Academic Regulations

This section summarizes important information related to academic work at Longwood University. Students must be familiar with the information in this section. The catalog for the year in which a student enters Longwood University governs academic regulations, program and graduation requirements. Under extenuating circumstances, exceptions to academic policies may be submitted to the Graduate Faculty Petitions Committee via the Petition Request Form. Students must contact the College of Graduate and Professional Studies for information and deadlines for submitting an appeal.

Student Responsibility

It is the responsibility of students to inform themselves of, and to observe, all regulations and procedures required by the university. In no case will a regulation be waived or an exception granted because students plead ignorance of the regulation or assert that they were not informed of the regulation by an advisor or other authority. Students should be especially familiar with the academic regulations, the requirements for the degree they plan to complete, and when courses are offered by working with their advisor. It is the responsibility of each student to be certain that the academic requirements necessary for graduation are completely fulfilled. Departments reserve the right to determine which graduate courses will be offered in any semester or summer session and should be consulted concerning  available courses. Program Directors may substitute major course requirements where appropriate. The schedule of classes is produced online each semester by the Office of the Registrar.

Academic Advising

Longwood’s advising program provides informed academic counseling that makes effective use of the assessment, career planning, student development, and software resources available. Although course selection is important, advisors are prepared to assist advisees on such matters as the following:

• Examining post degree career opportunities;
• Understanding their personal abilities, interests, and career goals;
• Developing an educational program that enhances and fulfills these goals;
• Providing information about college and departmental policies, procedures, and resources;
• Reviewing opportunities for academic involvement through internships, research with graduate faculty, participating in professional organizations, and acceptance to honorary societies; and,
• Evaluating their progress toward their educational goals.

Newly admitted students are assigned a program advisor. The assignment of the advisor generally is not changed unless the student changes his/her degree program. Prior to registration, students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisor regarding course selection and sequence, career goals, and relevant academic policies. Although the academic advisor assists students with curriculum decisions and options, the student bears full responsibility for meeting graduation requirements.

Enrollment

Any student who has been admitted graduate program at Longwood University will continuously  enroll in credit bearing courses each semester unless a Leave of Absence from study is requested and approved.  Any semester in which the student is supervised by or consults with faculty concerning graduate work on thesis, professional portfolio, or field experience requires enrollment.

Students enroll in courses by registering through mylongwood each semester.  Registration in a course is a commitment to participate in that course and pay all tuition and fees associated with it.  Students can change their semester schedules by adding or dropping courses during the short add/drop period that takes place at the beginning of each term.  Changes in schedules at this time do not involve grades or loss of tuition and fees, though adding classes will increase tuition and fees.  Changes during add/drop may affect financial aid.  After the add/drop period, once courses are underway, students can only withdraw from a course until the midpoint of the term.  Withdrawal does incur tuition and fees and the course shows on the student’s transcript as a W (withdrawal) instead of a grade.  Withdrawing from a course or courses may affect financial aid.

A student may also decide to stop attending a graduate program completely and withdraw from the university.  This is a different process than withdrawing from a course as it removes the student from the mylongwood system as an active student.  Changes to a student’s schedule at any time could affect financial aid.

Registration Procedures

All graduate degree and professional endorsement seeking graduate students are expected to register by myLongwood during one of the opportunities provided during the academic year:

• Registration: normally opens in October/November for the following spring semester or in March/April for the following fall semester and limited to currently enrolled, degree and professional endorsement seeking-students.
• Summer Registration: normally opens in March with students required to register by the Registration Deadline for the session in which the course is listed..
• Final Registration: the day immediately preceding the first day of classes each semester.

In addition to the official course offerings schedule available on the Office of the Registrar, the College of Graduate and Professional Studies can be contacted for more details.

Full-Time/Part-Time Status

For academic and financial aid purposes, a graduate-level student must be registered for at least six (6) credit hours per semester to be considered full-time. Graduate-level students registered for fewer than 6 credit hours per semester are considered part-time for academic purposes.  To be eligible for financial aid a student must be registered for a minimum of three (3) credits per semester. Full-time status for state financial aid is nine (9) credit hours per term. See the Expenses and Financial Policy  section of the catalog.  

