Academic - Calendar, Services, and Policies

2022-2023 Academic Calendar

Fall Term

Opening Faculty and Staff Conference	Tuesday, August 23
New Students Arrive	Wednesday, August 24
Opening Convocation	Sunday, August 28
Classes Begin	Monday, August 29
Family Weekend	Friday-Saturday, September 9-10
Fall Break	Thursday-Sunday, October 6-9
Midterm	Friday, October 14
Homecoming	Friday-Saturday, October 14-15
Building Bridges and Community Day	Thursday, November 3
Thanksgiving Break	Wednesday-Sunday, November 23-27
Classes End	Friday, December 2
Final Examinations	Sunday-Friday, December 4-9

CentreTerm

Classes Begin	Tuesday, January 3
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day	Monday, January 16
Classes End	Wednesday, January 25

Spring Term

Classes Begin	Wednesday, February 1
Midterm	Friday, March 17
Spring Break	Saturday-Sunday, March 18-26
RICE Symposium	Thursday, April 20
Classes End	Tuesday, May 9
Final Examinations	Thursday-Wednesday, May 11-17
Commencement	Sunday, May 21

Academic Advising

The Assistant Dean for Advising assists with new student orientation, which includes proficiency and placement testing, and special programs for students during the Fall Term. All faculty (plus selected administrators) serve as academic advisors to students, and the Academic Advising Office coordinates the responsibilities of those advisors. Each student has a general advisor during the first-year and sophomore years, usually matched by interests, and then are assigned an advisor in a specific academic discipline once a major has been selected during the spring term of the sophomore year. Major declaration and any change of major is coordinated by the Assistant Dean for Advising. Students may request a change of major or minor at any time of the year except for the two weeks prior to course registration in the fall and spring.

The Assistant Dean for Advising works in a focused way with students who experience academic difficulty, particularly in the first two years at Centre. Special group and individual counseling is offered, and students are directed to target help sessions in particular subjects, to the Writing Center, and to the Center for Career & Professional Development.

Academic Honesty and Dishonesty

A high standard of integrity is expected of students in all phases of academic work and college life. Academic dishonesty in any form is a fundamental offense against the integrity of the entire academic community and is always a threat to the standards of the College and to the standing of every student. While taking tests and examinations, doing homework, writing papers, or completing laboratory or studio work, students are expected to act with honor. In written and oral work for all college courses, students are responsible for knowing the difference between proper and improper use of source materials. When a student hands in a take-home exam, a paper, or homework, the assumption is that the work represents the student’s own effort unless other sources are acknowledged, including collaboration with fellow students. The improper use of source materials is plagiarism and, along with other breaches of academic integrity, is subject to disciplinary action. 

PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism occurs when the student does not use references properly, quotes without quotation marks or without indicating sources, paraphrases improperly or without indicating sources, submits work as their own when it is not, or when there is a combination of these omissions or commissions in any academic exercise. All such behavior constitutes a theft of someone else’s ideas or words. All students will have a classroom discussion and an exercise on proper research, referencing sources, and paraphrasing techniques during the early part of their academic career at Centre. Students who do not understand proper research techniques or proper citation of sources should ask their instructors.

When a student submits a take-home exam, a paper, or homework, the assumption is that the work represents the student’s own effort unless other sources are directly acknowledged. Furthermore, it is expected that this work has been produced exclusively for the course in which it is submitted. Students should not use the same or substantially the same material in different courses without the prior approval of both instructors. Recent cases that have caused a great deal of concern have involved the persistent omission of quotation marks around quoted material, the persistent omission of footnotes, improper paraphrasing using material too similar to the original, and handing in another student’s work as their own. Of particular concern is inappropriate use of electronic resources and disallowed collaborations among students taking the same course.

IN-PERSON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Every faculty member is asked to create an atmosphere in classrooms, labs, and studios that protects the integrity of the entire class and that ensures all students are assessed equitably. Tests, quizzes, and exams should be monitored and seating during assessments should be dispersed as possible. Students should not have use notes, texts, or special memory aids (including cell phones and smart watches) during an assessment, unless the instructor specifically permits these resources. Students who notice that a classmate is cheating or anything else unusual should tell the instructor immediately, so that the instructor can take action during the assessment. In particular, the instructor should intervene with a student right away if there is reasonable certainty that there is some cause for alarm. If a student has notes on their person or access to disallowed resources (including cell phones and smart watches) while completing an assessment, these items should be confiscated.

