All regulations and rules or procedures stated below apply to programs in the Center for Religion and Spirituality (listed as "Center"). Students are held individually responsible for information outlined below. Failure to read and understand these policies will not excuse a student from their observance. Questions in individual cases should be presented through written petition to the appropriate program director.
- General Policies
- Academic Standards
- Enrollment, Tuition + Fees
- Student Records
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Academic Performance
Candidates for a degree and students enrolled in a certificate program at Loyola Marymount University must complete all requirements for a degree and/or certificate program as set forth by the University, their college or school, and academic departments or programs. Failure to understand those requirements does not relieve a student of his or her responsibility.
Changes and Cancellations of Published Schedule
The Center reserves the right to make changes in fees, faculty assignments, room locations and schedules, and to cancel any course that does not meet minimum enrollment. Every attempt will be made to notify enrollees of changes in the published schedule.
Non-Discrimination
The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), color, national origin (including language and language use restrictions), ancestry, disability (mental and physical) including HIV and AIDS, legally protected medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), denial of Family and Medical Care Leave, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical condition), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age 40 or over, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information or any other bases protected by federal (including but not limited to Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990), state or local law. Any student complaints of discrimination shall be handled and resolved pursuant to the University's Discriminatory Harassment and Complaint Process. This process provides for the filing, investigation and resolution of all student discrimination complaints. Copies of the Discriminatory Harassment and Complaint Process may be found online under “Student Codes + Policies” and in the LMU Community Standards booklet published by the Division of Student Affairs.
Parking and Vehicle Registration
All University employees, students and affiliates (including Center faculty and students) are required to register their vehicle and pay for parking on campus. Permit parking will be enforced Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Permits may be purchased online or at the parking office. For the latest information and vehicle registration options and rates, visit www.lmu.edu/parking.
Academic Honesty
Loyola Marymount University is a community dedicated to academic excellence, student centered education, and the Jesuit and Marymount traditions. As such, the University expects all members of its community to act with honesty and integrity at all times, especially in their academic work. Academic honesty respects the intellectual and creative work of others, flows from dedication to and pride in performing one’s own best work, and is essential if true learning is to take place.
Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, the following: all acts of cheating on assignments or examinations, or facilitating other students’ cheating; plagiarism; fabrication of data, including the use of false citations; improper use of non-print media; unauthorized access to computer accounts or files or other privileged information; and improper use of Internet sites and resources. Academic dishonesty may result in any of the following actions: (1) require assignment or exam to be resubmitted, (2) reduce the grade on the assignment, project, or exam, (3) fail the student on the assignment or exam, (4) fail the student in the course.
Attendance
Class attendance expectations and consequences for absences from class are left to the discretion of individual instructors and shall be announced by the faculty member at the first class meeting or listed on the class syllabus. Students are accountable for all course assignments, whether or not the assignments were announced during an absence.
In order for a student to earn academic credit for a course, he/she must be enrolled officially in the course. The Center does not allow a student who is not officially enrolled in a course to attend.
Due to the intensive nature of some courses, attendance may be factor in the student evaluation process. Course attendance requirements will be listed in the course syllabus.
The Center does not remove courses for those students who stop attending a course. It is the sole responsibility of the student to ensure that his/her class schedule is correct, including withdrawing from any courses prior to its conclusion.
Certificate of Completion
A certificate of completion is a recognition by Loyola Marymount University that a student has satisfactorily demonstrated potential for professional achievement in a specialized field of study. Certificates are granted and presented at graduation events or mailed to students who have completed all course requirements, and who have no outstanding financial or other obligations to the Center or any other unit at the University.
To receive a certificate of completion from the Center, students must (1) maintain the required minimum grade in each course of the certificate program, and (2) file a with the Center by the conclusion of the program. Students may order a replacement certificate of completion for a fee.
Decorum and Etiquette
Loyola Marymount University provides its students with an academic environment conducive to the pursuit of knowledge. This academic environment is based upon respect, trust, integrity, and accountability among all members of the University community. Academic discourse is composed of diverse perspectives and requires respect for peers, professionals, instructors, and students.
