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Click on any link to be taken to the entry below.
Fort Lewis College, not an individual department, awards undergraduate certificates and baccalaureate degrees. For this reason, certain academic policies and procedures developed through faculty governance or administrative processes apply to programs in all departments upon approval by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. These policies and procedures do not represent all regulations that relate to students, are not catalog specific, and are subject to change without prior notice, with the changes becoming effective upon approval of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Students will be notified via their official Fort Lewis College email account if and when changes are implemented. Departments may develop and administer additional academic regulations. Students have a responsibility to know their department’s requirements, policies, and procedures by reviewing the departmental requirements in the catalog, the department’s website, and the department’s student handbook.
Academic Dishonesty by Students
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Academic Integrity and Dishonesty policies and procedures are set forth in the Faculty Handbook (pp. 67-75).
Academic Grievance and Appeals
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Academic Grievance and Appeals procedures are set forth in the Faculty Handbook (pp. 76-78).
A returning Fort Lewis College student who has not attended Fort Lewis College for at least six consecutive terms (e.g., Spring, Summer, Fall, Spring Summer, Fall) and whose Fort Lewis College cumulative GPA is below 2.00 may apply for Academic Renewal. If Academic Renewal is approved, grade point averages for work completed prior to readmission will not be carried forward. Previously completed courses with an earned grade of C- or higher are eligible to count towards graduation if they are allowable under the Time Limits on Coursework policy.
Students apply for Academic Renewal as part of the re-admission process. A returning student with a cumulative GPA below 2.00 should first apply for re-admission with the Office of Admission. Immediately after that, the student should apply for Academic Renewal by filing the Academic Renewal Form with the Registrar’s Office. Approval for Academic Renewal is a minimum requirement for re-admission for a returning student with a Fort Lewis College with a cumulative GPA below 2.00. Other requirements for re-admission must also be met. Questions about Academic Renewal process should be directed to the Skyhawk Station (academicstanding@fortlewis.edu). Questions about admissibility should be directed to the Office of Admission (admission@fortlewis.edu).
A student may receive Academic Renewal only once.
All coursework completed prior to the renewal will remain visible on the student’s academic record. If renewal is granted, the student’s permanent record will denote “ACADEMIC RENEWAL APPROVED” with the date.
Academic Renewal applies only to actions taken by Fort Lewis College. Other colleges may or may not accept the action of the Academic Renewal.
Students granted Academic Renewal will be assigned Good Standing and will be held accountable to academic standards in subsequent semesters. Students who receive Academic Renewal will be required to complete at least 30 hours of credit after re-admission before they are eligible for a baccalaureate degree, even if all other degree requirements have been met.
Academic Standing - Undergraduate
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A credential-seeking undergraduate student is assigned an academic standing at the conclusion of every semester in which the student attempts at least one course after the Census Date. Academic standings for credential-seeking undergraduate students are GOOD STANDING, ACADEMIC WARNING, 1ST SEMESTER PROBATION, 2ND SEMESTER PROBATION, 3RD SEMESTER PROBATION, ACADEMIC DISQUALIFICATION and REINSTATED FROM ACADEMIC DISQUALIFICATION. Students will receive an email informing them of their updated academic standing. Grade changes that happen mid-semester or after grades are posted do not affect academic standing until the next semester concludes.
A cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher is needed to stay in good academic standing. A student whose cumulative GPA is less than 2.00 is no longer in good standing. A student is given up to three semesters to raise their cumulative GPA, so long as the student continues to achieve 2.00 or higher semester GPAs. The purpose of this system is to allow students three semesters to incrementally repair low cumulative GPAs by achieving higher semester GPAs. Students not in good standing must achieve a semester GPA of 2.00 or higher or the student will be academically disqualified. Students who have not raised the cumulative GPA to 2.00 by the end of the third semester are academically disqualified.
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Cumulative GPA
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Semester GPA
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Academic Standing
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2.00 or higher
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2.00 or higher
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Good Standing
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2.00 or higher
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Below 2.00
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Academic Warning
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Below 2.00
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Below 2.00
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First Semester on Probation (1P)
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Below 2.00
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2.00 or higher
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Second Semester on Probation (2P) if previously on 1P
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Below 2.00
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2.00 or higher
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Third Semester on Probation (3P) if previously on 2P
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Below 2.00
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2.00 or higher
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Academic Disqualification if previously on 3P
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Below 2.00
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Below 2.00
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Academic Disqualification if previously on 1P or 2P
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Academic Standing Consequences of Withdrawing Entirely From a Semester
When a student has Withdrawal grades (AW, CW, or SW) in all courses in a fall, spring, or summer semester, this has no effect on academic standing.
Options for Students who are Academically Disqualified
There are two options for students who have been academically disqualified to return to the college as credential-seeking students:
1) Successfully appeal the academic disqualification (details below) to the Undergraduate Academic Standards Committee
2) Take at least six consecutive terms (e.g., Fall, Spring, Summer, Fall, Spring, Summer) off from Fort Lewis College and then request Academic Renewal when re-applying to Fort Lewis College.
Appeal of Academic Disqualification
The only academic standing that may be appealed is Academic Disqualification. To appeal Academic Disqualification, a student must submit the appropriate paperwork to the Undergraduate Academic Standards Committee.
