Policies and Procedures

General Policy

Our Lady of the Lake University of San Antonio believes that the collective quest of the University community for self-realization can take place most effectively when there are some common understandings about how this joint endeavor of faculty and students is to be achieved. The University’s academic regulations, therefore, codify some of these understandings so that the collective educational enterprise will be one of order and harmony.

The University also believes, however, that the best educational program is person-centered, one which can help students develop as individual persons along all the dimensions where growth appears necessary or desirable, without separating the intellectual from other aspects of individual development. Further, it holds that self-liberalization and self-realization take place best in an atmosphere of personal freedom, intellectual self-determination, and open communication.

Because a university is an ongoing enterprise that can carry out its mission only through constant adaptation to new needs and changing circumstances, Our Lady of the Lake University reserves the right to change any of its educational policies or procedures (including admissions and graduation requirements, curricular scope and content, schedule of offerings, fees and refunds, and regulations affecting students) at any time with notice to students.

The University also reserves the right to refuse to admit or readmit, or to dismiss any student at any time within policy, rules and regulations.

Student Business Office

The Student Business Office provides cashier and student account services for all students. Students may cash personal checks of up to $25 per day. A current University ID card must be presented when cashing checks. There is a $25 penalty/non-sufficient funds check fee charged on all returned checks. An ATM is available on campus in the Moye hall breezeway.

The office also is the final step in the registration process. Registration is completed only after receiving final confirmation of registration from the Student Business Office. The office assists all students with registration invoices and monthly payments. For questions regarding student accounts, please call 210-434-6711, ext. 3929 or visit the Student Business Office located in the Walter Student Service Center or email studentaccounts@lake.ollusa.edu.

Final Confirmation of Registration

The Student Business Office provides students financial information electronically through E-Commerce, the University’s online student accounts financial system. Students must obtain Final Confirmation of Registration in order to complete the registration process by completing the following four requirements:
1) Agreeing to the Financial Responsibility Policy in E-Commerce
2) Enrolling in a payment agreement if NOT fully covered by financial aid. This includes students paying in full, paying balance of tuition/fees less financial aid or if covered by an employer
3) Making an initial payment as stated on the payment agreement
4) Taking care of all outstanding issues with the Student Business Office such as a prior balance and/or mismatched registration verses financial aid awarded hours Payment deadlines are available at the Student Business Office’s myOLLU portal page. Please see this website for information on employer reimbursed plans, payment agreement enrollment instructions, and other information, such as policies and deadlines. Various payment options are:

OPTION 1 - one installment/payment per semester Available in the fall, spring and summer semesters

• Payment in full due by deferred date or date of enrollment in a payment agreement.
• Payment also can be net of financial aid, Employer Reimbursement amount.
  $45 late payment fee assessed.

OPTION 2 - Two payments per semester available in the fall, spring, summer semesters and Fast Track A or B only*

• 50% due by deferred date or the date of enrollment in a payment agreement.
• Remainder due as stated in the payment agreement
  $45 late payment fee assessed.

*Some Online programs are not eligible for this plan.

OPTION 3 - four payments per semester

Available in the fall and spring semesters for traditional students

Available in the fall, spring and summer semesters for students registered for Fast Track A or B only and/or non-traditional students

• 25% due by deferred date or date of enrollment in a payment agreement
• 25% as stated on payment agreement
• 25% as stated on payment agreement
• 25% as stated on payment agreement     

An email confirming the plan will be sent to the student’s University email address immediately, and soon after an email will be sent either for Final Confirmation of Registration or indicating the action to be taken. Payments may be made online, in person, or mailed. Checks payable to Our Lady of the Lake University, Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express are accepted. Eligible Veterans should contact the Veterans Coordinator in the Office of Financial Aid for assistance in completing necessary paperwork.

A book voucher may be available at the University Bookstore if expected financial aid is in excess of tuition, fees, and other charges for the session provided you have received final confirmation of registration.

