Humboldt Park
Academic Standards Policy for Clock-Hour Occupational Training Programs

The academic policy of the City Colleges of Chicago encompasses Academic Standards and Satisfactory Progress for Financial Aid. Major provisions of this policy are summarized below.

Class Attendance
Class attendance and participation are the student's responsibility. Good attendance records will not only impact on the student's academic achievement, but will serve as an indicator of reliability to prospective employers. In case of an occasional absence, students are responsible to make up for any classroom work missed during their absence. Make-up tests and examinations are administered in agreement with the department's policy and at the training specialist's discretion. Training Specialists will document attendance throughout the semester or through the duration of the program. Those students who are not on academic progress (minimum achievement as determined for a particular time period and based on a particular course syllabi) will meet with their program training specialist, and with their advisor, so they can be placed on academic probation until it is determined what assignments they need in order to master that particular course.

Students may be excluded for:

• Missing the first two out of the first three class meetings. This is called a no-show withdrawal-NSW. No-show students will not be allowed to rejoin a particular class.
• Continuous absenteeism or failure to make any academic progress three weeks prior to midterm. At this point, the training specialist will regard any absentee or non-functional student as an administrative withdrawal (ADW).

Students who stop attending classes but who plan to return should notify the Dean's Office or the Student Services Office so they can fill out petitions for readmission prior to returning to school. Students who stop attending classes and do NOT plan to return should file requests to be withdrawn at the Student Services Office. Students who do not initiate this withdrawal process will be excluded from the program by the department supervisor or his/her designee within ten days.

Repeating a Course to Raise a Grade
A student who has received a D or F in a course may repeat the course once. Only the last grade earned will be calculated in the student's GPA, although both grades will appear on the permanent academic record.

Privacy of Records
Students have the right to inspect, review, and challenge their educational records according to established procedure. Information from a student's record may not be disclosed without the student's prior written consent, except when such consent is not required by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (34 CFR 99).

Grading Philisophy

• Grades will be consistent with the existing City Colleges of Chicago grading system.
• Grades are standardized and are to be uniformly interpreted and administered by all training specialists.
• Grades must reflect the degree to which students master specific measurable tasks.
• The Office for Student Services will be responsible for calculating students' grade point averages upon completion of the program.
• All transcripts and grade reports should reflect grades earned for completed courses.

Training Specialists will use the following grade designations:

Withdrawals
NSW, ADW, and WTH transactions will generate non-refundable college fees. (See Refund Policy.)

• No Show Withdrawal - (NSW)

Students who do not attend at least two of the first three class sessions will be withdrawn from the class by the training specialist and issued an NSW. Neither registration fees nor tuition fees will be refunded. A student who has been issued a NSW may be reinstated in the class at the training specialist's request if space is available. NSW's are not counted as registered hours for academic warning and exclusion status.

• Administrative Withdrawal - (ADW)

Students who have been continuously absent or nonfunctional up to three weeks before midterm will be recommended for an administratively initiated withdrawal (ADW) by the training specialist, unless there is documentation that such students are actively pursuing the completion of that particular course. In the case of courses that last four weeks or less, the same policy will apply to those students who miss 50% or more of their classroom time by midterm.

• Special Circumstances

If students have legitimate reasons for their absenteeism, they should meet with their training specialist within one week from the midterm deadline in order to justify their reinstatement request. The training specialist and/or an admission committee (if applicable) may recommend reinstatements upon meeting with students. Documented notification of reinstatement must be filed with the Office for Student Services. However, students should check with their training department for specific procedures. Students may be re-admitted into a program upon request. If readmitted students repeat a course for which they had received an ADW, only their second academic performance will be graded and made part of their grade point average (GPA). However, their prior grades will appear on their academic records, and their partial attendance will be counted as registered hours in order to indicate an academic warning and a potential exclusion.

• Student-Initiated Withdrawal - (WTH)

When students find it necessary to withdraw from their programs at their own request, they must fill out the appropriate forms with the Registrar's office after meeting with their training specialists and advisors. Students are only allowed to withdraw from a program before the midterm deadline. Otherwise, they will receive a failing grade ( F ) and will automatically be excluded from the program. Still, these students will be able to initiate petitions for readmission.

Midterm Grades
All H.P.V.E.C. students receive midterm grade reports from their training specialists. Those students whose midterm grades fall below a C should meet with their training specialist.

Repeating a Course
If students receive a D or an F, they may take the specific course for a second time. Only the grade received upon completion of the repetition of the course will count towards those students' grade point averages (GPA). All grades will appear on their official transcripts. However, given that a specific program may have its own repeat policy, students should always consult with the Office for Student Services for further clarification.

Attempted Credit Hours
Attempted credit hours include: all grades A through F, all ADW's, and the second occurrence of a repeated course. Credit hours which are not used to calculate a grade point average (GPA) and which do not count towards completion are:

• NSW-No Show Withdrawal
• I-Incomplete
• WTH-Student Initiated Withdrawal
• the first occurrence of a repeated course

Students who experience difficulty in maintaining their grade point average (GPA) should see their training specialist or advisor.

Cumulative Grade Point Average
Cumulative grade point average (GPA) is calculated on the basis of all grades awarded, from A to F, which have been earned upon completion of skill courses accredited by the City Colleges of Chicago . If a student repeats a course for which he/she has received a D or an F, only his or her last grade will be counted in the grade point average (GPA). However, both grades will appear on his/her permanent academic record.

Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average
To receive a degree or certificate, a student must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in skills credit courses required for the certificate and an overall cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in all skills courses.

To remain in good academic standing in programs of 31 Credits or More a student must maintain a minimum cumulative 2.00 grade point average.

Registered hours include courses for which grade A through F , I , ADW and WTH are assigned. Only grades A through F are used to compute a GPA. The student s total registered hours determine the minimum cumulative GPA required.