Academic Program Policies & Particulars

Academics at BVU

More than the simple accumulation of 128 credit hours, the Buena Vista University curriculum is designed to present an integrated intellectual experience that challenges you and gives you the tools necessary to learn for a lifetime. Liberally educated persons have amassed significant breadth and depth of knowledge, and engage with joy the pursuit of knowledge.

You gain depth in mastering the methodologies and content of one specific field (or major) through a combination of focused study, research, and exploration. The examination of general principles, major theories, differing viewpoints, and significant focus areas results in a cumulative body of knowledge. More significantly, learning skills are refined and respect for knowledge is heightened. In future careers, many graduates will use the factual information learned in their major, but all graduates will use their enhanced information gathering and critical reasoning skills.

The purpose of BVU’s general education program is to expose students to the broad array of ideas, perspectives, and experiences that exist in various disciplines. General education is intended to provide students the opportunity to acquire and improve their skills in the areas of reasoning, critical thinking, and communication; develop an understanding and appreciation of our rich and diverse cultural heritage in order to foster tolerance of difference and openness to change; and identify and nurture a value system requisite for intelligent judgment and decision-making. Liberally educated individuals can better appreciate, critique, and reform the many and varied facets of the society in which they live.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation requirements must be met by all Buena Vista University students who seek an undergraduate degree, with appropriate variations made for transfer students reflecting existing articulation agreements.

General Education Requirements

The BVU General Education program acknowledges that a well-educated person has experiences, skills, and knowledge that transcend the preparation for a career or training within an academic discipline. As an ndergraduate, you will devote approximately a quarter of your studies at BVU to courses within science, social science, fine arts, and the humanities in order to become broadly educated.

Programs of Study
Buena Vista University offers 43 majors, 35 minors, and 15 pre-professional programs to prepare you for success. Majors generally require the completion of between 32-64 semester hours, while minors generally require the completion of between 18-24 semester hours. Many majors and some minors have additional prerequisites and supporting work requirements. In some cases students are required to apply for admission to the specific program.

Academic Sessions (Storm Lake Campus)

Semester Designations
Academic sessions at Buena Vista University are based on the 4-1-4 system, with a fall semester, a January Interim, and spring semester. The fall and spring semesters are approximately 14 weeks in length, and the Interim is approximately three weeks.

Interim
Interim courses are commonly 3 credit hours. A three-credit course meets the full three weeks for 150 minutes each day. Internships and trips commonly range from 3 to 4 credit hours. Credit hours are typically determined by the number of 40-hour weeks contained within the travel or internship experience. A three-credit internship, for example, typically requires three 40-hour work weeks. Classes meet daily. Grading is determined by the instructor and indicated in each course description. If student option is indicated, the student may choose between P/NC (Pass/No Credit) or letter grade (ABCDF). All travel courses and internships are P/NC.

There will be no tuition, board and/or room refunds for full-time students who elect not to participate in Interim, nor will students who have failed to register for or participate in Interim courses be permitted to remain in the residence halls during the January term.

Students enrolled in courses that require them to be off campus may apply for a refund of meal plan fees for the semester/term during which they are required to be off campus. See the Associate Dean's Office for deadline information.

In order to be eligible to participate in Interim, you must either complete the Fall semester as a full-time student or plan to enroll full-time for the Spring semester. Part-time students have the option of participating in Interim. Tuition will be charged on a per-credit-hour basis for part-time students. Similarly, students on tuition exchange attending Interim only will be charged a pro-rated room and board fee.  If you have questions regarding the billing process, please contact the Business Office.

Some courses, such as trips, have special charges associated with them. In case of cancellation of the course by the University, the special fees will be promptly refunded. If you cancel registration in such a course, no refund of the special fees can be guaranteed.
Students from other 4-1-4 institutions are welcome to participate in BVU's Interim. Application should be made to the Associate Dean's Office, Buena Vista University, Storm Lake, IA 50588.

