Academic Policies

The following section describes policies and procedures that the University of Maine at Farmington community will follow in academic areas.

Academic Advising

Academic Advising

Advising Mission Statement

The role of advising is to help students make choices and, in the process, to help them learn how to make good decisions and solve problems on their own.

Advising Vision

Advising goes beyond the traditional notion of the academic advisor helping in course selection and career advice, and includes working to assure that a student’s educational experience supports the development of the whole student. Advising takes place at every level at the university: by staff, in the residence halls, in the classroom, by professors other than the academic advisor, and in extra-curricular and co-curricular activities. Advising is not limited to academic guidance, but includes working to assure a student’s educational experience supports the development of the whole student. This envisions faculty, staff and students as partners in helping students identify their values and develop as individuals. Advising relates to the whole student, including the mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and physical aspects of life. Advising so defined is the core process integrating the educational experience at Farmington, helping students become confident participants in their education, cognizant of their own values and priorities, determined to be life-long learners, curious, enthused and open minded with a strong sense of both ethics and community.

Advising Responsibilities

Student Responsibilities:

• Participate fully as an active learner in the advising process;
• Take the initiative to contact his/her advisor in a timely fashion;
• Be prepared for advising sessions, gathering all relevant information needed to make informed choices;
• Articulate personal values, goals, and aspirations;
• Accept ownership of his/her educational choices;
• Maintain a personal record of academic progress;
• Know and meet graduation and other requirements.

Academic Advisor Responsibilities:

• Help students learn to make choices and, in the process, teach them how to make decisions and solve problems on their own;
• Assist students in the pre-registration and registration process, providing timely communication and accurate information;
• Discuss linkages between academic preparation, personal experience, and future career paths;
• Assist students with planning an academic program consistent with student abilities, interests, and potential for growth;
• Function as the point of reception and clearinghouse for information relating to advising responsibilities shared with other University personnel;
• Refer students to campus services and resources as needed;
• Monitor student progress and provide accurate feedback.

Academic Integrity Code

Academic Integrity at UMF 

Placement Testing

The UMF Learning Assistance Center coordinates the placement of first-year students into math and writing courses. Placement in the appropriate math class is determined by a review of student transcripts, along with any submitted SAT scores. Placement in the appropriate writing class is determined by SAT scores and/or a writing sample from the Writeplacer exam. Students who need to take the Writing placement exam should arrange to do so prior to course registration (beginning in May for fall admits and in November/December for spring admits). After that point, students may be placed in a developmental writing course until they test. Placement is carefully considered to ensure that students have the tools they need to succeed at UMF. Students who are required to take the Writeplacer are notified by mail.

Students who are required to enroll in developmental courses must:

• enroll in their required developmental course within their first two semesters at UMF, and
• successfully complete the course by the end of their fourth semester (second year)

For additional information, please visit https://www.umf.maine.edu/admissions-aid/advanced-placement-ap/

Disability Services

The University of Maine at Farmington is committed to providing both access and accommodations to students with disabilities. We provide academic and support services necessary to ensure that students with disabilities have both the physical and programmatic access they need to enjoy full campus life. Individuals have the right, and the responsibility, to decide whether they want to take advantage of the services available to them.

Any UMF student with a physical, hearing, visual, medical, emotional, or learning disability is eligible for services. When a disability is not otherwise apparent, documentation may be required. Documentation should be current and include a description of the disability, disability-related needs, and specific recommendations for services. This information is confidential, is not part of the student’s permanent record, and will be released only upon express written request of the individual.

Course Registration Policy

During the pre-registration period, students will meet with faculty advisors to choose courses for the next semester. Course registration will be by class level, with seniors registering first and first-year students registering last in a two-week period that follows the advising. In order to allow all students the opportunity to receive an optimal choice of courses, schedule changes will not be permitted during this initial registration period.

Students who have officially notified the Merrill Center that they will be on leave can register with their class.

By registering at the University of Maine at Farmington, students agree to pay all charges on their tuition and fee accounts when due. They also acknowledge that failure to make a required payment by the stated deadline can result in late payment and service charges, inability to register for a future term, and/or withholding of a transcript and/or diploma.

A student’s registration may also be blocked if immunizations have expired or library materials have not been returned.

Majors: Declaring

All majors at UMF lead to a BA, BS, or BFA degree. Students are reminded that the declaration of a major is a serious decision; it involves the assumption of obligations on the student’s part–principally the obligation to complete the degree requirements as described in the Catalog in order to receive a degree. Students may change their major during the junior or senior year, but they must complete all requirements associated with the new major.

While many students are accepted into a major when they apply to the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF), others do not decide on a major until after they arrive on campus. Students in the Liberal Arts Undeclared Program who have completed 64 or more credits must declare a major in order to be allowed to register for courses. New transfers to UMF will be allowed one semester in which to declare a major if they are transferring in 64 or more credits. Students should work with their advisors or the division chair of the program they are entering.

