Class of 2024

For students beginning the Executive MBA Americas Program in Summer 2022. 

1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose 

The purpose of the Academic Calendar is to acquaint students with the academic requirements, regulations, policies, procedures and expectations of the Program. It is the responsibility of the student to read and understand the entire Academic Calendar. Questions about any of its contents should be directed to the Program Director. While this document primarily discusses program level topics, Section 8 lists on-line resources to access detailed information at the school and university-levels.  
  
Participants in the Executive MBA Americas program are enrolled at both Cornell University and Queen’s University, and are therefore subject to the policies, regulations, and requirements of both institutions. Notwithstanding this dual enrollment, participants based in the United States and Mexico are considered to have Cornell University as their institution of primary enrollment and participants based in Canada, Lima, or Santiago are considered to have Queen’s University as their institution of primary enrollment. This document is somewhat tailored to focus on students with Queen’s as their institution of primary enrollment.   
  
With respect to the appeal of academic decisions, every participant is restricted to the policies of his or her institution of primary enrollment.  
  
Communications regarding academic matters pertaining to the Executive MBA Americas Program should be directed to:  
  
Johnson Graduate School of Management 
Cornell University 
209 Dryden Road 
Ithaca, New York 14850 
Tel. (607) 255-7941 
Fax (607) 241-9055          
  
Smith School of Business  
Queen’s University  
ATTN EMBA Americas  
Goodes Hall  
Kingston, Ontario K7L 4B5  
Tel. (888) 393-2622  
Fax (613) 533-2313 

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1.2 Acknowledgement of Territory   

Queen’s University in Kingston is situated on traditional Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Territory. To acknowledge this traditional territory is to recognize its longer history, one predating the establishment of the earliest European colonies. It is also to acknowledge this territory’s significance for the Indigenous peoples who lived, and continue to live, upon it – people whose practices and spiritualities were tied to the land and continue to develop in relationship to the territory and its other inhabitants today. The Kingston Indigenous community continues to reflect the area’s Anishinaabek and Haudenosaunee roots. There is also a significant Métis community and there are First Peoples from other Nations across Turtle Island present today.   

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1.3 For Students of British Columbia 

In British Columbia, this Program is offered under the written consent of the Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development (effective May 19, 2010) having undergone a quality assessment process and been found to meet the criteria established by the minister. Nevertheless, prospective students are responsible for satisfying themselves that the Program and the degree will be appropriate to their needs (for example, acceptable to potential employers, professional licensing bodies, or other educational institutions).   

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1.4 For Students of Alberta 

This Program is offered pursuant to the written approval of the Minister of Advanced Education and Technology effective June 2010 having undergone a quality assessment process and been found to meet the criteria established by the Minister. Nevertheless, prospective students are responsible for satisfying themselves that the Program and the degree will be appropriate to their needs (for example, acceptable to potential employers, professional licensing bodies, or other educational institutions).  

2: PROGRAM ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS

2.1 Course Requirements  

Each candidate for the MBA degrees must successfully complete all of the required courses in the Executive MBA Americas program (the “Program”). Credit is granted for each course towards the academic requirements of both universities. A total of 60 credit hours are required for the Cornell MBA degree and 78 credit units are required for the Queen’s MBA degree. Note that Cornell credit hours and Queen’s credit units are not the same but are related as follows:  
  
  1 “full” course  =  Seven 4-hour sessions  
    =  2.5 Cornell credit hours  
    =  3.9 Queen’s credit units  
  
Many, but not all, courses in the curriculum are “full” courses. Within the curriculum, courses are a variety of lengths. In these cases, the number of 4-hour sessions, Cornell credit hours, and Queen’s credit units all change proportionally.  

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2.2 Academic Standards and Regulations

All participants in the Program are subject to the academic standards and regulations shown below. In the case where a participant violates any one of these regulations, that participant is normally required to withdraw from the Program. However, the specific decision regarding the consequences or sanctions for violating any of these academic regulations rests with the Program’s Joint Academic Committee (the “JAC”) and is determined on a case-by-case basis.  

1. A participant must maintain and/or achieve a minimum average grade for all courses taken in the Program (see Section 4 of this document for a detailed discussion of the grading systems at Cornell University and Queen’s University). A participant must maintain a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.7 and a minimum GPA of 2.5 in core courses. Grades of INCOMPLETE (INC) count as F in the calculation of the averages described above.  
2. A participant may not receive a final course grade of less than D- on any course.  
3. A participant must function effectively and supportively in the Learning Team throughout the duration of the Program (see Section 6: Learning Teams for more information). 
4. Students are expected to not miss more than 25% of the class sessions of any course.   
5. A participant must obtain a passing grade on individual performance in each course (see Section 4.3 “Assessment of Individual Performance”).  

In the event that a participant is deemed to be in violation of the Academic Integrity standards of either University, the JAC will, when required, refer the matter to the body at the University of primary enrollment that deals with Academic Integrity matters. Please ensure that you are familiar with the Academic Integrity policies of each University by going to the web addresses set out in Section 8 of this calendar.  
  
Please refer to the next section to understand the process of how these academic regulations and standards are applied.  
  
It is a participant’s responsibility to inform the Program Directors at the earliest possible date of any medical, learning disability, or other challenges that may impede his or her ability to meet the academic standards of the Program.  

3: ACADEMIC DECISIONS AND APPEALS

Participants in the Program are enrolled in both Cornell University and Queen’s University and are therefore subject to the policies, regulations, and requirements of both of these institutions. It is the responsibility of every participant in the Program to read and understand these policies, regulations, and requirements.  
  
Notwithstanding this dual enrollment, participants based in the United States and Mexico are considered to have Cornell University as their institution of primary enrollment and participants based in Canada, Lima, or Santiago are considered to have Queen’s University as their institution of primary enrollment. With respect to the appeal of academic decisions, every participant is restricted, when pursuing an appeal or dealing with violations of Academic Integrity issues, to the policies of his or her institution of primary enrollment.  

3.1 Joint Academic Committee (JAC)

The responsibility of applying the Program’s academic standards and regulations belongs to the JAC. The JAC is comprised of six members: three individuals from each school.  

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3.2 Review of Participants' Academic Performance

Any participant who has violated an academic regulation of the program (see Section 2.2 for a list of academic regulations) is deemed to be in “academic jeopardy”. When this situation occurs, the following process is followed:  

1. The participant is informed by the JAC that he or she is in violation of the Program’s academic regulation.  
2. The JAC meets to conduct an initial review of the case of the participant in academic jeopardy (as defined by failure to meet the Academic Standards and Regulations described in Section 2). The outcome of this initial review is a description of the action the JAC is contemplating. As a result of the violation of the Program’s academic regulations participants are normally required to withdraw from the Program. However, the JAC reviews each case to determine the specific consequences that will be applied.  
3. Once the JAC has conducted an initial review, it sends a letter to the participant requesting a hearing so he or she can appear before the JAC to discuss his or her academic performance (the “Letter”). The Letter will set out the actions the JAC is contemplating in respect to the violation and alerts the participant that, should he or she wish to appear before the JAC, he or she may have witnesses with pertinent information and/or a faculty member acting as an advisor attend the hearing. The Letter will provide the participant with a date (the “Date”) by which the participant must notify the JAC of his or her intention in respect of setting a date for a hearing or for submitting written submissions to the JAC in lieu of a hearing. A participant who does not respond to the Letter by the Date will be deemed to have waived his or her rights to a hearing or to submit written submissions in respect to the matter in question and the JAC will proceed to make a final decision in respect of the matter in accordance with the process outlined in (d) below. The JAC will set a date for a hearing once it is notified by the participant that he or she wishes to appear before the JAC. The hearing shall be conducted within three weeks after the day that the JAC receives the notification from the participant.  
4. Upon: (i) the completion of the hearing; or (ii) the receipt of written submissions if the participant elects not to appear before the JAC; or (iii) the receipt by the JAC of notification that the participant agrees with the proposed course of action, terms and conditions set out in the Letter; or (iv) the failure of the participant to respond by the Date, the JAC will exercise one (1) of the following options by majority vote:  
   1. Specify conditions under which the participant is permitted to continue in the Program. These conditions typically specify additional required work and/or a minimum grade average that must be attained in the future. In these cases the participant shall be placed on probationary standing. The specific terms of the probationary standing and, in some cases, how this probationary standing may be removed prior to the completion of the Program will also be specified by the JAC.  
   2. Take the formal action of requiring the participant to withdraw from the Program. This action ends the participant’s registration as a student in both Cornell University and Queen’s University. This action is taken when the JAC deems the participant incapable of satisfactory completion of MBA degree requirements.  
   3. Approve the course of action, terms and conditions set out in the Letter  

The date of any sanction imposed by the JAC will take effect in accordance with Section 3.3 Effective Date of Sanction.  

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3.3 Appeals of Academic Decisions 

With respect to the appeal of academic decisions, every participant is restricted to the policies of his or her institution of primary enrollment.  

