Introduction Institutional Mission Christian Leaders Institute is a higher education institution with the mission to launch leaders worldwide with deep biblical knowledge, vibrant godliness, strong and empowered ministry skills, and a passion for making disciples, expanding God’s church, and sparking revival. Institutional Goals 1. Available Education Education for persons called by God to grow in their Christian walk and to serve in ministry for the advancement of the gospel, whether personal, volunteer, part-time, or full-time. 2. Faithful Education The development of the student’s knowledge of the Bible and spiritual formation to enable building a worldview and way of life rooted in and centered around Jesus Christ. 3. Diverse The expansion of students’ skills and understanding of their call and gifts for the advancement of effective ministry in diverse cultural contexts. 4. Relational Understand the meaning and explore the importance of relational ministry utilizing a local mentor who encourages and models holistic improvement for ministry. 5. Credentialed – Adult Education Program, College Degree Program, and Clergy Recognition Program. Education to achieve the necessary credentials and recognition for ministry opportunities worldwide. 6. Leadership 6 Connect to institutional personnel that model integrity, a culture of improvement, and educational effectiveness. 7. Library Accessible learning resources of diverse media for the support of teaching and learning. 8. Faculty Qualified and credentialed practitioners who are trustworthy in teaching and guiding their students in their personal and professional ministry preparation. Institutional History Christian Leaders Institute history began on September 11, 2001, after Rev. Henry Reyenga experienced the September 11, 2001, tragedy in person. Shortly after that, Henry started Christian Leaders NFP. The founding mission was to raise up reproducible Christian leaders to spread Christianity everywhere. Henry and his wife Pam committed themselves to this calling and work. With the use of cutting-edge Internet technologies in 2006, Christian Leaders Institute (CLI) started to offer free online ministry training classes through the platform of moodle. Jerry Lorenz came over from the University of Chicago in 2007 as our IT developer. He has been instrumental in developing the Moodle interface into a robust tool for tracking grades and course work. Dr. David Feddes became the provost in 2008. Dr. Feddes ministers as a senior pastor at Family of Faith Church in Monee, IL. In 2014, Christian Leaders NFP launched the Christian Leaders Alliance, under the leadership directive of then Board President Brian DeCook for the development of our ordination program. This ordination program is where graduates of Christian Leaders Institute are guided to an ordination within their local churches and communities. January 1st, 2015, brought an entirely new face to CLI with the launch of a Degree Program, in which students could earn their Associate and/or Bachelor of Divinity. 7 The CLI French program was officially started in 2015. The Chinese program began in 2016. The Spanish Program for CLI was officially launched as well in 2016. The Vision Partners student donor program was introduced in 2016, and students and graduates have been stepping up to invest in this generosity-driven training. Christian Leaders Institute launched the Enterprise Program in 2017. The Enterprise Program provided students with essential skills to start a successful new venture or to gain employment in the business community. The Russian program and Philosophy program were launched on January 1, 2018. Shortly after, the Restorative Justice Program was launched on May 22, 2018. Christian Leaders College launched in 2019 as the name for the degree-granting educational arm of Christian Leaders Ministries. The Life Coaching Minister program was launched in 2019 as well. In 2020, Christian Leaders Ministries starting doing business as Christian Leaders College. In 2021, Christian Leaders had enrolled over 300,000 students with over 30,000 students having completed various levels of training and listed in its global directory, which recognizes students’ education achievements. Over 100 available courses were being offered by 2021. In 2022, Mini-courses were launched for students interested in a very specific topic or wanting to start exploring a topic. The licensing and ordination program was reviewed and updated also. Lastly, Christian Leaders launched a new, updated logo. In 2023, the Christian Leaders Ministries Board decided to do business as Christian Leaders Institute, with two schools housed within it: the Christian Development School (awards, certificates, and diplomas), and the Leadership Excellence School (college credit and degrees). Statement of Faith This Statement of faith was settled on when Christian Leaders Institute began offering classes in 2006. It was reviewed and updated slightly in 2022 under the leadership of Provost Dr. David 8 Feddes. Christian Leaders Ministries’ statement of faith has guided the development of the classes and worldview. The Bible The Bible is God’s inerrant, infallible, reliable Word, the only final authority for faith and life. (Proverbs 30:5-6; Isaiah 8:20; John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21) Who is God? God is Trinity, an eternal, loving unity of three divine Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; John 14:26; 2 Corinthians 13:14) God Created The World God created the universe ex nihilo, from nothing, and made all things very good. (Genesis 1-2; Exodus 20:11; Hebrews 11:3) God Created Humanity God created humanity in his image to glorify and enjoy God and to be stewards of creation. (Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 8; Isaiah 43:7; Revelation 4:11; Psalm 37:4) The Fall Humanity has fallen into sin, and we are totally unable to save ourselves. (Genesis 3; Romans 3:12, 23; Romans 5:12) Who is Jesus? Jesus, the promised Messiah of Israel, is fully God and fully man. (Matthew 1:21-23; John 1:1,14; 20:28; Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:14) Jesus’ Life and Victory Jesus was born of a virgin, obeyed God perfectly, worked great miracles, died on a cross, rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, and reigns over all things. (Luke 1:26-35, Hebrews 4:15; John 14:11, Luke 23-24, Ephesians 1:20-23) Salvation is a Work of God 9 God’s Salvation is merited only by Jesus’ perfect obedience and substitutionary atonement. (Isaiah 53; Hebrews 7:26-27; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Acts 4:12) Salvation is Not Our Work Salvation is entirely God’s gift, not our achievement, and is received by faith in Christ, not works. (John 3:16; Romans 1:16-17; Galatians 2:16-21) The Holy Spirit was Sent to Earth and Fills Us The Holy Spirit gives new birth, unites us to Christ, assures us of His love, leads us in His truth, forms us in His character, equips us with His gifts, and empowers us to be His ambassadors. (John 3:3-8; Acts 1:8; Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 12; Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 3:16-21) The Church The church is the one body of God’s people throughout all generations and from all nations. (Romans 12:5; Galatians 3:26-29; Ephesians 1:22-23; Revelation 7:9) Angels of God God’s holy angels defend and help God’s people. (Psalm 34:7, 91:11; Matthew 18:10; Hebrews 1:14) Fallen Angels Satan and other fallen angels are dangerous but doomed. Christ is victor. (Ephesians 6:10-18; Colossians 2:15; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:10-12 Christ Will Return and the Dead Will Be Raised Christ will return visibly. The dead will be raised. Christ will rule the world and make all things new. (Matthew 24:30; 1Cor. 15:52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 