Governance Documents

Faculty Code

Approved December 6, 2021

• Chapter I - Admission
• Chapter II - Fees
• Chapter III - Registration, Withdrawal, and Transfer
• Chapter IV - Curriculum, Approval of Courses, and Graduation Requirements
• Chapter V - Grading Policies and Academic Actions
• Chapter VI - Academic Conduct Policies and Procedures for Dealing with Cases of Academic Misconduct
• Chapter VII - Communication Between Faculty and Students
• Chapter VIII - Student Conduct and Student Government
• Chapter IX - Library Regulations
• Chapter X - Faculty Searches
• Chapter XI - Honorary Degrees
• Chapter XII - Graduate Studies

Chapter I - Admission

I.A. Admission to the First Year

I.A.1. Scholarship Qualifications

Students should be admitted to Reed on the basis of evidence of their capabilities to perform at the high level of scholarship set for them and of their commitment to the objectives of the College. Demonstrated academic ability is a primary consideration for admission. To be successful at Reed College an applicant should normally fall within the upper twenty-five percent of the total college first-year student population with respect to intellectual capacity as demonstrated by previous school record and college entrance examinations.

In considering the admission of an applicant, the Vice President and Dean of Admission and the Admission Committee shall evaluate the high school or preparatory school courses taken by the applicant in terms of their appropriateness in preparation for the course of study to be undertaken at Reed College. It is recommended that in preparation for work at Reed College, English, foreign languages, history, social sciences, mathematics and natural science be included in the applicant's studies and that the major part of the high school program be drawn from these and related subjects.

Applicants for admission to the first year at Reed College are normally expected to have graduated from a four-year high school or preparatory school approved by the State Department of Public Education of the state from which the student applies.

Applicants who do not fulfill this condition may be admitted at the discretion of the Admission Committee upon the presentation of other satisfactory evidence that the student is adequately prepared to undertake the Reed program of study.

Applicants will be considered for admission as a first-year student if they have earned transfer credit or credit by exam (e.g., Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate) before graduation from high school but have not matriculated at a regionally accredited college or university.

Any significant change in criteria by which students are admitted to Reed College shall be made only after consultation and approval of the Admission and Financial Aid Committee.

I.A.2. Admission Procedure

Students are regularly admitted to their first year of work at the beginning of the fall semester, but they may be admitted at mid-year if a satisfactory program can be arranged.

New students may not be admitted later than Friday of the first week of classes in the semester in which they are to begin work at the College. The Admission Committee may, however, admit applicants whose preparation is of sufficiently high quality later than this date with the consent of the instructors involved and subject to such conditions as these instructors may impose in connection with their courses.

Complete credentials to be submitted to the Vice President and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid shall consist of at least the following items:

I.A.2.a. Formal application form/s properly filled out.
I.A.2.b. Minimum of two letters of recommendation or personal appraisal forms, one of which must be from a former counselor, teacher or school administrator.
I.A.2.c. An official transcript from the high school or preparatory school.
I.A.2.d. The results of at least one test of scholastic aptitude.

College entrance examinations may be substituted for the certificate of high school record. In such cases the student usually takes the College Entrance Board Examinations.

The Admission Committee may, however, admit applicants whose credentials are incomplete when it has good reason to do so.

I.A.3. Vaccination and Health Insurance Requirement

The state of Oregon requires the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine for attendance at Oregon colleges. Reed requires full COVID-19 vaccination. Students must provide verification of these vaccinations for ongoing registration. Students who do not provide vaccine information, or information satisfying a medical or non-medical exemption, may not be allowed to register for a second semester or may be placed on involuntary leave.

Undergraduate students are required to have health insurance with coverage comparable to that offered by Reed's student health insurance plan.

I.A.4. Transfer Credit for First Year Students

The Registrar shall be empowered to give tentative transfer credit that may be applicable to group, major, and division requirements for courses taken at a regionally accredited college prior to entrance to Reed

(a) if these courses were not used for high school graduation credit; and

(b) if the courses are normal college work and not courses especially designed for high school students.

I.A.5. Dual enrollment, CEEB Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate Credit

Students may receive no more than 8 units in any combination of: dual-enrollment credit, Advanced Placement credit, International Baccalaureate credit, or other exam credit. Such credit may not be used toward group, major, or division requirements. A student admitted as a first-year student will be held to the Humanities requirement, even though the student may receive 7 or more units of such credit.

I.A.5.a. Dual-enrollment credit is credit earned for regular college courses (not courses designed for high school students) completed while in high school and used for high school graduation. Credit will be granted only for courses consistent with the Reed curriculum.
I.A.5.b. Reed credit up to 2 units may be allowed for each of the CEEB Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Examinations, subject to such review as the appropriate department may consider necessary.

I.A.6. Entrance to Advanced Courses

It shall be the policy of the College to award entrance to advanced courses, although not quantity credit (except as noted in points 4 and 5 above) to those first year students having adequate preparation according to the evaluation of the appropriate department.

Acceptance of credit in a field shall preclude the student from registering for credit in a course that, in the judgment of the appropriate department, covers substantially the same material.

In cases in which entrance to advanced courses or credit has been granted by Reed, the student so benefiting is required to take a normal load, unless special permission to do otherwise is granted by the appropriate Reed body.

I.B. Admission of Transfer Students

I.B.1. Scholarship Qualifications

The qualifications of an applicant for advanced standing shall be judged primarily on the basis of previous academic experience, examinations, and written recommendations from teachers and administrators with whom the applicant has had previous contact.

Applicants will be considered transfer applicants if, after graduation from high school or the equivalent, they have

(a) matriculated at a regionally accredited college or university or

(b) received financial aid at a regionally accredited college or university.

I.B.2. Admissions Procedure

Transfer students are regularly admitted at the beginning of the fall semester but they may be admitted at mid-year if a satisfactory program can be arranged.

Transfer students may not be admitted later than the Friday of the first week of classes in the semester in which they are to begin work at the College. The Admission Committee may, however, admit applicants whose preparation is of sufficiently high quality, later than this date with the consent of the instructors involved and subject to such conditions as these instructors may impose in connection with their courses.

Transfer students shall file the complete credentials listed in A-2 under Admission to First Year, Admission Procedure, plus official transcripts covering all work done at institutions in which the student has taken college work.

The Vice President and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid or designee shall submit a complete record of the previous college work of transfer applicants to the Registrar's Office for evaluation in terms of degree requirements.

I.B.3. Vaccination and Health Insurance Requirement

The state of Oregon requires the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine for attendance at Oregon colleges. Reed requires full COVID-19 vaccination. Students must provide verification of these vaccinations for ongoing registration. Students who do not provide vaccine information, or information satisfying a medical or non-medical exemption, may not be allowed to register for a second semester or may be placed on involuntary leave.

Undergraduate students are required to have health insurance with coverage comparable to that offered by Reed's student health insurance plan.

I.B.4. Evaluation of Transfer Credit

Work completed at other regionally accredited colleges or universities in courses that are not vocational, technical, or experiential in nature shall be allowed credit by the Registrar with reference to general standards established by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. Generally, credit will not be granted in excess of the credit granted for similar courses at Reed. Transfer credit will not be allowed for the work below the level of C-, nor for courses that are not consistent with the Reed curriculum. Work that substantially duplicates courses completed at Reed cannot be given credit.

No more than fifteen units of all work accepted for transfer credit may be used toward the degree.

Students may receive no more than 8 units in any combination of: dual-enrollment credit, Advanced Placement credit, International Baccalaureate credit, or other exam credit. Such credit may not be used toward group, major, or division requirements.

Transfer students who have been granted Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate credit by their former school and for whom no examinations are available, will receive full value for these provided the transcript specifically indicates grades of 4 or 5 (for AP), or 5, 6 or 7 (for IB) were received.

All transfer students are to be held to the General College Requirements, except that those admitted with six or more units may meet the Humanities 110 requirement with Humanities 220 or two units from Humanities 211, 212, 231 and 232 and an additional unit from Group I or II. If so used, Hum 220 or two units from Humanities 211, 212, 231 and 232 may not also be applied toward either the Group I or II requirement. Appropriate work taken by transfer students at a previous institution may apply toward fulfillment of degree requirements.

Students applying for admission to sophomore standing may be admitted on the basis of competence as judged by the Admission Committee.

Students applying for junior or senior standing shall have the approval of the Vice President and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid and of the Division or Interdivisional Committee with which the major work is planned. Divisional approval of such students for admission shall be based upon a statement of previous college work as evaluated by the Registrar in terms of degree requirements.

A transfer student will be eligible for acceptance into a Division upon the completion of a minimum of thirteen units of course work and the requisite courses required. (See IV-F, Declaring a Major.)

Those students with thirteen or more units of transfer credit who do not qualify for this prior to enrolling at Reed shall be designated as "third year transfers." They shall be considered as juniors with respect to the Divisional review and eligibility for Independent Study (481, 482 courses) when these are restricted to juniors and seniors.

The Registrar will determine the physical education, community engagement, and experiential learning requirement for transfer students. Typically, students entering as juniors without relevant transfer credit may be required to complete only four of the six credits.

Credentials of foreign students with work in institutions outside the United States will be evaluated in accordance with the best recommendations available to the Registrar, as published by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and similar organizations. The evaluations shall be subject to review after consultation with the student.

I.C. Admission of Applicants Whose Native Language is not English

Applicants whose native language is other than English may not be admitted as regular students until they have submitted evidence of a satisfactory ability to speak, read and write English at the college level. This should be done before they leave their native country.

I.D. Admission of Special Students

I.D.1. Students who have not satisfied all of the entrance requirements and who are taking work without regard to the requirements for the Reed Bachelor's degree may be admitted as special students for one year at the discretion of the Admission Committee. Normally, such students will be permitted to take no more than the equivalent of two full year courses.
I.D.2. Students working toward a bachelor's degree from another institution who wish to take a full year of work at Reed and then to return to their home institution may be permitted to do so at the discretion of the Admission Committee, provided this arrangement is approved by the student's home institution.
I.D.3. Students who are selected by their home institution to attend Reed College for a period of up to one year under one of the established exchange programs will be admitted as special students for one year and permitted to take a full program of studies.

All students applying for acceptance as special students in one of the above categories shall submit whatever reference material the Admission Committee deems appropriate. If the special student later wishes to be admitted to regular student status, that student must apply for regular admission in the manner required of applicants for transfer status.

I.E. Admission of Auditors (See Chapter II.C - Other Charges)

Auditors will not be permitted in classes that are over-enrolled, or capped and filled. Auditors are not permitted in MALS courses unless they are graduates of the Reed MALS program and have obtained the approval of the graduate studies committee.

Persons not enrolled at Reed may audit courses upon written permission of the instructor, but shall be restricted to no more than two courses in any one year.

Full-time faculty and staff members and their spouses or domestic partners and any full-time student may be permitted as auditors with the permission of the instructor.

Auditors may be admitted to laboratory or studio courses with the permission of the instructor and upon payment of an additional fee.

Audit of physical education classes is not permitted with the exception of individuals who are not currently enrolled, have recently completed a Reed thesis but have not graduated, and for whom additional P.E. credit is required. Registration for a specific class will take place after the close of registration for current students. The approval of the instructor and the sports center director is required.

Chapter II - Fees

II.A. Application Fee

The Office of Admission will recommend any application or enrollment fee(s) for consideration by the Admission and Financial Aid Committee and approval by the offices of the President and Treasurer.

II.B. Tuition

Tuition is determined by the Board of Trustees. Consult the catalog or the Business Office website for information regarding charges for full- and part-time tuition.

Satisfactory arrangements for the payment of charges must be made with the Business Office before registration is complete.

A student who withdraws or is granted a leave during the course of a semester may be eligible for an adjustment of charges as stipulated in the catalog and on the Business Office website.

No refund shall be made to students who have been suspended or dismissed from the College.

Students registered for three units or more in a semester shall be charged full tuition. (Also see Chapter IV-J for special regulation concerning tuition charges for the thesis year.) Students who wish to enroll in fewer than three units for reduced tuition must petition (see chapter IV.A). Reduction in a student’s program after the end of the first two weeks of the semester shall have no effect on the amount of tuition.

II.C Other Charges

II.C.1. Auditors' Fee (See Chapter I-E for definition of auditors.)

Registered full-time students shall not be charged an auditing fee. Full-time faculty and staff, and their spouses or domestic partners shall not be charged for auditing privileges, other than certain additional fees charged all students in a particular course. All other auditors shall pay the regular auditing fee as determined by the Office of Admission and the Office of the Registrar in consultation with the Administration Committee.

II.C.2. Non-Resident Course Fee - In Absentia

Regular tuition fees shall be charged students taking non-resident courses (in absentia) during the academic year under the supervision of members of the Faculty. (A student who received a "U" in thesis is not a registered student and not in this category.)

II.C.3. Late Payment Fee

Students whose account is not paid by the deadline will be charged a late payment fee as determined by the Office of the Treasurer.

II.C.4. Missed Deadline Fine

A fine may be imposed with the approval of petitions to extend deadlines.

II.C.5. Student Body Fee

A student body fee recommended by the Senate and approved by the Offices of the President and Treasurer shall be collected as part of the regular registration procedure from all full-time undergraduate students.

II.C.6. Housing Charges

Rooms are rented for a college year. No refunds of room charges will be made except (1) in cases of withdrawal or leave from the College, or (2) upon the approval of the Dean of Students.
Assignments will be made by the Office of Residence Life.

II.C.7. Health Insurance Fee

A health insurance fee is charged to all full-time undergraduate students.

II.C.8. Late Thesis Fee

See Chapter IV, K-2 for charges on late thesis.

