Admissions Policy

POL-AA2008

Pacific University admits* students based on their demonstrated preparedness to succeed in the course of study leading to the given degree and, where relevant, in the professions that the degree serves. Within established university protocols respecting requirements by the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities and, where applicable, specialized accreditation requirements, each academic program defines the specific qualifications required for admission and has the authority to make exceptions in order to support the most appropriate admissions decisions based on holistic assessments of applicants.

* Criteria for admissions is distinct from criteria for transfer of credits. Transfer of credits for application to Pacific degrees is governed by the “University Transfer Policy;” undergraduate transfer is additionally governed by the “Undergraduate Transfer Credits Policy."

Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020

Credit for Prior Experiential Learning

POL - AA2012

This policy describes the procedures in relation to awarding credit for prior experiential learning, including the award of credit for selected credit-for-examination programs.

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Deceased Student Records Policy

POL-REG3101

The Deceased Student Records Policy articulates when and how education records of a deceased student can be released.

PUNet ID required to review policy document.

 

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Distance Education Policy

POL-AA2007

This policy's purpose is to ensure that academic programs defined as distance education or including distance education components have processes through which the program, 1) establishes that the student who registers in a distance education course or program is the same student who participates in and completes the course or program and receives the academic credit, 2) protects the privacy of student information in these processes, 3) informs students of these processes and any related costs, and, 4) complies with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations for distance education.

Pacific programs that offer distance education must maintain effective identity verification processes to establish that a student enrolled in distance courses or programs is the same person whose achievements are evaluated and credentialed. The program must ensure that the identity verification process protects student privacy and that students are informed, in writing at the time of enrollment, of current and projected charges associated with the identity verification process. Programs must additionally comply with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations for distance education, including regulations specific to enrolling students who reside outside of Oregon.

 

Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020

Faculty and Staff Tuition Assistance Policy

POL-HR5005

This policy describes the tuition assistance available to benefit eligible employees for graduate/professional programs at Pacific University.

For selected Pacific programs of study that are not already covered by the University employee tuition remission policy, and that are designed for working professionals, such as those with hybrid or distance- based curricula and/or a part time schedule, benefit eligible employees may receive tuition assistance not to exceed the value set annually by the IRS per calendar year as tax exempt, toward their Pacific degree program. Tuition charges and applicable fees in excess of the IRS approved amount will be the financial responsibility of the employee. Employees must be admitted and matriculated into a degree or certificate program to receive this benefit, and must maintain the program standard for academic good standing. Failure to maintain sufficient academic standards will result in a loss of this benefit.

For each new cohort (class) the Colleges may accept eligible and qualified employees as students in each degree or certificate program on a space available basis. Note that each program maintains ultimate decision-making authority on admissions decisions per program policies, procedures. Once an employee is accepted into the program, the tuition assistance will continue until the employee graduates as long as academic good standing is continuously maintained.

Requirements:

  • Employees must be in good standing
  • Employees must have been employed at Pacific for at least one year
  • Employees must be benefit eligible
  • Employees must be admitted to the program BEFORE they can apply for the assistance

Please see full policy for eligible programs. 

PUNID required to view policy. 

Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021

Floating Holiday Award for Commencement Event Staff Policy and Procedures

Pacific University has adopted a Floating Holiday Award for Commencement Event Staff to recognize the additional duties and contributions for exempt staff when assisting with the May and August commencement ceremonies.  

 

Floating Holiday Award for Commencement - HR Procedures Document

 

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Graduate-Professional Enrollment in Undergraduate Courses

POL-AA2010

The program faculties of Pacific University recognize that sometimes graduate students may be advised by the graduate program director or their academic advisor to take an undergraduate course to meet certain proficiency requirements or to prepare them for knowledge or skills of an unfamiliar field that will benefit their graduate research, such as skills required for interdisciplinary work. This policy provides guidelines and restrictions for Pacific graduate students enrolling in undergraduate-level coursework at Pacific.