Course Add/Drop Period

Students may make schedule adjustments (adds and/or drops) for face-to-face, off-campus, online, and hybrid courses. Tuition is not paid for courses dropped within this time period, but financial aid may be affected.

• until 5:00 p.m. on the sixth day of classes for fall and spring full term courses.
• until 5:00 p.m. on the third business day after the officially stipulated begin date in an abbreviated term, intersession or summer courses of at least three weeks.
• until 5:00 p.m. of the officially stipulated begin date for any courses which are less than three weeks in duration. If the first meeting time of such a course is after 3 p.m., then a student has until noon of the business day following the officially stipulated begin date to add/drop the course.

Appropriate dates for the last day to add and/or drop without academic or financial penalty are included in the official college calendar, on the course listing for each semester, and on the Office of the Registrar website under the Quick Links menu.

All registration and add/drop transactions must be processed through appropriate procedures by the deadline to become effective.

Withdrawal from Individual Courses

Students may withdraw from individual classes with a grade of W until noon on the 50th day of regularly scheduled classes or, for classes held in non-traditional time frames including summer, until the mid-point of the class. After that date, withdrawals from individual classes are not permitted. A student who needs to withdraw for medical reasons from the University or from a class after the deadlines cited above must, by noon of the last class day, must complete a Retroactive Withdrawal Request. In addition, a letter must be sent by a physician, detailing the nature of the illness, and recommending withdrawal for medical reasons. In other extenuating circumstances not related to academic performance, the Dean may grant a withdrawal if a written request from the student is received by noon of the last class day. If the Dean approves the request, the Dean will send a copy of the request or letter to the Office of the Registrar and the affected grade(s) for that semester will be noted as W on the student’s transcript. The Dean will notify the student’s faculty members of any grade changes.

To withdraw and receive a grade of W in any course designated as off-campus, students must submit a letter of withdrawal to the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies postmarked before the mid-point of the class. Students may not withdraw during the second half of the class except for medical or other non-academic emergencies. A student who needs to withdraw for medical reasons from the University or from a class after the deadlines cited above must, by noon of the last class day, send a letter to the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. In addition, a letter must be sent by a physician, detailing the nature of the illness, and recommending withdrawal for medical reasons. In other extenuating circumstances not related to academic performance, the Dean may grant a withdrawal if a written request from the student is received by noon of the last class day. If the Dean approves the request, the Dean will send a copy of the request or letter to the Office of the Registrar and the affected grade(s) for that semester will be noted as W on the student’s transcript. The Dean will notify the student’s faculty members of any grade changes.

Withdrawal from The University

Current Longwood students who are not planning on continuing their enrollment with Longwood University are required to formally withdraw from the University by complete the University Withdrawal form. 

Students must officially withdraw from the University (drop all registered credits within the appropriate add/drop period) to prevent the assessment of tuition and fee charges before the first day of the academic semester. Withdrawal is not official until a student has completed the withdrawal paperwork with the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. Until this is completed, the student will still accrue financial liability.

Please note that the following actions will not substitute for a formal withdrawal (or course cancellation) and will not be considered justification for elimination or reduction of charges:

1. Failure to submit payment for a course after registering.
2. Failure to officially drop a course for any reason, including an account hold.
3. Failure to attend class, log into Canvas, and/or complete coursework after registering.
4. Requesting release of official (or unofficial) transcripts.
5. Failure to apply for, receive, or accept financial aid and/or other third party tuition/fee assistance.
6. Voluntary or enforced cancellation of financial aid.

The deadline to withdraw without academic penalty should not be confused with any deadline to withdraw and receive a full or partial refund of charges. Please see the “Expenses and Financial Policy ” section of this catalog for information related to refunds and charge adjustments. This applies to both course withdrawal and program withdrawal.

Leave of Absence:

Students in graduate programs sometimes experience situations requiring them to temporarily stop taking coursework for a term(s) (e.g. health, family emergency, change in parental status, military service, financial hardship, personal, or academic reasons). Terms include fall, spring and summer.  Admitted graduate students who need to take a term(s) break from their course work are required to take a leave of absence to remain in good standing with the University. A leave of absence may be requested by filling out the Leave of Absence Form prior to the add/drop date in the applicable term as published in the University calendar. 

