Course Regulations
Time Limits
You have 180 days to complete a course enrollment, which begins 14 days after we process your enrollment application. Course enrollment periods that include the OU winter break are afforded an additional 14 days to compensate for the interruption.
While there is no policy limiting how quickly you can complete a course, there are some conditions that can impact your progress. Each course has its own lesson submission requirements that may require sequential lesson submission and instructor feedback. The cycle of lesson submission/instructor feedback may be affected by mail delay, instructor availability and teacher load. Depending on whether you are in an online or print-based course, the amount of time required will vary. Online courses can generally be completed more quickly than print-based courses.
Students with completion deadlines should inform OU High School or the Center for Independent and Distance Learning at the time of enrollment. We will coordinate with the instructor to determine if the time requirement can be supported. Close and continuous communication during the course completion can insure that all involved are cooperating in achieving short deadlines.
Additionally, you must complete and submit all of your work—lessons and exams—at least three weeks before you need the final grade.
E-mail Communication
Communication and interaction between students and teachers is critical to success in our courses. The primary means for communication with our teachers and staff is through the use of e-mail.
All students who enroll at OU High School are assigned an OU email address. This email can be accessed via the Web or can be set to forward to your existing email account. Our staff will also use this e-mail address to communicate important information to you.
Click here for instructions and a demonstration video on setting up your OU e-mail account.
Lesson Submission: Print Courses
Our courses are designed to provide the greatest educational benefit if you submit one lesson at a time in sequential order and check the feedback from each lesson before submitting the next one or attempting an examination.
When we receive your lesson, it is recorded on your student record and sent to your instructor for grading. When the instructor returns it to us, we record your grade and return the lesson to you. Never send your lesson directly to your instructor. Lessons may be sent by mail, fax, e-mail or hand-delivered.
A student may submit two lessons for re-grading without charge. A fee will be charged for additional lessons submitted for re-grading.
Students enrolled in online courses are required to contact Student Services prior to submitting lessons for re-grading so the assignment can be reset.
Mailing Lessons Submit your completed lessons in the lesson envelopes provided in your enrollment packet. Be sure to include an assignment cover sheet with each submitted assignment. Lessons cannot be processed unless the information on the assignment cover sheet is complete.
Always make copies of your completed assignments before you submit them. Assignments don't get lost in the mail very often, but if yours should get lost, an extra copy will prevent your having to redo the assignment. Be sure to pay enough postage; we pay return postage.
Faxing Lessons If you prefer, you may also submit your lessons by fax, provided they do not require supplementary materials. Be sure to include the assignment cover sheet in your fax. If you would like faxed lessons returned by fax rather than by mail, there will be an additional fee. Please notify Student Services if you intend to submit lessons by fax. Please fax lessons to 405-325-7687.
E-Mailing Lessons You may also submit your lessons by e-mail, provided they do not require supplementary materials. Be sure to include the information on the assignment cover sheet in your e-mail. Some lessons are not suitable for e-mail. Please check with Student Services before submitting lessons by e-mail. Please submit e-mail lessons to cidl-lesson@ou.edu.
Hand-delivered Lessons Submit your completed lessons in the lesson envelopes provided in your enrollment packet. Be sure to include an assignment cover sheet with each submitted assignment. Lessons cannot be processed unless the information on the assignment cover sheet is complete. CIDL is located at 1600 Jenkins, Norman, OK 73072-6507. OUHS is open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Lesson Submission: Online Courses
Once enrolled in an online course you will be assigned an OU email address. You need to regularly check this e-mail account or forward it to an existing account that you use on a regular basis. E-mail is used for announcements and other notifications concerning our online courses.
You will complete your online course through the course management system Desire2Learn (D2L) using the log in information provided to you by our office.
In an online course most of your assignments will be in the form of online quizzes which you will complete in D2L. Some assignments will be submitted using the online drop box. Instructions for submitting a drop box assignment are included in the course syllabus.
Click here for instructions and a demonstration videos on taking quizes and submitting drop-box assignments in D2L.
Tests & Proctors
All courses require proctored exams. A proctor is someone in the student's area who will be available to supervise the student while taking exams.
If you are near the Norman area, you can take your exams at the Center for Independent and Distance Learning. The Center is open for examinations Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Call (405) 325-1921 to schedule an appointment. A photo ID is required to take your exams.
In many areas, a local college or university testing center can be used. In the absence of a testing center, students must identify a proctor other than their course tutors, parents or family members. Acceptable choices for a proctor include:
- A person currently employed as an educator (elementary, secondary or post-secondary teacher, a counselor, administrator or extension educator).
- Head librarians and your local clergy.
