Academic Records

123 Acheson Technology Center (ATC)
(810) 989-5550 Fax: (810) 989-5541
enrollment@sc4.edu
Monday through Thursday 8 to 4:30 p.m.
Friday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

TIME FRAME FOR DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES
SC4 continuously reviews all academic programs to ensure students receive up-to-date curriculum. Due to the ever-changing nature of the degree programs, SC4 monitors the time frame in which students complete their program. Students may follow the degree requirements included in the catalog year upon initial enrollment at SC4 or select any of the subsequent catalog years for which they are enrolled. Students will have a maximum of five years to complete the degree/certificate requirements listed in their selected catalog. For example, students entering SC4 in 2011 may graduate using the 2011 degree requirements until 2016. A student who has not enrolled for a period of five years or more must follow the catalog that is in effect the semester upon re-enrollment to the college.

MULTIPLE ASSOCIATE DEGREES
A second associate degree may be awarded to students who complete the specified degree/certificate requirements. In addition, the student must complete a minimum of 15 additional credits at SC4 for each additional degree/certificate awarded. For example, if the first associate degree is awarded with 62 credits, the second will require 77, the third 92, etc.

APPLICATION FOR GRADUATION
Students may apply for graduation via their WAVE student accounts, or by completing graduation applications available in the Enrollment Services office, Room 123, Acheson Technology Center. SC4 students may graduate at the conclusion of each semester. Applications must be submitted by the following deadlines:

Students must satisfy all degree/certificate requirements and have a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 to earn a degree/certificate. Students who do not meet the requirements for graduation may have their application reconsidered for one year.

COMMENCEMENT
All graduation candidates are invited to attend Commencement, hosted annually following the conclusion of the winter semester (May). Honors will be calculated from the end of the previous SC4 semester attended for Commencement purposes only. Actual honors will be calculated once the final semester grades are submitted. A bulletin with detailed Commencement information is published in March and mailed to all prospective graduates. Graduation candidates satisfying all requirements and financial obligations to the college will receive their degree/certificate in the mail by approximately:

Replacement degrees and/or additional copies are available for a fee. Contact the Registrar for details.

FRESH START
It is the philosophy of St. Clair County Community College that students may need a "Fresh Start" at some point in their college career. The Fresh Start procedure allows students who were enrolled in one program and have now re-enrolled in a different program and successfully completed at least 12 credits the opportunity to have their cumulative grade point average reflect their present academic success in their current program. To be eligible for Fresh Start, students must have at least a two-year stop-out prior to program change. Interested students should contact the Student Success Center, Room 124, Acheson Technology Center, or (810) 989-5520 for a complete outline of this procedure.

COURSE SUBSTITUTIONS/WAIVER
Students are expected to take the courses required by the program of study in which they are enrolled. If the circumstances necessitate a substitution, the student must obtain a Course Substitution Request form from the Enrollment Services office. The form must be completed by the student in consultation with the department chairperson, listing the required course to be substituted, and the rationale for such action. Both the department chairperson and the Registrar must approve all substitutions. Having a course waived will not reduce the total number of credits required for an associate degree/certificate, the requirements for completion of the General Education competencies, nor the course distribution requirements for the associate degree or certificate program.

REPEATED COURSES
A college credit course taken at SC4 for which a final grade has been recorded may be repeated a total of three times. The nursing retake policy is located in the Nursing Policy Handbook. Non-credit courses can be repeated indefinitely. A withdrawal ("W") from a class counts as an attempt and is included in the retake policy.

The best grade earned becomes the officially recorded grade. All attempts remain on the official transcript, including the semester, course number and grade earned, although only the best grade will be used to calculate the student grade point average.

TRANSFER CREDIT TO SC4
Students wishing to transfer credit to St. Clair County Community College must have an official transcript sent from their previous college(s). Credits for courses taken elsewhere will be evaluated by the Registrar. Transfer credit is accepted with grades of "C" or better or an equivalent of 2.0 or higher based on a 4.0 scale from other colleges and universities which are approved by the American Council on Education and/or accredited by the Higher Learning Commission or its regional equivalent. Recognized regional associations of colleges and schools include Middle States, North Central, New England, Northwest, Southern and Western. Contact the Registrar at (810) 989-5550 for additional information on transferring credits to SC4.

