Academic Policies and Procedures

The Vice President for Academic Affairs has administrative responsibility for credit and learning support instructional programs at Southern Crescent Technical College.

Academic Advisement

Each student is assigned a faculty advisor who will provide the information necessary to allow the student to make informed decisions in determining their academic plan and scheduling their coursework. Advisors will make suggestions and recommendations on how a student may achieve their academic goals; however, it is the ultimate responsibility of the student to meet the requirements of the program.

Each semester, students should be diligent about checking courses they register for against their required programs of study to assure they remain on target for graduation.

Academic Status

President’s List
Students who maintain a semester GPA of 4.0 while earning at least 12 credits and who are on academic Good Standing are placed on the semester President’s List. This designation is printed on the official transcript.

Deans’ List
Students who maintain a semester GPA of 3.5 while earning at least 12 credits and who are on academic Good Standing are placed on the semester Dean’s List. This designation is printed on the official transcript.

Honor Graduate

Students completing program requirements with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.75 or higher will be recognized as honor graduate. This designation is printed on the commencement program.

Honor Graduate with Distinction
Students completing program requirements with a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 will be recognized as honor graduate with distinction. This designation is printed on the commencement program.

*Graduation Grade Point Average is the grade point average that is calculated only on the courses required for graduation.*

Good Standing
Students who maintain a semester GPA of 2.0 are considered in good standing. This designation is printed on the official transcript.

Academic Probation
Students who fail to maintain a semester GPA of 2.0 are placed on academic probation. The purpose of academic probation is to alert the student to the need to improve academic performance. This designation is printed on the official transcript. The student is also placed on financial aid warning.

Academic Suspension
Students who fail for the second consecutive semester to maintain a semester GPA of 2.0 are placed on suspension. This designation is printed on the official transcript. A student placed on academic suspension must stay out of school one full semester before applying for readmission. The student is also placed on financial aid suspension.

Readmission from Academic Suspension
Students placed on the first academic suspension are eligible to reapply for admission following the one semester’s suspension. For any subsequent suspensions, students are eligible to reapply after one calendar year. Students are readmitted on academic probation.

Students who do not attend Southern Crescent Technical College for two consecutive semesters will be required to complete updated course requirements for their program of study.

Work Ethics
Southern Crescent Technical College instructs and evaluates students on work ethics in all programs of study. Ten work ethics traits have been identified and defined as essential for student success: appearance, attendance, attitude, character, communication, cooperation, organizational skill, productivity, respect, and teamwork.

Grading System
The following symbols are used to indicate the level of performance in course work:
A 90-100
B 80-89
C 70-79
D 60-69
F 0-59

For financial aid purposes, these grades will be calculated toward Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

The following are grading codes used in Banner Web and what they represent.

I - Students who have extreme hardships or verifiable extenuating circumstances may be assigned the I grade and given additional time to complete course work. The student has four weeks in the next semester to complete the work. If the incomplete work is not completed by the fourth week as noted on the academic calendar of the following semester, the I grade converts to an F.

W - Fall and spring semester are sixteen weeks long with 2 days for final exams. The final withdrawal date is during the tenth week of the semester. Mini-mester classes are 8 weeks long with 2 days for final exams. Mini-mester classes are run in conjunction with fall and semester classes. The final withdrawal date is on the third week of the semester. Summer semester is either eight weeks or ten weeks long depending on the program of study with 2 days for finals. The final withdrawal date is on the fourth week of the semester.

TR - Credits transferred in from another post-secondary institution are assigned the grade of TR on the transcript. Transferred credits are not counted in the grade point average.
AC - Credits awarded through articulation with secondary schools are assigned the grade of AC. Credits are earned, but grade points are not calculated.
EXE - Course work, which is exempted through examination, is awarded a grade of EXE. Credit is awarded, but grade points are not calculated.
EXP - Course work, which is exempted through experiential learning, is awarded a grade of EXP. Credit is awarded, but grade points are not calculated.
AU - Course work, which is audited by a student, is assigned a grade of AU. Credit is not awarded, and grade points are not calculated.

