Academic Policies

 Classification of Students

Catalog Choice and Ongoing Enrollment

• Student must declare a degree and/or certificate upon initial enrollment or re-admittance.
• A student’s initial catalog designation will be the academic catalog in effect at the time of initial enrollment. A student’s catalog year can change as a result of the following:
  • A student must maintain ongoing enrollment as described or complete a new change to their declared program of study.
  • A student who adds a degree and/or certificate or makes changes to their program of study will be changed to the current academic year’s catalogs effective at the time of change.
• Students must maintain ongoing enrollment at MCC or any other Arizona community college or state university to remain in their designated catalog.
• Ongoing Enrollment is defined as:
  • A semester/term in which a degree or certificate seeking student earns credit will be counted toward continuous enrollment.
  • Credit earned during summer terms can be used to maintain continuous enrollment status
  • Adult education courses, non-credit courses, audited courses, failed courses, or courses assigned a withdrawal (W) grade are not considered ongoing enrollment.
  • If no credit is earned for three consecutive semesters/terms from date of degree declaration ongoing enrollment requirement will not be maintained.
  • A student who does not maintain ongoing enrollment must use the current catalog at re-enrollment.
• The student will be responsible to fulfill the requirements of the designated catalog.
• The student may not choose a catalog from a previous academic year.
• Students admitted or readmitted for the summer term may follow the requirements of the current or future edition of the catalog.
• If a student is awarded a degree, any future certificates or degrees declared after would be subject to the requirements of the current catalog.
• Students upon admission to specialized programs via the program application process (e.g., dental hygiene, nursing, and paramedic) require a change to their degree declaration that identifies the requirements of the academic year catalog associated with their start date with the program.
• Students may change their declared degree or certificate a maximum of once per semester. The change must be made before the end of the semester’s official add/drop period for semester-length courses. Any change made after that time will go into effect the following semester or summer term.

Note: A student may move forward in catalog publications, but will never be able to move back to a previous published catalog. However, the availability of courses and programs offered in a published catalog are subject to change.

Exceptions to these policies are at the discretion of the program’s dean.

Attendance

Students who fail to attend the first week of an on-ground course or participate within the first week of an online course, and fail to contact the instructor within that first week regarding the absence, will be dropped from the class. A student may appeal this action within a week of being dropped for non-attendance (on-ground) or non-participation (online) by contacting the Associate Dean of Instruction or Program Director at the respective campus. In the event the course instructor is a program director or an associate dean, the appeal will be facilitated by the Dean of the student’s program. Faculty will verify their final student rosters by the fourteenth (14) day of the term to the Registrar. The College reserves the right to withdraw students from classes at any time during the semester. For further information, please see the Withdrawal section in the College Catalog and/or Student Handbook.

Note: A class that has been dropped due to non-attendance can affect a student’s financial aid or VA education benefits. If you have any questions regarding the effects of a dropped class, please contact MCC Connect.

Grading Standards

MCC student grades are available online at JICS/myMohave. Students are strongly encouraged to check their MCC online transcript every semester. Transcripts serve as an official record of all classes for which a grade is received. A transcript includes withdrawals but excludes drops. The Grade Point Average (GPA) is a measurement of a student’s academic achievement, calculated by dividing quality points (Q.Pts) by the GPA Hours (HGPA) listed on the student’s transcript. To maintain good academic standing a student must have a cumulative career GPA of at least 2.0. Only course work that has been successfully completed will be used toward meeting requirements for a degree or certificate.

Any discrepancies that may be on the transcript must be brought to the attention of the Registrar’s Office within one calendar year of the completion of the course(s) in question. If a student believes they have been given an unfair grade, the student may pursue a Grade Related Grievance: Grade Appeal.

All grades earned will remain on the official transcript. Letter grades earn grade points according to the “Grading Standard” schedule.

Grading Standards

All grades earned will remain on the official transcript. Letter grades earn grade points according to the “Grading Standard” schedule.

  *Adequate progress in early course objectives; mastery of all course objectives has not yet been met.