Additional policies on classroom decorum and etiquette are determined at the discretion of the course instructor, and will be outlined in the course syllabus.
Prohibited Conduct. Prohibitive conduct includes (1) violating or attempting to violate federal, state or local laws; (2) harassment, assault, and intentionally or recklessly causing psychological or physical harm to any person on or off campus; (3) disruptive behavior, including intentional interference with the freedom of expression of others; (4) use, possession, storage, or being under the influence of any controlled substance or illegal drug, and the use, possession or storage of any weapon, and (6) vandalism and theft.
Dismissal. Violation of course etiquette and decorum outlined in the syllabus, and/or prohibitive conduct by the student will result in the immediate dismissal from the enrolled course. Violations must be submitted by the complainant in writing to the instructor of the course and/or appropriate program director. The decision to dismiss a student from a course is made by the program director in consultation with the course instructor. The student may appeal the decision directly to the director of the Center. In the case of an appeal, dismissal requires the review and approval of the director, who may alter, defer or suspend the decision. Students may appeal dismissal from a course only once, and a decision by the director to uphold a dismissal from a course is final. Students dismissed from a course may not re-enroll in the same course.
Disability Support
The Center will make every effort to accommodate the needs of students with disabilities. Students with documented physical, learning and/or psychological disabilities should request specialized assistance to achieve maximum independence while pursuing their educational goals by contacting the office prior to their enrollment in a course to request such assistance. Staff specialists constantly interact with all areas of the University to eliminate physical and attitudinal barriers. Students must provide documentation for their disability from an appropriate licensed professional. Students may contact the DSS office at 310.338.4216.
Grades and Grading
Grading Standards. The work of all students at the University is reported in terms of grades. Instructors are required to assign a final grade for each student registered in a course. The following grades are used to report the quality of student work at the Center:
A Superior B Satisfactorily demonstrated potential for professional achievement in field of study C Passed the course but did not do work indicative of potential for professional achievement in field of study F Failure CR Credit NC No Credit NR Not reported by instructor AU Audit I Work incomplete IP Work in progress W Official withdrawal from course
A grade of “A” may be modified by a minus (-) suffix, and grades “B” and “C” may be modified by a plus (+) or minus (-) suffix. An “F” or NC grade yields no semester hour or course credit. To receive a certificate of completion from LMU Extension, students must maintain the required minimum grade in each course of the certificate program.Credit/No Credit Grading. A non-letter grade of CR may be given for satisfactory performance in a course. A CR/NC course will not affect the grade point average. However, a student who petitions for CR/NC in a graded course, will not be eligible for a certificate of completion in that particular course of study. A student may not petition for a grade in a CR/NC course.
Change of Grade. Grades, once submitted to the University Office of the Registrar, are changed only in case of instructor calculation error. An instructor desiring a change of grade must present a written request to the program director within one year of the last class meeting. If the request is granted by the program director, the instructor must file a Change of Grade Form with the Center.
A student may petition a change of grade to the course instructor. If the instructor denies the petition, the student has the right to appeal by petitioning directly to the Center. In consultation with the instructor, the program director reserves the right to approve or deny the petition.
Grade Point Average. Grade points are a measure of the quality of the academic work completed, just as semester hours are a measure of the quantity of this work. The University uses a letter grade to indicate the level of individual student achievement. Each letter grade has a point value assigned for the grade achieved. The point value assigned to each letter grade is as follows:
A 4.0 grade points A- 3.7 grade points B+ 3.3 grade points B 3.0 grade points B- 2.7 grade points C+ 2.3 grade points C 2.0 grade points C- 1.7 grade points F 0.0 grade points
The grade point average is determined by dividing the total number of grade points by the number of semester hours completed with a letter grade. The grades of AU, CR, NC, IP, W, and I have no point value and are not used in calculating the grade point average.Incomplete Course Work. An incomplete grade may be assigned by the instructor only if a student has completed at least 80% of the coursework. The student must speak to the instructor prior to final class meeting or online lesson to determine if the completed course work meets the minimum requirement for a grade of Incomplete and to discuss what further work is required to complete the course. The instructor may or may not agree to the assignment of a grade of Incomplete. If the instructor agrees to assign the grade of Incomplete, he/she will submit a grade of "I" at the end of the course.