If a student decides not to attend OLLU and has already registered, it is the responsibility of the student to formally withdraw per the Financial Obligation and Refunds Policy. Students will be liable for any tuition due if they do not formally withdraw. University tuition, fees and other charges are a debt incurred for educational purposes and are considered a Qualified Educational Loan as defined in section 221 (D) (1) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Refund Policy-Credit Balances

1. Refund Delivery Policy - The University prefers that all refunds to students be delivered via electronic fund transfer (E-Refund). Students should enroll in E-Refund at least 10 days before the first scheduled disbursement.
   • Financial Aid Refunds are processed weekly after the 100 percent drop period of the start of a term. Federal regulations require that excess be disbursed within 14 days from when funds are credited to the student’s account (not when awarded).
   • Students will be notified via e-mail when an E-Refund has been disbursed. Students should allow at least 24 hours for the funds to be credited to their bank account.
   • Students can set-up E-Refund by logging into my OLLU portal, section E-Commerce select “Refunds” followed by “Set up Account” On the Account information, students should enter checking account information and check the box to agree to the terms and enter. You will receive a message stating your bank account information has been saved.
2. If a student does not enroll in E-Refund, the financial aid refund will be disbursed by check. The check will be mailed to the student’s preferred mailing address as indicated in University records. If a mailed check is not received at the preferred address, there is a 10-business day waiting period before a replacement check can be issued. Disbursements can be checked by logging into E-Commerce and selecting “View Account Activity.” Estimated Financial Aid listed is considered pending aid and is not subject to refund until finalized.

Delinquency and Default

Students delinquent on or in default of payments and students with returned checks may be withdrawn from the University. Such students may be readmitted the following term if all financial obligations are cleared and the student is otherwise academically eligible for readmission. Balances must be paid in full before transcripts and diploma can be released. Our Lady of the Lake University reserves the right to deny readmission based on student’s credit history with Our Lady of the Lake University.

In the event of default, students must pay the holder the amounts incurred and court costs and attorney fees in the amount assessed by the court and/or collection fees assessed by an agency in the business of collecting just debts. University tuition, fees and other charges are a debt incurred for educational purposes and are considered a Qualified Educational Loan as defined in section 221 (D) (1) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Notice of Consent to Collection Communications

By registering students’ expressly consent to Our Lady of the Lake University, its affiliates, agents, and service providers to use written, electronic, or verbal means to contact them as the law allows. This consent includes, but is not limited to, contact by manual calling methods, prerecorded or artificial voice messages, emails and/or automated telephone dialing systems. Students’ also expressly consent to Our Lady of the Lake University their affiliates, agents, and service providers to contact students by telephone at any telephone number associated with their account, currently or in the future, including wireless telephone numbers, regardless of whether they incur charges as a result. Students agree that Our Lady of the Lake University, their affiliates, agents, and service providers may record telephone calls regarding students’ accounts in assurance of quality and/or other reasons.

Financial Obligations and Tuition Refunds

A student who is delinquent or in default of payment(s) and/or returned check(s) due the University, may be withdrawn from the University in the term the delinquency or default occurs and cannot be readmitted for that term. A student who has been withdrawn from the University may be readmitted the following term if all payments due the University are paid and the student is otherwise eligible for readmission. Our Lady of the Lake University reserves the right to deny readmission based on students’ credit history with Our Lady of the Lake University. Transcripts and diploma are not issued to students who have not met all obligations to the University.

Refunds for tuition and fees in all cases are calculated from the date the properly completed withdrawal form is received in the Registrar’s Office, located in Walter Student Service Center, Room 104. Consideration cannot be given to the date the student ceased attending classes unless proper withdrawal procedures have been followed:

1. Obtain proper form(s) from Registrar’s Office, located in Walter Student Service Center, Room 104
2. Obtain signature of adviser
3. Submit completed form(s) to Registrar for final processing
   - San Antonio campus: submit to Registrar’s Office, located in Walter Student Service Center, Room 104
   - The Houston campus: OLLU- 600 N. Sam Houston Parkway West (Beltway 8)
   - La Feria (Rio Grande Valley) 1650 S. Main, Room 113

Online students may submit the form by email to registrar@ollusa.edu

Application fees and advance tuition deposits for new students are not refundable. After the 100 percent refund period, all other fees are forfeited.

If proper withdrawal procedures have been followed, tuition is adjusted according to the following schedule:

Weekends and Holidays are not included in calculation
Non-Traditional Classes:

Weekends may or may not be included in calculation, depending on program, refer to posted calendars on the Registrar’s website www.ollusa.edu/registrar. Holidays are not included in calculation.

Classification of traditional/non-traditional is determined by program and number of weeks attending. Assistantships are rescinded at the time a student withdraws from the University.

Dropping/Withdrawing - Return of Title IV Funds for Financial Aid Recipients

Refer back to the Financial Aid section of the catalog.