To do this, see instructions here:
https://www.fortlewis.edu/academicstandards
The form, along with substantiating documents, should be emailed to academicstanding@fortlewis.edu by the advertised deadline.
The Undergraduate Academic Standards Committee reviews appeals certain times in the year (as advertised on previous link). Students who submit an appeal will be notified by email as soon as possible after the committee makes a decision.
Successful appeals usually meet the following two conditions:
i. There are compelling and unforeseen reasons for the poor academic performance, and
ii. There is high probability that the student’s cumulative GPA can be raised to 2.00 or higher in no more than one additional semester of coursework. Typically, this means having a Quality Point Deficiency of no more than 10 points.
Any student may appeal a decision of the Undergraduate Academic Standards Committee. Such an appeal must be in writing to the Provost or designee within seven (7) days of the emailed decision of the Undergraduate Academic Standards Committee.
Academic Standing - Post-Baccalaureate
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A credential-seeking post-baccalaureate student is assigned an academic standing at the conclusion of every semester in which the student attempts at least one course after the Census Date. Academic standings for credential-seeking post-baccalaureate students are GOOD STANDING, ACADEMIC WARNING, 1ST SEMESTER PROBATION, 2ND SEMESTER PROBATION, 3RD SEMESTER PROBATION, ACADEMIC DISQUALIFICATION and REINSTATED FROM ACADEMIC DISQUALIFICATION. Students will receive an email informing them of their updated academic standing. Grade changes that happen mid-semester or after grades are posted do not affect academic standing until the next semester concludes.
A cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher is needed to stay in good academic standing. A student whose cumulative GPA is less than 2.00 is no longer in good standing. A student is given up to three semesters to raise their cumulative GPA, so long as the student continues to achieve 2.00 or higher semester GPAs. The purpose of this system is to allow students three semesters to incrementally repair low cumulative GPAs by achieving higher semester GPAs. Students not in good standing must achieve a semester GPA of 2.00 or higher or the student will be academically disqualified. Students who have not raised the cumulative GPA to 2.00 by the end of the third semester are academically disqualified.
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Cumulative GPA
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Semester GPA
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Academic Standing
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2.00 or higher
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2.00 or higher
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Good Standing
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2.00 or higher
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Below 2.00
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Academic Warning
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Below 2.00
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Below 2.00
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First Semester on Probation (1P)
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Below 2.00
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2.00 or higher
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Second Semester on Probation (2P)
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Below 2.00
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2.00 or higher
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Third Semester on Probation (3P)
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Below 2.00
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2.00 or higher
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Academic Disqualification if previously on 3P
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Below 2.00
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Below 2.00
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Academic Disqualification if previously on 1P or 2P
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Academic Standing Consequences of Withdrawing Entirely From a Semester
When a student has Withdrawal grades (AW, CW, or SW) in all courses in a fall, spring, or summer semester, this has no effect on academic standing.
Option for Students who are Academically Disqualified
There is one option for credential-seeking post-baccalaureate students who have been academically disqualified to return to the college as credential-seeking students:
1) Successfully appeal the academic disqualification (details below) to the Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Academic Standards Committee
Appeal of Academic Disqualification
The only academic standing that may be appealed is Academic Disqualification. To appeal Academic Disqualification, a student must submit the appropriate paperwork to the Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Academic Standards Committee.
To do this, see instructions here:
http://www.fortlewis.edu/academicstandards
The Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Academic Standards Committee reviews appeals three times per year (as advertised on previous link). Students who submit an appeal will be notified by email as soon as possible after the committee makes a decision.
Successful appeals usually meet the following two conditions:
i. There are compelling and unforeseen reasons for the poor academic performance, and
ii. There is high probability that the student’s cumulative GPA can be raised to 2.00 or higher in no more than one additional semester of coursework. Typically, this means having a Quality Point Deficiency of no more than 10 points.
Any student may appeal a decision of the Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Academic Standards Committee. Such an appeal must be in writing to the Provost or designee within seven (7) days of the emailed decision of the Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Academic Standards Committee.
All first-time, transfer, and former students are advised by a member of the appropriate professional advising team (STEM & Health, Education & Business, or Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences).
All undergraduate and post-baccalaureate credential-seeking students are assigned to a professional advising team (STEM & Health, Education & Business, or Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences). Students may choose to be advised by any member of that team. Not all credential-seeking students will need to see an advisor prior to registration for the next semester. The Office of Student Success will notify credential-seeking students who need to make an appointment for advising.
Assessment of College Readiness in English and Mathematics Policy
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The state’s Developmental Education Policy applies to all credential-seeking students. This policy requires evaluation of each first-time and transfer student to determine if the student is exempt from or subject to assessment of college-readiness in English and mathematics, and if assessment is required, the authorized processes and minimum scores that must be earned to establish college-readiness.
If through the assessment process, a student is determined to be not be college ready in:
- English, the student will be placed into COMP 150 with supplemental academic instruction or a developmental composition course.
- Mathematics, the student will be placed into MATH 105 or MATH 132 with supplemental academic instruction or a developmental algebra course.
All students subject to assessment of college readiness must complete the required assessment process no later than Census Date of the first term of attendance. Students may request re-assessment through procedures established by the Testing Center.
Regular class attendance is expected in all courses for which a student is registered. The impact of non-attendance on the final grade in a course is determined by the faculty member.
