General Information

Academic Advising

Each student is assigned to a faculty member who assists in planning his program of study. Once a major has been declared, advising is coordinated by the division chairperson or department coordinator in the major field.

Since a basic goal of Louisiana Christian University is to provide personal attention to the needs, interests, and abilities of each student, the University emphasizes the role of its faculty in the academic advising of students.

Academic Advising is a cornerstone of student success. Without proper advising, students may fail to accomplish expected student learning outcomes for their chosen degree. Proper academic advising enhances student retention rates and student success.

Students deserve the best academic advising available to them for their chosen major. To that end, only teaching faculty within the student’s chosen discipline will provide academic advising. If a student has not declared a major, a faculty member designated as an advisor for undeclared majors will advise the student.

1. Only teaching faculty within the department of the student’s chosen major will provide academic advising.
2. Administrative assistants, secretaries, and athletic coaches are not authorized to provide academic advising.
3. Administrators are to refer students needing academic advising to an appropriate teaching faculty member. Students who intend to pursue a pre-professional program should see the appropriate pre-professional program advisor.
4. Teaching faculty members are not to advise students majoring in fields outside their academic division.
5. Academic advisors should use the following information in determining how many/which level of courses are appropriate for the student:
   1. Previous Semester GPA (or High School GPA for first time freshmen)
   2. Employment Status
   3. Campus residence status (on campus/off campus)
   4. On and Off Campus Extracurricular Activities
   5. Spiritual or other compounding issues
   6. Student’s timeline for graduation (4 yrs, 5 yrs + financial aid issues may exist)
   7. ACT scores
6. Course levels should be taken into consideration when advising, i.e.:
   1. Freshmen are to take primarily 100- and some 200-level courses.
   2. Sophomores are to take primarily 200- and some 100- and 300-level courses.
   3. Juniors should be finished with 100-level courses and be taking primarily 300-level with some 200- and 400-level courses.
   4. Seniors should be finished with 200-level and should be taking only 300- and 400-level courses.
7. Freshmen are precluded from enrolling in 400-level courses due to the nature of program-level student learning outcomes. Courses in the 400-range are designed for students who have a foundation for study based upon all necessary lower- and 300-level courses.
8. Louisiana Christian University faculty members have developed the upper-level curriculum based upon appropriate lower-level prerequisites; therefore, academic advisors should understand the rationale for and adhere to the established prerequisite system. This process will ensure that students do not skip foundational courses central to their academic success.
9. Louisiana Christian University degrees require a minimum of 120 semester hours for graduation; therefore, in order for students to graduate in 4 years without taking any summer courses, they will need to average 15 hours per semester. Please help students to plan accordingly for successful registration.
10. Faculty members should also follow our Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) for advising. The QEP is a requirement and opportunity that the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools requires of institutions involved in the reaffirmation process. The purpose of a QEP in institutions of higher learning is to improve the quality of education and student learning. This plan must specifically address student learning outcomes, align with the school’s mission, and involve all institutional constituencies
11. Our 2021 QEP slogan LCU Serves, Live Connected aims to produce a better prepared graduate who can integrate knowledge and service to transform both themselves and communities locally as well as globally.  This goal is directly related to the mission of the university which is a Christ-centered community committed to academic excellence where students are equipped for lives of learning, leading, and serving.
12. The goal set by the university is for every graduate to participate in experiential learning. To support this goal specifically for service-learning, the QEP identifies the following for each graduate:
    1. Every undergraduate major will include a SL course or course assignment/project connecting each student with an opportunity to serve his/her community through applying knowledge and skills obtained in course content. These courses will be selected by each school/division for their majors.
    2. Every undergraduate student will have at least 2 SL experiences (one in freshman orientation and one in the student’s major) by the end of their senior year.
13. The QEP has three major SLO’s to achieve.

Detailed advising guidelines are provided in the Faculty Advising Handbook.