21:1-5) New Heaven and New Earth God’s people will rejoice forever in the new heaven and new earth; God’s enemies will suffer forever in hell. 10 (Daniel 12:2-3; Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 22:1-5; 2 Thessalonians 1:9) God Designed Marriage Sexual intimacy is for marriage only. Marriage is a lifelong union of a man and a woman. (Genesis 2:22-25; Matthew 5:27-32; Matthew 19:3-9; 1 Corinthians 7:1-11) God Relates to Families God’s covenant addresses not only individuals but also their families. (Genesis 17:7; 18:19; Deuteronomy 7:9; Joshua 24;15; Psalm 103:17; Acts 11:14; 16:15,31) We Are Able to Walk with God As individuals, as couples, and as families, we need a daily conversation with God through Bible reading and prayer. (Psalm 1; Daniel 6:10; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17) We Love Because He Loved Us God calls us to a holy life of love, as depicted in the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 20:1-17; Mark 12:30-31; John 14:15; Romans 13:8-10; 1 Corinthians 13) We Honor Christ in Everything God calls us to a worldview and way of life in which we seek to honor Christ in every area of thought and action. (Psalm 24:1; Colossians 3:17; 2 Corinthians 10:5) We Share the Good News God calls us to spread the gospel to people who don’t yet follow Christ. (Psalm 96:3; Matthew 5:14; Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Peter 3:15)  The CLI Network Relationships Christian Leaders Institute have network relationships with various college partners as well as content providers. Also, many 11 churches partner with CLI in giving donations and using the training for their leaders. Some of our college partners allow Bachelor Degree graduates of CLI to be considered for application into their master degree programs. Others will transfer credits. Christian Leaders Institute has formal articulation agreements with the following institutions, which are listed at the Institute website with further information about the particulars of each agreement. Liberty University Northern Seminary Ohio Christian University Western Theological Seminary Kairos University Calvin Theological Seminary Northpoint Bible College City Vision University Vision International University Our content providers allow us to use for our courses their content in various forms, either books, video lectures or articles. These content providers include Back to God Hour, Focus on the Family, Peacefire, Foundation for Economic Education, Dove International, Mission French Africa, Khan Academy, Wiki Books, Multiplication Network, Christian History Institute, Biblical Elearning, Compassionate Christian Counseling, Follow the Rabbi, and others. Student Life Purpose To enrich our students lives spiritually, physically, emotionally, intellectually, and socially. Student Life Goals 1. [Spiritual] For our students to grow in their relationship with Christ and biblical knowledge. We work to advance each of our students’ spiritual formation. 12 2. [Physical] For our students to increase their personal health, family health and help them develop good habits as they serve the Lord. 3. [Intelligence] For our students to further develop their intellectual knowledge and skills both in ministry and general Christian life and skills. 4. [Emotional] For our students’ emotional well-being to thrive as they study at CLI and to also support and advise them in their educational journey. 5. [Social] For our students to be connected to a global Christian community and to socially develop a deep, rich community of Christian encouragement and growth. Student Services Contact Information Phone: (616) 414-5168 Student Services Email: studentservices@christianleaders.net General Assistance Email: helpdesk@christianleaders.net Website: www.christianleadersinstitute.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christianleadersinstitute Florida Headquarters: Christian Leaders Institute 7600 Bryan Dairy Road, Suite B, Suncoast Plaza Largo, Florida 33777 Michigan Office: Christian Leaders Institute 17771 West Spring Lake Road, Spring Lake, MI 49456 The office is open from 9:00 am to 3:00pm EST, Monday through Friday. Calls after hours are routed to voicemail, which are answered on the next business day. Emails are answered within 2-5 business days. 13 14 15 Section One Students Rights and Responsibilities Student Rights Nondiscrimination Clause Christian Leaders Institute does not discriminate based on ethnicity, race, age, sex, national origin, disability, marital status, immigration status, or economic status. As a religious institution, Christian Leaders Institute reserves the right to make employment and hiring decisions on the basis of religious criteria. Fair Grading The student has the right to receive equal grading as all other students in quizzes, exams and written assignments. Appeals/Grievance Policy Christian Leaders Institute values that the student’s experience at CLI results in fruitful and satisfying education. The Institute encourages students to appeal decisions they believe to be improper or file a grievance if they have a complaint regarding someone’s actions against them. Appeals may include issues such as the following: ▪ Credit transfers ▪ Expulsion 16 ▪ Failing grade due to plagiarism ▪ Quiz questions or course work ▪ Enrollment ▪ Grades Appeals and grievances are addressed in this manner: 1. Regardless where the person makes the initial contact with the staff, the person should be referred to the Help Desk as the point of orientation and direction for the process. 2. General questions, complaints, or appeals should be submitted to the Help Desk at helpdesk@christianleaders.net. The Help Desk will assist in the process for reconciliation. 3. The requesting student unable to reach resolution in step 2 above, submits the completed Grievance form or a written appeal letter to the Student Services Office studentservices@christianleaders.net for processing. 4. The Student Services Office identifies the appropriate office for reconciliation and submits the completed form or appeal letter to that office, with a copy of the completed form/letter returned to the student with instructions as to the appropriate addressing office. 5. The student must be contacted by the addressing office within 7 days of receipt explaining the process and timelines. 6. The issue (appeal or grievance) is examined and an explanation of the point in question is communicated to the student. 7. The result of an appeal or grievance may be itself appealed once using the same process. No student will be penalized or singled out based on anything but a violation of established rules. 17 Quality Education All students have the right to receive quality education from Christian Leaders Institute, Institute and Alliance. If you have a question or believe you are not receiving quality education, email our Registrar at registrar@christianleaders.net. Student Conduct Students are expected to behave in a Christian manner. They are expected to be living by biblical principles. They are expected to be communicated with and to communicate in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ. All students are expected to adhere to high standards of integrity at all times. CLI’s primary focus is to develop strong Christian leaders. Therefore, some types of behavior are not allowed, such as cheating, plagiarizing, falsifying information, and abusive, threatening, or harassing language or behavior. Any student found to be in violation of this policy would be subject to discipline, which may range from lowering a grade to expulsion, depending on the circumstances of the case. Students are expected to treat administrators, staff, faculty, volunteers, and other students with courtesy, respect, and kindness, as is fitting for servants of the Lord. Obscene, abusive, profane, blasphemous, threatening, and/or harassing language or behavior are prohibited. Such language or behavior is grounds for disciplinary action, which may include academic probation, suspension, or expulsion. Timely Communication Students have the right to receive a response in a timely manner and of a professional nature within 24 to 48 hours (1-2 business days) from our Helpdesk Office. Other offices may take up to 5 business days for a response. 