1. CORNELL UNIVERSITY: Decisions of the JAC regarding academic performance shall be final and non-appealable except that a decision “May not Reregister” may be appealed to the Dean, or his or her designate, responsible for Executive MBA programs. He or she decides either to confirm the JAC’s decision or request that the JAC reconsiders the case.  
2. QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY: Appeals of academic decisions fall into two possible categories: appeals of grades and general appeals (all other appeals). Different processes are in place to handle these appeals.  
   1. Appeal of Academic Decisions  
      1. The JAC applies the academic regulations as outlined in Section 2 to the cases of any participants who are in violation of one or more program requirements and notifies the participant in writing of the JAC’s decision and the right of appeal.  
      2. The appeal process at Queen’s University allows for multiple levels of appeal in a graduated sequence. The first level of appeal is at the Program level. In the case of the Program, the JAC is the first body to which an appeal is submitted. A participant intending to appeal a decision of the JAC must notify the Queen’s University Program Director of his or her intention to appeal no later than fourteen (14) days after receiving notice of the JAC’s decision. At that time the Queen’s University Program Director will provide further information regarding appeal processes and their timelines. The participant will then have fourteen (14) days to submit their appeal in writing to the Queen’s University Program Director.  
      3. If a participant’s appeal is unsuccessful at the Program level, the participant may choose to advance the appeal to the school level. The body that hears appeals at the Smith School of Business level is the Academic Appeals Committee of Faculty Board. The Faculty Board of  Smith School of Business has delegated to the Academic Appeals  Committee the responsibility for dealing with appeals of decisions of the JAC. The Academic Appeals Committee is composed of five Faculty Board members and is chaired by the non-voting Chair of Faculty Board. Four of the Committee members are faculty, one of whom teaches in the Bachelor of Commerce program, one in the MSc/PhD program, one in the MBA program, and one in a Queen’s Executive MBA program. None are contemporaneously members of the JAC.  
      4. A participant who is appealing to the Academic Appeals Committee of Faculty Board must provide a written submission outlining why he or she is appealing the JAC decision. The participant has the right to appear in person before the Academic Appeals Committee to state his or her case and answer any questions posed by members of this Committee. The participant may also bring representation, which would normally be a Queen’s University coordinator of Dispute Resolution or their designate or legal counsel. The participant also has the right to have the appeal resolved in a timely fashion and, with one exception explained in (iii) below, may not be subject to any sanction or penalty until the appeal is resolved.  
      5. In the event of an appeal to the Academic Appeals Committee of Faculty Board, the Chair of the JAC will summarize for the Academic Appeals Committee the deliberations of the JAC and the decision regarding the participant. The participant has the right to hear these details.  
      6. After hearing the case, the Academic Appeals Committee will uphold or dismiss the participant’s appeal. In doing so, it will ensure that the process complies with the principles of natural justice. These principles include the rights of the participant appellant and matters of academic fairness in relation to academic program regulations.  
      7. The participant will be notified in writing by the Secretary or the Chair of  Faculty Board (also orally if the appellant appeared before the Committee) of the Academic Appeals Committee’s decision. If the participant receives a negative response on the appeal, the participant also receives contact information for the University Student Appeal Board as a next level of appeal.  
      8. A participant has the right to appeal an adverse academic decision of the JAC on procedural grounds, but no right to seek a review of the underlying academic assessment as the basis for an appeal. In general, procedural grounds for appeal fall into two categories. First, a decision may be appealed on the grounds that the process leading up to this decision was flawed or incorrectly administered. Second, a decision may be appealed on the grounds of extenuating circumstances of which the JAC was unaware when the decision was made.  
      9. Note that it is the participant’s responsibility to clearly establish that grounds for an appeal exist as the basis for an appeal. At each level of the appeal process, the body asked to hear the appeal may decide that appropriate grounds for appeal have not been established and, as a result, the appeal will not be heard.  
   2. Appeals of Grades  
      1. Decision-making about participants’ academic progress and appeals of those decisions initially is dealt with at the individual faculty and program level. Examination papers and class records of participants whose final grade in a course is a few marks below a D-, C-, B-, or A- grade are reviewed with special care by faculty members before such grades are assigned. If a participant feels that, for a course taught by Queen’s faculty, a course grade, or a portion of it, has been unfairly assessed, an attempt should be made to resolve the issue informally with the instructor involved. If the participant feels that the issue remains unresolved, he or she should contact the Director of the Program at Queen’s who will establish a process of resolution as described below.  
      2. Requests for reconsideration by the Program Director must be accompanied by a fee of $100. This fee will be refunded to the participant if, as a result, a failing grade is raised to a pass or if a pass is raised to a higher letter grade modifier (i.e. a B to a B+). The reconsideration shall be conducted by two examiners appointed by the Queen’s University Program Director or his or her designate; one examiner shall be the original instructor or grader, if available. The reconsideration shall involve a re-reading of the final examination or deliverable(s) in the course and a review of the participant's course record. It shall be the responsibility of the participant to preserve all exercises, papers, reports, and other graded material for the course and to submit a file of these documents with the request for reconsideration. The scanned copy of any graded assignment or material returned to a participant shall be deemed to be the original document for the purposes of this section. The decision of the examiners shall be final.  
   3. Effective Date of Sanction  
      1. Sanctions or adverse academic decisions, such as Academic Probation (and its terms and conditions) or a requirement to withdraw, shall take effect as soon as the student accepts the sanction OR exhausts (or allows to lapse) their right to appeal to the next level in accordance with Section 33 of Queen’s University Student Academic Appeals Policy.  
   4. Effective Date of Sanctions for Failure to Function in the Learning Team  
      1. Students should note that the JAC may determine that an adverse academic decision (e.g. required withdrawal) as a result of the violation of the academic standard detailed in section 2.2 (c) requires that a student’s participation in the team be halted during the appeal process to ensure that the interests of third parties (i.e. the learning experience and academic evaluation of the other members of the Learning Team) are not adversely affected.  However, the student will be permitted to continue in the Program to the extent feasible until all levels of appeal are exhausted.  

4: GRADING

4.1 Approaches to Grading  

Each course professor in the Program establishes the evaluation criteria and grading scheme for his or her course. This grading scheme will be explained by the professor at the start of each course. In addition, this grading scheme is normally described in each course syllabus.  
  
The final grade reporting systems used at Cornell University and Queen’s University are not identical. The two systems differ in approach. The faculty at the Johnson School have determined that the expected average final Grade Point for a core course and for a non-core course is 3.50. Please refer to Section 5 for a list of core and non-core courses. In determining the final course grades, Johnson School faculty will use a course-specific internal grading process that is unique to a single course and cannot be generalized to other courses. For example, when taught by Cornell professors a raw, internal score of 81 in one course may lead to a different final Grade Point (and associated letter grade) than the same raw, internal score in a different course.  
  
At Smith School of Business, the faculty has not established an expected average grade for courses. Most faculty use numerical grading schemes and final grades are often awarded for courses taught by Queen’s professors based on actual grades received on all deliverables as set out in the respective course outlines which are then translated into a letter grade. Accordingly, the interpretation of internal course grades can be generalized across courses. For example, when taught by Queen’s professors a raw, internal score of 81 in one course will lead to the same final letter grade as the same raw, internal score in a different course.  It is important that participants understand the differences between the two grading systems.  
  
By default, you should assume that the Cornell University grading system approach will be used in all courses that are co-taught by professors from each school. In these situations, however, the professors will confirm at the start of the course which university’s grading format will apply. The grading systems under which the final grade for a course will be reported on the transcripts of Cornell University and Queen’s University are shown below.  

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4.2 Reporting of Final Grades

Cornell University and Queen’s University record grades in identical formats. At both Queen’s University and Cornell University, final grades are reported in two formats: letter grades and grade points. The table shown below summarizes the system from Queen’s University.  
 
Cornell and Queen’s University  
Letter Grades and Grade Points as are shown on Transcript  

Grading (Business)

Letter Grade	Grade Point	Percentage
A+	4.3	90-100
A	4.0	85-89.9
A-	3.7	80-84.9
B+	3.3	77-79.9
B	3.0	73-76.9
B-	2.7	70-72.9
C+	2.3	67-69.9
C	2.0	63-66.9
C-	1.7	60-62.9
D+	1.3	57-59.9
D	1.0	53-56.9
D-	0.7	50-52.9
F	0.0	0-49.9

Other possible entries which may be assigned by an instructor include:     

System of Grading

Letter Grade	Description
NW	Not Written
P	Pass
IN or INC*	Incomplete
AG	Aegrotat
AU	Audit Only
ED	Exam Deferred
GD	Grade Deferred
IP	In Progress
CR	Credit
S	Satisfactory
U	Unsatisfactory
W	Withdrawn
NG	Not Graded

*Converts to failure after one term (120 days)  

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4.3 Assessment of Individual Performance

Each course professor in the Program establishes a method for assessing individual performance (as opposed to performance on team-based work) for each participant in his or her course. This may include, but is not restricted to, examinations, individual papers, projects or other assignments.  
  
At the end of the course, the professor prepares an overall assessment of individual performance for each participant (such as a weighted average of individual scores). The course professor sets a criterion for a passing individual performance grade and any other policies related to individual performance in a course.  
  
The method will be explained by the professor at the start of each course. Any failing grade on the individual performance assessment is reported to the Program Directors. As stated in Section 2, failure of the individual component of a course constitutes a violation of the program regulations and will be referred to the JAC.  