Academic Standing, Scholastic Probation and Suspension

Students who are permitted to enroll in Louisiana Christian University are considered to be in good academic standing. Freshmen who fail to earn and maintain a 1.5 cumulative grade point average, sophomores who fail to maintain a 1.75 cumulative grade point average, and juniors and seniors who fail to maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average will be placed on probation. Grade point average and classification will be based on GPA hours. This policy applies to all full-time or part-time students.

Students on probation will be required to participate in the Academic Counseling Program (see full description of the program below). In order to be removed from probation, they must earn the required cumulative GPA for their classification. Students who fail to earn the required cumulative GPA may continue on probation so long as they demonstrate minimum academic progress. To demonstrate minimum academic progress, a student must earn a minimum 2.0 GPA during a semester. Those who fail to earn the required cumulative GPA and also fail to earn a minimum 2.0 GPA during the probationary semester will be placed on academic suspension and will be ineligible to return to Louisiana Christian University for one semester and a summer. Please contact the Registrar’s Office for more information.

The Academic Counseling Program

The Academic Counseling Program, a program designed to help students achieve academic success, requires students on academic probation to meet at least once each month throughout the semester with their faculty advisors and to meet with the Coordinator of the Academic Counseling Program at the beginning of each semester and at least once per month as a condition to their continued enrollment. Students admitted to the Academic Counseling Program will be permitted to continue at LCU provided that they meet all the requirements of their probationary or provisional status and meet monthly with their faculty advisors and the Coordinator of Academic Counseling. If students fail to meet any of the requirements, faculty advisors and/or the Coordinator of Academic Counseling will send their names to the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar’s Office will notify students of their impending suspension from the university. Once students are notified of their impending suspension, they must petition the Admissions and Retention Committee for permission to continue at Louisiana Christian University.

Appeal of Academic Ineligibility to Return

Students who believe that special circumstances warrant an exception to any academic policy that classifies them as ineligible to return to Louisiana Christian University may submit a written appeal with the Admissions and Retention Committee. The appeal letter should be submitted to the Committee through the Coordinator of the Academic Counseling Program or the Director of Admissions and must include the following: (1) an explanation of the circumstances that prevented the student from meeting the academic requirements outlined in this policy, (2) if applicable and available, documentation of the extenuating circumstances, and (3) an action plan for improved academic perfomance, meaning what the student plans to do differently to succeed in his or her college career. The appeal must be filed at least seven calendar days prior to the beginning of the semester or summer term in which the student wishes to enroll. Students who wish to appeal for the May Term must contact the Office of the Registrar as soon as possible. The Admissions and Retention Committee makes final decisions on such appeals.

A student will not be removed from Academic Probation based on courses taken at other institutions during the suspension period, even if the overall GPA improves.

Rehabilitation Act and Title II

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 Policy.

Louisiana Christian University does not discriminate on the basis of disabilities in the operation of its programs. Classrooms, residence halls, auditoriums, and other public facilities provide accessibility or alternate locations and services for persons with physical disabilities.

Following acceptance for admission, a student who has a physical and/or learning disability that qualifies under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and who desires modifications or accommodations should contact the Director of the Student Success Center for information and guidance. This voluntary notification will be helpful in planning suitable accommodations and assuring satisfactory adjustments to the campus environment.

All students are measured by the same academic standards. Those students who have greater needs may register with the Student Success Center. Through SSC, extensive individualized tutoring is arranged. Assistance is provided with note taking, study skills, time management, research, paper writing, etc. Test accommodations within a distraction free environment and with extended time can be arranged. For more information, contact the Director of the Student Success Program, JoLynn McConley. 

