Academic Regulations

National and community college studies indicate that students are more successful if they complete a student success course. Therefore, in the fall of 1997, Wilkes Community College implemented a policy that requires all degree/diploma-seeking students to successfully complete a student success course.

Students in Associate in Applied Science (AAS) programs are required to complete ACA 115 within their first 13 semester hours of enrollment at WCC.

All Associate in Arts (AA) and Associate in Science (AS) students (those planning to transfer to a four-year college or university) are encouraged to take ACA 122 during their first semester of enrollment at WCC.

ACA 115 Success and Study Skills
ACA 115 is organized according to three major concepts: extended orientation, academic success strategies, and applied critical thinking. The extended orientation concept involves connecting students to WCC technology, services, and expectations. Students practice reading, note taking, and test taking strategies to enhance their college academic success skills. Finally, information literacy, financial literacy, and career awareness make up the applied critical thinking approach in ACA 115.

ACA 118 College Study Skills
ACA 118 provides students opportunities to reflect on and improve their study skills. Topics include time management, note taking, test taking, active reading strategies, critical thinking, and communication skills. Students will become familiar with the college learning management system Moodle and demonstrate technology skills associated with college success. Finally, ACA 118 students will research and explore career options. This course is offered primarily to Wilkes Early College High School students.

ACA 122 College Transfer Success
Students enrolling in the Associate in Arts (AA), Associate in Science (AS), and Associate in Engineering (AE) programs are required to take ACA 122 as their student success course.  Students are involved in activities that support six outcomes: developing a plan to complete community college goals, creating a transfer plan, understanding North Carolina transfer guidelines, enhancing learning strategies, connecting to college resources, and working with college policies and procedures. Students are expected to compare resources, policies, and procedures between the community college and university levels.

Students enrolled for 12 or more semester hours of credit will be classified as full-time students. The average course load is 16 to 18 semester hours of credit, depending on the program of study. Students planning to carry more than 21 credit hours must obtain permission from their advisor and the division dean.

Freshmen: students who have earned fewer than 30 semester hours.
Sophomores: students who have earned 30 or more semester hours.
Students enrolled in a diploma or certificate program are classified as freshmen.

Class attendance is considered to be an important part of students’ educational experiences. Students are responsible for attendance and are expected to be punctual and to attend every class session. Regardless of reasons for absences, students will be held accountable for all academic activities. Faculty members may require makeup assignments or tests to compensate for absences. Faculty members who choose or are required by outside agencies to include class attendance as a factor in determining students’ final grades will include this requirement in their course syllabi. For example, students enrolled in Basic Law Enforcement Training must attend 100% of the total contact hours for the course as mandated by the NC Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission.

In general, absences due to official college activities and events will not be included as absences within an individual instructor’s attendance policy, provided that the student submits appropriate documentation to the instructor a minimum of five business days prior to the events. If documentation is not submitted at least five business days prior to an event, permission for the absence will be at the discretion of the instructor. In addition, if a student has an excessive number of absences or has unsatisfactory academic performance in the course at the time of the absence, the instructor will inform the student whether he or she will be permitted to miss class.

Students missing a class due to official college activities and events bear the responsibility of contacting the instructor regarding advanced submission or make up of work. Once the absence has been approved, the student will be allowed a reasonable opportunity to complete all work missed as a result of the missed class. Official college activities and events include participation in the following: field trips in connection with courses; intercollegiate athletic contests; statewide, regional, and/or national organization events; scholarship events; and student academic competitions and award ceremonies.

Pursuant to G.S. 115D-5, students may request two excused absences per academic year for religious observances. Curriculum students may obtain a form from the office of the chief academic officer for instruction. Continuing education students may obtain a form from the office of the chief academic officer for continuing education. Students attending classes at the Ashe Campus or Alleghany Center may obtain a form from the chief administrator at those locations. The student must provide a written request to each instructor five business days prior to an absence for religious observance(s). (If the day(s) of observance fall within the first four days of class, such request shall be made to the senior administrative officer for curriculum or continuing education courses.) Instructors will forward the request to the office of either the senior administrative officer for curriculum or continuing education as appropriate for filing. Students requesting absences as required by their faith shall be given the opportunity to make up any tests or other work missed. The instructor, in consultation with the student, will identify a deadline for submission of the work that is appropriate to the requirements of the course.

