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All students enrolled at the Madina Institute agree to abide by its policies for the entire school year, whether on or off-campus. Keep in mind that one’s conduct is not only reflective of Islam, but of the Madina Institute as well. These policies are set out below but are subject to change over the academic year, without prior consent:
Academic Policies
Academic Integrity
Any academic work, examination or assignment submitted must be the work of the student only without any inappropriate assistance from another source. All sources used must be acknowledged & fully cited (as deemed appropriate by the instructor) and plagiarism is not tolerated (i.e. using another person’s work, words or ideas as one’s own, even if unintentional). Cheating, dishonesty, deceit, and falsification of facts are strongly prohibited. Students who witness or learn about any academic dishonesty taking place must report it to the instructor immediately. Reported violations will be investigated by administrators and if confirmed may result in:
- Requiring the student to redo the assignment or exam, or do an alternative assignment, or make up the grade by doing additional course work.
- Assigning an “F” or reduced grade for the assignment, exam or the term, with no possibility of making up the grade.
- Assigning an “F” or reduced grade for the entire class subject.
- Expulsion from the Institute.
No student shall make, distribute, reproduce, copy or make use of any copyrighted material without the permission of the author or owner thereof. Included in this definition are teaching materials, computer software, printed materials and audio or video recordings.
Class Attendance
Regular attendance of classes is a must for moral and academic success. Your presence in class is essential for not only your personal development but also has a vast impact on the morale and condition of the student body. Repeated or excessive absences can jeopardize your completion of the course. Students are required to attend at least 70% of lectures, and attendance is recorded daily. Students sign-in at the registrar daily upon arrival and departure, and check in electronically by fingerprint for security purposes. Students should be seated in the lecture hall PRIOR to the class start time, even if the instructor has not arrived.
Failure to maintain at least 70% attendance in a given class significantly reduces their grade in the class, and may prohibit them from taking examinations.
Excused Absences are only given by office administration due to family or medical emergency and accompanied by official documentation. Anticipated absence from class must be preceded by VERBAL or WRITTEN NOTICE (via email) both to their instructor(s) and office administration.
If administrators or instructors notice poor attendance of all or some class(es) or habitual truancy, it will be reported to the Head of Administration and an intervention or disciplinary action will be made at their discretion, in consultation with the respective instructors.
Students are expected to complete all assignments by their due dates. Late submissions will only be considered when accompanied by official documentation approved by the administration. Extensions are granted only at the discretion of the lecturer concerned and senior faculty members.
Students MUST be present at tests and examinations. If students anticipate missing an examination they must inform the MI administration of their situation no later than 9:00 am the morning of. If they are unable to do so due to ill health or trauma, their next of kin should do so within 24 hours of the examination’s scheduled time.
Transport: Students are all treated as responsible adults and therefore expected to arrange their own transportation to and from campus. City buses, trains, and mini-buses are all available and students must ensure they arrive at campus on-time every day, taking into account traffic patterns.
Leave of Absence
Extended Leaves of Absence are granted only with Administration’s written consent following A WRITTEN APPEAL EXPLAINING THE REASONS FOR THAT LEAVE.
Tests, exams and coursework missed during a Leave of Absence can be made up at the discretion of the Administration after consulting with instructors; failure to meet key course requirements may result in an Incomplete status.
Grading
Each course and subject has its own grading criteria, which may include: homework, assignments, quizzes, skill tests and exams, as well as attendance. Exam results are available from Administration within two weeks of examinations. Results of smaller assessments have shorter turnaround times and will be available from instructors. Results and Attendance records may be published anonymously via Student Number. More information on grading and certification will be made available soon, insha’Allah.
Discipline and Sanctions
A student who infringes the Academic & Student Policies of MI will be dealt with through individual consultation by the lecturers and senior academic staff. Consequences depend on the severity of the action and can range from a verbal warning (parents of minors will be notified) to a written reprimand, or in serious cases compulsory leave of absence or expulsion from the Institute.
If necessary, a disciplinary hearing will be held and due consideration will be given to reasons for the aberrant behaviour in question before sanctions are applied.
Student Conduct Policy
Students will show due respect (ADAB AND AKHLAQ) when addressing fellow students, lecturers, administration and support staff. Respect and deference is to be maintained towards all elders, regardless of their position, but special attention should be given when addressing the scholars and teachers.
Safety & Drug Policy
The following are not tolerated, and may be considered grounds for reprimand, expulsion or even legal prosecution:
- Use, possession or distribution of alcoholic beverages, illicit drugs or intoxicants of any sort are strictly prohibited on or off campus, in student residences, or at Madina events;
- Smoking tobacco is considered Haram by Ijma’ of the ‘ulema. It not only harms the self, but affects everyone in one’s vicinity, and moreove,r it casts an unbecoming image on Islam & Muslims. If you smoke, ensure not to smoke in public view or close to building entrances;
- Bullying or harassment;
- Assault (physical, sexual or verbal);
- Stealing or “borrowing without permission”.
