六九色堂

六九色堂
College of Engineering & Science
4001 W. McNichols Road
Detroit, MI 48221-3038
Fax: 313-993-1187

Katherine Snyder, Dean
Telephone: 313-993-1216
Email: snyderke@udmercy.edu

Elizabeth Roberts-Kirchhoff, Assistant Dean for Academics
Telephone: 313-993-1021
Email: robkires@udmercy.edu

Carolyn Rimle, Assistant Dean for Academics
Telephone: 313-993-3362
Email: rimlec@udmercy.edu

Richard Hill, Assistant Dean for Research and External Initiatives
Telephone: 313-578-0428
Email: hillrc@udmercy.edu

First-Year Students

To be admitted as first-year students to the College of Engineering & Science, applicants must meet Detroit Mercy's general entrance requirements. In addition, they should have completed at least four units of mathematics and three units of laboratory science. Special note is taken of mathematics and science grades and scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT) if taken. Some programs require the submission of ACT or SAT scores.

On-line placement tests in English and mathematics, and in some cases, chemistry, are highly recommended for all new students admitted into the College.  ACT or SAT scores may be used to place students into English, mathematics, and chemistry courses.  If students are admitted test-optional or they would like to try to improve their default placements, on-line assessments are available for English, mathematics, and chemistry.  

Transfer Students

Detroit Mercy gives full consideration to students who wish to transfer from any accredited college or university. Many such colleges and universities have articulation agreements for various programs in the College of Engineering & Science. In some cases, transfer students may need to take Detroit Mercy placement tests in English, mathematics, and/or chemistry.

Transfer candidates may be accepted and given the same academic standing as students who have completed the corresponding courses at Detroit Mercy. However, the academic standing of each transfer applicant is appraised individually. In addition to other University requirements, a substantial portion of the major program must be completed from approved major courses at Detroit Mercy. For example, Engineering students must complete a minimum of 24 credit hours of "major" courses at Detroit Mercy. Some science programs including accelerated and partnership programs may have restrictions about transfer credits. Engineering courses that seem similar, but do not contain the required content, will not be transferable to the program. Only classes having at least a grade of "C" or equivalent will transfer.

International Students

Qualified international students who are graduates of recognized secondary schools are invited to pursue degree programs in the various departments of the College of Engineering & Science. All students entering the College from secondary schools who do not have ACT or SAT scores, are required to complete placement tests in English, mathematics, and (if required by the program) chemistry.

In some cases for students transferring into the College with prior college or university work, official evaluation of transcripts for transfer credit will not be made until after the successful completion of one term of full-time academic work at the University. This means completion of a minimum of twelve (12) credit hours, not including any American language courses that may be required.

The advisor's role is to provide counsel and guidance concerning program or career objectives, selection of courses during registration, conflicts in scheduling, probation problems, low grades, tutorial referral, and personal matters. Each student is responsible for their own academic program and should be familiar with all program requirements.

It is recommended that students run their Degree Evaluation in Self-Service on a regular basis, and let their advisor or the assistant dean for Academics know if there are any concerns regarding program requirements.

For an advisor to best serve the student, it is important for the student to keep their advisor informed on all academic actions (e.g. registrations, add/drop, etc.).

The faculty advisor is not authorized to waive pre-requisites, make substitutions to program requirements, or make exceptions to Department/College/University policies. A student who feels that good and sufficient reason exists for such action should submit a written petition to the assistant dean for Academics for review by the Student Affairs Committee of the College if needed.  See the Exceptions and Substitutions section below for more details.

During the advising period set aside by the University, students meet with their advisors to select courses for the following term. They then register online using Self-Service after being authorized by their advisor and resolving other holds (e.g., from the Student Accounting Office) that might prevent registration. Students should try to register as early as possible for any upcoming term. Early registration helps the student avoid closed sections and course conflicts. Students should prepare for the meeting with the advisor by assuring that prerequisites for the courses they wish to take have been completed and that all courses are taken in the sequence established by the department. Students should run their Degree Evaluation in Self-Service, which provides an overview of their record, requirements completed and those still needed. This is the principal tool used by the advisor in the advising process. Each student has the responsibility to review their Degree Evaluation and check it for accuracy at each meeting with the advisor. Careful attention to the early registration process can eliminate much of the Change in Registration activity.