In some instances, students may wish to apply for a self-designed major (the BA in Interdisciplinary Studies, Concentration in Individualized Studies), but in all instances, this requires a coherent plan of study that includes a minimum of 32 credit hours of remaining coursework. In very rare circumstances, a student who is close to graduation may apply to complete a Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) degree. A BGS degree may be awarded when final requirements in the major have not been completed, but the student has earned 128 or more credits and has met all of the general education requirements. The BGS is only available to students who at the end of the semester of application will be within 16 credit hours of completing all graduation requirements.

Course Overload Privileges

Any student wishing to take an overload beyond 18 credits in a fall or spring semester, or an overload beyond 4 credits during a winter, May or summer session, must get the signed approval of the faculty advisor. To take an overload in a fall or spring semester a student must also be on the Dean’s List for the previous semester for which grades are available at the time of registration; this requirement does not apply to winter, May, and summer sessions. The Dean’s List requirement for overload privileges may be waived by the Associate Provost and Dean of Arts and Sciences or a designee of the provost. Course overloads are not accepted prior to the start of the semester for the fall and spring semesters, but will be accepted for winter, May, and summer sessions.

Courses: Auditing

Any student may audit a course with the approval of the chairperson of the division in which the course is offered, and with the consent of the instructor and the student’s faculty advisor. An auditor does not receive University credit and is not permitted to take credit examinations in the audited courses. However, the student pays the full tuition rate for the course. Students may change from auditing a course to taking it for credit or from taking a course for credit to auditing a course only during the schedule-change period and only with the consent of the instructor and the student’s faculty advisor.

Class Attendance

The University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) subscribes to the policy that sound scholarship involves attendance at all classes. Students are expected to attend classes and are responsible for all class work whether they are present or absent. Instructors establish their own attendance policies, but they must recognize administrative excuses and must state the class attendance policy in writing before the end of the Add/Drop (schedule change) period. Students are permitted to leave a class meeting without penalty if the instructor does not appear within ten minutes of the scheduled beginning of the class period and has not sent word that he or she will be late or made previous arrangements with the class.

Class Attendance: Excuses

When requested, the Provost will issue administrative excuses for classes missed when students are officially representing the university. All other absences should be handled by the instructor of the course. A student may appeal the instructor’s decision to the instructor’s division chairperson. Whether excused or not, students are responsible for the work assigned.

Final Examination Policies

Final examinations shall be given only during the final examination period. No final examination scheduled for a group or section during the final examination period shall be changed by an instructor to a different time or place unless approved by the Provost. No examinations except certain lab exams will be given during the week that precedes final exam week.

No student shall be required to take more than two final examinations in one day. Students who are scheduled for more than two examinations in one day shall take the first and the last and shall be entitled to make-up examinations in place of the others. Arrangements for such examinations must be made with the instructor prior to the final exam period.

Final Examinations: Missed Exams

A student who is willfully absent from a final examination in a course shall be denied the privilege of a substitute examination. The course grade shall be determined as though the examination had resulted in a failing grade. If, in the judgment of the Provost, there appears to be just cause for the student’s absence from the final examination (including medical reasons), the student may be granted permission for a special examination.

Course Scheduling Policies

A schedule of course offerings is published on MaineStreet prior to the beginning of each semester. It is the responsibility of the student to meet with the faculty advisor to plan an appropriate schedule for the upcoming semester. The prospective academic schedule is developed with the faculty advisor.

Courses: Add / Drop

After the initial course registration period, students may adjust their class schedules by completing a schedule change form and bringing it to the Merrill Center, or they can use MaineStreet. Faculty advisors’ signatures are not generally required for schedule changes.

First-year students are required to have faculty advisors’ signatures for all schedule changes in their first semester. The department chair may sign on behalf of the advisor in their absence.

Course Drop Policy and Process

When a student drops a course, the course is erased from the student’s transcript. Charges for courses that are dropped during the first two weeks of a semester will be canceled (please see the academic calendar for specific deadline). After the published deadline, no adjustments to charges are generally made.

Late drops are granted infrequently and only during the first half of a semester. The student must demonstrate that there are extenuating circumstances (e.g., serious illness, family tragedy, etc.) and that they are documented.

Requests must be in the form of a typed letter, signed and dated, and must address the following information:

1. What course or courses are involved?
2. What are the circumstances leading to this request?
3. What prevented a timely withdrawal by the university’s deadline?
4. Where is the documentation housed, if not appended to the request (e.g., Student Health Center or Center for Human Development)?

Requests are submitted to the Merrill Center.

Program Requirements: Responsibility for

Students are reminded of their responsibility to monitor degree program requirements and to plan their schedule of courses according to the degree program requirements in force at the time of their matriculation into the degree program. They should periodically check with their faculty advisors, particularly when changing schedules. The student alone has sole responsibility for seeing that all graduation requirements are met and is responsible for seeking advice when necessary.

Course Equivalents and Substitutions

The chairperson of the division which houses the course may grant equivalents for certain required courses for students of demonstrated proficiency and may permit the substitution of approved equivalents. A copy of the completed Course Equivalency/Substitution form will be placed in the student’s permanent file.

