Academic Policies

The following sections are intended to be an overview of academic policies and procedures at Clark State. For more detailed information, contact the Records and Registration Office. The vice president of Academic and Student Affairs is ultimately responsible for developing and implementing academic policies.

Attendance
Achievement of academic goals is best accomplished through regular class participation. Therefore, you are urged to attend all class and laboratory sessions. When unavoidable absences do occur, you should take the responsibility to contact your instructor to make arrangements for work that has been missed. Instructors have the right to issue a failing grade if you incur excessive absences and have not officially withdrawn from a course. Specific information concerning attendance is available in the course syllabus.

The College is required to report non-attendance to federal and state agencies that provide financial assistance to students. Failure to attend classes may also result in having to repay part or all of an allowance from the Veterans Administration or state or federal agencies.

Academic Misconduct
Academic misconduct includes cases of cheating, plagiarism or any other dishonesty or deception in fulfilling academic requirements.

Faculty have the authority to issue a failing grade for any assignment in which academic misconduct has occurred. In serious or repetitive incidences, the faculty member may refer the issue to the appropriate administrator for further action. Such action may include issuing a failing grade in the course.

Grade Reports
You may access your grades through WebAdvisor. If needed, you may request an official copy of your grades (PDF) in the Records and Registration Office. Grades will not be released over the phone. If you have a concern about a grade, you should discuss it with your instructor within five weeks after the end of the quarter. If the grade was for a Spring or Summer quarter class, you should discuss it with your instructor by the fifth week of Fall Quarter. If the problem is still not resolved, you may discuss it with the divisional dean and then the vice president of Academic and Student Affairs.

Dean's List
If you carry a minimum of six credit hours of college courses and maintain a grade point average of 3.5 or better for a quarter's work, you will be enrolled on the Dean's List in recognition of achievement that quarter. Grades of "satisfactory" and grades in developmental courses are not included in determining the grade point average.

Probation
You are considered to be on probation when your cumulative grade point average falls below the chart listed below:

When on academic probation, you may carry a maximum load of 12 course credits during your first quarter of probation. (This includes students accepted into the College on probation by the Admissions Office.) It is strongly recommended that you repeat any failed courses the next quarter those courses are offered. If you remain on probation for two or more consecutive quarters, you may take a maximum of nine course credits of work.

Dismissal
A student is dismissed from the College when his/her cumulative grade point average falls below the probation levels listed above. Dismissal means that you must sit out the quarter following the term in which your GPA slipped below probation levels. However, you will be placed on probation at least one quarter before dismissal for academic reasons. During that probation term, you will receive a letter from the Records and Registration Office stating that failure to improve the GPA by the end of the quarter will result in dismissal.

You will be dismissed when your cumulative grade point average falls into the following ranges.

You may be re-admitted to Clark State on probation after you have sat out one quarter.

Upon reinstatement, you must meet with the program advisor/division dean to determine a course of action. You will be permitted to enroll for not more than 12 credit hours for each of the next two quarters and must maintain a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) in each of those quarters. Once this requirement is met, you and your program advisor/division dean will mutually agree upon the class load you will take for subsequent quarters.

In order to avoid being dismissed again, a 2.0 GPA each quarter must be maintained or dismissal will occur when your cumulative grade point average falls into one of the above ranges.

Computer Literacy
Computer literacy is essential for Clark State graduates to be productive in the workplace. Clark State requires that you complete the computer requirements listed in your program.

Definition of Credit Hour
All academic credits are expressed in terms of credit hours. Clark State defines a credit hour based on the requirements of the Ohio Board of Regents.

Grading System
Academic achievement is indicated by the following grades and points used in calculating grade point average:

The total number of grade points, 33, is determined by adding together the points earned in each course (credit hours x grade points). That number is then divided by the total number of credit hours, 13, to determine the grade point average. In this case the average is 33/13= 2.54.

Grades issued for developmental courses are not counted in your grade point average. A cumulative grade point average refers to the average for all college credit courses taken during your stay at the College.

There are other symbols that can be issued with which there are no points associated:

If you change majors, please check with your new advisor on recalculating your grade point average.

Incomplete
The incomplete (I) grade process may be initiated when you are progressing satisfactorily in a course, but for reasons beyond your control (e.g., illness or death in the family), you will not have completed all requirements for the course when final grades are submitted by the instructor.