II.C.9. Physical Education and Community Engagement for Individuals Not Enrolled

Individuals who are not currently enrolled, have recently completed a Reed thesis, but have not graduated, may register for physical education if additional Physical Education and Community Engagement credit is required. Registration for a specific class will take place after the close of registration for current students. The approval of the instructor and the sports center director is required. A fee will be charged, plus an additional fee (to be determined by the Sports Center Staff) if equipment is a factor.

II.D. Indebtedness to the College

Any student who has failed to satisfactorily discharge all financial obligations to the College will not be allowed to register nor be given any certificate or evidence of grades or credit earned.

Students who have completed their requirements for the degree but have a financial obligation shall be awarded the degree, but diplomas, transcripts and other services of the College shall be withheld until the obligation is settled.

Chapter III - Registration, Withdrawal, and Transfer

III.A. Early Registration

During the spring semester, the Registrar's Office shall conduct an early registration for continuing students for the fall and spring of the following year. Results of early registration shall be available to the President and the Faculty to allow them to plan for the academic year.
The Schedule of Classes should include courses to be offered during both semesters of the following year.
The Faculty expects each chair of a department to 1) report to the Registrar all courses to be offered in their department the following year and 2) be responsible for seeing that the Registrar is informed of any conflict in final schedules involving a course in that department.

III.B. Registration

At the time of registration, each student should register for courses in both the fall and spring semesters. It shall be the responsibility of faculty advisers to assure that their advisees register for a full year's program. A second registration period is scheduled in advance of the spring semester and provides an opportunity for students to make any changes that seem advisable in light of the academic experience of the fall semester.

III.B.1. Registration Period

The registration period shall provide time for conferences with faculty advisers, any placement examinations for new students that may be required, the issuing of College ID cards, and the course registration described below.

III.B.2. Registration Procedure

Students will confer with their adviser to secure approval for their proposed program, and register for classes. Any examination required by the College must be taken before registration can be completed. A student who fails to enroll in classes by the end of the first week of the semester shall be excluded from attending classes and is not entitled to use any facilities of the College.

III.B.3. Registration Holds

Access to registration may be withheld for the following reasons:

III.B.3.a. Denial of registration (see V.H.6)
III.B.3.b. Indebtedness to the College (see II.D)
III.B.3.c. A declaration of major is required (see IV.F)
III.B.3.d. Disciplinary action (e.g., suspension, failure to complete sanctions)
III.B.3.e. Failure to comply with the state requirement for immunization or a college-required verification for vaccination
III.B.3.f. Failure to provide emergency contact information
III.B.3.g. Failure to complete the College’s required sexual assault module
III.B.3.h. Failure to complete the financial responsibility form

Once their obligation to the College is met, students will be allowed to register if the deadline for registration has not passed.

III.B.4. Admission to Courses

Registrants must meet any prerequisites announced in the catalog for the courses desired. The instructor may waive these prerequisites in special cases. The instructor must certify that waiver electronically or in writing. Certain classes are subject to limitation in size because of the facilities available. Notice of such restrictions will be given in detail at the time of registration.

Ideally, no Reed student should be denied registration in a course on any ground other than lack of preparation for the work of the course. To increase instructional effectiveness while avoiding arbitrary limits on enrollment in courses, replicate conferences may be offered. Staffs of multi-conference courses should equalize conference enrollments.

III.B.5. Limitation of Class Size

III.B.5.a. Principles

III.B.5.a.i. The standard enrollment limit is 24 students. This size is not intended to achieve ideal enrollments, but rather to prevent enrollments that are unacceptably large. Departments may establish a higher limit, but must petition the CAPP if a lower limit is desired.

III.B.5.a.ii. Any proposal for limiting enrollment to fewer than 24 will require an extraordinary justification. Among the considerations that may be adduced in justifying the limitation of enrollment in a particular course are these: the assignment of a significant amount of writing or limitations of facilities.

III.B.5.a.iii. Because of the need to provide appropriate courses for first year students and transfers, the CAPP will be very reluctant to approve a cap below 24 on courses that are the beginning of approved major sequences.

III.B.5.a.iv. No student who has met the prerequisites and who needs to take a particular course in a particular semester in order to meet a college, division, or department requirement will be denied admission to that course.

III.B.5.a.v. No student will be capped out of a class once the semester begins.

III.B.5.a.vi. Students beyond the proposed maximum may be permitted into a capped course at the discretion of faculty member. Special consideration should be given to students who have been excluded from more than one course, or who have been excluded from the course in question in previous years, or for whom the course in question will clearly contribute to the coherence of an academic program.

III.B.5.a.vii. Faculty may continue to replicate courses, but are not required to do so.

III.B.5.b. Process

III.B.5.b.i. In submitting its schedule, each department may propose a maximum class size for particular courses. Departments need not do this for all classes, or indeed for any. Any request for an enrollment limit lower than 24 should be submitted with the schedule request. Departments may reserve seats for new students with CAPP approval.

III.B.5.b.ii. Continuing students may register in April for the coming academic year. Students will be informed of any class with a maximum enrollment lower than 24. During the first day/s of the registration period, students will be allowed to register for a limited number of units in each semester. After the initial period, students may register for the remainder of their courses for the following year.

III.B.5.b.iii. Once the enrollment limit of the class is reached, a waitlist will be created for each section offered. Students who attempt to register for the class after it has reached the limit may add themselves to the waitlist in the order of attempted registration.

III.B.5.b.iv. When a space becomes available in a capped class, the first student on the waitlist will be offered the opportunity to add the class, within a specified period. Students who do not respond within the time limit will be removed from the waitlist and the next student will be notified of the opening.

III.B.5.b.v. After early registration, departments may request that criteria (e.g. enrollment on the first day, class level, major) be applied to any class that has reached or surpassed the enrollment limit. All such criteria are subject to approval by the CAPP. If approved, those criteria will be assessed against the enrolled and waitlisted students. Enrollment in the class and positions on the waitlist will be adjusted to reflect the criteria. After the initial application of criteria, enrollment will be based on the position on the waitlist. Criteria will be applied only one time for any class. By the end of the spring semester, students who are successfully registered for a course are guaranteed entry to it.

III.B.5.b.vi. Classes that have not met the enrollment limit by the end of the initial phase of early registration period may have criteria applied once the enrollment has surpassed the limit, subject to the approval of the CAPP. As above, criteria will be applied one time, and in no event will students be removed from a class after the start of the semester.

III.B.5.b.vii. Students who wish to enroll over the cap may submit a request to the faculty. If the faculty member wishes to admit the student beyond the enrollment limit, they will approve the override, allowing the student to register.

III.B.5.b.viii. Students may register for no more than one Physical Education and Community Engagement class per quarter prior to the start of that quarter. Once the quarter has begun, students may register for additional Physical Education and Community Engagement classes as space allows.

III.C. Changes in Registration

Students are responsible for the work of the courses for which they have officially registered, until such time as an official drop/add form is completed and filed with the Office of the Registrar.

Requests for changes in registration before the deadlines, if approved by the adviser and the instructors, and submitted by the student, shall be granted by the Registrar and record will be changed accordingly. (See Chapter V.C for deadlines for changes in academic programs.)

Petitions for changes in registration after the deadlines must be approved by the adviser and the instructors and be submitted to the Administration Committee. The committee reserves the right to impose a fine when 1) approval of a late change is warranted, and 2) the student was not prevented from making the change by circumstances beyond their control.

Changes in the spring semester program made before that semester begins require only the adviser's approval.

III.D. Leaves from the College

Students who have matriculated and are eligible to register at the College may take a leave of absence with College approval (as outlined below). Students returning at or before the expiration of an approved leave need not apply for readmission. Any academic action in effect at the time the leave is taken will remain in effect upon return to Reed. The notation "leave of absence" will appear on the transcript in the semesters of leave. The effective date will be noted if the leave is initiated during a semester in which the student is enrolled.

A student may not be approved for more than four consecutive semesters of leave. Students who fail to return from a leave will be withdrawn from the college. Students whose record reflects four consecutive semesters of leave must complete a semester at Reed before they are eligible for an additional leave. Students who are ineligible for a leave may withdraw from the college. Students who are withdrawn from the college may apply for readmission (see 3.G below).

Students who take a leave during the semester will earn no academic credit for the semester, and will be refunded tuition on a pro-rata basis as determined by the Business Office. W grades will be recorded for a student who takes a medical leave after the deadline to drop without a W grade.

III.D.a. Leave of Absence

A leave of absence may be granted for one or two semesters. By completing and submitting a new leave of absence form, an eligible student may be allowed to extend the leave to a maximum of four consecutive semesters. Students should request leaves of absence before the start of the semester. The final deadline for such a request is the deadline to withdraw from a semester course.

III.D.b. Medical Leave of Absence

Students with medical or psychological conditions that seriously impair their ability to be a student at the College may be granted a medical leave of absence with the approval of a dean of Student Life and the College health and counseling staff. A physician or therapist must provide a written recommendation for the leave.

A medical leave of absence may be in effect for a maximum of four consecutive semesters.

A medical leave can be granted before the semester begins. The deadline for a medical leave to be granted during the semester is the last day of classes. 

In order to return from a medical leave of absence, students must submit written assessment from their clinician of their readiness to return. Based on the assessment, and in consultation with the College health and counseling staff, their return must be approved by a dean of Student Life, who in consultation with clinical providers may implement interventions and/or conditions to support the student's continued enrollment.

III.D.c. Involuntary Leave of Absence

In an emergency, when a student's continuing at the College poses a risk to the well-being of that student, or to others in the community, and when the college has taken reasonable steps to address and accommodate the student's situation, the Dean of Students (or designee) can place a student on an involuntary leave. The student may appeal this decision to the President of the College within eleven days of notification.

In order to return from an involuntary leave of absence, a student must be approved by the Dean of Students, who will consult with other staff and/or off-campus clinicians as appropriate.

III.E. Emergency Absence

Students who must leave the College for a brief period of time but who intend to complete the semester's work may apply for an emergency absence. An emergency absence may be granted by the Dean of Students (or designee) for personal and family emergencies as well as for medical and psychological reasons. Students may apply for this absence at any time in the semester; this status will not extend beyond two weeks and will not extend past the end of a semester. An emergency absence does not result in the refund of any tuition or fees.

An emergency absence does not release students from course requirements, including class attendance and participation. Upon return from an emergency absence, students must meet with Student Life, their adviser, and instructors. 

The instructor of each class will determine whether or not it is possible for the student to complete the course. Students who can complete some but not all of their semester classes may petition the Administration Committee for a withdrawal from those classes they cannot complete.

Students who take an emergency absence and are unable to complete any of their classes may take a leave of absence or request a medical leave of absence, effective the day the student began the emergency absence. Students whose status changes to a leave of absence or a medical leave of absence will be eligible for refunds according to the provisions for refunds above.

An emergency absence will not be recorded on the transcript. If the status changes to a leave of absence or a medical leave of absence, notation will be made on the transcript according to the provisions above.

III.F. Withdrawal from the College

Students who wish to withdraw from College may do so up to Monday of the tenth week of the semester. All such students shall complete a withdrawal form with Student Life. No in-semester withdrawals may be filed after that date.

A student who officially withdraws from all academic work during a semester but who does not file an official statement of intent to withdraw from the College is considered to be withdrawn from college as of the date the last course was dropped.

For students who withdraw from College on or before Monday of the sixth week of classes, the date of the official withdrawal from College will be entered on the transcript. For students who withdraw from College after that date, a notation of W in all uncompleted courses shall be entered.

In case the student stops attending all classes but neglects to file a statement of withdrawal by the end of the semester, a grade of F will be recorded in all courses, except that UW may be recorded in those courses for which a UW was received at the preceding grade review.

A student withdrawing at the end of the first semester is urged to file a statement of withdrawal at that time. Credit for one semester of a year course is not given automatically. (see III-I Mid-Year Credit.)

III.G. Readmission

Application for readmission is required of all students who are ineligible to register, except for students returning from suspension. Applications for readmission are submitted to the Registrar's Office and are reviewed by departments for juniors and seniors. The Administration Committee seeks input from the Dean of Students (or designee), reviews all applications, and decides whether to readmit the student. 

III.H. Transcripts

On the request of any student who desires to transfer to another institution, a transcript of record will be mailed by the Registrar's Office to the institution concerned.

A transcript will not be issued for any student until the Business Office has reported satisfactory financial status.

The transcript is an official unabridged and certified list of courses taken by a student in Reed College, showing the identification of the student, the units of credit, and final grades for all courses. It includes the definitions of the various grades.

III.I. Mid-Year Credit

III.I.a.

Credit in a year course normally is given only upon the completion of the work of both semesters. In the case in which a student successfully completes the work of only one semester in a year course, the grade of W (withdrawn) shall be entered on the transcript, with the notation that no credit is given until the course is completed. However, credit will be allowed for such a registration if the written authorization of the instructor or staff of the course is filed with the Office of the Registrar. 

III.I.b.

A student who was reported as failing the fall semester of a year course and who does not continue in the spring semester may not enroll in the second half of the course in a subsequent year before repeating the first half.

III.I.c.

If the student who passed the first half but did not receive semester credit in a year course later completes the second semester of the course in a different academic year (but with the same instructor) the grade of W will then be changed to agree with the final grade recorded for the course, since grades in year courses are cumulative.

III.I.d.

In the case of a student who was registered for both semesters of a year course, and who was reported as passing the fall semester, but who received a failing grade for the full year, credit for the work of the fall semester may not be allowed until after the student registers for and satisfactorily retakes the work of the second semester (with the same instructor) - thus finally completing the work of the full year. When that is done, the F recorded for this year course will be changed to allow credit for the first semester. The grade for the first and final (third) semesters will be the cumulative grade reported upon the satisfactory completion of this course. The first attempt of the second semester of this course will carry the notation that the course was later repeated and passed.