In addition, the following misconduct is also prohibited:
- Wrongfully infringing on the fundamental rights of another person as contained in the SA Constitution, or acts in a way that breaches any laws of the country;
- Acting in a violent, indecent, improper or insulting manner on or in the vicinity of the campus or at a function organized by the Institute, or Student Residences;
- Acting in an insulting, indecent or improper way towards another student, a personnel member or a member of the public;
- Mentally harming or humiliating the dignity of a person, including MI’s personnel
Gender Interaction:
In order to promote spiritual, moral and intellectual growth, as well as academic focus, a standard of conduct between men & women is required at all times. A certain professional distance (physical & emotional) is required to foster an environment of respect and dignity.
Outside of class hours, students should only socialize and study with members of their gender. Online & phone communication should also be kept to a minimum with non-mahrams, as this leads to unnecessary interaction and conversations that would otherwise be unacceptable when in the physical company. Maintaining adab and formality at all times is a must.
Dating (inc. “group dating”), physical contact, sexual activity or romantic relationships among unmarried Muslims is strictly forbidden. Viewing and spreading pornography is also forbidden. These rules naturally apply on & off campus, as it is only befitting of a Muslim believer.
Questions to clarify these policies may be posed during Orientation week, or to Administration.
Dress Code: Students are required to dress in a clean, neat & modest manner which complies with the Shari’ah and is befitting of the dignity & integrity of a Muslim and a Student of Knowledge, to boot. Men & women must always maintain a tidy appearance, and refrain from wearing tight, torn or ragged clothing, as well as excessively casual clothing such as pajamas, sweats, skinny jeans (even if these types of clothing are worn beneath a thobe/abaya), or baseball caps at the Madina campus. Students may not wear clothing with large corporate logos and designs, and this includes jackets and outerwear. Shoes are not worn inside the Madina facilities, and are to be kept neatly on the shelves, not outside the front doors.
Men must wear full-length, loose fitting pants, as well as a jalabiyyah, thobe, or a shalwar kamees outift over a shirt while on campus. Shorts are not allowed on campus, and if one wears shorts outside of campus they must be at least knee-length. Tight fitting shirts that define the torso are also not allowed, whether on or off campus. Piercings & necklaces are not allowed. Ones hair should be kept neat and avoid extreme colors or styles.
Women must wear full length, loose-fitting pants or skirts underneath a full length abaya or jilbab with full-length sleeves, as well as cover their hair entirely in hijab. Exposing the forearms, neck and/or ears is not permitted in the presence of men. In addition, abayas must be opaque and entirely loose, i.e. not cinched at below the bust line; no definition of mid-body section.
Heavy make-up is not allowed when in front of non-mahram men on or off campus, and this includes mascara, heavy eyeliner, eye shadow, and/or bold lip color. When off-campus, women should always wear appropriate clothing when outside her home or a private female-only space, including opaque, loose-fitting shirts that are at least to mid-thigh, with full-length sleeves; also loose, full-length dresses, skirts & pants, even if she chooses not to don a hijab. Perfume is allowed for men and women but should not be excessively strong. For women, this means that one should not be able to detect scent (whether from lotion or otherwise) from within a close distance.
Technology Support and Computer Use
The Madina Institute computer lab near the rear of the facility is for student use & research. Laptops and tablets are also allowed in the classroom and wireless internet is available. But please note well: this is a privilege which may be revoked if misused or distracting.
Use of wireless devices during class is not permitted; instructors have the right to confiscate such devices for the remainder of the class as they see fit. Downloading media not related to Madina studies is strictly prohibited. One must be courteous and conservative in their use of bandwidth, as the other students and Madina staff rely heavily on these resources for their work.
Printing, copying and scanning is available by permission and facilitation of our office administrators. There is a fee of 1 Rand per page for the use of paper and ink in printing. Questions about these matters may be directed to our office administrators.
All class lectures are recorded and uploaded to Dropbox for student access, but it should be noted that LISTENING TO RECORDED CLASSES DOES NOT MAKE UP FOR UNEXCUSED ABSENCES.
Student Support Services
Students will be provided with the necessary support service for whatever problem prevents them from achieving the required grades for their course of study for whatever reason. If student have problems coping with the academic load or do not achieve the required grades they will be advised and assisted by the academic staff. Students who are not coping for psychological reasons will be counseled by the student counselor. If MI does not have the capacity to prove the necessary help students will be directed to services outside the Institute.
Student Representatives: Student reps will be elected by the student body at the start of each academic year. They will liaise between students and the Institute.
Student Grievances: Student will address all grievances and concerns to the Student Rep, or in more private concerns to the appropriate member of academic staff concerned. General student feedback (regarding courses, instructors, etc) is also solicited periodically throughout the year by written surveys, for quality control.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]