Student Information & Academic Policy

Semester Information
All programs operate on the following semester basis:
Fall          September - December
Spring     January - April
Summer  May - August

Financial Responsibilities
No statement of grades, transcript, diploma, certificate, or degree will be issued or access to online services (NVIT Connect) to a student until all obligations (such as outstanding fees, charges or overdue library books) have been settled. This includes students who have fees being paid for by a sponsoring agency.

Grade Information
Grades will be available for viewing on NVIT Connect as soon as they are entered by instructors and verified (nightly).

Official Transcripts
An official transcript is a listing of a students grades and grade point average bearing the Registrar's seal and signature.
To obtain an official transcript students must complete a Transcript Request form. This form can be obtained from the Registrar's office.

Change of Address
Students are expected to advise the Registrar's Office of any address changes.

Access to Information
NVIT is bound by the provisions of the British Columbia Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPOP). NVIT will release information or allow access to information only in accordance with the Act. All requests for information must be made in writing to the FOIPOP officer. Any release of information by NVIT will be made in writing by the FOIPOP officer. For more information contact Ken Tourand, Vice President Corporate Services at (250) 378-3345.

Confidentiality of Student Records
NVIT regards the information contained in the student’s permanent record as personal and private. No transcript or other personal information will be released except under the following circumstances:
1. Information released to the student,
2. Information released with the written authorization of the student,
3. Information released in response to a court order.

Human Rights
NVIT is committed to providing a preventative approach towards human rights violations, through education and a human rights policy and procedure. NVIT defines human rights violations as those covered by the BC Human Rights Act.
Copies of the policy and procedure are available from the Vice President Corporate Services.

Attendance
Students are expected to attend all lectures, laboratories and seminars in each subject for which they are enrolled. Failure to comply with guidelines may result in disciplinary action. The instructor may refuse admission to a lecture, laboratory or seminar for lateness, class misconduct, or failure to complete assigned work. Repeated absences may, on the recommendation of the instructor and the sanction of the Academic Dean, lead to a student’s dismissal from the class or exclusion from the final examination.

Last Day to Withdraw
To officially withdraw from a course or program, students must either complete the appropriate form and submit it to the Registrar's Office by the deadline outlined in the Schedule of Events. 
*or withdraw online using NVIT Connect. 

Compassionate Leave
We understand situations may arise where a student is unable to attend classes for personal reasons. If a student has a death or illness in the family, or personal or family problems, and will be missing several days of classes, it is NVIT policy that he or she notifies [when appropriate and possible] the department head by phone or in person. If the department head is not available, an advisor can be notified. Students should be aware that extended absence could result in difficulty in completing a course.

Medical Withdrawal
In the event that a student cannot complete the semester due to ill health, the student may submit a letter from his/her doctor and withdraw completely from the program to which the student is enrolled.

Course Changes
Students are responsible for ensuring that any changes to their course schedule are made by completing the course change form and submitting it to the Registrar's Office, or by using NVIT Connect, before the deadline date. Unofficial changes made by a student after these dates will result in a failing grade which will be recorded on the student’s permanent record.

Course Exemptions
In the event that a student changes programs at NVIT, the department head of the new program will, at the student’s request, evaluate other courses taken at NVIT and will provide course exemptions toward the student’s new program where appropriate.

Academic Conduct
By the act of registering, students accept responsibility to be familiar with and abide by all the rules, regulations and policies of NVIT and of the program of studies in which they are enrolled.

Please refer to the academic policies in this calendar and posted on the NVIT website.

Satisfactory Academic Progress
Satisfactory academic progress is defined as the achievement of grades which permits a student to move to the next highest level of academic studies. In a particular course a minimum satisfactory achievement is a 1.00 grade point value. However, a student is expected to maintain a minimum overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.00.

All students who enter NVIT, in any given program, are expected to maintain acceptable standards of academic performance.

PROCEDURES

1. Academic Probation
A student registered in two or more credit courses shall be placed on academic probation in the next semester attended when the semester or cumulative grade point average falls below 2.00.
*note that GPAs fro students enrolled in College Readiness courses must be calculated manually as these courses do not have credit and therefore do not claculate a GPA

One week following the grading deadline for the term, the following steps will be taken:
a) The Registrar will notify the Dean of all students who did not achieve the minimum GPA of 2.00;
b) The Dean will consult with Program Heads to determine if there are unique extenuating cirumstances that excuse the student from the policy and will notify the Registrar of those students (if any);
c) The Dean will write to the student* indicating the Academic Probation, any required follow-up, and the consequences of not improving his/her academic standing,
*Referral to an Advisor will be included in the letter.
d) The Registrar will be notified, and a notation will be placed on the student record indicating the start of Academic Probation for the term just completed and the next subsequent term. For the next subsequent term:

I. If the student's term GPA does improve, they will be considered as returned to satisfactory academic standing and their student record will be updated to note this;

II. If the student's term GPA does not improve to above 2.00 they will be continued on Academic Probation and be notified by the Dean that they are continuing on academic probation and have one final semester to improve their term GPA prior to being required to withdraw from that program.

2. Academic Dismissal
Students on Academic Probation who do not achieve a minimum 2.00 term GPA in their subsequent term will be required to withdraw from their program for a period of two calendar years.

One week following the grading deadline for the term, the following steps will be taken:
a) The Registrar will notify the Dean of all students who were placed on Academic Probation in the previous two terms and did not achieve the minimum GPA of 2.00,
b) The Dean will consult with Program Heads to determine if there are unique extenuating circumstances that excuse the student from the policy and will notify the Registrar of those students (if any), 
c) The Dean will write to the student indicating they had previously been placed on probation and did not achieve the minimum GPA in their term following that probation and that they are required to withdraw and may not re-enroll for a period of two years, 
d) The Registrar will be notified, and a notation will be placed on the student record indicating the Academic Dismissal.

Consistency
At the beginning of each course instructors will provide students with Education Council approved guidelines regarding student responsibilities in each course. These may include, but are not limited to matters such as assignments, tests and examinations, deadlines, attendance, lateness, participation, grading, and deadline extensions. Instructors are expected to consistently follow through with these guidelines for the duration of the course, and students are expected to abide by the guidelines.

Plagiarism & Cheating
Plagiarism is the presentation of another person’s work or ideas as one’s own without acknowledgement of the original source. There are differing degrees of plagiarism which range from the naive use of material and failing to acknowledge the source, to blatant intentional deceit on the part of the student.

Registered students are expected to familiarize themselves with the policies pertaining to plagiarism and cheating. This is a serious matter that could result in suspension and /or expulsion from NVIT.

Instructors will undertake to explain the scope of plagiarism and clearly outline their expectations around student work, either at the beginning of the course or on the course outline.