The degree of class attendance required may vary with the course or the instructor. Each classroom/laboratory instructor will set his or her attendance policy. Within the first calendar week or the first laboratory meeting of the term, the instructor will inform the students, in writing, of the attendance policy for that class. It is the prerogative of the instructor to determine grade penalties for absences. The instructor may reduce the course grade of any student who fails to meet the attendance requirements as set forth in the instructor's attendance policy. Students should understand they are responsible for all course material covered and that they are responsible for the academic consequences of their absences.
Students who are absent because of participation in approved college activities such as field trips, athletic events, etc., will be permitted to make up the work missed during their absences. Approval of such absences will be granted by the instructor only if advance notice in writing is given to the instructor.
Should the instructor be late in meeting a class or a laboratory period, students will wait a minimum of fifteen minutes. If during the fifteen minutes waiting period no notification to remain is given, students may leave without penalty.
Auditing Classes
Students can audit courses. Such courses count at full value in determining
the number of credit hours for which the student is enrolled. No academic
credit is granted for courses scheduled on an audit basis, and students
are not permitted to change to or from an auditing status except through
the regular procedure for schedule changes. The grade for auditing is "V"
(visited) and this grade should at no time be changed to a "W" on the basis
of the auditor's attendance in the course. The grade of "V" will have no
effect upon the student's scholastic average and students will not be permitted
to receive credit at any future date for their participation in a course
as an auditor.
Maximum Credit Hour Schedule
Students may register for a maximum of 18 credit hours in the fall
and spring semesters and 14 credit hours in the summer semester. Students
desiring to schedule over 18 (to a maximum of 21) credit hours in fall
or spring or over 14 (to a maximum of 16) credit hours in summer must receive
permission of their major department head.
Students on probation or continued probation may register for a maximum of 13 credit hours. Students limited to 13 credit hours who desire to schedule additional hours (to a maximum of 18 in fall or spring) must secure permission from their major department head.
Withdrawal From Classes
Students desiring to withdraw from one or more classes before the end
of the midpoint of the term must secure a Request to Withdraw form from
the Records Office. After completing the form, and returning the completed
form to the Records Office, the student will be given a grade of "W" in
the course(s). In cases where the student is no longer on campus, a signed
written request from the student received by the Records Office on or before
the prescribed date for official withdrawal will be honored.
Students who withdraw after the midpoint of the term are not eligible for a grade of "W" except in cases of hardship as approved by the faculty. Normally, students withdrawing after the withdrawal deadline date receive a grade of "WF" for the course(s).
A request for a grade of "W" past the deadline date is properly made on a Petition to the Faculty form available at the Records Office. The petitions must be completed, signed by the student's instructors, instructors' department head(s), and major department head, and bear sufficient documentation to support the hardship. The petition is reviewed by the Undergraduate Student Status Committee and students are advised in writing by the Records Office as to the action taken on the petition. Students should not assume that petitions requesting a grade of "W" will be approved until notification of the committee action has been received.
Incomplete petitions and/or failure to follow the prescribed procedures may result in the student not being approved for a grade of "W". The date that the completed withdrawal form or Petition to the Faculty (if later approved) is received by the Records Office is the official date of withdrawal.
No student will be allowed to withdraw from a course after the final class day of the term.
Students withdrawing from all classes during the refund period are entitled to a refund of a portion of the fees paid for the course(s). Students should check the Registration Bulletin to determine the date and amounts of refunds (if any) available. No refund will be given to a student who partially withdraws from the university.
Progress Reports
Instructors will provide academic feedback as the course progresses.
Each course will have a portion of the cumulative class grade reported
to the student prior to the midpoint of the total grading period.
Prior to the midpoint of the total grading period, all assigned and "turned
in" graded class assignments and examinations will be graded and available
to the student. Instructors will make every effort to be available
during their office hours for discussion of the student's progress in the
course prior to the midpoint of the total grading period.
Final Examinations
The faculty of a department will determine which courses in their department
will include a final exam. In addition to course objectives and standards
for evaluating students, the final-exam requirements will be distributed
to students for each course.
