Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing - Student Handbook


MAIN PORTAL MFA HOME Accreditation & Affiliations Consumer Information Faculty Course Descriptions MFA Library Program Catalog Residency Schedule Semester Schedule Tuition Admissions Registration/Other Forms Financial Aid Student Handbook Benefactors Mission Statement Faculty Publications & Honors Student Publications Alumni Publications Student Website Alumni Website Alumni Achievements Transcript Request Contact Us	Student Handbook At the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts, students have the responsibility to do their own work, represent their work honestly, respond frankly and with consideration to the work of others, participate fully in activities, follow directions of instructors in meeting course and assignment requirements and follow overall program requirements in seeking the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Because this is a graduate degree program, students are expected to be and to conduct themselves as mature adults. Academic Dishonesty Cheating, plagiarism and other academic dishonesty are grounds for grade reduction, failure or dismissal from the program. All such actions will become a part of the student's permanent record. Academic Probation Any graduate student carrying a grade point average below 3.00 will be placed on academic warning for the following term. Students carrying a grade-point average below 3.00 for a second term, whether or not consecutive, will be placed on academic probation and dropped from the program. After a full calendar year, students may re-apply to the program. Advising The MFA program director is the primary faculty advisor for entering students. During the first semester, each student will select an adviser from the faculty in his/her genre. Faculty serve as thesis advisors; each student will select a thesis advisor from among the available faculty in her/his genre. A faculty member may refuse such an assignment if already working with several thesis students or for some other reason unable to function effectively as thesis advisor to that student. Class Enrollment Students must enroll through the Institute’s registration system. An unenrolled student may not participate in any class. Waiting lists are established for full courses; replacements for students dropping out will be enrolled from those lists, with preference given to those nearest completion of the program. Students may not add courses after the last day of the residency. College Closure The program director has the authority to close the Institute temporarily if, in her/his judgment, safety or health of students, faculty, staff or the general public is threatened. In the absence of the program director, this decision will fall to the services director. Faculty, staff and students will be notified as rapidly as possible in any of several ways, including by telephone, e-mail, postings on the college web site and public service announcements over Seattle area radio and television. Confidentiality of Student Information Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), also known as the Buckley Amendment, neither personal records (name, address, numbers such as social security or student number, nor any personal characteristics or information) nor educational records (including files, transcripts, or course work) may be submitted to anyone other than the following or under the following conditions without the student's permission: Financial aid organizations Accrediting agencies during the accreditation process Under judicial order after written notification of student Under subpoena In response to an emergency involving the health or safety of the student or others Parents or legal guardians of financially-dependent students under 18 Discrimination on the Basis of Age, Ethnicity, Gender, Religion or Sexual Preference The Institute regards discrimination of the above types as anti-creative, un-American, generally illegal and always reprehensible, and it will not tolerate any such activity by faculty, staff or students. Incidents of discrimination should be reported immediately to the MFA program director or the services director. Distance Education See Online Courses. Drug-free Workplace The Institute maintains a drug-free educational and work place. This includes all illegal drugs. Evaluation of Faculty, Courses and Residency Offerings Students will evaluate each regular faculty member at least once a year and will evaluate visiting faculty as well. In addition, students will evaluate presentations, programs, classes and activities offered during residencies. All evaluations will be anonymous and instructors will see only type-written summaries prepared by staff. Grades Grades will be posted on the student’s private site in the Online Campus following the end of the regular semester. Grading Scale and Meaning of Grades Meaning of Grades: A (4.0) Excellent work for graduate courses; high level of achievement B (3.0) Average work for graduate courses; acceptable but not excellent C (2.0) Less than average work for graduate courses Plus (+) and minus (-) notations are used to indicate more specific levels of achievement. To remain a student in good standing on the graduate level, a student must sustain a cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.00 or better. Other grades: I Incomplete Student has satisfactorily completed most requirements for a course, but for a good reason has not completed all requirements. Given only if arrangements have been made with instructor to submit missing requirements. Course must be completed by the end of the following semester. A written report, signed (electronically for Online courses) by student and instructor, including plans to complete the course, must be submitted to registrar and MFA program director prior to end of term. S Satisfactory Indicates B or higher level of achievement in a course taken on an S/U basis. Has no grade point value and is not used in figuring grade