Academic Information

Marlboro College offered Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Science in International Studies degrees.

Graduation Requirements

• Meet the Clear Writing Requirement;
• Complete a 45-60 credit Plan of Concentration;
• Earn 120 credits with a minimum of C- on Plan of Concentration;
• Submit a final copy of the Work in appropriate form to the Registrar;
• Pay all College bills.

Bachelor of Science Degree: A Bachelor of Science (BS) degree was selected by a student with a broad grounding in the Natural Sciences. To be eligible for a BS degree, a student must have completed at least two foundational Mathematics courses (usually either two semesters of Calculus or one semester each of Calculus and Statistics); at least one foundational course in four of the five Natural Science fields (Biology, Chemistry/Biochemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Studies, Physics/Astronomy); and at least two advanced courses in one area of the Natural Sciences or Mathematics.

International Studies: World Studies Program students earned a Bachelor of Arts or Science degree in International Studies, awarded by Marlboro College in association with the School for International Training.

N/A

College registration or enrollment and final course selection were essential processes for establishing status as a student at Marlboro College.

All new and returning students were expected to register at the College on the date and time specified in the academic calendar. The Director of Housing and Residential Life Office issued photo IDs, and the Plant and Operations Office issued automobile registration and room keys. The Total Health Center copied the student primary insurance information and issued a secondary insurance identification card.

On Registration/Enrollment Day or within 48 hours of arrival on campus, every student who brought a motor-propelled vehicle to College had to register the vehicle with the Plant and Operations Office on the form provided at enrollment.

Denial of Enrollment: The College reserved the right to deny enrollment to students who did not fulfill their financial or other obligations to the College. Enrollment was also denied to any international student without an appropriate student visa.

Students who were not satisfactorily enrolled by the final course registration date were not allowed to attend courses, tutorials, or other academic college-related activities for the semester, or to earn credit for the semester.

Students were expected to consult with their academic advisors and formulate a plan of study within the first few days of the term. Complete course information had to be submitted online as part of the course registration system, and also had to be approved by the academic advisor. The submission had to occur no later than the published date for final course registration at the beginning of each semester. Failure to submit the form to the Registrar could have resulted in a student being withdrawn from the College. Certification as a student at Marlboro College occurred only after course registration had been approved by the Registrar’s Office.

• General Statement
• The Policy
• Credit for Examinations
• Foreign Institutions

General Statement

Marlboro College considered transferring credits for academic liberal arts courses taken at a college or university accredited by an organization that was recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education. In order for courses to transfer, the grade must have been a C- or better, and the course(s) must have been comparable in content, nature, and intensity to course(s) offered at Marlboro College. Grades were not transferable.

Marlboro also considered transfer credit for acceptable levels of performance on approved standardized examinations (see below for a list). Such credit did not apply toward the Plan of Concentration.

All transfer credit was provisional. The provisional credits were fully granted once the student completed one semester of coursework as a degree student at Marlboro College. Students consulted with the Registrar for more information on the logistics of processing transfer credits.

The Policy

Only courses in which a student earned a grade of C- or better were considered for transfer. Courses graded P (Pass) were not considered unless the student could provide certification from the institution issuing the record that a grade of P was equivalent to a letter grade of C- or better.

Students submitted official transcripts of coursework completed at regionally accredited degree-granting institutions to the Registrar’s office or in some cases the Admissions Office (only if new applicants or newly admitted, not yet enrolled). For incoming students, transcripts had be received by the Registrar’s office by the first day of classes of the term in which they enrolled. Marlboro students who wished to transfer in credits from absentia or leave from Marlboro College must have requested that an official transcript be sent to Marlboro College’s Registrar’s office. The Registrar’s office must have received the transcript prior to the end of final exam period of the term in which the student returned to Marlboro. Credits were not removed once they were added to an academic record. Students could request, in writing to the Registrar’s office, that a course not be transferred to Marlboro; however, the Registrar’s office must have received such a request before receiving the official transcript.