Z - Grades are used to denote unsuccessful completion due to documented COVID-19 emergencies. Z grades are excluded from attempted hours and GPA calculation. Note: Z Grades Effective AY2020 spring and summer terms only - Extended through Fall 2022 term.

The following symbols are used to indicate the level of performance in learning support courses:

A* 90-100
B* 80-89
C* 70-79
D* 60-69
F* 0-59

Learning support grades are not counted in the overall cumulative grade point average.

Grade Point Average

The overall cumulative grade point average (GPA) is calculated based on all credit courses taken at Southern Crescent Technical College. Please see the Calculation of Grade Point Averages below. The assigned values for the grades are A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, and F= 0. In calculating an overall cumulative GPA, credit hours from courses receiving the following grades are not included: AC, AU, EX, I, IP, TR, W, A*, B*, C*, D*, F*.

Example: Grade
Earned Grade
Points Credit
Hours Total
Points
A 4 x 5 = 20
C 2 x 3 = 6
8 26
26/8 = 3.25 GPA

Calculation of Grade Point Averages — A grade point average is calculated by completing the following steps:

Multiply the credit hours of each course by the points associated with the grade earned.
Add the points earned for all courses.
Divide the total points by the total number of credit hours attempted.

SCTC operates in accordance with the following procedure TCSG 6.5.2p in calculating cumulative grade point averages at SCTC.

Program/Course Grade Requirements
Specified courses in degree/diploma/technical certificate of credit programs of study may require a grade of C or higher as stated in the program description or course description sections of the College catalog. A grade of C or higher is required for a specific course that is a prerequisite to a more advanced course. A minimum of a 2.0 grade point average in the program curriculum is required to graduate.

Repeating Courses
Courses satisfactorily completed at Southern Crescent Technical College may be repeated under special circumstances; however, a record of all courses attempted will remain on a student’s transcript, and all grades received will be used in computing the cumulative grade point average. In addition, financial aid may be impacted by repeat course(s). Students repeating courses are urged to see financial aid for additional information.

Transferability
Transfer of Southern Crescent Technical College credit to another college or university is at the discretion of the receiving institution.

Course Withdrawals
Course withdrawals are initiated by the student on Banner Web. See the Grading System section for important dates relative to withdrawal from class.

Withdrawal from School
Students withdrawing from all courses should complete the Southern Crescent Technical College Official Withdrawal Form. Students who withdraw before the withdrawal date will receive a grade of W. Students who do not follow withdrawal guidelines will receive a grade based on their work, just as students do who complete the class properly. Any student receiving federal student aid (Unsubsidized loans, Subsidized loans, Pell, and SEOG) who completely withdraws from all classes during a given period of enrollment and completes less than 60 percent of the term (based on the determination of last date of attendance) may be required to return funds to Southern Crescent Technical College and/or the U.S. Department of Education.

Attendance Procedure
A goal of Southern Crescent Technical College is to place dependable, competent employees in the workplace. Students are expected to attend class regularly and to be punctual. Attendance requirements are contained in the syllabus of each course. It is the responsibility of the student to read and comply with the attendance requirements that affect work ethics assessments and may affect the academic grade.

Attendance in a distance education course follows the same attendance requirements as the traditional classes offered on campus. Attendance is granted to a student when the student logs into BLACKBOARD, and then enters their course.
Students who cease to attend class and receive an “F” grade, may be required to return funds to Southern Crescent Technical College and/or the U.S. Department of Education.

No-Show Procedure
A student is considered a no-show when the student does not attend class or gain access to an online or hybrid course and complete an assignment by the no-show deadline of the semester (see student academic calendar). When a student accesses an online or hybrid course, through the learning management system, and completes an assignment before the no-show deadline, the student is considered to be in attendance. Likewise, when a student is present in the classroom during any scheduled class time before the no-show deadline of the semester, the student will be considered in attendance.

On Campus: Physical attendance and a completed assignment in Blackboard is required prior to the No Show deadline;
Blended: Students must complete a graded assignment in Blackboard prior to the No Show deadline.
Online Synchronous: Students must complete a graded assignment in Blackboard prior to the No Show deadline.
Online Asynchronous: Students must complete a graded assignment in Blackboard prior to the No Show deadline.