At the end of each semester, students will receive final grades based upon the following ten-point system unless noted otherwise in the course syllabus:

Grade	Numerical Grade	Explanation	Grade Points
A	90-100	Excellent	4 per semester hour
B	80-89	Above Average	3 per semester hour
C	70-79	Average	2 per semester hour
D	60-69	Below Average	1 per semester hour
F	0-59	Failure	0 per semester hour

Note: Developmental courses (any course that has 0 as the first number in the 3 digit course number) do not earn credit hours or quality points but may be used for financial aid.

Curriculum course grades with no grade points awarded include:

TR – Transfer Credit
CE – Credit by Exam
I – Incomplete
P – Pass (Developmental or Credit by Exam)
R – Repeat (Developmental Course Not Passed or Repeated course, GPA recalculated)
AR – High School Credit
W – Withdrawal
WA – Administrative Withdrawal (Student never attended)
AU – Audit

These special grades are defined as follows:
TR – A “TR” grade represents transfer credit awarded for courses taken at other schools, colleges or universities.

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CE – A “CE” grade is awarded if a grade of 80% or better is earned on a credit by examination.

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I – An “I” grade is given only under extenuating circumstances as determined by the instructor. Such a grade must be removed by the end of the following semester. If not removed within this time, the incomplete becomes a failure.

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P – A grade of “P” is awarded if a student completes and passes a developmental course or if a “C” or better is earned on a credit by examination.

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R – A grade of “R” is awarded if a student does not complete or pass a developmental course or if a course has been repeated. A course may be repeated as deemed necessary by students. When a course is repeated, an “R” notation is made on the transcript. The last credit grade is considered in computing the cumulative grade point average to meet graduation requirements.

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AR – An “AR” grade represents credit given for courses completed while in high school as outlined in the North Carolina High School-to-Community College Articulation Agreement.

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W – Following the 10% period, a withdrawal grade of “W” is given when a student officially withdraws from a course. A withdrawal grade is awarded through the 10th week of the fall or spring semesters. For summer terms, a withdrawal grade is awarded through the 12th day of a four-week term or the 24th day of an eight-week term. Students who wish to withdraw from a course after these deadlines must have permission from their instructor.

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AU – An “AU” grade is given when students are auditing courses.

The measure of students’ overall academic achievement will be based upon a cumulative grade point average using a 4.00 scale. To compute the GPA:

• multiply the credit hours attempted for each course (excluding withdrawal and developmental course grades) by the number of grade points assigned for the grade received; then divide the total grade points earned by the total credit hours attempted.

An “AU” grade will be recorded when students audit a course, unless the student is a senior (65+ on or before the first day of class being audited), then a grade of “SR” will be recorded. Students who wish to audit a course must register by completing the audit course form. Regular student audits will be charged full tuition and fees for the course. Senior audit students must provide proof of age and will have tuition waived, but will incur all applicable fees. Senior audit students may only have tuition waived for up to six hours of undergraduate level classes per semester. Auditing students must meet all course prerequisites and corequisites. Students must declare audit status in the Registrar’s Office by the end of the drop/add period for the semester of enrollment.

An audit cannot be changed to credit after the drop/add period ends. Students who are auditing are encouraged to attend classes regularly and to participate in class discussions and evaluation sessions.

Students wishing to audit a course may not register until after late registration.

Students desiring to change their program of study should contact the Admissions Office. Students will be reassigned to a new advisor, if appropriate, and placement test scores and course credits will be reevaluated. Students certified for VA benefits must also complete the necessary forms with the VA representative to change programs of study

A grade once reported shall not be changed except when the instructor states in writing that an error has been made using the official change of grade form. The grade change must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office within one year of the initial grade posting or, in exceptional cases, at the discretion of the Vice President of Instruction

Courses may be repeated as deemed necessary by students. When a course is repeated, an “R” notation is made on the transcript. The highest grade earned will be used to calculate the cumulative grade point average to meet graduation requirements. A student who receives a passing grade of A, B, or C in a course and re-enrolls for a third time must submit a written statement of the reason for re-enrolling. This written statement will be maintained in the Student Services Office. Career & College Promise students may only repeat courses where they earned a grade of D, F, or W. Auditing students may repeat courses without written permission.