Marlboro College did not award credit for nonacademic experiential learning prior to coming to Marlboro. Consequently, such credit awarded by other institutions was not considered for transfer if it was based on experiential learning. Students on Plan, however, could arrange for experiential credit to be applied to their Plan of Concentration.

Courses usually not recognized included physical education, education courses for teacher certification, and other technical or vocational courses, such as engineering, business, computer applications, management, and marketing. Many communications courses did not transfer, including journalism and effective speaking courses. Remedial-level courses, such as writing tutorial, math skills, reading improvement, or study skills courses were not accepted for transfer credit. Marlboro College generally did not award transfer credit for First-Year Seminars unless the course description/syllabus demonstrated rigorous academic work comparable to work offered at Marlboro College; in cases where these credits were accepted, a maximum of two credits were allowed to transfer. Transfer students who earned an R.N. from an accredited nursing school with a three-year program were granted 30 credits, or one year’s work, toward the Marlboro College degree.

Students who took college-level courses through an accredited degree-granting college or university while in high school could submit an official college transcript of that course work to the Admissions Office or the Registrar for evaluation. Provided the student received a grade of C- or better, the credits could be applied to the degree at Marlboro even if they also applied toward the high school diploma. Official transcripts must have been received by the Registrar’s office by the first day of classes of the term in which the student enrolled.

Credit for courses that were taken 10 or more years ago was generally not granted in transfer if it was required for a student’s Plan of Concentration. Exceptions may have been granted at the discretion of the Plan Sponsor and the Dean of Faculty, when the student could demonstrate current knowledge in the subject area. Credit for courses applied as general credit may have been accepted regardless of the age of the credit.

Once students enrolled in a degree program at Marlboro, they could take coursework at other institutions while they were degree-seeking or on leave of absence or in absentia. Students could check with the Registrar about which classes they took elsewhere were likely to transfer credits back to Marlboro.

Credit for Examinations

Marlboro College may have granted up to 24 credits in total for acceptable performance on the following standardized exams. It was the student’s responsibility to have official transcripts of test scores sent to the Registrar’s Office. Such credit was not awarded on the basis of another institution’s acceptance.

Advanced Placement (AP): Marlboro College granted up to 4 credits per exam for Advanced Placement Examinations (AP) with a score of 4 or 5. No more than 16 credits in total could be granted by Marlboro College for acceptable levels of performance on approved AP exams. AP credits were generally awarded during the Sophomore 2 semester.

International Baccalaureate (IB): Marlboro College granted up to 8 credits for higher level (HL) examinations passed with scores of 5, 6, or 7 from the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program.

Foreign maturity certificate examinations: Marlboro College considered the results of certain international diploma or certificate examinations and granted up to 8 credits for United Kingdom “A” Level General Certificate Examinations grades of A or B. Certain other examinations, such as the French Baccalaureat, German Arbitur, and the Federal Swiss Maturity Certificate, may also have been recognized. To be considered, students had to send their official transcripts to the Registrar’s Office.

Students could appeal the decision of which credits transferred. To do so, they must have stated their case in writing, to the Registrar’s office, within one month of the Registrar’s notice that the credits transferred. The Registrar may have requested additional information from the student, such as copies of the course descriptions or syllabi. The Registrar may have consulted with Marlboro College faculty and the Dean of Faculty to review appeals. The Registrar notified the student of the result of the appeal.

Foreign Institutions

If the courses/programs were taken at foreign (non-U.S.) institutions, the college or university must have been approved by the ministry of education in that country. Since foreign institutions have different systems for measuring coursework, students who studied abroad must have presented official documentation to the Registrar’s Office in order for credits to transfer to Marlboro.

All credentials must have been evaluated by an official evaluation organization. The student was responsible for ensuring that the organization submitted its report to Marlboro College. The costs of the evaluation and postage were borne by the student. Exceptions to this policy included official transcripts in English bearing American grading and credit standards (e.g., American colleges and study abroad programs through American colleges) and official transcripts in English using ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) standards. The Marlboro website posted a listing of evaluation agencies. A minimum grade of C- or the equivalent was required in order for a credit equivalency to transfer. Credential evaluations must have been received by the end of the following academic term.

