The Student Code of Conduct (SCC) serves as a framework to establish an organized and stable environment. It places an obligation on students, both within and beyond the classroom, to show respect for the rights and privileges, and property of fellow members of the NRCTC community and campus visitors. Students are required to avoid actions that could disrupt NRCTC activities or jeopardize the well-being and safety of self and others. Upholding high standards of academic and professional honesty and integrity is expected, along with adherence to NRCTC’S rules and regulations.
Academic Integrity and Academic Dishonesty
New River CTC emphasizes the importance of maintaining academic integrity. This involves honest and responsible scholarship practices where students and faculty are required to follow principles of integrity. This means all academic work must be the student’s own, and any intellectual contributions from others must be accurately and fairly acknowledged. Engaging in academic work in any other manner is considered deceitful.
Outlined below are examples of behaviors that violate academic integrity:
- Academic integrity: Commitment to honesty and responsibility in all scholarly activities. This entails completing all academic work independently unless otherwise allowed and acknowledging any external intellectual contributions.
- Cheating: Engaging in dishonest practices during exams (using unauthorized aids, altering graded work, having others do your work and claiming it as your own, submitting the same work in multiple classes without permission).
- Plagiarism: This involves using someone else’s words, ideas, or arguments without proper attribution, making it seem as though they are your own. It can include:
- Quoting without indicating the source or using quotation marks.
- Failing to credit the original ideas or arguments of others.
- Paraphrasing another’s work without proper attribution or mixing the author’s words with your own without quotes.
- Submitting work not your own, such as essays from the internet or previous students.
- Fabrication: Inventing or altering information, data, or citations in academic work.
- Obtaining an Unfair Advantage: This includes unauthorized access to exam materials, misusing library resources, unauthorized collaboration, misuse of previous exam materials, or disrupting another student’s work to gain an advantage.
- Aiding and Abetting Academic Dishonesty: Helping another person in acts of academic dishonesty or providing false information during academic integrity inquiries.
- Falsification of Records and Official Documents: Altering or forging documents related to academic records or providing false information on official academic documents.
- Misuse of Computer Systems: Unauthorized access or alteration of computer records, modifying computer programs, or disrupting computer system availability.
- Classroom Conduct: Instructors are responsible for creating a positive learning environment and have the authority to manage classroom conduct appropriately. Students are expected to engage respectfully and constructively in class discussions. Behaviors such as bullying, disrespect, disorderly conduct, or disruption are not tolerated.
Procedures for Handling Cases of Academic Dishonesty
- Within five instructional days from the time the incident of academic dishonesty was discovered, the instructor shall submit to the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs a written report stating the facts of the case along with any appropriate physical evidence and the recommended penalty. The instructor must also send a copy of the written report and physical evidence to the student and Department Chairperson.
- The Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs shall immediately notify in writing the student, the instructor, and his/her advisor of the incident and the recommendation from the instructor that a penalty is being imposed and the degree of the sanction.
- A formal warning will be attached to the student’s academic record.
- A reduced grade (including F) for the assignment.
- A reduced grade (including F) for the course.
- Dismissal from the class or program
- Placing a record of the incident in the Office of Academic Affairs
- Referring violations to the civil authorities for prosecution under the law
- The Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs shall also advise the student of his/her right to appeal the case to the Academic Appeals Committee. Such an appeal must be made in writing and filed with the Office of Academic Affairs within seven weekdays of the notification and follow the grade appeal process or program dismissal process.
- If the penalty is the assignment of a final grade of “F” the student will no longer be permitted to attend the class.
The student will be required to stop attending the class and will not be permitted to withdraw from the class, regardless of when the offense occurs. The “F” will then become part of the student’s permanent record. The course may be repeated, but the original grade is not to be forgiven and the original grade will be used in the calculation of the grade point average.
Program Dismissal of a Student
The responsibility of assessing how well a student has mastered a course or program lies with the instructor(s) of that specific course or program. If faculty members, administrators, program directors, librarians, la staff, or other relevant personnel become aware of breaches in academic honesty and integrity, they are obliged to initiate disciplinary actions in response to these infractions. An academic appeal is not a valid option for disputing an instructor’s professional judgment or academic freedom.
