Grading System

Grades are posted online and can be accessed at www.albanytech.edu. A grade of "C" or better is required in all courses for graduation.

Credit Programs:

Institutional Credit:

The following symbols are approved for use in the cases indicated. They are not included in the calculation of the term average.

I — This indicates that a student has an "incomplete" but has satisfactorily completed a substantial portion of the coursework. However, for non-academic reasons beyond control, the student has not been able to complete some specific part or amount of the work required. An "I" must be satisfactorily changed to a letter grade within 10 college days of the next term or it will be changed to the grade of "F”. The student must get approval from the instructor before the end of the term to be eligible for an "I" grade. No credit is given and no grade points are calculated. In order to receive an "I" grade, the student must be currently passing prior to an "I" grade being given unless approved in writing by the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

IP — This indicates that a student is "in progress" in a course that requires coursework beyond the present term. The "IP" may not be used to defer grade reporting. Credit is given and grade points are calculated only during the term of coursework completion. A grade of “IP” is not included in calculating the grade point average but is counted as coursework attempted.

W— This is awarded to a student who withdraws from a course before the 60% mark of the semester, whether the work is passing or failing. No credit is given and no grade points are calculated. A grade of “W” is not included in calculating the grade point average but is counted as coursework attempted. See SAP (p. 49) under Financial Aid for results against financial aid for withdrawing from a course.

Letter grade* — This indicates performance in a class for which institutional or continuing education credit is normally awarded.

EXE — This indicates that a student has exempted a course through examination. Credit is given but grade points are not calculated.

EXP — This indicates that a student has exempted a course through portfolio of past work. Credit is given but grade points are not calculated.

TR — This indicates that a student has been awarded transfer credit from another institution. Credit is given but no grade points are calculated. The official transcript from the previous post-secondary institution must be received before the student registering for the class and grades must be a "C" or better. Once the student has enrolled in a particular class, transfer credit will not be granted.

AU — This indicates an audited course. No grade is given, no credit hours are earned and grade points are not calculated.

Grade Point Averages

The formula to calculate grade point average is: Credit Hours x Grade Point Equivalent = Total Points

Example: Grade Point Equivalents

Total all credit hours. Divide quality points by total credit hours to equal grade point average. For example:

30 divided by 14 = 2.14 GPA.

Graduation Grade Point Average is calculated using only those courses required for graduation. (For example, if a student took classes in welding but is graduating in cosmetology, then the welding classes are not calculated in the GPA for graduation.) A 2.0 GPA is needed for graduation. This does not appear on the final transcript.

The Semester Grade Point Average is that average calculated based on all credit courses taken each semester. The semester grade point average is used for determining the President's List. A student must be enrolled in 12 or more credit hours and earn a 4.0 term grade point average to be a Presidential Scholar.

The Cumulative Grade Point Average is that grade point average calculated on all attempts at all credit courses taken at the institution. It is recalculated after each semester to include the current semester's grades. The cumulative grade point average is used to calculate Honors with Distinction and Presidential Scholar for graduation.

Neither transfer credit (from another institution) nor exemption credit (earned at Albany Technical College) is calculated in the GPA.

Academic Misconduct Procedure

Albany Technical College Academic Misconduct Procedure

Any student found to have committed any of the following types of misconduct is subject to the disciplinary sanctions outlined in the Student Disciplinary Policy and Procedure.

