Academic Standards and Policies

In this section:

Academic Honors

Academic honors in college refer to achievements or recognitions based on scholastic performance, participation in academic-related clubs, or involvement in research or intellectual competitions. These honors highlight exceptional accomplishments and encourage sound scholarship.

Academic Progress

Academic Dismissal

A cumulative average of 2.0 (C) is one of the requirements for the associate degree or certificate. Your progress toward this goal is reviewed when you have attempted 6 or more credits and are matriculated; subsequent reviews occur at the end of each succeeding grading period. If you are within the following grade-point criteria, you will be dismissed from the College:

Total Actual or Equivalent:

ACADEMIC WARNING: Matriculated students who meet the criteria above in their first semester will not be academically dismissed but will be placed on academic warning. You will be required to meet with an Academic Coach in the Centers for Student Engagement and Academic Advisement to create an academic plan for the semester.

NOTE: The College maintains eligibility rules for members of athletic teams and holders of major offices in various clubs. You are classified as a second-year student if all entrance deficiencies have been removed, all freshman requirements have been passed, and at least 28 credits have been earned.

You can only enroll in a course if all prerequisites have been satisfied.

Academic Probation

Matriculated students will be placed on academic probation and limited to a 12-15 credit load if the following criteria apply:

Academic Reinstatement

If you have been academically dismissed from the College, you may file a written appeal for reinstatement. Reinstatement applications are available in the Centers for Student Engagement and Academic Advisement and the academic and student affairs office. Appeals should include any extenuating circumstances hindering your academic progress. Contact counselors in the Centers for Student Engagement and Academic Advisement if needed for further information or assistance. You will be notified by letter of the decision rendered by the committee.

Academic Transcripts

Unofficial transcripts may be requested through your myCayuga account.

See Transcript Requests for more information.

Change of Major

Contact the Centers for Student Engagement and Academic Advisement if you wish to change your major or request advisement.

Grading System

Final grades are calculated at the end of the semester. Using your myCayuga ID and password, you may view your grades online through myCayuga.

All remedial courses have a grade with an asterisk (*). All remedial courses count in a student’s attempted, passed credits and GPA. They do not count in earned credits.

The following are not calculated in the index:

Incomplete Grade

An Incomplete is a temporary grade given when a student cannot complete a small part of the course requirements or cannot take the final examination due to illness or other justifiable circumstances. Students requesting an Incomplete must contact their instructor with a valid reason for not completing all requirements and must agree to the terms and conditions set by the instructor to complete the course.

NOTE: If a student receives an incomplete grade at the end of the semester, it will not be possible to change that grade to a W.

All coursework must be completed by the 20% mark of the following 15-week semester; otherwise, the incomplete will be changed to F, or the default grade provided by the instructor. In rare cases, for specific courses where appropriate (for example, internships not offered at the beginning of a semester), an additional extension may be given until the end of the following 15-week semester upon the instructor’s approval. Please note that an F grade may result in academic probation or academic dismissal.

Students are advised to consult the Financial Services Office if they seek an incomplete, as it may have implications for financial aid.

Midterm Grades

If your instructors choose to report D and F grades at midterm, you will be notified via your College email. This grade is for guidance purposes only and is not entered on your permanent record.

Multiple Degrees

If you are interested in receiving more than one degree, you must meet with a Student Engagement Representative to complete a multiple-degree contract. No second or third degree is granted without an approved contract in the Registrar’s Office. Not all multiple-degree combinations are allowed, so contact the Centers for Student Engagement and Academic Advisement as early as possible.

NOTE: A certificate will not be awarded if you have completed degree requirements in the same field.

Non-Credit Course Grades

Grades for the following non-credit courses are calculated in a student’s grade point average (GPA).

• ENGL 049
• ENGL 097
• ENGL 098
• MATH 070
• MATH 099

Repeating a Course

Repeated courses will count as Credits Attempted regardless of the reason for repeating or the grade received.