5: CURRICULUM

Core Courses: 

Managing and Leading Orgs (MBQC 851, 3.90 s.h.)
Financial Accounting (MBQC 811, 3.90 s.h.)
Business Decision Models (MBQC 862, 3.90 s.h.)
Marketing Management (MBQC 831, 3.90 s.h.)
Managerial Finance (MBQC 821, 3.90 s.h.)
Global Macroeconomics (MBQC 883, 1.95 s.h.)
Microeconomics (MBQC 882, 1.95 s.h.)
Business Strategy (MBQC 901, 3.90 s.h.) 
Operations Management (MBQC 941, 3.90 s.h.)

Non-Core Courses:

Role Of The General Manager (MBQC 800, 3.90 s.h.) 
Negotiations (MBQC 952, 1.95 s.h.)  
New Venture Management (MBQC 981, 3.90 s.h.) 
Valuation Principles (MBQC 804, 1.95 s.h.)  
Transformational Leadership (MBQC 990, 1.95 s.h.)
Management Accounting (MBQC 812, 3.00 s.h.)
Cornell Management Simulation (MBQC 925, 1.95 s.h.)
Corporate Governance (MBQC 926, 1.05 s.h.)  
Corporate Financial Policy (MBQC 822, 1.95 s.h.)  
Global Strategy (MBQC 902, 3.90 s.h.)
Marketing Strategy (MBQC 932, 3.00 s.h.)
Management Information Systems (MBQC 917, 1.95 s.h.) 
Leadership High Performance Teams (MBQC 801, 1.95 s.h.) 
Individual Project (MBQC 808, 5.70 s.h.)
Global Business Project (MBQC 907, 5.70 s.h.)    
Elective 1 
Elective 2     

6: LEARNING TEAMS

6.1 Learning Teams

Learning Teams are a foundation of the Program.  The Learning Team is critical to a student’s success in the Program as well as being a means of managing the demanding workload of the Program. It also provides an opportunity to draw on the varied backgrounds and expertise of other team members and enriches the student’s learning experience as a whole.   Most courses allocate approximately 50% of the course weight to teamwork.  

Students are assigned to a Learning Team at the beginning of the Program. It is a Program requirement that students function effectively and supportively within their Learning Teams and make effective and ethical use of team resources in satisfying course requirements.  Learning Teams remain intact for the duration of the Program; however, additional “working groups” are formed for some courses in the Program.  

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6.2 Performance in Learning Team

Performance in the Learning Team is an academic requirement for successful completion of the Program (see Section 2.2, (c).  Students must perform effectively and supportively on the Team according to the standards and norms of the Team.  Failure to do so can result in a requirement to withdraw from the Program.    

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6.3 Team Coaches

In order to get the best experience on the Learning Team, each team is assigned a professionally trained Team Coach. The Team Coach works regularly with the team and its individual members throughout the Program delivering best practices, instruction, advice, and coaching on team processes, development, and performance. Team coaches may also work with a team on interpersonal issues or concerns with regard to the performance (effectiveness) or behaviour (supportiveness) of individual team members.  

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 6.4 Relocation

The only circumstance under which a student may request to change Learning Teams is the student’s permanent relocation to a new region.  The student must be in Good Academic Standing (that is, both academically and on their team) in the Program.  A student on Academic Probation or operating under a Performance Improvement Plan is not eligible to change to a different team.    

Students in Good Academic Standing are responsible for advising the Program Director as early as possible about a pending move and to make a formal request for assignment to a new Learning Team.  The Program Director and the Director of Team Coaching jointly consider requests to change and determine a course of action with the student.  If the request to relocate is granted, the student must be available for a team building/integration session with the new Learning Team.  

7: OTHER ACADEMIC POLICIES

7.1 Withdrawals and Re-Admissions  

A participant who withdraws from the Program, whether voluntarily or as a result of a program mandated requirement to withdraw, is subsequently no longer considered to be an enrolled student of either Cornell University or Queen's University. There is no leave of absence status from the Program. Following withdrawal from the Program, former participants may apply for readmission at future date if they wish. It is important to note that prior admission to the Program is not a guarantee of future re-admission. To initiate an application for re-admission, former participants must submit all documents and materials required by the admissions procedures in force at the time of their application for re-admission. All applications for re- admission will be submitted to the JAC for evaluation and approval since the re-admission decision rests with the JAC. In some cases a participant who withdraws will be re-admitted on probation. Participants who withdraw while under probation will continue on probation if they are re-admitted to the Program.  For more information regarding program fees and withdrawals, see section 10.2.

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7.2 Probation

The consequences for participants who violate Program academic standards and regulations are explained above and in other documents relating to both Universities. All such violations will be reviewed by the JAC. As a result of this review, participants may be placed on probation within the Program. Probationary standing is imposed by the JAC and is normally accompanied by a performance contract or a set of expectations that must be met if the participant is to continue in the Program. Probationary status continues until the JAC determines that the terms and conditions of the contract or the expectations have been met. Failure to meet the terms and conditions of the contract or expectations normally leads to the participant's required withdrawal from the Program.  

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7.3 Class Attendance

Because participant interaction and class contribution are integral parts of the Program and because of the tight integration of course content and themes, participants are required to attend all class sessions of all courses in the Program. However, in recognition that participants are facing the need to balance their careers, personal lives, and the demands of the Program, a threshold has been set that a participant may not miss more than 25% of the class sessions of any course (see Section 2.2, (d), of “Academic Standards and Regulations”). A participant who is unable to attend or who will be late for a class must inform the Program staff in writing 24 hours before the start of class. Attendance is taken during all classroom sessions. Missing a portion of a class, i.e. arriving late or leaving early, will be counted as a partial absence for the purposes of calculating the percentage of a course that has been missed by a participant. Please note that missing a class session for any reason still counts as a missed class.  

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7.4 Assignments and Examinations  

Student evaluation for all courses within the Program is determined by the course professor. Accordingly, professors may employ evaluation devices such as assignments, projects, presentations, or examinations in any course at any point within the Program. Professors normally inform participants of the specific form and timing of the evaluation devices for a particular course at the start of that course.  
  
During in-class examinations no participant may use, give, or receive any assistance or information not given in the examination or by the proctor. No participant may take an examination for another participant. Between the time a take-home examination is distributed and the time it is submitted by a participant for grading, the participant may not consult with any persons other than the course professor and teaching assistants regarding the examination. The participant is responsible for understanding the conditions under which the examination will be taken.  
  
Assigned work must be completed by the prescribed times unless other arrangements have been approved in writing by the instructor. A participant is strongly encouraged to contact the course professor if it appears that he or she may not be able to complete assigned work within the time period prescribed by the course professor. Participants should assume that penalties will be applied for late submission of any work. Participants who are unable to write a final examination due to a verified illness may petition the Program Directors for permission to write a special examination.  
  
Assignments will not be accepted if they contain a computer virus. Any assignment that is detected carrying a computer virus will be immediately destroyed, and the participant will be notified. The participant must then re-submit the assignment virus-free. If the assignment is not re-submitted before the assignment deadline it will be marked “late.” It is the responsibility of participants to ensure that all electronic submissions are virus-free.  
  
It is common for faculty in the program to either grade your assignment submission electronically or request a paper copy.  In cases where faculty grade a paper copy, the program office will scan the graded paper assignment, convert it to an electronic document and then return the electronic document via the course website.  It is our policy to keep the paper copy of the graded assignment in our office for 4 weeks following the date the electronic document is returned to the student.  Our office will destroy all paper copy assignments after this time. It is therefore important that you review your electronic graded assignment and advise us if you have any concerns within the time period provided.  
  
In accordance with Senate policy, all graded exams must be retained by the professor or the school for a period of 12 months following the exam date.  After this time, all exams are destroyed.  

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7.5 Class Participation

Class participation grades are allocated in some courses. Different instructors may define participation in different ways. For example, participation may include contributions to class discussions, class attendance, timely completion of assigned work, and any other relevant factors as judged by the instructor. Professors who elect to evaluate class participation as part of participant evaluation will normally define the specific form and opportunities for this participation at the start of that course.  

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7.6 Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources Policy

All members of the Queen’s community are bound by the Queen’s policy on the Acceptable Use of Information Technology (IT) Resources.    

The policy states:   
The use of Queen's University information technology (IT) resources must be consistent with the academic mission of the University. These IT resources are provided to support the teaching, learning, research and administrative activities of the Queen's community. As a member or guest of the Queen's community, you may have access to valuable internal and external networks and resources, and Sensitive Information, and you are expected to use these resources in a responsible, ethical, and legal manner. Your actions should not adversely affect the ability of others to use these resources, or compromise the security and privacy of sensitive information.  

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7.7 Queen's University Code of Conduct

Queen’s University is dedicated to learning, intellectual inquiry, the dissemination and advancement of knowledge, personal and professional development, and good citizenship.  All students are required to read and adhere to Queen’s University Student Code of Conduct.  

Students are expected to adhere to and promote the University’s core values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect and personal responsibility in all aspects of University life, academic and non-academic. These core values are intended to inform and guide student conduct as they foster mutual respect for the dignity, property, rights and well-being of others.  

As a member of the Queen’s community, every student accepts the University’s policies, rules and procedures and acknowledges the right of the University to set standards of conduct, as well as the right of the University and/or its Authorized Agent(s) to impose sanctions for conduct found to have violated those standards.     