III.I.e.

In cases falling under c or d above, where the second semester of a year course is finally passed in a different year, but where two different instructors are involved, each semester will be graded separately by the two instructors. (See also V-F, Grade Point Average when a course is repeated.)

Chapter IV - Curriculum, Approval of Courses, and Graduation Requirements

IV.A. Curriculum

The Reed curriculum normally consists of a four-year program in the liberal arts and sciences leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree. An exceptional student, with the consent of their adviser and Division and the Administration Committee, may graduate in three years (see IV.E below). The program also can be extended beyond the four years.

The normal yearly program for students is from 7 to 9 academic units (excluding credit for physical education, community engagement, and experiential learning), in order to fulfill the 30 units required for graduation. No student is permitted to take more than 4-1/2 units of academic work in a semester except with the written approval of their adviser. Students not in their first semester whose record reflects a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher and no grade lower than B- in the prior semester may enroll in up to five units without committee approval. Students who do not meet the grade criteria or who wish to enroll in more than five units will be reviewed by the Administration Committee. No regular student will be allowed to begin a semester with a program of fewer than 3 academic units unless approved by the adviser and by the Administration Committee. At any time during the semester, a student desiring to change their program to fewer than 3 academic units must have the written consent of the adviser and a dean of Student Life.

Students who fail to make progress toward the degree at an average rate of at least three units per semester may be required by the Administration Committee or their division, in consultation with their adviser, to take a heavier academic program. Students on financial aid are subject to the financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.

Students are classified as underclass until such time as they have earned a minimum of 13 academic units and have achieved upperclass standing by filing a satisfactorily completed declaration of major form with the Registrar's Office, approved by a member of the prospective major department, division, or committee, and showing completion of the requisite courses. (See IV.H)

IV.B. Approval of Courses

Some courses are conducted on a year basis, i.e., the work is organized in such a manner that it is necessary to take two consecutive semesters in order to complete the course. Credit for the completion of a single semester of work in such a course is not allowed, except as noted in III-J, or when the student is allowed to enter the course at mid-year.

A full course is considered to be the equivalent of approximately one-fourth of a student's load; a full course for one semester being designated as 1 unit and a full course carried throughout the year having the value of 2 units.

The course numbers indicate the level of the course. 100 level courses have no prerequisites and are normally taken during the first year. 200 level courses are introductory courses having prerequisites, normally taken by sophomores, upperclass students, and qualified first-year students. 300 level courses have prerequisites or require equivalent college experience and are intended for students with a background in the discipline. 400 level courses are advanced courses typically having more than one prerequisite and are normally taken by seniors.

No course shall be offered until it has been approved by the faculty for title, content, and credit. A new course must receive divisional approval and be submitted to the CAPP, who will normally present it to the faculty for approval. Divisional and CAPP review of new course proposals shall include consideration of the relationship between expected workload and the proposed credit value.

The following changes, when approved by the department or program and any cross-listed department or program, may be transmitted directly to the Registrar for inclusion in the catalog:

• • Change to course title
  • Minor update to course description
  • Removal or reduction of prerequisites
  • Repeatability for credit
  • Cross-lists
  • Meets requirements for a major outside the department

The following changes must be submitted to the CAPP for approval in the same manner as a new course:

• • Substantive change to the course description
  • Increase or reduction in units
  • Increase or change of prerequisites (other than reduction or removal)
  • Change in course number that signifies a change of level
  • Change in the methods of instruction
  • Change in whether the course meets Group or Division requirements

Any course listed in the catalog must either be offered in that academic year or be offered in a clearly described pattern of rotation such that the course in question will normally be taught at least once every three years. Courses meeting neither of these conditions will be dropped from the catalog. Courses not offered for three years will be dropped from the catalog, but may be reinstated by request to the Registrar if they are offered within six years. After six years, a dropped course requires formal approval for reinstatement. Courses must be specified in the catalog as lecture, conference, lab-lecture, studio, or laboratory, or a combination of these methods of instruction.

The instructor's approval is required before a student can register for less credit than a course normally carries.

IV.C. Scheduling of Courses

Classes meeting for three hours per week during the day could meet according to three different configurations: a) on M-W-F in three 50-minute sessions between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.; b) on Tuesday and Thursday between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. for two 80 minute sessions, running from 9:00-10:20 a.m., 10:30-11:50 a.m., 12:00-1:20 p.m., 1:40-3:00 p.m., 3:10-4:30 p.m., 4:40-6:00 p.m.; c) from 8:30-9:50 a.m., 1:10-2:30 p.m., 2:40-4:00 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, or Wednesday and Friday, or Monday and Friday; d) Evening classes meet two times a week from 6:10 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. except for seminars arranged for only one meeting per week, which begin between 6:10 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and end between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Classes meeting for more than three hours a week (introductory languages and mathematics primarily) would meet in four or five 50-minute sessions per week at 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1:40 p.m. or 3:10 p.m.

In order to minimize scheduling conflicts for students, departments should offer courses across the schedule, Monday through Friday, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 or 4:30 p.m. The registrar will give priority to each department's first course request in popular time slots, then to second courses for each department if rooms are available. All departments should ensure that courses scheduled in the same time slot are rarely taken concurrently unless alternative sections are available.

Humanities 110, Language, Science, Psychology, and Math make extensive use of morning time slots for introductory course lectures. In order to minimize scheduling conflicts for first-year students, other departments should be especially mindful when scheduling introductory courses M-F 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The spring scheduling process will proceed in three stages. 1) In order to minimize scheduling conflicts of highly enrolled courses, departments that anticipate schedule changes to these courses will provide the Registrar's Office with a list of potential changes to the scheduling of such courses in fall semester. 2) In spring semester, all departments will submit initial schedule drafts to the Registrar. In addition, departments will identify courses that often need to be taken concurrently by majors and convey this list to the Registrar, so that the Registrar can alert departments of potential scheduling conflicts before they are finalized. 3) The Registrar's Office will then distribute a college-wide, first-draft schedule to all departments. Departments with major requirements in department(s) outside their own should then consult with those department(s) to resolve potential course conflicts for majors prior to finalizing their schedules for submission to the Registrar. Divisions with extensive divisional requirements should consult with other departments in their division.

Unusual scheduling (deviations from the usual time slots) is not to be allowed by the Registrar unless approved by the Administration Committee and only if the request is accompanied by a justification in terms of pedagogy, facility constraints, an effort to minimize scheduling conflicts for students, or other extenuating circumstances, and if the proposed schedule does not cause undue conflict with other courses. Expected exceptions include: 3-4 hour afternoon laboratories for the Sciences and Psychology, meeting once per week, and additional 3 hour studio sessions in Art, meeting twice per week.

No work may be assigned over the fall, January, or spring breaks, other than routine class, studio, or lab preparations. In practice, this shall mean that no work will be assigned with a due date in the week immediately following the break except as announced in the course syllabus at the beginning of the semester.

IV.D. Independent Study

Independent study (481) is considered a privilege and is ordinarily available only to upperclass students.

Supervision of independent study (481) constitutes a faculty overload. It should not be used as a means of offering a course for credit without faculty approval nor should it duplicate the subject matter of any currently offered course.

No student may apply more than 4 units of independent study toward the degree, and ordinarily no more than 1 unit of such registration per semester will be permitted.

Registration for independent study must be approved by the instructor concerned. By the end of the second week of each semester, descriptions of such work will be submitted by the instructor for approval to the division in which the credit is to be granted, and the title reported by the division to the Registrar.

No 481 may be used to satisfy any of the distribution requirements.

IV.E. General Requirements for the degree

IV.E.1. Quantity Requirement

The requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts may be completed regularly in a period of time ranging from three to five years. As an ordinary minimum, the quantity requirement for graduation is the successful completion of 30 units of academic course work, and six quarters of the physical education, community engagement, and experiential learning requirement. The student must be in residence for at least two years, and satisfactorily complete a minimum of 15 units. (See J below for senior year requirement.)

IV.E.2. Distribution Requirements

Students must take three units in each of the following four categories:

IV.E.2.a. Humanities 110 - Required of all first-year students and of all transfer students. Sophomore or junior transfers may substitute either Humanities 220 or two units from Humanities 211, 212, 231 and 232, and one additional unit from Group I or Group II for the Humanities 110 requirement.

IV.E.2.b. Group I - 3 units from one of the following subjects, of which 2 must come from the same subject: Art; Comparative Race and Ethnicity Studies; Dance; Humanities; language courses (Chinese, French, German, Greek, Latin, Russian, Spanish); literature courses and creative writing (ancient Mediterranean studies, English, Comparative Literature, Creative Writing, Chinese, French, German, Russian, Spanish, or Literature); Music; Philosophy; Theatre. If two units are being taken in language classes, the two units must be in the same language.

IV.E.2.c. Group II- 3 units from one of the following subjects, of which 2 must come from the same subject: ancient Mediterranean studies (only archaeology and ancient history classes), Anthropology, Comparative Race and Ethnicity Studies, Economics, International and Comparative Policy Studies, History, Humanities, Linguistics, Political Science, Religion, Sociology.

IV.E.2.d. Group III - 3 units from the following subjects, of which 2 must come from the same subject: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology. A substantial portion of at least one unit used to satisfy the Group III requirement must be devoted to primary data collection and the analysis of that data.

Note 1: No course can count towards more than one of the above categories.

Note 2: Subject is defined as the subject designator for the course. Exceptions include: (1) HUM 411, which does not count toward group requirements, (2) all literature courses, which are considered one subject, and (3) all language courses, which are also considered one subject.

Note 3: No more than two units from any subject can be used towards the distribution requirements. The one exception is Humanities, where the cap of two units excludes Humanities 110 or, in the case of transfer students, other Humanities courses being used to satisfy the Humanities 110 requirement. A given group cannot be satisfied by a combination of three courses that, due to one or more cross-listed courses, could be listed under the same subject.

Note 4: No distribution requirement can be taken as credit/no credit.

Note 5: No distribution requirement can be satisfied by waiver or by examination (e.g., AP, IB, or other examination).

Note 6: No thesis course or independent study course can be used to satisfy a distribution requirement.

Note 7: A course that is cross-listed between a department and a program will count for the group for which the departmental course counts.

IV.E.3. Physical Education, Community Engagement, and Experiential Learning Requirement

IV.E.3.a. Every student is required to earn credit for 6 quarters of physical education, community engagement, and/or experiential learning.

IV.E.3.b. A student shall meet the physical education, community engagement, and experiential learning requirement by earning credit in 6 different calendar quarters. Physical education credit can be earned (1) by participation in a physical education class; or (2) by playing on a school team approved by the department. Students can earn up to two credits of physical education, community engagement, or experiential learning in non-directed classes; all students must earn four quarters of directed physical education credits.

IV.E.3.c. Students may earn up to two quarters of credit towards this requirement (a) by participating in, and completing the required hours for, Reed's established community engagement programs or (b) through the experiential learning (EXEL) program. Students who earn such credits must also complete four credits of directed physical education classes.

IV.E.3.d. Some dance classes can be taken as physical education classes. These classes are listed in the course schedule under Physical Education. Students can only take these classes for physical education credit if they enroll for both quarters (the full semester, thus eligible to earn two physical education credits). Students cannot be enrolled in the same class at the same time for both academic and physical education credit.

IV.E.3.e. Students whose disability or illness affects their ability to complete the requirement must consult with Disability and Accessibility Resources to determine appropriate accommodations.

IV.E.3.f. See Chapter I-B-4, paragraph 9 regarding PE requirements for transfers.

IV.E.3.g. The experiential learning (EXEL) program allows students to receive credit for experiential learning opportunities such as internships, fellowships, or temporary periods of guided work. To qualify, the internship or off-campus experience must have a demonstrated relationship to the student's degree. The EXEL program is administered through the Center for Life Beyond Reed. Staff from The Office for Intenational Student Services shall advise international students on Curricular Practical Training (CPT) eligibility and authorization and will be designated to interact with the Student Exchange Visitor Information System. 

IV.F. Declaring a Major

Students must declare a major once they have completed 16 or more units. If a student is enrolled in courses the completion of which would bring the student’s total number of units to 16 or more, the student will not be allowed to register for subsequent semesters until they declare a major. This total shall not include credit by exam (Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, etc.), or dual-enrollment credit, but will include transfer college credit. Students who transfer with 16 or more units must declare the major before the end of their first semester at Reed. First-year students who reach the 16-unit limit in their first year will be granted a one-semester extension to declare the major.

The major shall be declared by completion and submission of the declaration of major form to the Registrar's Office. This document must be countersigned by a faculty member in the major field to indicate that the curricular expectations of the major have been explained and discussed with the student.

All declarations of a major must be accepted if prior course work has been of passing quality (D or better). Further, criteria employed when admitting a student to the College may not be used to deny declaration of a major.

IV.G. Minors

A student may elect to complete a minor in fields where a minor has been established. Minors typically require 5 or 6 courses, and represent an identifiable level of achievement within the relevant field. Classes taken in the student's major department or, in the case of interdisciplinary majors, in student's major departments cannot be counted towards a minor. Departments or programs that offer majors are not required to offer minors. Ad hoc minors are not available, even by petition. There is no limit on the number of minors a student can complete. Available minors are listed in the catalog. The minor shall be declared by completion and submission of the declaration of minor to the Registrar's Office. This must be approved by the adviser and by a faculty member in the minor field to indicate that the curricular expectations of the minor have been explained and discussed with the student. All declarations of a minor must be accepted if prior course work has been of passing quality (D or better). The completion of a minor will be recorded when the student graduates.

Interdisciplinary minors shall be overseen by separate standing committees drawn from the departmental staffs concerned. These committees shall approve course applicability to the minor, recommend any changes to the requirements for the minor, review the progress of students who have declared the minor, and approve any individual student exceptions.