A course may be repeated, but credit will be granted only for the most recent attempt. The most recent grade will be used to compute the grade point average (GPA) unless the student has already been awarded a degree or certificate. If a repeated course was part of the degree or certificate program, the original attempt and grade will be included in the GPA.

Repeating a course that a student previously passed may affect a student’s eligibility for financial aid. For state aid purposes, if a student repeats a previously passed course, that course cannot be included as part of the student’s enrollment status. For federal aid purposes, a student may repeat a previously passed course only once for that course to be included as part of the student’s enrollment status.

The right to repeat courses in specific programs, such as (but not limited to) Nursing, is not automatic. You must complete a course successfully to be allowed to continue in that curriculum. Contact the relevant department or division for more information concerning program requirements.

Attendance Policy

Attendance Policy for Fully and Partially Synchronous Courses (On-Campus, Online Synchronous, and Hybrid Courses)

Students in fully and partially synchronous courses are expected to attend each scheduled meeting of their registered courses since experience demonstrates that regular attendance enhances academic success. Instructors may include class participation as one component of student evaluation and grading. As a result, lack of attendance may influence a student’s ability to do well, where presence and participation are highly valued by the instructor. Therefore, it is the student’s responsibility to understand and adhere to all policies relating to attendance and consequences for non-attendance listed in their instructor’s course syllabus.

Attendance Policy for Online Asynchronous Courses

Attendance in an online course is defined as an active post or submission within the course, which includes discussions, written assignments, and tests. This standard will determine all attendance issues, including but not limited to reports of never having attended, reports of the last date of attendance, and a final grade of F in the course due to lack of attendance.

Attendance Exemptions Related to Disabilities

Federal law (ADA and Section 504) requires colleges and universities to consider reasonable modifications to attendance policies to accommodate a student’s disability that impacts attendance. The Office of Accessibility Resources determines eligibility for a disability-related modification to the attendance policy on a case-by-case basis. Reasonable attendance modifications are determined through a conversation with the instructor, student, and Accessibility Specialist. Students with questions about how their disability may impact course attendance should contact the Office of Accessibility Resources.

Attendance Exemptions Due to Religious Beliefs

If you are unable to attend classes on certain days because of religious beliefs, the following policy (Section 224-a of the Education Law as amended) applies:

• You shall not be expelled from or refused admission to an institution of higher education because you cannot attend classes or participate in any examination, study, or work requirements on a particular day or days because of your religious beliefs.
• If you are unable, because of your religious beliefs, to attend classes on a particular day or days, you shall be excused from any examination, study, or work requirements because of such absence on the particular day or days.
• It shall be the responsibility of the faculty and the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to make available to students who are absent from school because of their religious beliefs an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination, study, or work requirements that they may have missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making such an equivalent opportunity available to the said student.
• If classes, examinations, study, or work requirements are held on Friday after 4:00 p.m. or on Saturday, similar or makeup classes, examinations, study, or work requirements shall be made available on other days where it is possible and practicable to do so. No special fees shall be charged for these classes, examinations, study, or work requirements held on other days.
• In effectuating the provisions of this section, it shall be the duty of the faculty and the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to exercise the fullest measure of good faith. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to you because you avail yourself of this section's provisions.
• If you are aggrieved by the alleged failure of any faculty or administrative official to comply in good faith with the provisions of this section, you shall be entitled to maintain an action or proceeding in the supreme court of the county in which such institution of higher education is located for the enforcement of your rights under this section.
• As used in this section, the term institution of higher education shall mean schools under the control of the board of trustees of the State University of New York or the board of higher education of the City of New York or any community college.

Auditing Courses

The intention to register for an audit or change from credit status to audit status must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the 10th class day of a 15-week course. Credit is not granted for audited courses.