A Marlboro student could take up to two Graduate School courses per trimester with the agreement of the student’s Plan sponsor/advisor, Dean of Faculty, and the relevant Program Director.

A student who wished to take a Graduate School course for credit first had to discuss this option with their sponsor or advisor. The advisor and student could consult with the appropriate Program Director as to the level and content of the classes. Students had to be aware that space restrictions may apply. The pre-registration form was then signed by the student’s Plan sponsor/advisor and filed in the Registrar’s office before the registration deadline.

While Graduate School course credits could be used as Plan credits, they were not evaluated in the oral examination and grades received from graduate school faculty would appear on the transcript; that is, progress grades would not be used for any Graduate School courses.

All academic undergraduate policies and deadlines applied to students taking courses at the Graduate School. Marlboro seniors who graduated in May were not permitted to take a spring trimester course at the Graduate School. Other students who wished to take a spring course (approximately May to August) had to abide by the Marlboro guidelines governing summer academic work.

Because all students needed to complete at least 45 credits on Plan in order to graduate, and that generally took three or four semesters, the highest class standing that was awarded, no matter how many transfer credits were accepted, was First-Semester Junior (JR1). Also, all transfer students must have earned at Marlboro at least one-quarter of the credits counted toward their graduation.

Junior transfer students, if their previous records permitted, normally were encouraged to start a Plan of Concentration as soon as possible after enrollment at the College. However, a junior transfer whose record did not meet the standard Marlboro prerequisites for Plan would normally be expected to spend an extra semester or more at the College.

Individual instruction in musical instruments (including voice) was provided by the Brattleboro Music Center (BMC) and the Vermont Jazz Center (VJC). Fees were paid directly to the Centers.

Full-time students could receive credit for music lessons taken at the Brattleboro Music Center and/or Vermont Jazz Center as long as they included the lessons as a Marlboro College Tutorial on the Course Registration Form. Exceptions for part-time students could be made by the Dean of Faculty.

If students wished to include BMC or VJC music study as part of the Plan of Concentration, they must have secured approval in advance from College music faculty.

All academic regulations listed on the official Marlboro College website, including those for Incompletes, applied to courses taken for credit at the BMC/VJC. If students wished to drop BMC lessons, they must have submitted drop slips to the Registrar by the posted deadline in effect for all courses. If lessons were dropped but no slip was submitted, the instructor would assign a grade of WP (withdrew passing) or WF (withdrew failing). Students must have attended a minimum of nine (9) half-hour lessons, or the equivalent, to receive a passing grade.

The BMC/VJC would not submit grades to the College unless a student paid for lessons. If no grade was submitted for this reason, the course was entered on the permanent record with no credit (“NC”) given.

A Plan student in music could be reimbursed for 1 credit per semester (typically one half-hour lesson per week) of private instrumental instruction by Marlboro if the following conditions were met:

1. A major component of the student’s Plan was in performance on that instrument with at least two recitals in the senior year;
2. The instrumental instructor had been approved by the music department;
3. The student had demonstrated a desire and ability to perform in previous years (through performances, concerts, etc.);
4. Reimbursement was given retroactively. Reimbursement was given only after the student successfully completed work each semester (C- or better).

Late Payment Fee: A fee of $100 was charged if payment was not received by the due date.

Late/Provisional Enrollment Fee: A fee of $100 was charged if a student failed to register on enrollment day.

Late Registration Fee: A fee of $100 was charged if a student failed to file their course registration with the Registrar’s office by the deadline.

Late Motor Vehicle or Firearm Registration Fee: $25 plus $10 for each successive day, or portion thereof, after the appropriate deadline.

Return Check Charge: There was a $30 charge for each check returned by a student’s bank.

