Grades

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) thereafter. 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 for which they wish to transfer credit.

Academic Progress

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

Students will be notified of their status and the advisor/counselor will 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 lower grade will be dropped from the calculation of the cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and the higher grade will be used to calculate the CGPA.

Students will be notified 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.

Advanced Placement

Students may qualify for advanced placement at the college through any of the following means:

1. Successfully completing certain advanced placement tests at the high school level.
2. Passing a departmental proficiency examination.
3. Attaining at least a minimum score on certain College Level Examination Program (CLEP) subject tests.

Advanced Placement Program (AP) Offered at High Schools

Students can earn credit or advanced placement for college course work while they are still in high school. The Advanced Placement program (AP) offers thirty-five (35) college-level courses and thirty-five (35) exams in twenty (20) subject areas.

The college grants academic credit or advanced placement to incoming students with qualifying AP grades on the exams. Although the AP course information should be on students’ high school transcripts, it is the responsibility of students to present supporting documentation to the college’s Admissions Office for possible course credit.

Departmental Proficiency Examinations

By following the procedures listed below, students may request to take 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 take the examination and must give evidence of adequate preparation.
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 challenged course. The instructor may then arrange a date and time for the examination, which may be written, oral, or both.
5. 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 in the course in order to receive credit. If students do not wish to continue in the course, they should complete the official withdrawal form in the Student Services Department. Students who do not officially withdraw from the course receive an “F” on their permanent record, and the grade is included in their grade point average.
6. Proficiency exams are given only for courses offered on the schedule that particular semester.
7. Students who fail a course are not eligible to earn credit by proficiency examinations.
8. Credit by proficiency exam taken at another institution may be accepted for credit at Edgecombe Community College (ECC). Credit by proficiency exam taken at ECC may not be accepted at certain four-year institutions.
9. Students receiving veterans’ benefits need to see the counselor in the Veterans’ Office prior to taking any proficiency exam.

College Level Examination Program

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a national testing program of the College Entrance Examination Board through which a person may obtain college credit in a particular subject area by demonstrating proficiency on an examination. Area colleges and public libraries administer the CLEP General and Subject exams. Information about test sites is available in the Library. There is a charge for each exam, and pre-registration is required. The college awards credit for the subject area exams only. A grade of “T” (Transfer) and credit hours for the course are awarded. No quality points are awarded, and the grade is not included in the grade point average.

United States Armed Forces Institute (USAFI)

USAFI courses and tests were administered to military personnel prior to June 30, 1974. The college awards credit where applicable to students’ programs of study following the guidelines of the Office on Educational Credit and Credentials (OECC) of the American Council on Education. A grade of T is awarded, and credit hours for the course(s) are awarded. No quality points are awarded, and the grade is not included in the grade point average. Official records of service personnel and veterans completing USAFI courses and tests prior to June 30, 1974, may be obtained at no cost from DANTES Contractor Representative (Transcripts), Educational Testing Service, Box 2879, Princeton, N.J. 08541.

Grade Changes

A grade may be changed only through mutual agreement of 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

A grade of “I” may be awarded only when students have not completed the requirements of a course. 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.”

At the time 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. Specific requirements for the completion of the course.
2. The student’s grade standing at the time the “I” grade is awarded.
3. The time period allowed by the instructor for the completion of the course.

It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor concerning the removal of an “I” grade.

The form for the removal of incompletes is approved by the appropriate instructor and the Vice President of Instruction. No additional tuition is paid when the “I” grade is replaced with a permanent grade.

In-Progress Grades

A grade of “IP” may be awarded when students have not substantially completed the requirements for a developmental course although they were enrolled the entire semester. In such cases, students must enroll in the course again to complete the requirements for the course.

Tuition and student activities fees must be paid by students in order for them to re-enroll in classes for which they received the grade of “IP.”

Transfer of Credits

Into the College

The college allows transfer credit for students from other recognized and accredited post-secondary institutions, provided that certain conditions are met:

1. The course is required for graduation at the college.
2. The course was passed with a “C” or better.*
3. The course closely parallels the content of that which it replaces at the college.

*Credits that transfer to the college with a “T” grade are not included in students’ overall grade point averages.

The college will only accept two (2) courses designated as “Writing Intensive” by the transferring college to meet Edgecombe Community College’s writing intensive graduation requirement. The acceptance of the course is subject to the evaluation by the department head of the student’s degree program. While accepting up to two (2) courses designated as “Writing Intensive,” ECC students must take at least one (1) writing intensive course at ECC.

The college may grant credit where applicable for military service schools in accordance with the recommendations of the American Council on Education’s Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services when consistent with students’ program requirements. The college does not allow credit for experiential learning.

