Credit hours are units of credit earned for successfully completing a course during a given semester. A credit or semester hour represents one hour of class work or at least two hours of laboratory work a week together with the necessary outside preparation for a semester. The number of credit hours associated with each course is included in its course description. The value of each course of instruction and the amount of work required for graduation are stated in terms of semester credit hours. The “Program Descriptions” section of the Catalog identifies the number of credit hours required for completion of each credential awarded by Nunez.

At the end of each semester, students will receive a grade for every credited course in which they were enrolled. A letter grade is assigned for each credit course they complete. The syllabus for each course describes the criteria for determining the course grade, which indicates the student’s level of accomplishment in achieving the course objectives. Each letter grade is assigned quality points, as indicated in the chart below. Quality points earned for each course are determined by multiplying the number of quality points for each grade by the number of credit hours assigned to each course. The total number of quality points a student earns divided by the number of credit hours for those courses produces a grade point average (GPA) for the semester. Quality points are based on those credit hours of which a student registers and receives a grade of “A” – “F”. Credit courses for which a student receives a grade of “P” are included in earned hours but not quality hours. Courses for which students register but late withdraw with a grade of “W” are included in attempted hours but not quality hours.

The cumulative grade point average (GPA) is the result of the grade points earned in all courses for which a student receives a letter grade, divided by the total number of credits involved in those courses. Only grades of “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, and “F” are computed in the GPA. Grade Point Averages are rounded to the second decimal place. A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 for all courses applied to the student’s program is required for graduation.

For every course attempted, final grades are reported for each student according to the following grading system:

Grading System

Letter Grade	Description	Quality Points per Credit Hour
A	Outstanding	4
B	Above Average	3
C	Average	2
D	Passing Below Avg.	1
F	Failing	0
W	Withdrawn	Not Computed
I	Incomplete	Not Computed
P	Pass	Not Computed
NP	Not Passed	Not Computed
AUD	Audit	Not Computed
-E	Excluded	Not Computed
-E	Amnesty Renewal	Not Computed

Nunez Community College accepts only transfer credits that have been awarded a grade of “C” or better, including grades of “P” or “Pass”. The grade of “P” will be awarded for non-traditional credit, non-credit, credit by exam, by-passed courses, and some lab or clinical courses accompanying a lecture course.

Cumulative Quality Hours are all hours for which a student has registered and received a final grade of “A” – “F” at the College as well as all quality hours accepted in transfer (including hours that would have been accepted had the student not earned a grade of “F”).

Adjusted Quality Hours are all hours for which a student has registered and receives a grade “A” – “F”, excluding those credit hours removed from the calculation of the student’s grade point average (GPA) through repeat/delete policy and/or those credit hours removed through Academic Renewal.

Incomplete Grades

An “I” grade is a temporary grade that may be assigned by the instructor only in circumstances where a finite amount of work has been missed. An “I” grade may result from failure to take a final exam or failure to complete the required assignments. When issuing an I grade, the instructor must communicate to the student the reasons for the I grade and the work that must be completed for the grade to be converted to a letter grade and the date that all work must be completed and turned in to the instructor.  

In most cases, the work must be completed no later than the end of the semester following the semester in which the “I” grade was received unless an earlier date is agreed upon. If the “I” grade is not removed, it will convert to an “F” and will be calculated as such in the grade point average.

Repeat/Delete Policy

Students who repeat a course in which a grade of “C” or lower was earned may apply for the deletion of the earlier grade from cumulative grade point average calculations if both attempts were at Nunez. The form to apply for the Repeat/Delete Policy is available in the Student Affairs Office. The cumulative grade point average will reflect the adjusted average on grade reports and transcripts. Grades for the same course will be deleted no more than three times. Although the student may repeat a course more than three times, the prior grades will be deleted only for the first three attempts. The same limits apply to transfer students whose transcripts indicate deleted grades for repeated courses.

Students are cautioned that the grades earned in all courses attempted will remain on the transcript and that other colleges and universities may not honor the repeat/delete policy offered at Nunez.

Dean's List

At the end of each semester, the College publishes a Dean’s List recognizing those students who have completed at least 12 hours with a semester GPA of at least 3.50. The Dean of Strategic Enrollment and Student Success will submit the list to the Director of Communications. Changes or corrections that occur after the list is published will not be submitted for publication.

