Academic Regulations, Grades, & Attendance

General Academic Information

Student Classification

1. Full-Time Students - Students enrolled who register for twelve (12) or more credit hours.
2. Part-Time Students - Students enrolled who are taking fewer than twelve (12) credit hours.
3. Special Credit Students - Students taking less than twelve (12) semester hours credit or less and not seeking a credential. Students taking more than twelve (12) SHC must first declare a major.
4. First (1st) Year Students - Students who have completed fewer than thirty-two (32) semester credit hours.
5. Second (2nd) Year Students - Students who have completed thirty-two (32) or more semester credit hours.

Student Course Load Policy

Full-time curriculum students must take a minimum of twelve (12) credit hours. Typically students take fifteen (15) to eighteen (18) hours. Students registering for more than twenty (20) credit hours must have a cumulative grade point average of two-point-zero (2.0) or above and permission of the divisional academic dean.

Students employed more than fifteen (15) hours a week should reduce their class load accordingly. Beginning students who have full-time employment are urged to limit class loads to nine (9) to twelve (12) credit hours until they have demonstrated the ability to carry a heavier schedule.

Criteria for Official Enrollment

To be officially enrolled, students must have registered, paid their tuition and fees, and attended classes on or before the semester’s ten percent (10%) point. There must be evidence of active participation in courses by the ten percent (10%) point for online courses, or students may be withdrawn from classes.

Course Audits

Students who wish to audit courses must register through regular registration procedures. Audit students do not receive credit but are encouraged to attend classes regularly, participate in class discussions, and take all examinations.

Audit courses may not be changed to credit courses after the drop/add period, nor may credit courses become audit courses. Audit work does not count toward the diploma or degree requirements.

In the event of limited classroom space, the priority for a classroom seat must go to students enrolled for credit. The fees for audit courses are the same as those for courses taken for credit.

Course Substitutions

Under special circumstances, course substitutions are allowed in a program. Any course substitution must have the advisor’s written approval, the department chairperson of the program involved, the division dean, and the Vice President of Instruction. If a course has been deleted from a particular curriculum, The college may use course substitution to meet the requirement.

Course Prerequisites

Prerequisites are requirements students meet before students can enroll in a specific course. The prerequisite may be a class a student must take before registering for the next level, or it may refer to achieving a placement test score before registering.

Students must comply with Edgecombe Community College requirements that they meet all prerequisites before taking courses. There are occasions in which exceptions to this regulation may be deemed desirable and necessary. The course’s appropriate advisor, department/division head, and divisional dean must approve such exceptions in writing. Upon the written recommendation of these individuals, the Vice President of Instruction will render a decision on the exception request.

Exceptions to course prerequisites may include the following:

• Appropriate placement test scores may fulfill supplemental prerequisites; placement test scores may be waived based on an SAT or an ACT score;
• Students with an associate or higher level degree who register in beginning college-level courses (e.g., ENG 111 ; PSY 150 );
• For students who have life experiences that are deemed equivalent to or supersede the prerequisite; a formal review is completed and maintained in the student’s records of course-level outcomes;
• Students who successfully transfer to a course that has a prerequisite would not have to take the prerequisite;
• Students may use successful completion (C or better) of a higher-level course in the same content as the course to meet the prerequisite requirement;
• Students may use credit by exam to meet prerequisite requirements.

Course Co-requisites

Corequisite courses are courses that students must take simultaneously or before the beginning of a class. Students must take all lecture and lab courses together during the same term. There are occasions in which exceptions to this regulation may be deemed desirable and necessary. The course’s appropriate advisor, department/division head, and divisional dean must approve such exceptions in writing. Upon the written recommendation of these individuals, the Vice President of Instruction will render a decision on the exception request.

Course Prerequisite Failure

If students fail a prerequisite course, they must repeat and complete the prerequisite before beginning the next course. This course repetition could result in a more extended period than is usually required of students to complete the requirements for graduation.

Repetition of Courses

A student who fails a course may repeat that course until the student receives a passing grade. Students who receive a passing grade of “D” or better on a curriculum course may repeat the course once to seek a better grade. If a student’s program of study requires a grade of “C” for progression, then a student may repeat the course until a grade of “C” is obtained; however, financial aid will not pay for more than one repeat of a course after a passing grade of “D” is obtained.

