Academic Dictionary

Academic Adviser—College Faculty or designated staff member assigned to guide the student in making academic and career-development choices. A change in adviser may occur when the major is declared by the student during the term in which s/he will complete 15 credits, at the request of the student, or as needed. The Associate Provost for Advising and Academic Success in the Office of Academic Services oversees the Academic Advising Program at Berea.

B Number—See Student Number.

Banner—Banner is the administrative computing system used by the College to manage student records. (Also see BONd.)

BONd—Berea’s Online Neighborhood (BONd) is a Web site where students can conduct business relating to academic and financial matters at Berea. For a listing of available transactions that can be completed online and electronic forms available online, go to www.berea.edu/bond.

Capstone Course or Experience—A required course or experience in a degree program that is designed to be taken in or near the final term of a student’s major. Capstone courses and experiences tie together the key learning objectives that faculty expect the student to have learned during the major, interdisciplinary program, or interdepartmental major.

Class Schedule (see Schedule of Classes)

Classification, Student—first-year, sophomore, junior, or senior. Classification is determined by the number of earned course credits completed. Students are classified as first-year until they accumulate 7 course credits; sophomores until they accumulate 15; and juniors until they accumulate 24.

College Post Office (CPO)—All students are assigned a CPO number, even those living off campus. Check your CPO mailbox daily so that you will not miss important communications from instructors or the College.

Your college address will be:

Your Name
CPO Box #
Berea College
Berea, KY 40404

Collateral Course—A required course in a major program that usually is in a discipline other than the major rubric. Most, but not all, collateral courses count in the 21 credits outside the major required to earn a degree. Also see Core Course and Distribution Course.

Confirmation—The process whereby students confirm their intention to remain enrolled at the beginning of each term. Confirmation takes place in the Student Service Center and involves the payment of term charges and validation of the student ID. Failure to confirm will prevent the charging of books at the College Bookstore, issuance of a laptop computer, book checkout at Hutchins Library, equipment rental at Seabury Center, and continued meals at Dining Services.

Convocations—Lectures, concerts, or other presentations designed to enhance your understanding of the world around you. Convocations are part of the General Education program and are an important part of your education, featuring areas not always covered in classes. All students will automatically be enrolled in a .25-credit convocation course (CNV 100) during each of their regular terms of in-residence enrollment, with the exception of the final term of enrollment, for a maximum of 8 such terms. Convocation guidelines are explained in the Student Handbook and should be read carefully to avoid loss of credit or a failing grade calculated into the GPA.

Core Requirements—These courses are required for all students in a particular major or minor, or in the General Education curriculum.

Course & Credit—A class. Also the Berea College unit of credit. Most courses meet 3-6 hours per week and carry one (1) course credit. Classes may carry .25, .5, 1, 1.5, 2, and (rarely) 3 course credits. A full-credit course at Berea is the equivalent of 4 semester hours or 6 quarter hours. Also see Cross-Listed Course.

Course Registration Number (CRN)—A unique 5-digit number assigned to each course in the Schedule of Classes. The number is valid only for a particular term. This is the number used to register for a course in BONd and it is important that
it be entered correctly to avoid placement in the wrong class.

Course Withdrawal (or Dropping Courses)—Courses dropped during official Registration periods or the first week of class of a regular term after classes begin will not be reflected on the permanent record. All courses for which the student is registered after the first week of classes in a regular term will appear on the academic record and the grade reports for that term. The letter “W” (Withdrawn) will be used to indicate courses dropped during the second through fifth weeks of a regular term. Courses may be dropped during the next five weeks; however, instructors will be asked to indicate the quality of the student’s work to that point with a “WP” (Withdrawn Passing) or “WF” (Withdrawn Failing). No course may be dropped during the final four weeks of a term. Grades of “W,” “WP,” and “WF” are not used in computing the GPA. Final grades will be recorded for students who withdraw from the College after the last day of regular classes. The deadline dates for these actions for each regular term will be shown in the College’s Academic Calendar. In exceptional cases, e.g. serious illness of a student, permission to drop one or more courses after the tenth week of a term may be given by the Student Admissions and Academic Standing (SAAS) Committee.

Credit by Examination—There are three options for receiving credit by examination—College Board Advanced Placement examinations, the College Level Examination Program, and Advanced Standing examinations. Students are encouraged to take advantage of any of these, as is applicable.

No examination or transfer credit can be used to satisfy any of the five core classes within the General Education Program, including GSTR 110, 210, 310, 332, and 410.

