Academic Information

To view the Academic Regulations section of the Code of Student Conduct, click here.

The Academic Advisement Center is a central location for academic information and resources for students. In addition to providing advising services to all new Cameron students, we help students find the right major that meets their academic goals and interests. Students have access to Advising Specialists and Faculty Advisors who will provide timely and accurate academic advising for students’ academic success.  The Academic Advisement Center is located on the first floor of North Shepler and can be reached by calling 581-6741.

A student who has legally changed his/her name must provide appropriate documentation to validate the change. This documentation must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar as the change occurs. All transcripts are issued under a student’s legal name as recorded in the Office of the Registrar. Likewise, diplomas are mailed to the student’s address on file in the Office of the Registrar. Students should insure their current mailing address is on file at all times to avoid not receiving financial information and any other important notices. Students should log in to their Aggie Access account to update personal information.

Student schedule changes are initiated with the academic advisor if the student is a full time student. Part time students can make changes at the Enrollment Office (North Shepler, Room 201A). CU-Duncan students may change their schedules on the Duncan campus. Check the online enrollment schedule and academic calendar for specific dates and deadlines to add and drop classes.

Dropping and Withdrawing

DROPPING: Defined as canceling one or all classes within the drop period. Refer to the online academic calendar for specific dates. Classes that are dropped will not appear on the transcript. Dropping can be processed either at the Enrollment Office or with the faculty advisor. CU-Duncan students may also drop or withdraw on the Duncan campus.

WITHDRAWING: Defined as canceling one or more classes while remaining enrolled in at least one class, after the drop deadline. See the online academic calendar for specific dates. Withdrawn classes will appear on the transcript with a class status of W. Withdrawals must be processed at the Enrollment Office.

COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL: Defined as canceling all classes in which enrolled for the semester. If the complete withdrawal is processed during the Drop Period, no entry will appear on the transcript. If processed during the Withdrawal Period, classes will appear on the transcript with a class status of W.

To process a complete withdrawal:

1. Obtain an OFFICIAL withdrawal form from the Enrollment Office, North Shepler, Room 201A.
2. Obtain all instructors’ signatures for all courses in which enrolled if at the 12th week of a 16-week session or 6th week of the 8-week session.
3. Obtain Financial Assistance Office clearance and signature if receiving financial aid.
4. Return to the Enrollment Office to process the withdrawal.

* A complete withdrawal is NOT completed until a student processes the withdrawal form through Enrollment Office.

*NO withdrawals are allowed in the final two weeks of a regular semester or proportional period of a special session.

Non-attendance or ceasing to attend a class does not constitute a withdrawal. Students are responsible for payment of tuition & fees unless classes are dropped by the refund date listed in the Enrollment Schedule.

A student may change majors by filling out the appropriate form in the Registrar’s Office.

Credit

College credit at Cameron University is awarded in semester hours. Classes are worth varying amounts of semester hours, from 1 hour up to 5 hours, depending upon the particular class. The last digit in the course number indicates how many credit hours or semester hours the course is worth (i.e., ENGL 1113, English Composition I. The course number is 1113. The last digit is 3, thus the course is a three semester hour course. The student will receive 3 semester hours for successfully completing the class.)

Full-Time Status/Part-Time Status

Full-time students are enrolled in a minimum of :

FALL/SPRING 12 semester hours or more

SUMMER 6 semester hours or more

Part-time status students are those who take less than the full-time course loads mentioned above. Part-time students may enroll at the enrollment office in North Shepler, room 201A. However, if students are degree seeking, it is strongly recommended the student see their academic advisor to enroll. The advisor will insure they are taking courses that meet their specific degree requirements.

Full-time students must enroll with their academic advisor.

Academic Classification

Undergraduate students enrolled in 12 or more semester hours during a regular semester of study, or 6 or more semester hours during a summer session/eight week session, are classified as full-time students. Classifications according to the credit hours earned are:

Freshmen Less than 30 semester hours
Sophomores 30 to 59 hours
Juniors 60 to 89 hours
Seniors 90 hours or above, no degree
Special Not working toward degree

Graduate students enrolled in at least 9 or more semester hours during a regular semester of study or 4 or more semester hours during a summer session are classified as full-time students.

The course catalog provides information about the academic programs of Cameron University. It also contains information concerning admissions, academic regulations and requirements, services available to students, academic offerings and a list of the administrative officers and faculty of the University.

To view the catalog, click here.

