Academic Advising
Each student in a degree, diploma or certificate program plans a program
of study with the assistance of a faculty advisor.
Each student is assigned to a faculty advisor at the student's first
registration and encouraged to consult the advisor for
assistance and approval. The academic advisor must approve all schedules
and schedule changes.
Academic Discipline
The basis for grading will always be the result of the student's achievement.
Dishonesty in the preparation or presentation of work for a course will
not be tolerated. Details on Academic Dishonesty are included in
the Student Code and
Grievance Procedure.
Academic Evaluation
Academic evaluation of student performance will be made on the basis
of published criteria. At the beginning of each course, students
will be informed of the standards to be used in evaluation. If not provided,
students should request this
information from the instructor.
Academic Honors
President's List
The President's List will be published each term to recognize full-time
students who have earned a term GPA of 4.0. These students will receive a letter of acknowledgment from
the college president.
Dean's List
The Dean's List will be published each term naming students who are attending full-time and have earned a term GPA of 3.5 or better.
Merit List
The Merit List will be published each term to recognize students who
are attending part-time and have
earned a term GPA of 3.5 or better.
National Dean's List
Students who have qualified for the Dean's List and who have continued, uninterrupted enrollment at the college are eligible to be nominated to the National Dean's List.
Who's Who
Technical College participates in the annual selection
of students who appear in Who's Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges. The Selection Committee accepts
nominations, from faculty and staff, which meet the criteria for selection.
Guidelines for selection include the following: scholarship (at least a
3.0 GPR), participation and leadership in academic and extracurricular
activities, citizenship and promise of future success. Students are notified
of acceptance by the national headquarters.
Academic Load
Students who are enrolled for at least 12 semester hours are considered
full-time students. Students enrolled for less than 12 semester hours
are considered part-time students.Any student wishing to
enroll in more than 16 semester hours must have a GPR of 3.0 or above
and/or the approval of the Dean of Instruction. The course loads for students
who have been placed on academic probation may be limited in order to encourage
students to concentrate their efforts to avoid suspension.
Add Period
Students may add additional courses through the fifth day of each semester
by contacting their academic advisors, who will initiate the proper forms.
Classes cannot be added after the fifth day of class.
Advanced Placement
Placement at Technical College includes helping students
to identify, through assessment, their present levels of education and
to move them toward their goals as efficiently as possible. The college
allows advanced standing to place a student beyond the basic course work in a curriculum and allows college
credit for properly documented competencies from previous academic study
and/or examination. Technical College will also recognize life
or work experience for credit provided that the student meets demonstrated criteria.
Details of how a student may establish credit for life or work experience
are as follows:
Credit for Work or Public Service
A. In order to consider awarding credit for work
or public service, the student is responsible for demonstrating
that the work or public service is substantive and
allows the applicant to demonstrate proficiencies comparable to
academic proficiencies and skill levels in the college
level course for which course credit is requested.
B. The student may be awarded a maximum of 75 percent
of the credits required for program completion.
C. The student who requests consideration for credit
work or public service must meet the following guidelines:
1. The student must
be at least 25 years of age;
2. The student must
not have been enrolled in a higher education institution for the previous
five years;
3. The student must
have a minimum of five years of work or public service experience before
the credit is
awarded;
4. The student must
present placement information (SAT, ASSET, or COMPASS) to indicate that
no
remediation is required.
Statewide Agreement on Transfer and Articulation
Preface
On May 2, 1996, the Commission on Higher Education approved unanimously
the statewide agreement on transfer and articulation. That policy
follows this preface in the form of the Regulations and Procedures for
Transfer. Minor changes have
occurred in the document since its approval. These changes
(e.g., the enhancement of the list of universally transferable courses
at public institutions from 72 to 74) are reflected in the document as
it appears here. The policy that was approved on May 2, 1996,
also incorporated decisions made by the Commission in 1995 as part of the
Commission's implementation of the South Carolina School-to-Work Act.
Although the text of the 1996 policy that follows makes reference to documents
related to these decisions, these earlier documents have not been printed
here since in some cases they are redundant and in other
cases they were superseded by events or by the 1996 policy of the Commission.