IV.H. Upperclass Standing

IV.H.1.

The administration of upperclass work shall normally be assumed by one of the established divisions of the College or by one of the interdisciplinary committees when:

(a) Not fewer than 13 units of course work have been completed, and

(b) A major has been declared.

IV.H.2.

Prior to the designated final date for adding courses to a program, each department, division, and/or regularly established interdisciplinary committee will survey the records of declared majors who have newly reached upperclass standing. Upon completion of this review each student will receive a letter indicating either:

(a) The proposed program of study is satisfactory, or

(b) Certain course changes are required.

IV.H.3.

Each student, having qualified for upperclass standing, must choose an adviser in their major field. This adviser should encourage the student to satisfy all general, divisional, and departmental requirements as early as possible.

IV.H.4. Established Interdisciplinary Majors

Interdisciplinary majors in the fields of American Studies, Biochemistry–Molecular Biology, Comparative Literature, Comparative Race and Ethnicity Studies, Dance–Theatre, Environmental Studies, History–Literature, International and Comparative Policy Studies, Literature–Theatre, Mathematics–Computer Science, Neuroscience, Religion–Ancient Mediterranean Studies, and Religion–Political Science have been established. Separate standing committees shall be drawn from the departmental staffs concerned. These committees shall exercise all the powers and privileges allocated elsewhere to the major divisions, including the supervision of the upperclass work of the students, the administration and evaluation of the Junior Qualifying Examination and the Comprehensive Oral Examination, and recommendation of candidates for the degree.

Students may make application through the Registrar's Office to pursue an upperclass course of studies in one of the above areas. These may be embarked upon only with the consent of the appropriate interdisciplinary or interdivisional committee.

IV.H.5. Ad Hoc Interdisciplinary Majors

In addition to interdisciplinary major programs represented by standing committees, special programs involving substantial work in more than one department can be drawn up as ad hoc interdisciplinary majors. By the beginning of the junior year, students wishing to pursue such a course of study must obtain the consent of two faculty members, one in each of the disciplines, to serve as advisers; the advisers and departments (or established interdisciplinary committee/s) involved must agree that the proposed program is academically valid. The disciplines must be from an established departmental or interdisciplinary major. Within two weeks of the student's registration as a junior the advisers shall inform the student and the Registrar's Office in writing that the program for which the student has registered meets the guidelines for this ad hoc major. The departments/committees involved are responsible for monitoring the student's progress toward the completion of the planned program. Appropriate arrangements for the Junior Qualifying Examination and Comprehensive Oral Examination shall be the responsibility of the departments/committees and those designated advisers involved in the ad hoc program. For those ad hoc interdisciplinary majors whose departments are in different divisions, the Administration Committee shall assume responsibility for the review of academic performance and make the recommendation for the granting of degrees, and for the other cases, the appropriate division shall have these responsibilities.

IV.H.6. Double Majors and Completion of a Second Major

The double major, with two distinct theses, may be available by petition to an interested student if the advisers, the departments, and the division(s) are informed that a double major is involved and concur that none of the other possible patterns would be satisfactory. In such a case all degree requirements must be fulfilled for a separate major in each department. The work should be completed in no more than four years or (if properly petitioned for in advance) in the regular five-year program. Within this period the separate requirements of the two majors may be completed either in parallel or serially. For these students, the 6 unit thesis year requirement will be interpreted to mean that during the 2, 3 or 4 semesters in which thesis work is underway, an average of 3 units per semester must be earned with at least one unit of non-thesis work each semester.

The programs will be very heavy and, when approving or re-approving such programs, advisers, departments and division(s) must have the utmost confidence that the quality of the student's work will not suffer because of the increased workload. The decision to grant permission to undertake the double major shall be reviewed by the advisers, the departments, and the division(s) concerned after the Junior Qualifying Examinations have been completed. In no case shall this review be postponed beyond the final grade review of the junior year.

The student's record in the two areas will be considered separately at grade reviews (just as with "single" majors) in each department so that neither department will assume that the responsibility is shared by another department or committee. If the student succeeds in satisfying only one department by graduation time, the student will be graduated with the one major.

Should a student who has completed the requirements for the degree with a single major wish to return to pursue a second major, that student may be permitted to do so, subject to meeting the normal requirements for readmission to the College. Readmission for work in a second major will be subject to approval by the department and division of the proposed major, and acceptance by a division will be in accord with practice for all students. No reduction in requirements for the second major will be made, and the student must progress in conformity with the usual guidelines.

Because the completion of requirements for a Reed degree, which is not specific to a field of specialization, can occur only once, a second identical degree will not be conferred. However, all work completed in the course of fulfilling the requirements of the second major will become a permanent part of the student's record.

IV.I. Junior Qualifying Examination

Students will not be classified as seniors until they pass the qualifying examination in the major field and the appropriate department or interdisciplinary committee certifies (on this and other evidence) a student's readiness to begin a thesis. The examination shall take one of the following forms (or some combination thereof): a written or oral examination that may be taken as part of a junior seminar, or an essay newly written for this purpose. The examination may include, but shall not be limited to, a thesis proposal. In setting this examination, the Faculty does not expect that a student's preparation for it will draw a substantial amount of time away from regular work. Generally, a student will take this examination in the semester preceding the thesis year. At the discretion of the department a student may take the exam as early as two semesters preceding the thesis year. A department or interdisciplinary committee can alter the timing of a qualifying exam further with the approval of the CAPP. A student who is on a leave of absence or planning readmission must make arrangements with the department or interdisciplinary committee to take this examination before registering for the first semester of the thesis year.

A student may pass, fail, or pass conditionally. Decisions for all candidates shall be reported in writing to the Registrar and to the student by the major department or committee. Such reports shall be made in a timely manner, normally within two weeks after completion of the examination. If it is determined that the student has passed the examination conditionally, the department or committee must specify in the letter of notification those conditions that must be met before enrollment in thesis is allowed, those that must be met in order to graduate, and those that are only recommendations. The department or committee will notify the student and the Registrar when the conditions have been met, and will do so in a timely manner, normally within two weeks after the student has submitted the required material.

A student failing to pass a Qualifying Examination in the major field may be re- examined either before the next semester has commenced or after the completion of at least one additional semester of study. A second failure shall debar a student from candidacy for a degree in that department. A student may, however, take the qualifying examination in another field. If a student with a satisfactory grade record is denied senior status, the denial must be justified to the division.

IV.J. Requirements for the Thesis Year

The student's thesis year consists of two consecutive semesters and must be spent in residence at Reed College. (See also, IV-N-3, Combined Degree Programs)

Students must earn credit for at least six academic units of work in their thesis year. No fewer than two academic units, at least one of which shall be in a non-thesis course, shall be earned in any semester. These six units, however arranged, shall constitute a full academic year and shall require the payment of full tuition.

Students who complete an approved one-semester thesis must earn credit for at least three academic units in the thesis semester, at least one of which shall be in a non-thesis course.

In highly unusual and special circumstances, the Administration Committee will consider divisional or committee recommendations permitting deviations from the above rule, provided that the student will, upon graduation, have satisfied the other quantity credit requirements.

IV.K. Thesis

After having passed the Junior Qualifying Examination each student must prepare an acceptable thesis upon some phase of their major subject. The thesis project must be approved by the major division or committee as forming an integral part of the student's program.

All students are required to take a two-unit thesis–one unit per semester. It is the prerogative of the major division or committee to approve a petition for any variation of this requirement, subject to the approval of the Administration Committee. In no case may the total amount of credit exceed two units.

Each division or committee will post a deadline date for receipt by the thesis adviser of an acceptable draft of such portions of the thesis as may be required by the individual divisions. Each department or committee will write, print and distribute to all declared majors in their department/committee a Handbook for Majors, containing all thesis regulations.

IV.K.1. Procedure: Preparing and Submitting the Thesis

IV.K.1.a. No later than 3:00 p.m. of the day specified in the academic calendar, four copies of the thesis in final form, typed and ready to be bound, with the initials or signature of the thesis adviser indicating completion of the thesis, must be presented to the Office of the Registrar.

IV.K.1.b. The Registrar will note that the deadline has been met and immediately return the thesis copies to the student. The student is to distribute these copies to the members of the comprehensive examination board (orals board) no later than 4:00 p.m. on the same day. Copies may be delivered to faculty offices or to faculty mailboxes.

IV.K.1.c.After the oral examination, the student shall have the thesis bound. Two copies on paper of satisfactory quality are to be presented to the library no later than noon of the day specified in the academic calendar.

IV.K.2. Theses Not Finished On Time

IV.K.2.a. Theses that are submitted to the Registrar's Office in final form within three calendar days after the final deadlines specified in section 1, above, will be accepted for graduation that same year, provided:

IV.K.2.a.i. in the case of May theses, that the orals can be held so that the bound copies are in the library at the normal times indicated above and that a $50.00 late thesis fee is paid.

IV.K.2.a.ii. in the case of December theses, the 3-day extension, with the $50.00 fee, is also allowed.

Completed theses must be submitted to the members of the orals board no less than 48 hours before the oral examination is held.

IV.K.2.b. A thesis not submitted by the end of this three day $50 extension period will be given a grade of Incomplete, U, or F.

IV.K.2.b.i. An Incomplete may be given only when the thesis is not submitted on time due to circumstances beyond the student's control, when recommended by the division and approved by the Administration Committee. A student receiving an Incomplete must remove it by the first day of classes for the next semester unless the adviser has specified an earlier date. If not made up, the grade will change to an F.

IV.K.2.b.ii. A student receiving a U must submit the four copies of completed thesis to the Office of the Registrar by the first day of classes of the next semester unless the advisor has specified an earlier date. The bound copies are due in the library within two weeks. (See Section IV.K.3, below.) If the thesis is completed within this time, the grade of U will be replaced with the final grade followed by the appropriate revision code. If these deadlines are not met, the grade of U is changed to F and the student must register again and submit another thesis.

Individuals who received a U shall be charged a late thesis fee of $200 on completion of the thesis. An individual working on a thesis for which a grade of U was recorded is not considered to be a registered student. Individuals who need College services such as the library, laboratory, health insurance or help from an adviser must make special arrangements. These services will be offered when time and facilities are available.

IV.K.2.b.iii. A student receiving the grade of F must register again for the full amount of thesis normally required and submit another thesis on a new topic. A student who fails thesis twice in one major shall be ineligible for graduation in that major.

IV.K.3. Thesis Submitted at an Irregular Time

When the four copies are presented to the Registrar's Office at an irregular time during the year, the orals must follow immediately so that the bound copies can be in the Library within two weeks. Completed theses must be submitted to the members of the orals board no less than 48 hours before the oral examination is held. A certification of the completion of all degree requirements will be available until the degree is formally awarded at the next graduation date, subject only to the restriction stated in Chapter II-D, Indebtedness to the College.

IV.L. Comprehensive Oral Examination

Every candidate for graduation must take a final Comprehensive Oral Examination of approximately ninety minutes in length. The exam is under the direction of the major division (or if delegated, the major department) or interdisciplinary committee. In typical practice, an orals board consists of four Reed faculty members. Even in exceptional circumstances, the exam may not take place with fewer than two members. The board generally includes the thesis adviser, a second member of the major department, and two other members. To reflect the breadth of a liberal education, at least one examiner from outside the division should be present. An examiner from another department but in the same division may be required. The student may be expected to secure one or more examiners. With the approval of the thesis adviser, an examiner who is not a member of the Reed faculty may serve on the board.

Any Reed faculty may visit the examination. Guests who are not members of the faculty may be admitted with the permission of the examining board and the candidate.

Written examinations may also be required whenever, in the judgment of the division, they are desirable. In such cases the candidate shall be judged on the basis of both the oral and written examination.

The senior oral examination should not be confined to the thesis but should relate the thesis to the larger context of the student's studies.

A candidate who fails thesis may enroll in thesis in a subsequent semester and submit another thesis on a new topic. A student who fails thesis twice in one major shall be ineligible for graduation in that major (also in IV.K.2.b.iii).

The period between the end of classes and the beginning of examinations for other courses will be set aside for senior oral examinations and will be designated as Reading Week. Oral examinations will normally be given during this non-class period. The oral examinations schedule will be prepared by the division (or department) and will be posted at the Office of the Registrar at least one week prior to the beginning of senior oral examinations.

IV.M. Acceptance of Transfer Credit

IV.M.1. Work Taken Elsewhere

Work completed in either summer school or during a period away from the College at another accredited institution shall be allowed transfer credit in accordance with transfer credit policies established in Chapter 1, Section B-4.

IV.M.2. Concurrent Registration Elsewhere

Students may include courses taken at accredited institutions outside the College during the academic year as part of the regular program, provided such courses have been registered and approved by the Administration Committee, or the division or interdivisional committee in the case of upperclass students before the work is undertaken, and provided that equivalent courses are not being offered at Reed. Such work must be completed at C- or higher level.

IV.M.3. Cross-Registration among the Alliance colleges

Students enrolled full time at any Alliance member institution may take one undergraduate course per semester at another campus. The host campus will not charge additional tuition or fees. Students may not cross-register for a course that is offered on their own campus, and must have the approval of their home campus to use this option, as well as that of the host campus. They must conform to all such regulations as either school may establish in connection with this program.

IV.M.4. Credit for Military Service

Credit may be granted for courses taken under the auspices of the armed forces. Such credit shall be given on an individual basis and will be granted only after the satisfactory completion of a semester of work at Reed. These courses will be evaluated in accordance with the recommendations given in the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experience in the Armed Forces. Credit shall also be given for the satisfactory completion of correspondence work taken from an accredited college under the United States Armed Forces Institute Program.

