General Information

Appeal Process
Complaints Process
Exception Policy
Glossary

The College Catalog documents the approach to interactions between the College and students, administration, staff, and faculty. It provides guidance on how policies and processes function within the framework of an academic environment and supports students and faculty in understanding the protocols established by governance and regulatory agencies. Given this established purpose, additional guidance may be required for specific situations and events. General information and definitions are provided below:

Appeal Process

When decisions are made and a dispute arises, students have the opportunity of seeking an appeal. For additional information on specific steps, review the information in the Student Handbook.

Admissions Appeal
Potential students have the right to appeal a decision in regards to his/her admission to the College. An applicant appealing a decision should submit a written request with a full description of the rationale and supporting evidence as to why an admissions appeal should be granted. Complete the Admissions Appeal form provided by contacting Enrollment or Admissions.

General Appeal
When a student seeks further discussion about a policy or procedural decision, the student should complete an appeal form found in the MyACE Portal, Student Commons, or ACE website. A written justification for the appeal is required. The appeal will be approved by the department leadership and escalated to the Academic Appeals Committee or senior vice president of academic affairs, whose decision is final.

Grade Appeal
Students at ACE have the right to appeal a final course grade that they allege to be the result of arbitrary or capricious grading. To do so, the student utilizes the appeal form available in the MyACE Portal. Students should provide a written rationale and documentation for the grade dispute after following the prescribed steps outlined in the Student Handbook - Student Processes Associated with Academic Policies .

Complaints Process

Both informal and formal complaints require appropriate attention. An informal complaint consists of a difference of perspective or expectation, and can be resolved with additional communication through appropriate channels. More general concerns, such as needing assistance contacting a faculty member, can be handled through Student Services, while others may be appropriate for the Suggestion Box located in Student and Doctoral Commons.

Formal complaints are defined by regulatory agencies and require specific steps to ensure fair, consistent and equitable procedures are followed. These steps are addressed in the Student Complaint Policy in the Student Handbook.

For additional information (See “Student Complaint Policy ”).

Exception Policy

The College permits a student to request an exception to policies and procedures due to extenuating circumstances by completing an appeal form stating the reason the requested exception should be made. The student should provide any appropriate documentation to support the request. The College, pending on the request and rationale, can grant an exception to policy or procedure. If a student is unsatisfied with the decision, they can escalate the request/appeal through the appeal escalation path.

Glossary

The table below provides definitions of terms used throughout this Catalog and related American College of Education documents.

Term		Description
Academic Dishonesty		Academic dishonesty, which includes but is not limited to plagiarism, collusion, abuse of resource materials, conspiracy to plagiarize, or cheating on an examination or other academic work, is subject to disciplinary action.

Administrative Withdrawal		ACE-initiated separation from the institution due to non-payment, inactivity in the course, exceeding maximum extensions, violation of the admissions and/or registration requirements or failure to return from Leave of Absence. (Not applicable for newly admitted students. If in the first term, the status would be “cancel”). Conditions for returning to the College are the same as those in “Withdrawn.”

Admitted		An applicant who has been reviewed and has met admissions standards for the program and term start date on his/her application.

Active Waiting for Class		Status for students actively enrolled at ACE but are not current enrolled in a class. This status results from a course drop or stop-out during the program.

Appeal		Action for candidates or students needing to dispute a policy or decision at ACE. Can be used for admissions, grade, or general policies/decisions.

Applicant		An individual who has applied or is applying to a program or course of study at ACE. Someone in this status has not yet been admitted to the College and must be reviewed by admissions.

Cancel		A school status issued to new students who have enrolled at ACE and never start classes. The student may submit a cancellation form or can be administratively canceled due to nonpayment or non- activity in his/her class.

Collusion		A scheme to defraud.

Complete degree not conferred		A school status issued to individuals who have completed their classes; but a degree cannot be conferred due to the individual not being in (financial) good standing with the College.

Conflict of Interest		A situation in which an individual’s financial, personal or professional considerations may either directly or indirectly impact or appear to impact an individual’s professional judgment in carrying out any College duty or responsibility, including the conduct or reporting of research.

Degree Conferral		The recording of Graduate status from the College in the Student Information System (SIS). This is done after all academic requirements and financial obligations have been met. The student will be eligible to receive a diploma, verification, certification, etc.