You must notify your instructor by the last day of any quarter. If the instructor agrees to an ” I” grade, it will be submitted on your grade report, and the instructor will set up a schedule on the Incomplete Grade form for completion of the course requirements by midterm of the following quarter.

When you complete the class requirements, the instructor will change the “I” grade to another letter grade. If you do not complete the requirements, the “I” grade will automatically be changed on Friday of the fifth week of the following quarter to an F grade on your transcript. A student receiving an incomplete grade at the end of Spring or Summer Quarter must complete all conditions by Friday of the fifth week of Fall Quarter.

Global Awareness
Because of the importance of international events to our lives, we require each graduate to successfully complete a course or courses which emphasize global awareness. The number of classes vary with the degree being sought.

Graduation Requirements
To qualify for an associate degree, you must pass all required courses for your major and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. Students in the following majors must have a C as a minimum grade in all required major courses: Early Childhood Development, Early Childhood Education Administration, Emergency Medical, Medical Laboratory, Practical Nursing, Registered Nursing, Physical Therapist Assistant and Social Services.

Students transferring to Clark State are expected to complete at least 30 credit hours of coursework at Clark State for an associate degree or 18 credit hours for a certificate program. The transfer credits may not exceed one half of the required technical courses for the degree program being pursued unless recommended by the faculty and approved by the divisional administrator.

All financial obligations to the College (instructional fees, general fees, laboratory fees, technology fees, library fines, parking fines) must be paid and all College equipment returned before your grades or a diploma will be issued by the College.

Graduation Process
Graduates earn one of the following degrees: Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate of Applied Business, Associate of Applied Science or Associate of Technical Studies. Students who complete certificate programs may also participate in the graduation ceremony.

The graduation ceremony is held in June. Blank diplomas will be issued at graduation. If you finish your degree or certificate requirements at the end of the Fall, Winter or Spring quarters, your diploma will be mailed at that time, and you may elect to participate in the June graduation ceremony.

If you have a cumulative 2.0 average and need no more than four courses which will be offered during the Summer Quarter to complete degree requirements, you may petition the Records and Registration Office for graduation and participate in the June graduation ceremony. Diplomas will be issued after your degree requirements are completed during the Summer Quarter.

Students with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better at the end of Winter Quarter will be recognized at commencement as honor students.
It is the student’s responsibility to know where he or she stands in terms of completing graduation requirements.

Student Classification
You are considered full-time when you are enrolled in at least 12 credit hours. If you carry 11 credit hours or less per quarter, you are part-time.

You are a first-year student if you are registered in a specific program and have earned fewer than 46 quarter hours of credit, including transfer credit. You are a second-year student once you have earned more than 46 quarter hours.

Credit Equivalencies
You may obtain academic credit through experiential credit and examinations for any of the following: College Board Advanced Placement, College Level Examination Program, Clark State Proficiency Examinations, Military Training and Non-Collegiate Sponsored Instruction, Joint Vocational and Career Center students, Certified Professional Secretary Certificate and Clark State Prior Learning Portfolio. Additional information is available through the Records and Registration Office.

Transfer Credits to Clark State
You can be granted credit toward a degree at Clark State for work completed at other accredited colleges and universities for courses with a grade of C or better. Some credits may not apply to specific degree programs. The credits must have been earned within a certain time period to be considered current and acceptable. An official transcript needs to be submitted from each college where credits were earned. Transfer credit is evaluated on a course-by-course basis once you have applied to Clark State. Until you are notified, you are responsible for not duplicating courses for which you may obtain transferable credit.

Technical and basic courses that were taken in the last five years generally will be accepted. Some technologies have more stringent requirements; so contact your division in order to determine what requirements apply.

If you change majors while attending Clark State, you should ask the Records and Registration Office to reevaluate the transcript for additional transfer credits. Those required by the new major will be considered toward degree completion.

Transferred credit hours are counted in the cumulative hours completed but are not counted in the cumulative grade point average.

Decisions regarding acceptance of transfer credit are made by the Records and Registration Office in consultation with division deans and the director of advising & articulation. If you disagree with a decision, you may follow the appeals process. The appeals process begins with the completion of the “Appeal for Credit” form located in the Records and Registration Office.