This section on academic policies is intended to provide students with a working definition of some of the important policies pertaining to academic life at Palmer College of Chiropractic. The Student Handbook, as well as the Academic Affairs Policy Handbook, provide further details.
Preregistration
Continuing students are required to preregister for the subsequent academic term during the preregistration period, which is scheduled toward the end of each academic term. The schedule for preregistration will be published by the College. All continuing students must preregister during the assigned time periods.
Tuition for all continuing students is due and payable on the tenth day of classes of each new academic term. Any special arrangements must be made with the Student Administrative Services Office prior to that date. Even after the preregistration procedure has been completed, the student is not formally registered for the academic term until all outstanding obligations have been met.
Grading System
Grades are assigned based on the grading system as follows:
| Quality Points | Letter Grade | Interpretation |
| 4 | A | Passed with honors. |
| 3 | B | Passed with above average performance. |
| 2 | C | Passed (fulfilled the objectives of the course). |
| R |
Failed with permission to take a remediation examination. This grade is applicable only per campus dean approval following assessment of curricular and local campus factors. All attendance requirements must have been met and the student enrolled in the course for the first time. Students are limited to three (3) course remediations during their academic tenure. An “R” grade option is not available for clinic courses. See Course Remediation. |
|
| I |
Incomplete – Signifies that acceptable cause prevented the student from completely fulfilling the objectives of the course. Issuance of an “I” grade requires the student has met the following criteria:
When a grade of “I” incomplete is given, it must be completed by the last day of the first week of the following academic term. Failure to do so will result in the grade converting to a failure. Because of its convertibility, this grade carries indirect potential for dismissal. |
|
| 0 | F | Failure – Signifies failure to fulfill the objectives of the course and carries academic dismissal potential. |
| P |
Pass (without mention of quality of performance). Used only in courses with Pass/No Credit grading, achievement of advanced standing, or credit by examination. |
|
| W | Withdrawal – Signifies that the student has officially withdrawn from the course on or before the College drop date of the academic term. Students are allowed to voluntarily withdraw from the same course twice without academic penalty. | |
| AW | Administrative Withdrawal – Signifies that the College has withdrawn the student from the course. | |
| AF | Attendance Failure – Signifies that the number of absences makes it impossible for the student to meet the attendance requirements and is equivalent to a failing grade. |
Course Remediation
Eligibility and the issuance of an “R” grade requires the approval of the course instructor and the Dean of Academic Affairs. The student must have met the following criteria:
- first time enrolled in the course,
- within 10% of the passing threshold of the course, and
- met all attendance requirements for the course.
When a grade “R” is given, a remediation examination must be administered and graded by the last day of the first week of the following academic term and focus on the learning deficits as determined by the course instructor. A successful remediation will result in a grade “C” as the final course grade. Failure to do so will result in the “R” grade converting to a failure. Because of its convertibility, this grade carries potential for academic dismissal. Students are limited to three (3) course remediations during their academic tenure.
Restrictions
Students have the right to repeat any course. The last grade earned in that course is called the current grade and is substituted for the previously earned grade and a new GPA is computed. Each grade of failure remains as an active, outstanding failure on the student’s record until a passing grade is achieved with sufficient attendance. If a student registers for any course in which the student has earned an incomplete grade, the student’s registration automatically converts the incomplete grade to a failing grade.
A student with any failing grade will be subject to automatic registration in that course or courses for the next academic period. The student may choose not to register for that course or courses, however, non-registration in a failed course the subsequent term of enrollment may compromise academic standing and/ or eligibility for financial aid. Students are advised to discuss registration options with an academic advisor and/or financial aid advisor prior to making the decision to not register for a course with an outstanding failure.
If a licensing jurisdiction will not accept a grade of “P” (passing), the College will use another letter grades for that course.
Credit by Examination
A student may receive course credit by examination, at the discretion of each course instructor, if the following equivalent course guidelines are met:
- Prior course credits must be substantially equivalent in credit hours, content and quality to that of the College. Only courses that were awarded at the 300 level or above with a grade of “C” or better and awarded within five years of the date of admission to the College are considered for credit by examination eligibility. Older credits in certain areas may be accepted if the student holds an earned doctorate in one of the health sciences (e.g., D.C., M.D., D.O., D.D.S., and D.P.M.) or a graduate degree in an academic discipline closely related to the health sciences.
- Credits used to satisfy the minimum prerequisites for admission may not be used for credit by examination.