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7.8 Professionalism and Facilities Etiquette

All study and work spaces provided by Smith School of Business should be treated with respect and care.  All students are expected to properly reserve space, use the facilities for the purposes for which they are intended, and to leave spaces clean, tidy, in the proper furniture configuration and with the room supplies.   

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7.9 Travel Insurance

Health insurance that covers international travel is necessary for all persons participating in international activities to protect them from significant financial problems while abroad and to ensure optimal emergency health care. It is your sole responsibility to ensure you have health insurance that covers international travel.

8: ACADEMIC STANDARDS AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY AND AT QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY

Participants in the Program are enrolled in both Cornell University and Queen’s University, and are subject to the policies, regulations, and requirements of both of these two institutions. Participants are required to understand these policies, requirements, and supporting resources. For detailed information, please refer to these resources: 

8.1 Cornell University 

• Cornell Code of Conduct   The Honor Code  
• Code of Academic Integrity  
• Student Disability Services    

8.2 Queen's University 

• Queen’s University Student Code of Conduct   
• Smith School of Business Policy on Academic Integrity   
• Senate Policy on Student Appeals, Rights and Discipline   
• Queen’s Student Accessibility Services (QSAS)

9: SPECIFIC ACADEMIC STANDARDS REGARDING PLAGIARISM

 9.1 Cornell University 

•   Code of Academic Integrity  
• Recognizing and Avoiding Plagiarism    

9.2 Queen's University 

• Academic Integrity Policy

​9.3 Plagiarism Concerns: Process for Participants and Teams 

The links provided above in Sections 9.1 and 9.2 provide you with the detailed policies of Cornell University and Queen’s University regarding academic integrity and academic dishonesty. These are broad topics and cover a wide range of settings and situations. Easy access to a very large source of electronic information via the Internet has made the specific academic integrity issue of plagiarism a topic deserving of further discussion.

Meeting the academic requirements of the EMBAA program will frequently require participants to research a topic. Researching any topic requires reading the works of others. Referring to the works of others in your own analysis is perfectly acceptable as long as correct standards for such references are followed. The aim of such standards is to ensure that the works of others is not misrepresented as your original work. You can learn more about the acceptable standards and formats to include references, citations, and quotations in your work at the following Cornell website: https://plagiarism.arts.cornell.edu/tutorial/index.cfm

It is your responsibility as a participant in a Cornell University and Queen’s University program to understand these standards and apply them correctly in order to avoid plagiarism in the work you submit for evaluation. As clearly stated in the Johnson MBA Handbook (see link in Section 9.2 above), “If you are unsure whether an action is a violation of the Code of Academic Integrity, ask your instructor,” (emphasis in original). This applies to uncertainty of whether the format of the inclusion of the work of others in your work constitutes plagiarism.

As many of the academic requirements of the EMBAA program are satisfied through the work created by teams, special consideration should be given to maintaining the academic standards of Cornell University and Queen’s University while submissions are being prepared collaboratively. Here are the recommended steps that teams should follow to ensure this is the case:

1. As an individual participant in the EMBAA program, read and understand the academic standards of Cornell University and Queen’s University (see links in Sections 9.1 and 9.2 above). 
2. As an individual participant in the EMBAA program, read and understand the required standards and formats for references, citations, and quotations to be used in the preparation of work for submission for academic credit. 
3. If the Lead or any other member of a team is concerned that a team member’s submission to a team-based course deliverable (e.g., project, paper, assignment, case analysis) may not have met the required standards or formats for including the work of others, then this concern should be raised directly with the team member who made the submission. The goal of this discussion and review is to ensure that the proper formats and standards are being used when the work of others needs to be referenced, cited, or quoted. The expected outcome of such a discussion and review should be the incorporation of any necessary changes to the submission in order for it to meet the required academic standards. 
4. If, following the discussion and review described in (c) above, consensus cannot be met among the team members as to whether the required standards and formats have been applied or if any uncertainty in the matter still exists in the mind of any team member, then the Lead should approach the course professor with a request to clarify and confirm the acceptable approach to incorporating the work of others into the final deliverable. (Note: At any point prior to the final submission of a deliverable, asking a professor for guidance regarding the correct application of standards and formats for incorporating the work of others into that deliverable constitutes seeking advice and does not constitute a determination of whether or not academic standards have been met. Such a determination can only be based on the deliverable officially submitted to the professor for evaluation.) 
5. Understand that a team member who is chronically submitting draft work that does not meet required standards and formats for including materials created by other people may be assessed to determine if he or she is meeting the academic requirement to function effectively and supportively in the Learning Team (Section 2.2, Regulation [d]). 

Following the steps listed above should lead teams to avoiding situations where a breach in academic integrity has occurred.  It is strongly recommended that any participant who has concerns that his or her work or the work of the team of which he or she is a member may not meet the academic standards of Cornell University and Queen’s University seek advice. The Program Directors, course professor or team coach are all available to offer such advice. 

10: FINANCIAL POLICY

The Program fees cover tuition, books, instructional materials, accommodations, and meals during the residential sessions and an allowance for the international business trip. Program fees are due at the prescribed times to the university of primary enrollment (see Section 1). Interest will be charged on overdue accounts. Participants with overdue accounts will not be permitted to register for or attend new courses, attend classes for any course in which they are currently enrolled, or attend residential sessions until all debts have been paid in full.  

10.1 Fee Schedule  

Program fee amounts and the payment schedule are not the same at Cornell University and Queen’s University. Payments should be made according to the school of primary enrollment (see Section 1).  
  
For participants whose institution of primary enrollment is Queen’s University a portion of the total fees are paid in USD directly to Cornell University and the remainder is paid to Queen’s University.  

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10.2 Program Fees and Withdrawals

A student who withdraws from the Program, whether voluntarily or as a result of a requirement to withdraw, is subsequently no longer considered to be an enrolled student of Queen's University. There is no opportunity for students to take a leave of absence from the Program, except in extraordinary circumstances.

The funding model for Smith School of Business Professional Graduate Programs is distinct from MSc and PhD programs at Smith, the latter designated part of the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs. Therefore, the Completion/Withdrawal Schedule for School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs does not apply to students registered in Smith School of Business Professional Graduate Programs. If you choose to withdraw from a Professional Graduate Program, you may be eligible for a refund.

Depending on the date of withdrawal and the fees already paid, a participant who withdraws from the Program may be eligible for a refund of fees as follows:

1. Program fees are due in full for all completed courses
2. For partially completed courses, 50% of the course fee is due up to and including half-way point of the course.  After the half-way point of the course, the fee will be prorated based on the length of time the participant is enrolled in the course.
3. The fee for the projects will be prorated based on the credits earned in non-project courses by the participant at the time of withdrawal.
4. There will be no refund of in-residence fees incurred.
5. There will be no refund of advisor fees incurred for individual projects.
6. For refund calculation purposes the fee per course credit is calculated by the Finance Office.  The refund per course is adjusted according to the credit weight of the particular course taken.

Students with a Queen’s or Smith scholarship will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Queen's Smith School of Business directly for more information.

10.2.1      Re-admission

Former students may apply for re-admission. It is important to note that prior admission to the Program is not a guarantee of future re-admission. To initiate an application for re-admission, former students must submit all documents and materials required by the admissions procedures in place at the time of their application for re-admission.

In some cases, a student who has withdrawn will be re-admitted on Academic Probation. Students who withdraw while on Academic Probation will continue on Probation if they are re-admitted to the Program.  Students who have been required to withdraw from the Program will not normally be re-admitted to the Program.

All applications for re- admission will be submitted to the JAC for evaluation and approval since the re-admission decision rests with the JAC .

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10.3 Late Payments

If a participant does not pay the Program fees on time then interest charges will accrue. Moreover, any participant with a late payment may be required to stop attending classes.  

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10.4 Disbursement Form  

All participants enrolled in the Executive MBA Americas Program, regardless of institution of primary enrollment, must complete and sign a Disbursement Form with the Cornell University Bursar’s Office. This form will be distributed electronically to your Cornell University email account shortly after you have enrolled in the Executive MBA Americas Program. Failure to complete this form will result in fines being placed on a participant’s account and the inability to register in courses.  

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10.5 Other Fees and Expenses

The Program includes accommodations and meals for the three residency sessions for the dates indicated on the program schedule. Any participant who arrives before dates stated as arrival dates on the program schedule or remains beyond the departure dates, as stated on the program schedule, is responsible for their own accommodation and meals. Please note this policy also includes situations in which unexpected weather delays may require a participant to alter travel plans.  Please contact the program staff at your university of primary enrollment if you have any questions regarding arrival and departure arrangement.  

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10.6 Outstanding Debts

Students should consult the Program website or Director for the fee schedule and late payment policies. 

Queen’s University Senate Policy on Student Debtors provides that:

Any student with an overdue debt with the University will not be permitted to register or receive examination results, official transcripts or marks reports until the outstanding account is settled in full or until an acceptable arrangement for settling the account is made. In no case will a diploma be released to a student with an outstanding debt with the University.

Students with outstanding debts may also be restricted from registering for, or attending, courses and Program residential sessions until all debts have been paid in full or an acceptable arrangement for the payment of debt has been reached.

