HFU Student's Handbook

Herbert Fletcher University

STUDENT’S HANDBOOK

REVISED DECEMBER 2012 V 1.0.0

Chapter 1

WELCOME MESSAGE

The greatest want of the world is the want of men. Men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.

-Education, p. 57.

Welcome Message from the Office of Academic Adminsitration The personnel of the Office of Academic Administration gives you the most sincere and warm welcome to this great family of the Herbert Fletcher University (HFU).

HFU is an institution of the Inter American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which has been created to benefit people who aspire to have an education of excellence and at the forefront of technology in these modern times in a Christ-centered environment. That's why we have created this Student Handbook.

It will provide the necessary information for you to know the rules and processes of HFU. We recommend that you read it thoroughly to make your academic experience at our institution a pleasant and enjoyable one. Remember that we are always at your disposal.

God bless you abundantly!

Carlos A. Robles Academic Administration Officer HFU - Student’s Handbook - V 1.0.0

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Our Philosophy, Mission, Vision, and Values OUR PHILOSOPHY FOR ONLINE TEACHING

WHO ARE WE

To study in harmony with the educational philosophy of the Seventh Day Adventist Church openly and without being confined to classrooms, college schedules, or places but at the schedule that best suits the student and facilitator.

Herbert Fletcher University (HFU) is an institution of the Inter American Division of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, located in the Island of Puerto Rico.

HFU is established to provide educational solutions based on the philosophical principles and values of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) educational system. In 2008, HFU begins its educational activities facing the challenge of providing mechanisms, innovative strategies, and tools adapted to the new paradigm of virtual learning, but without the constraints of a schedule or classroom.

MISSION Restore the image of God through Christian education imparted in our virtual campus and at the same time serve humanity with joy, promoting physical, mental, and spiritual development to its highest potential, having Jesus Christ as our role model.

VISION

ACCREDITATION

Teach our students a Christ centered education, in order that they can achieve their goals by putting God as their standard of excellence.

Herbert Fletcher University is affiliated to Griggs University of Andrews University, which is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) in the United States of America and the Association of Adventist Accreditation (AAA) for Schools, Colleges and Universities of the Seventh Day Adventists around the world.

VALUES Commitment, Excellence, Global Responsibility, Integrity, Transformation.

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PURPOSE OF THIS HANDBOOK This handbook has the intention of providing the necessary information, process, rules, regulations, services, and also all the procedures that impact the students in our university. If a student needs more specific information regarding any topic found in this handbook, it can be requested by writing to the following email address- Info@HFUniversity.org.

FAIR PRACTICE - STATEMENT Herbert Fletcher University officially declares that it is committed to equal educational opportunities for all people. HFU does not discriminate based on gender, race, age or religion among its students or applicants for admission. Because the personal life and professional identity of an individual are inseparable, it is expected that all students respect the rules of conduct that are in harmony with the practices of the SDA.

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Chapter 2

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Church members must work; they must educate themselves, striving to reach the high standard set before them. This the Lord will help them to reach if they will co-operate with Him. Testimonies for the Church 9:140

Records of HFU via email together with the Admission Form. Your Grade Point Average (GPA) should not be lower than 2.75 for Postgraduate and 2.25 for pre graduate to be considered for admission at HFU. If your GPA is lower than the expected, the applicant should send a letter explaining the valid reasons for that low GPA.

I. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS CHECK LIST FOR PRE/POST In order to be accepted to GRADUATES: this program, each applicant needs to follow 1. HFU Admission Form the specific procedure that 2. Admission Fee has been established and 3. Copy of Official Transcript approved by the HFU 4. Official Transcript (Original) Administration. Please note 5. Curriculum Vitae that general academic 6. Statement of Purpose information applies to both 7. Recommendation Letters master and post-graduate 8. Copy of personal identification programs. There are eight document (with picture).

(8) documents that will be needed in the application process:

4. Official Transcript (Original): It is the responsibility of the applicant to request an official sealed transcript to be forwarded to HFU Admissions and Registration Office from every college or university attended. HFU will allow up to 60 days to receive these documents.