PUNID Required to view policy.

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021

In-Library Computer/Internet Acceptable Use Policy

POL-LIB2603

The Pacific University Libraries seek to advance critical inquiry, collaborative learning, and knowledge creation through dynamic services, spaces, and collections. The Libraries’ enactment of this mission is guided by our core values, which prioritize providing opportunities to engage with diverse ideas, providing services that contribute to equitable access to information, and the use of inclusive approaches to delivering services.

Aligned with this mission and these values, the Libraries provide information technology resources — desktop and laptop computers configured to allow unfiltered access to subscribed and open Internet information resources — that are available both to Pacific University students, staff, and faculty and to external community patrons for use in Libraries facilities. The primary intended purpose of these resources is to support the teaching, learning, research, service, and administrative activities of the Pacific community; a secondary purpose is to support the personal information technology/resource needs of the Pacific community and the academic and personal needs of external community members.

Access to these information technology resources and to subscribed and open Internet resources is provided in compliance with the American Library Association’s (ALA) Library Bill of Rights and the ALA Access to Digital Resources and Services: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights statement.

This Computer/Internet Use Policy is intended to elaborate on and extend the Pacific University Appropriate Use Policy for Information Technology policy; library computer users should refer to that policy as the primary source of parameters, rights, and restrictions on the use of information technology in Libraries facilities.

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Inactivation of Courses Policy

POL-AA2003

The Inactivation of Courses Policy allows for the inactivation of courses that have not been offered in four years. Each year in early spring as part of the catalog update process, the Registrar’s Office will forward to each academic unit courses from that unit that have not been offered in 4 years, for review for inactivation.  Certain courses that may be offered infrequently, such as New/Special Topics courses, Internships and Independent Studies, will be excluded from the list.  If the program does not request that a certain course be kept active, the course will be inactivated when the catalog information is updated. If it is desired at a later date to reactivate the course, the unit will inform its curriculum approval entity, and then notify the Registrar’s Office to reactivate.

PUNet ID required to review policy document.

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Individual Development Plan Policy

POL-OSSP3201

Grounded in the core theme of educating for student success, Individual Development Plans intend to guide graduate and postdoctoral students in their professional development and career planning.

Graduate students and post-doctoral researchers supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are required to develop Individual Development Plans (IDP). Required progress reports submitted to the NIH must include a copy of the University’s IDP policy, a description of whether the university uses IDPs, and how IDPs are used to assist in the career development of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers supported by NIH.  

Pacific University encourages graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to create and use IDPs to formulate academic and career goals and facilitate conversations with faculty advisors and mentors. All graduate students and postdoctoral researchers supported by NIH funding are required to have an IDP. The Office of Scholarship and Sponsored Projects offers graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, faculty advisors and mentors information on IDP resources, including templates and online resources.

PUNet ID required to review policy.

Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018

Library Privacy Policy

POL-LIB2601

Pacific University Libraries are committed to respecting users’ privacy and acknowledge the role that privacy plays in fulfilling the Libraries’ mission to advance critical inquiry, collaborative learning, and knowledge creation. This policy’s purpose is to inform users about: 

  • How the Libraries handle personally identifiable information that may be collected
  • Actions the Libraries take in order to protect users’ privacy
  • Users’ rights while engaging with Libraries’ resources

This policy only applies to the Libraries’ website and any other web service hosted on behalf of the Libraries and does not cover any external service or site, even if it is linked from the Libraries’ resources.

Monday, Oct. 19, 2020

Posthumous Degree Policy

POL-AA2002

The Posthumous Degree Policy articulates the criteria by which a posthumous degree can be awarded.

A PUNet ID is required to review this policy.

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Reconsideration of Library & Archives Materials Policy

POL - LIB2602

Pacific University is “committed to free and open inquiry in matters concerning the advancement of knowledge. In order to carry out our mission, we encourage all community members to speak, write, listen, challenge, and learn through a full, open, and civil discussion of ideas.”