IV.M.5. Credit for Study in Reed-approved Off-campus Programs

IV.M.5.a. The student applying for transfer credit for work done in a Reed-approved program should be made aware that any credit must be deserved, and will in no case be automatically granted. The intention to obtain credit must be recorded in writing before departure. Each course to be taken should be approved in advance. Courses taken for credit may not be vocational, technical, or experiential in nature.

IV.M.5.a.i. For courses to be granted department credit, which can be used to fulfill distribution, division, or department requirements, students must secure the approval of the appropriate department chair. Students should discuss the courses with the department chairs. If requested, they must provide syllabi or detailed descriptions for approval upon arrival at the off-campus institution.

IV.M.5.a.ii. For courses to be granted quantity credit, and which will not be used to fulfill any other requirement, students must secure the approval of the chair of the Off-Campus Studies Committee (OCSC). The OCSC chair will confer with committee and department chairs as necessary. Students are encouraged to discuss the courses with the chair. If requested, they must provide syllabi or detailed descriptions for approval upon arrival at the off-campus institution.

IV.M.5.a.iii. For courses in a program with a fixed curriculum, department chairs will be invited to approve the courses for distribution, division, or department requirements. The chair of the OCSC will review other courses for applicability to the quantity requirement. Once the courses in a fixed curriculum are approved, the student will not have to secure approval by department or committee chairs.

After students have secured approval from the relevant chair/s, the student must secure the approval of the adviser, the OCSC chair, and the registrar. During the period of study abroad the student should keep in contact with a faculty adviser concerning the progress of their work.

If there is a question about the credit to be recorded when the student returns, the student may be required to submit a list of texts, reading materials, or references, and submit copies of papers, essays, or other assignments. Course evaluations should be furnished if tutorial work has been done.

Official certification by the university or college of the student's work, including courses carried and quality of work, must be placed on file with the Registrar. All work reported by the host institution will be recorded on the Reed transcript, but the grades will not be included the Reed College grade point average. Generally, credit will not be granted in excess of the credit granted for similar courses at Reed. Students will not receive credit for courses that duplicate courses already completed.

IV.M.5.b. Normally students will earn a maximum of 7 and1/2 units for a year's work in an approved off-campus program. The determination of credit granted will be made by the registrar’s office, and will be based on the information provided by the host institution. In view of the importance of the thesis at Reed, the requirements for the full thesis year at Reed (See IV-J) still hold, regardless of credit granted for study in an approved off-campus program.

IV.M.5.c. If the student plans to take the Junior Qualifying Examination during the period away, the student is responsible for gaining permission of the chair of their department or interdisciplinary committee through their adviser. (See IV-I.) Arrangements as to how, when, and where this examination shall be administered should be arranged with the respective department or interdisciplinary committee prior to leaving, if possible. The chair shall make the necessary arrangements with the proper authority at the host university for the administration of this examination.

IV.M.5.d. It is recommended that the divisions keep files of the specific work offered at these schools and its evaluation in terms of Reed credit. Copies of divisional actions and basic equivalents approved are to be furnished the Registrar.

IV.N. Special Programs

IV.N.1. Formal Programs for Study Abroad

The College has faculty-approved overseas study programs for students including exchanges with foreign universities and cooperative agreements with other U.S. academic institutions or consortia. Units earned in these programs do not count in the residency requirement for graduation. (See section M.5 immediately above concerning the method of awarding credit for these programs.)

IV.N.2. Combined Degree Programs

IV.N.2.a. Engineering Program
A student who elects the five-year program with the California Institute of Technology, Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute shall be eligible, upon the completion of the program, to receive the degree of Bachelor of Arts from this College, provided that the student has met all of the requirements except those involving the degree year. (i.e., earned a minimum of 22 units, at least 20 of which, including 6 units of the distribution requirements are earned at Reed, and has passed the Junior Qualifying Exam.)

IV.N.2.b. Forestry Program
A student who elects the five and one-half year program set up by arrangement with the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University shall be eligible, upon the completion of that program, to receive the degree of Bachelor of Arts from the College, provided that the student has met all of our requirements except those involving the degree year. (i.e., earned a minimum of 22 units, at least 20 of which, including the distribution requirements are earned at Reed, and has passed the Junior Qualifying Exam.)

IV.O. Graduation

Completion of all general College requirements of the regular curriculum or of one of the special programs shall be reported by the Registrar to the responsible division or committee for recommendation of the candidate to the Faculty. The Faculty will recommend successful candidates to the Board of Trustees for the award of the degree. Degrees are normally conferred in January and at the Commencement exercises at the close of the academic year, but their effective date shall be that on which the last College requirement was certified as completed. No candidate shall be presented by the divisions to the Faculty until such certification has been made by the Registrar's Office. In the event that the faculty is unable to convene or to recommend successful candidates to the Board of Trustees for the award of the degree, the Committee on Academic Policy and Planning will be authorized to make this recommendation on behalf of the faculty.

Students enrolled in their final term of one of the College’s combined degree programs will normally be recommended to their respective divisions for graduation from Reed in that semester if the Registrar receives confirmation from the combined program school that at the close of that same term, all requirements will be met for the second degree. The Reed degree will be recorded and the diploma will be issued once an official transcript has been received and evaluated by the Reed College Registrar.

Chapter V - Grading Policies and Academic Actions

V.A. Criteria for Grading

The instructor of each course shall determine the standard of work required for a passing grade in that course and evaluate each student’s work relative to that standard.

V.A.1. Grading in Year Courses

Cumulative grading is to be the accepted practice in year courses. Only the final grade in a completed course appears on the student's permanent record. (See Chapter III, Section I for exceptions to this requirement.)

V.A.2. Attendance and Absences

Present or absent, a student shall be responsible for the work of their course; absences are at their own risk. Each instructor will use their own judgment as to the effect of absences upon a student's record.

When absence from campus is necessitated by a medical or personal emergency, the student should arrange an Emergency Absence as outlined in Chapter III, Section E.

V.A.3. Deadlines for Submission of Work by Students

The instructor may establish deadlines for submission of papers, exams, and other work and may penalize or choose not to accept late work. No work for fall courses may be accepted by the instructor after the last day of final examinations for fall semester. No work for spring or year courses may be accepted after the last day of final examinations for spring semester. Exceptions to these deadlines are made only when an incomplete grade is justified for reasons of illness or extreme emergency. (See Section B.4 below.)

V.B.  Authorized Grades

V.B.1. Letter Grades

The standard grade recorded for most courses is a letter grade: A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, or F.

The recommended distribution of passing grades over a period of years for all courses is as follows:
A - 25% B - 45% C - 25% D - 5%

V.B.2. Grade of Satisfactory (S)

Letter grades are strongly recommended for all instructor grade reports. The grade of "S" (Satisfactory) may be assigned at the first grade report in a semester or year course to students whose work is "C" level or higher. In 470 and 481 courses, instructors may assign the grade of "S" for any except the final grade. "S" is not allowed as a final grade in any course.

V.B.3. Designation of Unfinished Thesis (U)

The designation of U is to be used in reporting thesis grades for theses that are not completed on time and cannot be reported either with a final grade or as incomplete. This designation indicates that completion of the thesis will be governed by the provisions of Chapter IV-J.

V.B.4. Designation of Incomplete (IN)

Policy: An Incomplete indicates that not all the work of a course has been completed by the time of grade submission, for reasons of illness or extreme emergency, and for no other reason. IN is permitted in a course where the level of work done up to the point of the IN is passing. An IN may be assigned at any grading period. Deadlines for completing required work are to be determined by the instructor. In no case may the date set by the instructor extend beyond ten days prior to the first day of classes in the subsequent semester. Extensions of the college deadline for making up an IN may be granted by the Administration Committee only in cases where circumstances are beyond the control of the student.

Procedure: An incomplete form, a copy of which will be provided to the student, must state the reasons for the IN, what work must be made up, and how it will be done. The incomplete form will show the grade the student will earn in the course should no additional work be completed. Transcripts will show only the IN until the permanent grade is recorded. If a student submits additional work for the course before the deadline, the instructor shall provide a permanent grade reflecting this work by the Friday before the first week of classes in the subsequent semester. If no grade is received from the instructor, the grade submitted on the incomplete form will become the permanent grade.

V.B.5. Notation of Unofficial Withdrawal (UW)

The notation UW is to be recorded in those instances in which the instructor is unable to evaluate a student's performance. (This notation is to be distinguished from the grade of "F", which indicates a serious deficiency in academic performance.) The notation may be used at the first grade report for a student who is officially registered for a course but who has not been attending classes. If the notation "UW" is assigned at the first grade report, it may be assigned as the end-of-semester grade on the presumption that the student has failed to file the official course withdrawal form.

V.B.6. Dismissal by Instructor (DIS)

A student may be dismissed from a course for serious misconduct at any time by the instructor in charge but only after consultation with the student's adviser. A dismissal during the period of classes will be recorded on the record as "DIS." The grade will not be counted in computing the grade point average.

V.B.7. Credit–No Credit Enrollment (CR/NC)

During the junior or senior year a student may exercise the option of taking for credit and as part of their regular academic load a total of 2 units in the form of one full year course or two semester courses on a Credit-No Credit basis. The grade in this course(s) will be reported either as CR (Credit) if the work is judged to be of C quality or better, or as NC (No Credit) if the work is below C (including C-). In neither case will the grade or unit value be used in the grade point computation. Students may change to or from CR/NC courses in accordance with the established regulations concerning the dropping of courses. Enrollment for these courses must be approved by the faculty adviser and the instructor of the course. Such a course may not be used to meet either the College distribution requirements or the requirements for the division, major, or minor, and may not be taken in the student's major department.

Exceptions: applied music, which may be taken by any student, will be graded only on a CR/NC basis. Certain other courses may occasionally be designated by the faculty as given only on this basis. Such courses shall not be included in the quantity limitation for such work.

V.C. Changes in Academic Program

No course may be added to a student's program nor may an adjustment to the unit value of a course be made after the end of the second week of the semester. For a semester course, if a student withdraws on or before Monday of the sixth week of the semester, no entry will be made on the permanent record. If a student withdraws after Monday of the sixth week but on or before Monday of the tenth week of the semester, a grade of W will be recorded. Students may not withdraw from semester courses after Monday of the tenth week.

For year-long courses, if a student withdraws from a course after Monday of the tenth week of the fall semester and no later than Monday of the sixth week of the spring semester, the grade of W will be recorded for both semesters. An exception to this is students who do not attend the spring semester will not have a W recorded in a semester in which they are not enrolled. Students may not withdraw from year-long courses after Monday of the sixth week of the spring semester. Students who enroll only in the spring half of a year-long course will follow the deadlines for semester courses above. A student who withdraws from a year-long course during the second semester will receive the grade earned for the first semester if credit for one semester is granted under the provisions of Chapter III, Section I of the Faculty Code. If credit for one semester is not granted, a W will be recorded for the first semester.

Students who withdraw from the College or simultaneously withdraw from all courses are covered by Chapter III, Section F of the Faculty Code.

V.D.  Final Examinations

V.D.1.

A schedule template for final examinations is published in the Schedule of Classes each year. For compelling reasons (e.g., multiple sections scheduled together), faculty can request that the registrar re-schedule an exam. Final examinations may be scheduled for a period of from one to four hours, according to the wish of the instructor involved. The four- hour maximum is to be observed whether the examination is scheduled through the Registrar's Office or given as a "take-home" exam. No work shall be specifically assigned to be done during the official reading periods.

V.D.2. Places of Examinations

The registrar will assign a classroom for each scheduled examination. Whether or not students are required to take the exam in the scheduled classroom is up to the discretion of the instructor. In making this choice the instructor shall take into consideration the general principle of maximizing individual student responsibility and the particular requirement of the examination involved.

V.D.3. Irregular Examinations

Final examinations shall be given at the times scheduled. In cases of extreme emergency, and with the instructor's permission, a student may take an exam at an irregular time. The instructor can choose whether to give the student a special examination or to waive the examination and base the grade upon the student's other work in the course.

V.E. Reporting of Grades by Faculty

Each instructor shall submit to the Registrar progress and end-semester reports on the scholarship of all students regularly enrolled in their courses. Reports shall be due at the end of the fourth week, Monday of the eighth week, and at the end-of-semester deadline established in the academic calendar.

Prior to these deadlines, grades may be changed upon the request of the instructor involved. Thereafter, the approval of the Administration Committee is required. Except for grades of IN, no grade changes are permitted on the basis of work submitted to the instructor after the deadline for submission of work by students, which is described in section A.3 above.

V.E.1. Fourth Week Progress Reports

Progress reports in the form of comment forms shall be submitted at the end of the fourth week, describing the progress to date of each student in one or more of the following categories:

V.E.1.a.  a student whose performance suggests unsatisfactory academic achievement in the course, V.E.1.b.  a student who is on probation,
V.E.1.c.  a student who is taking a course overload, or
V.E.1.d.  a student who for another reason justifies special comment.

V.E.2. Eighth Week and End-of-Semester Grade Reports

Grades in normally registered courses shall be reported to the Registrar Monday of the eighth week and at the end of each semester.

In addition to noting the grade, instructors should fill out comment forms for students receiving a C-, D, F, DIS, NC, UW or Incomplete at an eighth-week or end-semester grade review. At the fourth and eighth weeks of the semester, a comment form reporting student progress should be completed for each student in the categories described in Section E.1 above. Copies of these will be sent to the student's adviser for use in counseling with the students and to the Office of Student Life. These comment forms are available to the student.

V.F. Recording of Grades, Transcripts

The Registrar shall maintain records of each student’s grades in all courses.

V.F.1. Official and Unofficial Transcripts

Each student’s official transcript shall reflect the grade or notation assigned by the instructor for every course for which the student enrolled. Notations of commendation shall be recorded on the official transcript. Academic disciplinary actions are not recorded.