Degree Seeking		A student who has been admitted into an academic program that leads to an American College of Education degree.

Dissertation		The final documentation requirement of a doctoral candidate; consists of a demonstration of scholarly expertise through the completion of an original research project.

Dismissed		ACE-Initiated separation of a student from the institution in accordance with the Satisfactory Academic Policy (SAP), maximum time to completion policy, or academic integrity policy. Re-Application or Re-entry requirements are outlined in the SAP policy which can be found in Academic Policies .

Drop		Student request to drop current course after the register/unregister period (week one). Course drops requests must be submitted by Friday of week 3 to be considered. Student stays in the program, earns a “W” in the dropped course and is still continuously enrolled in subsequent courses. Longer requests must be made by requesting a leave of absence.

Engagement		To maintain registration in the course, students must complete the Mandatory Attendance Verification form by Friday of the first week.

Enrolled		An admitted student who has been registered in their program and in course(s) for the upcoming term(s) at ACE.

Employment Verification		Evidence of full-time teaching assignment from the chief academic/department head or human resources official of the school at their current place of employment.

Enrollment Agreement		A legally binding contract between the student and American College of Education stating the terms and provisions of the student’s enrollment in an academic program at the College.

Field Experience		Engagement of a student in an authentic setting for purposes expected by the degree to include observation and/or participation.

Focus of Study: Doctoral		At the Doctoral level a series of six 3-semester credit courses in an area of study, approved by ACE’s Curriculum and Assessment Committee. Upon completion of the degree requirements, including the focus of study and the dissertation, the Doctor of Education will be conferred. The focus of study will be listed on the transcript.

Focus of Study: Masters		At the Master’s level, a series of three or four 3-semester credit courses concentrated in an area of study, within a degree program approved by ACE’s Curriculum and Assessment Committee. Upon completion of the degree requirements, including the focus of study courses, the Master’s degree will be conferred. The focus of study will be listed on the transcript.

Fabrication		Making up data or results and recording or reporting them.

Falsification		Manipulating research materials, equipment, or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record.

Incomplete		An incomplete contract results in a grade of “I” being awarded. Incompletes are issued only in cases of extenuating circumstances, such as severe illness or life-impacting events. Incompletes are not issued in cases in which the student is simply unable to complete his/her work within the specified term. A student can have no more than two incompletes during his/her enrollment at the College.

Leave of Absence		Student initiated absence from the institution for extenuating circumstances and for a specified length of time.

Major		A major is comprised of six 3-semester credit courses in a specific area of study. If a program requires a major to be selected, these courses are required to be completed before the degree or certificate can be conferred. The major selected/earned will appear on the College transcript and diploma/certificate.

Medical Leave of Absence		A leave of absence that can be approved retroactively due to a medical reason. Reasons for approval are listed in the Medical Leave of Absence Policy. [LINK???]

Non-Degree Seeking		A student who has been admitted as a student at large or into a certificate program at ACE.

Payment Agreement		Completed Agreement with the College indicated payment arrangements for tuition.

Pending Graduate		An ACE school status for students waiting for degree conferral via he conferral process after having completed their courses at ACE.

Provisionally Admitted		An applicant who has been reviewed and admitted to the program indicated on the application with conditions surrounding the admission that must be met (i.e. required minimum GPA after first two terms or official document provided by end of first term).

Re-Entry		A way for a withdrawn student to return without having to apply again. To be eligible for re-entry the last date of attendance of the student must be within 365 days of the expected return date. All other requirements outlined in the Re-entry policy will apply. This policy can be found in Academic Policies .

Rubric		A matrix which describes and defines criteria used to measure the quality of performance on a given task.

Student		An individual currently enrolled, or who has ever been enrolled, for classes at ACE. For new ACE students, FERPA coverage begins on the first day of the first term for which they are registered for a class.

Student Identification		Login user names and passwords students use to verify identity and access courses.

Unregister		Process by which a student is removed from a course during the “unregister” period, the first week of a term.

Withdrawn or Withdraw from the College		A separation from ACE initiated by a student at any point after matriculation (first week of first course.) If initiated in week two or three, the student will be removed from the course(s) and receive a grade of “W”. If initiated after Friday of week 3, the student will remain in the course and will receive the grade earned at its conclusion.