Copies of the documents approved in 1995 that were incorporated into the
1996 policy are, however, still available by contacting the Commission
by mail, telephone, or fax at the addresses listed on the Home
Page.
Regulations and Procedures for Transfer in Public Two-Year and Public
Four-Year Institutions in South Carolina as mandated by ACT 137 of 1995.
Background Section 10-C of the South Carolina School-to-Work Transition
Act (1994) stipulates that the Council of College and University Presidents
and the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education, operating
through the Commission on Higher Education, will develop better articulation
of associate and baccalaureate degree programs. To comply with this requirement, the Commission upon the
advice of the Council of Presidents established a Transfer Articulation
Policy Committee composed of four-year institutions' vice presidents for
academic affairs and the Associate Director for Instruction of the State
Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education. The principal outcomes derived from the work of that committee and accepted by the
Commission on Higher Education on July 6, 1995, were:
* An expanded list of 74 courses
which will transfer to four-year public institutions of South Carolina
from
the two-year public institutions;
* A statewide policy document on good practices
in transfer to be followed by all public institutions of
higher education in the
State of South Carolina, which was accepted in principle by the Advisory
Committee on Academic Programs
and the Commission;
* Six task forces on statewide transfer agreements,
each based in a discipline or broad area of the
baccalaureate curriculum.
In 1995 the General Assembly passed Act 137 which stipulated further that the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education "notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, will have the following additional duties and functions with regard to the various public institutions of higher education." These duties and responsibilities include the Commission's responsibility "to establish procedures for the transferability of courses at the undergraduate level between two-year and four-year institutions or schools." This same provision is repeated in the legislation developed from the Report of the Joint Legislative Study Committee, which was formed by the General Assembly and signed by the Governor as Act 359 of 1996. Act 137 directs the Commission to adopt procedures for the transfer of courses from all two-year public to all four-year public institutions of higher education in South Carolina. Proposed procedures are listed below. Unless otherwise stated, these procedures became effective immediately upon approval by the Commission and were to be fully implemented, unless otherwise stated, by September 1, 1997.
Statewide Articulation of 74 Courses
1. The Statewide Articulation Agreement of 74
courses already approved by the South Carolina Commission
on Higher Education for transfer from two- to four-year
public institutions (See Appendix A) will be
applicable to all public institutions, including
two-year institutions and institutions within the same system.
In instances where an institution does not have
synonymous courses to ones on this list, it will identify comparable
courses or course categories for acceptance of general
education courses on the statewide list.
Admissions Criteria, Course Grades, GPA's, Validations
2. All four-year public institutions will issue annually in August
a transfer guide covering at least the following
items:
A. The definition of a transfer student
and requirements for admission both to the institution and, if more
selective, requirements
for admission to particular programs.
B. Limitations placed by the institution or
its programs for acceptance of standardized examinations
(e.g., SAT, ACT) taken more
than a given time ago, for academic coursework taken elsewhere, for
coursework repeated due
to failure, for coursework taken at another institution while the student
is
academically suspended at
his/her home institution, and so forth.
C. Institutional and, if more selective, programmatic
maximums of course credits allowable in transfer.
D. Institutional procedures used to calculate
student applicants' GPAs for transfer admission. Such procedures
will describe how nonstandard
grades (withdrawal, withdrawal failing, repeated course, etc.)
are evaluated;
and they will also
describe whether all coursework taken prior to transfer or just coursework
deemed
appropriate to the
student's intended four-year program of study is calculated for purposes
of admission
to the institution and/or
programmatic major.
E. Lists of all courses accepted from each technical
college (including the 74 courses in the Statewide
Articulation
Agreement) and the course
equivalencies (including "free elective" category) found at the home institution
for
the courses accepted.
F. Lists of all articulation agreements with any
public South Carolina two-year or other institution of higher
education, together with
information about how interested parties can access these agreements.
G. Lists of the institution's Transfer Officer(s)
personnel together with telephone and FAX numbers,
office address, and
e-mail address.
H. Institutional policies related to "academic bankruptcy"
(i.e., removing an
entire transcript or parts thereof from a failed or underachieving record
after a
period of years has passed)
so that re-entry into the four-year institution with
course credit earned
in the interim elsewhere
is done without regard to the student's earlier record.
I. "Residency requirements" for the minimum number
of hours required to be earned at the institution
for the degree.
