Academic Policies and Regulations

System of Grades

The College uses the following grading system:

A Excellent
B Above Average
C Average
D Below Average
F Failing
P Passing
W Withdrawn
AU Audit
I Incomplete
S Satisfactory
U Unsatisfactory

Grading Scale: The following grading scale will be used for all 100- level and 200- level courses:

A (90-100) Excellent
B (80-89) Above Average
C (70-79) Average
D (60-69) Below Average
F (below 60) Failing

Dean's List and Honor List: The College seeks by every legitimate means to stimulate and reward exceptional achievements in all worthy lines of endeavor. Two honor lists are issued by the Vice President for Academic Life and the Registrar to recognize exceptional achievement. Full-time students carrying a minimum of 12 semester credit hours of college-level credits with a grade point average of 3.50 to 4.00 will be eligible for the Dean's List issued at the end of the semester. In addition, those students carrying a minimum of 12 semester credit hours of college-level credits with a grade point average of 3.00 to 3.49 are recognized on the Honor List.

Quarter Grade Review: In order to remain compliant with the U.S. Department of Education regulations, student grades are reviewed each quarter (first-quarter, mid-term, and final grades) to determine if students are meeting the required academic standards. In order to keep up with their progress, students have access to view their quarter grades at any time by accessing the student portal. Quarter grade review coincides with the attendance, absence, and withdrawal policies set by the College.

Incomplete Grades: A grade of “I” may be given when a student has not completed all the requirements of a course, but has completed at least 80 percent of them. The instructor will submit a plan of work to be completed to the Registrar’s Office with the incomplete grade. A student receiving a grade of “I” may complete the course without having to re-register for the course. An incomplete (I) grade remains on a student’s record until it is removed by a passing grade. If not replaced within one semester, the incomplete (I) becomes an “F.” Leave of Absence: A temporary leave of absence from the College may be granted to a student for reasons such as health, military service, or work. The request is to be filed by the student with the Registrar’s Office within sixty days after the date of departure. A leave of absence will permit the student to re-enter Louisburg College without filing an Application for Readmission. The leave of absence is valid for a maximum of one year. Students not complying with the above will need to file an Application for Readmission, and complete graduation requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of the most recent matriculation to the College.

Change of Grade: Once grades are recorded by the registrar, they can be changed only if the faculty member made an error in determining or recording the grade. Submission of work after the registrar has recorded a grade is not an acceptable basis for changing a grade. To change a grade, the faculty member must complete a Change-of-Grade Request form, indicate the cause of the error, and submit that form to the Vice President for Academic Life. If the Vice President for Academic Life approves the request, it will be forwarded to the registrar, who will record the change of grade.

All grades are final after seven (7) days from the end of each semester.

Course Repeat Policy

Repeating A Course: A student who has earned less than a “C” in any course may elect to take that course again to attempt to improve the grade. If the grade earned was a “C” or higher, the student must petition the Vice President for Academic Life in writing in order to repeat the course. When a passing grade has been previously earned, a course repeat may not be used to meet the minimum credit hours required for graduation. The results of the highest grade earned (excluding a withdrawal) shall stand as official, and the credit hours and grade points on the student’s record for other attempts shall no longer be used to count toward total credits earned or cumulative GPA.

Credit hours earned by repeating a course will be counted toward satisfactory academic progress and degree requirements only one time, unless the catalog specifically states that the repeated course may be taken for credit more than once. The highest grade earned becomes the official grade for the course. Transcripts record all grades; the grade for a repeated course will have an R beside it.

Grade Point Average

For the purpose of determining grade point average, each grade is given a numerical value:

A 4 grade points per credit hour
B 3 grade points per credit hour
C 2 grade points per credit hour
D 1 grade point per credit hour
F 0 grade point per credit hour
W 0 grade point per credit hour

A semester grade point average is based on the classes in a given semester. A cumulative GPA includes all course work at Louisburg College. To calculate your cumulative GPA:

1. Multiply credit hours for each course by the quality point value for that course.
2. Add the total quality points for all courses.
3. Add the total credit hours for all courses attempted.
4. Divide the total quality points earned by the total credit hours attempted.

Final Examination Policy

Comprehensive, appropriate final examinations are held in all courses. A final examination is to be given in all courses on the day and at the time scheduled. Faculty are expected to administer final examinations.

Student Load

The normal academic load for students is a schedule of 16 semester credit hours. A full-time load, however, is defined as being any combination of 12 semester credit hours or more of classes. An additional charge is made for each credit hour over 18 with the semester credit hour charge being equal to the part-time per credit hour charge. Students must petition the Vice President for Academic Life in writing when desiring to take more than 18 credit hours in any given semester. No student is permitted to live in on-campus housing unless he or she is enrolled in and maintains enrollment in at least twelve (12) hours or permission from the Dean of Students.

A maximum of six credit hours from one-hour courses may be included in meeting graduation requirements.

Dropping or Adding Classes

A student may add or drop courses during the first ten (10) days of each fall and spring semester. The add/drop period for the summer semester is five (5) days.

The student’s transcript will reflect a W if the class is dropped after the add/drop period. Exceptions to this policy include the following: academic dishonesty and classroom misconduct. If a grade of F is reported for one of these offenses prior to the last day for dropping a class, the grade of F stands.

If a student exceeds the number of allowed absences and/or if a student fails to complete work prior to the last day for dropping a class, the student will be administratively withdrawn from the class and the student’s transcript will reflect a W.

Under extenuating circumstances, a student may appeal to the Vice President for Academic Life in order to withdraw officially from a course and receive a grade of W for the course. See the Withdrawal Policy below.

Courses may be added/dropped by the advisor or the Registrar’s Office. Only withdrawals can be made by the Registrar’s Office. Please email registrar@louisburg.edu for more information.

Auditing Policy

Students wishing to enroll in a course(s) during the fall and spring semesters without earning college credit shall register as “auditors” on or before the end of the add/drop period. Tuition is charged at a rate of $50 per credit hour. Auditing students must have the permission of the course instructor and the registrar. Student status in courses cannot be changed after the end of the add/drop period. Audit courses will not count in the number of total hours attempted. Summer courses may not be audited.

Withdrawal Policy

A student who finds it necessary to withdraw from Louisburg College must initiate an official withdrawal process in the Registrar’s Office. Honorable dismissal will not be granted without official withdrawal. Students who withdraw from the College during the first seven days of the semester will have no record of the courses taken.