All charges were subject to change and payable in advance.

Matriculated Students

• Part-time students: per credit: $1,329
• Each credit, including tutorials, over the maximum of 18 credits: per credit: $1,329
• Each audit over the maximum of 18 credits: $500
• Materials fees for Visual Arts courses: $20-100
• In absentia 1 & 5, per semester: $19,935
• In absentia 2,3, & 4*: per semester at another institution, continuing student $500
• *In absentia 4: fee for credit by examination, per credit: $665
• Fee for Reinstatement on Plan: $300
• Summer work with Marlboro faculty for credit: rate per credit (8-credit maximum): $1,329

Non-matriculated Students

• Graduates of Marlboro, per credit: $665
  Note: Application needed to be made to the Admissions Office. Tutorials were not offered at this rate.
• Materials fees for Visual Arts courses: $20-100
• Part-time students per semester per credit (maximum of 8 credits per semester) or per credit over the maximum 18: $1,329
• Auditors: Fee per course (maximum of two courses per semester): $500

Note: Senior citizens, 65 years of age or older, could audit one course per semester without charge by arrangement with the Dean of Faculty and the instructor. Graduates of Marlboro College could audit up to two courses per semester without charge by arrangement with the Dean of Faculty, the instructor, and the Director of Alumni Affairs. Emeriti faculty could take classes at the college free of charge.

• Withdrawals and Leaves of Absences Policy
• Financial Obligations
• Return of Title IV Funds Policy

Withdrawals and Leaves of Absences Policy

No adjustment of tuition, fees, institutional or non-federal aid were made in the event that a student withdrew or separated from the College at any time after enrollment except as herein specified. No adjustment was made in cases of suspension or expulsion or dismissal from campus housing as a result of disciplinary action. Students who were granted a leave of absence after the start of classes were treated in the same manner as students who withdrew from the College for calculation purposes. The same policy applied to a student on a one-semester or full-year of absentia status. Exceptions were made if a policy for aid other than institutional aid required the college to return funds in full or in part.

The Federal Start of Term was the first day of classes, which included Intro Classes.

If the withdrawal occurred before the first day of classes, an adjustment of tuition, student activities fees, health services fees, student health insurance, board and non-federal aid were made. There was no refund of the enrollment deposit. The enrollment deposit could be carried forward in the event a student postponed enrollment for up to one academic year. Students remained liable for the full housing charge.

If a withdrawal occurred on or after the first day of classes, an adjustment to the student account for tuition, board (meal plan), health services fee, and non-federal aid was made according to the schedule below. Students remained liable for student activities fees, lab fees, student health insurance, and the full housing charge.

If the official withdrawal occurred on or after the first day of classes (Federal Start of Term), the schedule of tuition, board, health service fees, and non-federal aid was calculated as follows, based on calendar days:

1. If the withdrawal occurred within the first 7 days, an adjustment of 80 percent was applied to the account.
2. If the withdrawal occurred within day 8 through day 14, an adjustment of 60 percent was applied to the account.
3. If the withdrawal occurred within day 15 through day 21, an adjustment of 40 percent was applied to the account.
4. If the withdrawal occurred within day 22 through day 28, an adjustment of 20 percent was applied to the account.
5. No tuition, fees, and non-federal aid were returned or refunded after 28 days.

A student’s withdrawal date was:

1. the date the student officially notified the Registrar’s Office of intent to withdraw; or
2. the date the student began the College’s withdrawal process; or
3. the midpoint of the semester for a student who left without notifying the College; or
4. at the College’s discretion, the student’s last date of attendance at a documented academically related activity (which included, but was not limited to, an exam, a tutorial, computer-assisted instruction, academic counseling, academic advising, turning in a class assignment, or attending a study group that was assigned by the institution).

Withdrawing students who lived in campus housing were expected to vacate the campus within 24 hours of notifying the Registrar of their intent to withdraw unless an extension had been granted by the Director of Housing and Residential Life.