Summer Sessions
The University offers a limited number of undergraduate summer classes, including a pre-session of two weeks in late May, and two, four-week sessions in June and July. Students are permitted to enroll for one class in pre-session and two classes each other session. Credit may also be earned through special workshops, short courses, and independent study offered in the summer.

Academic Enrichment Opportunities

Center for Academic Excellence (CAE)
The Center for Academic Excellence is the University's academic support unit and as such provides services that enhance the teaching-learning experience for the University community.

Disabilities Accommodations
The CAE works with students who, due to a disability, are seeking academic accommodations. BVU policy, in accordance with state and federal guidelines, calls for reasonable accommodations to be made for qualified students. To ensure that this policy is upheld, BVU established the Student Accommodations Committee (SAC) to assure appropriate and reasonable accommodations are provided. The Director of the CAE serves as coordinator of the SAC and is available to assist students in the Student Accommodation Process.

Mathshop and Writing Lab
The CAE houses the Mathshop and the Writing Lab, which accommodate drop-in visits or pre-arranged appointments to help students with coursework.

The Mathshop provides tutoring for students in science, math, and business courses. The CAE also offers one-on-one tutoring upon request for specific courses other than those covered by the Mathshop's regular schedule. The tutors at the CAE are BVU students who have been chosen because of their academic and teaching skills.

The Writing Lab has adopted the motto "continuous improvement, not instant perfection" and provides tutors who guide students through the writing process from brainstorming a topic to creating an outline to revising a completed draft. Students use this service while enrolled in writing courses or while taking courses that require a variety of papers.

CAE Skills Courses

The CAE also works with students to improve certain academic skill areas, such as vocabulary building and speed reading, or to build general study skills, including test preparation, time management and scheduling, note-taking and listening, critical thinking and reading, and basic learning strategies. Each semester, the CAE offers semester-long courses designed to improve students' skills regardless of their current level. Students register for these courses just as they would for any course at the University, and then in the first week of classes, students arrange a meeting time with the director to go over the syllabus and discuss the work and schedule for the semester. Courses of a developmental nature numbered below 100 will not be counted toward graduation but will count toward semester enrollment. All CAE courses are graded Pass/No Credit.

Classes offered in the Center for Academic Excellence are:
•    AEXL 021 Spelling
•    AEXL 022 Reading Speed and Comprehension
•    AEXL 023 Vocabulary Improvement
•    AEXL 030 Term Paper Writing
•    AEXL 150 English as a Second Language

Honors Program

Buena Vista University students with a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or above are automatically invited to participate in the Honors Program. This program encourages students to develop their academic talents beyond the regular programs at the University. The program is designed to provide greater depth to the student's regular academic program through dialogue and research.

Students participating in the Honors Program are required to present a seminar paper once a year in their major or some other field of interest. Special seminars and lunches may be organized around topics of special interest to the honors students.

Honors students are eligible for research grants. The Buena Vista University Honors Program is particularly aimed for those students contemplating graduate or professional school. Specific information on the Honors Program may be obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean of Faculty.

Deans Fellowship Program

The Dean's Fellowship Program honors first-time freshmen who have achieved an outstanding scholastic record in high school and who have demonstrated leadership ability through activity in their schools or community. The Dean's Fellowship Program offers a series of value-added experiences designed to enrich the entire collegiate experience and prepare Fellows to make meaningful contributions to society upon graduation. The goal of the program is to engage the individual student totally in becoming a life-long learner through a variety of intellectual, social, and cultural programs. Enrichment activities include international and domestic travel and opportunities to work closely with a faculty mentor.

International Studies

The University provides several opportunities for students to engage in cross-cultural experiences:

Interim Education Travel
Each Interim, Buena Vista University students may choose from a variety of foreign programs. Past Interims have included trips to Australia, England, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, and Spain.

Taiwan Program
In June 1981, the University initiated an exchange program which involves students from Buena Vista University who serve as English tutors at the Taipei Language Institute in Taiwan for a semester while also being tutored in Mandarin Chinese and acquiring general elective university credit.