It is the policy of Louisburg College to facilitate the withdrawal from the College and later readmission of all students who are called to military active duty or deployment during a semester. Students called to military active duty or deployment during a semester may receive an I in each course for which they are currently enrolled and in good standing. These students have until the end of the first full semester following the end of their active duty or deployment to complete work in each course and receive a final grade. If course work is not completed within this time frame, the incomplete grade will become an F for the semester. A semester interrupted by a call to military active duty or deployment will not count as a semester for purposes of determining satisfactory academic progress until the time limit for completing course work specified above has expired.

Students who withdraw from the College after the first ten days of the semester and up to one week after midterm will receive a W, and credit hours will not be counted as work attempted. Students who withdraw during the period from one week after midterm until the end of the semester will receive a grade of F in each course they have not received a final grade, and the credit hours will count as work attempted for GPA calculation.

Exceptions to this policy may be made for any of the following reasons:

• Illness of the student or illness in the family that requires the attention of the student. In either case, a physician’s certificate must be presented and approved by the Vice President for Academic Life.
• Death of a member of the student’s immediate family.
• Other extenuating circumstances approved by the Vice President for Academic Life.

If any of these exceptions apply, official documentation must be received in the office of the Vice President for Academic Life no later than fourteen (14) days from withdrawal. If any of these exceptions apply, the student will receive a grade of W, and credit hours will not be counted as work attempted for GPA calculation.

For information concerning refunds at withdrawal, see the Institutional Charge Reduction Policy. Residential students who withdraw must evacuate campus within 24 hours of processing forms unless otherwise allowed by Residence Life.

Transcript Requests

There is a fee of $10.00 for each transcript. Transcript orders are typically fulfilled within two business days. Exceptions are end of term, pending final grades, holidays, and school breaks.

Student Records

Louisburg College has an established policy concerning the availability of student records. This policy complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. The Act, with which the College intends to comply fully, was designed to protect the privacy of educational records, and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data. The Louisburg College policy on the availability of students’ educational records is as found under FERPA.

FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law designed to protect the privacy of a student’s education records. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records at Louisburg College. These rights transfer to the student, or former student, once he or she becomes an “eligible student” by beginning to attend Louisburg College.

• Eligible Students have the right to inspect and review all of their education records maintained by the College. This right may be exercised by making a written or verbal request to the Registrar. The College generally is not required to provide copies of materials in the education record; it may charge a fee for copies.
• Eligible Students have the right to request that the College correct records believed to be inaccurate or misleading. This right may be exercised by making a written request to the Registrar. If the College decides not to amend the record, the Eligible Student then has the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the College still decides not to amend the record, the Eligible Student has the right to place a statement with the record commenting on the contested information.
• Generally, the College must have written permission from the Eligible Student before releasing any information from the student’s record. However, the law allows the College to disclose records, without consent, to the following parties:
• Either or both parents of a dependent student, as defined in section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. (Payment of tuition is not sufficient proof that a student is a dependent.)
• College officials who have a legitimate educational interest as determined by College policy and administered by the Registrar (see Definitions below).
• Other schools or universities to which a student is transferring.
• Certain government officials in order to carry out lawful functions.
• Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student.
• Organizations conducting certain studies for the College.
• Accrediting organizations.
• Individuals who have obtained court orders or subpoenas.
• Persons who need to know in cases of health and safety emergencies.
• State and local authorities within a juvenile justice system.
• The College may also disclose, without consent, “directory information.” The College considers the following items to be directory information: name, class, photograph(s), full-time or half-time status, hometown and state, College email address, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, degrees, honors and awards, and dates of attendance.
• An Eligible Student may notify the College in writing that the College may not release any or all of the information categorized as directory information without prior consent. This notice must be given annually, and must be received by the Registrar’s office before the end of the first week of the academic year.
• An Eligible Student may notify the College in writing at any time during a given academic year that his/her email address should not be listed in the College’s public access email directory. Such notification shall remain in effect until the beginning of the next academic year.
• Eligible Students may file a complaint with the Department of Education concerning alleged failures of the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

College Official: a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a company with whom the College has contracted, e.g., attorney, auditor, collection agent; a member of the Board of Trustees or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.

Legitimate Educational Interest: A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

File a complaint with the United States Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-5901

Questions concerning the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act may be referred to the Vice President for Academic Life or registrar.

Classification of Students

Classification of students is determined by credit hours earned:

Freshman 0-27
Sophomore 28+

Declaration and Change of Major

To ensure timely progress toward completing degree requirements, students should officially declare a major by their second semester of enrollment. Transfer students transferring 15 or more semester hours credit should declare a major upon matriculation. A student who wishes to change his/her major may do so by completing the appropriate form with the Registrar’s Office.

Academic Advising

Faculty and staff advisors discuss academic programs and processes with students and help guide course selection and their choice of degree programs, allowing students to make progress toward the general education core, their chosen academic major, and their career goals. Students must consult with their faculty advisors to plan course schedules.

Each student will have an academic advisor assigned to aid in designing a program and scheduling classes to meet the objectives of the College and the student. The faculty and academic staff act in an advisory capacity to assist the student. Students shall familiarize themselves with curriculum requirements, course sequences, and the normal load limits required to be able to plan satisfactory programs. Students are solely responsible for any curricular difficulties arising from the lack of familiarity with academic graduation or curriculum requirements, a change in the student’s vocational or professional objectives, or a change in the student’s major.

Registration

Students must register for at least 12 semester hours to be considered full-time. (Note: Full-time status is required for residency in residence halls and some forms of financial aid). The amount of credit for most courses is based upon the amount of class time required each week. Before pre-registration or registration, each student must consult with his or her academic advisor on course selection. A student will not receive credit for any course for which registration has not been completed. It is the responsibility of the student, not the academic advisor, to ensure that all graduation requirements are met.

Additional tuition will be incurred for enrollment over 18 semester hours.

Commencement

The College’s annual Commencement Ceremony is held in the Jones Performing Arts Center (JPAC) at the end of spring semester in May. Commencement is open to students who completed their requirements during the current academic year. Only students who have successfully completed all graduation requirements will receive diplomas at Commencement in May. Students who have not successfully completed all graduation requirements may “participate” in commencement by walking across the stage and receiving a diploma cover only, if they meet all of the following criteria:

• They are within eight credit hours or two classes of completing their graduation requirements.
• They have a GPA of at least 2.0

Credit hour requirements are dependent on the degree. Students transferring credit to Louisburg College from other institutions must earn at least 15 semester hours at Louisburg College.

All eligible graduates are required to take part in the Commencement Ceremony. Requests to graduate “in absentia” must be made in writing to the Vice President for Academic Life.

Graduation application forms are available in the Registrar’s Office and should be submitted no later than the first week of April.