No course may be counted more than once in calculating the total number of hours toward graduation. The highest grade earned from repeated courses is calculated in the major grade point average hours toward graduation. The lowest grade comes out of the grade point average but remains on the official transcript.

Veterans who wish to repeat a course for which a passing grade has been earned do not receive educational benefits for repeating a course unless progression in the program requires a grade of “C.”

Dean’s List and President’s List

Full-time students who earn a grade point average (GPA) of three-point-five (3.5) without receiving a grade lower than “C” are eligible for the Dean’s List. Full-time students who earn a grade point average (GPA) of four-point-zero (4.0), maintaining an “A” average, qualify for the President’s List. Courses numbered below “100” are not counted either as hours towards full-time enrollment or calculating the grade point average. Students who receive an “I” are not eligible for the Dean’s or President’s List.

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Degree, Diploma, and Certificate Requirements

The Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and Associate in Applied Science degrees; the vocational diploma; and certificates all require the following minimum standards.

1. Students must complete all course requirements as outlined in their curricula. Graduates must have earned at least a two-point-zero (2.0) grade point average (GPA) in courses presented for graduation.
2. Students must earn a minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) of credit hour requirements at ECC.
3. The student’s academic advisor of the department in which they complete their major work must recommend it.
4. Students must complete the Career Readiness Certification assessments.
5. Students must fulfill all financial obligations to the college and return all borrowed library books and materials.
6. Students participating in graduation activities must wear the appropriate cap and gown attire.

Commencement Exercises

At the end of each spring semester, the college holds a commencement exercise to award degrees, diplomas, and certificates. The specific date for commencement is listed in the college calendar. All students receiving degrees, diplomas, and certificates are expected to attend commencement exercises.

Marshals

Being named commencement marshals is an honor for rising sophomores who have maintained the highest academic averages during their freshman year. The Vice President of Student Services designates the chief marshal.

Grades

Scholastic Standards and Grading System

Effective Fall 2014, ECC has a 10-point grading scale, as listed below. However, individual programs may have an alternate grading scale per approval by the ECC Curriculum Review Committee. Programs with alternative grading scales will publish those scales in their program materials and their course syllabi. Students are assigned quality points using the following formula at the end of each semester:

Numerical Quality Points

Grades for supplemental level courses are as follows:

Quality points, the numerical equivalents of the letter grades, determine students’ rank in class and academic honors. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of two-point-zero (2.0) is necessary to meet the grade requirements for graduation in all programs.

Grade point averages are determined by dividing quality points by the number of credit hours attempted. An asterisk beside a grade on the permanent student record means that the course does not count in the grade point average.

Academic Standing

To be in good academic standing, beginning students must have earned a grade point average of two-point-zero (2.0 GPA) by the end of the first semester and must maintain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of two-point-zero (2.0 CGPA) after that. All students are required to have a major GPA of two-point-zero (2.0) for graduation. Students enrolled in a college transfer program (AA, AS) must have a grade of “C” or better in the courses they wish to transfer credit.

Academic Progress

The policy governing academic progress at Edgecombe Community College is intended to assist the student in completing a chosen program of study within a given period. Procedures are designed to identify students experiencing academic difficulties and to ensure enrollment in an interventional plan. A student must obtain a minimum cumulative grade point average of two-point-zero (2.0 CGPA) for all curriculum programs leading to graduation. Specific programs may require a higher GPA for graduation.

Academic Warning

Students who have failed to achieve a cumulative grade point average of two-point- zero (2.0 CGPA) or above for any semester will be placed on academic warning for the following semester. Students on academic warning may register for a maximum of twelve (12) credit hours unless otherwise approved by their advisor or counselor.

An advisor/counselor will notify a student of their status and prescribe an Intervention Plan that may include study skills, time management, counseling, or other appropriate workshops. Students will remain on academic warning until they re-establish a two-point-zero (2.0 CGPA) cumulative grade point average.