Class Attendance

In general, students are expected to be prompt and regular in attending classes. Attendance policies for individual classes are set by the instructor and written into the course outline. Although absence from class because of illness or emergencies is unavoidable, excessive absences normally affect quality of achievement and, therefore, the grade. The responsibility for attendance is placed primarily on the students. Students who are unable to attend scheduled classes should contact their adviser and faculty member. Such notice, however, does not excuse the absence, and the student must arrange with the faculty member to make up work missed. At times, a student who is participating in an activity approved by the University is required to miss a class. Some examples of such activities are 1) those that a student participates in as a condition of his or her University-sponsored scholarship, 2) a college dean-approved event, 3) participation in a University sponsored athletic competition, or 4) those that are a condition of satisfactorily completing the requirements of the major.

No student participating in any such event shall be charged with a specific penalty for missing the class, and the student will be given the opportunity to make up any work missed in that class within a reasonable period of time. Faculty members may wish to indicate more specifically how they will deal with these circumstances in their syllabi.

If a student does not attend class, the faculty member may submit the student’s name to the Retention Alert Coordinator. The student will be contacted concerning the absence.

Faculty members may also submit a Withdrawal by Faculty (WI) form requesting that the student be withdrawn from class.

Repeating Courses

1. An undergraduate student who has enrolled in a course and received a grade lower than a C (fewer than 2.00 grade points) may repeat the same course only one time, unless the course is described in the catalog as repeatable for credit.
   1. The most recent grade awarded will be used in the computation of the grade point averages and credit earned. Grades of Q, W, WI, or AU are not considered as repeat grades.
   2. If a student repeats a course and earns a lower grade, the lower grade will be used in the computation of grade point averages.
   3. Once a degree has been conferred, repeating courses for any reason will not affect the GPA or content of the degree already granted.
   4. As with all University policies, students have the right to petition exceptions when extenuating circumstances outside of their control prevented adherence to the spirit of the policy.
2. Students who wish to replace a course grade may do so at Our Lady of the Lake University or at a regional accredited institution following the current transfer policy.  CLEP or departmental examination cannot be used to repeat a course recorded at OLLU. 
3. No more than eight courses can be repeated while an undergraduate student at Our Lady of the Lake University

Assessments and Examinations

To receive course credit, students must be able to demonstrate attainment of the course’s specified academic outcomes. Faculty members may use various kinds of evaluative tasks for this purpose, including quizzes, examinations, papers, reports, laboratory work, special projects and external assessments. Students are expected to meet faculty specifications and deadlines for these assessment activities.

A final examination period is scheduled in every semester to permit faculty to give two-hour final examinations. In the week prior to final examinations, no new long assignments may be given, although regular class assignments may be dispersed, and long-range assignments, such as term themes, which have been assigned several weeks in advance, may be due.

Grading System

Faculty may, at their discretion, waive any part of a course assessment, including a final examination, provided that the remaining elements of the course assessment ensure an adequate evaluation of all essential student academic outcomes or course objectives. If an adequate assessment is not otherwise available; a faculty member is never obligated to waive a final examination or any other assessment element, even for a graduation candidate or a student with a disability. Grades are posted on Web Advisor and Student Planning at the end of each term.

In the explanation below, “I” followed by a grade indicates student received an “Incomplete” grade which has been completed and changed to the specified grade e.g., “IA” means a student received an “I” but later completed the work and earned an “A.”

A+, A, A- (IA+, IA, IA-)

Indicates excellent achievement demonstrated by:

1. Competency and accuracy of knowledge
2. Sustained and effective use of knowledge
3. Independence of work
4. Originality (Grade points: 4.0)

B+, B, B- (IB+, IB, IB-)

Indicates high achievement in the same factors listed under the A grade
(Grade points: 3.0)

C+, C, C- (IC+, IC, IC-)

Indicates acceptable performance as demonstrated by:

1. Familiarity with the content of the course
2. Evidence of growth in actual use of content
3. Full participation in the work of the class
   (Grade points: 2.0)

D+, D, D- (ID+, ID, ID-)

Indicates the lowest passing grade; does not satisfy the standards for degree unless balanced by superior work (A or B level) in other courses; not acceptable in the major, minor or core.

(Grade points: 1.0)

P

Indicates “pass” on the pass/fail system; awarded for the achievement of at least the minimal objectives of the course; acceptable as transferable college credit but not directly comparable to grades on the regular letter-grade system.

(Grade points: grade of “P” not counted in grade point average; for grade of “F” see that definition).

