The academic year at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College is divided into three terms called semesters. The fall semester begins in August and runs through December. The spring semester begins in January and runs through May. The fall and spring semesters consist of 15 weeks and a final exam period during the 16th week. The summer semester may vary in length but most often consists of 5 week terms. Summer class periods are lengthened so that the required amount of time is spent in class. Fastrack courses are offered in two to three week sessions and are scheduled during each semester.
The unit by which Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College measures its course work is called a credit hour. The College assigns one credit hour to a class which meets the equivalent of one class-hour per week during the term and a two hour examination period.
Courses offered during a term are assigned a credit value related to the number of class-hours involved in the course, typically from one to four credits. Some courses require time for laboratory work in addition to the time required for lecture work. The general pattern for laboratory classes is that for every credit hour given for laboratory experience, a two hour time frame for each week of instruction is required.
For the purposes of tuition the number of credit hours for a full-time student is 12 per semester. The maximum permissible load each semester is as follows: (a) thirteen hours for those students who are on academic probation; (b) eighteen hours for those students who are not on academic probation; (c) those with a 3.00 or greater GPA may take more than 18 hours with the permission of the Division Chair responsible for the program and/or major.
Students should always consult the program outline in this catalog and their advisor to make sure they will complete degree requirements in a timely fashion. Some associate degree programs require that a student take more than 15 hours each semester in order to complete within a two-year period.
For other college purposes, students are classified as follows:
The following system of grading us used at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College.
| Grade | Description | Quality Points |
| A | Superior | 4 |
| B | Good | 3 |
| C | Average | 2 |
| D | Below Average | 1 |
| F | Failure | 0 |
| W | Withdrawal | 0 |
| I | Incomplete | 0 |
| NC | No Credit | No Quality Point |
| AU | Audit | No Quality Point |
| CR | Credit | 0(used for various non-traditional credit only) |
The grade point average is computed on all work for which you have registered with the exception of courses with grades of "W", "CR" and courses repeated (see "D and F" rule). The grade point average is the ratio of the number of quality points gained to the number of credit hours attempted.
To compute the overall grade point average, add all quality points and divide this by the number of hours attempted. Courses in which grades of "W" have been given are ignored but a grade of "F" is included in hours attempted with "0" quality points.
If a student earns a "D" or "F" in a course, he or she is eligible to repeat the course. The original "D" or "F" must occur no later than the semester in which a total of 60 hours is attempted. The grade earned the second time the course is taken will be used to determine the grade point average, if the course is repeated prior to the receipt of a degree of certificate from Southern. The first grade recorded will be identified on the permanent record as a repeated course. The original grade will not be deleted from the student's official transcript.
Grade is approved by the appropriate Division Chair and subsequently forwarded to the Registrar. A student must complete the requirements for the course in which the "I" grade was received within the next full semester or the "I" grade will automatically be changed to a grade of "F". The instructor must file the specific forms for a final grade change with the Records Office. The student does not re-register.
General
A student's academic status is computed at the end of each fall and spring semester. Academic status is not computed for summer sessions, nor does it affect a student's enrollment for a summer session.
Part-time
A part-time student may be placed on "academic warning" at the end of his first semester of enrollment. "Academic Probation" may be imposedafter a part-time student completes 10 semester hours and "suspension" may be imposed after 19 semester hours have been attempted. A part-time student may be dismissed only after havingattempted 24 semester hours.
Full-time
A. Good Standing
For a full-time student who enters the College in good standing, his status will remain "Good Standing" so long as each semester's grade pointaverage is at least 2.0.
B. Academic Warning
Any semester that a student's semester grade point average falls below 2.0 or the student receives a grade of "F" in any course, the student will be placed on "Academic Warning". Academic Warning does not appear on the student's permanent academic record.
After Academic Warning, a student returns to "Good Standing" by achieving a semester average of 2.0 and no grade of "F" and a cumulative GPA of at least 1.5. A student stays on Academic Warning if his semester GPA falls below 2.0 or he makes an "F", with his cumulative average between 1.5 and 1.99.
C. Academic Probation
If, during the next semester of enrollment after academic warning, the student's cumulative average falls below 1.5, the student is placed on "Academic Probation". Such a student must consult with his academic advisor and may register for no more than 13 credit hours in the next semester of enrollment. "Academic Probation" will appear on the student's permanent academic record. A student on "Academic Probation" who maintains at least a 2.0 GPA during his next semester of enrollment will return to "Academic Warning" and after another semester's GPA of at least 2.0 will return to good standing. If, during this second semester, the semester GPA is below 2.0, the student returns to "Academic Probation" with its limitations on enrollment.
D. Academic Suspension
A student on "Academic Probation" who fails to achieve a semester GPA of 2.0 will be suspendedfor one semester. A suspended student is not eligible to attend Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College in his/her regular curriculum during a period of suspension nor will credits earned at other schools during thisperiod be accepted in transfer.