Except for extenuating circumstances requiring approval from the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies, time spent in leave of absence status will be included in all time limits pertaining to the student’s degree program.  Students in leave of absence are only entitled to use University resources normally available to the public or alumni, are not guaranteed requests for faculty time, and may not receive any assistantships or Expenses and Financial Policy . A student on leave of absence is reported to the National Student Loan Data System as not enrolled, thus initiating the grace or repayment period for previously borrowed student loans.

Students in leave of absence maintain access to their Longwood accounts, including email and the library.

A leave of absence may be up to three, consecutive terms in length (terms include fall, spring and summer).  A student who does not return after a three-term leave of absence may be required to reapply and pay the application fee. Students who take an unapproved break in registration by failing to complete the Leave of Absence Form will relinquish their graduate standing. Students who wish to be reinstated will be required to re-apply to the program and pay the application fee. Reinstatement is not automatic in such instances and will depend on a full review by the applicable Program Director.

Class Attendance

It is the university’s policy that students are expected to attend all classes. Failure to attend class regularly impairs academic performance and is disruptive to the educational process for others. This is especially true when absences cause interruptions for clarification of material previously covered, failure to assume assigned responsibilities for class presentations, or failure to adjust to changes in assigned material or due dates.

It is the responsibility of all faculty to give students a copy of their attendance policy in their course syllabi.

• Instructors may assign a grade of “0” or “F” on work missed because of unexcused absences.
• Instructors have the right to lower a student’s course grade by no more than one letter grade, if the student misses 10 percent of the scheduled class meeting times for unexcused absences.
• Instructors have the right to assign a course grade of “F” when the student has missed a total (excused and unexcused) of 25 percent of the scheduled class meeting times.

Students must assume full responsibility for any loss incurred because of absence, whether excused or unexcused.  Faculty should permit students to make up work when the absence is excused. Excused absences are those resulting from the student’s participation in military service, from a college-sponsored activity, from recognizable emergencies, or from serious illness. Faculty may require documentation for excused absences in their attendance policy. Student Health Services will provide documentation of needed absence in very limited cases: only for those students who are sent home by Student Health (ex. Communicable disease). The Dean of Students may also provide documentation for students unable to attend class due to mental health reasons.

Classes on the university campus are considered open unless university officials send notification by text, email, or web. If the university campus is closed, or if faculty cannot safely reach campus due to inclement weather, faculty should communicate with their students about how the course schedule will change.

Faculty may offer alternate instructional opportunities, such as asynchronous class meetings, discussion boards, videos, readings, etc. in place of a missed class period.  Faculty should be flexible and reasonable in assigning weather-related makeup work: poor road conditions, lack of electricity, disrupted access to the Internet, and canceled bus routes may impede students’ ability to complete assignments. Faculty should also consider that students may have scheduling conflicts following the weather event.  Students taking classes, doing internships, or participating in other university activities off-campus should contact their faculty advisors for instructions on whether to continue those activities when the university campus is closed.

Final Examinations/Statement of Purpose

The overarching purpose of final examinations at Longwood University is to facilitate learning in a manner consistent with the pedagogy of each course, and in a way that is appropriate to the subject matter of each course. The evaluation of learning is considered to be an integral part of the educational experience for all students and the constructive use of valid evaluation measures, including examinations, papers, and presentations, not only provides assessments of learning outcomes, it also becomes part of the learning process itself.

Final Examination Policies

1. The final examination schedule shall be published with the schedule of classes for each semester. During regular semesters, four (4) two and one-half-hour examinations are scheduled each day. For courses held during the summer or any other non-traditional block of time, examinations are held during the regularly scheduled class period on the last day of each term. One reading day will precede the examination period, except for courses held during the summer or any other non-traditional block of time. No assignments shall be due on a reading day.
2. Faculty members must require that a final culminating assignment (e.g., exam, term paper, oral presentation, project report) be conducted or due during the final examination period established for the course. The final culminating assignment for a course shall be due by, and no earlier than, the end of the examination period published by the Registrar. Exceptions must be approved by the Dean of the appropriate College.
3. Students must be informed of the nature and timing of the final culminating assignment at the beginning of the semester via the syllabus. Final culminating assignments (other than exams given during the exam period) must be distributed to students at least one week before the final exam period so that students can coordinate them with preparation for other examinations. This policy does not apply to summer or any other courses offered in a non-traditional block of time.
4. When students have in excess of two exams per day they may request that exams be rescheduled. The student should make the request prior to the last week of the semester.
5. For final culminating assignments conducted face-to-face during the scheduled final exam time, the instructor or a qualified proxy should be available during the examination period to hand out materials, collect materials, and make necessary explanations.
6. Examination and semester grades are confidential and must not be posted.

