Academic Information

Section Content

Click on the link and page will scroll to section content.

DEGREES, DIPLOMAS, AND CERTIFICATES

VGCC offers the following degrees, diplomas or certificates for students who successfully complete approved programs of instruction:

1. Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, Associate in Fine Arts, Associate in Arts in Teacher Preparation and Associate in Science in Teacher Preparation: the degrees are awarded to students majoring in college transfer programs and who may plan to transfer to four-year colleges or universities after completing their community college program.
2. Associate in Applied Science: the degree is awarded to students majoring in one of the technical curricula and who plan to obtain full-time employment upon graduation from VGCC.
3. Associate in General Education: the degree is awarded to students majoring in courses designed for personal growth and development leading to variable employment opportunities.
4. Diploma: a diploma is awarded to students who complete a minimum of 36 credit hours and a maximum of 48 credit hours based on the requirements for diploma curricula.
5. Certificate: a certificate is awarded to students who complete approved programs less than one year in length with a minimum of 12 credit hours and a maximum of 18 credit hours. Certificates are only awarded from core, major, or elective courses offered in the Diploma or AAS programs.

To Top of Page

STUDENT CLASSIFICATION

FRESHMAN: A student who has earned fewer than 36 semester hours of credit.
SOPHOMORE: A student who has earned 36 or more semester hours of credit.
FULL-TIME OR REGULAR STUDENT: A student who is registered for 12 or more credit hours.
PART-TIME STUDENT: A student who is taking fewer than 12 credit hours.
VISITING/SPECIAL CREDIT STUDENT: A student who is not seeking a certificate, diploma or degree or who is auditing a course. Special credit students are limited to a maximum of 12 credit hours at VGCC before choosing an academic program.

To Top of Page

ADVANCED PLACEMENT

Advanced placement is offered to students who, because of their demonstrated abilities, are qualified to accelerate their studies. Advanced credit may be awarded in the following ways:

1. Credit by Examination administered at VGCC as described in the Credit by Examination section;
2. Successful completion of College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams with a score of 50 or higher;
3. Successful completion of College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Exams with a score of 3 or higher;
4. Successful completion of ACE (American Council on Education) Credit approved courses as reflected on an official military JST (Joint Services Transcript) or other ACE credit approved institutions;
5. Transfer credit from accredited, post-secondary institutions as outlined in the Admissions section, or pre-approved Continuing Education to Curriculum credit as outlined in the following section.
6. Credit awarded through Prior Learning assessment as described in the Prior Learning Policy section.

In cases of all standardized examinations, official score reports must be submitted to the Admissions/Records Office or Registrar’s Office for evaluation. Specific AP and CLEP exams and their transfer equivalencies are available on the Registrar’s page of the VGCC website at https://www.vgcc.edu/ap-clep-military.

To Top of Page

CREDIT BY EXAMINATION

Regularly enrolled students who have reason to believe that previous educational studies, training programs, or work experiences may entitle them to course credit may request credit by examination (CE). They must first register and pay the standard tuition fee per credit hour for the course and then request a challenge exam from the instructor by the first day of the term. All CE exams must be completed by the last day to ADD a class for that term. The examination will be administered by the appropriate department and successful completion will result in a grade of “CE.” The credit hours of the class will count toward graduation. Please note that most colleges do not accept a “CE” grade as transfer credit. The Credit by Examination form may be obtained from the office of the Registrar. Note: No federal financial aid or veterans’ benefits are payable for Credit by Examination (CE) courses. The College does not award credit for experiential learning.

To Top of Page

CONTINUING EDUCATION to CURRICULUM AWARDED CREDIT

Students enrolled in pre-approved continuing education training courses may request awarded credit in corresponding curriculum programs. They must first register, pay, and pass the continuing education course with a grade of satisfactory.

The credit will be awarded by the appropriate department with a grade of “PR”, Credit for Prior Learning. The credit hours of the course will count toward graduation at VGCC but may not transfer to other colleges or universities.

The list of pre-approved continuing education courses with corresponding curriculum programs is available on the Registrar’s page of the college website at https://www.vgcc.edu/registrar/approved-credit/.

Note: No federal financial aid or veteran’s benefits are payable for Continuing Education – Curriculum Awarded Credit courses.

To Top of Page

CREDIT FOR PRIOR LEARNING

Credit for Prior Learning is evaluated on an individual basis and may be awarded in compliance with guidelines established by the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges for apprenticeships, certifications and licenses, portfolio assessment, public safety training courses and continuing education courses taken at other accredited schools.