The Dean’s List, published each semester, includes all full time undergraduate Cameron University students whose semester grade point average is 3.0 or better. Those full-time students earning a 4.0 grade point average are on the President’s List.

If you have earned this distinction but your name does not appear on the published list, you may need to change your release of information status in the Registrar’s Office.

It is the university's policy to accommodate students with disabilities, pursuant to federal and state law.  Students who need classroom accommodations must make their requests by contacting the Office of Student Development prior to the beginning of the semester or as soon as possible to ensure timely provision of an accommodation.

North Shepler 314
581-2209
www.cameron.edu/student_development

As a part of our constant effort to provide the support you need to succeed academically, Cameron University professors utilize a system known as ‘Early Alert’ to send letters to select students through the Office of Enrollment Management. These letters are usually sent near the beginning or the middle of a semester and indicate that the professor is concerned with your attendance and/or your performance on examinations or homework. If you receive an Early Alert letter you should contact the faculty member at your earliest convenience so that he/she can offer suggestions on steps you can take to improve, and/or make arrangements to refine your mathematics, writing, or communication skills in one of our student labs. If you have questions about Early Alert, please contact the Office of Enrollment Management at 581-8068.

1. It is the policy of Cameron University that all who provide instruction at the University shall be proficient in written, aural, and spoken English so that they may adequately instruct students. Cameron University has established procedures to ensure that faculty members have proficiency in written, aural, and spoken English.
2. A student who believes that an instructor is not sufficiently proficient in written, aural, or spoken English may file a written complaint with the Provost. The identity of the complainant(s) shall remain confidential. Anonymous complaints will not be accepted.
3. The Provost shall notify the instructor, the department chair of the academic unit in which the instructor is employed, and the dean of the school that a complaint has been received, although the identity of the complainant(s) shall remain confidential. If, after consulting with the school and department, the Provost determines that a formal inquiry is necessary, he/she shall appoint an independent evaluator to evaluate the English proficiency of the instructor. The evaluator may visit the class of the instructor named in the complaint, interview the instructor, interview students, or engage in such other activities as necessary to evaluate the instructor in a fair manner. The evaluator shall provide the Provost with a written report of his/her findings as to the English proficiency of the instructor and make recommendations of actions that should be taken.
4. The Provost shall notify the complainant(s), the instructor, the department head of the academic unit, and the dean of his/her findings as to the validity of the complaint. In the event that the instructor is found not to be sufficiently proficient in English, the Provost shall specify actions to be taken by the instructor and/or the academic unit. Such actions may include but are not limited to: (1) reassignment of the instructor to other duties; (2) re-evaluation of the instructor for the purpose of hiring, promotion, salary, or other personnel decisions; (3) appropriate remedial measures to assist the instructor in improving his/her English proficiency; and (4) appropriate remedies for the affected students.

1. Complete admission requirements and schedule your orientation and if necessary, placement testing (North Shepler, Room 227 or CU-Duncan, where applicable).
2. After orientation, meet with your academic advisor to select and schedule your courses. CU-Duncan students can enroll at the Duncan campus.
3. Student receiving financial assistance must take a copy of their printed enrollment schedule to the Financial Assistance Office (North Shepler, Room 301). If you are a veteran receiving benefits, a copy of your class schedule must be taken to the Veterans Affairs Office (North Shepler, Room 332).
4. Pay your tuition/fees at the Business Office (Administration Building) or at One-Stop (McMahon Centennial Complex).
5. Your enrollment is now complete.

***PLEASE NOTE:

Refer to the online academic calendar each semester for the payment schedule of tuition and fees.

Good Academic Standing

A student who meets or exceeds the University’s retention standards is considered in good academic standing.

Academic Notice

Freshmen students, defined as having 30 or fewer semester hours, with a cumulative GPA of 1.7 to less than 2.0 will be placed on academic notice and may be required to participate in special academic support activities as a condition of continued enrollment.

Academic Probation

A student who fails to meet the institution’s retention standards will be placed on academic probation and will remain on probation until the applicable retention standard is met or he/she is placed on academic suspension. Students on academic probation may be required to participate in academic support services as a condition of continued enrollment. Academic probation is recorded on the transcript.

Transfer Probation: Students transferring from another university on probation must meet with an admissions counselor before enrolling at Cameron.

Academic Suspension

Any student who was on academic probation the previous semester and who fails to raise his/her GPA to the required retention level or to achieve a 2.0 GPA the next semester in regularly-graded course work, not to include activity or performance courses, will be suspended from the institution. Academic suspension is recorded on the transcript.

