Advisors are assigned to all students to help with academic choices and requirements and should be consulted during each registration period. Faculty members serve as academic advisors and assist students in planning career goals, identifying institutional resources and in meeting degree and graduation requirements. The student is required to meet with and obtain his/her advisor's approval for all academic-related matters. A student has final responsibility for meeting degree and graduation requirements via self-advising.

Change of Grades are permitted only for clerical errors. Once the instructor has submitted a final grade, a final exam may not be retaken or a paper rewritten, etc. If you have a question about your grades, contact the instructor for a review of the exam.

Early Warning Notices may be issued to warn the student of poor performance. They are usually issued when a student remains on a class list without attendance or stops attending without reason; a "D" or "F" is issued on a major exam or assignment; or whenever the instructor thinks it is advisable. Check the remarks section to identify the problem and the recommended action.

Official Final Grades are released to the student only by the Academic Resource Center.

Incompletes are issued sparingly after initiation by a student having at least a "C" in the course who is not on academic probation and who has a clearly defined program for completion with dates noted on the form. They must be approved by the instructor, and the Registrar, and be arranged before the final class meeting. (If the course is not completed by the end of the next semester, the grade automatically becomes an "F.")

Leave of Absence (LOA): a degree-seeking student may request a leave of absence for up to four consecutive semesters. Upon return, the student does not need to be readmitted and original graduation requirements remain the same. (If leaving without LOA status and returning, students must meet the graduation requirements in effect upon their return.) LOA status is not available if on academic probation.

Student Records and Disclosure: Benedictine University maintains an educational record for each student who is or has been enrolled. In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, all student rights as covered by the act are described in the catalog under the Student Records and Disclosure section. Each of these rights is explained in the University's policy statement, available in Benedictine Central or the office of the Dean of Student Affairs. Current students may prohibit general disclosure of Directory Information by notifying the Registrar in writing (form on file) within 10 calendar days after the first scheduled class day of each term. It will be assumed that the failure on the part of a student to request the withholding of Directory Information indicates the student's consent to disclosure.

Student Right-To-Know: In accordance with the Student Right-To-Know Act, effective July 1, 1993, graduation and completion rates are available in Benedictine Central.

How to get papers returned: Unless this policy is otherwise stated in the syllabus of the course in which you are enrolled, please note the following: Any adult or graduate student seeking to have papers or projects returned must include a self-addressed envelope with the proper postage included. All other papers will be destroyed.

Prior learning credit: Academic credit can be earned through nonacademic experiences requiring the same degree of competence as that of the particular course for which credit is sought. For information, contact Admissions at (630) 829-6300.

Pre-Class Assignments: Since many courses only meet five times, the work you are expected to do in the preclass assignment can become critical to the overall success in your course. It is therefore essential that you actively seek these materials as soon as possible. Instructors are expected to have their syllabus and preclass assignments submitted three weeks prior to each semester. The syllabus and preclass assignment should be available on the Benedictine University Web site (www.ben.edu).

Syllabus: The instructor is expected to provide useful information such as course objectives, assignments, grading procedures, class schedule, due dates and other course policies and expectations. Since a syllabus is supposed to tell you what the instructor wants the course to accomplish, you should thoroughly acquaint yourself with this document and be prepared to ask about any item that may be unclear.