Online Orientation - Section 4

Academic Regulations

Yuba College has many regulations, some of which are mandated by the State. As a college student it is your responsibility to know and adhere to these regulations. There are three documents that you must become familiar with:

• Yuba College Catalog/Catalog Rights
  When you complete this online orientation and present the confirmation that you passed the quiz successfully, you will receive the catalog for the current academic year. The catalog provides a wealth of knowledge about Yuba College including the academic regulations, general requirements for graduation, specific requirements for each degree and certificate offered, an overview of student services, information regarding transfer requirements, and a listing of all courses offered by the College along with course descriptions. The single most important item to remember about the catalog is the term "Catalog Rights". Let’s say you entered the College in the Fall ’06 semester. You will fall under the requirements for the 2006/2007 catalog year. When you are ready to file for graduation (for a degree or certificate) you have the choice of either fulfilling the requirements under your catalog, or selecting the requirements under the current-year catalog. Catalog Rights can turn out to be very important to you if significant changes are made in either the general education requirements, or the requirements for the degree/certificate you are pursuing, sometime after your initial year of enrollment. As an example, both the writing competency and math competency requirements for graduation were raised to higher level courses recently. Students who had catalog rights from prior years were/are able to graduate under the previous requirements. In order to maintain your catalog rights you must be enrolled in at least one semester during a calendar year (summers are excluded). So if you originally enrolled in Fall ’06, skipped Spring ’07, you would have to enroll in Fall ’07 to maintain your catalog rights. Catalog Rights do not apply changes in course or program prerequisites. The current Yuba College catalog is available online. Note: as stated the Catalog you receive at orientation is free. Subsequent catalogs may be purchased at the registration counter or at the bookstore. Also,
  
  
• Schedule of Classes
  The Schedule of Classes is a listing of course offerings, including class days, time, dates, room location, and course instructor. The Schedule is published twice each year: in late April for summer/fall classes; and in late November for spring classes. The Schedule of Classes also lists the schedule for final exams. The current schedule of classes is available online.
  
  
• Student Handbook
  The handbook lists important information including college services and information such as Code of Conduct, which covers student’s rights and responsibilities; and various procedures, rules and regulations. Handbooks are distributed at orientation, and are also available at the registration counter and in the Student Services Center (Bldg 100-B).

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all sessions of each class for which they are enrolled. The specific negative impact for nonattendance is determined by the course instructor, and should be mentioned in the course syllabus. You must attend the first class meeting to save your seat. However, and this point cannot be emphasized enough, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DROP A COURSE. Even if you miss the first class meeting, or haven’t paid your enrollment fees, you still must drop the course. Students may have been dropped by their instructor in the past, and then they assume that another instructor will likewise drop them. Failing to drop by the refund deadline (discussed later) means that you will have to pay the enrollment fee for the course, even if you quit attending. Failing to drop by the grade penalty deadline (also discussed later) means that you will get an “F” for the course, even if you never attended!

Prerequisites and Corequisites

The purpose of prerequisites, corequisites and advisories is to enhance a student’s chance of success in a desired course. A prerequisite is a course (or equivalent skill or prior experience) that a student must pass (or must possess) before enrolling in a more advanced course. An example of a prerequisite is the requirement to take Biology 15 or 1 before enrolling Biology 4 (Human Anatomy). A corequisite is a course in which a student must enroll at the same time as (or before) enrolling in the desired course. An example of a corequisite is the requirement to be enrolled in BCA 13B when enrolled in Accounting 1L. An advisory is a course that a student is encouraged (but not required) to take before enrolling in a more advanced course. An example of an advisory is the recommendation to take Math 7 before enrolling in Math 1A. As a prerequisite to taking any English, math or reading course course, a student must have either placed into the course based on the Placement Exam, or have completed the prerequisite course.

Students have the option of challenging course prerequisites by completing a "PREREQUISITE CHALLENGE FORM", which can be obtained from the registration counter or the Counseling Office. A prerequisite challenge requires a written explanation of the alternative course work, background or abilities which, in the student’s opinion, adequately prepares them for the course. Documentation supporting the statement must be provided. The faculty teaching the course being challenged, and the Division Dean, review the statement and documentation. During the registration period students who submit a challenge are allowed to register for the class, pending the outcome of the challenge. If the challenge is denied the student’s registration in the class is cancelled.

Incomplete Courses

At some point in your academic career you may encounter a situation wherein you are unable to complete all of the requirements for a course due to an unforeseeable emergency, or other justifiable reason. After discussing the situation with your instructor he/she may opt to give you an Incomplete ("I"). The instructor is required to fill out an Incomplete Grade form, listing the specific requirements of the course that need to be completed (e.g. final project; final exam). You have the following semester to make up the incomplete requirement (s). If you fail to meet this deadline the "I" automatically turns into an "F".

Repeated Courses

Some courses are progressive in nature and provide an expanded educational experience when repeated. These courses are identified by the letter "R" following the course number. The maximum number of repeats available for a specific "R" course is listed in the course description. Courses without an "R" designation can be repeated ONCE if a grade of "D", "F" or "NC" is earned. The best grade will count in the grade point average. The student may not repeat the course for a third time unless a student petition is submitted and approved. When a "Non R" course is repeated the higher grade is used in the calculation of the cumulative GPA.

