Official Communications
Any request by an administrator or faculty member, by telephone, letter, or Vernon College e-mail for an individual student to report to them for an official conference must be honored by the student so contacted.
Eary Alert
An Early Alert is a student notification early warning system utilized by the faculty to inform students when they are concerned about the student's academic progress in their class. Early Alerts can be sent for unsatisfactory academic progress, frequent absenteeism, or other concerns of the instructor. If a student receives an Early Alert, it is because the instructor is concerned about progress in the class. This could be due to: an excessive number of absences, not turning in assignments, low grades, or students who indicate they are struggling with social or personal issues. Instructors are not required to send Early Alerts. Early Alerts are sent only to the Vernon College issued student email address. Early Alert warnings can also be monitored by other Vernon College departments including but not limited to Student Success and Financial Aid but are not seen by other Vernon College instructors or advisors. Instructors can also use the Early Alert system to notify Student Services of students who appear to be in crisis or students who breach the Academic Integrity Policy. The purpose of the Early Alert is so that the student realizes their success in class in at risk and that the student will seek assistance through Vernon College student support services.
Student Classification
The freshman class of VC is composed of both beginning freshman (students who have never enrolled in college before) and freshman (students who have earned less than thirty semester hours of college credit). A sophomore is a student who has completed at least thirty but less than sixty semester hours and has not earned an associate degree. The unclassified category is for the student with sixty or more hours who has not earned an associate degree. The remaining two classifications are associate degree and baccalaureate or above, which are both self-explanatory.
A full-time student is one enrolled for twelve (12) or more credit hours in a standard academic semester.
Course Load
The normal course load during a sixteen (16) week semester or two (2) 8-week semesters within the 16-week semester is five courses of fifteen to seventeen hours. Physical education activity courses, labs, and other one-semester-hour courses are not included. The maximum load for a student is six regular courses or no more than 18 total hours in a Fall or Spring 16-week semester, and/or two (2) 8-week semesters (maximum load is restricted to three regular courses during each eight-week semester), without the approval of the Vice President of Instructional Services.
The maximum load for a student is restricted to two regular courses during each five and one-half week summer semester unless permission is granted by the Vice President of Instructional Services for an additional enrollment. No more than fourteen total hours may be attempted in a summer semester of eleven (11) weeks or two (2) summer semesters of five and one-half weeks each.
Schedule Changes
Students may change their schedules during the registration and schedule change periods. Students should check the registration guide for the last day on which changes can be made. These changes can be made through the Admissions and Records Office at either the Vernon Campus or the Century City Center. The change(s) will not be processed if the procedures, as outlined by the Admissions and Records Office, are not completed.
Student Initiated Drops and Withdrawals
Students may drop a part of their course load or withdraw from all classes anytime after they have registered and paid and until the last day to withdraw as printed in the registration guide. Students are strongly encouraged to visit with their instructor(s) before seriously considering dropping a course or withdrawing from school. To accomplish the drop or withdrawal, specific procedures must be followed. Students should contact the Admissions and Records Office on the Vernon campus, the VC Learning Center Office at Sheppard Air Force Base or the Admissions and Records Office at the Century City Center to begin the drop or withdrawal procedure. Students receiving Title IV financial aid funds must contact the Financial Aid Office concerning the calculation of return of funds before the drop or withdrawal will be completed.
Students voluntarily dropping or withdrawing within the first seventy-five (75%) percent of the semester will receive an automatic grade of W unless an administrative withdrawal has previously been processed by the College. The printed registration guide should be used for specific withdrawal dates. The grade of F will be awarded for drops or withdrawals processed after the published dates unless an administrative withdrawal has previously been processed.
If a student is enrolled in a developmental class/program as a result of the Texas Success Initiative, the student may not drop the developmental class/program unless an approved alternative form of remediation is available and approved by the Vice President of Instructional Services. Without an approved alternative form of remediation, dropping or being administratively withdrawn from all required developmental classes will be regarded as termination of enrollment at Vernon College.
Course Drop Limit
Section 51.907 of the Texas Education Code limits the number of course drops for undergraduate students. This legislation enacted by the State of Texas, spring 2007, applies to students who enroll in a public institution of higher education as a first time freshman in fall 2007 semester or later.
The College may not permit a student to drop more than six (6) college level courses, including those taken at other Texas public institutions of higher education. All courses dropped after the Official Day of Record (census day) are included in the six-course limit unless (1) the student withdraws from all courses or (2) the drop is authorized by an appropriate College official as an approved Drop Exception.
Drop Exceptions can be approved if the student documents and/or attests that the drop was required for one of the following reasons, and that for such reason, the student could not satisfactorily complete the course:
- The student, a member of the student’s family, or a person of equally important relationship to the student experiences a serious illness or other debilitating condition.
- The student becomes responsible for the care of a sick, injured, or needy person.
- There is a death in the student’s family or of a non-family member of equally important relationship.
- The student or a member of the student’s family, or a person of equally important relationship to the student, is called to active duty service as a member of the Texas National Guard or the armed forces of the United States.
- There is a change of the student’s work schedule that is beyond the student’s control.
- The College determines that there is other good cause for the student to drop the course.
Enrollment and drop activities of students affected by this legislation will be monitored.
Those who drop six or more courses without an approved Drop Exception may incur registration and drop restrictions during all subsequent semesters, and may incur other enrollment limitations or requirements.
Vernon College students liable under this legislation, who plan to attend another Texas public college or university, should determine that institution’s policies and penalties for dropping courses and for approving Drop Exceptions.