Disruptive Behavior and Academic
Dishonesty
A faculty member reserves the right to remove any student from his
or her course if the student's behavior is of a disruptive nature or if
there is evidence of academic dishonesty. In instances of disruptive behavior
and/or academic dishonesty, the faculty member will discuss the circumstances
with the student(s) before taking final action. In the event the student
cannot be reached, he/she will be given the grade of "Incomplete" until
such time as he/she can be reached. The student shall have the right of
appeal of the faculty member's decision first to the faculty member's department
head and then to the appropriate school dean, and, if necessary, to the
Vice President for Academic Affairs. Removal of a student from a course
under this provision will result in the faculty member's issuing a grade
of "F". A grade of "F" issued under these circumstances shall not be superseded
by a voluntary withdrawal and will be included in the student's cumulative
grade point average calculated for graduation purposes.
Major
A baccalaureate degree program must require at least 21 semester hours
of upper division courses in the major field and at least 39 semester hours
of upper division work overall.
Concentration
A concentration is a specialty track taken in the discipline. A specialty
track is identified by the department and approved by the faculty. It consists
of at least 12 semester hours in the discipline of which at least 6 hours
must be at the upper division.
Change of Major
Students who desire to change their major degree program may do so
by completing the required form available at the Records Office. Completed
forms require the signature of the proposed department head and are
submitted to the Records Office for processing.
A request for deletion of previous major courses for graduation scholastic
average and hours purposes must be submitted on a Petition to the Faculty
form and approved by the faculty.
Grading System
The following are used to specify the level of performance in academic
courses and are computed into the semester and cumulative grade point averages.
| A | Excellent | |
| B | Good | |
| C | Satisfactory | |
| D | Passing | |
| F | Failure |
For subjects including both class and laboratory work, both portions are considered essential and the grades on each will be combined at the end of the semester and reported as one. Failure in either class or lab may result in failure of the entire course.
A grade of "F" is assigned also if a student is removed from class under the provisions of the section on Academic Dishonesty.
| WF | Withdrawal After Deadline |
Withdrawn officially after the midpoint of the term. A grade of "WF" in a course is counted in the student's scholastic average as a failing grade.The following symbols are approved for use in the cases indicated, but are not included in the calculation of the semester or cumulative grade point averages.
| I | Incomplete |
| V | Audit |
Assigned when a course has been audited. No credit is given. This grade may not be used at any future date as a basis for receiving course credit.
| W | Withdrawal |
Withdrawn officially before the midpoint of the term. Courses carrying the "W" grade will not be counted in the student's scholastic average.
| S | Satisfactory |
| U | Unsatisfactory |
This symbol indicates unsatisfactory performance in an attempt to complete degree requirements other than academic course work. This symbol may be used for graduate courses such as thesis and internship.Cumulative Grade Point Average
The cumulative grade point average may not include courses for which a grade of "C" or better has been earned previously at Southern Polytechnic State University.
Quality Points are assigned as follows:
For each credit hour with a grade of
| A | four points | |
| B | three points | |
| C | two points | |
| D | one point | |
| F | zero points | |
| WF | zero points |
Grade Changes
Grades which have been assigned to a student by an instructor may be
changed no later than the end of the third consecutive term following the
term in which the grade was awarded. Grade changes must be initiated by
the instructor. Grades included in this provision are "A", "B", "C", "D",
"S", "U", and "F".
Repeat Courses
A student may not repeat, for cumulative grade point purposes, at Southern
Polytechnic State University any courses (except on an audit basis or as
approved by the Undergraduate Student Status Committee) in which a grade
of "C" or better has been earned. A student may not use the same course
more than once in satisfying graduation requirements.
Credit by Examination
Student evaluation by standardized and/or departmental examinations
may be used as a basis for awarding credit for certain courses. These evaluations
are available only to currently enrolled students. A fee will be assessed
before the evaluation.