To add a course, drop a course, or withdraw from a term, students must follow the procedures outlined in the Registration and Withdrawing from a Term sections. Course attendance does not constitute a course add. Non-attendance does not constitute a course drop, course withdrawal or semester withdrawal.
Students may audit courses with the permission of the instructor if they desire to attend classes regularly but do not wish to receive a grade and credit. Upon registration, the students must declare that they wish to take a course for audit or for credit. Students may not change from audit to credit, or vice versa, after Census Date. When registering, students may take both audit and credit courses but the total should not exceed the maximum course load. Students who audit a course and later wish to obtain regular credit for the same course may do so by credit by special examination, for an additional fee, or by repeating the course for credit.
Census Date for the fall, spring, and summer terms is the twelfth busines day after the “classes begin” date for the term on the academic calendar. Courses dropped prior to Census Date do not appear on the student’s transcript.
Change and Declaration of Major
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A student’s major is initially determined based on information provided on the student’s application for admission. Students who are undecided about a major or who are exploring several majors are initially listed as “Major Not Declared.”
Undecided Students:
Students who are undecided about a major or who are exploring several majors are initially listed as “MND” followed by the interest area they selected in the Advising Questionnaire. If a student selects “MND”, an interest area must be included.
Change of Major Procedure:
Students may change their major by filing a Change and Declaration Form with the Skyhawk Station.
Pre-Major to Major Procedure:
Some students declared major may include the words “pre-major.” Studentsmove from “pre-major” to fully declared based on departmental policy andprocedure. These are processed by the Registrar’s Office once the studentmeets the criteria to move from pre-major to major. Some students declared major may include the words “pre-major.” Studentsmove from “pre-major” to fully declared based on departmental policy andprocedure. These are processed by the Registrar’s Office once the studentmeets the criteria to move from pre-major to major. Some students declared major may include the words “pre-major.” Studentsmove from “pre-major” to fully declared based on departmental policy andprocedure. These are processed by the Registrar’s Office once the studentmeets the criteria to move from pre-major to major. Some students declared major may include the words “pre-major.” Students move from “pre-major” to fully declared based on the departmental policy and procedure. These are processed by the Registrar’s Office once the student meets the criteria to move from pre-major to major.
Declaration Policy:
Students are required to be fully declared in a major by the time they earn 45 credits. Students who do not meet this requirement will not be able to register for a subsequent semester until they come into compliance or are approved for an extension by the Provost or designee. To request an extension, students must complete a Petition for Extension to Declare a Major form with the Registrar’s Office.
Classification of Students
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Students admitted to the College with the intention of pursuing the requirements for a baccalaureate degree or a certificate program are classified according to the number of semester credits earned, unless they have a completed baccalaureate degree, in which case they are classified on that basis:
| First Year |
Fewer than 30 semester credits |
| Sophomore |
30-59 semester credits |
| Junior |
60-89 semester credits |
| Senior |
90 or more semester credits |
| Post-Baccalaureate |
Earned baccalaureate degree |
“Unclassified” students are those who intend to take coursework without completing a degree or certificate.
Communications Policy
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Electronic mail is an official means for communication within Fort Lewis College. Therefore, the College reserves the right to communicate with students via email and expects that those communications will be received and read in a timely manner.
All students must complete two English composition courses to fulfill the requirements of the Liberal Arts Core. Students are evaluated at matriculation for one of two sequences, Introductory Composition followed by Intermediate Composition or Intermediate Composition followed by Advanced Composition, based on the premise that students should undertake the more rigorous sequence if they are prepared to do so. Sequence assignments are based on test scores that are three or fewer years old and high school or college cumulative grade point average, or coursework completed with a minimum specified grade that is 10 or fewer years old from a Colorado institution or five or fewer years old from an out of state institution.
Normal Course Load
Normal course load is defined as the number of credits baccalaureate degree-seeking students are expected to enroll in each fall and spring semester.
With limited exceptions, Fort Lewis College offers 120-credit, four-year baccalaureate degree programs. For this reason, baccalaureate degree-seeking students are expected to complete a minimum of 30 credits each academic year. Typically, students meet this expectation by enrolling in a normal course load of 15 credits each fall and spring semester, though different combinations of credits may be appropriate as indicated by the Map to Graduation for a major or as recommended by an academic advisor.
Maximum Course Load
Maximum course load is defined as the maximum number of credits undergraduate students may enroll in each term. The maximum course load is 18 credits in a fall or spring semester and 12 credits in a summer semester. All enrolled courses, including those taken for audit, count toward this maximum. Students may request approval to exceed the maximum course load up to 22 credits in a Fall or Spring semester or 16 credits in a Summer semester by submitting a Petition for a Student to Register for a Credit Overload form for approval by an academic advisor.
Enrollment Certification Course Load
For purposes of enrollment certification for third parties, students’ course loads will be categorized as full-time, half-time, or part-time as follows:
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Full-Time
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Half-Time
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Part-Time
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| Fall, Spring Semester |
Minimum of 12 credits
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6-11 credits
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1-5 credits
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| Summer Semester |
Minimum of 12 credits
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6-11 credits
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1-5 credits
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Course Offerings and Cancellations
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The College publishes anticipated terms of course offerings as part of the description for each course. The College reserves the right to cancel a section of a course or a course in any term. Students enrolled in a cancelled class are administratively dropped by the Registrar’s Office and are notified by email. Students may request assistance in adjusting their degree and certificate completion plans from their professional advisors.