- Military personnel and their family members may use base or unit education officers, chaplains or superior commissioned officers.
- Embassy or consulate officials or other approved non-family members (for families living overseas).
All proctors must be approved by the OU High School (OUHS). If you are unable to arrange for an exam proctor under the conditions listed above, please contact us for help. OUHS reserves the right to reject any proposed exam proctor.
All exams must be supervised by a proctor. Exams must be taken in consecutive order. You must finish and send in the required lessons before you take an exam.
When we receive your Exam Request Form we mail the test to your proctor, provided we have received all of the necessary lessons. However, it is not your proctor's responsibility to remind you to take the exams. You will be charged a fee for resending the exam. Please contact OUHS at (405) 325-1921, (800) 942-5702 or click here for details.
It is not the test proctor's responsibility to schedule tests. It is your responsibility to schedule an appointment with your test proctor to take a test. A photo ID is required to take tests.
Course grades are based heavily on the results of supervised tests. The Center for Independent and Distance Learning has a no re-test policy. In order to make the best grade, you should take each test as soon as possible after you have received your graded lessons. If you are working on a deadline, you do not have to wait for the graded lessons to take a test. However, no test will be graded until all the lessons prior to it have been received in this office. To receive a grade for this course, you must do all of the assignments and take all of the tests.
Your test proctor will return paper tests to us for grading in the special envelope provided. As your tests are received, they are recorded on your student record and sent to the instructor for grading. Tests are never returned to you. Instead, you receive a grade card from your instructor after your test is graded.
For online courses tests will be taken in D2L. You need to complete an exam request form located in D2L to request passwords be sent to your test proctor. The proctor, who will then make the test available to you. Before you take your test it is a good thing to make sure the location you are taking the test at can access D2L.
If you want to review a test you must notify OUHS and your test proctor. The center will mail a copy of your test to your test proctor to review the exam. The exam will then be returned back to OUHS by the proctor. You cannot copy any part of the test, write down any answers or take any notes.
If you are reviewing an online test your test proctor will need to contact the center once you arrive so the test can be open for review. The test proctor needs to then notify the center when you have reviewed the test so we can close it. Again, you cannot copy any part of the test, write down any answers or take any notes.
Grades
OUHS uses a 4.0 grade scale to compute a diploma student's Grade Point Average (GPA). Course letter grades are assigned numeric values (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, F = 0.0) that are then averaged for all course work. The GPA will be indicated on the OU High School transcript. Grades of "W" are assigned for students who request to withdraw 30 days after the course start date if the course is not completed. Course study guides outline lesson and exam grading criteria for each course.
Effective August 1, 2009 for all new enrollments, a grade of "NC" will be assigned for all courses that are not completed before expiration of the enrollment if the student has not previously withdrawn.
Upon receiving a final course grade, we will send a letter of completion to the parent/legal guardian and to the high school shown on your enrollment application. Your course grade will be on file in our office permanently for your future needs.
Extensions
One 90-day extension can be granted if an application for the extension and an extension fee are submitted. Course extension requests must be submitted prior to your course expiration date. Extension payments can be made by check, money order or credit card. All extensions must be in writing. If you are under 18, a parent/legal guardian must request the extension. The 90-day extension starts on the scheduled end date of your course. Course extension requests must be received or postmarked prior to your course expiration date.
Download the course extension form.
Course Withdrawals
All withdrawals from CIDL courses must be in writing. If you withdraw from a course within 30 days of your start date, you will receive a 100% refund on tuition and books, less grading fees and shipping/handling. No refunds will be given for books with missing pages, books we no longer use, or for books returned soiled, marked or damaged. Audiocassette and CD-ROM sets must be complete and not damaged.
Where kits are used with a course, special refund conditions are explained in the course descriptions. No refund applies after the 30-day period. Allow six to eight weeks for the university to process your refund. Please contact CIDL at (405) 325-1921, (800) 942-5702 or download the course withdrawal form.
Withdrawal from a course must be done in writing. Withdrawals submitted after all course examinations have been taken by the student will NOT be processed. If you are under 18, a parent/legal guardian must request the withdrawal.
Books, Buy Back Policy & Replacements
The Center for Independent and Distance Learning will repurchase books under certain conditions. The course must be current and the textbooks must be in good condition. Please contact the Bookstore Manager at 405-325-1921, toll-free at 800-942-5702, or by e-mail at cidl@ou.edu before returning the books. The repurchase price can be as high as one half of the price that you originally paid for the text. CIDL is not responsible for books that do not reach our office. Any outstanding balance with the Bursar's Office will be deducted from the repurchase price. Refunds may take five or six weeks.
