ATTENDANCE POLICIES

ACADEMIC DISMISSAL & READMISSION

A student who does not raise his or her CGPA above probation after two semesters of attendance will be dismissed for one calendar year. Students will be notified in writing by the Office of the Registrar and may consider the Academic Appeals Procedure. After one year of inactive status, a student may return with an incoming cohort and will be placed on probation. Student may be required to complete additional time sensitive program requirements due to the dismissal. After two years of inactive status, the student may choose to take advantage of the New Beginning Option.

ACADEMIC APPEALS PROCESS

NMI has established the following system for an appeal of an academic dismissal.

The Registrar will notify the student of dismissal by mail or email and explain the right to appeal and the procedures to follow. A student who wishes to appeal may write to the ChiefAcademic Officer (CAO) explaining his/her reason for appeal. The student shall meet with the CAO and one instructor to discuss the reasons for dismissal and reason for appeal The meeting shall conclude with the student being informed with the final decision of the appeal. The Registrar shall serve as resource personnel in this matter. The CAO shall arrange for student support services if student isreinstated. If student is not satisfied with the CAO’s decision, he/she shall appeal to the Office of thePresident Ifa student returns after academic dismissal, they will be enrolled in the next cohort and will be required to repeat the semester they were attending, due to the attendancepolicy.

ATTENDANCE POLICIES

All students are expected to attend every scheduled class session. Attendance requirements and the impact of attendance on grading which are specified in the syllabus for each course are determined by the USCG and faculty members. Faculty are required to take attendance for all courses.

The Student Handbook includes the attendance policy for students enrolled in the College of Maritime Science program. Because of the U.S. Coast Guard approval in lieu of sea time, maritime courses have strict unexcused absence policies. The Handbook addresses course make-ups, course withdrawals, final grades, make-up exams and late assignments.

Attendance policies are also reiterated within each course. If a student misses a class with licensing requirements structured into the curriculum, the student must make arrangements with the instructor to make up the content form the missed class.

MORNING MEETING

All students are required to attend every scheduled morning meeting.

CLASS ATTENDANCE

All students are expected to attend every scheduled class session. Attendance requirements and the impact of attendance on grading are specified in the syllabus for each course and are determined by the U.S. Coast Guard and faculty members. Faculty are required to take attendance for all courses. Instructors must report unexcused absences daily.

If a student is going to be tardy to Morning Meeting, i.e. arrive after 7:45 AM, he or she must call or text the front office at 508-287-1073, and he or she must report to the Director of Nautical Science at the close of Morning Meeting. If a student arrives after 8:00 AM, it will be considered an unexcused absence, and the Director of Nautical Science shall inform that student of his/her consequence.

If a student is going to be late for class, he or she must notify his/her instructor as soon as possible. In either case, students who arrive between 1 and 14 minutes after the start of class are marked tardy. Three tardies are equivalent to one unexcused absence, and arriving to class later than 15 minutes will be recorded as an unexcused absence.

ABSENCES FROM CLASS OR EXAMINATIONS

Should a student need to be absent from a class, he or she must contact the instructor via email with as much advanced notice as possible prior to the day or class in which he or she will be absent. If a student speaks to an instructor directly about an absence, the student must follow up the conversation with an email to the instructor. The instructor will reply indicating whether the absence will be classified as excused or unexcused in order for the conversation to be deemed an official record of the communication. If a student is sick or has an emergency and must miss class, he or she must call the front office. Then, as soon as possible, he or she must email the front office and the appropriate instructors detailing the incident, so the instructors can identify whether the absence merits an unexcused classification. If a student is absent on a day (or days) immediately following a holiday or an official school break, upon returning to campus, he or she must provide a doctor’s note indicating the reason for the absence. Instructors will respond indicating whether the absence was deemed excused or unexcused. If a student exceeds three (3) excused absences in a semester, any additional absences will be deemed unexcused unless a doctor’s note is received by the CAO upon the student’s return to school.

NOTE: It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor to arrange a time to make up any missed classwork or quizzes and to discover and collect any missed material.

