Academic Policies

Assessment

Entry Level Assessment

Effective Spring 2000, entering students must show evidence of their level of academic preparation prior to their enrollment into their initial mathematics and English courses.  All entering students seeking an associate or baccalaureate degree must provide valid Enhanced ACT scores (within the last five years) or must take the ACT COMPASS examination in the areas of writing skills, mathematics and reading.  All non-degree seeking students enrolling in English and mathematics courses must provide Enhanced ACT scores or must take the ACT COMPASS examination in the areas of writing skills and mathematics

Students enrolled prior to spring 2000 who have already been placed into their initial mathematics and English coursework, and transfer students who have completed equivalent general education coursework in English and mathematics are exempt from this requirement. 

Students transferring within the Regental system will be allowed to transfer their placement test scores and continue their sequence of courses in English and/or mathematics.

Pre-General Education Courses (Academic Skills)

Based on an entering students’ Enhanced ACT score or their ACT COMPASS examination, students may be required to take pre-general education courses.  Pre-general education courses include ENGL 031, ENGL 032, ENGL 033, MATH 021 and MATH 101. 

Students placed in pre-general education courses must enroll in and complete the courses within the first 30 credit hours attempted. If a student does not complete the pre-general education course(s) within the first 30 credit hours attempted, a registration hold is placed on the student’s record.  During the next 12 credit hours attempted, the student must enroll in and complete the pre-general education course(s).

If the pre-general education course(s) is not completed within the first 42 credit hours attempted, the only course(s) in which a student may enroll is the pre-general education course(s); and the student’s status is changed from degree seeking to non-degree seeking.

Transfer students entering with 42 or more credit hours, who are still in need of pre-general education coursework, are required to enroll in the necessary pre-general education coursework during their first enrolled term in the regental system.

Students who are placed into MATH 021 are expected to successfully complete both MATH 021 and MATH 101 before enrolling in MATH 102. However, a student who performs exceptionally well in MATH 021 may petition the VPAA to bypass MATH 101 and enroll in MATH 102 as their next mathematics course. These students must sit for the COMPASS Math placement exam and earn scores that meet or exceeds the placement score necessary for enrolling in MATH 102.

Credit hours for the pre-general education courses are included in the total number of credit hours attempted.  The grades assigned for courses numbered less than 100 will be RS (remedial satisfactory) and RU (remedial unsatisfactory).   

General Education Assessment (See also Student Proficiency Examination)

It is the policy of Dakota State University to assess the general education component of the curriculum on an annual basis.  The assessment process is intended to evaluate the general education curriculum and to determine if the general education goals have been met.  (Goals are listed under graduation requirements.)

General education assessment activities are scheduled on assessment days, one day scheduled during the first two weeks of November and one day scheduled during the last two weeks in March.  All daytime classes are cancelled for these assessment activities.  Students in teacher education programs must complete additional assessment activities.

1.       Requirement

        Effective spring semester 1998, satisfactory performance on the proficiency
              examination is required for all students seeking a baccalaureate degree from the
              South Dakota Unified System of Higher Education.  Effective Fall Semester
              1999, satisfactory performance on the proficiency examination will be required
              for all incoming students seeking an associate degree from the South Dakota
              Unified System of Higher Education.  To be eligible to receive an associate or
              baccalaureate degree from a Regental university, students must fulfill the
              proficiency examination requirement as specified within this policy.
              Enrolled students who have already earned a baccalaureate degree are exempt
              from this requirement.

2.     Criteria for Test Eligibility

        A.   Baccalaureate

                1.  Degree-seeking students registered for credit.

                2.  Completion of 48 passed credit hours at or above the 100 level.
                           Students will sit for the examination during the first semester in which
                           they become eligible in terms of passed credit hours.

         B.  Associate

                1.  Degree seeking students registered for credit.
                      2.  Completion of 32 passed credit hours at or above the 100 level.
                           Students will sit for the examination during the first semester in which
                           they become eligible in terms of passed credit hours.

3.   Deferments

        Students who meet the eligibility requirements but, due to extenuating
              circumstances, are unable to sit for the examination may petition the Vice
              President for Academic Affairs for a deferment prior to the test date or no later
              than the final day of the semester in which the examination should have been
              taken.  Students granted deferments will sit for the examination during the next
              administration following the end of the deferment.

4.   Consequences of Noncompliance

        Failure to sit for the examination as scheduled, whether initially or following a
              deferment, will result in denial of subsequent registration at all regental
              institutions.  Students who have been denied registration due to failure to take the
              proficiency examination may apply for readmission after two academic terms
              (fall, spring, or summer).  If readmitted, they must sit for the examination during
              the next administration.  Failure to do so will result in immediate administrative
              withdrawal.

