GRADUATE POLICY
Graduate Studies Department
Oglala Lakota College
Kyle, South Dakota 57752
70-600
5-06-2005, 03-28-13
GRADUATE STUDIES DEPARTMENT POLICY
POLICY
A. Oglala Lakota College develops and offers graduate level degree programs and
courses in harmony with the mission and purposes of the College. These emphasize
the Lakota perspective.
B. Graduate Credits
a. All courses given credit towards a Master’s degree must be graduate level courses
(500 level or above)
70-600-1
PROCEDURES
I. Graduate Studies Oversight:
A. Oglala Lakota College offers the following graduate degree:
Master of Arts in Lakota Leadership and Management.
*Emphasis in Education Administration
B. The Director of Graduate Studies chairs the Policy and Review Committee
consisting of the Vice President for Instruction, four (4) academic department
chairpersons and three (3) faculty members with earned PhD’s. The Policy
and Review Committee’s functions include:
1. Approval of graduate faculty members.
2. Review of graduate degrees, programs, and courses.
3. Recommend new graduate degree programs and courses to Instructional
Affairs Committee.
4. Review and recommend changes in graduate policies and procedures.
5. Approve advisory board membership.
C. Each degree program will have an advisory board composed of community
members, field professionals, full time faculty, and one graduate student
carrying at least three (3) credit hours. Advisory boards shall:
1. Provide wolakolkiciyapi to each degree program.
2. Serve as external advocates to the program.
3. Assist in fund raising for the program.
4. Provide advice to the Director of the Graduate Studies Department.
5. Meet at least biannually.
6. Consist of not less than five (5) or more than seven (7) members.
II. Student Related
A. All students must submit the completed graduate application for admission
form prior to enrolling in graduate courses and have a bachelor’s degree or an
earned graduate degree from an accredited academic institution.
B. There are two (2) types of admission.
1. Degree Admission – a degree admission is intended for students seeking
one of the Master’s degrees.
a. Cumulative undergraduate 2.5 GPA or an earned graduate degree.
2. Non degree admission – a non degree admission is intended for students
seeking continuing education, certificate renewal, and personal enrichment.
C. Student Course Load
1. Full time status is six (6) graduate credit hours per semester.
III. Degree Programs
A. Academic Progress
1. All graduate degree programs require nine (9) credit hours of Graduate
Studies Department core courses.
2. All graduate students enrolled in a degree program must receive at least a
“B” in any course or will be placed in probationary status (student is
restricted to taking three (3) credit hours the next semester and must
receive a B or better).
3. Students admitted to a graduate program may retake a core or required
course once. If they receive less than a “B” grade the second time, they are
on academic suspension. Suspended students must reapply for admission
to the Graduate Program.
4. Graduate students are required to apply for degree candidate status after
completing nine (9) credit hours.
B. Class size
Minimum class size for graduate courses is six (6), maximum size will be
fifteen (15) or, at the discretion of the Graduate Studies Director, class size
may be adjusted.
C. Grading
The instructor will grant credit for the course when course objectives are
achieved and meet the rigor and competency of graduate coursework.
1. Instructors will assign grades according to Oglala Lakota College
grading policy, (A-B-C-D-F).
2. Incomplete grades are strongly discouraged. Only extreme,
extenuating circumstances should result in an incomplete grade which
must be made up before a student may enroll in additional graduate
level courses.
3. Students enrolling in flex numbered, non-approved degree program
graduate courses are subject to approval through the appropriate
department, Graduate Director, and Vice President for Instruction
4. Change of grade (see policy 76-200). Appendix one (1)
D. Attendance Policy
It will be at the discretion of graduate faculty to establish their attendance
policy as stated in the course syllabus. Due to graduate level course
expectations, it is recommended that faculty drop graduate students who miss 9
course contact hours.
E. Transfer Credits
1. Graduate students may transfer in six (6) graduate credit hours from
another accredited institution upon review of official transcripts by the
Director of the Graduate Studies Department. For time limits see policy
70-920. (see appendix B)
F. Independent Study
Students may enroll for 3 graduate credit hours of independent study in their
final semester of coursework prior to enrollment in Community Action Project
(CAP)/ School Community Action Project upon approval of Graduate Studies
Director and appropriate faculty. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or
better.
G. Status Sheets
Once a student enters a degree area, the student must obtain a status sheet for
that degree program from the counselor or academic advisor and keep it as a
permanent record of his/her progress. Students should always consult their
status sheets when making course decisions and upon advisement of the
Graduate Studies Department staff. If a student fails to maintain enrollment for
one semester, and changes have been made to the status sheet, that student
must follow the new status sheet. The Graduate Studies Office will retain
copies of the status sheets.
IV Graduate Faculty
A. All Oglala Lakota College full-time instructors and administrators with an
earned doctorate are eligible to become members of the graduate faculty.
B. Individuals without an earned doctorate may be approved by the Director of
Graduate Studies, provided they have demonstrated expertise in the area to be
taught and are able to supervise graduate research and or graduate level
projects.
C. Full-time faculty of undergraduate departments are approved to teach graduate
courses by the Director of Graduate Studies or Vice President for Instruction in
consultation with the appropriate Department Chairperson.
D. Adjunct graduate faculty are approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.
E. Scheduling:
The Director of Graduate Studies, in coordination with the Vice-President for
Instruction, may schedule courses as part of special projects offerings to
designated constituencies.
F. Faculty Teaching Load:
1. One graduate course is equivalent to one and a half (1 ½)
undergraduate course teaching loads per semester. The maximum
teaching load for a full-time graduate instructor is nine (9) credit hours
per semester. The minimum teaching load for a full-time graduate
faculty member is six (6) credit; an approved non-teaching assignment
will constitute the remainder of instructor’s academic teaching load.
