Student policies

Policies
Academic Policies
GILS is a division of the Yemen College of Middle Eastern Studies, a fully accredited high-quality academic institution whose credit hours are accepted by most universities in North America and Europe. GILS expects students to work hard and be honest in their studies. Please pay close attention to the following policies.
Students should attend all sessions and to be on time for lectures and outings. Any absence, regardless of the reason, prevents the student from receiving the full benefit of the course. Please report an absence and provide an acceptable excuse to the instructor in advance of the class to be missed. Unless arrangements are made prior to the absence, missed tests cannot be made up. In the case of an emergency absence for which prior notification is not possible, a written letter to the instructor detailing the reason for the absence should be submitted in a timely manner. Illness-related absences of three or more classes require a doctor’s note, and repeated, unexcused absence or excessive absence of any kind, as determined by the GILS administration, constitutes grounds for failure of the course and/or expulsion from the program without refund of tuition.
Academic dishonesty or academic misconduct is any type of cheating that occurs in relation to a formal academic exercise. It can include:
- Plagiarism: The assumption or reproduction of ideas or words or statements, in whole or in part, of another person without due acknowledgment.
- Self-Plagiarism: The submission of the same work for academic credit more than once without permission.
- Fabrication: The falsification of data, information, or citations in any formal academic exercise.
- Deception: Providing false information to an instructor concerning a formal academic exercise, for example giving a false excuse for missing a deadline or falsely claiming to have submitted work.
- Cheating: Any attempt to give or obtain assistance in a formal academic exercise without due acknowledgment.
- Sabotage: Preventing others from completing their work.
Cases of academic dishonesty and appropriate punishments are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Incidents of academic dishonesty can lead to failure of a course and/or expulsion from the GILS program without refund of tuition.
Students are expected to maintain good academic standing during their studies with GILS, which means maintaining a cumulative GPA and term GPA of 2.5 or higher and passing all of their courses.
- Academic Warning: When a student’s term GPA is lower than 2.5 but their cumulative GPA remains higher than 2.5, that student will receive an Academic Warning. Academic warnings are not recorded on a student’s transcript.
- Academic Probation: When a student’s cumulative GPA drops below 2.5, that student is placed on academic probation. Academic Probationary status is recorded on a student’s transcript. A student placed on academic probation must recover their academic standing (achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher) at the end of the term following their probationary status or receive academic disqualification.
Academic Disqualification: When a student’s cumulative GPA is less than 2.5 and that student has already been placed on academic probation and not recovered good standing at the conclusion of their probationary period (one term), then that student is academically disqualified. The student is removed from the program and not allowed to re-enroll in future GILS programs without reinstatement by the GILS administration. Tuition is not refunded in the case of Academic Disqualification.
Drug Policy
GILS has a zero-tolerance policy regarding illegal drugs on school property. GILS will evaluate violations of its drug polices and the severity of penalty on a case-by-case basis and may expel students with drugs on school property without refund of tuition. In addition, public drunkenness is unacceptable.
Involvement in Prohibited Activities
GILS students reside in Germany on a student visa. A student visa restricts the holder from seeking employment and becoming involved in anti-government, military, religious, or clandestine activities. For the purpose of ensuring the safety and legal status of our students, involvement in such activities is prohibited. In addition, students are prohibited from volunteer work without prior approval by GILS.
Examples of prohibited activities include (but are not limited to):
- Involvement with the activities of Germany’s various political parties.
- Monitoring of, or inquiry into, military operations in Germany.
- Proselytizing (including passing out religious literature, “witnessing,” etc.).
- Participation in religious organizations with anti-government, revolutionary or terrorist affiliation.
- Participation in demonstrations, sit-ins, riots and/or protests against the government.
- Seeking any kind of paid or unpaid employment without the express permission of the GILS administration.
Participation in prohibited activities is cause for immediate removal from the program without refund of tuition.