Credit by Examination
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See the Transfer, Examination, and Prior Learning Credit Policies section.
Students graduating from Fort Lewis College must meet the degree program and course requirements for graduation set forth in the catalog in effect at the time of their matriculation or any subsequent catalog between then and the time of their graduation. Students may choose from among the various catalogs but may not combine them. Regulations other than course requirements will apply according to the catalog in effect at the time of graduation except as new regulations have other effective, specifically fixed dates. However, no catalog more than 10 years old at the time of the student’s graduation will be accepted as the source of graduation requirements. A student who matriculated more than 10 years before graduation will meet the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of graduation, or may petition via the “Exception to Graduation Requirements” process to be permitted to graduate under some intervening catalog not more than 10 years old. The student must contact the Registrar’s Office for more information pertaining to this process. Any student who is not registered at Fort Lewis College for three or more consecutive semesters forfeits his claim to the catalog under which he entered and comes under the catalog in effect at the time he returns to Fort Lewis College as a student.
Enrollment Certification
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Students may obtain enrollment certifications through WebOPUS. Additionally, students may download the Enrollment Verification Request Form and hand-deliver/mail/fax the form to the Skyhawk Station.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
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The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as FERPA or the Buckley Amendment, helps protect the privacy of student records. The Act provides for the student’s right to inspect and review educational records, to seek to amend those records, and to limit disclosure of information from the records. The Act applies to all institutions that are the recipients of federal funding under any program administered by the Secretary of Education.
When a student reaches the age of 18 or begins attending a postsecondary institution, regardless of age or dependency status, FERPA rights transfer from the parent to the student. FERPA applies to all students who are currently enrolled, or were formerly enrolled, but does not apply to deceased students or persons who have applied but have not attended.
Fort Lewis College may disclose Directory Information unless a student requests that the Directory Information not be released. The College has designated the following items as Directory Information:
- Student name, addresses, telephone numbers, and Fort Lewis College email address
- Courses of study (major, minor, certificate)
- Dates of attendance
- Degree information (degree and date conferred, honors, awards information, scholarships, and academic awards)
- Classification of student (first-year, sophomore, junior, senior, post-baccalaureate, graduate)
- Enrollment status (full-time, half-time, part-time, no enrollment status)
- Participation in recognized college activities and sports
- Most recent school attended
Requests for non-disclosure of Directory Information must be made by completing the Information Privacy Form by Census Date at the Registrar’s Office. Students who request non-disclosure of Directory Information will have a “confidentiality flag” added to their records. This means that the student must conduct all business with the College in person with valid photo identification. Requests to remove confidentiality can be made only in writing by the student by completing the Information Privacy Form. Additionally, a confidentiality flag requires that the College NOT acknowledge to a third party that the student is or was a Fort Lewis College student. As long as the confidentiality flag is in place, the college will NOT publish the student’s name in any manner, including commencement programs.
Separate days are set aside for final examinations at the close of the fall and spring semesters. It is the student’s responsibility to know the final examination schedule and take all final examinations.
See Academic Grievance and Appeals.
After grades have been posted to the student’s transcript, the appropriate faculty, via a Special Grade Report Form filed at the Registrar’s Office, must make all changes. If a year has passed since the original grade was filed, special approval for a grade change from the appropriate dean or designee is required. In the event that a student has graduated prior to a grade change being filed, the original grade will remain permanently on the graduate’s academic transcript.
Grades on Repeated Courses
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All graded courses taken at Fort Lewis College will count in the Fort Lewis College cumulative grade point average.
Grades, Quality Points, and Grade Point Averages
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Grades
Students are assigned a grade for each course registered from after the Census Date. A grade can be classified as either an appraisal of the quality of a student’s work or an explanation about why such an appraisal was not made.
Grades Appraising Quality of Work
The College has four grading systems to appraise the quality of a student’s work in a course.
LETTER GRADE SYSTEM
The letter grade system assigns a grade of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D- or F. Grades of A to D- earn credit. Grades of F do not earn credit. Grades of A to F are figured into the computation of grade point averages.
SATISFACTORY/NO CREDIT SYSTEM
The satisfactory/no credit system assigns a grade of S or NC. Grades of S earn credit. Grades of S are not used in computing grade point averages. Grades of NC do not earn credit. Grades of NC are not used in computing grade point averages. The use of the satisfactory/no credit grading system for a course is authorized through the curriculum approval process.
PASS/FAIL SYSTEM
The pass/fail system assigns a grade of P or F. Grades of P earn credit. Grades of P are not used in computing grade point averages. Grades of F do not earn credit. Grades of F are figured into the computation of grade point averages. The use of the pass/fail grading system for a course may have been authorized through the curriculum approval process or may have been initiated by the student and approved by the instructor. In such a case, the student must request the pass/fail grading instead of letter grading from the instructor, contact the Registrar’s Office for instructions. Changes to or from the pass/fail system must be made by Census Date. Students may only initiate the pass/fail grading system for elective courses. This grading system may not be applied to courses fulfilling Liberal Arts Core, major, auxiliary, minor or certificate requirements. Students are limited to a total of 12 pass/fail elective credits.
