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 any particular semester. Students desiring to schedule over 18 (to a maximum of 21) credit hours 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) 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 where 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

This grade ("F") is assigned for a student whose scholastic performance is unsatisfactory. If the course is a required course or if the student desires credit for the course, the course must be repeated at Southern Polytechnic State University with a passing grade before credit can be allowed.

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.

This symbol indicates that a student was doing satisfactory work but, for nonacademic reasons beyond his or her control, was unable to meet the full requirements of the course. An incomplete must be removed during the next term in which the student is in residence. Otherwise, the Records Office shall convert the "I" into an "F". If at the end of the third term of non-attendance following the term the "I" has not been removed then the course must be repeated if a required course. The "I" grade remains on the student's record, but is not reflected in the student's scholastic average.

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.

Withdrawn officially before the midpoint of the term. Courses carrying the "W" grade will not be counted in the student's scholastic average.

This symbol indicates that credit has been given for completion of degree requirements other than academic course work.

This symbol indicates unsatisfactory performance in an attempt to complete degree requirements other than academic course work.

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".