Academic Regulations

Grading System Definitions

"AC"—Articulated Credit

The grade "AC" signifies that a student passed a course exemption exam that was given based on competencies learned in high school.

"AU" —Audit

By registering as an auditor, a student is permitted to audit a course/program and attend classes without meeting all admission requirements for the course/program and without receiving credit. Students are not permitted to change from audit to credit or credit to audit after the Drop/Add period. Students desiring to change from audit to credit must meet all necessary admission requirements.

Other regulations concerning auditing a course are found in "Auditing a Course" in the Registration section of this Catalog and Handbook.

"EXE"—Credit by Exemption (Exam)

The grade "EXE" signifies that the student received credit by successfully completing a course exemption examination.

"EXP" —Credit by Exemption (Portfolio)

The grade “EXP” signifies that the student received credit by successfully completing a portfolio.

"I"—Incomplete

The grade "I" will be given to any student who, due to extenuating circumstances, has not completed all required course work by the end of the semester. If the required make-up work is not completed by midterm of the following full-term semester, the "I" will automatically become an "F". If a student receives a grade of "I" in a course which is a prerequisite to other courses, the student must complete the required make-up work to determine the final grade and eligibility to enroll in subsequent courses.

"IP"—In-Progress

The grade "IP" indicates that a course continues beyond the end of the semester. The course should be completed and a grade should be assigned by the end of the following full-term semester.

"NG"—No Grade

Grade not submitted. Student must see their instructor for grade. The "NG" will be changed to the official grade for the course once the instructor submits a grade change form to the Registrar's Office.

"TR" —Transfer Credit (AP-CLEP-IB)

The grade “TR” signifies that the student received credit by successfully completing the Advanced Placement exam, the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), or International Baccalaureate (IP) exam.

"TRA"—Transfer

The grade "TRA" signifies that the student received credit for course work from another accredited postsecondary institution which is the same or equivalent to course work required at Southeastern Technical College. The "A" indicates the grade earned in the course.

"TRB"—Transfer

The grade "TRB" signifies that the student received credit for course work from another accredited postsecondary institution which is the same or equivalent to course work required at Southeastern Technical College. The "B" indicates the grade earned in the course.

"TRC"—Transfer

The grade "TRC" signifies that the student received credit for course work from another accredited postsecondary institution which is the same or equivalent to course work required at Southeastern Technical College. The "C" indicates the grade earned in the course.

“TRM” —Military Transfer

The grade “TRM” signifies that the student received credit from military classes and/or training.

"W"—Withdrew

The grade "W" signifies the student officially withdrew by the 65% point of the semester from a credit course. W is not calculated for grade points but is included in hours attempted for academic progress for financial aid.

"WF"—Withdrew Failing

The grade "WF" signifies the student withdrew or was withdrawn from a course after the 65% point of the semester and was failing (This only applied to students who have dean approval to withdraw due to extenuating circumstances). The "WF" will be calculated in the semester grade point average as an "F". WF is used in grade point calculations but earns no credit hours and carries zero grade points for each credit hour attempted.

"WP"—Withdrew Passing

The grade "WP" signifies the student withdrew from a course after the 65% point of the semester and was passing (This only applied to students who have dean approval to withdraw due to extenuating circumstances). WP is not calculated for grade points but is included in hours attempted for academic progress for financial aid.

"WM"—Withdrew Military

The grade "WM" indicates the student withdrew from school in response to being called to active duty.

*Students who are no-shows and students dropping a course or courses by the end of the third instructional day of the semester shall receive no grades for applicable courses.

"Z"—COVID-19 Withdrawal

The grade of “Z” represents a withdrawal from a course before completion due to the COVID-19 emergency. This grade does not have numerical equivalents and will not be calculated in the GPA. This grade is unacceptable credit in a course.

Institutional grades (learning support and ALMA 1000) are not calculated in GPA. For learning support, a student must pass all assessments required for their program of study in order to complete the learning support classes. Degree level learning support grades will not be used in the calculation of GPA for the purpose of determining eligibility for the HOPE scholarship. However, if the course was taken prior to Fall semester 2011, the grade will be used in the calculation.

Health Care students must receive a grade of “C” or better in ALMA 1000. ALMA 1000 is a continuing education course for which there is no charge but health care students must complete this course in order to graduate.