Academic Probation

Students whose cumulative grade point average falls below 1.0 will be placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation may register for a maximum of six (6) credit hours until they achieve a 2.0 cumulative grade point. Students on academic probation may not register for classes unless approved by their advisor or counselor. Academic advisors will encourage students to repeat courses in which they received a failing grade. The higher grade will calculate the cumulative grade point average (CGPA), and the college will drop the lower grade from the calculation.

The College will notify students of their status, and the advisor or counselor will prescribe an Intervention Plan that may include study skills, time management, counseling, or other appropriate workshops.

Grade Changes

The College may change a grade only through an agreement between the Vice President of Instruction and the faculty member who gave the grade. Students have the right to appeal grades through due process.

Incomplete Grades

When students have not completed the requirements of a course, they may be eligible to receive a grade of “I.” If a grade of “I” is not removed within the following semester, the “I” grade is automatically changed by the Registrar to a grade of “F.”

When a grade of “I” is awarded, the instructor completes a “Notice of Requirements for Removal of an ‘Incomplete’” form. That form includes the following information:

1. The specific requirements for the completion of the course.
2. The student’s grade standing when they earned the “I” grade for the course.
3. The amount of time the instructor will allow the student to complete the course.

Students are responsible for contacting their instructor concerning the removal of an “I” grade.

The appropriate instructor and the Vice President of Instruction must approve the form to remove an incomplete grade. No additional tuition is paid when the “I” grade is replaced with a permanent grade.

Evaluating and Awarding Academic Credit

The College will accept transfer credit from another recognized, regionally-accredited institution provided that a student meets the following conditions:

• The course is required for graduation from College.
• The course was passed with a “C” or better.
• The course closely parallels the content of the course, which it replaces at the College.

If a student wishes to transfer credit from another institution, the registrar evaluates the transcript and awards the transfer credit in consultation with the department or program chair, dean, and Vice President of Instruction if necessary. The transfer coursework must be equivalent to or higher in content and contact hours for the credit to be awarded. If the College does not offer a general education core class that the student wishes to transfer to, the registrar will designate a comparable course from the College Catalog to count toward the general education core requirement. If there is any question concerning the course content, the student must provide a course syllabus from the transfer institution.

All transcripts and standardized test scores must be received by mail or in person in the original sealed envelope from the institution or agency to be official. The College must receive electronic transcripts or scores directly from the institution or agency to consider them official. By accepting these official documents, the College takes responsibility for the equivalent coursework or credits recorded on the student’s Edgecombe Community College transcript. All transfer credits will appear on a student’s transcript with either a “TR” or “XT” status.

Coursework Completed at Non-Accredited Institutions

Coursework will not be accepted for transfer credit if completed at institutions that are not regionally accredited.

Experiential Learning

Many Edgecombe Community College students in selected College programs gain valuable work experience outside the classroom through Work-Based Learning (WBL). Students must meet the eligibility requirements as outlined in the Edgecombe Community College Catalog. Some students may work as many as four semesters in part-time or full-time jobs with employers selected or approved by the College. Academic credit is given either as a course requirement or elective, depending on the course major.

Advanced Placement (AP)

Students can receive credits through Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations. The College allows credits from the College Entrance Examination Board for high school students taking AP tests scoring 3, 4, or 5 on them. Students should present the AP scores from the College Board to receive credits.

High School Articulation

Students entering ECC from North Carolina public high schools may be awarded articulated credit as provided in the state agreement. (link to HS-CC Articulation) Also, the College and the Edgecombe County public school system have a local agreement. (link to Articulation Agreement Example)

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Students may also receive college credit if passed a College Level Examination Program exam (CLEP). The College Board must send official test scores to the Registrar for awarding credit. The College grants credit for the subject area exams only.

Military Training

The College may grant credit where applicable for military service schools following the recommendations of the American Council on Education’s Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services when consistent with the students’ program requirements. The Registrar, in conjunction with faculty, reviews the documentation and awards credit.

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Transfer/Articulation Agreement

The Comprehensive Articulation Agreement between the University of North Carolina System and many North Carolina independent colleges and universities and the North Carolina Community College System creates opportunities for transfer of course credit between the college and constituent institutions of the UNC System and certain independent colleges and universities.