It should be sent to: HERBERT FLETCHER UNIVERSITY Admissions and Records Office PO BOX 3269 Mayagüez, Puerto Rico 00681

1. HFU Admission Form: Submit a completed (and duly filled) application.

Original Bachelors or Licentiate degree transcript must be mailed to HFU in an envelope sealed by the university. If the transcript is not received in the allotted time, the HFU Academic Committee will analyze each case and will determine if the applicant will be kept in hold (without permission to take any additional course) until the documents arrive, or If he/ she be granted an extension. In case an extension is granted, the Academic Committee will determine the amount. This

2. Admission Fee: A nonrefundable application processing fee of USD $50.00. (for payment options consult Financial Affairs) 3. Copy of Official Transcript: Every applicant must send a copy of their Official Transcript and diploma of their Bachelors or Licentiate degree (for Postgraduates) to the Office of Admissions and

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extension has the intention to provide more time for the reception of such documents. The student will petition a second extension to the Admission and Registration Office in case that a longer extension is needed When the transcript is received the student will be informed via email.

reaching out to the community (I.e.: through church or social organizations); and the applicant’s leadership experience (any type of positions or activities where applicant assumed leadership responsibilities).

6. Statement of Purpose: The applicants must write an essay or document (between 350 to 500 words) emphasizing:

IMPORTANT: • All transcripts and other educational documents submitted must be official.

• A short account of the significant factors in one’s childhood, family life and academic history.

• If a document or a transcript is not in English, a certified translation must accompany it with an Apostille stamp. Notarized or certified true- copyof-original certificates or educational documents issued by a non-U.S. institution may be accepted.

• A brief statement of professional and personal leadership goals. (Only for the CAL program) • A brief statement of your technological and educational personal goals. (only for OID program or undergraduate programs).

• If your transcript contains a different name from the one that appears in the documentation submitted to HFU, It is required to submit an affidavit or a notarized sworn statement indicating that both names belong to the same person. In that document, indicate which of the names you want use in your graduation documentation.

• The main reasons for desiring to pursue graduate education.

7. Recommendation Letters: Three letters of recommendation will be required, HFU will send to the recommendation form to the persons provided in the application. The letters of recommendation should be from:

5. Curriculum Vitae: A Curriculum Vitae (CV) that reflects the applicant’s education and professional background experience. This CV should also highlight how the applicant has been involved in

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• A pastor/religious minister who is well acquainted to the student and can testify to the applicant’s character and spiritual commitment.

student’s acceptance. During the admission process the Academic Committee will consider factors like: • Work experience

• A former teacher or professor who is able to evaluate the applicant’s academic abilities.

• Professional references • Grade Point Average (GPA)

• Actual or previous employer who has observed the applicant’s performance and is able to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the person. In case of Self-employed workers must contact the Admissions and Records Office for specific details.

ACCURACY OF INFORMATION The information provided to the HFU must be accurate, authentic, complete, and honestly presented. Providing inaccurate, misleading, or omitting information may be cause for the rejection of the admission application, discipline, dismissal, or revocation of a degree if discovered at a later date.

• Letter from sponsoring Institution. (Only for scholarships or sponsored students) 8. Copy of personal identification document with picture (I.e. Identification Card, Passport, etc.).

IMPORTANT: If one (1) year passes by without completing the admission process, these documents will have to be re- submitted. All documents submitted to HFU, including the original transcripts, become property of Herbert Fletcher University.

IMPORTANT: HFU reserves the right to admit an applicant without the required documentation for sixty (60) days or more. The Academic Committee will evaluate exceptional cases with a written request from the prospective student.

DENIAL OF ADMISSION

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

An applicant may be denied admission when the evidence presented shows that the individual:

As part of our admission procedures, HFU will review the admission applications in order to determine the

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• Does not meet admission requirements or is under prepared to pursue a college degree

II. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS

• Has submitted fraudulent, incomplete, or inaccurate information/documents

In order to be accepted to this program, the prospective student’s name needs to be approved by his sponsoring institution (this is only in cases where a student is sponsored by an institution). The admissions process can consist of the following six (6) steps:

• Has engaged in behavior or exhibited characteristics contrary to the standards of HFU. The Admissions Committee also reserves the right to deny admission based on the university’s inability to meet the student’s needs.