DISALLOWED COLLABORATION

A student who helps another student cheat is also guilty of violating the principles of academic honesty. Students are responsible for knowing when they can and cannot collaborate on any assignment. If they are not certain, the assumption should be that collaboration is not allowed until they clarify the guidelines with their instructor. Any collaboration should be acknowledged on submitted work. A committee appointed by the Student Government Association made the following clarifications about academic honesty: (1) Anyone acting in the role of tutor, either in a paid or voluntary capacity, may work on specific homework problems as long as these problems will not be used by the instructor for grading purposes. Students should clarify ambiguous situations such as lab write-ups and computer programs with the individual professor before collaborating with others. (2) A proofreader may check for errors and misspellings. Also, proofreaders may check for problems in grammar, usage, diction, and agreement. The proofreader may identify the error, but not directly correct the mistake. In a general sense, the proofreader is free to discuss topics, ideas, and concepts in the paper. The reader may suggest alterations, but at no time may a proofreader actually write any phrase, sentence, or paragraph for another student.

DEFACING LIBRARY MATERIALS AND CONVOCATION MISCONDUCT

Two other types of misconduct are treated as violations of academic dishonesty: the defacing of library materials and abuses of the Convocation system, including misconduct during a Convocation. Both are subject to disciplinary action by the Associate Dean and/or the Student Judiciary.

MAINTAINING ACADEMIC HONESTY

Each of the three elements of the academic community—students, staff, and faculty— carries part of the responsibility for maintaining academic honesty. Every case of academic dishonesty, no matter how minor the infraction, must be reported to the Associate Dean of the College before a grade is determined. The following general procedures have been established for the faculty and are spelled out in the Faculty Handbook:

1. The instructor or a faculty colleague should actively monitor all exams, including makeup exams and exams given early, unless arrangements are made for proctoring through the Assistant Dean for Advising Office. Administrative assistants, student assistants, and other staff members should not be asked to give or monitor exams, with the exception of the staff in the Proctoring Center and those traveling with students for athletics or other approved trips.
2. Instructors should not leave the classroom during examinations.
3. Students should bring to class only those materials necessary for taking the examination. All other books, notes, and materials should be left outside the classroom or in a common location within the room, including cell phones and smart watches.
4. Students should be separated and dispersed throughout the classroom as much as possible. If the instructor anticipates that the scheduled room will be too small to assure adequate dispersal, the instructor may contact the Registrar about the possibility of alternate arrangements.
5. Students ordinarily should not be permitted to leave the classroom during an assessment, unless it is administered in distinct parts that allow the student to take a break between having access to those different parts. In cases where it is clearly necessary for a student to leave the room, students should leave individually and the instructor should take reasonable precautions to prevent access to test-related materials.
6. Instructors with multiple sections of the same course should make separate examinations.
7. Students taking earlier exams or make-up exams should be given exams different from those given the regular class.

1. Instructors should check footnotes and references. For this task, instructors may use Turnitin.com, which reports internet sites containing material that corresponds to identified passages in a submitted paper.

1. Instructors should vary topics of written assignments to minimize the use of previously written papers. Students should not use the same or substantially the same material in different courses without the prior approval of both instructors.
2. Instructors should repeatedly emphasize the proper referencing of sources, recognizing that the style of referencing varies among academic disciplines. Instructors can provide resources to students who may need to learn or to refresh their understanding of guidelines for quoting, paraphrasing, and acknowledging other’s work.

REPORTING CONCERNS ABOUT ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

If the instructor has a concern about a student’s academic honesty, the Associate Dean must be notified. Students may report an instance of alleged academic dishonesty by speaking with the instructor, who will then be in touch with the Associate Dean. The instructor and the Associate Dean will consult and decide on a proper course of action, which may include questioning the individual(s) involved or other witnesses to the incident. Reasons for alerting the Associate Dean to all suspicions of academic dishonesty include:

1. A centralized handling of all academic dishonesty cases has been deemed advisable for the sake of fairness and equitable treatment of all students.
2. Second offenses of academic dishonesty merit more substantive consequences and are almost always referred to the Student Judiciary. The Associate Dean maintains records on all cases and checks whether a student has been in difficulty before.
3. The Associate Dean can consult with the instructor about ways of handling the situation.
4. The Associate Dean can help evaluate the evidence.
5. The Associate Dean will usually meet with the student to discuss the concern. Sometimes instructors meet with the student to discuss the concern, but only after first consulting with the Associate Dean.
6. For all offenses, the Associate Dean will decide, based on the case in relationship to other cases, whether it should be referred to the Student Judiciary. In all cases, the instructor and the student have the right to request a hearing with the Student Judiciary independent of the Associate Dean’s decision.