Student Success Center
Louisiana Christian University
P.O. Box 545
Pineville, LA 71359
Telephone: (318) 487-7629
jolynn.mcconley@lcuniversity.edu

Student Success Center

The Louisiana Christian University Student Success Center (SSC) is a comprehensive one-stop-shop for academic support services on campus. The SSC provides students with access to free tutoring in core courses, thereby fostering the independent, critical thinking skills needed to succeed in university and beyond. Located in the Norton Library, the SSC offers a range of academic assistance in the form of individual tutoring, study groups, and other support services for LCU’s student body. Students meet with peer tutors who have excelled in the course they tutor and who have been trained to facilitate discussion on course content. All of the programs and initiatives offered in the Center are free for LCU students.

The Writing Center, located in the Student Success Center, is a free academic support service sponsored through the Department of Language & Literature. The Writing Center allows students to work one-on-one with trained assistants on any aspect of their writing project. For additional information, please visit the webpage or call 318-487-7160.

Class Attendance

Louisiana Christian University acknowledges the relation between attendance, student retention, and student achievement and recognizes that attendance is both an obligation and a privilege. Participation should be consistent and punctual. To obtain credit for the course, a student must attend at least 75% of the class sessions.

An absence is defined as nonattendance for any reason, including illness, family emergency, or university-related activity. Cancelled class sessions are not included. When a student registers late, or adds a course after the first class session, the missed class sessions will be counted as absences. Two separate occurrences of tardiness will count as one absence.

The student is expected to notify the instructor if a class session will be missed and is responsible for any information, activities, evaluations, or assignments missed because of the absence. Students who miss class due to a university-related activity will be marked absent, but students should not be penalized by not allowing them to make-up any missed work or exams. Instructors will clearly define in the syllabus the make-up policy for the course. The instructor may use attendance in calculating course grades, and this will be defined and documented in the course syllabus.

Instructors are required to monitor attendance, keep accurate records, post attendance in Canvas Roll Call weekly by 5 pm on Monday for the previous week, and complete required reports regarding attendance. The names of students who miss three consecutive class sessions will be reported to the Registrar’s office. When a student has missed 25% of the class, the instructor will complete, sign, and forward a Report for Excessive Absences form or submit the information online to the Registrar. Upon receipt of the Report for Excessive Absences, the Registrar will record the grade of “FA” (Failure for Absences) in the student’s record, forward the appropriate copies of the report to the student, the VPAA Office, the Financial Aid Office, the Assistant Athletic Director of Compliance and Academic Services (when appropriate), and the instructor/professor.

Instructors will complete the Absence and Deficiency Report each semester, reporting any grades of D or F, and excessive absences for each course taught. For classes meeting three times a week, four (4) absences are considered excessive. For classes meeting twice a week, three (3) absences are considered excessive.

Online Course Attendance

Because of the nature of the remote/online curriculum and the participatory structure of course work, students must engage and participate in weekly activities. For all classes, students are encouraged to log in regularly (at least 3 days a week) to check the announcements and calendar, also to complete all assignments for the week. (The due date for assignments may not be extended for purposes of achieving attendance/participation.)

An absence for a remote/online class is defined as not submitting at least one graded assignment that is due within a course week. For online classes, a course week starts on Monday at 12:01 am and ends the following Sunday at 11:59 pm CST.

Students are expected to:

• post to discussion forums as assigned (graded assignment),
• respond to other students’ posts as assigned (graded assignment), and
• to participate and engage with course material(s): watching course videos, submitting assignments, and completing all weekly assignments (graded assignments).

Pre-registered students are required to interact in some manner within the first five calendar days of the semester. Students who register late are required to interact in some manner within five days of registering for the course.

Excused and Unexcused Absence for Online Courses

An Excused Absence is defined as an absence that is unforeseen, due to an emergency or life-threatening situation (requires documentation). In cases of excused absences, classwork can be submitted for credit, but it still counts as an absence.

1. Death or serious illness in the immediate family.
2. Local emergencies requiring immediate attention (examples: tornado damage, flooding, etc.).
3. A student is called into active duty (Refer to the active duty policy for details).