Only under exceptional circumstances will students be permitted to substitute or deviate from the established requirements of a program of study. The division Dean and Vice President of Instruction must approve substitutions prior to registration. Documentation will be submitted to the registrar prior to taking the course and will become part of the student’s official record.

Students may add or drop courses during the official registration period as published in the college calendar. These changes will not be reflected on grade reports and transcripts. Students should contact the Registrar’s Office or academic advisor for assistance.

For each course dropped after registration ends and through the tenth week of the semester, students are responsible for completing a drop form located in “Student Forms” from the Prowler Page. Once the student submits the form electronically, the instructor will indicate the last date of attendance and submit the electronic form to the Registrar’s Office for processing.  A drop grade will be given up to the ten percent point of the class and a withdrawal grade will be recorded on the grade reports and transcripts after the ten percent point. Failure to properly file a drop form may result in a failing grade. Students who do not meet the withdrawal deadline should contact the instructor to discuss the final grade.

Students wishing to withdraw from the college must submit a properly completed drop form and meet with a student services counselor.

Degree-seeking students currently enrolled at Wilkes Community College, with prior proficiency in a course due to previous educational or work experience, may apply for credit by examination. Credit by examination can be requested for courses only listed in their active program of study in which they can demonstrate the required level of proficiency based upon course objectives. This option is available for selected courses as determined by the department chair, division dean and lead instructors. A proficiency demonstration may be a written exam, oral exam, shop exercise, or lab exercise. A maximum of 25% of the program requirements may be met through credit by examination. The following rules for the student apply:

• Obtain permission from the appropriate department chairperson or lead instructor.
• Instructor issuing the exam will submit the credit by exam documentation to the Registrar’s Office.
• The Registrar’s Office will register the student for the course and the student must pay the tuition for the course, which is non-refundable.
• The student will take the Credit by Exam prior to the 10% point of the term.
• Earn a grade of 80% or better.
• Proficiency demonstrations may be taken only one time for each course.
• Credit for proficiency demonstration may not be granted for a course being audited by the student.
• The instructor will complete the credit by exam documentation and a grade of “CE” (Credit by Examination) will be given to the student for exams that earn a grade of 80% or higher. The credit hours will contribute toward a degree, diploma, or certificate. However, this grade will have no effect on the student’s GPA.
• The results of the examination will be recorded on the request form and forwarded with the examination to the division dean. The dean will file the examination and return the completed form to the registrar.

Continuing Education to Curriculum

Wilkes Community College awards academic credit for certain preapproved non-credit (continuing education) courses. These courses, listed below, have been determined to meet the standards and learning outcomes of the corresponding curriculum course.

Curriculum credit shall be awarded upon request if the student has completed the non-credit course with a Satisfactory (S) and if the equivalent curriculum course is required or allowed as an elective in the student’s current program of study.

Students may request a copy of the Continuing Education to Curriculum Non-Credit to Credit Articulation form from the registrar or it may be initiated by the student’s advisor or instructor. Students who complete continuing education courses and training experiences that are not preapproved for credit may be able to demonstrate competency via the Credit by Exam procedure.