NON-JUDICIARYAPPROACHES TO HANDLING CONCERNS

Some concerns about academic misconduct are handled administratively by the Associate Dean in consultation with the student’s instructor. Possible outcomes include:

1. The student may convince both the instructor and the Associate Dean that no problematic actions occurred. The case is closed and the student is cleared.
2. The grade can be adjusted to reflect the presence of a problem with the submitted work and/or student actions.
3. The student can be asked to complete the assignment again.
4. The student can be given a substitute assignment.
5. The student can be warned and informed that any subsequent case of academic honesty will result in more substantive consequences.
6. Some combination of these approaches as appropriate to the circumstances.

If a student objects to the determination and resulting consequences, they may appeal the case to the Student Judiciary for arbitration.

STUDENT JUDICIARY PROCESS FOR ACADEMIC CASES

The Student Judiciary arbitrates serious concerns of academic misconduct. The Associate Dean completes a citation form that states the charge and explains the student’s rights. The Associate Dean then sends that form to the chair of the Student Judiciary, who will determine a date, time, and location for a hearing. If cited to appear before the Student Judiciary, a student may not withdraw from the College prior to the completion of the judiciary process.

Ordinarily, the instructor is asked to appear at the hearing to discuss the evidence and how conclusions were reached, and the Student Judiciary will ask about the assignment. All of this occurs in the presence of the accused who is asked how they plead at the beginning of the hearing, and is then asked to comment, respond, explain, and make a closing statement. The Associate Dean is also asked to make a closing statement. The accused student and the Associate Dean must be present to receive the final decision. At the time the decision is rendered, the Student Judiciary shall provide both a concise written statement of the basis for its finding and information about the appeals process.

The final responsibility for determining the student's grade in the course rests with the instructor, except in cases in which the Student Judiciary recommends a lowering of the grade for punitive reasons. In cases where a student is suspended as a result of a Student Judiciary recommendation, the grade of "U" shall be recorded for that course.

In all cases brought before the Student Judiciary, the following procedures are observed:

1. The student shall receive a written citation of the charge of misconduct at least 48 hours before a judicial hearing.
2. The accused party and the person(s) bringing the charge shall have the right to obtain advice from anyone chosen from among students, faculty, and administrators at Centre College.
3. The accused party and the person(s) bringing the charge shall have the right to hear all testimony, to call witnesses, to question every person who testifies, and to produce evidence. Persons who testify at a hearing, except for the accused and the person(s) bringing the charge, cannot be present for testimony other than their own.
4. No person can be required to give testimony that would be self-incriminating.
5. Only the accused may decide to permit the presence of spectators at a hearing.
6. The hearing, except for the Judiciary’s private deliberations, will be recorded for the benefit of the Board of Review and the student in case of an appeal. The recording will be deleted if the accused does not appeal.
7. The accused may appeal the decision of the Student Judiciary to the Board of Review through the office of the Dean of the College, in writing with reasons specified and within 48 hours of the Judiciary's decision. If the student does not appeal, the recommendation of the Student Judiciary stands.

A decision of the Student Judiciary may be appealed by the accused student only if they believe that: (i) proper procedures were not followed; (ii) they received inordinate punishment; or (iii) they were denied a fair hearing. Appeals must be written to the Board of Review and hand-delivered to the office of the Dean of the College within 48 hours of the Judiciary’s decision.

For cases involving academic integrity, the Board of Review consists of the Dean of the College, the Dean of Student Life, and one member of the Student Judiciary who did not participate in the original hearing. The Board will not retry the case nor hear new evidence. If new evidence has appeared that could materially affect the decision, the case should be sent back to the Student Judiciary. In the absence of an appeal, all Student Judiciary recommendations are implemented by the instructor and Associate Dean.