Appeals of academic suspension due to “extraordinary personal circumstances” will be considered by the Academic Appeals Committee. Copies of appeal procedures may be obtained from the Office of Admissions, North Shepler, Room 227.

The quality of your university work is indicated by the grade and quality points per semester hour according to the following scale:

        A     Excellent (4 points)

        B     Good (3 points)

        C     Average (2 points)

        D     Below Average (1 point)

        F      Failure (0 points)

        S     Satisfactory (Neutral)

        U     Unsatisfactory (Neutral)

        P     Pass (Neutral)

        NP  No Pass (Neutral)

        I       Incomplete (Neutral)

        W    Withdrawal while passing (Neutral)

Your Grade Point Average (GPA) is a weighted average of all your “for credit” college work. This means that a grade in a four-hour course will change your GPA more than the same grade in a three-hour course. It also means that your GPA gets harder to change when you have taken more courses. To calculate your estimated GPA, you would do the following:

For each course you multiply the course credit hours times the grade you receive to get the “quality points” for that course. Your grades have the following numerical equivalents: each A is 4, each B is 3, each C is 2, each D is 1, and each F is 0. Add up the quality of points for each course and divide the result by the total credit hours to get your semester’s GPA. For example, suppose you were taking the following courses:

Your GPA for the semester would be 31 divided by 13 which equals 2.38

GPA=Total Quality Points/Total Credit Hours=______ GPA

Appeals of final grades follow a specific procedure.  That procedure includes a hearing before a Grade Appeals Committee, appointed by lot by the Chair of the Academic Appeals Committee (a University Committee), and is composed of faculty and students.  The only basis for a formal appeal of a final grade is whether the student’s final grade was assigned fairly within the grading system adopted by the faculty member.  Forms for a formal appeal of a final grade can be obtained from the Office of Academic Affairs located in the Administration Building room 250.

Other forms of academic grievances and complaints against faculty are discussed in the Student Handbook under Code of Student Conduct in Section 6 - Academic Regulations.

Cameron University’s Honors Program (CUHP) supports and rewards academically advanced students by providing them with exceptional opportunities for learning both inside and outside the traditional classroom setting. CUHP students dramatically enrich their undergraduate experience by enrolling in team taught courses, participating in frequent field trips, exploring subjects from interdisciplinary perspectives, conducting independent research for presentation at conferences and/or publication, benefitting the community through service-learning projects, and discovering how to work collaboratively to define and resolve specific problems appropriate to their interests and areas of expertise. The CUHP also provides a central focus for the pursuit of academic excellence on the Cameron campus.

The CUHP offers honors sections of numerous courses that meet general education requirements; the program also works with faculty and interested students to set up honors options for many traditional courses. Additionally, all CUHP students must complete one interdisciplinary upper division honors seminar as well as two core colloquia that are taught by multiple faculty from different departments.

These courses and honors options are open to students with high levels of talent, preparation, and/or motivation. All students who have scored 25 or higher on the ACT are automatically eligible for admission into the CUHP and are encouraged to apply. Students whose test scores do not make them automatically eligible but who nevertheless want to make the most of their academic experience at Cameron are invited to apply to the program director for provisional admission. Typically, honors courses are small, discussion based classes, and they are often augmented by field trips, museum visits, guest lectures, and technological enhancements. Full listings of honors course offerings are published regularly by the CUHP office. Honors course offerings are structured to encourage students to complete a significant portion of their general education requirements in honors courses and to encourage students to reconsider the interrelationship between disciplines and careers. The CUHP also encourages the development of high quality undergraduate research, honors capstone projects, and the development of honors degree tracks in the major disciplines. Successful completion of individual honors courses and or comprehensive honors program tracks will be acknowledged on the Cameron transcript.

The program also coordinates the activities of the Cameron honor societies and works to increase their visibility and to maximize their roles as hubs of academic leadership in the Cameron campus community. Membership in Cameron’s honor societies is acknowledged each year during Convocation.

The aim of the CUHP to produce graduates who have gone farther, learned more, and become more capable of leadership both in the community and in a chosen field of study.

The Cameron University Library promotes scholarly inquiry and work by providing materials and services associated with the access and use of information.  The library contains over 158,000 print volumes of information and provides access to over 60,000 electronic books, over 27,000 electronic journals, and over 9,000 educational films online.  The library houses comfortable work areas, a fully-equipped computer lab, and a group of friendly staff members trained to assist patrons with their library needs.