- The course must carry equivalent credit or contact hours equal to the course for which a credit by examination is granted.
- Each course will be individually evaluated by the course instructor and the Registrar. Upon successful eligibility determination, the instructor will administer the appropriate competency examination. Upon successful exam completion, credit will be granted, as determined by criteria outlined by the course instructor and approved by the College. A grade “P” (passing) will be awarded, which will carry no quality points toward the student’s G.P.A.
- If the credit by examination is unsuccessful, the student will complete the course as registered during the term. Students will not be given the opportunity to re-take an exam if unsuccessful.
- The credit by examination must be completed and the credit by examination form submitted to the College Registrar by noon on the first Friday of the academic term in which the student is registered for the course.
- Students being granted credit by examination are still required to register for the course. Tuition will not be charged for credits granted by examination.
- The student must have successfully completed all prerequisite courses to the course from which he/ she wishes to receive credit by examination.
Grade Changes
If a student believes there is a discrepancy in the grade report, the student should immediately contact the course instructor. Grade changes may only reflect errors in computation or entry of grades. Challenges to a discrepancy in the grade report must be completed within one calendar year of the final grade report being issued.
Grade Point Average
In each course, a student earns grade points equal to the product of the course credits and the arithmetic value of the grade in that course. In turn, the student’s academic term Grade Point Average (GPA) is derived by dividing the number of quality points accumulated in that academic term by the sum of credit hours for courses that carry quality points in that term. Incomplete, Passing, No Credit, Remediation, Withdrawal and Administrative Withdrawal hours are not included in the computation of grade point.
A student’s GPA is used as a measurement of satisfactory progress. Cumulative GPA is calculated by dividing the sum of all of the quality points earned in all academic terms by the sum of the credits carried with the latest quality grade in each course for courses that carry quality points.
Students have the right to repeat all courses. The last earned grade is substituted for the previously earned grade and a new GPA is computed.
Grade Reports
At the end of each academic term, the student can access an electronic grade report that contains:
- The grade in each course taken during that term
- The contact hours or credit hours earned in each course taken that term
- The GPA and its factors for that term
- The cumulative GPA and its factors
- The sum of the total earned contact hours and credit hours
The original grade report is deposited in the student’s file.
Add/Drop Courses
Any student wishing to add or drop courses must request an “Add/Drop” form from the Student Administrative Services Office. Students must officially drop a course on or before the College drop date of the academic term to avoid academic penalty.
All course additions must be completed before the end of the first week of instruction in the term. Students wishing to add courses should be aware that attendance requirements need to be considered when adding a course after the first day of class.
If a student’s request to withdraw from a course(s) will result in the student being placed on an individualized schedule, the student must first meet with the Registrar or an advisor for academic advising. A grade of “W” will appear on the student’s transcript and will count as a course attempted in the evaluation of satisfactory academic progress. Petitions to withdraw in extenuating circumstances after the respective campuses posted “Last Day to Drop a Course” date should be submitted to the Academic Dean. A student may only withdraw from any given course twice without academic penalty.
The Palmer College Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards for financial aid eligibility require that students are making progress towards completion of their degree. Withdrawal from courses may have a direct effect on loan eligibility during the next period of enrollment. Please refer to the Financial Aid Eligibility Requirements Policy and address any questions regarding Title IV aid eligibility to the Director of Financial Planning.
Definition of a Credit Hour
Palmer College of Chiropractic’s Definition of a Credit Hour policy, which is in compliance with the Department of Education’s federal definition of a credit hour, is published on the College website, and states that every unit for which credit is given is understood to represent approximately three hours of actual work per week for the average student.
Course Prerequisites and Maintenance
A prerequisite represents a set of skills or a body of knowledge that a student must possess prior to enrollment in the course, and without which the student is highly unlikely to succeed. Prerequisite indicates a condition of enrollment that a student is required to meet in order to demonstrate current readiness for enrollment in a subsequent course. Students will not be permitted to enroll in such courses without the appropriate prerequisite. Current prerequisites are available at the Student Administrative Service Office or on the College website.
The effect of prerequisite courses related to transfer credits and students receiving advanced standing will be managed by the Academic Affairs Office. Appeals to this policy may be made in writing to the Academic Dean no later than the fifth-class day of an academic term.
A student must have successfully completed all courses within an academic term before registering for any course(s) in an academic term more than two academic terms beyond. Example: In order to register for the fourth academic term, all courses from the first academic term must be successfully completed.
