Student Handbook

Students are bound by the policies and procedures written in the Catalog at the time of matriculation or readmission. Services, policies and procedures published in this handbook may change each year. Academic information in the Student Handbook is intended only as a supplement of the information in the College Catalog.

Students should consult the College Catalog for information on grading options, written evaluations, grade point averages, repeated courses, recording of grades and auditing courses.

Academic Deadlines

Students may not petition to extend college deadlines regarding dropping or adding a course, changing a grading option or withdrawing from a course. There will be a grace period of three working days after each deadline during which time a student may complete these transactions by paying a fine of $100. In order to help students meet registration deadlines, the Registrar's Office will send all students timely email reminders to check and adjust their schedules as necessary by the official deadlines. If the schedule is incorrect, students will still have time to drop/add. With the approval of the Dean of Students, students may obtain a medical withdrawal any time during the term.

Academic Evaluation (Grade Change)

Students who believe that they have been subjected to arbitrary or discriminatory academic evaluation by faculty members are guaranteed the right to appeal. In questions of alleged improper academic evaluation, students must follow this procedure to appeal:

1. Consult the individual faculty member;
2. Consult the department chair;
3. Consult the Provost.

The student must give the department chair and the Provost a written statement providing relevant facts and the reason for the appeal. The chair and Provost must render a definitive opinion in writing concerning their findings, giving copies to the faculty member and the student. The chair and Provost cannot refer the problem back to the faculty member.

Arbitrary or discriminatory academic evaluation involves any or all of the following:

1. Grading on a basis clearly irrelevant to the student's mastery of the course.
2. Grading on a basis which has not been consistently applied to all students taking the same course concurrently.
3. Grading on a basis which is not consistent with prior practices or announced policies in that course during the semester.

Final Grades Once a final grade has been submitted, it is not acceptable to ask a student to turn in extra or, redo previous work or otherwise make adjustments to improve a final grade. Changes are permitted only under the following circumstances:

1. The professor makes a calculation error
2. Work previously considered missing is located by the professor, and it is clear the student turned the work in on time.

Academic Integrity

Macalester College expects academic honesty from all students and faculty. Academic honesty encompasses accurate portrayal of contributions and appropriate use of resources.

Recognition of a Violation of Academic Integrity
Procedures:
When a faculty member suspects a student of a violation of academic integrity, the faculty member should consult with the student about the suspected violation.

• If a misunderstanding has occurred and there has been no violation, then the matter can be settled amicably between the faculty member and the student;
• If it appears to be a clear violation of academic integrity standards, the incident is to be reported to the Academic Programs Office.

When a student suspects that a violation of academic integrity has taken place in a course, she/he has the option of speaking to the professor about the suspected behavior.

Reporting the Violation
Procedures: The faculty member is responsible for gathering the pertinent and necessary information and sending it to the Academic Programs Office.

Cases of disputed violations will be handled by a special sub-committee of the Academic Standing Committee.

(It is recommended that this special sub-committee of the Academic Standing Committee be composed of two faculty, two students [from among those students chosen for the Judicial Forum], and the Academic Programs Office.)

Processing Undisputed Violations
In cases where the student admits to the violations, the Academic Programs Office will ascertain the appropriate sanction, based on whether this is a first, second or third violation by the students, and report this sanction to the faculty member and the student.

Processing a Disputed Violation

1. The Academic Programs Office will contact the student requesting information about the alleged violation.
2. The student will be given an option of a hearing before the special sub-committee of the Academic Standing Committee or having the case determined by the committee without a hearing.
3. In the event that the student requests a Hearing, the student will have the right to bring an advocate, who is a member of the Macalester community, to the hearing. This person is not there to participate in the process but rather to provide support for the student.
4. Both the student and the faculty member involved will be informed of the decision of the sub-committee concerning the alleged violation of academic integrity in a timely fashion.

Appeal Process
Procedures: If the student wishes to appeal the decision by the sub-committee on Academic Standing, he or she should make the appeal in writing to the Office of the Provost within ten days of the notification. (The Provost may designate one or more members of his/her staff to consider the appeal.)