The student must first check with the appropriate department head about the applicability of the credit by examination for the course and then submit a request for credit by examination form to the department. The business office must validate the form before it is submitted to the department. After the evaluation, the department head will make his or her recommendation for credit to the Records Office. The student is notified in writing by the Records Office of the action taken.
For further information on credit by examination, contact the appropriate department head or the Records Office.
Credit for Courses Completed
More than Ten Years Prior to Graduation
Work completed more than ten years prior to the date of graduation
may be credited toward the degree only (1) with the approval of the student's
major department head and the head of the department in which the course
is taught and subject to the approval of the faculty, or (2) if the student's
enrollment at Southern Polytechnic State University has been continuous
since the course was taken.
Credit Hour
One credit hour corresponds to one hour per week of classroom work
for a semester or to three clock hours or its equivalent of laboratory
work per week for a semester.
A student is classified at the end of each term by the Records Office
on the basis of the number of credit hours earned toward graduation. The
credit hours include all coursework for which the student has earned college
level credits at Southern Polytechnic State University plus any transfer
credits accepted by Southern Polytechnic State University.
| Classification | Credit Hours Earned |
| Freshman | 0-29 |
| Sophomore | 30-59 |
| Junior | 60-89 |
| Senior | 90 and above |
Full-time Students
Undergraduate students enrolled for 12 or more credit hours are considered
as full-time students.
Continuous Enrollment
To remain continuously enrolled, a student must not have an absence
of two or more consecutive terms of matriculation at Southern Polytechnic
State University.
Academic Standing
It is required that each undergraduate student maintain a cumulative
grade point average of 2.00 in order to graduate.
Dean's List
Students that have earned 12 or more hours with a scholastic average
of 3.50 or better for the current term and who are not subject to any disciplinary
action shall be on the Dean's List, which is published each term.
Dean's Merit List
Students that have earned 9 or more hours with a scholastic average
of 3.50 or better for the current term and who are not subject to any disciplinary
action shall be on the Dean's Merit List, which is published each term.
Good Standing
A student eligible to enroll at Southern Polytechnic State University
is in good standing.
Academic Probation
A student whose cumulative grade point average falls below 2.00 will
be placed on academic probation.
A student on probation may register for a maximum of 13 credit hours unless approval of the student's major department head is granted to schedule additional hours (to a maximum of 18).
Continued Probation
A student whose cumulative grade point average remains below 2.00 for
two or more consecutive terms of enrollment, but whose term average is
2.00 or higher, may continue enrollment on probation. A student on continued
probation may register for a maximum of 13 credit hours unless approval
of the student's major department head is granted to schedule additional
hours (to a maximum of 18).
Academic Suspension
A student whose semester grade point average is below 2.00 and whose
cumulative grade point average is below 2.00 for at least two consecutive
terms of enrollment shall be academically suspended for unsatisfactory
scholarship.
Transfer students admitted on “academic probation” and who do not attain the minimum scholarship requirement during their first term of attendance at Southern Polytechnic State University shall be academically suspended for unsatisfactory scholarship.
Reinstatement
A student who has been academically suspended for the first time at
Southern Polytechnic State University must stay out at least one term.
After a break of at least one term, the student may seek reinstatement.
Reinstatement will be granted if the student files a Petition for Reinstatement
no later than 20 working days prior to the beginning of the term in which
the student plans to re-enroll.
A student who has been academically suspended for the second time at Southern Polytechnic State University must stay out at least one year (12 months). After a break of at least one year, the student may seek reinstatement. Reinstatement will be granted if the student’s Petition for Reinstatement is approved by the faculty. Completed petitions must be filed with the Office of Records no later than 20 working days prior to the beginning of the term in which the student plans to re-enroll.
Reinstated students will be placed on probation.
A request for deletion of previous major courses for graduation scholastic average and hours purposes must be submitted on a Petition to the Faculty form and approved by the faculty.
Academic Dismissal
After a second reinstatement, a student whose semester grade point
average is below 2.00 and whose cumulative grade point average is below
2.00 shall be academically dismissed. A student on academic dismissal
may not apply for reinstatement.