CREDIT FOR PRIOR LEARNING SYSTEM
The credit for prior learning system assigns a grade of X to a course satisfactorily completed via credit by examination or military service. Grades of X earn credit. Grades of X are not used in computing grade point averages.
Grades Explaining Why Quality of Work Was Not Appraised
A grade of AU, AW, CW, I, MW, NG, or SW explains why the quality of a student’s work in a course was not appraised.
AU - A grade AU means the student initiated, and the instructor approved, the auditing of a course. No credit is awarded for a grade of AU. This grade is not used in the computation of grade point averages.
AW - A grade of AW means the College withdrew the student from a course or a term as allowed by an administrative policy. No credit is awarded for a grade of AW. This grade is not used in the computation of grade point averages.
CW - A grade of CW means the student initiated withdrawal from a course by an institutional deadline posted on the Registrar’s Office website. Grades of CW do not require instructor or administrative approval. Students are limited to three CW grades during their undergraduate career at Fort Lewis College. No credit is awarded for a grade of CW. This grade is not used in the computation of grade point averages.
I - A grade of I means the student initiated, and the instructor approved in accordance with grading policy, a delay in the appraisal in the student’s work. No credit is awarded for a grade of I. This grade is not used in the computation of grade point averages. The conditions for which a grade of I may be assigned are 1) the major part of the course requirements has been met; 2) the student is unable to complete the requirements in the term in which the course is taken for compelling and unforeseen reasons, and 3) in the opinion of the instructor, the requirements can be completed by the student without repeating the course. If the student completes the course requirements within the time allotted, the instructor will make an appraisal of the quality of the student’s work by submitting a Special Grade Report Form to the Registrar’s Office. If the course requirements are not completed within one year after the end of the appropriate term, the grade of I will revert to an F. The dean of the school or designee in which the course is offered may waive for good reason the one-year deadline upon petition by the student to the program director. A grade of I must be resolved prior to credential conferral.
MW - A grade of MW means the student was called to active military duty. No credit is awarded for a grade of MW. This grade is not used in the computation of grade point averages.
NG - A grade of NG means the instructor did not file a grade for the course by the deadline. No credit is awarded for a grade of NG. This grade is not used in the computation of grade point averages. Once the deadline has passed, up to one year after the grade of NG was filed, the instructor may make an appraisal of the quality of a student’s work by submitting a Special Grade Report Form to the Registrar’s Office. NG grades will revert to F grades after one year. A grade of NG must be resolved prior to credential conferral.
SW - A grade of SW means the student initiated withdrawal from all courses in a semester prior to the last day of classes. No credit is awarded for a grade of SW. This grade is not used in the computation of grade point averages. Students submitting their first request for a post-Census semester withdrawal during their undergraduate career at Fort Lewis College will be automatically approved and all courses will be assigned the grade of SW. All subsequent requests for a post-Census semester withdrawal will be reviewed by the Provost or designee. If the request is approved, all courses will be assigned the grade of AW.
Quality Points
Quality points for a course are determined by the numeric grade earned in the course multiplied by the number of credits for the course.
Fort Lewis College uses the four-point system to three decimal points to assign numeric grades:
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| A = 4.000 points |
| A- = 3.667 points |
| B+ = 3.333 points |
| B = 3.000 points |
| B- = 2.667 points |
| C+ = 2.333 points |
|
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| C = 2.000 points |
| C- = 1.667 points |
| D+ = 1.333 points |
| D = 1.000 point |
| D- = .667 point |
| F = 0.000 points |
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Numeric grades are not assigned for the grades of AU, AW, CW, I, MW, NC, NG, P, S, SW, or X.
Grade Point Averages
Grade point averages summarize the quality of a student’s work at Fort Lewis College. Grades of courses accepted through the transfer process are not included in any grade point averages.
Computational Method
Grade point averages are computed by dividing the total number of quality points for the appropriate courses by the associated number of GPA credit hours. The result is truncated to two decimal points.
Types of Grade Point Averages
The following types of GPAs may be calculated:
Cumulative - The cumulative GPA is computed using the quality points and GPA credit hours for all courses numbered 100 or above taken at Fort Lewis College. Courses receiving grades of AU, AW, CW, I, MW, NC, P, S, SW, and X, as well as grades of courses accepted through the transfer process, do not figure in the computation of the cumulative GPA. The cumulative GPA is one factor in determining a student’s eligibility to pursue a specific program of study, to be awarded a baccalaureate degree, to receive honors, to participate in athletics programs, and to receive federal financial aid and institutional scholarships, among other uses.
Major - The major GPA is computed using only the quality points and GPA credit hours for courses taken at Fort Lewis College required for a major. Courses required for a major are defined as all courses listed in the Catalog of Courses specified as “Major Requirements.” If a required course is repeated, only the attempt with the highest grade is included in the major GPA. If a student takes multiple different courses that could meet the same major requirement, only one course, that with the highest grade, is included in the major GPA. Courses receiving grades of AU, AW, CW, I, MW, NC, NG, P, S, SW, and X, as well as courses accepted through the transfer process, do not figure in the computation of the major GPA. The major GPA is one factor in determining a student’s eligibility to be admitted to, pursue and complete a program of study, among other uses.
