Academic Policies and Procedures
Expectations of Faculty
Contracted faculty are expected to teach all scheduled classes. Course schedule changes must be discussed with the designated academic dean or summer chair and approved by the Director of Summer and Special Academic Programs.
Note the withdrawal deadlines for Summer Session 2009. Faculty are asked to communicate this information to students via the course syllabus. In addition, faculty are encouraged to provide graded assignments prior to the midpoint of the course so that students receive appropriate feedback in the event they need to make a decision about a course drop or withdrawal.
Instructors should retain examinations for a year after they are administered, in order to answer any questions concerning grades or grading practice. Some courses which do not meet on a regular schedule (e.g., dissertation research, independent study, and practica) do not require final examinations. However, instructors should retain records concerning the evaluation of student performance.
Instructors must keep class records of attendance, marks on recitations, tests, and examinations; conduct examinations; and report final grades on courses completed to the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs within 48 hours after the final examination. Due to the transition from ISIS to the new Student Information System in August 2009, timely submission of grade sheets is crucial. Grades received on or after August 11th will require a separate grade change indicator form for each student.
Summer Session Pay Dates Schedule of Pay Dates
Summer Session follows the University's bi-weekly wage payroll schedule beginning on June 26, 2009. All payment is directly deposited. Faculty who have not previously been employed by the University, must complete an Employment Eligibility Form (I-9), direct deposit form as well as tax forms. Faculty who have had a lapse in service at UVa must complete new tax forms and a direct deposit form. For additional information, contact Wanda Trainum in the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs at wht2e@virginia.edu or (434) 924-6549. Foreign nationals working during the summer should contact Andy Meade at (434) 924-1377 to ensure that all paperwork is in order.
Academic Policies and Procedures
Course Registration
Registration begins April 27, 2009 and must be completed prior to the first class meeting. Again this year, students may either register online via ISIS at www.virginia.edu/isis or in-person at the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs in Garrett Hall B019. Payment is due at the time of registration. See Registration and Academic Policies at www.virginia.edu/summer/regpro.html for detailed information.
Grading Options
A letter grade shall be given to students in all Summer Session courses. In most courses, students may opt to select the credit/no credit option or audit option with the permission of the instructor. All requests for a CR/NC or AU option require the signature of the instructor on the student’s Add form. See deadlines for selecting grading option under Registration and Academic Policies at www.virginia.edu/summer/regpro.html.
- Auditing (AU)
Students may audit courses with the permission of the instructor. Courses taken on an audit basis have the symbol AU (audit) recorded in the grade column of the academic record. No credits or grade points are earned in audited courses. Because credits are not earned in audited courses, these courses are not included in the courses required to complete a degree. Instructors have the option of determining whether students may or may not take their courses on an audit basis. The cost of auditing a course is the same as the cost of taking the course for credit. The University of Virginia does not allow faculty to let students sit in on classes.
Students in the School of Architecture may not audit any course. Students in the College must elect the AU option by the add deadline; they may cancel this option only through the drop deadline, in which case the course will be deleted from the transcript. A grade of W is recorded for any student who discontinues the audit after the drop deadline or who fails to meet the instructor's standards. If a student wishes to drop or withdraw from a course for which they chose the audit option (depending on the deadline), he or she must complete the appropriate paperwork in-person at the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs in Garrett Hall B019.
- Credit/No Credit (CR/NC)
In most courses students have the option of receiving the grades CR (credit) or NC (no credit) in place of the regular grades A through F. The option is taken at the time the students register for the course. Instructors have the right to refuse to permit students to take courses on a CR/NC basis. In these cases, students may either change back to the regular grading option or they may drop the courses entirely. Courses taken for CR/NC may not be used for any major or basic area requirements. See Registration and Academic Policies at www.virginia.edu/summer/regpro.html for restrictions specific to each school.
Guidelines for Class Size
If no students are enrolled in his or her course, a faculty member should promptly notify the designated academic dean or summer chair, as well as the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs. If no students are enrolled, the course will be cancelled and the faculty assignment becomes void.
If fewer than ten students enroll in his or her course, a faculty member should promptly notify the designated academic dean or summer chair, as well as the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs. The Director of the Office for Summer and Special Academic Programs, after consultation with the designated academic dean or summer chair, will determine the viability of the course. The faculty assignment may be adjusted as a result of the low enrollment or, the course may be cancelled.
Courses |
9-Weeks |
Sessions I, II, and III |
3-Weeks (Education) |
Number of Class Meetings |
39 |
18 |
See Curry School of Education courses either online at www.virginia.edu/cod |
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Length of Class Meetings |
60 minutes |
135 minutes |
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Contact Hours |
39 hours |
40.5 hours |
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Meeting Time Blocks |
08:00 to 09:00 |
08:00 to 10:15 |
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09:15 to 10:15 |
10:30 to 12:45 |
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10:30 to 11:30 |
13:00 to 15:15 |
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11:45 to 12:45 |
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13:00 to 14:00 |
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14:15 to 15:15 |
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Class Rosters
Class rosters are produced and delivered by the University Registrar to academic schools and departments approximately one week after classes begin. These rosters are for informational purposes only and should not be used for adding and dropping students from courses. Only students officially registered for the course at the time the roster was printed will be listed on the roster. Instructors are required to address any discrepancies between the students listed on the roster and those attending class.