We cannot buy back workbooks with missing pages, books we no longer use, or books returned soiled, marked, or damaged. We will usually buy back for one half of the original price CDs that are purchased separately from the textbook(s), provided they aren't damaged in any way and the set is complete. Where kits are used with a course, special conditions exist.
If you need replacements for study guides, videotapes/CDs, or photocopies of lessons, contact Student Services. You must pay a processing fee plus the cost of the material.
Academic Honesty
Academic honesty is expected in the completion of the Center for Independent and Distance Learning courses. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to: cheating, plagiarism, fabrication of information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, unauthorized prior possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or work previously used without informing the instructor and securing written approval, or tampering with the academic work of other students. Any evidence of academic misconduct may warrant a failing grade, forfeiture of all fees, and an academic misconduct investigation.
If an OUHS instructor suspects academic misconduct, he or she will inform the High School Program Administrator within 10 business days (excluding University holidays) of discovering the evidence of possible misconduct. The High School Program Administrator will notify the student and the Academic Misconduct Board within 10 business days (excluding University holidays) of receiving notification from the instructor. The Academic Misconduct Board will consist of the Director of the Center for Independent and Distance Learning, the High School Program Administrator, and an OUHS faculty member. If the currently serving faculty member is the instructor who has alleged academic misconduct, another faculty member will be chosen. From the date the student is notified by the High School Program Administrator that he or she is suspected of academic misconduct, the student has 10 business days (excluding University holidays) to respond to OUHS regarding the suspected misconduct. After the 10-day period has elapsed, the Academic Misconduct Board will convene to examine the evidence of misconduct and the student's response. The Academic Misconduct Board then has 10 business days (excluding University holidays) to notify the student of the outcome. The decision of the Academic Misconduct Board will be final.
Student Conduct
Profane, vulgar, or threatening language or actions directed at a teacher, other staff members, or another student will not be tolerated.
Access and use of technology for communication and completion of courses through the Center for Independent and Distance Learning imposes certain responsibilities and obligations on the part of the student enrolled in the course. Appropriate use is ethical and honest, and demonstrates respect for physical and intellectual property, including system security protocols.
Students, teachers, and other personnel at the OUHS have a right to privacy and are protected by this policy from intimidation, harassment, and unwarranted annoyance from any other user.
When enrolling in the Center for Independent and Distance Learning, students accept the terms of this policy. Any violation of this policy could result in a student's dismissal from the Center for Independent and Distance Learning courses and the diploma program.
Appeals
Any student who would like to appeal a lesson or test grade must notify the course instructor of the dispute and must attempt to resolve differences no later than 30 business days (excluding CIDL holidays). Any student who would like to appeal a final grade must notify the course instructor of the dispute and must attempt to resolve differences no later than 30 business days (excluding CIDL holidays) after the grade has been posted and a letter of completion has been sent. The instructor will inform the High School Program Administrator of the dispute within 7 business days (excluding CIDL holidays) after the notification from the student. The instructor will consider the appeal, in consultation with the High School Program Administrator if desired on the part of the instructor, and will inform the student of the outcome of the appeal no later than 30 business days (excluding CIDL holidays) after the notification from the student. At that point, the decision of the instructor will be final.
Equal Access
This institution, in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices, or procedures. This includes, but is not limited to, admissions, employment, financial aide and educational services.
Disability Accommodation
The University of Oklahoma is committed to the goal of achieving equal educational opportunity and full participation for students with disabilities. Consistent with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, The University of Oklahoma ensures that no "qualified individual with a disability" will be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination solely on the basis of disability under any program or activity offered by The University of Oklahoma. If you require accommodation on the basis of a disability, please contact our office to discuss documentation requirements and reasonable academic accommodation.
Disability Documentation
In general, documentation of disability should be reasonably current and include:
- A diagnostic statement identifying the disability, date of current diagnostic evaluation, and date of the original diagnosis;
- A description of the diagnostic criteria used;
- A description of the diagnostic current functional impact of the disability;
- Treatment, medications, and assistive devices currently prescribed or in use;
- A description of the expected progression or stability of the impact of the disability over time; and
- The credential of the diagnosing professional(s).
Address/Name Changes
Notify Student Services of changes in name or address. Changes may be submitted by mail, fax, or e-mail to ouhigh@ou.edu. Please include your Sooner ID number, previous name and address, and current name and address. Official documentation must accompany requests for name changes.
Contact Information Enrollment
Office hours: 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. weekdays
(Note: These hours may vary during holidays)
Testing
Office hours: 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. weekdays
(Note: These hours may vary during holidays)
Note: Policies and procedures listed are subject to change without notice.
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OUHS