Second Associate Degree: The requirements for students who already hold an associate degree from an accredited institution and who wish to pursue an additional associate degree at Louisburg College are as follows:

1. Complete a minimum of 16 credit hours while in residence at Louisburg College beyond those required for the first degree, Fulfill the general education requirements of Louisburg College
2. Fulfill all other degree requirements
3. Earn a minimum of 80 credits at the associate degree level.

Graduation with Honors

Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Cum Laude are awarded for superior scholarship in work leading to the associate degree. These honors, based upon graduation grade point average, become part of the official record and are awarded upon graduation.

Summa Cum Laude 3.90 - 4.00
Magna Cum Laude 3.70 - 3.89
Cum Laude 3.50 - 3.69

All college-level course grades earned at Louisburg College that affect a student's GPA shall be used in determining eligibility for graduation with honors.

Catalog in Effect: Students must meet graduation requirements in the catalog in effect on the date of the student’s most recent matriculation or in a subsequent catalog published during their enrollment. Students must make the declaration of changing catalogs to the Registrar no later than four months prior to their graduation date. Louisburg College reserves the right to make changes in courses and policies published in the catalog without obligation or prior notice.

Duplicate Diploma: A duplicate diploma may be issued upon request. A written request must be made to the Registrar’s Office indicating the reason for a duplicate diploma. The duplicate diploma shall show the date of the original diploma. The duplicate will have the signatures of the current College officials and the current format and size. The current fee will be the $25 which covers standard shipping in the United States.

Attendance Policy

Academic Life expects students to attend all classes in person. Instructors inform students of attendance and other course policies in detail during the first-class session of the term and in the syllabus. Students can be administratively withdrawn from the College for not attending class. In order to remain compliant with the U.S. Department of Education regulations, the College has an attendance requirement to which each student must adhere. Absences are counted from the first scheduled class meeting after students are enrolled. Students who have not attended as of the 10th day of course instruction can be administratively withdrawn from the College and the student’s Financial Aid will be revoked. Students who miss more than ten (10) individual class meetings or thirty (30) total class meetings prior to the end of the 9th week of courses each semester can be administratively withdrawn from the college and the student’s financial aid will be adjusted. If a student wishes to have an absence deemed excused, the student should send all requests and supporting documentation to the Office of Academic Life within 14 days of the “excused absence”. Please refer to the ‘Excused Absence Policy’ below for additional information regarding attendance.

Excused Absence Policy

Unforeseen events or circumstances may occur that cause a student to be absent from class. Such absences may qualify as “not excused absences.” Students should email Absences@louisburg.edu within 14 days of the “excused absence” and provide documentation to provide a perspective that the absence from class is warranted. These could include illness, bereavement, accident, or a catastrophic event such as fire. If such issues arise, students are encouraged to also notify their instructors as soon as possible in order to apprise them of the circumstances leading to their absence from classes and to develop a plan, with a timetable, to make up missed coursework. Instructors are expected to make reasonable accommodations for these class absences including administration of make-up assignments and exams whenever possible. In the event of an extended absence due to a chronic medical condition or disability, students should contact the Office of Accessibility Services to explore potential extended accommodation in order to explore academic options available to them.

Classroom Cell Phone Policy

General Expectations

The guiding principle is that devices must serve a learning purpose, not distract from it.

All cell phones, smartwatches with wireless communication capabilities, tablets, or similar personal communication devices must be placed on silent mode and stowed away (e.g., in a backpack, pocket or out of sight) during instructional periods unless the instructor expressly grants permission for their use.

Accommodation Needs

If a student requires access to their device for documented medical/health reasons, disability accommodations (IEP/504), or emergency contact purposes, the student should inform the instructor at the beginning of the semester so that appropriate accommodations can be made in advance.

Exams and Quizzes

During all exams and quizzes, all wireless communication devices must be stowed away in a designated location, at the instructor’s discretion and remain in the room for the full duration of the assessment, in accordance with the Integrity Policy in the current Student Handbook.

Violations

If a device is used for cheating, rings, is used for texting, social media, photography/video recording (without authorization), or otherwise causes a distraction or disruption, the instructor may ask the student to leave the classroom and will follow the steps below:

1. First Warning – Instructor will speak with or email the student.
2. Second Warning – Instructor will notify the Executive Director of their department.
3. Third Warning – Instructor will notify the Vice President of Academic Life or the appropriate administrative official.

The student will not be allowed to return to class until after the required meeting has taken place.

Club Athletics

All students wishing to participate in “club” athletic activities at Louisburg College must meet the eligibility requirements of the National Junior College Athletic Association prior to and during participation.

Academic Integrity Policy

All Louisburg College students are expected to uphold standards of honesty and integrity in their academic pursuits and are responsible for producing only their own work in all classes. Cheating, plagiarism, or lying for academic advantage undermines academic integrity. Students are responsible for understanding the policy. Students are also responsible for asking for clarification from their instructors should they have questions about the policy.

Cheating: Students must complete all tests and examinations without help from any source. They may not look at any other student's paper or any book or notes while taking tests unless specified by the instructor. Possession of notes while taking tests is considered evidence of intention to cheat. Students may not talk to any other student while tests are being given without explicit permission from the instructor. All electronic devices must be turned off and placed completely out of sight, except those devices approved by the instructor. Students must submit work that is their own. They may not submit work that has been produced by anyone else. They may not give their work to other students to copy.

Plagiarism: Students must use their own words and must document the source of anything written in any paper or assignment. Direct quotations must be cited as such. Students must paraphrase material in such a way that the style and language are distinctively their own; merely rearranging words or making minimal changes in wording is plagiarism even if documented. Students are encouraged to get ideas or suggestions from other sources when the instructor permits.

Academic Misrepresentation: Students must not lie about absences or assignments to gain academic advantage. Process: Any faculty member having evidence of a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy shall meet with the student to review the evidence and inform the student of the infraction of the policy. The faculty member shall be required to notify the Vice President for Academic Life and provide him/her with documentation of the violation. The Vice President for Academic Life shall conduct a hearing with the student to review the documentation. The Vice President for Academic Life shall advise the faculty member of possible sanctions permissible and applicable and discuss with the faculty the course of action the College should take within the guidelines stated below. The instructor has the authority to determine the severity of the penalty related to the course. The Vice President for Academic Life shall then notify the student of the sanction imposed by the faculty member and by the College, if applicable.

Sanctions: The consequence for the first infraction is a zero (0) for the assignment, quiz, test or a final grade of “F” for the course. A second violation of the academic integrity policy shall result in a final grade of “F” for the course with a permanent notation of the violation on the student’s transcript or expulsion from the institution with a permanent notation of the violation on the student’s transcript. A third violation of the academic integrity policy shall result in expulsion from the College and a permanent notation of the violation on the student’s transcript.