A student is officially enrolled in a course only when the registration process is completed.

First Time Students: An advisor will be assigned to new freshmen for Summer Orientation, Advising and Registration (SOAR). The student may be assigned a new advisor before the next advising session of their first year.

Transfer Students: Transfer students are normally assigned to departmental advisors in the programs of their choice when they begin their time at the University.

General Information:

A departmental advisor in the student's program will be assigned after the first year. If the student is still undecided about their program, he or she may continue into the sophomore year with the initial advisor.

It is possible that the assigned advisor is not available for advising purposes. In this case, other faculty in the student's department may provide the necessary service.

In all cases, if a student wishes to declare a major or to change a major, a new advisor will be assigned only after the student formally declares the new major with a Change of Program form.

PREFACE

The faculty of the College of Engineering & Science are educational professionals. Most have accumulated many years of experience. As such, they have become proficient in assessing a student's performance in a class by measuring in an unbiased fashion achievement of the materials presented in the light of the course syllabus. Therefore, it should be rare that a student should grieve the grade they have received in a course. Should a student believe that they have received an unfair grade, the student has the burden of presenting a case identifying circumstances beyond the student's control that may have affected the course grade. However, grade changes are not processed after a degree has been posted.

PROCEDURES

In the event that a grievance occurs between a student and a faculty member on an academic matter, the following procedure is in effect. This should be initiated within 30 days of when the grade was issued.

Step 1. Faculty Member:

The grieved party should make every effort to resolve the problem with the faculty member.

Step 2. Faculty Member's Chairperson:

If a solution cannot be achieved with the faculty member, then the grieved party may submit, in writing, their position on the matter to the department chairperson. The chair will attempt to facilitate a resolution between the instructor and the student. If the chairperson can resolve the issue, the grievance procedure is terminated, and the chair will send the outcome to both the student and assistant dean for Academics. If a solution cannot be achieved, the chair will submit their recommendation to the Department Grievance Committee (if one exists) and the assistant dean for Academics with copies to the student and faculty member.

Step 3. Departmental Grievance Committee:

If the recommendation is not acceptable to either the student or the faculty member, or if the complaint is against the department chairperson, then the matter becomes the responsibility of the AD HOC Departmental Grievance Committee (where the department has a policy for such). The department committee makes appropriate recommendations to resolve the grievance using procedures established by the department. If the Departmental Grievance Committee can resolve the issue the procedure is terminated. The Departmental Grievance Committee will submit their recommendation to the assistant dean for Academics with copies to the student, faculty member, and chair of the department.

Step 4. College of Engineering & Science Student Affairs Committee:

If no Departmental Grievance Committee exists or if the issue is not resolved by the departmental committee, the student may request in writing a review by the Student Affairs Committee. The written grievance should contain the reasons for the grievance as well as description of the outcomes from the previous steps and all documentation. The Student Affairs Committee consists of one full-time engineering faculty member, one full-time mathematics/science faculty member, and the assistant dean(s) for Academics of the College. One engineering student and one mathematics/science student are selected to join this committee to review the case. The committee may hold a grievance hearing. The assistant dean(s) will act only to resolve indecision in the committee. The committee will prepare a short written report on its recommendations and the procedure used to reach them. The committee does not change grades. This is the instructor's prerogative.

Step 5. Dean of the College of Engineering & Science:

If the student is dissatisfied with the recommendation of the committee or the response of the faculty member, they may appeal to the dean by submitting their case with all the details in writing to them.

Step 6. Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs

If the student is dissatisfied with the recommendation of the dean, they may appeal to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs by submitting their case with all the details in writing to them. These will only be considered on procedural grounds.

The grievance is to be filed in the term in which it occurred or within 30 days of the basis for the grievance. When possible, the committee will work to resolve the grievance in the term it was initiated.

We are members of an academic community engaged in the pursuit of knowledge, justice, and truth. We seek to integrate the intellectual, spiritual, ethical, and social development of our students and thus expect students to exhibit a high standard of honesty and integrity in their academic activities. The University and the College of Engineering & Science fundamentally assume that the work submitted by a student is a product of his or her own legitimate efforts.