If the College’s refund calculation policy conflicted with the Veterans Administration regulations concerning enrolled veterans receiving VA benefits, the VA policy on refunds would prevail.

Financial Obligations

Enrolled students who accepted a housing assignment but subsequently did not live in campus housing for any reason were charged a room contract fee in the amount of $400. In addition, students with approved housing assignments who failed to notify the College that they would not live in campus housing at least two weeks prior to the date the dorms opened were responsible for the full room charge.

Students who moved off campus during the term for personal reasons (or who lived in campus housing not requiring them to be on meal plan) who opted to discontinue participation in the meal plan qualified for a reduction of board fees according to the schedule above.

Return of Title IV Funds Policy

Adjustments in financial aid awards for students who withdrew on or after the first day of classes were determined according to a formula prescribed by federal regulations. Marlboro College and the student were required to return to the federal aid programs the amount of aid received that was in excess of the aid “earned” for the time period the student was enrolled.

The percentage of the semester completed was the percentage of aid earned: This was calculated by the number of days the student attended divided by the number of days in the payment period (i.e., semester). For example, if a student withdrew on the 20th day of a semester 114 days in length, the student would have earned only 17.5% of the aid they received (20/114=0.175). Students who remained enrolled through at least 60% of the semester were considered to have earned 100% of the aid received and were not subject to a return of Federal Title IV funds. Students receiving financial aid who left before the 60% point of the semester may not have had enough “earned” aid to cover charges owed but were still responsible for satisfying their financial obligations to the College. Students considering withdrawal were strongly encouraged to confer with the Financial Aid Office and the Student Accounts Office concerning any anticipated refund of charges and adjustments in financial aid. Students may also have been required to return funds released to them for personal expenses. Details of the federal regulations could be obtained from the Financial Aid Office.

• Dedicated Hour
• Responsibilities of the Student
• Responsibilities of the Advisor
• Responsibilities of the Director of Academic Advising

Advising at Marlboro was central to the mission of the College: to “teach students to think clearly and to learn independently within a structured program of liberal studies.” Its success depended on three important components: the student, the faculty advisor, and, in support of both, the Director of Academic Advising.

Dedicated Hour

The Dedicated Hour was one of the advising mechanisms by which students and advisors met on a regular basis on Wednesdays. Advising groups discussed academic matters and issues of community import and/or engaged in context-related activities. Advising groups contained students from each year and coalesced around a general academic interest.

Responsibilities of the Student

The student’s active participation in the advising relationship was crucial to the development and achievement of their educational goals. The responsibilities of the student were:

• To attend, participate, and engage fully in the Dedicated Hour.
• To develop academic goals by taking advantage of appropriate college resources such as consultation with the advisor, Plan workshops, the Course Book & Plan Guide, and the Handbook.
• To become familiar with graduation requirements and all other academic policies as well as to meet all registration and Plan application deadlines.
• To take responsibility for academic choices.
• To consult with the advisor concerning changes (adds and drops) to an already approved registration.
• To consult with the advisor when in academic difficulty and especially after receiving a letter of academic warning at mid-term or being placed on academic probation at the end of the semester.
• To keep appointments.
• To change advisors if there was not a good fit or if the advisor was going on sabbatical.
• To seek additional help from other College resources when necessary.

Responsibilities of the Advisor

The faculty advisor played a vital role in the intellectual growth of the Marlboro student. The advisor was not only an experienced guide to the curriculum and the institution but also was active in helping the student to set educational goals and to work toward meeting them. The advisor’s help occurred in different ways at two distinct times during the student’s undergraduate years: (1) in the first two years when the student was discovering new avenues of learning, sharpening skills, and building a foundation for advanced work; and (2) in the final two years when the student was on Plan, committed to a narrower and more focused study.