Records: Documentation of violations of the Academic Integrity Policy will remain in the Vice President for Academic Life’s Office. Records will be maintained to determine the number of violations a student has incurred and the sanctions issued.

Maintenance of Student Records

Louisburg College maintains student records for a minimum of five years. Student’s transcripts are kept on file within the Registrar’s office permanently.

Transcripts

The Registrar's Office is the repository of academic records. Transcripts are requested online only at www.studentclearinghouse.org. Transcript requests are not processed during the opening week of school each semester or when the college is closed. The Registrar’s Office also verifies enrollment and degrees earned. This office updates changes in name or address for current students; former students should contact the office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs to make these changes. All services including transcript release and verification of enrollment are contingent upon no outstanding college accounts or other college obligations.

Academic Life Conduct Policy

The expectations of the College are that all students are held responsible for their conduct and violations to conduct policies for Academic Life as follows:

The Student Life office and Academic Life office collaborate to enforce the published Student Code of Conduct (as identified in the Student Code of Conduct and the Student Handbook) for all students. When a student violates the Code of Conduct in the classroom or academic space, at any given time the Vice President for Academic Life intervenes. At that time, consequences are established that align with each infraction. Consequences can range from allowing the student to remain on campus, dismissal for a determined amount of time, or permanent dismissal from the College.

A full review of all submitted incident reports from faculty, staff, and students is considered before sanctions are drafted and communicated. Once the Vice President for Academic Life has reviewed the submitted reports, a final decision is made. The Vice President for Academic Life communicates with the Vice President of Student Life about all actions that will be taken. The Vice President for Academic Life also contacts appropriate Academic Life offices to communicate all actions that must be taken. The Office of Academic Life notifies all involved students of the sanction and assists students and their parents/guardians, if applicable, with understanding the consequences along with answering any questions or concerns the student may have.

Academic Grievance Process

The academic grievance procedure is to resolve student grievances pertaining to academic matters resulting from faculty or staff actions. Various circumstances may serve as legitimate grounds for student grievances. A student who thinks that he/she has an academic grievance will first seek to resolve the matter through discussions with the involved staff or faculty member. A student with a disability who has an accommodation grievance should also include the Disability Services Officer in this initial discussion. If these discussions are not satisfactory, the complaint may be continued formally through the procedure below.

The student submits a grievance in writing via the Student Academic Grievance form which may be obtained in the Registrar’s Office. Examples of academic grievances include but are not limited to: discrimination or mistreatment by instructor, error in grading, and ADA non-compliance. Only complaints submitted via the grievance form will be considered official complaints.

The Office of Academic Life reviews the complaint form and contacts involved parties for investigation and decision-making purposes. The complaint could also be assigned to other appropriate offices at the institution, if needed.

If appropriate, an academic grievance committee composed of staff, faculty, Division Executive Directors and/or the Vice President for Academic Life will convene and rule on the complaint and update the student’s record with a note of resolution. All documentation is centralized and kept electronically in the Office of Academic Life.

The student will be notified by the Office of Academic Life via email of the decision. If the student is not satisfied with the outcome of the initial complaint, the student may appeal the decision within seven business days of the decision by submitting an Academic Life Student Academic Appeal form.

Student academic appeals give students a chance to appeal an academic grievance or have exceptions made to existing academic policies or procedures at Louisburg College. There are circumstances in life that may affect a student’s academic progress. Circumstances such as changes in a student’s health or a student’s family member or the demands of a student’s work schedule or other events can have an impact on your attendance or academic performance. If those circumstances arise, students have the option to go through the Academic Appeals Process by filing a Student Academic Appeal form.

Students must start the appeal process within seven (7) working days of receiving the contested grade or decision from the original complaint. Late appeal submissions will not be accepted. Academic appeals are progressive. If the issue is resolved, it will not proceed to the next step.

Academic Appeal Process

1.The student completes the appeal form located on the website or the student portal.

2.The student submits appeal form and supporting documentation to the Vice President for Academic Life.

3.The student attends a meeting or meetings with one or more of the following, if needed:

• Faculty
• Division Executive Director
• Registrar’s Office
• Vice President for Academic Life

The Vice President for Academic Life will notify all involved parties of his/her final decision. The student will also be notified of the results of the appeal within 30 days and the decision is final.

The Student Life Complaint Policy is published in the Student Handbook. Louisburg College is a community with a special mission and is composed of diverse individuals. As a higher educational institution, Louisburg College encourages growth and diversity in thought and appropriate communications. Louisburg College recognizes that issues (i.e. concerns, grievances, etc.) between students and faculty, staff, peers, and the College are possible. Louisburg College appreciates all individuals that voice issues, and it desires to provide an environment where all issues can be addressed.

In the event that a general or specific issue is submitted in writing by a student, it is the policy of Louisburg College to respond to the student in an appropriate and timely manner. It is also the policy of Louisburg College to provide an appeal procedure for all issues, concerns, and grievances.

Louisburg College assigns oversight for the listed area of responsibility to the individual designated below, and the designated individual is responsible for establishing written procedures which are to be published in appropriate documents.

• Academic Vice President for Academic Life
• Americans with Disabilities Act Disability Services Officer
• Sexual Harassment Title IX Coordinator
• Non-Academic Vice President of Student Life

If a grievance/complaint cannot be resolved after exhausting Louisburg College's complaint procedure described above, or any other applicable campus procedures, the student may file a complaint with the North Carolina Department of Justice, Consumer Affairs Division. An online complaint form is available at www.ncdoj.gov/complaint. The NC DOJ Consumer Affairs Division can be reached at 1-877-566-7226.

NC DOJ Consumer Affairs Division mailing address is:
North Carolina Department of Justice
Consumer Protection Division
9001 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-9001

Southern Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Colleges

If for some reason the complaint is not satisfactorily resolved, the next step would be to file a complaint with Louisburg College’s accrediting agency.

Louisburg College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the associate degrees. Contact the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Louisburg College. Students who file a complaint with the accrediting agency should follow the SACSCOC Complaint Procedures.

The contact information for SACSCOC is:
SACSCOC
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
Telephone: 404-679-4500

E-mail and Campus Post Office

E-mail and hard-copy mail are the primary means of communicating with students about a wide variety of information, ranging from registration times to the annual FERPA notification. (Students are notified in advance that they are responsible for knowing information sent to them via e-mail or hard-copy mail). E-mail is efficient and effective, but students may come to view it as spam if it is overused. Forthcoming deadlines, scholarship opportunities, and course schedule changes— important matters that are time-sensitive— are good candidates for notification to student accounts by e-mail.