Japanese Program
The University initiated an exchange program with Hokusei Gakuen University in Sapporo, Japan, in 1981. Hokusei University is a Presbyterian-related university of about 1,500 students. BVU students are given an opportunity to spend a semester studying the Japanese language and culture, as well as Japanese business practices, in this exchange program.

Other Study Abroad Options
Buena Vista University's cooperating agreements provide study abroad and internship abroad opportunities in eleven countries: Austria, England, France, Mexico, the Netherlands, Costa Rica, Kenya, Australia, China, Spain, and Wales. Course offerings and internship possibilities vary according to country. Further information on these and other international programs may be obtained from the Director of International Studies, Office of the Associate Dean of Faculty at Buena Vista University.

Academic Policies

Academic Honesty
Buena Vista University believes that personal integrity and academic honesty are fundamental to scholarship. We strive to create an environment where the dignity of each person is recognized and an atmosphere of mutual trust exists between instructors and students.

Accordingly, honesty in all academic matters is expected from all students. Actions contrary to academic integrity will not be tolerated. Any attempt to cheat, misrepresent someone else's work as one's own, receive credit for work one did not do, obtain an unfair advantage over other students, or aid another student to do the above will be considered a breach of academic integrity. The faculty has confidence in the integrity of students and encourages students to exercise good judgment in fulfilling this responsibility.

Activities that have the effect or intention of interfering with learning or fair evaluation of a student's work or performance are considered a breach of academic integrity.

Examples of such activities include, but are not limited to:
•    Cheating (intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized material, assistance, or study aids in any academic work). For example, using a cheat sheet for a test, looking at another student's paper during an exam, stealing or buying all or parts of an exam or paper, altering and resubmitting work for a better grade without prior approval to do so, etc.
•    Plagiarism (representing another's ideas, words, expressions, or data in writing or presentation without properly acknowledging the source). For example, misrepresenting another's work as one's original work, using someone else's idea without giving proper credit, failing to cite a reference or failing to use proper documentation, using works of another gained over the Internet and submitted as one's own work, etc.
•    Falsification and/or misrepresentation of data (submitting contrived or made up information in any academic exercise). For example, making up data, citing non-existent sources, etc.
•    Facilitating academic dishonesty (knowingly helping or attempting to help another violate any provision of the academic honesty policy). For example, working together on a take-home exam or other assignment when the option has not been made available, giving your paper/assignment to another student for his/her use, etc.
•    Computer crimes (damaging or modifying computer programs without permission). For example, software piracy, hacking, constructing viruses, knowingly introducing viruses into the system, copying programs and/or data belonging to others, etc.
•    Multiple submission (submitting, without prior approval from the instructors involved, any work submitted to fulfill academic requirements in another class). For example, submitting the same paper for two different classes, etc.
•    Misrepresentation of academic records (knowingly misrepresenting or tampering with any portion of official records of the university or transcripts). For example, forging a change of grade slip or registration form, tampering with computer records, etc.
•    Unfair advantage (trying to gain unauthorized advantage over fellow students). For example, gaining or facilitating unauthorized access to exam materials (past or present); interfering with another student's efforts in an academic exercise; lying about the need for an extension on a paper or assignment; destroying, hiding, removing or keeping, library materials, etc.

Any violation of this policy will be treated as a serious matter. The instructor has primary responsibility over classroom behavior and maintaining academic integrity. Instructors are encouraged to specify clearly at the beginning of each course what constitutes violations of academic honesty and the consequences for academic dishonesty. In cases of repeated or flagrant violations, a student may be dismissed from the university. Depending on nature and severity of the offense, the university reserves the right to exact maximum penalty, even in the case of a first offense.

