Academic Regulations

ACADEMIC REGULATIONS

• Credits
• Course Load and Student Classification
• Course Numbers
• Pre-requisites
• Registration
• Academic Advising
• Learning Accommodations
• Attendance Policy
• Grade Point Average
• Final Examinations
• Grades
• Grade Appeals
• Course Repetition
• Incomplete Grade Policy
• Course Withdrawal (W and WU)
• Dean’s List
• Standards of Satisfactory Progress
• Maximum Time Frame and Successful Course Completion
• Minimum Academic Achievement: Probation and Suspension
• Mitigating Circumstances
• Reinstatement as a Regular Student
• Academic Integrity
• Classroom Behavior
• Study Abroad Opportunities for AUR Students
• Transfer credits for degree-seeking students
• Leave of Absence
• Withdrawal from AUR
• Graduation
• Graduation with General College Honors
• Graduation with Honors in the Major
• Transcript Requests
• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
• Grievances and Student Complaint Form

Credits
At a minimum, one semester credit hour equals 15 classroom contact hours of lectures, 30 hours of laboratory or 45 hours of practicum. The majority of courses listed in this catalog carry three semester credit hours. Intensive courses worth four to eight credits and also one credit courses are available. Internships carry three semester credits and require 135 hours of work experience. Credit information on individual courses can be found below each course description at the rear of the catalog.

Course Load and Student Classification
A minimum of 12 credit hours is required to be considered a full-time student. The maximum full-time student load, except for students on the Dean’s List (see the relevant ‘Dean’s List’ section), is 17 credit hours. A student enrolled for fewer than 12 credit hours is considered a part-time student.

On-line and blended courses are considered part of a student’s course load for the semester.

Class standing is defined as follows:

• First Year: 0-29 credit hours
• Sophomore: 30-59 credit hours
• Junior: 60-89 credit hours
• Senior: 90+ credit hours

Course Numbers
Course numbers generally adhere to the guidelines below. Exceptions are indicated by the course pre-requisites which may require Sophomore (30 or more credits earned), Junior (60 or more credits earned) or Senior (90 or more credits earned) standing and/or permission of the instructor.

Definitions
Pre-requisites – must be completed prior to the course
Pre- or co-requisites – may be taken prior to or concurrently with the course.
Co-requisites – must be taken concurrently with the course
001-099 Remedial, developmental or other courses carrying no credit
100-199 Lower-level introductory courses with no pre-requisites
200-299 Lower-level courses with one or more pre-requisites
300-399 Upper-level courses with one or more pre-requisites
400-499 Upper-level advanced courses with two or more pre-requisites in the discipline and/or Senior standing
450 Internship
491-494 Independent Study (one to four credits, respectively)
498, 499 Senior Seminar/Capstone Course/Senior Thesis
500-599 Graduate-level courses

Pre-requisites
Some courses at The American University of Rome require pre-requisites. With the assistance of his or her academic advisor, the student must ensure all pre-requisites have been met. Where the requirement has been met but the formal pre-requisites are not in place, the academic advisor may approve a pre-requisites waiver. In these cases, a Pre-requisites Waiver form, signed by both the student and the academic advisor, must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office.

Registration
Incoming First-Time-in-College students, as well as Transfer students, will be pre-registered for required courses according to their declared majors before the semester starts. During Orientation Week, incoming students will meet with their Academic advisors to complete and finalize their schedule.
Degree-seeking students must register online (through MyAUR) for the following semester during the registration period as indicated on the Academic Calendar. Students who register late will be charged a Late Registration Fee of 105 Euros. Students need to request approval for their course registration from their academic advisor. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Spaces in courses are limited. Students have the option of wait-listing themselves online if a course is full. If and when spots open up, wait-listed students will be contacted by the Registrar’s Office directly.
Degree-seeking students on financial hold will not be able to register online, but should use a paper registration form, to be approved by their advisor and returned to the Registrar’s Office. The student will be registered once the hold has been lifted and according to class availability at that time.
Online Add/Drop is available to students during the first week of a regular semester and during the first day of classes of a summer session. Students need to receive approval from their academic advisor for any added class.
After the Add/Drop period, no courses may be added and withdraw penalties will apply.