Students are responsible for providing written evidence by email to their instructor with any supporting documentation attached to substantiate “excused absences.”

An Unexcused Absence is defined as an absence that cannot be documented or for personal reasons.

Instructors are neither obligated nor expected to permit a student to make up work missed because of unexcused absences. Refer to the course syllabus for the specific late work acceptance policy in the course.

It is the responsibility of the student to notify the professor in advance of any activity that will interfere with class attendance/participation. Such notification must be sent using their official lcuniversity email.

Failure of Online Courses

7-week courses: Students may miss 2 weeks in a 7-week online course. If a student misses three weeks (3 absences), excused or unexcused, instructors will record a grade of ‘F’ and the student will no longer have access to the course.

15-week courses: Students may miss 4 weeks in a 15-week online course. If a student misses five weeks (5 absences), excused or unexcused, instructors will record a grade of ‘F’ and the student will no longer have access to the course.

Louisiana Christian University recognizes that students in the military have duties that may interfere with their ability to attend online classes. Eligible students are those currently serving (Active Duty), including those in the National Guard, Reserves, and Inactive Ready Reserves, who miss online classes as a result of deployment, temporary duty assignments (TDYs), lockdowns, natural disasters, and mandatory overtime. In general, any military service or duty that is mandatory and outside of the student’s control or reasonable ability to have anticipated may be considered an excused absence that does not count towards the ‘FA’ policy.

There is no appeal for the Attendance Policy.

Course Retention

As a rule, any course not offered within a four-year period will be dropped from the catalog.

College Entrance Units

In no case will any units offered for college entrance be accepted as counting toward a degree.

Credit Earned While on Suspension

Credit earned while on suspension from any college (including LCU) will not be accepted toward a degree.

Declaring and Changing Major

Students should declare a major as early as possible in their academic careers. This will enable them to be advised by a member of the appropriate academic department. Students who are undecided about their major will be advised by a faculty member selected to advise undecided students. Students of junior or senior standing must have declared major prior to registration.

The registrar’s office must be notified when a student chooses a major, changes his major, or changes catalog years. Forms for this purpose are available in the registrar’s office.

Once a student accumulates 30 semester hours, the Registrar’s Office will develop a major sheet to track the student’s progress toward graduation. Students may obtain copies of their major sheet from the Registrar’s Office.

Each student is personally responsible for completion of their graduation requirements.

Catalog Statute of Limitations

A student may be graduated under requirements specified in the catalog in effect at the time of his initial enrollment (if he graduates within six years of that enrollment). He may, however, petition the registrar for permission to be graduated under the catalog in effect in the year of his graduation or the catalog in effect in any year of matriculation within six years preceding his graduation.

The university reserves the right to make changes in programs, courses, regulations and requirements.

A student enrolled in a teacher education curriculum must meet any change in certification requirements made by the State Department of Education.

It is the responsibility of the student to meet the requirements for graduation set forth by the university.

Credit Evaluation

Academic credits may be transferred from other institutions toward a baccalaureate or master’s degree in some cases, if they meet the following stipulations:

• Upon official acceptance, registration, and confirmed attendance of a student to Louisiana Christian University and upon receipt of official transcripts from all other institutions attended prior to attending LCU, the Transfer Credit Evaluator (TCE) in the Registrar’s Office will perform a transcript evaluation for the student.
• The TCE performs course-by-course evaluations and awards credit for comparable courses from all eligible institutions.
• If course titles and/or descriptions are questionable, the TCE sends the information to the appropriate division chair for an evaluation decision.
• Louisiana Christian University does not accept ACT course credit transferred from other colleges. Any courses with credit awarded by ACT score must be repeated as a course at Louisiana Christian University to meet the requirement. There are a few exceptions to this rule.
• Louisiana Christian University does not automatically accept CLEP credit given by another college. To receive credit, the CLEP score must be sent to Louisiana Christian University by the CLEP testing organization, the test must be on the CLEP list of tests that are accepted by LCU, and the score must meet the minimum requirement set by LCU.
• No more than 63 hours from a two-year institution may be transferred to LCU.
• The final 30 semester hours toward a degree must be taken at LCU.
• All courses transferred must be substantially parallel to the offerings of LCU and fulfill the requirements of the relevant degree plan. Approved remedial courses will transfer as add-on credit.
• Credit hours from institutions which are members of Regionally Accredited Colleges and Universities such as SACSCOC (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on College), MSCHE (Middle States Commission on Higher Education), HLC (Higher Learning Commission), NWCCU (Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities), NECHE (New England Commission on Higher Education), and WASC (Senior College and University Commission) must carry a grade of at least a “C” to be transferred.
• Credit hours from academic institutions accredited by an agency recognized by CHEA must carry a grade of at least a “B” to be transferred.
• Credits from Colleges and Universities accredited by agencies that are not Regional Accrediting Agencies or recognized by CHEA will not be accepted. Louisiana Christian University does not accept credits from educational companies such as Straighterline because they are neither regionally accredited nor recognized by CHEA.
• A student who has earned college-level course credits in a foreign country comparable to the course credits in the American university system and who wishes to use those credits toward a degree must have the transcripts evaluated by an approved credential service. Information on these can be obtained from the Admissions Office.

Definition of a Credit Hour

All credit hours awarded by Louisiana Christian University comply with the Federally described definitions of credit hours in terms of appropriate time spent per credit hour for in-class and out-of-class work and with the SACSCOC Policy on Credit Hours:

A credit hour is defined as an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates

1. Not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time, or
2. At least an equivalent amount of work (as required and outlined in item 1 above) for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, clinicals, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

All classes must be of reasonable length and include both content and contact sufficient to maintain high academic quality and standards commensurate with credit hours awarded for a traditional three-semester hour lecture class. Credit is awarded for a course only when student learning outcomes or other curricular or competency requirements for that course have been satisfactorily met, and the final examination or other similar course capstone event has been passed.

Semester Credit Hour

For the purposes of the LCU credit hour policy, an “hour” of instruction is interpreted as 50 minutes of contact time or its equivalent. Thus, each semester hour of credit involves approximately 15 (meetings) x 50 minutes = 750 minutes per credit hour of contact time, or its equivalent, including formally-scheduled final examination periods during the period alloted for final examinations.

Policy and Procedure Statements

All courses offered for credit at Louisiana Christian University must meet both internal and external accreditation standards for class contact hours and for expected out-of-class learning. Internal policies are stated in the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs and the Distance Education Policy Manual and are consistent with the University’s accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) standards. Furthermore, this definition also applies to online and distance education courses, and departments/divisions offering these courses further verify that the total amount of coursework per credit hour complies with the above-stated SACSCOC policy and federal requirements.

Additional Degrees

To receive a second degree, the candidate must earn at least an additional 30 semester hours and 60 honor points as well as meet all specific requirements for the degree.

Residency Requirements

At least 25 percent of credit applied toward the degree must be earned through instruction offered by Louisiana Christian University. Thirty (30) hours of the last 36 hours in a bachelor’s degree program must be completed at Louisiana Christian University.

Transfer students must also complete 30 hours of the last 36 hours at Louisiana Christian University, and at least six of these hours must be from upper-level courses in their major subject. In addition, the minor program must be approved by the appropriate department chairperson.

Students who transfer from a two-year institution must complete at least 61 hours at Louisiana Christian University.

Junior-Senior Hours

Students must complete 42 hours in upper-level (300-400) courses for B.A., B.M., B.S., B.S.N., B.S.W. or B.G.S. degrees. Credit transferred to Louisiana Christian University carries the same level as that at which the course was taken (lower-level, 100 and 200, or upper-level, 300 and 400).