point average, but credit toward graduation is allowed for the course. Instructor's permission required to register on an S/U basis. U Unsatisfactory Indicates less than B level of achievement in a course taken on an S/U basis. Has no grade point value and is not used in figuring grade point average. Carries no credit toward graduation. Instructor's permission required to register on an S/U basis. W Withdraw Students may officially withdraw from a course within the time period specified in the Institute's catalog. After that period, only "hardship" withdrawals will be allowed (for reasons of health, family emergency, and the like). Y Continuing Course has not yet officially ended and the student is still actively engaged in completing the course work. Must be completed within one year of date grade is given, with the exception of English 500. Often used for enrollment in thesis credits when student has not completed thesis manuscript during the semester of registration. Because a thesis manuscript must be of publishable quality, this becomes a grade upon acceptance of the thesis by the thesis advisor and second reader. Z Administrative Withdrawal Indicates that the student has been withdrawn from class because of a policy or procedural infraction, including failure to pay tuition. Complaints and Grievance Process Members of an academic community may reasonably have differences of opinion or perception regarding operations, duties or matters of feeling or individual performance. Each has a responsibility to confer in good faith with colleagues to resolve such differences collegially and amicably. If no informal resolution is possible and the remaining issue is of sufficient seriousness or of such moment as to require substantive involvement of other personnel, the following process shall apply. This process is not intended to deal with issues that may involve attorneys or may lead to civil or criminal action. Nor is this process meant to be used in situations involving allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination or other matters covered by state or federal law. It is contemplated that only issues regarding work-related operations, duties and performance will be subject to this process. Aggrieved Student (AS) meets and discusses issues with other person(s) involved. If no mutually satisfactory resolution is achieved in this meeting, AS informs appropriate individual (AI - defined below), in writing (email acceptable) of substance of complaint, steps taken to resolve it and desired relief sought. Notice is given to other party (parties) that ASM has informed AI. Appropriate Individual (AI) is defined as follows: MFA program director if complaint is about faculty or staff CEO if complaint is about program director NILA Governing Board chair if complaint is about CEO or board member other than chair NILA Vice-Chair if complaint is about chair Upon being informed of AS’s concerns, AI will take appropriate action to explore and attempt to resolve situation. This action may include but is not limited to a meeting with each party individually and/or with all parties at once. Written response of AI is issued to all parties within ten working days within 10 working days of AI’s receipt of notice. If either party is still dissatisfied, that person can file a formal written grievance addressed to the governing board. The grievance must be filed within 10 working days of the receipt of AI’s response. At a minimum, the grievance must include the following: clear and concise statement of the events and/or conduct of which the AS is complaining description of the steps taken to resolve the complaint, and the results of each such step a statement of the requested remedy The statement may also include other relevant information, including the identification of other people who might have relevant knowledge of the AS's concerns. Upon receipt of the formal written grievance, the NILA board chair appoints a three-person grievance committee, which may include members from outside the organization. If the NILA board chair is one of the involved parties, the WIWA board chair shall appoint the committee. The chair of the grievance committee shall be a member of the NILA governing board. Grievance committee meets to consider grievance within 10 working days of appointment of committee. The committee will take whatever steps seem advisable to explore and resolve situation in a fair and reasonable manner. Grievance committee informs all relevant parties of its determination within 10 working days of its formation. The decision of the grievance committee is final and cannot be appealed. The committee chair shall draft a written report of the committee’s findings and conclusions for inclusion in the sealed complaints/grievance file established by the NILA board. Complaints/Grievance Sealed Record To maintain a record of complaints or grievances and the action taken in response, a sealed complaints/grievances file is to be established by the NILA board, to be reviewed only by a duly constituted grievance committee. Office Hours Because of the low-residency nature of our MFA program, the Institute does not require specific posted office hours of its faculty. Each semester, each student will have a private site in the Catalyst system for each course taken. Only the student and the course instructor will have access to that site, which is reserved for turning in assigned work and for communication between student and instructor of the sort which would take place during office hours in a residential institution. During the residency period, both permanent and visiting faculty are expected to participate in activities and to be available for informal conversations and appointments with students. Online Courses In a low-residency MFA program, most student course work will be done away from the program site. In the Whidbey Writers Workshop MFA program, that work is done online through the internet and e-mail. Online courses will include a detailed course description and