Graduation Requirements

Students should meet on a regular basis with an advisor and make use of the Degree Works tool on LoLa to be sure that they are making progress toward the completion of their certificate or degree program. To qualify for an associate degree or certificate, students must meet the following requirements:

1. Apply for graduation by the deadline noted in the Catalog. Applications are available online via LoLA. The college may initiate an application on behalf of the student.
2. Complete the requirements of their program as described in the Catalog in effect at the time they enrolled. As an alternative, students may follow the requirements in the Catalog in effect during their final semester as long as they have been continuously enrolled. If a student changes their major, or if they do not enroll at Nunez Community College for a fall or spring semester, they must follow the program requirements described in the Catalog that is in effect at the time of the change of major or the return to College.
3. Earn at least a “C” in each required major course, as identified in the Catalog program description, and any other courses identified in the program description. (The last grade earned is the official grade for a repeated course.) The adjusted program grade point average must also be at least 2.00.
4. Complete at least 25% of required courses applied toward the degree or certificate in residence at Nunez. This percentage may not include any credit from non-traditional sources, with the exception of credit earned through credit by examination. Courses applied toward the 25% residency requirement may include the 50% of required major courses reference in #7 below.
5. Earn no more than 25% of the total hours applied to the degree or certificate from portfolio-based, non-traditional sources.
6. Earn no more than one-third of the credits needed in required major courses from non-traditional sources (not including credit by examination). Major courses are identified in the Catalog program description.
7. Earn no less than 50% of the required major courses in residence at Nunez. Major courses are identified in the Catalog program description.
8. Complete at least the number of credits stipulated in the degree program. In cases where courses or programs have been revised, however, an appropriate course substitution may be approved by the Program Chair responsible for that program,  the Dean of Instruction, Dean of Nursing and Allied Health, or designee.
9. Complete the required amount of 2000-level courses applicable toward an associate degree as described in the program description.
10. Receive, in writing, approval from the Dean of Instruction, Dean of Nursing and Allied Health, or designee for any deviation from the required curriculum. Students may not apply toward graduation credit a lower-level course in a sequence after earning credit in the higher-level course.
11. Fulfill all obligations to the College, including financial obligations, prior to established dates. Student loan recipients must complete an exit interview online at http://www.studentaid.gov which will be sent to the institution.
12. The College strongly encourages participation in commencement. Students participating in the ceremony must adhere to Nunez graduation dress code. Information about specific graduation costs & procedures are sent to all applicants in the spring.
13. The College reserves the right to confer a certificate, diploma, or degree on any student who has fulfilled the program requirements. 

Students must receive written approval from the Vice-Chancellor  for Education, Training and Student Success or designee for any deviation from these requirements.

Requirements for a Second Degree or Certificate

A student must meet all course requirements for a second degree or certificate and must earn at least an additional nine semester hours for a second certificate or 15 semester hours for a second degree. These hours cannot apply toward the first degree or first certificate. In addition, an official declaration of major must be on file prior to applying for a second degree or certificate so that the appropriate Catalog requirements can be determined.

In degree and certificate programs (e.g., LA Transfer degrees, Business Technology, General Studies Degrees, etc.) where there are several possible concentrations, a student is not eligible for a second credential if an additional concentration is completed.

Students in Discontinued Majors

Any student remaining eligible for a discontinued program who has completed 50% or more of the required courses in that program will be allowed to complete the program at Nunez. The student must complete the requirements within two years after the semester in which the program was discontinued. A student may be allowed to transfer into Nunez remaining required courses to complete the degree if Nunez can offer the courses. Exceptions to this policy may be granted by the Dean of Instruction, Dean of Nursing and Allied Health, or designee.

Transfer and Re-Entry Students

Transfer and re-entry students applying for admission must note on the Application for Admission each regionally-accredited institution they have attended and must provide an official copy of each transcript in order for the College to determine their eligibility to enroll and in order to determine which transfer credits may be applied toward graduation requirements. Transfer students may be required to provide the Catalog and/or syllabi from each of the other institutions attended.

Graduation Honors

Three categories of honors are recognized at graduation. All honor graduates will wear an honor cord at graduation.

• 4.0 Graduates are graduates in a degree/diploma program who have earned an “A” in every course attempted. These graduates will be identified as a perfect 4.00 graduate. The unadjusted cumulative/overall grade point average is used to determine this honor.
• Chancellor’s Honor Graduates (teal cord) are students who have earned an Associate’s degree and/or technical program with an adjusted program grade point average of at least 3.80 on the college-level work attempted for the degree or diploma program.
• Honor Graduates (silver cord) are students who have earned an Associate’s degree and/or technical diploma with an adjusted program grade point average of a 3.50-3.79 on the college-level work attempted for the degree or diploma program.