Interest will be charged to the student account on any overdue amount. Interest is calculated on a compound basis. Account queries should be addressed to the Smith Finance Office at Queen's Smith School of Business.

Class of 2025

For students beginning the Executive MBA Americas Program in Summer 2023. 

1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose 

The purpose of the Academic Calendar is to acquaint students with the academic requirements, regulations, policies, procedures and expectations of the Program. It is the responsibility of the student to read and understand the entire Academic Calendar. Questions about any of its contents should be directed to the Program Director. While this document primarily discusses program level topics, Section 8 lists on-line resources to access detailed information at the school and university-levels.  
  
Participants in the Executive MBA Americas program are enrolled at both Cornell University and Queen’s University, and are therefore subject to the policies, regulations, and requirements of both institutions. Notwithstanding this dual enrollment, participants based in the United States and Mexico are considered to have Cornell University as their institution of primary enrollment and participants based in Canada, Lima, or Santiago are considered to have Queen’s University as their institution of primary enrollment. This document is somewhat tailored to focus on students with Queen’s as their institution of primary enrollment.   
  
With respect to the appeal of academic decisions, every participant is restricted to the policies of his or her institution of primary enrollment.  
  
Communications regarding academic matters pertaining to the Executive MBA Americas Program should be directed to:  
  
Johnson Graduate School of Management 
Cornell University 
209 Dryden Road 
Ithaca, New York 14850 
Tel. (607) 255-7941 
Fax (607) 241-9055          
  
Smith School of Business  
Queen’s University  
ATTN EMBA Americas  
Goodes Hall  
Kingston, Ontario K7L 4B5  
Tel. (888) 393-2622  
Fax (613) 533-2313 

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1.2 Acknowledgement of Territory   

Queen’s University in Kingston is situated on traditional Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Territory. To acknowledge this traditional territory is to recognize its longer history, one predating the establishment of the earliest European colonies. It is also to acknowledge this territory’s significance for the Indigenous peoples who lived, and continue to live, upon it – people whose practices and spiritualities were tied to the land and continue to develop in relationship to the territory and its other inhabitants today. The Kingston Indigenous community continues to reflect the area’s Anishinaabek and Haudenosaunee roots. There is also a significant Métis community and there are First Peoples from other Nations across Turtle Island present today.   

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1.3 For Students of British Columbia 

In British Columbia, this Program is offered under the written consent of the Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development (effective May 19, 2010) having undergone a quality assessment process and been found to meet the criteria established by the minister. Nevertheless, prospective students are responsible for satisfying themselves that the Program and the degree will be appropriate to their needs (for example, acceptable to potential employers, professional licensing bodies, or other educational institutions).   

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1.4 For Students of Alberta 

This Program is offered pursuant to the written approval of the Minister of Advanced Education and Technology effective June 2010 having undergone a quality assessment process and been found to meet the criteria established by the Minister. Nevertheless, prospective students are responsible for satisfying themselves that the Program and the degree will be appropriate to their needs (for example, acceptable to potential employers, professional licensing bodies, or other educational institutions).  

2: PROGRAM ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS

2.1 Course Requirements  

Each candidate for the MBA degrees must successfully complete all of the required courses in the Executive MBA Americas program (the “Program”). Credit is granted for each course towards the academic requirements of both universities. A total of 60 credit hours are required for the Cornell MBA degree and 78 credit units are required for the Queen’s MBA degree. Note that Cornell credit hours and Queen’s credit units are not the same but are related as follows:  
  
  1 “full” course  =  Seven 4-hour sessions  
    =  2.5 Cornell credit hours  
    =  3.9 Queen’s credit units  
  
Many, but not all, courses in the curriculum are “full” courses. Within the curriculum, courses are a variety of lengths. In these cases, the number of 4-hour sessions, Cornell credit hours, and Queen’s credit units all change proportionally.  

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2.2 Academic Standards and Regulations

All participants in the Program are subject to the academic standards and regulations shown below. In the case where a participant violates any one of these regulations, that participant is normally required to withdraw from the Program. However, the specific decision regarding the consequences or sanctions for violating any of these academic regulations rests with the Program’s Joint Academic Committee (the “JAC”) and is determined on a case-by-case basis.  

1. A participant must maintain and/or achieve a minimum average grade for all courses taken in the Program (see Section 4 of this document for a detailed discussion of the grading systems at Cornell University and Queen’s University). A participant must maintain a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.7 and a minimum GPA of 2.5 in core courses. Grades of INCOMPLETE (INC) count as F in the calculation of the averages described above.  
2. A participant may not receive a final course grade of less than D- on any course.  
3. A participant must function effectively and supportively in the Learning Team throughout the duration of the Program (see Section 6: Learning Teams for more information). 
4. Students are expected to not miss more than 25% of the class sessions of any course.   
5. A participant must obtain a passing grade on individual performance in each course (see Section 4.3 “Assessment of Individual Performance”).  

In the event that a participant is deemed to be in violation of the Academic Integrity standards of either University, the JAC will, when required, refer the matter to the body at the University of primary enrollment that deals with Academic Integrity matters. Please ensure that you are familiar with the Academic Integrity policies of each University by going to the web addresses set out in Section 8 of this calendar.  
  
Please refer to the next section to understand the process of how these academic regulations and standards are applied.  
  
It is a participant’s responsibility to inform the Program Directors at the earliest possible date of any medical, learning disability, or other challenges that may impede his or her ability to meet the academic standards of the Program.  

3: ACADEMIC DECISIONS AND APPEALS

Participants in the Program are enrolled in both Cornell University and Queen’s University and are therefore subject to the policies, regulations, and requirements of both of these institutions. It is the responsibility of every participant in the Program to read and understand these policies, regulations, and requirements.  
  
Notwithstanding this dual enrollment, participants based in the United States and Mexico are considered to have Cornell University as their institution of primary enrollment and participants based in Canada, Lima, or Santiago are considered to have Queen’s University as their institution of primary enrollment. With respect to the appeal of academic decisions, every participant is restricted, when pursuing an appeal or dealing with violations of Academic Integrity issues, to the policies of his or her institution of primary enrollment.  

3.1 Joint Academic Committee (JAC)

The responsibility of applying the Program’s academic standards and regulations belongs to the JAC. The JAC is comprised of six members: three individuals from each school.  

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3.2 Review of Participants' Academic Performance

Any participant who has violated an academic regulation of the program (see Section 2.2 for a list of academic regulations) is deemed to be in “academic jeopardy”. When this situation occurs, the following process is followed:  

1. The participant is informed by the JAC that he or she is in violation of the Program’s academic regulation.  
2. The JAC meets to conduct an initial review of the case of the participant in academic jeopardy (as defined by failure to meet the Academic Standards and Regulations described in Section 2). The outcome of this initial review is a description of the action the JAC is contemplating. As a result of the violation of the Program’s academic regulations participants are normally required to withdraw from the Program. However, the JAC reviews each case to determine the specific consequences that will be applied.  
3. Once the JAC has conducted an initial review, it sends a letter to the participant requesting a hearing so he or she can appear before the JAC to discuss his or her academic performance (the “Letter”). The Letter will set out the actions the JAC is contemplating in respect to the violation and alerts the participant that, should he or she wish to appear before the JAC, he or she may have witnesses with pertinent information and/or a faculty member acting as an advisor attend the hearing. The Letter will provide the participant with a date (the “Date”) by which the participant must notify the JAC of his or her intention in respect of setting a date for a hearing or for submitting written submissions to the JAC in lieu of a hearing. A participant who does not respond to the Letter by the Date will be deemed to have waived his or her rights to a hearing or to submit written submissions in respect to the matter in question and the JAC will proceed to make a final decision in respect of the matter in accordance with the process outlined in (d) below. The JAC will set a date for a hearing once it is notified by the participant that he or she wishes to appear before the JAC. The hearing shall be conducted within three weeks after the day that the JAC receives the notification from the participant.  
4. Upon: (i) the completion of the hearing; or (ii) the receipt of written submissions if the participant elects not to appear before the JAC; or (iii) the receipt by the JAC of notification that the participant agrees with the proposed course of action, terms and conditions set out in the Letter; or (iv) the failure of the participant to respond by the Date, the JAC will exercise one (1) of the following options by majority vote:  
   1. Specify conditions under which the participant is permitted to continue in the Program. These conditions typically specify additional required work and/or a minimum grade average that must be attained in the future. In these cases the participant shall be placed on probationary standing. The specific terms of the probationary standing and, in some cases, how this probationary standing may be removed prior to the completion of the Program will also be specified by the JAC.  
   2. Take the formal action of requiring the participant to withdraw from the Program. This action ends the participant’s registration as a student in both Cornell University and Queen’s University. This action is taken when the JAC deems the participant incapable of satisfactory completion of MBA degree requirements.  
   3. Approve the course of action, terms and conditions set out in the Letter  

The date of any sanction imposed by the JAC will take effect in accordance with Section 3.3 Effective Date of Sanction.  

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3.3 Appeals of Academic Decisions 

With respect to the appeal of academic decisions, every participant is restricted to the policies of his or her institution of primary enrollment.  