If an infraction is suspected, the following guidelines and procedures apply:
•    A faculty member who suspects a student of academic dishonesty shall inform the student of his/her suspicion and present him/her with the evidence, allowing the student an opportunity for rebuttal.
•    Faculty members, upon determination of an infraction based on the evidence, may determine the penalty for the infraction. This may involve failing a student for a particular assignment, test or course. The penalty must be communicated in writing to the student. In addition, the Dean of Faculty may impose academic warning, academic probation, academic suspension or expulsion, depending on the severity of the offense. A Center Director, through consultation with the Dean of Faculty and Dean of the Centers may enact the same penalties.
•    Upon determination of an infraction, the faculty member should notify, in writing, the student's advisor, the faculty member's school dean, and the Dean of Faculty. This notification should include the student's name, the type of infraction and the penalty (i.e., student failed the assignment, student failed the course, etc.). In the case of a Center student, the faculty member should notify the Center Director.
•    If a student is involved in academic dishonesty but is not enrolled in a particular instructor's course, the instructor may recommend the student to the Dean of Faculty for disciplinary action (e.g. Student A who is enrolled in a course has Student B, who is not enrolled in a course, write a paper for him/her. Student B may be recommended to the Dean of Faculty disciplinary action). In the case of a Center student, the instructor may report the student to the Center Director.
•    All information related to any violation will be kept in a special file by the Dean of Faculty, and the appropriate Center Director, during the time in which the student is enrolled at Buena Vista University, serving only as a statement of record if the student is charged with a subsequent act of academic dishonesty. In the case of appeal, the file will be destroyed if the student is found to not have violated academic integrity standards. If the student is found to have violated academic integrity, the file remains in the Dean of Faculty office until the student's graduation or three years after the student's last date of enrollment.

Appeals Process
Students may appeal a faculty member's decision to the Dean of Faculty (or his/her designee). The decision from the Dean of Faculty is final.

If an appeal is made to the Dean of Faculty, the following procedures are to be used:
•    A written request for hearing must be made with the Dean of Faculty within two weeks of the faculty member's decision being communicated with the student. The written notification from the student should include his/her understanding of the events that occurred and his/her reasons for the appeal.
•    The Dean of Faculty will engage in fact-finding that he/she deems appropriate, after which the Dean of Faculty will meet with the student, his/her academic advisor, and the faculty member involved. In the event the faculty member involved is the student's advisor, the student will select another faculty member to attend the meeting.
•    The Dean of Faculty's decision will be communicated in writing to the student, the faculty member, the advisor, and the appropriate school dean within one week of the meeting.

Governing Catalog
Students are governed by regulations and requirements of the catalog under which they enter, unless a subsequent catalog is chosen. Changes in the catalog requirements that occur after a student enters the University as a result of curriculum revision and other faculty actions are not enforced retroactively; however, such changes do become effective as stipulated by faculty.

Major and Minor Course of Study
When a curriculum revision occurs, students may elect to meet course requirements for a major or minor as specified in the catalog in effect at the time of their admission or they may choose to meet the academic requirements in full of a subsequent catalog. Contact the Registrar or Center director for the appropriate forms. NOTE: Education (teaching) students must meet the current requirements for teacher certification.   

Readmission to BVU
A student whose course of study at BVU is interrupted for an extended period of time — two years or more — must meet the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of re-entry to BVU.

While administrators and teachers are available to advise, each student is responsible for meeting the catalog requirements for graduation.

Registration for Academic Courses

Typical Course Load
The normal class load is 14-16 hours per semester in order to complete the minimum required 128 hours during a four-year period of study at Buena Vista University's Storm Lake campus. Full-time status requires enrolling in a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester at the Storm Lake campus. In unusual circumstances, a student may be permitted to take more than 17.5 hours. In such cases, an Academic Action is required with the Dean of Faculty making the final determination. Additional fees will be assessed for anything beyond the 18th hour.

Normal load and full-time status at BVU's Centers is six credit hours per eight-week term.

The University reserves the right to regulate class size, add, delete, or otherwise alter the published course listings.

