Academic Information and Regulations

Grading System

Course Grading System. The course syllabus provided by the instructor will identify the course grading symbols and procedures to be followed by that course.

Course Numbering. Courses numbered below 100 are developmental education courses. These courses do not apply toward a degree or certificate and are not included in the GPA, but they are eligible for financial aid and can be used as credits to reach full-time status. Course numbers that include a “C” in the numbering scheme, such as MATH 108C , indicate the student is enrolled in a mandatory co-requisite course in that subject area.

Developmental Education Courses. Developmental education courses build academic skills in writing, reading and math and may be required for one or more areas. Students must take the developmental education course if their placement test scores indicate such course placement. Placements are mandatory for developmental writing, reading and math courses. It is to the student’s advantage to complete developmental education courses within the first year of college. Students who place into one or more developmental courses must meet with an academic advisor to develop their course schedules. Although credits earned through developmental education coursework do not count toward graduation, GPA, overall credit, or transfer to other colleges and universities, developmental education courses are eligible for financial aid and can be used as credits to reach full-time student status.

Grade Point Average. The student’s grade point average is determined by dividing the quality points by the GPA hours attempted. The “X” or “P” is not used in computing the grade point average.

Grade Reports. When a student completes a course, grades are available on the myBHC web portal system.

Grade Change. Grade change requests must be made within six months of the end of the course. Once final grades have been submitted, assignment of “W” or “X” will not be permitted. In the case of instructor error, it is the instructor’s responsibility to change the grade as soon as the error is discovered.

Students challenging a grade must produce all of the relevant examinations, papers, and other such materials that the instructor has evaluated and returned.

Grade changes can be made only by the faculty member who issued the grade, unless the faculty member is no longer available. If the faculty member is no longer available, the determination of the grade change will be made by the current chair of the department offering the course(s) involved and the appropriate instructional dean.

Incomplete. The work must be completed within the time limit established by the instructor from one day to one year. If the work is not completed within one year, the Registrar will record an “F” or an “X” based upon the grading system used in that course. Graduating students, who finish any outstanding coursework in a term that is subsequent to the one where the incomplete grade was issued, will have their graduation date pushed out to the term when all academic work was completed for the degree.

Cheating and Plagiarism Policy

At the beginning of the semester, each instructor should inform students about the College policy on cheating and plagiarism. The student bears the ultimate responsibility for being aware of College policy, regardless of whether or not the faculty member has provided this information. This policy is included in the Student Handbook at www.bhc.edu/studenthandbook.

Repeat Policy

Students may repeat any course offered at Black Hawk College but in so doing, they should be aware of the following:

A student may repeat a course only when one of the following conditions is met:

1. If the student has not completed the course with a grade of “C” or better and the course is necessary to satisfy requirements for a degree or certificate.
2. If the student needs to bring the grade point average up to required level for graduation, a course may be repeated once.
3. If a course has been approved by the Illinois Community College Board to be repeated, the student may repeat the course as often as approved by the Illinois Community College Board.

In a repeated course, only the highest grade will be counted in the grade point average. An “X” will not replace any other grade.

“X” grades are considered final grades, and therefore denote completion of the course with no grade judgment in a career or technical program (AAS or certificate). Students earning an “X” in a course will be eligible to repeat the course only under conditions listed above.

A student who intends to repeat a course should

• Notify Financial Aid prior to enrollment to determine if the course will be eligible for financial assistance.
• Notify Enrollment Services when enrolling in the course that it is going to be a repeat of a course already taken.

In instances where a course is being repeated in conditions other than those listed above, the College may require additional payment equivalent to the amount received in State reimbursement.

Attendance

Regular class attendance is an essential component of academic success. Regular classroom attendance is required for students to be able to participate fully in discussion and laboratory sessions, and to seek clarification concerning newly presented materials.

The attendance policy of each instructor is included in the course syllabus distributed by the instructor on the first day of class. Compliance with each instructor’s attendance policy is the student’s responsibility. An instructor’s attendance policy may go into effect with the first class meeting of the course.

Make-up work or work submitted late due to absence (including an instructor’s decision to award less than full credit for work submitted late) will be handled at the discretion of the instructor in accordance with the course syllabus.