Academic Renewal

State guidelines permit the alleviation of substandard grades ("D", "F", "NC" ) when it can be determined that these grades are not reflective of the student’s true academic ability, as demonstrated in more recent academic work. If a student’s academic work subsequent to the semester in which the last last bad grade was earned meets the unit/grade point academic renewal requirement (refer to Academic Renewal in the catalog) the student should meet with his/her counselor to prepare a Student Petition for Academic Renewal). Academic Renewal is used by students who need to raise their grade point average (GPA) to qualify for financial aid/scholarships and transfer requirements. Typically, an academic renewal petition is submitted by a student who "crashed and burned" in their initial semesters of academic work at the College. They dropped out or more often were academically dismissed, worked full time for several years, and then decided to come back to college to get the training needed for enhanced career options. Upon returning with a higher level of motivation, and a clearer educational/career goal, the student’s GPA shows marked improvement, but the old grades continue having an impact on the cumulative GPA.

Note: Even with academic renewal the grades remain on the transcript, but are coded and not included in the calculation of the cumulative GPA (like repeated courses). Don’t make the mistake of digging a "GPA hole". If you are not clear why you are in College, or if you do not have at least rough idea of an educational/career goal, schedule an appointment with your counselor!

Probation and Dismissal

Students are required to maintain a cumulative GPA over 2.0 ("C"), and to complete successfully more than 50% of the units they enroll in. "Completing Successfully" means that you received a grade of "C" or higher, or a "Cr". Withdrawals ( "W’s"), grades below a "C", "NC’s" and "I’s" are counted as unsuccessful attempts. Once a student has completed 12 semester units at Yuba College the computer begins to monitor performance. Students who fail to meet either of these requirement are placed on Level 1 Academic or Progress Probation. If the situation continues for a second consecutive semester, the student goes to Level 2 Academic or Progress Probation. At the end of a third consecutive semester the student is subject to Academic or Progress Dismissal. Students placed on probation receive a letter from the Dean of Student Development, notifying them of the situation and encourage them to see a counselor.

Note: If you get one of these letters schedule an appointment as soon as possible with your counselor to discuss your situation, and to develop a strategy to get off of probation.

Critical Deadlines

Throughout the semester there are critical deadlines that you need to be aware of. A failure to comply with these deadlines can have serious negative consequences. As we discuss these deadlines keep in mind the fact that the basic deadlines associated with courses are based on full semester classes. If you are enrolling in a short-term class the deadlines are different. Review the information contained in the Schedule of Classes regarding short-term classes.

• Add Deadline
  Registration for summer/fall begins in early May. Registration for spring begins in early December. Students are able to register for classes online at any time through the first week of classes, provided that there is still space remaining in the class, and you have met the course prerequisite (if one is in place). After that access to classes are controlled by the course instructors. You will need the course instructors signature on an Add Form in order to add the class.
  
  
• Refund Deadline
  The refund deadline is set by State policy and falls on the fourteenth day of the semester.
  Students requesting a refund must submit a “Request For Refund” form to the cashier.
  
  
• CR/NC Deadline
  Some courses are offered on a Credit-No Credit basis. Students completing the course with satisfactory (“C” level) work will be granted a “CR” grade. The units will be counted toward degree requirements. Course work at the “D” or “F” level result in a “NC” grade. No units are earned toward graduation for a “NC” grade. In addition, students in good standing may elect to take one regularly graded course, not in their major, each semester, on a Credit/No Credit basis. The Credit/No Credit option form must be filed at the Registration Office no later than the fifth week of the semester, or the end of 30% of class for short-term classes.
  
  
• “W” Grade Notation Deadline (Full-Term Semester Classes)
  Students are able to withdraw from classes up until the fourth Friday of the semester without any notation appearing on their transcript. After that deadline any withdrawals will result in a “W” notation. This is a nonpunitive notation, and an occasional “W” over the course of a student’s academic career is common. However, “W’s” can have a negative impact if a student develops a pattern of having several each semester. To avoid getting a “W” you should decide as early as possible whether or not to stay in a class.
  
  
• Grade Penalty (Drop Deadline)
  Perhaps the most important deadline occurs on the 14th Friday of the semester. This is the deadline to drop a course and receive a “W” instead of a “D”, “F” or “NC”. If you approach this deadline and know that you are doing below-“C”-level work you should meet with your instructor to determine whether or not you can pull out a passing grade. If not then you need to drop the course within the deadline. After the deadline has passed the instructor has to give you a grade. On rare occasions something unanticipated happens to a student that has a significant impact on their ability to complete the course (e.g. a car accident). Students encountering this type of situation can submit a student petition for a Retroactive Withdrawal. The petition must be accompanied by documentation verifying the situation.
  
  
• Financial Aid Deadlines
  To be eligible for financial aid students must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form each year. While you can submit this form throughout the year, for priority consideration you need to submit the form between January 2nd and March 2nd for the following academic year.
  
  
• Scholarship Deadlines
  Yuba College has a variety of scholarships. Consult the Scholarship Information packet for more details and deadlines.

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