Students who received a grade of Incomplete in courses must complete and submit all outstanding coursework by a deadline set by the instructor, with approval from the program director. An incomplete grade not removed by the deadline will default to an “F” grade or other as assigned by the instructor.
Recording of Course Lectures and Materials
In order to preserve the integrity of free and open discourse, as well as the privacy of classroom, no audio or video recording of any kind is allowed during class meetings. Duplication, exhibition, publication, and/orsharing course materials outside of the class is prohibited.
Exception for Online Classes. Pedagogies utilized in online learning require students to engage in class discourse and course materials differently than those used in a traditional classroom setting. For example, synchronous (real time yet remote) courses can be marred by connectivity issues, and asynchronous courses require students to engage the instructor, each other, and course material at differing times. In both cases, referring back to lectures, class discussions, and materials is necessary. As such, Web-based learning platforms (e.g. video conference, discussion boards, chat rooms) will record class discourse. However, any and all recorded discourse remains within the privacy of the classroom (i.e., accessible only to current students via password access) and thus prior consent of instructor and students is not required. Duplication, exhibition, publication, and/or sharing course materials outside of the class is still prohibited.
Enrollment
Students must be officially registered in accordance with the published regulations, procedures, and schedule. Students have four options for course enrollment:
- Online via an approved course catalog
- Direct mail of a Course Registration Form with accompanying payment
- In person
Course enrollments submitted via fax, phone, or electronic mail (e-mail) will not be accepted. Course enrollment open for each term as listed on . Early enrollment/registration may be available for select programs.
Registration is subject to full payment of tuition and other fees associated with enrollment. The Center reserves the right to deny registration to any student for reasonable cause.
Course Enrollment Restrictions
Courses may have registration restrictions (e.g. prerequisite), and students wishing to register for these courses must have met the criteria of the restriction. Restrictions and other registration considerations are enforced and are identifiable in the course catalog. Any holds on the student’s record for academic, financial, student conduct, or other reasons may inhibit eligibility for course enrollment.
Degree Course Audit
Undergraduate and graduate degree-credit courses are occasionally open to the general public to enroll for enrichment purposes. Students auditing (referred to as “auditors”) do not receive academic credit for these courses. Auditors are expected to attend courses they enroll in and are required to actively participate in class. As no grade or course credit is awarded, auditors are not required to complete the course assignments as set by the instructor.
Some courses require permission from the instructor to enroll. Individual exceptions can be made to this policy at the discretion of the instructor before the first class meeting.
Repeat Courses
Students may petition to repeat a course for academic credit at the discretion of the program director.
University Student Enrollment
Registered undergraduate or graduate students may enroll in Center courses for credit, with permission of their college or school dean, at the fees quoted for such courses, above and beyond regular full-time tuition. Enrollment in other Center offerings is unrestricted unless otherwise specified. Undergraduate and graduate students may not enroll in cross-listed or “audit only” courses.
Withdrawal or Drop
Students may drop a course prior to the first class meeting and are eligible to tuition and fee refunds in accordance with the Center’s published policy. To drop from a course, students must notify the Center in writing via mailed letter, fax or electronic mail (e-mail). A dropped course will not appear on the student transcript.
Once a course has commenced, students may withdraw from the course (and receive a grade of ‘W’) prior to its last class meeting/online lesson. Students who do not complete a course and/or do not withdraw from a course in accordance with the required procedures will receive an appropriate grade in the class as assigned by the instructor. To withdraw from a course, students must notify the Center in writing via mailed letter, fax or electronic mail (e-mail). Failure to withdraw officially from a course will result in a grade of “F” or other as assigned by the instructor. Students who withdraw are still responsible for outstanding financial obligations with the Center.
