College of Online Education Mission Statement
The Mission of Life University’s College of Online Education is to provide a high-quality global online educational experience, based on a vitalistic philosophy, that maximizes each student’s innate potential to pursue their goals and assume roles in leadership and the workplace through the application of integrity and principles of lasting purpose.
General Information for Online Students
Taking an Online Course
An online course provides students with flexibility by replacing face-to-face traditional classes with engaging online instructional activities. An online course requires that students work in an asynchronistic environment, where students will need to:
- Manage their time effectively and efficiently;
- Take increased responsibility of their learning;
- Be willing to seek help from instructors when needed;
- Regularly log into the online course;
- Fully engage in all aspects of the online environment;
- Be self-motivated;
- Be willing to learn independently.
In addition to the above, students should also ensure that they have a quiet learning space for completing their online work and collaborating with others in a virtual environment. Students should own a computer that meets the minimum technology requirements as stipulated below.
Software & Hardware Requirements
- Windows 10
- Current version of Microsoft Office or “Office 2016 Home & Student” installed.
- 2 GHz or faster CPU
- 8GB or more RAM
- 200 GB or larger hard drive
- Internet Speed of 20 Mbps or Faster
- Speakers
- Microphone
- A University e-mail address
- A Web-Cam
Some courses may have additional requirements. Instructors will give students more Information.
Students must complete an assessment in their student orientation to verify they have the required hardware and software.
Internet Skills
An online student should be able to:
- Send and receive e-mail
- Open an attachment to a message
- Find a Web page using its address or URL
- Follow links from one web page to another
- Use the forward and backward buttons on the browser
- Print a web page
- Bookmark pages to access them later
- Use a search engine on the Internet (e.g., Yahoo!, Google, etc.)
- Download documents or software from the Internet
- Upload documents
Accessing Online Courses
Life University online courses are administered through the Blackboard Learning Management System.
Students can submit an IT request to LIFE’s Information Technology department if they are experiencing issues accessing their online courses. The IT request form can be found via the Life University Website. Blackboard support can also be contacted by emailing blackboardsupport@life.edu.
Online Student Orientation
Fully online students are required to successfully complete a Distance Education Orientation, DEO 100 , in Blackboard by the end of week two of their first quarter of enrollment. Failure to participate during week one will result in deregistration from the DEO-100 course.
Online De-Registration Policy
AS.026
Students will be notified of de-registration on Wednesday of week two with the actual de- registration notification sent to Registrar and Financial Aid at the end of the day on Monday of week three. (Actual de-registration will then occur on Tuesday of week three due to system batching.)
Students may register for an online offering through Friday of week one; Blackboard batch for enrollment takes 24-hours. Students in this situation will need to be advised to participate academically by Monday of week three and inform the Associate Dean of COE of the late enrollment. Below outlines the De-registration timeline:
· Faculty will receive notification of pending de-registration by student/course between Wednesday-Friday of week two.
· A final notification will be sent to faculty by student/course at the end of the day on Monday of week three.
· Students are officially de-registered from their course(s) by Tuesday of week three.
If a student is de-registered from a course, they may appeal the de-registration to the Chief Online Education Officer by the end of the day on Tuesday of week three. The student must provide documentation of the extenuating circumstance(s) that prevented them from participating in the course, and a plan detailing how they will successfully complete the remainder of the course.
Test Monitoring
Some Online courses will use a test monitoring platform for student authentication in test-tasking. Additional information on this service and its use will be found in the individual online course(s).
Science Labs
Some science courses require labs at an additional fee. Each course contains specific information on the cost and accessing the labs.
Student Complaints
Complaint Resolution
The mission of Life University is to empower each student with the education, skills, and values needed for career success and life fulfillment based on a vitalistic philosophy. Life University takes all student and consumer complaints very seriously. The University works with students to resolve all complaints in an expeditious, fair, and pleasant manner. The complaint process provides students a path to discuss academic and non-academic concerns or register formal complaints or grievances. This process can also be used to address alleged violations of State consumer protection laws that include but are not limited to fraud and false advertising, alleged violations of State laws or rules relating to the licensure of post-secondary institutions, complaints relating to the quality of education, or other State or accreditation requirements. Post-secondary institutions participating in federal student financial aid programs are required to maintain formal grievance procedures.