The University reserves the right to alter the course schedules, should the need arise. This could include cancellation of classes due to insufficient enrollment, change of scheduled course time, instructor or classroom.

Academic Advising
The academic advising program of The American University of Rome helps students define and clarify their life, career and educational goals and develop academic strategies to reach them.
It is the responsibility of both the student and his/her academic advisor to participate in the advising process equally. The academic advisor serves as a resource for course/career planning and academic progress review and as an agent of referral to other administration members as necessary. After consultation with his/her academic advisor, the student is ultimately responsible for choosing and implementing his/her academic program.

Learning Accommodations

The American University of Rome does not discriminate based on differing abilities and is committed to providing all students with a high quality educational experience.
While not bound by the “Americans with Disabilities Act” and other legislation, the American University of Rome makes every attempt to provide all reasonable accommodations.

Possible accommodations may include:

• Extended time for papers or projects
• Time-and-a-half for testing
• Testing with limited distractions
• Tape lectures (with appropriate permission)
• Use of a computer for essay exams

In order to request learning accommodations, the student needs to submit medical or psychological documentation, specifying detailed and reasonable accommodation(s), two weeks prior arrival. Please note all documentation must be valid and current (within the past 4 years) and issued by a licensed specialist.

After all required documentation has been received, the Dean’s Office will consult with faculty and staff to determine available accommodations.

Attendance Policy
In keeping with AUR’s mission to prepare students to live and work across cultures, the University places a high value on classroom experience. As a result attendance is expected in all classes and attendance records are maintained. The University’s attendance policy is as follows:

1.0. Minimum Attendance Requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 70% of a course in order to be eligible to be considered for a passing grade.
1.1. Automatically Accepted Absences
– Students will not be penalized for one absence from classes meeting once a week;
– Students will not be penalized for three absences from classes meeting twice a week;
– Students will not be penalized for four absences from classes meeting more than twice a week, as in the case of some intensive courses.
1.2. If further absences are recorded, grade penalties will be applied according to the instructor’s specific attendance policy, as stated in the syllabus, and following the institutional parameters given in the Note* below.
1.2.1. If the instructor does not specify an attendance policy, there will be no grade penalty other than that attached to the minimum attendance requirement, and any penalized absences recorded above the basic 70% attendance requirement for the course will be invalidated.
1.3. During Summer sessions where courses are taught more intensively over a shorter period the following applies:
– Students will not be penalized for two absences from class.

2.0. Tolerated Absences
Certain categories of absence will not be penalized but will be counted as an absence (for a 3-credit course meeting twice a week). These absences are:

• The Model United Nations (MUN);
• Permit to Stay,
• SG’s “Ambassador Program” (Student Government initiative)
• Religious Holidays

The American University of Rome makes all reasonable efforts to accommodate students who must be absent from classes to observe religious holidays. (Please refer to the Dean’s Office list of accepted absences for religious holidays). Not attending a class due to the observance of a religious holiday will not be penalized but will be counted as an absence. Students who will need to miss class in order to observe religious holidays must notify their instructors by the end of the Add/Drop period (first week of classes), and must make prior arrangements with their instructors to make up any work missed.
The list does NOT include academic field trips because these (including arrangements for
travel) must not overlap with other classes.

3.0. Cases of prolonged absences caused by an emergency or a medical condition may require students to withdraw from some or all of their courses. Under such circumstances students should first consult their academic advisors.
*Note: No instructor may penalize a student more than one-third of a letter grade for each absence beyond the tolerated limit (e.g. from A- to B+).

Grade Point Average
A student’s grade point average (GPA) is computed by multiplying the quality points achieved by the number of credits for each course. The result is then divided by the total number of credit hours taken. The Cumulative or Career Total Grade Point Average (CGPA) is the grade point average for all credit hours taken at the University and at approved study abroad programs. The GPA and CGPA are calculated by truncating after the second digit after the decimal point. Transfer credits have no effect on the CGPA at The American University of Rome.