A. Academic Misconduct
1. includes, but is not limited to, the following:
a. Aiding and Abetting Academic Misconduct: Knowingly helping, procuring, encouraging or otherwise assisting another person to engage in academic misconduct.
b. Cheating:
i. Use and/or possession of unauthorized material or technology during an examination, or any other written or oral work submitted for evaluation and/or a grade, such as tape cassettes, notes, tests, calculators, computer programs, cell phones and/or smart phones, or other electronic devices.
ii. Obtaining assistance with or answers to an examination or any other written or oral work submitted for evaluation and/or a grade from another person with or without that person's knowledge.
iii. Furnishing assistance with or answers to an examination or any other written or oral work submitted for evaluation and/or a grade to another person.
iv. Possessing, using, distributing or selling unauthorized copies of an examination, computer program, or any other written or oral work submitted for evaluation and/or a grade.
v. Representing as one's own an examination or any other written or oral work submitted for evaluation and/or a grade created by another person.
vi. Taking an examination or any other written or oral work submitted for evaluation and/or a grade in place of another person.
vii. Obtaining unauthorized access to the computer files of another person or agency and/or altering or destroying those files.
viii. Obtaining teacher edition text books, test banks, or other instructional materials that are only intended to be accessed by technical college officials, college administrator or faculty member.
c. Fabrication:
i. The falsification of any information or citation in an examination or any other written or oral work submitted for evaluation and/or a grade.
d. Plagiarism:
i. Submitting another's published or unpublished work in whole, in part or in paraphrase, as one's own without fully and properly crediting the author with footnotes, quotation marks citations, or bibliographical reference.
ii. Submitting as one's own original work, material obtained from an individual or agency without reference to the person or agency as the source of the material.
iii. Submitting as one's own original work material that has been produced through unacknowledged collaboration with others without release in writing f rom collaborators.

B. Consequences for Academic Misconduct:
Consequences at the course level will be at the discretion of the instructor and may include but are not limited to a verbal or written warning, deduction of points, a letter grade of “F” or zero on the assignment, project, or quiz/test/examination, and referral to the Vice President of Student Services for violation of the Albany Technical College Model Student Conduct Codes.

Grade Change Policy

ALBANY TECHNICAL COLLEGE GRADE CHANGE POLICY

Instructor Initiated Grade Change:
If an instructor determines that an assigned grade was issued incorrectly, due to a clerical or procedural error, or if an instructor fails to report a final grade to the registrar by the announced deadline, the instructor must follow the Albany Technical College Grade Change Approval Procedure to have the grade changed.

The Grade Change Approval Procedure:
1. The instructor of record will complete an Albany Technical College Grade Change form and include supporting documentation to substantiate the grade change. The documents will then be forwarded to the respective dean for review and consideration. Upon the dean’s approval and signature, the form will then be forwarded to the Vice President of Academic Affairs for review. If the Vice President of Academic Affairs approves the grade change request, it will be forwarded to the Registrar’s office for processing.

2. Upon receipt of a signed Albany Technical College Grade Change form, the Registrar’s office will make the approved grade modification in the ATC Banner system. This process occurs every tenth business day into the following term of the grade change.

Student Requested Grade Change:
If a student determines that an assigned grade has been incorrectly issued, he/she may request a grade change from the instructor of record for the course. The student must meet with the instructor of record for the course and provide sufficient supporting documentation which indicates that a grade change is warranted. If the instructor agrees that a grade change is warranted and approves the grade change request, he/she will follow the Albany Technical College Grade Change Approval Procedure.

If after review of the student’s documents and research, the instructor of record determines that no grade change is warranted, he/she may deny the grade change request. If the instructor of record denies the student’s grade change request, the student may appeal the instructor of record’s decision to the respective Academic Dean.

Upon meeting with the student requesting a grade change, the Academic Dean may request additional information from the student and or the instructor of record before making a final decision. If the Academic Dean determines that a grade change is warranted, he/she will grant the student’s request for a grade change and follow the Albany Technical College Grade Change Approval Procedure. However, if the academic dean determines that no grade change is warranted, he/she will deny the student’s request for a grade change. The student may appeal this decision to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Upon meeting with the student requesting a grade change, the Vice President of Academic Affairs may request additional information from the student, instructor of record, and or Academic Dean before making a final decision. If the Vice President determines that a grade change is warranted, he/she will grant the student’s request for a grade change and follow the Albany Technical College Grade Change Approval Procedure. If the Vice President determines that a grade change is not warranted, he/she will deny the student’s request for a grade change. The Vice President of Academic Affairs’ decision regarding the grade change shall be final.