While the advisor was expected to introduce, inform, and offer advice, the most critical part of the advisor’s role was to listen, discuss, challenge, assist, collaborate, and model activities that were a natural extension of teaching. The responsibilities of the advisor were:

• To facilitate the collaborative functioning of the Dedicated Hour.
• To introduce the student to the academic program by explaining the principles informing the organization and the aims of the curriculum.
• To work with the student in planning their academic program, paying particular attention to Marlboro’s goals that each student:
  • study broadly each semester of the first two years, including courses in several different disciplines;
  • become acquainted with the interests, methods, and teaching styles of as many faculty members as possible; and
  • develop and improve fundamental skills including clear writing, careful reading, critical analysis, and numeracy.
• To approve the student’s course registration for the semester, including any “drops” or “adds.”
• To encourage the student to follow the recommendations of the English Committee after the Writing Placement Exam and to help the student understand and prepare for meeting the Clear Writing Requirement.
• To provide preliminary information about the nature of the Plan and the role of the first two years in preparation for going on Plan.
• To be available for consultation during posted office hours or by appointment.
• To encourage advisees to meet with the advisor regularly and to notify the Director of Academic Advising when difficulties arose.
• To refer the student to other College resources to meet individual needs. Advisors were not expected to be counselors.
• To assist the student in changing advisors when appropriate.

Responsibilities of the Director of Academic Advising

The Director of Academic Advising coordinated all aspects of academic advising, including:

• Assigning incoming students to academic advisors;
• Working with faculty on agendas for Dedicated Hours;
• Assisting faculty and students with academic issues;
• Following up academic concerns raised by faculty;
• Providing information sessions on the Plan; and
• Overseeing the Peer Advising Program.

• General Information
• Credit Load
• Class Standing
• Dropping a Course
• Withdrawing From a Course
• Adding a Course
• Changing Credits for a Course
• Course Repeats
• Incompletes

General Information

One academic credit corresponded to approximately 45 hours of work, inside and outside of class, over the appropriate time period.

Credit Load

The normal full-time course load was 15 credits. In order to meet the graduation requirement of 120 credits, a student must have averaged 15 credits per semester over 4 years. The minimum allowable load for a full-time student was 12 credits per semester. Entering freshmen and students on academic probation may have found a load of fewer than 15 credits advantageous, though signing up for just 12 credits had its own risks.

The maximum allowable load (without additional charge) was 18 credits of active work per semester. Students may have registered for more than 18 credits only by vote of the faculty. There was a fee for each credit in excess of 18, payable in advance (see Special Fees).

Class Standing

The following were the number of earned credits generally corresponding to a student’s class standing:

• 0 credits = Freshman 1
• 12 credits = Freshman 2
• 25 credits = Sophomore 1
• 42 credits = Sophomore 2
• 55 credits = Junior 1
• 72 credits = Junior 2
• 84 credits = Senior 1
• 102 credits = Senior 2

Class standing was also dependent upon Plan progress and credit distribution, as outlined elsewhere in the academic regulations (e.g., a student may have had enough earned credits to qualify as a Senior 1 according to the above chart but not enough credits on Plan, so their status may have actually been Junior 2). In addition, restrictions applied to credits transferred from other colleges, credits by examination, or credits earned through Advanced Placement. (See also Credit Placement.)

Students receiving VA benefits needed to consult with the Registrar to make sure they were in compliance with VA rules.

International students needed to consult with the Office for International Services to make sure they were in compliance with their visa status.

Dropping a Course

Students who wished to drop a course had to submit to the Registrar the appropriate form (available outside the Registrar’s Office or on the web; see Forms) signed by both the academic advisor and the faculty instructor. Students could drop a course up to 2 weeks (or posted date) after final course selection without the course appearing on the permanent record. Full-time students were not allowed to drop credits if doing so would bring them below full-time (12 credits) status at any point in the semester.

Withdrawing from a Course

If a student withdrew from a course after the deadline for dropping a course, a grade of WP (withdrew passing) or WF (withdrew failing) was assigned by the instructor. Students needed to withdraw from a course by submitting completed paperwork to the Registrar at least one week prior to the last day of classes to avoid receiving a letter grade (A-F). Full-time students were not allowed to drop credits if doing so would bring them below full-time (12 credits) status at any point in the semester.