Final Examinations
Final exams are scheduled during the day(s) indicated on the Academic Calendar. Students can view the course Final Exam day and time on their schedule online, as of the first day of classes.
Students must remain available until all exam and test obligations have been fulfilled. Travel plans are not an acceptable reason to miss examinations.
A student may defer a final examination for only three petitionable reasons:

1. documented medical grounds;
2. documented international competition with a national team or other activities with equivalent significance, or;
3. documented compassionate grounds.

Requests for rescheduled examinations are made in writing to the course instructor. A request for a rescheduled examination must be made 15 days prior to the final exam. Consideration for these requests is a privilege, not a right.
If a student is absent during the final examination for medical or compassionate reasons, he/she may be granted a deferred examination. Applications for a deferred examination after the examination has been missed, must be filed in writing with the course instructor within 48 hours of the date of the missed examination. In the event that the situation cannot be resolved with the instructor, the student may appeal in writing to the Dean’s Office. A medical certificate of otherwise appropriate documentation may be required.

Grades
Grades are posted on a secure area of the University’s official website and are mailed to AUR degree students only upon written request. Grades are mailed to the various study abroad programs. Grades computed in the (GPA) reflect the following grade equivalents:

Grade Appeals
1. Students dissatisfied with their final grade in a course should contact the instructor of the course as soon as possible.

2. Only after having met with the professor, can students request to see the Director of the Program in which the course in question was offered. If students and Program Directors cannot agree about grades, students may request of the Dean an appeal to the Committee on Academic Fairness, no later than 30 days after the grade has been issued. The Academic Fairness Committee will not make sensitive academic judgments or delve into the academic content of papers, quizzes, or exams, etc., but rather it will determine the fairness and accuracy of the grading process and assessment tools. It will look for human or computer errors in calculation, or basic systemic errors that could be construed as unfair or partial to one student or another. The decision of the committee is final, therefore grades may go up or down depending on the judgment of the four members of the committee.

3. Students are responsible for laying out the grounds for their appeals in writing: either instructors violated institutional requirements or the criteria for grading laid out in their syllabi. Students will supply to the committee graded work from the course in their possession.

4. When an Academic Fairness appeal is made the Dean will determine if there exists a prima facie case for an appeal. If it is determined that no such case exists the Dean will write to the student informing him or her of the decision and the reasons motivating that decision. The decision of the Dean is final. If it is determined that a prima facie case for an appeal exists, the Dean will inform the student of this and convene the Academic Fairness Committee (see paragraph above). The Dean will supply the instructor’s written explanations of how the student’s final grade was arrived at and any student work in the instructor’s possession. The Registrar will supply the instructor’s reports of final grades in the course and student’s final examination in the course, and the Dean will supply course syllabi and convene the Academic Fairness Committee.

5. The Academic Fairness Committee, composed of two student representatives appointed by the Student Government and two Faculty members appointed by the Dean, provides a court of appeal for students who believe they have been unfairly treated. The committee is chaired by the Dean or the Dean’s designee, who is ex officio and non-voting except in the event of a tie. If it upholds a student’s appeal, the Dean will change the student’s grade to reflect the deliberations of the committee; if the appeal is denied, there is no further appeal.

When students are no longer enrolled at AUR
The Dean will consult with instructors and send students no longer enrolled at AUR explanations of how their final grades were arrived at. If instructors and Program Directors cannot agree about grades, students may request of the Dean an appeal to the Committee on Academic Fairness. (see paragraphs 4. and 5.)
When instructors are no longer teaching at AUR
Program Directors will consult with instructors by email or telephone and explain to students, in person or by mail, how their final grades were arrived at. If instructors and Program Directors cannot agree about grades, students may request of the Dean an appeal to the Committee on Academic Fairness. (see paragraphs 4. and 5.)

When instructors are no longer teaching at AUR
Program Directors will consult with instructors by email or telephone and explain to students, in person or by mail, how their final grades were arrived at. If instructors and Program Directors cannot agree about grades, students may request of the Dean an appeal to the Committee on Academic Fairness. (see paragraphs 4. and 5.)

Course Repetition
A student will normally be allowed to repeat a course if the original grade was an F, D, C-, WU, or W. While the student will earn credit for the course only once, grades for all attempts remain on the transcript and are marked by an asterisk next to the grade. Instead an ‘R’ to the right of the grade identifies the higher repeated grade that is computed in the grade point average. Both the original course and the repetition of the course will be considered credit hours attempted for the purpose of determining successful course completion percentages.