Unexcused Absences First Offense: • Assigned to a Wednesday Night Session for each class needing time recovery. Second Offense: • Assigned to a Benevolence Detail Third Offense: • Grounds for Dismissal and a meeting with the Academic Review Board

An unexcused absence on the day of an examination or quiz will result in a grade of zero. However, a faculty member may excuse a student from an examination, project, assignment, or quiz if certain extenuating circumstances exist. At NMI, the student is responsible for effectively managing health issues, especially as they relate to classes, i.e., determining whether to attend class, to complete assignments, to be present for quizzes, examinations, etc. Under no circumstances is a health care provider able to excuse a student for medical reasons. Only the faculty member has the authority to excuse or not to excuse the student from class or class assignments. Faculty members will publish clearly defined absentee and make up assignment policies in their course syllabi which shall be distributed the first week of class, so students know their responsibilities regarding class attendance and what to do following an absence. Students are responsible for knowing and adhering to attendance/absence policies in each of their classes. The student must contact a faculty member as soon as possible concerning an absence and maintain an open line of communication with the faculty member concerning the student’s absence. • If an outside health care provider determines that the student needs immediate medical treatment or that he or she must follow specific protocol to alleviate symptoms and/or contagion, then the student must inform the appropriate faculty member/s. In addition, a student must contact the appropriate faculty members if he or she must be absent from class for more than three days. On occasion, the Office of the Chief Academic Officer will advise professors that a student has notified the College that he or she will be absent for a specific period of time. When able to return to class or campus, the student will work with the applicable faculty and/or follow the procedures outlined in the faculty member’s syllabus for making up missed work. Students are allowed to miss three (3) excused 90-minute

class sessions, provided they follow all make up procedures. If extenuating circumstances exist, the Academic Review Board will convene to assess unique situations.

ABSENCE DUE TO RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

Any NMI student who cannot attend class, take an exam, study or fulfill work requirements on a particular day due to his/her religious beliefs shall be excused from such obligations. The student must be provided with an opportunity to make up such exam(s), study or work requirements provided; however, such make-up exam(s) or work does not create an unreasonable burden upon the Institution. The student shall not be charged for such make-up opportunities, nor may he/she be subjected to adverse or prejudicial effects for availing him/herself of the provisions of Massachusetts State Law.

MAKE UP OF MISSED CLASSES

It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor to arrange a time to make up any missed classwork or quizzes and to discover and collect any missed material.

COURSE WITHDRAWAL

A student may officially withdraw from a course by obtaining a “Change of Schedule” form from the Office of the Registrar and securing the signatures of his/her advisor and the course instructor. The student is responsible for submitting the completed form to the Office of the Registrar. Refer to the Academic calendar for specific dates to submit forms for withdrawal without a record and withdrawal with a grade of “W”. The date of a withdrawal will also affect refunds and possibly the student’s graduation date, scholarships and class year designation. A student may not withdraw from the same course more than once. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure all deadlines are met. An instructor and the CAO may initiate the withdrawal of a student from a course if the student is not meeting attendance requirements.

MEDICAL WITHDRAWAL

A student may apply for a Medical Withdrawal through the Office of the Registrar as needed, but no later than 90 days after the end of the semester in which the medical issue occurred. Medical withdrawals apply only to the student with a documented medical issue. A student who must care for a relative must follow the standard withdrawal procedure through the Registrar. A medical withdrawal requires that the student submit original documentation signed by a medical or clinical professional on letterhead that states the student was unable to complete the semester. The documentation is kept in a confidential file. A memo will be sent to the Registrar, Financial Aid including Veteran’s Affairs (if applicable), and to the Bursar’s Office to notify them of the student’s withdrawal status. The student must satisfy any outstanding obligations with these departments. Medical Withdrawal Forms are available in the Office of the Registrar.

MILITARY LEAVE

Massachusetts Public College’s and University’s policy on students who are called to active military duty is as follows (NMI adheres to this same policy) Students who are unable to complete a semester because they are called to active United States military duty shall, upon verification, be granted the option of a refund or credit of tuition and campus fees. With respect to any health insurance fee, the refund policy is subject to the concurrence of the institution’s insurance carrier. Any students who have received any form of financial aid including a full or partial scholarship or student loan or who expect to receive such, should contact the financial aid office at their respective institution to make appropriate arrangements. Students shall receive non-punitive withdrawals in all courses from which they are required to withdraw. Student residing in residence halls shall receive refunds on a pro-rata basis for the remainder of the semester. Verification shall be provided by furnishing the Registrar with a copy of the Order to Active Duty within one week (7 days) of receipt of the Order. If the Order is not in writing, the student may sign an affidavit attesting to such order, which includes and address or telephone number where the institution can verify