Academic Progress
The College is required by federal regulations to monitor that all enrolled students are making satisfactory academic progress towards completion of their degree. All students are monitored regardless of their eligibility or intent to receive financial aid.
Please refer to the detailed financial aid eligibility requirements in this catalog.
Academic Credit Load
The College defines a full-time student as one who is carrying a minimum full-time credit load as follows:
- Doctor of Chiropractic Degree Program: twelve (12) credit hours with half-time status being six (6) credit hours.
- Undergraduate Studies: twelve (12) credit hours with half-time status being six (6) credit hours.
Palmer College also recognizes that not all students prefer or are able to handle the full-time academic load of a professional program. Some students may have difficulty in attending full-time and may need to extend their academic careers. Students choosing to extend their studies should refer to the Length of Time Allowed to Complete Academic Course of Study policy.
Maximum Credit Load refers to the maximum number of course credit hours a student may register for during any one academic term. Students in good academic standing may register for a maximum of:
- Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) Degree Program: twenty-seven (27) credit hours in the core curriculum and up to two elective courses are allowed without prior approval from the Registrar. Students placed on academic probation or academic warning will be restricted to a maximum schedule of fifteen (15) credit hours for that academic term of enrollment. Any student wishing to take more than two elective courses must obtain permission from the Registrar.
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Completion Program: fifteen (15) credit hours without prior approval. Students placed on academic probation or academic warning will be restricted to a maximum schedule of twelve (12) credit hours for that academic term of enrollment. Students taking B.S. courses simultaneously with a full D.C. degree program credit load must have prior approval to take more than six undergraduate credit hours.
Length of Time Allowed to Complete Academic Course of Study
Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) Degree Program: A student must complete the entire D.C. degree course of study within eight calendar years of matriculation.
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree Program: Students who graduate from the D.C. degree program have one calendar year from the date of completion of the D.C. degree program, or one year from the date of withdrawal from the D.C. degree program, to complete all B.S. coursework and be awarded the B.S. degree.
Students whose progress is such that they will be unable to complete their studies within the number of years indicated above will be dismissed. Dismissed students may appeal, in writing, to the Academic Dean. The Academic Dean’s decision is final.
Academic Standing
Academic guidelines provide direction for the student who demonstrates difficulty in completing course requirements. These guidelines are applied by the Academic Standing Committee, which seeks to ensure fairness and equity for students while ensuring competence of the graduates of the College. Students who fail to meet minimum academic expectations may be placed on academic warning, academic probation, academic management, or academic dismissal.
Academic Warning
Students, regardless of Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA), are placed on academic warning for the following academic term of enrollment if they have two active failures and/or fail the same course twice.
Academic Probation
Students are placed on academic probation when their Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) falls below 2.00 at any point during their enrollment.
Restricted Course Load
Students while on academic warning, probation or management contract will be limited to a course load maximum as follows:
- Doctor of Chiropractic Program: fifteen (15) credit hours
- Undergraduate Program: twelve (12) credit hours
Academic warning or probation is intended to encourage students to take all appropriate actions necessary to ensure academic success. Students on probation or warning are required to repeat all failed courses the following term of enrollment. Failure to do so may restrict course scheduling and negatively impact financial aid eligibility.
Academic Management
Students will be placed on an academic management contract if:
- While on academic warning, they fail a class that they previously failed and have at least one additional active failure on their transcript;
- They have failed an individual class for the third time, or;
- After two consecutive terms on academic probation, the student fails to raise their CGPA to the minimal standard referenced above.
Students placed on an academic management contract in the Doctor of Chiropractic Degree Program cannot be enrolled in undergraduate studies or elective courses at Palmer during the academic term(s) on contract. The terms of the management contract will be at the discretion of the Academic Standing Committee. Students failing to successfully complete all terms of the management contract will be dismissed from the institution. Successful completion of an academic management contract shall return a student to good academic standing. Any student who meets the criteria for a subsequent management contract will be academically dismissed.
Academic Suspension
Students who qualified for a management contract but elect to take a term of absence from Palmer College receive a status of academic suspension. Upon re-enrolling, the student will be placed on a management contract. During terms of academic suspension, the student will be considered a non-enrolled student. This status allows access to College facilities, student academic support and academic tutorials. Non-enrolled students are not allowed to audit a course without written approval from the Academic Dean.