Grades 

Grades

A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a 4-point scale is required to remain in the graduate program and for graduation.

The quality of work completed by a student is recognized by the assignment of points to various grades. Under the 4.0 system, all grades on courses will be permanently retained in computing a student’s grade point average.  A student can determine their grade point average with two steps.  First, a student should multiply the quality points earned in each course by the credit hours for each course and then add them to get the total quality points. The student’s grade point average is the total quality points earned divided by the total number of credits assigned to the courses in which the student has been enrolled. A student’s grade point average is based only on work taken at Longwood University.

Passing grades for graduate students are A, A-,B+, B, B-, C+, C and C-.

The grades of AU, I, P, SP, NP, and W are not calculated in the grade point average.

Audit

Class size permitting and with department approval, a student may register for a course on an audit basis. Auditing a course means that a student enrolls in a course, but does not receive academic credit. A student who registers for audit may be subject to other course requirements at the discretion of the instructor. Audit students are charged the regular rate of tuition and fees, and an audit course is counted as part of the student’s semester load. (For purposes of enrollment certification for VA benefits or other programs requiring “for credit” enrollment, audit courses will not count toward the minimum number of credits required for full-time status.)

The Office of the Registrar must be notified by the end of the Drop/Add period for a change in registration status from “audit” to “credit” or from “credit” to “audit” to occur. A course taken for audit cannot be changed to credit at a later date, nor can a course taken for credit be changed at a later date to audit.

Pass/Satisfactory Progress/Not Pass

The Pass/Satisfactory Progress/Not Pass grading option will be used in all thesis research, professional portfolio, and comprehensive examination courses and will not be used in calculating the grade point average. The Pass/Satisfactory Progress/Not Pass grading option may be used in all practicum, internships, externships, residencies and field/clinical experiences if so designated by the program and will not be used in calculating the grade point average. Each course will have a minimum number of hours with a “Pass” grade required and only those hours with a grade of “P” will meet requirements for completion.

Repeating Courses

If a student repeats a graduate course, the most recently earned grade will be averaged into the student’s grade point average along with the original grade. Please note that in calculating grade point average, the second grade in the course does not replace the original grade. All enrollments and grades appear on the transcript. 

Academic Warning and Dismissal Policy & Appeals

At the end of each semester, the College of Graduate and Professional Studies will review the cumulative grade point average (GPA) of all degree-seeking and professional endorsement graduate students and will identify those students whose cumulative GPA has fallen below 3.0 after a minimum of six graduate credit hours. Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 will be sent a letter advising them that they have been placed on academic warning and have until the end of the next term in which they are enrolled in graduate classes at Longwood to raise their cumulative GPA to a 3.0 or higher. Failure to raise the cumulative GPA to a 3.0 or higher will result in the student’s dismissal from the Longwood graduate program for one academic year. Reapplication will be required for the student to return to Longwood.

Non-degree graduate and professional studies students are expected to meet and maintain the same academic standards as degree-seeking and professional endorsement students.

Appeals for exceptions to the Academic Warning and Dismissal Policy may be presented to the Graduate Faculty Petitions Committee. To submit an appeal, please use the Appeals Form.

Upon dismissal, all access to Longwood technology service resources is terminated. These systems include Longwood email, portfolios, personal web pages, and Canvas. Time spent in dismissal status will be included in all time limits pertaining to the student’s degree program.

Grade Appeals

The faculty of Longwood University is unequivocally committed to the principle that evaluation of student work and assignment of grades is a responsibility and a prerogative to be exercised solely by the individual instructor.

