The following policies and procedures are designed to ensure that all students meet the academic standards for successful program completion. It is the responsibility of HFCN students to familiarize themselves with the guidelines set forth by the College and to act in accordance with them.
| Grading System | Quality Points | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 95 – 100 | 4.0 | ||
| 90 – 94 | 3.7 | ||
| 85 – 89 | 3.5 | ||
| 80 – 84 | 3.0 | ||
| 78 – 79 | 2.5 | ||
| 74 – 77 | 2.0 | ||
| 70 – 73 | 1.7 | ||
| 65 – 69 | 1.3 | ||
| 60 – 64 | 1.0 | ||
| Below 60 | 0 | ||
| Incomplete | |||
W Withdrew through 3rd week of course in AAS program or 5th week in BS program (will not affect GPA).
WP Withdrew passing – after 3rd week of course in AAS program or 5th week in BS program (will not effect GPA).
WF Withdrew failing – after 3rd week of course in AAS or 5th week in BS program (computed as a course failure).
* C+/78% is the passing grade in all nursing and science courses, including Selected Topics in Chemistry and Mathematics.
C+ is the passing grade for the behavioral science and English courses.
A transfer course is recorded on the final transcript, but is not computed in the GPA.
GRADE POINT AVERAGE
To compute the quarterly GPA, multiply quality-points earned by the credits in each course. Add up the total number of quality points earned in all courses and divide by the total number of credits. For example, if a student receives an A in a 3-credit course, a B in a 3-credit course and a C in a 4-credit course, the GPA will be:
| Grade | Quality Points | Credits | TOTAL Quality Points | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| = | x | = | B | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| = | x | = | — | ————————— | ||
|
29 (29/10 = 2.90) |
The cumulative GPA is the total of the number of quality points earned divided by the total number of credits attempted.
STUDENT ASSESSMENTS
Course instructors use a combination of quizzes (announced and unannounced), unit tests, formal writing assignments, discussion board postings, and a final examination to arrive at the course grade. Faculty reserve the right to refuse written assignments and correspondence, which are not appropriately neat, legible, and written in Standard English.
Instructors review their specific grading criteria with students during the initial class period. Evaluation of student achievement is calculated using only measurable academic assignments that are directly related to the course objectives and that are identified in the syllabus. No points are assigned for non-academic or unplanned activities such as attendance and participation. Grades are not curved and only the final course grade is rounded up.
Each student’s work is evaluated individually. Evaluation of all course objectives is contained in the grading rubric (quizzes, exams, clinical/laboratory assignments, etc.). Some course requirements are included in the grading rubric but will only be calculated after the achievement of a minimum course grade of 78.0. These items will be clearly indicated in the course syllabus.
During the final clinical week, students in the AAS program receive quarterly individual clinical evaluations and cumulative summaries.
Students in the AAS program who are enrolled in nursing courses must complete all assigned focused reviews and remediation prior to taking the Integrated Kaplan exams. All Integrated exams must be completed and remediated prior to attending the required Kaplan NCLEX-RN Review.
STUDENT RECORDS
Permanent records, which are retained for seven years after completion, withdrawal, or dismissal from the program, include:
- High School Transcripts
- Academic Transcripts
- Transcripts used to validate advanced standing
POLICY ON PROMOTION AND CONTINUANCE
- All students must have earned a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 by the end of their first quarter (AAS program) or semester (BS program) to continue in the program.
- To remain in good standing, all full-time students must attain a cumulative GPA of 2.35 by the beginning of the second quarter (AAS program) or second semester (BS program). Students not meeting this requirement are subject to dismissal. A full-time student who changes from full-time to part-time must attain a cumulative GPA of 2.35 by the end of their second part-time quarter (AAS program) or second part-time semester (BS program) or be subject to dismissal.
- Part-time students must attain a cumulative GPA of 2.35 by the beginning of the fourth quarter (AAS program) or second semester (BS program) or be subject to dismissal. A part-time student who has a cumulative GPA that falls below 2.35 more than once after the third quarter (AAS program) or first semester (BS program) will be subject to dismissal.
- All students must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.35 to graduate.
- All students must successfully pass dosage calculation exams within their clinical courses to progress (this policy is in effect starting January 2020 and supersedes any prior dosage calculation policies including those listed in older versions of handbooks and catalogs).
- Students who are enrolled in NUR 221/NUR 221G must pass the Dosage Calculation Test I with a grade of 100% or higher to be promoted to NUR 222/NUR 222G.
- Students who are enrolled in NUR 222/NUR 222G must pass the Dosage Calculation Test II with a grade of 100% or higher to be promoted to NUR 223/NUR 223G.
- Students who are enrolled in NUR 223/NUR 223G must pass Dosage Calculation Test III with a grade of 100% or higher to be promoted to NUR 224/NUR 224G.
- All students will have three opportunities during the term to take each test. Students who do not pass the test after the second attempt, must meet with a faculty member to discuss progress, and receive tutoring BEFORE attempting the third test. If after the third attempt, the student is unable to pass the exam, he/she cannot progress to the next nursing course and may be dismissed from the program.
ACADEMIC PROGRESSION AND COURSE FAILURE POLICY
If a student fails a course (any course at HFCN including science, humanities, or nursing), the student may repeat one (1) course, one (1) time. If a student fails a second course, it may result in dismissal from the nursing program in which they are enrolled.