The Writing Competency Requirement must be met by passing an examination administered by Berea College. (For more information, see the Credit by Examination section in this Catalog.)

Cross-listed Course—A course offered in more than one rubric, e.g., CFS/WST 207: Family Studies. Students must complete 21 credits outside their major discipline. Cross-listed courses may be counted as being outside the major if the course does not count toward any requirement for that major (including collateral) and if it is taken under the non-major designation. Also see Dual Credit.

CRN—See Course Registration Number.

Curriculum—A group of courses planned to lead to some specific competence in a field of study and to a degree.

Dean’s List—Students who achieve a regular term GPA of 3.2 or higher for a minimum of four full courses, or the equivalent, will be named to the Dean’s List. Students with incomplete grades in one or more courses will be added to the Dean’s List when those courses are completed, if the eligibility requirements are met.

Deadlines—Dates by which you must take certain actions. Deadlines are set to allow students, faculty, and offices to proceed with the business of education in an orderly manner

Degree—A title conferred by Berea College upon completion of a particular program of academic work. Berea offers a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in 28 fields and 4 Bachelor of Science degrees in Agriculture and Natural Resources, Business, Technology, and Nursing. Some of these major fields offer multiple curricula and specializations.

Degree Evaluation in BONd—A feature in BONd that helps students and advisers monitor electronically the student’s Progress Toward Graduation. This tool also makes it possible to print reports and perform experiments (using the “What-If” feature) on how credits earned would apply toward other majors if a student is getting ready to declare a major or is considering a change in a previously declared major.

This Web-based program does not replace the official Degree Audit that will be conducted by the Office of Academic Services after a student has applied for graduation, but it can help a student take charge of his or her progress and alert the student to any potential problems with the program.

Department, Academic—Curriculum areas that share a common reason for existence are grouped together to form an academic department. Some are made up of only one discipline, e.g., Art, Biology, Nursing, and some more than one, e.g., Economics and Business.

Developmental Mathematics—Non-credit mathematics courses (Mat 010: Pre-algebra, MAT 011: Elementary Algebra I, and MAT 012: Elementary Algebra II) are designed to bring your mathematics skills up to the beginning level expected at Berea College. If test scores show you already have adequate preparation in mathematics, part or all of the developmental courses required will be waived for you. The courses count as a load credit but do not count toward the 33 earned credits required for graduation.

Discipline—A group of courses of like content that share a common or closely related theoretical base.

Drop/Add—Once students have registered initially for a term, they may return to BONd’s Registration page to add or drop a class up to the last day to add a class, which is set by the Office of Academic Services. After that date, students must pick up a drop/add form in the Self-Serve Room (101 Lincoln Hall) and submit the completed drop/add form to the Student Service Center for these transactions. Classes may be added up to one week after regular term classes have started and dropped up to two weeks after mid-term in a regular term. There is a $5 transaction fee charged for each drop-add form processed after the last day to add a class. Also see Course Withdrawals.

Dual Credit—When a course is used to satisfy both a General Education requirement and a major requirement (i.e., PSY 100: General Psychology, which meets the General Education Social Science Perspective, as well as the requirement for the Psychology major), the credit is counted only once and in the major discipline. Also see Cross-listed Course.

Earned Credits—Academic course credits earned for satisfactorily completed course work that counts toward the minimum number of credits needed to graduate. (Compare and contrast with Load Credit.)

Eight Term Rule—Students are expected to complete all degree requirements within four academic years—including transfer terms, terms abroad, off-campus field studies, internships, and the addition of a minor or second major. Students who, for good reason, are unable to complete degree requirements within eight (8) regular terms may submit to the Office of the Associate Provost for Advising and Academic Success a “Request for an Extension of Terms” form—which must include a completed Curriculum Plan along with a letter explaining the reason(s) the extension is needed. All Extension of Term forms require the approval signature of the student’s academic adviser. Plans not approved by the Associate Provost may be appealed to the Student Admissions and Academic Standing (SAAS) Committee.

Electives—Courses not required by the core curriculum or your major. These are courses you elect to satisfy personal interests or for educational enrichment.

Exchange Programs—Opportunities to enroll in and receive credit for courses taken at other colleges or universities with which Berea College has an exchange agreement. Depending on the type of exchange, these may include an exchange of tuition fees and/or room and board charges between the institutions. Contact the Office of Academic Services. (Also see Transfer Credits.)

4-1-4—Berea College is on the 4-1-4 academic calendar system, operating on two four-month regular terms (Fall and Spring) and a one-month term in January (Short Term). The College also offers Summer Term courses.