1. HFU Admission Form: Submit a completed (and duly filled) application provided by the Records and Admissions office.

2. Admission Fee: There is USD $50.00 non-refundable admission fee. For payment options please consult the Financial Affairs section of this handbook.

CHECKLIST FOR ADMISSION TO CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS: 1. HFU Admission Form: 2. Admission Fee 3. Copy of Official Transcript 4. Official Transcript (Original)) 5. Union or Conference Authorization 6. Copy of personal ID

3. Copy of Official Transcript: Every applicant must send a copy of their Official Transcript and diploma of their Bachelors, high school, or post Masters degree ( in the case of post graduate programs) or copy of the transcript of an associates degree ( in the case of a under graduate) to the Office of Admissions and Records of HFU via email together HFU - Student’s Handbook - V 1.0.0

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with the Admission Form. Their GPA must not be less than 2.75 for postgraduates or 2.25 in the case of under graduates. If the GPA Is not met the applicant should send a letter explaining why HFU should accept him with that GPA. Any person admitted to HFU must comply with the stipulations given to them.

be granted an extension. In case an extension is granted, the Academic Committee will determine the amount. This extension has the intention to provide more time for the reception of such documents. The student will petition a second extension to the Admission and Registration Office in case that a longer extension is needed. When the transcript is received the student will be informed via email.

4. Official Transcript (Original): It is the responsibility of the applicant to request an official sealed transcript to be forwarded to HFU Admissions and Registration Office from every college or university attended. HFU will allow up to 60 days to receive these documents. It should be sent to:

IMPORTANT: All transcripts and other educational documents submitted must be official.

If a document or a transcript is not in English, a certified translation must accompany it with an Apostille stamp. Notarized or certified truecopy-of-original certificates or educational documents issued by a non-U.S. institution may be accepted.

HERBERT FLETCHER UNIVERSITY Admissions and Records Office PO BOX 3269 Mayagüez, Puerto Rico 00681

IMPORTANT: • In the case that an applicant registers for a Denominational Certification for teachers and does not have a Bachelors degree or a high school degree, the applicant must submit a certification of employment (granted by the employer), as well as evidence of authorization to practice as a teacher in the territory where they work (issued by the director of education of the local field).

Original Bachelors, Licentiate or High School degree transcript must be mailed to HFU in an envelope sealed by the university. If the transcript is not received in the allotted time, the HFU Academic Committee will analyze each case and will determine if the applicant will be kept in hold (without permission to take any additional course) until the documents arrive, or If he/ she

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• All transcripts and other documents must be official. If a document or transcript is not written in English, it is required to be accompanied with a certified translation with apostille stamp. Certified true copies and notarized or certified educational documents and certificates issued by a nonAmerican may be accepted.

ACCURACY OF INFORMATION The information provided to the HFU must be accurate, authentic, complete, and honestly presented. Providing inaccurate, misleading, or omitting information may be cause for the rejection of the admission application, discipline, dismissal, or revocation of a degree if discovered at a later date.

5. Union or Conference Authorization: A letter of authorization signed by the Director of Education and the Treasurer of the Union or Conference (that sends the list of prospective students) must be sent to HFU not later than the specified dates according to the HFU Calendar. This authorization should be filled with the form that HFU has especially designed for that purpose.

DENIAL OF ADMISSION An applicant may be denied admission when evidence presented shows that the individual: • Does not meet admission requirements or is under prepared to pursue a certification • Has submitted fraudulent, incomplete, or inaccurate information/documents

6. Copy of personal identification document with picture (i.e. Identification Card, Passport, etc.).

• Has engaged in behavior or exhibited characteristics contrary to the standards of Griggs University

IMPORTANT: All documents submitted to HFU, including the original transcripts, become property of Herbert Fletcher University.

The Admissions Committee also reserves the right to deny admission based on the university’s inability to meet the student’s needs.

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Chapter 3

ADMISSIONS AND ENROLLMENT

Church members must work; they must educate themselves, striving to reach the high standard set before them. This the Lord will help them to reach if they will co-operate with Him. Testimonies for the Church 9:140.

