Catalog 2010-2011 - South Texas College

2.0. It is not required for students enrolled in acertificate program (42 or fewer semester credithours or equivalent) or for students who are TSIexempt.CHANGE OF SCHEDULEStudents must use a drop/add form for all schedulechanges once classes have begun. If the requestoriginates with the student, the change must becompleted within the time specified in the collegecalendar. A one-time fee of $25 will be charged.The College reserves the right to make changesin a student’s schedule; when this occurs, no feeis charged.Within the parameters of the calendar in effect,student may drop a course. A grade of “W”(Withdrew) may be received. Refer to the academiccalendar for information concerning withdrawaldates.Students who are Texas Success Initiative (TSI)mandated to attend a developmental course(s)must remain in at least one developmentalcourse unless they plan to withdraw from theCollege. Students who are required to enroll intwo or three developmental courses may notdrop developmental courses without approvalof the office of Student Support Services.Upon re-enrollment, the student must enroll indevelopmental courses as approved by the officeof Student Support Services.All changes in schedule, including adding anddropping courses, must be arranged by the studentin writing. Changes are not official until all stepsin the process have been completed. Records ofwithdrawal and re-enrollment will be maintained.WITHDRAWAL FROM SEMESTERCREDIT COURSESInitiation of WithdrawalWithdrawal from a course results in a grade of“W” and may be affected through action takenby the affected student, the course instructor,the instructor’s immediate supervisor, or theappropriate administrator.A student who decides to withdraw from aspecific course(s) should initiate withdrawalprocedures by securing a drop form from theoffice of Admissions and Records or any StudentInformation Center. The form must be turned into the office of Admissions and Records prior tothe published deadline for withdrawals. Studentswho are failing a course and have not withdrawnas of the established deadline will receive an “F”.A student who is not progressing satisfactorilytoward completion of course objectives due tonon-attendance may be withdrawn from the courseby the instructor.discontinue attending a course should promptlytake steps through the office of Admissions andRecords to officially withdraw from it. Failure towithdraw properly will result in a grade of “F” inthe course. Instructors are authorized, but notrequired, to withdraw students that in their opinionare not able to successfully complete a course.A student may appeal an instructor-initiatedwithdrawal.Course withdrawals may occur at any time afterthe official reporting date of a semester and upto the established deadline for withdrawals ineach semester. The established deadline willbe approximately three weeks prior to the endof each semester. The specific deadline will bepublished in a timely manner in the appropriateCollege publications.COURSE LOADA full-time student is defined to be a studentenrolled in 12 or more semester hours. Thenormal course load during the regular semesteris five courses equal to 15 to 17 semester hours.The normal course load for each Summer term istwo courses totalling six to eight semester hours.BASIC SKILLS TESTThe Texas State Education Code requires thatall students be tested for reading, writing, andmathematics skills. All full-time or part-timestudents enrolled in a degree program or certificateprogram that deviates from their certificate degreeplan and students in high school enrolling in acollege-level course MUST take an Alternativeexam (ACCUPLACER, ASSET, COMPASS, orTHEA) before enrolling in any college-levelcredit coursework. For more information aboutplacement testing and Alternative exam (THEA),refer to the TSI section located in the AdmissionsGuidelines chapter of this catalog.Students scoring below college level in theirbasic skills (reading, writing, mathematics) mustbe “continuously” enrolled in developmentalcoursework for any section of an Alternative exam(ACCUPLACER, ASSET, COMPASS, or THEA)not passed.Students who require developmental courseworkactivity, but do not register for developmentalcoursework, will be required to drop academiccourses in which they were enrolled.It is the student’s responsibility to initiate thewithdrawal process. The College is not responsiblefor any liabilities incurred as a result of the student’sfailure to officially withdraw from the College.Students whose circumstances require them to35