1. CORNELL UNIVERSITY: Decisions of the JAC regarding academic performance shall be final and non-appealable except that a decision “May not Reregister” may be appealed to the Dean, or his or her designate, responsible for Executive MBA programs. He or she decides either to confirm the JAC’s decision or request that the JAC reconsiders the case.  
2. QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY: Appeals of academic decisions fall into two possible categories: appeals of grades and general appeals (all other appeals). Different processes are in place to handle these appeals.  
   1. Appeal of Academic Decisions  
      1. The JAC applies the academic regulations as outlined in Section 2 to the cases of any participants who are in violation of one or more program requirements and notifies the participant in writing of the JAC’s decision and the right of appeal.  
      2. The appeal process at Queen’s University allows for multiple levels of appeal in a graduated sequence. The first level of appeal is at the Program level. In the case of the Program, the JAC is the first body to which an appeal is submitted. A participant intending to appeal a decision of the JAC must notify the Queen’s University Program Director of his or her intention to appeal no later than fourteen (14) days after receiving notice of the JAC’s decision. At that time the Queen’s University Program Director will provide further information regarding appeal processes and their timelines. The participant will then have fourteen (14) days to submit their appeal in writing to the Queen’s University Program Director.  
      3. If a participant’s appeal is unsuccessful at the Program level, the participant may choose to advance the appeal to the school level. The body that hears appeals at the Smith School of Business level is the Academic Appeals Committee of Faculty Board. The Faculty Board of  Smith School of Business has delegated to the Academic Appeals  Committee the responsibility for dealing with appeals of decisions of the JAC. The Academic Appeals Committee is composed of five Faculty Board members and is chaired by the non-voting Chair of Faculty Board. Four of the Committee members are faculty, one of whom teaches in the Bachelor of Commerce program, one in the MSc/PhD program, one in the MBA program, and one in a Queen’s Executive MBA program. None are contemporaneously members of the JAC.  
      4. A participant who is appealing to the Academic Appeals Committee of Faculty Board must provide a written submission outlining why he or she is appealing the JAC decision. The participant has the right to appear in person before the Academic Appeals Committee to state his or her case and answer any questions posed by members of this Committee. The participant may also bring representation, which would normally be a Queen’s University coordinator of Dispute Resolution or their designate or legal counsel. The participant also has the right to have the appeal resolved in a timely fashion and, with one exception explained in (iii) below, may not be subject to any sanction or penalty until the appeal is resolved.  
      5. In the event of an appeal to the Academic Appeals Committee of Faculty Board, the Chair of the JAC will summarize for the Academic Appeals Committee the deliberations of the JAC and the decision regarding the participant. The participant has the right to hear these details.  
      6. After hearing the case, the Academic Appeals Committee will uphold or dismiss the participant’s appeal. In doing so, it will ensure that the process complies with the principles of natural justice. These principles include the rights of the participant appellant and matters of academic fairness in relation to academic program regulations.  
      7. The participant will be notified in writing by the Secretary or the Chair of  Faculty Board (also orally if the appellant appeared before the Committee) of the Academic Appeals Committee’s decision. If the participant receives a negative response on the appeal, the participant also receives contact information for the University Student Appeal Board as a next level of appeal.  
      8. A participant has the right to appeal an adverse academic decision of the JAC on procedural grounds, but no right to seek a review of the underlying academic assessment as the basis for an appeal. In general, procedural grounds for appeal fall into two categories. First, a decision may be appealed on the grounds that the process leading up to this decision was flawed or incorrectly administered. Second, a decision may be appealed on the grounds of extenuating circumstances of which the JAC was unaware when the decision was made.  
      9. Note that it is the participant’s responsibility to clearly establish that grounds for an appeal exist as the basis for an appeal. At each level of the appeal process, the body asked to hear the appeal may decide that appropriate grounds for appeal have not been established and, as a result, the appeal will not be heard.  
   2. Appeals of Grades  
      1. Decision-making about participants’ academic progress and appeals of those decisions initially is dealt with at the individual faculty and program level. Examination papers and class records of participants whose final grade in a course is a few marks below a D-, C-, B-, or A- grade are reviewed with special care by faculty members before such grades are assigned. If a participant feels that, for a course taught by Queen’s faculty, a course grade, or a portion of it, has been unfairly assessed, an attempt should be made to resolve the issue informally with the instructor involved. If the participant feels that the issue remains unresolved, he or she should contact the Director of the Program at Queen’s who will establish a process of resolution as described below.  
      2. Requests for reconsideration by the Program Director must be accompanied by a fee of $100. This fee will be refunded to the participant if, as a result, a failing grade is raised to a pass or if a pass is raised to a higher letter grade modifier (i.e. a B to a B+). The reconsideration shall be conducted by two examiners appointed by the Queen’s University Program Director or his or her designate; one examiner shall be the original instructor or grader, if available. The reconsideration shall involve a re-reading of the final examination or deliverable(s) in the course and a review of the participant's course record. It shall be the responsibility of the participant to preserve all exercises, papers, reports, and other graded material for the course and to submit a file of these documents with the request for reconsideration. The scanned copy of any graded assignment or material returned to a participant shall be deemed to be the original document for the purposes of this section. The decision of the examiners shall be final.  
   3. Effective Date of Sanction  
      1. Sanctions or adverse academic decisions, such as Academic Probation (and its terms and conditions) or a requirement to withdraw, shall take effect as soon as the student accepts the sanction OR exhausts (or allows to lapse) their right to appeal to the next level in accordance with Section 33 of Queen’s University Student Academic Appeals Policy.  
   4. Effective Date of Sanctions for Failure to Function in the Learning Team  
      1. Students should note that the JAC may determine that an adverse academic decision (e.g. required withdrawal) as a result of the violation of the academic standard detailed in section 2.2 (C) requires that a student’s participation in the team be halted during the appeal process to ensure that the interests of third parties (i.e. the learning experience and academic evaluation of the other members of the Learning Team) are not adversely affected.  However, the student will be permitted to continue in the Program to the extent feasible until all levels of appeal are exhausted.  

4: GRADING

4.1 Approaches to Grading  

Each course professor in the Program establishes the evaluation criteria and grading scheme for his or her course. This grading scheme will be explained by the professor at the start of each course. In addition, this grading scheme is normally described in each course syllabus.  
  
The final grade reporting systems used at Cornell University and Queen’s University are not identical. The two systems differ in approach. The faculty at the Johnson School have determined that the expected average final Grade Point for a core course and for a non-core course is 3.50. Please refer to Section 5 for a list of core and non-core courses. In determining the final course grades, Johnson School faculty will use a course-specific internal grading process that is unique to a single course and cannot be generalized to other courses. For example, when taught by Cornell professors a raw, internal score of 81 in one course may lead to a different final Grade Point (and associated letter grade) than the same raw, internal score in a different course.  
  
At Smith School of Business, the faculty has not established an expected average grade for courses. Most faculty use numerical grading schemes and final grades are often awarded for courses taught by Queen’s professors based on actual grades received on all deliverables as set out in the respective course outlines which are then translated into a letter grade. Accordingly, the interpretation of internal course grades can be generalized across courses. For example, when taught by Queen’s professors a raw, internal score of 81 in one course will lead to the same final letter grade as the same raw, internal score in a different course.  It is important that participants understand the differences between the two grading systems.  
  
By default, you should assume that the Cornell University grading system approach will be used in all courses that are co-taught by professors from each school. In these situations, however, the professors will confirm at the start of the course which university’s grading format will apply. The grading systems under which the final grade for a course will be reported on the transcripts of Cornell University and Queen’s University are shown below.  

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4.2 Reporting of Final Grades

Cornell University and Queen’s University record grades in identical formats. At both Queen’s University and Cornell University, final grades are reported in two formats: letter grades and grade points. The table shown below summarizes the system from Queen’s University.  
 
Cornell and Queen’s University  
Letter Grades and Grade Points as are shown on Transcript  

Grading (Business)

Letter Grade	Grade Point	Percentage
A+	4.3	90-100
A	4.0	85-89.9
A-	3.7	80-84.9
B+	3.3	77-79.9
B	3.0	73-76.9
B-	2.7	70-72.9
C+	2.3	67-69.9
C	2.0	63-66.9
C-	1.7	60-62.9
D+	1.3	57-59.9
D	1.0	53-56.9
D-	0.7	50-52.9
F	0.0	0-49.9

Other possible entries which may be assigned by an instructor include:     

System of Grading

Letter Grade	Description
NW	Not Written
P	Pass
IN or INC*	Incomplete
AG	Aegrotat
AU	Audit Only
ED	Exam Deferred
GD	Grade Deferred
IP	In Progress
CR	Credit
S	Satisfactory
U	Unsatisfactory
W	Withdrawn
NG	Not Graded

*Converts to failure after one term (120 days)  

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4.3 Assessment of Individual Performance

Each course professor in the Program establishes a method for assessing individual performance (as opposed to performance on team-based work) for each participant in his or her course. This may include, but is not restricted to, examinations, individual papers, projects or other assignments.  
  
At the end of the course, the professor prepares an overall assessment of individual performance for each participant (such as a weighted average of individual scores). The course professor sets a criterion for a passing individual performance grade and any other policies related to individual performance in a course.  
  
The method will be explained by the professor at the start of each course. Any failing grade on the individual performance assessment is reported to the Program Directors. As stated in Section 2, failure of the individual component of a course constitutes a violation of the program regulations and will be referred to the JAC.  