3. Coursework (individual courses, transfer blocks, statewide agreements)
covered within these procedures will be
transferable if the student has completed the coursework
with a "C" grade (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) or above, but
transfer of grades does not relieve the student
of the obligation to meet any GPA. requirements or other admissions
requirements of the institution or program to which
application has been made.
A. Any four-year institution which has institutional
or programmatic admissions requirements for transfer
students with cumulative
grade point averages (GPAs) higher than 2.0 on a 4.0 scale will apply such
entrance requirements equally
to transfer students from regionally accredited South Carolina public institutions
regardless of whether students
are transferring from a four-year or two-year institution.
B. Any multi-campus institution or system will certify
by letter to the Commission that all coursework at all of
its campuses applicable
to a particular degree program of study is fully acceptable in transfer
to meet degree
requirements in the same
degree program at any other of its campuses.
4. Any coursework (individual courses, transfer blocks, statewide agreements)
covered within these procedures
will be transferable to any public institution without
any additional fee and without any further encumbrance such
as a "validation examination," "placement examination/instrument,"
"verification instrument," or any other stricture,
notwithstanding any institutional or system policy,
procedure, or regulation to the contrary.
Transfer Blocks, Statewide Agreement, Completion of the AA/AS Degree
5. The following Transfer Blocks/Statewide Agreements taken at any
two-year public institution
in South Carolina will be accepted in their totality
toward meeting baccalaureate degree requirements at all
four-year public institutions in relevant four-year
degree programs, as follows:
* Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences: Established
curriculum block of 46-48 semester hours
* Business Administration: Established
curriculum block of 46- 51 semester hours
* Engineering: Established curriculum block
of 33 semester hours
* Science and Mathematics: Established curriculum
block of 51- 53 semester hours
* Teacher Education: Established curriculum block
of 38-39 semester hours for Early Childhood,
Elementary, and Special Education
students only. Secondary education majors and students seeking certification
who are not majoring in teacher
education should consult the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences or the
Math and Science transfer
blocks, as relevant, to assure transferability of coursework.
* Nursing: By statewide agreement, at
least 60 semester hours will be accepted by any public four-year
institution toward the baccalaureate
completion program (BSN) from graduates of any South Carolina
public associate degree
program in nursing (ADN), provided that the program is accredited by the
National
League of Nursing
and that the graduate has successfully passed the National Licensure Examination
(NCLEX) and is a currently
licensed Registered Nurse. (For complete texts and information about these
statewide transfer blocks/agreements,
see Appendix B.)
6. Any "unique" academic program not specifically or by extension covered
by one of the statewide transfer
blocks/agreements listed in #4 (left column) must
either create its own transfer block of 35 or more credit hours
with the approval of CHE staff or will adopt either
the Arts/Social Science/Humanities or the Science/Mathematics
block. The institution at which such program is
located will inform the staff of the CHE and every institutional
president and vice president for academic affairs
about this decision.
7. Any student who has completed either an Associate of Arts or Associate
of Science degree program at any
public two-year South Carolina institution which
contains within it the total coursework found in either the
Arts/Social Sciences/Humanities Transfer Block or
the Math/Science Transfer Block will automatically be
entitled to junior-level status or its equivalent
at whatever public senior institution to which the student might
have been admitted. (Note: As agreed by the Committee
on Academic Affairs, junior status applies only to
campus activities such as priority order for registration
for courses, residence hall assignments, parking, athletic
event tickets, etc. and not in calculating academic
degree credits.)
Related Reports and Statewide Documents
8. All applicable recommendations found in the Commission's report
to the General Assembly on the
School-to-Work Act (approved by the Commission and
transmitted to the General Assembly on July 6, 1995)
are hereby incorporated into the procedures for
transfer of coursework among two- and four-year institutions.
9. The policy paper entitled State Policy on Transfer and Articulation,
as amended to reflect changes in the numbers
of transfer blocks and other Commission action since
July 6, 1995, is hereby adopted as the statewide policy
for institutional good practice in the sending and
receiving of all course credits to be transferred. (Contact the
Division of Academic Affairs for copies of this
report.)
