Academic Good Standing
A student is in academic good standing when his or her cumulative GPA is 2.00 or above. To graduate from the College of the Marshall Islands, a student must be in good academic standing. A student may not graduate while on academic probation.
Academic Probation and Suspension Policy
A student whose cumulative GPA is less than 2.00 will be placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation will be notified of their status by the Registrar’s Office and encouraged to seek counseling.
Continued Academic Probation
Following a semester on academic probation, a student will be placed on continued academic probation if his or her cumulative GPA remains less than 2.00.
Academic Suspension/Dismissal
A student whose cumulative and semester GPA are below 2.00 at the end of a semester of continued academic probation will be suspended from the College for one (1) full academic year. CMI reserves the right to suspend, dismiss or otherwise sanction at any time, a student whose conduct or health is such that the administration believes continuance at the College is undesirable, subject to the Board of Regents Rules and Regulations.
Readmission
A student who has been suspended from the College for academic reasons may be readmitted for the semester beginning one year after the date of academic suspension. A student readmitted to CMI following an academic suspension loses eligibility for Pell Grant assistance and returns on academic probation. During the first term after readmission, a suspended student must earn a minimum semester GPA of 2.00. Failure to earn this minimum semester GPA will result in suspension for one academic year. Pell Grant eligibility will not be reinstated until the student has attained a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher.
Appeal
A student who has been suspended for academic reasons may appeal the decision in writing to the Dean of Academic Affairs within ten (10) working days of receiving the notification.
Honor Roll
Each semester the College publishes an Honor Roll recognizing full-time and part-time students with a semester GPA of 3.50 or higher:
Full-time Student (12 or more credits)
- President’s List GPA of 4.00
- Dean’s List GPA of 3.80 and 3.99
- Honors List GPA of 3.50 and 3.79
Part-time Students (Less than 12 credits)
- Honors List GPA of 3.50 or Higher
Course Grading System
Grades given in all credit courses indicate the quality of scholastic performance. Each letter grade earns the indicated number of “grade points” which are used to determine the “grade point average” (GPA). A student’s GPA is computed with the following formula:
total grade points earned divided by total credits attempted = GPA.
Only courses taken at CMI are used in computing a cumulative GPA. Courses numbered below 101 do not apply toward a degree and are not computed in the GPA.
Letter Percent Interpretation Grade Point (per Semester Credit)
| Course Grade | Percentage | Quality | Grade Point |
|---|---|---|---|
|
A |
90-100 |
Excellent |
4.00 |
|
B+ |
85-89 |
Very Good |
3.50 |
|
B |
80-84 |
Good |
3.00 |
|
C+ |
75-79 |
Fair |
2.50 |
|
C |
70-74 |
Fair |
2.00 |
|
D+ |
65-69 |
Poor |
1.50 |
|
D |
60-64 |
Poor |
1.00 |
|
F |
0-59 |
Fail |
0.00 |
In place of grades, the following symbols may be given, but are not used in computing GPA:
- I – Incomplete
- W – Withdrawal
- P – Pass
- NP – No Pass
- AU – Audit
Repeating and Incomplete Course Work
A student may repeat a course in which he or she has earned a grade of “D”, “F”, or “NP”. Both the original and repeated course(s) remain on the transcript, but only the recent grade is calculated in the cumulative GPA and credit is awarded only once. If a student receives an “F” in a required course, the course must be repeated and a passing grade attained. A student will not be eligible for Pell Grant assistance for any course repeated more than two (2) times.
A grade of Incomplete (“I”) indicates that the student, for serious reasons approved by the instructor and the Dean of Academic Affairs, has not completed all required coursework by the end of the semester and has a reasonable probability of passing the course when all requirements are completed. A Report of Incomplete Work form specifies the requirements to complete the course and change the grade. The instructor shall retain the original of the form and provide the student, the department chair, and Dean of Academic Affairs with a copy. A grade of “I” must be converted to a passing grade by the end of midterms of the next regular semester after the incomplete grade was issued. A grade of “I” is removed by the instructor who assigned it, or, in exceptional circumstances, by the Dean of Academic Affairs.
Course Numbering System
| Number | Description |
|---|---|
|
000-100 |
Developmental, ABE, and some not-for-credit CTE courses |
|
101-199 |
Courses applicable toward a degree or certificate and taken primarily by first-year students |
|
200-299 |
Courses applicable toward a degree and taken primarily by second-year students |
|
300-399 |
Courses applicable toward a bachelor’s degree and taken primarily by third-year students |
|
400-499 |
Courses applicable toward a bachelor’s degree and taken primarily by fourth-year students |
Credits
The unit of credit at CMI is the semester credit. Sixteen (16) 50-minute contact lecture hours per semester equal one (1) credit. Laboratory, workshop, seminar hours and nursing clinical hours vary and are equal to one (1) credit. Practicum and internships also vary both in hours and credits; please refer to the specific course for credit information.