Because submitting a student as a no-show triggers a tuition refund, a student may not attend the class after being submitted as such. Only with permission of the instructor, the Office of Academic Affairs, the Business Office, and the Office of Financial Aid (if applicable) may a student be reinstated in the course.

Change in Academic Status
All students who fail to maintain Good Standing will be notified of their change in status by letter at the end of the term in which they failed to maintain a semester GPA of at least 2.0. Academic Standing is evaluated each term after final grades have been posted by the Registrar.

Academic Probation
A student will be placed on academic probation if, at the end of any semester while the student is in good standing, the semester GPA falls below 2.0. The student’s status will be changed to Academic Probation and the student will be notified by letter of the change. Academic probation serves as the initial notice that the student’s performance is not currently meeting the minimum grade point average required for graduation. Continued performance at this level will result in the student’s being placed on academic suspension.

First Academic Suspension
A student’s academic status changes to Academic Suspensions in the event that the student earns a grade point average of below 2.0 in the semester following placement on Academic Probation.

At this point, the student will be notified by letter and an academic hold will be placed on the student’s account, which will prevent the student from registering for classes for the upcoming term. If the student has already registered for classes for the upcoming term, those courses will be dropped from the student’s schedule.

The first time a student is placed on Academic Suspension, the student will have to sit out for one semester without taking courses. In this case, it is recommended that the student take the necessary steps to ensure that, upon returning to the classroom, circumstances are optimal for his or her success academically. Following the one semester’s suspension, the academic hold is lifted, and the student is eligible to reapply for admission.

Rather than sit out for a term, the student may choose to follow a formal appeal process. This process affords the student the opportunity to make a case before a committee to request that the suspension be lifted for the upcoming term. The student will be allowed to register for the upcoming term on the first day of returning student registration during the suspension term.

Second (or Subsequent) Academic Suspensions
A second or subsequent academic suspension shall be for one calendar year. Successful appeal of the student’s first academic suspension does not reset the student’s suspension count. The student will be allowed to register for their returning semester on the first day of returning student registration during the final suspension term.

Academic Suspension Appeal Procedure

Students who appeal an academic suspension will be notified as soon as a decision is reached by the Academic Suspension Appeals Committee regarding their status.
1. The process begins by requesting an appeal from the Academic Affairs Office. The Appeal form can be found on our website: https://www.sctech.edu/currentstudents/academic-suspension-appeal-request/

2. The statement of appeal must be attached to the Appeal of Academic Suspension form. The statement must be specific, typed, and address the student's entire previous academic performance as well as how the circumstances have changed so that the student can improve their academic performance.

3. The appeal must be submitted by noon on the third day of following semester.

4. The Academic Suspension Appeals Committee will review appeals the first three days of the semester.

5. Once a decision has been made, the Academic Affairs Office will notify the student via the student’s official SCTC email address of the committee's decision.

6. The committee's decision is final.

The Academic Affairs Office makes every attempt to notify students when they are on academic suspension; however, sometimes students do not receive notification due to circumstances beyond the control of the Academic Affairs Office.

If a student is not notified of the academic suspension, that does not excuse a student from the academic suspension, nor does it exempt a student from appealing in a timely manner. Supporting documentation must be provided or the appeal will be denied.

Student’s Responsibilities
The Academic Affairs Office attempts to notify students when they are placed on Academic Probation and/or Suspension, however, sometimes students do not receive notification due to circumstances beyond the control of the Academic Affairs Office. If a student is not notified of the suspension, that in itself does not excuse a student from the academic suspension, nor does it exempt a student from appealing in a timely manner. A student's status is available at all times via Banner Web by clicking Student & Financial Aid, Student Records, and View Student Information.

Grade Appeal
If a student receives a final course grade which he or she believes is incorrect, the student should first discuss the grade with the instructor.
If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the instructor, the student may direct a written appeal to the Academic Affairs office. A Grade Appeal Committee will convene to hear the appeal by both the student and the instructor. After careful review, the Appeals committee will render a decision. The decision of the committee is final.
Grade appeals must be made prior to the end of the semester after the grades were posted. Once a meeting date is set to hear the appeal, the student must attend the appeal meeting, or the committee will automatically close the appeal. A student receives only one opportunity to present his or her information for the appeal. If there are unforeseen, verifiable circumstances that require the student to cancel the appeals meeting, the student will have one final opportunity to reschedule the meeting. If the student does not attend the final appointment, the final course grade will stand. Grades received for semesters prior to the most recent semester cannot be appealed.