Record Keeping
Procedures:

1. The Academic Programs Office and the Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students will keep all records of violations of academic integrity within a confidential file in a secure area so that information may be kept to identify any repeat offenses by students.
2. Records must be kept for a minimum of three years after the student has left the institution.
3. In cases of dismissal from the college, a copy of the dismissal letter will be placed in the student's confidential educational record file in the Dean of Students office where it will be kept for eight years.

Sanctions
It is important for all concerned that there be uniformity in the process and punishment of violations of academic integrity.

Procedures: Sanctions are to be determined by the sub-committee of the Academic Standing Committee. The following sanctions are recommended when an instance of a violation of academic integrity has been ascertained:

1. First Violation - a grade of zero on the quiz, exam, etc., or, in certain cases, a failing grade in the course.
2. Second Violation - suspension for a semester. In extreme circumstances, dismissal from the college is an available option.
3. Third Violation - dismissal from the college.

Class Attendance and Absences Policy

Attending class is a basic necessity for student learning and intellectual growth at Macalester College. While implementation requires the professional judgment of faculty and staff, and assumes student responsibility in ensuring that their academic goals are not negatively impacted by their college-sponsored co-curricular activities, this policy specifies guidelines for addressing class attendance and absence issues. Questions about this policy should be directed to the Dean of Students or Dean of Academic Programs.

I. Attendance in Classes

The faculty recognizes the importance of regular attendance in all courses. Attendance policy in classes, however, is left to the discretion of the individual faculty, except in the cases of College-authorized absences.

II. College-Authorized Absence for College-Sponsored Activities

a. Absences from classes and, if necessary, from the campus are authorized for students who, as individuals or members of athletic teams or other organized groups, represent the College in college-sponsored activities. The following groups are included in this category: (1) members of properly authorized varsity and junior varsity athletic teams participating in scheduled intercollegiate competitions; and (2) participants in college-sponsored, co-curricular activities led by faculty and/or staff (not including student organizations). Though such absence for college-sponsored activities is authorized by the College, faculty and staff leading such activities should make every effort to ensure minimal disruption of student class attendance.

b. The names of students involved in such organized activities shall be reported to the Dean of Students by the faculty or staff supervisors of the college-sponsored activities well in advance of each event necessitating absence from classes. This report will describe all necessary information, including dates of absences and the specific purpose of the activity. The Dean of Students shall then certify to faculty teaching courses with students participating in the college-sponsored activity, as far in advance of the absence as practical, College authorization of absence for students involved. It is still a student’s responsibility to notify faculty of any impending class absences.

III. Individual Authorizations for Absence

The Dean of Students is empowered to authorize absences from classes and, if necessary, from the campus for individual students in cases of exigency. Authorized absences shall not relieve students of the responsibility of making up work that has been missed.

IV. Provisions for Making Up Work

a. Instructors shall be notified of all College-authorized absences and shall provide opportunity to students to make up work missed during College-authorized absences from class without penalty. If College-authorized absences total more than 10% of the course meeting time, it shall be at the discretion of the instructor whether the student may make up the missed work. College-authorized absences shall not relieve students of the responsibility of making up work that has been missed.

b. If a class will not meet at its regularly scheduled time or will have an additional class meeting outside of its regularly scheduled time, faculty should provide an alternative assignment or consideration for students unable to attend due to a College-authorized absence for a college-sponsored activity. In the event that the absence is not due to a college-sponsored activity, faculty should handle possible conflicts at their own discretion.

Forgery Policy

Any student who is determined to have forged an adviser's or instructor's signature on a form requiring such a signature will receive a letter from the Academic Programs Office warning the student of the seriousness of such forgeries. A copy of the letter will be kept by Academic Programs, but will not be placed in the student's permanent record. The letter will also warn the student that if he or she is again caught forging a signature, a letter will be placed in the student's permanent record. If more than two such forgeries occur, appropriate sanctions will be taken.

Incompletes

Students are expected to complete the work in each course on schedule. Under unusual circumstances, an instructor may allow a student an additional specified time period, not to extend beyond the first day of the next term, for completion of the course. The instructor will submit an "I" as the grade for the semester of the course. The instructor's submission of the "I" grade must be accompanied by a course completion agreement form specifying the work yet to be completed. Both the student and the instructor must sign the form. Students may not petition to extend the college deadline for the completion of an Incomplete, except with the approval of the course instructor and the Dean of Students. Students may obtain an extension for medical reasons of the official college deadline for an Incomplete. If the student and the professor have set a deadline for completion of the work that is earlier than the official college deadline, the faculty member may approve an extension of that deadline up to the official deadline of the first day of class of the next semester.