Academic Dismissal
Students are dismissed from the institution if they fail an academic management contract. Students may appeal a dismissal, in writing, to the Academic Standing Committee. This appeal must be submitted to the Registrar by noon on the Monday of the second week of classes the following academic term. The committee will meet to hear appeals during the second week of the academic term. The Academic Standing Committee may choose to:
- Uphold dismissal;
- Suspend the student for a minimum of one term with or without expectations to be met during their absence; or
- Place a student on a second academic management contract.
Upon notification of the appeal by the Academic Standing Committee that the dismissal is upheld or that the student has been suspended for a period of time, the student may no longer attend courses. The student may apply for re-admission to the Academic Dean at a future date if there is significant evidence of sustained and substantial academic improvement since the date of the student’s dismissal. Refer to the Re-Admission section.
Course Audit
Students may enroll to audit a course, on a space available basis, with written permission from the Academic Dean. Auditing may not be permitted in selected coursework. Audited courses do not count toward full-time status, grade point average, or financial aid eligibility.
A student auditing a course will be registered for the course(s) they have been approved to audit. The student will not be required to submit assignments, take quizzes or exams, and request review of course work unless otherwise directed by the course instructor or the Academic Dean. Class participation is at the discretion of the course instructor, in consultation with the Academic Dean.
A student auditing will appear on the course roster. The Office of the Registrar will not accept grades for course audits and no transcript record will be issued. Tuition for an audit is calculated at a percentage of the current applicable per credit tuition fee.
Individual grade reports or transcripts are not provided for audited courses. Courses may not be subsequently converted or transcribed for credit. A student auditing a course is not required to adhere to course prerequisites or other course requirements, nor is the student eligible for instructional services.
Non-Degree Students
Applicable to the Undergraduate Studies Program Only
Students may enroll as a non-degree student, on a space-available basis, with permission from the Academic Dean. Non-degree students are not admitted to a specific degree program.
Non-degree students must first apply for admission to the undergraduate studies program and meet the general criteria for admission. If admitted, non-degree students are governed by all Academic Affairs policies (with the exception of the Length of Time Allowed to Complete a Program policy). Non-degree students must also comply with all sections of the Student Handbook.
Non-degree students may register for no more than 15 credit hours of undergraduate coursework; registration for some courses may be restricted by the degree program offering that course. All credits attempted non-degree will be used to compute a non-degree GPA for the purpose of determining academic status (See Policy on Academic Status).
Non-degree students are not guaranteed admission to any specific degree program. They may apply for admission to a degree program and request earned non-degree credits be accepted for completion of that degree program.
Clinic Procedures
Clinic curriculum student interns who provide chiropractic health care to patients must do so under the mentorship and direct supervision of a licensed faculty doctor. The clinical conduct of student interns is governed by Clinic policies, which are subject to change periodically to conform to state laws governing the operation of Palmer Chiropractic Clinics and the chiropractic profession. It is the responsibility of each student to keep fully informed of Clinic policies and abide by those policies at all times. Students are required to maintain the highest degree of professional integrity and ethical conduct in their relationships with their patients, colleagues, faculty clinicians and Clinic personnel. Refer to the Clinic Operations Procedures Manual and the Code of Student Ethics published in the Student Handbook for additional information.
Clinical Competency Assessments
The Palmer Clinical Competency Assessment procedures are designed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the development of clinical skills. Formative and summative methods are used to assess various clinical competencies integral to the successful practice of chiropractic. Evaluations determining overall clinical competence include both quantitative and qualitative evaluations of clinic performance. A variety of methods, including written and stationed examinations, simulated patient encounters, direct observation and clinician feedback are used throughout the student’s clinical training to guide and assess the development of clinical competency. Students must receive a satisfactory performance on competency exams as well as in the evaluation of their performance in the care and management of patients in the College’s clinics to satisfy clinical competency requirements for graduation.
Course Cancellation Policy
The College reserves the right to cancel a course for any reason. Registrants will be notified of cancellations in a timely manner and refunds will be processed within three weeks of the scheduled cancellation.
Program Cancellation
In the event that one of the College’s campuses education program closes, every attempt will be made by the College to assist students seeking transfer to other chiropractic colleges. Students wishing to transfer to another Palmer campus will be awarded advanced placement based on a detailed course-by-course review. In addition to awarding advanced standing, credit by examination options and supplemental educational opportunities may be used to expedite advancement through the program.
Attendance
Attendance is a necessary element of a Palmer student’s education. The College recognizes excused and/or exempted absences for a limited set of circumstances. Palmer College must comply with related state and federal laws and regulations regarding a student’s attendance.