National or Military Emergencies

In the event of a national emergency whereby a student who is in the Armed Services, the National Guard, or an Armed Forces reserve is activated or otherwise called to duty and as a result may no longer attend classes, the student may within a reasonable time, elect one (1) of the following options. Documentation of such military service must be provided from an appropriate military official.

1. The student may elect to withdraw for the semester. Under this option the student's record will reflect no enrollment for the semester. Thus, no grades of any kind will appear on the student's transcript. All tuition and fees shall be refunded completely, however, Title IV funds shall be refunded in accordance with federal regulations
2. The student may elect to receive the appropriate letter grade and receive any applicable refunds. Under this option, such courses will be calculated as an attempted course for financial aid purposes.

Grade Reports

Final grades will be recorded by instructors and submitted to the Registrar's Office at the end of each semester. Students can access their grades via the Internet by logging onto BannerWeb on the college website. Final grades will not appear on transcripts until after all grades have been recorded and rolled to academic history.

Program/Course Grade Requirements

All courses require a grade of C or better for successful completion. Students making grade of D or lower in any course must repeat the course.

Academic Standards and Evaluation

The College shall maintain academic standards that are, to the maximum extent feasible, uniformly applied to all students. Instructors shall provide a copy of the course syllabus to all students in each class by the end of the first full week of class for every term.

Instructors' evaluations of student work should be periodic, measure the achievement of the objectives or competencies, have clear directions, be reasonable in difficulty, and be comprehensive. Instructors shall allow students to review all graded tests and other academic evaluations within a reasonable time to allow feedback and remedial instruction. Instructors shall maintain documentation sufficient enough to justify the grade a student earns. This documentation shall be maintained for two (2) semesters following the semester the grade was conferred or until any grade appeal is resolved whichever occurs last.

Each faculty member shall maintain a grade book containing a historical record of students' grades, absences, and other pertinent information regarding the student's progress. When grade books are filled or when the instructor leaves employment, the grade books shall be turned over to their respective supervisor. Students who engage in academic misconduct such as cheating shall face disciplinary charges under student conduct in addition to any loss of academic credit or standing that may result from their having failed to meet a course's academic requirements.

Grade Point Average

Semester Grade Point Average

The semester grade point average is the average calculated on all credit courses taken each semester at the College.

Cumulative Grade Point Average

The cumulative grade point average is the average calculated on all attempts at all credit courses taken at the College. It is recalculated after each semester to include the current semester’s grade(s).

Graduation Grade Point Average

The Graduation Grade Point Average is the average calculated only on those courses required for graduation.

A grade point average is computed by dividing the total quality points earned by the total number of credit hours for which the student has received a final grade of A, B, C, D, F, or WF. Points are assigned for each credit based on the following scale:

• A—4 points
• B—3 points
• C—2 points
• D—1 point
• F—0 points
• WF—0 points

Only courses taken at Southeastern Tech are considered in the cumulative grade point average. Credits earned at other institutions, credit by examination, credits for which points are not assigned and courses otherwise excluded by institutional procedures are not considered when calculating the cumulative grade point average for graduation purposes.

Repeated Courses

By registering for a course for which the student has already received credit, a student forfeits the previous credit in the course and the student's official grade will be the one (1) earned in repetition. (The rule includes all courses taken whether on the Southeastern Technical College campus or those taken at a prior institution.) All grades remain on the student's record but the previously earned grade is not calculated in the cumulative grade point average for the purpose of graduation.

Coursework Time Limit

All medical courses, biology courses, chemistry courses, and computer courses taken at Southeastern Technical College or transferred from another institution will be considered for credit if they have been completed within the last 60 months. Exceptions to this procedure will be determined by the advisor and the appropriate dean verifying that the student has the skills required for the course. For example, a student who has been working in the field of the occupational courses may be granted credit for these courses. All other previous program specific occupational courses will be considered for credit if they have been completed within the last 10 years. Credit is considered without restriction general education courses.

Course Substitution

Students in diploma programs may elect to take degree level academic core courses within their program of study without actually converting to degree-seeking status. A degree level course may be taken as a substitute for a regular diploma-level course but cannot be taken as a substitute if the diploma-level or degree level course has already been taken and passed. Although students using this option do not have to be degree-seeking students, they do have to meet the minimum entrance level scores on the placement test for the degree-level course. Financial Aid will not be affected by the proper substitution of courses.