All grade change requests must be completed and approved by all required College officials by the tenth business day of the following semester in which the final grade is being challenged. Final grade challenges are prohibited after this point.

Faculty and students with questions regarding the Albany Technical College Grade Change Procedure should contact the Office of the Registrar: khawkins@albanytech.edu or 229-430-6164.

Work Ethics

Work ethics will be evaluated in the introductory and capstone courses for each program. The work ethics evaluation is designed to evaluate and to encourage good work habits. Performance factors and indicators include, but are not limited to, quality of work, ability to follow instructions, productivity, dependability, honesty, reliability, attendance and punctuality, attitude, integrity, enthusiasm, interpersonal skills and initiative.

Presidential Scholar

The Presidential Scholar award is awarded to students who graduate with a cumulative 3.95 to 4.0 overall GPA.

Honors with Distinction

The Honors with Distinction award is awarded to students who graduate with a cumulative 3.75 to 3.94 overall GPA.

Repeating A Course

When a course is taken more than once, the best grade will be used in calculating the grade point average for graduation.

Prerequisite Courses

A student cannot enroll in a course if he/she has failed the prerequisite for that same course.

Course Adjustments

A course adjustment is any change to a student’s registered course schedule, including any of the following: changing a credit option, adding a class, dropping a class, or withdrawing from a class or the college. Depending on the student’s course load, adding a course may result in a tuition increase. The deadlines for processing specific course adjustments are stated in the Schedule of Classes.

During the official add period (up to the third class day of the term) a student may add courses. After the add period, students may not add additional courses; however, they may withdraw from a course(s) with a "W" grade and no academic penalty through the 60% mark of the semester. The "W" grade is not included in the calculation of the student's grade point average. Students who withdraw from a course or withdraw from College after the 60% mark of the semester and are passing, may receive a grade of WP (withdrew passing) in the case of hardship as determined by the Vice President of Academic Affairs or a designated representative. Failure to attend class does not constitute a withdrawal.

Withdrawal Procedure

To withdraw from Albany Technical College, students should complete the following steps:

1. See the instructor for each course in which the student is enrolled to complete the withdrawal process.

2. If receiving financial aid, the student should advise the financial aid office of their intent to withdraw from a course or from the College.

Drop Procedure

Students may drop a course or courses by the end of the third day of the full semester without penalty. When courses are officially dropped, students will receive a 100% refund of applicable tuition and refundable fees. The dropped courses will be removed from the student’s academic record and will not be counted as an attempt for academic or financial aid purposes. Online students must contact instructor via email or direct communication.

To initiate a drop, the student must:

1. Obtain a Drop Form from the Office of Student Services.

2. Meet with Financial Aid to ensure that the dropped course(s) will not affect full-time or part-time status.

3. Complete and submit the Drop Form to the Registrar’s Office by the close of business on the third instructional day of the semester.

The first 3 instructional days of the semester means: the first day of classes for the term listed on the ATC Academic Calendar, plus the next two business days. To be eligible for a drop, classes (including those that meet for the first time on the 4th day of the semester or later) must be dropped within the first 3 instructional days of the semester.

On the 4th instructional day of the semester, all courses for which a student is registered will become a permanent part of the student’s academic record, and the student will be held academically and financially responsible for such courses.

The student is solely responsible for submitting a Drop Form to the Registrar’s Office by the close of business in the 3rd instructional day of the semester.

This “3-Day No Harm/No Foul” policy was adopted by the Technical College System of Georgia in April, 2008.

Academic Probation

A student who fails to maintain the required grade point average in a particular program may be placed on academic probation. A student who fails to improve his or her academic performance after being placed on probation shall be suspended or dismissed from either the academic program or Albany Technical College.