Federal regulations require that students earn their financial aid funds by attending and actively participating in courses. To verify financial aid eligibility, attendance information is collected by the Office of the Registrar. If notification of non- attendance in any course is received, the determination of federal financial aid eligibility will be re-evaluated and may result in financial aid forfeiture and/or a balance due to the College. If a student is not attending classes, the student is expected to complete the official withdrawal process of the College.
Students must report all excused or exempted absences to the Office of the Registrar within five days of the absence. The Registrar’s Office may require supporting documentation from the student. The Registrar’s Office will notify the faculty of the student’s absence.
Palmer College recognizes excused absences for jury duty, short-term military duty, pregnancy-related conditions and childbirth and exempted absences for mandatory religious obligations, unavoidable events and College supported activities approved by the Dean of Academic Affairs. Students called for documented jury duty or short-term military duty will submit official notification of service to the Office of the Registrar in advance of the absences. The Office of the Registrar will notify faculty of the absence. Notifications of service will be maintained in the student’s file. The returning student is responsible for contacting the course instructor, who will provide the appropriate make up assignments for the days missed. Absences outside the designated time frame will not be excused.
This policy does not in any way release students from the responsibility of satisfying all requirements necessary for the successful completion of any course.
Absences for pregnancy-related conditions or childbirth are excused when the student’s licensed health care provider deems the absence medically necessary. The student will provide supporting documentation to the Office of the Registrar, who will communicate the excused absence to the course instructors. Requests for adjustments or modifications are managed through the Student Disability Services Coordinator.
Students experiencing absences due to mandatory religious obligations, unavoidable events and College supported activities approved by the Dean of Academic Affairs must contact the Office of the Registrar prior to the absence when the absence is foreseeable. The Office of the Registrar maintains a list of College supported activities approved by the Dean of Academic Affairs.
Extended absences that do not allow the student to meet the course requirements may prompt the College to issue an administrative withdrawal. Students on extended excused absence will be given a reasonable amount of time to make-up the work he/she missed or be allowed to re-enter the program at the point where they left.
Military Active-Duty Notification
In the event an enrolled student or an enrolled student’s spouse with a dependent child receives active-duty notification, the student must provide the Registrar with advance notice of military service. Notice may be either written or oral. It may be provided by the student or by an appropriate officer of the branch of the military in which the student will be serving. However, no notice is required if:
- Military necessity prevents the giving of notice; or
- The giving of notice is otherwise impossible or unreasonable.
Dependent on the point in the academic term, one of the following options will be afforded to the student:
- The Registrar will process a withdrawal from the College for the academic term enrolled. A grade of “AW” (Administrative Withdrawal) will be placed on the student’s record. The student’s tuition fees will be refunded in full to the student or the student’s lender, whichever is appropriate, regardless of the point in the academic term that the military orders are received. The Registrar will notify the appropriate departments of the withdrawal.
- Arrangements will be made with the student’s instructors for course grades, or for incompletes that shall be completed by the student at a later date. If such arrangements are made, the student’s registration shall remain intact and tuition and mandatory fees shall be assessed for the courses in full.
- Make arrangements with only some of the student’s instructors for grades, or for incompletes that shall be completed by the student at a later date. If such arrangements are made, the registration for those courses shall remain intact and tuition and mandatory fees shall be assessed for those courses. Any course for which arrangements cannot be made for the grades or incompletes shall be considered dropped and the tuition and mandatory fees for the course refunded.
Upon completion of Active-Duty service, the student may contact the Registrar for re-enrollment. Students returning after a hiatus of greater than one year will be required to meet the re-admission guidelines as outlined in the re-admissions policy.
The academic term of enrollment from which a student withdrew will not be considered in academic progress relating to financial aid eligibility or academic status. In addition, the Length of Time to Completion policy will be lengthened based on the length of time the student was away from the College due to military service.
Withdrawal From the College
A student may find it necessary to withdraw from the College on a temporary or permanent basis before the posted campus “Last Day to Drop a Course” date. Withdrawals from the College occur:
- Officially when the student contacts the Office of the Registrar or completes and submits a “Request to Withdraw” form, available in the Student Administrative Services Office.
- Unofficially when the student stops attending classes but does not formalize the withdrawal through the Office of the Registrar.
Students who withdraw may experience a reduction in their financial aid and may be required to refund or repay a portion of their financial aid. The process for determining if and how much aid may need to be repaid can be found under the Federal Return of Title IV Funds Policy within the Tuition and Fees section of the handbook.