 

Enrollment Policies

Voluntary Withdrawal from the College

Any student deciding to withdraw from the College must complete an official withdrawal form and relinquish his or her student ID card in the Student Life Office. Failure to do so will result in a $30 withdrawal processing fee. Students who withdraw voluntarily sever their connection with the College and are denied access to campus housing and other facilities at the College. If the student withdraws from the College after the deadline to drop a course without an entry on the permanent record, the student's instructors will be required to report a “WP” or “WU” and an entry will be made on the student's record accordingly. Withdrawals from the College are not permitted during the final examination period. Any student not enrolled in successive terms, other than the summer term, is considered withdrawn from the College unless granted a leave of absence by the Assistant Dean and Director of Student Academic Support.

Medical Withdrawal from the College

Students who must withdraw for physical and/or mental health reasons must submit a timely written request to the Assistant Dean and Director of Student Academic Support. Requests should be submitted at the time the student intends to stop attending classes. A letter from an appropriate licensed physical or mental health professional must accompany the student's request for a medical withdrawal. The letter should provide sufficient detail regarding the student's diagnosis, current condition, and treatment requirements. If the medical withdrawal is granted by the Assistant Dean and Director of Student Academic Support, the student will receive grade of “W” in each of his or her current classes. NOTE: Partial medical withdrawals are not permitted (medical withdrawal from one or two courses while the student is permitted to continue in other courses).

Leave of Absence from the College

A student in good standing may request a leave of absence from the College for a specified reason and for a specified academic term or terms (up to one year maximum) by petition to the Assistant Dean and Director of Student Academic Support. The request for a leave of absence should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the leave period. Students on leave must relinquish their student ID card at the Student Life Office and are denied access to campus housing and other facilities at the College. Failure to follow these instructions will result in the student's withdrawal from the College. Normally, readmission to the College is automatic at the end of the leave period, except in the case of students who enroll at another college or university during their leave. Such students must submit official transcripts with satisfactory grades and a “Statement of Eligibility to Continue or Return” form completed by an appropriate official at the host institution before they can enroll at the College (see “Application for Readmission” form available from the Registrar's office). Students taking courses elsewhere while on leave of absence should have their courses approved for transfer in advance through the Registrar's Office.

Involuntary Withdrawals and Leaves

If a leave of absence, withdrawal or exception to an academic or residential regulation is based upon medical or psychological factors, the Director of Student Health and/or the Director of Counseling and/or the Director of Residence Life and/or the Assistant Dean for Advising will be involved through the Offices of the Dean of Student Life and the Associate Dean of the College. The Directors and Assistant Dean will usually also be involved in the readmission of any student who is granted a medical or psychological leave or withdrawal. Either Director or the Assistant Dean may recommend to the Dean of Student Life and/or the Associate Dean of the College a mandatory leave or withdrawal for medical or psychological reasons if it would be in the best interest of the student or the College. This action may be taken if, in the opinion of either Director or the Assistant Dean, a student exhibits irresponsible or uncontrolled behavior, which creates or continues either unreasonable risk or clear and present danger to the physical or mental health of the student concerned or others. This mandatory leave or withdrawal will be implemented through the Office of the Dean of Student Life and/or the Associate Dean of the College and is subject to administrative appeal to the Dean of the College, if the student so chooses.

Students who miss more than one-third of a term’s class meetings may be required to withdraw from the College if the Associate Dean and the student’s instructors agree that the student will not be able to make-up missed work in the class.

Readmission to the College

Any former student may apply for readmission. Suspended students must wait one long term before applying for readmission. Applications for readmission are reviewed by the Academic Standards Committee or, in some cases, by the Assistant Dean and Director of Student Academic Support on behalf of the Committee. The College reserves the right to require sufficient documentation that the student is qualified and ready to resume full-time studies at the College. An on campus interview with the appropriate Dean or College counselor may be required. Applications for readmission are available in the Registrar's Office and on CentreNet. Readmission to the College is never automatic. A student will not be readmitted if required progress toward graduation is not feasible, or if continued separation is considered to be in the best interest of the student or the College. Students must return the completed application, along with all required materials, so that the Assistant Dean and Director of Student Academic Support receives it by November 30, December 30, or July 30 for Centre, spring or fall terms, respectively.

