Academic Policy

CONTACT: academicaffairs@bridgevalley.edu

Academic Credit Earned at BridgeValley

The College determines course credit hours by 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.

Students may register for up to 19 credit hours during a semester. However, a student may be approved for a maximum load of up to 23 hours upon recommendation by the student’s advisor and with approval of the appropriate Academic Dean.

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.

• 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.

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.

Departmental Practicums/Internships/Externships

Several 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.

Academic Credit Transferred to BridgeValley

Evaluations of transfer credit are conducted by the Office of the Registrar in collaboration with Academic Affairs. Final official transcripts must be submitted to the Office of Admissions as part of the admissions process. International transcripts must first be evaluated at the course level by an approved third-party evaluation service. The College operates under the premise that similarly aligned courses from other public and private institutions within West Virginia are transferable. Additionally, BridgeValley accepts credits from regionally accredited institutions outside of West Virginia. Every effort is made to ensure the maximum amount of credit transferred is applied toward a student’s chosen field of study. In the event a student would like to appeal the application of a transferred course, a written request must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar along with any applicable supplemental documentation such as a course syllabus, course description, etc.

The College also provides students with the opportunity to receive credit through non-traditional avenues. Often referred to as “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/or 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 a portfolio, credit by exam and/or standardized testing such as College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams and/or Advanced Placement (AP) exams. Using “Credit for Prior Learning”, a student may shorten the requirements for their chosen degree. Students interested in “Credit for Prior Learning” should consult their advisor. 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. 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.

Advanced Placement (AP)

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.

Military Training Credit

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.

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.

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.

Academic Forgiveness

In accordance with West Virginia Title 133, Series 22, 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.

Academic Standing (Probation/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 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. 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. A student who is readmitted after their second academic suspension will be placed on academic probation and will be required to follow all requirements associated with academic probation. 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.

Assessment Program

BridgeValley Community and Technical College has established an institutional assessment program to evaluate student achievement. Components of the assessment program include:

• Assessment of the Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILO): ILOs are assessed using direct and indirect methods established by an institutionally approved evaluation process.
• Programmatic Assessment: Includes annual programmatic outcomes assessment, five-year program reviews, and use of instruments designated by academic departments and administered in accordance with departmental assessment programs.
• Student Satisfaction Surveys: Surveys are used to gather data on student engagement.
• Graduate and Employer Surveys: Surveys are distributed to graduates and employers to determine the relevance of education in the workplace.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend class and instructors are required to monitor and report attendance regularly. Failure to attend class(es) may affect a student’s financial aid eligibility, veteran benefits, final grades, etc. Students must notify their instructor(s) immediately if they are unable to attend class(es) for any reason. The course syllabus contains the policy on class attendance, missed work, and related matters as they pertain to the course. There are consequences for non-attendance, including the possibility of failing grades and/or loss of financial aid.

Excused Absences: Excused absences are granted by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Students and honored by each instructor.  It is the student’s responsibility to notify each instructor through their BridgeValley email account and to request the process for making up assignments and/or tests.

1. College-Sponsored Activities

  a. Academic or other College sponsored activities including, but not limited to, academic departmental functions, student government, student organizations, and events that have a clear educational mission and be closely linked to academic pursuits or other official College functions.

2. Student Illness or Critical Illness/Death of Immediate Family

  a. Student Illness or Injury: Absences will be excused only for illnesses or injuries that prohibit students from participating in class. Documentation from the physician or medical facility indicating dates treatment and/or release date may be required. Students with serious injuries or a long-term diagnosis should contact the Dean of Students.

  b. Death of an Immediate Family member: “Immediate Family” is defined as a spouse/life partner, child, parent, guardian, sibling, grandparent or grandchild. Other circumstances that warrant an excuse are to be considered for approval by the Dean of Students  and will require appropriate documentation.

3. Short-Term Military Obligations

  a. Students will be required to provide documentation of their short-term military orders to our Veteran’s Affairs Office. Federal activation is covered under a separate policy and students should contact the Veteran’s Affairs Office for assistance.

4. Jury Duty or Subpoena for Court Appearance

  a. Students will be required to provide documentation demonstrating the request to appear is a result of a court of law to Dean of Students.

5. Religious Holidays

  a. This applies to religious holidays. Students should notify their instructors at least two weeks in advance.

Classification of Residency for Admission and Fee Purposes

The College assigns residency status in accordance with WV Title 133, Series 25.

Students who have been classified as non-residents may apply for in-state residency status by submitting a Residency Application, along with supporting documentation, to the Office of the Registrar.

