FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ACADEMIC ISSUES
Q. Can you explain Centre's academic calendar?
A. Centre operates on a 4-1-4 academic year, with two 14-week terms (Fall and Spring) and a three-week term in January. During the two long terms, students normally take four courses. During the CentreTerm in January, students take one course. There are usually 5-6 study abroad opportunities during this term. It is also a great time to do an internship or externship.
Q. Will my child be given an academic advisor?
A. Yes. Each student has a general advisor during the freshman and sophomore years, usually matched by interests, and then is assigned an advisor in a specific academic discipline once a major has been selected during the spring term of the sophomore year.
Q. What resources are available for my student who is having trouble selecting a major or a
career?
A. Career Services works with students from the moment they arrive on campus freshman year. They assist with choosing a major, gaining career-related skills, acquiring relevant experience, and facilitating the graduate school or job search process. Students are assigned to a career counselor, with whom they meet once per term. The career counselor can help a student relate interests to majors and, ultimately, to careers. They will help a student understand which skills may be needed in the workplace and how to develop these skills while in college.
Q. How does Centre handle midterm grades?
A. In the long terms (Fall and Spring Terms), midterm grade reports (if reported by the instructor) are mailed to the student through campus mail.
Q. How do students receive their grade reports after each semester?
A. End-of-term grade reports are available to students via the Internet approximately five days after the last final exam. Grades are not mailed to students unless specifically requested in writing.
Q. Will a copy of my child's grades be mailed to my home?
A. The Family Educational Right to Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) provides that an educational institution will maintain the confidentiality of student education records. Therefore, end-of-term grade reports will be mailed to parents ONLY at the written request of the student or if the parents submit a request in writing accompanied by a tax return or other official document, which verifies the student's status as a dependent. For more information regarding the FERPA laws, please refer to the following web page: http://www.epic.org/privacy/education/ferpa.html.
Q. Is there a minimum GPA that students must maintain?
A. Students must maintain a minimum grade point average. First year students must earn 1.75, sophomores 1.93, and juniors and seniors 2.00. A student who has a grade point average less than 1.50 at the end of any term is placed on academic probation. Graduation requires at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average.
Q. Is assistance provided to students with learning disabilities?
A. Yes. All incoming students are invited to register documentation of a physical or learning disability. Applicants indicating the need for special services are encouraged to contact the Student Life Office and the Assistant Dean immediately upon acceptance to make timely provision of needed services possible. Arrangements for services, equipment, modification of course material, classroom and housing assignments, and other reasonable accommodations may require several weeks advance notice.
Q. Will the college notify my hometown newspaper that my son or daughter made the Dean's List, and how does my child make the Dean's List?
A. Yes. The Communications Office routinely sends news about students to their hometown papers. They
also welcome any suggestions for feature stories about students, faculty, or activities at Centre. The Dean's List is published twice yearly, for the Fall Term and then again for the CentreTerm and Spring Term combined. The student must attain a 3.600 GPA in the terms being evaluated and have completed at least eight credit hours of letter graded course work in the long term.
Q. Who maintains student records and coordinates course scheduling and advising?
A. The Office of the Registrar maintains permanent student records, including the recording of grades on the student's academic transcript. They also coordinate all activities associated with course registration. Students come to the office to add or drop classes, receive permission to transfer courses, have their enrollment verified for various organizations such as insurance companies and financial aid entities, and have their academic records sent to graduate and professional schools, employers, references, etc. They may also come to the office to register for classes, but many students choose to do this online.
Q. Who should my student contact to update contact information?
A. The Office of the Registrar maintains most biographical data on students. All address changes, including parent address changes, should be reported to the Office of the Registrar.
Q. Can students study abroad more than once during their time at Centre?
A. Yes. Students may only study abroad once during a long term (Fall or Spring), but they may take as many CentreTerm trips as they would like, starting after the freshman year. No freshman students are permitted to study abroad. Students may also take advantage of the three-week summer program offered in Strasbourg, France or one of the many programs sponsored by the Kentucky Institute for International Studies. In addition, students may apply to an exchange program with a major university in Northern Ireland and to the Associated Colleges of the South programs in Turkey and Shanghai, China.
Q. How much does it cost for a student to study abroad?
A. The cost to study abroad during a long term is not much more than the cost of studying on Centre's Danville campus. In addition to the regular cost of a long term, which covers housing and meals, students must pay their airfare and a $350 surcharge. Students must also pay for any other traveling they decide to do while abroad. CentreTerm trips generally cost between $2,300-$3,900, and students are responsible for the entire amount.
Q. How does my student get a transcript to send to graduate schools?
A. Transcript orders may be placed in person, by mail, by fax, and by phone to the Registrar's Office. The office phone number is 859-238-5360, and the office fax number is 859-238-6226. If ordering by mail or fax, your student will need to complete a transcript request form, which is available on the Registrar's web site at http://web.centre.edu/regist/Form/trf.htm.
There is no charge for normal transcript services, and orders are usually filled within three working days. For urgent requests, UPS Overnight or Federal Express will be used upon request and upon receipt of the appropriate amount to cover the expense. Due to the insecure nature of the following technologies, we cannot accept email requests for transcripts and we cannot fax transcripts. By College policy, no transcript is sent if the student has an outstanding financial obligation to the College. Q. Where can my student and I get more information on Commencement?
A. A complete schedule of events for Commencement Weekend can be found on the Parents' website at least three months prior to Commencement at http://web.centre.edu/parentprograms/commencement.htm.
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