Admissions Process Steps to Follow

Admission Fee

1. The applicant will contact the Admissions and Registration Office or the authorized representative.

When the applicant submits the required documents with his application for admission, a nonrefundable fee of $ 50 will be charged. This fee may be sent by electronic transfer or by check to the authorized representative of HFU.

2. The Office of Admission and Registration will guide the applicant through the process of delivering the required documents for the application form (mentioned in Chapter 2 ).

3. The applicant will provide all required documentation including the admission fee.

Complete and Conditional Acceptance 1. If the applicant is accepted conditionally, he or she will receive instructions on how to change their status for admission to the state of "fully accepted".

4. The Admission and Registration Office will review all student records and inform the applicant via email if he or she was: (a) fully accepted, (b) conditionally accepted, or (c) denied. If the applicant is accepted conditionally or denied, details justifying that decision will be sent to the applicant’s email address.

2. A student who receives a conditional acceptance shall have thirty (30) days to submit the additional documents required by the Office of Admission and Registration of HFU. 3. The admission to HFU has a validity of up to six (6) months. If the applicant does not begin their studies within that period, the admission will be canceled and you will have to begin the process again.

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4. If the applicant fails to submit the requested documents before the expiration of the thirty (30) days (in case of a conditional acceptance) or does not begin to study within six (6) months (in case of full or conditional acceptance) , he or she must restart the application process from the beginning.

4. The Office of Admission and Registration will guide students during pre-registration and registration within the dates specified in the HFU Academic Calendar.

The enrollment outside of the relevant dates will be considered late and therefore will have additional charges. Every enrolled HFU courses will be part of the student's transcript.

HFU ENROLMENT

Important: in case a student wishes to take only one course in every session he/she must understand the risk of not completing the program in the stipulated time (please refer to page 19 item number 7). HFU divides the academic year in four (4) sessions, which are distributed in the following manner: two courses will be offered in the first session, one course will be offered in the second session, two courses in the third session, and one course in the fourth session. This process (2,1,2,1, etc.) is then repeated every academic year.

1. The Registrar's Office will determine the enrollment process and use any of the following communication channels: Website, Virtual Campus, Academic Calendar and / or email to inform the student. Once published in the previously mentioned sites, HFU will understand that the information provided will be of public knowledge.

2. In order for the enrollment to be dully authorized and the student begin his studies; any outstanding balance will have been canceled with the representative of the Office of Financial Affairs (Finance@HFUniversity.org).

3. To start the registration process, the student must have official notification of acceptance of the Admission and Registration Office (Records@HFUniversity.org).

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Chapter 4

GENERAL REGULATIONS FOR THE MASTERS PROGRAM For the carrying on of His work, Christ did not choose the learning or eloquence of the Jewish Sanhedrin or the power of Rome. Passing by the self-righteous Jewish teachers, the Master Worker chose humble, unlearned men to proclaim the truths that were to move the world. These men He purposed to train and educate as the leaders of His church. They in turn were to educate others and send them out with the gospel message.

Acts of the Apostols 17:1

General Regulations of the Masters Program 1. GPA - The student must comply with the requirement of a minimum GPA of 2.75 on the scale of 4.00 for graduate studies and an overall average of 2.25 for undergraduate studies. If the student has a grade point average (GPA) below the overall established, he or she must send a letter to the Office of Admission and Registration of HFU explaining the reasons why they should be kept in the program. Once the Admission and Registration Committee of HFU discuss the case he/she will be notified in writing of the decision.

extra days) otherwise the assignment scores will suffer. HFU does not encourage students to submit their final papers on after the deadlines specified for a tasks.

• The maximum time allowed for lack of active participation (active participation is, as mentioned above: a minimum of four (4) days a week, with an average of 7 hours per week) of a student is 20% of the class session, which means two (2) full weeks of classes during a full 10 weeks of classes.

2. Active Participation: To help students in a timely manner and to stay focused on their studies, ongoing participation is required as determined by the curriculum. Students must participate actively in the course one (1) hour a day, a minimum of four (4) days a week, adding up to a minimum of seven (7) hours a week.

3. Incomplete grade (“I”): If faced with an emergency such as a severe illness that prevents the completion of a course within the session, students may request an Incomplete using the Incomplete Request Form.

