Attendance, Grades and Records

Attendance

  • Attendance in courses is critically important and can affect student grades, records, finances and refunds, and the ability to remain in a class.
  • Completion of an Enrollment Verification Assignment (EVA) is required in online credit classes. Students must complete the EVA by the 10% point of the term in order to remain in the class.

Grades

Incomplete grades may be assigned when a student has persisted through the course and completed at least 90 percent of the requirements for passing the course or when the instructor has determined extenuating circumstances exist.

  • Auditing a course may be possible. Students who wish to audit a course must complete an Audit Agreement form, have it signed by the course instructor and submit the Audit Agreement to the Welcome Center at any Central Piedmont campus prior to the census date of the course.
  • Course substitutions are permitted with final approval by the dean of the academic area in which the substitution is sought.
  • Grade Appeals are governed by Policies and Procedures. Any student who contests a course grade must attempt first to resolve the matter with the faculty member who assigned the grade before formally appealing the course grade.
  • Grade Changes are performed by the instructor of record in the case of a grading error, or in other appropriate circumstances.
  • Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated based on A, B, C, D, F, P, and R grades, and affects each student’s Standards of Academic Progress (SAP). Note that eligibility for financial aid and veterans benefits depends on meeting additional requirements.
  • Incomplete grades may be assigned when a student has persisted through the course and completed at least 90 percent of the requirements for passing the course or when the instructor has determined extenuating circumstances exist.
  • Medical / Compassionate Withdrawals allow students to withdraw from all classes in extraordinary cases when serious illness or injury (medical) or another significant personal situation (compassionate) prevents a student from continuing his or her classes, and incompletes or other arrangements with the instructors are not possible.
  • Repeating a credit course is allowed. Students may not enroll in the same course more than three times without approval of the appropriate dean, associate dean, or program chair. A withdrawal does not count as a repeat. When a course has been repeated, the higher grade is used to recalculate the Grade Point Average (GPA). However, all grades are recorded on the student’s academic transcript.
  • Financial Aid uses SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) standards to help students who receive federal and state financial aid make measurable progress toward completion of a degree, certificate, or diploma program in a reasonable period of time.
  • The college also uses SAP Standards of Academic Progress to measure whether students are maintaining a 2.0 or higher cumulative grade point average; and a 67% course completion rate based on all attempted credits.
  • Withdrawing from courses is allowed until the 35% point in the term. Students can withdraw from classes using the Registration and Student Planning link in MyCollege. Students receiving financial aid should contact the financial aid office before withdrawing from a course, to find out how they may be affected in terms of eligibility or even repaying aid.
  • Academic Forgiveness
    Students can apply to have certain prior unsuccessful grades forgiven. These unsuccessful grades (D, F, W) must have been earned at least three college terms prior to applying for forgiveness. Forgiven grades can represent a maximum of 16 credits attempted over three consecutive terms. To qualify, students must meet all of the following conditions:
    Students must be currently registered for credit classes;
    Students must have earned a term GPA of 2.0 or greater while attempting at least 6 credit hours, within the 12 months prior to applying for academic forgiveness.

Records

  • Credit by Examination can sometimes be given when students show convincing evidence of special aptitude or knowledge in the course material.
  • Credit by examination can be earned through the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP).
  • Credit hours are determined according to a formula.16 contact hours of classroom work equals 1 semester credit hour; 32 or 48 contact hours of laboratory work equals 1 semester credit hour; 48 contact hours of clinical work equals 1 semester credit hour, and 160 contact hours of work experience equals 1 semester credit hour.
  • The Maximum credit load a student can take in the fall or spring term, without getting overload permission, is 21; for summer it is 15.
  • Medical withdrawals typically involve a student withdrawing from all courses based on a health condition. Requests should be made through the Welcome Center at any Central Piedmont campus by the due date. 
  • Name and address changes. Students can change their address and contact information in MyCollege, but name changes are handled through Student Records and must be documented by a marriage license, birth certificate, or court decree.
  • The Transcript Evaluation Process begins automatically when Student Records receives official transcripts. Students are notified by email when their evaluations have been completed. Previous courses completed with a “C” or higher grade from regionally accredited institutions that match Central Piedmont courses are transferred for credit.
  • Transcript Requests for Central Piedmont transcripts to be sent to other institutions can be made through MyCollege, including requests for electronic or paper versions.