A. Reasons for Dismissal from a Program:
Students may face dismissal from an academic program for various reasons, including but not limited to violations of academic honesty and integrity, repeated or sever breaches of these standards, failure to meet program or course objectives, displaying hostile or threatening behavior towards others, causing continuous disruptions, or any unprofessional conduct deemed by faculty to negatively impact the academic environment. Penalties can range from dismissal, disciplinary suspension, to other suitable disciplinary measures.
B. Dismissal Procedure for Selective Admission or Limited Enrollment Programs:
The criteria for dismissal can differ by program, often outlined by the accrediting body. Reasons for dismissal include failing to achieve program objectives, not completing assignments, not meeting the academic standards required by the program, or violation of academic honesty and integrity. If facing dismissal, a program director will notify the student in writing, outlining the failure to meet academic standards, possible ways to address the failure, and potential penalties, including dismissal.
Students have the right to appeal this decision within ten (10) school days after receiving notice.
C. Appeal Process:
- The appeal process is designed to be fair and must at least provide:
- Written notification to the student regarding their academic shortcoming or the steps they can take to address it, including any potential penalties.
- A chance for the student to appeal within ten (10) school days of receiving this notice, through a formal appeal process.
- An opportunity for the student to meet with the faculty members or other individuals involved in evaluation of their performance, to discuss the basis of their decision, present their side of the story, and have an advisor present. This advisor can offer advice but cannot speak directly on the student’s behalf unless explicitly allowed by the appeals committee or individual overseeing the process.
The Formal Program Dismissal Appeal Procedure
Step 1: The student is notified in writing of the reasons for dismissal from a limited enrollment academic program and of his/her right to file a formal petition for appeal with the Dean.
The student may not attend classes during the appeal process unless special arrangements are made with the instructor or program director with the approval of the dean.
Step 2: The student is afforded a period of up to ten (10) school days from the date of notification of dismissal to file the formal petition of appeal.
Step 3: Upon receipt of the formal petition for appeal, the Dean will review the petition for appeal and convene a meeting with the within five (5) school days with the instructor or program director and the student. At the meeting, the Dean may attempt a resolution satisfactory to the parties involved.
Written copies of the Dean’s decision will be forwarded to the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs (VPASA), the instructor, and the student within five (5) school days; off-campus mail shall be sent certified or registered. This correspondence shall also specify the deadline of any further appeal, and that date shall be ten (10) school days from the mailing date of the response.
Step 4: Upon receipt of the formal petition for appeal, the Dean will notify the VPASA and provide any documents for review. The Dean may recommend the VPASA to convene the Academic Appeals Committee if it is determined that the student has grounds for appeal.
Should the appeal take place in the summer semester and not all of the members of the committee are available or if a committee member is also the instructor of record in the appeal, the VPASA will select faculty to stand-in for anyone absent. The instructor and student involved in the appeal will have an opportunity to be heard before the Academic Appeals Committee. Additionally, any employee involved may be asked to comment before the Committee.
Step 5: Within five (5) school days of notification of a formal petition for appeal and receipt of all pertinent documentation, the Chairperson of the Academic Affairs Committee will convene an initial meeting of the Committee and disseminate copies of pertinent documentation for review.
Step 6: The Dean will review the nature of the appeal and the timeline for resolution and submission of the Committee’s summary of findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
Step 7: The Chairperson of the Academic Affairs Committee will convene a formal appeal hearing within ten (10) school days of the initial meeting of the Committee and notify the Dean of the scheduled date, time, and location of the hearing.
Step 8: Upon receipt of notification from the Committee Chairperson regarding the date, time, and location of the hearing, the Dean will notify all parties to the appeal hearing in writing of the date, time, and location of the meeting, their individual rights and responsibilities for participating in the hearing, and a timeline for rendering and disseminating a final decision on the appeal.
Step 9: The Committee will have five (5) school days from the conclusion of its review of the proceedings, but no more than ten (10) school days from the date of the hearing to prepare and submit a summary of its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the Dean.
Step 10: The Committee will prepare a written record of all meetings, including the appeal hearing in the form of minutes and will forward a copy of this record to the Office of the VPASA at the conclusion of all proceedings.
Step 11: The VPAA will have five (5) school days from receipt of the Dean’s decision and the Academic Affairs Committee’s summary and written records, to render a final decision and notify all parties of that decision in writing.
If the VPASA decides that a student’s appeal is justified, the Dean, the instructor or program director, and the student will develop a plan to return the student to the program. It must be understood that the events and timeframe of the appeal process may extend up to and beyond 60 school days.