Students who were suspended for academic reasons or who withdrew under academic probation must demonstrate a clear understanding of the causes for their academic difficulties, must describe the activities they have undertaken to address and overcome the causes of their problems, and must submit an academic plan for the completion of their degree requirements. Suspended and probationary students who are readmitted will have academic stipulations placed on their continued enrollment at the College. Students suspended twice are rarely readmitted to the College. In the case of a voluntary withdrawal for medical/psychological reasons, or any administrative withdrawal related to a physical or mental health condition, the student must submit a written progress assessment from a treating health professional with the readmission application, describing the student's current condition and indicating that the student is ready to resume full-time studies at the College. The Assistant Dean and Director of Student Academic Support requires a release from the student to discuss current treatment and follow-up needs with the treating health professional. Readmission will not be granted if there is any doubt that the student can manage full-time course work or if the College is unable to provide or the student is unable to secure appropriate follow-up care.

Reinstatement of merit awards for readmitted students is not automatic. Students should check with the Financial Aid Office. In the case of suspended students and students who withdrew on academic probation, specific academic stipulations may condition the reinstatement of a merit award. Enrollment of readmitted students and of students returning from leave of absence is subject to clearance with the Finance Office to make certain that the student has no outstanding financial obligations to the College. In addition, the payment of a $300 nonrefundable deposit is to be made to the Finance Office.

Attendance and Excused Absences

Student Attendance

• Students are expected and encouraged students to attend all class meetings at Centre College. Being present is essential to the full learning experience – your own as well as your peers – that we value and offer at Centre College.
• Instructors are expected to track attendance, keeping a record of who is absent for every class meeting. The number of class absences is reported with final grades at the end of the term; for this report it does not matter whether an absence is excused or not – an absence is an absence.
• By stipulation of the Course Approval subcommittee of CCAS (Committee on Curriculum and Academic Standards), participation may be a factor in course grades, but points should not be awarded simply for attending class.
• If a student misses one week of consecutive class meetings (three MWF, two TR) and they have not been in touch, please submit a Student Notice through Navigate or the Report a Concern tile on CentreNet (which will take you to Navigate).

 

Excused Absences

The College has created a system to recognize some absences from class as excused. An excused absence provides a student the right to submit graded work for that class meeting early or late on a timeline agreed upon in consultation with the instructor. If the exact work cannot be made up, a substitute assignment may be identified or that component of the course grade may be waived, again in consultation between student and instructor. Some excused absences are provided by various College offices, while others are under the purview of instructors. Please note that an instructor may excuse any absence from a class meeting at their discretion.

Anytime a student does not attend a class, they are expected to communicate with their professor. With the exceptions of sudden illness or true emergencies, the student should inform the professor prior to the missed class for an absence to be excused and to establish plans for making up work. Please share this expectation with your students, including whether you expect such notice for excused absences provided by a college office.

If you have questions, please be in touch with your division chair and/or associate dean. Here are some more details about particular circumstances.

 

Instructors are asked to manage responses to absences when:

• A student is ill and there is no major graded assessment in your course. Please manage the student’s absence as best possible based on the information the student shares with you.
• Grief/bereavement. The College recognizes the profound impact of grief in the life of our students. For support, students may contact the Chaplain of the College, the Associate Dean of Student Well-Being, or the Assistant Dean of Student Well-Being , who can connect them to resources. For academic work, students should be in touch with their professors to work out accommodations.
• Religious holidays conflict with class. The Chaplain shares a list of Religious Holidays, and students should be encouraged to self-identify and self-advocate as appropriate to their personal or family practices. If you need assistance with these, please be in touch with the Chaplain.
• Family emergencies occur. Please manage the student’s absence and provide an excused absence or not based on the information the student shares with you as best possible.

For all of these cases, please feel free to consult with your division chair and/or associate dean as you have questions or might need assistance.

 

College offices provide notification of excused absences due to:

• Some instances of student illness.
  • Student’s absence due to illness should be approached with concern for the student’s health and support for the student’s efforts to make up missed work.
  • If no major graded assessment falls on a day missed due to illness, please manage the student’s absence as best possible based on the information the student shares with you. Do not require your student to seek an excuse from Student Health or the Dean’s Office.
• Athletics competition. The Athletics Office sends emails to instructors identifying when a student-athlete is excused due to competition. The goal is to send these out a week in advance, although sometimes last-minute changes happen due to injury. The general guideline is that up to three absences for athletic competition are excused during the regular season. Additional excused absences may occur because of last minute circumstances and/or post-season competition; these are determined by consultation between the Athletics Director and Associate Dean.
• Certain College and Extramural Events are approved through the Associate Dean. Typical such events include presenting at or attending conferences and contributing to Norton Center productions. These should be requested at least a week before the event.
• Title IX. Sometimes students need an excused absence or test accommodations as a supportive measure under Title IX. The Title IX Coordinator informs instructors when an academic support measure is deemed appropriate. If longer term academic accommodations are needed, the Title IX Coordinator will work with the Academic Affairs Office to determine reasonable supportive measures. Instructors should contact the Title IX Coordinator if they have questions about appropriate accommodations.