Note: Zero-level courses are pass/fail (S/U) graded courses and are not intended for college transfer. They do not count toward degree or certificate requirements and are not part of the grade point average calculation. However, zero-level courses may be required prior to enrollment into a course(s) needed for graduation. This would be determined by course placement procedures and degree/certificate requirements.

Healthcare Professions Grading: Successful completion of each program course with a “B” or better is required to progress to a subsequent course with the exception of RAD and MEA courses which require a “C” or better to progress to the subsequent course.

Recognition of Academic Achievement

Dean’s List:

• Students who, in the semester under consideration, have earned at least 12 semester hours in courses numbered 100 or above with a semester grade point average of 3.5 or better, are eligible for the Dean’s List.
• Students who have met the qualifications will be recognized as superior students by the college, and their names will be published on the Dean’s List each semester.
• Students receiving a grade of “I” may be eligible for retroactive Dean’s List designation upon conversion of the “I” to a permanent grade.

Student Honors List:

• Part-time students who have accumulated 12 or more credit hours in courses of 100 level or above may be eligible for the Honors List.
• To qualify for the list, students must have completed a minimum of six credits in courses numbered 100 or above with a semester GPA of 3.5 or better, in the semester under consideration.
• Students who qualify for this list will be recognized by the college and their names will be published on the Honors List.
• Students receiving a grade of “I” may be eligible for retroactive Honors List designation upon conversion of the “I” to a permanent grade.

Auditing

• A course may be repeated beyond the stated limits of the Repeat Policy as an Audit.
• No audits are allowed for medical programs or special courses unless the student is accepted into the program as a formal student.
• Students will only be allowed to enroll in a course as audit during the add/drop period of each class section on a space-available basis and only after the class has met the minimum enrollment of for-credit students.
• The AU designation will be assigned at the time of enrollment and an AU grade will appear on the official MCC transcript.
• No credit will be given for audited courses; audit courses do not count as part of the term’s credit load or as credit toward graduation.

Note: The auditing fee per credit hour is determined by the student’s classification under the established tuition rates, in addition to the Student Activity Fee, the Technology Fee, and all course fees. Students will not receive financial aid or VA education benefits for audited courses.

 Incomplete

• Incomplete is a temporary designation generally given only in an emergency situation, such as illness, which results in the student’s inability to complete objectives.
• A student must have successfully completed 75 percent of the course objectives, as determined by the instructor, for the “I” designation.
• The period to complete objectives shall not exceed seven weeks after the last official day of the course, or the course grade will be converted to an “F.”
  • Specialized programs which include clinicals and/or internships/externships may exceed the 7-week limit, up until the end of the following semester, with approval from the Dean of the student’s program
• A written agreement by the faculty member specifying the necessary objectives and period of time within which they need to be completed shall be sent to the student with a copy to the Dean of the student’s program.

Withdrawal

• A course withdrawal is a student initiated grade. A student who follows the withdrawal process will receive a “W” grade.
• Withdrawals are non-refundable. Students who withdraw from a course are financially responsible for the course and must repay any financial obligation (i.e., financial aid).
• No earned credits for the course will be awarded, however, attempted credits for the course will be recorded on the student’s transcript.
• Students may withdraw from a course during the withdrawal dates published in the Academic Calendar.
• It is the student’s responsibility to submit a withdrawal form for each course in which the student wishes to be withdrawn. Ceasing to attend does not constitute a withdrawal.
• A student who stops attending a course and does not follow the withdrawal process will receive the grade earned for all assignments and exams given during the course. This grade could be a “U” or an “F”.
• The student makes the withdrawal request via JICS/myMohave. Read the Withdrawal Process Instructions for step-by-step instructions.

Steps for the student to take prior to filling out the withdrawal form:

1. Check your student account to ensure a zero balance.
2. Contact an advisor to find out how you will be financially impacted.
3. E-mail or speak with the course instructor to inform them of your intent to withdraw.

NOTE: Determining Last Date of Enrollment

The last date of attendance may also be determined based on an academically related activity such as an exam, a tutorial, computer-assisted instruction, turning in a class assignment or attending a study group assigned by the instructor and/or participating in an online discussion about academic matters.