Portals

Portals are web-based services that allow users to organize and navigate electronic information available on the World Wide Web. They guide people into a broad variety of web-based resources, from e-mail to search engines and forums. Portals provide a unique, user-centered, often user-customized, means of communication. Instead of merely providing the user with flat content, the portal puts the user in charge of choosing what and how information is displayed. Within higher education, portals also allow the user to integrate academic and nonacademic electronic information.

Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA)

Louisburg College complies with the provisions of Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA) to assist students with the protection of personal information and safeguard students from identity theft. Louisburg College collects only information required to conduct its business or as required by governmental agencies. Data is stored electronically on secured servers, and hard copy information is maintained in secured file cabinets. Access to student information by College personnel is granted on a need-to-know basis. Louisburg College routinely publishes directory information, and every student is able to request omission from published directories through completion and submission of the required form available in the Registrar's Office. Louisburg College does not release non-directory student information to anyone without written permission of the student except as required by governmental agencies. Please refer to the FERPA section for additional information.

Commencement Day Awards

Each year the following major awards are presented during the Commencement Ceremony:

The Alumni Scholarship: This award was established in 1990 by the Louisburg College Alumni Association Board of Directors to recognize an outstanding rising second year student. Qualifications are based on academic record, school involvement, personal character, and aspirations. Monies for the scholarship are provided through alumni contributions.

The Brantley Award: This award is presented to the male and female candidates for graduation with the highest full-time two-year scholastic average. It was established by the late Reverend Allen P. Brantley, a member of the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church and a former trustee of the College.

The Isaac D. Moon Award: This award is given to the most outstanding male and female candidates for graduation in the fields of leadership, scholarship, and citizenship. It was established by the Sophomore Class of 1961 in honor of Professor Moon, member of the faculty from 1936 to 1970. The recipients of this award are selected by a vote of faculty and staff.

The Naomi Dickens Shaw Award for Faculty Teaching Excellence: This award is given each year to a member of the faculty who demonstrates teaching excellence. The Reverend and Mrs. Caswell Shaw established the endowment that funds the award in memory of Mr. Shaw's mother, the late Naomi Dickens Shaw, Class of 1928. The recipient of this award is selected by a committee known only to the president of the College.

Awards Day Presentations

A special Awards Day assembly is held each spring to recognize students who have excelled in various categories:

The David Whitman Shearin Scholarship Award: In honor of Professor Shearin, an annual award and scholarship is presented to the most outstanding freshman business student. Scholarship, activities, strength of character, and general conduct are all considered. Professor Shearin served the college for thirty-one years as an outstanding faculty member and leader in the business division.

The Art Award: The Art Award is given annually to the studio art student who has combined both fortitude and intuition in reflecting his or her own unique vision. The recipient will have excelled in both individual and group critique interaction.

Outstanding Student Athlete: An award is given annually to the male and female student athletes who have made the most outstanding contribution to the athletic program while achieving academic excellence and involvement in other extracurricular activities.

The James H. Brown Award: In honor of Captain James H. Brown, who taught in the Mathematics Department from 1962 to 1978, an award is presented annually to the student who has the highest average in at least two freshman level mathematics courses.

The Dr. Owen Stephen Bunnell Associate in Science Award: This award is presented annually to a graduating student in the Associate of Science program. The recipient is selected by the science faculty from students excelling in one or more of the following areas of study: biology, chemistry, and physics. This award was established in the spring of 1978. This award honors Dr. Bunnell, alum of Louisburg College, Class of 1976.

The Peter A. Carlton Award in Biology: Dr. Patrick W. Carlton, Class of 1957, and Richard A. Carlton have established an annual award for the student with the highest academic achievement in biological sciences. This award is given in memory of their father, Peter A. Carlton, an educator and longtime friend of Louisburg College.

Chaplain's Service Award: Chaplain's service awards are given to sophomores who have contributed outstanding service to the campus and community by their participation in the Christian Life Council and/or chapel services.

Chemistry Award: A chemistry award is given each year to the student who, in the opinion of the Department of Science, has achieved the highest excellence in the first year of General Chemistry.

Golden Twig Botany Award: Presented annually to the student who has achieved excellence in Botany.

Bessie Arrington Gupton Distinguished Service Award: This distinguished service fund has been established in memory of Mrs. Bessie Arrington Gupton, Class of 1908, by her sons, Samuel Gupton and Willis Gupton, Class of 1942. This fund will provide a cash award to a member of Louisburg College's faculty, staff, or student body who demonstrates outstanding and extraordinary service to the College.

Intramural Awards: Various students are recognized for their outstanding contribution to the intramural sports program. Students are recognized for officiating, participation, and sportsmanship. Elizabeth Johnson Award: In honor of Elizabeth Johnson, who taught in the Mathematics Department from 1945- 1974, an award is presented annually to the student who has attained the highest average in at least two calculus courses. Journalism Award: An anonymous donor has established an annual award for that member of the sophomore class with the highest achievements in student journalism. The recipient is selected by a vote of the Humanities Division and other faculty members who are advisors to student publications.

The Malone Award: Mrs. Umphry Lee of Louisburg has established an annual award for the graduate who has achieved the highest excellence in the field of English. This award is given in memory of Mrs. Lee's father, Edwin Hutchinson Malone, a former student at the Male Academy and later a trustee of the College.

Music Award: This award is presented to the student who has made the most outstanding contribution to the total music program at the College during the current school year.

The Felton R. Nease Awards in Biology: These cash awards, established in 1983 by the wife and daughter of Dr. Felton R. Nease, professor emeritus of biology at Louisburg College, are presented annually to the male and female freshmen who have shown excellence, plan careers in biology, and plan to return to Louisburg College the following year.

Dorothy H. Sampson Creative Writing Award: Thomas O'Keefe, a graduate of Louisburg College, and several members of the Humanities Department, have established a creative writing award in honor of the late Dorothy H. Sampson, a former professor of English at the College.

The Robert A. Butler Social and Behavioral Science Award: In honor of Professor Butler, an annual award is given to the sophomore student who has the most outstanding record in the field. A grade point average of 3.50 or higher on 12 or more hours in the social sciences and at least a 3.00 overall GPA is required.

The Cortland Victor Smith Service Award: The Sophomore Class and the Student Government Association of 1971-72 presented the sum of $500 to establish the Cortland Victor Smith Service Award in memory of Dr. Cortland Victor Smith, who joined the Louisburg College faculty in 1965 and served with distinction until his death on February 9, 1972. Dr. Smith, at the time of his death, was chairman of the Department of Social Studies and of the Faculty Affairs Committee. The principal sum has been invested, and the income will be used to make an annual award to the student selected for his or her service to the College and the student body.

