Student Inquiry and Research Program Details
Administrative Policies
Upon admittance to the SIR Program, the participant must take care to meet all program requirements and policies regarding deadlines, attendance, academic honesty, and student decisions to drop the course.
Deadline for Starting the Investigation
Due to the independent nature of this course, active investigations for the academic year must be started before the end of September or students will be automatically dropped from course enrollment. Students who may later consider dropping the course themselves should review the Course Drop Policy.
Attendance Policy
Attendance requirements for SIR reflect the Academy’s general attendance policy but must take into account the fact that SIR participation does not follow the typical classroom schedule. Rather, SIR participants meet for significantly longer intervals of time during far fewer total days (e.g. only on Inquiry Days) than for the typical academic class. As a result, far fewer absences are allowed for SIR participants than for participants in the typical academic class.
Students are permitted only two excused absences for the entire year OR one unexcused absence for the entire year, before they are issued a failing grade for SIR. For example:
- a student who has one excused absence and then obtains one unexcused absence will receive a failing grade;
- a student who has one unexcused absence and obtains a second unexcused absence will receive a failing grade;
- a student who has two excused absences and then obtains a third excused absence will either be withdrawn (and receive a W for SIR on the transcript) or receive a failing grade (F) for SIR depending on whether the student is otherwise in good standing for meeting program requirements.
Final determination of whether an absence is excused or unexcused is made by the SIR office in consultation with the SIR advisor. SIR advisors may not excuse students from SIR participation. The student is expected to take the initiative to communicate pre-arranged/excused absences to and receive approval from the SIR office at least 24 hours prior to the absence from an Inquiry day. Pre-arranged/excused absences which are not communicated to the SIR office 24 hours prior to an Inquiry day may be treated as an unexcused absence at the determination of the SIR office. Since in some cases the SIR office will need to consult SIR advisors about pre-arranged/excused absences, it is the student’s responsibility to seek permission in a timely fashion (preferably at least a week in advance) to allow this communication to occur.
Academic Honesty Policy
Students conducting SIR investigations who are determined to be in breach of the Academy’s Academic Honesty policy will receive a failing grade for SIR and will be referred to the appropriate Academy office for further disciplinary review.
Course Drop Policy
Students may drop enrollment in SIR without penalty only before the end of the first quarter of the academic year; in this case the course will be removed from the transcript. Students who withdraw from SIR after the first quarter will receive a W or WF notation for SIR on their transcript, depending on their standing in the program. For example, students who have completed all requirements and are in good standing for attendance, but decide to drop SIR will have a grade listed for SIR on the transcript as W; students who do not complete SIR requirements on time or who do not meet attendance requirements will receive a grade of F or WF.