Academic Life

Consult the LCU Catalog for all academic policy information including, but not limited to: academic probation, standards, suspension and suspension appeal procedure, class adds or drops, grade appeal, etc. For additional questions, students should contact their instructor, academic advisor, the registrar, or the appropriate academic dean.

All course textbooks can be purchased in the LCU Chap Store or online through our Virtual Bookstore. The Chap Store is located on campus in the Mabee Student Life Building (SUB). LCU student accounts may be used to purchase books and course materials. Book buy-back will occur the week of finals in the Chap Store. For further questions, please call the LCU Chap Store at 806.720.7526.

The Office of Student Professional Development (OSPD) is designed to help students navigate and prepare for the journey that comes after they complete their academic career and look toward their professional career. OSPD offers tools and advising necessary for students and alumni to succeed in their career endeavors. Services include one-on-one advising appointments, career resources, interview and resume preparation, assessment testing, and career development events that support students to dream, explore, and discover their career path.  OSPD is located in the Christa Dobbs School of Business building. 

The Center for Student Success (CSS) is committed to helping students be successful in the classroom. The CSS offers many services including Academic Testing, Disability Services, Tutoring, Peer Mentoring, and Mentoring.  The CSS is located in the north end of the Ling Center for Academic Achievement (CAA).  

The University Testing Office administers CLEP, ACT, DSST, THEA, as well as the ETS Proficiency Profile, which is required for all students. Students will complete this assessment when they enroll in UNI 2000 after they complete the LCU core classes and before advancing. Contact the testing coordinator via email at testing@lcu.edu or by going to Room 116 of the Center for Student Success for information concerning any standardized testing or special departmental credit by examination needs.

Lubbock Christian University provides reasonable and appropriate accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Students requesting accommodations must be registered in the Disability Services Office to receive services. Appropriate documentation of disability (usually from a licensed professional such as a doctor, school diagnostician, psychologist, etc.) must be made prior to registration. All information is kept confidential.

The Disability Services Coordinator will provide registered students with a Letter of Accommodations, listing the accommodations the student is eligible for based on documentation provided and prior accommodations. Students are instructed to take this letter to his/her professors for their signatures. These signatures will signify receipt of notice that these accommodations have been deemed reasonable and appropriate for that class and must be put into place within two weeks. (Accommodations will not be retroactive.)

Upon receiving all professors’ signatures, the student will return the letter to the Disability Services Office for it to be filed electronically. The student and professors will also receive an electronic copy for their files.

For physical disabilities, the student needs to let the Disability Services Coordinator and/or the Registrar know prior to registration so that classroom arrangements may be made in a timely manner.

The university is not required to provide accommodations if the student fails to follow the above steps.

The Disability Services Office is located in the Center for Student Success, CAA Building, Room 117. Contact the Disability Services Coordinator at disabilityservices@lcu.edu for more information.

Service Animal Policy

Service animals will be allowed to accompany persons with disabilities in all areas of campus where the public is normally allowed. Students can register their service animals with Disability Services.

Emotional Support Animal Policy

Lubbock Christian University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Students who seek to bring an emotional support animal to campus housing, should contact the Disability Services Office in the Center for Student Success to discuss requests. This office will determine whether having the animal on campus is a reasonable accommodation for the student on an individual basis, based on documentation provided. 

Questions or concerns can be directed towards the full Service and Assistance Animal Policy and the Disability Services Office, located in the CSS, Room 117.

LCU implemented the Mentoring program to provide academic support to students and assist them in the successful completion of their degree.  Our Mentors work with students to help them identify their academic goals and resolve any circumstances that may hinder their success.  Mentors help students develop the skills they need to manage their time and resources to become more successful. To connect with a mentor, email mentor@lcuedu or stop by the Center for Student Success.

Current students may request free peer tutoring in most undergraduate courses. Tutoring is provided in one-on-one or small group sessions meeting weekly throughout each long semester. The Tutoring Services office is located in Room 118 in the Center for Student Success in the CAA. For more information or to sign up, email tutor@lcu.edu.

The University Writing Center is an interdisciplinary student resource that offers free, individualized help with writing for any LCU undergraduate or graduate student. You will work with trained student consultants to discuss any of the following: deciding on a topic; clarifying and organizing ideas; outlining, drafting and revising; improving grammar and punctuation; citing sources accurately.

Consultations are available by appointment or on a walk-in basis. You can make an appointment by calling 806.720.7624 or you can simply come to our location. Your session will begin as soon as you have completed a brief intake form and as soon as a consultant is available. Hours of operation are: Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and Friday 9-10 a.m.; 10:30 a.m. to noon.