Attending for a brief period of time or logging in for an online course does not constitute attendance.

If a student notifies MCC of intent to withdraw, either orally or in writing, does not withdraw at that time but subsequently withdraws, the first date of notification will be used in establishing the date of withdrawal.

If MCC determines that a student did not begin the withdrawal process due to illness, accident, grievous personal loss, or other such circumstances beyond the student’s control, the date that MCC determines is related to that circumstance will be used as the official date of withdrawal.

If a student dropped out without notifying MCC (unofficial withdrawal), the student’s withdrawal date will be the midpoint of the semester or one of the previously mentioned activity dates if that date can be documented. Students who drop out are those who earn no credit for the semester or only earn credit in a seminar course.

Additional information can be found at: https://www.mohave.edu/paying-for-college/financial-aid/

Administrative Withdrawal (WR Grade)

The college reserves the right to withdraw students from classes at any time during the semester.

A student may be administratively withdrawn for four reasons:

Grade Related Grievance: Grade Appeal

Mohave Community College has an appeal process with regard to the assignment of a final grade for a class.

Appeals of final grades should only be made in cases where a student’s final grade is inconsistent with course expectations as documented in the syllabus.  A grade appeal can only be submitted within ninety (90) days of the last day of the semester.

To appeal a final grade the following process needs to be followed:

1. In an effort to resolve the issue, the student MUST meet with the MCC faculty. In the event that this fails to produce a resolution, the student may proceed to step 2.
2. To submit a grade appeal, begin by clicking here. The appeal should explain how the student’s final grade is inconsistent with documented course expectations for review by the associate dean/program director supervising the faculty. At this time, the student should provide all documentation that supports their position. After submitting the Grade Appeal Form, the student may receive a request from the associate dean/program director for additional information and/or further clarification.  The student will receive notification of the resolution of their appeal no later than 10 business days from either submission of a grade appeal form or the request for additional information, whichever is later. Students may experience a possible delay to grade appeal resolution outside the traditional academic calendar. (Most departments work only during the fall and spring semesters).  If the student wishes to dispute the resolution by the associate dean/program director, the student may proceed to step 3.
3. Student must submit a written petition to the Dean of the student’s program explaining why the associate dean/program director’s review of the grade appeal and resolution was incorrect in determining that the student’s final grade is not inconsistent with documented course expectations.  The associate dean/program director will forward the Grade Appeal Form, any student documentation, and the notice of resolution provided to the student to the Dean of the student’s program. The decision of the Dean is final.

Academic Standing

To maintain good academic standing a student must have a cumulative career GPA of at least 2.0.

Academic Probation

A student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA) must remain at a minimum of 2.0 or better for a student to continue working toward a degree/certificate without restrictions. If the student’s cumulative GPA falls below the minimum of 2.0, the student will be placed on academic probation.

• The student will remain on academic probation as long as their semester or summer term GPA is 2.0 or above and their cumulative GPA is less than 2.0.
• If, while the student is on academic probation, they earn less than a 2.0 GPA for the following semester or summer term, they will be academically dismissed.
• While on probation, the student will be limited to a maximum course load of 10 credit hours per semester or 6 credit hours per summer term.

• If a student successfully completes a short term course(s) and raises their cumulative GPA to a 2.0 or above within a given semester/term, a student may then be allowed to exceed the maximum course load of credit hours in the given semester with the approval of the Registrar’s Office.

• When the student improves their cumulative GPA to 2.0 GPA, the student will be removed from academic probation.

Academic Dismissal

Academic dismissal is defined as:

• The written notification from the registrar that the student has been dismissed from MCC for one semester (fall/spring) on the basis of their academic record.
• Students meeting the criteria for academic probation for two consecutive semesters will be subject to dismissal.
• Students who have been dismissed and want to reapply can do so after one semester of non-registration by following the Readmission for Academically Dismissed Students process.