Grady K. Snyder Award: Honoring Grady K. Snyder, who taught in the Mathematics Department for 30 years and was department chair for 22 years, this award is presented to the student who has given outstanding effort in mathematics. This award honors Mr. Snyder, Louisburg College alum, Class of 1950.

Award in Speech Communication: Each year the Humanities Division recognizes the student or students who have achieved excellence in two areas of the speech communication field: theory/principles and performance.

Roger B. Taylor Scholarship: This is an annual award presented to a basketball player. The recipient is chosen on the basis of academic record, extracurricular activities, motivation, and financial need.

Floyd J. Wingfield Scholarship: This scholarship is presented annually to an athlete. The recipient is chosen on the basis of academic record, extracurricular activities, motivation, and financial need.

Who's Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges: This recognition is awarded annually to students who excel in academic and extracurricular activities, demonstrate citizenship and service to the College, and exhibit potential for future achievement.

Non-Major Science Award: This award is presented to recognize the non-science major who has achieved excellence in science.

The Stafford Award: This award is given by the Humanities Division in honor of Rev. Sidney Stafford to recognize his many years of service as well as devotion to Louisburg College as chaplain and religion and philosophy instructor. The recipient is a graduating or fourth-semester student who has taken a minimum of three religion and/or philosophy courses and who has demonstrated superior intellectual understanding and academic work in his or her studies.

The Outstanding Phi Beta Lambda Member: An annual award is given to the most outstanding member of Phi Beta Lambda business fraternity.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Louisburg College’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy clearly defines the minimum standards required for continued enrollment. The SAP policy guides students in staying on track to college degree completion. SAP standards, regulations, and policies are established to ensure a student's academic progress toward achieving the expected grade point average and completion rate.

What is the required Grade Point Average? A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 1.75 is required through the first 30 hours attempted. After 30 hours, a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.00 is required.

What is the required Completion Rate? Students must successfully complete at least 67% of cumulative attempted credit hours. Credits transferred into Louisburg College count as both attempted and completed hours. Withdrawals, temporary grades, including incomplete grades, and failed courses all count as attempted hours, but not completed hours. Completion Rate = Completed Hours divided by Attempted Hours.

Students are expected to complete their degree within four full-time semesters. Part-time students are excluded from this standard. Once students have completed their educational program of 60 earned credit hours they automatically become graduation candidates.

Academic status is determined through four different status points: Good Standing, Warning, Suspension, and Dismissal.

In order to receive federal Title IV aid, state financial aid funds, and institutional aid, students are required to have met Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). At the end of each semester, through 30 hours attempted, the student’s cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) must be at least a 1.75. After 30 hours attempted, the required minimum grade point average is 2.00 and students must earn at least a 67% course completion rate. Students who meet these standards at the end of an enrolled semester will have an academic status of Good Standing.

• Developmental/remedial coursework is included in determining attempted and completed hours.
• A grade of I (Incomplete) is not included in determining attempted hours.
• A grade of W (Withdrawal) is included in determining attempted hours.
• All accepted transfer credit hours on official transcripts are included in determining attempted and completed hours.
• Coursework in which a student has exercised the repeat option is included in determining attempted and completed hours.
• Hours attempted for readmitted students will include cumulative hours attempted for Pace of Completion calculations, to include all previous coursework taken at the College.

Failure to Make Satisfactory Academic Progress

Academic Warning – Student must successfully meet the standards in the next semester to continue attendance. Academic Suspension – When a student fails to meet one or more of SAP standards at the end of the academic year, the student is academically suspended and is assigned the status of Not Meeting SAP. Academic suspension can be appealed (see Appeal Process below). Students who have failed to make SAP at the end of the academic year will be notified by Louisburg email from the Registrar’s Office at the end of the academic year.
Academic Probation – When a student fails to meet one or more of SAP standards and is academically suspended, but successfully appeals the academic suspension (see the Appeal Process below), the student is placed on academic probation.

Appeal Process

If a student fails to make SAP at the end of the academic year, the student may file an appeal for reinstatement of continued enrollment. The appeal must be based on mitigating circumstances, which include:

• Serious injury of the student and/or the student’s immediate family
• Serious extended illness of the student and/or the student’s immediate family
• Death of the student’s relative
• Other special circumstances

The student must submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form, which includes a written statement with supporting documentation to the Vice President for Academic Life. Students placed on academic suspension will receive instructions for filing an appeal by email from the Registrar’s Office at the end of each semester.

The Academic Council will review the student’s appeal. If the appeal is granted, the student will be placed on academic probation for one term. The student must follow an academic plan approved by the Academic Council (see Academic Plan below). Students will be notified of appeal decisions by email from the Registrar’s Office. A denial of an appeal cannot be appealed.

The maximum number of appeals a student may normally have granted during the total of all his or her enrollment periods at Louisburg College is two. Under extreme circumstances, a third appeal may be granted, provided the student has documented proof of the circumstances. In the case of a student who files a third appeal, the reasons for the students’ two previous appeals will be considered when making a decision. The student’s progress within their academic program will be a determining factor on the rare occasion when a third appeal is allowed.

Academic Plan

A student who is placed on academic suspension and assigned the status of Not Meeting SAP must submit an appeal for reinstatement of continued enrollment (see Appeal Process above). As part of the appeal an academic plan must be completed with the assistance of the Office of Academic Success. The plan must outline the progress the student will need to obtain in order to meet SAP standards. The plan must demonstrate the student can meet SAP standards within two enrollment periods (fall and spring).

The Academic Council will review the student’s progress at the end of the next enrollment period. If the student meets SAP standards, academic probation will be removed. If the student does not meet SAP standards, but is meeting the requirements of the academic plan, the student is eligible for continued enrollment for one additional enrollment period (fall or spring) and will remain on academic probation. If the student is not meeting the requirements of the academic plan at the end of the first period of enrollment or fails to meet SAP standards at the end of the second period of enrollment, the student will be assigned the status of Not Meeting SAP, resulting in academic suspension. This status cannot be appealed.

An academically suspended student may attempt to improve his or her grade point average and/or completion rate through enrollment in the College’s summer semester. An academically suspended student is not eligible for financial aid.

Any student who meets all Satisfactory Academic Progress standards is determined to be in good academic standing.