To audit a course, the following guidelines apply:

• Students who wish to audit a course after late registration must have the instructor’s permission.
• There are no requirements for audit other than attendance.
• Students must pay regular tuition for an audit.
• On a space-available basis, senior citizens (age 60 or older) with valid identification may audit credit courses at no tuition charge; specific fees may apply.

Cancellation of Classes

If the enrollment in any course is insufficient, the course may be canceled at the discretion of the Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs.

See also: Current Class Cancellations

Classroom Visits

Cayuga students other than those registered for a scheduled classroom course are permitted to visit that classroom under the following conditions:

• With the instructor’s approval, a Cayuga student registered in another course section may attend the alternative section for up to three class meetings. Attending more than three class meetings will require the written approval of the instructor and the appropriate Division Chair.
• Attending one class meeting is allowed with the instructor’s approval for a registered Cayuga student not enrolled in a particular classroom course. However, any additional visits will require the written approval of the instructor and appropriate Division Chair.

Course Withdrawal Policy

Students may withdraw from a course up until the 60% mark of the course and receive a “W” on their transcript. The student must initiate the withdrawal by completing a Schedule Adjustment Form available in the Registrar’s Office or the college website.

The form must be returned before the close of business on the date of the 60% mark of the course. Please refer to the College Calendar for the specific date of the last day for students to initiate a withdrawal from a course for each term.

Cross Registration

SUNY’s cross-registration policy primarily intends to resolve scheduling conflicts for required courses that would delay timely program completion. Cross-registration allows students to complete requirements when a course or courses are unavailable at their Home Campus by providing a process to take required courses at other SUNY campuses.

The student is responsible for:

1. Applying for and obtaining approval from the Home and Host Campuses before cross-registering
2. Submitting a certificate of residency for billing purposes
3. Meeting prerequisite requirements for registration
4. Notifying the Home Campus of any enrollment changes at the Host Campus
5. Paying special course fees and voluntary usage fees

For eligible students to receive the benefits of the cross-registration process, both the Home and Host Campuses must approve a student’s request to cross-register before cross-registration. The institutions should determine before starting the Home Campus’s academic term whenever possible.

If students do not obtain the required approvals for cross-registration from both the Home and Host Campuses before cross-registering, the Home Campus has the authority to approve or deny, on a case-by-case basis, the transfer of courses taken via cross-registration at other SUNY campuses, including General Education and Transfer Path courses in the major.

Definition of Full-Time Status

Refer to the following for the definition of Full-Time Status:

• Fall, Spring, or Summer: Full-time status is defined as 12 or more credit hours of study per semester. Permission from the division chair is required to exceed 19 credit hours per semester.
• January Intersession: Permission to exceed 6 credit hours is required from the division chair.

A credit hour is equivalent to 750 minutes of instruction. A laboratory credit hour is equivalent to 1,500 to 2,250 minutes of instruction.

Documented Late Course Withdrawal Policy

Once the 60% mark of the semester has passed, a student’s ability to withdraw from a course becomes significantly more stringent. At this point, withdrawal is only permissible if, in the course instructor’s discernment, the student has a serious, documented reason for doing so.

The student must have a serious reason to seek course withdrawal after the 60% mark of the course (such as illness or death in the family). They should discuss course withdrawal with the course instructor. The student must provide the course instructor documentation in the form of a Documented Late Course Withdrawal Form, available from the Registrar’s Office or the college website, along with supporting documentation, such as a health care provider’s verification of student illness (physical or psychological) or of major illness of an immediate family member; copy of obituary, listing relationship of deceased to student; letter from student’s employer; or written statement explaining extenuating circumstances for review. This form and documentation must be submitted to the course instructor for review. If, in the instructor’s judgment, the student’s request for late withdrawal is valid, the instructor may issue the student a “W” for the course at their discretion. The faculty instructor will submit the Documented Late Course Withdrawal Form and the appropriate documentation to the Registrar’s Office by the close of business on the last day of class, where it will be kept on file.