Adding Courses
A student may add a course during the first two weeks of the fall or spring semesters or prior to the third class meeting in a summer session, half semester and before the second class in an eight-week Center term. Students at the Storm Lake campus must obtain the signature of the instructor of the course and the faculty advisor on a "Add/Drop" form, which is available on the Registrar's web page, if adding a course during the second week of classes in a fall or spring semster. Centers students can obtain the form at their center office. A student may drop or add a course the first day of Interim. After the first day no changes will be permitted in Interim.

Dropping Courses
Students may drop a course prior to the second class in Interim or eight-week center term, or during the first two weeks of a semester or equivalent period for other terms. Course changes are generally made via online registration. Courses dropped after online access is closed must be completed via paper form and advisor signature is required. Courses dropped prior to the deadline will not appear on the permanent record unless such drop results in a change of status (full-time/part-time) and/or a change in tuition/cost. Courses dropped after the deadline or result in a change as previously described will be processed as withdrawals and a "W" will appear as a grade on the permanent record.

Withdrawal from Courses
A withdrawal from a course or from the institution may be initiated by a student during the first two-thirds of the semester or an equivalent period for courses meeting less than a full semester. (See academic calendar for specific dates).

A withdrawal grade of "W" will be recorded for students who officially withdraw from a course or from the University prior to the published deadline. A "W" grade is not used in the grade point average (GPA) calculation, but is counted toward hours enrolled.

Repeating Courses
A course may be repeated once at the discretion of the student. A subsequent repeat is allowed only upon prior approval through special academic action.

Repeat of courses originally taken for a letter grade must be taken for a letter grade. Repeat of P/NC courses may be taken either for a letter grade or P/NC.

For purpose of grade point average, the second and any subsequent grades for repeated courses will be used in the CGPA computation. Only the first grade will be omitted from the grade point average. All repeated grades will be shown on the transcript; however, only the last grade will be used to satisfy graduation requirements, including total hours earned. Courses taken at Buena Vista University must be repeated at Buena Vista University.

Permission to Study Off-Campus
Students desiring to enroll in another post-secondary institution with the intent of applying credits earned to a Buena Vista University degree program must secure written approval in advance of taking the course. Prior to the final 30 hours (senior year), the student's academic advisor and school dean or Center director must approve the request to transfer courses from another institution back into Buena Vista University. The Dean of Faculty must approve such transfer requests during the final 30 hours.

Requests to take courses at other institutions will not be accepted when they are taken for the following purposes: failed BVU courses and/or BVU courses repeated in order to obtain higher grades. No more than 12 semesters hours may be taken from another institution during a summer and no more than a total of 24 hours (summer coursework) may be used toward graduation. Juniors and seniors may not transfer two-year college credit into BVU, with one exception — required courses not offered at the Buena Vista University site of enrollment.

Students enrolled at one BVU site who wish to enroll in courses at a second BVU site with the intent of applying credits earned to a Buena Vista University degree or endorsement program must secure written approval in advance of taking such an "off-campus" course. Storm Lake campus students must receive written approval of such "off-campus study" requests from the student's academic advisor, the school dean, and the Associate Dean of Faculty. Students who wish to do such "off-campus study" at the Storm Lake campus, must secure written approval for such study from the student's academic advisor, the school dean, and the Dean of Centers. Other BVU Center students must secure written permission in advance from their academic advisor and Center director to study at another Center campus. (Note: Field experiences — such as those available to education majors — ought to be completed in the student's "home" department. Exceptions require approval from the "home" department as well as the faculty and administration mentioned above.)

Withdrawal from the University
A student who seeks to withdraw from the University may do so during the first two-thirds of the semester or an equivalent period for other terms. The academic record will reflect the term’s enrollment. A grade of "W" will be recorded for all courses. To initiate a withdrawal a student at the Storm Lake campus must inform student services staff, who initiate the withdrawal process and inform the appropriate offices within the University. Center students must inform the staff at the center of record who will notify appropriate offices. Failing grades will be recorded for students who withdraw after the deadline.