5: CURRICULUM

Core Courses: 

Managing and Leading Orgs (MBQC 851, 3.90 s.h.)
Financial Accounting (MBQC 811, 3.90 s.h.)
Business Decision Models (MBQC 862, 3.90 s.h.)
Marketing Management (MBQC 831, 3.90 s.h.)
Managerial Finance (MBQC 821, 3.90 s.h.)
Global Macroeconomics (MBQC 883, 1.95 s.h.)
Microeconomics (MBQC 882, 1.95 s.h.)
Business Strategy (MBQC 901, 3.90 s.h.) 
Operations Management (MBQC 941, 3.90 s.h.)

Non-Core Courses:

Role Of The General Manager (MBQC 800, 3.90 s.h.) 
Negotiations (MBQC 952, 1.95 s.h.)  
New Venture Management (MBQC 981, 3.90 s.h.) 
Valuation Principles (MBQC 804, 1.95 s.h.)  
Transformational Leadership (MBQC 990, 1.95 s.h.)
Management Accounting (MBQC 812, 3.00 s.h.)
Cornell Management Simulation (MBQC 925, 1.95 s.h.)
Corporate Governance (MBQC 926, 1.05 s.h.)  
Corporate Financial Policy (MBQC 822, 1.95 s.h.)  
Global Strategy (MBQC 902, 3.90 s.h.)
Marketing Strategy (MBQC 932, 3.00 s.h.)
Management Information Systems (MBQC 917, 1.95 s.h.) 
Leadership High Performance Teams (MBQC 801, 1.95 s.h.) 
Individual Project (MBQC 808, 5.70 s.h.)
Global Business Project (MBQC 907, 5.70 s.h.)    
Elective 1 
Elective 2     

6: LEARNING TEAMS

6.1 Learning Teams

Learning Teams are a foundation of the Program.  The Learning Team is critical to a student’s success in the Program as well as being a means of managing the demanding workload of the Program. It also provides an opportunity to draw on the varied backgrounds and expertise of other team members and enriches the student’s learning experience as a whole.   Most courses allocate approximately 50% of the course weight to teamwork.  

Students are assigned to a Learning Team at the beginning of the Program. It is a Program requirement that students function effectively and supportively within their Learning Teams and make effective and ethical use of team resources in satisfying course requirements.  Learning Teams remain intact for the duration of the Program; however, additional “working groups” are formed for some courses in the Program.  

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6.2 Performance in Learning Team

Performance in the Learning Team is an academic requirement for successful completion of the Program (see Section 2.2, (c).  Students must perform effectively and supportively on the Team according to the standards and norms of the Team.  Failure to do so can result in a requirement to withdraw from the Program.    

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6.3 Team Coaches

In order to get the best experience on the Learning Team, each team is assigned a professionally trained Team Coach. The Team Coach works regularly with the team and its individual members throughout the Program delivering best practices, instruction, advice, and coaching on team processes, development, and performance. Team coaches may also work with a team on interpersonal issues or concerns with regard to the performance (effectiveness) or behaviour (supportiveness) of individual team members.  

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 6.4 Relocation

The only circumstance under which a student may request to change Learning Teams is the student’s permanent relocation to a new region.  The student must be in Good Academic Standing (that is, both academically and on their team) in the Program.  A student on Academic Probation or operating under a Performance Improvement Plan is not eligible to change to a different team.    

Students in Good Academic Standing are responsible for advising the Program Director as early as possible about a pending move and to make a formal request for assignment to a new Learning Team.  The Program Director and the Director of Team Coaching jointly consider requests to change and determine a course of action with the student.  If the request to relocate is granted, the student must be available for a team building/integration session with the new Learning Team.  

7: OTHER ACADEMIC POLICIES

7.1 Withdrawals and Re-Admissions  

A participant who withdraws from the Program, whether voluntarily or as a result of a program mandated requirement to withdraw, is subsequently no longer considered to be an enrolled student of either Cornell University or Queen's University. There is no leave of absence status from the Program. Following withdrawal from the Program, former participants may apply for readmission at future date if they wish. It is important to note that prior admission to the Program is not a guarantee of future re-admission. To initiate an application for re-admission, former participants must submit all documents and materials required by the admissions procedures in force at the time of their application for re-admission. All applications for re- admission will be submitted to the JAC for evaluation and approval since the re-admission decision rests with the JAC. In some cases a participant who withdraws will be re-admitted on probation. Participants who withdraw while under probation will continue on probation if they are re-admitted to the Program.  For more information regarding program fees and withdrawals, see section 10.2.

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7.2 Probation

The consequences for participants who violate Program academic standards and regulations are explained above and in other documents relating to both Universities. All such violations will be reviewed by the JAC. As a result of this review, participants may be placed on probation within the Program. Probationary standing is imposed by the JAC and is normally accompanied by a performance contract or a set of expectations that must be met if the participant is to continue in the Program. Probationary status continues until the JAC determines that the terms and conditions of the contract or the expectations have been met. Failure to meet the terms and conditions of the contract or expectations normally leads to the participant's required withdrawal from the Program.  

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7.3 Class Attendance

Because participant interaction and class contribution are integral parts of the Program and because of the tight integration of course content and themes, participants are required to attend all class sessions of all courses in the Program. However, in recognition that participants are facing the need to balance their careers, personal lives, and the demands of the Program, a threshold has been set that a participant may not miss more than 25% of the class sessions of any course (see Section 2.2, (d), of “Academic Standards and Regulations”). A participant who is unable to attend or who will be late for a class must inform the Program staff in writing 24 hours before the start of class. Attendance is taken during all classroom sessions. Missing a portion of a class, i.e. arriving late or leaving early, will be counted as a partial absence for the purposes of calculating the percentage of a course that has been missed by a participant. Please note that missing a class session for any reason still counts as a missed class.  

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7.4 Assignments and Examinations  

Student evaluation for all courses within the Program is determined by the course professor. Accordingly, professors may employ evaluation devices such as assignments, projects, presentations, or examinations in any course at any point within the Program. Professors normally inform participants of the specific form and timing of the evaluation devices for a particular course at the start of that course.  
  
During in-class examinations no participant may use, give, or receive any assistance or information not given in the examination or by the proctor. No participant may take an examination for another participant. Between the time a take-home examination is distributed and the time it is submitted by a participant for grading, the participant may not consult with any persons other than the course professor and teaching assistants regarding the examination. The participant is responsible for understanding the conditions under which the examination will be taken.  
  
Assigned work must be completed by the prescribed times unless other arrangements have been approved in writing by the instructor. A participant is strongly encouraged to contact the course professor if it appears that he or she may not be able to complete assigned work within the time period prescribed by the course professor. Participants should assume that penalties will be applied for late submission of any work. Participants who are unable to write a final examination due to a verified illness may petition the Program Directors for permission to write a special examination.  
  
Assignments will not be accepted if they contain a computer virus. Any assignment that is detected carrying a computer virus will be immediately destroyed, and the participant will be notified. The participant must then re-submit the assignment virus-free. If the assignment is not re-submitted before the assignment deadline it will be marked “late.” It is the responsibility of participants to ensure that all electronic submissions are virus-free.  
  
It is common for faculty in the program to either grade your assignment submission electronically or request a paper copy.  In cases where faculty grade a paper copy, the program office will scan the graded paper assignment, convert it to an electronic document and then return the electronic document via the course website.  It is our policy to keep the paper copy of the graded assignment in our office for 4 weeks following the date the electronic document is returned to the student.  Our office will destroy all paper copy assignments after this time. It is therefore important that you review your electronic graded assignment and advise us if you have any concerns within the time period provided.  
  
In accordance with Senate policy, all graded exams must be retained by the professor or the school for a period of 12 months following the exam date.  After this time, all exams are destroyed.  

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7.5 Class Participation

Class participation grades are allocated in some courses. Different instructors may define participation in different ways. For example, participation may include contributions to class discussions, class attendance, timely completion of assigned work, and any other relevant factors as judged by the instructor. Professors who elect to evaluate class participation as part of participant evaluation will normally define the specific form and opportunities for this participation at the start of that course.  

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7.6 Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources Policy

All members of the Queen’s community are bound by the Queen’s policy on the Acceptable Use of Information Technology (IT) Resources.    

The policy states:   
The use of Queen's University information technology (IT) resources must be consistent with the academic mission of the University. These IT resources are provided to support the teaching, learning, research and administrative activities of the Queen's community. As a member or guest of the Queen's community, you may have access to valuable internal and external networks and resources, and Sensitive Information, and you are expected to use these resources in a responsible, ethical, and legal manner. Your actions should not adversely affect the ability of others to use these resources, or compromise the security and privacy of sensitive information.  

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7.7 Queen's University Code of Conduct

Queen’s University is dedicated to learning, intellectual inquiry, the dissemination and advancement of knowledge, personal and professional development, and good citizenship.  All students are required to read and adhere to Queen’s University Student Code of Conduct.  

Students are expected to adhere to and promote the University’s core values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect and personal responsibility in all aspects of University life, academic and non-academic. These core values are intended to inform and guide student conduct as they foster mutual respect for the dignity, property, rights and well-being of others.  

As a member of the Queen’s community, every student accepts the University’s policies, rules and procedures and acknowledges the right of the University to set standards of conduct, as well as the right of the University and/or its Authorized Agent(s) to impose sanctions for conduct found to have violated those standards.     

