policy regarding tuition remission participants

• Webster University's administration made a decision to allow for one admitted student to use tuition remission in an EdD cohort. The decision will be made by lottery. All admission decisions are final.

General Policies

• All current students must set up the Office 365 account and their Connections ID. Make sure to check your Webster e-mail often or have it forwarded to another e-mail address. For assistance with forwarding your email click here. Academic Advising has a full page on Student Technology to assist with setting up each account as well as what each feature is used for.

• Ed.D. students are expected to make their courses a priority. This means attending all classes and turning in all assignments completed and on time. Students must arrange their schedules so that they may arrive on time for the full eight-week term and schedule any outside engagements (work obligations, parental obligations, vacations, parties, etc.) around class time. While this program is flexible for those working full time, attendance and participation are essential. 

• Under special circumstances, a maximum of one conflict per term may be granted to a student. Be certain to discuss any potential conflicts with your instructor as early as possible to make arrangements. Note that missing two classes for any reason will result in receiving a non-passing grade (C or NC).

• Many new students in the Ed.D. program may find that doctoral coursework, going back to school, or switching into a new field is very difficult. Most of the students find that within a few weeks, this overwhelming feeling can pass. In many cases the issue is that students come in with very high expectations placed on themselves to be able to perform at as high a level as they can in what they currently do. It is more than natural for the first term or two to feel very difficult (that means that you are learning!). If you find that you are struggling, speak to your professor as soon as possible.

• Remember to silence or turn off your cell phone before entering the classroom. Your cell phone should never interrupt a class, a fellow student's presentation, your own presentation, or a class that you are observing. As current and future teachers and leaders you must always be mindful of your cell phone, iPad, laptops, and any other device that might make noise while a class or seminar is in session.

Statement of ethics

The following is from Webster University's website:

"Webster University strives to be a center of academic excellence. The University makes every effort to ensure the following:

• The opportunity for students to learn and inquire freely.

• The protection of intellectual freedom and the rights of professors to teach.

• The advancement of knowledge through scholarly pursuits and relevant dialogue.

The University community is by nature pluralistic and diverse. Those who elect to participate in the Webster University community--students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and directors--accept the responsibility of sharing in the effort to achieve the University's mission as an institution of higher learning. Each member is expected to respect the objectives of the University and the views of its members.

Participants in this shared enterprise strive to be governed by what ought to be rather than by what is. To accomplish its goals, members of the University community aspire to a higher standard than mere compliance with formalized University requirements and local, state, and federal laws.

Webster University endeavors to fulfill the following expectations:

• Preserve academic honor and integrity by repudiating all forms of academic and intellectual dishonesty.

• Treat others with respect and dignity.

• Respect the rights and property of others.

• Act with concern for the safety and well-being of its associates.

Inquiry, discourse, and dissent, within the framework of an ordered academic environment, are seminal elements of a university community and of a free democratic society. Members of the Webster University community recognize this and are consequently supportive of democratic and lawful procedure and dedicated to rational approaches to solving problems. This assumes openness to change as well as commitment to historical values."

non-discrimination policy

Webster University prides itself on being a school with a very diverse student body as well as having a diverse faculty and staff. All students, faculty, and staff must abide by Webster University's non-discrimination policy:

"Webster University is committed to non-discrimination and equal opportunity regarding the treatment of students, faculty and staff. The University considers employment, admissions, financial aid, programs, and activity applications without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, creed, age, ethnic or national origin, or disability."

student code of conduct and procedures

All students at Webster must review and abide by the Student Code of Conduct and Procedures. Click on the heading to take you to the university's Student Code of Conduct and Procedures page. This would include topics such as:

• Statement of Ethics

• Student Rights

• Student Responsibilities

• Disciplinary and Student Conduct Procedures

• Disciplinary Actions

• Academic Honesty Policy and Procedures

attendance for face-to-face classes

• Face-to-face classes only meet once a week, eight times a term, in four-hour sessions. Students are expected to attend all courses, including the first and last class for the full period of time.

• Students who miss the first class will automatically be dropped from the course and may not be allowed to rejoin the class.

• Students are expected to schedule all work, childcare, travel, and other obligations around class time. With classes meeting only once a week, this allows students to arrange their schedules to accommodate the one class. 

• Missing one class is missing more than 10% of the course. Some instructors do not allow absences. Check with your instructor about specific attendance policies and penalties for absences and/or tardiness.

• If you absolutely must miss a class, arrive late, or leave early, it is your responsibility to contact your instructor before class meets and as soon as you know that you might miss or be late for class to make proper arrangements. Your professor may lower your final grade an entire letter grade for an unexcused absence or give you a failing grade. This includes missing the first class.

• If you miss two or more classes (for whatever reason), you may be asked to withdraw from the course (because you have missed 25% of the course).