FERPA—The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that affords students the right to have access to their education records, the right to seek to have the records amended, and the right to have some control over the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the education records. Please contact the Office of Academic Services for more information about a student’s rights under FERPA.

Financial Aid Package—The total financial aid award a student receives. The aid usually consists of scholarships, grants, loans, earnings from work on campus, and other types of financial aid.

Full-time Student—Students must take a minimum course load of at least three full credits during a Fall and Spring Term and one course during Short Term (see Short Term for further information about this requirement). Non-credit courses are counted in this load, but you must enroll in three credit-bearing courses to be eligible for participation in intercollegiate sports. The average load is four course credits during a regular term.

General Education—Courses and experiences that may not necessarily be required for the major course of study, but are required in order to provide the backbone of the liberal-arts curriculum at Berea.

Grade Scale—In general terms, the definition of letter grades is as follows: “A”/”A-” signify consistently outstanding achievement in all aspects of the course; “B+”/”B”/”B-” reflect work of good to very good quality; “C+”/”C” denote that the student has attained an acceptable level of competence; “C-”/”D+”/”D”/”D-” grades indicate work that is minimally adequate; “F” represents work that is unsatisfactory and unworthy of credit. “S” (Satisfactory), “U” (Unsatisfactory), and “SC” (Satisfactorily Completed Developmental Mathematics requirement) grades are given in Developmental Mathematics and in non-credit courses and projects and are not used in determining the GPA. “P” (Passed) grade is given for courses that do not affect GPA, but for which credit is earned. “CP” (Continued Progress) grade is given when a student is enrolled in a class that continues into the next term. A grade of “CA” indicates that a student has met the Convocation requirement for the term. “CF” grade indicates that the convocation requirement was not met for the term. An incomplete (“I”) grade is assigned only when some portion of a course has not been completed for good and sufficient reason. These courses must be completed not later than the end of the next regular term in which the student is enrolled or a grade of “F” will be recorded on the student’s permanent record. Instructors may set an earlier deadline for completion of courses than that set by the College. See the Grades and Grading Scale in this Catalog.

Grade Point Average (GPA)—A measure of a student’s academic achievement at the College, calculated by dividing the total number of grade points received by the total number of credits attempted. Your term GPA and the cumulative average are computed at the end of each term. For purposes of computing the Grade Point Average (GPA), the following weights are used: A=4.0; A-=3.7; B+=3.3; B=3.0; B-=2.7; C+=2.3; C=2.0; C-=1.7; D+=1.3; D=1.0; D-=0.7; and F=0.0. Included in the GPA calculation are the grades earned for Convocation credit, calculated as 0.25 for CA and 0.0 for CF grades. S, SC, I, and U grades are not used in calculating GPA. (Note: Prior to Fall Term 2003, the following weights were used to calculate GPA: A=4; B=3; C=2; D=1; and F=0. These weights will remain in effect for grades earned prior to Fall Term 2003.) W, WP, WF, I, and grades in non-credit courses are not used in computing the GPA. All core, distribution, concentration, and collateral courses are used in the calculation of a student’s major GPA. (Also see definition for Load Credit and Convocations.)

Graduate School Travel and Application Fee—Limited funds are available to assist qualified students with the cost of applying to and visiting leading graduate or professional schools. The purpose of these funds is to encourage and enable students to consider enrollment in the nation’s best graduate and professional programs, many of which are located some distance from Berea. Students are eligible for a maximum award of $550 during their tenure at Berea College, which may be used for more than one trip or application fee. Students should pick up the application in the Student Service Center’s Self Serve Room (101 Lincoln Hall), then submit the completed application to Linda Avery in the Office of Academic Services (110 Lincoln Hall, 985-3207) as early in the term as possible. Please note that students must apply for the funds and selection is based on many factors, including the type and level of contact the student has had with the graduate school department and faculty.

Graduation Requirements—A minimum of 33 earned credits (or 35 in Nursing) are required to earn a degree at Berea, 21 of which must be outside the major discipline. (See individual degree requirements listed in this Catalog for specific requirements. Also see Earned Credit and Load Credit in this dictionary)

Grants—Awards based on financial need that do not require repayment.

Labor Position—The job(s) in which you will be employed while at Berea.

Labor Supervisor—The labor supervisor is the person responsible for the training and development of student employees within his/her department, and for the maintenance and reporting of payroll records. Depending on the size of the department, there may be more than one supervisor or a combination of student and staff supervisors.