TRANSFER CREDIT FROM SC4
Students wishing to transfer credits from SC4 to another college/university should work closely with their advisor to ensure the credits will transfer to the school of choice. As a general policy, colleges and universities will not accept courses for transfer with a grade less than "C." Since colleges and universities vary as to the prescribed curriculum for the first two years, it is very important that an entering student choose a specific school(s) for transfer. In addition to using transfer equivalency guides and working with an SC4 advisor, students are strongly encouraged to contact the transfer institution to ensure the credits they are taking will transfer. Transfer information is also available through the Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (MACRAO) website at www.macrao.org.

Transfer students should also be aware that some four-year colleges and universities consider "I" and "W" grades as less than satisfactory; therefore, it is important to check the transfer policy of the receiving institution.

NOTIFICATION TO STUDENTS OF RIGHTS UNDER FERPA

It is the policy of St. Clair County Community College to comply with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the federal law that governs release of and access to student education records.

Definitions

A student is an individual for whom the college maintains education records and who is or has been enrolled in and attended credit bearing courses at the college.

Education records include those records which contain information directly related to a student and which are maintained by the college or by a person acting for the college. The following are not education records: records kept in sole possession of the maker, law enforcement records, records relating to individuals employed by the college, records related to treatment provided by a health professional, records that contain information about an individual after that person is no longer a student, i.e., alumni records.

Directory information may appear in public documents and may otherwise be released to individuals outside the college with the student's specific consent. St. Clair County Community College has designated the following items as directory information:

• Name, address, telephone listing, e-mail address
• Student status; part-time/full-time; freshman/sophomore
• Major field of study
• Weight and height of athletes
• Most recent previous school attended
• Date and place of birth
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Dates of attendance, degrees, date of graduation and awards

Non-disclosure of directory information may be requested by currently enrolled students. Non-disclosure means the college may not release any directory information about the student, except as permitted under the provisions of FERPA. The college may not even acknowledge to third parties that the person is a student.

Legitimate educational interest is the need to review an education record in order for a college official to carry out his or her responsibilities in regard to performing an administrative task outlined in the official's duties, or performing a supervisory or instructional task directly related to the student's education.

A College official is any person employed by the college in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research or support position; a person elected to the Board of Trustees; a student or college graduate serving on an official college committee or assisting another college official in performing his or her tasks; a person employed by or under contract to, or serving as the agent of, the college to perform a specific task.

Authorized disclosures without the student's prior written consent include but are not limited to information necessary to the health and safety of the student or other individuals if the college determines that there is an articulable and significant threat to the health or safety of a student or other individuals, internal disclosures for legitimate educational reason, information returned to the author/sender of the information, information forwarded to schools where the student plans to enroll or transfer, notice to parents about drug and alcohol violations.

Student Rights

Beginning the first day of class, you have the following rights concerning your student records:

• The right to inspect and review all material in your file(s) except:
  • Professional mental health treatment records to the extent necessary, in the judgment of the attending physician or professional counselor, to avoid detrimental effects to the mental health of the student or of others. These records may, however, be reviewed by a physician or other appropriate professional of your choice.
  • Financial information furnished by your parents in support of an application for financial aid.
  • Confidential letters of recommendation that were placed in your file prior to January 1, 1975.
  • Confidential letters of recommendation concerning admission, employment or honorary recognition, for which you have waived access. (The college may not require you to sign a waiver in order to obtain services, but a person writing a recommendation may insist on a waiver as a condition for his or her writing it.)
  • Personal notes made by a faculty member or counselor that are accessible only to that person and are not shared with others.
  • Materials in any admissions files, until you have been admitted to, and have attended the college.
  • All other records which are excluded from the FERPA definition of education records.

Education records are maintained in a number of college offices. Requests to review records must be made in writing to the responsible official of each office that maintains the records. The responsible office will comply with the request within 45 days of receipt.