• If you must miss classes due to medical reasons you will still need to withdraw from the course. If you are concerned about the financial aspect of withdrawing for medical reasons, contact Dawna Moore (dmoore@webster.edu) about the process for withdrawing due to medical reasons. Instructors are asked to treat all absences equally for the purposes of fairness. Determinations on special circumstances or granting tuition reimbursement for withdrawals due to medical reasons will be handled at the administrative level. If you have a medical issue arise during class, please alert your instructor as early as possible.

registering for classes

• Registration must be completed before the first class meets or before the Friday before the term begins for online courses.

• If you miss the first class, you may enroll in a face-to-face class within six calendar days of that first class meeting only with the permission of the instructor. Note that an Add Slip must be filled out and signed by the course instructor.

• New students must meet with Dr. Lee-Johnson to sign up for classes the first time.

• Returning students may register for classes themselves through Connections. Use this link for help 

• When registering, be certain to look under Current Option Settings and set Program to "GRAD," and Session and Year to the semester for which you are attempting to register for. Click Set Options to change these settings.

• If you cannot register online, send an e-mail to your adviser and include all of the following information in your e-mail:

  • Your name

  • Your student number

  • The class(es) in which you want to be registered along with the section number (e.g., EDOC 7311 W1, EDOC 7230 01)

  • Your method of payment (Financial Aid, Bill to Employer, Self Pay, etc.)

• Registration cannot be completed without all of this information.

GRADING SCALE:

Grades reflect the following standards:

A/A-: Superior graduate work Instructors may choose not to use the pluses and minuses.

B+/B/B-: Satisfactory graduate work Instructors may choose not to use the pluses and minuses.

C: Work that is barely adequate as graduate-level performance

CR: Work that is performed as satisfactory graduate work (B– or better). A grade of "CR" is reserved for courses designated by a department, involving internships, a thesis, practicums, or specified courses.

NC: Unsatisfactory graduate work (used primarily by School of Education and for the WSBT 5000 course)

F*: Work that is unsatisfactory

I: Incomplete work

ZF: An incomplete which was not completed within one year of the end of the course. ZF is treated the same as an F or NC for all cases involving GPA, academic warning, probation, and dismissal.

W: Withdrawn from the course

WF: Unofficial Withdrawal: A student enrolled for the course, did not withdraw, and failed to complete course requirements. Used when, in the opinion of the instructor, there is insufficient completed work to evaluate academic performance. WF is treated the same as an F or NC for all cases involving GPA, academic warning, probation, and dismissal

NOTE: IP is not a letter grade assigned by an instructor, but it designates a course in progress for the current term.

*The School of Education (MAT, MA and EdS) does not utilize the "F" Grade.

academic honesty

• As current and future educators and leaders, all Ed.D. students are expected to adhere to academic honesty.

• Plagiarism in any form will not be tolerated and may result in dismissal from the course, program, and university.

• Be certain to to cite all direct quotes, paraphrased quotes, and consulted sources in all assignments. See the Writing Center's Writing Tips for advice on avoiding plagiarism and properly citing sources.

• Purdue's Online Writing Lab also has many great resources on citing sources and research.

• If asked to submit pedagogical materials, research papers, or any other assignment consult your instructor if you plan to use or consult any published materials, colleague's materials, other student's materials, or materials that you had developed or used prior to class.

Duration of Program

The doctoral program was designed to be a three-year program. There are certain situations that may delay graduation, for example: quality of writing, dissertation chair on leave, change of research topic, etc. However, students are expected to monitor their progress and try their best to complete the program within three years. Students will take 10 credits of EDOC 8000 for completing their dissertation writing in Year 3. In the event that the dissertation is not done, students will take 1 credit of EDOC 8010 per semester until completion. Please note that financial aid recipients should complete the program within three years as loan repayment may begin when 10 credits of EDOC 8000 are completed, which is the end of the third year. Please check with our financial aid office for more information (https://webster.edu/financialaid/index.php).

Using the Student Success Portal, powered by Starfish, to boost successful completion of Incompletes

In order to improve tracking and successful resolution of Incomplete grades, we are leveraging features available in the Student Success Portal, powered by Starfish, including the following:

1)       Submitted electronic Incomplete Grade Forms are being uploaded into the Student Success Portal so that faculty and staff members may access the forms and the information they contain.

2)      Notes regarding changes to the original agreement for grades of Incomplete (e.g., extended deadlines) and/or administrative changes (e.g., the grade being updated) are being tracked in the Student Success Portal. Faculty members are encouraged to make notes regarding students’ progress with their Incompletes and any changes to the original agreement. It is recommended that faculty also email this information to circ@webster.edu, olc@webster.edu, registraroffice@webster.edu to ensure that this information is fully communicated to all relevant offices that support students with grades of Incomplete. 

3)      A Concerning Grades: Incomplete (I) system flag is raised when a grade of Incomplete is posted, automatically sending a message to each student who has one or more grade of Incomplete posted. This flag remains active until the student’s grade(s) of Incomplete change to an earned or administrative grade. 

By more closely monitoring grades of Incompletes and their resolutions and ensuring that all grades are posted in a timely manner, Webster can help students remain on track to meet their academic goals.