14 OXNARD COLLEGE CATALOG 2005-2006 Academic Policies Attendance All students admitted to Oxnard College are expected to attend classes regularly, both because continuity of attendance is necessary to both individual and group progress in any class, and because financial support of the college is dependent upon student attendance. Absence for any reason does not relieve the student from the responsibility of completing all class requirements. It is also the responsibility of students, at the beginning of the semester, to become aware of the attendance and absence policies of the instructor for each class in which they are enrolled. When a student’s absence exceeds in number 1/9 of the total class contact hours for the session (e.g., absence from a semester-long class equal to twice the number of hours the class meets in one week), the instructor may, request that the Admissions & Records Office drop such student from the class and that a grade be recorded in accordance with the policy for dropping a course. Grading Practices Work in all courses acceptable in fulfillment of the requirements for associate degrees, certificates, diplomas, licenses, or baccalaureate level work shall be graded in accordance with the provisions adopted by the District Board of Trustees for the following sections which relate to the letter grading scale, the credit/no credit options, or credit by examination. Grading System Letter Grading Scale Grades from a grading scale shall be averaged on the basis of the point equivalencies to determine a student’s grade point average. The highest grade shall receive four points, and the lowest grade shall receive zero, using the following evaluative symbols: Grade Symbol Points A = Excellent 4 B = Good 3 C = Satisfactory 2 D = Passing, less than satisfactory 1 F = Failing 0 CR = Credit NC = No credit Courses taken on a credit/no credit basis are disregarded in calculating grade point average. However, units earned on a credit basis shall be counted toward satisfaction of curriculum requirements. “CR” is used to denote “passed with credit” when no letter grade is given. “CR” is assigned for work of such quality as to warrant a letter grade of “C” or better. “NC” is used to denote “no credit” when no letter grade is given. See Credit/No Credit Options section. Non-Evaluative Symbols The District Governing Board has authorized the use of only the non-evaluative symbols “I,” “IP,” “RD,” "W," and “MW,” which are defined in the following paragraphs: I = Incomplete Incomplete academic work for unforeseeable, emergency, and justifiable reasons at the end of the term may result in an “I” symbol being entered in the student’s record. The conditions for removal of the “I” shall be stated by the instructor in a written record. This record shall contain the condition for the removal of the “I” and the grade assigned in lieu of its removal. This record must be given to the student with a copy on file with the registrar until the “I” is made up or the time limit has passed. A final grade shall be assigned when the work stipulated has been completed and evaluated, or when the time limit for completing the work is passed. This time limit can be less than one year. However, the “I” may be made up no later than one year following the end of the term in which it was assigned. A district-wide process shall be provided whereby a student may petition for a time extension due to unusual circumstances. The “I” symbol shall not be used in calculating units attempted nor for grade points. IP = In Progress The “IP” symbol shall be used to denote that the class extends beyond the normal end of an academic term. It indicates that work is “in progress,” but that assignment of a substantive grade must await its completion. The “IP” symbol shall remain on the student’s permanent record in order to satisfy enrollment documentation. The appropriate evaluative grade and unit credit shall be assigned and shall appear on the student’s record for the term in which the course is completed. The “IP” shall not be used in calculating grade point averages. RD = Report Delayed The “RD” symbol may be assigned by the registrar only. It is to be used when there is a delay in reporting the grade of a student due to circumstances beyond the control of the student. It is a temporary notation to be replaced by a permanent symbol as soon as possible. “RD” shall not be used in calculating grade point averages. W = Withdrawal A student may withdraw from a class through the last day of the fourteenth week of instruction for full semester classes, or through 75 percent of a class less than a semester in length. The academic record of a student who remains in a class beyond this time limit must reflect a grade other than a “W.” No notation (“W” or other) shall be made on the academic record of the student who withdraws during the first four weeks of a term or 30 percent of a term, whichever is less. Withdrawal between the end of the fourth week and the last day of the fourteenth week of instruction for full semester classes or through 75 percent of a class less than a semester in length shall be recorded as “W” on the student’s record. MW = Military Withdrawal Occurs when a student who is a member of an active or reserve U.S. military service receives orders compelling a withdrawal from courses. Upon verification of such orders, a withdrawal symbol may be assigned of "MW." Military withdrawals shall not be counted in progress probation or dismissal calculations. OXNARD COLLEGE CATALOG 2005-2006 15 Credit/No Credit Options Colleges of the Ventura County Community College District may offer courses in two credit/no credit (“CR”/”NC”) options: (1) courses which are offered on a credit/no credit basis only, and (2) courses in which students may elect the credit/no credit option. The first category includes those courses in which all students in the course are evaluated on a credit/no credit (“CR”/”NC”) basis. This “CR”/”NC” grading option shall be used to the exclusion of all other grades in courses for which there is a single satisfactory standard of performance and for which unit credit is assigned. Credit shall be assigned for meeting that standard, no credit for failure to do so. The second category of credit/no credit options is comprised of courses designated by the college wherein each student may elect by no later than the end of the first 30 percent of the term or length of the class whether the basis of evaluation is to be credit/no credit or a letter grade. Once the 30 percent deadline has passed, the request cannot be withdrawn. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor of his or her intent to be graded on a Credit/No Credit basis and to file the appropriate form; otherwise a letter grade will be assigned. The petition for this purpose, “Request for Credit/No Credit,” is available in the Admissions & Records Office. All units earned on a credit/no credit basis in accredited California institutions of higher education or equivalent outof- state institutions shall be counted in satisfaction of community college curriculum requirements. A student may apply a maximum of 20 units of credit earned under the credit/no credit option to an A.A. or A.S. degree or Certificate of Achievement. Credit (“CR”) is used to denote “passed with credit” when no letter grade is given. Credit is assigned for work of such quality as to warrant a letter grade of “C” or better. Units of “Credit” should not be used to satisfy major requirements. Units earned on a credit/no credit basis shall not be used to calculate grade point averages. However, units attempted for which “NC” is recorded shall be considered in probation and dismissal procedures. Students should be aware that other colleges and universities may restrict the acceptance of courses taken on a credit/no credit basis, especially for general education major requirements; therefore, units of “Credit” should not be used to satisfy major requirements for AA, AS degrees or transfer. Grade Changes In any course of instruction in a college of the Ventura County Community College District for which grades are awarded, the instructor of the course shall determine the grade to be awarded each student in accordance with the Grading System dealing with academic grade symbols and grade point average. The determination of the student’s grade by the instructor shall be final in the absence of mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetency. Procedures for the correction of a grade given in error shall include expunging the incorrect grade from the record. The petition for this purpose, “Petition to Change Grade,” is available in the Office of Student Learning. When grade changes are made, the student’s permanent academic record shall be annotated in such a manner that all work remains legible, ensuring a true and complete academic history. Final Examinations Final examinations are given at the end of each semester. Summer-session final examinations are typically given on the last day of class. Students are required to take examinations for the classes in which they are enrolled. No examinations are administered prior to the regular schedule for examinations. Exceptions to this rule in emergency situations will require the approval of the instructor of record and the Executive Vice President of Student Learning. All student requests for examinations to be administered at a later date must be filed on the proper petition form in the Office of Student Learning. Petitions for late examinations will not be considered if the student leaves prior to the last three weeks of the semester. Auditing Classes Students enrolled in classes to receive ten or more semester units shall be allowed to audit three or fewer semester units without a fee. Students enrolled in fewer than ten semester credit units may audit three or fewer units with a fee for auditing of $15 per unit (plus a $13 health fee during the regular semester or a $10 health fee during Summer session). Priority in class enrollment shall be given to students desiring to take the course for credit towards a certificate or degree. Therefore, students wishing to audit may register for classes in audit status by special petition only in the last two days of the add period. The petition form is available in the Admissions & Records Office. This petition requires permission of the instructor. Laboratory classes are not normally available for audit. Students auditing a course shall not be permitted to change their enrollment in that course to receive credit for the course. Students auditing a course are not permitted to take exams in the class, nor are they permitted to challenge the course at a later date. Instructors are under no obligation to grade assignments of students auditing a course. Attendance requirements for students auditing courses are the same as for all other students as stated in the college catalogs. Withdrawal from Class It is a student's responsibility to initiate a withdrawal if they so desire. Students may withdraw online at www.oxnardcollege.edu/webstar. Students may also withdraw in person at the Admissions Office where forms for this purpose are available. A withdrawal initiated through the end of the fourth week of instruction for full-semester classes, or during the first 30 percent of a class meeting less than a semester in length, results in no record of dropped classes on students’ academic records (transcript). A withdrawal initiated after the fourth week, but prior to the last day of the fourteenth week for fullsemester classes, or through the first 75 percent of a class less than a semester in length, shall be recorded as “W” on students’ academic records (transcript). The academic record of a student who remains in a class beyond this time must reflect a grading symbol other than “W.” The “W” shall not be used in calculating grade point averages, but excessive “W’s” shall be used as factors in probation and dismissal procedures. 