A student with a disability may request a course substitution if that disability prevents him/her from completing a required course. See Jess Berry, Coordinator of Academic Services for Students with Disabilities, for specifics about the petition process.

Matriculated students who elect to register for one or more courses at another regionally accredited university must seek approval beforehand from their division chairperson if they wish those courses to equate to a major requirement.

Grading

Before the end of the schedule change period, each faculty member must announce in writing the examination and required oral and written work policies of the course as well as the methods used to arrive at final grades.

At the University of Maine at Farmington, the following grades are computed into the grade point average (GPA):

A - excellent
B - good
C - satisfactory
D - minimal pass
F - failure
L - dropout

The following grades are not computed into the GPA:

W - withdrew
I - incomplete
P - pass (C-minus or above)
LP - low pass (D-plus or below)
F - fail (in a pass/fail course)
MG - missing grade
DG - deferred grade
T - transfer grade

Grades are recorded in MaineStreet by the faculty at the close of each semester.

Violation of the Code of Academic Integrity may result in a course grade of F that is accompanied by a transcript notation of X (failure due to academic dishonesty).

The Student Academic Progress Report is completed at the discretion of the faculty member in order to advise students of proficiencies and/or deficiencies. It is sent electronically to the student, the student’s advisor, and the Merrill Center.

*In a semester using the hybrid grading system, an F received previously in a course can be replaced with a Low-Pass (LP), and the F is removed from the GPA calculation.  (12/7/2021)

Grade Point Average: How to Compute

In the University of Maine at Farmington’s (UMF) grading system, grade points are awarded for letter grades as follows:

Grade point averages are computed electronically. Only final grades which carry numerical grade points are counted in computing the grade point average (GPA). Courses taken pass/fail and courses with grades of incomplete are not counted. Grades and credits for courses transferred to UMF are not included in the calculation of the GPA. (The exception is courses taken through UMF’s National Student Exchange and specific Study Abroad programs.) If a course is repeated once, the second grade only is figured into the GPA. In the event that a course is repeated more than once, the second and all subsequent grades are counted.

GPA is the average grade per credit. To find the GPA, multiply the number of credits for each course by the grade points earned in that course, which will show the number of quality points earned. Add the quality points for all courses attempted in a semester and divide that sum by the number of credits attempted that semester in courses that are not pass/fail*.

Example:

GPA = 25.330 quality points divided by 12 credits = 2.110 GPA

The cumulative GPA is figured in the same manner, but it includes all UMF courses taken to date.

Grade Grievances

Under certain limited circumstances, a student may appeal a grade awarded by a faculty member in a course. Because the faculty member who issued the grade is in the best position to evaluate the performance of students enrolled in his or her course, the faculty member’s academic judgment and academic evaluation of a student’s work shall not be reviewable. However, a student may appeal a grade if he or she can demonstrate compelling evidence that the faculty member has: (1) failed to follow published evaluation criteria for the course; (2) disregarded published academic policy; or (3) used non-academic criteria to evaluate the student’s work in an unfair or discriminatory way. A student with a grievance of this sort against a faculty member may appeal by making use of the following procedures:

1. The student shall file a written complaint with the faculty member. The written complaint should be submitted within 90 days of the day the grade is posted, should detail the reason for the appeal, and should provide any available supporting evidence. The student should also submit a copy of the complaint to the division chairperson responsible for the faculty member.
2. If the division chairperson does not receive written notification from either the faculty member or the student of resolution of the issue within five academic days, a hearing will be scheduled with those involved. The division chairperson shall provide a written record of the hearing and submit a recommendation in writing to those involved.
3. If, after five academic days following the hearing with the chairperson, the matter remains unresolved, the student, the faculty member, or both may appeal to a Faculty Senate hearing panel. This panel shall consist of three members chosen by lot from the Faculty Senate, excluding members from the same division as the faculty member being grieved.
4. The appeal to the Faculty Senate must be in writing and accompanied by all previously written material concerning the matter.
5. The Senate panel shall call a hearing at which the student and the faculty member will be invited to appear. The division chair may attend at the request of the student, the faculty member or the hearing panel.
6. The Senate panel shall act as arbiter of the grievance before it, and its decision regarding the issue before it shall be binding on all parties to the dispute. The decision of the Senate panel shall be communicated to the student and the faculty member within five days of the hearing.
7. If the Senate panel decides that the student’s grade should be changed, the faculty member must change the grade within ten academic days of receiving notification of the Senate panel’s decision. If, after ten days, the faculty member has not changed the grade and there is no appeal to the VPAA pending, the Senate panel shall refer the matter to the VPAA, who shall change the grade.
8. If either the student or the faculty member wishes to appeal the decision of the Faculty Senate panel, he or she may do so within five academic days of receiving written notification from the panel. To appeal the decision, the student or faculty member must submit a request for appeal to the VPAA. The appeal must be in writing and accompanied by all previous written materials concerning the matter.
9. The decision of the VPAA shall be communicated to the student and the faculty member in writing. This decision shall be final and binding, and all parties shall be required to adhere to it. If the VPAA decides that the grade should be changed, the faculty member must change the grade within five academic days of receiving written notification of the VPAA’s decision. If the grade has not been changed after five academic days, the VPAA shall change the grade.