Incomplete Grade Policy
The grade of Incomplete (I) may be given to a student who is unable to complete a course due to extenuating circumstances. This grade is given at the discretion of the instructor and only if the student is eligible for a passing grade in the course to that point. An Incomplete Contract must be completed for an Incomplete grade to be given. The Incomplete Contract must be signed by both the instructor and the student. It must detail the work to be submitted, the deadline by which it must be submitted and the grade which should be substituted for the Incomplete should the student not fulfill the contract. The submission deadline should not extend beyond the last day of the following semester.
On completion of the contract, the Incomplete grade must be replaced through the completion of a Change of Grade form by the instructor. If no Change of Grade form is received, the default grade from the incomplete contract will become the final grade. An Incomplete grade will not be recognized without proper documentation. An Incomplete grade cannot be replaced by a W. An Incomplete may not stand as a permanent grade.

Course Withdrawal (W and WU)
Students who wish to change their schedule by dropping a course within the published time parameters need to consult with their academic advisor before dropping the course online. After the add & drop period ends, in order to withdraw from a course, a student should consult their academic advisor first and then complete a drop form to be submitted to the Registrar’s office. Students who withdraw from a course prior to its completion will be assigned the grade of W if they withdraw before the withdrawal deadline (as specified in the Academic Calendar) or WU if they withdraw after. Exceptions may be made after withdrawal deadlines have expired only by completing a ‘Petition to Drop Courses After the Deadline’ form and by receiving permission from the Dean and the Registrar. Medical withdrawals will be assigned a grade of W. A change of grade may be allowed for a medical withdrawal. The grade ‘W’ is not calculated into the CGPA. The grade ‘WU’ is considered an F and is calculated into the CGPA.
Both the W and WU will be considered credits attempted for which the student has incurred a financial obligation for the semester (see also Refund policy) and will affect the successful course completion percentage. Any withdrawal after the withdrawal deadline as specified in the academic calendar will be considered an unofficial withdrawal (WU).
Only in the case of 1-credit academic fieldtrip courses, students are allowed to drop the course, without a ‘W’ recorded, up until a week before departure. If students choose to withdraw from the 1-credit course after this point, they may do so with a W recorded, as long as they submit their withdrawal request before the first day of final exams. Any withdrawal or non-completion after the first day of final exams will be recorded as an unofficial withdrawal (WU).

Dean’s List
Each semester full time degree seeking students who have completed the previous semester’s work with a grade point average of 3.50 or above on a 4.00 scale are placed on the Dean’s List. No grades of D, F, I, or WU are allowed in any course completed or attempted. Students must complete 15 credits or more in the semester. Inclusion on the Dean’s List is recorded on the official transcript. Students on the Dean’s List are permitted to enroll for six courses for the following semester at no additional charge.

Standards of Satisfactory Progress
All students must meet the following minimum standards of academic achievement and successful course completion to remain enrolled at the University. The student’s progress is monitored each Fall and Spring semester and evaluated at the required evaluation points on the satisfactory progress table. Non-credit courses (e.g., Developmental English) are not counted as credits attempted, earned or taken and, therefore, do not affect the grade point average. Thus these courses do not influence the standards of satisfactory progress. Change of major does not affect the standards of satisfactory progress. Pursuit of an additional degree (e.g., pursuit of a Bachelor of Arts degree following completion of an Associate of Arts degree) does not affect the standards of satisfactory progress.

Maximum Time Frame and Successful Course Completion
The maximum time in which a student is permitted to complete a degree is equal to the period of time during which the student attempts 1.5 times the number of credit hours normally required to complete the program (180 attempted credits). In no case can the student exceed 1.5 times the standard time frame and receive the original academic credential for which he or she enrolled. Part time students should consult the Registrar for further information on the appropriate satisfactory progress standards.