Students are encouraged to resolve issues within the University.
Complaints should first be filed internally to the appropriate Life University authority and then, if necessary, to external authorities.
Complaint Resolution related to Academic Matters
Concerning academic questions or complaints, the student should first go to the instructor involved. If questions are not satisfactorily handled or the complaint adequately handled, the student should go to the instructor’s immediate supervisor (the assistant dean/division chair). The next step in the student complaint process is for the student to go to the associate dean of the college in which the student is enrolled, and then to the dean of the appropriate college if needs are not satisfactorily met through the associate dean. If students wish to appeal the decision of the dean, they should contact the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President for Academic Affairs will make the final decision.
Complaint Resolution related to Non-Academic Matters
Students with grievances relating to non-academic matters should confer with the Dean of Students. Dean of Students will facilitate a review of the issue as it relates to Life University policy. The role of the Dean of Students is to facilitate a resolution to each issue presented as well as ensure that each individual is treated fairly and in accordance with all Life University policies, procedures and standards of conduct. If a resolution cannot be achieved, the Dean of Students may refer the student to the appropriate department to determine what additional steps may be available.
Complaint Resolution related to Title IX
In keeping with its mission, Life University is dedicated to cultivating and maintaining an environment free from all forms of discrimination and harassment. Sexual harassment and sex-based discrimination is prohibited by federal law and by University policy. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs and activities, including various forms of sexual misconduct and discrimination for failure to conform to sex-stereotypes. Title IX applies to every member of the Life University community. Anyone with a complaint of discrimination should contact the Title IX Coordinator by phone at: 770-426-2686 or by email at: TitleIX@life.edu.
Online Forms
- Online form to report an Academic Misconduct violation
- Online form to report an alleged behavioral violation of the Honor Code or for General Complaints
- Online form to report a student of concern to the Student Behavioral Assessment Team (SBAT)
- Online form to report a Sexual Misconduct Violation
Complaint Resolution related to Distance Education
Life University participates with NC-SARA and is fully authorized to offer distance education. SARA consumer protection provisions require the Institution’s Home State, through its SARA Portal Entity, to investigate and resolve allegations of dishonest or fraudulent activity by the state’s SARA-participating institutions, including the provision of false or misleading information.
The student should begin the complaint process with the institution and if resolution is not found, the student may file a complaint with the State of Georgia by contacting the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission.
Complaint Resolution by State
Students/consumers residing outside of Georgia in a Non-SARA state may file a complaint with the appropriate consumer protection agency in the state they live in.
| Alabama |
Kansas |
New Jersey |
Texas |
| Alaska |
Kentucky |
New Mexico |
US Virgin Islands |
| Arizona |
Louisiana |
New York |
Utah |
| Arkansas |
Maine |
North Carolina |
Vermont |
| Colorado |
Maryland |
North Dakota |
Virginia |
| Connecticut |
Massachusetts |
Ohio |
Washington |
| Delaware |
Michigan |
Oklahoma |
West Virginia |
| Florida |
Minnesota |
Oregon |
Wisconsin |
| Georgia |
Mississippi |
Pennsylvania |
Wyoming |
| Hawaii |
Missouri |
Puerto Rico |
Washington, DC |
| Idaho |
Montana |
Rhode Island |
|
| Illinois |
Nebraska |
South Carolina |
|
| Indiana |
Nevada |
South Dakota |
|
| Iowa |
New Hampshire |
Tennessee |
|
Complaint Resolution by Accreditor
If the student/consumer is not satisfied with the resolution provided by the University and the state, they may file a complaint with the University accreditation agency. Accrediting agencies will only review issues addressing significant non-compliance with agency standards, policies, or procedures. This is to be considered a last resort effort. If the student/consumer has not followed all of the preceding steps, they will be directed by the agency to start at the University.
Life University has accreditation with the following agencies:
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
404-679-4501
http://sacscoc.org
Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE)
8049 North 85th Way
Scottsdale, AZ 85258-4321
404-443-8877
www.cce-usa.org
Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training (CAATE)
6836 Austin Center Blvd., Suite 250
Austin, TX 78731-3193
512-733-9700
http://caate.net
United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/howto.html?src=rt