Students whose names do not appear on the class roster should be instructed to visit the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs immediately to add the course. Payment is due at the time of registration. Instructors should verify all CR/NC and Audit grade options that appear on the class rosters. Instructors should also notify the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs about students whose names appear on the class roster but who are not attending class. Staff will follow up with these students to resolve registration issues.
Attendance in Classes
Students enrolled in a UVa Summer Session course are expected to attend each class meeting. Course requirements such as examinations, oral presentations, laboratory experiments, participation in discussion, or the like are in no sense waived because of absence from class. Instructors may establish penalties for an absence.
Exclusion from Courses
A student who is making no real progress in a course, or whose behavior is detracting from the course, may be excluded from that course by the instructor with a grade of W or F. Students have 48 hours following written notification of this exclusion in which to appeal. The appeal should be made in writing to the Director of the Office for Summer and Special Academic Programs. Until the final disposition of the appeal, the student will continue to be enrolled in the course and may continue to attend classes with the approval of the Director of Summer and Special Academic Programs and the instructor.
Regulations Regarding Course Changes
- To Drop Individual Courses
A student who remains enrolled in the Summer Session may drop a course before its midpoint and thereby have it deleted from his/her transcript. For procedures and restrictions, see Registration and Academic Policies at www.virginia.edu/summer/regpro.html.
- To Withdraw from Individual Courses
After the midpoint and before the withdrawal deadline, a student who remains enrolled in the Summer Term may, under certain circumstances, withdraw from a course with a grade of W, WP, or WF. Any student who discontinues a course without formally dropping or withdrawing will receive a grade of F. For procedures and restrictions, see Registration and Academic Policies at www.virginia.edu/summer/regpro.html.
- To Withdraw Completely from the Summer Term
Students enrolled in one or more courses who decide not to complete any of them must withdraw from the Summer Session by the withdrawal deadline. For procedures and restrictions, see Registration and Academic Policies at www.virginia.edu/summer/regpro.html.
- Extension of Time
In the College of Arts and Sciences and in the Curry School of Education, students who cannot complete a course on time because of illness or other extenuating circumstances may request an extension of time. Requests for extensions of time must be submitted to the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs with the signature of the instructor and academic dean.
- Incompletes
The notation IN (incomplete) indicates that a final grade for the course is being withheld by the instructor until the student completes all course requirements or examinations. A student may not request an IN grade in an attempt to raise his or her grade. Prior to the end of the course, students must initiate the request for an IN and secure the instructor’s approval with an Extension of Time form. Work must be completed within the number of days specified by each school. See the Summer Record (http://records.ureg.virginia.edu/) for details.
When course requirements have been completed, the instructor should obtain a change of grade form from his/her department office. The instructor must assign a grade, sign the form, and obtain the signature of the designated academic dean or summer chair. The Director of the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs will sign in place of the dean/chair for all Unclassified and Visiting Graduate students. The completed change of grade form must be returned to the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs. At no point may the change of grade form be in the possession of the student.
Examination Schedule and Policies (Schedule of Examinations)
Examinations are scheduled according to the course meeting time and held in the regular assigned meeting room. In the event of conflicts, the Office of the University Registrar will assign alternate rooms. For courses designated as "To Be Arranged" or courses which fall outside this grid, examination dates must be established and rooms obtained by contacting the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs (434) 924-3371, Garrett Hall B019. Examinations are given only during the scheduled examination period; faculty members are not authorized to change this schedule. Exceptions may be authorized only by the Director of Summer and Special Academic Programs. No student absences from examinations will be excused except for sickness on the day of examination, attested by documentation from a physician, or for other cause accepted by the professor concerned and the Director of Summer and Special Academic Programs. A student absent from the regular examination who is excused is entitled to a special examination at a time and place convenient to the instructor.
Instructors should retain examinations for a year after they are administered, in order to answer any questions concerning grades or grading practice.
Re-examinations on coursework are not permitted. Any questions should be directed to the designated academic dean or summer chair.
Some courses which do not meet on a regular schedule (e.g., dissertation research, independent study, and practica) do not require final examinations. However, instructors should retain records concerning the evaluation of student performance.
Grading Systems
Students are graded according to the school in which enrolled and not according to the school in which the course is offered. For example, an Architecture student taking a College course would be graded according to the policies established by the School of Architecture. These rules can be found in the Summer Record at http://records.ureg.virginia.edu.
Grade Rosters
Grade rosters are distributed by the Office of the University Registrar approximately one week prior to the conclusion of the course.