Credits assigned to the course were still counted in the total for the semester but were considered inactive. Students were permitted a maximum of 18 credits of active coursework. An extra charge was assessed whenever a student was enrolled for more than 18 credits of active course work in a semester. (See special fees.)

Adding a Course

Students who wished to add a course after final registration needed to submit to the Registrar, at least one week prior to the last day of classes, the appropriate form signed by both the academic advisor and the faculty instructor. (See special fees.)

Changing Credits for a Course

Students could, with the consent of the instructor, increase or decrease the credits of a course, up to one week prior to the last day of classes, by submitting to the Registrar the appropriate form signed by both the academic advisor and the faculty instructor. Faculty reserved the right to change credits through the end of the semester. Other policies may have applied for incompletes and in absentia work. Students were expected to maintain accurate registration schedules during the semester. Full-time students were not allowed to drop credits if doing so would bring them below full-time (12 credits) status at any point in the semester.

Course Repeats

Some courses built skills or change in ways that made them repeatable regardless of grades given. Official descriptions for such courses included the statement “May be repeated for additional credit.”

For other courses, the following rules applied: 1) A student may have repeated a course for credit, once only, if they had earned a grade of D or F. Both courses and their grades remained permanently on the transcript; however, the credits were earned only in the course with the higher grade. 2) A course with a final grade of Permanent Incomplete (PI), WP, or WF counted as one attempt and may have been repeated only once for credit. 3) A student receiving an Unsatisfactory Plan grade could not enroll subsequently for the same or similar course if the initial U converted to degree credits upon completion of the Plan.

Incompletes

The Dean of Faculty could grant an Incomplete if extraordinary circumstances made it impossible for a student to complete work on time. A family emergency, medical crisis, or outside catastrophe beyond the control of the student could warrant an Incomplete. Incompletes were not granted in cases of time mismanagement or to relieve end-of-term pressures.

1. A student requesting an Incomplete had to fill out an Incomplete Request Form (from the Registrar), which listed the work to be completed.
2. The student then had to meet with the Director of Academic Advising to discuss the request and options.
3. The student then had to speak with the Dean of Faculty, who may have asked for corroborating evidence of the circumstances that warranted the Incomplete.
4. Once the Dean authorized the Incomplete, the Director of Advising secured the signature of the faculty member in whose course or tutorial the Incomplete was sought.
5. The faculty member certified that it was possible for the student to complete the work given additional time and assigned a default grade, should the work not be completed.
6. Finally, the Director of Advising would submit the form to the Registrar.

Requests for Incompletes were accepted only during the week before the deadline for withdrawing from classes/adding credits. All requests had to be submitted by the deadline for withdrawing from classes/adding credits.

Work was to be completed and received by the faculty member within one month from the last day of classes. If work was not completed, the default grade was entered on the transcript. Faculty members were asked to submit a revised grade to the Registrar as soon as work was completed, but no later than the second faculty meeting of the year. In rare cases, such as when coursework could not be completed outside of the course or when the original justification for the Incomplete persisted beyond the deadline, it was possible for the student to receive a Permanent Incomplete.

In order to have been in good academic standing, a full-time student must have earned at least 12 credits with grades of C- or better. (See Credit Load.) A full-time student who earned 9-11 credits would have been liable for probation. A full-time student who earned fewer than 9 credits would have been liable for dismissal. (See Academic Probation and Disciplinary Action.) A full-time student who had not submitted a Preliminary Plan Application by the end of the first semester of their junior year was liable for discontinuance. Transfer students who arrived in their junior or senior year had to submit a Preliminary Plan Application by the end of their first semester at Marlboro or they would have been eligible for discontinuance. (See Discontinuance and Plan of Concentration, Discontinuance.)