PREREQUISITE COURSE FAILURE POLICY
Any student who is unsuccessful in passing SCI 101 and/or NUR 121 may be dismissed from the program. Grades in the pre-requisite courses may serve as a predictor of successful progression in a nursing program. Admission and retention of highly qualified students are essential in meeting the demands of the healthcare environment. If a student is dismissed for failing one or both prerequisites, the student may reapply. Readmission will depend on successful passage of a remedial course.
AUDITING COURSES
No auditing of courses is allowed.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
The College expects students to attend all classes, conferences, and clinical experiences. Attendance is completed in each course and each class meeting date. Failure to attend scheduled class, may impact the final course grade, including the potential for course failure.
The clinical experience that a student receives at HFCN is essential to acquire the competencies of a RN. Every hour must be documented, and any absence may be cause for course/clinical failure.
- Students must arrive at their assigned clinical 15-20 minutes before the start of the assigned shift, in uniform, ready to start promptly.
- Students must not leave early from an assigned clinical day.
- No clinical absences are allowed.
ABSENCE FOR RELIGIOUS REASONS
The New York State Educational Law regarding absence from classes for religious observance requires that each student who is absent from the College because of his or her religious beliefs, be given an equivalent opportunity to register for classes or make up any examination, study or work requirements which he or she may have missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No fees may be charged for making equivalent opportunities available.
PREGNANCY
Pregnancies must be promptly reported to the respective program director to prevent danger to the student’s health. A student who is pregnant while enrolled must provide documentation from her physician or clinic stating that she is approved to continue in the program. The document must include written approval specifically stating that there are no restrictions on activity or weight lifting.
The course coordinator (AAS program) or director (BS program) will notify the student’s instructors and give the document to the associate director of student services, who will put it in the student’s file.
Following each prenatal visit, any new restrictions must be reported immediately to the student’s program director and instructors. The College reserves the right to require a student to take a maternity leave.
A student who becomes pregnant and who will deliver before the completion of her studies can be granted a maternity leave.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM THE COLLEGE
See the Withdrawal Policy and Procedures
ENROLLMENT STATUS
A student who withdraws from any course other than nursing or science with a grade of W/WP may re-register for that course, however, students are allowed only two course withdrawals (including both “W” and “WF”) from nursing and science courses during the entire program, whether such withdrawals were from the same course or different ones. Withdrawing a third time, regardless of the week in which the withdrawal takes place, will result in academic dismissal from the nursing program.
FAILURE TO ATTEND OR NON-PAYMENT
Non-attendance or non-payment of tuition does not constitute an official withdrawal. Notification to an instructor is also not sufficient. Students must notify the director of student services in writing of their intention to withdraw from a course. An official Withdrawal Form must be filed with the director of student services. Failure to officially withdraw will result in the student receiving a grade of “F” for the course.
REPEATING COURSES
A student may repeat only one failed course one time in each discipline (nursing, science, and liberal arts). Students with a second failure in a discipline will receive a dismissal letter. A WF counts as a course failure.
When a student repeats a course, the grade received in the repeated course becomes the official course grade. Both the repeated course grade and the original grade appear on the final transcript, however, only the repeated course grade is used to compute the final Grade Point Average (GPA) and class standing.
GRADE OF “INCOMPLETE”
Students are expected to complete course requirements within the quarters or semesters in which they are taken.
In an exceptional situation, a faculty member may give an Incomplete (I) if a student is unable to complete a course due to illness or circumstances beyond his/her control. With the approval of the vice president for academic affairs, written arrangements will be made to complete all work no later than five weeks after the end of the course. If the work is not completed as specified, the grade will automatically become an “F”.
ACADEMIC WARNING
A student who fails a course will be notified that they must meet with the Academic Standards Committee in order to discuss the reason(s) for the course failure and the measures that they can take to prevent another failure. At the meeting, the student will be warned that a failure in another course in the same discipline or a grade point average that is below the College’s standards will result in dismissal from the College. When a student receives a warning for a failure in either a science or a nursing course, the student is not allowed to register for a science and a nursing course simultaneously until the course that was failed has been taken and passed with a minimum grade of C+.
ACADEMIC PROBATION
The Academic Standards Committee, for exceptional reasons, may recommend that a student who is subject to dismissal be placed on academic probation and be permitted to continue in the program, provided that the student does not fail another course during the program’s duration. A student who is on probation will not be allowed to register for nursing and science courses simultaneously.
DISMISSAL
The College reserves the right to dismiss a student for any serious reason, specifically those reasons listed in the Catalog under “Disciplinary Action” and/or failure to meet academic and/or clinical standards; health problems that interfere with attainment of program goals and that cannot be resolved; failure to comply with financial or legal obligations; and drug or alcohol abuse.
The decision to dismiss a student for failure to meet academic or clinical standards is made by the vice president for academic affairs in accordance with Policies on Promotion and Continuance (see above). This may be appealed to the Academic Standards Committee.
After a dismissed student has exercised his/her option to meet with the Academic Standards Committee for academic reasons, and/or the Student Integrity Committee for non-academic reasons, the student cannot request readmission to the College.