Navigating the Lakewood Student Portal: A Comprehensive Guide to Features and Policies

Lakewood University is committed to the academic success of its students. To that end, the university has established a comprehensive student portal alongside various policies and procedures designed to help students achieve their academic goals. This article provides a detailed overview of the Lakewood student portal features, grading policies, academic standards, and other essential information for students.

Regular and Substantive Interaction

Lakewood University prioritizes high-quality education, ensuring that all instructors engage in regular and substantive interaction with students. This commitment aligns with federal government statutes governing distance education administration.

Defining Regular and Substantive Interaction

Regular interaction involves providing opportunities for substantive engagement on a predictable and scheduled basis, commensurate with the course length and content. It also includes monitoring student academic engagement and ensuring instructors proactively engage with students when needed, either based on monitoring or student requests.

Substantive interaction encompasses teaching, learning, and assessment activities aligned with the course content. This includes:

Providing direct instruction.
Assessing or providing feedback on student coursework.
Providing information or responding to questions about course content.
Facilitating group discussions related to course content.
Other instructional activities approved by the institution's accrediting agency.

Grading Policies and Academic Standards

Lakewood University has specific grading policies and minimum GPA requirements that students need to be aware of.

Grade Posting and Access

Faculty members are required to post student grades within seven days of assignment submission and within seven days of the course completion date. Students can then access their gradebook through the student portal. The gradebook report includes assignment submission dates, exam completion dates, assignment feedback dates and comments, courses taken, credits received, and assigned grades. Grades are not provided over the phone. The university will withhold the release of grades if a student has a past due balance until the account is settled.

Minimum Cumulative GPAs

To successfully graduate from Lakewood University, students must meet the following minimum GPA requirements:

Vocational Clock Hour Programs: 2.00
Undergraduate Degree and Certificate Programs: 2.00
Graduate Degree and Certificate Programs: 3.00

Grading Scale and Equivalents

Lakewood University uses the following grading scale:

Grade	Equivalent	Quality Points	Grade Scale
A	Excellent	4.0	90-100
B	Good	3.0	80-89
C	Satisfactory	2.0	70-79
D	Poor	1.0	60-69
F	Failure	0.0	00-59

Grading Criteria

A (Excellent): The student demonstrates a thorough understanding of the content and skills, consistently initiates thoughtful questions, and sees multiple sides of an issue. The student is an excellent writer, integrating ideas throughout the course and from prior courses, writing logically and clearly.
B (Good): The student writes logically and clearly, maintaining consistent performance and understanding of course content with minimal errors.
C (Satisfactory): The student demonstrates a mediocre comprehension of the skills and subject matter, accomplishing only the minimum requirements with little or no initiative.
D (Below Average): The student's performance is barely acceptable, with missing assignments and a minimal understanding of course content.
F (Failing): The quality and quantity of work are unacceptable.

Minimum Grades (Degree Programs)

In core degree courses, a grade lower than "C" requires retaking the course. In general education degree courses, a grade of "F" necessitates retaking the course.

Additional Grades

I (Incomplete): Assigned when coursework is not completed by the end of the course. Students have 150% of the course length to complete the work.
W (Withdrawal): Assigned to students who officially withdraw before the final withdrawal deadline. It does not affect the GPA. If a student does not withdraw before the deadline, the grade is calculated into the GPA.
AC (Administrative Cancellation): Initiated by the institution, often for reasons like not satisfying prerequisites, outstanding tuition, plagiarism, or computer tampering. It has no effect on the GPA and commonly applies to coursework that has not begun.
AW (Administrative Withdrawal): Initiated by Lakewood University for reasons including failing to participate in classes, not satisfying a course perquisite, “Dropping out” in the middle of a term, plagiarism, or computer tampering. It has no effect on the GPA and commonly applies to coursework that has already begun.

Course Progression

Lakewood University programs, both vocational and degree-based, are structured with courses broken down into lessons. Students are encouraged to complete each lesson in chronological order, as each lesson builds upon the previous one. All programs require at least one course activity per week.

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Addressing Unsatisfactory Academic Performance

Lakewood University has specific policies for students who do not meet the required academic standards.

Repeating a Class

Degree Students

If a degree student earns below a "C" in a core course or an "F" in a general education course, they must repeat the course to achieve a "C" or higher. The original grade remains on the transcript but is removed from the GPA calculation. Students must pay full tuition for the repeated course at the current rate. Students are generally permitted to repeat a course only once, unless approved by the Academic Dean due to extenuating circumstances, and may repeat no more than four different courses during their academic program.

Vocational Students

If a vocational student earns below a "C" (69% or lower) in any non-degree program, they must re-enroll in the program and achieve a "C" (70% or higher) to graduate. The student must pay the full program tuition at the current applicable tuition rate. Repeating the course does not remove the previous unsatisfactory grade from the student’s transcript but it does remove it from the calculation of the student’s G.P.A.

Grade Appeal Policy

Faculty-assigned grades cannot be appealed. However, students who believe a grade was incorrectly posted may submit a written appeal to the Dean within 60 days of the grade posting. The Dean's review is final and will either confirm the accuracy of the grade or correct it based on the faculty's assignment.