Academic Renewal
Undergraduate students who have been readmitted or reinstated after
a period of absence of five (5) calendar years or longer are eligible for
academic renewal. Academic renewal for the student signals the initiation
of a new grade point average to be used for determining academic standing.
This provision allows degree-seeking students who earlier had experienced
academic difficulty to make a fresh start and have one final opportunity
to earn an associate or bachelor's degree.
Regents' Testing Program
An examination (The Regents' Test) to assess the competency level in
reading and writing of all students enrolled in undergraduate degree programs
leading to the baccalaureate degree in University System institutions shall
be administered. The following statement shall be the policy of the Board
of Regents of the University System of Georgia on this examination:
The formulation and administration of the Regents' Test shall be as determined by the Chancellor.
Each institution of the University System of Georgia shall assure the other institutions, and the System as a whole, that students obtaining a degree from that institution possess literacy competence, that is, certain minimum skills of reading and writing. The Regents' Testing Program has been developed to help in the attainment of this goal. The objectives of the Testing Program are: (1) to provide System-wide information on the status of student competence in the areas of reading and writing; and (2) to provide a uniform means of identifying those students who fail to attain the minimum levels of competence in the areas of reading and writing.
Students enrolled in undergraduate degree programs leading to the baccalaureate degree shall pass the Regents' Test as a requirement for graduation. Students must take the Test in their first semester of enrollment after earning 30 credit hours if they have not taken it previously. (Institutions may not prohibit students who have earned at least 30 credit hours from taking the test for the first time.) At an institution's discretion, students may be permitted to take the test during a semester in which they are not enrolled.
Each institution shall provide an appropriate program of remediation and shall require students who have not passed both parts of the test by the time they have earned 45 credit hours to take the appropriate remedial course or courses each semester of enrollment until they have passed both parts.
Students with 30 or more semester credit hours transferring from outside of the System or from a System program that does not require the Regents' Test should take the test during their first semester of enrollment in a program leading to the baccalaureate degree. Those who have not passed before their third semester of enrollment are subject to the remediation requirements.
A student holding a baccalaureate or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education will not be required to complete the Regents' Test in order to receive a degree from a University System institution.
General Rule
0-30 Hours Earned
Students who have earned 30 or fewer hours may attempt both sections
of the Regents' Test. Students are encouraged to complete ENGL 1101 and
1102 early in their college curriculum and to attempt the Regents' Test
as soon as possible after the completion of these courses.
30-44 Hours Earned
Unless the requirement has been met previously, it is mandatory
for students to attempt the section(s) of the test not completed the next
time it is offered.
45 or More Hours Earned
Unless the requirement has been met previously, students who have not
passed both sections of the test are required to schedule remediation each
semester for the section(s) not passed. It is mandatory for students
to attempt the section(s) of the test not completed the next time it is
offered. When either the essay or reading section is passed, the students'
records are updated accordingly and remediation for that section is no
longer required. (Students who have not completed the Essay section of
the Test are required to enroll in RGTE 0199. Students who have not completed
the Reading section of the Test are required to enroll in RGTR 0198.)
Transfer Students
Unless the requirement has been met previously, students transferring
into Southern Polytechnic State University with credit for ENGL 1101 and
1102 should take the Regents' Test during their first term of attendance.
Students transferring from within the University System of Georgia are required to follow the Regents' Testing Program Policies as stated in the section above.
Schedule Changes
Prior to registration the most recent Regents' Test results are reported.
Students who advance registered for remediation and pass a section of the
test may alter their schedules accordingly at the first available registration
period after the results are posted.
Frozen Status
Students must first enroll for required remediation and then other
courses may be scheduled as desired. Once enrolled in RGTE 0199 and/or
RGTR 0198, students may not withdraw from RGTE 0199 and/or RGTR 0198 as
long as other courses are scheduled.