Minor - The minor GPA is computed using only the quality points and GPA credit hours for courses required for a minor taken at Fort Lewis College. Courses required for a minor are defined as all courses listed in the Catalog of Courses specified as “Minor Requirements.” If a required course is repeated, only the attempt with the highest grade is included in the minor GPA. If a student takes multiple different courses that could meet the same minor requirement, only one course, that with the highest grade, is included in the minor GPA. Courses receiving grades of AU, AW, CW, I, MW, NC, NG, P, S, SW, and X, as well as courses accepted through the transfer process, do not figure in the computation of the minor GPA. The minor GPA is used to determine eligibility to complete that course of study, among other uses
Certificate - The certificate GPA is computed using only the quality points and GPA credit hours for courses taken at Fort Lewis College required for a certificate, including those courses meeting auxiliary requirements. If a required course is repeated, only the attempt with the highest grade is included in the certificate GPA. If a student takes multiple different courses that could meet the same certificate requirement, only one course, that with the highest grade, is included in the certificate GPA.Courses receiving grades of AU, AW, CW, I, MW, NC, NG, P, S, SW, and X, as well as courses accepted through the transfer process, do not figure in the computation of the certificate GPA. The certificate GPA is used to determine eligibility to awarded a certificate, among other uses.
Remedial - The remedial GPA is computed using only the quality points and GPA credit hours for courses numbered below 100 taken at Fort Lewis College. Courses receiving grades of AU, AW, CW, I, MW, NG, or SW do not figure in the computation of the remedial GPA. This GPA is used to determine eligibility for federal need-based aid, among other uses.
Term - The term (or semester) GPA is computed using only the quality points and GPA credit hours for courses numbered 100 or above taken in a specific term (fall, spring, or summer). Courses receiving grades of AU, AW, CW, I, MW, NC, NG, P, S, SW, and X, as well as courses accepted through the transfer process, do not figure in the computation of the term GPA. The term GPA is used to provide academic standing warnings, among other uses.
Failure to comply with various campus policies may result in holds that are placed on a student’s WebOPUS account. Most holds prohibit student services such as registration, schedule modification, and processing academic transcript requests. Students must contact the office that placed the hold to make arrangements to have the hold removed.
Dean’s List
The Dean’s List, published at the end of the fall and spring semesters, honors students for high scholastic achievement. Students who attain a grade point average of 3.60 or better in no fewer than 15 credit hours of graded college level work and have completed all work for which they are registered by the end of the semester will be on the Dean’s List for that semester.
Graduation with Honors
Latin Honors
Students must have earned, in residence at Fort Lewis College, no fewer than 60 semester credit hours to graduate with Latin honors. Latin honors are not awarded upon receipt of a second bachelor’s degree. Grade point averages required for Latin honors are as follows:
| Summa Cum Laude |
Grade point average of 3.90 to 4.00 |
| Magna Cum Laude |
Grade point average of 3.75 to 3.89 |
| Cum Laude |
Grade point average of 3.60 to 3.74 |
Note: Latin honors read at commencement are based on the credit hours and cumulative grade point average posted as of the previous term and are not official. Official honors will be awarded upon posting of final grades, calculation of final cumulative GPA, and completion of the program of study. Official honors are noted on the final transcript and diploma.
Honors Program
Students who are admitted to and complete the requirements of the Honors Program will receive a designation on their transcripts that they are graduates of the Honors Program and earn a minor in the Honors Minor . Click Honors Program for more information.
Individual and Independent Study
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Departmental Individual Study (299) and Independent Study (499) courses are student learning experiences structured and supervised by a faculty member. Students formally enroll during the period of research or independent study. Individual and Independent Study courses should be completed in the term in which they are approved.
The number of credits earned for an Individual or Independent Study course is based on the number of hours the student will take to complete it. Students will complete a minimum of 50 hours of work for each credit hour earned. The appropriate number of credit hours will be determined by the instructor of record who will also document that the student completed those hours. A maximum of eight credits of departmental 299/499 courses will count toward a baccalaureate degree. Prior approval to assure that the independent project is commensurate with the proposed number of credits will be given by the instructor, department chair or program director, and dean of the school. The Individual and Independent Study Petition is located on the Registrar’s Office website.
There are three pathways through the mathematics curriculum: the Calculus pathway, the Statistics pathway, and the Quantitative Reasoning pathway. Students are evaluated at matriculation and then re-evaluated each subsequent semester for their eligibility on each pathway. Eligibility is based on test scores that are three or fewer years old, fulfillment of math rigor requirements, and high school or college cumulative grade point average, or coursework completed with a minimum specified grade that is five or fewer years old.
Pace Requirement for Remedial Education Policy
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Under the state’s Developmental Education Policy and the College’s Pace Requirement for Remedial Education policy, students who are determined to be not college ready in English and/or mathematics through an assessment process must complete the mandated supplemental academic instruction or developmental courses with a grade of C- or higher by the time they earn 30 college-level credits at Fort Lewis College.
The mandated course in English will be either COMP 150 with supplemental academic instruction or a developmental composition course. The mandated course in mathematics will be either MATH 105 or MATH 132 with supplemental academic instruction or a developmental Intermediate Algebra course. Some students may be required to complete a developmental Introduction to Algebra course with a grade of C- or better to be eligible to enroll in Intermediate Algebra.