Refer to the College Calendar for the specific date of each term’s last day of classes.

It’s important to note that late withdrawals can have significant implications on both students’ financial aid and the institution’s finances. Therefore, late withdrawals should be cautiously approached and limited to genuine cases. Students are strongly advised to consult with the Financial Services Office before considering a course withdrawal, as such a decision may compromise their financial aid.

Dropping and Adding Courses

Students may drop and add courses through their myCayuga account until the day before a class begins.

If you want to add or drop a course after the course has started, you must do so through the Registrar’s Office or by contacting Student Engagement. Students can adjust their schedule during the drop and add period without receiving a withdrawal (W) on their academic record.

Refer to the Academic Calendar for detailed registration deadlines.

Felony Conviction

A prior felony conviction may hinder a student’s ability to enroll in a course, complete the requirements of certain academic programs, and meet the licensure criteria required by certain professions.

FERPA Policy

The purpose of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is to afford certain rights to students concerning their educational records. The primary rights afforded are the right to inspect and review the academic records, the right to seek to have the records amended, and the right to have some control over the disclosure of information from the records. 

View Cayuga’s FERPA policy here.

To obtain a FERPA release form, visit the Registrar’s Office here.

Grievance Policies and Procedures

Cayuga Community College’s policy is to protect the rights and freedoms of students and other campus community members. The College has created internal policies and procedures to address student and consumer complaints and grievances. Policies exist for academic and consumer discrimination and sexual harassment complaints.

Policies and grievance forms are available in designated offices and on the College website: https://www.cayuga-cc.edu/academics/policies/grievance.

Academic Grievance

If a student has an academic complaint or believes that he or she has been harmed by an inequitable or inappropriate implementation of the College’s academic regulations and procedures, the academic grievance procedure shall be followed.

Students are encouraged to discuss academic concerns with their instructor first. If not satisfied with the outcome of these discussions, the student may appeal the decision to the instructor’s division chair or immediate supervisor. While the policy allows for informal and formal complaint procedures, it’s important to note that there are time limits designated in the policy. By seeking assistance in resolving an academic conflict as quickly as possible, you can take an active role in your academic journey, feeling empowered and proactive.

Consumer Complaint

The College has adopted an internal grievance procedure for the equitable resolution of complaints that do not relate to any other internal grievance procedure. The Consumer Complaint Procedure does not include academic complaints (Academic Grievance Procedure), or related to any form of discrimination as defined in the Discrimination Grievance Procedure, or related to sexual harassment, as defined in the Sexual Harassment Policy, or any other complaint for which the College has established a more specific complaint or grievance process. The Consumer Complaint Procedure and submission form are available in the Office of Human Resources, the Centers for Student Engagement and Academic Advisement on the Auburn campus, and the Fulton campus’s campus administration office.

Discrimination Grievance

The College has adopted an internal grievance procedure providing for prompt, equitable, and confidential resolution of complaints alleging discrimination based on age, color, disability, national origin, race, religious creed, gender, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Complaints emerging from the Auburn campus, Fulton campus, or any other operation of the College should be addressed either to the affirmative action officer for employees (Director of Human Resources) or to the affirmative action officer for students (VP of Student Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer). The discrimination grievance policy and submission form are available in the Office of Human Resources in the Academic and Student Affairs Office on the Auburn campus and the Fulton campus administration office.

Individual / Independent Study

Under special circumstances, completing a course through individual or independent study is possible. Details are available from division chairs.

Lateness and Leaving Class Early

If a student is late for class or leaves before the class is over, or if a student leaves class and returns during the class, the instructor may consider that student absent at their discretion. Students are required to wait a minimum of ten minutes before leaving a class if an instructor is not present at the beginning of a class period unless instructed otherwise.

Late Registration

Students may change their schedules during the drop/add late registration period. However, missed classes that occurred before the student added the course may, at the instructor's discretion, count as absences in the student’s attendance record for that course.