Transient Authority
Permission to attend another institution as a transient student will
neither be authorized nor recognized if the transient term does not include
the remediation that normally would be required by Southern Polytechnic
State University. Any exception to this procedure must be approved by the
Regents' Testing Program Coordinator prior to the transient term and students
must obtain written permission from SPSU's Coordinator prior to attempting
the Regents' Test on another campus.
Non-native Speakers of English
Regents' Testing Program procedures apply to all students; however,
students who have been classified as non-native speakers of the English
language by the Regents' Testing Program Coordinator are required to pass
the alternate version of the Regents' Test.
Catalog for Graduation Evaluation
A student may elect to be evaluated for graduation from any catalog
in effect during the time of enrollment provided the enrollment has been
continuous.
Students readmitted or reinstated will be evaluated for graduation from the catalog in effect at the time of readmission or reinstatement or any catalog in effect during subsequent periods of continuous enrollment.
Students changing majors will be evaluated for graduation from the catalog in effect at the time of the change or any catalog in effect during subsequent periods of continuous enrollment.
Each student is responsible for determining the appropriate catalog to be used for academic advisement and for evaluation of graduation requirements. Catalog selection applies only to the course requirements of that catalog. All other academic procedures and graduation requirements must be satisfied according to regulations in effect at the time of graduation. Students desiring further information on the selection of an appropriate catalog may contact their major department head or the Records Office.
General Requirements
A student is eligible for graduation when he or she (1) has satisfactorily
completed the required number of hours specified by the curriculum of the
program of study in which he or she is specializing, (2) has achieved the
necessary scholastic average, (3) has paid all required fees, fines, and
other financial obligations owed the college, and (4) has filed with the
Records Office the official "Petition of Admission to Candidacy for a Degree."
In addition, to receive an associate or bachelor degree the student must
be certified as competent in reading and writing the English language-through
the University System Regents' Testing Program and must satisfactorily
pass an examination on the history of the United States and the history
of Georgia, and upon the provisions and principles of the United States
Constitution and the Constitution of Georgia, as required by the State
of Georgia and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.
(Credit for U.S. History or American Government satisfies this constitution
requirement). In addition to the above requirements, students in some departments
who seek the baccalaureate degree also must satisfy the requirements of
the comprehensive evaluation.
Graduation Petitions
A student must submit a formal petition for "Admission to Candidacy
for a Degree" to the Records Office no later than the end of the fourth
week of the term preceding the expected final term in residence. (This
is interpreted to mean the previous term in residence, preceding the final
term in residence. All fall-semester petitions for students not in school
summer should be made in the spring semester of that year; and, all co-op
students should petition the term before the work term. Students are encouraged
to petition early if they feel they have reached eligibility to petition).
To be a candidate for either an associate or baccalaureate degree, a student must have passed all courses required for the degree, have a cumulative scholastic average of at least 2.00, and have merited the recommendation for the degree by the faculty and the President of Southern Polytechnic State University.
Residency Requirement
To receive an associate or bachelor degree from Southern Polytechnic
State University, a student must earn at Southern Polytechnic State University
a minimum of 25% of the credit hours required in the degree program.
No student may be considered as a candidate for a degree unless the final 20 credit hours required for an associate degree, the final 30 credit hours required for a BS degree, and the final 60 credit hours required for the B.Arch. degree are earned in residence at Southern Polytechnic State University. To obtain a second bachelor degree from Southern Polytechnic State University, a student must complete all required courses for the degree and earn credit for a total of at least 30 hours in excess of the requirements for any previous Southern Polytechnic State University degrees earned. Requirements for a dual major are spelled out under the various curricula.
No academic course work completed as a transient student at Southern Polytechnic State University may be applied as a part of the residency requirement for obtaining a degree.
Honors
For graduation "summa cum laude," the minimum scholastic average is
3.90. For graduation "magna cum laude," the minimum scholastic average
is 3.70. For graduation "cum laude," the minimum scholastic average is
3.50. For graduation with honor, with high honor, or with highest honor,
a candidate must have a minimum of 40 hours in residence for the associate
degree and a minimum of 60 hours in residence for the bachelor's degree.