Credit by Examination
A student may apply for credit by examination of appropriate CMI courses but needs approval by the Dean of Academic Affairs. The student must be in good academic standing and present evidence of competence in the subject to challenge the course by examination. The course may be challenged only once. Application forms for credit by examination are available from the Office of Admissions and Records. The student must submit the application to the Dean of Academic Affairs; if the application is approved, the student is given a testing date and time. The student must pay a non-refundable credit by examination fee per course to the Business Office before the examination will be administered. Credits for courses earned by examination will be entered on the student’s permanent record as “credit by examination,” and no grade will be awarded or calculated into the cumulative GPA. Credits so earned will not count toward the twelve (12) credits per semester requirement for full-time student classification. No more than a total of sixteen (16) semester credits may be earned by examination.
Independent Study
An independent study course is recommended by the student’s advisor and approved by the Dean of Academic Affairs, which permits a student to work independently under supervision of a Faculty member. Tuition per credit is the same as for regular courses. The course is listed on a student transcript with the prefix “Ind St” typed in before the course title, and the letter grade awarded is calculated into the cumulative GPA.
Transfer Credits
Transfer credits are accepted from United States accredited colleges and universities or from international colleges and university if accreditation equivalency has been established with the following restrictions:
- Transfer credits must have a minimum grade of 2.0 (C) on a 4.00 scale. Transfer credit must be at the College level.
- A maximum of 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of academic credit is accepted toward a CMI associate degree.
- Transfer credit is evaluated through a course-by-course analysis.
The transfer of credit is based on factors such as currency of the transfer study, applicability to the CMI program, and quality of grades. All official transcripts are received by the Director of Admissions and evaluated by the Dean of Academic Affairs to determine if courses are relevant and apply to a college major. The decision to accept or deny credit will be made by the Dean of Academic Affairs. The student will be informed of the decision to accept or deny credit by the Director of Admissions. CMI has the right to award or deny transfer credit depending on the relevance and applicability of such credits to the total degree program. The final 12 credits in any CMI degree program must be earned at the College of the Marshall Islands.
BAEE Transfer Policy
The College of the Marshall Islands values the work accomplished and will accommodate any transferable credits. In order for the course to transfer, students must have earned a C or better from a regionally accredited community college or university. CMI Admissions Officer and Dean of Academic Affairs will then review the course content and material to determine if course credits are viable for transfer. A total of up to 70 college or university credits can be transferred in order to ensure that the transferred student can earn a CMI 4-year Bachelor degree.
(Adapted from Marist College: https://www.marist.edu/admission/adult/online-liberalstudies/transferring-degree.html)
Midterm Evaluation Reports
Halfway through each semester, instructors officially evaluate the students’ work. If a student is doing “D,” “F,” or “NP” work, his or her current academic performance is considered deficient and unsatisfactory. All students receive instructor feedback on their progress in the semester. Student grades can be accessed at any time by students through our Student Information System.
Final Grade Reports
Student Final grades can be accessed at any time the Monday after Finals by students through our Student Information System.
Change of Grade
A student who believes an error has been made in the assignment of a grade must initiate contact with the faculty member involved, the Department Chair, or the Dean of Academic Affairs by the last instructional day of the next regular semester. Failure to act within that time period disqualifies the student from further pursuit of the matter. A Change of Grade form is available in the Registrar’s Office and must be approved by the Dean of Academic Affairs before being submitted to the Registrar’s Office.
Academic Freedom
Freedom of Speech and Dissent
The College prizes and defends freedom of speech and dissent. It affirms the right of teachers and students to teach and learn, free from coercive force and intimidation and subject only to the constraints of reasoned discourse and peaceful conduct. It also recognizes that such freedom and rights entail responsibility for one’s actions. Thus, the College assures and protects the rights of its members to express their views so long as there is neither use, nor threat of force, or interference with the rights of others to express their views. The College considers disruption of classes (whether, for example, by the abridgement of free expression in a class or by obstructing access to the place where normally meets) or of other academic activities to be a serious offense that damages the integrity of an academic institution.
Respect for the rights, dignity and integrity of others.
Respect for the rights, dignity and integrity of others is essential for the well-being of a community. Actions by any person which do not reflect such respect for others are damaging to each member of the community and hence damaging to the College. Each member of the community should be free from interference, intimidation or disparagement in the work place, the classroom and the social, recreational and residential environment.
Catalog Year Policy
Students fulfill catalog requirements in effect either at the time of their admission to CMI or requirements from a newer catalog if the student agrees to the new requirements. Readmitted students, who have not attended CMI for three 3 or more years, enter the degree program under the catalog requirements specified at readmission. The complete degree requirements of only one (1) catalog must be followed. Programs are subject to change and all courses may not be available on a continuing basis. Substitutions for discontinued courses may be required and authorized by the Dean of Academic Affairs.