Unofficial transcripts, exclusively for use by faculty and staff of the College, may include additional notations such as academic disciplinary actions, courses that were dropped before the deadline for receiving a W notation, and leaves of absence.

V.F.2. Grade Point Average

The Registrar shall compute grade point averages for determining the class rank of students according to the following schedule:

All courses with the grade or notation of Incomplete, Dismissal, Credit, No Credit, Unofficial Withdrawal, Withdrawal shall be omitted for the computation.

When an entire course is repeated, only the higher grade shall be figured in the grade point average. The lesser grade will be replaced and displayed on the transcript with the appropriate revision code. Courses repeated after graduation will not result in a change to the record or grade point average for the completed degree.

V.G. Reporting of Grades to Students

V.G.1. Policy of Notification

In order to encourage students to measure their academic progress, not by grades but by self-assessment and through consultation with their instructors and their faculty advisers, students will not be notified by the Registrar's Office of their exact satisfactory grades.

When requested, instructors and faculty advisers will inform students of their letter grades, but faculty should not regard notification of letter grades as a substitute for advising students of their progress and achievement in substantive terms. A dean for Student Life may also inform students of their grades only in so far as it is necessary to do so as part of normal counseling activities and between the grade review and the beginning of the semester if the student's adviser is not available.

V.G.2. Reports to Students

Academic status reports indicating general level of performance will be sent to all students at the end-semester grading periods. At the eight-week grading period academic status reports will be sent to those students receiving unsatisfactory grades. These notices will report an undergraduate grade of C or better, or a graduate grade of B- or better, as "Satisfactory." Grades of C-, D, F, IN, DIS, and U for undergraduates and grades of C, F, IN, and DIS for graduate students shall be reported as the grade itself. End-semester notices will include a summary of units earned.

Included in the academic status reports will be notice of referral to adviser and of any academic disciplinary actions taken. A notice of referral to adviser will be given automatically to any undergraduate student receiving a grade of C-, D, F, IN, DIS, or U and to any graduate student receiving a grade of C, F, IN, or DIS, on any eight-week or end-semester grade report. Students receiving such a notice should confer with each instructor in the courses where their performance was barely passing or lower, and with their adviser.

Students with any instructor comment at any grading period will be notified.

V.H. Faculty Grade Review

V.H.1. Mid-Semester Review of Grades

Although no formal academic disciplinary actions are taken at the fourth or eighth weeks, advisers, academic departments and divisions will be provided with the names of students receiving progress reports and may confer regarding appropriate advice for these students. Copies of the progress reports will be provided to the advisers of these students. A grade report listing the grades of all enrolled students will be provided to faculty for their use in reviewing students’ academic progress.

V.H.2. End-of-Semester Grade Review

Each division and standing committee will review the record of each of its majors, individually, following each semester. Based on the student’s academic record, the division or committee shall determine what, if any, academic action should be taken. In the case of ad hoc interdisciplinary majors involving more than one division, the Administration Committee shall assume the responsibilities described for the divisions and standing committees.

For underclass students (first-years, sophomores, specials) there will be no general faculty review. Rather, the Administration Committee will review the records, together with comment forms, and decide on academic actions. If an adviser wishes to recommend a change in action, the adviser must notify the committee in writing within one week of distribution of grades.

V.I. Faculty Academic Actions

V.I.1. Commendatory Actions

Commendatory action is recorded upon recommendation of the Administration Committee (for underclass students) or the division or interdivisional committee of the student’s major (for juniors and seniors).

Commendation for excellence in scholarship is to be considered at the year-end grade review and will be recommended typically for those students with a grade point average for the current year of 3.5 or higher and who have no grades less than C-. Students with Incompletes, who achieve a grade point average of 3.5 or higher, upon removal of the Incomplete(s) are to be commended at that time. These commendations shall be recorded on the permanent record (transcript).
Normally, only students who carried a full-time program for the year will be considered for this action with the exception that seniors who complete their requirements in fall and who meet the criteria above in the fall semester will be recommended for commendation.

V.I.2. Disciplinary Actions

Disciplinary actions are taken by the responsible body of the faculty (the division or standing interdisciplinary committee of major or the Administration Committee) at the grade review following each semester. Their purpose is to identify and inform students who are not making satisfactory progress toward a degree, to encourage them to improve their performance, and to provide for more severe actions against students whose performance fails to improve.

Disciplinary actions for first-year students and sophomores are taken by the Administration Committee. The Faculty Adviser may request reconsideration of an action taken by the Administration Committee by submitting a written request for this to the Administration Committee within one week of the issuance of the grade report.

Disciplinary actions for juniors and seniors are the responsibility of the divisions or established interdisciplinary committees. The Administration Committee will recommend disciplinary actions for ad hoc interdivisional majors. It is understood that a division may leave the decision to the departments. Disciplinary actions will not be assessed to students who are approved by the faculty for graduation.

Actions of Denial of Registration or Dismissal from College shall be approved by the Grade Review Committee, chaired by the Administration Committee chair, and including the chair of each division (or designee), the Registrar, and a dean in Student Life.

In the event that a grade change is received after the grade review, the Administration Committee may impose or rescind an action of denial of registration. In such cases, the Administration Committee will seek prior consultation with the student's adviser and, in the case of upper-division students, with members of the student's division or interdisciplinary committee.

V.I.3. Appeals

A student may appeal the decision of Denial of Registration or Dismissal from the College by submitting an appeal to the Registrar’s Office no later than 10 days after notification of the decision. The appeal will address why continuation at the college is warranted and should include support by the adviser. Appeals will be considered by the Administration Committee, with input from the department and from the division or interdisciplinary committee for juniors and seniors.

V.I.4. Range of Disciplinary Actions

Academic disciplinary actions consist of Official Warning, Probation, Denial of Registration, and Dismissal from the College. Official Warning informs the student that their academic performance is not satisfactory. Probation warns the student that immediate improvement in performance is necessary to assure continued enrollment. Denial of Registration temporarily suspends the student’s privilege of enrollment. Dismissal from College does so permanently.

V.I.5. Standards for Official Warning and Probation

For purposes of disciplinary actions, academic performance is measured by current semester grades in the context of the student’s cumulative record. The section below gives normal standards for satisfactory performance, Official Warning, and Probation.

Exceptions to these normal actions may be made by divisions or by the Administration Committee when justified by an individual student’s circumstances.

V.I.6. Force of Official Warning and Probation

V.I.6.a. Official Warning
No sanctions are levied against students on Official Warning.

V.I.6.b. Probation
When a student is placed on probation, the student and the adviser, in consultation with a dean of Student Life, who may provide information and recommendations about nonacademic difficulties, shall formulate a progress plan under which the student would return to good standing and complete degree requirements in a timely manner. The progress plan should set academic standards for the student to meet during the period (normally one semester) of probation. In a typical case, these standards would include (i) carrying a normal course load and (ii) receiving grades warranting no action more severe than Official Warning. In all cases, the plan should present academic standards to be attained during the semester(s) on probation to justify the lifting of probation. The plan may also recommend tutoring, counseling, medical treatment, or similar services in cases where such assistance seems likely to help the student’s academic progress. The progress plan shall be transmitted by the Office of Student Life to the Registrar for inclusion in the student's record. The Registrar will provide the Administration Committee and divisions copies of the progress plans for students they will evaluate.
The student’s academic record relative to the progress plan will be considered at the subsequent grade review. A student who fulfills the academic standards of the plan will be removed from probation. A student who does not succeed in meeting the academic standards of the plan will normally be denied registration or dismissed from the College.

V.I.7. Denial of Registration

A student on probation is normally denied registration upon failure to complete the academic provisions of their progress plan. Denial of Registration may also be imposed on a student who is not on probation if the student’s academic performance is sufficiently poor.

A student receiving this action is normally denied registration at the College for the following semester or, if circumstances warrant, for the following year. A student who is denied registration may apply for readmission to the College upon expiration of the prescribed period. When taking the action denial of registration, the Administration Committee or division or standing interdisciplinary committee of major may present specific guidelines for achievement by the student while away from the College. If such guidelines are specified, they should be used in judging the student’s application for readmission.

V.I.8. Dismissal from College

Dismissal finally severs the student’s opportunity to enroll at the College. This action is appropriate when the Faculty believes that a student does not have the academic ability to do satisfactory work at the College or has shown a sustained inability to perform satisfactorily for other reasons.

V.J. Final Grade Changes

Grading is in the province of the faculty. Grading is the responsibility of the course instructor and a matter of professional judgment. Academic evaluation of student performance shall not be biased or arbitrary.

Once recorded, a final grade may be changed in the following two situations:

V.J.a.  The instructor certifies that an error has occurred and the Administration Committee approves the change. Grade changes for additional work submitted after the semester has ended typically will not be approved unless a valid designation of U or IN was recorded.

V.J.b. A student has serious concerns that a particular grade was assigned in a manner that was biased or unjustified, or crucial evidence was not taken into account in the instructor's evaluation of the student's academic performance. In such cases, the student should follow the procedures for requesting a change of grade described below.

Exceptions to this Policy

For grade disputes involving any allegations of discrimination, harassment or other related violation of College policies, the appropriate policies or codes (e.g. Discriminatory Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy, and Sections F, G, H, J, K, and L of the Rules of Procedure) should be consulted and the student appropriately advised. Each official body charged with making final determinations based on the Rules of Procedure may recommend grade changes to the faculty member.

If the dispute involves a question of academic misconduct, the rules governing academic misconduct apply (see Faculty Code, Chapter VI). The Administration Committee may recommend the faculty consider a grade change based on the findings of the committee.

Procedure for Requesting a Change of Grade

The procedure for requesting a change of grade begins with an informal process, as described below. This informal discussion should begin no later than the end of the semester following the recording of the grade. If resolution cannot be reached by informal means, a student may petition for a change of grade. Petitions are to be submitted to the CAPP no later than 15 working days after receiving notification from the Dean that informal resolution has failed. Requests to begin the process or to file a petition after the deadlines above may be considered if the Dean of the Faculty finds a compelling reason for the delay.

Informal Discussions: Before any formal petition is submitted, questions concerning the reasonableness of grading should be addressed to the course instructor. If discussion between the faculty member and the student does not resolve the matter, the student may meet with the Department Chair (or the Division Chair if the Department Chair is the instructor) and provide the Chair with a written explanation of the student's concern. The Chair will attempt to resolve the problem. If the Department or Division chair is unable to resolve the problem or if the instructor also chairs both the department and division, the student may present a written request to the Dean of the Faculty to review the student's concern. The Dean will separately confer with the instructor and student and will attempt to bring the case to a satisfactory resolution. 

Petition to Change a Grade: If the Chair or Dean's discussions with the instructor and student do not come to a mutually acceptable outcome, the student may submit a written Petition to Change a Grade to the CAPP.

Upon receipt of the Petition to Change a Grade, the CAPP may:

V.J.b.1.  Decide to dismiss the petition.
V.J.b.2  In the case of an instructor who currently is a member of the faculty, make recommendations to the instructor concerning possible solutions to the problem, which may include a change of grade.
V.J.b.3.  In the case of an instructor who is no longer at the College and upon presentation of appropriate evidence, recommend possible solutions to the instructor or, in consultation with the department as appropriate, change the grade to Credit.
V.J.b.4.  In exceptional cases where professional malfeasance has been found under sections F, G, H, J, K, or L of the Rules of Procedure, the CAPP may change the grade to Credit in accordance with the wishes of the body that made that determination.

If the grade is changed to Credit, any restrictions on courses taken Credit/No Credit will be waived in relation to the course in question.

The decision of the CAPP is final.

Chapter VI - Academic Conduct Policies and Procedures for Dealing with Cases of Academic Misconduct

VI.A. Academic Conduct Policy

Reed College is a community of scholars. The fundamental ethical principle governing scholarship is that one should never claim or represent as one’s own work that which is not one’s own. Proper academic conduct requires that all work submitted for academic purposes – including, but not limited to examinations, laboratory reports, essays, term papers, homework exercises, translations, and creative work—be entirely the work of the person or persons who submit it, and that, in the case of work based upon experiment and observation, the experimental results and observations be reported faithfully. The principle thus requires that no one claim authorship to the work of another and that no one falsify or misrepresent empirical data. This principle should be clear to every scholar, although determining its application in particular circumstances may require careful thought and guidance.

The principle of proper academic conduct also forbids such acts as giving or receiving aid during examinations, copying someone else’s laboratory report or homework exercise, providing unpermitted aid on a written assignment, and misrepresenting the words or ideas of another as one’s own. Cooperative inquiry and investigation is a respected form of scholarship; but even where such cooperation is encouraged or required, students must understand and follow the guidelines set down for such assignments by their instructors. Similarly, students must be sure that they understand the rules under which open book examinations are to be taken. If a paper is to be submitted for credit in more than one course, students must obtain the permission of each instructor concerned in advance. It is the responsibility of each student to adhere to the expectations for citing the work of another in their own written work. These examples are not meant to exhaust the scope of the principle of proper academic conduct, but to illustrate its extent and spirit.

If Reed is to be a serious and productive community of scholars, every student as well as every member of the Faculty must understand Reed's policy on proper academic conduct, abide by it, and support it. Under its charge in the Community Constitution, Article IV, Section 2, the Honor Council shall educate all members of the community about the Honor Principle, the importance of proper academic conduct, and the college’s policy and procedures for handling cases of academic misconduct. It is, however, ultimately the responsibility of each individual member of the community to be informed about the standards of proper academic conduct.

Academic misconduct includes both intentional acts of misrepresenting another’s work as one’s own as well as negligent acts that result in misrepresentation or that fail to conform to the norms of appropriate attribution and credit. Academic misconduct is a violation of Reed’s Honor Principle in its most fundamental form and is contrary to the idea of scholarship.