Ashe Campus – Career & College Promise
A=Associates Degree | D=Diploma | C=Certificate

Continuing Education Course/Program	Curriculum Course/ Program of Study
COS 3201	COS 111AB – Cosmetology Concepts ICOS 112AB – Salon

 

Business & Public Service Technologies Division
A=Associates Degree | D=Diploma | C=Certificate

Continuing Education Course/Program	BPST Course Number and Course Title
NET 3100 CCENT-Networking/R&S	CTI-120 Network & Security Foundation NET-125 Networking Basics
NET 3100 CCENT-Switching/ WAN	NET-126 Routing Basics NET-225 WAN Protocols
SEC 3100 CCNA Security	SEC-160 Security Administration I

 

Applied Career Technologies Division
A=Associates Degree | D=Diploma | C=Certificate

Continuing Education Course/Program	ACT Course Number and Course Title
WLD 3106 Welding	WLD 115 – SMAW (Stick) Plate WLD 121 – GMAW (MIG) FCAW/Plate
AUT 3137 Automotive Mechanics	RN 110 – Intro to Transportation Technology TRN 120 – Basic Transportation Electricity AUT 141 & 141A – Suspension and Steering Systems with Lab AUT 151 & 151A – Brake Systems with Lab
AUT 3109 Auto Body Repair	AUB 111 – Painting & Refinishing I AUB 121 – Non-Structural Damage I AUB 131 – Structural Damage I

Wilkes Community College has an advanced standing program that allows previous academic study, examination, or military experience to be evaluated for possible college credit.
Transfer credit or advanced standing is available to students from these educational experiences:

1. Transfer Credits from Other Colleges: Credits may be transferred from colleges and universities that are regionally accredited. Official transcripts from these institutions will be evaluated only after students have been admitted to the college and placed in a program of study. Credit will be awarded provided the course content parallels that taught at WCC or is in the Combined Course Library of the North Carolina Community College System. Credit is awarded only for courses with a grade of “C” or better. Developmental (Pass/Repeat) grades can be transferred to Wilkes Community College from other N.C. Community Colleges due to the use of a statewide grading system for these courses.
2. Transfer of Credits from Nationally Accredited Colleges and Programs: Official transcripts from programs that are accredited by national programmatic accrediting organizations and colleges that are recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the United States Department of Education (USDE) will be evaluated only after students have been admitted to the college and placed in a related program of study. Credit will be awarded provided the course content parallels that taught at WCC or is in the Combined Course Library of the North Carolina Community College System. Credit is awarded only for courses with a grade of “C” or better. Credit cannot be awarded for courses intended to transfer under the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement between the University of North Carolina and the North Carolina Community College System.
3. College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) and Advanced Placement Program (AP): Advanced standing may be granted to students who have successfully completed examinations through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and/or through the Advanced Placement Program of the College Entrance Examination Board. Official test scores must be presented for evaluation.
4. Credits for Military Service: Credits will be granted, where applicable, for military experience in accordance with the recommendations of the American Council on Education’s Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services.

The maximum credit transferable from all outside sources is 75%. At least 25% of the credit hours required for graduation must be earned through instruction by Wilkes Community College. This 25% cannot include credit by examination hours taken at Wilkes Community College. To obtain transfer credit or advanced standing, students must submit
official documentation to the Registrar’s Office. Students should request evaluations of all official transcripts and/or scores submitted after they have been admitted to the college and placed in a program of study.

Academic Progress and Standards
Each student is expected to make satisfactory progress toward meeting his/her academic goals. The cumulative grade point average (GPA) is reviewed at the end of each semester and term to determine whether the student has made the expected progress. The minimum cumulative GPA to remain in good academic standing is a 2.0. Developmental courses are not included in the GPA calculation.

A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 is subject to academic warning, which may be followed by probation and suspension. The GPA will be calculated using the most recent grade for each course taken at Wilkes Community College.

Academic Warning
A student (excluding Career & College Promise) failing to meet the minimum cumulative GPA during any semester or term will receive an academic warning letter and must complete two Success Skills workshops through the Academic Support Center. The warning status will be posted on the student’s transcript and the student’s academic advisor will be notified.

Note: Career & College Promise students are sent an academic warning letter and are encouraged to meet with their advisor. The warning status is posted on their transcript.

Academic Probation
A student (excluding Career & College Promise) whose cumulative GPA remains below 2.0 for a second consecutive semester or term is placed on academic probation. A student placed on academic probation will receive a letter informing the student of his/her academic status and must meet with a student services representative to review their current academic standing. Additionally, a student on academic probation must have two meetings with an Academic Support mentor to develop a personal academic success plan. While on probation, the student will be able to register for a maximum of twelve credit hours for fall and spring semesters and a maximum of six credit hours for summer term. The probation status will be posted on the student’s transcript and the student’s academic advisor will be notified.