Involuntary Leave

A student may be placed on involuntary leave when she or he demonstrates developing and/or continuing behavior which threatens the life and/or health of themselves or another member of the Macalester community. This policy should be used when disciplinary sanctions and temporary emergency action do not apply to the situation. Involuntary leave will be used only after measures to avoid the necessity of such a leave have been undertaken. This policy will be administered by the Office of the Dean of Students.

The decision to place a student on involuntary leave is based upon descriptions of behavior that is so extraordinary or disruptive that intervention is required to protect personal and community safety or to prevent significant adverse effect on the academic welfare of the student or others. Behavior resulting in an involuntary leave should be documented in written incident reports, past reports, professional assessment of behavior and notes on oral reports, all of which will be available to the student. This information may be provided by staff, the situation response team (Security, Dean of Students, Residential Life), professional staff, with written releases of information (Winton Health Services), outside professionals, other students, the individual and their family.

The Dean of Students is responsible for placing a student on involuntary leave. Prior to implementing the leave, the Dean will consult with and her decision will be reviewed by a panel of three people who have not dealt with the specific instance that precipitates the leave. The panel could include a member of the Academic Standing Committee and/or the student's academic advisor, a member of the College Student Affairs staff and a student mediator. In their review, the panel will pay particular attention to the nondiscrimination statement of the College (inside cover, Student Handbook). When an involuntary leave is recommended to the Dean, the panel will also recommend the conditions for the student's readmission.

If the panel recommends a leave, their consensus will be communicated in person by the Dean of Students and a representative from the review panel. The Dean of Students will confirm this decision in writing to the student and parents/guardians. That communication will describe the behavior that resulted in the involuntary leave, the financial and academic status of the student at the College at the time of the leave and the expectations of the College for readmission. The student may communicate with the Dean of Students to discuss services available off campus, interim methods of sustaining the educational process, progress toward the conditions for readmission, and the preparation of the request for readmission.

When the student chooses to request readmission, that request will be presented at least one month prior to the beginning of the term for which enrollment is being sought. The request for readmission will be in writing and will include the personal statement of the student describing what changes have occurred during the leave and how such changes or events demonstrate the likelihood of successful enrollment. That statement may be supported by the observations and recommendations of persons with whom the student has worked during the leave, such as supervisors, professors and health practitioners. Those materials will be assessed by the panel that recommended the leave, and the panel will make a recommendation to the Dean of Students. The decision regarding readmission will be made and communicated to the student by the Dean of Students.

Probation and Dismissal

The College monitors the academic performance of every student in order to offer support and services to those students who are not making satisfactory academic progress. Students are expected to earn their degree within a four-year period. The academic record of every student is reviewed at the end of each semester by the Academic Standing Committee of the faculty. Academic status is calculated at the end of a term only. After the Academic Standing Committee has reached its decisions at the end of a term, a student's status will be reconsidered by the Committee only in cases where an action has been taken which prevents a student from re-enrolling in the College and there has been a change to the student's academic record. Probationary status is never a part of a student's public record unless the student gives authorization to release this information.

Academic probation is intended as an indication to a student that he or she is not making the expected progress toward the completion of a Macalester Bachelor of Arts degree. Every effort is made through faculty advisors, the counseling services of Macalester Health and Wellness Center and the MAX Center to provide counseling to students who are placed on academic probation.

As a result of the Academic Standing Committee's review of student records, a student may be placed on one of the categories of probation listed below. In addition to the specific term performance guidelines indicated below, the Committee also takes into consideration a student's classification, his or her cumulative grade point average and any prior probationary status in determining the appropriate category of probation.

Academic Warning. Students with a term grade point average between 2.00 and 2.50 and/or at least one NC grade in a course carrying two or more credit hours may be placed on Academic Warning if the Academic Standing Committee sees reason to be concerned about their level of achievement.

Academic Probation. Students with a term grade point average below 2.00 and/or two or more NC grades in a course carrying two or more credit hours will be placed on Academic Probation.