Should a student believe the final course grade received was unfairly awarded, the student has the right to appeal. Students should be aware of the fact that the appeal procedure may result in a grade being raised, lowered, or remaining unchanged. The student must initiate the appeal in writing by February 1 (for grades awarded in the fall semester or intersession) or by September 15 (for grades awarded in the spring semester or in summer). The appeal uses the following procedure:

1. The student discusses the grade with the instructor. The student will provide evidence about why she or he believes the grade was inaccurately awarded.
2. If, after the discussion, the student is still unsatisfied, the student may submit a grade appeal through the Petition Appeal Request form. This appeal should outline the reasons why the student believes the grade was incorrect and include relevant documentation(e.g., grades material, syllabi, etc.) in support of the grade change. The appeal begins with the department chair, who will notify the faculty member within five business days of the appeal, and the faculty member will have five business days from notification to supply to the Chair a written response to the student’s appeal.
3. The Chair must decide within five business days of receiving the faculty member’s written response whether or not the student’s case merits further investigation, then the Chair appoints an ad hoc committee composed of three tenured members of faculty in the department (other than the faculty member involved). If the committee cannot be filled from within the department, the Chair may as a department chair in a related discipline for recommendations to fill out the committee.
4. If the Chair decides that the student’s case does not merit further investigation, the student may appeal this decision to the appropriate Dean, supplying the same supporting materials as presented to the Chair.  If, after discussion with the Chair, the Dean also decides the case does not merit further investigation, the appeal is closed. If the Dean decides that the student has a case that merits further investigation, the Dean may appoint an ad hoc committee of the same composition as described above to investigate the student’s case.
5. The committee reviews the case, asking for additional information as necessary through the person who appointed the committee. The committee will report its decision in a letter signed by all three members and addressed to the Chair with a copy to the appropriate Dean, the faculty member, the student, and the Office of the Registrar, who will record the grade. The review must be completed so that the grade will be final by the end of the eighth full week of classes.

Should the appeal involve a grade assigned by a department chair, the Dean of the appropriate College will also assume the role normally assigned to the Chair. Should the appeal involve a grade assigned by a Dean, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs shall assume the roles normally assigned to the Chair and Dean.Graduation Requirements - Degree

Course Credits

Course Substitutions

A maximum of two courses can be considered for substitution. NOTE: Another course may not be substituted for a course that a student has failed that is required in his/her program.

The student should discuss substitutions with the advisor and submit in writing the reason(s) why the substitution is necessary. The advisor will then complete the Graduate Substitution Form and forward it, along with the written request, to the program director. If the program director concurs with the advisor’s recommendation, he/she will sign the Substitution Form and forward copies to the Office of the Registrar, the College of Graduate and Professional Studies, the student and the student’s advisor.

Independent Study Policy

Independent study under exceptional circumstances may occasionally be offered for University credit to those students wishing to pursue areas not addressed by the regularly scheduled offerings of graduate courses. Independent study may only be offered at the discretion of the individual faculty member and is dependent upon the availability of departmental resources. In order to pursue an independent study, the student must contact a graduate faculty member and get his/her approval to supervise the student’s work. A description of the proposed study and/or syllabus should be forwarded to the Department Chair to be attached to the Course Creation Form. Both faculty and student should sign the proposed study and/or syllabus, indicating their approval.

Students must enroll for the independent study in compliance with the academic deadlines published in the academic calendar for the semester in which the study is to be completed. Students may take a maximum of three credit hours of independent study during one semester and a maximum of six credit hours of independent study during their graduate studies at Longwood University.

Non-degree Coursework

No more than nine hours of Longwood graduate coursework taken as a non-degree student may be counted towards a degree program or professional endorsement.  Graduate program directors may request an exception through the graduate dean to count up to twelve hours provided at least 4 of those 12 hours were taken on main campus or online.  To avoid delays in program coursework sequences, all application materials should be received before the completion of six hours as a non-degree student.

Time Limit

The work for a graduate degree or professional endorsement is to be completed within five years from the semester of admission to the graduate program. If extenuating circumstances prohibit a student from completing their degree requirements within this time period, an extension may be considered. To request an extension of the time limit, the student must submit the Time Limit Extension form. The request will be review by the Graduate Faculty Petitions Committee, in care of the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies specifying the amount of time needed and the reason(s) an extension is necessary. The dean will submit the request to the Graduate Faculty Petitions Committee and notify the student in writing of the committee’s decision.