Grade Changes

Faculty members have a period of one semester subsequent to the semester in which a grade has originally been issued to change a student’s grade at the faculty member’s discretion.

Grading: Pass / Fail Option

Courses that may be taken for a pass/fail rather than a letter grade are noted as P/F Option in the UMF Catalog, subject to the restrictions explained in this section. Only students with junior or senior standing may elect the pass/fail option. They may do so for only one course per semester in addition to any courses which are graded pass/fail for all students.

No more than three courses for pass/fail grades may be taken by a student in the major without the approval of the student’s faculty advisor and the division chairperson. Students who have not declared majors are limited to no more than three pass/fail option courses in the discipline represented by the faculty advisor.

A student who chooses to take a course that has the pass/fail option will notify the Merrill Center during the drop period if he or she does not want a letter grade. A student who initially selects the P/F option may switch to the graded option on or before the final day for course withdrawal. Once made, this decision cannot be changed. A-B-C-D-F grades turned in by professors will be converted into pass (A to C-), low pass (D, D, D-), and fail (F) for those students who have made a request to the Merrill Center.

Courses taken for pass/fail credit (except those courses which are graded pass/fail for all students in that course) may not be repeated for pass/fail credit. They may be repeated with the second grade replacing the first, but only for A-B-C-D-F credit. When pass/fails grading is used, no further grades such as honors or high pass, or low pass will be given.

*”The University of Maine System approved a short-term policy change to permit the acceptance of Pass (P) and Low Pass (LP) transfer grades for general education credit for the Spring 2020 semester and the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years.  

Grades: Incompletes

An Incomplete grade is a privilege granted by a faculty member in response to extraordinary circumstances; it should not be seen by students as the normal response to missing work.

The instructor has the authority to decide whether to give a student an Incomplete if all course work is not turned in by the time grades are due. As a general rule, an incomplete is assigned only in extenuating circumstances and the missing work constitutes less than one-third of the required work for the course.

When posting a grade of Incomplete, the instructor shall specify the work to be completed and the deadline by which it is to be completed. The instructor also will assign a default grade for the course. The default grade is the grade the student would earn based only on the completed work.

The maximum time allowed to complete the work is the end of the exam period of the semester immediately after the semester or term in which the class was held. When the missing work is completed, the instructor shall promptly submit a change of grade for the semester in which the class was held, changing the Incomplete to the appropriate letter grade by the grade submission deadline. If the student does not resolve the incomplete in the established timeframe, the course grade converts to the default grade.

If a course syllabus specifies that work may extend beyond the semester or term in which the course is offered, students may be assigned a progress grade designated by the letter grade DG, which will remain on the grade record until the final grade is submitted. All DG grades must be converted to final grades to complete graduation requirements.

Courses: Repeating

Students can receive credit for a course only once. There are a few exceptions. Where these exist, they are noted in the official course descriptions.

Students are permitted to repeat a course in order to improve a grade. When a course is repeated once, both grades appear on the transcript. However, only the second grade is counted in the cumulative GPA. If a course was initially taken for a grade, it cannot be repeated on a pass-fail basis.

When students elect to repeat a course more than once, the second and all subsequent grades are counted in the GPA. All grades earned in the course will remain on the student’s transcript, but credit for the course is awarded only once (based on the final attempt).

In the event that a student wishes to repeat a course no longer offered by the University, an equivalent course may be substituted. Equivalence shall be determined by the Chair of the Academic Division in which the first course was offered. All other policies for course repeats apply.

Students who wish to repeat an equivalent of a UMF course at another college or university must seek approval from their academic advisor. The advisor in all instances will consult with the Chair of the Academic Division in which the first course was offered. Credits will be transferred into UMF provided the earned grade in the repeated course is a C- or better. However, the original UMF grade will still count in the student’s cumulative GPA and will remain on the transcript.

In instances where a course equivalency has been granted, but the credit value of the replacement course is different from the original course (e.g., a three-credit course allowed to substitute for a four-credit UMF course), UMF will transfer the actual credit value of the repeated course. Students will still be expected to earn the total number of credit hours required within their program and the total required overall for graduation. In other words, course substitutions of lesser credit value may mean that students will need to register for additional coursework at UMF. Students should take this fact into account prior to requesting a course equivalency from another university.

Courses: Withdrawal and Late Withdraw policy

After the drop period, a student may withdraw from a course through the eleventh week in the semester without academic penalty. The student may obtain a course withdrawal form from the Merrill Center. This form must be signed by the instructor. See the Academic Calendar for specific information about withdrawal dates.