Upon notification of withdrawal, a withdrawal grade will be posted for all currently enrolled courses. The student’s course instructors and necessary College departments will be notified. The Student Administrative Services Office will determine the amount of any tuition refund. Refunds due will be forwarded to the student’s loan lender or the student, whichever is appropriate, within 30 days from the date of withdrawal.
Petitions to withdraw in extenuating circumstances after the official last day to withdraw should be submitted to the Registrar. Such a withdrawal is discretionary, issued under extraordinary circumstances, which, in the judgment of the academic dean, subjects the student to an unreasonable burden of completing course work in a timely fashion. An approved, qualified professional must document a student’s incapacity. The student must officially withdraw from all classes through the Registrar and must have a “Fit to Return” form signed by an approved, qualified professional before re-admission is granted.
It should be noted that College policy requires students to graduate within a specific number of years, depending on program of enrollment, from the first day of attendance. Students taking one or more academic terms off should be aware that this may affect their financial aid and that a repayment of loans could be initiated for students taking off two or more consecutive terms. Contact the Financial Planning Office for details.
A grade of “W” or “AW” is counted toward hours attempted but does not produce quality points and does not affect a student’s GPA. The Palmer College Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards for financial aid eligibility require that students are making progress towards completion of their degree. Withdrawal from courses may have a direct impact on loan eligibility during the next period of enrollment. Please refer to the Financial Aid Eligibility Requirements Policy, and refer any questions regarding Title IV aid eligibility to the Financial Planning Office.
Re-Admission
This policy pertains to administrative decision for re-admittance of students who are currently withdrawn from enrollment.
Re-admission may occur in the following instances:
- Students returning from a hiatus or suspension of less than one year;
- Students returning from a hiatus or suspension greater than one academic year but less than five years;
- Students returning from a hiatus greater than five years;
- Dismissed students seeking re-admission.
Students returning after a hiatus of less than one year shall contact the Office of the Registrar a minimum of thirty days prior to the start of the academic term.
Students returning from a hiatus longer than one year, but less than five years from active registration, are required to submit an Application for Re-Admission to the Registrar at least 60 days prior to the start of the academic term to re-enter the program. If the student has completed coursework at other institutions during the hiatus, transcripts must be forwarded directly from those institutions to the Office of the Registrar. If this course work was completed at another chiropractic college, a Student Transfer Form for Re-Admission must be completed and forwarded directly from those institutions to the Registrar.
The new materials submitted, and the student’s past academic and ethics record will be reviewed by the Academic Dean. The College reserves the right to require that students demonstrate competency before resuming their chiropractic studies, as well as require the student to meet the current Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) admissions requirements. The Dean will determine the student’s placement within the program and terms of re-admission.
Students who have taken a hiatus of less than five years from their initial enrollment date may request to have their previous academic record voided and start over as an incoming first term student. All requests will be evaluated by the Registrar and presented to the campus Academic Dean, or designee, for final action. Decisions affecting this action should be guided by the Length of Time to Complete Academic Course of Study policy.
Students who interrupt their Doctor of Chiropractic education for five years or more will retain no course credits according to accreditation standards established by the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE).
Re-Admission Following Dismissal
Students previously dismissed from the College may apply for re-enrollment consideration to the Academic Dean. The applicant must present evidence of sustained and substantial academic improvement since the date of the student’s previous dismissal. To apply, the student must contact the Registrar at least 60 days prior to the start of the academic term seeking re-entry and complete an Application for Re-Admission. Official transcripts from all institutions attended since the dismissal shall be forwarded directly to the Registrar. The Dean’s decision is final. The College reserves the right to deny, grant or withhold advanced standing.
Examination Statement/Guidelines
The following guidelines explain Palmer’s expectations for student conduct during examinations:
- Only material appropriate to the examinations should be brought with you to the examination room.
- Seating arrangements are at the instructor’s or proctor’s discretion.
- Communication in any form with anyone other than the instructor or proctor isn’t allowed during the examination. Unless otherwise instructed, a student who needs assistance should indicate by raising a hand and waiting until assistance can be rendered.
- Students are expected to focus on their own examinations exclusively. Students are to avoid looking at or appearing to look at others’ examinations.
- A computer privacy screen or privacy filter is required on all electronic devices used in the classrooms for testing purposes.
- Students are expected to keep their answers shielded and confidential at all times.
- Upon completing an examination, students are expected to return all examination materials (tests, answer sheets, etc.) to the instructor or proctor and leave the room quietly.