16 OXNARD COLLEGE CATALOG 2005-2006 Withdrawal from College It is the student’s responsibility to formally withdraw from all classes if he or she intends to withdraw from college (www.oxnardcollege.edu/webstar). A student who withdraws after the end of the fourth week of instruction for full-semester classes, or after the end of the first 30 percent of a term for short-term or less than full-semester classes, shall have an entry made on his or her permanent record in accordance with the regulations specified in the Withdrawal from Class policy. Forms for this purpose are available in the Admissions & Records Office. Course Repetition A course in which a grade of “C” or better has been earned may not be repeated except as identified in the catalog course description or as noted under the following special circumstances. Courses taken at any college in which a grade of “D,” “F,” “NC,” or other substandard grade has been earned may be repeated once for the purpose of improving a recorded grade. A course taken at another institution, in which a substandard grade was earned, may be repeated at the colleges of the Ventura County Community College District, subject to this policy. In order to identify acceptable equivalencies, course equivalency shall be determined chiefly by content, as defined in the catalog course description, and not by title or units. Upon completion of the repeated course, the previous grade earned shall be omitted from the computation of the cumulative grade point average, an "E" appears on the permanent record. The permanent record shall be annotated in such a manner that all work remains legible, ensuring a true and complete academic history. The petition for this purpose, “Petition for Course Repetition,” is available in the Counseling Office. Under special circumstances, any course completed more than three years ago which is required as a part of a student’s designated educational goal and which is in a sequence of courses based on prerequisites may be repeated regardless of grade. Upon completion of the repeated course under these special circumstances, the grade earned in the repeated course shall not be counted in calculating a student’s grade point average (this means that the first grade will stand and will remain calculated in the student’s GPA). Another special circumstance includes students with disabilities. Special classes can be repeated above and beyond ordinary course repetition standards for credit courses. For more information, contact the Educational Assistance Center, (805) 986-5830. Students should understand that other colleges or universities may not accept credit for work which represents a repetition of high school work. In addition, there is no assurance that repeated courses resulting in an improvement in grade will be accepted by other colleges or universities. Academic Renewal Without Course Repetition Students may petition to have a portion of previous college work disregarded in meeting academic requirements in the colleges of the Ventura County Community College District. Academic renewal is intended to facilitate the completion of requirements necessary for an academic degree or certificate. A student may petition, once only, to eliminate grade point calculations and credits from selected portions of previous college work which is not reflective of the student’s present demonstrated ability and level of performance. The student may petition for academic renewal to disregard previous substandard college work by selecting one of the following options: (1) disregard a maximum of 15 or fewer semester units of any courses with less than a “C” or equivalent grade taken during any one or two terms, not necessarily consecutively; or (2) disregard all courses from two consecutive terms (one summer or intersession may be regarded as equivalent to one semester at the student’s discretion). Courses and units taken at any institution may be disregarded. Academic renewal may be granted only to a student who is currently enrolled in at least one credit course in the college; has completed at least 12 units in residence in the colleges of the Ventura County Community College District; has submitted transcripts of all college work; has waited two years since the course work to be disregarded was completed; and has subsequently completed at least 30 semester units with a minimum 2.40 GPA. The colleges of the Ventura County Community College District will honor similar actions by other accredited colleges and universities in determining grade point averages and credits. The petition for this purpose, “Petition for Academic Renewal,” is available in the Counseling Office. Upon granting the Petition for Academic Renewal, the student’s permanent academic record shall be annotated in such a manner that all work remains legible, insuring a true and complete academic history. The student should be aware that other colleges or universities may have different policies concerning academic renewal and may not honor this policy. Credit by Examination Granting unit credit for a course by examination is based on the principle that previous experience, training, or instruction is the equivalent of a specific course taught in the college. If an examination indicates that the student possesses adequate equivalency and mastery of the subject, including particular skills where appropriate, credit may be granted. All courses shall be open to credit by examination unless specifically exempted. Each division of the college shall determine the courses for which credit by examination may be granted and the Office of Student Learning shall maintain a current list of courses excluded from this policy. For the purpose of this policy, a course shall mean an organized area of instruction as described in the college catalog. A student should be advised that the use of units given by credit by exam to establish eligibility for athletics, financial aid, and veterans benefits are subject to the rules and regulations of the external agencies involved. Exceptions to the above may be made when necessary to meet provisions of California state law or the rules and regulations of state agencies governing programs of the California Community Colleges. Credit by examination may be granted only to a student who is currently enrolled in a least one course in the college; has completed at least 12 units in residence in the