• If an absence due to illness results in missing a major assessment as identified on your syllabus (e.g., exams, papers, presentations, quizzes, and reflections), you may ask the student to seek an excuse from Student Health or a health-care professional prior to class, if possible. If the illness is sudden, they may not be able to obtain an excuse prior to class, but direct them to contact Student Health immediately, who will communicate with you if the student’s illness is verified. If a clearly ill student shows up to class for a major assessment, you may send them to Student Health; these students are assumed to have an excused absence.

 

Instructor Attendance

Instructors are expected to meet their classes in-person as scheduled. If you know in advance that you will miss class for a justified reason (e.g., jury duty, attendance at a professional meeting) you should inform your Division Chair and let them know how you will make up the missed class time and/or your arrangements with a colleague to substitute.

Instructors who must miss a class meeting because of illness or some unforeseen reason (such as a family emergency) should send an email or other notice ASAP to their students informing them the class will not be meeting as scheduled.  Instructors should also inform their Division Chair, who will arrange for notices to be posted on the doors of their classrooms. As best possible, instructors are encouraged to think about how they will enable their students remote or make-up learning despite not being able to be physically present in class.

Convocation Program and Requirements

Policy

All full-time students who attend Centre for the entire academic year are required to earn a total of 12 Convocation credits. Students who fulfill the requirement have one hour of “A” figured into their grade point average (GPA) and noted on their transcript. Students who fail to accumulate 12 Convocation credits will have one hour of “U” figured into their GPA and noted on their transcript. Students who are not enrolled on a full-time basis for the full academic year still may complete the requirement by accumulating 12 credits. However, they will not receive a “U” if they do not. (Note: Convocation credits are not credit hours and do not count toward the total number of credit hours necessary for graduation.)

To receive Convocation credit, students must 1) scan his/her own Centre College ID card at a Convocation station; 2) be seated before the program begins; 3) remain present throughout the full program; 4) scan his/her own Centre College ID card before leaving the event. Convocation credit can only be given if ID cards are accurately scanned in and out. Student ID cards may need to be replaced in the Student Life Office if the card does not register in the computer scanning system. It is the students’ responsibility to bring their Centre ID card to Convocations and to make sure the card scans accurately. This policy will be strictly enforced, and Convocation credit will not be given to students who arrive late or who leave early or whose cards do not work in the Convocation system.

Please note that seating may be limited for some events. It is wise to arrive early to all Convocations to ensure that your ID card is scanned, and you have a seat. If all seats are taken, students may not be allowed to enter the Convocation event.

If a student is working a Convocation, including, but not limited to Norton Center employees and other student workers, he/she will not receive Convocation credit. Students directly involved with the performance event, including, but not limited to actors and singers, may receive Convocation credit. The Convocation Coordinator will work in conjunction with the appropriate faculty/staff member(s) to give credit to students.

Students who abuse the system by scanning a card for a person who is not present, or scanning multiple cards, or by behaving in violation of the stated policy will lose Convocation credit. Such deceit is considered a violation of academic honesty and the people involved are subject to disciplinary action by the Associate Dean or the Student Judiciary.

As members of an audience, students are expected to be attentive and demonstrate mature, polite, and civil behavior. Computers and books should not be brought to Convocations and cell phones should be turned off during the presentation. Students exhibiting inappropriate behavior will be told to leave by members of the audience, faculty, staff, or student Convocation workers and will not receive Convocation credit.

Convocation Credit

Most events given Convocation status are worth one credit. Special events, designated as campus-wide Convocations, are worth two credits. Any event worth more than one credit will be indicated as such in the Convocation Calendar. Normally, the Opening and Honors Convocations are worth two credits.