In appropriate circumstances, a student may be dismissed from an academic program or the College without first being placed on probation. A student who is dismissed from the College may appeal the suspension or dismissal by filing an Academic Appeals Request form with their Academic Program Dean within five business days from the date of learning, or the date that he/she should reasonably have known, of the suspension or dismissal. Deadline for filing an Academic appeal is last business day before the first day of class for the term. Appeals received on or after the first day of classes will be held over for the next semester.

Academic Suspension

Failure to maintain a 2.0 grade point average and to successfully complete the probation term will result in a student being on academic suspension for one semester. When the student returns after the one term of academic suspension, he or she remains on probation and must successfully complete that term with a 2.0 to return to good standing. Failure to do so will result in academic suspension for two consecutive terms. The student will be notified via student email from the Registrar’s Office.

A student may appeal the suspension or dismissal by filing an Academic Appeals Request form with their Academic Program Dean with final approval from the Vice President for Academic Affairs within two weeks from the date of learning or reasonably should have learned of the suspension or dismissal grade. Deadline for filing an Academic appeal is last business day before the first day of class for the term. Appeals received on or after the first day of classes will be held over for the next semester.

Attendance Procedure

Attendance Procedure:

Regular attendance is considered essential for the successful completion of a course. Therefore, students are expected to be punctual and attend all registered classes (campus, blended, online), laboratories, and clinical sites as scheduled. Class attendance and participation include completing activities, such as submitting assignments, taking an exam/quiz, and participating in an interactive tutorial or computer-assisted instruction.

Instructors will keep an accurate record of class attendance. Students are advised that due to program accrediting requirements and other factors, some programs courses may have specific attendance requirements and guidelines. Program courses that require attendance taking are noted below:

Please note the list of attendance taking course can change throughout the semester due to accredation reviews.

Consequently, students should consult with their instructor to determine the specific attendance requirements for each class.

Any student arriving late for class, lab, clinical, or leaving early before the scheduled ending time will be marked tardy. Three instances of tardiness are equivalent to one absence from class. However, some programs may require special attendance policies due to program accrediting requirements and other factors. Students anticipating an absence or tardiness should contact the instructor at least 24 hours in advance of the absence. If the student misses class, lab, or clinical meeting, they should (a) provide the instructor with appropriate documentation indicating the reason for absences; (b) request make-up assignments from the instructor(s) upon returning to class, lab, or clinical; and (c) if the instructor grants the opportunity, the student should complete make-up work within the time frame allowed by the instructor. Note: It is the student’s responsibility to request make-up work. Make-up work may be allowed at the discretion of the instructor.

Online Course Attendance Procedure:

Attendance is directly tied to academic performance; therefore, regular participation in an online course is required, and attendance is recorded using a designated weekly attendance assignment. Student attendance and participation in an online class include completing activities, such as submitting assignments, taking an exam/quiz (including the Course Attendance Confirmation Quiz), and participating in interactive tutorials or computer-assisted instruction. Logging into an online class does not constitute student attendance or participation in the class.

Students who DO NOT participate in an online course by completing the designated weekly attendance assignment during any given week will be sent an attendance warning notice via ATC student email. The attendance warning notice informs students that they must participate in the next designated weekly attendance assignment. Students who DO NOT participate in their course(s) for any seven (7) consecutive calendar days of the semester will be notified of their attendance violation and possibly administratively withdrawn from the course.

Registration for an online course presupposes that the student will attend/fully participate in all online activities. Each student is responsible for meeting all course requirements. Attendance requirements will be strictly enforced. A student could do all assignments, tests, and other coursework except the designated weekly attendance assignments and still be marked absent and possibly be administratively withdrawn from the class for violating the attendance policy under the same guidelines for attendance in a non-online course.

No Show Status

During the Attendance Verification period, students who do not confirm their attendance and or attend class will be reported as a “No Show” for that class, and if applicable, tuition will be adjusted, and financial aid will be reduced accordingly.

The definition of a "no-show" is a student who is registered for a class and meets one of the following criteria:

• Does not attend the first three class sessions of any course that meets daily.

