Academic Policy

General Education Policy

Students pursuing a two year associate of science, associate of arts, associate of applied science, or certificate program will complete a minimum sequence of courses known as the General Education Curriculum (GEC). The GEC is guided by a common set of student learning outcomes.

The BridgeValley General Education Student Learning Outcomes are designed to provide a foundation for future study and to expand the educational experience. The goal of the GEC is to provide opportunities and support needed to develop the skills, behaviors and attitudes that will enable the student to be successful as they matriculate through their higher education to graduate with the credentials needed to be employed in their chosen field. The GEC affords all students a common learning experience, provides opportunities through classes, labs and field experiences to advance student learning. In addition to being addressed by the GEC, each BVCTC program and discipline integrates these general education student learning outcomes into the major courses. It should also be noted that involvement in co-curricular activities and work experiences can contribute to the development of these skills, attitudes and behaviors.

Upon graduation students will be able to:

1. Communicate effectively by listening, speaking, and writing using appropriate technology.
2. Use quantitative and scientific knowledge effectively to solve problems, manipulate and interpret data, and communicate findings.
3. Demonstrate interpersonal skills and ethical behavior appropriate for living and working in a diverse society.
4. Apply critical thinking skills to analyze problems and make informed decisions.

General Education Program Requirements

Each degree or certificate program specifies courses students must take to satisfy the requirements for general education as well as the courses specified within the major. The same course may appear in more than one GEC category, but shall count only once towards graduations requirements. The requirements of each category must be satisfied.

The GEC includes courses in four areas of study as shown in the following table:

Each program must include English 101 (or ENGL 109, for selected technical programs). A 100 level math course is required for all programs unless otherwise specified by State or accreditation requirements.

In addition to the above GEC requirements, all associate degree graduates must complete and document 15 hours of approved citizenship/volunteerism/service learning activities. Associate degree graduates are also required to complete a portfolio demonstrating proficiency of the general education core curriculum, and technical assessments demonstrating proficiency within the field of study.

BVCTC continues to collaborate with other state institutions of higher education to facilitate a smooth transfer of general education courses, taken for associate programs, to be accepted as general education courses for baccalaureate programs. Students should inform their program advisor of their possible intent to continue with a bachelor degree program after completion of their associate degree program. This will assist the student and advisor to select the GEC options that provide the smoothest transfer from associate programs to bachelor degree.

BVCTC Documentation of General Education Student Learning Outcomes

BVCTC uses a portfolio process to document attainment of the general education learning outcomes. The primary goal of the portfolio process is to document an enhance student learning at BVCTC. Students will select artifacts that demonstrate they have met the expected student learning outcome for general education. The portfolio is where students will collect completed assignments and other products from co-curricular, work, or community experiences. Students will organize the evidence along with written reflection papers detailing how this evidence connects with the expected learning outcomes and future benefits.

BVCTC students are informed of the general student learning outcomes during their first semester at the college and are also introduced to the required portfolio process to document the outcomes at the same time. Students may seek the assistance of advisors for production and maintain a portfolio throughout their academic program. The submission of the portfolio is a requirement for each major capstone course. Prior to the student’s graduation, the completed portfolio will be submitted by the student to his/her capstone course instructor or advisor, who will forward the portfolio for review at the institutional level.

A panel of BVCTC faculty, staff, and administrators, along with external reviewers from the community will be convened to review the portfolios. Data collected during these reviews of student portfolios will be analyzed and the findings reported. Each student will receive feedback on his/her portfolio submitted, and each program will receive an aggregate report of their program. This analysis is intended to provide information to the college as to what areas of the GEC might need improvement. Then, as appropriate, the institution will formulate recommendations to improve the attainment of the general education learning outcomes at BVCTC.

General Education Curriculum Core Requirements

The GEC policy focuses on four educational areas as outlined below. Upon completion of the General Education Curriculum, students are expected to:

Credit Hours

The policy and procedure BridgeValley adheres to for the assignment of credit hours is the Carnegie definition.  Academic advancement by each student is measured in terms of semester hours. To earn one semester hour, the student must complete the equivalency of a 50 minute lecture (one clock hour) and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class work each week in a semester.  For laboratory credit of one semester hour, the student attends lab two or three clock hours per week. 

Course descriptions in the catalog show the number of semester hours for the course and the number of hours of lecture and/or laboratory per week. Some courses may be offered in a compressed or extended timeframe and/or in a web or blended format.

Delivery Method

The delivery method of the course does not affect the number of contact hours or the amount of work required to complete the course. The amount of work, the amount of contact hours, and the amount of credit hours granted remain the same regardless of the delivery method or timeframe.

Courses are delivered in one of three formats:

*Traditional face-to-face classes may be enhanced with a web-delivered portion (less than 50% of the material delivered via the Internet, either synchronously or asynchronously). Most traditional classes at BridgeValley have a web enhanced portion.