Directed Individual Study
Directed Individual Study provides the instructor and student an opportunity to develop special learning environments. Instruction is delivered through work experiences, practicums, advanced projects, industry-sponsored workshops, seminars, or specialized and/or innovative learning arrangements. Each course should be documented with a written agreement between the instructor and the student detailing expected requirements.

Internship Policy
The responsibility for identifying and locating an appropriate internship rests with the student in conjunction with the department involved with the internship.
Arrangements should begin during the pre-registration period. Placement should be confirmed before the beginning of the semester but no later than the end of the first week of the semester. The commitment is made firm at the time of placement so that ordinarily internships may not be dropped during the add-drop period. Adjustments to an internship or an internship schedule will be made during the drop/add period with division chair approval.

Class Cancellation
Southern Crescent Technical College reserves the right to cancel classes because of low enrollment or other reasons. Decisions to cancel classes are made by the Academic Affairs administrative staff. A full refund is made for any class canceled by Southern Crescent Technical College.

Distance Education

Southern Crescent Technical College participates with Georgia Virtual Technical Connection (GVTC) by offering courses over the Internet. Blackboard Learn (BbL) Learning Management System (LMS) is used by Southern Crescent and GVTC as the primary form of LMS. There are four types of courses offered through BbL LMS including: Online Synchronous (OS), Online Asynchronous (OA), Blended (BL), and On Campus (CA).

On Campus (CA): Courses that are taught primarily in the classroom or lab with 50 percent or less of instruction online. On campus courses may include lecture, labs, internships, clinicals and other in-person instructional modalities. On campus courses are not considered distance learning courses.
Blended (BL): Blended courses are distance learning courses with the majority of the course content, activities and interactions occurring online (>50% but <100% online) but may require students to come on campus for specific labs, assignments, activities, or events. Blended courses must detail any on-site course components in the course catalog.
Online Synchronous (OS): Courses taught fully online synchronously with course content, activities and interactions occurring entirely online. This delivery method requires students to be online at specific dates/times during the term. Online synchronous courses may require proctored events, which must be detailed in the course catalog.
Online Asynchronous (OA): Courses taught fully online asynchronously with course content, activities and interactions occurring entirely online. This delivery method does not require students to be online at specific dates/times, and students may participate in class activities and complete course assignments asynchronously. Online asynchronous courses may require proctored events, which are detailed in the course catalog.

Students interested in taking online courses can find course offerings by looking at the course schedule that is released before registration begins each semester.

Security for our students using the BbL LMS is important to Southern Crescent Tech. The BbL LMS can only be accessed by students who have created an Okta account with a unique student email and password. Okta is a secure login portal that allows students access to all SCTC logins and applications in one place. This includes Email/Office 365, Blackboard, Banner Web, and more.

Each student is assigned a student email, and unique password generated from the last 6 digits of their student number, also known as a student ID. The Student Helpdesk is available for BbL LMS, student email and Banner Web concerns. The Helpdesk is available Monday through Thursday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm and Friday 8:00 am to 12:00 am. Additional Helpdesk information can be found on The Southern Crescent Student Helpdesk webpage (studenthelpdesk.sctech.edu).

Southern Crescent students can take online courses from other Georgia Technical Colleges if a course is not being offered at Southern Crescent for a particular semester. To find out more about online courses offered at other Georgia Technical Colleges, talk with your advisor or visit Georgia Virtual Technical Connection’s webpage (https://gvtcapp.tcsg.edu/GVTC/General/Courses.aspx).

Southern Crescent Technical College in conjunction with The Technical College System of Georgia offers more online courses to our students through eCampus. eCampus is a platform that allows students from across Georgia to enroll in online courses offered by other Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) colleges, providing students access to program courses that may not be available during the current term at their home college. Upon completion of an eCampus course, the student will earn credit at their home college. The courses available via the eCampus platform are chosen to prepare students for in-demand careers.