• The right to request an amendment of your education records if you believe it is inaccurate or misleading. If you believe there is an error in your record, you should submit a statement to the college official responsible for the record, clearly identifying the part of the record you want changed and why you believe it is inaccurate or misleading. That office will notify you of the decision and advise you regarding appropriate steps if you do not agree with the decision.

• The right in most instances to control access to information in your records by persons or agencies outside the college. With respect to college officials, information from your records will be made available only if the college official can demonstrate a legitimate educational interest consistent with their official functions for the college and consistent with normal professional and legal practices. Except for directory information, however, persons outside the college - including your parents and/or spouse - will be given information from your records only (1) when you authorize it in writing, or (2) in connection with your application for or receipt of financial aid, or (3) in connection with studies conducted for the purpose of accreditation, development and validation of predictive tests, administration of student aid programs, or improvement of instruction, or (4) when disclosure is required in a health or safety emergency or by federal or state law or by subpoena. If information from your record is subpoenaed, a reasonable attempt to notify you will be made as quickly as possible. In addition, the results of a disciplinary hearing conducted by the institution against the alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence will be made available to the alleged victim of that crime.

• The right to limit disclosure of your directory information. If you do not want the college to release those items designated as directory information, you must file a written request to that effect with the Registrar. However, you should carefully consider the consequences of that action before making the decision to do so. Information is not withheld selectively. If you choose to have directory information withheld, all items designated as directory information will be withheld from everyone who inquires. If you have requested non-disclosure of directory information and wish to repeal that request, you must file a written request to that effect with the Registrar.

• The right to a hearing if you believe that you have been improperly denied access to your records, your records contain information that is inaccurate or misleading, or information from your records has been improperly released to third parties. If you believe that one or more of these situations has occurred, contact the head of the office responsible for the record or send an e-mail to the Registrar at cbearss@sc4.edu detailing the specifics of the situation including the office(s) and records involved. If the head of the office does not agree with your contention, you may request a hearing by a hearing panel or hearing officer designated by the Registrar's procedures. If the decision of the hearing panel or hearing officer agrees with you, the necessary corrective action will be taken. If the decision of the hearing panel or hearing officer disagrees with you, you have the right to submit an explanatory statement, which must be included as a permanent part of your record.

• The right to file a complaint to federal officials if you believe that there has been a violation of the rights afforded you under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. The complaint must be submitted in writing within 180 days of the alleged violation to:

U.S. Department of Education
The Family Policy Compliance Office
400 Maryland Avenue SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5920
Phone: (800) USA-LEARN (800-872-5327)

Questions about the policies and procedures of any unit should be directed to the head of that unit. Questions about the college's "Policies on Student Rights and Student Records" or about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 should be directed to:

Carrie Bearss
Registrar
St. Clair County Community College
323 Erie St.
P.O. Box 5015
Port Huron, MI 48061-5015
Phone: (810) 989-5501

STUDENT RIGHT TO KNOW
In compliance with the Higher Education Act of 1965, SC4 provides information regarding the college's graduation/completion and transfer-out rates. Questions related to this information should be directed to the Registrar, Room 123, Acheson Technology Center.

As a part of the college's instructional program improvement efforts, and to meet the requirements of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, Section 113 and the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Section 122, the college uses student Social Security Numbers to compile certain data for the purpose of instructional program improvement and Perkins and WIA reporting. This is in compliance with FERPA. See www.sc4.edu/righttoknow for more information.

SOLOMON AMENDMENT DIRECTORY INFORMATION
Effective March 29, 1997, schools are required to provide the Department of Defense, upon request, access to directory information. Directory information is defined as:

• The student's name, address, and telephone number

• The student's date and place of birth

• The student's level of education, academic major and any degrees received

• The educational institution in which the student was most recently enrolled

Students may request in writing to withhold the release of any or all information to the Department of Defense. Requests should be made to the Registrar.

ADVANCED STANDING CREDIT
SC4 provides students with a variety of alternative ways to earn college credit. Awarded credits will be placed on the transcript as "Credit By Exam/Work Experience" and may or may not transfer to other institutions. The following outlines the many options available.

Credit-By-Exam - Students pay a fee to complete an exam and may earn college credit based upon the results. The following are samples of Credit-By-Exam options.