Children in Class

The faculty has responsibility for control of the classroom and should take steps to ensure an orderly environment in which learning may occur unimpeded. The presence of children in the classroom impedes learning; therefore, children should only rarely be allowed to accompany students to class and then only at the discretion of the faculty member involved.

Withdrawing from College

If a student has registered for class(es) and decides not to attend Black Hawk College, he or she must officially withdraw. The student is responsible financially for tuition and fees for all classes not officially dropped by the refund date. Withdrawal can be done by completing an Add/Drop Form or sending an e-mail with name, ID number and course information from the student’s myBHC account to registrar@bhc.edu. E-mail from personal e-mail addresses will not be accepted. The drop will be considered complete as of the date the e-mail is received, even if it is on a weekend or holiday. If the class is 75% completed, permission of the instructor is required to drop a class. Permission may be obtained by signature or an e-mail from the instructor. Again, it is the student’s, not instructor’s, responsibility to ensure that he officially withdraws and submits the appropriate signature to Enrollment Services.

Administrative Withdrawals. The College reserves the right to withdraw a student from classes at any time during the semester. Generally, these withdrawals are initiated as a result of class non-attendance, disciplinary problems, non-payment of charges, or incomplete admission records in Enrollment Services.

Adding/Dropping a Class

Students find it necessary to make changes to their class schedules for a variety of reasons. Students may change their schedules by adding and dropping classes, or in some cases, the student may need to withdraw from College altogether.

Add/Drop Form*. This is the official form students should use to change their schedules. If the student uses the Black Hawk College Add/Drop Form, it must be returned to Enrollment Services. On the Quad-Cities Campus, forms are available in Enrollment Services, the Advising Center, and the Academic Service Centers. On the East Campus, forms are available at Enrollment Services and the Advising Center. (*Students may also request to add/drop by sending an email from their myBHC account to registrar@bhc.edu, requesting the change. Emails from personal accounts will not be accepted.)

Adding a Class. Courses may be added using myBHC during regular registration periods. After the term has started, additional signatures are required as outlined below.

• In order to add a class after the start date of a term, but before the tenth day of the class, the student will need to complete the Add/Drop Form or email and obtain the instructor’s signature of approval to add the class late.
• In order to add a class after tenth day (or the equivalent of tenth day for classes meeting less than 16 weeks), the student will need to complete the Add/Drop Form or email and obtain signature approval from both an administrator (Vice President for Instruction) and the instructor. Classes added after tenth day (or tenth day equivalent) will not be eligible for financial aid.

Dropping a Class. Once a student has registered for class, the student must officially drop the course within the designated withdrawal period. Failure to officially drop within the withdrawal period will result in the assigning of a grade for the class. The student is financially responsible for tuition and fees for all classes not officially dropped by the appropriate refund date.

After the semester has begun, financial aid recipients should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a class to determine how eligibility may be affected.

A student may withdraw from a course through the 12th week of the fall or spring semesters. Financial Aid recipients should talk with the Financial Aid office to withdraw from class after the semester has begun. Only under extraordinary circumstances will a student be allowed to withdraw after the withdrawal period. To petition to withdraw from a course after the withdrawal deadline date, the student must obtain the instructor’s signature and/or approval. For classes that meet less than 16 weeks, the student must contact Enrollment Services regarding the need for instructor signatures.

To drop from a class, students may either complete the Black Hawk College Add/Drop Form, or send a letter, fax or e-mail from the student’s myBHC account to registrar@bhc.edu. Dropping classes on the web is no longer available once the term begins. The Schedule of Classes will indicate the last date that classes may be dropped. Withdrawals must be postmarked or date stamped by the published deadline dates. The request should state the student’s name, ID number, and course information.

