CATALOG - Schenectady County Community College

Regulations for federal and state financial aid eligibility require thatthe credits attempted and GPA from all previous SCCC courseworkare included in the calculation of Satisfactory Academic Progress forfinancial aid eligibility.Graduation RequirementsApplication for Graduation. In order to establish eligibility forgraduation from either a certificate or degree program, each studentmust complete an application for graduation.Students must meet each of the following academic requirements to beeligible for an Associate’s degree or certificate:1. Candidates must meet the program requirements in effect at thetime of their matriculation and earn a cumulative G.P.A. of atleast 2.00.2. Candidates must be matriculated in the program from whichthey wish to graduate at least one semester prior to graduationand meet the residence requirements for degree and/orcertificate programs.3. Candidates must be recommended for graduation by vote of theFaculty or be approved by the President of the College when theFaculty vote is based on incorrect information.4. Candidates for a degree must hold a high school diplomaor its equivalent.Additional Degree or Certificate. Students may earn an additionaldegree or certificate provided that the secondary program isessentially different from the primary program (e.g., the secondaryprogram includes at least 15 credit hours of requirements not incommon with the primary program) and that all degree or certificaterequirements for both programs have been met.Discounting Grade Policy. For the purpose of meeting the minimumgraduation grade point average (G.P.A.) requirement, a student maypetition the Vice President of Academic Affairs to discount grades of“C” or lower from the cumulative grade point average. For the petitionto be considered, the courses must not be required in the program inwhich the student is matriculated for graduation. Any courses whichmay serve as specific electives in the program of matriculation cannotbe discounted.Petition for discount must be made in writing during the semesterof graduation and requires the recommendation of the appropriateDepartment Dean. Petitions will be considered at the time of finalgraduation audit and may be granted at the discretion of the VicePresident of Academic Affairs whose decision shall be final. Thestudent’s cumulative G.P.A. on the transcript will remain unchanged.The Registrar will report to the Faculty each year the number ofproposed graduates who have been affected by the implementation ofthis policy.Attendance at Graduation Ceremony. Candidates for degrees andcertificates can participate in SCCC’s Commencement ceremonyif they have applied to graduate and are expected to complete theirdegree and/or certificate program requirements in August, Decemberor May of the current academic year. Final clearance for degrees andcertificates will be completed after Commencement when finalgrades are submitted. Identification of Honors candidates at theCommencement ceremony will be based on the students’ cumulativegrade point averages excluding the final Spring semester grades.Participation in the Commencement ceremony does not ensure thedegree or certificate will actually be awarded.Release of Student InformationThe following policy governs the disclosure of education recordinformation by the Registrar’s Office.1. In accord with the Family Educational Rights Privacy Act of 1974(The Buckley Amendment), enrolled students have the rightto inspect and review all official records, files and data directlyrelated to them that are maintained by the College. Underthe law providing access to institutional records, studentshave the right to:• obtain copies of those records at the expense of theeligible student;• receive a response from the institution to reasonable requestsfor explanation and interpretations of those records;• have an opportunity for a hearing to challenge the contentof those records.2. The following information about a student may be released to anyoutside source not officially connected to SUNY or oneof its agents:• dates of attendance;• receipt of degree;• degree earned.3. The College may disclose education records or componentsthereof without written consent of students to:• any office of the State University of New York or its agent on a“need to know” basis;• personnel within the institution determined by theinstitution to have legitimate educational interest;• officials of other institutions in which students seek to enroll,on condition that the issuing institution makes a reasonableattempt to inform students of the disclosure or makes suchtransfer of information a stated institutional policy;• persons or organizations providing financial aid to thestudents, or determining financial aid decisions concerningeligibility, amount, condition and enforcement or termsof said aid;• Veterans Administration;• accrediting organizations carrying out theiraccrediting functions;• parents of a student who have established a student’s statusas a dependent according to Internal Revenue Code of 1954,Section 152;• persons in compliance with a judicial order or a lawfullyissued subpoena, provided that the institution first makes areasonable attempt to notify the student;• persons in an emergency, if the knowledge of information, infact, is necessary to protect the health or safety of students orother persons.4. If you do not wish your name to be released to militaryrecruiters, you must provide a written request to the Registrar’sOffice.5. No further information will be released without the writtenconsent of the student.39