Undergraduate Students taking Graduate-Level coursework

A senior at Longwood University may take up to six (6) hours of graduate credit that may be counted towards the graduate degree and electives in the undergraduate degree. Such credit may be earned only in 500-level courses and, if it meets course requirements for the degree, may be counted toward a master’s degree. The senior must have an overall GPA that meets the minimum GPA required for admission to the graduate program which offers the course and must receive permission from the department chair of their major and then the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies.Seniors must request permission using this form. In any case where an undergraduate student is registered for a 500-level course that is to be applied to a graduate degree, the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies must notify the Office of the Registrar of this designation.

Statement of General Transfer Policy

In general, graduate credits are accepted from institutions that are accredited by the appropriate regional accreditation agency provided such credits carry a grade of “B” or better, are comparable to graduate courses offered at Longwood, and are no more than five years old. Internships and portfolio-based experiential credits are not accepted for transfer credit. A maximum of six (6) graduate credit hours may be transferred from another accredited institution and applied to a graduate program at Longwood.

Grades earned at other institutions will be recorded at Longwood University in terms of semester hours of credit earned and will reduce the number of credits required for graduation but will not be included in the calculation of the grade point average. The cumulative grade point average will be calculated only on work taken at Longwood.

Acceptance of Transfer Credits

If the student has completed graduate course work prior to admission, he/she must submit a written request as part of the Application for Graduate Admission with the course description(s) and an official transcript in a sealed envelope. The College of Graduate and Professional Studies will have the course(s) evaluated along with the admission application by the Program Director. Written notification of the results of the evaluation will be sent with the acceptance packet. Graduate credits used to satisfy undergraduate degree requirements cannot be reused for graduate credit.

Approval to Take Courses Outside the Institution

Any regularly enrolled graduate student, who wishes to take graduate course work at another institution to transfer to Longwood, must secure prior permission by submitting the Transfer Credit Request form to the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. The request will be forwarded to the appropriate Program Director for evaluation and then returned to Graduate Studies. The College of Graduate and Professional Studies will provide the student with an electronic “Authorization for Transfer Credit” form if the course is transferable. Upon completion of the course, the student must have an official transcript sent directly to the College of Graduate and Professional Studies for processing to the Office of the Registrar.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation Requirements - Degree

1. Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0.
2. Enroll each regular semester for a minimum of one graduate credit hour. This registration must continue with no breaks from admittance to graduation. This policy does not include summer sessions. Students must be enrolled in the semester they are scheduled to graduate.
3. Complete the number of credit hours required for a specific degree program.
4. Complete the thesis, the comprehensive examination, the professional portfolio, or the external experience.
5. Complete all degree program requirements within five years from the term of admission.
6. Complete a minimum of one-third (1/3) of the degree credits at Longwood University.
7. File an Application for Graduate Degree no later than the completion of 24 credit hours for programs requiring 30 to 39 total hours; no later than the completion of 36 credit hours for programs requiring 45 to 60 total hours and prior to enrollment in the final semester of course work. 

Graduation Requirements - Professional Endorsement

1. Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0.
2. Enroll each regular semester for a minimum of one graduate credit hour. This registration must continue with no breaks from admittance to graduation. This policy does not include summer sessions. Students must be enrolled in the semester they are scheduled to graduate.
3. Complete the number of credit hours required for a specific endorsement program.
4. Complete the professional portfolio or the external experience
5. Complete all professional endorsement program requirements within five years from the term of Admission.
6. Complete a minimum of one-third (1/3) of the professional endorsement credits at Longwood University.
7. File an Application for Graduate Professional Endorsement no later than the completion of 18 credit hours and prior to enrollment in the final semester of course work. 

Graduation - Commencement Ceremony

Graduate students who have registered for courses, which, if successfully completed, will allow them to graduate by the end of the subsequent summer term, may participate in the May commencement ceremony of that calendar year. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the applicable graduate program directors.

To have their name appear in the commencement program, such student’s Commencement Participation Application must be received by the Office of the Registrar no later than 5pm on April 10.  No student may participate in multiple commencement ceremonies for the same degree.

Diplomas will be mailed to students normally within eight weeks of commencement or the completion their degree requirements.

Longwood Policy on Student Records and Annual Notification

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records and requires the establishment of policies to safeguard student records and data. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education; Longwood student records policies comply fully with FERPA.

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.” All students at Longwood University regardless of dependency are protected by FERPA.