- In the interest of noise reduction, students who’ve completed the examination are prohibited from loitering immediately outside the examination sites.
- A student who witnesses another student engaging in misconduct during an examination should discreetly notify the instructor or proctor.
Any student possessing an unauthorized exam, or in violation of the above listed examination guidelines, will be subject to a charge of misconduct under the Student Code of Ethics.
Examination Schedule Conflicts
When students indicate there is a conflict between two or more scheduled examinations, the instructors and their immediate supervisors will work to resolve the schedule conflicts with the assistance of the department supervisors and Dean, if needed.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to comply with Palmer College’s Student Code of Ethics. Students are strongly encouraged to carefully read the entire Student Code of Ethics in the Student Handbook. Cheating, plagiarism or other acts of dishonesty, or any other violations of Palmer’s Student Code of Ethics may result in the filing of a charge of misconduct. Sanctions up to and including suspension or dismissal from the College may be imposed upon students found to have violated the Student Code of Ethics. Refer to the Student Code of Ethics or contact the coordinator for the administration of the Student Code of Ethics on the relevant campus, should you have questions.
Posting of Academic Performance Information— FERPA
Student education records are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which safeguards against the public posting of any personally identifiable information without a student’s written consent. This information includes, but is not limited to, academic performance.
Instructors may only post academic performance information by obtaining the student’s written permission, or by using code words or randomly assigned numbers that only the instructor and the student know. Posting of academic performance data must be in random order.
Upon enrollment, students are asked to provide permission to post academic performance information utilizing a personal identification number known to the student and the College. Permission/denial slips are part of the student’s permanent record and are placed on file with the Registrar.
The Registrar will provide instructors with the names of students who have requested their academic performance information not be posted. These students will make arrangements with their instructors to have their academic performance information provided to them.
All course syllabi must include a test score posting statement. Students may choose at any time to retract permission to have academic performance information posted by filing a new permission/denial slip with the Registrar.
Email dissemination of individual academic performance information is not permitted.
College Honors
At the end of each academic term, students are evaluated on the following criteria for the purpose of determining eligibility for Dean’s List honors. Students are officially recognized if the following conditions are met:
- The student is considered a full-time student for the specified academic term (full-time status is 12 or more credit hours);
- The student must not have had any grade less than a “B” during the specified academic term;
- The student must be in good academic standing during the specified term;
- The student’s academic term grade point average must be 3.50 or higher on a 4.00 scale; and
- There must be no finding of a formal charge of misconduct against the student during the specified term.
Graduation
Commencement exercises are held at the end of each academic term. Students will complete an Intent-to-Graduate Form when they register for their final academic term. Students must have no more than two deficit classes at the time of application and the graduation requirements must be met. Students who do not graduate at the end of the academic term in which they applied for graduation must re-apply with the Student Administrative Services Office during the first week of their next academic term. Intent-to-Graduate forms will not be accepted after the 15th day of classes without the approval of the Registrar.
Graduation Requirements
The degree of Doctor of Chiropractic is conferred upon students who have fulfilled the following requirements:
Academic requirements: Complete a minimum number of classroom hours of instruction and the program credit hours (dependent on campus). The Registrar reviews the records of all students in the Intent-to-Graduate List to determine that all academic requirements, other than those in the final academic
term, have been met. Discrepancies in the student’s academic record will be investigated and unqualified students will be removed from the Intent-to-Graduate List.
Clinical Requirements: Successful completion of all clinic courses and clinical requirements. Clinical requirements must be completed two weeks prior to graduation or the student is not eligible to graduate. The Academic Standing Committee will hear appeals and act as the final decision-maker. Students who have completed all of the non-clinical requirements, the student clinic quantitative requirements, and 80 percent of each of the remaining quantitative clinical requirements may be eligible for a clinic contract and participation in the graduation ceremony for the current term. The remaining quantitative requirements must be completed by the end of the first week of classes in the next academic term. Failure to complete these requirements by the deadline will require the student to reapply for graduation in a subsequent term.
Final Academic Approval: Final grades for graduating students will be available prior to the Academic Standing Committee graduation meeting on the Monday prior to graduation. At this meeting, presents the graduation list for the Committee’s approval. All appeals of graduation decisions will be heard at this meeting and adjudicated by the committee. After the committee has approved the graduation list, it’s presented to the Academic Dean for final approval.
