Academic Procedures and Regulations

Admissions Appeals Process

Applicants who are denied admission to a graduate degree program and want to appeal the decision should follow the following procedures:

• Write an appeal letter requesting that your file be reconsidered. Indicate why you should be admitted to the program and what you will bring to it.
• Submit two additional letters of recommendation. The names of the two new referrals should be included in the appeal letter.
• Submit a transcript of any graduate course work completed after the final decision. If the course work was taken at SUNY Oswego, the Graduate Studies Office will obtain the transcript.
• Include copies of materials that you believe support your case for admission.
• Provide a current resume, and
• Submit all materials including the appeal letter and accompanying materials, to the Graduate Studies Office, 606 Culkin Hall, Oswego, NY 13126

The Graduate Studies Office will send an acknowledgment letter upon receipt of the appeal application. Your materials will be forwarded to the appropriate program department for review by the appeals committee. Notification of the committee’s decision will be sent to the applicant via US mail. Decisions will not be given via email or telephone.

Nine credit hours is considered a full-time student load. Students should be aware that for some state and federal Title IV financial aid programs, funding as a full-time student requires either twelve credit hours or nine credit hours plus a graduate assistantship.

Fully employed part-time students registered in the fall and spring periods are limited to two courses each semester.

The credit hour is the course unit of credit, representing the satisfactory completion of one class period per week for one semester. A course having three class periods a week will, therefore, earn three credit hours. Studio and laboratory class periods earn one credit hour for each two hours of attendance unless otherwise indicated.

Regular attendance at classes is obligatory. A student may be dropped from a course for poor achievement due to excessive absence and, if dropped after the deadline for dropping courses, will receive a final mark of E.

A graduate student may enroll in undergraduate courses, but may not receive graduate credit for those courses unless the undergraduate courses are designated as dual enrollment courses. The level of courses may be identified by the following:

Seniors who need nine hours or fewer to graduate may petition for combined enrollment if they meet the terms and conditions outlined on the Petition for Approval of Combined Enrollment Form.

The student’s total class load cannot exceed twelve credit hours unless permission is requested by the student’s advisor and approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies. The total number of graduate credits an undergraduate student is allowed to enroll in prior to receiving the bachelor’s degree is six. (Students are billed the undergraduate tuition rate.) These six credits count toward the total of nine hours allowed prior to admission to a program. The completed enrollment form with signatures from the student’s advisor and department chair must be submitted to the Graduate Office, 606 Culkin Hall, for final approval.

The following graduate degree programs are offered by Oswego. The HEGIS codes are listed to allow cross references between Oswego and other institutions. HEGIS code numbers may be requested by state and federal offices when filing for loans or awards.
The graduate programs offered by each academic component are listed below. Consult the appropriate heading in this catalog for program requirements.

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

School of Business

School of Communication, Media and the Arts

School of Education

Letter grades are used for the final evaluation in all courses. The use of plus or minus grades is optional with the instructor. The grades and an interpretation of the quality of work follow:

Quality Point System 

No other grades carry quality points.

Completion of Incomplete Grades

Incomplete grades become E grades automatically if the incomplete grade is not completed by the end of the sixth week of the following semester. This is true whether or not the student is in attendance at the College. Exceptions apply only under the following circumstances:

1. When a faculty member requests an extension because the nature of the course does not allow for the removal of the “I” grade in only one semester (e.g. thesis courses, research projects).
2. When the student requests an extension with the approval of the pertinent faculty member for (a) a prolonged illness that can be documented with medical records or (b) absence due to active military service.

Under any of the above mentioned circumstances, the request for an extension must be submitted by the faculty member prior to the “sixth week of the following semester” deadline.

If a course for which a C+, C, or C- or E grade was earned is to be repeated, it must be repeated at Oswego in order to have the hours and quality points reflected in the student’s cumulative index at Oswego. If, however, the student elects to repeat the course at an institution other than Oswego, then the previous semester hours and previous C or E grade earned are not lined out in the Oswego transcript record, and are used in calculating the student’s cumulative grade point average.