Strict Academic Probation. Students will be placed on Strict Academic Probation when they are liable for academic probation for a second consecutive semester or when the Committee considers their record to indicate serious academic difficulties which warrant the addition of specific criteria to be met during the next semester in order to be removed from this probationary status. These criteria usually are that they must earn a term grade point average of a least 2.00 while earning a grade of at least C{n-} in each course they take. They must be registered as a full-time student taking twelve or more credit hours and they may not receive the grade of Incomplete in any of the courses in which they are enrolled. A student on strict academic probation shall be regarded as not making satisfactory academic progress and as such is ineligible to practice or compete in intercollegiate athletics, to hold an elected office or a leadership position in a student organization or to undertake a role in a major music or theatre production or forensic activity.

Suspension. A student will be suspended from the College for failure to meet the criteria established for removal from Strict Academic Probation. Additionally, students are suspended for one or two semesters after two consecutive semesters on academic probation (or strict academic probation) unless the Academic Standing Committee finds that this action would not be appropriate. Under exceptional circumstances, the Academic Standing Committee may suspend students from the College without first placing them on probation.

Students who wish to return after a suspension must apply for readmission to the College. In order for a student to be admitted, the Academic Standing Committee expects to see evidence that the student is ready to return and have a successful experience. Shortly after receiving a suspension letter, students are expected to work out a plan with either the Dean of Students or the Dean of Academic Programs for how they will provide this evidence of readiness to return. In most cases students will attend another institution of higher education during their suspension period and earn grades which demonstrate their ability to perform successfully in an academic environment.

If an international student is suspended, they must receive a new Macalester I-20 or IAP-66 to continue their studies. All regulations pertaining to a new international student pertain to a readmission. International students, upon suspension, either have to leave the U.S., as they no longer have valid student status, or change visa statuses. If they wish to attend another institution during their suspension period, they must be admitted and posses a valid I-20 or IAP-66 from that institution.

Dismissal. A student is subject to dismissal from the College whenever, in the view of the Committee, his or her level of scholarship is so low as to make the completion of a Macalester degree unlikely.

Students should be aware that maintaining good academic standing does not automatically insure continued financial aid eligibility. Refer to the financial aid section of this catalog for information.

Appeals of suspensions must be based on procedural grounds and be made in writing by the following deadlines. For actions taken following Fall term, appeals must be received as soon as possible but no later than five days prior to the beginning of the Spring term. Students should be advised not to return to campus until they have learned the result of their appeal. For actions taken following Spring term, appeals must be received as soon as possible but no later than 30 days after the date of the Academic Standing Committee letter. Appeals should be made to the Educational Policy and Governance Committee as a whole through the Academic Programs Office. The Committee may or may not choose to hear the appeal. The Chair of the Educational Policy and Governance Committee will inform the petitioner and all concerned College officials of the results of the Committee's determination. The decision of the Educational Policy and Governance Committee is final.

Progress Toward Graduation

The College Catalog should be consulted for graduation requirements. Normal progress towards graduation is:

Class standing granted:

• Sophomore (32 hours earned)
• Junior (64 hours earned)
• Senior (96 hours earned)

Special student classification is assigned to students not seeking their first degree from Macalester. The full-time course load ranges from 12 to 18 semester hours each term.

Graduation Requirements Substitutions

Students may not petition the waiver of a College graduation requirement. In rare and exceptional circumstances a student may request an alternative means of meeting a graduation requirement by providing a written statement to the Educational Policy and Governance Committee (EPAG) requesting the substitution. This statement must include a substantial and convincing rationale and must be approved by the student's academic adviser.

Readmission to the College

Any student not on an official leave of absence, who was suspended, or who did not complete the prior semester at Macalester, is required to apply for readmission to the College for the term in which he or she wishes to register. Application forms should be requested from and returned to the Registrar's Office at least one month prior to the date of intended registration.

Religious Academic Scheduling Conflicts

It is the policy of Macalester College to make every reasonable effort to allow students to observe their religious holidays without academic penalty. Absence from classes or examinations for religious reasons does not relieve students from responsibility for any part of the course work required during the period of absence. Students who expect to miss classes, examinations, or other assignments as a consequence of their religious observance shall be provided with a reasonable alternative opportunity to complete such academic responsibilities. It is the obligation of students to provide faculty with reasonable notice of the dates of religious holidays on which they will be absent, ordinarily within the first fifteen days of the semester.