Students must have successfully completed at least 70 percent of attendance, and 80 percent of the coursework of the affected course for the request to be considered. The facilitator may accept or deny the request. Documentation will be required (as evidence of the reason you are soliciting the incomplete in the course). If the request is accepted, the facilitator will

• If a student does not participate in a module or part thereof (forums and /or assignments), that person must catch up on their work over the next week (or in extreme cases, duly substantiated, in a couple of

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sign the form and forward it to the office of Academic Administration for final approval or denial of the request taking into consideration that the maximum score to be given is 90 percent (-A).

2. Instructor completes form and sends copy to: a. Office of the Registrar at Records@HFUniversity.org b. Office of Academic Administration at Academic@HFUniversity.org

• If approved, a grade of “I” with the grade obtained at the moment will be recorded on the grade report (example IB) until the requested incomplete the student had a "B". A copy of the Request Form will be filed in the Registrar’s Office, and the student and the faculty member will each receive a copy.

The Office of Academic Administration will accept or deny this petition taking in consideration the evidence sent by the student and the information given by the facilitator. A copy of the decision will be emailed to the student and the facilitator with an explanation of the decision.

• The maximum time allowed for an Incomplete is two (2) weeks after the approval of the petition. A facilitator may designate fewer than 2 weeks if they so choose to. After 2 weeks, the score will automatically be set to 0 and the corresponding grade will be changed.

4. HFU establishing the academic year (e.g. 2012-2013) dividing it into four (4) sessions of ten (10) weeks each.

Students are required to maintain active enrollment of at least three (3) of the four (4) sessions, once they begin their studies. The HFU Admissions and Records office will attend exceptional cases, exclusively.

If a student is eligible for an Incomplete, they should follow the following process:

5. If a student is idle, i.e. not enroll to any course of HFU for a prolong time, meaning not enrolled in any HFU courses for four (4) consecutive sessions or more and wants to apply for readmission to continue his/her studies at HFU, the process is carried out under the following conditions:

1. Student applies for incomplete by filling out “student” section and e-mailing the “Petition for Incomplete Form” document to the instructor.

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•

If readmitted, will be under the Academic Catalog in effect at the time of readmission.

•

Comply with all requirements of the curriculum and other requested general admissions requirements that apply at the moment of application.

•

Must submit a letter expressing why should HFU consider your readmission to the Admission and Registration Office of HFU.

•

A new application for admission does not guarantee automatic acceptance to study at HFU.

7. Once the student begins a program of study at HFU, he/she will have a maximum of four (4) years (in case of master's programs) or five (5) years (for undergraduate programs) to complete the same. We recommend that you need to complete the program in the period mentioned, otherwise you will be dropped from the program unless they have good cause and made prior arrangements with the Office of Admissions and Registration.

8. Every HFU student is subjected to the policies and ethical standards of the institution. Any student can be suspended for justified reasons according to the handbook and regulations HFU.

6. Due to the general requirements of HFU courses, students are encouraged to enroll in two courses in the first and third class session and one (1) course in the second and fourth-class session (except for the first session at the beginning of the program). If a student requests to enroll in more courses than recommended per session, the same will have to apply for this special permission from the Office of Admission and Registration HFU.

9. Every applicant has the right to transfer a maximum of six (6) approved credits from other accredited universities. The transfer credits need been successfully completed with minimum grade requirements for the program in question or its equivalent. In this case, the process must meet certain conditions in order to be sent to Griggs University for final evaluation and approval of credits to be transferred. This process has an additional cost, which will need to be arranged with the Finance office of HFU.

Note: If you do not have the number of students required for a specific course, HFU reserves the right to postpone the session for that course, which will be duly communicated to students.

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10.The student who wishes to transfer credits to HFU must submit to the Office of Admissions and Registration a formal application and a detailed copy of the curriculum (syllabus) of the course whose credits are to be transferred. The Admission and Registration Office will evaluate the request and presented curricula and, if necessary, you will be asked for additional information and / or documentation that could be used to approve or reject the request. The candidate will be informed of the decision in a period of ten (10) weeks after submitting all required documents.