18 Contact Phone Number: (616) 777-0305 Contact Email: helpdesk@christianleaders.net 19 Student Responsibilities Church Engagement The student is expected to be engaging with a church and a church body. Ideally in their local area where they grow in their faith, find Christian leadership support and prioritize their relationship with Christ and fellow believers. Ministry Formation The student is responsible for finding a mentor or accountability partner to come alongside them while the student engages in the courses of CLI to develop critical thinking, problem solving, ministry skills, religious identity formation, and spiritual maturity. Students in the degree programs will take part in a Ministry Formation Program to record their ministry-related activities and help them develop experience in their area(s) of ministry. Information about the Ministry Formation Program requirements in the degree programs are contained within each degree program’s capstone course. Spiritual Formation The student is expected to pursue a relationship with the Lord daily by reading His word and praying, as well as studying and growing their biblical knowledge. Academic Integrity and Honesty All students are expected to adhere to high standards of academic integrity at all times. Students are expected to view all the required materials within a course. In the case of a material being available in multiple formats, the student should view whichever format works best for that student’s technology situation. If CLI administrators, staff, or faculty see that a student is not viewing the required course materials within courses and 20 thus is not engaging with the course’s required content, that student may be subject to academic discipline and further review. Each student must have only one student account. The student is responsible to keep the account secure by logging out when the student has finished any coursework for that session and keeping the password private. The student should not allow any other student to access this account. If a student is unable to get back into the student account for any reason, the student should email Help Desk at helpdesk@christianleaders.net rather than creating a new account. Falsifying information about yourself or others is strictly prohibited. Additional policies related to academic integrity, such as cheating and plagiarism policies, are explained further in Section Two of this Handbook. Students are responsible to fully understand the importance of academic integrity and these related policies. Students found in violation of any of these policies related to academic integrity and honesty may be subject to academic probation, suspension, or expulsion. 21 Section Two Students’ Education Academic Calendar CLI classes operate online 365 days a year. Students are able to sign up for classes at any time that is convenient for them. Once the student enrolls, they are given 180 days to complete the course. Some students take the entire time and some students finish with plenty of time to spare. This policy is conducive to students who are working full-time, raising a family, or who have other obligations as well. CLI’s main goal is to serve the students and give them the opportunity to gain ministry training and education. CLI’s 180-day enrollment period allows students to work at their own pace. CLI uses a three semester pattern with the first semester lasting from January 1-April 30, the second semester lasting from May 1- August 31, and the third semester lasting from September 1- December 31. Students may enroll in a course any day of the year and that enrollment lasts for six months (180 days). When a student completes all the coursework and assignments/quizzes within a course, the student receives a final grade for the course that is recorded under the semester in which the student completed the course. Calculation of Credit Hours Christian Leaders Institute examines each course individually before it becomes available to students to determine the semester credit hour value that CLI will award to a student who completes that course. The number of hours assigned to a course is determined by the amount of time required for directed study, depth of the course, and class interaction. In calculating credit hours for a course, CLI uses the following definition: one 22 semester credit hour is awarded when the student completes at least fifteen 50-minute hours in class and thirty 50-minute hours of work outside of class. Units Versus Credits Christian Leaders Institute students in the Christian Development School may take the Institute’s college-level courses, but they receive units on their “Christian Leaders Institute: Christian Development School” transcript rather than college credits on a “Christian Leaders Institute: Leadership Excellence School” transcript for those courses. If an Institute student decides to enroll into the Institute’s Leadership Excellence School and the student is accepted into the Leadership Excellence School, any courses with units that are eligible to receive college credit will be transferred to the student’s Christian Leaders Institute: Leadership Excellence School transcript as credits. Alliance courses (ordination, licensing, commended), Mini-courses, “English Literacy for Beginners” courses, and “Ministry Skills” category courses give no credit or give units only and are not transferable to the Institute’s Leadership Excellence School. Satisfactory Academic Progress Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) at CLI relates to a student’s academic status. A degree-seeking student with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.0 or higher and a term grade point average (TGPA) of 2.0 or higher is considered to be meeting SAP requirements.  A student is expected to maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher while studying for a degree at CLI.  In the case that a student does not maintain a 2.0 or higher GPA, He or she is then instructed to contact Help Desk at helpdesk@christianleaders.net to discuss study habits and receive additional resources to help him or her achieve success. The student will also be placed on Academic Warning or Probation the following term. 23 Academic Warning A Student shall be placed on Academic Warning for the following term if the student’s Term GPA (TGPA) falls below 2.0 while studying at Christian Leaders Institute as a degree-seeking student enrolled in a degree program during any given term. Terms are defined as 1st Semester (January-April), 2nd Semester (May-August) and 3rd Semester (September-December). Should a student be placed on Academic Warning, the student will be limited to enrolling in 9 credit hours of classes during that term. Should a student’s TGPA remain under 2.0 in the Term on Academic Warning, the student will be placed on Academic Probation the following Term. If a student’s TGPA improves to above 2.0 in the Term on Academic Warning, the student shall be restored to full-time class load for the next term. Academic Probation Students not achieving a 2.0 TGPA (Term Grade Point Average) after a term on Academic Warning shall be placed on Academic Probation the second term. Students failing to maintain a 2.0 CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) will be placed on Academic Probation the following term. A student on probation may not exceed more than six (6) credits a term until the student’s TGPA reaches at least a 2.0 TGPA (if the student’s CGPA is already 2.0 or higher) or CGPA reaches at least 2.0 or higher (if the student is on Academic Probation due to the CGPA). At that time, the student shall be restored to full-time class load the following term. Academic Remediation Students who are unable to improve their CGPA or TGPA to 2.0 while on Academic Probation shall be placed on Academic Remediation for the next term. The student shall be limited to taking up to six (6) credits during that term on Academic Remediation. 