Discrimination & Sexual Harassment
GILS is open to all qualified individuals regardless of race, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, or other quality in which discrimination is prohibited by US and EU laws. As such, the College is committed to maintaining an environment in which all staff and students feel comfortable working. Discrimination and sexual harassment are not tolerated.
Any instance in which a value distinction between people on the basis of class or category is made is considered discrimination. Examples of such categories include race, religion, sex, gender, disability, ethnicity, employment circumstances, sexual orientation and age.
Direct discrimination involves treating someone less favorably because of a real or perceived attribute (e.g., sex, age, race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability). Indirect discrimination involves creating conditions that eliminate or limit a particular group within the student and faculty bodies without reasonable justification. It also includes creating a hostile environment for a person or group of people by using stereotypes or epithets or making derogatory remarks about that group of people, even if these remarks are not directed at a specific individual.
Discrimination can be considered grounds for expulsion without refund from GILS programs or termination of employment with GILS with the incident permanently noted in the employee’s file.
Sexual Harassment is defined as any unwelcome or unsolicited sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, comments of a sexual nature, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual manner. This includes situations where submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment or academic standing, where submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for decisions affecting that individual’s employment or academic standing, or where such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment (a “hostile sexualized environment”). Hostile sexualized environments are environments where sexually explicit graffiti, sexually degrading posters and objects and so on are found, and/or where people make sexual jokes, say obscenities, or view internet pornography. None of these behaviors or objects need necessarily be directed at anyone in particular in order to create a hostile sexualized environment
Sexual harassment can be considered grounds for expulsion without refund from GILS programs or termination of employment with the GILS with the incident permanently noted in the employee’s file.
Any student, faculty member or staff member who feels that they have experienced sexual harassment or discrimination from either a faculty or staff member or student is encouraged to contact the Associate Dean and/or the Committee for Student Affairs. This committee, which is comprised of staff members, faculty, and a student representative, will make an inquest into the situation or event and respond according to the findings of that inquest.
- Informal Process: Though not required in a sexual harassment or discrimination case, the complainant is encouraged to first inform the respondent through verbal and/or written communication about the inappropriate behavior. This may be accompanied or followed by a report to a higher administrator, such as a dean.
- Formal Process: If a complaint cannot be resolved through the informal process or the complainant feels uncomfortable pursuing such a course of action, a formal written complaint must be submitted, initiating the formal complaint process for sexual harassment or discrimination.
- Written complaints should clearly document all incidents and details that the complainant has incurred. This should include dates, words, locations, and persons involved (and if any witnesses were present). This statement, signed and dated, is to be submitted to the investigating officer, the Associate Dean, unless he is the respondent. In this case, the complaint should be submitted to the President of the college.
- The Associate Dean will investigate the complaint, interviewing the complainant and respondent as well as any other involved parties. The respondent is provided a summary of the complaint, and allowed to submit his response.
- If no working solution can be obtained at this point, the case is then referred to the Committee for Student Affairs. This committee is made up of administrative workers, faculty members, and a student representative. The committee will review all documents and consult with the Associate Dean. Additional, independent interviews with all parties involved may be requested. After thorough investigation into the alleged sexual harassment or discrimination, the committee shall decide on a disciplinary or corrective action, if necessary, in consultation of college policy.
- If the decision is not satisfactory or believed to be biased by either party, the complainant and/or the respondent, then a formal hearing may be held. This hearing must be requested within two weeks from the declaration of the resolution. During this hearing, all parties may be brought in for testimony, exhibition of evidence for the panel, as well as any arguments concerning the allegations of sexual harassment or discrimination.
- The Committee on Student Affairs may then decide to affirm the original decision, reduce or increase the original sanction, or overturn the original decision.
Student Visas
Students should consult the German government about visa requirements. A helpful website is https://www.germany-visa.org/do-i-need-a-visa/ Citizens of 62 countries may enter Germany for stays under 90 days without a visa.
If you require a visa for your stay at GILS, the School will provide you with the paperwork to establish your student status.
Tag:Course