A student may be given credit for continuing education courses taken at another accredited community college or university if the student earns a Satisfactory Grade in the course and the coursework is documented on the student’s official transcript from the educational institution.

Portfolio credit may be awarded for documented coursework or certifications earned through mandatory in-service training conducted by a recognized state agency.*

Students who have successfully completed a mandated basic training course regulated by the NC Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission or the NC Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission may receive credit for courses towards the Associate in Applied Science degree in Criminal Justice Technology and Public Safety Administration. Students must successfully complete the training course and successful completion of the state certification examination must be verified to receive credit for CJC courses.

To request awarded credit, the student must furnish official transcripts or other required documentation to the college and notify the academic program head. The credit will be awarded by the registrar based on the recommendation of the academic department with a grade of “PR” which stands for Credit for Prior Learning. The credit hours of the course will count toward graduation at VGCC but may not transfer to other colleges or universities.

* Recognized State Agencies: NC Community College System (Continuing Education) (NCCCS), NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), NC Sheriffs’ Justice Education and Training Standards Commission (NCSJETSC), NC Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission (NCCJETSC), NC Department of Public Safety (NCDPS), NC Justice Academy (NCJA), NC Office of State Fire Marshal (NCOSFM) OSFM, NCDPS Private Protection Services (NCPPS), and NC Department of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS).

To Top of Page

CONTACT HOURS AND CREDIT HOURS*

*Semester credit hours are awarded for classes as follows:

Classroom: 16 contact hours = 1 semester hour of credit
Laboratory: 32 or 48 contact hours = 1 semester hour of credit
Clinical: 48 contact hours = 1 semester hour of credit
Work-Based Learning: 160 contact hours = 1 semester hour of credit
*Students should review specific courses in the course description section of this catalog to determine the exact hours of each course as assigned by the NC Community College System and described in the State Board of Community Colleges Code 1D SBCCC.400.1.

To Top of Page

PREREQUISITES

Prerequisites are required for a number of courses offered at Vance-Granville Community College and are intended to provide the student with the proficiency needed for success in a given course. The student, with assistance from his or her academic advisor, is responsible for checking prerequisites at the time of registration. Students failing to meet the required prerequisite(s) for a course(s) may be dropped or withdrawn at any time the deficiency is discovered.

Under certain circumstances, local or state prerequisites or co-requisites may be waived by submitting a Special Permission Registration Form to an advisor. Approval is also required from the appropriate Academic Dean and the Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success (CAO).

To Top of Page

DEVELOPMENTAL STUDIES

Incoming students will be placed into Transition and Corequisite Courses based on either their unweighted high school GPA or performance on accepted placement test(s). (See Student Assessment and Placement Testing.) Students must speak with an advisor to determine which Transition or Corequisite courses are required.

Vance Granville offers two transition courses; ENG 002 and MAT 003.

ENG 002 has two tiers

• Tier 1-Roughly equivalent to DRE 096-097
• Tier 2-Roughly equivalent to DRE 096-098

MAT 003 has three tiers

• Tier 1-Roughly equivalent to DMA 10-30
• Tier 2-Roughly equivalent to DMA 10-50
• Tier 3-Roughly equivalent to DMA 10-80

The college also offers corequisite support courses that are paired with a gateway English or Math Course.

Note: Students receiving federal financial aid are limited to 30 credit hours of developmental courses. Department of Veterans Affairs educational benefits are payable only when placement test scores indicate the developmental course is needed.

To Top of Page

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Attendance is counted from the published first scheduled day of class. Students are expected to attend all classes, laboratories, clinical and shop sessions to attain the student learning outcomes of the courses for which they are registered.

When absences total more than fifteen percent (15%) of the total contact hours for a course, the student may be withdrawn from the class in accordance with the college’s withdrawal procedures. With Dean approval, specific disciplines or programs with accrediting/licensing requirements may have more stringent attendance regulations, and in these cases, the discipline/program regulations shall be followed.

To Top of Page

GRADING SYSTEM AND QUALITY POINTS

A grading system is a method of recording faculty evaluations of student progress and the fulfillment of class objectives. All students officially enrolled in courses must be awarded a grade in accordance with College policies.

‘AU’ Grade (Audit)

(No Credit) The audit grade indicates the student is enrolled for noncredit. This grade is not included in grade point average calculations. Neither federal financial aid nor veterans’ benefits are payable for audited classes.