Academic Amnesty

Students who attended the College more than three calendar years prior to reenrollment may apply for Academic Amnesty. Application for amnesty may be submitted to the Vice President for Academic Life during the readmission process or at any time after the student has been readmitted. Academic Amnesty removes grades of F for courses from cumulative GPA calculations and course hours from hours attempted for Satisfactory Academic Progress calculations. Academic transcripts will identify courses under amnesty as forgiven. Individual transcript notes from previous warnings, probations, or suspensions will remain on transcripts. Students who have been granted amnesty will be disqualified from graduating with honors.

Credit Hour Policy

A credit hour (50 minutes) represents the amount of work governed by intended and clearly identified learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that approximates one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours for undergraduate or the equivalent amount of work over an enrollment period of a different length:

The credit hour policy applies to all courses that award academic credit (i.e., any course that appears on an official transcript issued by the College). Contact time inside the classroom and student effort outside the classroom contribute to this policy. Assignment of credit hours for courses occur during program/course approval processes and is monitored through faculty, curriculum, syllabi, and program reviews established by the College.

Louisburg College adheres to the Carnegie unit for contact time (750 minutes for each credit awarded). The standard undergraduate meeting times for courses are a 50-minute, Monday-Wednesday-Friday and 75-minute, Tuesday-Thursday. For the standard three-credit hour course, 2,250 minutes of instruction are required.

Louisburg College is organized on a semester basis. The fall and spring undergraduate calendars are planned with a minimum of 45 Monday-Wednesday-Friday meeting days and 30 Monday-Thursday or Tuesday-Thursday meeting days per semester. A mandatory final examination period is counted in the minutes of instruction. The College has a required two-hour final examination for each semester.

Instructional Methods

Louisburg College enrolls a wide variety of students with a wide range of learning styles and abilities. The faculty tries to meet each student's needs through a variety of instructional modes as described below.

Traditional Instruction: Most classes in all academic divisions use traditional techniques such as lectures, textbook assignments, discussions, small group work, library assignments, and laboratory exercises. Presentations may include use of computer technology. Syllabi, course schedule, lecture notes, assignments, and evaluation of students may involve use of the student portal on the World Wide Web.

Individualized Instruction: Students who need personal learning assistance in addition to the normal classroom setting may turn to several sources at Louisburg College. Instructors are available outside of class during generous office hours, and there are academic support centers for assistance in all academic subjects: science, mathematics, writing, reading, and computers. Additionally, some instructors provide extra review sessions and study guides, and they teach not only the subject matter, but also how to study and learn that particular subject.

Independent Study Courses: A student may be permitted in extraordinary situations to perform regular coursework as a tutorial, provided a full-time faculty member of Louisburg College consents and the appropriate division chair and Vice President for Academic Life approve. A syllabus and a course outline are required for all tutorial courses. The prior approval of the instructor, division chairperson and Vice President for Academic Life is required before the student can register for the course. Only courses less than three semester credit hours may be authorized to be taken by any student after the 60% point of the term. The student pays an additional charge equal to the part-time per credit hour charge for independent study courses before work commences.

Academic Support

The faculty at Louisburg are dedicated to the success of every student. Teaching and advising, not research, are our professors’ primary responsibilities. Our dedicated faculty provides individual assistance, ensuring that each student is academically prepared to meet the requirements of four-year colleges and universities. Faculty members keep generous office hours; most provide mobile phone numbers and e-mail addresses. In addition, the college offers the following forms of academic support:

Small Classes: The average class size is twenty-two, which provides greater contact with instructors and a greater opportunity for academic success. Almost all courses have a cap of thirty. No academic class is over fifty.

Academic Advisors: Full-time and select part-time faculty members, learning specialists, and coaches serve as academic advisors.

Office of Counseling Services: A full-time counselor is available to students who desire to discuss academic, social, or personal issues, or career counseling.

Accessibility Services (AS): Contact Info: (919) 497-3221, Location: Rooms 107 and 111, Taft Building. The mission of AS is to focus on the abilities of all individuals while providing an accessible and welcoming academic community. AS has been established to ensure that every individual with a disability has an equal opportunity to participate in the college community. Any student or visitor with a documented disability who wishes to request appropriate accommodations may contact AS.

AS provides, arranges, and coordinates accommodations and services for individuals with disabilities. Not only is this in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), but is also a part of our central purpose as a small college committed to offering an individualized approach to higher education. This is a free service to all individuals with documented physical, mental, psychological, or learning disabilities.

While each student in the post-secondary education setting is responsible for requesting accommodations, if desired, we recognize that every student’s needs require a specific, individualized approach and plan. To ensure that each student’s needs are fully and adequately addressed, AS will maintain disability-related documents and certifications of eligibility and meet with individuals to update them as appropriate. As well, we encourage open and frequent communication and planning interviews to keep abreast of the individual’s changing needs.

In addition to working to provide accessibility to facilities and instruction, Louisburg College offers extensive services to help encourage success. Services are available at no cost (including single room assignment) to the student, but we also offer a fee- based program (Learning Partners) that provides additional one-on-one academic support for those students with specific learning disabilities who would like extra help successfully transitioning to college. For more information, please contact the Learning Partners Program. All academic accommodations and auxiliary services are provided to students based on individualized needs, abilities, and limitations through documentation review, interaction, and interview. To ensure that appropriate accommodations are in place, new students should contact AS early, well before the academic school year begins. Returning students must meet with the director each semester to request accommodations and sign appropriate forms for that semester.

Learning Support

Computer Labs: Computer labs are located in the library, in Davis Hall, and in the Taft Building for student usage.

Academic Success Center: Peer tutors are available throughout the week to help students with any academic subject, research, time management, or other academic concern. This resource is located on the first floor of the Taft Building.

Writing Center: The Writing Center, located in Taft, provides individual assistance with writing for English and other classes. The Writing Center is open weekdays. Appointments are encouraged, but students may drop in as well.

The Math Lab is provided by the Mathematics Department to support students in all of their math courses. Math faculty members staff this lab throughout the week. The Math Lab is located in the Taft Building.

Science Sessions are provided weekly by science faculty members to assist students in all science courses. Science Sessions are held on First Floor Franklin Hall.

Student Rights

Students have the right to: be informed of course requirements; be evaluated fairly on the basis of their academic performance (their abilities and skills) as required by a professor as part of a course; experience free and open discussion, inquiry, and expression, both in the classroom and in conference; examine graded assignments, quizzes, examinations, etc., and be provided an explanation for a grade. experience competent instruction and advisement; take exception to the data or views presented and reserve judgment about matters of opinion; expect protection against a professor’s improper disclosure of student’s views, beliefs, and political association which may surface as a result of instructing or advising; expect protection, through established procedures, against prejudicial or capricious evaluation.