24 Academic Dismissal After a term on Academic Remediation, if a student remained with a CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) or TGPA (Term Grade Point Average) of less than 2.0, it shall result in a suspension for one term. Upon returning after requesting reinstatement by emailing the Registrar at registrar@christianleaders.net, the student will start on Academic Probation during the returning term and will be limited to enrolling in no more than 6 credit hours. If the student for the second time moves from Academic Probation to Academic Remediation to Academic Dismissal, the student will be suspended for one year and will receive notice and information about that action from the Registrar’s Office. The student may request re-instatement after one year of suspension through emailing the Registrar at registrar@christianleaders.net. If the student for the third time moves from Academic Probation to Academic Remediation to Academic Dismissal, the student will be expelled from CLI through an Academic Dismissal Expulsion and will receive notice and information about that action from the Registrar’s Office. Degree Graduation Requirements 1. Completion of Degree Requirements. All requirements assigned to the declared degree must be completed with a cumulative grade point average of at least a 2.0 (C). 2. Completion of required courses and credits. Bachelor degrees require at least 123 credit hours; Associate degrees require at least 64 credit hours. 3. Christian Character. The College defines students with Christian Character as persons who are disciples of Jesus Christ and have demonstrated that behavior by displaying an attitude of obedience to school policy and Christ-like relationships. 25 4. Ministry Formation. The College requires at least 30 clock hours of ministry formation activities in the Associate Degree programs and at least 50 clock hours of ministry formation activities in the Bachelor Degree programs. 5. Completion of the Degree Capstone Course. Each degree program has a required capstone course with assignments, such as an exit paper and ministry formation confirmation, that must be completed to receive a final grade for the degree capstone course. 6. Addressed Financial Obligations. Addressing financial obligations includes paying the administrative fee Mentor/Accountability Partner and Program Advisor As you study through any of the programs, it is highly recommended you find a local mentor to advise you. We also have dedicated staff to advise you. You can request advisement anytime from helpdesk@chrstianleaders.net. Students in the degree programs are required to have a mentor/accountability partner as a part of the ministry formation Withdrawal from the Institution Policy If a student did not receive a grade in at least one course, their account will not be saved in CLI’s database. If a student has an account with CLI and wishes to be removed as a student, they will need to request removal of their active s t u d e n t s t a t u s b y e m a i l i n g t h e R e g i s t r a r a t registrar@christianleaders.net or calling the office at (616) 414-5168. Please note that academic transcript records are permanent records, so CLI must maintain those records under the attached student account even if a student withdraws from the institution. 26 Inactivity Policy (Degree Programs) Students enrolled into a degree program who are inactive at the institution (have not enrolled in or accessed an enrolled course) for one year (52 weeks) will be unenrolled from the degree program and its capstone. They may request re-enrollment into a degree program when they are ready to actively pursue their studies again, but they will need to complete re-admission to the Institute’s Leadership Excellence School and will be students under the current catalog with its available degree programs and requirements. Re-Admission to the Institute Students who are no longer Institute students in the Leadership Excellence School due to inactivity may request re-admission to the Leadership Excellence School through completion of the Leadership Excellence School Re-Admission class. The Leadership Excellence School Re-Admission course will require payment of a re-admission application fee, updating the student’s profile and confirming through a quiz, re-affirming honoring of the statement of faith, links to view the catalog and student handbook, and submission of one recommendation. Upon re-admission to the Institute in the Leadership Excellence School, the student may request enrollment in a degree program and be admitted under the new catalog. Expulsion Policy CLI reserves the right to expel a student for the following reasons: evidence of violation of the terms and conditions, violation of academic integrity and honesty, violation of the cheating, plagiarism, or course failure policy, or violation of the code of conduct and student expectations policies. The administration will investigate the allegations first and then notify the student. If the accusations are proven to be true, the student may be expelled from CLI. The student will be notified of his/her disciplinary action or expulsion by an email from the Registrar’s Office. 27 Cheating and Plagiarism Policies Cheating Policy: What is cheating? Cheating is finding out the content of quizzes before taking the quiz. Cheating is prohibited at Christian Leaders Institute. DO NOT discuss quiz questions and answers with other students. DO NOT use a different CLI account to see quiz questions or answers in advance. That is cheating. May family members or study groups learn together? Yes, students may discuss videos and articles together, but a student should not take quizzes together or share any information about quizzes with one another. Each student must earn his or her own grade on a quiz, not get quiz help from someone else. How is cheating detected? CLI computer servers track student activity. This information is analyzed for evidence of cheating. Any suspicious patterns are reported to the Registrar and the necessary action(s) are taken. What is the penalty for cheating on quizzes? Any student found guilty of cheating will fail the class and will be expelled from Christian Leaders Institute. All certificates, awards, and diplomas will be revoked. Someone who cheats is not honest or trustworthy enough to be a leader in the church of Jesus Christ. Can I appeal a decision to expel me? If a student believes the charges of cheating are not accurate, they may appeal to the Registrar. After consideration of the case and any further information the student provides, the Registrar will make a final decision on whether he/she will remain a student at CLI or be expelled. Plagiarism Policy: 28 What is plagiarism? Plagiarism is using someone else’s words or ideas without identifying the source, leaving the impression that the words or ideas are your own. What are some examples of plagiarism? 1. Submitting a paper written by someone else, but identifying yourself as the author. 2. Copying and pasting material from the Internet into your paper, presenting it as your own wording and not saying where the material came from. 3. Copying sentences or paragraphs from a book or article without quotation marks and without giving credit to the author. 