‘CE’ Grade (Credit by Examination)

The credit by examination grade indicates that the student has received credit by examination for a course. Details of this procedure appear in the chapter on Academic Information in the College catalog. Neither federal financial aid nor veterans’ benefits are payable for Credit by Examination classes.

‘G#’ Grade (Grade Forgiven)

(No Credit) The “G#” grade replaces a forgiven grade on the academic transcript. Students should apply for forgiveness of “D” or “F” grades on their transcript under specific conditions. See the Academic Forgiveness paragraph outlined later in this section for additional information.

‘I’ Grade (Incomplete)

(No Credit) The incomplete grade is assigned in place of a grade when students who are making satisfactory progress are unable to complete all class assignments by the end of the semester.

The requirements for satisfactory completion of a course will be established by the instructor in accordance with course objectives. The incomplete “I” is temporary and must be changed to a grade within the time period designated by the instructor, not to exceed eight weeks from the beginning of the term following the one in which the course was taken. At the end of the specified time period, unresolved “I” grades will be converted to “F” grades. The “I” is used for verifiable, unavoidable reasons and extends enrollment without requiring rescheduling of the course.

Note: An extension to the eight weeks may be granted under certain circumstances to Work Based Learning students. All extensions must be approved by the Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The instructor will award a permanent grade by submitting a Change of Grade form to the academic dean when course objectives are successfully completed.

Incomplete grades are not payable by veterans’ benefits and will be treated as an “F” for Federal Financial Aid Standards of Progress purposes if not resolved when Standards of Progress are reviewed at the end of the semester. If the grade is other than an F, it will be updated at the end of the next semester.

‘IE’ Grade (Incomplete – Emergency)

(No Credit) The Incomplete-Emergency grade is assigned in place of a grade when students who are making satisfactory progress are unable to complete all class assignments by the end of the semester due to circumstances caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic. All other aspects of the Incomplete grade listed above apply to the “IE” grade.

‘P’ Passing – Corequisite Course

(No Credit) This passing grade is awarded in the RISE co-requisites courses: ENG-011, MAT-010, MAT-021, MAT-043, MAT-052, and MAT-071, and is not computed in grade point average.

‘P1,’ ‘P2,’ and ‘P3’ Grades (Passing Transition Courses)

(No Credit) These passing grades are awarded in the ENG-002 and MAT-003 transition courses. The “P1,” “P2,” or “P3” indicates which tier(s) of each class the student has passed. A “P3” grade indicates the student has passed all three tiers of MAT-003, and a “P2” grade indicates the student has passed both tiers of ENG-002. “P” grades are not computed in grade point average.

‘PR’ – Credit for Prior Learning

The credit for prior learning grade is awarded on an individual basis in compliance with guidelines established by the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges for apprenticeships, certifications and licenses, portfolio assessment, public safety training courses and continuing education courses taken at accredited schools. The “PR” grade is not computed in Grade Point Average, but credit toward graduation is earned.

‘PA,’ ‘PB,’ and ‘PC’ Grades (Passing – Developmental)

(No Credit) The passing grades are awarded in developmental courses below the 100 level. The “PA”, “PB”, or “PC” indicates the student passed the developmental class with an “A”, “B”, or “C” average. “P” grades are not computed in grade point averages.

‘R’ Grade (Repeat – Transition, Co-requisite Courses)

(No Credit) The repeat grade is awarded in the ENG-002 and MAT-003 transition courses, and in the RISE co-requisites courses: ENG 011, MAT 010, MAT 021, MAT 043, MAT 052, and MAT 071. The “R” grade indicates the student is making progress but has not met minimum course objectives. The student should repeat the course during the next registration. The “R” grade will not be computed in grade point averages and no credit is awarded. (For financial aid and/or veterans’ benefits, the “R” grade is classified as non-punitive for GPA purposes; however, it will affect Federal Financial Aid Standards of Progress.)

‘RF’ Grade (Reschedule – Developmental)

(No Credit) The reschedule grades are awarded in developmental courses below the 100 level. The “RF” indicates the student is making progress but has not met minimum course objectives. The student should reschedule the course during the next registration. The “RF” will not be computed in grade point averages and no credit is awarded. (For financial aid and/or veterans’ benefits, the “RF” grade is classified as non-punitive for GPA purposes; however, it will affect Federal Financial Aid Standards of Progress.)