Convocation credit is entered and maintained by computer. Students may check their Convocation credit status by going to the current students listing on Centrenet, and selecting Personal/Convocation Credit. The individual student is responsible for verifying the computer record’s accuracy and for notifying the Convocation Coordinator in the Center for Teaching and Learning within one week of the Convocation in question. Students are urged to check their Convocation credits frequently throughout the academic year. Make sure you plan ahead so that you earn the 12 required Convocation credits. You have ample opportunity to achieve the requirement with over 50 Convocation presentations a year. Students are encouraged to not wait until the end of the year to obtain the required 12 credits as unanticipated events may keep you from earning your 12 credits. Students may submit a written appeal within two weeks after spring term grades are available to the Convocation Committee Chair requesting changes in their Convocation grade. The petition must explain all the circumstances of why the student did not fulfill the 12-credit requirement. Exceptions to the requirements are rarely granted. There are over 50 Convocations during the year, and students are required to follow the letter of the policy and be very careful about monitoring Convocation credit.

Students participating in Centre sponsored off-campus study programs receive Convocation credit as follows:

• Fall Term: six credits
• Spring Term: six credits
• Centre-Sponsored CentreTerm off-campus study programs or internship during CentreTerm: one credit

Students who participate in non-Centre study away programs may petition the Convocation Committee before the beginning of the Spring Term. The Convocation Committee will consider such requests on a case-by-case basis.

Convocation Programs

A schedule of Convocation events will be distributed at the beginning of each term and posted on the college calendar. Any change in the Convocation calendar will be posted on the Convocations page on Centrenet. Students should consult the Convocations page on Centrenet and the Centre College calendar on a weekly basis to see the most up-to-date Convocation information.

The College offers an extensive variety of guest lectures, plays, readings, films, and musical performances through its Convocation series, Norton Center for the Arts programs, and special events.

Each term, the Convocation Committee considers Convocation proposals submitted by students, faculty, and staff. Recommendations are submitted on a Convocation Proposal Form, available online at the Convocations page on Centrenet. The Convocation Committee coordinates the selection of Convocations and is the final authority in all Convocation matters. The Committee consists of at least two students, two faculty members, three administration members, and the Convocation Coordinator. Questions about Convocation policies, procedures, credits, and requests for forms should be directed to the Convocation Coordinator in the Center for Teaching and Learning, Crounse Hall (308A).

Registrar

www.centre.edu/registrar/

The Office of the Registrar maintains permanent student records, including the recording of grades on the student’s academic transcript. The office also coordinates all activities associated with course registration. Students may come to the office to register for classes, add and drop classes, receive permission to transfer courses, have their enrollment verified for various organizations such as insurance companies and financial aid entities, and have their academic record (transcript) sent to graduate and professional schools, employers, references, etc. Many of these services as well as important forms are also available on Centrenet.

The Office of the Registrar is located on the first floor of Wiseman Hall and is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Forms for requesting a variety of office services are readily available in the office. There is no charge for most services including transcript requests for regular service.

The Office of the Registrar maintains most biographical data on students. In particular, all address changes, including parent address changes, should be reported to the Office of the Registrar.

Finally, the Office of the Registrar is responsible for verifying student progress toward the degree, including tracking progress in completing general education and major/minor requirements. The Associate Registrar is specifically responsible for working with seniors and the graduation process. Students may come to the office at any time to check on their progress in meeting degree requirements.

Center for Career & Professional Development

The Center for Career & Professional Development (CCPD) supports students’ holistic development by helping them connect the dots between the knowledge and skills they are gaining both inside and outside the classroom to potential careers, enhancing their career and professional development through programming and services, and providing them with the tools and knowledge necessary for post-graduate success.

Engaging in the process of career development begins at the start of students’ first year.  To help guide students through this process, the CCPD assigns students, once they have declared a major, to career coaches by division (arts & humanities, social sciences, sciences & math), so that students can work with someone with specialized knowledge of their career field(s) of interest. There is also a career coach dedicated to meeting specifically with students who are undeclared or undecided about their major. Career coaches can walk students through the entire career development process, from career exploration through applying for jobs or graduate schools. Along the way, career coaches can provide students with self-assessments, help them identify and articulate their skills, teach them how to research careers, help them locate and apply for internships or undergraduate research, assist with resume writing and interview preparation, teach students how to network and connect them with interested alumni through the Career Mentor Network, help hone their professionalism skills, and assist with locating and applying to post-graduate jobs and graduate schools. In addition, the CCPD offers numerous special events throughout each year, including Senior Kickoff, Etiquette Dinner, Career Chats, Emerging Professionals, on-campus employer information sessions and recruiting, and the Spotlight Career Fair.

