Graduation Requirements
Catalog for Graduation Evaluation
A student may select 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.
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, (4) has filed with the Records
Office the official "Petition of Admission to Candidacy for a Degree",
and (5) graduate students are required to complete their program of study
within seven years of matriculation into the program.
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 a master's degree, a student must have passed
all courses required for the degree, have a cumulative scholastic average
of at least 3.00 and have merited the recommendation for the degree by
the faculty and the President of Southern Polytechnic State University.
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 term. 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:
1. Matters not requiring Petitions to the Faculty include academic
advisement, scheduling, etc., where only clarifications are required; students
should discuss such matters first with the instructor, academic advisor,
and/or department head who may refer them to someone else.
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:
(a) The student should discuss the petition with the Director of Records
to determine the basis for refusal and to be informed of the appeals procedures
and additional information that may be desirable and/or required.
(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.
5. To appeal a grade, a student must present clear evidence that a grade
was assigned by some criteria other than an evaluation of academic performance.
Check with the Records Office for the procedure to follow.
Student Records
In accordance with the policy of the Board of Regents of the State
of Georgia and under the provisions of the Family Education Rights and
Privacy Act of 1974, Southern Polytechnic State University maintains various
educational records for each matriculating student. These records are considered
confidential and will not be released for use outside the institution without
the written consent of the student. Exceptions as authorized by the Act
are noted.
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.
I. Academic: Those educational records which specifically pertain to
or reflect the student's academic program, admission to, and progress within
that program.
A. Academic Department Office:
1. Maintenance-academic department head
2. Access-departmental faculty and staff
3. Record Types
(a) Departmental academic record card (unofficial)
(b) Departmental copies of class rolls
(c) Advisement copies of transcripts of previous college work
(d) Instructor's daily class record
(e) Co-op records and report
(f) Credit by examination results
(g) Scholarship records and correspondence
(h) Correspondence pertaining to the student's academic program and
academic standing
(i) Recommendation correspondence submitted to an employer or agency
on behalf of the student
B. Records Office:
1. Maintenance-Records Office
2. Access-Director of Admissions, Director of Records, President, Vice
President for Academic Affairs, Deans, Vice President for Enrollment Management,
Vice President for Student Affairs, and related staffs
3. Record Types
(a) Admission records including high school and college transcripts,
SAT or ACT scores, and any other information submitted by or on behalf
of the students for admission purposes
(b) Official permanent academic record
(c) Official class rolls
(d) Correspondence between the student and the institution pertaining
to the student's academic program and academic standing
II. Nonacademic: Those educational records which do not pertain to the
student's academic program or academic standing
A. Business Office:
1. Maintenance-Vice President for Business and Finance and staff
2. Access-Vice President for Business and Finance and staff, Director
of Records and staff, President, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Deans
3. Record Types
(a) Statement of student current fee accounts with the institution
(b) Record of student financial indebtedness to the institution
(c) Correspondence with the student regarding financial status
(d) Correspondence with institutions and agencies which financially
sponsor students (See exceptions).
B. Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs:
1. Maintenance -Vice President for Student Affairs
2. Access-Vice President for Student Affairs and staff, President,
Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Deans
3. Record Types
(a) Student current address information
(b) Student current academic schedule
(c) Disciplinary action files
(d) Correspondence with the student concerning disciplinary action
C. Financial Aid Office:
1. Maintenance-Director of Financial Aid
2. Access-Director of Financial Aid and staff, Vice President for Enrollment
Management, Vice President for Student Affairs, President, Vice President
for Academic Affairs
3. Record Types
(a) Parents/Students Confidential Statement (See exceptions)
(b) Records of awards of financial assistance to students
(c) Financial assistance record of student indebtedness to the institution
(d) Correspondence with the student
D. Office of Veteran Affairs Coordinator:
1. Maintenance-Veteran Affairs Coordinator
2. Access-Veterans Affairs Coordinator, Director of Records and staff,
President, Vice President for Academic Affairs
3. Record Types
(a) Records filed verifying veteran or veteran-dependency status
(b) Record of student VA certification
E. Career Center:
1. Maintenance-Director of Career Services
2. Access-As authorized by student
3. Record Types
(a) Resumes filed by students
(b) Copies of student authorization to release grade statement to co-op
employers
F. Campus Safety Department:
1. Maintenance-Director of Campus Safety
2. Access-Director of Campus Safety and staff, President, Vice President
for Academic Affairs, Vice President for Student Affairs
3. Record Types
(a) Official police reports
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:
A. Challenges to student records should be initiated by the student
concerned and directed in writing to the Records Office.
B. The challenge should contain a description of the specific record
in question, the official responsible for maintaining the record, and the
reason for challenging the contents of the particular record.
C. Challenges will be submitted to the Vice President for Academic Affairs
for review. The student initiating the challenge may request to appear
before the Vice President when the challenge is considered.
D. The decision of the Vice President will be made within a reasonable
period of time and forwarded to the student in writing. The decision of
the vice president will also be transmitted to the president.
V. Exceptions: The following are exceptions within the Rights and Privacy
Act which should be noted by students.
A. Access:
1. Students do not have access to the financial records of parents
of students.
2. Students do not have access to letters of recommendation placed in
the records prior to January 1, 1975.
3. The personal records of instructional, supervisory, and administrative
personnel which are not accessible or revealed to any other person except
a substitute are not open for review and inspection by students.
4. The professional records of the institution's medical staff are not
open for review and inspection by students; however, these records can
be personally reviewed by a physician or other appropriate professional
of the student's choice.
B. Release of Information: Certain information may be released without
the prior written consent of the student and includes information to:
1. School officials within the institution who are not specifically
listed with standard access but who have been determined by the institution
to have a legitimate educational need
2. Authorized federal and state authorities including state educational
agencies
3. Accrediting organizations who need information for their accrediting
functions
4. Parents of a dependent student as defined by the Internal Revenue
Code of 1954 after presentation of proper evidence of that dependency
5. Officials with a lawful judicial order or subpoena provided the institution
notifies the student of the order or subpoena prior to the institution's
compliance
6. Appropriate persons in connection with an emergency when the information
is necessary to protect the health or safety of a student or other persons
7. Agencies, sponsoring agencies, and institutions in connection with
a student's application for or receipt of financial aid
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:
Student's name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth,
major field of study, class schedule, current enrollment status, participation
in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members
of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and
the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by
the student.
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.