Procedures for investigating and adjudicating incidents of academic misconduct are set forth in the Procedures for Dealing with Academic Misconduct.

VI.B. Procedures for Dealing with Academic Misconduct

Any member of the Reed community who observes or has knowledge of a violation of the Academic Conduct Policy may seek advice about the appropriate options from the Chair of the Honor Council, report the violation to the appropriate instructor, or initiate an honor case with the Student Judicial Board.

In all cases, it is the responsibility of the faculty member to determine the grade for the assignment and/or course in which the alleged violation of the Academic Conduct Policy took place. In the interests of equity, the instructor is encouraged to consult with the Chair of the Administration Committee and seek information about the academic penalties imposed by instructors in the past in similar situations.

If a faculty member believes that academic misconduct has occurred, equity requires that in all cases the faculty member pursue the procedures described below for possible disciplinary action.

These procedures are for dealing with academic misconduct by students only. The procedures for dealing with academic misconduct by faculty members are to be found in sections F, G, and H of the Rules of Procedure of the Constitution of the Faculty of Reed College.

VI.B.1. Determination of Facts

The facts of a case can be determined in one of two ways. The instructor will communicate with the student(s) directly about the alleged misconduct or the instructor will file an honor case with the Student Judicial Board.

VI.B.1.a. Communication with the Student(s)
The instructor who chooses to determine the facts of the case through communication will contact the student(s) and present the evidence for academic misconduct. If the instructor and student(s) agree that academic misconduct has occurred, the instructor fills out an Academic Misconduct Report describing the incident. Both the instructor and the student(s) sign the report and the instructor forwards it to the Office of Student Life (see 2. Disposition of Cases).

If the instructor and students cannot agree on the facts, they may (provided both parties are willing) seek formal mediation through the Honor Council. If mediation is rejected by either party or mediation fails to achieve agreement on the facts, the case is referred to the Student Judicial Board (see 2. Disposition of Cases).

VI.B.1.b. Referral to the Student Judicial Board
The instructor who chooses Judicial Board determination of the facts fills out an Academic Misconduct Report describing the incident and forwards it to the Student Judicial Board.

VI.B.2. Disposition of Cases

VI.B.2.a. Agreement on Facts: Minor Misconduct
If the instructor and student agree that academic misconduct has occurred and the instructor believes that the misconduct is minor and a first-time offense, the instructor fills out an Academic Misconduct Report, which is signed by both the instructor and the student(s) and is forwarded to the Office of Student Life (see 1. Determination of Facts). The instructor indicates on the form that they believe the case to be minor and that disciplinary action by the Student Judicial Board is not recommended.
The Dean of Students examines the files to determine whether this student has any previous record of academic misconduct. If it is a first offense, the report is reviewed by a panel of three individuals: the Dean of Students, a faculty member of the Administration Committee and a member of the Student Judicial Board.
In order to preserve the anonymity of the student(s) during this stage of the process, the Dean of Students is generally the only member of the panel with access to the name of the student(s).
If the panel agrees by majority vote that the misconduct represents a first offense and is comparatively minor in nature, the Dean of Students retains a confidential record of the decision and no further action is taken. Generally, no parties outside the Dean’s office will have access to this record. The record is consulted only if another accusation of academic misconduct is brought against the same student(s).
If the panel determines by majority vote that the action is comparatively serious in nature, the matter is referred to the Student Judicial Board who recommends the appropriate disciplinary action to the Dean of the Faculty. A hearing will be held following the procedures outlined in the Judicial Board Code (Section 4).
The Dean will communicate the outcome of the panel’s deliberations to the instructor and student(s).

VI.B.2.b. Agreement on Facts: More Serious Misconduct and Repeat Offenses
If the instructor and student agree to the facts relevant to the conclusion that academic misconduct has occurred and the instructor believes that the misconduct is not a first offense or is not minor, the instructor fills out an Academic Misconduct Report (signed by both instructor and student(s)) and forwards it to the Student Judicial Board. The Student Judicial Board will recommend disciplinary sanctions to the Dean of the Faculty (Judicial Board Code, Section 5, B.i). A hearing will be held following the procedures outlined in the Judicial Board Code (Section 4).

VI.B.2.c. No Agreement on Facts
If the facts for an alleged violation of the Academic Conduct Policy cannot be determined by agreement, the instructor fills out an Academic Misconduct Report. The student(s) may choose to sign the report and may include a separate statement about the relevant facts. This case is heard by the Student Judicial Board to determine the facts and recommend disciplinary action to the Dean of the Faculty (see 3.a below). The Student Judicial Board may request testimony from faculty witnesses from the relevant field(s) in which the incident occurred about what constitutes academic misconduct in that discipline. A summary report of the Judicial Board’s determinations is filed with the Office of Student Life and provided to the faculty member(s) and accused student(s) involved in the case.

VI.B.3. Determination of Disciplinary Action

VI.B.3.a. Disciplinary Action Recommendation by Student Judicial Board
In cases referred to the Student Judicial Board, if it is determined that a violation of the Academic Conduct Policy has occurred, the Student Judicial Board recommends an appropriate disciplinary action, if any.
In recommending a suitable sanction, the Student Judicial Board considers both the severity of the offense and any information in the student’s disciplinary file that pertains to academic misconduct.

VI.B.3.a.i. If the Student Judicial Board determines that the misconduct is a first offense and is minor in nature, it forwards a recommendation to the Dean of the Faculty that no further action be taken. If this recommendation is accepted, the Dean of Students maintains the confidential record of the case for use only if another accusation of academic misconduct is brought against the same students(s).

VI.B.3.a.ii. If the Student Judicial Board determines that the misconduct is a repeat offense or is not minor in nature, it recommends disciplinary action to the Dean of the Faculty.

VI.B.3.b. Appeal and Review Process
Any person(s) lodging a complaint, or against whom a complaint has been made, has the right to appeal any finding or sanction under these procedures to the Administration Committee of the Faculty in accordance with the Faculty Code and the Reed College Community Constitution. Any appeal must be made in writing no later than ten working days after the decision is reported to the parties, and shall contain a statement of the grounds of appeal. The Committee has the discretion to decide the appeal on the record, after requesting further evidence or testimony, or based on a new hearing.

VI.B.4. When the College is not in Session or the Judicial Board is Unavailable

When a case of academic misconduct requires adjudication or a recommendation of sanctions when the college is not in session and no member of the Student Judicial Board is available, the panel described in IV.B.2.a will be comprised of the Dean of Students and two faculty members of the Administration Committee. If the case would normally proceed to the Student Judicial Board but a Judicial Hearing Board cannot be formed, the faculty members of the Administration Committee hear the case, determine the facts, and if it is determined that a violation of the Academic Conduct Policy has occurred, recommend disciplinary action to the Dean of the Faculty. The parties to the complaint may appeal the recommendation of the Administration Committee to the Appeals Board by submitting a written appeal no later than ten working days after the findings are reported to the parties.

VI.B.5. Recordkeeping

The Office of Student Life shall keep records of academic misconduct cases in a confidential disciplinary file separate from all other student records. The Dean of Students shall keep, maintain and protect such records.

In cases where the review panel or the Student Judicial Board and the Dean of the Faculty believe that the appropriate remedy for the misconduct is education, and that the misconduct does not warrant disciplinary action, the record will not be released externally.

Records of academic misconduct shall be maintained for the duration of the student’s enrollment at the College, or longer if legally required, and shall be destroyed at the end of that period.

Chapter VII - Communication Between Faculty and Students

VII.A. Student Conferences with Instructors and Advisers

VII.A.1. With Course Instructors

Formal provisions for academic advice are most necessary for first and second-year students and for other new students who transfer to the College after experience elsewhere. All such students are expressly invited and urged to confer with their individual course instructors several times during the year. This will be most appropriate within a period of two weeks following each of the progress reports, at the fourth and eighth weeks of the semester. Instructors in some courses expect to schedule such conferences on a systematic basis with every student. In other courses the student is expected to seek a time convenient for the instructor.

VII.A.2. With Faculty Advisers

All students should confer with their advisers at least three times during the year: (1) at the beginning of the year to plan their course programs; (2) after the mid-year for an overall survey of progress; and (3) in the spring at the time of pre-registration for preliminary course selection for the following year. In addition, every new student should confer with their adviser following the grade reviews and progress reports in the first semester. Every student in academic difficulty should confer with their adviser, after the student has conferred with each instructor in all courses where their performance is indicated as low or unsatisfactory.

VII.B.

All faculty members on a teaching appointment should hold office hours for at least two hours per week. These office hours should be posted in a manner that allows them to be known to all students.

VII.C.

A syllabus should be provided for each course at the beginning of the semester, and that syllabus should include a statement of the goals of the course.

VII.D.

Each department shall hold a meeting of faculty and student majors in the department at least once a year to discuss departmental courses, staffing, and other departmental matters.

VII.E.

Each division shall schedule at least one meeting a year, with at least one meeting for the purpose of discussing with students matters of divisional concern, with the following provisions:

VII.E.1.

These meetings shall be publicized to the community so that underclass students may attend one or another of the meetings on the basis of their anticipated major.

VII.E.2.

An agenda of such meetings shall be prepared and publicized in advance by the chair of the division but discussion shall not be limited to this agenda.

Where it is clearly inappropriate to do so at the divisional level, such meetings described under D shall be conducted by the departments.

VII.F.

All faculty vacancies shall be announced to the academic community. Each search committee shall provide opportunity for students in the departments concerned to meet with prospective candidates for faculty appointment when they are visiting the campus, and subsequently for the students to discuss their views concerning the candidates with the committee orally or in writing.

VII.G.

The complete minutes of all faculty meetings, except for portions dealing with grade reviews or with confidential matters, shall be prepared and distributed as soon as possible to the community. These are to be released only after they have received faculty approval.

VII.H.

Faculty meetings shall be open to observers from the community in accordance with the Faculty Constitution and Faculty Bylaws. In addition, community members may be invited to participate in certain discussions and present material upon invitation by the faculty.

VII.I. Confidential Relationship between Faculty and Students

As part of their normal responsibilities, faculty members routinely come into possession of information about students that must be kept confidential. Some such information concerns a student’s academic performance, and is appropriately shared within the College only with the student in question or with other faculty members, the latter only with the students’ permission or on such occasions as grade reviews, the evaluation of qualifying examinations, the assessment of senior thesis orals, or deliberations regarding awards and fellowships. Such information should be shared with colleagues outside the College, with parents, or with prospective employers only at the student’s request.

Faculty members may also come into possession of information regarding possible violations of laws that the College is obliged to uphold, on penalty either of loss of federal funding or of civil lawsuit in the event that the institution fails to protect a student from the consequences of illegal behavior. Such laws include, but are not limited to, provisions of federal and state anti-discrimination statutes. When a faculty member learns of an allegation that a student has been harassed, either sexually harassed or otherwise harassed based on a status protected by applicable non-discrimination laws, or has reason to believe that a student may suffer from the effects of discrimination or other unlawful behavior, the duty to protect a student or employee from harm outweighs the duty to keep information confidential. In all such cases, the faculty member should promptly bring the matter to the attention of the Dean of the Faculty, the Dean of Students, or the appropriate staff supervisor or other designated officer of the College.

Faculty members should exercise informed good judgment. Some faculty members may think it appropriate to tell students that all questions concerning anyone’s behavior should be referred to the Honor Council, to the Dean of Students or Dean of the Faculty, or to Health Services. Other faculty members may believe it part of their professional responsibilities to talk with students about problems, including personal problems, that go beyond their own scholarly competence, strictly defined. Faculty members who hold this latter view should be aware, and when appropriate, should inform their students, that only the staff of Health Services can have a legally protected confidential relationship with a student with respect to discrimination or harassment. Faculty members with questions about their duty to report may consult with the Dean of the Faculty or the Dean's designee, without revealing an alleged victim’s or offender’s name, in order to determine whether or not the situation requires further inquiry or the initiation of a formal process.

Chapter VIII - Student Conduct and Student Government

VIII.A. Social Affairs

Social events should not conflict with the academic functions of the College and are subject to the rules and regulations of the community. All events must be placed on the school calendar in order to avoid conflicts with previously scheduled events, and to aid in scheduling future events. Scheduling is to be done through Conference and Events Planning.

VIII.B. Public Appearances

No entertainment, contests, or other public appearances of students representing any college group shall be arranged except under the procedures outlined in these documents. Approval of such plans does not imply permission for any student involved to neglect their regular appointments or to fail to meet promptly and adequately the requirements of their courses. 

VIII.C. Admission Charges

Student organizations that have been chartered by the Senate shall be allowed to maintain themselves by the payment of admission fees when necessary. Such fees shall not be for the personal profit of any student or group of students, and financial accounts of such organizations shall be kept according to the rules and regulations of the community. Events held for the benefit of non-Reed people, organizations, etc., must also benefit the community in some manner.

VIII.D. Living Places

Students must be enrolled for the current semester to live in Reed housing during that semester. Students must be enrolled for the subsequent semester to live in Reed housing during the winter or summer break.

VIII.E. Conduct

Primary legislative authority with respect to student conduct has been delegated to the Student Senate and the Community Affairs Committee of the Faculty, in accordance with procedures set forth in the Community Constitution and the Bylaws of the Constitution of the Faculty. Enforcement of College policies and the Honor Principle and community rules shall normally follow the process established by means of the Community Constitution and Article VI, Section 3 of the Bylaws of the Constitution of the Faculty.

