Policies and Procedures

Academic Standing

Students who achieve a 2.0 semester GPA or higher are considered to be in satisfactory academic standing. Students who experience academic difficulties are placed in academic alert, probation or suspension status. These programs are designed to provide intrusive assistance to students to help them to succeed academically.

Academic Honors

Western Wyoming Community College honors its full-time and part-time students who excel academically by placing them on the President's, Vice President's and Part-time Student Honor Rolls. Students are also honored through the Honors Program, Phi Theta Kappa and by being recognized as Graduates of Distinction.

Academic Forgiveness

Under certain circumstances, a student may have a block of courses removed from grade point average and credit calculations (see Policy 5240D).

Outstanding Graduate

Western selects outstanding graduates each year prior to commencement ceremony.  They are chosen by a committee of faculty, staff and students and selection is based upon cumulative grade point average and involvement with the institution and community.

Policy included in WWCC Catalog
Reviewed 1983
Revised May 26, 1988
Revised February 22, 1996 
Revised June 8, 2007

PROCEDURE 5240C:
ACADEMIC STATUS

ACADEMIC HONORS:

There are four types of academic honors at Western Wyoming Community College:

1. Honor Rolls

   Full-time students who complete twelve credit hours during a semester with letter grades and who achieve required grade point averages are eligible for the President's or Vice President's honor rolls. Part-time degree seeking students who have completed a minimum of twelve credit hours are eligible for the Part-time Student Honor Roll each subsequent semester in which they achieve the minimum requirements.

   1. President's Honor Roll- Full-time students who complete a minimum of twelve credit hours with letter grades and with a grade point average of 4.00 (A).
   2. Vice President's Honor Roll- Full-time students who complete a minimum of twelve credit hours with letter grades and with a grade point average between 3.25 and 3.99.
   3. Part-time Student Honor Roll- Part-time students who have completed a minimum of twelve credit hours in consecutive semesters and who complete six to eleven credit hours during the current semester with a grade point average of 3.50 or higher.

2. Phi Theta Kappa

   Degree seeking students who complete a minimum of twelve credit hours with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.80 are eligible for membership.  Students must follow established Phi Theta Kappa guidelines in order to join the organization. Once a student is a member, a 3.25 semester GPA must be obtained in order to remain a member.  Student who remain eligible for Phi Theta Kappa will be recognized at graduation.

3. Honor's Program

   Students who are accepted and remain in the Honor's Program and who complete at least four honors courses and the honors colloquium with a 3.25 or better grade point average and who complete a minimum of 15 credit hours each semester will be recognized at graduation as an Honor's Program graduate.

4. Graduates of Distinction

   Students who maintain a minimum 3.80 grade point average in all coursework applicable to their WWCC degree will be acknowledged as graduating "with distinction" and may wear the honor cord at the graduation ceremony. To receive this status, the graduate must complete at least half of his/her applicable coursework from WWCC.

ACADEMIC STANDING:

Generally, a student is considered to be in satisfactory academic standing if he/she is making satisfactory grades (2.00 or higher grade point average). However, students should be aware that certain WWCC programs have higher minimum grade point average requirements and the student must maintain those levels in order to remain in any such program. Graduation course grade requirements may also vary for individual programs.

Current academic standing will appear on the student's grade report and transcript record.

The purpose of the academic alert, probation and suspension status is to alert the student to a lack of academic progress and to make every effort to provide the student with the tools necessary to succeed.

1. Satisfactory Standing

   Students who achieve a minimum grade point average of 2.00 each semester are considered to be in satisfactory academic standing.

    

2. Academic Alert

   The student placed on academic alert status is 1) required to develop a performance contract with the Coordinator of Academic Advising or his/her designee; 2) required to take specific courses, limit credit load and follow other restrictions as appropriate; 3) not allowed to register for subsequent semester classes until the contract is in place and they have been authorized to register. If the student has completed early registration but is placed on Academic Alert status for the semester for which he/she is pre-registered then the student must drop/add to comply with the performance contract.

   1. Full-time students who have not achieved or do not maintain satisfactory progress as defined below will be placed on Academic Alert.
      1. Entering students with less than a 2.00 (C grade) high school grade point average or less than a 2.00 cumulative grade point average from a transfer institution(s).
      2. Entering students who are admitted conditionally because they have not yet attained a regular high school diploma or high school equivalency or who have below college entry-level scores on all COMPASS tests.
      3. Continuing WWCC students who have completed their most recent semester with less than a 2.00 grade point average.
   2. Part-time students who have received letter grades in at least twelve hours with a cumulative grade point average of less than 2.00 will be placed on Academic Alert.
3. Academic Probation

   Those students who are on Academic Alert status and who do not achieve a minimum 2.00 semester grade point average will move into Academic Probation status. All probationary students will be required to continue their performance contract until they are once again in good standing.

4. Academic Suspension

   Students who are on probation and who achieve less than the minimum 2.00 grade point average will be placed on Academic Suspension. This student will not be allowed to register for WWCC classes at any location until:

   1. The student completes at least 12 semester hours of credit and achieves a 2.00 grade point average a regionally accredited institution, or
   2. The student does not attend WWCC for at least one semester.

   Students who return to WWCC after the suspension is lifted will reenter on alert status.

5. Appeals

   Students who wish to appeal their suspension based on extenuating circumstances may do so through the Registrar. For example, the Registrar may allow students to return to take developmental coursework.  Students not satisfied with that officer's ruling may appeal to the Vice President for Student Success Services Appeal Board.

ACADEMIC FORGIVENESS:

A student returning to Western Wyoming Community College after a minimum five year absence and after completing two full-time semesters, or the equivalent (24 credit hours) with a minimum 2.00 cumulative grade point average may request to have an entire block (at least one full semester) of courses removed from the calculation of grade point average and degree credit. This is a one time option. All classes remain on the student's permanent transcript but are removed from grade point average and credit calculations.

Policy included in WWCC Catalog
Reviewed 1983
Approved May 26, 1988
Revised February 22, 1996
Revised June 8, 2006