In support of free and open inquiry, the Pacific University Libraries acquire and provide access to information resources to support Pacific’s diverse range of academic programs and areas of inquiry, and to encourage intellectual discovery by our students, staff, and faculty.

The intent of this policy and procedure is to help the Libraries create and curate collections that are inclusive and that inform our community's pursuit of education and knowledge without doing harm. 

PROCEDURE - Reconsideration of Library & Archives Materials

PUNID required to view policy and procedure.

Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022

Sports Sponsorship Policy

POL-ATH2701

This policy ensures an approved and intentional process takes place when pursuing the addition or reduction of sport offerings in the Athletic Department. The opportunity to grow or reduce offerings for student-athletes at Pacific University must be undertaken with careful consideration to the institution as a whole, including the potential impact such a decision would have on the current academic, social, financial, and athletic environment on campus.

This policy applies to Athletics Department sport sponsorship including varsity and junior varsity offerings. Club sport offerings develop initially through the Student Senate Club Recognition process and are funded separately from the Athletic Department budget. This policy pertains specifically to:

  • Adding a Varsity Sport
  • Adding a Junior Varsity Sport
  • Discontinuation of a Varsity Sport
  • Discontinuation of a Junior Varsity Sport

PUNID required to view policy

Tuesday, June 2, 2020

Student Grievances Policy

POL - AA2001

The purpose of this policy is to establish a process and guidance for any Pacific University student seeking to resolve an alleged violation, directly affecting that student, of any of the policies or procedures of the university, college, or school in which the student is enrolled. This policy applies to any student enrolled at Pacific University and any grievance for which there is not an existing process established as set forth in a university handbook or policy (e.g., academic review, student conduct, etc.).

Monday, May 2, 2016

Student Jury Duty Service Policy

POL-AA2011

Pacific University recognizes the importance of jury duty as a civic responsibility and aims to support students who have received a juror summons by offering reasonable academic and institutional support, keeping in mind that students may ask the court to defer their service to a later date. Students who are called to serve on a jury should consult with their instructors and academic advisors about the impact of their jury service on their course work and academic progress. Depending on the timing of the jury summons, students may wish to defer service and can consult their college dean for a letter of support if permitted or requested by the court.

In the event a student serves on a jury, the student is responsible for reporting her/his/their service and expected absences to instructors and academic advisor as soon as possible. Read more about faculty and student obligations within the policy document. 

PUNID required to view policy document. 

 

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate-Professional Courses

POL-AA2009

The program faculties of Pacific University recognize that undergraduate students are sometimes well-prepared to engage successfully in graduate level course work, and that they may benefit academically from such advanced learning experiences. This policy provides guidelines and restrictions for Pacific students enrolled in an undergraduate course of study to concurrently enroll in graduate level coursework at Pacific. Students who enroll in graduate level coursework at another academic institution, should refer to Pacific University’s catalog for transfer policies of individual graduate programs.

PUNID Required to view policy.

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021

Undergraduate Transfer Credits

POL-AA2004

Pacific University accepts, for transfer, coursework and credits comparable in nature, content, academic quality, and academic level to the coursework expected of the relevant Pacific degree program, according to evaluation criteria and transfer limits determined by each College, School, and/or Program. This comprehensive university undergraduate transfer policy will apply to all programs while supporting appropriate programmatic implementation differences.

PUNet ID required to view policy.

Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019

University Transfer Policy

POL-AA2005

For programs that accept transfer credits, Pacific University accepts coursework and credits comparable in nature, content, academic quality, and academic level to the coursework expected of the relevant Pacific degree program, according to evaluation criteria and transfer limits determined by each College, School, and/or Program.

Exceptions to specific transfer practices may be made on a case by case basis, when special circumstances warrant.

PUNID Required to view policy.

Thursday, May 14, 2020