4. Summarizing or paraphrasing blocks of material from a source but not crediting the source in your paper. What’s wrong with plagiarism? Plagiarism is a form of stealing and lying. It violates Christian moral standards, is contrary to accepted academic guidelines, and is illegal under government law. How does Christian Leaders Institute respond to plagiarism? 1. Any assignment found to involve plagiarism will automatically receive a failing grade. 2. If the student wishes to appeal the failed grade, the student may contact the Registrar. If the Registrar determines that the plagiarism is unintentional and on a small scale, the student may be allowed to redo the assignment for a grade. 3. However, if the Registrar determines that the plagiarism is intentional and involves a substantial amount of material, the student will fail the course as well as the particular assignment that involved plagiarism. At the Registrar’s discretion, the student’s scholarship may be revoked. 4. If a student commits a second offense of serious plagiarism, the usual penalty will be loss of all scholarships and removal from Christian Leaders Institute. 29 In exceptional circumstances, the Registrar may lessen this penalty. However, plagiarism is such a serious breach of Christian conduct and academic integrity that those found guilty of it repeatedly are not mature, trustworthy Christians who qualify to be trained for leadership in God’s church. 5. If a student completes a class or earns a certificate, diploma, and/or degree from Christian Leaders Institute but is later found to have committed plagiarism, course credit may be withdrawn and the credentials may be revoked. Transfer of Credits to CLI General Information on Transferring of Credits Christian Leaders Institute does offer all required courses for each program available, but if a student has taken any of these course credits at another college, they can have the official transcript sent to Christian Leaders Institute for review. Christian Leaders Institute will accept traditional or non-traditional accreditation courses if our registrar can verify that the college is a provider of quality higher education. Courses must have a grade of C- or higher to be eligible for transfer. CLI will potentially accept up to 60 credit hours toward the requirements of a bachelor degree. Students should follow these steps with regards to transcript review if wishing to enroll into a degree program at CLI: 1) Enroll in and complete the Leadership Excellence School Admissions class; 2) Request that any other institutions send your official transcript in a sealed envelope to: Christian Leaders Institute Attn: Registrar 17771 West Spring Lake Road Spring Lake, MI 49456 United States of America 30 OR the educational institution(s) can email the official transcript directly to registrar@christianleaders.net. 3) Enroll in and complete the degree program orientation or complete Part 2 of the Leadership Excellence School Admissions and Degree Program Orientation class; 4) Make payment toward a degree (monthly or in full); 5) Request acceptance into the degree program and a comprehensive review of previously sent transcript(s). Please note that the fee for reviewing official transcripts is included in the Leadership Excellence School Application fee, but students must be accepted into the Leadership Excellence School by successfully completing the Leadership Excellence School Admissions class before they can request a full review of their transcript for applicable credits. If a student does not wish to pursue a degree but would still like to have an official transcript reviewed for transfer credits, he or she may request a full review of official transcripts upon acceptance to the Christian Leaders Institute’s Leadership Excellence School or through completing the Christian Leaders Institute Verification Class in the Christian Development School. After credits are reviewed, any applicable classes and credits will be transferred into the student’s record by our registrar. Policy for considering the source institution The source institution must be evaluated to confirm that the institution’s academic credit represents an appropriate rigor of education. The confirmation process is achieved primarily through accreditation recognition. However, a secondary process used by the administration of CLI to confirm academic quality is titled “Institutionally Known Institution” and is established by the administration of CLI as described below. Accreditation of sending institution 31 CLI accepts credit from institutions that are accredited by agencies recognized by CHEA (Council on Higher Education of Accreditation) or USDE (United States Department of Education).  Institutionally Known Institution CLI accepts credit from institutions who the administration or faculty of CLI have personal knowledge of the quality of the source institution gained through review of source institution’s published information as well as satisfactory performance of students who have transferred from the source institution to CLI. Transfer of credits from CLI to other institutions The receiving institution determines the transfer of academic credits to any institution. The student who plans to transfer CLI credits is advised to check with the receiving institution. In order to request an official transcript, students must pay a transcript processing fee calculated based on the number of credit hours completed or if a degree has been completed at CLI’s Leadership Excellence School. Once the student has completed paying the processing fee and filling out the Transcript Release Form, a student may send the completed form to registrar@christianleaders.net. CLI will then process and release the student’s official transcript. For more information about the transcript processing fee’s tiered pricing, please email the registrar@christianleaders.net to request that information. Validating Credits Earned at Unaccredited Institutions In order for CLI to properly validate credits earned by students at unaccredited institutions, the following three verification steps will need to be fulfilled: 32 1. Institution must demonstrate that achievements were earned by means of comprehensive examinations. 2. Institution will need to provide syllabi, faculty credentials, grading standards, and other relevant learning resources for review to CLI. 3. Student must demonstrate successful completion of at least 15 credits of study at CLI. FERPA information Christian Leaders Institute is committed to protect the confidentiality of student records in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This Act provides rights to students to have control over their own educational, student behavior, and student financial records. This privacy includes provisions for the educational institution to provide public student information as defined in this information. Documents submitted to the Institute by the student or other authorized person or agency for the purpose of admission to the college become the property of Christian Leaders Institute and cannot be released (originals or copies) to another party unless provided for in this information. Student Rights under FERPA The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records: To Review Records. The student has the right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 5-7 business days of the day the Institute receives a written request for access. Students should submit to the Registrar written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Registrar confirms the request is appropriate and makes arrangements for access and notifies the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. 