GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES

Class Attendance
Criteria for Evaluating Students’ Performance
Advancement Policy
Grievance Procedures
Protection against Improper Disclosure
Second Bachelor’s Degree
Plagiarism
Termination Policies and Procedures

ACADEMIC POLICIES

Class Attendance:
The overall Dana College policy on class attendance states that there are no automatically excused absences from classes. Students are expected to attend classes except for situations of illness or family emergency. The Dana College nurse will, upon the student’s request, write notes to professors explaining the student’s absence from class due to illness. If a student knows that she/he must unavoidably miss a class, it is her/his responsibility to inform the professor in advance and to do whatever is possible to make up the work missed.
Consistent class attendance is especially important for social work classes, as so much of the learning takes place through group discussions, role plays, case examples, and other forms of learning which cannot be duplicated or taken down in class notes. Thus social work students are expected to be in class regularly. Each professor has her/his own policy regarding the impact of missed classes upon the student’s grade. Normally missing more than three class periods will result in the significant lowering of the student’s grade for that course.

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Criteria for Evaluating Students’ Academic and Field Performance:
The criteria for each course are spelled out in the syllabus for that course. Students are encouraged to ask for any needed clarification at the beginning of the semester so that there will be no misunderstandings later. Students should note that social work courses are different from many other courses, in that much of the evaluation depends on factors other than written work, although written work is also very important. Each professor has his/her own methods (explained in the syllabus) for evaluating such factors as: participation in class discussions, skills and knowledge demonstrated in role plays and presentations, and demonstration of self-awareness and motivation to take responsibility for one’s own learning and professional growth.

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Advancement Policy and Procedures:
When students apply for formal admission to the Social Work Program (usually in the spring of their sophomore year after completion of SWK 114 and 215 and other requirements), they are asked to sign a contract which includes students’ agreement to participate in the advancement process. This is accomplished through the following procedures:

1.) In addition to regular meetings, students will meet with their advisors for a special advancement conference each year to discuss their progress in the program, using a worksheet which covers students’ development toward mastery of the social work program objectives, the appropriateness of students’ professional and relevant personal behaviors, and students’ adherence to social work values and ethics.
2.) Students agree to allow their social work faculty advisors to discuss their progress with other social work faculty members.
3.) If students complete each year’s advancement assessment and conference satisfactorily, they will advance automatically from one semester to the next, unless they are notified by their advisors that there is a difficulty. The advisors will then work with students to formulate plans for remedying the problems if possible.
4.) If a student is unable or unwilling to correct the problem, the termination policy will be implemented. (Please see section on termination policy.)

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Grievance and Grade Appeal Procedures:
Generally student grievances, situations where students feel that their rights have been denied or violated, can be handled to everyone’s satisfaction within the department. Students are asked to speak directly with the faculty person or the field instructor with whom they have the grievance to discuss the situation. If this discussion does not resolve the situation, the student may ask for a meeting with the person with whom they have the grievance and their academic advisor. The student may also ask that a member of the steering committee of the student social work organization (Social Awareness Organization) be present. (If the advisor should be the person with whom the student has the grievance, another faculty member may be called in as well.) If this procedure should fail to resolve the difference, the student may turn to the Dana College grade appeal/grievance procedure.

The Dana College grade appeal/grievance procedure is explained in the Dana Student Handbook in the section on Academic Affairs. This same procedure may be used by a student who wishes to appeal a termination decision. The procedure is summarized in the Dana Student Handbook (The Survival Guide) as follows:

A student making an appeal shall present a written statement of the case to the Academic Dean. Upon receiving such an appeal the Academic Dean shall determine whether there are valid grounds. If, in the judgment of this individual, there are valid grounds, the Dean shall seek to reconcile the difference through meeting with the student and the professor involved.

If after consultation involving the Academic Dean, the student, and the professor involved, no satisfactory resolution has been arrived at, the Academic Dean together with two full-time faculty members (one chosen by the professor involved and one by the student) shall arrive at a final decision in the case. All appeal proceedings shall be kept in complete confidence by everyone involved.

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Protection Against Improper Disclosure:
Dana College’s policy states that students are entitled to the protection of confidentiality with regard to their views, beliefs, and political associations. The Dana Student Handbook states:

Information about student views, beliefs, and political associations which is disclosed to a faculty member in confidence, shall, at all times, be considered confidential. Protection against improper disclosure is a serious professional obligation. Judgments of ability and character may be provided under appropriate circumstances, normally with the knowledge or consent of the student.

Student records are kept confidential as well. The Dana Student Handbook states:

To minimize the risk of improper disclosure, academic and disciplinary (or counseling) records shall be separate, and the conditions of access to each shall be set forth. Provision shall also be made for periodic routine destruction of non-current disciplinary records. Administrative staff and faculty members shall respect confidential information about students which they acquire in the course of their work.

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Second Bachelor’s Degree:
Students seeking a second Bachelor’s degree from Dana must complete the requirements for a social work major. Such students may get credit for up to 9 hours of social work courses from unaccredited programs, if these courses are approved by the Program Director. These 9 hours may be substituted for SWK 114, SWK 215, and a social work elective. Equivalent courses taken at other accredited programs may be substituted for Dana College courses. The practice and practicum courses, however, must be taken at Dana. (This includes SWK 355, 356, 357, 440, 441, 445, and 490.)