Prior approval for off-campus study (for any institution other than Oswego) must be obtained from the student’s academic advisor. The student must submit to the advisor the course description and an Approval of Transfer Credit Form.  Only grades of B or better are eligible for transfer credit consideration. Upon completion of the course taken off-campus, an official transcript must be submitted to the Graduate Office.

NG Graded Courses

Students expelled or suspended as a result of disciplinary actions will have an NG notation in the place of a grade on every course for which they are registered at the time of the expulsion or suspension, and the credits will count in the total attempted credits. The NG notation will become a permanent part of the students’ academic records (transcripts). Students with NG grades need to apply for readmission and have the dean of students’ approval before they can register again at Oswego. If the student is readmitted to the College, the courses with NG can be repeated; the NG notation, however, will remain part of the student’s academic history. For more information, review the full Transcript Notation Policy

Grade Appeal

The instructor of record has the responsibility to assign/change the final grade for the course. The purpose of the appeal process is to ensure that college policies have been followed and that the treatment of a student has been fair and consistent with guidelines established in the course syllabus.

The first step in the resolution of any dispute between a student and an instructor concerning an academic matter should be that the student meets with, or makes a determined effort to meet with, the instructor in order to discuss the problem.  Most often, the dispute can be resolved through such discussion between faculty and student; should it not lead to a satisfactory resolution, the student may further pursue an appeal process.

The following describes the steps and deadlines for such an appeal process:

1. This process begins with a written appeal letter to the chair of the department offering the course. The written appeal must be submitted no later than the end of the sixth week of the following semester. The student is encouraged to seek a mentor, their advisor or any other member of the faculty and staff, to assist in the appeal process.
2. Within a week of the receipt of the student’s written appeal, an acknowledgment will be sent to the student by the chair. The department chair will need time to look into the issue(s) raised by the student. The chair’s evaluation may involve review of course records, communications between the faculty and the student, or any other document offered by the student or the faculty member deemed pertinent to the case. The discovery process may also require face to face meetings, phone conversations, or email communications between the chair and the student.
3. The student should expect a written response to the appeal within two weeks of submitting the appeal unless circumstances delay the conclusion of the case.  If the appeal is denied, the written response by the chair must outline the reasons.
4. If the student is not satisfied with the outcome of the review from the department chair, he or she may then appeal to the dean of Graduate Studies. This is where the role of a mentor becomes most critical as the student’s appeal to the dean must appropriately offer responses to the written reasons of denial of the appeal by the department chair.  The process described in step 2 applies, except that the student will have two weeks to submit a written appeal to the dean. There would be the same set of expectations regarding acknowledgment of receipt of the appeal letter and deadlines to review and respond to the student by the dean.
5. Written response from the dean concludes the grade appeal process.

In the event that the faculty member who had assigned the final grade is not available to consider the student’s appeal, the chair of the department responsible for offering the course shall assign a qualified faculty member to review the merits of the appeal in place of that original instructor. This faculty member assigned to review the case will have the authority to change the grade. This exception is only exercised in extraordinary cases where the faculty member, for example, is no longer working for SUNY Oswego and is not responding to the student’s appeal or queries from the department chair or the dean as they review the case.

General Policy

A person may be permitted to audit courses without credit providing the instructor offering the course determines that the person has an acceptable reason for auditing, that the person has sufficient academic background to benefit from the course, and that there is room in the class. The extent of an auditor’s participation in class is determined by the instructor. A Permission to Audit Form, signed by the instructor, should be submitted to the Office of the Registrar during the ADD Period. Audited courses will transcript with a grade of “AU” which does not accumulate credits nor compute in the grade point average.

Senior Citizens

Recognizing the commitment of the College to the senior citizens in this geographic area, the College has established the following guidelines for senior citizens who desire to audit any credit course given on or off the College campus. For purposes of this policy, a senior citizen is defined as a person 60 years of age or older.

A senior citizen is permitted to audit courses without credit if the instructor of the course determines that the person has an acceptable reason for auditing, that the person has sufficient academic background to benefit from the course, and that there is room in the class.  The extent of an auditor’s participation in class is determined by the instructor.  A Permission to Audit Form, available in the Office of the Registrar, signed by the instructor, should be submitted to the Office of the Registrar during the ADD Period.  Audited courses will transcript with a grade of “AU” which does not accumulate credits nor compute in the grade point average. It is also understood that the audit privileges will not regularly be extended in all studio and laboratory courses.