Degree Designations & GPA

• Associate Degree Recipients – An applied/academic degree program, with a general education core component. The Associate degree can prepare students to enter the workforce or for transfer to a 4-year university. A.A. degrees are usually offered by community colleges and two-year transfer institutions.
• Technical Diploma Recipients - An applied, technical program (45-60 hours), often formed by combining multiple Certificates and/or Certificates of Technical Competency. Technical Diploma programs are strictly limited to technical and community colleges.
• Certificate Recipients – An applied, academic, or technical program (16-34 hours), for which the certificate marks completion of a trade or, in some instances, partial mastery in a subject area.
• Adjusted Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) – This GPA is adjusted to exclude those quality hours and grades that have been removed from the calculation of a student’s grade point average through a repeat/delete policy and/or Academic renewal.
• Cumulative Grade Point Average – This unadjusted grade point average is calculated using all grades earned from all institutions. This is the grade point average used to recognize “4.00 Graduates” at commencement.

Academic Status

There are three categories of academic status: academic good standing, academic probation, and academic suspension. Specific programs within the institution may set higher academic status rules.

• Academic Good Standing – Students whose grade point average is at least 2.00 are in academic good standing.
• Academic Probation – A student is placed on academic probation whenever his or her adjusted cumulative grade point average (GPA) falls below a 2.00. Once on academic probation, a student remains on probation (as long as each semester’s GPA is at least 2.00) until an adjusted cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher is achieved. Students on probation are encouraged to meet with their academic advisor to discuss support services that are available to help students achieve academic success.
• Academic Suspension – Students who are on academic probation and who fail to achieve a semester GPA of at least 2.00 will be suspended for one semester. If a student is put on academic suspension at the conclusion of a spring semester, the student is suspended for the following fall semester. If a student is put on academic suspension at the conclusion of a fall semester, the student is suspended for the following spring semester.      

Enrollment During a Suspension Period

Students who have been suspended may appeal to the Vice-Chancellor  for Education, Training and Student Success if they feel that extenuating circumstances contributed to their unsatisfactory academic performance. Appeals must be submitted prior to the end of regular registration for the semester for which the student wants to enroll. Appeals may be granted or denied. As a condition of enrollment during a suspension period, the courses in which the student is allowed to enroll may be limited. If a suspended student is granted permission to enroll, and earns a semester grade point average of less than 2.00, another one-semester suspension will occur.

Credits earned by students while on suspension may or may not be accepted toward a degree or certificate at other institutions. Individual colleges and universities determine whether students will be awarded credit for courses taken while on suspension. Therefore, all students on suspension who intend to transfer should confer with the transfer institution prior to enrolling.

Academic Appeals Procedure

Only final grades may be appealed by a student. The burden of proof is on the student to demonstrate that the grade is inaccurate. The grade appeal process must be initiated within one month of the final grade being submitted. The grade appeal process is as follows:

Final Grade Appeal Procedure:

• Level 1: The student informally meets with the instructor to discuss the final grade. If, in this informal meeting, it is determined that the grade should be changed, the instructor completes and submits a grade change form. If the instructor is not available to meet face-to-face, email correspondence between the student and the instructor will be regarded as an informal meeting.
• Level 2: If the final grade dispute is not resolved with an informal meeting with the instructor, the student must complete and submit a Grade Appeal Form to the Dean of Instruction or the Dean of Nursing and Allied Health. The Grade Appeal Form will include the instructor’s signature and a letter explaining the student’s reason(s) for the grade appeal and supporting documentation.
• Level 3: If the final grade dispute is not resolved at Level 3 and the student wishes to pursue the appeal, the Dean of Instruction or the Dean of Nursing and Allied Health will submit the Grade Appeal Form, the student’s written explanation and documentation to the Academic Appeals Committee. The Committee, which will consist of at least one faculty member from each division, will review the case.
• The Academic Affairs Committee must:
  1. Recommend to the Vice Chancellor for Education, Training and Student Success a change of grade for the student;
  2. Recommend alternative solutions to resolve the student’s dispute; or
  3. Deny the student’s appeal.
• If the appeal is denied, the student may submit in writing to the Vice Chancellor for Education, Training and Student Success an explanation detailing why the appeal should be reviewed. The decision by the Vice Chancellor for Education, Training and Student Success is final.

Academic Status Determination in Specific Majors

Faculty in a given major may, with the approval from the Vice Chancellor of Education, Training, and Student Success or designee, establish higher academic standards for admission to, continuation in, and/or re-entry to that major. At present, the only areas with such higher academic standards are Emergency Medical Technology, Process Technology-Fast Track, Practical Nursing, and Teaching.