A W will be noted on the student’s transcript. The W is an official grade notation, however, it will not be included in computing the student’s grade point average.

All course withdrawals after the initial drop/add period have the potential for affecting a student’s financial aid award. In some cases, a student may be required to return funds that have already been disbursed. The rules regarding course withdrawal and financial aid are different for various types of financial aid. Students wishing to withdraw from courses who are receiving financial aid must check with the Financial Aid office in the Merrill Center to discuss the ramifications before withdrawing from the course.

Requests for late withdrawal after the semester withdrawal deadline are only granted when there are special circumstances (e.g., serious illness, family tragedy, etc.) and these are documented. Requests must be accompanied by documentation. If the documentation lacks specificity or otherwise does not demonstrate clearly the nature of the circumstances, the request will be denied. There are no tuition refunds for course withdrawals.

Before such a withdrawal is initiated, the student should explore with the instructor if an incomplete would be an appropriate solution.

Requests must be in the form of a typed letter, signed and dated, and must address the following information:

1. What course or courses are involved?
2. What are the circumstances leading to this request?
3. What prevented a timely withdrawal by the university’s deadline?
4. Where is the documentation housed, if not appended to the request (e.g., Student Health Center or Center for Human Development)?

Requests are submitted to the Merrill Center. The Associate Provost and Dean of Arts and Sciences approve or deny the exception and will notify the student, in writing, and copy the Merrill Center and the student’s advisor. The Associate’s Provost’s decision is final. There is no appeal process. There are no tuition refunds for course withdrawals.

Student Conduct Code

The University of Maine at Farmington has a code to regulate conduct on campus. The code provides for dismissal, suspension, disciplinary probation, and official censure. Faculty members and students should consult the Student Handbook, available on myCampus under Forms and Documents.

Copyright Policy

The University of Maine at Farmington’s official policy is to abide by the copyright laws of the United States while exercising fair use rights to their fullest extent.

Graduation Requirements

Residency Requirement

All students in baccalaureate degree programs must earn the following from the University of Maine at Farmington: 1) a minimum of 20 of the credits required by their major program(s) at the 200 level or above*, and 2) a minimum of 32 of the total required credits.

*An academic program may require that more than 20 credits of advanced coursework and/or specific coursework, such as a capstone course, be completed at UMF.

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Completion of at least 128 credits and all requirements of the specific program (see descriptions of each major), with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.750.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), or Bachelor of General Studies (B.G.S)

Completion of at least 128 credits and all requirements for a specific program (see descriptions of each major), with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.000.

Incomplete Work

All incompleted course work must be finished before a student may graduate. No student may graduate with grades of I, DG, or MG on the transcript.

Transfer Student Policy

Students transferring in 60-63 credits from a regionally accredited college or university may meet the total credit graduation requirement with 64 additional credits of UMF coursework provided all program and general education requirements have been met.

Majors: Double Major Policy

In order to pursue a double major, a student must first be admitted to the second major. Students may apply for admittance to a second major by submitting a Change of Major form to the Merrill Center. When submitting the form, a student must declare one of the two majors as their primary program. Some combinations of double majors can be completed in a four-year time frame.  Others may take longer. In all cases, students must plan their schedules carefully and in consultation with their academic advisors in both disciplines. 

In cases where the two majors lead to two types of degrees (e.g. a B.A. and a B.S.), only a single degree will be awarded and the type of degree awarded will be determined by the primary program. Both majors will be recognized at commencement and will appear on the student’s transcript.  

All students with double majors must meet all of the major requirements for both majors (including, for example, concentration requirements, supporting coursework, and minimum grade point average). Students with double majors only have to meet the General Education requirements for the primary program. 

Students who wish to receive two separate degrees (as opposed to a double major leading to a single degree) should consult the policy on Second Degrees.  

Degrees: Second Degrees

Students who wish to earn a second baccalaureate degree must complete a minimum of thirty-two credits in addition to those required by the first degree. Students must meet all requirements for the second degree (including, for example, concentration requirements, supporting coursework, minimum grade point average).

Latin Honors

At graduation, a student with a cumulative grade point average of 3.900 or above will be recognized as summa cum laude; a student with a 3.700 to 3.890 GPA will be recognized as magna cum laude; and a student with a 3.500 to 3.690 GPA will be recognized as cum laude. Latin honors are based on the eighth semester (or last semester). Latin honors listed in the commencement program are tentative, based on the GPA after the seventh semester (or next to last semester). Because semester grades are not calculated until after the commencement ceremony, students may lose their honors status after graduation if they have not maintained the necessary cumulative GPA.

Graduation: Application for Degree

In keeping with long-standing academic tradition, the University of Maine at Farmington holds only one commencement each year, at the end of the spring semester.

Students will be eligible to march in the May commencement if they:

1. will have completed (assuming satisfactory performance in spring semester courses) all degree requirements, OR
2. at the time of commencement have 24 or fewer credits remaining AND a reasonable plan approved by their advisor and the appropriate dean to complete these courses by the end of the following fall termm OR
3. at the time of commencement have only a required internship remaining (including student teaching) that has already been scheduled for summer or is only possible the following fall.