33 To Amend Records. The student has the right to request by written request an amendment to his or her own educational records that the student believes are inaccurate. This personal record amending takes place by clearly identifying the part of the record viewed as inaccurate and specifying why it is inaccurate. The Institute will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing. To Require Approval of Review by Others. The students has the right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. The students has the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Christian Leaders Institute to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and office that administrates FERPA, Family Compliance Policy Office, US Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave, SW Washington DC, 20202-4605 Prior Consent to Share. FERPA requires that Christian Leaders Institute, with certain exceptions, obtain the student’s written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the student’s education records. Every student has the right to file a written request with the college (Office of the Registrar) to restrict the listing of directory information in the electronic address directory. If a student does not want the Institute to disclose directory information from the student’s education records without the student’s prior written consent, the student must notify the Institute annually, in writing, within the first week of taking classes: Office of the Registrar Christian Leaders Institute 17771 West Spring Lake Road 34 Spring Lake, MI 49456 Disclosure to Parents. The college may disclose educational records to the parents of a dependent student, as defined in Title 26 USCSS 152 of the Internal Revenue Code. Proof of dependency must be on record with the Institute or provided to the office responsible for maintaining records prior to disclosure of the records. Students may also sign an Authorization to Disclose Education Records to Parents and/or other third parties to release grades and other necessary information such as fulltime enrollment status when required by insurance agencies, scholarship providers, etc. Institutional Rights under FERPA To review need to know information. The Act permits disclosure without consent to school officials with legitimate educational interests — a “need to know” context. A school official is a person employed by the Institute in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the Institute has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. To submit student information to governmental agencies and accreditors as required by law. Christian Leaders Institute will also disclose the above information without consent to government agencies and accreditors as necessary to the administration of Title IV Financial Aid, Veterans Benefits, and/or compliance with government or accreditation reporting requirements. 35 To Publish Directory Information. The Institute may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless the student has advised the Institute to the contrary in accordance with Institute procedures. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the Institute to include this type of information from the student’s education records in certain institutional publications. Examples include the annual yearbook, Dean’s List or other recognition lists, graduation programs, and directory information. Directory information is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, and it can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a student’s prior written consent. Outside organizations include, but are not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks. Christian Leaders Institute considers the following information to be directory information which can be released without the written consent of the student: name; photo; home, local, and e-mail address; home and local phone number; voice mailbox; class year; enrollment status; participation in officially recognized activities Student Transcripts All graduates may request a transcript be sent with their certificate or diploma or may download an unofficial one from their online Dashboard. CLI maintains transcripts for all students 36 who have completed coursework at CLI. These transcripts are securely kept and not accessible to other students, institutions, or employers without the written permission of the student. Students in the Institute’s Christian Development School will receive units on their transcript for completed courses. Students in the Institute’s Leadership Excellence School will receive credits on their transcript for completed courses. Graduation Requirements To receive an award, certificate, diploma, or degree from Christian Leaders Institute, the student must receive a passing grade in all required courses (see Grading Scale). In order to receive an official degree from Christian Leaders Institute, the student must receive a passing grade in all courses (see Grading Scale) and pay all fees, as well as complete the accompanying Capstone course. Certificates, diplomas, and degrees are granted throughout the year as students complete their credentials. All graduates are listed on the Christian Leaders Institute website. Available Credentials Panel On the student’s Dashboard/Home page at Christian Leaders is a panel called the “Available Credentials” Panel. On this rectangular-shaped box with various tabs under the categories of the Christian Development Credentials, Minister Credentials, and Degree Programs, the student is able to view all the available credentials offered at Christian Leaders Institute and through the Christian Leaders Alliance utilizing one of these categories. When a student clicks on a category a sub-tab (if choosing a sub-tab that is not the default sub-tab for the category), and then on a credential, a popdown window will show the student all the remaining requirements of courses and credits for the student to complete in order to earn it. Any credential that has been earned by the student will “light up” with the credential name in black letters rather than in gray, and when it is clicked on, a popdown window will now appear with buttons to “Order” or “Download” for most earned credentials. Students may have various options 37 related to ordering or downloading an earned credential. The student may email orders@christianleaders.net for questions about ordering any earned credentials. Available Credentials’ “Christian Development Credentials” category default sub-category view: Available Credentials’ “Minister Credentials” category default sub-category view: 38 Available Credentials’ “Degree Programs” category default subcategory view: ADA Announcement CLI wants to support students in succeeding at their studies. If a student has a disability as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the student may request reasonable accommodations by emailing Student Services at studentservices@christianleaders.net 39 Section Three Financial Information Generosity-Driven Model CLI is a not-for-profit ministry, supported wholly by a generositydriven model. The donations given and fees paid by its students, as well as voluntary contributions of individuals and churches, support CLI. We are committed to cost-effective discipleship and leadership. As a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt organization, CLI is qualified to receive tax-deductible gifts. Course Tuition After setting up a basic study account, students are able to pursue the Christian Development School, which also offers Alliance ordination/licensing training options, or pursue enrollment in Leadership Excellence School. Students who complete any course are granted an institutional scholarship to cover the cost of course tuition, which is why the courses are tuition-free at the Institute. Students interested in a degree or in receiving college credit who are accepted into Leadership Excellence School at Christian Leaders Institute will be able to take the courses for free