Student Handbook
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Absence from Classes Due to Illness or Emergency
The preferred way of reporting absences is for students to contact their professors directly. Most faculty list their telephone numbers and e-mail addresses on their syllabi.
Faculty generally state their positions on student absences from class in the course outlines provided to students at the beginning of each semester. Faculty may wish to receive verification from the student of the reason for a student’s absence. Faculty members are responsible for deciding what absences are legitimate.
Students should provide, if possible, advance notice to faculty of absences from classes and explain the reasons. Students are also responsible for providing documentation for faculty members to verify reasons for absences from classes. This may consist of a statement from a doctor, a report from the Health Center, or an obituary notice.
The Dean of Students and the Dean of Academic Planning and Advising attempt to facilitate communication between students and their faculty when students must be absent from classes for an extended period of time (one week or longer) and they are not able to contact their faculty directly. More detailed information regarding absences may be found in the policy section of this handbook.
Academic Advisors
Academic advisors are faculty members who assist students in planning their academic programs. Students who have declared majors are assigned advisors in their major departments. Students who have not yet declared majors are assigned advisors by the Office of the Dean Dean of Academic Planning and Advising.
Students should contact their academic advisors when planning their programs for the following semester. Freshmen and first semester transfer students, students in AOP programs, and students on academic probation are required to meet with their advisor before registration. Advisors are available during office hours or by appointment. Contact your advisor or the department secretary for office hour availability. Although the advisor’s role in offering aid is very important, the ultimate responsibility for devising suitable schedules and meeting degree requirements rests with the student. Thus, before meeting with their faculty advisors students should become familiar with the College’s requirements, their department’s requirements, and their own academic transcripts.
Academic Standards
All students are expected to maintain satisfactory levels of academic achievement (at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average) throughout their tenure at Geneseo and to make satisfactory progress toward their degrees.
The College recognizes that some students will need assistance in making the adjustment to the demands of academic work. The College’s academic standards regulations provide short-term, provisional requirements that are intended to help these students make satisfactory progress toward their degrees. For more detailed information regarding standards, please refer to bulletin.geneseo.edu.
Accessibility Services
SUNY Geneseo is committed to helping our students with disabilities meet their educational goals. The office coordinates appropriate accommodations according to individual documentation. Accommodations may include note taking, sign language or oral interpreting, test accommodations (i.e., extended time, alternate location, etc.) reading/taping services, taping lectures, class relocation, as well as accommodations unique to the individual. The Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) also provides general advocacy.
It is the responsibility of the student with a disability to identify himself/herself to OAS and to provide current professional documentation of the disability. Students have the right to receive academic accommodations for documented disabilities only. Students with disabilities are encouraged to identify themselves prior to the beginning of each semester so that OAS may better serve and plan for each student's needs.
Students wishing to access services must present documentation from an appropriate source such as a medical doctor, licensed clinical psychologist, or psychiatrist. This documentation, together with a personal interview with the Director, will be used to determine appropriate and reasonable academic accommodation plans. Guidelines for appropriate documentation can be requested from OAS. All documentation is maintained separate from academic files and remains confidential.
At the beginning of each semester, OAS will prepare a letter that outlines the student’s accommodations. The student should inform the office either before the semester starts, or as early as possible in the semester, how many classes he/she is taking. The student will be given copies of the letter to take to the faculty. This procedure fosters independence, guarantees that the letter has been personally received by the faculty, gives the faculty a chance to meet the student, and offers students and faculty a chance to arrange an appointment to discuss the accommodations.
Students have the right to receive the agreed upon accommodations from each faculty member who has received such notification. Faculty do not have the right to question whether the disability exists when accommodations have been authorized by the College or to request to examine the students’ documentation.
Students who feel they have been treated in a discriminatory manner because of their disability or who haven't agreed upon accommodations should contact the Office of Accessibility Services (Erwin 106) immediately. Students with disabilities must maintain the same responsibility for their education as non-disabled students. This includes meeting the academic expectations of the College and maintaining appropriate behavior, with or without accommodations.
The website for the office is http://www.geneseo.edu/accessibility-office.
Activities
See College Union.
Admissions
The Admissions Office continues to be pleased with the quality of each year's entering class. Our stellar academic reputation continues to attract the best and brightest - as well as engaged - students from across New York State and beyond. We receive approximately 10,000 applications annually for a class of 950 seats, and compete for students with some very highly regarded schools, including Cornell, Colgate, Hamilton and Boston College.
The Admissions Office is assisted by over 200 student volunteers who play a key role in our recruitment and reinforcement efforts. This select group of Geneseo Ambassadors known as the Gnet, wear many hats. The roles involved include that of Lobby Host, Tour Guide, Group Session Ambassador, Social Media Liaison, Class Visit Host, Overnight Host, High School Liaison, Special Program Host and Transfer Liaison. Students can participate in as many of these groups as they prefer. To learn more about the Gnet Program, contact the Admissions Office at 245-5571 or go to the Geneseo Ambassador Program section of the handbook.
Alcohol Policy
Possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited for persons under the age of 21. Persons 21 years of age and over may possess/consume alcoholic beverages with limitations in both quantity and location. The complete Alcohol Policy is reprinted in the policy section of this handbook.
Alumni and Parent Relations
Through the Alumni and Parent Relations Office, the Geneseo Alumni Association (GAA), the Undergraduate Alumni Association (UAA), and the Geneseo Parent Council sponsor a wide variety of educational, social, and service programs that benefit both current students and alumni. These include: the Alumni Association’s Student Externship Program; Seminar on Survival (SOS), a special program in which Geneseo graduates help students prepare for life in the “real world;” and (in partnership with the Career Services Office) the Alumni Career Partners Program.
UAA, a large, student, service-oriented organization, works closely with the GAA and the Alumni and Parent Relations Office to facilitate interaction between current students and alumni. This important relationship is developed through various programs proposed, organized, and executed by UAA student leaders. All students may participate in these programs, which simultaneously enrich their undergraduate experience and familiarize them with the necessities of life after college. By paying the Student Program Fee, students automatically become members of UAA. As a special benefit, students who pay the program fee are also enrolled in the UAA discount program and receive a valuable coupon book entitling them to a variety of savings at area merchants.
Through the Geneseo Scene, the College’s magazine for alumni, parents and friends, parents are informed of College issues and items of interest.
For additional information, contact the Alumni Relations Office at (585) 245-5506.
Athletics and Recreation
See Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation.
Attendance
Students are expected to attend all classes. It is essential that students attend the first two meetings of each class each semester to establish their intent to pursue the course. Academic departments reserve the right to drop students from courses if the students have not attended the first two class meetings.