Expiration of Credit

Select programs have credit residency requirements. Please consult the program department for details.

Nontraditional Credit

BridgeValley Community and Technical College (College) provides students with the opportunity to earn credit through non-traditional avenues. Often called “Credit for Prior Learning”, this term is used to describe learning outside of the traditional educational environment. Learning that is acquired while living and working, such as serving in the military, independent studies, volunteering and community service, work-specific training, industry certifications and licensures, may be equivalent to college level learning. Students can demonstrate their college-level knowledge in the form of an experiential portfolio, credit by exam and standardized testing such as CLEP (College Level Examination Program) and Advanced Placement Exams. Using the opportunity to obtain “Credit for Prior Learning”, a student could possibly shorten the requirements for their chosen degree. Students interested in “Credit for Prior Learning” are encouraged to talk with the Program Coordinator or Dean in the area of study they would like to pursue, or the Veterans Coordinator, to discuss this opportunity. The College shall accept CLEP credits in accordance with Series 16 as provided by the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical Education. Successful completion of examinations will result in the acceptance of CLEP credits. Experiential Portfolio and In-house Credit by Examination options will adhere to the guidelines stipulated by the college.

Earning credit through non-traditional avenues will be awarded in accordance with Series 59 as provided by the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education.

Academic Credit for Military Training

Academic credit may be granted to veterans, National Guard, or Reserve members for successful completion of formal service school training programs on the basis of evaluations made by the Commission on Accreditation of Service Experiences and listed in the “Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services.”

Students who apply for credit are required to submit official records, such as a DD-214, a DD-295, transcripts of in-service training, certificates, or diplomas to the Office of the Registrar.

Students who would like to request a military transcript evaluation should have their transcripts forwarded to the Office of the Registrar. Military transcripts must be requested through the Joint Services Transcript System. To request a military transcript, please visit the Joint Services Transcript website at https://jst.doded.mil.

Credit for college-level USAFI courses will be granted in accordance with recommendations of the Commission on Accreditation of Service Experiences. In addition, veterans who served in regular military service for more than one year will be granted one semester hour of physical education and two semester hours of health upon presentation of a DD-214. Contact the BridgeValley Community and Technical College’s Veterans’ Affairs Office for additional information and assistance.

Project Ahead (Army Help for Education and Development)

BridgeValley Community and Technical College cooperates with the United States Army in a Project AHEAD program to assist service personnel in keeping an accurate record of the academic work they complete while on active duty.

After qualifying for Army service, participants in the program apply for admission to college. The college will maintain a scholastic file and provide guidance for long term educational planning. In turn, the Army provides on-post guidance counselors to insure that courses leading to a degree are taken by the soldier-student. Records of college credits earned on active duty should be sent to the Office of the Registrar, which maintains an updated account of the student’s work.

In addition, the Army offers financial educational support to the Project AHEAD student both during and after the tour of duty.

Upon release from active duty, the Project AHEAD student should report to campus and register for classes. The Office of Admissions and Records has complete information on the program.

Advanced Placement

Students who have earned Advanced Placement credit and would like to have it evaluated for consideration should request an official Advanced Placement transcript from CollegeBoard to be sent to the Office of the Registrar. Not all Advanced Placement credit is eligible for articulation. If you have any questions or concerns regarding which Advanced Placement credits and/or scores will apply to your program, please contact your academic advisor.

Information concerning Advanced Placement credit is available at www.collegeboard.org/ap.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Students who opt for CLEP testing will register for the exam through Educational Testing Services (ETS). Guidelines, procedures, and a score matrix for CLEP examinations are available on the College website.

• Students who participate in the College Level Examination Program and wish to receive college credits for such examinations must be enrolled at the College in order to receive credit from the institution. Students that have taken CLEP prior to enrollment must submit an official CLEP transcript to the Office of the Registrar.
• Credit shall not be awarded for equivalent courses in which students have already earned such credit through course work, institutional challenge examinations, life experience, or other mechanisms.
• The College shall equate the CLEP credit earned with existing course offerings. If no equivalent course is offered at the College, the credit earned by CLEP examination shall be considered elective credit.
• Programs reserve the right to limit the number of CLEP credits a student can earn toward his/her degree. Credits earned in this manner cannot exceed 15 hours and does not count toward residency requirements. There are exceptions to the Board of Governors AAS degree. Programs also reserve the right to require a higher score than recommended by the Commission of Educational Credits and Credentials of the American Council on Education for CLEP Exams. Credit shall be awarded in an amount not exceeding the number of semester hours for which the examination was designed.
• Information concerning CLEP examinations is available at www.collegeboard.org/clep.
• Upon successful completion of a CLEP Exam, the Office of the Registrar will transcript the official course titles to the student’s official transcript as a “CR” grade. The academic record shall indicate credit was earned by CLEP and the credit will not be included in the computation of the student’s grade point average.
• The standard proctoring fee will be charged for students who opt for CLEP testing.