In all cases, the burden is on the student to document by appropriate citations the work product of others that might be included in a submission. Using the Internet as a source of information can be considered proper if correctly documented; however, if ideas, paragraphs, sentences, phrases, keywords, graphs and/or figures (the work product of others) are taken and presented as one's own, without quoting and citation, it is considered plagiarism. Contact your instructor for their policy on whether citations of lectures or other common knowledge is required.

It is expected that students will conduct themselves with honesty and integrity when taking exams, quizzes, and other assessments. Students should not engage in facilitating academic dishonesty, such as allowing another person to copy an assignment or answers from a test.

If violation of these standards is believed to have occurred, either by intent to deceive, or a disregard for proper scholarly procedure, the following procedure applies.

PROCEDURE

Upon the occurrence of a suspected breach of academic integrity, the instructor of the course will explain to the student(s) involved the nature of the breach of academic integrity and the specific reasons for suspecting a violation. The student(s) may use this opportunity to explain their behavior. The names of other students in the alleged incident should not be disclosed to any other student. 

If the instructor still believes that a violation of academic integrity has occurred, the instructor will complete an Academic Integrity Violation-Instructor Report form, which will include the sanction(s) imposed. These may include one or more of the following (flagrant or repeat occurrences may include other actions):

• Assign a grade of "F" (or score of 0) for the work in question (recommended sanction) (Note: A zero given for cheating cannot be dropped.)
• Assign a grade of "F" for the course (Note: The instructor must continue to grade the student normally pending the outcome of any appeal(s) by the student.)
• Lower the grade for the work in question
• Require the student to redo the assignment (full credit may or may not be an option at the discretion of the instructor)
• Request a letter of reprimand be sent from the dean, a copy kept in the Dean's Office

The student may also be required to complete additional educational activities in order to help avoid future academic violations from carelessness or ignorance. If a faculty member's grading policy for this course allows for a low grade to be dropped, the score subject to discipline may not be dropped.

Within two weeks of discovering the alleged violation warranting disciplinary action, the instructor should provide a copy of the Academic Integrity Violation-Instructor Report form to the student to review and sign.  The faculty member then sends this signed copy to the assistant dean for Academics. Any additional relevant documentation will also be provided to the assistant dean for Academics. A hardcopy and/or electronic copy of this form will be kept in the Dean's Office. If a student does not respond to the instructor's request for a meeting or does not sign the form, the instructor submits the documentation to the assistant Dean for Academics and the process proceeds to the next step.

The student will then meet with the assistant dean for Academics to provide their response to the allegation. In order to maintain their right to appeal, the student must provide a written response to the allegation within five business days of receiving a copy of the Academic Integrity Violation-Student Response form. Extensions may be granted if a request is made to the assistant dean.  The student returns the Academic Integrity Violation-Student Response form with the acceptance of responsibility and/or a request to contest the allegation or the penalty and a written statement explaining the choice.

If a student fails to respond to the assistant dean with the required documents within the timeframe stipulated, they lose the right to dispute. It will be assumed that the student admits to the allegation and accepts the sanction.

If the student contests the allegation or the penalty, a hearing will be held with the College of Engineering & Science Student Affairs Committee in a timely manner. The instructor and the student may provide evidence and witnesses as appropriate, but legal representation is not permitted. The student may be accompanied by a 六九色堂 academic advisor whose role is to provide moral support only. The academic advisor may not be an active participant in the proceedings.

The Student Affairs Committee will review relevant materials and testimony, and then make a recommendation regarding the allegation and the penalty. Note that the committee may recommend a different penalty than initially imposed.

It is expected that all involved will conduct this process with confidentiality and respect. All documents and discussions related to cases involving breeches of academic integrity should be held in strict confidence.

If the student or instructor wishes to appeal the recommendation of the committee, they may do so, in writing, to the dean of the College of Engineering & Science. A Student Affairs Committee representative will present the materials, notes collected by the committee, and a written report of the committee's findings to the dean. The dean will collect additional information as deemed necessary to decide on the appeal. Note that the dean may recommend a different penalty than recommended by the committee. Any further appeals must be submitted in writing to the provost/vice president for Academic Affairs.