The accumulation, processing, and maintenance of student data by the institution is limited to that information, including grades, which is necessary and relevant to the purposes of the university. Personal data of students will be used only for the purpose for which it is collected.

Student data, whenever possible, shall be collected directly from the student; every effort will be made to ensure its accuracy and security. It shall be the express responsibility of the student to notify the Office of the Registrar of any changes in status. Any student who initially or subsequently refuses to supply accurate and complete personal information, as is legally allowed, may jeopardize his/her current student status. Falsification of records with the intent to give untrue information is a violation of the Longwood Honor Code.

Longwood University designates the following categories of student information as public or “Directory Information.” Such information MAY be disclosed by the institution at its discretion. Directory information may include: the student’s name, photograph, major field of study, classification, participation in officially-recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and dates of field experience. A student may inform the Office of the Registrar in writing that all directory information may not be released without prior written consent. A student who desires to restrict directory information from the public must complete the Student Data Restriction form (available in the Office of the Registrar).

Schools may disclose, without consent, “directory” information as listed above. However, Longwood will notify eligible students about directory information and allow a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Longwood will notify eligible students via email each October of their rights under FERPA.

Generally, Longwood must have written permission from a student in order to release any information from a student’s education record. However, FERPA allows Longwood to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions:

1. School officials with legitimate educational interest;
2. Other schools to which a student is transferring;
3. Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
4. Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
5. Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
6. Accrediting organizations;
7. To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
8. Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
9. State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.

Under FERPA, Longwood is not required to provide prior notification to a student when responding to a Federal grand jury subpoena or other law enforcement subpoena, which specifies that the student not be informed of the existence of the subpoena.

Eligible students are permitted to inspect and review educational records of which the student is the sole subject. Longwood policy regarding the inspection and disclosure of educational records is in compliance with the federal statute. To obtain a copy of the Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Section 438) or a copy of the University’s policy on student records, contact the Office of the Registrar, Longwood, 201 High Street, Farmville, VA 23909.

Student access to all personal records shall be permitted within 45 days of a written request, during normal office hours. Students may also obtain copies of most parts of their records for a nominal fee. All records shall be available and in a form comprehensible to the student, except for:

1. Medical records which, upon written authorization, shall be submitted to a psychologist or physician designated by the student.
2. Confidential financial statements and records of parents as excluded by law.
3. Third-party confidential recommendations when such access has been waived by the student. Where a waiver has been given, parents, as well as students, are excluded from viewing such confidential information.

During normal office hours, Longwood shall provide an opportunity for a student with proper identification to challenge information believed to be inaccurate, incomplete, inappropriate or misleading. This can be done either in person or by mail. All personal data challenged by a student shall be investigated by the Vice President over the area where the data is being challenged. Completion of an investigation shall result in the following actions:

1. If Longwood concurs with the challenge, the student’s records shall be amended or purged as appropriate; all previous record recipients shall be so notified by the institution.
2. If the investigation fails to resolve the dispute, the student shall be permitted to file a statement of not more than 200 words setting forth the student’s position. Copies of the statement will be supplied, at the student’s expense, to previous and subsequent recipients of the record in question.
3. If a student wishes to make an appeal of the decision, the student may do so in writing to the President of Longwood University.
4. The names, dates of access, and purposes of all persons or agencies other than appropriate Longwood personnel given access to a student’s personal records shall be recorded and maintained. Student records are retained by the institution for at least one year after completion of work at the institution. Permanent academic records from which transcripts are derived are maintained indefinitely. A student may request and receive information concerning the record of access to official Longwood records filed under the student’s name.

Inquiries concerning student records should be directed to the following departments. When applicable, schedules of fees for copies of these records are available from that office.

1. Academic Records/Transcripts - Office of the Registrar, Brock Hall
2. Disciplinary Records - Office of Student Conduct and Integrity, Lancaster Hall
3. Financial Records - Office of Cashiering & Student Accounts, Lancaster Hall
4. Financial Aid Records - Office of Financial Aid, Brock Hall
5. Medical/Health Records - Student Health & Wellness Center, Health & Fitness Center
6. Mental Health Records- Counseling Center, Health & Fitness Center

To comply with the provisions of FERPA, Longwood University will not release education records or personally identifiable information contained therein without the student’s written consent. Individuals seeking access to student records should include a copy of the student’s written consent when requesting non-directory information.