There is no fee or any charge levied by the College for the audit privilege. Text books or other related materials may be purchased at the prevailing student price.

Noncredit courses may not be audited as they are not state supported. Senior citizens may, of course, register for such courses upon payment of the regular fees.

Intellectual integrity on the part of all students is basic to individual growth and development through college course work.When academic dishonesty occurs, the teaching/learning climate is seriously undermined and student growth and development are impeded. For these reasons, any form of intellectual dishonesty is a serious concern and is therefore prohibited.
Also basic to the teaching/learning process in college course work is the authority of the course instructor to assign a grade to indicate the quality of student achievement.

The State University of New York at Oswego is committed to maintaining rigorous intellectual standards and the highest level of academic integrity. The production of original work by all members of the College community is an essential component of the educational experience of students. Faculty and professional staff as leaders and role models must adhere to the highest standards of academic honesty in scholarship and professional practice. Students’ work must be the product of individual effort and an unambiguous reflection of the mastery of required knowledge and skills mandated within a program of study.

The College recognizes that promoting intellectual integrity in higher education is a multifaceted process. A learning climate where honest behavior is fostered by the formal and informal conventions of the institution is foundational. Students are made ready for the demands of citizenship and the assumption of roles of responsibility within the larger community by assuming personal responsibility and accepting accountability for their actions while still citizens of the more restricted, but no less demanding, community of scholars. We seek to build character not merely prescriptively but by providing students the opportunity to authentically practice intellectual honesty like the many other behaviors that are mastered here.

The pursuit of academic honesty can be organized around three guiding principles. First, all members of the College community should be held to the highest standards of honesty and personal responsibility. Secondly, the expectations for intellectual integrity should be clearly articulated, as should the consequences for violation of these standards. Finally, all members of the College community are entitled to due process when the honesty of their intellectual efforts or products is called into question.

Intellectual Dishonesty - In an academic community, one critical outcome of intellectual dishonesty is that the instructor is prevented from knowing the truth with respect to the student’s level of mastery of course content. Further facilitation of learning and accurate evaluation of student achievement is thereby jeopardized. Intellectual dishonesty can take many forms. Examples of intellectual dishonesty include making up or falsifying data, etc. It may also take the form of intellectual carelessness, which, while not intentionally deceptive, has the same outcome and may be treated as academic dishonesty.|

Cheating - Intellectual dishonesty may take the form of cheating when one presents as ones own work the work of another. Some examples of cheating include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. copying an examination, assignment or other work to be evaluated.
2. collaboration on work to be evaluated not authorized by the instructor.
3. the use of “cheat sheets.”
4. buying/selling examinations, term papers.
5. use of “ringers:” having another student take an exam; having another student write a term paper or assignment for which the student will receive credit.
6. submitting work for which credit has already been received in another course without the express consent of the instructor.

Plagiarism - One particular form of intellectual dishonesty is plagiarism (i.e., the representation of another’s words, thoughts, or ideas as ones own). While it is expected that a student who is engaged in writing will utilize information from sources other than personal experience, appropriate acknowledgment of such sources is required. Some examples of plagiarism include:

1. utilizing a direct quotation without citing the source
2. paraphrasing the ideas, interpretation, expressions of an other person without giving credit; and,
3. representing the thought of others as ones own by failing to acknowledge or document sources. Sources of information should be credited or footnoted by following an English language style guide (e.g., Modern Language Association Style Sheet, The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association).

Each student has a responsibility to assist in protecting the integrity of the degrees which this College grants by (1) not participating, either directly or indirectly, in intellectual dishonesty in any form, (2) actively discouraging intellectual dishonesty by others, and (3) reporting to the course instructor in a timely manner any known incidents of intellectual dishonesty.

Each faculty member has a responsibility to assist in protecting the integrity of the degrees which this College grants by (1) informing students of the intellectual dishonesty policy and of any specific interpretation of that policy particular to a given course, (2) actively discouraging cheating or plagiarism, and (3) implementing recommended procedures for dealing with intellectual dishonesty in instances where substantial evidence of misconduct exists.