also. Leadership Excellence School Admission Cost 40 Students may choose to pursue admission to the Leadership Excellence School and be eligible to receive college credit for coursework at CLI by paying a $125.00 application fee and by enrolling in and completing the Leadership Excellence School Admissions class (0 credits). Upon successfully completing the Leadership Excellence School Admissions, students may pursue enrollment into a degree program by following the steps in the Degree Program Orientation part of the Admissions class and will then also set up their degree program administration fee (see “Cost of the Degree Program” at the bottom of this page for more details on that fee). Official Award, Certificate or Diploma Credentials Students may seek credentials offered under the Institute, such as awards, certificates, and diplomas. If a student seeks to obtain official documentation of their credentials, they are available for purchase. Verification and certification of class completion for each award, certificate, and diploma takes specific staff effort. The cost of this specialization and personalization is supported by donations from the students who need this service. Official Certificate Credential: $80 Official Diploma Credential: $100 Official Certificate or Diploma Case Only: $25 Student ID Students are not required to have a student ID, but they are available to purchase for Christian Leaders Institute students. Official Student ID card: $30 41 Cost of the Degree Program Upon successful completion of the Leadership Excellence School Admissions: Part One, students may choose to pursue enrollment in a specific degree program in Part Two of that class. Students are able to take all the classes for free, but there is an administrative fee that covers the extra administrative time, effort, verification, cost, and services. With the free-tuition scholarship, the degree program costs: Administrative fee for an Associate degree program: $2,000 (payment plans, pay-in-full discount, and institutional grants available) Administrative fee for a Bachelor degree program: $4,000 if no prior Associate Degree earned at CLI; $2,000 if student previously earned an Associate Degree at CLI (payment plans, pay-in-full discount, and institutional grants available) Payment of Fees All payments must be made by credit/debit card or check. Students will not receive official awards, certificates, diplomas, or degrees until full payment for that award, certificate, diploma, or degree program is received. Global Mission Fund The Global Mission Fund has been set up with the mission to continue bringing free online ministry training worldwide and to support the administration fees for students and graduates in less affluent nations. The Global Mission Fund allows students who complete the training at Christian Leaders Institute to receive their official certificates and diplomas at a much lower cost. This program gives an institutional grant toward the degree program administrative fee to allow students to obtain their degree at an amount more reasonable for their nation’s economy. Nations are divided into three different tiers, with Tier 1 receiving the most aid. 42 Please refer to Christian Leaders Institute’s website for a full breakdown of the tiers (https://www.christianleadersinstitute.org/ global-mission-fund/). Institutional Grants There are a variety of grants offered at Christian Leaders Institute. Students may apply for a grant toward the cost of one degree program administrative fee in the Degree Program Orientation. These grants can be applied for in the Leadership Excellence School Admissions Class. In the Leadership Excellence School Admissions Class Part Two (Degree Program Orientation), students are guided through the process that includes application, acceptance, and enrollment into a degree program with an applicable grant. These grants are given based on need or merit. The following grants are available: Developing Nations Grant Disability Grant Restorative Justice Grant Migration Grant Single Parent Grant Make a Way Grant Veterans or Active Duty Grant Retiree Grant Pool of Bethesda Scholarship Program If students do not have the resources for our low administration fees and even monthly payments or a grant would not sufficiently help, Christian Leaders Institute offers opportunity scholarships (Pool of Bethesda Scholarships) inspired by the Pool of Bethesda story from John 5:1-15. By entering this program, students 43 become eligible to potentially receive an opportunity scholarship for a degree program administrative fee at Christian Leaders Institute. S t u d e n t s m a y o n l y b e e n ro l l e d i n t h e P o o l o f Bethesda Scholarship Program if they have:   1. Completed at least 15 credit hours of college-level course work at Christian Leaders Institute or Christian Leaders Institute. This shows Christian Leaders Institute and potential sponsors that these students would most likely be able to successfully complete a degree.  2. Maintained a GPA of 2.5 or higher. Students are also advised to complete the “Basic Writing (2 credits)” course first. Students must complete an application letter that will potentially be given to a review committee and/or potential sponsors. Enrollment in this Pool of Bethesda Scholarship Program does not guarantee that the student will be able to receive a scholarship. The enrollment period for this program is one year (365 days). If a student is not able to successfully complete the assignments or CLI is not able to match the student to a scholarship sponsor within the year period, the student will be automatically unenrolled and will need to prayerfully consider reentering into the Pool of Bethesda Scholarship Program again. Vision Partner Reward Program Student Vision Partners (students choosing to give toward the mission and ministry of Christian Leaders Ministries) have access to exciting benefits to reduce the cost of their education. Students may learn more about that program at the Christian Leaders website: Payment Plan Monthly payment plans for the Degree Program are available. Once the payments for the Degree Program administration fee have been paid in full, payments will cease. All fees must be paid 44 before a student may complete a degree program. A student is unable to be enrolled in a degree program until the first payment toward the administrative fee has been received. Refund Policy CLI’s degree program administration fee is non-refundable. Orders of a certificate or diploma may be refunded if the order has not yet been mailed to the student. After an order is mailed out, students may request a refund, but it is considered nonrefundable at that point and is up to the discretion of the Financial Director of Christian Leaders Institute as to whether a refund will be issued. If a student receives an incorrect order or an order with a mistake, he or she may request a replacement certificate or diploma at no additional cost. Donations are a gift and are tax deductible due to Christian Leaders 501(c)(3) status. Donations are considered nonrefundable. If a donor believes that an exceptional circumstance exists that merits a request for a refund of a donation that was made within the last three months, the Financial Director should be emailed with that request in writing. A committee will review that request and the Financial Director will notify the donor of the committee’s decision. Section Four 45 Online Classroom Information Online Classroom information is designed to inform the student of the course rules and guidelines that all students and faculty must know and understand. Inactivity Policy (Courses) Christian Leaders Institute allows students to study at their own pace. If unable to finish a course in the 180 days allotted, the student may request an extension. CLI will give up to two weeks