Standards and Policies

We provide students with the academic foundation and clinical experience for a successful career in nursing.

Learn about standards and policies at The Belanger School of Nursing through the links below.

Standards and Policies:

•   Attendance Policy
  Students are required to attend all scheduled sessions of class, clinical practice, special assignments. Each student is expected to use their own judgment in determining unsafe travel conditions.

  In the event of illness or other unforeseen events, the student is responsible to notify both:

  • the school office (518.831.8810) at least one-half hour before scheduled session;
  • and the area of clinical assignment at least one half hour before scheduled session.

  Details of the attendance policy are outlined in The Belanger School of Nursing Student Handbook. Consult the Schenectady County Community College (SCCC) catalog for the attendance policy pertaining to SCCC courses. See BSON - 1524 - Student Attendance Policy for more information.

•   Leave of Absence
  Leave of Absence A leave of absence is an authorized absence from the Belanger School of Nursing for medical, psychological, or personal reasons. Voluntary and involuntary medical leaves can provide a student with the opportunity to address psychological or medical conditions and the student’s disruptive or harmful behavior and to return to BSON. When a student’s behavior poses a significant risk to themselves or others, causes them to significantly disrupt the school operations including educational activities, it may be necessary for a student to take a voluntary or involuntary leave of absence. See BSON - 1525 - Leave of Absence.

  During a leave of absence, students cannot attend classes and are required to stay off campus, unless inperson accommodation has been approved. Students on medical leave are expected to focus on the evaluation, treatment and/or management of the illness or condition which necessitated the leave.

  A leave of absence may be granted by the Dean/Director after consultation with the Admissions and Evaluations Committee Chairperson(s) and/or the Accommodations Coordinator as appropriate, and, to comply with federal guidelines, may not exceed sixty days. Any leave of absence extending more than sixty days (or involving additional school charges) is considered a withdrawal and will be treated accordingly. See BSON - 1525 - Leave of Absence Policy for more information.

•   Withdrawl and Reduced Credit Load
  There are two types of student request to withdraw: course withdrawal or program withdrawal. If the student is registered for any college courses outside of BSON, they must withdraw from these courses when withdrawing from the program. See BSON - 1532 - Withdrawal Policy for more information.

   

•   Repeating Courses
  A student who separates (withdraws from or fails a course) from the program may be eligible to appeal for readmission to the Belanger School of Nursing. Students are advised of this option when they separate from the program. An appeal for readmission to the school must be made in writing, using the “Appeal for Readmission” form. Readmission may be granted by the Admissions and Evaluations Committee. Only the grade earned in the repeated course will be used in the future grade computations, although all grades will be retained on the academic transcript. See BSON - 1521- Appeal for Readmission Policy for more information.

•   Maximum Timeframe to Complete Program
  The Belanger School of Nursing program must be completed within three academic years. This policy has been established to ensure the successful pursuit of a professional education as well as for eligibility for financial aid. See BSON - 1521 - Appeal for Readmission Policy for more information.

•   Satisfactory Academic Progress
  Good Standing -To be in good standing, a student must maintain a minimum 2.00 GPA and CGPA each semester.

  Progression - All courses required in each semester must be satisfactorily completed before progression to the next semester. See BSON - 1526 - Curriculum Progression Plan Policy for more information.

  Academic Warning Notice - Students with a quiz/exam average below 77 and/or unsatisfactory clinical performance will receive a written academic warning notice of unsatisfactory progress from the course instructor. This determination can be made by the evaluating faculty at any time during the course.

  The student will be advised of the need for a higher level of performance throughout his/her evaluating period. In order to assure due process, the student will be regularly advised of unsatisfactory academic and/or clinical progress through the following means: theory grades, anecdotal records, progress conferences with documentation and student plan for improvement, and/or warning notices.

  The course instructor will send copies of the Academic Warning Notice to the student, the chairperson of the Admissions and Evaluations Committee, the students advisor and a copy placed in the students academic file. See BSON - 1550 - Academic Communication Policy for more information.