Students suspected of intellectual dishonesty shall be so informed and are entitled to an opportunity to reveal their understanding of cheating/plagiarism in a private discussion with the course instructor prior to the assessment of any penalty. The instructor or the student may choose to have a witness present for the discussion without impairing the privacy of the discussion.

Instructors who determine that a student has engaged in an act of intellectual dishonesty may impose an academic penalty, including that of a failing grade for the course, on that student. The instructor may choose an alternative procedure and pursue disciplinary action through the administration of the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct (refer to the Student Handbook) Before taking action under this section, instructors shall consult with their department chairs and appropriate dean to discuss an appropriate penalty before informing the student of the decision in writing.

The instructor shall notify the student of the decision to impose an academic penalty and the basis for that decision. The instructor shall copy that notification to his/her dean along with the following information: the class and semester, a copy of the assignment, due date of the assignment, the work submitted by the student and evidence to support the charge of intellectual dishonesty.

The Dean’s Office will notify the student’s academic advisor in broad terms and ask that the advisor follow-up with a meeting with the student to discuss academic integrity.

The Dean’s Office will forward this material to the Office of the Provost who will maintain all such material for a period of time of at least one year beyond the student’s graduation or permanent separation from the college.

A student who thinks the penalty assigned by the instructor is inappropriate may appeal the penalty using the following academic appeal process:

1. first, to the instructor involved;
2. then, to the chair of the department in which the course is offered;
3. and finally, using the Judicial Affairs Office, the student may appeal to the appropriate academic Dean. The Judicial Affairs Office will work with the student to prepare the final appeal and will submit the appeal on behalf of the student.

An instructor may not impose an academic penalty and pursue disciplinary action against a student for the same act of academic dishonesty. However, when a student is involved in repeated breaches of academic integrity, disciplinary action may be initiated against that student by the appropriate dean.

In situations where these procedures cannot be followed, it is essential that the spirit of these procedures be met (e.g., extended email discussion in lieu of face-to-face meetings would be an appropriate response to distance learning classes here meetings between instructor and student could not take place).

The individual faculty member has the right and the responsibility to assign student grades, including academic penalties. The academic appeal process terminates in the appropriate academic dean’s office. However, if disciplinary action is initiated through the Dean of Students’ Office it is a judgmental procedure. Thus, final authority for the determination of any penalty to be invoked for cheating through the disciplinary process rests with the Dean of Students’ Office.

A student in a graduate degree program must complete at least 24 credit hours of resident credit. In some instances, the graduate faculty advisor or the Graduate Council of the College may expect more than the required 24 hours in residence.

Graduate students matriculated into a masters program at SUNY Oswego may transfer up to nine credit hours of coursework be applied to a student’s degree program. A maximum of three hours of coursework from institutions other than SUNY Oswego may be applied to post-baccalaureate certificate of advanced study program. (For post-masters advanced certificates of study, see program advisor.)

1. Only courses with grades of A and B (no B-) are transferable to a degree or certificate program. This includes non matriculated work taken at Oswego, as well as course work taken at other accredited institutions. Transfer credit grades from another institution will not be included in the computation of the graduate student’s grade point average. Grades of S and P in graduate level courses are interpreted as the equivalent of B or better.
2. If after being admitted to a degree program a student wishes to take courses at another institution, the student must obtain prior approval from an advisor and Graduate Studies before enrolling in off-campus study. The “Approval of Transfer Credit for Coursework Taken at Accredited Institutions other than Oswego” form is available from the Graduate Studies or department offices. The completed form must be accompanied by a course description from the catalog of the other institution. Upon course completion, an office transcript must be sent to Graduate Studies.
3. Graduate students may transfer graduate credits that were taken prior to matriculation in the SUNY Oswego program, or those that are taken during the completion of their SUNY Oswego program (see Approval for Off-Campus Study). All graduate students interested in pursuing transfer credit should discuss their options with their advisor.