Student Records and Information

Statement on Privacy and Disclosure of Student Information

Macalester College seeks to ensure the privacy of its students and abides by the Federal and State regulations pertaining to student privacy. The College is guided by The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and the College's Rights, Freedoms and Responsibilities document in following policies on student information and privacy.

1. RIGHT TO REVIEW RECORDS. Students attending Macalester College and their parents, except parents of independent students, have the right to inspect and review educational records of the College, except that certain records as noted below are excluded from this right of inspection and review.

1.1 The College will comply with a written request to inspect or review educational records within 10 working days of the request.

1.2 The College will give the student or parent a copy of the requested record, if failure to provide a copy would prevent the student or parent from inspecting or reviewing the record.

1.2.1 The College may charge for copies of the record, but it may not charge for searching for the record.

1.3 The College will comply with student or parent requests to explain and interpret what is contained in a record.

1.4 The following records are specifically limited and are not subject to disclosure to the student or parent.

1.4.1 Financial records of the parent, or any information those records contain are not to be disclosed to the student, or in the case of parents who are not married, to the other parent.

1.4.2 Confidential letters and statements to which the student has waived, in writing, the right to inspect and review. Macalester does not require the signing of such a waiver as a condition of consideration of such letters and statements. The College will provide to the student or parent the names of people who have provided such confidential letters and statements upon request.

1.4.3 A faculty member's refusal to write a letter of recommendation without a waiver by the student is considered an action of the individual faculty member, and not of the College.

1.4.4 Information from medical or psychological records will be disclosed to a physician or other appropriate professional upon written request of the student only.

The right of the parent is restricted in this case.

1.5 The student will be notified when information is released to a parent under this policy.

2. DIRECTORY INFORMATION. Certain information shall be regarded as "directory information" and as such may be disclosed outside the College.

2.1 Directory information includes: the student's name, local address, local telephone number, e-mail address, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received and most recent previous educational institution attended.

2.2 The College will disclose to students and their parents annually what information will be considered directory information and the procedures for requesting that directory information not be disclosed.

2.2.1 The student may request in writing that any or all directory information not be disclosed by the College. Such a request must be made by the tenth day of class of the fall term and must be made each year of a student's enrollment to be effective. Requests after this deadline should be directed to the Dean of Students.

2.2.2 Directory information about former students may be disclosed without annual notice set forth in 2.2.

3. PARENTAL RIGHTS. The College will presume that a student is dependent and grant rights to either parent unless the student has established independent status, or the College has written evidence of a court order or other legally binding document governing parental or guardianship rights. The College reserves the right, per Federal Government regulations, to notify parents when violations of campus alcohol or drug policies occur.

4. RELEASE OF INFORMATION WITHIN THE COLLEGE. Information from the student's educational record may be disclosed to officials of the College who have legitimate educational need to know the information in the record.

4.1 Treatment records of medical or psychological treatment will only be released with the written consent from the student.

5. RELEASE OF INFORMATION OUTSIDE THE COLLEGE. With the exception of directory information, the College must obtain consent of the student or parent to release personally identifiable information to those outside the College.

5.1 In order to have information released outside the College, the student or parent must complete a consent form indicating the record of information to be released and the name of the party to whom the record or information is to be released.

5.1.1 The College may charge reasonable costs to cover the expenses of copying and mailing records to those outside the College.

5.2 In certain cases, the College may release personally identifiable information to those outside the College. In such cases, a statement noting the confidentiality of the information and the purpose for which it has been released shall be attached. Those cases are as follows:

5.2.1 Information may be provided to officials of another college in which the student seeks to enroll. In such cases, the College will notify the student that such information has been released.

5.2.2 Authorized representatives of federal or state government for program audit, compliance or enforcement purposes.

5.2.3 Organizations conducting research on behalf of educational agencies for program, testing or instructional development.

5.2.4 Accrediting organizations as part of their functions.

5.2.5 Officers of the court in compliance with subpoena or court order.

5.2.6 Appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency, including the health and safety of the student or others.

5.3 Information that is disclosed to parties outside the College is subject to the condition that it not be "redisclosed" and that it is used only for the purpose for which it is originally disclosed.