Transfer credit is awarded only upon approval by the department head. Applications for transfer credit are handled on an individual basis. Once an evaluation is completed, the Registrar sends a copy to the advisor and to the student, and one is kept in the academic file in Student Services. Advisors can view transfer credits on students in the Colleague file.

Between Programs at the College

Credit for subjects earned with a grade of “D” or better at the college is accepted in cases when students transfer from one curriculum to another within the college. Courses transferred must be comparable in content and contact hours to the courses for which credit is given. Transfer of credits from one curriculum to another is granted under the following conditions:

1. The course(s) is/are required for graduation in both programs.
2. Those credit hours designated “elective” in the major curriculum may be transferred from one curriculum area to another; this policy applies only to the number of credit hours designated as elective hours in those curriculum areas into which students transfer.
3. When students re-enter a curriculum in which they have been previously enrolled, all previous grades earned (including “F”s) in that curriculum are included in the cumulative grade point average at the time of re-entry.
4. Continuing education courses are not transferable to curriculum programs.
5. Health Science programs have separate policies for transfer of courses between programs.

Between Divisions of the College

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 be enrolled in the program for which he or she is 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 which 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 which demonstrates academic comparability to credit earned by traditional means. Evaluation criteria include comparable content and credit hours with the corresponding curriculum course, grade earned, accreditation standards, instructor qualifications, and the number of years since the credits were earned. 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 course work 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 curriculum program in which the student is enrolled. Such credit may not be transferable to another program within the college or transferable from Edgecombe Community College to other colleges or universities.

To Four-Year Colleges and Universities

Comprehensive Articulation Agreements with the University of North Carolina and Signatory Independent Colleges and Universities in North Carolina 

In an effort to simplify and facilitate transfer of credit between community colleges and public and private colleges and universities in North Carolina, the State Board of Community Colleges has developed separate agreements with the University of North Carolina System and signatory independent colleges and universities in North Carolina. The Comprehensive Articulation Agreement with the University of North Carolina System and the Independent Comprehensive Articulation Agreement with specific private colleges and universities in North Carolina, address the transfer of students from North Carolina community colleges to public and private colleges and universities in North Carolina.

The major provision of both comprehensive articulation agreements allows students who complete the A.A. or A.S. degree requirements at any community college to transfer to constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina and relevant private colleges and universities with junior status, considering them to have fulfilled the lower division, general education requirements of the receiving institution. Community college graduates who have earned sixty to sixty-one (60-61) semester hours of academic credit in approved college transfer courses with a grade of “C” or better in each course and an overal GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale will receive at least sixty to sixty-one (60-61) semester hours of academic credit upon admission to relevant colleges and universities covered under these agreements. Courses may also transfer through bilateral agreements between institutions. Courses offered through bilateral agreements may not transfer to all receiving institutions. For information about transfer to a specific college or university, students should visit the College Transfer page on the ECC website.

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/ or using common rubrics in a cross-section of the general education core and program areas. The common departmental exams are provided, 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 that represent student learning goals at the institutional level, the department or program level, and the course level. Each course contains specific competencies which 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.

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 with 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 to their instructors for absences.

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 class and 80 percent (80%) of lab, clinical, and/or shop hours. However, individual programs and/or departments may adhere to a more stringent attendance policy. The attendance policy for each course is communicated on the course syllabus. It is the student’s responsibility to read and abide by the policies outlined in the syllabus for the course for which they are enrolled. When absences total more than 20 percent (20%) (or the more stringent percentage set by respective program and/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) pertaining to attendance throughout the Community College System. To the extent that any terms and conditions contained in this policy contradict and /or conflict with the terms and conditions of any such SBCC policy, the SBCC policy shall take precedence and supersede this policy. 

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 he/she processes 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 his/her class(es) prior to 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 in excess of the number of times indicated in the faculty member’s attendance policy in the course syllabus, demonstrated that he/she does 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 prior to 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 at 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 at the point of being withdrawn from the class after the seventy-five (75%) point.

Prior to withdrawing a student for attendance reasons, the faculty member must attempt to make contact with 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 the waiver of the grade of “WF”.

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

Attendance Appeal Process

An appeal to the Attendance Committee must occur within three (3) class days of notification of withdrawal. To be considered for reinstatement in the class, students must appear before the Attendance Committee. The Attendance Committee consists of two (2) instructors. Students’ right to appeal is limited to one appeal per course per semester. Students are allowed to attend the class from which they were withdrawn 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, some curriculum programs may have more stringent requirements on attendance, and students should refer to curriculum handbooks for appropriate appeal process.