ACADEMIC AFFAIRS: Cyr Hall

Fax Number: 834-7508
Dr. Deborah Hedeen, President/Provost (834-7509)
Erin Soucy, Associate Provost (834-7830)
Barbie Eldridge, Administrative Support Supervisor (834-7509)
Academic Affairs Website

The Academic Affairs office oversees academic programs and program initiatives, provides faculty support, and is responsible for supporting student learning and experiences.

It is important that you review and understand the academic policies and procedures, which can be found in our University Catalog. The most common and frequent policy questioned is the student appeal process.

Academic Policies, Guidelines, and Support Services for Course Syllabi at UMFK

For a complete listing of policies, guidelines, and support services as they pertain to course syllabi, please visit the Academic Policies, Guidelines, and Support Services for Course Syllabi at UMFK web guide.

UMFK Excused and Unexcused Absences Policy and Procedures

Policy

The UMFK administrators and faculty agree that attendance to class, laboratory, clinical, and field experiences is crucial to student success. We also appreciate that there are university-sanctioned events that warrant excused absence from class, laboratory, clinical, and field experiences. The UMFK student body includes many student leaders and student athletes who serve as ambassadors for our campus.

The intent of this policy is to provide students the opportunity to participate in UMFK-sponsored events such as UMFK athletic competitions, board meetings, or field trips without penalty. Students who require an excused absence for extenuating circumstances such as legal issues, a death in the family or hospitalization/illness must contact the Student Affairs office to initiate the excused absence. Faculty are informed of extenuating circumstances by staff in the Student Affairs office and determine if the absence is excused or unexcused.

Faculty members specify their unexcused absence policy as part of the syllabus distributed at the beginning of the course. Faculty are encouraged to define an unexcused absence (e.g., partial marks for late arrivals or early departures from class, lab, clinical, or field experience).

Students are responsible for and must demonstrate accountability to their academic success and plan of study. Students will adhere to the procedures outlined below when serving as a representative of UMFK at a university-sanctioned event.

Procedures

  • Students must notify their faculty member(s) of expected or planned absences. While faculty agree to not penalize students for participation in university-sanctioned activities, students and faculty also understand that some critical learning experiences require in-person attendance and cannot be rescheduled.
  • Absences may be harmful to the student’s academic success. Students work with their faculty to develop a mutually agreed-upon plan to complete all coursework in a timely fashion. Ideally, all work that will be missed due to an excused absence will be completed and submitted on an agreed-upon due date. Students may be instructed to complete an alternative assignment(s).
  • Faculty will be informed in a timely manner as to which students will be granted an excused absence, including event, dates, times, and roster of students when these students are attending university-sanctioned events. When students are absent due to extenuating circumstances, the faculty determines if the absence is excused or unexcused.

Academic Integrity Policy

Please familiarize yourself with the University of Maine System Student Conduct Code and the University of Maine System Conduct Code Procedures Manual (PDF). Although abiding by ALL standards as defined within the code is essential, we call attention to one in particular:

Academic Integrity: The UMFK community recognizes that adherence to high standards of academic integrity is vital to the academic function of the University. UMFK students are expected to be honest in their academic endeavors, including avoiding engaging in plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, cheating, facilitating academic misconduct, fabricating information, and/or other deceptive practices. Depending on individual course syllabi, violations of academic integrity may result in penalties ranging from failure of an assignment to failure of a course. Other sanctions may include dismissal from the program and/or university sanctions that may result from violations of the UMS Student Conduct Code. In addition, an allegation of a violation of the Student Conduct Code may be forwarded to the Judicial Review Committee for administrative or disciplinary review. Details about this process may be found in the UMFK Student Handbook. Information on plagiarism and how to avoid it can be found on UMFK’s Blake Library website.

  • Student Academic Integrity Policy
  • Procedures for Student Violations of Academic Integrity
  • Charge by a Faculty Member
  • Charge by Students or Administrators
  • Faculty Position on Academic Decorum
  • Sanctions for Violations of Civil Conduct

Academic Programs

For the most up to date listing on Associate, Bachelor, Master, Doctorate, and Certificate programs see the UMFK catalog.

AI Use Guidelines

Please familiarize yourself with the University of Maine at Fort Kent's (UMFK) Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Guidance document found in the Portal > Campus Document Library > Academic Affairs (portal access only). Additional information may be found in the AI at UMFK guide.