6. ACCESS FILE. The College will maintain an access record of each request and disclosure of a student record, except the following access records need not be maintained:

6.1 Disclosure to the student or parent, or at the request of the student or parent.

6.2 Disclosure to college officials as part of their job.

6.3 Requests for directory information.

7. RIGHT TO CHALLENGE INFORMATION. A student or parent has the right to challenge false, inaccurate or misleading information contained in the educational record. The procedure for challenging information in the educational record is:

7.1 The student or parent will inform the responsible College administrator of the information which is believed to be false, inaccurate or misleading and request that the record be amended.

7.2 Within thirty days, the administrator will notify the student or parent of its decision as to whether to amend the educational record.

7.3 The student or parent has the right to appeal a decision not to amend the record.

7.3.1 An appeal will first be filed with the administrative officer responsible for the record. If that appeal is denied, the appeal may be filed with the Campus Judicial Forum. Procedures of the Judicial Forum will apply.

7.3.2 If the appeal is denied by the Judicial Forum, the student or parent has the right to place in the educational record notice of an exception to the information in the record. Such a notice will be maintained as long as the educational record is maintained and will be included with the record whenever the record is disclosed.

8. DESTRUCTION OF RECORDS. As part of its regularly scheduled procedures, the College will destroy records which are more than seven years old.

8.1 A record may not be destroyed when there is a pending request to inspect and review a record.

8.2 Student explanations pertaining to an inaccurate or disputed record will be included whenever the record is disclosed and destroyed with the record.

9. NOTIFICATION. The College will notify students annually of their rights under this policy, including:

9.1 The right to review the complete text of this policy.

9.2 The right to file complaints with the Department of Education in case violations of these procedures cannot be resolved through College means.

Counseling The Counseling Office's Release of Information Policies are in accordance with Minnesota state law, the Rules of the MN Board of Psychology and the Ethical Principles of Psychologists adopted by the American Psychological Association (APA). Private information can be released only with the informed written consent of the student client. Exceptions to this rule are outlined in the MN Board of Psychology Rules of Conduct and in the APA's Principles of Psychologists.

Directory The Macalester College Directory is not a public document. Copies are not to be made public, or to be distributed to anyone but members of the Macalester Community (currently enrolled students, faculty, and staff).

Minnesota Higher Education Services Office (MHESO) Macalester complies with annual requests from the Minnesota Higher Education Services Office (MHESO) for student information that is personally identifiable. The MHESO has completed a non-disclosure agreement acknowledging its responsibility to treat this information in a confidential manner as required by federal and state privacy laws in a manner consistent with Macalester's own information release policy.

Study Away Programs

Credit for study away is limited to experiences that have been endorsed by the Study Away Review Committee the semester prior to participation in any given program. Transfer of credit is not available for programs that are not endorsed through that process, except for January and summer programs. The Handbook for Off-Campus Study details the procedures for selecting an appropriate study away program and for seeking endorsement of participation in that program. The handbook is available from the International Center.

The cost of a semester’s tuition at Macalester will be charged for up to 18 semester credits earned on an approved study away program. Financial aid awards will be adjusted to take the overall effect of this policy into account.

Summer Offerings

Macalester students may earn up to eight semester hours in independent study during the summer through projects or internships. A learning contract must accompany each registration. The Summer Study office has additional information.

Transcript Requests

Students and their parents may request transcripts of their records from the Registrar's Office. All requests must be in writing, signed by the student or parent and accompanied by the $5.00 fee. If a student has a loan or account in default, no transcripts will be released until the obligation to the College is paid or other satisfactory arrangements have been made. Transcripts are normally available the next business day following receipt of the request.

Temporary Withdrawal

The Dean of Students may grant a temporary withdrawal for a duration of one semester up to one year to any student requesting to leave Macalester for personal reasons or for the purpose of attending another institution (see Section II part 12 above). A temporary withdrawal may be extended beyond one year with the permission of the Dean of Students. If the student does not apply for an extension prior to the termination of the temporary withdrawal, the student must apply to the Registrar's Office for readmission to the College when he/she wishes to return.