‘SR’ Grade (Senior Audit)

(No Credit) Seniors age 65 and older may take 1 course per semester with no required tuition fees under the senior audit grade. The senior audit grade indicates the student is enrolled for noncredit and is not included in calculating grade point averages. (There may be book and/or supply fees charged.)

‘TR’ Grade (Transfer Credit)

The transfer credit grade is awarded based on review of an official transcript received from an accredited post-secondary institution. The “TR” grade is not computed in Grade Point Average, but credit toward graduation is earned.

‘W’ Grade (Official Withdrawal from a Course)

(No Credit) The “W” grade indicates withdrawal from a course and takes place after the refund period or census date of the term and on or before the 75% point of the term. It will be recorded as a “W” on the student’s permanent transcript. A withdrawal will only be processed if the student or faculty initiates and properly completes the withdrawal process by the required deadline. Withdrawals may be reviewed by the student’s academic advisor, program head, department chairperson or academic dean.

There is no academic penalty for a “W” grade; however, for federal financial aid purposes, “W” grades may count as hours attempted but not earned. Any student who receives Veterans’ benefits should check with the Veterans’ School Certifying Officer (SCO) prior to withdrawing from any course since benefits will not be paid for a “W” grade.

‘WE’ Grade (Withdrawal – Emergency)

(No Credit) The Withdrawal-Emergency grade indicates withdrawal from a course due to circumstances caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Withdrawal-Emergency takes place after the refund period or census date of the term and on or before a date designated by the college.

To Top of Page

GRADING POLICY

Vance-Granville Community College employs a letter grading system to evaluate student performance in meeting the stated objectives of the classroom, laboratory, shop, clinical setting, or work experience. Faculty have the academic freedom and responsibility to determine grades according to a method that is professionally acceptable, consistent across the specific academic department at the institution, communicated to all students in the class, and applied to all students equally. In the absence of a department-specific grading scale, the grade assigned will be based upon a 10 point scale.

To Top of Page

CHANGE OF GRADE

Awarding grades to students is the responsibility of the instructor. Once awarded, a grade may only be changed with authorization of the instructor and Academic Dean, using the Change of Grade form. A student who wishes to contest a grade must follow the Academic Grievance/ Grade Appeals Procedure outlined later in this section.

To Top of Page

REPEATING COURSES

A course taken at Vance-Granville Community College may be repeated up to two times (three attempts total) in order to raise the grade if the previous grade was below a “C.” For each repeated course, only the highest grade will be used to determine the student’s GPA, eligibility for graduation, and eligibility for academic honors. Under extraordinary circumstances, students who earn a “C” or higher should submit a Special Permission Registration form to take the class one more time to fulfill specific program requirements. This form should be submitted, at the time of registration, to the Academic Dean of the division which offers the course.

No course may be repeated more than twice (three attempts total) regardless of previous grades, including “W,” or “RF” grades without approval of the Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success. To request a fourth attempt at a course, the student should complete a Special Permission Registration form.

Developmental classes completed more than ten years ago no longer meet the prerequisite(s) for subsequent classes and must be repeated.

Note: Veterans’ benefits are not payable to students who repeat any course in which they made a grade of “D” or higher, except for Health Science core courses. Federal financial aid regulations require that both courses count toward the maximum number of hours that may be attempted.

Note: In the case of a transfer student, some colleges compute the GPA from all previous credit hours attempted.

To Top of Page

STANDARDS OF PROGRESS

Each student at Vance-Granville Community College is expected to maintain satisfactory academic progress toward completing requirements of a degree, diploma, or certificate. At the end of each term, a student’s quality point average for that term and his/her cumulative Quality Point Average are examined. The College seeks to provide students with a warning when they fail to meet minimum academic performance standards, and to provide a means of preventing and/or terminating prolonged failure. This policy applies to all students regardless of their academic program. Students whose grade point average (GPA) falls below 2.0 are subject to academic warning, which may be followed by probation and suspension. GPA will be calculated at the end of each term using the official grade for each course taken that semester at Vance-Granville Community College.

Academic Warning

Students failing to meet the minimum GPA of 2.0 during any semester will receive written notification of academic warning from the Student Learning and Success Center. This warning advises students of their academic status and encourages them to meet with their advisor immediately to examine present academic plans.