A student who registers for a degree-level course without meeting the minimum requirements will be withdrawn from those classes and will be responsible for any financial ramifications.

Courses that are allowed as substitutes for diploma-level courses are:

(To substitute for English, student must have reading and writing score required for degree level.)

(To substitute for math, student must have algebra score required for the degree level.)

(To substitute for psychology, student must have reading and writing score required for degree level.)

(To substitute for Structure and Function of the Human Body, student must have reading, writing, and algebra score required for degree level.)

Please note neither PSYC 1010 or PSYC 1101 can be substituted for EMPL 1000.

General Education Core Competencies

The overall goal of a college education is to help students become productive citizens. The General Education core contributes to this concept by providing a variety of learning experiences which ensure that graduates are intellectually prepared for lifelong learning.

STC has identified the following general education core competencies that graduates will attain.

• The ability to utilize standard written English.
• The ability to solve practical mathematical problems.
• The ability to read, analyze, and interpret information.

The ability to utilize standard written English requires the student to: (Student Learning Outcomes)

1. Organize his/her thoughts utilizing the stages of the writing process;
2. Utilize appropriate writing strategies for audience and purpose; and
3. Evaluate, edit, and proofread the writing for content, structure, style, grammar, usage, and mechanics.

The ability to solve practical mathematical problems requires the student to: (Student Learning Outcomes)

1. Extract information that is pertinent to the problem and disregard irrelevant information;
2. Develop models that capture pertinent information and provide a platform for analysis of the problem; and
3. Employ fundamental arithmetic operations (adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing_ and/or fundamental algebraic techniques (factoring, applying rules of exponents, etc.) to find solutions.

The ability to read, analyze, and interpret information requires the student to: (Student Learning Outcomes)

1. Identify main ideas and supporting details;
2. Understand words as they are used in context;
3. Analyze and interpret information from written test and graphics; and
4. Follow instructions.

Online Proctored Exams

In order to validate student identity for all online courses, students enrolled in online courses are required to complete one (1) proctored event (a major exam, assignment, or presentation, etc.). The event will count a minimum of 20% of the course grade and will be reflected as such on the course syllabus. Proctored events should be completed after the 65% point of the semester.

The proctored event will be administered on separate days—once on the Vidalia campus and once on the Swainsboro campus. Students must attend one (1) of the proctored sessions as scheduled on the Lesson Plan/Course Calendar. The event will be monitored by the instructor or by an approved proctor.

Students living farther than 75 miles from either campus who cannot come to Southeastern Tech for the event must secure an approved proctoring site. The site and the proctor must meet Southeastern Technical College's requirements as outlined on the Proctor Scheduling and Approval Form. Students arranging off-campus proctoring will take the event on the same day(s) it is originally scheduled. Proctors must follow the Proctoring Instructions, which includes administering the Off-Campus Proctored Event Registration Form.

Students who do not complete the proctored event as scheduled must submit a valid documented excuse within three (3) business days after the scheduled event. If the excuse is approved by the instructor of the course, students must make arrangements with the instructor to makeup/reschedule the missed event. The penalty and makeup instructions will be at the instructor's discretion.

Students who do not complete the proctored event on the scheduled date and do not present a valid documented excuse within three (3) business days of the scheduled event will be given a zero for the proctored event.

Students are not charged a proctoring fee when taking a proctored event at Southeastern Technical College or any other TCSG college. Students who choose to use an off-campus proctor may be assessed a proctoring fee by the proctoring site. In this instance, the student is responsible for payment.

Emergency Procedures

In cases of emergency or pandemics, the Academic Affairs leadership can make the decision to waive the on campus proctoring requirement.

Procedure: Distance Education Student Privacy

Purpose

Southeastern Technical College (STC) shall verify the identity of students enrolled in distance education courses and ensure that all methods used to verify identity protect students’ privacy.

Applicability and Notification

This procedure applies to students enrolled in distance education courses at Southeastern Technical College.

Students are informed of this protection via STC’s Website, the Online Course Orientation Manual, the Getting Started section of Blackboard located in online courses, and the New Student Orientation Part A.