colleges of the Ventura County Community College District; is not on academic probation; has submitted transcripts of all previous OXNARD COLLEGE CATALOG 2005-2006 17 course work; has not earned college credit in more advanced subject matter; and, has not received a grade (“A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” “F,” “CR,” “NC”) or equivalent in the course for which he or she is seeking credit by examination at this or any other educational institution. A student seeking credit by examination will receive a “CR” (credit) if he or she satisfactorily passes the examination that has been developed for the course being challenged; no other grade will be recorded. Students who are unsuccessful in an attempt to challenge by examination will not receive a “NC” (no credit) and no record of the attempt for credit by examination will appear on a student’s transcript. However, students may challenge a course only once. A student may challenge no more than 12 units (or four courses) under the Credit by Examination policy toward an Associate Degree or Certificate of Achievement. The amount of unit credit granted by examination to an individual shall not count towards the minimum 12 units requirement for residency. Credit by examination may be granted in only one course in a sequence of courses, as determined by prerequisites, and may not be granted for a course which is prerequisite to the one in which the student is currently enrolled. Exceptions to this policy are permitted for each college in those occupational programs where curriculum makes this necessary. The exceptions are as follows: The 12-unit residency requirement is suspended, permitting students to petition for credit by examination prior to completion of that requirement; when the residency requirement has been met, the course(s) successfully challenged shall be added to the student’s record. Credit by examination may be granted for more than one course in a sequence of required courses, when approved by the administrator responsible for vocational programs. The petition for this purpose, “Petition for Credit by Examination,” is initiated in the Counseling Office. Approved petitions must be on file with the administering instructor by Friday of the tenth week of the semester. The examination is to be administered prior to the last day of the final examination period. Credit (“CR”) is assigned for work of such quality as to warrant a letter grade of “C” or better. Transcript entries shall distinguish credits obtained by examination from credits obtained as a result of regular course enrollment. The student’s academic record shall be clearly annotated to reflect that credit was earned by examination. Students should be aware that other colleges may not accept credit by examination for transfer purposes. Probation, Dismissal, and Readmission Probation, dismissal, and readmission policies and procedures are designed to assist students in making progress toward realistic academic, career, and personal goals. Students who choose to enroll should be encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to realize their full potential. Limitations regarding programs, courses, and unit loads are consistent with the philosophy of providing an opportunity to succeed. The entire statement of the policy adopted by the District Board of Trustees on Probation, Dismissal, and Readmission of Students appears in the Appendix of this catalog. Cheating or Plagiarism Instructors have the responsibility and authority for dealing with any cheating or plagiarism which may occur in their classes. It is the policy of the Ventura County Community College District that the instructor may dismiss a student involved in such dishonest behavior from class with a grade of “F.” In addition, the faculty member may direct the matter to the Executive Vice President of Student Learning for further disciplinary action. Dean’s List Special recognition is accorded students who achieve academic distinction. Full-time students who complete a program of 12 or more units with a 3.5 grade point average or higher during a semester, will be eligible for the Dean’s List provided that at least nine of the 12 units were in graded courses. Students attending Oxnard College and concurrently enrolled at Moorpark and/or Ventura College may request that the units be combined for eligibility for the Dean’s List. Students attending more than one campus during any semester may choose one campus for placement on the Dean’s List. Academic Honors/Recognition Graduation with Honors Students who maintain a high scholarship average are eligible for honors at graduation. There are three types of graduation honors: highest honors, high honors, and honors. Graduation with Highest Honors The highest honors designation is placed on the transcript and diploma of the graduate who has achieved an overall grade point average (GPA) of 4.0. The highest honors graduate must have completed at least 30 units of coursework at Ventura County Community College District of which 18 units or more must be letter grades. All letter grades must be A. Graduation with High Honors The high honors designation is placed on the transcript and diploma of the graduate who has achieved an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.75. The high honors graduate must have completed at least 30 units of coursework at Ventura County Community College District of which 18 units or more must be letter grades. Graduation with Honors The honors designation is placed on the transcript and diploma of the graduate who has achieved an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.5. The honors graduate must have completed at least 30 units of coursework at Ventura County Community College District of which 18 units or more must be letter grades. Use of Listening or Recording Devices Students with verified disabilities may require the use of electronic devices in the classroom to give them equal access to the academic program of the college. All other students must secure the consent of the instructor, who will file notice of consent in the Office of Student Learning.