Prior Learning Assessment

Some graduate students have acquired skills and knowledge through non-academic means, such as work experience, professional training, or military service, that may be equivalent to graduate-level college credit.  Prior learning assessment (PLA) is a formal process of evaluating graduate students’ non-academic learning to determine if the skills, knowledge, and dispositions learned meets the graduate learning outcomes, standards, and requirements of a SUNY Oswego graduate-level course within the student’s graduate training program.  

Students who wish to pursue PLA must be able to provide evidence of graduate-level learning that is aligned with graduate courses within the graduate degree program.  To explore options for a formal evaluation of PLA, students should seek advice from their graduate academic advisor or department chair.

Microcredentials

SUNY Oswego offers students the opportunity to earn Microcredentials, which are discrete educational programs that allow graduate students to gain relevant skills that are needed in today’s workforce. Microcredentials differ from a formal graduate degree or certificate program, and offer students the opportunity to develop skills that differentiate them from their peers, personalize their learning and professional development through credit or non-credit bearing learning opportunities, and gain skills to ensure they remain prepared for the work of tomorrow within their professional field.

Courses completed more than seven years before the term in which the degree is awarded may not be used for credit toward the advanced degree. In the event that attendance has been interrupted by service in the Armed Forces, exceptions may be made by the Graduate Council of the College. Applicable courses included in earned master’s or doctoral degrees may be exempted from the seven-year limit and applied to a CAS if approved by the CAS program director and Dean, Graduate Studies. Decision will be based on whether past courses meet prevailing scholarship and objectives of current courses.

A student is permitted to graduate under the program of study in effect at the time of admission provided that the student’s attendance at the College is not interrupted by an absence of more than two academic years. If a student’s attendance is interrupted by an absence of more than two academic years, the student will be required to graduate under the program of study in effect at the time of readmission to the College. Approved off-campus study in overseas academic programs, internships and the visiting student program is considered study in residence.

The maximum number of Independent Study credits permitted in a program is determined for each program by the department in which it is housed. An independent study cannot be offered for a course that is being offered in the same semester. Please consult the particular program summary for specific information. To initiate a study a student must prepare a proposal to be submitted to a prospective advisor who is a full-time instructor.

Independent studies may take one of several forms that may include but are not limited to an in-depth study through readings, independent project, a series of case studies, or a research study. The student’s proposal should include a clear statement of purpose, outcomes, number of credit hours sought, and method of study. The advisor will provide a clear statement of how the independent study will be supervised and assessed. Copies of the proposal are to be signed and held by the student, the advising professor, and the chair of the department in which the independent study occurs. Students will earn a letter grade for each independent study. Entries on the student transcript will be labeled “Independent Study in…”

After the end of the fifteenth day of instruction through the end of the last class day of the ninth week in either the fall semester or the spring semester, a student may withdraw from a course in that semester by completing the appropriate form, obtaining the signature of the course instructor, and securing the signature of the dean of Graduate Studies. The student must submit the form to Graduate Studies for approval. Once the request is approved the student must submit the completed form to the Registrar’s Office by the published withdrawal date.

Appropriate fee(s) will be assessed and must be paid before processing course withdrawal and program adjustment forms after the published drop date.

A grade of W will appear on the transcript. This grade is not used to calculate a GPA, but the hours are counted as hours for which the student was enrolled that semester.

For more information, review the full Transcript Notation Policy

After the end of the last class day of the ninth week in either the fall semester or the spring semester through the last day of classes/instruction for the respective semester, if a student believes that the student’s circumstances are extraordinary (poor performance in a course is not an extraordinary circumstance), a student may request late withdrawal from a course for documented extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control which occurred after the end of the last class day of the ninth week in either the fall semester or the spring semester through the last day of classes/instruction for the respective semester (e.g., change of employment hours, major illness or death in immediate family, student’s own major illness, the onset of which occurred after the last class day of the ninth week in either fall semester or spring semester).

The instructor of the course must indicate approval or disapproval of the late course withdrawal by signing the Documented Late Course Withdrawal Form. Additionally, the documentation (e.g., a health care provider’s verification of student illness [physical or psychological] or of major illness of immediate family member; copy of obituary, listing relationship of deceased to student, letter from student’s employer) of the alleged extenuating circumstances must be received by the dean of Graduate Studies at the time of submission of forms. The dean of Graduate Studies has final authority to approve or disapprove late course withdrawal(s).