Classification of Students by Class Rank

Class rank is based on the total number of earned semester hours of college-level credit on file in the Office of the Registrar at the beginning of each term.

Freshman: 0-29 Semester Hours

Sophomore: ≥30 Semester Hours

Course Registration (Add/Drop/Withdraw)

Students may request a change in schedule by obtaining approval from the appropriate advisor and submitting a completed Course Registration form to the Department of Student Affairs or the administrative assistant for the student’s program of study.

Students may request to withdraw from a course(s) by obtaining approval from the appropriate advisor and submitting a completed Course Registration form to the Office of the Registrar. Students must follow applicable deadlines published in the Academic Calendar.

NOTE: Students receiving Veteran Administration benefits must submit completed Course Registration forms to the Office of Veteran Affairs.

Administrative Drop

At the discretion of the Vice President of Academic Affairs or the Vice President of Student Affairs, 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 Vice President of Academic Affairs or the Vice President of Student Affairs, students may be administratively withdrawn 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.

Student Initiated Withdrawal

Students may initiate a request to withdraw from school with their appropriate advisor. Once all required signatures are obtained, the completed Withdraw from School form must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar by the deadline published in the Academic Calendar. All courses for which a student is currently registered must be eligible for individual withdrawal to be eligible for a complete withdrawal from school. In the event the withdrawal deadline has passed for an individual course, the request to withdraw from school will be processed as a request to withdraw from eligible individual courses. Final grades will remain for courses outside the individual course withdrawal deadline.

Students withdrawing from school may be eligible for a partial reduction in tuition and fees based on the date of withdrawal as published in the Academic Calendar. The withdrawal date is based on the earliest dated signature of a college official. Individual course withdrawals do not result in a partial reduction of tuition and fees.

Degree and Enrollment Verification

BridgeValley Community and Technical College has partnered with the Student Clearing House to provide electronic degree and enrollment verification services. Requests for verification may be submitted to the National Student Clearing House at https://secure.studentclearinghouse.org/vs/Index.

D/F Repeat

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

To initiate the review of a course or courses for the purpose of determining D/F repeat eligibility, students should submit a completed D/F Repeat form to the Office of the Registrar.

Grades

Grade Reporting

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.

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.

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 Grade

Students requesting an incomplete grade due to unavoidable circumstances should consult 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.

Students requesting an incomplete grade in their final semester must reapply for graduation in the semester coinciding with the resolution of the incomplete grade.

Grade Appeal

The 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 below with the presumption that, as a matter of rule, instructors do not assign arbitrary, capricious, prejudicial, or discriminatory grades. The grade appeal must be started within 10 working days of the posting of the final grades upon conclusion of the semester.

Before starting a formal grade appeal, 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 initiates a formal appeal.

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

If a student and instructor fail to resolve the grade dispute through informal means, the student may initiate a formal grade appeal by following the steps outlined below.

Step 1: The student must present a completed Grade Appeal form with all facts and supporting documentation to the course faculty member in person or via their BridgeValley email within 5 working days of the initial, informal resolution attempt to begin the formal grade appeal process.  The Grade Appeal form may be obtained from the BridgeValley website (bridgevalley.edu/registrar/forms).  The Grade Appeal form containing the course faculty member’s decision and 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 student may appeal to the department chairperson* within 5 working days of the date indicated on the signed Grade Appeal form.  A meeting between the student and the department chairperson will be arranged.  The course 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 Grade Appeal form containing the decision resulting from Step 2 and the rationale, must be completed, dated, and signed by the department chairperson.

*If the course 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 may appeal to the Academic Division Dean* within 5 working days of the date indicated on the signed Grade Appeal form from Step 2.  A meeting between the student and the Academic Division Dean will be arranged.  The student must attend the scheduled meeting and discuss the issue of the grade appeal with the Academic Division Dean.  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 investigate the evidence presented. The Grade Appeal form containing the decisions resulting from Steps 1 and 2 and the rationale of the decision resulting from Step 3 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 Grade Appeal form to the Office of the Registrar within 5 working days to schedule a meeting.  After meeting with the student and college personnel involved in Steps 1, 2, and 3, 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 documentation presented.  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 the appeal is deemed unwarranted, 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 Appeal Committee: The Grade Appeal 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 Registrar and the VPAA will select the individuals not involved in the process to this point to serve on the Grade Appeal Committee and a hearing date will be scheduled.  The Grade Appeal Committee shall consist of 2 Deans, 2 faculty members, and 2 students.  An additional faculty member deemed a subject matter expert in the field of the disputed grade shall be identified and selected to serve also.   The course faculty member and the student involved in the appeal will have an opportunity to be heard before the Grade Appeals Committee.   Any individual involved in Steps 1-3 may be asked to comment before the Committee. The participants will be informed, in writing, of the Grade Appeal Committee’s recommendation within two (2) working days after the hearing.

