Policies

Grade Appeal

Students who believe they have been unfairly graded can appeal for course grades. It is essential for students who are appealing a grade to keep in mind that the burden of proof lies with the student. A student's request for a grade adjustment can only be approved if they can demonstrate that their initially assigned grade was unfair or unreasonable.

Students who wish to appeal a grade must do so online within fourteen days after the end of the term. As a result, the Course Instructor can explain the rationale for the grade, and the student can also point out any mistakes or misjudgments in the grading process. Course Instructor and student discussions are often enough to get things back on track.

The Office of Academic Affairs must be notified whenever a course instructor decides to modify a student's grade. To address a Grade Appeal, the Course Instructor can raise, lower, or leave the student's final grade as-is at his or her own discretion. To reflect the new grades, the Office of Student Services will make the necessary adjustments to the student's academic record and overall grade point average.

A Grade Appeal Form can be requested from the student's Academic Advisor if the student and the Course Instructor cannot agree. Within 30 days after the term's end, the completed form must be submitted to the Academic Affairs Office at academic@lifesciences.institute. No appeals will be allowed after the deadline.

The Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Student Services will review and process any grade appeals that have been submitted. Students are informed in writing of the decision of the Student Affairs Committee by the Office of Student Services. They have the last say, and the Committee's decisions are binding. As a result, the student's official academic record will include a record of the final judgment and any supporting documentation.

Students with Disabilities

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities.

IHLSI complies with all laws and regulations regarding the access of disabled individuals to education and works to ensure that no qualified student with a disability is denied the benefits of, or is excluded from participation in, any school program or activity.

Nondiscrimination Notice 

IHLSI will abide by all federal and state laws that forbid discrimination and related retribution on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, age, genetic information, or veteran status both in the classroom and in online courses. Additionally, a climate free from prejudice based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression will be upheld.

Student Conduct 

All students enrolled at the Institute are required to adhere to the concepts of common decency and appropriate behavior, so as to foster a positive learning environment. The Student Guidebook has a thorough explanation of the Student Code of Conduct.

Netiquette

Students should also examine the Rules of Netiquette to learn more about how to engage with other students in an online discussion forum. 

Attendance

The most successful online students are self-motivated and possess solid time-management skills. Some students work well when determining their own deadlines and pace. IHLSI courses are conducted asynchronously with synchronous capability, allowing students to participate at any time of the day. However, at times students may be required to participate in course discussions. The time and date of these discussions are determined upon agreement by the instructor and the students. Full participation in every aspect of the course is not only required; it is essential to the online learning process.

All students are expected to complete all work assigned and to notify the teacher when emergencies arise that may affect regular participation in coursework. A course syllabus is provided in each course to assist students in planning effectively. Students should print a hard copy of the syllabus and use it to guide them in the completion of their coursework.

IHLSI offers flexible enrollment options for students. Planning adjustments may be made depending on individual course completion goals. As a baseline, students should plan to spend a minimum of 4-5 hours per day working on their online course requirements to remain on track for successful course completion. This time estimate includes planning for any required reading, research, participation in discussions and chats, and quizzes/exams and other course-related requirements occurring outside the classroom.

Students not demonstrating regular participation in coursework risk jeopardizing their chances of success and may be temporarily withdrawn from the course due to non-participation.

IHLSI assesses attendance using a performance-based system which includes monitoring of the following elements:

• Frequent and regular submission of classroom assignments
• Frequent and active participation in discussion forums
• Participation in online chats as required
• Performance on all required homework assignments, projects, quizzes and exams
• The frequency and amount of time a student spends in the course

Plagiarism and Academic Integrity

At the International Holistic Life Sciences Institute (IHLSI), honesty and integrity are core values that guide and inform both individuals and the larger community. Academic culture necessitates that each student be accountable for his or her own learning and for producing work that reflects their intellectual potential, inquiry, and ability. Students must represent themselves candidly, claim only their own work, acknowledge their use of others' words, research results, and ideas, employing the methods accepted by the relevant academic disciplines, and complete all academic assignments in an honest manner. Both students and faculty are responsible for maintaining the Institute's academic integrity. Academic misconduct will not be excused on the basis of a misunderstanding of appropriate academic behavior. If a student is uncertain about what constitutes appropriate academic conduct in a given situation, he or she should consult with the course instructor to avoid the serious charge of academic misconduct.

Plagiarism Policy:

Students must submit only their original work, without unauthorized collaboration or sharing with others, unless explicitly allowed by the instructor. All materials incorporated into the work that are not the student's own creations must be properly cited and referenced. Proper acknowledgement must be given for any images used. Failure to comply with this policy will result in consequences, such as receiving a zero for the assignment and being reported to the Program Director for the first offense. A second violation of plagiarism or cheating will lead to the student's removal from the course by the instructor and notification to the Registrar.

Academic Integrity Policy:

1.> Definition of Academic Integrity:

IHLSI embraces academic integrity as a core value, which guides all facets of academic work. It encompasses honesty, trustworthiness, responsibility, and respect for intellectual property.

2.> Promoting Awareness:

IHLSI actively promotes the importance of academic integrity through educational programs, workshops, and seminars.