Students who used deferred payment plans must clear their financial obligations with the Center. Students may be eligible for partial tuition and fee refunds in accordance with the Center’s published policy.
Tuition + Fees
Center tuition (or course fee) covers instruction and instruction-related needs. Additional fees may be required for books and additional course materials. Center tuition does not grant students access to full University amenities. Weekday parking, additional library privileges, business and mail services, performance and athletics tickets, recreation center use and other services are available at additional cost. Tuition may be made payable by check, money order, Visa or Mastercard. Cash transactions cannot be accepted. Tuition and fees are subject to change.
Tax Information
Some educational expenses, including incidental costs, such as books, meals, lodging and travel, may be tax deductible. To learn if your fee payments are deductible, please consult with the relevant state and/or federal tax agency. Tax information may be obtained from www.irs.gov.
Tuition Assistance
Thanks to the generosity of the University, our benefactors, religious communities and the community, some scholarship and tuition assistance opportunities are available for selected programs. Federal and University Financial Aid are not available for continuing education and non-degree programs.
Tuition Payment Plans
The Center offers students opportunities to arrange tuition payment plans for a select group of courses. Payment plans can be individually tailored to assist with the needs of the student.
Students will agree, in a signed contract, to make an initial down payment and subsequent payments. Payments are made on the 1st and/or the 15th of each month. Students will be required to leave a credit card or post-dated check on file, which will be automatically processed on the agreed payment dates. In the event a credit card is declined or a check returned, students will be charged a service fee of $25 for each failed transaction.
Tuition Refund
Tuition refunds are available only in accordance with established University policy: 100% refund prior to the start of class or online lesson; 50% refund prior to the start of the second class or online lesson. No refund will be issued after the second class or online lesson. No refund is given for single-day courses after the class has begun.
Students are not eligible for a tuition refund due to poor academic performance. Similarly, students are still responsible for any outstanding financial obligations with the Center regardless of academic performance.
Change of Name
Please file a Change of Name Form with the University Office of the Registrar when and if any part of your name is legally changed. Listing the change on an enrollment form is not sufficient.
Change of Address
Students may change their permanent, mailing (direct and electronic), and billing addresses through PROWL. The Center assumes no responsibility for materials sent through the mail or e-mail not received.
Confidentiality of Education Records (FERPA Policy)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended ("FERPA"), is a Federal law which governs student privacy and confidentiality of student education records. Loyola Marymount University ("LMU") recognizes, abides by and enforces the confidentiality of student records under FERPA.
Definitions. For the purposes of this policy, the following definitions apply:
- Any person who attends or has attended LMU.
- Education records: any record (in handwriting, print, tapes, film, electronic, or other medium) maintained by LMU or any agent of LMU which is directly related to a student, except:
- A personal record kept by a staff member if it is kept in the sole possession of the maker of the record and is not accessible or revealed to any other person except a temporary substitute for the maker of the record.
- An employee record of an individual whose employment is not contingent on the fact that he or she is a student, provided the record is used only in relation to the individual’s employment.
- LMU Department of Public Safety records created and maintained by LMU’s Department of Public Safety for Department of Public Safety purposes.
- Alumni records which contain information about a student after he or she is no longer in attendance at the University and which do not relate to the person as a student.
Annual Notification. Current students are notified annually of their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) by publication on the LMU Extension website.
Procedure to Inspect Education Records. Students may inspect and review their official academic or other education records (with certain limited exceptions) within 45 days of the day LMU receives the student’s written request for access. A student should submit any such request in writing, identifying the record(s) the student wishes to inspect, to the appropriate LMU Extension official or program director. LMU will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
Right of University to Refuse Access. LMU reserves the right to refuse to permit a student to inspect the following records:
- The financial statements of third parties.
- Letters and statements of recommendation for which the student has waived his or her right of access, or which were created before January 1, 1975.