Probation

Students whose GPA falls below 2.0 for two successive semesters will be placed on probation, which means the student will have restricted scheduling and must meet with his or her advisor or a counselor to do one or more of the following:

• Limit the number of hours attempted
• Schedule preparatory or remedial courses as needed
• Schedule repeat of courses
• Reconsider academic program and/or receive career counseling

Students will be notified in writing of their status by the Student Learning and Success Center.

Suspension

Students whose GPA falls below 2.0 for three successive semesters will be placed on academic suspension for one semester, which means the students will not be allowed to register for curriculum courses. Continuing Education courses may still be taken. Students will be notified in writing of their status by the Student Learning and Success Center.

Appeals

Academic issues related to probation and suspension may be appealed through the appropriate Academic Dean. Students should follow the academic appeals process as outlined in the College catalog.

Enrollment after Suspension

Readmission decisions are based on the Academic Dean or Campus Dean judgment that the student has made sufficient changes in his or her commitment to college. The student should schedule an appointment to meet a counselor for academic/career advisement, and to complete a Special Permission Registration form. The form will be submitted to the appropriate Dean for final approval. The student will remain in academic probationary status until she or he achieves a semester GPA of 2.0 or higher.

Note: The Standards of Progress as defined for financial aid and veterans’ benefits are different
from academic standards as stated above. The student needs to contact the Financial Aid Office
for specific differences in Standards of Progress.

To Top of Page

HEALTH SCIENCE STUDENTS STANDARDS OF PROGRESS

A student will not be allowed to continue in specified health science programs with a grade of “C” in certain courses. Refer to the handbook of the specific Health Science program. A grade of “C” or better is required for the general education classes and Radiography classes.

To Top of Page

ACADEMIC FORGIVENESS- “D,” “F,” “WP,” and “WF” Grades

Students may request in writing to have previous grades of “D” or “F” excluded from calculation in their cumulative GPA under the following conditions: The coursework to be forgiven must be at least 5 years old, and consist of “D” or “F” grades. The student must have completed at least 12 credit hours or 192 contact hours of coursework since that time at an accredited college or university and earned a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher or a satisfactory/ passing grade in CE/Workforce courses. A student may be granted academic forgiveness only one time, and a maximum of 16 semester credit hours total may be forgiven. Former BLET students may request forgiveness of all the credit hours included in the CJC 100 class, up to 20 credit hours. Requests for academic forgiveness for “D” and “F” grades will be submitted to the Registrar’s Office on the appropriate form and reviewed by the current Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee and approved by the Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success. All forgiven “D” and “F” grades will be replaced on the transcript with a grade of “G#” to mark them as forgiven. A copy of the transcript reflecting the original grades will be kept in the student’s permanent file with documentation of the forgiveness process.

Students may also request in writing to have previous grades of “WP”or “WF” changed to a “W” on their official transcript. While “WP” and”WF” grades are non-punitive at Vance-Granville Community College,they may be considered punitive at other colleges and could impact a transfer student’s academic eligibility. Non-punitive grades do not have the same time frame and GPA requirement for forgiveness as punitive grades.

Requests for changes to withdrawal grades will be submitted to the Registrar’s Office on the appropriate form and reviewed by the current Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee and approved by the Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success. A copy of the transcript reflecting the original withdrawal grades will be kept in the student’s permanent file.

Academic Forgiveness Appeal Form

Note: Grades that are forgiven may not be exempt from academic progress relating to Financial Aid and Veterans benefits. Students should contact the Financial Aid Office for more information. Students who plan to transfer to another college or university should contact that institution regarding the impact of forgiven grades on transferability.

To Top of Page

ACADEMIC GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

Academic issues include, but are not limited to, the application of attendance policies, individual assignment grades, classroom/lab or clinical/shop conduct, and admission to or dismissal from a class or program. The grievance process should be initiated by students as soon as an issue develops. Waiting until the end of the term is not recommended, as some faculty or staff relevant to the process may not be available. A student having an academic issue is encouraged to discuss the problem in a calm and respectful manner that indicates their sincerity and willingness to rectify the matter in a professional and timely manner.