Readmission for Academically Dismissed Students

Students who are academically dismissed cannot enroll in any classes during the fall/spring semester following their dismissal. The following steps are noted below:

1. Those who wish to be considered for readmission after that semester must seek approval from the associate dean on their local campus.
2. A request for re-admission must be made in writing and must include reasons why readmission should be considered.
3. If the request is approved, the student will be required to meet with an advisor to formulate a detailed plan for course completion.
4. Students who are readmitted will have a restricted academic load.
5. Upon readmission, the associate dean will notify the registrar, the office of the Dean of the student’s program, and Student Services of the decision and explain the academic restrictions.

Note: Readmission to the college does not necessarily mean readmission to a specific program. Dismissal from an Health Professions program does not necessarily mean dismissal from MCC. In the absence of an associate dean, the Dean of the student’s program may handle the process.

Academic Amnesty

Mohave Community College permits students to have up to two terms of 100- and 200-level coursework excluded from figuring in their cumulative grade point average. Its primary assistance will be for those trying to raise their cumulative GPA to a minimum of 2.0 to meet eligibility for graduation (in cases where all other requirements have been met). 

• Academic amnesty can be granted only once and is irrevocable. 
• It applies to ALL 100- and 200-level courses in the entire term, no matter what the grade (A-F). 
• Because all amnesty-designated grades remain on the student’s transcript, other educational institutions may consider all coursework listed on the transcript when a student transfers. 
• Amnesty will not remove probation/dismissal designations, nor will it assist in determining financial aid eligibility. 
• As per federal financial aid regulations, amnestied courses must still count toward maximum time frame financial aid eligibility.

Note: The coursework to be amnestied must have been taken at least three years previous to the time of the request. Example: a petition for courses taken in the fall semester of 2019 cannot be submitted until the end of the fall semester of 2022.

Challenge Exam

A Challenge Exam is a test that a student may take in order to “test out” of a course.

• It may be taken only after enrolling in selected courses offered by the college.
• The cost of a Challenge Exam is the tuition and fees.
• Students must request to take the exam within the scheduled add/drop period.
• Not all courses can be challenged.
• Students should meet with the appropriate faculty member or program director to discuss a course on the Challenge Exams table and what its requirements are.
• If a “C” or higher is earned on the exam, the student will have successfully completed the course and will not be allowed to attend any further class sessions.
• The grade received on the challenge exam will appear on the official transcript and will count in the GPA computation.
• If the grade earned is less than a “C,” the student has the choice of accepting the exam grade or continuing to attend the class to try to improve the grade.
• Students will not be allowed to drop or receive a refund for any courses that are challenged.

For a complete list of courses that may be challenged, see the Challenge Exams  table.

Repeating Classes

Specific MCC academic programs and financial aid limit the number of times a course may be repeated. Where the requirements of those programs are more stringent, they supersede this procedure. Exceptions to the following course repeat limits require the written approval of the Dean of the student’s program.

A student may repeat the following courses up to one time after the initial attempt:

• Courses with the most current grade of B, C, D, or F.
• Courses in music and theatre performance.

Students may repeat as necessary:

• Precollege Studies courses, in order to raise the skill level for success in college-level work, as authorized by an advisor.
• Courses to acquire certification (e.g., First Aid). Note: This is not to be confused with earning an MCC Certificate of Proficiency.
• Courses to update knowledge and/or skills due to periodic content changes (e.g., Tax Preparation).
• Any course in which a “W” is received.

Only the higher of repeated course grades will be factored into computing the grade point average for academic dismissal or probation. All grades will be posted on the student’s permanent record and transcript. Credit courses at MCC will only be counted once toward fulfilling the credit requirements for any degree or certificate.

Independent Study

If a student wishes to take a class by Independent Study, they must meet with an associate dean or a program director to see if the student meets the Independent Study application requirements. The Dean of the student’s program will have final approval of the application before a student may register for the class. The determination to offer a student an Independent Study shall be based upon a substantial rationale. The guidelines are listed below:

• The student has a minimum GPA of 2.5.
• The student has declared a degree or certificate and must complete the course in the current semester in order to meet graduation requirements.
• The course requested for independent study is not offered during the semester or summer session in other modalities (on another campus or online).
• The course is needed for the student to be able to continue in a progression of sequential courses (e.g., a 200-level course is required, but class enrollment does not meet requirement for regular course offering).