Assurance of Quality
10. All claims from any public two- or four-year institution challenging
the effective preparation of any other public
institution's coursework for transfer purposes will
be evaluated and appropriate measures will be taken to reassure
that the quality of the coursework has been reviewed
and approved on a timely basis by sending and
receiving institutions alike. This process of formal
review will occur every four years through the staff of the
Commission on Higher Education, beginning with the
approval of these procedures.
Statewide Publication and Distribution of Information on Transfer
11. The staff of the Commission on Higher Education will print and
distribute copies of these Procedures upon
their acceptance by the Commission. The staff will
also place this document and the Appendices on the
Commission's Homepage on the Internet under the title "Transfer Policies."
12. By September 1 of each year, all public four-year institutions
will place the following materials on their
Internet Web sites:
A. A copy of this entire document.
B. A copy of the institution's transfer guide.
13. By September 1 of each year, the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive
Education will place the
following materials on its Internet
Web site:
A. A copy of this entire document.
B. Provide to the Commission staff in format
suitable for placing on the Commission's Web site a list
of all articulation
agreements that each of the sixteen technical colleges has
with public and other
four-year institutions
of higher education, together with information about how interested
parties
can access those agreements.
14. Each two-year and four-year public institutional catalog will contain
a section entitled "Transfer:
State Policies and Procedures." Such section at
a minimum will:
A. Publish these procedures in their entirety (except
Appendices)
B. Designate a chief Transfer Officer
at the institution who will:
-provide information and
other appropriate support for students considering transfer and recent
transfers
-serve as a clearinghouse
for information on issues of transfer in the State of South Carolina
-provide definitive institutional
rulings on transfer questions for the institution's students under these
procedures
-work closely with feeder
institutions to assure ease in transfer for their students
C. Designate other programmatic Transfer Officer(s) as the size of the
institution and the variety of its programs
might warrant
D. Refer interested parties to the institutional Transfer Guide
E. Refer interested parties to institutional and Commission on Higher
Education's websites for further
information regarding transfer.
15. In recognition of its widespread acceptance and use throughout the
United States, SPEEDE/EXPRESS
should be adopted by all public institutions and
systems as the standard for electronic transmission of all student
transfer data.
16. In conjunction with the colleges and universities, develop and
implement a statewide Transfer Equivalency
Database at the earliest opportunity. (As an electronic
counseling guide, this computerized, online instrument
will allow students and advisors to access all degree
requirements for every major at every public four-year
institution in South Carolina. Also, the Database
will allow students to obtain a better understanding of
institutional programs and program requirements
and select their transfer courses accordingly, especially
when the student knows the institution and the major
to which he/she is transferring.)
Development of Common Course System
17. Adopt a common statewide course numbering system for common freshman
and sophomore courses of
the technical colleges, two-year regional campuses
of the University of South Carolina, and the senior
institutions.
18. Adopt common course titles and descriptions for common freshman
and sophomore courses of
the technical colleges, two-year regional campuses
of the University of South Carolina, and the
senior institutions. The Commission will convene
statewide disciplinary groups to engage in formal
dialogue for these purposes. (A common course numbering
system and common course titles and
descriptions for lower-division coursework at all
public institutions in the state can help reduce
confusion among students about the equivalency of
their two-year coursework with lower-division
coursework at the four-year level. To this end,
a common system leaves no doubt about the comparability
of content, credit, and purpose among the lower-division
courses at all public colleges and universities in South
Carolina. It would also help eliminate institutional
disagreement over the transferability of much lower-division
coursework, thus clearing a path for easier movement
between the technical colleges and senior institutions.)
Appendices:
Appendix A: Statewide Articulation Agreement:
Technical College Courses Transferable to Public Senior Institutions
7/95
Appendix B: Statewide Transfer Blocks/Agreements
(6)
Transferring Credit to WTC
1. Technical College will recognize course work
from other accredited postsecondary institutions.
a. Courses accepted for transfer must closely parallel
the courses offered by Technical College.
b. Credits may be granted by Credit by Examination.
2. The college will accept in transfer only a course for which a grade
of "C" or better has been earned.
3. To receive acceptance of credits, applicants for transfer must submit
an official transcript of prior course
work from each institution attended.
a. To be eligible for transfer credit, applicants
must meet all admission criteria of the college.
b. Credits must appear on an official transcript
from the granting institution; a copy of the transcript(s)
must be filed in the records
office at the college.