Credit by Examination

Students interested in pursuing the in-house examination option will secure permission from the Dean of the Division where the course is housed. Once permission has been granted, arrangements for testing will be made and testing will occur.

• Student will be required to obtain permission to test for a certain course from the Dean of the Division where the course is housed.
• Credit Equivalency Application will be used to indicate the exam to be given.
• Once student obtains permission to test and payment made, as indicated by the stamped receipt of payment on the Credit Equivalency Application, arrangements for testing date and time will be established by the Exam Administrator/Assigned Instructor. Student has the responsibility to retain the stamped receipt and present it to the Exam Administrator/Assigned Instructor at the time of testing.
• Upon successful completion of the exam and meeting the specified passing score, the Credit Equivalency Application will be completed by the Exam Administrator/Assigned Instructor and signed by the Division Dean and Vice President of Academic Affairs. The form will be forwarded to the Registrar for posting to the student’s transcript and recorded with a grade of “CR” to indicate test out. The student will be required to pay posting fee for earned credits as reflected on the fee schedule to post credits to their transcript
• A student may attempt to take an in-house examination in any individual course only once.
• Students may not attempt credit-by-examination in courses for which they are enrolled and have begun. Additionally, students may not attempt credit-by-examination in courses which they have completed and for which they have grades on their transcripts.

Portfolio Credit

Academic credit may be granted through portfolio review for work or life experiences that are equivalent to course work which meets the requirements for the degree program in which the student is enrolled. (For students enrolled in programs outside the Board of Governors AAS Program)

• Students interested in submitting an experiential portfolio can initiate the request for a portfolio review only after they have successfully completed 12 credit hours of college level work at the College and/or a regionally accredited higher education institution. Student should consult the program director for the program in which the course is offered to obtain direction and guidance with the portfolio process.
• For students enrolled in programs outside of the Board of Governor AAS, submission of a portfolio for credit earned in the manner cannot exceed 15 credit hours and does not count toward residency requirements.
• Prior to the portfolio process and in the initial consultation with the program coordinator, a Credit Equivalency Application will be completed, indicating the course that the student intends to challenge. The student has the responsibility to submit the form to the cashier’s office for payment prior to the portfolio review.
• A non-refundable portfolio assessment fee, per fee schedule, is due upon the submission of the Credit Equivalency Application to the Cashier’s Office. Once payment has been made, as indicated by the stamped receipt of payment on the Credit Equivalency Application, the student can begin the portfolio process following the Portfolio Preparation Guidelines provided by the program coordinator.
• Completed portfolios are submitted to the program coordinator of the program in which the course is housed. If the portfolio is approved for credit, the student will be required to pay posting fee as reflected on the fee schedule to post credits to their transcript.
• The program coordinator will complete the Credit Equivalency Application to indicate if credit has been earned. Once the posting fees, as reflected by the fee schedule, have been paid by the student, credits will be posted to the transcript with a special designation for portfolio credits.

Transfer Credit

Students may transfer to BridgeValley from other regionally accredited institutions of higher education. Official transcripts must be submitted to the college. Transfer credit evaluation will be conducted by the Office of the Registrar in collaboration with Academic Affairs. International transcripts must be evaluated on a course-by-course basis by an approved third-party. Our preferred translation and evaluation servicer is the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO). For more information regarding transcript translation and evaluation and to apply for an individual course-by-course evaluation, please visit http://ies.aacrao.org/evaluations/app.php. If you have any questions or concerns regarding specific program requirements, please contact your academic advisor.

The College operates under the premise that similarly aligned courses from other public and private institutions in West Virginia are transferable. Every effort is made to ensure the maximum amount of credit transferred is applied toward a student’s chosen field of study. All transferred credit may not apply toward a specific field of study. In the event a student would like to appeal the application of a transferred course, a Transfer Credit Application Appeal form must be completed and returned to the Office of the Registrar along with any applicable supplemental documentation such as a course syllabus, course description, etc.

Note: Courses listed with ~ indicate acceptance for transfer to other state colleges and universities as part of the core course work agreement.

Classification of Students by Class Rank

Class rank is based on the total number of semester hours of college-level credit on file in the Registrar’s Office at the beginning of each term. Minimum requirements are:

Classification of Residency for Fee Purposes

Students who have been classified as non-residents may appeal to the Residency Appeals Committee by submitting the Application to Establish Residency, along with supporting documentation, to the Office of the Registrar.

Credit-Hour Load

Students may register for up to 19 credit hours during a regular semester. However, a student may be approved for a maximum load of up to 23 hours upon recommendation of the academic advisor and by approval of the division dean.

Students may register for up to 12 credit hours during a summer term.

