Academic Policies

 Classification of Students

• Freshman: A student who has successfully completed 27 or fewer college-level credits.
• Sophomore: A student who has successfully completed 28 or more college-level credits.
• Part-Time Student: A student who is enrolled in fewer than 12 college-level credits during a specific semester/summer term.
• Full-Time Student: A student who is enrolled in 12-18 college-level credits during a specific semester/summer term.

Writing Across the Curriculum

Mohave Community College firmly supports the idea that writing can be used to improve education. Writing is a basic and fundamental communication skill. Students who write in their respective content areas will learn more and retain more of what they learn than those who don’t. Courses in the core curriculum have been identified as “Writing Across the Curriculum” courses. These courses require written assignments for which both the content and the writing skills will be evaluated. MCC believes that this program will increase the writing skills of students and will directly affect their success at transfer institutions as well as in the business environments where they may be employed. Those who write well will increase the probability of their success in whatever field or profession they choose to pursue.

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 his/her semester or summer term GPA is 2.0 or above and his/her cumulative GPA is less than 2.0. If, while the student is on academic probation, s/he earns less than a 2.0 GPA for the following semester or summer term, s/he 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. When the student improves his/her cumulative GPA to 2.0 GPA, the student will be removed from academic probation. The GPA must remain at 2.0 or higher to avoid 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 his/her 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. Those who wish to be considered for readmission after that semester must seek approval from their local campus academic chair. A request for re-admission must be made in writing and must include reasons why readmission should be considered. If the request is approved, the student will be required to meet with a campus director of student services to formulate a detailed plan for course completion. Students who are readmitted will have a restricted academic load. Upon readmission, the campus academic chair will notify the registrar, the Offices of Instruction, and Student Services of the decision and explain the academic restrictions. Readmission to the college does not necessarily mean readmission to a specific program.

Academic Amnesty

Mohave Community College permits students to have up to two consecutive terms of 100- and 200-level coursework excluded from figuring in their cumulative grade point average. 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. 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).

The coursework to be amnestied must have been taken at least five years previous to the time of the request. Example: a petition for courses taken in the fall semester of 2012 cannot be submitted until the end of the fall semester of 2017. This request cannot be processed if the student is indebted to the college in any way.

Choice of Catalog

In determining certificate or degree graduation requirements, Mohave Community College students may use only one edition of the catalog. Students maintaining ongoing enrollment at MCC or any other state of Arizona community college or state university may graduate from MCC according to the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of initial enrollment or according to the requirements of any single MCC catalog in effect during subsequent terms of ongoing enrollment. This is dependent upon the availability of the courses and programs being offered at MCC at that time. Once a catalog year has been chosen by the student, any further change of catalog to a year prior to the one chosen cannot be made.

A semester in which a student earns at least three course credits is counted toward ongoing enrollment. Adult education courses, non-credit courses, audited courses, failed courses, or courses from which students withdraw do not count toward the determination of ongoing enrollment for catalog purposes.

Students who do not meet the minimum enrollment standards stipulated above during two consecutive semesters (fall/spring or spring/fall) are no longer considered enrolled in an ongoing status and must meet the requirements of the MCC catalog in effect at the time they are readmitted or the requirements of any single catalog in effect during subsequent terms of ongoing enrollment after readmission.

Students admitted or readmitted to MCC during a summer term must follow the requirements of the catalog in effect the previous spring semester or the requirements of any single catalog in effect during subsequent terms of ongoing enrollment.

Students transferring to Arizona public higher education institutions must meet the admission requirements, residency requirements, and all curricular and academic requirements of that degree-granting institution.

Students who complete a degree program and elect to pursue another degree are subject to the degree requirements of the catalog at the time they select the new degree. Students admitted into an MCC specialized program are subject to the degree requirements in effect at the time of their program admission (e.g., dental hygiene, nursing, and paramedic programs).

Students wishing to earn a certificate or degree at Mohave Community College must have a degree declaration on file. The declaration must be made at the time of initial enrollment at MCC or re-enrollment if the student is a returning student. The effective date of the declaration is the date the declaration is signed by the student.

Continuing students wishing to change their declared degree or certificate may do so 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.

  Grades

At the end of the semester, students will receive grades in each of their courses. MCC does not require a mid-term grade. However, students doing below-average work will be notified by the faculty member. Grades will not be recorded for cancelled courses. MCC student grades are available online at myMohave.

Students are strongly encouraged to check their MCC online transcripts every semester. Transcripts serve as an official record of all classes for which a grade is received. A transcript includes withdrawals but excludes drops. 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. Transcript investigation requests that do not meet the appropriate timeline will not be accepted. If students believe they have been given an unfair grade, they may pursue an appeal of the grade by following the grade-related grievance procedure described below.

  Grade Related Grievance: Grade Appeal

Level 1 – Informal Grade Appeal Process

A student must challenge a course grade within thirty (30) working days of the conclusion of the course by contacting the course instructor. The instructor will answer questions and concerns and/or offer a resolution to the grade challenge. If the course is a spring semester course and the course grade is posted less than thirty (30) days prior to the end of the semester, the student will have thirty (30) working days from the start of the following fall semester to contact the instructor.