E. Readmitted During Suspension Semester
Under some conditions a student on suspension from Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College may be allowed to register for courses during his suspension semester. The decision to allow a student to register is at the discretion of the Chief Academic Officer. All students who are on suspension must be advised by a full-time instructor. A suspension student is restricted in his/her selection of courses. Under this program, the student may enroll in a maximum of thirteen credit hours per semester. After the student has successfully completed one semester of study, he/she may request reinstatementto academic probation. This will be approved if the student has earned a 2.0 semestergrade point average. If a student does not makea 2.0 semester grade point average, he/she isplaced on academic suspension again. He/Shemust fulfill the suspension period of one year andmay then request readmission to the College.
The College publishes dates when classes may be added/dropped. The add/drop form may be obtained from the Records Office on the Logan or Williamson campuses or from the Student Services personnel on the Boone or Wyoming campuses, or at the Lincoln Site.
Prior to the beginning of classes, students must have the add/drop form signed by their faculty advisor. After classes begin, the form must be signed by the instructor of each class being added/dropped and by the faculty advisor.
Classes dropped during the add/drop period will not appear on the final grade reports. After this period, students may not add/drop a class. Courses are not added simply by attending nor are they dropped by ceasing to attend class.
Students must properly complete all necessary forms and steps in the add/drop procedure. Failure to do so may adversely affect grades and/or financial assistance eligibility.
If after the add/drop period a student finds it necessary to withdraw from class or from the College, he/she must complete the withdrawal process. Withdrawing from courses prior to the deadline date for withdrawal is accomplished by securing a change in schedule form and having it signed by the faculty advisor.
If withdrawing from College, the student should also meet with the counselor. The procedure is complete after the change in schedule form is recorded and signed by the Records Office and finally is taken to the Business Office by the student or authorized representative. A student can withdraw from a course on or before the completion of 73% of the semester, which is roughly eleven weeks. The specific last day to withdraw in a semester is published in the academic calendar included in the catalog and in class schedules. Students withdrawing during this time period will receive a grade of "W". The student is responsible for knowing his or her last day to withdraw from courses. After the last day to withdraw students will not be permitted to drop the course and will receive the final grade they earn.
In the following specific circumstances, theCollege may withdraw students from a course for which they have enrolled:
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College recognizes the examinations of the College Board Advanced Placement Program. A high school senior who participates in the Advanced Placement Program and wishes to have his scores evaluated for credit should have examination results sent to the Office of Admissions and Records. The Advanced Placement examinations are prepared by the College Board and papers are graded by readers of the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey.
The College requires a minimum score of three (3) for granting of credit through the Advanced Placement Program. The Advanced Placement tests, required score, course equivalent and credit hours to be granted are listed below. No credit is granted for scores below 3. Courses for which credit is granted shall be listed on the official transcript with (AP) following the official course title. Grades for these courses shall be listed as "CR" and shall not be calculated when determining grade point average.
A student interested in challenging a course must contact the department chair by the end of the third week of the semester in which the student plans to take the challenge exam. The exam must be taken prior to the final date to withdraw from a course in the semester in which a student wishes to receive credit for the course. Normally , challenge exams will not be given during the summer. However, exceptions may be granted by the Chief Academic Officer when qualified faculty are available for examination administration.
Full-time faculty within the department to which the course belongs will prepare, administer, and grade the challenge exam. The challenge exam will be comprehensive. To receive a grade of CR for the course being challenged, a student must earn a minimum score of 70% or higher on the challenge exam as determined by the Department to which the course belongs. Upon successful completion of the challenge exam, a grade of CR will be recorded on the student’s transcript.
No student may challenge a course more than once. A student may not challenge a course in which a grade other than W or AU was received. A student planning to transfer to another institution should contact that institution prior to taking a challenge examination to determine if the CR grade is acceptable for that particular course.
A non-refundable fee is assessed for this service prior to taking the examination.
Credit by challenge examination is not included in the calculation of a student’s instructional load as it applies to the financial assistance program of Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College.
Southern accepts and awards credit through successful completion of CLEP tests. CLEP was developed to serve the non-traditional student who has acquired knowledge through correspondence, university extension courses, educational TV, adult education programs, on-the-job training or independent study.
CLEP examinations are subject-based. The subject examinations are designed to measure knowledge of specific undergraduate courses. These CLEP exams may be applied to specific course requirements in degree programs at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College. For more information regarding CLEP contact a counselor.
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College will accept correspondence courses from accredited institutions of higher education. Consult your academic advisor or Department Chair to make certain these courses coincide with your educational objectives. A maximum of six (6) hours of correspondence credit may be applied toward a certificate or degree. These hours count as part of the total hours of non-traditional credit applicable toward a degree or certificate.
