SFBU Policies

A young female student reading book and preparing for exam with textbook enjoying playlist at SFBU library

San Francisco Bay University (SFBU), in accordance with applicable Federal and State law and University policy, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national, and/or ethnic origin, sex, marital status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy*, physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer related or genetic characteristics), ancestry, religion, service in the uniformed services** , or age. SFBU also prohibits unlawful harassment including sexual harassment and sexual violence. This policy of non-discrimination applies to all aspects of admission, education, employment, financial aid, student activities, and other school-administered programs. SFBU is obligated to investigate all discrimination complaints, including harassment in an unbiased, thorough manner.

 

Anyone with questions about SFBU’s non-discrimination policy or complaints is encouraged to contact the Legal Team at compliance@sfbu.edu.

* Pregnancy includes pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth.

** Service in the uniformed services includes membership, application for membership, the performance of service, application for service, or obligation for service in the uniformed services.

 


SFBU takes grievances regarding the institution seriously. Students have the right to file a grievance that concerns SFBU, whether such grievances are with personnel, the course of study, general university policies, or other related matters. This policy describes the grievance procedure available to students.

1) INFORMAL RESOLUTION

SFBU highly encourages students to attempt to informally resolve concerns directly with the aggrieving party or department. Students are particularly encouraged to informally resolve academic matters, such as those involving course policies, with their instructor, or, if their instructor is not available, with their respective dean, prior to filing a grievance. Grade appeals may be made as described in the section of this catalog entitled “Grading Policy and Academic Standards.”

Even after initiating the formal grievance process, students are encouraged to seek informal resolution of their concerns. A student whose concerns are resolved may withdraw a formal grievance at any point in the process.

With regard to appeals of disciplinary action and all other grievances, including those related to harassment and discrimination, no student is obligated to attempt informal resolution and may bring a formal grievance to the administration as outlined in this policy.

2) TIMING

Academic grievances and appeals of disciplinary action must be received by the administration within 30 days of the close of the academic term in which the first incident giving rise to the grievance occurred or the notice date of the disciplinary action.

There is no deadline for other types of complaints.

 

3) GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE AND RESOLUTION

All grievances and supporting documentation shall be submitted in writing to the SFBU Compliance Department. The grievance should be made using the SFBU Grievance Form, which is available on the SFBU website.

Please note that if a grievance is being filed in order to appeal disciplinary action, the grievance must include a description of the basis of appeal. Failure to state the basis of the appeal in the initial grievance may result in denial of the appeal. The following are the only valid bases of appeal:

  • new evidence which could reasonably be expected to cause the individual(s) reviewing the grievance to overrule prior disciplinary action,
  • failure to follow published SFBU policies in a way that materially disadvantaged the student;
  • demonstrated bias or discrimination and (iv) the sanction imposed is substantially disproportionate to the severity of the violation.

The grievance may be sent via email to compliance@sfbu.edu or delivered in person to the front desk of the SFBU Administrative Building during normal business hours. If the grievance is regarding SFBU Compliance or its personnel, then the grievance may be sent to the Executive Vice President via in person delivery to the front desk of the SFBU Administrative Building during normal business hours. In such case, complainant should specify that the grievance is regarding compliance or its personnel. Intake personnel, generally a member of SFBU Compliance, will review the form. If the form is complete, intake personnel will, within 5 business days of receipt, acknowledge receipt of the grievance and forward it to the appropriate party for review and resolution. Matters are generally forwarded as follows:

  • Academic matters are forwarded to the Chief Academic Officer, or the Chief Academic Officer’s designee.
  • Appeals of disciplinary action are forwarded to the Executive Vice President, or the Executive Vice President’s designee.
  • All other complaints are assigned to a member of SFBU Compliance.

Depending upon the type and complexity of the grievance, the appropriate party may, in their discretion, adjudicate the matter or assign the matter to a Grievance committee.

Within 60 days of receipt of the grievance, SFBU shall provide a written response to the grievance via email. If further investigation is needed, the complainant will be provided with a written response to the grievance within 10 business days after completion of the investigation.

The complainant may appeal SFBU’s resolution by filing a statement of appeal that clearly describes the basis of appeal within 5 business days of the date of the written response. The President of SFBU, or the President’s designee, shall adjudicate the appeal within 30 days of SFBU’s receipt of complainant’s statement of appeal.