Note: Students may take as many as 24 semester hours under the pass/fail system (but not more than six hours in the major); courses that are graded only on the pass/fail system are not included in the 24-hour limit. Freshmen may elect only one course per term on the pass/fail system. Certain majors do not allow students to take courses in the major on the pass/fail system.

I

Indicates incomplete work; used at the discretion of the faculty when a student has legitimate reasons for being unable to complete requirements by the end of the term. Incomplete grades should only be used in situations where the student has consistently attended class and completed the majority (75 percent) of the course assignments. (Grade points: not counted in grade point average).

At the time the grade is submitted, the faculty member selects a date by which the work must be completed. The date may be earlier than the standard date but may not be later than the end of term in which the standard date is included. If a specific date is not assigned by the faculty member, the standard date (six weeks into the next long term) will apply.

Note: Deadline for changing incomplete grades:

1. In the fall term, “I” grades must be removed by the date listed in the spring term.
2. In the spring term, “I” grades must be removed by the date listed in the fall term; however, in the case of those students who may be liable for academic discipline, the incomplete grade must be removed within the first six weeks of the summer term.
3. In the summer sessions “I” grades must be removed by the date listed in the fall term.

A faculty member may request from the Registrar an extension of time for the removal of incomplete grades. Exceptions may not extend beyond the end of the term in which the incomplete is due to be completed.

An incomplete grade that has not been removed within the allotted time automatically becomes an F. An “I” grade cannot be changed to AU, Q, W, WI or X.

CR 

       Credit earned through external means - SAT, ACT, DANTES, IB, life work experience, etc.
       (Grade points: not counted in grade point average)

NG 

      (No grade) grading option for courses that are offered for zero crdits

Q    

      Indicates official withdrawal from a course during refund period
      (Grade points: not counted in grade point average)

W

Indicates official withdrawal, after specified period for Q grade.
(Grade points: not counted in grade point average)

Note: Students may not withdraw from courses during the last four weeks prior to final examinations during the fall or spring regular term; or one week prior to final examinations during a summer session; or after the fourth weekend of classes in a Weekend Degree Program term.

AU

Indicates the course was audited and not taken for credit
(Grade points: not counted in grade point average).

F

Indicates failure; removed from grade point average when course is successfully repeated
(Grade points: 0.0)

X

Indicates that the work of the course extends over more than one term. Given in approved practicum, internship, field experience, thesis or dissertation courses and replaced by the appropriate letter grade when the course is completed. The student will register for a minimum of one credit of courses that include selected issues, thesis or dissertation, or directed study each semester continuously until the coursework is completed. The grade for all semesters of the course will be the same. (Grade points: not counted in grade point average) This may also be used for mid-term grades for practica, internships or field experience.

WI

Indicates the student was withdrawn from the class by action of the faculty member or administration WI form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office for processing.
(Grade points: not counted in grade point average).

The WI is issued by the instructor when a student has ceased attending or has never attended a class. Faculty should not issue a WI grade until after consultation with the Office of Financial Aid and, when appropriate, the Athletic Department. Faculty will seek approval from their respective Dean for all WI grades.

Financial aid programs require that the University (Financial Aid Office) must report if a student has withdrawn from the University (no longer attending any of the classes for which registered). Faculty can assist in accomplishing this financial aid reporting as well as removing students from class rosters who are no longer or have never attended. The WI form (available thru the Registrar’s Office) has two options:

1. STUDENT CAN BE REINSTATED TO CLASS. May be used up to two weeks prior to the last day to withdraw from the session. If this option is chosen by instructor, an email or letter will be sent to the student with copies to the instructor or adviser indicating that the instructor has submitted a WI form.

The student will be given a time frame in which they may:

1. withdraw him/herself from the class
2. contact the instructor and make arrangements to continue in the class. If the instructor allows the student to continue, the instructor must notify the Registrar’s Office by the last day of the time frame stated in the letter sent to the student to have the WI request cancelled. If this notification is not received, the student will be dropped from the class.

2. STUDENT CANNOT BE REINSTATED TO CLASS. If this option is chosen by instructor, the student is dropped immediately and student, instructor and adviser are notified of the withdrawal from class by the course instructor.

Date of withdrawal will be the date the WI is processed.

This grade may be used for any student enrolled, at any location and does not affect GPA. It will not count in the grade point average but the hours will count as attempted for academic and satisfactory academic progress, which may affect the financial aid eligibility. Once assigned, it cannot be reversed. It cannot be assigned once the term has been graded.