Appropriate fee(s) will be assessed and must be paid before processing late course withdrawal and program adjustment forms after the published drop date.

A grade of W will appear on the transcript. This grade is not used to calculate a GPA, but the hours are counted as hours for which the student was enrolled that semester.

A student who withdraws from the College during the end of the semester should consult with the Graduate Office to ascertain the proper procedures if the student wishes to be considered for re-entrance at a later date.

A student admitted to graduate study is required to file for degree candidacy status at the midpoint of the student’s program. (Midpoint is upon completion of 12-18 hours of program course work taken at Oswego.) Hours in excess of 18 are subject to forfeiture. In order to qualify for the awarding of degree candidacy, the student must possess an overall cumulative average of 3.0 or better, and students in professional education programs with a field of concentration in any of the academic disciplines must maintain the B average in that concentration. The procedures are as follows:

1. When a degree student has completed 12 to 18 credit hours of the program, the student must request from the Graduate Office an application for candidacy. Overall cumulative average for the completed hours must be 3.0 or better. The completed application is returned to the Graduate Office, which forwards it to the appropriate department. Hours in excess of 18 are liable for forfeiture.
2. The academic department establishes the requirements for attainment of degree candidacy status and will inform the student of those requirements. In each instance, the student is expected to meet the established departmental standards through some form of review or evaluation.
3. After departmental consideration is completed, a statement regarding the student’s status of candidacy for a degree is transmitted by the department to the Graduate Office and the student.
4. Failure to meet candidacy requirements results in termination from the program.

Some programs have additional requirements for attaining degree candidacy. Please consult the program coordinator for these requirements.

 The Oswego guidelines for preparation of theses and projects are available in the departmental offices. Students are responsible for adherence to these guidelines when preparing a thesis or graduate project.

 The graduation requirements for candidates for advanced degrees are as follows:

1. Each graduate degree student must maintain an academic average of B in all course work pertaining to the student’s degree program. Students in professional education programs with a field or concentration in any of the academic disciplines must maintain the B average in that concentration. Grades of C must be balanced by grades of A. Failure to achieve the required average will cause the student to forfeit the student’s status as a degree candidate. A student may not exceed three courses beyond the established program to achieve the necessary B average. Courses selected beyond the required program must be done with the approval of the program advisor. A student may, through the student’s advisor, submit a petition to the appropriate dean to repeat a maximum of two courses in which a C+, C, or C- grade was earned. If permission is granted, it is understood that the second grade will be used in computing the student’s grade point average. Note that the first grade remains on the student’s transcript, although it is not used in computing the grade point average.
2. A candidate for the advanced degree must culminate the program by satisfactorily accomplishing a final evaluation administered by the department in which the candidate’s graduate study has been centered. This may be a comprehensive or intensive examination. It also may be any form of oral or written examination, or combination of examinations appropriate to departmental requirements. Arrangements for the final evaluation are initiated by the department chair. A candidate for the advanced degree in professional education will be evaluated by the department associated with the professional area of study although the candidate may be expected to demonstrate competency in his or her academic concentration, if one exists. The satisfactory completion of all thesis and independent study requirements must be endorsed by the appropriate department and the Graduate Office.
3. It is the final responsibility of the student to file an application for the advanced degree and/or certificate. Students file for graduation online at www.myOswego.oswego.edu or contact the Graduate Office. The following schedule will apply:
    

   	Commencement Program	Final*
   	Deadline Date	Deadline Date
   May graduation	On or before February 15	Up to May 1
   August graduation	On or before February 15	Up to July 15
   December graduation	On or before October 1	Up to December 1

    

4. If for any reason the student does not meet the graduation date applied for, the student must contact the Graduate Office.
5. All candidates for advanced degrees are invited to participate in the commencement ceremonies. Students who complete their programs in May and August attend the May commencement. Graduate students who are able to certify to the Graduate Office that all requirements will be completed in August may participate in the preceding May commencement. Students who complete their programs in December attend the December commencement.

Final program checkout is initiated by the filing of the diploma and/or certificate application.