Classification of Students
Freshmen: Students who have earned fewer than 24 semester hours of credit.
Sophomores: Students who have earned a minimum of 24 semester hours of credit.
Juniors: Students who have earned a minimum of 56 semester hours of credit.
Seniors: Students who have earned a minimum of 87 semester hours of credit.

Numbering of Courses
In the program descriptions and course descriptions sections of this catalog you will find comprehensive information regarding each of the majors offered by the University, including major and minor requirements and annotated course descriptions. In order to assist you in locating specific courses of interest to you, courses are numbered according to the following scheme:

The credit hours (CR) indicated per course is the credit for each semester unless notes.

Lower division courses, numbered from 100-299, are intended for freshmen and sophomores.

Upper division courses, numbered from 300-499, are ordinarily available only to juniors and seniors.

Special courses may be offered by faculty to meet special needs and interests. When offered as 150 courses they are intended for underclass students, while 450 courses are intended for upperclass students.

Independent and Directed study courses may be taken according to the catalog guidelines and any other requirements determined by each school, the supervising professor and the school dean. Forms are available on the Registrar’s webpage or at the Registrar's office.

Grading Policies
Grading Reports
A grade report is available to students via the Campus Connect registration system at the end of each grading period. A student may specifically request a printed copy.

Letter Grades
Student grades normally are reported in letters: A-Excellent; B-Good; C-Satisfactory; D-Poor; F-Failed; IP-In Progress; NRR-No Report Received; P-Pass; NC-No Credit; CR-Credit/Pass; N-Audit.

IP - In Progress
In consultation with the Registrar, this grade is to be used in rare cases for courses where the course requirements extend from one term into another by university design (i.e. student teaching). This is a non-punitive grade. If a grade change has not been submitted by the end of the next academic term, a grade of F or NC will be conferred.

Calculation of GPA
Grade point average is computed by dividing honor points by the number of hours attempted for letter grade. Honor points are determined by multiplying the number of semester hours per course by the honor points assigned for each letter grade. For example, a three-hour course with a grade of B would result in nine honor points (3x3=9). Honor points for each course are computed and totaled and divided by the total letter-graded hours. Grade point averages are computed for the semester and for the cumulative record.

A student's cumulative grade point average will include BVU credits only. Grades earned at other institutions are not reflected on the BVU official transcript.

Contract for Change of Grade
Under exceptional circumstances a student may be unable to complete all assigned coursework by the end of the term. In such cases it is the student’s responsibility to confer with the instructor regarding the specific nature of the difficulties. Upon request of the student, the instructor will evaluate the situation.

If the instructor agrees that major unavoidable and unforeseen circumstances beyond the control of the student prevent timely completion of course requirements, the instructor will record on the official grade roster a grade that reflects the grade earned for all work required for the course. The instructor will also submit a Contract for Change of Grade (with the original grade roster for that course) that indicates the work to be completed and a completion deadline, determined by the instructor and not to exceed six weeks into the subsequent term/semester.

If a student is unable to meet with the instructor due to a catastrophic situation, the Vice President for Student Services, the Vice President for Academic Affairs or the Dean of the Centers may authorize the instructor to issue a "NRR" until such time as the student can be reached. This grade (NRR) must be replaced by a permanent grade no later than six weeks into the subsequent semester or term or the grade will revert to an "F" or "NC." When the work is completed, the instructor will report a grade change to the Registrar. If no grade change is reported, the original grade will remain. The deadline may not be extended except by written permission of the Academic Dean or designee.

In some cases, a change of grade may affect a student’s status for financial assistance. Upon request of the student, the student’s aid eligibility may be reevaluated. Any appropriate changes will take effect at the beginning of the next term of study immediately following the change of grade. Aid changes will not be made retroactively.