If the appeal is justified the Dean, faculty, and/or program director will work with students on a case-by-case basis to reintegrate them back into their program of study. Students should be aware that this process may extend the time required to complete program requirements for graduation.
Step 12: The Chairperson of the Academic Affairs Committee and the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs will retain all documentation for the period specified in the College’s Records Retention Procedure.
Records of appeals will be confidential and will be maintained by the Office of the VPASA. Records may not be used in any detrimental way against the student or the faculty member.
Note: Only extenuating circumstances are to be considered for any deviation in this process. If such circumstances arise, the official responsible for that step is empowered to make such a judgment by notifying all concerned parties in writing (including officials at the next higher level) and specify reasons for it.
Academic Appeals
Appeal of Grades
This section outlines your rights and responsibility concerning grade appeals at New River Community and Technical College (New River CTC), as detailed in the New River CTC Board of Governors’ Policy No. 15. Grade appeal processes are strictly for addressing significant or exceptional circumstances. In such cases, the official overseeing the appeal step can exercise discretion by informing all relevant parties in writing, including higher-level officials, and providing the rationale for any deviations from standard procedures.
As a student, you are expected to fulfill all course requirements, complete assignments, and uphold the academic standards specified for each course. Your grades reflect your academic performance based on established criteria and will not be negatively affected by your reasoned disagreement with any views presented in your courses.
The responsibility for assessing your mastery of course content lies with your course instructor. Only the instructor has the authority to change grades, and such changes are made in accordance with fair and consistent evaluation practices aligned with academic standards. Grounds for an academic appeal include instances where these evaluation standards are not followed, provided there is evidence to support the claim. Academic appeals should not be used to challenge an instructor’s professional competence or academic freedom.
If you believe your final grade is incorrect or was assigned in a manner that is arbitrary, capricious, or biased, you have the right to appeal this grade within the first ten school days of the semester following the one in which the grade was posted.
A. Grounds for Grade Review/Appeal may include but not be limited to corroborating evidence from any of the following:
- The instructor inaccurately calculated the student grade.
- The student believes that his/her final grade reflects a capricious, arbitrary, malicious, or prejudicial academic evaluation, or reflects discrimination.
- The instructor determined a grade using a process different from that communicated to the student.
- The instructor applied an inconsistent grading standard within the course.
- The instructor violated a written agreement with the student.
- The instructor violated an institutional policy in assigning course work, administering exams, and/or in assigning grades.
B. The Formal Grade Appeal Process
Step 1: The student is required to initiate a discussion with the course instructor about the grade appeal within the first ten (10) school days of the next after the grade was issued. The meeting is a chance to correct any mistakes in grading or clarify any misunderstandings related to the instructor’s grading system. Should the instructor be unavailable for any reason, the student is advised to reach out to the department chair to either resolve the issue or receive guidance on the next steps. If the issue remains unresolved and the student wishes to continue with the appeal, they must then procure a Student Grade Appeal Form from the Dean’s Office. This form needs to be filled out, including the date and the instructor’s signature, to proceed with the grade appeal process.
Step 2: If the student is not satisfied with the outcome of the initial step, they have five (5) school days after their meeting with the instructor to submit the Student Grade Appeal to the Dean. It mandatory for the student to attend a scheduled meeting with the Dean to discuss the grade appeal further. If the student fails to attend this meeting, the appeal will be considered invalid. During the meeting, the Dean has the opportunity to resolve the issue to everyone’s satisfaction. After the meeting, the Dean will send written notification of the decision to the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs (VPASA), the instructor, and the student. This notification, which must be sent via certified or registered mail for off-campus addresses, will include a deadline for any potential further appeal. This deadline will be set not later than ten school days after Dean’s decision is mailed. The Student Grade Appeal Form needs to be filled out, dated, and signed by the Dean to complete this process.
Step 3: If the grade appeal is not resolved at Step 2, either the student or the instructor can escalate the appeal to the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs (VPASA). To do this the student must forward the Student Grade Appeal Form to the VPASA’s Office, while the instructor is required to submit a written statement and any supporting documents to the VPASA within a ten-day mailing deadline set earlier. Proof of the mailing date from the post office is necessary if there’s a claim of notification not being received in case a deadline is needed. The VPASA will then review the appeal, including all supporting documents and the course syllabus, and investigate to decide whether the appeal by the student or the instructor has merit.