Grades awarded to students should be darkened with a number two pencil. The instructor must complete a grade-change form for students whose names are missing from the final grade sheet. Grade-change forms may be obtained in departmental offices or at the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs.
Original grade rosters must be returned to the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs within 48 hours after final examination. The second copy should be retained by the department. Visiting faculty should leave their grade rosters copy with the academic dean or summer chair.
Instructors must keep class records of attendance, marks on recitations, tests, and examinations for one year in case questions concerning grades or grading practices arise.
Degree Candidates' Grades
Separate grade rosters are provided for candidates expecting to receive a degree in August 2009. Grades should be recorded on these rosters and submitted to the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs office within 24 hours after the final examination.
Reporting of Grades
Grade reports are not automatically mailed to students during the summer session. Upon completion of a course, students may view their grades via ISIS Online at www.virginia.edu/isis. To receive a grade report at no charge by mail, a request must be submitted through ISIS Online. There is a charge of $5 per official transcript (subject to change). For detailed instructions on how to access an online grade report through ISIS Online or to request an official transcript, see the Office of the University Registrar website at www.virginia.edu/registrar.
Grade Changes
No grade may be changed after it has been submitted to the University Registrar without the approval of the dean. The dean is not authorized by the faculty to change a grade except when an instructor certifies that, because of an error in calculation or transcript, an incorrect grade has been submitted. The College limits the time in which a grade change is approved to the fall semester following the summer session in which the grade was received. The deans are authorized to change incomplete or missing grades to an F or withdrawal.
Instructors must submit grade change forms to the student’s dean’s office (or to the Director of Summer and Special Academic Programs for visiting graduate and unclassified summer students) for approval. See Registration and Academic Policies at www.virginia.edu/summer/regpro.html for details.
The Honor System
Founded in 1842, the Honor System is one of the University’s most cherished institutions. Based on the principle that University students want to be trusted, the Honor System helps create and strengthen a school-wide community of trust.
Students at the University make a commitment not to lie, cheat or steal within Charlottesville, Albemarle County, or where they represent themselves as University students. Because they have made this commitment, students are trusted by peers, faculty members, administrators, and community residents alike. Students conduct themselves with integrity and are presumed honorable until proven otherwise.
Students are recruited and trained by the Honor Committee to serve as advisors and to provide counsel. Students investigate Honor allegations, assist and support accused students through the Honor process, and work with accused students in their defense at trial. Honor jury panels are similarly comprised entirely of students. While anyone may report alleged Honor violations, the process is administered entirely by students.
The vitality of the Honor System depends upon the willingness of students to uphold the high standards set by their peers. When a student is formally accused of an Honor offense following investigation, that student may elect to either (1) leave the University, without requesting a trial (in which case that student will be deemed to have admitted guilt, whether or not such an admission is expressly made), or (2) request an Honor trial. Any student found guilty of an Honor offense, or deemed to have admitted guilt after having left without requesting a trial, will be permanently dismissed from the University. The notation “Enrollment Discontinued” will be placed on the student’s transcript, without specific reference to the Honor proceedings. In the case of a student found guilty of an Honor offense following graduation, or deemed to have admitted guilt without requesting a trial after graduation, the General Faculty of the University may undertake proceedings to revoke that student’s degree. The rules of the Honor System apply to any person who was a University student at the time an alleged Honor offense was committed, so long as a case is reported within two years thereafter.
All students who enroll at the University, including those attending summer session only, benefit from the freedom and security provided by the Honor System; every student must agree to live by and support the spirit of honor. Applicants who are not prepared to embrace this freedom and accept this responsibility should not apply for admission.
This is intended as a brief summary of some important aspects of the University's Honor System. For more information, visit www.virginia.edu/honor. If you have further questions, please call the Committee at (434) 924-7602.
Classroom Assignments
In October, a request for classroom preferences is distributed to all academic schools and departments along with the call for budget materials. All classroom space is allocated by the Office of the University Registrar. Every attempt is made to honor classroom preferences. Once space has been allocated for academic courses, UREG will assign unused space for non-academic activities. Classroom assignments may be viewed on the online Course Offerings Directory at www.virginia.edu/cod. No changes in assigned class meeting time or location can be made without the approval of the Summer Chair and the Director of Summer and Special Academic Programs.
Instructional Toolkit
The Instructional Toolkit is a collection of World Wide Web-based tools to help instructors create class home pages and utilize electronic resources to administer and manage courses. The Instructional Toolkit helps instructors quickly and easily create course Web pages without having to learn a great deal about technology. Information on the Instructional Toolkit is available at https://toolkit.itc.virginia.edu.
The Instructional Toolkit is being replaced by UVaCollab. However, Summer Session faculty may use either Toolkit or Collab this summer for course management.
UVa Collab
UVaCollab is the new online collaboration and learning environment replacing the Instructional Toolkit. Information and instructions are available at the Collab websites. https://collab.itc.virginia.edu/portal
Summer Session faculty may use either Toolkit or Collab this summer for course management.