Minimum Academic Achievement: Probation and Suspension
The table above defines two criteria (CGPA and per cent of attempted credits earned); both must be satisfied to avoid suspension following a semester on probation. Students who fail to maintain a GPA of 2.00 for any fall or spring semester will be placed on probation. The student may not register for more than 12 credits per semester while on probation. At the end of that probationary period, if the academic record is not in compliance with the standards of Satisfactory Progress, the student will be suspended for a minimum of one semester. The student is considered to be maintaining satisfactory progress while on probation. However, the student on probation may not hold office in student organizations nor participate in the student assistantship or resident assistant programs.
Transfer students shall have their status determined for purposes of satisfactory academic progress measurement by including the number of transfer credits accepted toward the degree in both attempted credits and earned credits.
Attention is called to the three sections immediately following, which specify rights of appeal and related regulations.

Mitigating Circumstances
The Dean may waive the academic progress standards for circumstances of poor health, family crisis or other significant occurrences outside the control of the student. These circumstances must be documented by the student to demonstrate that they have had an adverse impact on the student’s performance. Students who receive a waiver of the standards of satisfactory progress will be on probation. All graduation requirements must be met.

Appeal of Satisfactory Progress Standard
Should a student disagree with the application of these satisfactory progress standards, he or she must first discuss the problem with the Dean. If still dissatisfied, the student may then appeal to the Academic Fairness Committee (see relevant section above).

Reinstatement as a Regular Student
Students who wish to be readmitted after being suspended due to failure to maintain the academic minimums must reapply for admission but not before a full fall or spring semester has passed from the time of suspension. If the student is readmitted they must retake courses previously failed as soon as these courses are offered or demonstrate the skills applicable to the student’s academic objectives. If readmitted, the student will be placed on probation for a period of one semester. At the end of the probation period, if the student’s academic record is not in compliance with the standards of satisfactory progress, the readmitted student will be dismissed indefinitely.

Academic Integrity
Integrity is fundamental to the academic enterprise. It is violated by such acts as borrowing or purchasing assignments, including but not limited to term papers, essays, and reports; lending to or producing assignments for others (either for or without payment); using concealed notes or crib sheets during examinations; copying the work of others and submitting it as one’s own; and otherwise misappropriating the knowledge of others. Such acts are both dishonest and deceptive: the work submitted to instructors is not the work of the person whose name it bears.
The sources from which one derives one’s ideas, statements, terms, and facts, including internet sources, must be fully and specifically acknowledged in the appropriate form. Failure to do so, intentionally or unintentionally, constitutes plagiarism. 
Any act of plagiarism will be reported to the Registrar’s office and noted in the student’s file. After three incidents of plagiarism, the student will be suspended from the University for at least one semester.

Intentional Plagiarism
Submitting a paper written by someone else – a paper written by another student, a purchased paper, or a paper downloaded from the internet – can only be construed as intentional plagiarism. So, too, is writing a paper for someone else. The evidence is non-debatable.
Such instances will be reported to the Dean, who will require the student (or students) involved to sign the following statement: “Submitting a paper written by someone else as my own work (or writing a paper for someone else) is dishonest. I understand that repeating this offense will result in my suspension or permanent expulsion from AUR.” The instance will also be entered on the student’s record. A second instance will result in suspension or permanent expulsion from AUR.
The instructor will have the option of failing for the course; the student (or students) involved; averaging the zero grade of the plagiarized paper into the student’s final grade; or averaging the zero grade of the plagiarized paper into the student’s final grade and requiring another paper in its place.

The Improper Use of Sources
Using sources improperly or failing to acknowledge them fully and specifically may be construed as intentional or unintentional plagiarism. In such instances the instructor has latitude in determining the seriousness of the offense and the penalty: failing the student in the course; averaging the zero grade of the plagiarized paper into the student’s final grade; averaging the zero grade of the plagiarized paper into the student’s final grade and requiring another paper in its place; or accepting another paper in place of the plagiarized paper and dropping the zero grade. The student will also be required to attend the Writing Center for instruction in the proper use of sources.
Such instances will also be reported to the Dean and entered on the student’s record or, for a study-abroad student, reported to the home institution. A second instance may result in suspension or permanent expulsion from AUR; a third instance will result in suspension or permanent expulsion from AUR.