Academic Integrity

Because the primary purpose of Louisiana Christian University is to be a community of learning and free inquiry and because the university seeks to create an environment that encourages the development of moral and ethical values, the university places the highest value on academic integrity and regards any act of academic dishonesty as a serious offense.

Academic dishonesty violates the bonds of intellectual, spiritual and moral principles foundational to all knowledge. Furthermore, academic dishonesty may defraud those who eventually will depend upon the integrity of learning and scholarship. Academic integrity, therefore, must be the concern and the responsibility of all members of the university community students, faculty, staff and administrators.

Academic integrity violations (Academic Dishonesty) encompass any acts that comprise or subvert the integrity of the educational or research process. These offenses include, but are not limited to plagiarism, misrepresentation, fabrication, facilitation, cheating, stealing, impeding fair and equal access to the educational and research process, and misrepresenting or misusing one’s relationship with the University.

Students who evidence an unwillingness or inability to conduct themselves in accord with University standards and any other rules and regulations of the University, either on or off the campus, shall be subject to disciplinary action. Disciplinary expulsion, suspension, and probation may become a part of the permanent record.

A definition of these violations and the process for adjudicating such violations are found in the Student Handbook.

A student may not use the drop, withdrawal, or resignation process to avoid an “F” that is given for violations of the Code of Academic Integrity.

Classification

Students making satisfactory progress toward a degree move through the successive classifications according to the following schedule:

Students of junior or senior standing must have declared a major prior to registration.

Class Size

Ordinarily classes will not be offered for fewer than 5 students. Louisiana Christian University reserves the right to add, change, or cancel classes as needed.

Course Numbering

Courses numbered 100 to 299 are taken primarily by freshmen and sophomores. Those numbered 300 to 499 are taken primarily by juniors and seniors. Courses numbered 500 to 799 are graduate courses. Courses numbered below 100 are add-on-credit courses.

Developmental Courses

Courses numbered below 100 are developmental courses designed for students who need additional preparation before attempting college-level math or English courses. 

ACT scores are used to determine a student’s need for these developmental courses in Math or English. Students required to take developmental courses take them for add-on credit. However, these courses are necessary for completion of a degree. Louisiana Christian University does not accept English Fundamentals (EN 091 ) as transfer credit from another college. If English Fundamentals is required, it must be taken at Louisiana Christian University.

Dual Enrollment Transfer Credit

Students with a 17 or below on the ACT English who have taken dual enrollment Composition I at another institution and passed it cannot automatically receive credit for that course. Students will be required to take a placement exam, and if the student passes the exam with a 70% or above, the student will be permitted to transfer the credit to Louisiana Christian University and receive credit for EN 101  Composition I. If a student fails to earn the 70% on the placement exam, a committee will determine one of the following: 1) the student must enroll in both EN 091  Composition I and SS 100  Study Skills; 2) the student must repeat EN 101  Composition I; or 3) the student can enroll in EN 102  Composition II.

Students with an 18 or below on the ACT Math who have taken dual enrollment College Algebra at another institution and passed it cannot automatically receive credit for that course. Students will be required to take a placement exam, and if the student passes the exam with a 70% or above, the student will be permitted to transfer the credit to Louisiana Christian University and receive credit for MA 111  College Algebra. If a student fails to earn the 70% on the placement exam, a committee will determine one of the following: 1) the student must enroll in both MA 095  College Algebra and SS 100  Study Skills; or 2) the student must repeat MA 111  College Algebra.

Transcripts

Students may obtain copies of their transcripts online through www.studentclearinghouse.org. No transcript will be released until the student’s account is clear in the business office, financial aid office, and library. A fee is assessed to every student who requests an official transcript. If a student needs an immediate, walk-up paper transcript there is a $10.00 fee. Electronic transcripts must be requested through studentclearinghouse.org.

Contact the Registrar’s Office at 318-487-7222 for more information. For further information consult the Registrar’s website http://www.lcuniversity.edu/registrar.