A full-time student who earned fewer than 12 credits of C- or better was liable for academic probation. Academic probation was automatic at 9, 10, or 11 credits and was voted by the faculty at 8 credits or fewer (see Guided Probation, below). Students who showed a flagrant disregard for their academic responsibilities (for instance, by failing to attend classes regularly or by failing to submit required work) may have been placed on academic probation by vote of the faculty prior to the end of the semester.

When a student on Plan received a report of unsatisfactory (U) from their sponsor at the end of a semester, they were liable for academic probation even if they earned 12 or more credits at C- or better.

To get off Academic Probation or Guided Probation, a student must have met the minimum requirement for good standing (12 credits of C- or better) by the end of the semester immediately following that which led to probation.

• Academic Dismissal
• Guided Probation
• Student placed on probation for unsatisfactory work on Plan
• Appeal
• Discontinuance

Academic Dismissal

A full-time student who earned fewer than 9 credits at C- or better was liable for dismissal. A full-time student on academic probation who earned fewer than 12 credits at C- or better during the subsequent semester was liable for dismissal and was likely to be dismissed. Dismissal required a vote by a majority of the faculty present at a faculty meeting. Faculty members were asked to inform the Director of Academic Advising of likely failures at least one week before the end of term. Any student liable for dismissal was notified before the final faculty meeting whenever possible. The student could submit a statement to be read at the meeting by the Dean of Faculty, the Director of Academic Advising, or by the student’s advisor.

Full-time students liable for dismissal but not previously on probation who made serious efforts to meet their academic responsibilities (e.g., by attending classes regularly, participating constructively, and submitting work as required) were often placed on Guided Probation by faculty vote, rather than dismissed, especially during their first two or three semesters of college work.

Students liable for dismissal who showed a flagrant disregard for their academic responsibilities were generally dismissed.

Guided Probation

Students liable for dismissal were dismissed or placed on Guided Probation, which required signing a learning contract that was developed with an academic support team, including the student’s advisor, the Director of Academic Advising, and others as appropriate. The learning contract, which was placed in the student’s official file, included some or all of the following elements, tailored to individual circumstances.

• Regular class attendance
• Workshops in relevant areas, such as time management, study skills, or note taking
• Peer tutoring or tutorial help in subject areas
• Targeted skills training, such as writing, math, or research methods
• LD testing, if appropriate
• Regularly scheduled advisor meetings
• Other support as identified in the learning contract

Students eligible for automatic probation also could choose Guided Probation; there was no obligation to do so.

Student placed on probation for unsatisfactory work on Plan

A student placed on probation for unsatisfactory work on Plan in one semester who continued to do unsatisfactory work on Plan could be dismissed for academic failure at the end of the following semester. Students on Plan who were, in the faculty’s opinion, making no significant effort to meet their academic responsibilities could be dismissed for academic failure without the intervening semester on probation. However, such students could instead be asked to do an extra semester’s work, upon notice from the Dean of Faculty.

Part-time students were expected to earn C- or better in all academic work. Those who failed to do so were liable for academic probation or dismissal.

Appeal

A student dismissed for academic failure could appeal the dismissal through an ad hoc committee composed of the Dean of Faculty, Director of Academic Advising, and the student’s advisor or another faculty member of the student’s choice.

In general, the ad hoc committee would consider procedural matters, such as eligibility for dismissal and/or faculty errors in grading. The ad hoc committee reported to the faculty at the meeting following the meeting in which the action took place, at which time the faculty would consider the recommendations of the ad hoc committee.

Discontinuance

A student could be discontinued (as distinct from “dismissed”) from the College for three reasons: (1) failure to meet the Clear Writing Requirement (see English Discontinuance); or (2) failure to demonstrate adequate progress toward completing a Plan by outlining their ideas on a Preliminary Plan Application and securing a Plan sponsor (see Plan of Concentration, Discontinuance) or (3) failure to complete a Plan of Concentration within the parameters of Extension #1 and #2. (See Plan of Concentration, Discontinuance.) A student on Discontinuance was considered withdrawn from the College for purposes of official reports and financial aid.