Plagiarism Policy

Withdrawal Resulting in a Grade of “F”.

An instructor may assign a failing grade in cases of plagiarism or academic dishonesty, which preempts a student’s right to withdraw from the course.

In plagiarism or academic dishonesty cases, an instructor may apply a failing grade, which preempts a student’s right to withdraw from the course. To apply the failing grade, the instructor should have indicated the potential consequence of plagiarism or academic dishonesty in the course outline, specified what is acceptable and not acceptable with respect to artificial intelligence, defined or given examples of the same in the course outline, and ensured distribution of the course outline to all students in the class. There must be solid evidence of the alleged plagiarism or academic dishonesty if a failing grade is to be assigned under these circumstances. Under these circumstances, the decision to assign a failing grade must be made in consultation with the appropriate division chair. Students may challenge such a grade only through the academic grievance process.

Professional Licensure Disclosures Policy

Federal regulation requires institutions of higher education to make a determination whether a Title IV eligible academic program that leads to professional licensure or certification meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in the U.S. State where the institution is located and the U.S. States where “distance education” students are located at the time of initial enrollment in the program, as well as U.S. States where the program is advertised as meeting such requirements, and if applicable, the U.S. State where students attest they intend to be licensed/certified. The Associate in Applied Science in Nursing program at Cayuga Community College is registered by the New York State Education Department and thus meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification for New York State.

Most of the courses required for Cayuga’s Nursing degree are offered on campus and at local clinical sites, and are not offered through distance education. Yet the cognate courses required for the Nursing degree (e.g., English 101, Psychology 101) are typically offered through distance learning as well as on campus. While Cayuga does not advertise its Nursing program in states other than New York, residents of other states do access program information electronically from Cayuga and/or SUNY and sometimes enroll in Cayuga courses.

Having made a good faith effort, and for the purpose of complying with the federal regulation, we have been unable to identify a U.S. State with educational requirements for licensure/certification that could not be met by Cayuga’s Nursing degree. Accordingly, our good faith belief is that our Nursing program meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in all 50 U.S. States; however, it is important to note that Cayuga Community College is not the licensure/certification authority in these U.S. States and cannot assess whether an individual candidate will be issued a license/certificate in these U.S. States and instead it is incumbent on each individual candidate to contact the licensure/certification authority in the applicable U.S. State for any further guidance on the requirements for licensure/certification requirements and application processes.

Rules and Regulations

As an enrolled Cayuga student, you must follow College rules and regulations and all local, state, and federal laws. Incidents of misconduct and violations of the Student Code of Conduct are reported to the Director of the Centers for Student Engagement and Academic Advisement, convener of the Faculty/Student Judicial Review Committee. If you are found in violation, you may be subject to disciplinary action ranging from admonition to expulsion.

Campus Safety

The Office of Public Safety is responsible for the campus community's safety and the enforcement of federal, state, and local laws, including College rules and regulations. It works closely with other local, County, State, and Federal agencies.

The Director of Public Safety is the College’s designated Campus Safety Survey Administrator and provides all campus crime statistics as required by the United States Department of Education.

The Annual Security Report, which includes campus safety information and annual crime statistics, is available on our website. For a hard copy, contact the Office of Public Safety.

OPTIONS IN BRIEF:

Victims/survivors have many options that can be pursued simultaneously, including one or more of the following:

• Receive resources, such as counseling and medical attention;
• Confidentially or anonymously disclose a crime or violation (for detailed information on confidentiality and privacy, visit Options for Confidentially Disclosing Sexual Violence).
• Make a report to an employee with the authority to address complaints, including the Title IX Coordinator, a Student Conduct employee, or a Human Resources employee;
  • Office of Public Safety;
  • Local law enforcement; and
  • Family Court or Civil Court.