Things to Consider When Dropping a Course. Before dropping a course, the student should consider the impact dropping the course has on financial aid, grades, or educational goals. The following items should also be considered before dropping a course:

1. Refund Policy. Course withdrawal prior to the starting date of the semester is entitled to a 100% refund.
2. If a student completely withdraws during the semester after federal financial aid payment has been received, the student may be required to return a portion of the federal financial aid awarded. The federal formula requires a return of funds if the student received assistance from the Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, or Direct Loan and withdrew on or before completing 60% of the semester. The calculation is based on the percentage of the semester completed. Sample calculations and complete explanation of this policy are available at the Financial Aid Office.
3. Impact on Grades. If a student does not officially withdraw from a course, the student may receive an “F” for the course.
4. Impact on Transcript. Any dropped course will appear on the student’s permanent transcript as either a “W” (withdrawal) or as an earned grade, unless the student has officially completed the drop process prior to the start of the semester.

Academic Standards

A 2.0 cumulative grade point average is necessary to graduate from Black Hawk College and to transfer to most senior institutions. Anytime the semester grade point average or cumulative grade point average is below 2.0, the student should reassess his/her educational objectives and study habits. The student should seek assistance from instructors, academic advisors and counselors in this reassessment process.

Good Standing. To be in good standing, any student who has attempted 12 credit hours, regardless of where the hours were earned, must maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA.

Probation and Dismissal. Any student whose conduct is deemed undesirable by the administration, faculty or appropriate committee may be placed on probation or dismissed from the College. See the Black Hawk College Student Handbook for further information.

Academic Progress Policy

NOTE: The requirements listed below are separate from Financial Aid Academic Progress requirements listed on Financial Aid .

To maintain continuing enrollment at the College, a student will be subject to this policy once he/she has attempted 12 credit hours at BHC.

A student will be placed on academic warning if his/her BHC cumulative grade point average (all work completed at BHC) falls below 2.0 GPA.

Academic warning means that the student is being warned of failure to make sufficient academic progress as defined by the policy. The student may continue to enroll while on academic warning, but will need to meet with an Educational Advisor to create a plan for success. After being placed on academic warning, the student must bring the overall GPA to 2.0. If the student’s cumulative GPA does not reach 2.0 the following semester, the student will be placed on academic probation. Again, the student will need to continue to meet with an Educational Advisor before enrolling.

When on academic probation, the student must earn a term GPA of 2.0 or above each semester. If the student’s term GPA falls below 2.0, the student will be placed on academic suspension. Academic suspension means a student will not be allowed to re-enroll at BHC for at least one full semester (fall or spring). After not attending for a full semester, the student may be readmitted on a probationary status and must maintain a term GPA of 2.0 or higher until his/her cumulative GPA reaches 2.0 or above. If a student is suspended a second time, the student may not return for one full year.

Students may appeal BHC academic suspension by submitting a written appeal to the Registrar, registrar@bhc.edu, explaining circumstances and plans for insuring academic success. Students should check their BHC e-mail account for details on the process. An Academic Appeals Committee will consider student requests and make final decisions. www.bhc.edu/enrollmentforms.

Academic Forgiveness Policy

Academic forgiveness is a policy designed for a student with a history of poor grades who has been away from Black Hawk College for at least four years since the end of the semester for which academic forgiveness is being requested. This request is limited to two consecutive semesters and is only allowed one time throughout the student’s academic career at Black Hawk College. The student must be currently enrolled and must have accumulated 12 credit hours with a 2.5 GPA or higher, to apply for academic forgiveness.

Forgiven grades will remain on the student’s official record but will not be included in the institutional GPA. It should be noted that these grades will continue to be calculated for financial aid status. The student should check with any transfer institution regarding how the receiving institution will calculate the forgiven grades.

For detailed information, see Enrollment Services , or email registrar@bhc.edu.

Baccalaureate/Transfer Course Guarantee

Black Hawk College, as demonstration of its dedication to providing a quality education that fully transfers to a baccalaureate education, guarantees that students can transfer courses taken at Black Hawk College to baccalaureate institutions. The College backs up this transfer course guarantee with a tuition refund if the course does not transfer provided the following conditions have been met:

1. The course was identified as transferable to the specific baccalaureate institution in the course equivalency resource in effect at the time the course was taken.
2. The student completed the course with a grade of “C” or better.