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Chapter 5

VIRTUAL CAMPUS The Lord desires us to obtain all the education possible, with the object in view of imparting our knowledge to others. None can know where or how they may be called to labor or to speak for God. Our minds should be so trained that if necessary we can present the truths of His word before the highest earthly authorities in such a way as to glorify His name. We should not let slip even one opportunity of qualifying ourselves intellectually to work for God. Christ’s Object Lessons, 333, 334

How to Log In to the Virtual Campus To access the Virtual Campus of HFU, use the student ID number (as received in the acceptance letter sent by the Office of Admission and Registration) as your username taking care to use the first letter in lowercase (e.g. c201200105).

b.New password: Enter the desired password, which must be created taking into account the following considerations: • at least one digit (e.g. "1") • at least one lowercase letter (e.g. "a")

• Username: student’s identification number

• at least one capital letter (e.g. "S")

• Password (Temporary Password): As provide to you by the Technical Support Office

• at least one non-alphanumeric character (i.g. ":") • must contain a total of not less than 8 characters (e.g. Psalm119:5)

1. First: Visit the HFU website: www.HFUniversity.org 2. Link to Virtual Campus: Once on the website, click on the HFU icon for the Virtual Campus of HFU.

• enter the new chosen password again (e.g.

Psalm119:5)

3. Username: Login to the virtual campus using your student number (Student ID).

To view full color instructions, visit the following link: http://issuu.com/hfuniversity/docs/access-to-the-hfu-virt ual-campus-2012-en

4. Password: If the student access the Virtual Campus (VC) for the first time, use the temporary password provided by the Office of Technical Support and the system will prompt you to change the password, for which it must take the following steps:

5. When you reach the homepage you will see that it is divided into several sections. We will only mention the most important:

a.Current password: Enter the temporary password.

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• HFU Student's Services | HFU Student Services: In the CV you will find an area titled "HFU Student Services", which is intended to provide relevant information for your academic progress in HFU. This section contains video tutorials and information relevant to your academic progress.

• Socialization Student Forum: is the virtual space where students socialize, discussing any idea that they wish to share, be it related to the course or not.

• "Questions and Answers" Forum: It can be used by anyone who wants to ask a question related to a variety of information and assignments found in the course.

• Course Area: Here you will find the courses offered in this class session. You should select only the course in which you are enrolled. The campus will not allow you to enter other courses. Upon entering the course you will see: Introduction to the course and course modules.

• Click on the grades icon to check your grades for each assignment.

• It is important to note that everything posted on the forums is accessible and can be read by all the class members.

• Modules: Set of activities to be performed in a specific week. Every week a new module will open revealing the tasks and assignments to be carried out during that week. Each module contains:

• Learning activities: provide all necessary information to complete the requirements of each module.

• Forums and Assignments Icons will take you to the section where you can submit (upload to Moodle) all individual assignments, projects and research. Click on it and follow the instructions provided on the website.

• Forum: General Questions and Announcements: will be used only by the course facilitator to publish information. If students have questions about these information, they can be submitted in the forum titled "Questions and Answers".

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• For additional information refer to the document entitled: Regulations and expectations of the academic year 2012, which is in the course in which you are enrolled.

NOTE: Every file that says “.PDF" indicates that this is a document in PDF format and requires Acrobat Reader installed on your computer in order to open and read it. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, download it for free at http://get.adobe.com/reader/

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Chapter 6

RULES AND EXPECTATIONS IN COURSES

“... the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

Deuteronomy 14:2 (KJV)

5. Original Contribution: A comment or original contribution should be made public before Wednesday evening of each week, in order to facilitate the classmates and the course facilitator to comment about it before the week ends.

Repeated late comments may result in a loss of points for that specific job.

Participation in the Course - The Virtual Forum Participation in the course means the process of using the means of forums. According Arango (2003), "An online forum is an internet communication scenario, which promotes discussions, consultations, and consensus of ideas. It is a tool that allows a user to post message at anytime, being visible to other users so that they can read and reply. This style of communication is called asynchronous because of its characteristics of non-simultaneity. "M. Arango (2003). Virtual forums as strategy taken from:www.rlcu.org.ar/revista/numeros/ 02-02-abril-2004/documentos/arango.pdf

6. Reactions substantial: All students are required to read all the contributions and respond to their peers with a reaction and or constructive comment. A reaction is substantial and constructive when it meets two important criteria: • It should highlight at least one positive aspect of the comment very clearly and relate this aspect of the commentary on the readings.