The University Writing Center is located in the corner of the back room of the first floor of the library.  

One of the advantages employees and students have at LCU is the family atmosphere created by the small size of the university community and the value placed on people. These values also make it necessary for the university to provide employees and students a comfortable, safe, and non-distracting work or study environment.

This policy is designed to be people-sensitive both in emergencies and in the day-to-day functioning of the university. Students should not bring children into the classroom. Occasional needs or emergency situations should be discussed with students’ instructors. Instructors may permit some latitude for very short periods of time to meet special needs or emergencies.

Students are responsible for material presented in or assigned for their courses, even when they are absent from class, and will be held accountable for such material in the determination of course grades. Faculty will not apply a more restrictive attendance policy than the one outlined below.

Students who miss three, six, or nine class meetings in courses meeting once, twice, or three times per week, respectively, may, at the discretion of the professor, be dropped from the course with a grade of F. Students participating in authorized school related functions who miss more than 25% of the class meetings, may, at the discretion of the professor, be dropped from the course with a grade of F. Students will work with coaches, directors, sponsors, and their professors to keep track of their attendance and may not miss more than the allotted class meetings. Students who enter the university after the starting date will accrue absences from the date the class began.

Students may be required to make up class work or assignments missed due to absences.  Students whose absences were caused by personal illness, a death in the immediate family, or authorized participation in official school functions must be given an opportunity to rectify, in a manner acceptable to the professor, any deficiencies which may have resulted from such absences. For other reasons, professors will determine whether students can rectify deficiencies.

It is the responsibility of each student to inform the professor of the reason for an absence. If possible, the student should do so prior to the absence, and if not, at the first attended class meeting.

Students do have the right to appeal dismissal using grade appeals processes outlined elsewhere in the LCU Catalog.

If students disrupt class, either by tardiness or by distracting noises or actions, they will be given an initial warning. Students may be dismissed from a class upon continuance of disruptive behavior, as determined by the instructor. Students have the right to appeal a class dismissal to their academic dean.

Computer labs are located in the Mabee Learning Center/Moody Library, Associates Behavioral Science Building, Christa Dobbs School of Business, Mabee Science Building, Maddox-Pugh Education Building, Cook Research Center, C.L. Kay Christian Development Building (CDC), Talkington Nursing Building, Mabee Criminal Justice/Social Work, and mini-labs available for students living in Johnson Hall and Katie Rogers Hall.

We want to take this opportunity to give you a brief summary of your rights under The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the federal law that governs the release of and access to student education records. These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review your education record within a reasonable time after the University receives a request for access. If you want to review your record, contact the university office that maintains the record to make appropriate arrangements.
2. The right to request an amendment of your education record if you believe it is inaccurate or misleading. If you feel there is an error in your record, you should submit a statement to the university official responsible for the record, clearly identifying the part of the record you want changed and why you believe it is inaccurate or misleading. That office will notify you of their decision and advise you regarding appropriate steps if you do not agree with the decision.
3. The right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in your education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with “legitimate educational interests.” A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official has a “need to know” information from your education record in order to fulfill his or her official responsibilities. Examples of people who may have access, depending on their official duties, and only within the context of those duties, include: university faculty and staff, agents of the institution, students employed by the institution or who serve on official institutional committees, and representatives of agencies under contract with the University.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the University to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

   Family Policy Compliance Office
   U.S. Department of Education
   400 Maryland Avenue, SW
   Washington, DC 20202-4605

Release of student record information is generally not done at Lubbock Christian University without the expressed written consent of the student. There are, however, some exceptions, including, but not limited to the release of directory information.

For example, directory information includes the following, and may be released without the student’s consent: name, local address, home address, email address, telephone number, college of enrollment, major, campus attended, status (including current enrollment, dates of attendance, full-time/part-time, withdrawn), honors received (e.g., Dean’s List recognition), participation in officially recognized activities and sports, and weight and height of members of athletic teams. Please note you have the right to withhold the release of directory information. To do so, you must complete a “Request for Non-Disclosure of Directory Information” form, which is available in the Registrar’s Office.

Please note two important details regarding placing a “No Release” on your record:

1. The university receives many inquiries for directory information from a variety of sources outside the institution, including friends, parents, relatives, prospective employers, the news media and honor societies. Having a “No Release” on your record will preclude release of such information, even to those people.
2. A “No Release” applies to all elements of directory information on your record. Lubbock Christian University does not apply a “No Release” differentially to the various directory information data elements. A copy of the Act, more details about your rights, and any university policies related to the Act are available from the Registrar's Office.

FERPA establishes a variety of exceptions under which the university may release information.

Questions concerning FERPA should be referred to the Registrar's Office. Completed FERPA forms should be turned into the Registrar's Office.