Students who fall into a combination of category 2 and category 3 who wish to march at commencement may request, in writing, permission from the dean.

Students completing degree requirements at the end of the fall semester (December graduates) are eligible to march in commencement held the following May as a matter of course.

All students who wish to participate in commencement must file an Application for Degree form with the Merrill Center by October 1st preceding the May of commencement.

At least once a semester, students should review degree requirements and their progress toward a degree with their academic advisor. The remaining requirements should be identified and mapped out. While this “map to graduation” can remain somewhat flexible for a time, it needs to be fully settled and discussed with an academic advisor no later than the point at which a student has reached 96 completed credits (i.e. prior to the final year of full-time study or its equivalent).

Withdrawal from the University

Students who decide to withdraw from the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) must obtain a withdrawal form from the Merrill Center and follow the required procedures.

The grading policy applying to students withdrawing from UMF is the same as the policy applying to students withdrawing from an individual course. Thus, students who withdraw from the University after the last date to withdraw from a course will usually receive failing grades in all courses in which they are enrolled.

Exceptions to this policy are sometimes granted in cases of illness or other extenuating circumstances. Withdrawal from the university does not necessarily prevent a student’s being placed on academic probation or being academically suspended.

Re-entry to the University

Students who have been separated from the university for a continuous period of 2 or more years will be held to the catalog requirements of their year of reentry. Students who reenter after a separation of fewer than 2 years may choose if they would prefer to reenter under the catalog of their original year of matriculation or the catalog of their reentry year.

When a student seeks to re-enter the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) after a period of absence of more than two years, readmission into her/his former major is not automatic. Approval must be obtained from the division chair. Courses that are more than seven years old are not automatically applied to the major; rather, a course-by-course analysis will be made by the division to determine whether the course content is still appropriate to meet program requirements.

Students who have withdrawn from UMF or who have been suspended and who wish to seek reentry should consult the Merrill Center for advice on the procedure to be followed.

Individualized Study Arrangements

1. Students may, during their career at the University of Maine at Farmington, pursue independent study, i.e. an academic project, developed in coordination with a faculty advisor, in order to explore a topic not covered by the UMF curriculum.
2. Students may also arrange for an internship, again with a faculty advisor, in order to have an off-campus experience conducive to their academic program.
3. Students may also request individualized instruction, i.e. take a catalog course during a term in which it is not being offered. However, unlike the other two individualized study arrangements, individualized instruction will be approved only under exceptional circumstances. In particular, students must check first with their advisor and/or division chair to see if the course will in fact be offered again soon, as this is always preferable.

Individualized study arrangements are privileges that should not be presumed. Students must have a proven record of academic success which indicates that they will be able to work independently. For this reason, these arrangements are not available to first-year students or to students on probation. In addition, these arrangements may not be used to satisfy General Education distribution requirements.

The appropriate form (found under Forms and Documents), requiring signatures from the student, the student’s advisor, the supervising faculty member, and the supervising faculty member’s division chair, must be filed with the Merrill Center and approved by the Provost (or his/her designee). Students must clear their plans with all concerned and should not assume that any of these approvals will be automatically given.

Registration for individualized study courses should, ideally, take place during the regular registration period and will ordinarily not be approved after the first day of classes. Please note that (1) individualized study courses begin only when all approvals have been granted and the student is actually registered (i.e. appears on a class roster), and (2) these courses will not be approved after the fact or if the approval procedure is not followed.

Academic Exceptions

Course/Program Requirements

Requests for academic exceptions from a course or program requirements should be submitted to the Division Chair of the division responsible for the course or program. Requests should be in the form of a typed letter. They must include a detailed explanation and be signed. The division chair will attach his/her recommendation to the student’s request and forward it to the Associate Provost and Dean of Arts and Sciences. If the Associate Provost does not agree with the recommendation, he/she will consult with the division chair before rendering a decision. The Associate Provost and Dean of Arts and Sciences approve or deny the exception and will notify the student, in writing, and copy the Merrill Center and the student’s advisor. The Associate Provost’s decision is final. There is no appeal process.

General Education Requirements

Requests for academic exceptions to general education requirements must be submitted to the Associate Provost and Dean of Arts and Sciences, who will consult with the General Education Committee as needed. Requests must be typed and include a detailed explanation of the grounds on which the student is requesting the exception. The Dean will approve or deny the exception and notify the student, the Merrill Center, and the student’s advisor, in writing, of the decision. The Dean’s decision is final. There is no appeal process.

To maintain transparency and accountability, the Dean will maintain a record of the general education exemption requests and their subsequent disposition. A copy of this record, with student names and IDs redacted, will be available upon request.