Academic Recognition

Lakewood University recognizes high-achieving students through the Dean's List and graduation honors.

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Dean’s List Policies

Students in Degree Programs

Degree program students may be eligible for the Dean's List up to four times. To qualify, they must achieve a GPA of 3.6 or higher on a 4.0 scale upon completing every 12 credit hours and complete each term within the allotted time.

Students in Non-Degree Programs

Certificate and Diploma level students can be eligible to make the Dean’s list twice if all requirements are met. Students must complete the first half of their program with a G.P.A. of 90% or higher average. In order to make the list twice, the student must finish the second half of their program with a G.P.A. of 90% or higher and complete their program within the allotted time given at their start date. The Dean’s list is announced once a month for eligible students.

Graduating With Honors

Undergraduate Programs

Students pursuing bachelor’s degrees who demonstrate high levels of scholarship throughout their undergraduate years will graduate with Latin honors. To graduate with this recognition at Lakewood University, students must achieve one of the following criteria:

Earn a minimum 60 credit hours at Lakewood and earn a minimum 3.500 Lakewood GPA; or
Earn at least 30 but fewer than 60 credit hours at Lakewood and earn a minimum 3.500 Lakewood GPA and earn a minimum 3.500 transfer GPA

There are three levels of Latin honors at graduation with a bachelor’s degree:

Cum laude - Student has earned a Lakewood GPA of 3.500 to 3.699.
Magna cum laude - Student has earned a Lakewood GPA of 3.700 to 3.899.
Summa cum laude - Student has earned a Lakewood GPA of 3.900 to 4.000.

The Lakewood GPA for determining Latin honors is calculated from all grades earned in undergraduate courses at Lakewood University, including original grades forgiven and/or recalculated under other policies.

Honor citations are inscribed on diplomas as follows: cum laude, magna cum laude and summa cum laude.

Graduation with Distinction

Students pursuing associate degrees who demonstrate high levels of scholarship throughout their coursework will graduate “with distinction.” To graduate with this recognition, students must achieve the following criteria:

Earn a minimum 30 credit hours at Lakewood University, and
Earn a minimum 3.500 Lakewood University GPA

A Lakewood GPA is calculated from all grades earned in undergraduate courses at Lakewood University, including original grades forgiven and/or recalculated under other policies. The GPA used to determine the “with distinction” designation is extended to three decimal places and not rounded up.

Students pursuing a vocational diploma, undergraduate certificate, or graduate certificate who demonstrate high levels of scholarship throughout their coursework will graduate “with distinction.” To graduate with this recognition, students must achieve the following criteria:

Meet all graduation requirements of the program and
Earn a minimum 3.500 Lakewood University GPA

Proctored Exams and Assessments

Lakewood University provides proctoring services for all final exams for degree courses. These services allow students to complete their proctored exam from home. Instructions are available in the course or through the Student Services Department. Students may use an alternative proctoring service at their own expense, with a required form submitted within 2 weeks of scheduling the final proctored exam. Failure to complete this request will result in a delay in taking the final exam.

Exam Retake Policy

Non-Degree Programs

If a student receives a letter grade of “D” or lower (69% or lower) on any exam or assignment in a non-degree program, the student must retake the failed exam or assignment until they receive a passing grade of “C” or higher (70% or higher), at the discretion of the professor. When retaking an exam or assignment in a non-degree program, the maximum grade a student can receive on the exam or assignment is a “C” (70%)-regardless of whether or not the student earned a higher grade on the retake.

Degree Programs

Lakewood University does NOT permit any students in a degree program to retake exams and assignments. If a student receives a letter grade of “D” or lower (69% or lower), the grade will stand and remain as is.

Program Completion, Extensions, and Leave of Absence

Lakewood University has policies in place to ensure students progress through their programs efficiently.

Program Completion Policy

Lakewood University requires students to progress through their program in a timely manner. Timely manner is defined as taking no more than 1.5 times the program length to complete the course requirements. i.e.: a 10 month program must be completed in 1.5 x 10 months = 15 months.

Re-Enrollment

Students that exceed their program completion date, but do not request an extension within their contract termination period, will be required to re-enroll in order to complete their academic program.

Re-Enrollment for Previously Dismissed and/or Suspended Students

Stipulations for re-enrollment of a student that was dismissed by Lakewood University are determined on a case-by-case basis. Stipulations for re-enrollment will be conveyed to the student at the time of dismissal.

Extensions

Students who fail to complete their program within the designated period may request a one-time complimentary extension. Veteran students, that receive VA (Veterans Affairs) benefits, must note that a program extension does not extend the period of their educational benefits. Extension requests must be submitted to the student success team and are evaluated by the team on a case-by-case basis.

Leave of Absence

The faculty and staff at Lakewood University understand that students may occasionally need to take a leave of absence.

Additional Features within the School App

The school app encompasses numerous features. Messages: where parents will receive direct messages in the School App related to any important information by school related to their ward or holidays and Homework. And many much more.

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