Class Attendance

Students are expected to attend class regularly. Instructors set attendance regulations for their classes. Instructors will specify early in the semester what the regulations are and the policy regarding makeup tests and class assignments. Students are responsible for all work missed as a result of absence. Institutional excuses for college-sponsored activities are granted by the administrator of the school and honored by each instructor. There are consequences for non-attendance; including the possibility of failing grades and/or loss of financial aid.

Grading System

Grades awarded are:

Any course below the 100-level will be excluded from the GPA calculation and will not count toward fulfilling graduation requirements. However, these credits will be used for the purpose of computing satisfactory academic progress GPAs and semester honors.

Grade Point Average Calculation

The academic grade point average is calculated by dividing the total number of 100-level, or above, quality points earned by the total number of 100-level, or above, GPA hours. The satisfactory academic progress GPA also includes any course below the 100-level.

Incomplete Grades

Students requesting an incomplete grade due to unavoidable circumstances should contact the instructor of the course. Eligible students will have an opportunity to complete the course within an established amount of time as published in the academic calendar.

Repeating Classes

Students must make satisfactory academic progress toward degree completions. In maintaining satisfactory academic progress, no student may take a class more than two times without permission from the Chief Academic Officer or designee.

If a student earns a grade of “D” or “F”, including failures due to regular or irregular withdrawal, on any course taken no later than the semester or summer term during which the student attempts the sixtieth semester hour, and if that student repeats this course prior to the receipt of a baccalaureate degree, the original grade shall be disregarded and the grade earned when the course is repeated shall be used in determining the student’s cumulative grade point average. The original grade shall not be excluded from the student’s record.

Academic Forgiveness

Students are eligible for academic forgiveness if the following conditions are met:

• The student must not have been enrolled in any college on a full-time basis during any semester or term in the last four consecutive years.
• Only grades for courses taken at least four years prior to the request for academic forgiveness may be disregarded for grade point average computation.
• In cases where grades may be disregarded for grade-point average computation, these grades shall not be excluded from the student’s permanent record.
• In instances where students request and gain academic forgiveness from one college and then transfer to another institution, the receiving institution is not bound by the prior institution’s decision to disregard grades for grade-point computation.
• All institutional degree requirements must be met.
• Only enrolled students are eligible.
• The Board of Governor’s Degree Completion Program is governed by a different forgiveness policy.
• This pertains only to graduation requirements and may not fulfill requirements for application to selective admission to programs.

Grade Reporting Periods

Mid-semester and final grades are reported to the Office of the Registrar each semester. Mid-semester grades are progress reports only and students may obtain a copy through MyBridge (the student self-service account). Final grades are available at the end of each semester through MyBridge. A student having an error in a grade received or a grade omitted should contact the instructor. An instructor who makes an error in reporting a grade may request a grade change by completing a form provided by the Office of the Registrar. All corrections in grades must be approved by the division dean and chief academic officer.

Grade Appeals

The Student Grade Appeal Process provides a fair, orderly and unbiased process for students who wish to pursue a formal appeal of their final course grade. In taking such action, students shall assume the burden of proof concerning any perceived error in the grade assigned. Further, they shall follow the sequence of steps outlined in this policy with the presumption that, as a matter of rule, instructors do not assign arbitrary, capricious, prejudicial, or discriminatory grades. The grade appeal process must be started within 15 working days of the posting of the final grade, within 2 working days for part-of-term courses.

Before starting a formal grade appeal process, the student must discuss the final course grade, including grading practices and assignments, with the instructor who gave the final grade. The instructor and the student should make every effort to eliminate any misunderstandings over the assignment of the grade as it relates to the course syllabus. It is expected that most grade issues will be resolved at this level. This discussion must occur before the student may file a formal appeal.

If the faculty member finds in the student’s favor, a grade change is submitted with signatures and the appeal process is resolved.

If a student and instructor fail to resolve the grade dispute through informal means the student may request a formal grade appeal process by initiating a formal student grade appeal.

Process

Step 1: The student must notify the course faculty member in writing immediately (within 2 working days for part-of-term courses, no later than 15 working days for full-term courses) of the posting of the final grade stating that s/he wishes to discuss his/her final grade. If the course faculty member does not respond to the student’s email within the specified time or if there is no resolution and the student intends to pursue a grade appeal, the student must obtain a Student Grade Appeal Form from the BridgeValley website, his or her counselor, or any division office. The Student Grade Appeal Form must include all facts and supporting documentation from the student prior to presenting the form to the course faculty. The Student Grade Appeal containing the decision and the rationale must be completed, dated and signed by the course faculty member.

Step 2: If the issue is not resolved to the student’s or the instructor’s satisfaction at Step 1, the decision may be appealed to the department chairperson* within 10 working days of the student submission of the Student Grade Appeal Form to the faculty to arrange a meeting. The faculty member may be invited to this meeting if the department chairperson deems it appropriate. The student must attend the scheduled meeting and discuss the issue of the grade appeal with the department chairperson. Should a student fail to attend any scheduled meeting, the appeal will be nullified and no further action will be considered. The Student Grade Appeal Form, containing the decision and the rationale, must be completed, dated and signed by the department chairperson.