Although most problems are resolved at the instructor level, the Academic Grievance Procedure may involve the following levels of college faculty/staff in this order:

1. Instructor
2. Program Head if applicable
3. Department Chair/Director/Coordinator
4. Academic Dean/Dean of Workforce Readiness, Health & Public Safety/Dean of Business & Industry Solutions
5. Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success

The procedure will occur in the following order:

1. The student will arrange a meeting with the instructor to discuss the problem as soon as it develops.
2. If the problem is not resolved with the instructor, the student will obtain an Academic Grievance Form from the aforementioned person, from another relevant individual, or from the VGCC website. The student will complete the form detailing their academic concerns, and either personally, or electronically via the student’s VGCC email address, submit the form to the Program Head (if applicable) or Department Chair/Director/Coordinator in which the course or program is listed. This form should be submitted as soon as possible but no later than 10 working days from the initial date of the incident. It is important to note working days exclude weekends and holidays.
3. The Program Head (if applicable) or Department Chair/Director/Coordinator will arrange to meet with the student or the student and instructor. A written response from the relevant Program Head or Department Chair/Director/Coordinator will be provided to the student within 5 working days of receipt of the student’s form. It is the student’s responsibility to follow up with the Program Head or Department Chair/Director/Coordinator during this time period. Students should keep a copy of all documentation related to the appeal for their records.
4. If not satisfied with the Program Head or Department Chair/Director/Coordinator response, the student will have 5 working days to appeal to the relevant Dean in which the course or program is listed. Students are responsible for submitting the original appeal form with the Program Head or Department Chair/Director/Coordinator’s response to the Dean. For grade appeals related to Curriculum Programs, the Academic Dean will meet with the instructor and Program Head (if applicable) and/or Department Chair/Director/Coordinator to discuss the concern. For grade appeals related to continuing education courses, the Dean of Workforce Readiness, Health & Public Safety or Dean of Business & Industry Solutions will meet with the instructor and/or Director/Coordinator to discuss the concern.
5. A written response from the relevant Dean will be provided to the student within 5 working days of receipt of the student’s form. It is the student’s responsibility to follow up with the Dean during this time period.
6. If not satisfied with the Dean’s response, the student will have 5 working days to appeal to the office of the Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success. Students are responsible for submitting the original appeal form with both the Program Head/Department Chair/Director/Coordinator’s response and the Dean’s response. Students should keep a copy of all documentation related to the appeal for their records.
7. A written response from the Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success will be provided to the student within 5 working days of receipt of the student’s form. It is the student’s responsibility to follow up with the Vice President during this time period.
8. If the concerns are not resolved, the student will have 5 working days to request a hearing of the Judicial Committee from the Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success. The office of the Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success will contact the Judicial Co-Chairs to arrange the requested hearing. The date of the hearing will be scheduled within 5 working days from the receipt of the student’s request. The student will be notified by the office of the Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success of the date and location of the hearing.
9. The Judicial Committee will provide a written recommendation of their decision to the President of the College within 5 working days of the hearing.
10. The President will make a decision and notify the student within 5 working days of receipt of the committee’s recommendation. The decision of the President is final.

Academic Grievance Form

To Top of Page

FINAL GRADE APPEALS PROCEDURE

The final grade appeals process should be initiated by students immediately after the course ends and the final course grade is posted in MyVGCC. A student having an academic issue is encouraged to discuss the problem in a calm and respectful manner that indicates their sincerity and willingness to rectify the matter in a professional and timely manner.

Final grade appeals not related to dismissal from a course or program must be on file within 10 working days from the date the final course grade has posted to MyVGCC. Final grade appeals related to dismissal from a course or program must be on file within 10 working days of the dismissal date. It is important to note working days exclude weekends and holidays.

Although most problems are resolved at the instructor level, the Final Grade Appeals Procedure may involve the following levels of college faculty/staff in this order:

1. Instructor
2. Program Head if applicable
3. Department Chair/Director/Coordinator
4. Academic Dean/Dean of Workforce Readiness, Health & Public Safety/Dean of Business & Industry Solutions
5. Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success

The procedure will occur in the following order:

1. The student will arrange a meeting with the instructor to discuss the problem within 10 working days of when the final course grade is posted to MyVGCC.
2. If the problem is not resolved with the instructor, the student will obtain a Final Grade Appeals Form from the aforementioned person, from another relevant individual, or from the VGCC website. The student will complete the form detailing their academic concerns, and either personally, or electronically via the student’s VGCC email address, submit the form to the Program Head (if applicable) or Department Chair/Director/Coordinator in which the course or program is listed.
   1. If this is a grade appeal not related to dismissal from a course or program, this form must be on file within 10 working days of the final grade being posted in MyVGCC (Note: working days exclude weekends and holidays).
   2. If this is a grade appeal related to dismissal from a course or program, this form must be on file within 10 working days of the dismissal date (Note: working days exclude weekends and holiday).
3. The Program Head (if applicable) or Department Chair/Director/Coordinator will arrange to meet with the student or the student and instructor. A written response from the relevant Program Head or Department Chair/Director/Coordinator will be provided to the student within 5 working days of receipt of the student’s form. It is the student’s responsibility to follow up with the Program Head or Department Chair/Director/Coordinator during this time period. Students should keep a copy of all documentation related to the appeal for their records.
4. If not satisfied with the Program Head or Department Chair/Director/Coordinator response, the student will have 5 working days to appeal to the relevant Dean in which the course or program is listed. Students are responsible for submitting the original appeal form with the Program Head or Department Chair/Director/Coordinator’s response. For grade appeals related to Curriculum Programs, the Academic Dean will meet with the instructor and Program Head (if applicable) and/or Department Chair/Director/Coordinator to discuss the concern. For grade appeals related to continuing education courses, the Dean of Workforce Readiness, Health & Public Safety or Dean of Business & Industry Solutions will meet with the instructor and/or Director/Coordinator to discuss the concern.
5. A written response from the relevant Dean will be provided to the student within 5 working days of receipt of the student’s form. It is the student’s responsibility to follow up with the Dean during this time period.
6. If not satisfied with the Dean’s response, the student will have 5 working days to appeal to the office of the Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success. Students are responsible for submitting the original appeal form with both the Program Head/Department Chair/Director/Coordinator’s response and the Dean’s response. Students should keep a copy of all documentation related to the appeal for their records.
7. A written response from the Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success will be provided to the student within 5 working days of receipt of the student’s form. It is the student’s responsibility to follow up with the Vice President during this time period.
8. If the concerns are not resolved, the student will have 5 working days to request a hearing of the Judicial Committee from the Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success. The office of the Vice President will contact the Judicial Co-Chairs to arrange the requested hearing. The date of the hearing will be scheduled within 5 working days from the receipt of the student’s request. The student will be notified by the office of the Vice President of Learning, Student Engagement & Success of the date and location of the hearing.
9. The Judicial Committee will provide a written recommendation of their decision to the President of the College within 5 working days of the hearing.
10. The President will make a decision and notify the student within 5 working days of receipt of the committee’s recommendation. The decision of the President is final.

Final Grade Appeals Form

To Top of Page

CATALOG OF RECORD

Beginning with the implementation of the semester system in the fall of 1997, the catalog that is current when the student enrolls at the institution is the “catalog of record.” A student who is in continuous enrollment (except Summer Term or a break of less than one year) may graduate under the provision of his/her catalog of record or a subsequent issue. A student who is not in continuous enrollment or has a break in enrollment of one year or more must graduate under the provisions of the catalog in effect on his/her last re-entry date or a subsequent issue. Students may appeal to the academic dean to graduate from a previous catalog under extenuating circumstances.

To Top of Page

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

All students are responsible for the proper completion of their academic program, for familiarity with all requirements of the VanceGranville Community College catalog under which they intend to graduate, for maintaining the Grade Point Average required and knowing their academic standing, and for meeting all other degree requirements. Academic advisors are available to all students, but final responsibility for meeting program and graduation requirements remains with the students.

To Top of Page

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible for graduation from a diploma or degree program, a student must:

1. Have all official high school and any required post-secondary transcripts on file with the Admissions/Records Office at VGCC. (See General Admissions Procedures section for details) Successfully complete his/her course of study.
2. Earn a cumulative quality point average of 2.0 on all work attempted that is applicable toward graduation.
3. The Associate Degree Nursing, Practical Nursing, Medical Assisting, and Radiography Programs have additional grade point average requirements for graduation.
4. Have no outstanding balance due to the Business Office. (No degree, diploma, certificate, or transcript of a record will be issued to a student who has not made satisfactory settlement with the Business Office for all indebtedness to the College.)
5. Submit the Application for Graduation form through myVGCC (student portal).
6. Pay the graduation fee online or at the Business Office.

Note 1: Transfer students must complete a minimum of 25 percent of the required degree or diploma credit hours at Vance-Granville Community College.

To Top of Page

APPLICATION FOR GRADUATION

Graduation exercises to award degrees and diplomas are held once a year in May for students who have met or will meet graduation requirements by the end of summer semester.

It is the responsibility of the student to complete the application for graduation through their myVGCC account by the established due dates. Information regarding applying for graduation may be found online at: Graduation Information Page.