REPEATED OR FLAGRANT OFFENSES

Possible penalties for a repeated or flagrant offense may include:

• a grade of "F" in the course
• suspension from the College
• expulsion from the College

Examples of flagrant offenses include but are not limited to the following: use of a surrogate to take an examination; physical theft of another student's work; use of intimidation to obtain the aid of another student, theft of an examination, electronic theft of course related materials. 

Regardless of formal notice, a student's academic status is determined as outlined below. While the overall GPA is the principal criterion for academic standing, other factors, such as the GPA for the latest term, the major GPA, progress in required courses, number of courses in which registered and completed, and any pattern of frequent withdrawals and/or incomplete grades may be considered in making the decision on academic status.

In order to remain in good standing in the College of Engineering & Science, a student must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.00 and a 2.00 GPA for the courses in their major.

Academic Standing Rules

New Freshmen

• Good Standing: Term GPA ≥ 2.00
• Probation: 1.00 ≤ Term GPA < 2.00
• Dismissed: Term GPA < 1.00

Other Students

• Good Standing: Term GPA ≥ 2.00 AND Cumulative GPA ≥ 2.00
• Academic Warning: Term GPA < 2.00 AND Cumulative GPA ≥ 2.00
• Probation: Previously in good standing AND Cumulative GPA < 2.00
• Probation (continued): Previously on probation AND Cumulative GPA < 2.00 AND Term GPA ≥ 2.00 with all other conditions met
• Dismissed: Previously on probation AND Term GPA < 2.00

Probationary Students

A student whose cumulative GPA is below 2.00 is automatically placed on academic probation (whether officially notified or not). The student must meet with the assistant dean for Academics to discuss and sign a probation agreement. Conditions and restrictions in this agreement are set for the term in which the student registers following the probationary status. Registration without this agreement is considered invalid. If a student has already registered before receiving notification of the probationary status, they must contact the Dean's Office immediately or risk being withdrawn from courses.

If a student does not satisfy the conditions of the probationary contract, the student is typically dismissed from the College.

Dismissed Students

Any student who has been dismissed from the College will be administratively withdrawn from any registered courses, including co-op. A student may appeal the dismissal in writing.

A student who wishes to appeal the dismissal and petition for readmission must write a letter of appeal and meet with the Student Affairs Committee of the College. In the letter, the student must explain any extenuating circumstances that led to the dismissal and describe steps that the student has taken to ensure that future academic performance will improve significantly. Based on the written petition from the student, the Committee explores the circumstances associated with the student's performance and then grants or denies the petition for readmission. The Committee is authorized to place conditions on the student's enrollment. These might include, but are not restricted to, limiting the academic load, requiring the repetition of previous course work, and requiring attainment of a GPA higher than 2.0. 

Dismissed students also have the option to apply for readmission into another college or school within the University.

Students are expected to attend all class sessions and be prepared to contribute as required. Course attendance policies are left to the discretion of instructors, except in cases of University-authorized absences. See the Student Absence Policy for University-authorized absences due to University-sponsored activities, religious observances, etc.

In non University-authorized absence situations, the student should inform the instructor prior to an absence or within 24 hours (see specifics in the Student Absence Policy). If a student misses an assignment, examination, or quiz, the instructor is not required to provide a make-up. Depending on the policy of the instructor, attendance can affect the course grade.

Students whose interruption of study at the University is one year or less, retain the right to the requirements of their catalog of entry. Students who have not enrolled at Detroit Mercy for four or more semesters will have their previous work reevaluated according to the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of readmission. If a program/degree has been discontinued during the student's non-enrollment at Detroit Mercy, then the applicant is not entitled to request a program or classes that no longer exist. The College will work with students in this situation to provide them with a program that is as close to the initial objectives as possible so that as much of the course work previously taken can be applied to the new program. It may also be required for a student who has been academically inactive for several years to repeat some key courses that are prerequisites for major courses, even though they have received credit for the former coursework. Consult the program chairperson and assistant dean for Academics about this.

To prevent distracting classroom instruction, students should not use cell phones during class time, including texting. Also, phones should be turned off during class time (see the section ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN THE CLASSROOM.) Exceptions can be made if approved by Student Accessibility Services. Unless there is an emergency, students should refrain from leaving the room while class is in session. Food and drink are prohibited in all computer and instructional laboratories. Food should not be consumed during class sessions unless medically necessary.