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

Graduation

Application for Graduation

All graduation applications are submitted exclusively through the online graduation application.

http://www.bridgevalley.edu/gradapp

To submit an application, follow the link above, select the appropriate application link, log in with your BridgeValley-issued email, and complete the application. The application extracts information from your student email account, so please be sure to submit the application from your account. Applications submitted by anyone other than the student will not be accepted. If you experience difficulty accessing the application, please verify you are not logged in with a personal Office 365 account (@microsoft.com, @hotmail.com, etc.).

1. Students who do not meet all graduation requirements upon completion of their intended semester of graduation must reapply for graduation in the future semester of anticipated completion.
2. Students requesting an incomplete grade in their final semester must reapply for graduation in the semester coinciding with the resolution of the incomplete grade.

BridgeValley’s annual Commencement ceremony is held each May. Each Commencement ceremony celebrates graduates from the previous summer and fall graduating classes as well as spring graduation candidates for the semester coinciding with the ceremony. If you graduated in the summer or fall semester immediately preceding Commencement, you do not need to submit a spring graduation application to participate in the ceremony.

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

Credential requirements vary by program and it is the student’s responsibility to ensure they’re on track to meet their program requirements. All applicable supporting documentation (e.g. course exceptions, OJT hours, standardized credit, etc.) must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar by the last day of the semester in which the student applies to graduate. Graduation candidates taking courses under transient student status must ensure a final official transcript is received by the Office of the Registrar no later than ten (10) calendar days after the conclusion of the semester. All questions and concerns regarding specific program requirements should be directed to the student’s academic advisor.

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

1. A minimum of 60 credit hours of college-level credit with a minimum of 15 credit hours taken in residence at BridgeValley. (Board of Governors, AAS students are only required to earn three credit hours in residence at BridgeValley.). Additional associate-level credentials must ​have a minimum of 15 unique credit hours from previously earned associate degrees.
2. An overall 2.0 cumulative grade point average.
3. An overall 2.0 institutional grade point average. (Board of Governors, AAS students are not subject to this requirement.)
4. An overall 2.0 grade point average in the student’s major field as outlined in the college catalog. (Board of Governors, AAS students are not subject to this requirement.)
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. A minimum of 30 earned credit hours with a minimum of eight 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.

Institutional Learning Outcomes

ILOs are statements of the general knowledge and skills graduates should demonstrate, regardless of their academic program of study. The College’s ILOs include defined student learning expectations designed to provide a foundation for future study, expand the educational experience, and enhance life experiences. ILOs afford students a shared general education learning experience and provide opportunities and support to develop the skills, behaviors, and attitudes to be more successful as they progress through higher education and professional endeavors. In addition to the academic contributions to ILOs, involvement in co-curricular and work-related experiences can contribute to the development of these skills, attitudes, and behaviors.

Requirements by Program Type

Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS) degree programs require a total of 24 credits, 6 in each of the 4 ILO categories.

Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree programs require a total of 15 credits, 3 in each of the 4 ILO categories and 3 additional credits from any ILO category.

Certificate of Applied Science (CAS) degree programs require a total of 6 credits, 3 credits in ILO 1 and 3 credits in ILO 2.

Foundational requirements for each program must include English 101 (or ENGL 109, for selected technical programs) as an ILO 1 designated course. A 100-level math course is also required for all programs unless otherwise specified by state or special accreditation requirements to meet the ILO 2 course requirement.

ILO 1: Communicate effectively when speaking and writing, using appropriate technology.

1. Communicate logically organized and well-developed ideas, positions, or arguments in a stylistically-appropriate manner.
2. Create oral or written work that demonstrates a thorough understanding of context, audience, and purpose.
3. Evaluate sources for validity, bias, credibility, and assumptions to determine their appropriateness for use as examples and evidence to support a position or idea.
4. Participate honestly in academic discourse, while differentiating original ideas from those of others by citing sources.

ILO 2: Employ qualitative and quantitative reasoning skills to interpret and analyze data, solve problems, synthesize hypotheses and communicate findings.

1. Evaluate and solve real-world situations or problems by applying mathematical or scientific principles.
2. Propose plausible answers to mathematical, scientific, or technical problems.
3. Interpret, analyze, and validate data/information/observations using pertinent discipline-specific techniques.
4. Generate tables, graphs, or reports to present findings, results and conclusions in appropriate formats.

ILO 3: Demonstrate civil discourse appropriate for living and working in a diverse society through the use and understanding of social respect, social responsibility, and social ethics.

