assigned is indicated in the academic calendar. Withdrawal forms submitted to the Registrar’s Office after this date will be assigned a grade of “F.”

When a student withdraws on or before the last day for “withdrawal without academic record,” the course does not appear on the transcript.

Note: Students who have a repeated pattern of withdrawals from some or all courses in a semester will be reviewed by the Undergraduate Committee on Academic Standing and may be placed on an Academic Success Plan.

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Grading

To encourage students to enroll in courses for which they might be reluctant to register on the basis of the traditional grading system, a student may elect to take courses on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) basis.

Any course may be taken S/U except:

• Courses in the major department (some internships may be taken S/U).
• Courses outside the major department, which are specifically required for the major.
• Honors courses for students in the College Honors Program.

Credit is earned only by the grade of “S,” which is given for work equivalent to a “C” or higher. A grade of “U” is given for work which merits a grade below “C” and no credit is earned. Neither the “S” nor the “U” grade is included in the calculation of the grade point average.

No more than four courses may be taken using the S/U grading option. Freshmen may not take a course S/U, sophomores may take one course per semester; juniors and seniors may take two courses per semester. If a student enrolls in a course S/U and subsequently changes to traditional letter grading prior to the deadline or withdraws, the course will not be included in the four-course S/U limit. Courses graded solely as S/U are not included in the four-course limit.

A student electing S/U grading may designate a minimum acceptable grade “A” through “C.” If the earned grade equals or exceeds this minimum grade, then the actual earned grade will be recorded on the transcript and computed in the GPA. This does not change the course’s S/U basis, and the course counts toward the maximum of four. The student shall declare an intention to be graded S/U by the deadline published in the academic calendar.

To be considered for honors, a student must have earned at least 54 credits beyond those earned S/U (except for those courses only graded S/U, such as Student Teaching and some Internships). Transfer students should be aware of this requirement when considering the decision to take a course S/U.

Repeating Courses

A course may be repeated as many times as desired. When a course is repeated, the original grade is not removed from the student’s record, but will be excluded from the GPA.  The most recent grade is calculated in the GPA even if the second grade is lower than the first grade earned.  If a previously passed course is excluded and the most recent grade is a failing grade, the previously earned credits are lost.  When a student repeats a course in which any passing grade has been earned, additional credits are not earned for the course. The S/U option is not available for the repeat of a failed course.

In Core, all 1299 Research-Based Writing courses are repeats of each other; all Data Analysis courses are also repeats of each other. Students may repeat one of these core requirements to achieve a better grade, but additional credits are not earned for this repeated course if a passing grade was originally earned. Any student considering a repeat of a Learning Community course for any reason must consult with the associate dean of the School of Arts and Sciences for advisement. Failure of one or both courses in a Learning Community necessitates a special course arrangement for completion of this core requirement.

Note: Repeated courses cannot be used to achieve the full-time status required for TAP funds.

Grade Reporting

Final grades are available at the end of each semester on the College website. Mid-semester grades are available through the mySJFC portal for students enrolled in 100 and 200-level courses.

Parental Access to Grades

The College does not routinely send reports of final grades to parents. Information, including grades, concerning dependent students as defined by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 may be released to parents upon request. To obtain a grade report, parents must submit to the Registrar’s Office a written request citing the specific information desired and stating that the student is a dependent.

The Registrar’s Office will verify the dependency of the student in question with Student Financial Services or the parent can submit a copy of the most recent tax return that shows the student is claimed as a dependent. If documentation exists proving dependency, a grade report may be sent to the parent(s) and the student will be notified. If dependency cannot be proven, the grade report will not be released.

Academic Amnesty

In recognition of the various paths students take in pursuit of their undergraduate degrees, St. John Fisher College has developed a policy of academic amnesty that provides eligible students with the opportunity to renew their studies at Fisher by beginning their cumulative averages anew. The program is available to all students who attend Fisher in matriculated status for a period of time, then do not take Fisher classes, either matriculated or non-matriculated, for a period of four consecutive calendar years (eight academic semesters). Not every student will be served well by selecting to participate in the academic amnesty program.

For those students who do elect to take part, credit will be lost for every previous Fisher course taken in which a grade below “C” was obtained. Credits earned in courses in which grades of “C” or above were obtained will be retained as “Previous Fisher Credit” and will be treated the same as transfer credit. No courses or grades will be removed from the transcript of participating students; however, their Fisher cumulative GPA will begin “anew” upon their return.

Each student requesting academic amnesty will be required to complete at least 30 credits in residence at Fisher after returning to the College. Academic honors will be based on at least 60 credits for grades taken at Fisher after the student returns with academic amnesty.

Students who elect academic amnesty will have a statement placed on their transcripts indicating that academic amnesty was requested and granted. Students will have until the end of the Drop/Add period of the second consecutive semester they are in attendance at Fisher, after their return, to apply for the amnesty program. Once the student completes the form to request academic amnesty, the request cannot be revoked.

Questions regarding academic amnesty should be directed to the Registrar’s Office.

Transcripts

Official transcripts of the St. John Fisher College record can be ordered by each student. Unofficial transcripts may be printed directly from Fish ‘R’ Net. No transcript will be issued for students whose accounts with the College are unsatisfactory. For more information, visit the Registrar’s Office’s Request a Transcript page.