In order to request a temporary withdrawal, a student must have completed the first term as a new student and be in good academic standing. A student may not take a temporary withdrawal if action of a committee, board or official of the College, which would affect the student's status, is pending. Students who leave the College and are ineligible for a temporary withdrawal must apply for readmission.

A form requesting a temporary withdrawal must be submitted to the Dean of Students Office no later than the 10th day of the current term. Students wishing to apply for a temporary withdrawal after this deadline may petition through the Dean of Students. Documentation of a situation affecting the student's ability to be successful in the current term must be provided. Any student who wishes to leave Macalester for the purpose of entering military service or fulfilling mandatory religious obligations shall be granted a temporary withdrawal upon notification of the Dean of Students.

First year students leaving in their first term at Macalester are not eligible to return before the following Fall. The Admissions Office must be notified by March 1 for a return the following Fall Term.

In order to register for the term following a temporary withdrawal, a student must contact the Registrar's Office for registration materials and information. At least one month should be allowed for processing.

Failure to return from a temporary withdrawal by the date stated when requesting a temporary withdrawal or an extension will require that a student apply for readmission.

Students on a temporary withdrawal may not:

1. Participate in any student activity fee supported activity, intramurals, club or intercollegiate activities, forensics or performance activities, physical education activity courses, College sponsored volunteer activities or any activity in which they are representing the College.
2. Use art, computing or science facilities. (Students can request, in writing to the Dean of Students, permission to use computing services while on temporary withdrawal. The request must include the academic concerns that require the exception to this policy.)
3. Use medical or counseling services at Winton Health Services.
4. Live in College housing.
5. Have a campus mailbox.

Students on a temporary withdrawal may use the Library, Learning Center, Career Development Center and faculty advising.

International students are generally not allowed to take a temporary withdrawal and remain in the U.S. during the semesters of the academic year. If an international student takes a temporary withdrawal and leaves the U.S., the student should contact the International Center for further clarification of their status and process for re-entry to the U.S., as well as for regulations and special exceptions for the temporary withdrawal.

Withdrawals and Repeated Courses

A student may drop or add a course any time up to the Friday of the second week of class for the fall or spring term. Dropping a course does not require instructor permission, while adding a course does. Permission may be obtained electronically or by signature. See the Registrar’s Office for detailed procedures. An officially dropped course will not show on the student's transcript.

A student who withdraws from a course after the second week of class but before the ninth week of class will have a "W" placed on their transcript. The "W" is not computed into the GPA. Forms are available from the Registrar's Office and must be signed by the instructor.

In cases where a course is repeated, both courses remain on the record and one course (if the grade is D- or above) will be counted toward the degree. Grades from both courses are included in the GPA.

Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC)

Through an agreement among Augsburg College, Hamline University, the College of St. Catherine, the University of St. Thomas and Macalester College, students may take one course per semester at any one of the institutions without additional tuition charge, provided that the home institution has approved the course. Links to course information are provided on the Registrar’s Office website.

The ACT institutions are committed to sustaining cordial and mutually supportive relationships between and among the five campuses. To that end, the following guidelines for dealing with conduct violations have been established:

1. ACTC students visiting and/or taking classes at any of the five institutions are expected to observe the policies of that campus.
2. When students from one of the five institutions are on one of the member campuses, the judicial regulations of that institution apply to them. If they are involved in a disciplinary situation, the host Dean of Students (or designee) will be notified and, in turn, will convey the details to the home Dean of Students. In some cases, it may be determined that both Deans adjudicate the infraction collaboratively; in most cases, the home Dean will adjudicate the infraction on the home campus. In the event of an emergency or necessary police action, the host Dean (or designee) will respond immediately and later notify the home Dean.
3. Each of the five colleges/universities, through its own judicial process, has the authority to suspend or expel any student who is registered for courses on their campus with the visiting student being accorded all the rights, including the right of appeal, that apply to a student of the host school.
4. The duration of any penalties shall be at the discretion of the institution originally handling the incident. If the loss of academic grade is involved, or loss of privilege to continue taking a course at the host institution, the Academic Dean's Office may become involved in the process. The student may use existing channels of appeal.

In all cases, it is assumed that this agreement does not supersede any rules or regulations of any of the five institutions and, furthermore, that the strong, existing spirit of cooperation among the five institutions will prevail in seeking resolutions with educational merit. —Adopted 2/73, Revised 6/93