5.    Retesting

        Students are required to perform satisfactorily on all components of the
              examination. Students failing to achieve the minimum proficiency level on one
              or more of the components will be allowed the opportunity to retest.  Students
              failing to test satisfactorily in the fall must retest no later than the following fall’s
              administration, and students failing in the spring must retest no later than the
              following spring’s administration.  In the interim, students may continue to enroll
              in courses.

        When first sitting for the examination, students must take the examination as a
              whole. When retesting, however, students will take only those components on
              which a satisfactory score was not achieved.  Students who must retest on one or
              more components may retake each one up to two times within the time frame
              allowed as outlined above.  All retests must be taken during the regularly
              scheduled test administration periods in the fall and spring.

        As preparation for retesting, students are required to develop, in collaboration
              with an academic advisor, a development plan for remediation to be completed
              within one year.

6.    Unsatisfactory Performance on the Retest

        Students who do not achieve the minimum satisfactory proficiency level on the
              retest will be denied subsequent registration at all regental institutions.
              Application for readmission will be contingent upon satisfactory performance on
              the proficiency examination.  Students may arrange for retesting during any
              subsequent administration of the examination. Students may apply to retest at
              any regental institution.  Students who perform satisfactorily on the retest will be
              allowed to register for the next term.

7.     Appeals for Certification of Proficiency by Alternate Methods

        Students failing to achieve the minimum satisfactory proficiency level as
              provided in section 6 above may appeal to an institutional review panel for
              certification of proficiency using alternate methods.  Such certifications must be
              confirmed by a system-wide faculty review committee.

8.     Transfer Students

        Transfer students are subject to and must meet the proficiency examination
              requirements.  Transfer students within the South Dakota Unified System of
              Higher Education are subject to the policy as outlined above.  For students who
              have been denied registration due to failure to take the proficiency examination,
              applications for readmission will be filed with and resolved by the receiving
              institution.

9.    Proficiency Examination Fees

        Each university is authorized to charge students fees to cover the cost of
              retesting.

10.   Reasonable Accommodations

        Each institution shall give students prior notice that it will provide reasonable
              accommodations for test takers in keeping with institutional practices
              implementing the South Dakota Human Relations Act of 1972, the Rehabilitation
              Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.  (Refer to Board of
              Regents Policy 1:19.)

11.  Classes Missed During Test Administration

Major Field Assessment

All students enrolled in associate and baccalaureate degree programs and teacher certification programs are required to participate in major field assessment.  Students who have not participated in the major field assessment will not graduate.

Major field assessment activities will be completed on selected days during the fall and spring semesters.  All daytime classes will be cancelled for one day in the fall semester and one day in the spring semester.

Candidates for graduation from teacher education programs will complete their major field assessment in education during the semester of student teaching.

Class Attendance

A student is expected to be present for all scheduled class sessions. If a class is missed, it is the student’s responsibility to make up any assignments/projects for those missed classes. Students who are on academic probation must have 100% class attendance. Students on academic probation who fail to maintain 100% class attendance will be administratively suspended from the university.

A student who participates in an off-campus event sponsored by the institution (including, but not limited to, athletic events and club-sponsored trips) is expected to speak with his/her instructors prior to his/her class absence. The student is responsible for all material covered in class during  his/her absence, as well as assignments given out during missed classes and assignments due during travel.

Finals Exams

All courses must have a final examination activity. To determine your final exam schedule: find the time slot that corresponds with the weekly schedule for a class. The final for that class will be given in that time slot. PLEASE NOTE: Courses delivered via DDN may schedule their final evaluation activity during the last, regularly scheduled class period or during finals week at the regular class time. Check the class syllabus to verify the time of the final exam.

The Vice President for Academic Affairs prepares the fall and spring final week schedule. The most current exam schedule is available to students in the semester schedule or through Enrollment Services on-line at http://www.departments.dsu.edu/registrar/.

No student will be required to participate in more than three evaluative activities on any one day of the final week. Permission to reschedule a final evaluative activity should be sought before mid-semester if at all possible. The student, after consulting with his or her advisor, should petition the dean(s) responsible for the activity(ies) to be changed by completing the “Request to Change Final Week Schedule” form which is available in the college offices. The dean(s) will coordinate and approve the necessary rescheduling.

Any changes or deviations in the schedule for an individual student must have advance approval of the dean in whose college the course is taught.