Student Handbook
All Tiffin University Prague students are asked to read the University of Tiffin Ohio’s Handbook in order to be familiar with all our Policies. What we offer below are important highlights that every student at Tiffin University Prague should know.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Students are responsible for knowing all requirements in the handbook. The university reserves the right to change its course offerings, academic policies and requirements for the baccalaureate and associate degrees.
Students are responsible for correctly selecting courses for their programs of study each semester and for fulfilling all degree requirements. Although advisors will assist wherever possible, the final responsibility rests with the student. Students should use their major curriculum sheets to track their progress. Students are encouraged to obtain up to date curriculum sheets from their Academic Advisor or the Registrar’s Office.
Students are expected to make sure that they are fulfilling all degree requirements as published in the issue of the Academic Bulletin of the University for the year they entered or the year they officially changed their major. Regardless of the term of starting the program, students are typically governed by the policies in the most current annual academic bulletin.
Work in the Classroom
Classroom experience is central to education. The interaction and learning from the faculty and fellow students in the classroom are crucial. Students should make attendance a priority and follow the attendance policies set forth by the instructor. Students are required to come to class prepared with the readings completed, papers written, and class presentations ready to be given. Students should complete the work necessary, as specified in their syllabi or as assigned by the faculty.
Work outside the Classroom
In general, each course the student is enrolled in requires 5 – 10 hours of work a week outside class. Such outside preparation may take the form of reading the texts and reprints for the course, library research, writing papers or cooperative learning with other students.
The University encourages collaboration among students in their academic work.
There are a variety of opportunities to work with other students, such as study tables, getting assistance at the Learning Center, informal study groups, and undertaking team projects. Collaboration happens within the framework of course requirements and academic honesty.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Academic institutions have the responsibility to promote and inculcate the highest standards of ethics among students. Therefore, Tiffin University places the highest value on academic honesty. Any act of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, committed by a student may be penalized with an “F” for the assignment or for the course in question at the discretion of the instructor. If warranted, acts of academic dishonesty may also attract more severe sanctions, such as suspension or dismissal.
Definitions
1. Plagiarism is probably the most common and obvious form of academic dishonesty.
Plagiarism is defined in the Student’s Book of College English by Squire and Chitwood (Encino, California: Glencoe Publishing Co., 1975) as follows:
Plagiarism is the use of facts, opinions, and language taken from another writer without acknowledgment. In its most sordid form, plagiarism is outright theft or cheating; a person has another person write the paper or simply steal a magazine article or section of a book and pretend to have produced a piece of original (work). Far more common is plagiarism in dribs and drabs; a sentence here and there, a paragraph here and there. Unfortunately, small-time theft is still theft, and small-time plagiarism is still plagiarism. For your own safety and self-respect, remember the following rules:
A. The language in your paper [or oral presentation] must either be your own or a direct quote from the original author.
B. Changing a few words or phrases from another writer’s work is not enough to make the writing ‘your own.’ Remember Rule 1. The writing is either your own or the other person’s; there are not in-betweens.
C. Footnotes acknowledge that the fact or opinion expressed comes from another writer. Quotation marks are necessary in addition to footnote. Other methods of indicating use of a direct quotation, such as indentation, are acceptable if they are commonly recognized.
D. A writer may not avoid a charge of plagiarism simply because the work from which material has been used in included in a citation somewhere in the writing. Each occurrence of the use of another person’s work must be cited.
2. Other Forms of Academic Dishonesty
Other forms of academic dishonesty include the following:
A. Using external assistance in the completion of course assignments and examinations unless the instructor has specifically authorized such assistance. Such activities as the use of “crib sheets” or “cheat sheets,” looking at another student’s answers during a test, and bringing examination books with notes or answers already written in them are forbidden. Assistance requiring authorization might include, but is not limited to, the
use of technology (e.g., a calculator), use of books or notes during an examination, using professionally prepared materials, or having another person make specific suggestions for changes and corrections on an assignment. It is acceptable, for example, acceptable for a reader to suggest that a paragraph is unclear or needs more detail; it is unacceptable to offer specific rewording or details for inclusion. It is unacceptable to permit a typist or secretary to make changes or corrections in written material as part of the process of typing. This section does not rule out use of official college tutors or the Writing Lab for assistance unless specifically forbidden by the instructor.