4. Transfer students who wish to earn an associate degree at
Technical College must successfully
complete 25 percent of required hours of the degree
program at Technical College.
a. If the credit hours for a parallel course are
less than those granted by the college, the course will not be
accepted for transfer.
b. If the credit hours for the course are more than
those granted by the college, the credits will be accepted
at the same level as those
of Tech.
5. All credit hours for transferred courses must be converted to semester
hours.
6. The grades for credits obtained at other schools are not computed
in the GPR.
a. Credit hours will apply toward the total
required for graduation. Only hours earned at
Technical College will apply
toward the 2.0 GPR graduation requirement.
b. The transfer student's transcript will
reflect the number of credits as a "TR" in the grade column.
c. The Evaluation of Credit(s) form will be
maintained as part of the student's transcript.
d. The student will be notified of the credits
accepted for transfer and may appeal the decision
of acceptability, in writing,
in accordance with the Family Education Rights Privacy Act.
Articulation Agreement with Francis Marion University
Francis Marion University will accept students graduating from
Technical College with a degree in Associate in Arts or Associate in Science
and will award them up to 65 hours of credit toward a baccalaureate degree.
This credit
includes all hours required to meet Francis Marion University's general
education requirements for graduation. Three hours in mathematics above
College Algebra (and six hours in a foreign language for Bachelor of Arts
majors) must be earned at Francis Marion University if these have not been
earned at Technical College. Regardless of the number
of hours transferred in any single discipline of study, Technical
College students matriculating at Francis Marion University under this
agreement must earn at least 15 hours of credit at Francis Marion University
in their intended major (not including 12 hours of credit in Education
earned for practice teaching) and must meet the Francis Marion University
graduation requirement of at least 30 hours of credit in upper level (300-400)
courses. Francis Marion University will transfer any C grades (or
above)
earned by those who have graduated from Technical College
with the Associate in Arts or Associate in Science in accordance with the
transferable courses detailed within this agreement.
Articulation Agreements with Secondary Schools
Technical College has articulation agreements with several
area high schools to grant college credit for courses in which equivalent
course work was satisfactorily completed at an area high school or vocational
school. Advanced Placement may be requested through Articulation Agreements
in many subject areas. A grade of "TR" is assigned. Information may be
obtained through counselors at the college, local high schools or vocational
schools.
Credit By Examination
1. College Entrance Examination Board:
Credit is given to students who score a 3, 4, or
5 on an Advanced Placement Examination of the College
Entrance Examination Board (CEEB). A grade of "E"
is assigned. Official transcripts or records of such examination
scores must be on file at the college before credit
will be accepted. Students should be aware that acceptance of
these credits by Technical College
does not guarantee that a subsequently attended institution will also
accept these credits.
2. College Level Examination Program:
Credit for the College Level Examination Program
(CLEP) will be accepted. A score of 50th percentile or higher is
necessary for credit to be awarded. A grade
of "E" is assigned.
3. Challenge Exam:
Normally students attend class to acquire the requisite
knowledge for a college course; however, there may be
cases in which students have acquired knowledge
or experience equivalent to the course content. In these cases,
students may request credit by examination.
Students must apply by completing the Request for Credit by
Examination form before the end of the change of
schedule (add/drop) period.
a. To make a request for Credit by Examination by
Challenge Exam, the student must be registered in the course
or have completed a college
sponsored noncredit course of similar content.
b. The request must be endorsed and approved by
the Dean of Instruction.
c. The request must, either by content or reference,
present clear evidence that the applicant has previous
training or course work
to indicate probable success on a comprehensive examination on the subject
matter
of the course.
d. The student will attend class until notified
of successful completion of the examination. The instructor must
administer the exam during
the first five class days of the semester in which application is approved.
A score
of "B" or better on the
examination will entitle the examinee to receive full credit for "hours
taken," "hours
earned," and the appropriate
grade ("A," "B," or "C") will generate quality points.
If the examination is passed successfully, the instructor administering
the examination will complete the form showing:
a. The student's name and social security number.
b. The course title and number.
c. The letter grade earned on the examination.
d. Credit hours.
e. A copy of the examination and the date the examination
was administered.