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Plagiarism:
Plagiarism (taking someone else’s ideas and writing and passing them off as one’s own) is considered by the college and the department as a serious breach of integrity and professional ethics. Careful use of proper methods for citing reference sources, as explained in social work courses, will help students avoid any appearance of plagiarism. Plagiarism is considered grounds for failing a course or other more serious consequences, including termination from the Social Work Program and suspension from the college.

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Academic and/or Professional Difficulties:
One of the purposes of the department’s advising program is to help students gain in self-awareness and to take responsibility for their own personal and professional growth. Occasionally it will become apparent that a student may not possess an aptitude for social work or that the student’s performance in class or field work is unsatisfactory. The student’s professional and personal behaviors that are relevant to social work professional values and ethical principles are considered. Before any decision is made, the advisor will help the student to outline goals for improvement of his/her work and will give the student time to pursue them. Most often, students are able to grow and change and to continue with their major. Occasionally, during the course of conferences with the advisor, the student will recognize that social work is not a suitable profession and will voluntarily decide to change majors. Every effort will be made by the social work advisor to help the student find a major or an alternate plan which will be compatible with the student’s interests and abilities. If the student and the advisor should not agree upon the need for the student to leave the social work program, the department maintains the authority to ask the student to leave.

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Social Work Departmental Termination Policy and Procedures:
While termination of a student’s enrollment in the Dana College Social Work Program is an unusual event, it is necessary that, as an accredited program, it must provide assurance to the profession and its clients that only competent persons of integrity enter the profession. According to the social work program’s advancement policy, all social work students meet with their advisors each year to evaluate their performance and discuss learning goals, and students’ performance is reviewed by the social work faculty each semester. (Please see description of the advancement policy on page ___.) Students are advanced automatically unless a difficulty should become apparent. Should a student appear to be failing to live up to the program’s academic standards or standards of professional performance and/or ethical conduct, the faculty will begin a process of reassessing the student’s suitability for a career in social work. This review process may be initiated by such factors as: the student’s inadequate performance in the classroom or in the field, inadequate interpersonal skills, inability to cope with personal problems, or unethical behavior. If it appears that a review is appropriate, the student is notified that the process is being initiated, and they are informed of the steps of the process and possible actions, and their rights with regard to the process. The Student Review Committee, which consists of the three full-time faculty members and one student (appointed by the Social Awareness Organization Executive Committee), is convened.


Causes for Termination Review

Any of the following factors may be judged as reasonable cause for terminating a student’s enrollment in the Social Work Program:

1. Inadequate Academic Performance. Consistent performance at below average (below the minimum GPA of 2.5 overall and/or below a 3.0 average in social work courses) levels in course work or excessive absences (more than 3 times per semester in any class).
2. Evidence of Alcohol or Substance Abuse. Verified reports of alcohol or substance abuse, inability to function well as a result of such abuse.
3. Conviction of Any Felony and/or Conviction of Any Misdemeanor Involving Bodily Harm to Another. Conviction in a court of a felony or such misdemeanor.
4. Violation of Social Work Ethical Principles. Violation of any ethical principles such as breach of confidentiality, failure to treat clients with respect, or improper sexual relationships with clients.
5. Inadequate Interpersonal Relationship Skills. Inability to establish with reasonable consistency warm, non-judgmental, genuine relationships with individuals and groups, as indicated by relationships with clients, peers, supervisors, and faculty members.
7. Inability to Cope with Personal Problems. Inability to deal with overwhelming personal problems, to a degree which interferes with capacity to develop adequate self-awareness and/or professional competence.
8. Lack of Commitment to the Goals and Values of Professional Social Work. Demonstration, through behavior and attitudes (expressed in the classroom, on
campus, or in field experiences) of a disregard for professional social work goals and values. Examples include: use of racial slurs, behavior or consistent use of language that is demeaning to any group, and demonstration of commitment to goals and values opposing those of the profession (e.g., membership in a white supremist group). Behavior that is consistently immature or disruptive is included in this category.
9. Violation of College Policies Regarding Plagiarism or Sexual Misconduct. These policies are defined in the Dana College Survival Guide.
Termination Review Procedures

After a student has been notified of referral to the Student Review Committee, the Committee will meet. The student being reviewed will be asked to meet with the Committee to present the situation which is being reviewed. After meeting with the student, the Committee will formulate recommendations for action, which include:

1. Permission to continue in program in a probationary status. A contract will be drawn up which will state the conditions under which the student may remain in the program, the time period for the probationary status, and the goals which the student must meet in order to remove the probationary status. The contract must be signed by the student and the Program Director. At the end of the probationary period, the student must meet again with the Review Committee, which may either return the student to normal status or ask that the student be terminated from the program. The progress of the student will be monitored by a faculty member assigned to this task. Should the faculty member feel that the terms of the contract are not being met; the faculty member may ask the Committee to reconvene to consider steps to be taken.
2. Termination of Student from Social Work Program. The student may be asked to leave the Social Work Program. Appropriate support services, such as career counseling, will be suggested to the student. The student may follow the standard grievance procedures of the college (described previously) to appeal such a decision.

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