Advanced Placement (AP) - High school students taking AP courses may pay to take an exam sponsored by the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB). SC4 grants credit for scores of 3 or above. Students must request an official copy of their scores sent directly to the Registrar from The College Board (www.collegeboard.com) or (212) 713-8000.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) - National standardized tests in selected academic areas. SC4 grants credit for scores of 50 or above, with the exception of ENG 101, which also requires an essay component. Contact the Academic Achievement Center, Room B100 in the College Center, for details.

Departmental Exams - Course specific exams developed by SC4 faculty that give students the opportunity to earn credit for a specific course. Contact the Achievement Center, Room B100, College Center, for details.

Experiential Credit - Students who can demonstrate they have gained the knowledge contained in a particular course(s) may receive a maximum of 12 credit hours of "Experiential Credit." Credits are only applicable to a specific Applied Arts and Science (AAS) degree program. Students must pay a fee and enroll in the appropriate AAS program for the credits to be applied. For complete details, contact the Registrar, Room 123, Acheson Technology Center.

Military Credit - SC4 may award credit(s) based upon military training. Credits must be directly applicable to the program of study and the student must submit an official military transcript to the Registrar. No fee is required.

Articulation Agreements - SC4 has established articulation agreements with numerous high schools, vocational/technical centers, trade academies, etc. which enable students to receive specific credit(s) within their program of study at SC4. No fee is required but students must complete the articulation application and submit it with the required documentation to the Academic Services office in Room 215, Main Building.

STANDARDS OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS
SC4 monitors the academic progress of all students on an annual basis. A student must make satisfactory progress towards completion of their degree or certificate in order to continue enrollment at the college.The Standards of Academic Success for SC4 students are:

1. Students that have attempted 12 or more credit hours at SC4 with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above will be considered "Satisfactory."

2. Students that have attempted 12 or more credit hours at SC4 with a cumulative GPA of below 2.0 will be considered "Unsatisfactory."

Students identified as "unsatisfactory" will be subject to probation and/or dismissal from the college. Details of the complete procedure are available by contacting the Registrar, Room 123, Acheson Technology Center.

The grade point average (GPA) is computed for each semester as well as for the total credit hours attempted at SC4. In accordance with the grading system scale, students earn grade points for each credit completed at SC4. The GPA is calculated as follows:
Total grade points earned ÷ Number of credit hours attempted = GPA.

INCOMPLETE GRADES
The "I" incomplete grade is used by instructors to note that the student, for good reason, has not completed the course requirements by the time final grades were recorded. To qualify, the student: (1) should have completed at least 80% of the work (excluding the final exam), (2) must have been in good attendance, and (3) can be reasonably believed to complete the course independently with a passing grade. If agreed to by both faculty member and student, an agreement delineating exactly what is required, how it is graded, and when it is to be completed must be signed by both parties and placed on file in the Enrollment Services office.

Unless otherwise agreed to in the contract, work must be completed by the end of the next regular semester. In extenuating circumstances, an extension beyond the normal period may be obtained by the presentation of a petition by the student, and endorsed by the instructor. Incomplete grades are not counted in the cumulative average until the grade is completed. If a grade of "Incomplete" is not removed within the specified time, the grade of "I" will be changed to the grade specified by the instructor on the incomplete grade form.

GRADE CHANGE TIMEFRAME
All grade change requests must be initiated within one (1) year following the end of the course(s) for which the grade was officially recorded. No grade change requests will be accepted following the expiration of that period of time.

HONORS
Academic Honors will be awarded to students who have earned a minimum of 62 credits for an associate degree and 30 credits for an certificate, based upon the following scale:

• Summa Cum Laude = Overall GPA of 4.0
• Magna Cum Laude = Overall GPA of 3.5 - 3.99
• Cum Laude = Overall GPA of 3.0 - 3.49

STUDENT CLASS LEVEL
Freshman = 1- 26 credit hours completed
Sophomore = 27 or more credit hours completed

PRESIDENT'S HONOR LIST
Students enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours with an SC4 semester GPA of 3.00 or above will be placed on the President's Honor List.