The completed form will be submitted to the Dean of Instruction and will be forwarded to the Registrar upon approval. If the examination is not passed, the student will be treated as a student who did not make application for Credit By Examination by Challenge Exam. A request for Credit by Examination will not be approved for any course taken during the prior semester. Due to the content and methods of instruction, certain courses may not be applicable for Credit by Examination by Challenge Exam. Students eligible for VA and/or other financial aid will not receive financial benefits for courses for which credit is received by examination.
Articulation Agreements with Secondary Schools
Technical College has articulation agreements with several area high schools to grant college credit for courses in which equivalent course work was satisfactorily completed at an area high school or vocational school. Advanced Placement may be requested through Articulation Agreements in many subject areas. A grade of "TR" is assigned. Information may be obtained through counselors at the college, local high schools or vocational schools.
Attendance Requirements
There are no excused absences; therefore, students are urged to avoid
absences except in the case of an emergency. When illness or other emergencies
cause a student to be absent, it is the student's responsibility to make
up the work that has been
missed. Attendance: Punctual and regular attendance in all classes, laboratories,
field trips and other class-assigned activities is the obligation of each
student. Absences are a serious deterrent to the learning process; an absence
in no way lessens the responsibility of the student for meeting course
completion requirements.
1. All students must attend a minimum of 80 percent of the hours that
the class is scheduled to meet. If the student misses
more than 20 percent of the scheduled class hours,
the instructor will automatically drop the student from the course.
2. Individual instructors may set higher required attendance standards.
In these cases, the instructor must include
this attendance requirement in the course syllabus,
which must be distributed at the first class meeting.
3. Instructors, at their discretion, may allow make-up work for classes
missed.
Tardiness
Tardy students will be admitted to class at the discretion of the instructor.
Instructors should notify students during the first class meeting of their
regulations on tardiness. A student is considered tardy if not in the classroom
at the time the class is scheduled to begin (unless otherwise designated
by the instructor). Unless notified otherwise, students may leave
class if the instructor fails to appear 15 minutes after the scheduled
class time. A class roll should be signed and taken to the Office of the
Dean of Instruction.
Auditing a Course
A student who wishes to participate in a course without receiving credit for the course may register as an audit student. An audit student must meet all admission criteria and is expected to attend classes regularly. Any student who wishes to audit a course at Technical College must inform his or her faculty advisor who will annotate on the WTC advisement form that the course taken is by audit. The advisor will also inform the student that no grade or credit will be granted. The student will not be required to take examinations but has the option of taking tests. However, college credit will not be received.
Audit students
may not change to credit status after the end of the add/drop period.
Credit students may not change to audit status after the add/drop period.Audit
students will not be eligible for VA or other financial aid benefits. Where
enrollment is limited, credit students will take priority over audit students.
Change of Schedule
At the beginning of each semester, there is a five-day add/drop period
during which time students may initiate schedule changes without academic
penalty. Students who wish to make a change in their schedules during this
period must contact their academic advisors for assistance and approval.
The five-day period consists of the first five class days of a semester.
Conduct of Classes
Discussion and expression of all views relevant to the subject matter
are recognized as necessary to the educational process, but students have
no right to infringe on the freedom of instructors to teach or the right
of students to learn. If a student behaves disruptively in class after
the instructor has explained the unacceptability of such conduct, the instructor
may temporarily dismiss the student from class and refer the matter to
the Dean of Student Services.
Course Outline
Students have the right and the responsibility to know the subject
matter and materials to be covered in a course. The instructor will distribute
a course outline (syllabus) at the first class meeting. This outline will
include, as a minimum, information on materials, prerequisites, course
objectives and schedule, evaluations, grading and attendance regulations.
The student should request a course outline (syllabus) for each course.
Course Prerequisites
Courses that have prerequisites are those requiring satisfactory completion
of another course prior to scheduling a particular course, i.e., ACC 102
may be scheduled only after satisfactory completion of ACC 101. Any waiver
of prerequisites must be recommended by the instructor or academic advisor
and approved by the Dean of Instruction.
Course Substitutions
Academic advisors have the authority, subject to approval of the Dean
of Instruction, to permit students to substitute courses for those prescribed
in standard program requirements when, in their judgment, such a substitution
will assist students in meeting their educational objectives.