Visit the library's website at www.cameron.edu/library.

In order to stay in good academic standing at Cameron University you must earn the grade point average listed below.

1.7 or higher for

0-30 attempted semester hours

2.0 or higher for

31 attempted semester hours or above

Students with 30 or fewer attempted semester hours, earning below a 1.7 grade point average, will be placed on probation. This means that the student on probation must earn a 2.0 grade point average for all subsequent semesters in order to avoid being suspended from the university.

Students with 31 or more attempted semester hours, earning below a 2.0 grade point average, will be placed on probation. This means that the student on probation must earn a 2.0 grade point average for all subsequent semesters in order to avoid being suspended from the university.

A student will remain on academic probation until his/her retention GPA is 2.0. As long as a student is on probation, there is always a risk of being suspended. If a student does not make a 2.0, while on probation, he/she will be suspended.

When a student is suspended from the university he/she may not be considered for reinstatement until one regular semester (fall or spring) has passed. They will then have to make an appointment in the admissions office to meet with the Academic Appeals Committee before being readmitted on probation.

A student who has been suspended from the university may be reinstated only once. Should a reinstated student be suspended a second time, s/he cannot return to the University until such time as s/he has demonstrated, by attending another institution, the ability to succeed academically by raising her/his GPA to retention standards.

Both academic probation and suspension are recorded on a student’s transcript.

It is very important that students fully understand the meaning of probation and suspension. Students having questions concerning probation and suspension should make an appointment with one of the admissions counselors for clarification.

Make the most of your College Career

Student Support Services (SSS) is a federally funded TRIO program designed to provide academic support to at-risk college students. SSS offers academic advisement, enrollment, peer mentoring, free tutoring, financial aid information, classes specifically for SSS students, and a variety of enrichment workshops and cultural activities. Participation in SSS provides personal and academic enrichment for students who may face economic, social, and cultural barriers to higher education. SSS maintains information on campus and community resources and refers members to appropriate offices and agencies.

Focusing on building basic academic skills in remedial classes, SSS members are given priority enrollment into SSS sections of beginning algebra, intermediate algebra, and developmental writing. Tutoring labs staffed by faculty and trained peer tutors provide regular assistance for math, English, science, basic computer skills, and reading/study strategies. Additionally, tutoring for general education courses may be arranged on an individual basis.

Do I qualify for SSS?

You may qualify for Student Support Services if you have an academic need and meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Be a first-generation member of your family to pursue and receive a four-year degree
• Meet federal guidelines for having an economic need
• Have a documented learning or physical disability

To apply to this program, stop by the Student Support Services Office in Room 431 North Shepler.

Since 1987, SSS has been encouraging, teaching, motivating and joyfully watching Cameron students meet their goals and graduate!

North Shepler 431
581-2352
www.cameron.edu/sss

Interested in STUDYING ABROAD?  Cameron University provides opportunities and information for students who wish to continue their education by studying away from the university.  Opportunities include the British Studies program, participation in the Governor Brad Henry Scholars program and other opportunities.  Please contact the Academic Services Coordinator Lani Malcolm at 581-7962 or by email at lmalcolm@cameron.edu. 

Mandatory Placement

Mandatory course placement was developed to provide information about the English, math, science, and reading skills required for success in college. By assessing students’ ability levels, mandatory placement helps to determine the courses most appropriate for students.

Course placement in English, math, science, and reading courses will be determined by either ACT or computerized placement test (CPT) scores. For students under 21, placement is determined by ACT scores in the above subject areas. Students with ACT scores below 19 will be placed in deficiency-removal (pre-college) courses but can appeal this placement by taking the CPT. Adult students (over 21) and active-duty military will be placed in appropriate courses based on CPT scores.

For additional information concerning mandatory placement, contact the Testing Center or the Admissions Office.

Testing

The Testing Center administers many in-house and national tests throughout the year. Testing schedules are available at the Testing Center, the Admissions Office, or on-line at http://www.cameron.edu/testing/.

CPTs are administered weekly on Mondays and Thursdays. The Residual ACT and CLEP are offered monthly, and DSST and MAT are offered by appointment. The Institutional TOEFL is offered three times per year at the Testing Center.

National exams offered include the ACT, SAT, PPST, LSAT and GRE Subject.

Registration bulletins and additional information is available at the Testing Center or online at http://www.cameron.edu/testing/.

CU-Duncan: CPTs are offered on the Duncan campus by appointment. Call (877) 282-3626.

North Shepler 532
581-2502