•   Academic Failure
  The student who does not meet course criteria by the end of the course will receive a failing grade.

  In the event of course failure, the following persons are to be notified by the course instructor: the student, the students advisor, the Director, and the Chairperson of the Admissions and Evaluations Committee. The course instructor will advise the student to contact his/her advisor. See BSON - 1542 - Student Academic Progress and Grade Appeals Policy for more information.

•   Dismissal
  A student is subject to academic dismissal following:

  • receipt of a grade of less than a C in any required course
  • failure to provide safe, effective and supportive nursing care in clinical practice at that level of instruction

  See BSON - 1542 - Student Academic Progress and Grade Appeals Policy for more information.

•   Disciplinary Matters
  Disciplinary action for non-academic offenses will be determined by the Admissions and Evaluations Committee. Any disciplinary action taken under this policy is intended to be corrective and not punitive in nature and is based on treatment of the student as an individual. The circumstances and seriousness of a situation will determine the form of disciplinary action to be taken. See pages 15-18 of BSON - Code of Conduct for more information about non-Title IX violations, or pages 19-44 for Title IX violations. 

   

•   Academic Hearing
  A student wishing to appeal an academic failure should begin the process by consulting first with the course and/or evaluating instructor, and the student's advisor. The advisor will counsel the student to objectively review circumstances relating to the academic failure. If no resolution is achieved, then the student may request an academic hearing by presenting, in writing, any evidence of intentional lack of due process, bias and/or inconsistent application of standards to the Dean/Director of the School. The Dean/Director will then determine if there is sufficient evidence for a hearing based on the students documentation. See BSON - 1542 - Student Academic Progress and Grade Appeals Policy for more information.

•   Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
  In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, students have access to all their records, which are maintained in the Registrar's office. Students may inspect their files upon written request. Any unsuccessful attempt should be reported to the Dean/Director.

  Only those within the School of Nursing who have a legitimate educational interest may have access to student records. Access to student files is denied to outside persons unless the student gives written permission with the exception of "directory information" (name, local address and telephone number). Other exceptions as permitted under the Act include information given to organizations providing financial aid, to accrediting agencies, in compliance with a judicial order, and in an emergency in order to protect the health or safety of students or others.

  Students may request that any or all of the directory information may not be released without their written consent. Such requests must be submitted annually in writing to the Dean/Director of the school. The request should include signature and date. See BSON - 1534 - Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Compliance Policy for more information.

•   Records Retention Policy
  The records for students currently enrolled, graduates and withdrawn students are maintained in fire-proof files by the Registrar with the exception of the health records which are kept on file in the in the health office at Ellis Medicine. Currently enrolled students' records include admission data, academic records, and financial data. The policy is available for review in the Registrar's office. See BSON - 1522 - Records Retention Policy for more information.

•   Tuition Payment Policy
  All tuition payments are due in full prior to the beginning of each academic semester. The actual due date appears on the student's tuition bill. If necessary, students may defer their tuition against anticipated financial aid by applying for aid in advance and returning their financial aid award letter to the School of Nursing by the payment due date. All financial aid payments received by the school will be applied to the student's account toward outstanding tuition and charges. Any remaining financial aid funds in excess of the amount due the school will be returned to the student. If a student has extenuating circumstances that will prevent timely payment of tuition, a financial conference must be scheduled with the Financial Aid Coordinator prior to the due date. See BSON - 2507 - Tuition Payment Policy for more information.

•   Refund Policy
  Students who withdraw from The Belanger School of Nursing by resignation, leave of absence* or dismissal may receive a tuition refund for the current semester provided they submit an official withdrawal form to the school office. The refund calculation will be based on the students official date of withdrawal. The failure of a student to notify the Dean/Director, in writing, of withdrawal may delay refund of tuition due pursuant to section 5002 of the Education Law. See BSON - 2504 - Refund Policy for more information.

  *Based on federal regulations, an approved leave of absence of less than or equal to sixty days is not considered a withdrawal. The complete leave of absence policy can be found in the student handbook.