B. Handing in material for course assignments that has been, in large part, used to meet requirements in other courses without gaining previous permission by the instructor.
C. Presenting as one’s own work what has been done wholly or in part by another person or a professional service without gaining the previous permission of the instructor. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, allowing another person to conduct research or select written materials that will be used to complete an assignment, using a paper or assignment prepared by another student as an assignment in a previous course, or purchasing professionally prepared papers that may be handed in as purchased or used as the basis of a rewritten paper.
D. Failing to acknowledge that work which has not been assigned as collaborative work has been done with the inappropriate help of others. The prohibition is not intended to discourage legitimate cooperative or collaborative work. Nevertheless, legitimate collaboration must be distinguished from illegitimate collaboration. Unless the professor has instructed otherwise, it is dishonest to work with others on a single assignment that will be multiplied and turned in separately as if it were the work of each individual alone. All who cooperated on a project should be identified. Students need not be concerned about work that is assigned to be done collaboratively and follows the specific instructions of the professor.
E. Fabricating research in the completion of assignments. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, entirely or partial fabricating scientific research results or inventing information or citations for use in completing assignments.
F. Interfering with the work of another student. It constitutes academic dishonesty to hinder he work of another student by stealing, destroying, changing, or otherwise interfering with their accomplishment of academic assignments. This prohibition involves but is not limited to such things as stealing or mutilating library materials or other academic resources.
G. Knowingly assisting another student to engage in academic dishonesty itself constitutes a form of academic dishonesty. Assisting in academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, such things as permitting another student to complete an assignment where such assistance is not authorized by the instructor, giving another access to a completed assignment which that student will submit as her or his own work, allowing another student to copy during an examination, and/or offering information to another student during an examination.
ACADEMIC PROBATION
Any student who’s cumulative grade-point average for the number of semester hours attempted falls below the minimum level will be placed on probation and may be required to complete all or part of the Learning Assistance Program or the Academic Assistance Program.
If, at the completion of additional twelve semester hours attempted, the cumulative grade point average shows no improvement, the student will be academically dismissed.
Academic Dismissal
A student may be dismissed from the University for a minimum of one semester for:
1. Failure to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average to remain in good academic standing after being placed on probation.
2. Receiving a failing grade in nine or more hours attempted during the first semester of attendance at Tiffin University or receiving a failing grade in four or more courses in any semester.
Any student dismissed from the University for academic reasons may apply for readmission after one regular (fall or spring) semester. Re-admitted students may be placed on academic probation. They must maintain a grade point average of 2.00 or more each semester in residence until the minimum cumulative grade point average to remain in good academic standing is achieved.
Grading
Final grades are submitted at the end of each semester, and these are made part of the student’s permanent record. Letter grades are used as follows:
A indicates EXCELLENT work and carries a weight of four quality points for each semester hour.
B indicates GOOD work and carries a weight of three quality points for each semester hour.
C indicates AVERAGE work and carries a weight of two quality points for each semester hour.
D indicates BELOW AVERAGE work and carries a weight of one quality point for each semester hour.
F indicates FAILURE, and carries no quality points. In such cases, required courses must be repeated.
I indicates INCOMPLETE. Students are expected to complete all work for any course by the end of the term in which they are registered. If there is a grave reason why the work
is not completed by the end of the semester, the grade for the course may be recorded as “I”. The student must petition the instructor for an incomplete grade. An incomplete grade may be removed by completing the work of the course, and by paying a make-up fee of $15. If an incomplete has not been removed by mid-term of the next semester, the grade will automatically become an “F”.
WD WITHDRAWAL prior to the withdrawal deadline after properly notifying the Registrar.
WP WITHDREW PASSING, course discontinued after withdrawal date after properly notifying the Registrar. Student must be carrying a passing grade. No credit given.
WF WITHDREW FAILING, course discontinued after withdrawal date after properly notifying Registrar. Student carrying a failing grade; figured into cumulative grade point average.
AF WITHDREW WITHOUT NOTICE, automatic failure, figured in cumulative grade point average.
The grade of “+” or “-” may be indicated on the transcript but there is no effect on the quality point average.