Finally, the Center for Career & Professional Development has a wealth of information and resources on its website, including Handshake, our personal internship and job posting site.

Internships

Centre College understands that internships are essential in supporting successful careers after graduation. Aside from valuable real-world experience, internships let students try out careers, giving them the freedom to begin exploring their futures before graduation. An internship is a form of experiential learning that empowers students to integrate knowledge and theory learned throughout the curriculum with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Centre offers internship opportunities to all students on a non-credit basis and during the sophomore, junior, and senior years on a credit basis.

An internship for credit can be completed during all academic terms as well as the summer and includes substantive academic work. The experience is guided by a member of the faculty and by a supervisor at the internship site with oversight by the CCPD. Students may earn two or three credits for their experiences based on hours worked. One-credit internships are also available in the summer. Students considering this type of internship must meet with their career coach to discuss their options and internship requirements.

An alternate non-credit internship exists for students who want to gain additional insights into and experiences related to their potential career choice. This type of internship does not result in academic credit and is often completed during the summer. The CCPD can assist in finding these experiences.

Both types of internship can be valuable components of a student’s career development process, enabling them to make connections between the college experience and various career fields. Also, interested students may apply for funding (on a competitive basis) for internships taking place during the CentreTerm or the summer. More information can be found on the CCPD’s website.

Study Abroad/Away Programs

As part of Centre’s commitment to promote cross-cultural awareness, we encourage students to study in a foreign culture as an integral part of their liberal arts education. Of our graduating class of 2022 67.59% of these students studied off-campus once, 28.28%  studied off-campus two or more times, 7.93% studied off-campus 3 or more times, and 1.03 % studied off campus 4 or more times  -- a statistics that puts Centre among the top three schools in the United States.  It is refreshing to see these numbers as it was the first time that students have been able to study abroad since March of 2020.

 

We have 19 residential semester-long programs (3 Domestic and 16 International) which include our three Flagships Centre-in-Strasbourg , Centre-in-the-Yucatan, and Centre-in-London. 

Other programs include, Centre-in-England (Reading), Centre-in-Rose Bruford (England), Centre-in-Northern Ireland, Centre-in-Glasgow (Scotland), Centre-in-Spain, Centre-in-Germany, Centre-in-Nantes (France), Centre-in-Yamaguchi (Japan), Centre-in-Akita (Japan), Centre-in-China,  Centre-in- Bhutan, Centre-in-Marista (Mexico), Centre-in-Washington D.C., Centre-In-New York City, Centre-in-Ghana, and Centre-in-Lake Tahoe.  Our New York City, Washington D.C, China, Bhutan, and Ghana programs also include Internships.

Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors can apply for long-term programs, and our application process begins in November. The costs for these programs are the same as on the Danville campus, although students pay their own airfare and a surcharge of $400, which includes the $25 Travel Medicine Clinic. A selection committee judges all applicants on a point system to make sure every student has an equal opportunity of been selected.

 

Centre Term courses abroad/away.  During Centre Term of 2021 we had to suspend our programs due to Covid-19. Centre professors will offer specialized courses in 2022 which will include Peru, Western Europe, Belize, Japan, Spain, Bhutan, New Zealand and Gambia, London (England), Merida (Mexico), El Salvador, Namibia and Tahiti. Fees for these courses are not included in your tuition.

Exchange semester opportunities.  Centre students may apply to spend a semester/year abroad as an exchange program with a major university .There are five different Universities in Northern Ireland or a semester with the University of Marista in Merida, Mexico, or with Royal Thimphu University in Bhutan.  We have two exchange programs with universities in Japan:  Akita University and Yamaguchi  Prefectural University. Centre also runs “study away” programs in Washington DC (fall or spring) and New York City (fall) with students taking part in an internship plus two or more courses.

Summer abroad options.  Centre is a member of the Kentucky Institute for International Studies (KIIS), which annually sponsors 24 (or more) low-cost summer courses all over the world.  Students earn three to six hours of Centre credit for these programs which are popular among our students and are sometimes led by our faculty. Centre’s own summer programs for the summer of 2021 was Barbados, Strasbourg, Israel, Quebec, Tahiti, Cuba and Miami, Spain and Colombia.  Unfortunately, these summer programs had to be postponed due to Covid-19. Many students also choose to complete international internships during the summer months. We will offer more exciting Summer programs for 2022 were Italy, Spain, and Columbia.  Fees for these courses are not included in your tuition..