schedule. Online Course Retention Policy (Catalyst Course System) MFA Enrolled Students Student Forum - These spaces will be deleted at the end of each term, replaced by a new forum. Student Lounge - These spaces will be archived, and replaced by a new lounge. The archived lounge will remain in the archives for one term, then deleted. Class Syllabi and Course Description Spaces - These will be deleted at the end of each term. Online Classrooms - The online classroom for each course per term will be archived the week following the end of session. It will remain in the archives for two years, and then deleted. It is the responsibility of the student to retain any information from a private space or classroom. Once this information is deleted, it cannot be retrieved. Online Private Spaces between students/faculty - These course specific spaces are available only during the term in which you are taking the course, and will be deleted two weeks following the end of session. It is the responsibility of the student to retain any information from a private space or classroom. Once this information is deleted, it cannot be retrieved. Thesis Chat Site - This space remains indefinitely, unless students request otherwise. Thesis Student/Advisor Spaces - This space will remain open throughout the entire Thesis and Thesis Continuation course. It will only be deleted upon the student's graduation. Instructor Thesis Groups - This space is available to a Thesis student as long as that instructor is their Thesis Advisor. Graduating and Withdrawn Students Upon graduation, or withdrawal, student accounts will be closed within one week. All spaces associated with account will be deleted. Graduating Students Enrolled in a Post-Graduate Class Students graduating from the MFA program, who immediately enroll in a Post-Graduate Course will have access to their account, and spaces will be treated the same as a current MFA student. Post-Graduate Student Catalyst Spaces Post-Graduate students are considered enrolled students, and therefore have access to all MFA- Inclusive spaces. Alumni Catalyst Spaces Alumni Forum - These spaces will be deleted at the end of each term, replaced by a new forum. Alumni Lounge - These spaces will be archived, and replaced by a new lounge. The archived lounge will remain in the archives for one term, then deleted. Records Retention Policy Applicants Applicants that do not complete the process: Records will be kept for one year. After one year, records will be destroyed. Applicants who complete the process, but are not approved: Records will be kept for three years. After three years, records will be destroyed, unless the applicant wishes to reapply, and requests we retain the records prior to destruction. Applicants who complete the process, who are approved, but do not matriculate: Non-matriculating approved applicant’s records will be kept on file for three years. After three years, records will be destroyed. Applicant recommendations are kept strictly confidential, and will not be released by Whidbey Writers Workshop. Upon matriculation, recommendations will be destroyed. Students Current student records are maintained by the Registrar, and may include: Application, Writing sample, Transcripts from attended universities Financial documents Student Contract Registrations Grades Miscellaneous communication Students have the right to view their records on file, in the office, by appointment. Graduates and Withdrawn Students Students who have graduated or withdrawn: All necessary academic records for such students will be kept indefinitely, including the application for admission and transcripts from previous education. MFA graduates may request an official or transcript at any time using the transcript request form (fees may be associated). Students may have access to previous schools’ transcripts, but may not receive a copy. They must request copies from the originating institution. Writing samples and any non-academic records will be destroyed upon graduation. Student Catalyst accounts will be deleted, and all connected material. Graduates will receive a new Catalyst account as a graduate of the program. Graduated students will have access to the Alumni Forum and Alumni Lounge. MFA graduates have the right to view their records on file, in the office, by appointment. Residency Periods Each semester is preceded by an intensive 10-day residency. Students and full-time faculty are expected to participate along with visiting faculty. Sexual Harassment The Institute regards sexual harassment, whether of or by visitors, guests, students, staff, faculty, administration or others, as anti-creative, un-American, generally illegal and always reprehensible, and it will not tolerate any such activity by faculty, staff, students, guests or visitors. Incidents of sexual harassment should be reported immediately to the MFA program director or the services director. Smoking Smoking is forbidden within all buildings used by the Institute Textbooks Course syllabi for an upcoming residency will normally be e-mailed to students registered in each course prior to the end of the previous semester and must include book titles, authors, publishers, and ISBN numbers for both residency and semester readings (without an ISBN number, some students will purchase editions whose page numbering, etc., do not correspond with that of the edition used by the instructor and in the course reading schedule). Syllabi including reading and assignment lists for the online portion of the semester will be posted on the course site by the beginning of the online semester. For a low-residency program, students will normally have to secure their own textbooks either by ordering them from a bookstore in the student's local area (recommended) or by ordering them from an online bookstore. Faculty using textbooks for semester or residency courses must include information sufficient to inform students and the student services coordinator of textbook titles, authors, publishers and ISBN numbers.