*Applicants who file after the COMMENCEMENT PROGRAM Deadline Date must realize that final program processing will be conducted later for their records. Therefore transcript verification of the awarding of the degree and/or certificate may be delayed. The actual mailing of the diploma and/or certificate will be made at the earliest possible date.

Each course listed in this catalog has a designation indicating the marking period when it is normally taught. Due to the dynamic nature of the College’s academic programs, these designations should be used only as guides for when any particular course will be offered. Consult the myOswego student information system for specific and up-to-date information. Note that all of the courses listed in this catalog will not necessarily be offered during the academic year covered by the catalog.

The following statement regarding absence from class because of a student’s religious beliefs is taken from State Education Law, paragraph 224a.

1. No person shall be expelled from or be refused admission as a student to an institution of higher education for the reason that he is unable, because of his religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study or work requirements on a particular day or days.
2. Any student in an institution of higher education who is unable, because of his religious beliefs, to attend classes on a particular day or days shall, because of such absence on the particular day or days, be excused from any examination or any study or work requirements.
3. It shall be the responsibility of the faculty and of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to make available to each student who is absent from school, because of his religious beliefs, an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination, study or work requirements which he may have missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to the said student each equivalent opportunity.
4. If classes, examinations, study or work requirements are held on Friday after four o’clock post meridian or on Saturday, similar or makeup classes, examinations, study or work requirements shall be made available on other days, where it is possible and practicable to do so. No special fees shall be charged to the student for these classes, examinations, study or work requirements held on other days.
5. In effectuating the provisions of this section, it shall be the duty of the faculty and the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to exercise the fullest measure of good faith. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of his availing himself of the provisions of this section.
6. Any student, who is aggrieved by the alleged failure of any faculty or administrative officials to comply in good faith with the provisions of this section, shall be entitled to maintain an action or proceeding in the supreme court of the county in which such institution of higher education is located for the enforcement of his rights under this section.
7. As used in this section, the term “institution of higher education” shall mean schools under the control of the board of trustees of the State University of New York or of the board of higher education of the city of New York or any community college.

Hours of Operation

Generally administrative and departmental offices operate from 8 AM to 4:30 PM weekdays except for holidays. Some administrative offices remain open on weekends by appointment. Academic buildings generally open by 7 AM and close by 10 PM weekdays except for certain buildings, such as Penfield Library, which have more flexible hours. Some academic buildings are open on weekends. During specific holiday periods and between semesters the residence halls and dining halls are not open. Administrative offices close at 4 PM during the summer.

Specific information is published in the Official College Calendar and all-campus email announcements.

Canceled Classes Due to Weather

To find out if classes are canceled because of inclement weather on the main Oswego campus, members of the college community have several options: check www.oswego.edu, the SUNY Oswego website; call 312-3333, the SUNY Oswego Information Line; listen to radio and television; or, in residence halls, see digital signage notification or check with the front desk.

Members of the college community may receive direct notification as well, if they have signed up to receive college alerts through NY-Alert. Students indicate their preferences through myOswego under personal information. Faculty and staff enter their contact information by logging on to the employee portal on www.suny.edu, the SUNY system website.

Classes will proceed as scheduled unless official announcements of cancellation are made. When classes are canceled, faculty and commuting students are advised not to come to the main Oswego campus.
Among the TV and radio stations making this college’s class cancellation announcements are TV Channels 3, 5, 9 and 10 in Syracuse, the WRVO Stations (FM 89.9 to 91.9 throughout Central Upstate New York); WWTI Newswatch 50 in Watertown; and iHeartMedia radio stations in Syracuse (WSYR AM 570, Y94 FM 94.5, etc.) and Rochester (WHAM 1180, etc.).

The public announcement of class cancellations only occurs when the entire campus of thousands of students and faculty are affected. Faculty members wishing to cancel their own classes should follow the same procedure used when they are ill. Faculty teaching classes at locations other than the main Oswego campus should follow the weather closing policy governing the class site and inform students how to find out if their class is canceled.

The college does not close when classes are canceled. Under the state’s regulations, only the governor has the authority to close a state agency such as SUNY Oswego. Unless the governor closes the college, employees who choose not to come to work or to leave work early are required to charge their time. The only exception is for instructional faculty when classes have been canceled.