Under certain conditions a student may apply for college credit related to life experiences provided those experiences are related to material content normally covered in a course or courses offered by Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College.
The amount of credit and how it is to be assigned is recommended by the Division Chair. Final authority for awarding such credit rests with the Chief Academic Officer. A fee of $10 per credit hour is assessed for this service and must be remitted to the College prior to the assessment of the applicant's credential.
Students in the Board of Governors Associate in Applied Science Adult Degree Completion Program must complete EL 201, Portfolio Development, as part of this process. The student will also pay a $300 portfolio review fee and complete form SCP 3227 A “Credit Petition for Experiential Learning” for each course petitioned upon submission of the portfolio to the Director of Adult Experiential Learning. Fees for evaluation for the portfolio must be paid prior to the assessment process. The Director of Adult Experiential Learning will forward the portfolio submission to the appropriate Division Chair, who then submits the document to the faculty of the appropriate academic department or disciplines.
The faculty member chosen to make a specific evaluation is instructed, where necessary, by the Division Chair about the procedures to be followed. Normally these evaluations will be made by the teaching faculty of Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College. If the student’s experience being assessed lies outside the professional competence of Southern’s faculty, the Director of Adult Experiential Learning will request a competent individual from another institution or another expert to make the evaluation. After a faculty member’s recommendation for credit is made, it is reviewed by the Division Chair, who then makes a recommendation to the Chief Academic Officer (CAO) for approval or denial of the credit recommended by the faculty member. Form SCP 3227A is returned to the Director of Adult Experiential Learning until the entire portfolio is evaluated, at which time all credit awards are submitted to the CAO.
EDGE acronym for “Earn a Degree Graduate Early”. This unique program is a part of the offerings of community and technical colleges of West Virginia. Through the program high school students can earn college credit for specified high school courses. This credit is applicable at community and technical colleges within the state of West Virginia. For a lists of courses access the following web page:
http://www.wvtechprep.wvnet.edu/edge.htm
Students who take advantage of this program can save significantly on college tuition by completing course before college entrance.
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College has been designated as an institutional member of Service members Opportunity Colleges (SOC), a group of over 400 colleges and universities providing postsecondary education to members of the military throughout the world.
As a SOC member, Southern recognizes the unique nature of the military lifestyle and has committed itself to easing the transfer of relevant course credits, providing flexible residency requirements, and crediting learning from approved military training and experiences. Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College may grant a maximum of four hours of physical education credit for military service.
The student must apply for military credit with the Records Office. In addition to military PE credit, Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College also awards credit for classes taken through USAFI (United States Armed Forces Institute). Credit may also be awarded based on the American Council for Education recommendations for certain military schools. Contact the Records Office for more information and procedures.
In accordance with recent trends towards the recognition of non-traditional learning experience, Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College offers students the opportunity to get a head start in college. College credit may be awarded for knowledge gained through reading, private study, and/or work experience.
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College has established specific procedures for the granting of college credit from non-traditional sources.
Under certain conditions, adult students may be awarded college credit for courses taken at specified vocational/technical centers and high schools. These courses must have been completed within the last three academic years immediately prior to the date of initial enrollment as a Southern student. Students will be granted credit once their performance records have been reviewed and a Tech-Prep Course Competency Transfer Report Form has been approved and signed by the vocational/technical center or high school and the appropriate Department Chair at the College. Specific courses and the number of credit hours which may be articulated are determined through agreements with specific vocational/technical centers and high schools.
A grade of "CR" will be recorded on the student’s transcript for any articulated course. A course with the grade of "CR" will meet program of study requirements at Southern. A student planning to transfer to another institution should contact that institution. Southern’s granting of such credit does not guarantee transferability of this credit to any other institution of higher education.
Degrees, Graduation and Transcripts.
The academic forgiveness policy allows academic forgiveness of "D" and "F" grades for purposes of calculating the grade point average required for graduation only. This policy is designed to assist students who previously left college with low grades and may be implemented, provided certain conditionsare satisfied, where the "D and F" repeat rule is not applicable.
The student wishing forgiveness must not have been enrolled on a full-time basis or on a part-time basis for more than 12 hours at any higher education institution for a period of four consecutive calendar years prior to the request for academic forgiveness.Only "D" and "F" grades received prior to the four year non-enrollment period may be disregarded for GPA calculation.
In order to receive a degree or certificate the student must complete at least 15 additional credit hours through actual coursework from Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College after the non-enrollment period, earn at least a 2.0 GPA after the non-enrollment period and satisfy all degree or certificate requirements. Grades disregarded for GPA computation will remain on the student's permanent record.
This policy pertains only to the calculation of the GPA required for graduation and does not pertain to GPA calculated for special academic recognition, graduation with honors or admission requirements for particular programs.