Grade Basis for Courses

The basis for grading an individual course may be: 1) regular grade, 2) pass/fail or 3) audit. For most courses, the student may choose the grade basis, but for some courses the grade basis options are prescribed by the discipline. The grade basis under which the course is to be taken must be indicated on the student’s Registration Approval Form. A change from one grade basis to another cannot be made after the deadline specified in the official calendar for the term. The request for a change in grade basis must be made on the Course Change Form available from the Registrar’s Office and returned to that office prior to the published deadline.

Grade Point Average

The grade point average is obtained by dividing the grade points earned by the grade point divisor. For more information on calculating a grade point average, visit My OLLU Portal. The cumulative grade point average used for most records is based on the total grade points earned from courses taken at OLLU and credit accepted in transfer. Although faculty may at their discretion add pluses or minuses to letter grades, these distinctions are not calculated in the grade point average.

Student Grievance Procedure

The University provides a uniform method by which students can pursue grievance issues. An academic grievance is an allegation that something has occurred that violates existing University policy or established practices, or is intrinsically wrong. Grievance issues include complaints about violations of the institution’s academic policies (e.g., application of grading policies), about unfairness in the application of policies (e.g. accusation of plagiarism or cheating), or other academic matters. For other potential violations of student rights, students should consult with their adviser or Student Life. Evaluation of a student’s academic performance in a course or program of the University, when conducted by a faculty member, is presumed to be valid unless there is proof that the evaluation was significantly and adversely affected by prejudice (bias against the student as an individual or as a member of a group or class) and/or capriciousness (unjustifiable deviation from generally acceptable academic standards or procedures, or from explicit understandings established for the course or through the course syllabus, which is the de facto contract for course objectives, requirements, and expectations).

If a student has good reason to suspect that prejudice or capriciousness significantly and adversely affected an official final evaluation of performance in a course or program or the student is being treated in an arbitrary or capricious manner by a faculty member, the student should present this concern to the faculty member and request a reconsideration of the academic matter within 30 working days of the event upon which the complaint is based.

Procedures:

STEP ONE - Informal Resolution

1. The student must talk with the faculty member about the complaint. A faculty member must be willing to meet with a student for discussion. The faculty member is required by University policy to confer with a student who requests redress.
2. If the student and the faculty member are unable to resolve the matter through good faith, reexamination of the issues and negotiation, the student must then talk with the faculty member’s department head, who will attempt to collaboratively resolve the complaint between the parties. Prior to this meeting, the student must submit the grievance in writing; doing the following: state how the decision or action is unfair and harmful to the grievant; list the University policies or state or federal laws that have been violated, if known; name the respondent parties (the person(s) against whom the grievance was filed); state how the respondents are responsible for the action or decision; and state the requested remedy.
3. If the complaint is not satisfactorily resolved through A and B, a student may proceed to Step 2, Mediation, or if necessary Step 3, Formal Resolution

STEP TWO - Mediation

Assuming that the grievance is not resolved at the level of the department chair, the issue goes to the dean of the school or college to mediate. The dean is empowered to hear both sides of the matter, to examine all relevant documents and evidence held by either the students or the faculty member, to bring the student and the faculty member together for further clarification, discussion and negotiation, and to suggest possible compromise or other remediation of the issue. The dean, the faculty member, and the student will collaborate to try to resolve the matter within five working days of the dean’s receiving the mediation request.

STEP THREE - Formal Resolution

If these mediating efforts do not satisfactorily resolve the matter at the level of the dean, the student may petition the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA), in writing, to establish a hearing committee, provided that this request is made no later than 10 working days after the previous attempts to resolve the issue is completed. The student may request the VPAA to appoint a faculty adviser to assist in the preparation and presentation of the student’s case. Before establishing a hearing committee, the VPAA shall verify that good faith efforts were made to resolve the matter through discussion and mediation, and shall explain the due process guidelines to all parties. If, in the judgment of the VPAA, the student’s complaint is clearly without substance for allegations of prejudice or capriciousness, the grievance process may be terminated at this point.

In situations where the VPAA believes that a review is warranted she/he shall name a committee consisting to the following: two tenured faculty members and one staff member (selected in consultation with the President of the Faculty Assembly) and two students who are elected officers of the Student Government Association. If a member of the hearing committee disqualifies himself or herself for possible bias or conflict of interest prior to the date of the hearing, the VPAA shall appoint a replacement. If the member disqualifies him/herself only immediately before the hearing, the hearing shall be conducted with remaining members, except that in no case shall the hearing be conducted with fewer than three members, at least one of whom must be a student and one a faculty member.