Note: Career & College Promise students are sent an academic probation letter and are required to develop an academic success plan with their advisor. The probation status is posted on their transcript.

Suspension
A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 for three successive semesters/term will be placed on academic suspension for one semester or term. A student on academic suspension will not be allowed to register for curriculum courses. The student may apply for re-admission after one semester or term by contacting the retention coordinator to discuss re-admission. A student who is readmitted following an academic suspension will be placed on academic probation and must comply with the requirements of academic probation. The suspension status will be posted on the student’s transcript and the student’s academic advisor will be notified.

Note: Career & College Promise students follow the same guidelines for suspension as all other college students.

Appeals
A student on academic suspension who believes extenuating circumstances exist that should prevent the suspension may appeal the academic suspension. The student must submit a written appeal to the academic appeals committee which consists of the chief officer of instruction, chief officer of student services, and a designee chosen by the academic and support services council. The decision of the academic appeals committee is final.

Click here for the academic suspension appeal form.

The academic forgiveness policy is designed to assist students who have failing grades from previous WCC enrollment. Students may request forgiveness for F’s earned five years or more ago by submitting a written request to the registrar. Only failing (F) grades may be forgiven from a student’s grade point average. Prior to the reevaluation of credits, the student must be readmitted to the college, register for courses, and complete at least 12 credit hours of course work with a minimum quality point average of 2.0. The request can be submitted at the end of the semester in which the 12 credit hours of coursework is completed.

A student may request academic forgiveness for WCC course grades only one time, regardless of subsequent program changes, subsequent enrollment, or other unanticipated events.

Credits forgiven under the academic forgiveness policy will be exempt from calculation in the student’s cumulative grade point average. While the forgiven grades will continue to appear on the official transcript, the courses and the earned “F” grades will be marked as forgiven.

It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Financial Aid office to determine if the grades covered under the academic forgiveness policy will be included in the grade point average calculation for financial aid or VA educational benefits. Students who plan to transfer to another college or university are responsible for determining the impact forgiven grades may have on their transfer credit before they request forgiveness for those grades at WCC.

To graduate, students must:

1. Obtain graduation application form from the Wilkes Community College website;
2. Meet with your advisor to review your application and obtain your advisor’s signature;
3. Bring your graduation application to the Office of Student Services during the designated graduation checkout period;
4. Complete all required courses for the degree, diploma, or certificate; (Associate degree graduates may participate in the annual spring graduation exercise if they have one or two courses to complete during the summer term. More than two courses needed during the summer term must be approved by the division dean and registrar. However, the college cannot guarantee courses needed for graduation will be offered during the summer term.)
5. Attain a cumulative grade point average of “C” (minimum of 2.00) in all work attempted;
6. Complete no less than 25% of the semester hours required in the program of study at Wilkes Community College; and
7. Satisfy all financial obligations to Wilkes Community College.

Students who will complete all required coursework for graduation during the subsequent summer term may participate in graduation exercises if the following conditions are met:

1. Students have satisfied the criteria stated in 1, 3, 4, and 5 above;
2. Students have registered for all courses required to complete the degree, diploma, or certificate for the subsequent summer term and paid the tuition for the summer term; and
3. Students have been granted permission from the appropriate division dean. (Diploma seeking students are excluded.)

Students should plan carefully for summer term as only a limited number of courses are offered, and students may not be able to take the courses needed for graduation.

In addition, students scheduled to participate in the annual graduation exercise must pay a graduation fee, which covers the cost of the cap, gown, and the degree, diploma, or certificate. Also, graduating students are encouraged to participate in the commencement exercise, but attendance is not required. However, an additional fee to cover processing and mailing costs will be charged to those students who do not participate in the graduation exercise. In addition, every attempt will be made, but the college will not be responsible for degrees, diplomas, or certificates damaged during mail delivery.