Pass/No Credit Grades (P/NC option alternative)
Courses not otherwise designated may be taken for pass-no credit, but no more than two courses in the major field or a total of eight courses in pass-no credit may be credited toward graduation. Courses for which grading is only pass-no credit do not count toward these totals. A student may choose no more than three pass-no credit courses in an academic year, one of which may be the Interim course. No more than one pass-no credit course may be taken in a given semester/term. Although there is no restriction on the number of courses a student may choose P/NC grading for in a minor, students should not take more than one course in a minor and/or area of concentration as P/NC.

A course in which the student has earned NC will show on the transcript as attempted and treated as any other course if repeated. The instructor determines the level of achievement required in order to receive the P grade.

Designation of a course grading system may be changed once until the end of the ninth week of classes in a regular semester, or the ninth class period during Interim, or approximately two-thirds of the way through a term. Only one such change is permitted. Students must secure their advisor’s signature before they will be allowed to switch to pass-no credit grading. (See academic calendar for specific dates).

Pass/no credit courses do not count in the grade point average or the cumulative grade point average. Academic honors will be computed on letter grade courses only.

The pass/no credit option cannot be exercised in repeating a course for change of grade previously earned under the traditional letter grade system.

Domestic and international trips will only be graded P/NC.

Grade Changes
Once a grade has been submitted to the Registrar, that grade may be changed only if an error has been made in the calculation or transcription of the original grade. Students will not be allowed to do extra work to improve grades after the grades have been reported to the Registrar. Should a faculty member wish to change a grade for any other reason, the request with justification should be submitted to the VPAA/Dean of the Faculty for approval. No grade change may be made after the end of the succeeding semester.

Honor Points
Honor points are allocated for each credit hour earned as follows:
A = 4 honor points
B = 3 honor points
C = 2 honor points
D = 1 honor point
F = 0 honor points

Dean's List
Academic honors, the Dean's List, and membership in Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities are all dependent upon superior scholarship as measured by grade point averages or cumulative grade point averages. The Dean's List recognizes full-time students achieving a 3.5 grade point average for the semester.

Graduation Honors
Students who are completing their initial baccalaureate degree and have completed a minimum of 60 credits from BVU will be eligible to graduate with Latin honors; cum laude, magna cum laude or summa cum laude. The minimum cumulative grade point averages for these honors are 3.5, 3.7, and 3.9 respectively. Honors recognized at Commencement ceremonies including honor cords and announced honors will be based on the cumulative grade point average from the previous grading period (specific calendar date to be determined by the Registrar's Office). Actual honors awarded will be listed on the official transcript and are based on cumulative grade point average at the end of the degree program.
Cum Laude: cumulative grade point average of 3.50 to 3.699
Magna Cum Laude: cumulative grade point average of 3.70 to 3.899
Summa Cum Laude: cumulative grade point average of 3.9 or above

Class Attendance
The value of a college education depends on full participation in the life of the college community. Because students are expected not merely to receive information passively or to pass examinations, but to participate actively in classes, it is important that unnecessary class absences be avoided. Faculty members have the responsibility to establish an attendance policy and inform students of the policy at the beginning of each course.

Official Transcripts
Students will receive a copy of their transcript upon graduation. Reasonable requests to release official transcripts will be honored. Each request must include the student's written signature. The Transcript Request Form which details the Transcript Request Policy is available on the BVU Registrar's webpage. A financial obligation to the University will prohibit release of transcripts.

Assessment Program
Buena Vista University values student growth and development. As a consequence, the institution has developed a plan for longitudinal assessment of student academic achievement. Results of the assessment will be studied and used in an ongoing fashion to provide improvement of the academic programs of the University.

Academic Standing Policy
All full-time Buena Vista University students fall in one of three categories of academic standing: Good Academic Standing, Academic Probation, and Academic Dismissal. Each category of academic standing is defined by qualitative as well as quantitative performance standards. 

Athletic Eligibility
In order to participate in intercollegiate athletics, a student must be in good academic standing as defined by the Academic Standing Policy.