While the College will maintain up-to-date transfer information and will provide academic advising and counseling to aid students in course selection, it is the responsibility of the students to avail themselves of these services. Students should be aware that baccalaureate degree completion requirements are not the same for all institutions or majors and that these requirements change over time. It is the responsibility of the student to keep informed of these changes and to adjust their program of courses accordingly. The course equivalency resources are available through the Black Hawk College website at www.bhc.edu/transfer .

To initiate the guarantee process, the student must submit a letter to Enrollment Services showing evidence of enrollment in the baccalaureate institution. In addition, the student must also submit a letter from the baccalaureate institution stating why the course did not transfer.

The limit of the College’s liability is to compensation stated herein. The College is not liable if the baccalaureate institution changes its equivalencies after a student has completed the transfer course in question.

Occupational Program Guarantee

The Occupational Program Guarantee formally assures career program graduates and their employers that they have obtained the academic and technical skills that the occupational programs are designed to teach. The College backs up this guarantee with up to 9 credit hours of tuition-free instruction provided the following conditions have been met:

1. The career program graduate must be employed in a position related to the program of study.
2. In the case of licensure, the student must attempt to pass the licensure exam at least twice within one year of graduation. If refresher or test preparation courses are available, the student must also pass those courses before initiating the guarantee.

To initiate the guarantee, the student and employer must submit to Enrollment Services a joint statement within six months of program completion certifying that the graduate is lacking the entry-level skills identified in the course syllabi at the time the course was taken. In the case of licensure, the student must submit to Enrollment Services documentation from the licensing entity of the unsuccessful attempts to pass the exam.

The limit of the College’s liability is to the compensation stated herein.

Online Degree Audit

Through the college’s web portal (myBHC), students have the ability to check progress toward completion of a degree or certificate by identifying which courses have been completed and which courses are still needed to fulfill graduation requirements. Students are encouraged to work with an educational advisor to compete long-term educational plans that fit student needs. In addition, students may check to see how completed courses may be applied to a different certificate or degree by using the “What If” feature.

Graduation

Meeting graduation requirements is ultimately the responsibility of the student. Students are encouraged to work with their advisors in selecting courses to meet their educational objectives.

Students must apply for graduation before the published deadlines in order to be included in relevant publications. These dates are available in Enrollment Services and at www.bhc.edu/graduation. Printed diplomas and certificates are mailed six to eight weeks after the end of the semester in which the students are approved to graduate. Please visit www.bhc.edu/graduation for more information.

Commencement ceremonies are the culmination of the student’s program of study. Each spring, BHC conducts a graduation ceremony whereby faculty, staff, family and friends come together to recognize academic achievements. All eligible degree and certificate candidates are encouraged to participate in commencement activities.

Conferring Degrees and Certificates

Candidates who have submitted a graduation application for Associate degrees (AA, AS, AAS, AFA, and ALS) and/or Certificates of Achievement will be recognized formally at the Commencement Ceremonies held in May at the end of each spring semester. Students will receive their printed certificates and diplomas following the close of the semester in which they apply for graduation and meet all graduation requirements.

Certificates that are auto awarded by the Registrar, without a student submitting a graduation application, will be awarded on the student’s transcript as of the end date of the semester in which certificate requirements were completed. Auto awarded certificates will not be printed and mailed to students unless a graduation application form is submitted to the college.

Auto Awarding of Certificates

Beginning in Summer 2019 term and after, students who successfully complete coursework meeting all requirements for an active Certificate at the College will have the certificate credential automatically awarded on their academic transcript, without submission of a graduation application form. Any earned Certificates will be awarded as of the end date of the semester in which requirements were completed, and will be considered a part of the student’s permanent record. Auto awarded certificates will not be printed and mailed to students unless a graduation application form is submitted to the college.

Unit of Credit

The unit of credit is the semester credit hour; typically, a unit of credit is earned by attending a non-laboratory class for one hour a week for 16 weeks or the equivalent. In laboratory classes, one credit hour is granted for two to three hours in a laboratory per week. The number of credits for each course may be found in the Course Descriptions section of this academic catalog.

Student Classification

Freshman. Students who have completed fewer than 30 credit hours of college work.

Sophomore. Students who have completed 30 or more credit hours of college work.