Cheating on Examinations
Cheating on examinations in any form whatsoever — using concealed notes or crib sheets, getting help from another student, or giving help to another student — is a serious offense against academic honesty. The instructor has latitude in determining the grade on the examination and the grade for the course: the grade for the examination may be zero, the grade for the course F.
Such instances will be reported to the Dean, who will require the student (or students) involved to sign the following statement: “Cheating on an examination (or helping someone else to cheat on an examination) is dishonest. I understand that repeating this offense will result in my suspension or permanent expulsion from AUR.” The instance will also be entered on the student’s record or, for a study-abroad student, reported to the home institution. A second instance will result in suspension or permanent expulsion from AUR.
In all these instances students have the option of an appeal to the Academic Fairness Committee.

Classroom Behavior
It is the professor’s ultimate responsibility to establish behavioral tone in the classroom. Guidelines on attendance, class participation, tardiness, etc. are to be outlined in the course syllabus or clearly stated by the professor in class. It is incumbent upon the student to honor these guidelines. While the professor should engage in a policy of positive reinforcement in his or her teaching practices, students must maintain a sense of decorum in the classroom conducive to a high standard of education. AUR does not permit, for example, the use of cell phones during class. All phones must be turned off before entering the room. Students are also encouraged to take care of all personal needs outside of the classroom. Leaving and re-entering class during lectures is not allowed. Disruptions of any sort for any reason other than an emergency are considered a serious violation of classroom decorum. Repeated disturbances of this kind may have academic and disciplinary consequences.

Cyber bullying
AUR has a zero-tolerance policy regarding cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is defined by the U.S. National Crime Prevention Council as, “the intentional and aggressive process of using the Internet, cell phones or other devices to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person.” The very nature of education depends upon the free exchange of ideas, and the university classroom is a safe space where ideas are explored and debated in a respectful and thoughtful way. Because cyber bullying attacks the fundamental tenets of intellectual inquiry, any student found guilty of cyber bullying another student or a professor will be immediately suspended from the university.

Study Abroad Opportunities for AUR Students
With the approval of the academic advisor, AUR degree students may apply to participate in study abroad programs offered at other institutions. Courses taken at other universities must be pre-approved by the academic advisor and a Transfer Credit Permit Form must be completed and submitted to the Registrar’s Office. This also applies to J-Term and Summer sessions (see also AUR Abroad). Students who receive federal aid are strongly advised to choose a program outside of the US that is authorized to administer Title IV funds. Failure to do so may make the students ineligible for federal aid when they return to AUR. Contact the Associate Director of Financial Aid (financialaid@aur.edu).

Transfer credits for current degree-seeking students
If a current student wishes to take a course outside of The American University of Rome, the student needs to complete a “Transfer credit pre-approval form” or an “Online course approval form”. This form is to be approved by his/her academic advisor and submitted to the Registrar’s office, prior to enrolling in the outside course. Attached to the form, the student should also submit an official course description or course syllabus for each course.
The rules and conditions for the transfer of academic credits are outlined under the ‘Transfer Students’ section of the Admission Requirements (pp. 31-32). In general, credit from academic courses taken at institutions of higher education accredited by an American regional accrediting association, as well as from nationally recognized institutions of higher education outside of the U.S., will transfer, provided that the course is completed with at least a grade of “C” and that the course is similar in content, scope and level to work offered at The American University of Rome.
A student is not permitted to take an online course if the course is offered at The American University of Rome during a given semester and the final semester must be completed in residence at AUR.
Students are not allowed to take online courses if they are receiving US Federal Financial aid, or will be doing so in the future. All students receiving US Federal Financial Aid are advised to check with AUR’s Financial Aid office before enrolling in courses at another institution.
Upon completion of the course(s), the student must submit an official sealed transcript to the Registrar for posting to his/her academic record. Transfer credit grades are not included in the student’s grade point average.