*If the faculty member is also the department chair, proceed to the next step.
Step 3: If the issue is not resolved to the student’s or the instructor’s satisfaction at Step 2, the student must contact the Academic Division Dean* within 10 working days to schedule a meeting. The student must attend the scheduled meeting and discuss the issue of the grade appeal. Should a student fail to attend any scheduled meeting, the appeal will be nullified and no further action will be considered. The Academic Division Dean will conduct an investigation of the situation. The Student Grade Appeal Form, containing the decision and the rationale must be completed, dated and signed by the Academic Division Dean.

*If the faculty member is also the Academic Division Dean, proceed to the next step.

Step 4: If the issue is not resolved to the student’s or the instructor’s satisfaction at Step 3, the student must send a copy of the Student Grade Appeal Form to the Office of the Registrar (Registrar) within 10 working days to schedule a meeting. After meeting with the student and discussion with faculty, the Registrar will review the appeal to determine if the student has appropriate grounds for appeal based on the statements in the syllabus and other instructor documents. If warranted, the Registrar will convene the Grade Appeals Committee, which is a recommending body and a subcommittee of the Academic Board, to convene a hearing. If not, the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA) makes the determination that the grade stands. The student will be notified in writing of the VPAA’s decision.

Grade Appeals Committee: The Grade Appeals Committee is convened by the Registrar after Step 4 when the grade is still in dispute and the Registrar determines that the student has grounds for an appeal. The Grade Appeal Committee will be made up of five (5) faculty members, one (1) student, and the Registrar (or designee), who will be a non-voting member, except in the event of a tie. Both the faculty member and student involved in the appeal will have an opportunity to be heard before the Grade Appeals Committee, and any employee involved in Steps 1-3 may be asked to comment before the Committee. The participants will be informed, in writing, of the Committee’s recommendation within two (2) working days after the hearing.

The faculty member must abide by the recommendation of the Committee and will submit any grade change deemed necessary to the Office of the Registrar.

Academic Dishonesty

Honesty among the members of any group is required for the smooth functioning of the group. In college, new experiences, awareness, and the academic life with its freedoms, frequently put individual honesty to the test. Without honesty, both individual and institutional goals would be compromised. Therefore, academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. It is presumed that the student has gained a basic understanding of the meaning of the term dishonesty prior to entering college. Academic dishonesty includes any deceitful act committed to affect any student’s scholastic standing. All parties knowingly associated with the act are guilty of dishonesty whether or not they directly benefit from the act.

Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to: (1) plagiarism of an item submitted for a grade such as a question answer or an exam, quiz, or laboratory report, a submitted paper, experimental data, a computer program, or homework; (2) falsifying experimental data; (3) using work accomplished by another person; (4) assisting another person to cheat; (5) falsifying records; and (6) improperly accessing computer stored information.

While this policy will apply for all courses in the institution, each faculty member may establish a policy statement, within the framework of this policy, on cheating and resulting penalties for their courses, to be included in the course syllabus. It is a faculty and student responsibility to prevent academic dishonesty.

When academic dishonesty is suspected, the faculty member should discuss the matter with the student involved as soon as practical, but should assess a penalty only when the evidence justifies such action or where the student provides a written admission of guilt. Possible penalties the faculty member may utilize range from failure on the item in question to dismissal from the course with a failing grade. In the event of dismissal from the course for reasons of academic dishonesty, a student may not withdraw to avoid a failing grade. When a penalty is levied, the student may accept the penalty and sign a written admission of guilt, accept the penalty without admission of guilt, or may, within one week, appeal the faculty member’s decision to the department/division chair of the department involved. If appeal is requested, the chair will meet with the student and faculty member involved as soon as possible to review the evidence related to the case. The student still has the option to remain in the course and continue the work until the appeal process is completed in the case of appeal of dismissal from a course. It should, however, be clearly understood that, if the decision for dismissal is upheld, the student will receive an “F” grade for the course regardless of overall performance in the course work. If the student chooses not to remain in the course, the committee shall decide whether to award a “W” or “F” grade based on the outcome of the appeal.

Should the chair uphold the faculty member’s decision, the student may appeal to the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs or accept the decision. If the chair does not uphold the faculty member’s action, the instructor may accept that decision or appeal the question to the Vice President. The appeal must be in writing, describing the basis for appeal, and be submitted within one week after the chair’s decision.

Either the student or faculty member may appeal the decision of the Chief Academic Officer by a written request for a hearing, addressed to the Chair of Academic Appeals Committee, within one week of the decision. When such an appeal request is made, the committee chair will schedule a hearing within two weeks and notify, in writing, all concerned parties of the time and location of the hearing and also the hearing procedure to be followed.