of extension, but if more time is needed, the student will need to repeat the course. Students inactive in the course for three weeks (have not accessed the course) are encouraged to engage within the course. Students without any activity in the course for six weeks will be encouraged to resume activity. Institutional Form and Style Formal papers are assigned throughout the student’s experiences at the Institute. Formal papers require students to use form and style. Information regarding the form and style is available from the Registrar’s Office. It is also provided in courses that require a written paper. Late Submissions Read above Inactivity Policy. Grading Scale A 95-100% A- 90-94% 46 B+ 87-89% B 83-86% B- 80-82% C+ 77-79% C 73-76% C- 70-72% D+ 67-69% D 63-66% D- 60-62% F 0-59% Learning Resource Support Students can find all the required resources within a course. There is additional learning resource links, videos and articles in some of the courses. Christian Leaders also has various books students can purchase from the ministry store. Previewing a course A CLI student may review a course’s content, the course overview, the course’s goals, and assignments without being enrolled in the course. Course languages All courses are available in English. Check with CLI about the availability of the courses in other languages. 47 Course Enrollment Period A student enrolling in a course will have 180 days to complete the coursework and receive a passing grade. If a student does not complete the course in the allotted timeframe, the student will then be automatically un-enrolled from the course and will lose any progress within that course. When a student tries to re-enroll in a course he or she did not complete, he or she will get a message warning them of the completed coursework the student is about to lose when he or she re-enrolls and starts over. All the student’s work in that course will be removed when he or she re-enrolls into that course and will not be recoverable. Since CLI’s courses are all offered online, students are able to access the courses 365 days a year at any time. Course Enrollment Limit Policy Students may enroll in no more than 18 credit hours of uncompleted courses. A student enrolled in 16 hours of uncompleted courses, for instance, may only enroll in an additional 2 credit hours. If a student fails a course, their credit hour limit will be reduced by the amount of credits that the failed course equates until they are un-enrolled from the failed course. For instance, if a student fails a course worth 3 credit hours, the student will be able to be enrolled in a maximum of 15 credit hours of uncompleted courses until their enrollment in the failed course ends. Course Completion When a student has completed viewing all study materials, completed all quizzes, and completed any other course assignments, a student will be issued a final grade for a course that will appear on the student’s academic record. In order to gain credit for a course, a student’s average grade for all assignments in a class must be at least 60%. Otherwise, the student will fail the class and not receive credit for the course. 48 Test and Exams Evaluation is built into each step of the CLI curriculum. Course objectives listed at the beginning of each course help guide the student to the desired learning outcomes. The audiovisual and reading materials present content and directives for the student related to the course’s scope. Courses are generally divided into sections/weeks. Quizzes at the end of each section’s lessons test the student’s mastery of the content. Reexaminations With the Getting Started/Welcome course and Christian Leaders Connections course, students are able to retake the quizzes once. However, once past the Getting Started and Christian Leaders Connections course, students are only able to attempt a timed quiz one time. Christian Leaders Institute allows students to drop their lowest quiz grade in each course. This allows students to receive grace – in line with our mission – if students have any technological or personal issues during their classes. Students are only able to see the correct answers to a quiz if they score 80% or better on the quiz. In the case that a student experiences technology issues and would like to request a quiz reset, the student must provide CLI with evidence of this event. CLI will then review each case individually and make a decision. A student will only be allowed one quiz reset per class due to technology issues when deemed appropriate after a thorough review by a Christian Leaders staff member. CLI Policy for Retaking a Failed Class 1. A student will be allowed to retake one failed class without any additional cost. After that, (1) a non-refundable $50.00 fee applies for the administrative process involved and (2) an update to a grade for a retaken course will be allowed 49 only with permission from the registrar after a careful review of the student’s academic record. The registrar’s decision may be appealed once to the provost. Item 2 also applies.  2. A student who fails any class must wait at least six months after the date enrollment in that course ends to reenroll in the course he or she wishes to retake. The date a student may re-enroll is shown with the failed course grade on the student’s record. The student may re-enroll only once in the course he or she wishes to re-take. 3. A student must receive a grade of C- or higher on the retake or the student will not receive an update to their failed course grade. 4. A student will continue to have an F in the record for the course until the failed class has been completed and the student has contacted the registrar to have his or her grade updated. This update may take 3-7 business days to be reflected on the student’s record. To request an update to the grade in a retaken course, you must contact the registrar at the following email address: registrar@christianleaders.net Granting Credentials If a student completes all the required courses for an Award, Certificate, or Diploma offered at the Christian Leaders Institute in the Christian Development School, the credential will be granted to the student as completed and will become available for the student to order as an official credential. If a student completes all the required courses, credits, and the capstone course for a degree offered at the Christian Leaders Institute in the Leadership Excellence School, the student will be issued that degree credential. A student will then be able to order that degree credential as an official degree diploma. If a student completes all the required courses and the corresponding commended minister status class or licensed 50 minister class or ordained minister class for a specific commended, licensed, or ordained minister role offered through the Christian Leaders Institute and Christian Leaders Alliance, the student will be able to earn that credential. The student will then be able to order that commended, licensed, or ordained role credential. Questions about ordering a credential may be directed to CLI’s Order Fulfillment Department at orders@christianleaders.net. Time Extensions for Study If a student has a valid reason for the need for a time extension of a course, the student should contact Help Desk at helpdesk@christianleaders.net or (616) 777-0305. Help Desk will review the student’s provided information and determine whether a time extension is allowable. Time extensions will not exceed two weeks except in very rare exceptions that must be approved by the registrar. Copyright and Usage of CLI Materials CLI owns or has permission to use all of its class materials. They may not be duplicated without the expressed consent of CLI. CLI does not require the purchase of any additional text material. All required readings for the courses are available online. 51