The institution ensures that course work and learning outcomes are at the collegiate level and comparable to the institution’s degree programs and assumes responsibility for the academic quality of any course work or credit recorded on the institution’s transcript.

All community colleges in North Carolina participate in the North Carolina Community College System Combined Course Library. The library standardizes all course numbers, titles, and descriptions across all institutions. This consistency ensures that a course offered at one community college in North Carolina is equivalent to the same course offered at another community college. Since the North Carolina Community College System Curriculum Review Committee approves all courses in the CCL, it further ensures that the course content and student learning outcomes are appropriate. If a student wishes to transfer credit to the College for coursework taken at another community college in North Carolina, the registrar can quickly evaluate the student’s transcript and award proper credit based on the CCL.

Consortium Agreements

If a student has an approved consortium agreement between ECC and another institution in which ECC is the host institution, credits earned at the other institution do not count as courses taken at ECC. If approved for a consortium agreement, a student is required to have an OFFICIAL academic transcript sent to the other institution immediately following the end of the semester.

Transfer of Continuing Education Credits to Curriculum

Continuing education credits that lead to a credential or certification may be considered for course equivalency. Program/departmental and Vice President of Instruction approval must be received, and the student must enroll in the program for which they are seeking credit.

The amount of credit awarded in such cases is established by the faculty in the subject area in which the credit will be awarded. Such credit is awarded only in areas that coincide with the college’s regular curriculum offerings and are appropriate to the student’s educational goals. The decision concerning whether credit will be awarded is based on documentation that demonstrates academic comparability to credit earned by traditional means. Evaluation criteria include comparable content and credit hours with the corresponding curriculum course, the grade earned, accreditation standards, instructor qualifications, and years since the student earned the credits. In cases where the documentation does not support the awarding of credit for previous non-credit courses or training, a student may be allowed to demonstrate proficiency in the course competencies through a proficiency/challenge examination.

To receive credit for credentials or certification of professional, occupational, or continuing education courses or programs, the student must submit documentation showing completion of equivalent coursework to the Vice President of Instruction’s office. The maximum credit awarded must not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the total amount of credit required for graduation from the student’s curriculum program. Such credit may not be transferable to another program within the college or transferable from Edgecombe Community College to other colleges or universities.

Departmental Proficiency Examinations

By following the procedures listed below, students may request proficiency examinations for credit for courses during the first five (5) school days of a semester.

1. Students should consult with and receive permission from the program/ department chair to examine and give adequate preparation evidence.
2. Credit by proficiency exam is not available for all courses.
3. Students must complete the registration process.
4. Regular tuition rates apply to all credit hours earned by proficiency examinations. Students pay the tuition at the Business Office and present a validated receipt to the instructor responsible for the course challenge. The instructor may then arrange a date and time for the examination, written, oral, or both. To successfully challenge a course, students must obtain a minimum score of seventy (70) or “C” on the exam. Grades received on proficiency exams are recorded on students’ permanent records. Students who do not successfully pass a proficiency examination for a course have to continue to receive credit. If students do not wish to remain in the course, they should complete an official withdrawal.
5. Proficiency exams are given only for courses offered on the schedule that particular semester.
6. Students who fail a course are not eligible to earn credit through proficiency examinations.
7. Credit by proficiency exams that are taken at ECC may not be accepted at certain four-year institutions.
8. Students receiving veterans’ benefits need to see the Veterans’ Office counselor before taking any proficiency exam.
9. A student receiving financial aid needs to see someone in the Financial Aid Office before taking any proficiency exam.

Competency Requirements

Educational Program Outcomes

Edgecombe Community College identifies and assesses six (6) general education core competencies: communication skills, mathematical reasoning skills, critical thinking skills, technological skills, global and cultural awareness, and sustainability. The college assesses these competencies annually by administrating common departmental exams, embedding common questions on finals, and using common rubrics in a cross-section of the general education core and program areas. The competencies and assessment methods are documented in assessment outcomes.

Student learning outcomes are measurable and well-defined by faculty and staff members. Student learning outcomes are written statements representing student learning goals at the institutional level, the department or program level, and the course level. Each course contains specific competencies that support the student learning outcomes as applied to the program-level outcomes.