Should the VPASA find the appeal warranted, they may call upon the Academic Appeals Committee to recommend convening a hearing with the Grade Appeal Committee. This committee, tasked with making a final recommendation, consists of five members form the Academic Affairs Committee and one student, either the student representative to the Board of Governors or a student government association representative. If the VPASA determines the appeal is not justified, they will decide that the original grade remains unchanged. The student will be informed of the VPASA’s decision in writing, with the correspondence sent through certified or registered mail.
Step 4: The VPASA (Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs) will call together the Academic Appeals Committee if there’s valid reason to believe that either the student or instructor has a legitimate basis for an appeal. In situations where the appeal occurs during the summer semester and not all committee members are available, the VPASA has the authority to appoint substitute faculty members. The substitution is also applicable if any committee member is the subject instructor involved in the appeal. Both the student and instructor in question will be given a chance to present their case to the Appeals Committee. Furthermore, any employee who played a role in the initial steps of the appeal process (Steps 1-3) might be invited to provide input to the committee. Participation from any additional individual requires prior consent from the VPASA. Within ten school days following the hearing, all parties involved will receive written notification of the Committee’s recommendation.
The committee is tasked with the following responsibilities withing ten school days after their meeting with the involved student and faculty member:
- Draft a recommendation based on the presented evidence.
- Forward this recommendation to the VPASA for review.
- In cases where a grade change is advised, the faculty member involved should submit the updated grade accordingly.
Step 5: The VPASA will notify the students in writing within ten (10) school days following grade appeal review of the recommendations of the Academic Appeals Committee. Records of appeals will be confidential and will be maintained by the Office of the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs. Records may not be used in any detrimental way against the student or the faculty member.
Appeal of Academic Standing
If you wish to appeal your academic suspension, dismissal, or probation status, you must send a written request to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President for Academic Affairs will review your appeal and forward a recommendation to the Registrar to either approve or deny your request. You will receive a copy of the recommendation.
Appeal of Academic Requirements
If you need an exception to the academic program’s requirements, like substitutions, start by discussing your situation with your academic advisor. Together, you can craft a written request for the exception and submit it to the Dean. Your request must include documentation from a faculty member in the relevant discipline or program, supporting the need for the course substitution or exception.
If your request is denied by either the faculty member or the Dean, you have the right to appeal. Write and appeal to the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, who will then review documentation related to your request. Based on this review, the VPASA has the authority to either uphold or overturn the initial decision made by the faculty member and/or the Dean. You, along with the faculty members and the Dean, will receive a written notification of the Vice President’s final decision.
Attendance Policy
As a student you are expected to attend and actively participate in all the classes you are enrolled in. Regular attendance isn’t just a requirement; it’s a crucial part of your learning experience and vital for successfully finishing your courses. Your attendance is tracked weekly throughout the semester.
Federal regulations require that any financial aid you’ve received must be withdrawn and potentially returned if you stop attending your classes or if you never attended them in the first place. Not showing up and participating in your courses can lead to being removed from those courses. This, in turn, could adjust your schedule and result in you owing money to the college if you don’t attend all your classes or stop attending midway through the semester.
Being considered “attending” a class means more than just being physically present. You need to engage and participate meaningfully. Simply showing up without completing assignments or contributing to class discussion could still mark you as absent. For online courses, attendance usually means logging into the class platform and completing your assignments.
Absences
The College acknowledges two categories of absences: (1) an institutional absence which occurs when a student is absent due to officially representing the College in an event or activity; and (2) an unavoidable absence which is due to circumstances such as illness, a death in the immediate family, or other reasons beyond the student’s control. Absences not falling into these categories are deemed voluntary.
Student Responsibility
As a valued member of the New River CTC community, it is your responsibility to:
- Be aware of their instructor’s attendance policy, listed in the course syllabus.
- Provide a proper and timely explanation to the instructor for institutional or unavoidable absences Failure to do so immediately before or upon return to the class will make the absence voluntary.
- Provide supporting documents to your instructor for institutional and unavoidable absences.
- Check with their instructor for approval of makeup work and complete the work in a timely manner, agreed upon with the instructor.
Instructors may make variations to the attendance regulations. However, in no case shall the instructor’s attendance regulations be less rigid than those stated above. The instructor shall file a copy of his/her attendance requirements with the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and include them in course syllabi.