University Requirements

Requests for exceptions to University requirements, such as minimum graduation GPA, residency requirements, total credits for graduation, pass/fail options, etc., are submitted to the Associate Provost and Dean of Arts and Sciences. Requests should be in the form of a typed letter, including detailed information, and be signed. The Associate Provost approves or denies the exception and will notify the student, in writing, and copy the Merrill Center and the student’s advisor. The Associate Provost’s decision is final. There is no appeal process.

Physical Activity Waivers and Equivalencies

Physical Activity Waivers

Transfer/Equivalency Credit

• An official copy of the student’s transcript and course description must be submitted to the Merrill Center for a formal review.

• The physical activity requirement is waived for transfer students who are transferring in 60 or more credits.

• If the student has taken an Activity Course at a previous post-secondary institution and the Transfer Officer warrants that the previous class is comparable to PHE then the student will receive a transfer credit (Note: the course must have involved regular physical activity).

• Previous participation in Varsity, Club, and/or Intramural sports does not count as equivalent to PHE, nor do individual activities such as hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, orienteering, etc.

• On rare occasions, a stand-alone program that does not come through as a transfer credit might be considered for equivalency credit, upon written request/appeal, such as National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).  Submit a course equivalency/course replacement form to the Merrill Center for consideration.  Equivalency is determined by the transfer officer.

Military Experience

• Most United States Military personnel undergo rigorous physical training (PT) during Basic Training/Boot Camp. Therefore, veteran students who have completed Basic Training/Boot Camp will receive transfer credit for PHE
• The student’s DD214 documentation (all discharged military personnel receive this upon separation) will verify the completion of this training.
• The DD214 must be submitted to the Merrill Center for the equivalency credit to be granted.

Off-Campus Early Childhood Education Cohorts:

• The physical activity requirement is waived for students in an off-campus Early Childhood Education cohort.
• The degree audit will clearly state that this requirement has been waived.

Online Programs

• The physical activity requirement is waived for students enrolled in online programs such as the Rehabilitation Degree Completion program. 

• The degree audit will clearly state that this requirement has been waived.

Medical

• All reasonable accommodations will be provided to facilitate participation in the PHE program
• On a rare occasion, a student may have a medical condition precluding them from participating in a physical activity
• The student’s request for a medical waiver must go through the UMF Health Center for final determination.

PHE & Varsity Student-Athletes

Student-athletes are encouraged to take PHE in their “off” season and/or semester that is least affected, but still within their first two semesters For example, if someone plays soccer in the fall they should take PHE in the spring. If a student participates in a sport like a basketball that occupies both semesters, they should take PHE in the fall because it is the least affected semester. Varsity student-athletes have the option of taking the Varsity Athlete Lab which is only offered in the spring (if applicable). This is geared specifically for aspiring student-athletes interested in the challenge and opportunity to train across five biomotor areas critical for their improved development and performance. However, student-athletes are not required to take this section and may choose to take any of the other PHE classes: Strength & Conditioning, Cardio, Aquatics, or PlayFit (RecFit is also an option, but is only offered in the fall).

Full and Part-time Student Status

Full-time and part-time status is defined differently for different purposes.

• For financial aid purposes, eligibility rules and levels of aid vary for different types of financial aid, and thus students must always consult with the Financial Aid Office in the Merrill Center regarding any questions concerning the impact of course load on scholarships, grants, loans, loan repayment, loan deferment, student employment, and other aid-related matters. Federal student aid regulations specify a minimum standard for full-time enrollment status for undergraduate students at 12 credits per semester (including the combined May/Summer term).
• For academic purposes, the minimum credit load required to be considered a full-time student in a fall or spring semester is 12 credit hours; the minimum credit load required to be considered a full-time student in winter, May, or summer sessions is 4 credit hours.
• Varsity athletics and some club sports require a minimum of full-time enrollment (among other criteria) in the semester of participation to maintain eligibility to participate. This does not apply to winter or May term enrollment for those participating in fall or spring sports whose season extends into January or May.
• There is no minimum number of credits needed for matriculated students to live in the residence halls.

Developmental courses (LIA 102 , MAT 010 /MAT 011 , and Bridge courses) count towards the minimum credit load.

Students wishing to graduate in four years must earn an average of 16 credits per semester for 8 semesters in order to accumulate the 128 credits required for graduation unless they take courses in winter, May or summer sessions to compensate for averaging fewer than 16 credits per semester.

 Certificate Policies

The following policies apply to certificates offered wholly by and awarded by UMF. Certificates offered in collaboration with other UMS system campuses may be governed by different policies.

1. Certificates of study can be either stand-alone programs available to non-matriculated students or restricted to matriculated students. Students apply for stand-alone certificate programs in the same manner in which students apply for degree programs and applicants must be formally accepted to the certificate program, some of which may have a limited capacity and competitive admission.

2. Non-matriculated students accepted to a stand-alone certificate program will register after the first year students (regardless of total college credits earned at UMF or elsewhere), but before courses are open to the general public.

3. Certificates of study can also be pursued within a baccalaureate degree program, similar to a double major.

4. Certificates must require a minimum of 9 credits. In order for the students to qualify for federal loans, the certificate must be at least 30 credits.