1. Comprehension of the material is required: It is expected to receive from all students a solid understanding of reading materials (or other instructional material that is in the module) and to be capable of explaining when necessary a substantial contribution in every discussion forums.

• It should provide guidance or important questions that help classmate to expand their ideas presented in your original comment. Only after you meet those criteria, it is when the respondent or comments can add their experience and knowledge found in the literature or Webliography.

Therefore, comments like "I agree with what you've written," "this has been a very good comment" or "I enjoyed reading your thoughts" are incomplete, and therefore not be considered for qualification

2. Format to use: All references must be made under the APA style format.

3. References: The use of relevant academic resources that are relevant to the course, but direct quotations should be used only in cases of extreme necessity always using the APA style format.

7. Constructive feedback: Expected at least two constructive feedback (from each student) for all discussions forums.

Instead of publishing many non significant reactions to their peers, they are encouraged to take time to develop a constructive reaction that leads to critical thinking of their peers, and thus expand the learning process of each. Finally,

4. Number of words: Every comment or original contribution must be between 250-350 words (for postgraduate studies) or between 150-250 words (for undergraduate studies and certifications). Long contributions should be avoided whenever possible.

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when your original comment or question receives a response, you are expected to respond to it with an answer that proves your understanding of the materials or further research you have done on the subject.

people do not continue to work on their assignments during the Sabbath hours.

2. Important: Note that most HFU facilitators allow the final delivery of the work to be done on Sunday of each week, so the student should consider this as an extra benefit provided by the facilitator to deliver assignments on Sundays in the evening (in some cases).

8. Respectful disagreement: All students are expected to respond, with a substantial reaction, all the questions that have been made to your original comment. Discussions should be collaborative and not merely combative. Every student and the course facilitator is expected to maintain a respectful and professional attitude while using a conversational tone with Christian character in the comments.

Sometimes, people can not agree on the comments presented by their peers. They are encouraged to maintain, in such cases, a respectful disagreement to help each student to see the topics or issues from a different perspective. This should be done with particular care, given the fact that sometimes disagreeing comments can be misinterpreted by the reader.

3. Official time in HFU: HFU works on the official schedule of the Eastern Time Schedule. If you reside in another country of the world, you should use the following link to find the time difference between countries: http://www.timeanddate.com /worldclock/ 4. Late submission: Any assignment submitted late will receive as a reduction of 10% for each day late. If there is an emergency that does not allow a student to comply with any of the deadlines, students are responsible to inform the course instructor and properly coordinate with him.

9. Attachments: With the exception of cases when the instructor of the course requires it, all comments on the forums are NOT to be published as an attachment, but as common and public messages. Do not upload documents in the Forum.

Academic Honesty HFU promotes academic excellence in all staff, facilitators and students as an essential part of its mission and functions. This approach is reflected in the following manner: 1. Considering the high academic standards and promotes Christian values HFU.

Participation in the Course - Assignments 1. Deadlines: In HFU, weeks begin on Monday and end on Friday at 12:00 PM (U.S. Eastern Time). All assignments must be handed usually until Friday 4:00 PM of each week in which they are assigned. This standard is used to ensure that

2. Plagiarism is when someone presents someone else's work as their own, either by simply copying the work of another and presenting it as your own, or asking someone to do the

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assignment yourself. This practice is unacceptable because it does not meet academic expectations, professionals and Christian behavior. HFU has a policy of "zero tolerance" against plagiarism.

Additional Important Ideas In order to assist in the process of learning, we want to share some additional details: 1. Always store (save) your work in more than one site. It is recommended that students maintain backups of their work to save the documents related to their courses. There are several "programs" that allow such free services through the Web. Services like Sky drive, Drop box, Ubuntu One, Google Docs, etc. can copy automatically (or Auto Sync) eliminating the process of searching for the website.