Student’s Bill of Rights

The State University of New York and Cayuga Community College are committed to providing options, support, and assistance to victims/survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking to ensure that they can continue to participate in College-wide and campus programs, activities, and employment. All victims or survivors of these crimes and violations, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, or criminal conviction, have the following rights, regardless of whether the crime or violation occurs on campus, off campus, or while studying abroad.

The Campus Sex Crime Prevention Act of 2000

The Campus Sex Crime Prevention Act of 2000 and New York’s “Megan’s Law” require the state’s Division of Criminal Justice Services to inform college campuses when a registered sex offender is enrolled or employed.

Any college community member may request information about registered sex offenders by contacting Doug Kinney, Director of Public Safety, at 315-294-8411 or doug.kinney@cayuga-cc.edu.

Student Code of Conduct and Student Handbook

Student conduct procedures, the student code of conduct, and a complete list of possible sanctions are detailed in the student handbook. Additionally, a separate handbook (Right to Know) relating to Cayuga’s drug and alcohol policy, prevention of sexual harassment, and campus safety and crime statistics is distributed annually to each student.

Besides being familiar with the Student Code of Conduct, each student should be aware of the following rules:

1. According to New York State law, firearms are prohibited on campus or in any College building. Also, any instrument to be used as a weapon and explosives of any kind are not permitted on campus.
2. The use, distribution, or possession of illegal substances is not permitted on campus. Such use, distribution, or possession violates college regulations and is subject to action by the College.
3. The use, possession, and distribution of alcoholic beverages are prohibited in any locations operated by Cayuga Community College for employees, students, and visitors, except for an occasion expressly sponsored by the President’s Office. The policy regarding such events is available in the Student Handbook.
4. Cayuga Community College is a tobacco-free campus. Tobacco use of any kind is prohibited anywhere on campus or on College property.

The College may initiate disciplinary proceedings for off-campus incidents involving violations of the Student Code of Conduct when the violation is committed while participating in a College-sanctioned or sponsored activity; the violation adversely affects the College‘s educational or service function, or the violation adversely affects the individual’s suitability as a member of the College community.

In determining whether or not to exercise off-campus jurisdiction in such cases, the Director of the Centers for Student Engagement and Academic Advisement will consider the seriousness of the alleged offense, the risk of harm involved, and whether the off-campus conduct is part of a series of actions which occurred both on and off campus.

Transcript Notation Policy

A student found responsible and suspended or expelled after a conduct process for violations that constitute a crime of violence will have the following notation added to their transcript:

• Suspended (or expelled) after a finding of responsibility for a code of conduct violation
• A student who withdraws while conduct charges constituting a crime of violence are pending will have the following notation added to their transcript: Withdrew with conduct charges pending
• Suspended students may appeal the inclusion of the transcript notation one year after it is applied at which time the notation may, in the sole discretion of the College, be removed. Transcript notations for expelled students are permanent. If a finding of responsibility is vacated, the transcript notation shall be removed.

See the Student Code of Conduct and Student Handbook for the appropriate appeal process.

Waitlist

Students can be added to a course waitlist if the section is full. Students are notified if a seat becomes available via their college email (or private email if a college email hasn’t been assigned yet) and have twenty-four hours to register for the course. After the twenty-four-hour period, the student is removed from the waitlist, and the next student on the waitlist is notified of the availability. The waitlist process expires the day a course begins, and students should work with their advisors during the drop/add period if they cannot complete their schedule of classes.

Withdrawal from the College

A student wishing to withdraw from the college must complete an Official Withdrawal Form, which is available at the Centers for Student Engagement and Academic Advisement. The completed form must be returned to the Centers for Student Engagement and Academic Advisement or the Financial Services Office. 

If this procedure isn’t followed, your withdrawal will not be official, and you will not qualify for a refund if the withdrawal date is during the refund period for that particular semester. A withdrawal after the refund period ends will result in a “W” grade for each course you were enrolled in.