If a complainant has exhausted all grievance procedures provided under SFBU’s policies, the complainant may contact:

The WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), 1080 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 500, Alameda, CA 94501, 510.748.9001.

4) NO RETALIATION

No member of the SFBU community shall be subject to adverse action by SFBU based upon the reasonable good faith filing or participation in a grievance.

5) MAINTENANCE OF RECORDS

Records for student complaints are maintained for at least 6 years. Records for grievances made by non-students are maintained in accordance with applicable university policy.

 


SFBU adheres to the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements and provides reasonable accommodations for students who are otherwise qualified but have disabilities. Such disabilities may include learning disabilities, health impairments and other documented conditions.

Students who wish to discuss the availability of services for people with physical disabilities or temporary disabilities, or who wish to report barrier problems, should contact the Director of Counseling and Career Services.

 


Academic freedom includes, but is not necessarily limited to, the right to free inquiry, expression, and discussion. Faculty are members of a learned profession and stewards of this educational institution. When they speak or write as citizens, they should be free from institutional censorship or discipline. As educators, they should remember that the public may judge their profession and their institution by their utterances. SFBU will not retaliate against faculty members for sharing their convictions and responsible conclusions with their colleagues and students in their teaching and writing; however, faculty should not incorporate controversial matter that has no relation to their subject into their teaching. Faculty members are not authorized to engage in offensive speech such as hate speech or sexual harassment.

 


SFBU follows federal guidelines regarding credit hours.

Pursuant to 34 C.F.R. §600.2, a credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than –

  • 1) One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or semester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one-quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
  • 2) At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

The above shall apply to both in-person and distance education modalities.

One hour of classroom = One contact hour

One contact hour = 50 minutes of instruction

 


Undergraduate Transfer Credit

Course credit earned at other institutions of higher education may be transferable. Credit transfer is made by the admission evaluators while conducting the admission evaluation or by formal transfer agreement between institutions. The transfer of credit is done at the program-of-study level, topic area level, the major and major selectable levels and on a case-by-case basis. The following statements apply to all transfer credits:

  • The SFBU Admissions Office must receive all official transcripts prior to the student’s joining a degree program. Without preapproval, transcripts received after the student joins SFBU cannot be used in transferring credits, except for records from the term immediately preceding the student’s starting semester at SFBU. Up to 75 units of courses that have been reviewed and currently approved as part of a formal SFBU articulation/transfer agreement are guaranteed to transfer.
  • The student was officially enrolled in the course.
  • Courses eligible for transfer by prearranged transfer / articulation agreement shall follow the details contained in the agreement. Courses eligible for one-to-one matching course transfer will be evaluated based on the comparability in content, quality and rigor with SFBU’s courses. Required courses require a closer comparability match. Courses eligible for topic area transfer may be mapped to the program's relevant topic area unit requirements without the need for one-to-one course matching and may have their units used to lieu of required units with the approval of the Registrar and School Dean. The transfer evaluation will include, but is not limited to, course descriptions, course syllabi, and/or general public information. Students may be asked to provide course catalogs or syllabi if needed. Up to 75 semester units of courses that have been reviewed and currently approved as part of a formal SFBU articulation/transfer agreement are guaranteed to transfer.
  • When evaluating any foreign transcript, the admission evaluators may accept or transfer credit based on their knowledge of the course contents in comparison with similar courses offered in the U.S.
  • Without prior approval courses for transfer to SFBU may not be completed concurrently at another institution while a student is matriculated in an SFBU degree program.
  • College English courses taken at an institution where English is not an official language cannot be transferred for general education credit.
  • The credits under consideration for transfer must be earned at (1) institutions approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, (2) public or private institutions of higher learning accredited by an accrediting association recognized by the U. S. Department of Education, or (3) foreign institutions of higher learning. Credits earned at a foreign institution degree must be evaluated by a member of National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE), or American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)’s International Education Services.
  • Professional Development Units (PDUs) offered by professional/industry organizations cannot be transferred to SFBU for academic credit.
  • Continuing Education Units (CEUs) offered on a non-academic basis by other academic institutions cannot be transferred to SFBU for academic credit.
  • The total credits transferred from other institutions to meet the student’s undergraduate program requirements are limited to 75 semester units. Students must take at least 45 units at SFBU.
  • Credits transferred at the time of admission evaluation will reduce program length. Credit transferred from any outside institution has no effect on the calculation of the student’s GPA or CGPA.
  • Credits transferred from any outside institution are excluded from the maximum attempted units for the program.