Continuing Education after CMI
CMI graduates are encouraged to seek further education. Assistance is available from Faculty Advisors and Student Advocates to explore and research university options for a four-year degree and beyond. Both types of advisors are available to help students obtain university catalogs and degree information and to assist in the completion of the application process. The TRACC encourages students to explore a variety of transfer options.
Academic Honesty and Integrity Policy
Purpose
This policy outlines the principles of academic honesty and integrity and applies to all employees and affiliates of the College, and operates and is applied in accordance with related College policies.
Policy
It is the obligation of every CMI employee and student to uphold academic honesty and integrity in all facets of work. As an academic institute of higher education, it is essential that all members of the CMI community conduct themselves in a manner that preserves the integrity of their work as well as the work of others. Violation of this policy will be taken seriously with penalties up to and including termination of employees.
Application
The College recognizes that academic freedom must be exercised with integrity and responsibility by all its students and employees.
Examples of Violations of Academic Honesty
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following:
Cheating
- Obtaining answers to specific examination questions from another student before or during an examination.
- Communicating answers to another student during an examination.
- Knowingly allowing another student to copy one’s work.
- Taking or giving information during an examination by any means, including foreign languages, sign languages, hand signals, secret codes, or electronic transmission.
- Taking an examination for another student or having someone take an examination for oneself.
- Using unauthorized material during an examination
- Sharing answers for a take-home examination unless otherwise authorized by the instructor.
- Altering a graded examination or assignment and returning it for additional credit unless otherwise authorized by the instructor.
- Misreporting or altering the data in laboratory or research projects.
Plagiarizing
- Offering all or a portion of another person’s work as one’s own: copying all or a portion of a speech, essay, report, project or paper from another person or from books or other sources.
- Using the content of thought in outside sources (books, periodicals, the Internet or other electronic sources, or other written or spoken sources) without giving proper credit (by naming the person and putting any exact words used in quotation marks).
- Allowing another person or company to do the researching and/or writing or creating of an assigned speech, essay, report, project or paper for oneself.
Writing or creating a speech, essay, report, project or paper for another student. - Doing research for another student’s project or report.
Committing Other Acts of Dishonest Conduct
- Stealing or attempting to steal an examination or answer key.
- Stealing or attempting to change official academic records.
- Forging or altering grade change cards.
- Submitting all or part of the same work for credit in more than one course without consulting all instructors involved.
- Intentionally impairing the performance of other students and/or a faculty member, for example, by adulterating laboratory samples or reagents, by altering musical or athletic equipment or by creating a distraction meant to impair performance.
- Forging or altering attendance records.
- Engaging in Collusion
Procedures for Dealing with Violations of Academic Honesty Policy
Action by the Instructor: An instructor who has evidence that an act of academic dishonesty has occurred shall, after speaking with the student, take one or more of the following disciplinary actions:
- Issue a reprimand.
- Give the student an “F” grade, zero points, or a reduced number of points on all or part of a particular paper, project, or examination.
- Assign an “F” grade for the course.
A grade of “F” assigned to a student for academic dishonesty is final and shall be placed on the transcript. If the student withdraws from the course, a “W” will not replace an “F” assigned for academic dishonesty.
For any incident of academic dishonesty that is sufficiently serious for the instructor to take disciplinary action that can lower the student’s grade (for example, an “F” given for all or part of an assignment), the instructor shall report the incident to the Dean of Academic Affairs. Upon receipt of the first “Academic Dishonesty Report” form concerning a student, or upon satisfactory investigation of allegations brought by other staff or students, the Dean of Academic Affairs shall send a letter of reprimand to the student.
Upon receipt of a second reported incident of cheating by the student, the Dean of Academic Affairs shall suspend the student from taking any college courses for one calendar year. If, after the student returns from a suspension for Academic Dishonesty, Dean of Academic Affairs receives yet another Academic Dishonesty Report form concerning the same student, the Dean shall recommend to the College President that the student be expelled from the College.
For more serious incidents of academic dishonesty, the student may be suspended from the College on the first offense and could be recommended for expulsion. Offenses warranting suspension or expulsion on the first offense include, but are not limited to, the following:- Taking an examination for another student or having someone take an examination for oneself.
- Altering a graded examination or assignment and returning it for additional credit.
- Having another person or a company do the research and/or writing of an assigned paper or report.
- Stealing or attempting to steal an examination or answer key.
- Stealing or attempting to change official academic records.
- Forging or altering grades.
Portions of this policy are adapted from the academic honesty policies of the University of California Irvine, Cypress College, California State University Long Beach and Golden West College as published in their catalogs.