Credit Hours

Both the Department of Education and the University of Maine at Fort Kent (UMFK) define a credit hour as carrying an expectation of one hour of formal instruction and two hours of out-of-class individual or group learning for a 15-week course.  For example, achieving learning outcomes for a 3-credit course would require:

  • 3 hours per week of formal classroom or direct faculty instruction; and
  • 6 hours per week of out-of-class individual or group learning.

In addition, UMFK defines one credit hour of internship as equivalent to 45 hours of internship-related work.

Final Exam Policy and Schedule

The University of Maine at Fort Kent adheres to the semester and final examination schedule as published by the Registrar. Accreditors consider final examination week to be part of the instructional period for the semester, and all courses shall continue for all weeks of the term. While it may be appropriate not to give a final in some cases, such as laboratory courses, seminars, and internship courses, final examinations are integral parts of the instructional program and should be given in all other courses. Unless notified otherwise in writing during the first week of classes, as in the exceptions indicated above, students should assume that a final exam will be given.

In addition to the policies stated above, the following guidelines should be followed by all faculty members and administrators to assure fairness and the best possible educational experience for students:

  • The final examination in a course will be given as scheduled and not at other times. Any exceptions must be approved by the Provost.
  • Students with extenuating circumstances during exam week must contact the Office of Student Affairs and provide appropriate documentation for verification.
  • When students have three or more final examinations on the same day, they are entitled to arrange an alternative examination time for the last exam or exams scheduled on that day.
    • When students have two final exams scheduled to meet at the same time, they are entitled to arrange an alternative examination time for the later course offered that day or week. Such arrangements must be made by the final deadline to drop a course for the semester.
    • Students should make arrangements with the instructor of the affected course and are expected to provide evidence of these situations to qualify for exceptions.
  • Faculty will apply this policy to all students, including seniors. Graduating seniors are not exempt from final examinations.

For this academic year’s most updated final exam schedule, see the Final Exam Schedule page in the UMFK portal.

General Education Requirements

Key Departments

Scholar’s Symposium

For this academic year’s most up to date Symposium information visit the Scholars' Symposium section of the UMFK portal.

Support Services

  • Student Success Center
    Available to all University of Maine at Fort Kent (UMFK) students to assist them in reading, writing, and mathematical skill development, and in providing counseling, tutoring, accommodation, testing assistance, and much more.

    Information about these services can be accessed by visiting the learning center on the 2nd floor of Powell Hall, by calling (207) 834-7530 [1 (888) 879-8635 or Relay Service 711], or online at the Student Success Center website.
     
  • Confidential Resource Advising (CRA)
    A service for UMFK students/staff/faculty provided by the University of Maine System; CRAs assist survivors of sexual violence and misconduct, intimate partner violence, and stalking by providing accommodations and emergency/ongoing support. Though familiar with Title IX policies and procedures, CRAs remain separate from Title IX Coordinators and are a confidential resource.

    For more information, reach out to the CRA by emailing confidentialresourceadvisor@maine.edu, calling (207) 834-7593, or visiting Room 217 in Powell Hall. You may also go to the Confidential Resource Advisor’s website.
     
  • Blake Library
    For student research, UMFK and the University of Maine System Libraries (UMSL) provide library resources through the LibrarySearch Discovery service found on the Blake Library website. Electronic materials will include full-text online resources that can be accessed on and off campus.

    If you have questions or are having trouble accessing resources, you can email sbirden@maine.edu or call (207) 834-7526 or 7527 [1 (888) 879-8635 or Relay Service 711].
     
  • Acadian Archives acadiennes
    The Archives staff are available to support students with any number of research projects. The Archives are home to unique and rare items on the history and culture of both the St. John Valley and the larger Acadian world. In addition to genealogical works and databases, collections include artifacts, audiovisual materials like oral interviews, and manuscript collections (maps, newspapers, photographs, scrapbooks, etc.).

    Visit in person or online, e-mail us (acadian@maine.edu), or call (207) 834-7535 [1 (888) 879-8635 or Relay Service 711] for more information. Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. except statutory and university holidays.
     
  • IT Assistance
    For technical assistance, you may contact the IT department or call them at UMFK Helpdesk: (207) 834-7818 or email via help@maine.edu.
     
  • Brightspace Assistance
    For Brightspace assistance, resources may be found on the Brightspace for Students Guide. For additional assistance, or you may contact Emma Hevey at emma.hevey@maine.edu or 1-207-834-7560.

University Catalog

For the most up to date Catalog please see the UMFK Catalog website.

Withdrawal Policy

If a student is unable to attend or participate in the course or must drop the course for any reason, it will be the responsibility of the student to withdraw from the course before the withdrawal deadline.