Credits are transferred by the following conversion:

  • Definition of a Semester Unit:

    One semester credit hour equals, at a minimum, 15 contact classroom hours of lecture, 30 contact hours of laboratory, or 45 contact hours of practicum.

  • Conversion Factor:

    1 quarter unit = 0.66 semester unit

Grades Required for Transfer Credit

In the bachelor's degree programs, applicable courses completed with an equivalency of a letter grade of "C" or better are transferable. ​Courses completed with Pass/No Pass are not transferable unless the transcript states that the general grading policy is not based on letter grades. This policy must be in writing from the institution (transcript key or a letter of verification).

Other Types of Undergraduate Transfer Credit

The following other types of credit may be transferable:

  • AP/IB course credit earned which is considered to be equivalent to college credit.
  • Credit by Examination - CLEP

    SFBU grants credit to those students who pass examinations in English, natural sciences, humanities, and social science subjects offered by the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). Only General Education credits will be granted. Students should consult with the Admissions Office for information on acceptable CLEP scores and units. The CLEP Institution Code for SFBU is 7569.

  • Transfer of Credit from Defense Activity for Nontraditional Education Support (DANTES) and Military Services

    Credits will be allowed for DANTES Subject Standardized Tests and professional military education evaluated by the American Council on Education (ACE). The maximum transferable credits follow the same policies as specified above. SFBU’s evaluation of an application is made prior to the student’s admission to a program unless otherwise approved by the authorizing VA office. The DANTES Institution Code for SFBU is 9670.

Graduate Transfer Credit

Graduate course credit earned at other accredited higher education institutions may be transferable to meet the student’s graduation requirements if the courses are closely related to the engineering course requirements in the student’s intended program of study and the grade earned meets the requirement stated below. Such course credits are considered qualified transfer credits. Credit transfer is made by the admission evaluators while conducting the admission evaluation.

The following statements apply to qualified transfer credits:

  • The SFBU Admissions Office must receive all official transcripts prior to the student’s joining a degree program. Without preapproval, transcripts received after the student joins SFBU cannot be used in transferring credits, except for records from the term immediately preceding the student’s starting semester at SFBU. Up to 12 units of courses that have been reviewed and currently approved as part of a formal SFBU articulation/transfer agreement are guaranteed to transfer.
  • The student was officially enrolled in the course.
  • Courses eligible for transfer will be evaluated based on the comparability in content, quality and rigor of SFBU’s courses. The transfer evaluation will include, but is not limited to, course descriptions, course syllabi, and/or general public information. Students may be asked to provide course catalogs or syllabi if needed. Up to 12 units of courses that have been reviewed and currently approved as part of a formal SFBU articulation/transfer agreement are guaranteed to transfer.
  • No more than 12 units of qualified graduate-level course credits may be transferred. Students must take at least 24 units at SFBU degree program.
  • Without prior approval, courses for transfer to SFBU may not be completed concurrently at another institution while a student is matriculated in an SFBU.
  • The credits contemplated for transfer must be earned at (1) institutions approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, (2) public or private institutions of higher learning accredited by an accrediting association recognized by the U. S. Department of Education, or (3) foreign institutions of higher learning. Credits earned at a foreign institution degree must be evaluated by a member of National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE), or American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)’s International Education Services.
  • Professional Development Units (PDUs) offered by professional/industry organizations cannot be transferred to SFBU for academic credit.
  • Continuing Education Units (CEUs) offered on a non-academic basis by other academic institutions cannot be transferred to SFBU for academic credit.
  • Credits transferred, performed at the time of admission evaluation will reduce program length. Credit transferred from any outside institution has no effect on the calculation of the student’s GPA or CGPA.
  • Credits transferred from any outside institution are excluded from the maximum attempted units for the program.

Credits are transferred by the following conversion:

  • Definition of a Semester Unit:

    One semester credit hour equals, at a minimum, 15 contact classroom hours of lecture, 30 contact hours of laboratory, or 45 contact hours of practicum.

  • Conversion Factor:

    1 quarter unit = 0.66 semester unit

Grades Required for Transfer Credit

In the master’s degree programs, qualified courses completed with an equivalency of a letter grade of "B" or better are transferable. Courses completed with Pass/No Pass are not transferable unless the transcript states that the general grading policy is not based on letter grades. This policy must be in writing from the institution (transcript key or a letter of verification).