All undergraduate students in Engineering and Computer Science programs (excluding some concentrations in the Bachelor of Engineering international programs) are required to participate in cooperative education. Students in Science and Mathematics programs are encouraged to participate. Engineering and Computer Science students will normally complete their three (Engineering) or two (Computer Science) required co-op assignments during the summer terms. To prepare for the experience of finding a co-op job and participating effectively in it, students should take ENGR 3000 during Term I of their first year. 

In order to ensure that students will receive the required credits for each work experience, it is important that students register for the appropriate Engineering Co-op course (CTA) no later than the first week of the semester in which they are working. Failure to register properly could result in a delay of graduation.

Transfer students who have obtained appropriate technical work prior to attending Detroit Mercy may petition the Engineering & Science Co-op Office for Co-op Credit by Portfolio during their first semester. 

Co-op credits from other institutions are not transferable to Detroit Mercy.

Each student should receive from the instructor, no later than the first class session, a written or electronic copy of the syllabus for that course. The syllabus should include information such as: a brief description of the purposes and topic content of the course; the grading system employed in the course; attendance policies; required and optional textbooks; special materials and supplies; the approximate dates of major examinations and/or papers; any required “field trips” or other obligations; and the location of the instructor’s office, regularly scheduled office hours and the instructor's contact information. 

It should be noted that it is University policy not to give quizzes or examinations during the week preceding the final week of a 15-week course. This is referred to as “DEAD WEEK”. It is acceptable, however, for instructors to introduce new material and require homework or papers due during this week. Class meeting times during the final week of the term have been determined by the Academic Leadership Team. No allowance is made and no approval is given by the Academic Leadership Team for final examinations prior to the final week. Furthermore, no regular examinations or quizzes are to be assigned during the week prior to the final week.

Electives provide students the opportunity to tailor an undergraduate academic program to meet specific interests. Some majors have several electives in the published academic program. Others have very few or no electives. Elective courses are selected through discussion with the academic advisor and should be part of a coherent overall plan of study. Technical electives in Engineering and Computer Science programs are restricted to the approved lists of courses published by the individual departments and are typically, at a minimum, courses in the College numbered 3000 and above. General electives may be taken from any of the University’s offerings at the 1000-level or higher. They are the choice of the student. Transfer students may have suitable courses, taken prior to transfer, assigned as technical or free electives through the transcript evaluation process.

Occasionally a student may believe that they need a higher grade than they were assigned. The student might seek a higher grade through offering to perform extra work. Grade negotiation of this type is not the practice of the College. Each student in a class is to have equal opportunity to convey their knowledge of the course material through common measures (e.g., homework, quizzes, papers, presentations and examinations). If a student believes that they were unfairly graded in a course, then the College Academic Grievance Policy (see above) should be followed. 

The last five days (Tuesday through Saturday) of each of the regular semesters are set aside for a single class session for each course (exceptions may include certain laboratory courses). The class meets for either an extended class period or an examination. The class meeting time is posted in the Schedule of Classes. Class meeting times during the final week of the term have been determined by the Academic Leadership Team. No allowance is made and no approval is given by the Academic Leadership Team for final examinations prior to the final week. This final class meeting, in addition to the other scheduled meeting times, is used in the calculation of minutes of instruction to determine the total credit hours for a course. If a student has been assigned three examinations on the same day of “Finals Week,” the student may first ask their professors for reassignment of an exam. This should be done early in the semester. When necessary, or in conflicts involving two scheduled class meetings, the assistant dean for Academics may be consulted for assistance. Changing any final exam period is not guaranteed, but efforts will be made to accommodate the student in these situations.

The majority of students in the College take numerous laboratory courses. While special care is taken in the set-up of laboratory experiments to minimize risks, it is essential to follow proper safety precautions while in the lab. It is essential that the protective wear (e.g., safety glasses, gloves, hair nets, face masks, lab coats) appropriate for the specific laboratory be used. Laboratory staff have the authority to remove from a laboratory anyone not properly protected.

Power machinery (milling machines, saws, drill presses, grinders, etc.) may only be operated by those properly instructed and cautioned as to safe practices of the specific piece of equipment. Please see the Laboratory Safety section of the College of Engineering & Science's website for more information.