Curriculum Changes
A Technical College student who wishes to change his/her
instructional program should request a Change of Program form from the
Office of Student Services. The institution may drop or change courses and/or
hours in accord with
institutional capability and as demands change or according to student
interest or community or industrial needs. Conflicts arising from such
changes will be resolved in the best interest of the individual student.
Dropping a Course
Courses dropped during the first five class days will not appear on
the student's official record. A course dropped after the
fifth class day, will result in a grade of "WP" if the student was
passing the course at the time of the drop, or a "WF" (which counts as
an "F" in calculating grade point ratio). If the student drops or
is dropped after 70% of the semester is complete, only a "WF" may be given.
The instructor, however, may recommend a "WP" to the Dean of Instruction
if extenuating nonacademic circumstances arise which call for the student
to drop the course.
Grade Point Ratio (GPR)
The Grade Point Ratio (GPR) is calculated by multiplying semester hours
earned by the respective numerical values for the course grade (A=4, B=3,
C=2, D=1, F=0); totaling the product; and then dividing this total by the
number of semester hours attempted. Transfer credit ("TR") is not calculated
and does not affect the GPR. A grade point ratio of at least a 2.0 is required
for graduation. Students may repeat courses with only the highest
grade being calculated in the GPR. All grades will appear on
the student's transcript.
|
Course |
Grade |
Cr. Hr. |
Qlty. |
Points |
|
Intro. to Business |
B |
3 |
9 |
(3 x 3) |
|
Keyboarding |
A |
3 |
12 |
(4 x 3) |
|
Office Procedures I |
C |
3 |
6 |
(2 x 3) |
|
General Psychology |
C |
3 |
6 |
(2 x 3) |
|
English
|
A |
3 |
12 |
(4 x 3) |
|
15 |
45 |
Quality points (45) divided by credit hours attempted (15) equals the grade point ratio (3.0).
Grading System
The college operates on the semester hour system, and the following
symbols are used in grading:
A = Excellent, (4 grade points).
B = Above Average, (3 grade points).
C = Average, (2 grade points).
D = Passing, (1 grade point).
F = Failure (no grade points). The minimum course requirements
were not met. Credits attempted will be
used in GPR calculation.
I = Incomplete (no grade points). The student has not met
course objectives and must remove the "I"
grade by the 10th class
day of the semester immediately following; otherwise the incomplete
will be
changed to an "F."
W = Withdrawal prior to the fifth class of the semester.
WP = Withdrawal while passing. This will not appear as credit
attempted.
WF = Withdrawal while failing computes as an "F" and will appear as
credit attempted.
AU = Audit; not computed in the GPR.
TR = Credit transferred from another postsecondary institution (grades
below "C" will not be accepted). These grades
will not be used in the
calculation of the GPR.
E = Exemption (no grade points). The student was granted advancement
placement through CLEP, AP exam,
or experiencial learning.
U = Unsatisfactory. "U" does not affect GPR calculations, earn
institutional credit hours or CEU's, and generates
no grade points. (Used exclusively
in the Developmental Learning Center and Continuing Education.)
S = Satisfactory. "S" does earn institutional credit hours or CEUs,
but does not affect GPR calculations and
generates no grade points.
(Used exclusively in the Developmental Learning Center and Continuing Education
Division.) SC = Satisfactory Completion. "SC" does earn institutional credit
hours, but does not affect GPR calculations, and generates no grade
points. (Used exclusively in the Developmental Learning Center.)
The college uses a grade system to measure academic progress. Each grade
received is assigned a grade point value (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0). This
grade point value is multiplied by the credit hours of the course to determine
the grade point earned for that course. The grade points earned in each
course are added together, and that total is divided by the total credit
hours attempted. This determines the grade point ratio (GPR), which is
the measure of the progress a student is making towards successful completion
of a degree or diploma program.
Example: Quality points are determined by assigning numerical value
to letter grades as follows:
A = 4 quality points
B = 3 quality points
C = 2 quality points
D = 1 quality point
F = 0 quality point
A grade of A in a three-hour course will equal (4x3=) 12 earned quality
points. The semester GPR and cumulative GPR are computed by totaling
the number of hours attempted.