Student Guarantee Program

Any associate of applied science (AAS) graduate who is judged by their employer to be lacking in the technical job skills identified in the exit competencies for their specific degree program will be provided up to nine tuition-free credit hours of additional skill training if they meet all of the following conditions:

• The graduate must have earned the AAS degree in May 2018 or later in an occupational program identified in the college catalog.
• The graduate must have completed the AAS degree at MCC (with a majority of the credits being earned at MCC) and must have completed the degree within a four-year time span.
• Graduates must be employed full-time in an area directly related to the area of program concentration.
• Employment must commence within 12 months of graduation.
• The employer must certify, in writing, that the employee is lacking entry-level skills identified by MCC as the employee’s program competencies and must specify the areas of deficiency within 90 days of the graduate’s initial employment.
• The employer, graduate, faculty, and associate dean must develop a written education plan for retraining. The plan is to be approved by the Dean of the student’s program.
• Retraining is limited to nine credit hours related to the identified skill deficiency and to those classes regularly scheduled during the period covered by the retraining plan.
• All retraining must be completed within a calendar year from the time the educational plan is agreed upon.
• The graduate and/or employer is responsible for cost of books, insurance, uniforms, fees, and other course-related expenses.
• The guarantee does not imply that the graduate will pass any licensing or qualifying examination.
• The graduate’s sole remedy against MCC and its employees for skill deficiencies shall be limited to nine credit hours of tuition-free education under conditions described above.  

Student Rights and Responsibilities

 FERPA Information - Students’ Right to Privacy

All inquiries regarding a student’s official educational records should be made through the Registrar’s Office. The following paragraphs in this publication serve as the student’s annual notification of their FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) rights:

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) affords a student certain rights with respect to their education records. A student has the right to:

1. Inspect and review the student’s own education records within 45 days of the day the college receives a request for access. A student should submit, to the registrar, a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The registrar will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the record(s) may be inspected.
2. Request an amendment of the education record that the student believes is inaccurate or misleading. A student may ask the college to amend a record that is believed to be inaccurate or misleading. The written request should be addressed to the registrar, clearly identify the part of the record that is to be changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the college decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the college will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. Consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the college in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research capacity, or a support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the college has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

In addition, as of January 3, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education’s FERPA regulations expanded the circumstances under which a student’s education records and personally identifiable information (PII) contained in such records — including student Social Security Number, grades, or other private information — may be accessed without student consent. First, the U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or state and local education authorities (“Federal and State Authorities”) may allow access to student records and PII without student consent to any third party designated by a Federal or State Authority to evaluate a federal- or state-supported education program. The evaluation may relate to any program that is “principally engaged in the provision of education,” such as early childhood education and job training, as well as any program administered by an education agency or institution. Second, Federal and State Authorities may allow access to student education records and PII without student consent to researchers performing certain types of studies, in certain cases even when we object to or do not request such research. Federal and State Authorities must obtain certain use-restriction and data security promises from the entities that they authorize to receive student PII, but the Authorities need not maintain direct control over such entities. In addition, in connection with Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, State Authorities may collect, compile, permanently retain, and share without student consent PII from student education records. They may track student participation in education and other programs by linking such PII to other personal information about a student that they obtain from other Federal or State data sources, including workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, military service, and migrant student records systems.

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

According to FERPA, its amendments, and the final rule of the U.S. Department of Education, the only information which may be released without the student’s written consent is directory information.

At MCC, directory information includes name, address, e-mail address, phone numbers, photographs, most recent previous school attended, MCC ID number, major field of study, campus attended, status (e.g., in-state/out-of-state status, current enrollment, dates of attendance, full-time/part-time, withdrawn, degrees awarded), honors received (e.g., Dean’s List, Honors List, PTK), participation in activities and sports, and weight and height of athletic team members. 