Enforcement

According to the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) and Industry Standards, STC develops policies and guidelines to meet all security requirements. Information Technology (IT) systems have built in processes to enforce as many of these policies and guidelines as possible. It is the responsibility of system users to understand and follow all policies and guidelines. If anyone is found in violation of any of these polices and guidelines, they are processed according to our current disciplinary action procedures.

Definitions

Distance learning

A formal educational process in which the majority of the instruction occurs when student and instructor are not in the same physical location. Instruction may be synchronous or asynchronous. Distance learning can include online, hybrid, and web-enhanced instruction.

Blackboard

The Learning Management System utilized by the Technical College System of Georgia and Southeastern Technical College (STC) to offer distance education courses through a web-based platform.

Procedure

Southeastern Technical College utilizes (1) secure logins/passwords and (2) proctored events to verify the identity of students enrolled in distance education courses.

Additionally, all students enrolled at Southeastern Technical College, regardless of the mode of instructional delivery (traditional, web-enhanced, hybrid, or online), are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). Students are notified of their FERPA rights during orientation. Information about this act is published on STC’s Website and in STC’s Catalog and Handbook. To ensure that faculty and staff understand and carry out the commitments to confidentiality, integrity, and security of student academic records, Southeastern Technical College requires annual FERPA training.

Secure Logins/Passwords

When students are enrolled in a course in Banner, they are automatically enrolled in Blackboard and a secure login is created. Students enrolled in distance education courses must use their secure login to access courses in Blackboard. The secure login information identifies students to the system on each course visit. Students use Blackboard to submit assignments, complete assessments, access course materials, and view grades. STC utilizes Multifactor Authentication (MFA) as an added layer of security used to verify an end user's identity when they sign in to an application which includes Blackboard. Rather than just asking for a username and password, MFA requires one or more additional verification factors, which decreases the likelihood of a successful cyber-attack.

Students are instructed not to share their login credentials with anyone and to change passwords periodically to maintain security. From the time of the first student logon to Blackboard, STC faculty and staff do not have access to students’ Blackboard passwords.

Reliability, privacy, safety, and security for Blackboard courses are provided by the Georgia Virtual Technical Connection (GVTC). All courses are loaded onto a server that Blackboard maintains. GVTC is the contact for any server level administrative changes.

Proctored Events

In addition to using secure logins/passwords, Southeastern Technical College also requires that every online student complete a proctored event as a means of verifying identity. Students must present photo identification, such as a STC Student ID, driver’s license, passport, etc. All Off-Campus Proctored Event Registration Forms and On-Campus Proctored Event Registration Forms must be completed in the presence of the proctor. Proctors are to check the information and signature against the identification presented to ensure that the student who is present for the proctored event is the correct student to be completing the event for the scheduled course. Completed proctored event registration forms and all proctored event materials are kept in a secure location by the instructor of the course.

Protecting the Privacy of Student Data in the Student Information System

Banner is the software front-end for the Oracle database housing student data. This data includes all student institutional history, as well as some biographical information. It is the shared responsibility of the Banner system administrator and all departments accessing student data in Banner to guard against it being compromised and the student's privacy violated. At the physical level, this data is transmitted in encrypted fashion to prevent electronic interception or manipulation. Further security is added by disallowing direct access to the Oracle database or its host server from outside the school network. Students in the Banner system are provided a web portal (BannerWeb) to access most of their own student information such as grades, awards, bills, etc. This information is protected at the physical level by encryption and at the user level by a user ID and password combination login. A student's user ID is comprised of a non-associative, sequentially generated number and a complex password which must be at least 8 characters long and include at least 3 of the 4 following characteristics:

1. Upper Case Letter
2. Lower Case Letter
3. Numeric Character
4. Special Character

It is the responsibility primarily of the student to guard their ID and password from disclosure. All information in Banner, including student identification numbers, is protected in compliance with the Family Educational Records and Privacy Act (FERPA) and is not shared.

Protecting the Privacy of Student Email

Student email is a secure logon environment. The identity of all students is verified through the use of a secure and unique nine-digit student identification number. This identification number is utilized as part of the student’s username when accessing the student email. Additionally, STC utilizes Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates to establish an encrypted link between the web server and the client’s browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and web browser remain private and integral. SSL is an industry standard and is used by millions of websites in the protection of online transactions with users.