- Records connected with an application to attend LMU, or any LMU program, after acceptance but prior to enrollment, or if that application was denied.
- Those records which are excluded from the FERPA definition of education records.
Refusal to Provide Copies. Unless required by FERPA or other law, LMU reserves the right to deny a student’s access to academic transcripts or copies of records in any of the following situations:
- The student has any unpaid financial obligations to LMU.
- There is an unresolved disciplinary action against the student. Copies of disciplinary records will only be made available when a student is unable to come to the office to inspect the record.
Disclosure of Education Records. LMU will disclose information from a student’s education record only with the written consent of the student, except:
- To school officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the records.
- A "school official" is any person employed by LMU in any administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including public safety and health services staff); any person or company with whom LMU has contracted to provide a service to or on behalf of LMU (such as attorneys, auditors or collection agents); any person serving on LMU’s Board of Trustees; or 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 the official’s professional responsibilities.
- To officials of another school, upon request, in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. A reasonable attempt will be made to notify the student prior to the release of such records.
- To certain officials of the U.S. Department of Education, the Controller General, Attorney General, and the state and local educational authorities, in connection with certain state or federally supported education programs.
- In connection with a student’s request for or receipt of financial aid, as necessary to determine the eligibility, amount or conditions of the financial aid, or to enforce the terms and conditions of the aid. Parents’ financial information, including statements submitted in connection with financial aid applications, is excluded from inspection.
- If required by a state law requiring disclosure that was adopted before November 19, 1974.
- To organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the university.
- To accrediting organizations to carry out their functions.
- To parents of a dependent student, as defined in the Internal Revenue Code. The parents must provide a copy of their most recent federal income tax return establishing the student's dependency. Full rights under the act shall be given to either parent, unless LMU has been provided with evidence that there is a court order, state statute or legally binding document relating to such matters as divorce, separation or custody that specifically revokes those rights. LMU does not have an obligation to disclose any financial information about one parent to another. If a parent claims a student as a dependent and does not want his/her financial information disclosed to his/her spouse or former spouse, the parent may make that request to the institution.
- To comply with a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena.
- To appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency.
- To an alleged victim of a sexual assault of the final results of any institutional disciplinary proceeding against the alleged perpetrator of that crime with respect to that crime or offense.
- To courts for a legal proceeding brought by a parent or student against the university or by the university against a parent or student.
- To parents and legal guardians of students under age 21 if the student violated LMU policies, state or federal laws relating to the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance.
- To the public the final results of a disciplinary proceeding only if it has been determined that:
- the student is an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense; and
- the student has committed a violation of the university’s rules with respect to the allegation.
- To state and local juvenile justice systems or their officials.
- If designated as "Directory Information."
Directory Information. LMU is permitted under provisions of FERPA to release "Directory Information" upon request to anyone within the LMU community and to the general public without a student’s consent. Students who wish to have their directory information withheld must notify the Office of the Registrar in writing each semester by the close of official registration. (Please note that such withhold notification will prevent LMU from providing your directory information to friends, prospective employers, organizations and others with whom a student may wish to share such information, so a student should make any withhold notification carefully.)
Correction of Education Records. Students have the right to ask to have records corrected that they believe are inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of their privacy rights. A student should submit any such request to LMU in writing, clearly identifying the records that the student believes are inaccurate and specifying the reasons the student believes them to be inaccurate. LMU will notify the student of its decision, and if the decision is negative, of the student’s right to a hearing regarding his or her request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided at that time.
Transcripts
Transcripts show all Center course work completed and/or in progress as of the transcript request date. Requests for transcripts to show end of current semester’s work are held until all grades are recorded. Transcript requests are processed in accordance with the date of filing.
Students who have unpaid bills or other unsettled financial obligations with the Center or any other unit at the University will not receive academic transcripts until they have cleared all such obligations.
University Identification (I.D.) Number
All students, faculty and employees are assigned a University I.D. number when first hired or enrolled. This nine-digit number is used for record-keeping purposes and will be required when accessing academic records.