Additional penalties for academic dishonesty include suspension or permanent dismissal from the institution. Only the Academic Appeals Committee can determine these sanctions after a formal hearing before the Committee. In accordance with BOG Policy, a recommendation for the imposition of sanctions by the Academic Appeals Committee in a case of academic dishonesty is final. A hearing toward imposition of the sanctions of suspension or dismissal can be initiated at the request of the instructor, the department/division chair, or the Vice President.

In the event that a student receives an “F” grade in a course as a result of academic dishonesty, a report of this action will be filed with the appropriate administrative office. Should the student receive a second such “F” grade, the student shall be subject to suspension or dismissal from the institution, the appropriate action to be determined by the Academic Appeals Committee. When a student graduates, any such report concerning that student will be removed from the file and destroyed.

Enrollment Verification

BridgeValley Community and Technical College has partnered with the Student Clearing House to provide electronic enrollment verification services. To submit an electronic request for an enrollment verification, please visit the Student Clearing House website at https://secure.studentclearinghouse.org/vs/Index.

Degree Verification

BridgeValley Community and Technical College has partnered with the Student Clearing House to provide electronic degree verification services. To submit an electronic request for a graduation verification, please visit the student Clearing House website at https://secure.studentclearinghouse.org/vs/Index.

Official Transcripts

Students may request an official transcript of their academic progress from the National Student Clearinghouse at www.GetMyTranscript.com. Official transcripts are available on copy protected paper for mailing/pick up or secure PDF to an email address supplied during the request process.

Unofficial transcripts are only available through the MyBridge student account.

Any and all obligations to the college must be satisfied before official transcripts can be released or unofficial transcripts can be accessed.

Course Registration

Students may request a change in schedule by completing a course registration form and having it signed by their academic advisor. Completed forms may be submitted to the Office of the Registrar or the Division of Student Affairs.

Students choosing to withdraw from a specific course must complete and submit a course registration form to the Office of the Registrar or the Division of Student Affairs by the applicable date published in the academic calendar.

A student enrolled under a Veterans Administration program must report to the Office of Special Populations before withdrawing from a course.

Change in Major

A student indicates a major at the time of application for admission and remains in that major until graduation or until receiving approval to change to another major. Such approval is granted when the student completes a change in major form, available in the Office of the Registrar or the Division of Student Affairs. Change in major requests will only be processed prior to the start of the semester. All other requests will be processed the following semester.

Administrative Drop

At the discretion of the Chief Academic Officer, students may be administratively dropped from courses for reasons including, but not limited to, cases of emergency, attendance related issues, non-payment, failure to complete financial aid processing, failure to meet academic requirements, etc.

Administrative Withdrawal

At the discretion of the Chief Academic Officer, students may be administratively withdrawn from courses for reasons including, but not limited to, attendance related issues, cases of emergency, calls to serve in the military, etc.

For more information regarding calls to serve in the military, please refer to the “Students Called to Serve in the Military” section of the catalog

Student Initiated Withdrawal from College

Students requesting to withdraw from college must complete and submit a Withdraw from College form to the Office of the Registrar by the deadline in the academic calendar. Refund of tuition and fees, when applicable, is based on the earliest dated signature by a college official.

Any grade earned for a part-of-term class that has concluded prior to the request to withdraw from college will be unaffected by the request to withdraw from college.

Attendance Reporting

Instructors are required to report attendance. Non-attendance may affect a student’s financial aid eligibility, veteran’s benefits, final grades, etc. Students should notify their instructor(s) immediately if they are unable to attend class (es) for any reason.

Students Called to Serve in the Military

Students called to serve in the military during a period of enrollment should notify the college immediately. Several options, as outlined below, are available to these students.

• In the event of an unexpected call to duty, the military member student shall be afforded a choice of options for completion of enrolled coursework.
• If the military member student has completed 75 percent or more of the term or the required coursework, s/he may choose to:
  • Receive full credit for the course, with assignment of the grade earned up to the time of the call to duty
  • Withdraw from the course without academic penalty and receive no credit for the course pursued.
• If the military member student has completed less than 75 percent of the term or the required coursework, s/he may choose to:
  • Receive an “incomplete” grade for the course and, with written verification of concurrence of the instructor or department chair, complete the course within one year of release from military duty. Institutional timelineMechas for completing the coursework and removing the “incomplete” grade shall be published
  • Withdraw from the course without academic penalty and receive no credit for the course pursued but receive a proportional refund of tuition and fees and room and board for the term, as permitted within adherence to financial aid regulations.
• Military members seeking relief under this rule must provide proof, in the form of a dated copy of official orders, that the call up or reassignment could not reasonably have been foreseen prior to the beginning of term in which registered.
• This rule shall not be applicable in the case of planned military training during an enrolled term if the planned military training was scheduled and the military member notified of it prior to the beginning of the term.