Graduation
The College will sponsor graduation ceremonies a minimum of one time
a year, normally after spring semester ends. Students who are eligible
for graduation must file a Graduation Application with Student Services
during the semester they expect to complete their course of study. The
student fee charged each semester helps defray the cost of caps and gowns,
invitations and binders for the awards. All candidates for degrees, diplomas,
and certificates should be present at the graduation exercise.
Graduation Requirements
Requirements in course work for graduation vary with the program of
study. The student is responsible for fulfilling the requirements set forth
by the college:
1. The student must achieve at least a 2.0 GPR in all work applicable
to the program.
2. The student must complete the course work and the required number
of credits.
3. The student must fulfill all financial obligations to the college.
4. The student must file an application with Student Services during
the semester the student expects to
complete his/her course of study.
5. The student must successfully complete at least 25 percent of the
overall course work at the college's campus to earn a certificate, diploma,
or degree from Technical College .
Records-Transcripts
Official college records consist of Application for Admission, Curriculum
Assessment, transcripts of current and previous academic work, add/drop
forms, Change of Major request and request to withdraw from the college. Student
records are confidential; therefore, this information is released only
when the student signs a written request to the Records Office.
Students may release their transcripts to any individual or institution
they choose. They may also secure copies for their own use. High
school transcripts and other college transcripts must be maintained in
the student's file and cannot be released by the student's request. The
student must request copies from the institution where the credit was earned.
Repeating Courses
Students may repeat any course. The highest grade earned will be computed
in a student's grade point ratio. However, the student's complete academic
record will be reflected on the transcript.
Proof of Registration
Students will be required to present proof of registration and payment
of fees upon entering each class. This includes classes that have been
added during the add/drop period.
Registration
Early registration is held prior to the end of each semester. Currently
enrolled students are encouraged to register at this
time to ensure enrollment in desired classes. All fees must be paid
to complete registration. Regular registration is held prior to the
beginning of each semester. Students registering after the close
of regular registration will be charged a late fee of $20. Dates of both
registration periods are announced and published in advance. The
academic calendar reflects these dates.
Residency Requirements
Students who wish to earn a certificate, diploma, or degree from
Technical College must successfully complete at
least 25 percent of the overall course work at the college's campus.
Semester System
The academic year at the college is divided into two 15-week semesters.
The calendar year at the college is two semesters and a summer session.
Transfer to Senior Institutions
Students of Technical College who wish to transfer to
senior institutions should consult their academic advisors of the Dean
of Instruction for information on transfer of credits, applicability of
courses to certain majors, and application procedures. Agreements
have been articulated with all two-year and four-year public colleges in
the state and with
several private colleges.
Withdrawals
A student wishing to withdraw from the college should first consult
a counselor and/or advisor to review the action. The student should go
to Student Services to complete a withdrawal form. Any student who ceases
to attend a class without following the proper withdrawal procedures will
be dropped from the class for excessive absences. It is the student's responsibility
to follow this procedure in order to be considered eligible for a refund.
A student dropping one or more courses but not withdrawing from the college
should follow the same procedures.
Probation & Suspension
Academic Probation
A student pursuing an associate degree, diploma or certificate program
is considered to be in serious academic difficulty if the student fails
to pass at least one half of the credit hours attempted and if the student's
grade point ratio falls below the levels indicated in the table below:
|
Percentage of Hours Attempted |
Minimum Grade Point Ratio |
|
25 |
1.50 |
|
50 |
1.80 |
|
100 |
2.00 |
Academic Suspension
Any student who is in the status of academic probation as defined above
for two consecutive semesters will be placed on
academic suspension and will not be allowed to enroll in any courses
the following semester. Students who receive two consecutive "U" grades
in the same course in the Developmental Learning Center will be placed
on academic suspension and will not be allowed to enroll in any courses
the following semester.
Nonacademic Suspension
A student suspended from the college for nonacademic reasons will be
notified in writing of the length of suspension. For violation of conduct
(see Student Code), the instructor will temporarily dismiss the student
from class and refer the matter to the Dean of Student Services. The Dean
of Student Services will initiate nonacademic suspension.
Readmission After Suspension
See readmission policy in the Student Information section of the catalog.