Institutional Clearance: Under the direction of the Registrar, institutional clearance is conducted shortly after the graduation list is approved. Graduating students are required to fulfill all outstanding obligations to the College at this time which include all academic, clinical, technical, professional and ethical requirements. Those who fail to complete institutional clearance will be removed from the graduation list and may be reinstated only by application to the Registrar.
Attendance: Attendance at the graduation exercises is mandatory. In extreme circumstances, students may be excused by application through the Registrar to the College Provost or Campus President.
Graduation Honors
Students meeting the following criteria will be awarded honors at graduation.
Academic Honors:
Cum Laude (with honors) – GPA of 3.50 to 3.69
Magna Cum Laude (with high honors) – GPA of 3.70 to 3.89
Summa Cum Laude (with highest honors) – GPA of 3.90 to 4.00
The individual(s) selected for graduation honors will be determined by the cumulative Grade Point Average at the end of the academic term prior to that of the graduation term. Credits or grades earned during the academic term in which the student graduates will not be considered in determination of these honors.
The individual(s) selected for Valedictorian will be the member(s) of the Doctor of Chiropractic graduation class maintaining the highest cumulative GPA at the end of the term prior to that of the graduation term. In addition, this individual(s) must have completed all academic and clinical requirements of Palmer College and must meet the following requirements:
- Cannot have withdrawn from any core course;
- May not have repeated any course at Palmer College; and
- Shall have no “blemish” on his or her record, which includes:
- A grade of “no credit” in any course during the student’s chiropractic education;
- Being placed on probation at any time during the student’s chiropractic education; or
- Receiving a finding of a formal charge of misconduct at any time during the student’s chiropractic education.
The individual(s) selected for salutatorian will be the member(s) of the Doctor of Chiropractic graduation class maintaining the second highest cumulative GPA at the end of the term prior to that of the graduation term. In addition, this individual(s) must have completed all academic and clinical requirements of the College. The student(s) must also meet the criteria listed previously.
Individuals receiving these honors will also be recognized at their graduation ceremony. The designation of the Valedictorian and Salutatorian for a graduating class is the responsibility of the Registrar.
Academic Excellence Award
Students will be recognized for the award of Academic Excellence at graduation if they meet all of the criteria for the Dean’s List for each term of enrollment at Palmer College.
Transfer Students: To be recognized as an Academic Excellence recipient, in addition to the above criteria, previous coursework for which the student receives advanced standing in the chiropractic program must not have received any grade less than a “B,” along with a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher on a 4.00 scale at the time of transfer.
Additional Graduation Honors
In addition to the academic honors outlined above, the College may award other honors at graduation. In addition to the specific requirements of each individual award, students shall have no finding of misconduct at any time during the student’s chiropractic education to be eligible to receive any of the following honors.
Research Honors
The Research Honors Program gives students the opportunity to experience research and enhance their education while in the Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) program. It allows them to design and complete a faculty-mentored research project. Research Honors applications and submissions are evaluated by the Research Honors Committee and students awarded Research Honors are recognized at their graduation ceremony. Students interested in the Research Honors Program are encouraged to contact the Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research for details or visit www.palmer.edu/research/student-research-program/.
Clinic Honors
The Clinical Excellence Award may be presented to a graduating student who has demonstrated outstanding accomplishment in service to patients, the College and the chiropractic profession. Candidates are nominated by Clinic faculty and are judged on quality of patient care, leadership potential, knowledge, skills and service.
Virgil V. Strang Philosophy Award
The Virgil V. Strang Philosophy Award may be presented to a graduating student who has exemplified the philosophy, commitment, passion, logic and reasoning of the practice of chiropractic during his/her course of study at Palmer College.
Diploma Presentation
A graduating student may request that his/her diploma be presented by a family member during the graduation ceremony. To be eligible to present the diploma to the graduate, the following criteria must be met:
- The presenter(s) must possess an earned doctorate (academic or first professional) awarded by Palmer College of Chiropractic.
- The presenter(s) must be related to the graduate in one of the following ways: parent/stepparent, spouse, sibling, child, grandparent, or aunt/uncle.
Requests for diploma presentation are made when a student completes the Intent to Graduate form prior to the beginning of his/her last term of enrollment. The eligibility of the requested presenter(s) is confirmed by the Office of the Registrar. Upon confirmation of eligibility, the Registrar will communicate with the presenter(s) regarding the Graduation Convocation presenter role.
Requests for exceptions to this policy may be made in writing to the Registrar at least eight weeks prior to graduation. Each request will be reviewed by several administrative officers of the College.