Once the application is submitted, the $20.00 diploma fee will be charged on the student’s myVGCC account and must be paid prior to the graduation ceremony, or by the end of the term for August and December graduates. For those students participating in the May graduation ceremony, a cap and gown must be purchased separately.

To Top of Page

AWARDING OF CURRICULUM CERTIFICATES

A certificate may be awarded with the approval of the Program Head for completing 12 or more credit hours within an approved program of study. The Program Head must submit electronically an Application for Curriculum Certificate to the Registrar’s Office so that it can be recorded on the student’s transcript. A PDF copy of the certificate will be emailed to the student’s college email address once eligibility is verified.

To be eligible to earn a certificate, the following graduation requirements must be met: all official high school and post-secondary transcripts that are relevant to the certificate must be on file with the Admissions/ Records Office, the student must have a cumulative quality point average of at least 2.0 in all courses in the certificate program, and the student must have no indebtedness to the College.

To Top of Page

DEAN’S LIST

At the close of each term, students who are carrying a full load (12 hours or more) in 100-level or higher courses leading to a diploma or degree will be included on the Academic Dean’s List, provided they have no grade of “I” and no grade lower than a “B” and provided that the quality point average of all their grades for that term is 3.5 or better.

To Top of Page

PRESIDENT’S LIST

At the close of each term, students who are carrying a full load (12 hours or more) in 100-level or higher courses leading to a diploma or degree will be included on the Academic President’s List for that term, provided they have no grade of “I” and that the quality point average of all their grades for that term is 4.0. The Dean’s and President’s lists are published approximately one month after the end of each semester.

To Top of Page

DISTANCE EDUCATION

Curriculum distance education courses are a way for students to take courses for college credit away from the college campus. Web, synchronous online, hybrid, and web-enhanced courses are all part of Vance-Granville’s curriculum distance education program.

Web courses reach the student over the Internet. Reading assignments, research, study sessions, discussion groups, and tests take place via the computer. Web courses are ideal for working parents, people on swing shifts, and others who find it difficult to come to campus regularly to take courses. Successful students in Internet courses typically have done well in other college courses and are self-motivated individuals who can learn on their own and do not require a great deal of help from others.

A synchronous online course is where up to 99% of the instruction is delivered online, but a synchronous online meeting pattern is also available as supplemental or mandated instruction. The section details for meeting day and time and attendance requirements are available in the myVGCC schedule. 

Hybrid and web-enhanced courses meet part of their credit/contact hour requirements in face-to-face meetings between students and instructor, and complete the remaining requirements via the Internet. In hybrid classes, students complete most of their coursework online, but also have required meetings with their instructor and class throughout the semester. In web-enhanced classes, students complete most of their coursework in a traditional classroom, but satisfy some of their required hours and assignments online. Students in these classes get the benefit of meeting with their instructors regularly, while also having the convenience of completing some of their course hours and requirements at home.

Note: Students who wish to take a Distance Learning course using veterans’ benefits should check with the Veterans’ School Certifying Officer (SCO) concerning restrictions.

Students enrolled in distance education courses are not charged a fee for the verification of their identity.

To Top of Page

WORK-BASED LEARNING

Work-Based Learning enables a student to receive college credit by combining an academic education with practical work experience. It provides students an opportunity to gain the professional experience that will make them a valuable asset to future employers and give them an edge in today’s competitive job market. Students may or may not be paid for their work. Emphasis is placed on parallel plans of school and work in business, industry, or government, and the program is structured by an employer-derived job description. Students who are interested in Work-Based Learning should see their Department/Program Head. The Work-Based Learning course is not available in all program areas. In applicable programs, students must have a major elective remaining in order to select Work-Based Learning. Human Services Technology and Culinary Arts require Work-Based Learning within their program of study.

Placement in Work-Based Learning is determined by the student’s Department/Program Head and the Work-Based Learning Coordinator and is based upon selection criteria that includes, but is not limited to, the student’s prior work experience, academic performance, attitude, health, position requirements, and position availability. Students are responsible for securing work-based learning sites directly related to their program of study. Faculty and the WBL Coordinator may make recommendations of eligible WBL sites. To determine specific eligibility requirements and participating programs, please visit https://www.vgcc.edu/wbl/wbl-for-students/.

Note: Most of these courses are ineligible for veterans’ benefits. Students should check with the Veterans’ School Certifying Officer (SCO), located in Building 8, on Main Campus.

To Top of Page