3. If you understand that you must use words or ideas of another person, it is imperative to mention them according to the APA style or acquire the appropriate permission from the owner of the content.

4. If in doubt about copyrighted materials and plagiarism it is the student's responsibility to discuss the matter with your instructor or academic advisor.
 Academic honesty is highly valued in the HFU on the basis of high academic standards and the Christian values we promote. The work presented must represent your original words or ideas.

Although you may submit an Internet address on their website or contained in a discussion forum, you can not submit materials that are copyrighted in this class without obtaining proper permission from the owner of the materials. If you use the words or ideas of another person, it is required on your part to properly cite sources according to the format and APA style.
 Using copyrighted content without permission is illegal and considered theft. That is the reason why such practices are not encouraged. HFU has a "zero tolerance" policy on this illegal and common practice.

2. Keep your files well organized, preferably in the same form in which it would appear on line.

3. If you have reading materials in PDF, PowerPoint, or other format, save them on your computer along with other course materials (preferably a folder specially dedicated for this purpose) for easy access.

4. Students will work in groups in some course modules offered by HFU. For this reason it is suggested that students use communication programs such as Skype or Google Docs. These programs allow synchronous (Live) communication. Which facilitates the creation of work.

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Chapter 7

FINANCES ‘“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” 2 Corinthians 9:8 (KJV)

How to Make Payments

HFU FISCAL POLICY GENERAL TERMS

1. Paypal (Additional Transaction Fee 2.9%) 2. Wire Transfer (Transfer Additional fee is USD $15)

1. The HFU will notify the rules and regulations established by using the following forms of communication: Website, Virtual Campus, HFU Agenda and/or personal electronic mail (email). Once published in one or more of the mentioned places above, the HFU will assume that the information provided is of public knowledge.

• BANK: Oriental Bank and Trust • BANK ADDRESS: Professional Office Park, 997 San Roberto Street 5th Floor, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00926 • ACCOUNT NUMBER: 7847063796

2. The student is responsible for keeping himself/herself informed about the rules of payments and all financial aspects published by HFU.

• ABA: 221571415 • ACCOUNT NAME: Herbert Fletcher University • ADDRESS: PO Box 3269, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico 00681

3. If a student does not fulfill the academics goals in a given course (“B-” grade) or requests an Academic Drop from a course, it should be taken again and the student should comply with the charges related to the registration, according to the HFU updated fees.

3. Check or Money Order (only in USA or its territories- Postal Office) Herbert Fletcher University

4. No student will be authorized to complete his/her registration if there are any past due balances from previous sessions. The final day to show evidence of pending debts will be the first day of classes of the following academic session. The evidence of payment should be carefully scanned and emailed to the Office of Finances at Finance@HFUniversity.org. Additionally the student should complete the digital form: “Payments Registration” provided by HFU.

Financial Affair Office PO Box 3269 Mayagüez, Puerto Rico 00681

* Prices shown are based on the completion of the program within the timeline suggested by the HFU. The discounts granted by the HFU Scholarship System will reflect a reduction in the price described above.

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5. In case a student or the sponsoring institution does not comply with the payment on or before the date published by the HFU, late charges will apply: 15% increase of the regular fee. The HFU considers the payment to be late between the second day of classes and the tenth day of classes of the current academic session (last day for registration and late payment). It is understood that the HFU classes begin on Monday morning and ends on Friday at 12 noon (according to ET time).

6. The HFU will take no responsibility for financial agreements established between the student and any other sponsoring institution.

7. The HFU reserves the right to update the fees for its programs.

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Chapter 7

ADMINISTRATIVE CONTACTS

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; 1 Peter 2:9 (KJV)

ADMINISTRATIVE CONTACTS General Information

Info@HFUniversity.org Technical Support Support@HFUniversity.org Finance Office

Finance@HFUniversity.org Academic Follow up Followup@HFUniversity.org Asistente Administrativa Assistant@HFUniversity.org Administrative Assistant Operations@HFUniversity.org Admissions and Record Office Admissions@HFUniversity.org Records@HFUniversity.org Academic Administration Office Academic@HFUniversity.org

Telephone +(305) 712-3732 HFU - Student’s Handbook - V 1.0.0

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