Current and former students may withhold disclosures of “Directory Information” under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, by submitting written notification to the Office of the Registrar. Failure on the part of any student to specifically request that “Directory Information” be withheld indicates individual approval for disclosure. Please note two important details regarding placing a “No Release” on a student record:

1. The College receives inquiries for directory information from a variety of sources outside the institution, including prospective employers, the news media and honor societies. Having a “No Release” on a record will preclude release of such information, even to those people.  It will preclude a name being listed in the graduation program, for example.
2. A “No Release” applies to all elements of directory information on a record. MCC does not apply a “No Release” differentially to the various directory information data elements.

Per the FERPA Act, parents and/or legal guardians may request personally identifiable information from the educational records of an “eligible student” (a student age 18 or older or enrolled in a postsecondary institution at any age). The student must be  a “dependent student” as that term is defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code. The requesting parent/legal guardian must have claimed the student as a dependent on the parent’s/legal guardian’s most recent income tax statement. Tax documentation must be provided at the time of the request before any non-directory or personally identifiable information regarding the student and/or their account will be released. Mohave Community College may disclose the student’s educational records to the requesting parents/legal guardian without the consent of the student, after receipt and approval of the requested documentation. Please contact the Registrar’s Office for further information.

MCC employees (including contracted temporary staff) who suspect there may have been a possible FERPA violation regarding any MCC student, past or present, must immediately report the suspected violation to their supervisor. Supervisors are expected to immediately notify the MCC Registrar’s Office.

A copy of the FERPA Act, more details about student rights, and any College policies related to the FERPA Act are available from the Registrar’s Office. For questions concerning FERPA, contact the Registrar’s Office.

Student Handbook

All students are expected to be familiar with the details provided in the Student Handbook . Failure to read the policies and procedures will not be justification for noncompliance. Mohave Community College reserves the right to change or withdraw curriculum, policies, tuition, or any other matters contained in this handbook without notice.

Student Code of Conduct

Mohave Community College recognizes that all students, as members of the college community, enjoy the freedom of speech and assembly, freedom of association, freedom of the press, right of petition, and the right of due process. These rights do not come without responsibilities and respect for others in the college community. Attendance at MCC is a privilege and not a right, and enrollment at Mohave Community College carries with it obligations in regard to conduct, both in and out of the classroom.

Mohave Community College acknowledges that in the course of discussion, debate, and classroom lectures, individuals may find certain topics disagreeable or uncomfortable. These circumstances are an inevitable component of the learning process and should not be considered detrimental when conducted with respect and courtesy. However, Mohave Community College has zero tolerance for threatening or violent language or behavior among its employees, students, or visitors. Examples of such behavior include but are not limited to:

• threats of intended violence against persons or property,
• physical assault on persons or property, verbal assault such as name calling, degrading, screaming, threatening, criticizing, berating, or humiliating, comments of intentional racial, ethnic, religious or sexual insult, actions of harassment such as bullying, hazing, pushing, or stalking,
• other demonstrations of immediate or planned violence.

Note: Weapons of any kind are prohibited on campus or at any off-campus college function unless specifically approved as part of a classroom activity. Offenders will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Students are responsible for knowing and understanding the contents of the MCC Student Code of Conduct  and Student Bill of Rights. Students are also responsible for abiding by the laws governing the college and are expected to observe standards of conduct set by the college.

 Student Honor Policy

To support a climate of academic honesty, Mohave Community College adopts an Honor Policy that reflects the fundamental right of all students to an education based on a code of academic integrity and responsibility within the college community. The Honor Policy gives the responsibility for assuring academic integrity to the entire college academic community: students, faculty, and the academic administration. Mohave Community College expects students to engage in all academic pursuits in a manner that is beyond reproach, and it expects faculty and the academic administration to fully support the MCC Honor Policy. Students found in violation of the MCC Honor Policy outlined in the MCC Student Code of Conduct  and the Student Handbook  are subject to academic, and where appropriate, disciplinary sanctions.