For each hearing the committee will elect a chairperson from among its members. The chairperson is responsible for keeping committee records, for preserving documents that relate to the hearing, and for seeing that an adequate record is made regarding the hearing, its proceedings, findings, and recommendations.

The hearing must be held within 10 working days after the formal written request for the review of the grievance is received by the VPAA. At the hearing the burden of proof shall be on the student to demonstrate that the application of policies has been improper because it has been significantly and adversely affected by prejudice and/or capriciousness. The grievance hearing is an internal review and, as such, shall be private. The grievant may be assisted by a faculty representative. However, persons external to the University (including outside counsel) shall be excluded.

The hearing shall consist of the following:

1. Presentation of charges and evidence by both grievant and respondent;
2. Informal questioning of either or both parties by committee members for the purpose of clarification;
3. Final statements by each party, if desired or requested; and,
4. A closed session in which the hearing committee assesses the evidence to decide whether the application of policies was, according to the evidence, affected significantly and adversely by prejudice and/or capriciousness.

The recommendation of the hearing committee including a course of action must be reported in writing by the chairperson to the VPAA within four working days after the hearing. In the event that the decision rendered by the VPAA is in opposition to the committee’s recommendation, the VPAA will communicate the decision and the rationale for it to the committee. The VPAA will communicate the decision, in writing, to the involved parties. The VPAA’s decision is final. Communication of the decision ends institutional due process on the matter, and no further appeal is possible.

The petition requesting the hearing, the report of the hearing committee, and any resultant action shall be the only official records kept of the hearing. Copies of these records shall be maintained by the VPPA’s Office for seven years or as otherwise mandated by applicable law.

*A working day is defined as a day when the University offices are open for business excluding Saturday and Sunday.

For cases believed to constitute harassment, students should follow the procedure specified in the Student Handbook.

Student Disciplinary Problems

The “Statement of Rights and Freedoms of Students,” published in the OLLU Student Handbook, lists various kinds of conduct, which may result in disciplinary action (up to and including expulsion and suspension) by the University. The OLLU Academic Dishonesty Policy is located in the Student Handbook.

Intentional disruption of, obstruction of, or interference with teaching, research, or other University academic activities are prohibited by University policy and dealt with the by the Chief Academic Officer and the Vice President for Student Life. Faculty may eject a seriously disruptive student from a given class period, but must reinstate the student if the disciplinary process does not sanction a protracted suspension or expulsion.

The University does reserve the right to refuse to admit or readmit or to dismiss any student at any time should it be deemed in the interest of the student or the University to do so. Because the University is committed to equity, nondiscrimination, and respect for the rights of individuals in all its policies, the University will not exercise this right unless (a) there is careful documentation of the compelling need for such action or (b) University officials believe that the student’s behavior represents a serious threat to others. For marginal cases, the University must rely on prudent advising and counseling to persuade students to act in the best interests of themselves and the University.

Details on policies and procedures related to student disciplinary issues are in the University’s Student Handbook.

Classification of Students

Credit Hour

One credit hour shall be defined as an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement equivalent to not less than:

• One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately 15 weeks, or
• An amount of work equivalent to a minimum of 45 hours of instruction and/or student work for other academic activities including laboratory work, music ensembles studio work, and other academic work leading to course credit.
• The number of clock hours required for professional practice courses (practicum, internship, field experience, clinical teaching/student teaching) is based on the number of hours needed to gain the experiences to fulfill the learning objectives for the class. Professional practices courses are designed to comply with requirements of accreditation and certification bodies and professional licensure. The amount of clock hours required per credit hour will vary by discipline based on the best practices of each discipline.

Academic Load

For Undergraduate Students

Fall, Spring or Summer:

An international student in an undergraduate degree program must carry a full-time load to maintain status for a student visa.

An undergraduate student may not register for more than 19 semester hours in any one semester unless the student’s adviser receives approval of the school or college dean.