Students are responsible for using their STC student email address when registering third party products.

National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA)

Southeastern Technical College is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) which authorizes colleges to enroll students in states other than Georgia in online courses. Southeastern Tech has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. Southeastern Tech can only enroll students in online programs from states that are also members of NC-SARA. Please check the website, National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements, to see if your state is a member of NC-SARA.

Institutional Requirement

Beginning Summer semester, 2009, all new students enrolled in a degree program, a diploma program, or a technical Certificate of Credit with a General Education component and students who transfer to Southeastern Technical College will be required to take COLL 1040, College Foundations, during their 1st semester.

College Foundations (COLL 1040) is a three (3) credit hour course that is required for all new students and students who have transferred from other colleges (both TCSG colleges and BOR colleges).

Work Ethics

Southeastern Technical College instructs and evaluates students on work ethics in all programs of study. Ten work ethics traits are defined as essential for student success: appearance, attendance, attitude, character, communication, cooperation, organizational skills, productivity, respect, and teamwork. These traits will be integrated into the program standards of each program curriculum and evaluated in at least one (1) course in the program thereby allowing each program to make work ethics a relevant and meaningful part of the curriculum.

The courses with a work ethics component will assess a student's knowledge of these 10 traits. It will be noted on each course syllabus, which contains a work ethics module that the work ethics assessment will count as five (5) percent of the course grade. If a student passes the work ethics assessment in his/her program with a C or better, he/she will receive a work ethics grade of 2. This grade will appear as a letter grade then a 2 for passing work ethics. (Ex: A 2)

Academic Probation

Students will be placed on academic probation if their semester grade point average is less than 2.0. Students on academic probation who attain a semester grade point average of 2.0 or higher for their semester of probation will be returned to good standing at the end of the probation period.

Academic Suspension

Students on academic probation who fail to attain a semester grade point average of 2.0 are subject to academic suspension. A student who is on academic suspension will not be allowed to take any course for one (1) semester. Students who return after being on academic suspension for one (1) semester will be placed on academic probation.

Academic Grievances

Negative feedback or complaints are taken seriously by the Program. Anyone who lodges a complaint to the Faculty, Program Director or Dean will be reviewed carefully to determine if any action needs to be taken. The Program strives to create an environment of collaboration and mentorship among faculty, students and staff, which in turn models professional excellence in communications, skills and ethical behaviors.

If a student believes that his/her academic rights have been violated, the procedures below will be followed by contacting the appropriate individuals in the order as listed. The student will proceed to the next individual when the grievance is not resolved to his/her satisfaction.

Course Assignments/Exams

Students are responsible for meeting the standards established for each course they take. Faculty members are responsible for establishing the criteria for grades and evaluating student’s academic performance.

The grade appeal process is to allow the review of alleged grading practices outside the established criteria set for the course. It is not intended as a review of the instructor's evaluation of the student's academic performance. The burden of proof shall be on the student. Disagreement or dissatisfaction with a faculty member's professional evaluation of coursework is not the basis for a grade appeal.

Grades may be changed based on any of the following reasons:

1. The student's grade was assigned on the basis of other factors rather than the performance on the assignment or in the course;
2. The student's work was graded with more demanding standards than were applied to equivalent students in the course; (Note: Different grading criteria are expected of students enrolled in higher level courses.)
3. The instructor assigned a grade using standards that were substantially different from those previously announced or stated in the syllabus.

Step 1

At any time after the awarding of a grade for an assignment or exam in a course, a student should discuss the grade with his or her instructor and request that the instructor review the grade within five (5) business days of receiving the grade. *Based upon the instructors’ review of the grade he or she may or may not change the grade.

*If the instructor cannot be located or is otherwise unable or unwilling to reconsider the grade, the student should consult the Program Director (if applicable) or the Dean of Academic Affairs (following the process outlined in Step 2).

Step 2

The following procedures apply if the above actions in Step 1 does not resolve a dispute concerning a grade to the student's satisfaction.

The student shall submit a written appeal using the Academic Affairs Grievance Concern Form (match link number to Link Index at the end of this document) to the appropriate Dean of Academic Affairs within five (5) business days of the student following the process in Step 1.