1. Evaluate personal and cultural perspectives, thereby acknowledging the viewpoints of others regarding issues of social respect, social responsibility, and social ethics across a variety of perspectives and cultures.
2. Examine objectively the diversity of histories, politics, communication styles, economies, beliefs, and/or practices across a variety of cultures.
3. Assess how one’s own action/inaction influences the world and one’s own communities in terms of civil discourse, social justice, diversity, or inclusion.
4. Discuss conflicting ideas and perspectives respectfully; resolve conflicts constructively; and demonstrate empathy, responsibility, and ethics in an inclusive manner as a member of diverse cultures, communities, and teams.

ILO 4: Apply the critical thinking process to analyze problems and make informed decisions.

1. Define or refine a pertinent question or problem by clearly stating and comprehensively describing it in a way that reflects the complexities of the topic.
2. Analyze one’s own and others’ assumptions in the context of alternative systems of thought, evaluating biases and testing implications and conclusions against relevant criteria and standards.
3. Evaluate relevant information from a variety of credible primary and secondary sources to develop an evidence-based point of view related to a defined problem or question.
4. Create and communicate a well-reasoned and imaginative/innovative/divergent/risk-taking position or solution that synthesizes relevant information and sound evidence to reach a logical and informed conclusion.

Glossary for Institutional Learning Outcomes  

Major Change

A student’s major is declared on the Admissions Application and remains in effect until a completed Major Change form is submitted to the Office of the Registrar. Students must follow applicable deadlines published in the Academic Calendar. Students receiving Veteran Administration benefits must submit completed Major Change forms to the Office of Veteran Affairs on either campus. All other Major Change forms are processed through the Office of the Registrar.

A student may request a special, non-degree-seeking status and take up to 12 cumulative credit hours without declaring a major. After 12 cumulative credit hours have been attempted, the student must reapply for admission, declare a major, and file credentials with the Admissions Office.

Official Transcripts

Official transcripts are available exclusively through the National Student Clearinghouse at: http://www.GetMyTranscript.com.

Official transcripts may be issued as follows:
1. Electronically, via secure PDF, to a recipient email address provided during the request process
2. Mail, via a National Student Clearinghouse-approved method, to a recipient address provided during the request process

Unofficial transcripts are available exclusively through MyBridge.

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.

BridgeValley credentials are designated as follows:

• AA - Associate of Arts
• AAS - Associate of Applied Science
• AS - Associate of Science
• CAS - Certificate of Applied Science
• SSA - Skill Set Advanced
• SSB - Skill Set Basic

Major/Program of Study: a field of study, having its own prescribed curriculum, within an approved degree program.

Associate Degrees: allow for successful entry into employment in a specific career or prepare students for transfer to a baccalaureate program. Associate-level programs require a minimum of 60 hours of college-level credit.

Certificate Programs: allow for successful entry into employment in a specific career and is usually the foundation of the Associate in Applied Science. Certificate programs require a minimum of 30 hours of college-level credit.

Skill Set Advanced: defined series of courses that prepare individuals for a specific skill. These skill sets require 12-29 hours of college-level credit.

Skill Set Basic: defined series of courses that prepare individuals for a specific skill. These skill sets may require up to 11 hours of college-level credit.

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.

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.

Students Called to Serve in the Military

In the event of an unexpected call to duty or geographic relocation, the military member student shall be afforded a choice of options for completion of enrolled coursework.

A service member who has completed less than 75% of the term may:

1. Receive an “incomplete” grade for the courses and, with written verification of concurrence of the instructor or department chair, complete the course within one year of release from military duty, or
2. Withdraw from the course without academic penalty and receive no credit for the course pursued but receive a proportional refund of tuition and fees for the term as permitted within adherence to financial aid regulations.

A service member who has completed 75% or more of the term may:

1. Receive the grade earned at the time he/she was called for deployment or relocation. or
2. Withdraw from the course without academic penalty and receive no credit for the course pursued.

Additionally, any service member who is required to participate in intra-semester short-term military activity (training, temporary duty assignment, etc.) will be given no less than the number of class days missed plus two additional weeks to complete assignments. If the intra-semester short-term military activity or additional time to complete assignments extends beyond the end of the semester, the student may receive an Incomplete grade in accordance with Grades policy.

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 the term in which registered.

Appeals of institutional decisions shall follow the institutional academic grievance process and shall be decided at the institutional level. There shall be no further appeal to a higher entity or governing board.

Military member students 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 an extended 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 a military-related academic leave of absence must meet with the College’s Director of Veteran Affairs and receive approval from the appropriate Academic Dean.