Load Credit—The number of academic course credits being attempted in a given term, including Convocation, developmental mathematics, and non-credit course work. While all of these credits count in the minimum number of credits required to indicate Progress Toward Graduation, not all load credits count toward the minimum of 33 earned credits needed to graduate. (Compare and contrast to Earned Credit.)

Loans—Funds available through banks, the College, or other private sources. Terms vary based on need or non-need basis, rate of interest, interest benefits, repayment period, and credit worthiness. Berea attempts to minimize loan debt.

Minor—Students may graduate with a major and a minor (or a double major, or a single major alone). A minor program will be a program with a minimum of five (5) courses and a maximum of seven (7) courses. Independent minors are not permitted. A minor program must consist of regular courses and may not contain courses numbered 386/486 (special topics), 390/490A (independent study), 390/490B (team initiated study), 395/495 (internship), or 498 (directed study).

Major—One of the three parts of each student’s undergraduate curriculum (the other two parts being the General Education curriculum and the student’s elective courses). The major is a set of courses selected to provide an opportunity for a student to undertake study in depth. This in–depth course of study is not always restricted to or identified with one of academic department or academic programs, as is the case with an Independent and multi-disciplinary majors.

Non-degree Student—Students who are taking courses for personal enrichment or for limited educational gain and who are not pursuing a degree from Berea College or any other institution. Applications are available in the Student Service Center’s Self-Serve Room (101 Lincoln Hall).

Orientation—A series of programs designed to acclimate the student to College life. It is important to attend all sessions.

Overload—A term course load of more than 4.5 courses. Overloads require the permission of your Academic Adviser and are not recommended for Freshmen.

Part-time—A student carrying fewer than a total of three full course credits during a regular term. Part-time students may lose some financial aid, cannot participate in intercollegiate sports, and are not eligible to receive convocation credit. Permission to be part-time is given by the Student Admissions and Academic Standing (SAAS) Committee only in extenuating circumstances. See Request for Part-Time Status under Student Rights and Responsibilities in the Student Handbook.

Peer Consultant—Free peer consultants and teaching assistants are available in most courses to help you improve your academic performance. Check with the instructor in the course for times and locations of peer consulting or tutoring sessions. Peer consulting services are available through the Center for Learning, Teaching, Communication, and Research (also known as the Learning Center) in Draper 106 and in many departments. Your adviser has a brochure outlining the availability of these services. Your instructor also can provide assistance outside the classroom during office hours and by appointment.

Prerequisite—A course that must be completed or conditions that must be met prior to enrollment in a course.

Probation—A warning that some problem exists that could threaten enrollment if assigned conditions are not met. It may be given for academic reasons (grades, Progress Toward Graduation shortage, or low GPA), labor shortage, or for violation of the student conduct or student life rules. Probation affects less than 10 percent of Berea students. (See the section on Academic Difficulty in this Catalog for more information).

Progress Toward Graduation—With few exceptions, you are expected to complete a degree at Berea within eight regular terms of attendance (see “Eight Term Rule”). Progress Toward Graduation is a monitoring system to assure that you are going to be able to meet the expectation. By the end of the first full year, students must have accumulated seven courses. Transfer students will be informed by the Office of Academic Services about their classification and Progress Toward Graduation, based on the number of credits accepted by Berea. Developmental Mathematics courses count toward Progress Toward Graduation. A full year is 12 months after you register for that year.

RA—Abbreviation for Resident Assistant. Student member of Student Life staff living in the Residence Hall. This individual is trained to assist in problem solving and provide referral to other offices as necessary.

Readmission—The process of readmitting previously enrolled students who wish to return to the College. These students are subject to the same admissions policies as new students. It is important for them to understand before they withdraw that readmission to the college is very competitive and successful applicants for readmission almost always left Berea in good academic standing or have demonstrated a commitment to earning their degree by successful completion of courses at another institution. (Also see Withdrawal and the Student Rights and Responsibilities section of the Student Handbook.)

Registration—The process of selecting courses, completing online registration and/or completing forms, and paying fees. Registration for Short and Spring Terms is in November; for Summer and Fall terms in May. (Also see BONd and Drop-Add.)

Regular Term—Either of the four-month terms offered at Berea—in Fall and Spring. Also see Short Term.