Approved Academic Leave of Absence for Service Members

Service members in good academic standing who have been continuously enrolled and completed 50% or more of the course work in a program of study are eligible for academic leave of absence due to military service obligations. Degree requirements in effect at the time of each Service member’s enrollment will remain in effect for a period of one year beyond the program’s standard length, providing continuance of the program. If a student attends any institutions of higher education while on leave of absence, an overall grade point average of 2.0 on all work attempted while on leave combined with the BridgeValley grade point average is required. Students requesting academic leave must meeting with the college Veterans Coordinator and also receive approval from the major Academic Dean.

Probation and Suspension

An institutional satisfactory academic progress grade point average of a 2.0 is required to maintain “good standing.” Additional requirements regarding the successful completion of attempted credit hours and stated degree objectives are required for consideration in awarding Federal Financial Aid.

Probation

If a student’s institutional satisfactory academic GPA falls below a 2.0, the student shall be placed on academic probation for the following semester and be notified by letter. Copies of the notification will be forwarded to the Office of the Registrar to be placed in the student’s permanent file, and to the students’ department chair.

No student on probation may carry more than 14 semester hours without the approval of the academic advisor and the division dean; including participation in non-credit courses.

A student receiving financial aid or veteran benefits, having failed to maintain satisfactory academic progress, will be referred to the respective office responsible for administering these student service programs. Satisfactory academic progress as related to financial aid policies may differ from the academic standing policy. Students receiving financial aid may be required to submit additional documentation in order to maintain their financial aid status (see Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress in Student Services Handbook).

Students on probation must report to the Director of Retention no later than one week after classes begin the next semester.

Students are removed from probation once their overall institutional satisfactory academic GPA is at least 2.0. If during any subsequent semester the overall institutional satisfactory academic GPA is below 2.0, the student will return to academic probation.

Suspension

A student on academic probation who fails to achieve a semester satisfactory academic GPA of at least 2.0 for the current semester will be suspended for one semester. A student who has been suspended once may be readmitted by remaining out of school for one semester (summer does not satisfy this provision) and by applying for readmission. A student may petition the Chief Academic Officer to waive the one semester waiting period. Approval is granted on a case-by-case basis and requires a signed contract of agreement. All petitions must be made prior to the beginning of the semester. A student who is readmitted after academic suspension will be placed on academic probation and will be required to follow all requirements associated with academic probation. A suspended student is not eligible to attend the College during the period of suspension nor will credits earned at other schools during this period be accepted in transfer.

A student who is placed on second Academic Suspension will remain on suspension for a period of one academic year and then may request readmission to the College. The student must request readmission through the Chief Academic Officer. Students readmitted after any suspension may not be eligible for federal financial aid and must report to the Director of Retention no later than one week after classes begin.

Recognition of Scholarship

The college publicly recognizes students who have achieved a high degree of scholarship in their academic work at BridgeValley Community and Technical College through formal induction ceremonies into Honor Societies, publication of the Dean’s List each semester, publication of the President’s List each semester, and the awarding of degrees with honors at commencement. In determining these honors, the student’s satisfactory academic progress grade point average is used. The satisfactory academic progress GPA also includes any course below the 100-level.

Dean’s List

To recognize academic excellence of students enrolled for 12 semester hours or more, the Dean’s List is published at the end of each regular semester. This list contains names of all full-time students whose satisfactory academic progress grade point averages are 3.25-3.99. Each student whose grade point average in a particular semester is a 3.25-3.99 is eligible to receive a certificate.

President’s List

To recognize academic excellence of students enrolled for 12 semester hours or more, the President’s List is published at the end of each regular semester. This list contains names of all full-time students whose satisfactory academic progress grade point averages are 4.0. Each student whose grade point average in a particular semester is a 4.0 is eligible to receive a certificate.

Graduation with Honors

In determining commencement ceremonial and graduate honors, the student’s cumulative institutional grade point average is utilized. The cumulative institutional grade point average does not include any course below the 100-level or transfer courses.

Special recognition is given at commencement to students who have achieved special distinction in their studies. Spring graduates’ ceremonial honors are based on their previous semester averages. Students participating in graduation whose degrees have been conferred (December and August graduates) will be recognized with final graduate honors. A student must have earned 12 or more GPA credit hours at the College to be eligible to receive commencement ceremonial and graduate honors. Final graduate honors will be recorded on the diploma and transcript. Three types of honors may be awarded:

• Summa Cum Laude – A student must attain a 3.75 or higher cumulative institutional grade point average.
• Magna Cum Laude – A student must attain a 3.50-3.74 cumulative institutional grade point average.
• Cum Laude – A student must attain a 3.25-3.49 cumulative institutional grade point average.

Program Designations

Degree Program: an area of study approved as such by the institution and the WV Community and Technical College System and listed on the official inventory of degree programs. The degree is represented by the official degree designation (e.g., A.S. Associate in Science, A.A.S. Associate in Applied Science and CP- Certificate Degree.)