General Degree Requirements

Return to: Majors, Minors and Certificates by Department  

The following are requirements for all bachelor’s degrees at Our Lady of the Lake University:

1. A minimum of 120 to 128 semester hours, depending on the degree, 36 of which must be on the advanced level.
2. A minimum of 45 semester hours must be taken in residence, 24 of which must be on the advanced level, with at least 12 of the advanced hours taken in the major field or in the interdisciplinary major.
   Note: Students who earned advanced hours in their area of concentration at a member institution of United Colleges of San Antonio (UCSA) are required to take 12 semester hours in their concentration at Our Lady of the Lake University, but these hours need not be advanced.
3. The cumulative grade point average must be 2.0, including a 2.0 average on all work taken at Our Lady of the Lake University.
4. Basic requirements, including general education requirements and specialization area requirements, for a particular degree must be fulfilled.
5. No “D” grades in major, minor, core, concentrations or teaching fields.
6. Satisfactory performance must be demonstrated on any comprehensive examination, professional test, or other special assessment required in the major or area of concentration.
7. Computer literacy requirements specified by the major or area of concentration must be fulfilled.
8. INDS 1311 required for First time traditional Freshmen.

Time Limitation

Students have 10 years to complete a bachelor’s degree program under the catalog in effect at the time they originally enroll. A student may choose a subsequent catalog under which to complete graduation requirements, provided the student completed at least one course with a letter grade other than “W”, “Q”, “X”, “I” or “WI” during the time the catalog was in effect. The student must complete ALL degree requirements under the subsequent catalog. Choosing a new catalog begins a new 10-year time limit. Students who graduate under one catalog and begin a second degree must begin the new degree under the catalog in effect at the time the second degree is started.

General Education Goals

Learning is a lifetime endeavor, not just an occupation of one’s school days. At Our Lady of the Lake University, therefore, the educational program is designed to help students learn how to learn – not just for the present, but for the future as well. Students cannot hope to master all the world’s ever-expanding resources of knowledge, but they can hope to experience the basic patterns by which humanity obtains and organizes knowledge so that throughout their lives they can discover or recover knowledge as they need it for specific purposes.

General Education Program

The General Education Curriculum at Our Lady of the Lake is designed to foster the intellectual, spiritual, and professional growth of students in the tradition of Catholic higher education and the mission and values of the University and of its sponsor, the Congregation of Divine Providence.

The General Education Curriculum, grounded in the Liberal Arts and Sciences, provides a foundation for the exploration of the purpose and meaning of the human experience in a changing world and for integration of knowledge for higher learning. The General Education Curriculum emphasizes development of Critical Thinking, Oral Communication, Written Communication and Information Literacy, Quantitative Reasoning, and Technological Understanding in nine curricular areas: Communication, Foreign Language and Multi-Cultural Understanding, Natural Science and Mathematics, Social Science, Theology and Philosophy, Literature, Fine Arts, History, and Technology.

General Education Competencies

Five skills competencies were identified by faculty as important outcomes for an undergraduate education at Our Lady of the Lake University, regardless of the student’s major.

1. Written Communication and Information Literacy. Students will demonstrate the development and expression of ideas in writing and the ability to work with many genres and styles, and the ability to know when there is a need for information and to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively and responsibly use and share that information for the problem at hand.
2. Oral Communication. Students will demonstrate the ability to deliver a prepared, purposeful presentation designed to increase knowledge, to foster understanding or to promote change in the listener’s attitudes, values, beliefs or behaviors.
3. Technology Understanding. Students will demonstrate the ability to use computer technology and appropriate software applications to produce documentation, quantitative data presentations, and functional graphical presentations appropriate to various academic and professional settings.
4. Critical Thinking. Students will demonstrate the ability to explore issues, ideals, artifacts, information and events before acting or formulating an opinion or conclusion.
5. Quantitative Reasoning. Students will demonstrate the ability to make sophisticated arguments supported by quantitative evidence and to clearly communicate those arguments in a variety of formats (using words, tables, graphs, mathematical equations, etc., as appropriate).

General Education Requirements

The General Education Curriculum requirements provide students with a breadth of knowledge and learning in the liberal arts and sciences. As such they form the scaffolding on which to build further study in any major. Each baccalaureate degree program at Our Lady of the Lake University requires successful completion of 37-38 semester hours (about 12 courses) of the General Education Curriculum. The required courses are distributed among the following categories:

Academic Standing

Academic Standing Process

Academic standing for undergraduates is based on the cumulative institutional grade point average of all college-level courses taken at Our Lady of the Lake University.

In order to be in good standing, an undergraduate student must maintain a minimum institutional grade point average of 2.00.

If the minimum level is not maintained, the student is placed on Scholastic Probation for the next 12 semester hours in which he/she enrolls. At the end of the probationary period,

• if the student has raised his/her grade point average to the required level, the Scholastic Probation status is changed to the status of Removed from Scholastic Probation.
• if the student has not raised his/her grade point average to the required level, the Scholastic Probation status is changed to the status of Enforced Scholastic Withdrawal (ESW). Students who are placed on Enforced Scholastic Withdrawal (ESW) three times are not eligible for readmission to the University.