The University Library contains more than 128,000 volumes and maintains a staff to assist students with research and other library needs. Checkout privileges apply to current registered students, and an LCU ID must be presented at time of checkout. Library materials include books, e-books, journal databases, periodicals, and videos. Books are checked out for a three-week period. Fines for overdue books are ten cents per day per book; however, fines are half price if paid the day the book is returned. Unpaid fines are doubled and charged to a student’s account. The charge for lost books is the cost of the book plus 10% inflation and a non-refundable processing fee. Book checkout privileges are forfeited until fines are paid. Individualized library instruction is available. Hours of operation are posted on the website and the front door. For more information on the library, visit LCU Library.

At its discretion, Lubbock Christian University may provide “directory information” in accordance with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). Directory information is defined as that information which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. “Directory information” includes student’s name, mailing address, email address, telephone number, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, candidacy for graduation, the most recent previous educational institution attended, hometown, citizenship, photograph, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, and weight and height of members of athletic teams. Students may choose to withhold directory information by filling out the form available in the Registrar's Office. A request to withhold directory information will result in the university’s refusal to disclose any student information. LCU will honor your request to withhold directory information but cannot assume responsibility to contact you for subsequent permission to release this information. Regardless of the effect upon you, the university assumes no liability as a result of honoring your instructions that such information be withheld.

Although the initial request may be filed at any time, requests for non-disclosure will be honored by the university until removed by the student filling out the appropriate forms with the Registrar's Office. Requests to withhold directory information will be honored for the duration of the academic year in which it was filed. Students must file a new request for non-disclosure with the Registrar's Office each academic year.

Students and prospective students are encouraged to discuss their concerns with appropriate university employees and make reasonable efforts to resolve their concerns informally. Students may also initiate formal complaints using the complaint form linked below. Complaints will be processed without unlawful discrimination, and complainants will not be subject to retaliation.

Lubbock Christian University students and prospective students with a complaint may register their complaint as follows:

1. Complaints
   1. Complaints must be submitted on a complaint form, which is available on the student right-to-know web page.
   2. The Executive Vice President will refer the complaint to the appropriate administrator.
   3. The administrator will investigate the complaint and, as necessary, meet with the complainant and/or other parties.
   4. Administrators must provide a written response to the complainant within four business weeks of receiving the complaint.
       
2. Appeal
   1. Complainants desiring to appeal a decision may submit a signed statement of appeal within two business weeks of the decision to the Office of the President, Lubbock Christian University, 5601 19th Street, Lubbock, TX 79407.
   2. The Office of the President or designee will review the appeal and may choose to meet with the student and/or other parties.
   3. The Office of the President will respond in writing concerning the disposition of the appeal within two business weeks of receiving the appeal.

    

Academic appeals, grade appeals, appeals of academic integrity sanctions, medical appeals, traffic ticket appeals, and student discipline appeals are considered appeals and not complaints. Appeal procedures are published in the student handbook and/or university catalog.

After exhausting each procedural step of the student complaint procedure, students not satisfied with the outcome may file a complaint with the appropriate agency:

1. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board--Must submit the required forms available on the Student Complaints site of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, delivered by email to StudentComplaints@thecb.state.tx or by mail to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Office of General Counsel, PO Box 12788, Austin, TX 78711-2788.
2. For complaints related to Title IX--Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 1999 Bryan St., Suite 2600, Dallas, TX 75201
3. For complaints related to the Graduate School of Theology, contact the Association of Theological Schools in writing, 10 Summit Park Drive, Pittsburg, PA 15275; 421-788-6505; www.ats.edu.
4. For complaints related to accreditation standards, Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, 404-679-4500

Specific Accreditation Complaints

• For general complaints not resolved by the University, you may contact the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board at StudentComplaints@thecb.state.tx.us or, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, College Readiness and Success Division, P.O. Box 12788, Austin, TX 78711-2788
• For accreditation related complaints not resolved by the University, you may contact SACSCOC.
• For teacher educator preparation complaints not resolved by the University, you may contact TEA.
• For School of Theology complaints not resolved by the University, you may contact the Association of Theological School in writing, 10 Summit Park Drive, Pittsburg, PA 15275; 421-788-6505; ATS.

Students desiring to drop all of their courses must complete a withdrawal form. Withdrawal forms are available from the Registrar's Office. Official withdrawal results in a W recorded on the transcript for courses in session on the date of withdrawal. In cases where a course was completed before a withdrawal, the earned grade is recorded. If a student wants to withdraw after the last day to drop with a W, they must have extenuating circumstances, such as military call up or deployment, or a personal medical emergency.