See the Academic Policies and Procedures section of the catalog for pass/fail guidelines.  Additionally:

• Only students with a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or better are eligible to take courses on a pass/fail basis.
• A maximum of 12 credit hours may be taken on a pass/fail basis during a student's academic program.

Some prerequisite courses may be required of students to ensure their success in a program. They are to be completed as early as possible in the student’s study plan. Failure to take a prerequisite course first does not eliminate it from a student’s graduation requirements. Many prerequisites include a minimum course grade of “C”. All mathematics courses, many freshmen and sophomore chemistry and biology courses, and some courses in other majors require a grade of “C” or better in any prerequisite courses.

To see the corequisites and/or prerequisites for a course, click the course title in the CLASS SCHEDULE in Self-Service.

Candidates for a bachelor’s degree are to complete the last 30 credit hours at 六九色堂. Any exception to this rule must be petitioned in writing to the assistant dean for Academics.  In some cases, this will also be reviewed by the Student Affairs Committee.

The program plans or flow charts, where they exist, illustrate the normal sequence of courses in the various programs. Some variations of these sequences are possible, but it should be noted that not every course is offered every term. In general, freshmen courses should be taken during the freshmen year, sophomore courses during the sophomore year, etc. Students who delay the completion of courses planned for early in the program frequently find that course scheduling conflicts prevent the timely completion of program requirements.

Participation in student organizations is voluntary, but strongly encouraged. These organizations give students the opportunity to associate both professionally and socially with students and faculty members who have similar professional interests. New students can learn much about their major program and subsequent professional directions from upper-class students, faculty, and alumni, and from discipline-oriented programming by the organization. Active participation can give students leadership experience. It is for all these reasons that potential graduate schools and employers consider participation in extracurricular activities an important consideration when reviewing applicants.

There is no official time limit for the completion of an undergraduate program. Note, however, the information under the Handbook section “Catalog of Entry” relative to discontinued or altered programs/courses. In addition, financial aid availability may be impacted if it is determined a student is not making satisfactory progress towards a degree.  Note: some professional or graduate programs may have time restrictions on their undergraduate prerequisite requirements.

New Transfer Students - official transcripts should be sent directly from all previously attended institutions to the Admissions Office as part of the application process.  When there is uncertainty regarding the equivalency of courses, the student may be asked to submit course syllabi and/or other materials. The evaluation of a transcript may grant credit for coursework that is not applicable to the student’s program in the College. (Note: In many cases, international students must earn a full term of credit prior to the preparation of an official evaluation.)

In considering transfer credit for Engineering students, no credit will be granted for engineering design courses unless the credit was earned from an ABET accredited program or the content is closely reviewed by the department.  Students may be required to submit supporting materials.

A maximum of 63 credit hours can be transferred from community colleges unless an articulation agreement exists. The maximum that can be transferred from four-year institutions (and/or a combination of two-year and four-year schools) is 96 credit hours. All students are expected to complete at least their last 30 credits at Detroit Mercy in order to receive a degree from 六九色堂. Engineering and Computer Science students must complete a minimum of 24 credits in their major at Detroit Mercy. Some science programs including accelerated and partnership programs may have restrictions about transfer credits.

Current Detroit Mercy Students - may take courses at other colleges or universities with the prior approval of the department and Dean's Office. The student is to complete a “Request for Transfer Credit" form providing details on the course(s).  This must be signed by the student’s advisor and the assistant dean for Academics. After the course is successfully completed the student should arrange to have an official transcript sent from the institution directly to Detroit Mercy's Transfer Team (transferteam@udmercy.edu). The student must request to have the transcript sent; this is not an automatic process. The course transfers, but the grade does not, except where special agreements are in place. 

Note: Courses with grades less than “C" or less than 2.0 do not transfer.

In general, students are discouraged from taking courses at other schools unless it can be demonstrated that not taking the course would delay graduation or cause other undue hardship. The University residency requirement states that candidates for a bachelor's degree must complete the last 30 credit hours at 六九色堂. 

During a term when a student is enrolled full time at Detroit Mercy, they are discouraged from taking a course at another institution if the equivalent course is offered at Detroit Mercy that term. Exceptions to this must be petitioned in writing. This process offers the opportunity for the College to inform students of potential consequences of taking classes elsewhere.