The student's appeal must be written, signed, dated and include the following information:

1. A clear concise statement which includes the name of the instructor, the course and date of exam or assignment, and a statement describing the specific supporting evidence of capricious grading;
2. A brief summary of the prior attempts to resolve the matter and the results of those previous discussions; and
3. A specific statement of the remedial action or relief sought.

Failure to provide all information requested on the Academic Grievance Form may result in the form being returned to the student and a delayed resolution.

The appropriate Dean of Academic Affairs will review the syllabus and how the grade was determined and will respond to the student in writing within five (5) business days of receiving the appeal.

Step 3

If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Dean of Academic Affairs, the student may direct an appeal to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The student's appeal must be written, signed, and dated. The Vice President for Academic Affairs will review the syllabus and how the final grade was determined and will respond to the student in writing within five (5) business days of receiving the appeal. The decision of the Vice President for Academic Affairs is final.

Final Course Grade Grievance

If a student receives a final course grade that he/she believes is incorrect, the matter should first be discussed with the instructor. Direct communication between the student and the instructor may clear up any misunderstanding. In order to clarify any questions about a grade or grading practices, a student should use the following procedures. The entire process must be completed by mid-term of the following full-term semester.

1. Students should first attempt to resolve the matter directly with the instructor, through a personal conference as soon as possible.

2. If the student and instructor cannot reach a mutually satisfactory resolution to the problem, the student should schedule a meeting with the Program Director as applicable. If the student is not satisfied with the instructor's and/or Program Director’s explanation of how the grade was determined, the student shall submit a written appeal using the Academic Affairs Grievance Form (match link number to Link Index at the end of this document) to the appropriate Dean of Academic Affairs by the third week of the full-term semester following the issuance of the grade. The student's appeal must be written, signed and dated. The appropriate Dean of Academic Affairs will review the syllabus and how the final grade was determined and will respond to the student in writing within five (5) business days following receipt of the completed appeal;

3. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Dean of Academic Affairs, the student may direct an appeal to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The student’s appeal must be written, signed, and dated. The Vice President for Academic Affairs will review the syllabus and how the final grade was determined and will respond to the student in writing within five (5) business days following receipt of the completed appeal. The decision of the Vice President for Academic Affairs is final.

Graduation Information

Graduation exercises are scheduled once per year in May. This ceremony is for students who are completing a degree, diploma, or certificate. All students must achieve Regular Program Admission status prior to applying for graduation. All students eligible for graduation are expected to participate in the ceremony. It is the student's responsibility to complete an application for graduation. The application must be submitted to the Registrar's Office upon registration for the final semester of classes. The student's records will be evaluated by the Registrar's Office to determine successful completion of the program. Students may apply for graduation up to five (5) years after completing the required coursework for their program of study.

Graduation Fee

A fee of $40 is charged to each student who applies for graduation and who wishes to participate in the graduation ceremony. This fee defrays part of the student's graduation expenses (cap and gown, cover, credential, etc.) and is non-refundable. A fee of $25 is charged to each student who applies for the certificate ceremony. This fee covers the cost of the credential and cover is also non-refundable. Graduating degree, diploma and certificate students who do not wish to participate in the graduation or certificate ceremonies are charged a fee of $10 per credential. Replacement charge for a degree, diploma or certificate is $25 per credential. A $10 fee is charged for each cover requested. Please note all outstanding holds must be cleared before a student can participate in the graduation ceremony and/or receive a credential.

Please note: Students should first see someone in the Registrar’s office to inform the office of their intentions and have the fee placed on their account. They will then see the Business Office to pay the fee.

Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate, students must meet all course and credit hour requirements of the program. To receive a degree, diploma, or certificate from a program of instruction, the student must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in his/her program of study and must be a regular admit student.

All students (transfer students and new students as well as former students who have had a break in enrollment of one year) are required to complete COLL 1040 College Foundations in order to graduate. This class is designed to be taken the first semester of enrollment.

A student must earn a high school diploma or GED before being considered eligible for graduation from all degree, diploma, and certificate programs. (The only exceptions to this rule are the Automotive Electrical/Electronic Systems Technician, Commercial Truck Driving, Diesel Electrical/Electronic System Technician, and Salon & Spa Support Specialist programs.) Students will not receive a degree, diploma, or certificate until all financial accounts are clear.