No overloads are allowed when teaching graduate courses fulltime.
2. Adjunct faculty instructors may teach one (1) graduate course per
semester and may not teach any other graduate course during that
semester. Exception: In the case that an interim class is taught an
adjunct instructor may teach a second class as long as the dates in
which the classes are taught do not overlap each other. Compensation
is at 5/4 the associate rate for teaching undergraduate courses.
3. Full time faculty for other departments may teach one (1) graduate
course per semester upon approval from their respective department
chair.
4. Overload may be considered only when a full time faculty has not been
approved to teach a graduate course as part of undergraduate teaching
load. (Full time faculty may teach one (1) graduate course (nine (9)
hours undergraduate
V. Student Grievance Policy
The grievance procedure set forth herein is designed to provide a method to resolve
differences excluding grievances regarding grades (76-200). Time lines are to be
adhered to unless all parties involved in the grievance agree to modifications.
A grievance is defined to be a claim (request or complaint) by a student not covered
under the Personnel Complaints and Grievance procedures.
Student Grievance Procedure
Step 1: Student hereafter referred to as grievant, will submit a written grievance
within ten (10) working days of the incident to the Director of Graduate
Studies with proper documentation and stated outcomes.
Step 2: Director of Graduate Studies will attempt to resolve the issue by calling a
meeting with the concerned parties. This meeting will be called within five
(5) working days of receiving the written grievance.
Step 3: If the issue is not resolved at this level, the grievant will take it to the Vice
President of Instruction. The Vice President for Instruction will attempt to
resolve the issue by calling a meeting with the concerned parties. This
meeting will be called within five (5) working days of receiving the written
grievance from the student.
Step 4: If the issue is not resolved at this level within five (5) working days, the
grievant will take it to the “Appeals Committee” which consist of one member
each from the Graduate Advisory Board, student membership, graduate
faculty, and Policy and Review Committee.
Step 5: If the issue is not resolved at this level within five (5) working days the
grievant may make written submission to the President who must rule on the
issue within ten (10) working days.
Step 6: If the issue is not resolved at this level within 10 working days, the grievant
may request that the President’s Secretary place this on the agenda of the next
Board of Trustees Personnel/Grievance Committee.
NOTE:
A. In the event the grievance involves the Director of Graduate Studies,
the Vice President of Instruction will assume the role of the Director
in this process.
B. Student can have representation at their own expense.
VI. Academic Dishonesty
To promote the value of honesty, plagiarism by a student will result in a hearing
for immediate dismissal from graduate studies.
The Director of Graduate Studies will call a meeting within ten (10) days after
receiving written complaint for plagiarism by the faculty member. A committee
that consists of the Director for Graduate Studies, full time graduate faculty
member, Graduate Policy Review Committee member, and Vice President of
Instruction will hear the complaint. The student will be informed in writing by the
Director for Graduate Studies of the Committee decision within five (5) days.
There will be no appeal from a finding of dismissal.
Appendix
76-200
GRADING/CHANGE OF GRADES (POLICY)
1. The instructor of each course shall be satisfied that the student has achieved
competency in expected course objectives if credit is to be granted. Grades and
assessment of students for credit work shall be the prerogative of the approved and
assigned instructor within the grading policy of OLC.
A. The assigned instructor shall normally be the sole judge of the quality of student work
and grades.
B. If an instructor becomes unavailable before completion of the course or of giving
grades, another instructor may either complete the course or grade by special
examination.
2. Change of Grade
A. Changes of grades occur only upon written notification to the Registrar by the
assigned instructor. A grade becomes permanent and cannot be changed after two
semesters have passed from the end of the semester in which the grade was
assigned.
B. Grades given by an assigned instructor may be changed only by written notice to the
Registrar by the same instructor.
C. If the instructor is no longer available, the student must consult with the appropriate
department chairperson.
3. Grade Grievances
Students with a grievance over a grade that has been assigned them by a faculty
member, may avail themselves of the following process to ensure that a careful review of
the grade and the basis for it in the instructor's syllabus has been provided. However, in
the end, it must be clear that only the faculty member can change the grade given.
Students need to understand that grades have to represent a professional judgment on
the level of academic performance and that hardship factors should not lead to a lowering
of standards for student performance.
A. The first step is for the student to request a meeting with the faculty member to
present their case for a different grade than that assigned. If the faculty member
finds they had overlooked some work, not added correctly, been unfair, etc. he/she
can submit a Change of Grade. If not, and the student is not satisfied, the student
may proceed to step two.
B. If not satisfied with or unable to arrange step one, the student asks the Graduate
Studies Director to arrange a meeting with the faculty member, and the Vice
President for Instruction (within 12 weeks).
I. The student and the faculty member are then to give each of these people a copy
of documentation of their case and the reasons for their actions. The syllabus
should be a key reference in each case.
II. If the Director of Graduate Studies and the Vice President for Instruction agree
with the grade assigned by the faculty member, the grade stands and no further
action is warranted.
III. If the Director of Graduate Studies and/or Vice President for Instruction come to
a conclusion with the instructor that a change of grade is called for, the
instructor will submit a Change of Grade.
IV. If the Director of Graduate Studies and/or Vice President for Instruction feel a
change is warranted and the faculty member cannot bring himself/herself to the
same conclusion, no Change of Grade will be submitted and the faculty
member's rights will stand inviolate. No further review is provided or allowed.
(Cross Ref.: 86-200 Student Grievance)
Appendix B
70-920
TIME LIMITATIONS ON CREDITS (POLICY)
Time limitations on all credits transferred to Oglala Lakota College from other accredited
institutions shall be no more than ten (10) years unless authorized by department chairs in
specific instances.
Individual departments shall develop time limitations for their professional degree
requirements.
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