The college realizes that students are a vital asset, and assisting them in reaching their personal and professional goals is an obligation the college takes seriously. The college is committed to integrating student learning outcomes throughout all areas of the college. The ultimate goal for Edgecombe Community College is to become an institution where student learning drives the planning, resource allocation, and effectiveness process.

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Attendance Policy

Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes, laboratories, clinical, and shop sessions to meet the objectives of the courses for which they are registered. Attendance begins on the first day of class, and all students should be on time for classes or instructional sessions. Although special circumstances may cause a student to be absent, regular attendance is essential to satisfy course objectives. Students who anticipate an absence should contact the instructor before the class meets. Should prior notice to the instructor be impossible, the student should expect to explain the absence as soon as possible. Students have full responsibility for accounting for their absences to their instructors.

All work missed during absences may be allowed to be made up at the discretion of the instructor. Failure to make up missed work will adversely affect the student’s final grade for the course. To receive credit for a course, the student must attend 80 percent (80%) of the class and 80 percent (80%) of the lab, clinical, and shop hours. However, individual programs or departments may adhere to more stringent attendance policies. The attendance policy for each course is communicated on the course syllabus. The student’s responsibility is to read and abide by the policies outlined in the syllabus for the course they are enrolled in. When absences total more than 20 percent (20%) (or the more stringent percentage set by the respective program or department) of the total contact hours for the course, a student may be withdrawn from the class by the faculty member.

This policy shall be subject to any uniform policy adopted and implemented by the State Board of Community Colleges (SBCC) regarding attendance throughout the Community College System. To the extent that any terms and conditions contained in this policy contradict or conflict with the terms and conditions of any such SBCC policy, the SBCC policy shall take precedence and supersede this policy. 

Attendance Appeal Process

To be considered for reinstatement in the class, students must submit a Student Attendance Appeals Form (located on the college website on the Student Portal Forms page) to the Attendance Committee within three (3) class days of notification of withdrawal. The Attendance Committee consists of two (2) instructors. Students’ right to appeal is limited to one appeal per course per semester. Students can attend the class from which the college withdrew them until the Attendance Committee has rendered its decision. The Attendance Committee must meet within three (3) class days after an appeal has been filed. The decision of the Attendance Committee is final. Please be advised, that some curriculum programs may have more stringent requirements on attendance, and students should refer to curriculum handbooks for the appropriate appeal process.

Withdrawal Procedures

Withdrawal by Students from Courses or College

A student who wishes to withdraw from an individual course or the College should complete a withdrawal form. A student is not officially withdrawn until they process a withdrawal form with the Registrar’s Office. The effective date of the withdrawal is the date the Registrar’s Office receives the completed form. No student will be allowed to withdraw from any class after the seventy-five (75%) point or after the course has ended.

If a student completes the withdrawal process, the student will be given a grade of “W” for their class(es) before the seventy-five (75%) point.

Withdrawal by Faculty or Administration from Courses

A faculty member has the responsibility of withdrawing a student who has accumulated absences over the number of times indicated in the faculty member’s attendance policy in the course syllabus, demonstrated that they do not intend to pursue the learning objectives of the course, or exhibited conduct unbecoming to a school or class environment. Faculty members may withdraw a student at any time of the course. Any student withdrawn by a faculty member before the seventy-five (75%) point of the course will be issued a grade of “W.” Any student withdrawn by a faculty member after the seventy-five (75%) point of the course will be issued a grade of “WP” or “WF.” The faculty member will issue a grade of “WP” if the student is passing the class to the point of being withdrawn from the class after the seventy-five (75%) point. A faculty member may issue a grade of “WF” if the student is failing the class to the point of being withdrawn from the class after the seventy-five (75%) point.

Before withdrawing a student for attendance reasons, the faculty member must contact the student to discuss the student’s standing in the class and the pending withdrawal. The contact, or attempted contact, must be recorded on the withdrawal form.

When extenuating circumstances exist, the Vice President of Instruction must approve a “WF” grade waiver.

Students may be withdrawn for improper conduct by the President, the Vice President of Instruction or Student Services, or a designated representative.

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