Leave of Absence
AUR degree students in good financial standing may request a leave of absence by completing the appropriate form with the Registrar. A leave of absence can be for no more than one year and allows for automatic readmission under the same academic program. A leave of absence deposit fee of 120 Euro is required and will be credited towards tuition payment once the student returns, otherwise it is non-refundable.
A student who fails to file a signed form and pay the required fee by the last day of Add/Drop and does not return by the start of classes will be considered to have withdrawn from the University.
Withdrawn students who should decide to return must reapply for admission following the requirements at the time of application.
Degree-seeking students who need to take a Leave of Absence during the semester, due to extenuating circumstances, must submit a request to the Registrar in writing. Only students in good financial standing (without a financial hold) can request a Leave of Absence, and thus defer the tuition paid, as well as eventual scholarships received, should it be granted.
If the student should not return after the approved Leave of Absence, no refund will be applied.
Students are advised to contact their academic advisor to understand how a Leave of Absence will affect their degree progression, as well as AUR’s Financial Aid Associate Director if they have financial aid (loans and/or scholarships).

Withdrawal from AUR
Students wishing to withdraw from the University should complete a Withdrawal Notification form available from the Registrar or notify the Registrar in writing. Degree seeking students who do not enroll during the following regular semester (Fall/Spring) and are not recorded on a leave of absence will automatically considered as withdrawn. Students
with federal aid who withdraw must complete Federal Loan Exit Counseling and will go into the 6-month grace period for loan repayment.

Graduation
The formal commencement ceremony is held at the end of the spring semester for degree candidates who have completed all graduation requirements that academic year. Degree candidates who have yet to complete a maximum of eight credits in the following summer session may also apply to participate in the ceremony. There are three degree conferral dates per year (noted on transcripts and diplomas): in December, May and July or August. These three dates will constitute a graduating class. Candidates for degrees are to file a Graduation Request Form with the Office the Registrar before beginning their final semester of study. Applications for graduation will only be approved by the academic advisor after the advisor has completed a graduation audit. Students must pay the graduation fee by April 30th in order to participate in the ceremony and/or receive their diploma. Students graduating in the fall semester must pay the graduation fee by November 30th. Students may not file an application for graduation during the summer sessions. Diplomas will be issued only to students in good financial standing with the University and only these students may participate in the commencement ceremony.

Graduation with General College Honors
Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.90 or higher will be graduated Summa Cum Laude. Students with a GPA of at least 3.75 but less than 3.90 will be graduated Magna Cum Laude. Students with a GPA of at least 3.50 but less than 3.75 will be graduated Cum Laude. The Valedictorian is the Bachelor’s degree recipient with the highest cumulative grade point average based on the last 45 credits taken at AUR. The student must have all courses completed and reported for calculation of the final cumulative GPA by Commencement Day.

Graduation with Honors in the Major
On recommendation of Program Directors, students with at least 24 credits in the major may graduate with ‘Honors in the Major’. Students are eligible for Honors in the Major if their GPA in the major is not less than 3.50 and their cumulative GPA is not less than 2.70 at the time of graduation.

Transcript Requests
An official transcript will be sent to any institution or institutions designated by the student on a Transcript Request form, which is available from the Registrar (registrar@aur.edu) and from the AUR website. Only requests bearing a student signature will be processed. Faxed requests are accepted. Students should allow three weeks for transcript processing. A fee will be charged for the service. Transcripts will not be issued to students who are not in good financial standing with the University.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of a student’s education records. In compliance with FERPA, The American University of Rome does not disclose personally identifiable information contained in student education records, except as authorized by law and/or those with written consent from the student.

Grievances and Student Complaint Form
It is not uncommon that students encounter problems during their university study. They may be academic or non-academic in nature. Students are encouraged to seek problem resolution as soon as possible. Problems, complaints and /or grievances may involve other students, staff, faculty or university policies or procedures. It is specifically recommended that in attempting to resolve a problem or dispute that the students be polite, be specific and follow the below guidelines. Students should first contact the parties or offices directly involved in a frank, respectful way. (Ex: fellow student, faculty or staff member etc.). The focus should be as specific as possible. Issues that are vague are by nature harder to resolve.
However, not all complaints can be resolved one on one. The American University of Rome has created an online process by which a student can file a formal complaint. Complaints placed in writing on this form will be directed to the person who can most appropriately address the complaint. Students will be contacted if additional information is needed and notified of the actions taken regarding the complaint. The Form is available on MyAUR.