Major/Program of Study: a field of study within an approved degree program, having its own prescribed curriculum. A degree program may have more than one major.

Concentration: A thematic focus of study that enable the student to spend the time and effort to acquire depth in a particular discipline, in addition to meeting the normal breadth of requirements for the associate’s degree (typically 12-18 credit hours).

Certificate Degree Programs: allows for successful entry into employment in a specific career usually as the foundation of the Associate in Applied Science. A minimum of 30 credit hours constitute a certificate program at the associate level.

Advanced Skill Sets: defined series of courses that prepare individuals for a specific skill (12-29 credit hours).

Basic Skill Sets: defined series of courses that prepare individuals for a specific skill (up to 11 credit hours)

Graduation

Application for Graduation

A formal application for graduation must be filed in the Office of the Registrar by the date published in the academic calendar.

Requirements for Graduation

Candidates for graduation from a specific major will be evaluated based on the catalog which was in effect at the time they declared the major unless one of the following is true:

• A student interrupts his/her study for two consecutive semesters excluding the summer term (readmitted students will be placed in the effective catalog at a the time of readmission)
• A student elected to move to newer catalog at the time it was in effect
• A student meets the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of graduation

Degree requirements vary from program to program. The minimum semester hour requirement for an Associate degree is 60. The student is responsible for completing all program requirements. If a substitution or waiver is recommended by the academic advisor and is approved by the Chief Academic Officer, the approval must be on record in the Office of the Registrar before the substitution or  waiver is in effect. Candidates for graduation taking courses under transient student status must ensure a transcript is received in the Office of the Registrar no later than ten (10) calendar days after the Commencement date. Transfer students must meet the residency requirements of the program. If you have any questions or concerns regarding specific program requirements, please contact your academic advisor.

Graduation requirements for associate degrees from BridgeValley Community and Technical College includes the following:

1. Minimum of 60 earned credit hours, with a minimum of fifteen credit hours taken in residence at BridgeValley;
2. An overall 2.0 cumulative grade point average;
3. An overall 2.0 institutional grade point average;
4. An overall 2.0 grade point average in the student’s major field as outlined in the college catalog;
5. Completion of all program specific requirements as outlined in the catalog;
6. Completion of all required assessments as outlined in the catalog;
7. Fulfilment of all obligations to the college

Graduation requirements for certificate programs from BridgeValley Community and Technical College includes the following:

1. Minimum of 30 earned credit hours, with a minimum of eight credit hours taken in residence at BridgeValley;
2. Completion of all program specific requirements as outlined in the catalog;
3. Completion of all required assessments as outlined in the catalog;
4. Fulfilment of all obligations to the college.

Assessment Program

To assess student academic achievement, BridgeValley Community and Technical College has established an institutional assessment program. Components of the assessment programs include the following:

• Assessment of the general education core curriculum: Portfolio
• Programmatic assessment: Instruments designated by each academic department, administered in accordance with the departmental assessment program.
• Student satisfaction: Survey completed to gather data on student engagement.
• Graduate and employer follow-up: Surveys mailed to graduates and employers to determine relevance of education in the workplace.

Departmental Practicums/Internships/Externships

A number of programs require supervised Practicum/Internships/Externship. The Practicum/Internship/Externship is designed to combine theory and practice in a field integrated with the academic program.

Off-Campus Courses

The college provides a variety of credit courses and programs for adult and nontraditional students. Off-campus, evening, weekend and special session offerings at the associate levels are arranged by academic departments. Programming is supplemented through the use of electronic videoconferencing, Internet, e-mail, satellite and television featuring a wide variety of educational topics. Courses are offered in locations that best meet the needs of students, business and industry.

Students enrolled in off-campus courses may be admitted under several different categories:

• Special Students, who are (1) high school juniors or seniors, preferably with a 2.5 scholastic average and with approval of their principal; (2) high school graduates not pursuing degrees; or (3) adults without a diploma but who have passed the GED/TASC test. Special students take fewer than 12 hours of course credit.
• Auditors take no examinations and receive no grades or credits for courses audited and cannot later receive credit by examination for courses audited.
• High School Graduates who are taking courses that lead to a college degree. Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Admissions Office.

Proctored Exams

It is the policy of BridgeValley Community and Technical College that exams will be proctored (supervised) including those administered in web-based courses.

Service Learning

Service learning is an important component, and expectation of the educational experience at BridgeValley. Students are required to complete and document a minimum of 15 hours of citizenship/volunteerism/service learning experiences prior to earning an associate degree. Opportunities for service learning occur through participation in academic clubs or specific departmental courses or through activities with civic or professional groups. Examples include stream monitoring, Pumpkin Drop, food and clothing drives, assistance with “The Bridge” newspaper, and dental hygiene clinics for elementary school children.