5. A minimum of two-thirds of the required credits must be earned at UMF for a certificate to be awarded.

6. There are no restrictions on the number of credits that can be used to meet the requirements of a certificate and major, minor, or general education requirements.

Student Writing

Student Writing

The University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) strongly values the importance of students developing effective writing skills as part of a liberal arts education. In formal writing assignments, students are held to a high standard for clarity, coherence, and organization as well as for adherence to appropriate conventions of grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Credit Hour: Definition

Definition of the Credit Hour

In all of its courses and programs, the University of Maine at Farmington defines a credit hour as an amount of work that reasonably approximates one hour of classroom instruction supplemented by a minimum of two additional hours of student out-of-class work each week for a full fourteen-week semester. Accordingly, in all lecture or seminar courses, it is our expectation that students will work on course assignments for a minimum of two hours outside of class for every hour they are in class.

It is understood that internships, practicum, student teaching, studio work, laboratory work, online courses, travel courses, May, summer, winter terms, and other academic activities leading to the award of credit will organize student work in configurations that do not precisely match this definition. Nevertheless, the amount of student work required per credit hour in these courses or credit-bearing activities at UMF will reasonably approximate the amount of work required per credit hour in a standard lecture or seminar course, as above.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (SAP)

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (SAP)

In compliance with Federal Student Aid Regulations, the University of Maine at Farmington Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for financial aid eligibility incorporates the University’s scholastic standards with the federal requirements for a specific time frame for degree completion. Students must meet these minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements in order to be eligible for student aid funds. Each of the three following standards must be met:

Maximum Time Frame

Federal regulations require that the University set a maximum time frame for successful completion of degree programs. For a four-year degree, the University has set the maximum number of attempted credits as 192. If a student attempts more credits than the maximum number identified for his/her degree, he/she is not eligible to receive financial aid.

Attempted Hours

For the purpose of this policy attempted hours include: audited classes; all classes taken for credit; classes withdrawn from; deferred grades; incomplete grades; missing grades; developmental courses; repeated courses and failed courses.

Passed Hours

For the purpose of this policy passed hours include: Passed credits hours that can be used for the purpose of completing degree requirements

Transfer Students

If a student earned credits at a previous institution(s) that will be accepted toward his/her degree, those accepted hours will be included as attempted and passed hours for the purposes of satisfactory progress evaluation. For example if a student attempted 15 hours at the University of Maine at Farmington and transferred 30 credits to his/her academic record, all tests to evaluate satisfactory academic progress (Quantitative, Qualitative and Maximum Time Frame) would be based on 45 attempted and passed hours.

Financial Aid Probation and Suspension

Satisfactory Academic Progress is measured at the end of each academic year after the spring grades have been posted. However, if a student takes a leave of absence for any term of enrollment or earns a GPA of less than 1.0 on a scale of 4.0, re-evaluation will be required before the following term’s disbursement will be authorized. Upon review, if it is determined that the student is not making satisfactory progress, he/she will be notified in writing that his/her eligibility for financial aid has been suspended.

Appeal of Financial Aid Suspension

A student placed on Financial Aid Suspension who has experienced undue hardship, (i.e.- the death of a relative of the student; personal injury or prolonged illness of the student; or special circumstances as determined by the institution.), may submit a written appeal, by August 1 for fall aid and December 1 for spring aid, to the Director of Financial Aid. The appeal must explain the circumstance that prevented the standards from being met. Providing third- party documentation, if available, supporting the circumstance is suggested. In the case of undue hardship, the student may be placed on Financial Aid Probation for one period and will be able to receive financial aid during that time. If at the end of the probationary period the minimum standards are not met, or the student has failed to meet the requirements of the academic plan developed as part of the probation period, the student’s financial aid eligibility will be suspended. All appeals will be reviewed by the Financial Aid Appeals Committee. The student will receive written notification of the committee’s decision within 30 days of receipt of the appeal.

Condition of Financial Aid Reinstatement

Students must complete the required number of credits and achieve the corresponding cumulative GPA as outlined during the probationary period in order to have their financial aid eligibility reinstated.

Double Majors subsequent to Graduation

Students who have graduated from UMF may return to complete a second major for a period of five years after graduation. Students desiring this option must be readmitted to the new major and admission is not automatic. Students must satisfy the program requirements for the second major in the catalog at the time of readmission, including that 20 or more credits at the 200+ level for the second major must be earned at UMF. The remaining credits for the major must be done at UMF except when approved by the division. Students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree do not need to complete any new general education requirements. Students completing a second major under this policy will not receive a second degree or diploma, but the second major will be added to the transcript for the original degree after the requirements have been met. Students desiring a second degree with a second diploma are referred to the “Degrees: Second Degrees” policy.

Students are advised that eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant is restricted to students who do not already hold a Bachelor’s degree. Students must consult with the Financial Aid Office to determine remaining eligibility for Federal Stafford loans and other types of financial aid.