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7.8 Professionalism and Facilities Etiquette

All study and work spaces provided by Smith School of Business should be treated with respect and care.  All students are expected to properly reserve space, use the facilities for the purposes for which they are intended, and to leave spaces clean, tidy, in the proper furniture configuration and with the room supplies.     

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7.9 Travel Insurance

Health insurance that covers international travel is necessary for all persons participating in international activities to protect them from significant financial problems while abroad and to ensure optimal emergency health care. It is your sole responsibility to ensure you have health insurance that covers international travel.

8: ACADEMIC STANDARDS AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY AND AT QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY

Participants in the Program are enrolled in both Cornell University and Queen’s University, and are subject to the policies, regulations, and requirements of both of these two institutions. Participants are required to understand these policies, requirements, and supporting resources. For detailed information, please refer to these resources: 

8.1 Cornell University 

• Cornell Code of Conduct   The Honor Code  
• Code of Academic Integrity  
• Student Disability Services    

8.2 Queen's University 

• Queen’s University Student Code of Conduct   
• Smith School of Business Policy on Academic Integrity   
• Senate Policy on Student Appeals, Rights and Discipline   
• Queen’s Student Accessibility Services (QSAS)

9: SPECIFIC ACADEMIC STANDARDS REGARDING PLAGIARISM

 9.1 Cornell University 

•   Code of Academic Integrity  

9.2 Queen's University 

• Academic Integrity Policy

​9.3 Plagiarism Concerns: Process for Participants and Teams 

The links provided above in Sections 9.1 and 9.2 provide you with the detailed policies of Cornell University and Queen’s University regarding academic integrity and academic dishonesty. These are broad topics and cover a wide range of settings and situations. Easy access to a very large source of electronic information via the Internet has made the specific academic integrity issue of plagiarism a topic deserving of further discussion.

Meeting the academic requirements of the EMBAA program will frequently require participants to research a topic. Researching any topic requires reading the works of others. Referring to the works of others in your own analysis is perfectly acceptable as long as correct standards for such references are followed. The aim of such standards is to ensure that the works of others is not misrepresented as your original work. You can learn more about the acceptable standards and formats to include references, citations, and quotations in your work at the following Cornell website: https://plagiarism.arts.cornell.edu/tutorial/index.cfm

It is your responsibility as a participant in a Cornell University and Queen’s University program to understand these standards and apply them correctly in order to avoid plagiarism in the work you submit for evaluation. If you are unsure whether an action is a violation of the Code of Academic Integrity, ask your instructor. This applies to uncertainty of whether the format of the inclusion of the work of others in your work constitutes plagiarism.

As many of the academic requirements of the EMBAA program are satisfied through the work created by teams, special consideration should be given to maintaining the academic standards of Cornell University and Queen’s University while submissions are being prepared collaboratively. Here are the recommended steps that teams should follow to ensure this is the case:

1. As an individual participant in the EMBAA program, read and understand the academic standards of Cornell University and Queen’s University (see links in Sections 9.1 and 9.2 above). 
2. As an individual participant in the EMBAA program, read and understand the required standards and formats for references, citations, and quotations to be used in the preparation of work for submission for academic credit. 
3. If the Lead or any other member of a team is concerned that a team member’s submission to a team-based course deliverable (e.g., project, paper, assignment, case analysis) may not have met the required standards or formats for including the work of others, then this concern should be raised directly with the team member who made the submission. The goal of this discussion and review is to ensure that the proper formats and standards are being used when the work of others needs to be referenced, cited, or quoted. The expected outcome of such a discussion and review should be the incorporation of any necessary changes to the submission in order for it to meet the required academic standards. 
4. If, following the discussion and review described above, consensus cannot be met among the team members as to whether the required standards and formats have been applied or if any uncertainty in the matter still exists in the mind of any team member, then the Lead should approach the course professor with a request to clarify and confirm the acceptable approach to incorporating the work of others into the final deliverable. (Note: At any point prior to the final submission of a deliverable, asking a professor for guidance regarding the correct application of standards and formats for incorporating the work of others into that deliverable constitutes seeking advice and does not constitute a determination of whether or not academic standards have been met. Such a determination can only be based on the deliverable officially submitted to the professor for evaluation.) 
5. Understand that a team member who is chronically submitting draft work that does not meet required standards and formats for including materials created by other people may be assessed to determine if he or she is meeting the academic requirement to function effectively and supportively in the Learning Team (Section 2.2, (3)).

Following the steps listed above should lead teams to avoiding situations where a breach in academic integrity has occurred.  It is strongly recommended that any participant who has concerns that his or her work or the work of the team of which he or she is a member may not meet the academic standards of Cornell University and Queen’s University seek advice. The Program Directors, course professor or team coach are all available to offer such advice. 

10: FINANCIAL POLICY

The Program fees cover tuition, books, instructional materials, accommodations, and meals during the residential sessions and an allowance for the international business trip. Program fees are due at the prescribed times to the university of primary enrollment (see Section 1). Interest will be charged on overdue accounts. Participants with overdue accounts will not be permitted to register for or attend new courses, attend classes for any course in which they are currently enrolled, or attend residential sessions until all debts have been paid in full.  

10.1 Fee Schedule  

Program fee amounts and the payment schedule are not the same at Cornell University and Queen’s University. Payments should be made according to the school of primary enrollment (see Section 1).  
  
For participants whose institution of primary enrollment is Queen’s University a portion of the total fees are paid in USD directly to Cornell University and the remainder is paid to Queen’s University.  

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10.2 Program Fees and Withdrawals

A student who withdraws from the Program, whether voluntarily or as a result of a requirement to withdraw, is subsequently no longer considered to be an enrolled student of Queen's University. There is no opportunity for students to take a leave of absence from the Program, except in extraordinary circumstances.

The funding model for Smith School of Business Professional Graduate Programs is distinct from MSc and PhD programs at Smith, the latter designated part of the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs. Therefore, the Completion/Withdrawal Schedule for School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs does not apply to students registered in Smith School of Business Professional Graduate Programs. If you choose to withdraw from a Professional Graduate Program, you may be eligible for a refund.

Depending on the date of withdrawal and the fees already paid, a participant who withdraws from the Program may be eligible for a refund of fees as follows:

1. Program fees are due in full for all completed courses
2. For partially completed courses, 50% of the course fee is due up to and including half-way point of the course.  After the half-way point of the course, the fee will be prorated based on the length of time the participant is enrolled in the course.
3. The fee for the projects will be prorated based on the credits earned in non-project courses by the participant at the time of withdrawal.
4. There will be no refund of in-residence fees incurred.
5. There will be no refund of advisor fees incurred for individual projects.
6. For refund calculation purposes the fee per course credit is calculated by the Finance Office.  The refund per course is adjusted according to the credit weight of the particular course taken.

Students with a Queen’s or Smith scholarship will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Queen's Smith School of Business directly for more information.

10.2.1      Re-admission

Former students may apply for re-admission. It is important to note that prior admission to the Program is not a guarantee of future re-admission. To initiate an application for re-admission, former students must submit all documents and materials required by the admissions procedures in place at the time of their application for re-admission.

In some cases, a student who has withdrawn will be re-admitted on Academic Probation. Students who withdraw while on Academic Probation will continue on Probation if they are re-admitted to the Program.  Students who have been required to withdraw from the Program will not normally be re-admitted to the Program.

All applications for re- admission will be submitted to the JAC for evaluation and approval since the re-admission decision rests with the JAC .

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10.3 Late Payments

If a participant does not pay the Program fees on time then interest charges will accrue. Moreover, any participant with a late payment may be required to stop attending classes.  

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10.4 Disbursement Form  

All participants enrolled in the Executive MBA Americas Program, regardless of institution of primary enrollment, must complete and sign a Disbursement Form with the Cornell University Bursar’s Office. This form will be distributed electronically to your Cornell University email account shortly after you have enrolled in the Executive MBA Americas Program. Failure to complete this form will result in fines being placed on a participant’s account and the inability to register in courses.  

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10.5 Other Fees and Expenses

The Program includes accommodations and meals for the three residency sessions for the dates indicated on the program schedule. Any participant who arrives before dates stated as arrival dates on the program schedule or remains beyond the departure dates, as stated on the program schedule, is responsible for their own accommodation and meals. Please note this policy also includes situations in which unexpected weather delays may require a participant to alter travel plans.  Please contact the program staff at your university of primary enrollment if you have any questions regarding arrival and departure arrangement.  

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10.6 Outstanding Debts

Students should consult the Program website or Director for the fee schedule and late payment policies. 

Queen’s University Senate Policy on Student Debtors provides that:

Any student with an overdue debt with the University will not be permitted to register or receive examination results, official transcripts or marks reports until the outstanding account is settled in full or until an acceptable arrangement for settling the account is made. In no case will a diploma be released to a student with an outstanding debt with the University.

Students with outstanding debts may also be restricted from registering for, or attending, courses and Program residential sessions until all debts have been paid in full or an acceptable arrangement for the payment of debt has been reached.

Interest will be charged to the student account on any overdue amount. Interest is calculated on a compound basis. Account queries should be addressed to the Smith Finance Office at Queen's Smith School of Business.