ESW (DISMISSAL) Appeal Process/Readmission

IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEING PLACED ON DISMISSAL (DIS/ESW) – APPEALS are used the term immediately following the one in which the DIS (ESW) was placed on the record.

To complete this process:

Obtain (DIS/ESW) Appeal form from the My OLLU Portal, complete the form, and submit the form and any documentation supporting the request to the Registrar’s Office by a date no later than two weeks prior to the start of the next term or by the date indicated in the (DIS/ESW) letter.

Beyond the appeal time at the end of the term immediately following the placing of the (DIS/ESW) on the student’s record, please refer to the Admissions Office for readmission requirements.

Support for Students on Probation

Students who are placed on Scholastic Probation should work closely with their academic advisers to develop a plan of action to assist in raising their grade point average to the acceptable level. Advisers can help or make referrals to services available on campus. If emotional, psychological, career, health, financial, family or social problems are involved, skilled professionals are available for assistance. In the academic area, the Student Success Center can assist with problems in reading, communication skills and/or study habits.

Dean’s List

The Dean’s List is an honor listing of the highest-ranking undergraduate students in a given semester. To qualify for the Dean’s List, a student must:

1. Be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate (12 semester hours or more of college-level work)
2. Have no (WI) withdrawal by faculty, (I) incomplete grades
3. Have at least nine semester hours on the traditional grade basis rather than pass/fail
4. Have a minimum semester grade point average of 3.75

Graduate Courses for Undergraduates

Graduate Courses Used Toward Bachelor’s Degree

Undergraduate students may enroll for a maximum of six semester hours of graduate credit and have the credit applied toward the undergraduate degree only under the following conditions:

1. All the prerequisites for the course have been met
2. Courses must be taken during the semester in which the undergraduate degree is conferred
3. The undergraduate grade point average is 3.50 or better
4. The course load must not exceed 15 semester hours
5. The registration is approved by the dean of the school or college in which the course is to be taken
6. Courses may not be counted toward a master’s degree at OLLU

Graduate Courses Reserved for Master’s Degree

During the last semester toward completion of a baccalaureate degree, a graduating senior may reserve for a master’s degree a maximum of three semester hours of graduate credit, provided:

1. The student receives conditional admission (full admission pending completion of baccalaureate degree) to the graduate program
2. The student’s cumulative and major grade point averages are at least 3.0

Double Majors/Minors and Dual Degrees Policy

Students may pursue two majors and/or minors (example: BS Chemistry and BS Biology) concurrently, provided that all requirements are met for both majors/minors. The first major may count as the minor on the second and the second major as the minor on the first. Double majors are an option only in the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees; they are not available in the Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Social Work or Bachelor of Applied Studies degrees.

Second Baccalaureate Degree

A student who has received a baccalaureate degree from OLLU or who is currently completing a baccalaureate degree at OLLU and who wishes to attain a second baccalaureate degree may do so provided the second degree is taken in an area different from either the major or minor of the first degree. For the second degree the student must satisfactorily complete at least 24 semester hours in residence beyond the first degree and fulfill major-minor requirements and the general degree requirements.

A student may pursue two different degrees concurrently so long as the major requirements of both degrees are met and the majors are in different disciplines. The same minor may be used for the two degrees.

A student who has received a baccalaureate degree from another regionally accredited institution must fulfill the requirements stated above except that 32 semester hours must be earned in residence at OLLU.

Undergraduate Catalog Change

Candidates for the bachelor’s degree may obtain the degree according to the requirements of the catalog in effect when they enroll at the University or from the catalog of any subsequent year thereafter. Students must submit a completed “Undergraduate Catalog Change” form to the Registrar’s Office. Candidates must complete the degree within 10 years of the date of the chosen catalog. After the expiration of that time period, degree candidates will be held to the requirements of the current catalog. Whenever required courses are discontinued, the college/school dean may authorize substitutions.

In instances where students are readmitted into programs that have substantially changed requirements for the degree or major, the catalog selection is at the discretion of the program chair with approval of the dean.

Academic regulations and institutional policies apply to all students, regardless of the degree programs, and provide direction for consistent application of institutional policies. The provisions of this catalog, thus academic regulations and institutional policies are subject to change without notice. Changes in Undergraduate Catalog academic and/or institutional policies, other than course requirements and GPA policies for a degree, become effective immediately upon approval by the proper University authorities.