Pace Requirement for Introductory Composition and Mathematics
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Students are required to successfully complete COMP 150 (CO1) and an MA1-designated mathematics course by the time they earn 45 college-level credits at Fort Lewis College.
Students may satisfy the COMP 150 requirement by earning a grade of C- or better at Fort Lewis College, transferring in an equivalent course, transferring in a course designated as CO1 from another Colorado institution, submitting credit by examination scores that qualify for COMP 150 credit, or qualifying for the COMP 250 -COMP 350 (CO2-CO3) composition sequence under the composition course placement policy.
Students may satisfy the MA1-designated mathematics course requirement by earning a grade of D- or better at Fort Lewis College in MATH 105 ,MATH 112 , MATH 113 , MATH 121 , MATH 132 , MATH 221 , or MATH 222 , transferring in an equivalent course, transferring in a course designated as MA1 from another Colorado institution, or submitting credit by examination scores that qualify for MA1 credit.
Students who are in violation of this policy are prohibited from taking courses other than COMP 150 and/or an MA1-designated mathematics course at Fort Lewis College until those requirements have been successfully completed.
Optional Disenrollment Policy
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Instructors have the option, but not the obligation, to disenroll a student from a class if and only if the student has missed at least one scheduled class during the first four days of the week in which the course is scheduled to meet for the first time. For courses that meet online, instructors must include in their syllabi the form of student participation that will be counted in lieu of physical attendance. The goal of this policy is to allow students greater access to desired courses and to emphasize the academic responsibilities that begin with the first day of class.
According to this policy, if a student misses even one scheduled class meeting during the first four days of the week in which the course starts, the student could be dropped from the course. If that course is a pre-requisite or co-requisite for other courses, those other courses will be dropped as well. However, non-attendance does not constitute a course drop, course withdrawal, or semester withdrawal. Not all faculty use this option so if you need to drop a course please follow directions on dropping courses.
Students who are disenrolled per policy will be notified by the Registrar’s Office via email.
New first-year and transfer students are required to attend New Student Orientation immediately prior to their first term of attendance.
Course registration is done online through WebOPUS. Access is limited to students via their network username and password according to the Registration Schedule published on the Registrar’s Office website. All degree- and certificate-seeking students must be cleared for registration by an academic advisor.
Schedule Modifications
Once students have registered for classes, they may process schedule modifications using the following procedures:
Course Drops
A course drop may be processed using WebOPUS through Census Date of the term, unless the course ended before Census Date. Non-attendance does not constitute a course drop.
Course Withdrawals
After Census Date for courses that begin the first week of classes in a term and up through 4 P.M. on the date in the term specified on the Registrar’s Office website for courses that begin in the second or subsequent week of classes in a term, a student may initiate a course withdrawal at the Registrar’s Office and receive a grade of CW for a course if they have not exceeded their limit of three course withdrawals during their undergraduate career at Fort Lewis College. Students who have exceeded this limit must complete the course and receive a grade appraising the quality of their work from the instructor or file an appeal that will be reviewed by the Provost or designee. Students initiating a withdrawal from all courses in a semester should follow the procedure outlined in Withdrawing from the Term. Non-attendance does not constitute a course withdrawal.
Students may add courses with available seats for which they have met all prerequisites and restrictions using WebOPUS through the first five days of the fall, spring, and summer terms up to the maximum course load. Adds beyond the maximum course load must be approved by an academic advisor using a form available from the Registrar’s Office.
Students seeking to add a closed class should join the waitlist for that course and enroll themselves when notified via email that there is an opening in the course. The waitlisting function is available through the fifth day of term in the fall, spring, and summer terms. Students may use a Special Condition Add Form available at the Registrar’s Office for any courses for which waitlisting is unavailable.
For a student to add a course for which they do not meet the prerequisites or restrictions or for which instructor permission is required, the instructor must enter an override using WebOPUS. Once an override is entered, the student must still complete registration for the course via WebOPUS.
Beginning the second week of the fall, spring, and summer terms through Census Date of each term, any course additions must be on Special Condition Add forms, available at the Registrar’s Office. The form requires the signature of the instructor. Course attendance does not constitute a course add.
Post-Census Adds
Students may add courses for which they have met all prerequisites and restrictions after Census Date through the deadline specified below by completing two forms available at the Registrar’s Office. If the course has already started or is closed, instructor signature will be required.
- Fall Semester Deadline: Friday before the Thanksgiving break
- Spring Semester Deadline: Last business day of March
- Summer Semester Deadline: Last business day of July
After the student submits the completed forms, the Registrar or designee will email the student with the amount that must be paid and the deadline to do so. Once the payment is received, the Registrar or designee will add the student to the course(s).
The amount to be paid will be any current balances and the additional cost of the tuition and fees for the course(s) to be added. Post-Census course adds are not eligible for institutional scholarships, state or federal financial aid, nor the College Opportunity Fund stipend. Courses added after Census Date do not replace any courses dropped after Census Date for purposes of tuition and fees owed.
Restrictions on Repeated Courses
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Certain courses in the curriculum may be repeated and count toward graduation. To determine whether a course may be repeated and the conditions under which it may be repeated, check the course description. In addition, please note limits on these courses:
PE Activity: No more than six credits in different physical activities.