Graduation and Commencement
Earning Degrees and Certificates
New River Community and Technical College offers degrees or certificates of completion in over 20 areas, including career-focused programs for immediate job entry with as certificate or associate degree, and transfer programs for those aiming for a bachelor’s degree at a four-year institution. Associate degrees combine career, related field, and general education courses. It’s vital to consult with your faculty advisor to choose courses that fulfill your program’s requirements. The catalog provides a recommended course sequence to help you graduate on time. However, not all courses are available every semester, so following the suggested sequence closely is crucial to avoid delays in completing your program.
Application for Graduation
There are important differences between commencement (see below) and graduation. Graduation is having your degree or certificate awarded to you. Commencement is the ceremony where you share the excitement and importance of your academic accomplishments with peers, family, and friends. You must apply for graduation and follow the process, even if you do not intend to participate in the commencement ceremony.
You should apply for graduation at least one semester before fulfilling your program requirements. Doing so allows ample time to adjust your schedule if you’re not on track to meet graduation requirements. Refer to the academic calendar for specific deadlines related to graduation applications. Regardless of whether you graduate in the Fall, Spring, or Summer, you’ll participate in the same Commencement Ceremony, which occurs in May. (Refer to the section on the Commencement Ceremony for further details.)
Graduation Process:
- Complete a graduation application
- Meet with your faculty advisor to complete a graduation audit in DegreeWorks or a graduation evaluation sheet. This completed graduation evaluation may be submitted to the Registrar’s Office after your graduation application has been submitted online.
- Check your New River CTC email regularly for updates about graduation and commencement.
Commencement Ceremony
The commencement Ceremony is where you celebrate your academic achievements with peers, family, and friends. It’s also time for the college community, including the New River Community and Technical College Board of Governors, faculty, and staff, to recognize your hard work in earning your degree or certificate.
At New River Community and Technical College, we believe that everything on campus contributes to your education. That’s why participating in the commencement ceremony is seen as part of your academic journey.Attendance and participation are expected, aligning with our academic philosophy.
Our formal commencement ceremony happens once a year, typically at the end of the spring semester in May.Even if you finished your studies in the summer or will complete them during the summer term, you can still join the spring commencement if you’re registered and paid for the necessary courses.
Degrees and certificates are awarded after final grades are received. Diplomas are mailed within six to eight weeks of the end of the graduation semester to the address listed in the Banner system for students who have successfully met graduation requirements. If you haven’t fulfilled all requirements, you’ll receive written notification from the Registrar’s office detailing outstanding tasks.
Annual reports of completion rates of students are made available in compliance with Federal Student Right-toknow regulations.
Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) and Minimum Course Requirements
- A minimum 2.0 overall grade point average (GPA) is required for all course work used to complete the requirements of a certificate or degree program for graduation.
- You must complete a minimum of 15 credit hours of course work at New River CTC that applies to your program to be awarded a certificate or degree from New River CTC.
- If you are seeking the Associate of Applied Science in Board of Governors degree or any Advanced Skill Set Certificate, you must complete at least 3 credit hours at New River CTC.
Graduation with Honors
If you receive an associate degree with a minimum 3.40 cumulative grade point average, you are eligible to graduate with honors. Foundational/developmental courses (e.g. 090, 099) are not counted toward meeting graduation requirements and are not used in the calculation of the graduation grade point average.
Earning Multiple Degrees
- If you have received an associate degree or a certificate consisting of 30 or more semester hours and you wish to receive an additional degree or certificate, you may count all previously earned course credits toward the desired additional associate degree or certificate.
- All course requirements for the additional degree/certificate must be met.
- A minimum of fifteen (15) additional semester hours of approved work will be required beyond the requirements of the previous associate degree(s).
- You can receive no more than two degrees at a given graduation date. All time limitations on course relevancy must be observed.
Requests for Transcripts
- Please visit www.newriver.edu and click Transcripts at the top of the page for more information about requesting your transcripts.
- Transcript requests may take longer to process if the request is received at the close of a semester.
- Requesting a transcript early and marking the request with the “Hold for Grades” option can help reduce delays in having your transcript sent.
- New River CTC will not fax any academic records.
- Originals or copies of transcripts or test scores from other entities such as colleges and high schools will not be released to the student or to third parties.
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