Level 2 – Formal Grade Appeal Process

1. Within ten (10) working days of the Level 1 resolution offer, a student wishing further action on the grade appeal must complete and return a Student Grievance Resolution Form. The Student Grievance Resolution Form must be returned along with any documentation that supports the grievance to the campus director of student services, who will forward a copy of the grade appeal to the instructor and campus academic chair/program director. The student should keep a copy of his/her completed Student Grievance Resolution Form and supporting documentation, as those documents will be needed if the grievance moves on to Level 3 of the process. The campus director of student services will be the liaison between the student and the campus academic chair/program director, who will act as the hearing officer at the formal grievance hearing.
2. Within ten (10) working days of the receipt of the Student Grievance Resolution Form, the instructor’s academic chair/director shall convene a Mediation Hearing Committee composed of the student, the instructor, and the instructor’s academic chair or program director. The academic chair/director will serve as chair of the hearing committee. The purpose of the hearing is to provide an opportunity for all parties to discuss the grade and present supporting documentation. Mediation Hearing Committee sessions are closed to observers; however, any or all parties may have an on-campus person accompany them during the hearing. If the student and instructor do not come to an agreement during the hearing, the chair will resolve the matter, either prior to the close of the hearing or within ten (10) working days following the hearing.
3. Within ten (10) working days of the meeting date, the Mediation Hearing Committee chair will, in writing, inform the student and the instructor of his/her decision. Note: In cases where the instructor cannot be contacted by registered mail, the campus academic chair or program director, the campus dean, and the registrar may certify grade changes only if the grade change is supported by substantive evidence.

Level 3 – Appeal to Campus Dean Process

1. Within ten (10) working days of the Level 2 decision, a student wishing further action on the grade appeal must submit a written statement of appeal, a copy of his/her completed Student Grievance Resolution Form, a copy of the Mediation Hearing Committee chair’s decision, and any supporting documentation to the campus dean.
2. Within ten (10) working days of the receipt of the appeal documents, the campus dean will conduct an investigation of the grade appeal, render a decision on the appeal, and inform the student, the instructor, the campus academic chair or program director, and the dean of instruction of his/her decision.

The campus dean’s decision is the final decision of the college, and no further appeal is available. All records regarding decisions and actions taken regarding the grievance will be housed in the office of the dean of instruction. Note: Semester breaks, vacations, etc., may affect the resolution timeline.

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 assessment testing and degree/certificate requirements.

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. Any student who does not meet the prerequisite(s) for a course must receive the approval of the instructor and academic chair before being allowed to audit the course. 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; audited courses do not count as part of the term’s credit load or as credit toward graduation.

Tuition for auditing courses is set at $78.00 per credit hour, 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. This “I” designation must be changed to a permanent grade other than “W” within a period of time determined by the faculty member at the time the “I” designation is assigned. 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.” 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 student’s permanent file in the Office of the Registrar.

Withdrawal

It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from a course. Ceasing to attend the course does not constitute a withdrawal. A student who stops attending class and does not follow the official withdrawal procedure will receive the grade earned for all assignments and exams given during the course. This grade could be a “U” or an “F.”

A student who follows the procedure will receive a “W” grade for the course and it will be documented on the student’s transcript. No earned credits for the withdrawn course will be awarded; however, attempted credits for the withdrawn course will be recorded on the student’s transcript.

Students may withdraw from a credit course during the published withdrawal dates on the Academic Calendar .

Withdrawals are non-refundable. Students who withdraw from courses are financially responsible for the course and must repay any financial obligation (i.e., financial aid).

Administrative Withdrawal (WR Grade)

The college reserves the right to withdraw students from classes at any time during the semester. An instructor must issue an administrative withdrawal (WR1 grade) due to non-attendance on the first day of class and/or during the first week of class (on-ground and ITV classes) or non-participation during the first 48 hours and/or during the first week of class (online classes). A student may appeal a WR1 grade by following the grade appeal procedure described in the previous section. Grade appeals on WR1 withdrawals will not be processed after the 45^th calendar day of the semester.

A student may be administratively withdrawn for four reasons:

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.

Honor’s List: Part-time students who have accumulated 12 or more credit hours in courses of 100 level or above may be eligible for the Honor’s 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 Honor’s List. Students receiving a grade of “I” may be eligible for retroactive Honor’s List designation upon conversion of the “I” to a permanent grade.

Challenge Exam

For information regarding a Challenge Exam, see Challenge Exam  under the Admissions and Registration section of this catalog.

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 instruction.

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

• Courses where the most current grade is a 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 a student services specialist.
• 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 the repeated course grade(s) will be used in computing the grade point average. 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, s/he must meet with the campus director of student services to see if the student meets the Independent Study application requirements. An academic chair must recommend 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 his/her employer to be lacking in the technical job skills identified in the exit competencies for his/her specific degree program will be provided up to nine tuition-free credit hours of additional skill training if s/he meets all of the following conditions:

• The graduate must have earned the AAS degree in May 1990 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 academic chair must develop a written education plan for retraining. The plan is to be approved by the dean of instruction.
• 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 records should be made through the Office of the Registrar. The following paragraphs in this publication serves as the student’s annual notification of his/her 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 his/her 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 his/her 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 expand the circumstances under which your education records and personally identifiable information (PII) contained in such records — including your Social Security Number, grades, or other private information — may be accessed without your 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 your records and PII without your 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 your education records and PII without your 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 your 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 your consent PII from your education records.  They may track your participation in education and other programs by linking such PII to other personal information about you 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, date and place of birth, photographs, most recent previous school attended, MCC ID number, major field of study, campus attended, status (including current enrollment, dates of attendance, full-time/part-time, withdrawn, degrees awarded), honors received (e.g., Dean’s List, Honor’s list, PTK), participation in activities and sports, and weight and height of athletic team members.

Students currently enrolled may withhold disclosures of “Directory Information” under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. Written notification must be received in the Office of the Registrar prior to the first day of class each semester. 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.

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, call MCC Connect at 866-MOHAVE CC (866-664-2832) or 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. The Mohave Community College Governing Board 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, and other demonstrations of immediate or planned violence. 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 are subject to academic, and where appropriate, disciplinary sanctions.

For catalog concerns and/or recommendations: mcccatalog@mohave.edu. Powered by the Acalog™ Academic Catalog Management System™ (ACMS™).