Repeating a Course for a Higher Grade—A course in which a C-, D+, D, D-, or F is earned may be repeated for a higher grade. The earlier grade will remain on the transcript, but only the higher of the two will be computed in the GPA. Earned credit will be given only once. Permission to repeat a course in which a grade of C or higher is earned may be given only by the Student Admissions and Academic Standing (SAAS) Committee. Courses may be repeated no more than two times without approval of the SAAS Committee. The highest grade will be computed in the GPA. Permission to take a course for the fourth time rarely will be given.

Schedule of Classes (also known as Schedule Book)—A list of all classes being offered in a particular term. The schedule includes course identification number and department, course registration number, title, instructor, when and where the class meets, course fee (if any), and when the final examination is scheduled. In the front section of the book is a listing of which courses have been approved to meet General Education requirements and more detailed descriptions of many of the GSTR courses being offered in a given term.

Service-Learning—Service-learning is an educational experience based upon a collaborative partnership between college and community. Learning through service enables students to apply academic knowledge and critical thinking skills to meet genuine community needs. Through reflection and assessment, students gain deeper understanding of course content and the importance of civic engagement. Service-learning courses are taught each term in a variety of departments at Berea College. Designated service-learning courses meet the Active Learning Experience (ALE) requirement in the General Education Program.

Short Term—All students must complete three Short Term credits (or one for each two regular terms of enrollment for students enrolled for fewer than six regular terms). One of the required Short Term credits must be earned during the January of the first year of enrollment except for students who enter in Spring Term and will have achieved sophomore standing by the beginning of the next Fall Term. By Faculty action, several alternate means of earning Short Term credit have been established for summer experiences, but students are limited to one in each of the following categories:

• Courses listed in the education-abroad offerings presented by Berea College Faculty, or by the Kentucky Institute for International Studies (KIIS).
• Undergraduate Research and Creative Projects Program (URCPP) experience, or other summer undergraduate research experience, conducted in a mentor-apprentice relationship and approved by the academic department in which the research is conducted. These summer research projects typically run 8-10 weeks with students working full-time. Students must be registered in advance for UGR 010 or UGR 020 through the Office of Academic Services.
• Summer Term courses under the rubrics of Independent Study (390/490A or B); Team Initiated Study (397/497A or B), or Internship (395/495).

If a student who enters in the Fall Term chooses to complete a Short Term credit in each of the above categories, he or she would need four Short Term credits in order to graduate because the first one must be a Short Term Catalog course taken in January.

The Short Term Catalog is published on the BONd Web site two weeks prior to the beginning of the November registration period by the Office of Academic Services. Also see Regular Term.

Student Handbook—A student-friendly guide consisting of College rules and regulations for all phases of life on campus, except curricular requirements. The staff of the Office of the Vice President for Labor and Student Life publishes and distributes the Student Handbook.

Student Handbook Online—Electronic version of the Student Handbook which includes additional information such as Departmental Descriptions and Academic Dictionary. Accessible on the Berea College web site.

Student Number—Your student number is your identification number in the College’s administrative computing system. Your student number is a random computer-generated number and is used on all College forms. Also referred to as a “B” number.

Summer Session—An eight-week session in June and July during which students may take up to 2.25 course credits.

Suspension—A suspension may result from a variety of things but usually is for a failure to meet academic, social, or labor requirements. Suspension can be temporary and is contrasted with expulsion, which means that a student is never eligible to return to Berea College. ((See the section on Academic Difficulty in this Catalog for more information. Also see Readmission in the Student Handbook.)

Term Bill—Charges for housing, meals, and all fees, for which payment arrangements must be made prior to the start of each term. Existing term bill balances must be resolved within the published time frame in order to participate in advanced registration. Students needing assistance with their term bills should contact a financial-aid counselor in the Student Financial Aid Services Office.

Transfer Credits—Credits transferred from course work completed with a grade of C or higher at another regionally accredited institution.

Underload—A course load of less than three credits during a regular term. Underloads, including those resulting when students drop courses after a regular term has begun, require the permission of the Director of Academic Services and approval of the Student Admissions and Academic Standing (SAAS) Committee. See “Request for Part-Time Status” under Student Rights and Responsibilities in the Student Handbook.

Withdrawal from the College—The process of withdrawing from the College for the current term or permanently, which can be initiated by the student or by the administration. (See Withdrawals and Cancellations in the Student Rights and Responsibilities section of the Student Handbook for information on this process.) It is important for students to understand before they withdraw that readmission to the College is very competitive process and successful applicants for readmission almost always leave Berea in good academic standing. (Also see Readmission and Withdrawals and Cancellations under Student Rights and Responsibilities in the Student Handbook, and the definition for Course Withdrawal in this dictionary.)