3.> Guidelines for Academic Conduct:

IHLSI provides guidance on academic conduct, including citation and referencing standards, plagiarism, data fabrication, and collaboration rules.

•Cheating: Cheating encompasses any form of unauthorized assistance on an assignment or exam. Examples include using electronic devices during an exam, copying answers from another student's exam, and acquiring answers before an exam.

•Plagiarism: Plagiarism occurs when someone presents another person's work or ideas as their own. Instances of plagiarism include copying text from an online source without proper citation, inadequately paraphrasing someone else's work, and submitting work completed by someone else.

• Fabrication of Data: Data fabrication involves the falsification or invention of data or results. Examples include creating data for a lab report or study that was never conducted, or manipulating data to achieve desired outcomes.

•Unauthorized Collaboration: Unauthorized collaboration entails working with others on an assignment or exam without permission. Examples include sharing answers during an exam, contributing minimally to a group project, or collaborating with someone outside of the course or program.

4.> Reporting and Investigation Process:

•Any individual who witnesses or suspects an academic integrity violation should report it to the appropriate authority, such as the instructor, program director, or academic affairs office.

•The report should detail the violation, provide supporting evidence, and identify the student(s) involved.

•The appropriate authority will launch a confidential investigation into the alleged violation, which may involve interviews and evidence review.

•The privacy of all parties involved will be respected throughout the investigation.

5.> Sanctions and Penalties:

• Depending on the violation's nature and severity, the appropriate authority may impose various sanctions and penalties, including but not limited to:

ØA warning or reprimand

ØLoss of credit or grade reduction for a specific assignment, exam, or paper

ØFailure of the course

ØSuspension or expulsion from IHLSI

• The authority will consider any mitigating or aggravating circumstances, such as prior academic misconduct or the level of intent or premeditation.

6.> Regular Review and Revision:

IHLSI will consistently review and update this policy to ensure its ongoing effectiveness in fostering academic integrity throughout the institution.

To support students in understanding and upholding the principles of academic integrity:

Resources for students, faculty, and staff:

•Educational programs, workshops, and seminars on academic integrity

• Access to plagiarism detection software or other tools to ensure proper citation and referencing in academic work

•Access to citation and referencing resources, such as style guides or manuals

•Guidance on appropriate source use, including when and how to cite and reference them

•Support for students who may need assistance in developing effective study or writing skills to avoid academic misconduct.

Guidelines for academic conduct:

•Proper citation and referencing standards, including information on citation styles and their application

•Policies on collaboration, outlining what is and is not allowed in terms of group work, and how to acknowledge the contributions of group members

•Guidance on avoiding plagiarism, including definitions, and examples of proper paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting sources

•Policies on the use of electronic devices during exams and assessments, and guidelines for using online resources in academic work.

Consequences for violations:

•Warnings or reprimands for minor violations of academic integrity, such as improper citation or collaboration

•Loss of credit or grade reduction for a specific assignment, exam, or paper

•Failure of the course

•Suspension or expulsion from IHLSI, depending on the nature and severity of the violation.

To summarize, IHLSI provides resources, guidelines, and consequences to guarantee academic integrity. These policies will be reviewed and revised on a regular basis to ensure that they continue to be effective in promoting academic integrity throughout the institution.

**The instructor reserves the right to make changes to the course calendar with prior notice given to the student

Communication Policy
To achieve success, students are expected to submit work in each course weekly. Students can learn at their own pace; however, "any pace" still means that students must make progress in the course every week. To measure learning, students complete self-checks, practice lessons, multiple choice questions, projects, discussion-based assessments, and discussions. Students are expected to maintain regular contact with their course instructors or Adademic Advisor. 

Privacy Policy

International Holistic Life Sciences Institute is committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with this privacy statement, which governs the collection of personally identifiable information through the International Holistic Life Sciences Institute website, its related websites, and their content ("Website"), as well as the services available through this Website ("Services"). Read more

Title IX Statement 

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as modified, prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in any educational program or activity run by beneficiaries of federal financial aid. As stipulated by Title IX, IHLSI does not discriminate on the basis of gender in any of its educational programs or activities, including admission and employment.

IHLSI is committed to establishing a sex-discrimination-free environment and provides a variety of supportive measures, such as resources and services, to aid students, professors, and staff. Sexual violence, sexual harassment, stalking, and relationship violence have a significant influence on academic, social, professional, and personal life, and severely impact friends and family, fellow students, and members of the institution community.

To combat this complex social problem, IHLSI provides a variety of resources designed to prevent sexual violence and other forms of sexual misconduct, such as sexual harassment, provide information on what to do in the event of an incident, and raise awareness of campus and community resources for support and response.

Students, students, and staff who are victims of sexual violence, sexual harassment, stalking, or interpersonal violence are encouraged to seek assistance and report the occurrence. IHLSI has hired a Title IX Coordinator to oversee the institution's reaction to Title IX reports and formal complaints, develop training and education programs/materials for faculty, staff, and students, and assess the efficacy of Title IX education activities.

Inquiries concerning the application of Title IX may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator (TitleIXCoordinator@lifesciences.institute) or to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, or both.

We reserve the right to update or change any of these policies at any time, without notice. 

For other policies, please refer to Institute's Catalog.