• Does not attend the first two class sessions of a course that meets twice a week.

• Does not attend the first class session of a course that meets once a week.

Any student reported as a "no-show" by an instructor will be administratively removed from that class and will not be eligible for reinstatement in the current term.

Student Withdrawal

Official Withdrawal

It is the student’s responsibility to officially withdraw from classes. Traditional students may withdraw from a single class or all classes by contacting the Registrar’s Office. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with the ATC Student Navigator and the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from any classes.

Students that withdraw from a course(s) will receive a final grade of W or F (depending on the percentage of course enrollment) for each course(s) from which they withdraw. While a grade of W does not negatively impact the GPA, it will negatively impact the financial aid requirement to successfully complete 60% of all coursework attempted.

Dual Enrolled students who wish to withdraw from a course must contact their high school counselor and the ATC High School Coordinator first. Withdrawing from a course may significantly impact the student’s ability to graduate from high school on time and to receive funding through the Dual Enrollment program. After speaking with both, he/she will be routed to the Registrar’s Office.

Unofficial Withdrawal

Students who stop attending classes but do not complete the official withdrawal process will receive zero points for each test, quiz, exam, or assignment that is missed during the class. This will most likely result in a failing grade for the class(es).

Drop/Add and Reimbursement Policy

1. Students will be allowed to drop/add courses within the first three (3) instructional days of an academic semester with no penalty.
2. Students will receive a 100% refund of associated tuition and fees if they withdraw from all registered courses within the first three instructional days of an academic semester. After the third instructional day, no refund will be given.

Excused Absences

The following are considered excusable provided documentation is shown to the instructor on return to college:

• Personal illness (physician’s excuse)

• Serious illness or injury to a member of the immediate family (physician’s statement)

• Death in family

• Military duty (military orders)

• Jury duty (copy of summons)

An excused absence allows your instructor to work with you to complete missed assignments and/or tests. An excused absence is considered part of the 10% of allowed absences from a class

Make-up Work

Except in cases of extended absences, students must make up work missed during an excused absence within five days or according to a plan devised by the instructor.

Assignments Missed During Disciplinary Suspension

When a student is suspended for disciplinary reasons, the student will be allowed to make up assignments and tests. It is the student's responsibility to schedule all make-up work at the convenience of the instructor.

Policies for Health Programs

(with the exception of Practical Nursing)

A student may not repeat a core or program course that he/she has failed or withdrawn from more than once. This includes withdrawal from a course before midterm. Any student who withdraws or fails a course twice will be automatically dropped from the program. A student who withdraws or fails a course for the second time cannot reenter a health program. Any student in good standing who withdraws from the program must re-enter within six months, with the exception of Radiologic Technology, which admits yearly. Readmits beyond the established timelines must repeat all program course work with the exception of general education core classes.

Practical Nursing Program

Students will be allowed only two (2) failing grades during their enrollment in the program. Upon failing the first class (whether it is general core courses, allied health science courses, nursing courses, or nursing practicum courses) the student will attend an appeals hearing with the Dean of Academic Affairs, and selected nursing faculty. The student will be placed on a probationary status with a prescribed action plan. The student must adhere to the prescribed action plan completely. If a student fails a second course, that student will be dropped from the program and unable to re-enter for five (5) years. Any student in good standing who withdraws from the program must re-enter within six months. Readmits beyond the established timelines must repeat all program course work with the exception of general education core classes.

Physical Forms and Reports

Documentation of physical examinations and immunization records are required before the beginning of the clinical/laboratory phase of training in certain programs as determined by state standards. This documentation is not required for admission to ATC or to a program of study.

Appeals Procedures for Re-entry into Health Programs

Students who were dropped from a health program because of failure or withdrawal can appeal for re-entry. The student must submit a written appeal to the Dean of the Division of Health Care Technology in order to make exceptions in extreme circumstances. The program instructor must recommend this appeal. A committee composed of instructors and the dean from the health care technology division will hear appeals and determine re-entry status.