Full-time Student. Students registered for 12 or more credit hours are considered full-time students. A normal full-time load consists of 15-17 credit hours.

Part-time Student. Students registered for less than 12 credit hours.

Honors Information

Phi Theta Kappa. Phi Theta Kappa is recognized as the official honor society for community colleges by the American Association of Community Colleges. To be eligible for membership, a student must have completed at least 12 hours of associate degree coursework with a cumulative 3.5 GPA.

Alpha Beta Gamma. Alpha Beta Gamma is a national business honor society open to students who are majoring in business and recommended by at least two business faculty members. Membership is open to students who have completed 15 credit hours of credit with a grade point average of 3.0 or better; at least 12 of these hours must be earned in courses with a business prefix. In these courses a student must have earned a grade point average of 3.25 or better.

Alpha Phi Beta. The Alpha Beta chapter at the East Campus was founded in 1992. Students who have completed at least 12 credit hours of college level coursework at Black Hawk College with a minimum GPA of 3.5 may join.

Delta Alpha Phi. Delta Alpha Phi is an international honor society that is open to undergraduate and graduate students with disabilities. Students initiated into Delta Alpha Phi must meet the following criteria: present with a documented disability and work with one of the faculty or staff members in the Disability Resources & Access office, or self-identify as an individual with a disability; demonstrate an interest in disability issues; complete a minimum of 24 credit hours at BHC (exception can be made for certificate programs), earn a cumulative GPA of 3.1 on a 4.0 scale.

Psi Beta. Psi Beta is a national honor society for students interested in psychology who have earned 12 credit hours with a grade point average of 3.00 or better and who have completed PSYC 101 with a grade of “B” or better. In addition, students must complete the proper registration form and pay a fee.

Sigma Kappa Delta. English honor society for two-year colleges. The purpose of Sigma Kappa Delta is to recognize the academic achievement of students who have excelled in English courses and who are interested in the humanities. Students can develop their leadership skills by getting involved in activities sponsored by Delta Epsilon, Black Hawk College’s chapter.

Semester Honors. At the end of the spring and fall semesters a Highest Honors List and an Honors List are published to honor students for academic achievement. The criteria to qualify for these honors are as follows:

Highest Honors List for Full-time Students - Earn 12 or more college level credit hours with a semester grade point average of 3.75 or above.

Highest Honors List for Part-time Students - Earn 6-11 college level credit hours with a semester grade point average of 3.75 or above.

Honors List for Full-time Students - Earn 12 or more college level credit hours with a semester grade point average of 3.50 - 3.74.

Honors List for Part-time Students - Earn 6-11 college level credit hours with a semester grade point average of 3.50 - 3.74.

Latin Honors. A student receiving an Associate’s degree may graduate with honors by meeting the following requirements:

Summa Cum Laude - Must complete 60 hours of graded work at Black Hawk College with a cumulative 3.95 grade point average or higher.

Magna Cum Laude - Must complete 45 hours of graded work at Black Hawk College and achieve between a cumulative 3.85 and 3.94 grade point average.

Cum Laude - Must complete 30 hours of graded work at Black Hawk College and achieve between a cumulative 3.75 and 3.84 grade point average.

For purposes of recognition at spring commencement ceremonies, Latin honors are calculated using a current student’s cum GPA at the end of the previous fall semester.

East Campus Academic Honors. The Founders’ Scholars’ honor (East Campus only) recognizes Associate in Arts or Associate in Science students at the end of spring semester, who have achieved a 3.8 cum GPA with at least 30 credit hours earned at Black Hawk College and at least 12 credit hours at the East Campus.

Honors Program

The Honors Program at Black Hawk College provides students with an opportunity to participate in academic work to enrich their college experience. Please visit the new college website page for more information at www.bhc.edu/honorsprogram

To complete the Honors Program, students will need to have a GPA of 3.25 or better and meet the requirements of the program:

• Complete HONR 200  and HONR 205  with a C or better.
• Complete the Service Project requirement.
• Submit the Service Project Reflection Form.
• Share HONR 205  Independent Study findings through the HONR 205  Reporting Form.