At any time when in the President's opinion an emergency exists, the President shall consult with the Chair of the Community Affairs Committee and the President of the Student Body, if available, and then take what measures the President deems necessary. Any penalties imposed by this procedure shall be reviewed by the Appeals Committee constituted in the Statement of the Honor Principle and Community Conduct, the conclusions of said committee taking the form of a recommendation to the President.

Whenever this procedure has been followed, the Student Senate or the Community Affairs Committee of the Faculty may initiate discussion with the President regarding the reason for taking action, and the policy implications of that action.

VIII.F. Student Officers

Participation by students in community government is limited to those students carrying a normal course load. This shall mean a minimum of three academic units during a semester, except that a student who drops a course taking no fewer than 2-1/2 units need not resign from any position, and a student who has not previously been a full-time student may seek an office whose term begins in a succeeding semester when the student plans on taking a normal load at that time. The Administration Committee, or the divisions or committees where appropriate, may grant exceptions at their discretion.

Chapter IX - Library Regulations

IX.A. Library Privileges - Circulation

Circulating books may be borrowed by members of the Reed community, that is: students (full time and special), faculty, immediate members of faculty families including children of high school age, registered faculty partners, emeritus faculty, staff, trustees, and active members of the alumni association. Non-registered students who are completing their Reed theses must make individual arrangements with the Library for borrowing privileges. Official auditors may borrow materials on reserve for the course they are auditing. Privileges for other qualified persons (e.g., students and faculty from institutions with which Reed has consortial or other reciprocal borrowing agreements, visiting scholars, properly identified students on official leave of absence from other institutions, etc.) may be granted by the Library. In such cases, a library usage charge may be levied if deemed appropriate.

IX.B. Interlibrary Loans

Interlibrary loans are obtained for current students, staff, faculty and emeritus faculty. The Library complies with the provisions of the American Library Association Interlibrary Loan Code.

IX.C. Loan Periods

Loan periods vary according to status of borrower and type of material as defined in the Library circulation policies.

IX.D. Special Privileges

IX.D.1. Seniors

Seniors (students who are registered for 470) who are not assigned thesis space elsewhere on campus are eligible for a thesis desk in the Library.

Seniors may borrow circulating material for the academic year. All such material must be returned before graduation by the date specified by the Library.

IX.D.2. Faculty

Faculty may borrow circulating material for the academic year. All such material must be returned to the Library by July 1.

IX.E. Library Fines and Sanctions

IX.E.3.

All borrowers, including faculty, may be assessed fines for materials returned late.

IX.E.4.

Lost or damaged materials are the responsibility of the individual who borrowed them and that individual is required to pay for their replacement. In case of a volume from a set, this may mean replacing the entire set. Replacement costs and other associated fees will be set by the Library.

IX.E.5.

Abuse of privileges may result in suspension or permanent denial of privileges.

IX.F. Miscellaneous Regulations

Details of Library privileges, fines, hours, reserve materials and other Library regulations are provided in Library print and/or electronic publications. These regulations are subject to review and revision by the Library Board.

IX.G. Library Funds

The Library Board annually reviews the proposed Library materials and operating budget.

Chapter X - Faculty Searches

1. Faculty openings are publicized to the Faculty through the Dean of the Faculty's Office (See also Chapter VII, regarding Communication Between Faculty and Students).

2. Search committees are appointed by the President in consultation with the Committee on Advancement and Tenure.

3. Visiting candidates are to be informed that they are ordinarily expected to give a paper or seminar during their visit to the campus. These presentations are to be publicized to the community in advance by the chair of the search committee.

Chapter XI - Honorary Degrees

An honorary degree should confer honor and distinction upon the recipient, who thereby becomes an honorary alumnus of the College, and upon the College itself. It seems the best of practice and good taste that a small college should confer such degrees on only a limited number of individuals upon any one occasion and that the standard of selection should remain very high. While it is understood that no degrees may be awarded on many occasions, as a rule the awarding of one or two honorary degrees at annual commencement exercise may be regarded as acceptable, the awarding of three degrees at such a time unusual but possible, and the awarding of more than three degrees at one time as reserved for such rare events as the 50th and similar anniversaries or comparable events. Honorary degrees are awarded only after approval by the Faculty and the Board of Trustees.

Acceptable criteria for such awards will normally be limited to the following:

1. Professional attainment. (This will usually be in a field of study related to the academic work of the College, although it should not be reserved for those in academic posts. Intellectual distinction may be regarded as the key.)
2. Artistic or other creative attainment.
3. Selfless and distinguished service to the College. (This may be performed by individuals in a variety of positions. One should avoid setting up any expectation that in any category there will be "automatic" conferring of degrees.)
4. Service to the local and regional communities.

It should be noted that an individual may qualify by meeting just one criterion or by meeting several.

The timing of awards is also a matter of importance. In general, while outside events may dictate rare exceptions, it will be desirable to avoid the conferring of a degree upon an individual who still is in an official Reed College position with the College; a more graceful time will ordinarily be after some time has elapsed since retirement.

Chapter XII - Graduate Studies

XII.A. Master of Arts in Liberal Studies

The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) program offers an alternative to the highly specialized course of study that is characteristic of most graduate programs. The program is intended for those persons desiring to pursue a liberal education beyond the baccalaureate degree that is both rigorous and flexible. MALS is not a terminal degree, nor is it designed as preparation for further specialized graduate study or professional training. Admission to the program is limited to those individuals who can establish that they are prepared for and capable of academic work of high quality.

XII.A.1. Admission to the Program

Admission to the program, a two-stage process, will be the responsibility of the Committee on Graduate Studies. Applications will be considered for entrance in fall, spring or summer terms.

XII.A.1.a. Preliminary Application
Permission to enroll as a degree-seeking graduate student will be based on:

XII.A.1.a.i. Evidence of completion of a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, including official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate work from the originating institution.
XII.A.1.a.ii. Evaluation of the candidate's academic record.
XII.A.1.a.iii. Personal essays.
XII.A.1.a.iv. An interview report from a member of the Committee on Graduate Studies and the program director.
XII.A.1.a.v. A non-refundable application fee.
XII.A.1.a.vi. Two letters of recommendation.

XII.A.1.b. Candidacy Application
Students must apply for formal candidacy after successfully completing two successive or concurrent Reed courses as a degree student. At least one of the courses must be a liberal studies core course. Within one term of completing the second provisional course, the student must submit to the Committee on Graduate Studies a self-evaluation, a class paper, and a general outline of course progression. The course progression should be consistent with the liberal education goals of the program and lead to the completion of all degree requirements. The committee will review the student’s progress for admission to candidacy, taking into account the student’s application and class paper, and written evaluations from at least two Reed College faculty members.

XII.A.1.c. Undergraduate Enrollment
Graduate courses are open only to those individuals who have been accepted into the graduate studies program. Reed undergraduate juniors and seniors may submit an application to the MALS office to take a particular MALS course in the fall or spring term that does not have a comparable undergraduate offering within the same academic year. Approval of an undergraduate student's enrollment will be based on the application and instructor permission. Enrollment priority is given to MALS students, and undergraduate enrollment in any MALS class is limited to no more than two students.

XII.A.1.d. Auditing
Graduate courses are not open to auditors, except those Reed MALS graduates who have received special approval by the program director in consultation with the instructor. MALS graduates may audit no more than one MALS course per year.

XII.A.1.e. Special Students
Individuals with an undergraduate degree who wish to sample one time only a graduate course may initiate an application process requesting permission to enroll in a specific class. Admission to this status is at the discretion of the Committee on Graduate Studies. Credit for the seminar may be applied to the MALS degree requirements if the student applies to and enters the degree-seeking program within five (5) years of completing the course.

XII.A.2. Degree Requirements

The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies degree will require the completion of a minimum of nine (9) units of course work with the following stipulations

XII.A.2.a. Four (4) units of graduate-level courses are required, in addition to the thesis.
XII.A.2.b. A student may apply no more than four (4) 300- and 400- level undergraduate courses at any unit value to the total nine (9) units required for graduation.
XII.A.2.c. A one-unit (one semester) thesis is required. On an exceptional basis, students may petition to write a two-unit, two-semester thesis, leading to a 10-unit degree program. This opportunity is for the student who wishes to research and write a longer, more ambitious thesis.
XII.A.2.d. Normally, the program will include no more than five (5) units, including the thesis, in any one of the following areas:

• academic divisions
• departments
• Liberal Studies Core courses

Petitions for exceptions to the above requirements must be addressed to the Committee on Graduate Studies no later than the first day of classes of the term prior to the thesis.

Students approved to write a two-unit, two-semester thesis may complete up to six units of course work in the above areas if two of those units include the thesis.

XII.A.2.e. Gateway course
One or two terms prior to the thesis semester, students will designate one of their courses as a gateway process to the writing of the thesis. The course will provide students with the opportunity to write a substantial research paper.

XII.A.3. Thesis

XII.A.3.a. Preparing and Submitting the Thesis
The candidate will submit a proposal for a thesis to the Committee on Graduate Studies for approval no later than the last day of classes of the semester preceding the thesis work. The proposal should include a calendar of how frequently the student and adviser will meet, including due dates for chapter drafts. At that time the Committee will review the student's overall record and determine whether the student is ready to complete the final stage of the degree. On completion of the thesis (due the last day of classes of the term), the Committee on Graduate Studies, in consultation with the student's thesis advisor, will schedule a two-hour oral examination. The orals board will consist of the thesis advisor, a member of the Committee on Graduate Studies, the program director, and one or two other faculty members. As a whole, the faculty members of the orals board must represent at least two academic divisions of the college. A typewritten or printed copy of the thesis will be furnished each member of the examining committee at least one week prior to the oral examination. After final approval, two bound copies of the thesis are to be filed with the Library (according to the deadlines outlined for senior theses, IV - J), and one bound copy is to remain with the thesis advisor.

XII.A.3.b. Theses Not Finished On Time
Theses that are submitted to the Registrar’s Office in final form within three calendar days after the final deadline stated in the academic calendar will be accepted for graduation that same year, provided the extension fee is paid.
In the case of summer theses, the 3-day extension, as determined by the program director and the registrar, with the extension fee, also is allowed.
A thesis not submitted by the end of the 3-day extension period will be given a grade of Unfinished (U), Incomplete (IN), or F (as outlined for undergraduate theses in Chapter IV.J.2.b.). In the case of summer theses, a student who receives a grade of IN or U must submit the required copies to the Office of the Registrar by Friday of the sixth week of fall classes, unless the adviser has specified an earlier date. Extensions of the college deadline for making up an Incomplete or Unfinished grade may be granted by the Administration Committee only in cases where circumstances are beyond the control of the student.

XII.A.4. Leaves and Degree Progression

XII.A.4.a. If a student fails to enroll for three (3) consecutive semesters (excluding summer), the student will be removed from the program unless they submit no later than the third semester in which they are not enrolled a proposal for completing the program, including enrollment in a course in at least one of the two following semesters. A student who does not meet these criteria and who wishes to continue at a later date must apply for readmission to the program.

XII.A.4.b. Readmission is required of students who do not meet the criteria outlined in XII.A.4.a and students who have completely withdrawn from the program and the College who wish to return to the MALS program. The student must submit a readmission application and a petition statement to the Committee on Graduate Studies. The statement should address the circumstances of the departure, why the student wishes to return to the MALS program, state the total earned units at Reed, state a commitment to enroll in either of the next two terms and which courses the student intends to take, and lay out a degree progression plan toward completion of the program with a proposed timeline of completion. If applicable, the student must provide a separate statement that describes any graduate coursework that was completed elsewhere in the time away and state if they are seeking to transfer credit to Reed. Official transcripts will be required. MALS students who separate from the College and who are subsequently readmitted are held to the policies in the current catalog of their reentry. 

XII.A.4.c. If the student does not complete degree requirements within six years of acceptance as a degree candidate, the student must submit to the Committee on Graduate Studies a petition for renewal of candidacy, including an outline and time frame of how the student plans to complete the degree.

XII.B. Academic Regulations

XII.B.1. Grading Policy

The grading policy for graduate students is:

A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C, F, Inc.

The grade of Incomplete shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter V.B, 4 of the Faculty Code. In the case of summer courses (excluding thesis), the deadline for completing required work is determined by the instructor and may not extend beyond Friday of the fourth week of fall classes.

A grade of "C" indicates work not satisfactory for a graduate degree candidate.

For the thesis, "B-" is the lowest passing grade.

XII.B.2. Academic Actions

The Committee on Graduate Studies will review the records of graduate students whose work is unsatisfactory and the committee may take such academic action as deemed appropriate.

XII.B.3. Transfer Credit

Transfer credit may be granted by the Committee on Graduate Studies for courses taken as a post-baccalaureate student which were completed at other regionally accredited colleges or universities and are not vocational, technical, or experiential in nature. Transfer credit will not be allowed for work below the level of B, nor for courses that are not consistent with the Reed curriculum. No more than two (2) units of the requirements for the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies degree may be met through transferred credits. Courses taken as a post-baccalaureate student that are presented for transfer to the MALS program normally have been taken within the past five years.

XII.B.4.

Regulations regarding registration, tuition refunds, fines, withdrawal, indebtedness to the College, and academic honesty conform to those stated for undergraduate students in the respective sections of this document.

XII.B.5.

Tuition and fees for the graduate programs will be as determined by the Board of Trustees of Reed College.

XII.C. Committee on Graduate Studies

A standing faculty committee on graduate programs, appointed by the President (Faculty Bylaws, Article II, Section 3) will monitor the administration of programs described in XII A - C, and will recommend to the Faculty any changes in programs or policy. The Committee will act as a division in relation to any other provisions of the Faculty Code; e.g., grade review, approval of new courses.

The committee should consist of a minimum of five faculty members, plus the program director as a voting member. Votes are based on majority rule; in the case of a six-member committee, majority is defined as four (4) members.