To implement this policy, the student must submit a written request to the Chief Academic Officer. The request must identify the non-enrollment period and the specific courses and grades the student wishes to be exempted from GPA calculation. The Chief Academic Officer may accept, modify or reject the student's request.
In instances where students request and gain academic forgiveness from one college or university and then transfer to another institution, the receiving institution is not bound by the prior institution's decision to disregard grades for grade point average calculation.
Students in the Board of Governors Associate in Applied Science Adult Degree Completion Program are an exception to this policy. Per West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Board of Governors Associate in Applied Science Adult Degree Completion Program Administrative Guidelines, students transferring into this program must complete 12 hours at a regional accredited higher education institution, including a total of 3 hours credit at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College.
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College grants degrees or certificates of completion in several program areas. Some of these programs are career oriented and prepare graduates for entry into job opportunities requiring a certificate or associate degree. Other programs are designed for the student who expects to transfer to a bachelor's degree program at a four year institution. Associate Degree programs are structured to include career courses, courses in related fields and general education courses. Students are expected to work closely with the academic advisor in selecting courses that meet the degree or certificate program requirements. A suggested sequence of courses for each program of study is provided in this catalog to help guide the student in meeting graduation requirements. Not all courses for every program are scheduled every semester, therefore, it is important to follow the sequence suggested as closely as possible to avoid unnecessary delays in meeting program completion requirements.
The Associate in Arts or Associate in Science Degrees are awarded to those students completing the University Transfer Program. For those who meet degree requirements in Board of Governors Adult Degree Completion, Business Accounting, Business Administration, Cosmetology, Criminal Justice, Dental Hygiene, Early Childhood Development, Electrical Engineering Technology, Information Technology, Medical Laboratory Technology, Mine Management, Nursing, Office Administration Technology, Occupational Development, Radiologic Technology, Respiratory Care, Surveying, Surgical Technology, Technical Studies, and Technical Studies in Information Systems the Associate in Applied Science Degree is awarded.
Certificates are available in Criminal Justice, Electrical Engineering Technology, Information Technology, Health Care Technology, Office Administration, and Technical Studies in Applied Technology for those meeting the requirements of the individual program.
Graduation exercises are held at the end of each spring semester. Those who successfully complete the degree requirements with a 2.00 or better grade point average are eligible to graduate. Some programs require that students earn a minimum grade of a "C" in certain courses taken in order to graduate with a degree/certificate in that program area. In order to successfully complete degree requirements, 15 of the final 23 hours of the total program must be completed at Southern.
Graduating students must complete an application for graduation to begin the evaluation process. Deadline dates for submitting applications are posted and the academic advisor will explain graduation check out procedures.
Those students completing requirements for the associate degree programs with a minimum of 3.40 cumulative grade point average are eligible to graduate with honors. Transitional studies courses in the less than 100 level series are not counted toward meeting graduation requirements and are not used in the calculation of the graduation grade point average.
Students in the Board of Governors Associate in Applied Science Adult Degree Completion Program are an exception to this policy. Per West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Board of Governors Associate in Applied Science Adult Degree Completion Program Administrative Guidelines, students transferring into this program must complete 12 hours at a regionally accredited higher education institution, including a total of 3 hours credit at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College.
Complete transcripts will be released provided a written request is submitted to the Records Office. The first five transcript requests will be granted free of charge. Subsequent requests will be granted on payment of a $10.00 fee for each transcript. Transcript requests will not be honored if the student has an obligation with the institution. Transcripts will be forwarded to another institution provided a written request is submitted to the Records Office. The first five transcript requests will be granted free of charge. Subsequent requests will be granted on payment of a $10.00 fee for each transcript. Transcript requests will not be honored if the student has an obligation with the institution. Unofficial student transcripts can be printed from Southern’s Web for Students at https//spock.southern.wvnet.edu:8080.
The transfer of credits to other institutions within the state systems is established by the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College. It is the policy of the board that the transfer of credits among institutions will be completed consistent with appropriate and legitimate academic program integrity.
At least 64 and no more than 72 hours of credit completed at community colleges or branch colleges in the West Virginia state systems of higher education shall be transferable to any baccalaureate degree-granting institution in the state systems.
Students completing two-year associate degrees at public institutions governed by the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education shall generally, upon transfer to a baccalaureate level degree-granting institution, have junior level status and be able to graduate with the same number of total credit hours as a non-transfer student at the same institution and in the same program.
In addition, Southern's students enjoy transferability of credits to other institutions of higher education throughout the nation through accreditation by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
The West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education has established procedures for the hours of course work acceptable for transfer that will count toward fulfillment of general education requirements at all institutions of higher education in West Virginia. Please consult your academic advisor or appropriate Department Chair for specific course information.