A student will not be awarded a degree, diploma, or certificate if all coursework was completed prior to the approval of the program by the Technical College System of Georgia.

Graduation with Honors

Students who graduate from Southeastern Tech and excel in their academic performance shall be recognized at graduation. A program grade point average of 3.75 or higher will qualify a student to graduate with honors.

Exiting Learning Support Courses

Students placed in Learning Support Classes will be required to achieve minimum scores necessary on assigned modules to exit the Learning Support course and progress into the credit course for their major. Students who reach certain check points during the semester but do not complete all modules will receive a grade for the course but must register for the course the following semester.

Co-Requisite Classes

• All diploma-level math and English students are eligible to participate in co-requisite classes.
• Degree-level Learning Support Math students who meet eligibility requirements may choose to participate in a co-requisite class.
• In order to be eligible to participate in co-requisite classes, degree-level math students must successfully complete Module 12 of the MATH 0090 requirements or score between 41 and 56 on the Algebra portion of the Accuplacer exam.
• Students who choose this option will enroll in both the Learning Support class and the appropriate math/English core class.
• This option gives the student the opportunity to complete both courses in one (1) semester.
• If a co-req student withdraws from the LS class, he/she will be withdrawn from the Core class as well.
• However, the student may withdraw from the Core class and remain in the LS class.

Beginning Spring semester 2017, all diploma and degree-level English Learning Support students will be enrolled in co-requisite classes.

Occupation Based Instruction

Southeastern Technical College offers occupation-based instruction in all programs in which the experience is appropriate. Occupation-based instruction includes internship, externships, and practicums. Programs that require occupation-based experiences do so on the basis of designated essential competency areas and courses for the given program.

Internships

There are several majors which either include a required internship course or offers an internship course option in the curriculum. These programs include: Accounting Diploma and Degree; Business Technology Diploma and Degree; Computer Information Systems Diplomas and Degrees; Criminal Justice Technology Diploma and Degree; Early Childhood Care and Education Diploma and Degree; Fish & Wildlife Management Degree.

Students will be responsible for locating an acceptable site for the internship. The program advisor/instructor will assist as needed and will be consulted regarding the appropriateness of internship sites should any questions arise during the initial process. The Dean of Academic Affairs will mail a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to the internship site. The MOA outlines the responsibilities and expectations of the College and the internship site. The MOA is signed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Dean of Academic Affairs, and the contact person at the internship site. The MOA remains in effect for three (3) years. Signed MOAs are filed in the dean’s office.

The program advisor/instructor will distribute the Internship Student Packet to the student, who will return the completed Internship information sheet and Contract to the program advisor/instructor. Additional paperwork (including timesheets, daily logs, etc.) will be submitted to the appropriate program advisor/instructor.

The Internship Employer Packet will be delivered to the Employer at the first visit of the semester by the program advisor/instructor. This packet contains a mid-term and final evaluation of the student's progress to be submitted to the program advisor/instructor at the date indicated on the semester calendar.

Live Work

Certain programs have live work opportunities for students to benefit from. Cosmetology utilizes this method of learning quite extensively as students work in an actual live work lab at the college. Other programs that have live work as an option include: Fish and Wildlife Management and Dental Hygiene.

An instructional live work procedures notebook is kept in each program area that includes state policy procedures, Southeastern Tech procedures, program procedures, and necessary paperwork that is required before live work can take place. A nominal fee is involved, and in most cases, materials are provided by the person or agency. All external live work projects, except for Cosmetology, require approval of the Vice-President of Academic Affairs.

Safety is heavily emphasized and taken into consideration when decisions are being made regarding live work whether on-campus or off-campus. Live work is approved only in cases in which student learning can be maximal and does not interfere with on-campus learning. Work by students is not guaranteed and any work approved would not have been otherwise granted to a for-profit contractor or company.

Notification of Evaluation

Any or all students may be required to take one (1) or more tests designed to measure general education achievement. Critical thinking skills, and/or achievement in selected major areas prior to graduation for the purpose of evaluating academic programs may also be required. Students may be asked to participate in one (1) or more satisfaction surveys designed to measure institutional effectiveness. Participation in testing may be required for all students, students in selected programs, and for students selected on a sample basis.