Courses in a Minor
To receive a minor, a student must complete at least six hours of the
upper division requirements for the minor at Southern Polytechnic State
University. Transfer credit may be used to satisfy the other requirements
for the minor.
Certificate Programs
Students admitted to a certificate program may apply the courses completed
for the certificate toward a degree program if they are accepted to a degree
program. Students admitted to a degree program will not be given certificates
based on the completion of courses in a certificate program.
Transcript Request
Students desiring transcripts must direct their request in writing
to the Records Office. There is no fee for transcripts. All transcripts
will include the entire academic record, and no partial or incomplete record
will be issued as a transcript. Though transcripts are normally issued
promptly, requests should be made several days before the document is required,
particularly at the beginning or end of a semester. A transcript will not
be issued when the record shows financial indebtedness to the institution.
Transient Authorization
Southern Polytechnic State University students planning to attend another
institution for one semester and then return to Southern Polytechnic State
University should complete a transient letter authorization form available
in the Records Office. Students may not attend Southern Polytechnic State
University and another institution concurrently for transfer purposes without
prior authorization from the Records Office.
Exceptions to Academic Regulations
Exceptions to the Academic Regulations of Southern Polytechnic State
University may be made by the faculty whenever a consideration of the student's
complete record indicates that the application of a specific regulation
will result in injustice.
Appeals Procedure
Students requesting exceptions and/or appeals to academic policies
and procedures should adhere to the following guidelines:
2. Matters requiring Petitions to the Faculty include requests for exceptions to policies published in the catalog or operating procedures; examples include requests for reinstatement, ten-year credit, receiving a grade of "W" past the last withdrawal date, etc. Students should complete a Petition to the Faculty form when they feel the academic policies and procedures have not been applied fairly or appropriately to them.
3. When it is determined that a Petition to the Faculty is in order, the student should complete the form and secure the proper signatures as required by the department head and/or appropriate faculty.
4. If the petition is approved, the matter should be resolved. If the
petition is refused, and the student feels that he or she has grounds for
appeal, the following steps are followed:
(b) Upon written request for appeal to the Records Office, all related information is forwarded to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for review. The Vice President may approve or refuse the appeal.
(c) If the Vice President refuses the appeal, upon written request to the Vice President, the student may appeal to the President.
(d) The President may approve or refuse the appeal. If the President
refuses the appeal, upon written request to the President, the student
may appeal to the Board of Regents.
Student records will be considered under the categories academic or nonacademic. The following indicates the types of records maintained, the official responsible for maintenance, and the person(s) with access to those records.
II. Nonacademic: Those educational records which do not pertain
to the student's academic program or academic standing
III. General: Except as precluded in the Rights and Privacy Act,
each student's records as listed above are open for inspection and review
by that particular student. The student also has the right to request an
interpretation and explanation of material included in the record, and
will be given copies of the material upon request. Access to these records
will be granted to the student within a reasonable period of time, but
in no case will that period of time exceed 45 days after the request for
access has been made.
IV. Challenges: Should the student believe that the record contains inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate information, he or she may desire to challenge the content of the record. In that event the following procedure shall be followed:
V. Exceptions: The following are exceptions within the Rights and
Privacy Act which should be noted by students.
VI. Destruction of Records: The complete academic record of all
matriculating students will become permanent records of the institution.
Following the third continuous term of nonenrollment by a student, the
nonacademic records will be placed in an inactive, but accessible status.
Following the end of the ninth year of inactive status, the nonacademic
records will be purged and destroyed by the official responsible for their
maintenance.
VII. Directory Information: Southern Polytechnic maintains student information in various forms. Students who desire that "directory information" not be released without consent should so notify the Records Office in writing. The following may be included as "directory information" unless notification is received to the contrary:
VIII. Policies and procedures: Specific policies and procedures
for the maintenance of student records according to the Board of Regents
of the State of Georgia and the test of the Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act of 1974 are available for review in the Records Office.
Students also have the right to file complaints with the FERPA Office of the Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20201, regarding alleged violations of the Act.