Departmental 299/499: No more than eight credits of individual and independent study. Some programs have other restrictions on applying 299/499 courses to program requirements. See program course requirements for more information.
If a non-repeatable course is taken more than once, only the attempt with the highest grade will be evaluated for earned credit.
Students have a right to pursue resolution of the problems they encounter in their dealings with Fort Lewis College faculty, staff, or administrators. In the Student Complaints Policy, complaints are defined as problems that arise between a current, prospective or former student due to employee violations of Fort Lewis College policies or procedures, state statute or regulations, or accreditation requirements.
To initiate a complaint, complete the Academic Complaint Form.
Any student who does not enroll for three consecutive semesters (summer is counted as one semester) must reapply through the Office of Admission for readmission to Fort Lewis College. It is the student’s responsibility at the point of application to notify Fort Lewis College of any and all possible transfer, test, examination, or military credits earned during any absences. The Effective Catalog policy, see above, will determine which catalog a student is eligible to use upon return to Fort Lewis College.
Student Bill of Rights
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The General Assembly implemented the Student Bill of Rights (C.R.S. 23-1-125) to assure that students enrolled in public institutions of higher education have the following rights:
(a) A quality general education experience that develops competencies in reading, writing, mathematics, technology and critical thinking through an integrated arts and science experience;
(b) Students should be able to complete their associate of arts and associate of science degree programs in no more than sixty credit hours or their baccalaureate programs in no more than one hundred twenty credit hours unless there are additional degree requirements recognized by the commission;
(c) A student can sign a two-year or four-year graduation agreement that formalizes a plan for that student to obtain a degree in two or four years, unless there are additional degree requirements recognized by the commission;
(d) Students have a right to clear and concise information concerning which courses must be completed successfully to complete their degrees;
(e) Students have a right to know which courses are transferable among the state public two-year and four-year institutions of higher education;
(f) Students, upon successful completion of core general education courses should have those courses satisfy the core course requirements of all Colorado public institutions of higher education;
(g) Students have a right to know if courses from one or more public higher education institutions satisfy the students’ graduation requirements;
(h) A student’s credit for the completion of the core requirements and core courses shall not expire for ten years from the date of initial enrollment and shall be transferable.
Time Limits on Coursework
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Fort Lewis College coursework more than 10 years old is not applicable toward major, auxiliary, or minor requirements in a degree program or applicable to requirements in a certificate program without approval of the department chair or program director. This policy does not apply to courses fulfilling Liberal Arts Core requirements or being used as free electives. See Transfer, Examination (AP, IB, CLEP) and Prior Learning Credit Policies for time limits on the transfer of coursework from other higher education institutions.
Transcript ordering is provided through the National Student Clearinghouse. Students must pay the Clearinghouse processing fee as well as a Fort Lewis College processing fee for each transcript. Transcript requests will not be processed for those students who have holds on their accounts.
Withdrawing from a Term
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Students who have registered for classes and decide not to attend have the responsibility to cancel their registration or initiate a withdrawal by following the appropriate procedure. Non-attendance does not constitute cancellation or withdrawal.
Procedures to Withdraw From a Term
PRIOR TO THE FIRST DAY OF THE TERM
Students must cancel their registration through WebOPUS.
- Students should select “Student Services” > “Registration” > “Add/ Drop Classes” > select the appropriate term > drop each of their classes prior to midnight on the day before the term begins.
FIRST DAY OF TERM THROUGH CENSUS DATE
Students must initiate a pre-Census withdrawal using WebOPUS.
- Students should select “Student Services” > “Registration” > “Withdrawal from the Current Term” > read about impact of withdrawals on tuition and fee charges, eligibility for on-campus housing, and financial aid > Submit “Request to Withdraw from the Current Term” > complete the form > Submit “Request to Withdraw from the Current Term” > “Withdraw from Current Term now.” Students will be notified via email when their request to withdraw has been processed.
AFTER CENSUS DATE TO LAST DAY OF REGULAR CLASSES
Students must initiate a post-Census withdrawal using WebOPUS.
- Students should select “Student Services” > “Registration” > “Withdraw from the Current Term” > read about impact of withdrawals on course grades, tuition and fee charges, eligibility for on-campus housing, and financial aid > Submit “Request to Withdraw from the Current Term” > complete the form > Submit “Request to Withdraw from the Current Term” > “Withdraw from Current Term now.”
Students submitting their first request for post-Census withdrawal during their undergraduate career at Fort Lewis College will be automatically approved, and they will receive the grade of SW (semester withdrawal) for all of their courses.
Second and subsequent requests for post-Census withdrawals will be reviewed by the Provost or designee. Students will be notified via email whether the request has been approved or denied.
Students who are approved for a second or subsequent post-Census withdrawal will receive the grade of AW in all of their courses. Students not approved will be assigned a grade by each instructor at the end of the term.
Technical Difficulties with WebOPUS
If a student experiences problems with using WebOPUS, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the Skyhawk Station as soon as possible.
Tuition and Fees Schedule For Students Who Withdraw
Students initiating a pre-Census or post-Census withdrawal will be assessed tuition and fees according to the pro rata schedule published on the Student Billing & Cashiering website.
Other Responsibilities Associated With Withdrawal
Students who have applied for housing and/or financial aid have other responsibilities associated with official withdrawal and must contact those offices directly.
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