Administrative Withdrawal
The College reserves the right to withdraw a student from one or more classes if, in the judgment of college officials, such action is deemed to be in the best interest of the student and/or the College. Examples of some reasons for administrative withdrawal are failure to pay registration tuition and fees, failure to provide admission credentials or meet course prerequisites, failure to follow Vernon College TSI policy, failure to remove “holds” in a timely manner, failure to comply with Title IV financial aid requirements, excessive absenteeism, and academic dishonesty.
Transcript of College Record
An official VC transcript is a chronological listing of all courses attempted at VC with the grade earned in each course. No course is removed or purged from the transcript for any reason. When a course is repeated, each attempt is shown along with the earned grade. Prior to the fall of 1987, all transcripts were kept manually and updated at the end of each enrollment period. Beginning with the fall of 1987, transcripts are computer generated and list all courses attempted since September 1, 1987. Transfer work accepted by VC is listed using VC course numbers and titles and is shown ahead of the VC resident work on the transcript. An official transcript, bearing the college seal and signature of the Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid/Registrar, will be furnished to a student, an employer or an educational institution upon the student’s written request. Grades and official transcripts will not be released if the student has a “hold” on his/her records.
Hold on Student Records
Grades and official transcripts will not be released if the student has a transcript “hold” on his/her records. Holds may be placed on a student’s records for failure to meet admission requirements, for financial reasons (returned checks, overdue loans, defaulted loans, defaulted payment plans, overdue residence hall payments, etc.), for materials overdue at the library, or for other reasons deemed necessary by the College. These holds can be released only after the cause of the hold has been satisfactorily cleared.
Repeating Courses
A course may be repeated if a student desires to improve a grade received in the course. All grades earned will remain on the student’s transcript, but the higher grade will be considered the grade of record included in the GPA. Students planning to transfer to another college or university should check with the Registrar’s Office at that institution to determine the repetition policy at the receiving institution.
Honor Students
Full-time college-level students are eligible for the following honors: the President’s List, which recognizes full-time students who complete their enrollment period with a grade point average of 4.0; and the Dean’s List, which recognizes full-time students who complete their enrollment period with a grade point average of 3.5 or above. Half-time students (enrolled in six or more semester credit hours) are eligible for the following: the Honor List, which recognizes students who complete their enrollment period with a grade point average of 3.5 or above.
Honor students are recognized each fall and spring semester.
Scholastic Standards
Vernon College degree and certificate plans require that students have a GPA of 2.0 or higher for graduation. A student is considered to be in good standing as long as he/she maintains a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher on all college-level work.
Scholastic Probation – A student who fails to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher will be placed on scholastic probation. A student on scholastic probation will be allowed to re-enroll if a 2.0 GPA or higher is earned in each subsequent semester. A student will remain on probation until his or her cumulative GPA reaches 2.0 or higher.
Scholastic Suspension – A student on scholastic probation who fails to maintain a 2.0 GPA or higher in any subsequent semester will be placed on scholastic suspension. A student on first scholastic suspension will not be allowed to attend VC the next long semester. A student on scholastic suspension for a second time will not be allowed to attend VC for a full academic year. Scholastic suspension may be appealed by written petition to the Admissions Committee if a student feels extenuating circumstances, beyond his/her control, were responsible for the suspension.
Scholastic Dismissal – A student placed on scholastic suspension for a third time will be scholastically dismissed. Students who are scholastically dismissed cannot enroll in Vernon College for a period of three years. Scholastic dismissal may also be appealed by written petition to the Admissions Committee if a student feels extenuating circumstances, beyond his/her control, were responsible for the dismissal.
Due to the structure of some specific programs, scholastic standards may vary from the above guidelines. Students should review departmental handbooks for specific requirements.
Reverse Transfer
The opportunity to earn an Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree at Vernon College is also available after the student has transferred to a Texas public university. This process is designed for students who transfer before completion of their associate degree. A student must earn at least twenty-five (25%) percent of the college-level courses for the degree in residence at Vernon College. Please contact the transfer university, after completion of the required course work, for additional information regarding reverse transfer.
Transfer of Credit
Academic courses (specified in the Community College General Academic Course Guide Manual and the VC core curriculum) successfully completed at VC should be fully transferable to and accepted as comparable degree credit by any Texas public institution of higher education where the equivalent courses are available for fulfilling associate and the lower division portion of baccalaureate degree requirements. It is the responsibility of the student, however, to determine prior to registration the transferability of any course. Since transfer of specific courses normally depends upon the applicability of the completed work toward a degree plan specified by the receiving institution, any program of study at VC should be planned to parallel the requirements of the program at the institution to which the student plans to transfer. Texas public senior colleges and universities will usually accept up to sixty-six (66) hours of credit from a two-year college. Developmental courses are not transferable.
Transfer Disputes
Occasionally, a problem may arise when a lower-division VC course is not accepted for credit by a Texas public institution of higher education. If this occurs, the following procedures should be followed for the resolution of credit transfer disputes involving lower division courses.
- If an institution of higher education does not accept course credit earned by a student at another institution of higher education, the receiving institution shall give written notice to the student and to the sending institution that transfer of the course credit is denied. At this point the student may dispute the denial of credit by contacting the VC Vice President of Instructional Services.
- The two institutions and the student shall attempt to resolve the transfer of course credit in accordance with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board rules and/or guidelines.
- If the transfer dispute is not resolved to the satisfaction of the student or the sending institution within 45 days after the date the student received written notice of denial, the institution whose credit is denied shall notify the Commissioner of Higher Education of the denial.
The Commissioner of Higher Education or the Commissioner’s designee shall make the final determination about the dispute concerning the transfer of course credit and give written notice of the determination to the involved student and institutions.