Student Responsibilities

Students have the responsibility to:

• know and follow academic requirements;
• inquire about course requirements if they do not understand them or are in doubt about them;
• maintain the standards of academic performance established for individual courses and for programs of study;
• learn the content of any course of study;
• act in accordance with commonly accepted standards of academic conduct;
• initiate an investigation if they believe their academic rights have been violated.

Transfer Credits

Generally, courses taken at a regionally accredited college or university that are equivalent to courses offered at Louisburg are accepted in transfer. The College accepts only work on which the student has earned a grade of C or better. Only transfer hours that have been accepted into the Louisburg degree program will be used to calculate SAP. Any exception to this policy must be thoroughly justified, and must be approved by the Vice President for Academic Life.

If a transfer student attended a school that is not regionally accredited, the student must:

Produce a syllabus for the course requested for transfer.
Request the academic institution previously attended to submit a record of credentials for the teaching faculty member of the course requested for transfer.
Upon review of the above information by the Vice President for Academic Life, they will:

a) request additional information, b) deny transfer credit, or c) approve transfer credit.

A student’s grade point average is based only on work attempted at Louisburg College. A student may not transfer work from any other institution for the purpose of removing probation or suspension by improving the grade point average. Students successfully completing or failing a course at Louisburg College may not receive credit for the course from another institution.

Currently enrolled Louisburg students must obtain prior approval to transfer courses from other institutions. Requests to transfer courses should be submitted on an Approval to Transfer Courses to Louisburg form, available in the Registrar’s Office.

Transfer work from another institution may be accepted to remove probation or suspension by increasing cumulative credits earned only if the specific courses have been approved in writing in advance, using the currently approved Louisburg College form. In the event a student on probation or suspension completes academic work elsewhere without prior approval, it will be accepted in transfer to Louisburg only after they regain good academic standing at the College. Louisburg College may award military veterans’ credit in transfer for a variety of formal military training and related experiences, including those recommended by the United States Armed Forces Institute (USAFI), the Defense Activity for Nontraditional Education Support (DANTES), the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services (American Council on Education), and related programs. Contact the registrar for more information.

College Transfer

The Independent Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (ICAA) is an agreement between the North Carolina Community College System and the signatory institutions of the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities. Louisburg will honor the reciprocity with transfer schools to ensure a smooth transition for all transfer students from the North Carolina Community College System.

ACA 122: Transfer students who transfer 30 hours or more will not be required to take ACA 122 (College Transfer Success). Students with less than 30 hours of transfer credit should be enrolled in ACA 122 in their first or second semester at Louisburg College.

The Lower Cost Models Consortium

All approved courses taken through the Lower Cost Models Consortium provided through Acadeum are deemed equivalent to the academic standards of Louisburg and appear on the student’s official transcript as a Louisburg course. Students may enroll in these courses concurrently with Louisburg courses. These courses will be counted into the student’s academic course load for that semester. These courses will be posted to a student’s Louisburg record, regardless of grade earned. Course grades, including grades lower than a C, will be treated as similarly graded courses at Louisburg. Grades for these courses will be included in calculations of GPA and other academic standing.

Special Kinds of Academic Credit

Advanced Placement Program (AP)

High school students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) courses may receive college credit by taking AP examinations upon completion of the courses and forwarding the results to the Office of Admissions for evaluation. In general, Louisburg College awards credit for courses on which the student earns a score of three or better on the appropriate test.

Credit awarded by AP will be reflected on the student’s transcript in terms of credit hours only. No letter grade will be recorded and no grade points assigned. A student’s grade point average will be determined by grades earned in regular college courses.

The following chart reflects current practice with respect to the acceptance of AP exams:

Other tests may be considered on an individual basis if the student gets a score of 3 or better.

Cambridge International Examinations

Louisburg College will award academic credit for Cambridge International A-level and AS-level coursework with a minimum grade of C. The following chart reflects current practice with respect to the acceptance of Cambridge International credit:

Marine Biology A C or higher Biology Elective

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Louisburg College will award academic credit for International Baccalaureate work with a minimum grade of 5 on the higher- level examinations (HL). The following chart reflects current practice with respect to the acceptance of IB credit:

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Louisburg College participates in the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) of the College Entrance Examination Board. Credits are granted on the basis of scores on General Examinations or Subject Examinations where the student scores at or above the level most recently recommended by the CEEB. For information on specific CLEP credits acceptable at Louisburg College, contact the Office of the Registrar.

A student will not receive credit for a Subject or General Examination if it duplicates in part or total any College level course for which the student has received credit. The CLEP credit will be entered on the student’s transcript as credit hours completed, but no letter grade or grade points will be indicated. A student’s average is determined by grades in regular College courses.

American Council of Education (ACE)

Louisburg College accepts a variety of courses which hold an American Council of Education (ACE) recommendation. One source of potential ACE transfer credit is StraighterLine. Review the StraighterLine transfer credit policy to see which courses may transfer. Note: Current Louisburg College students should fill out a Transient Course Request and receive permission to take a StraighterLine course prior to registering for the course. To submit a transcript from StraighterLine, simply complete a Transcript Request from your StraighterLine account. Should you have any other questions about StraighterLine or other ACE-recommended coursework, please contact the Registrar’s Office.

StraighterLine

Any transfer must have a final grade of 70 or higher to accept.

Maximum of three courses (nine credit hours) allowed to be transferred.

Military Experience

Louisburg College may award military veterans’ credit in transfer for a variety of formal military training and related experiences, including those recommended by the Defense Activity for Nontraditional Education Support (DANTES) and the ACE Military Guide. Upon credit review by the Registrar, any applicable credit will be added to the student’s record. To request a Joint Services Transcript please visit https://jst.doded.mil/jst/. Contact the registrar for more information.

General Education

Louisburg College has at its core a general education curriculum that prepares students for transitioning to a four-year college and becoming life-long learners. General education learning competencies include Quantitative Reasoning, Critical Thinking, Written Communication, and Oral Communication.

The four competencies listed above are assessed in one or more of the following courses: Math 143, Math 171, English 111, English 112, Communications 231, History 131, and History 132. Each course has embedded assessment measures that assess the core competencies in that course.

Core Competency #1: The faculty define the core competency Quantitative Reasoning as the following: Louisburg College graduates will be able to problem-solve using logic and mathematical reasoning. Problem solving through logic and mathematical reasoning includes performing basic algebraic, geometric, and statistical skills; estimation and checking for reasonableness of answers; and communicating quantitative information. The competency is evaluated in MAT 143 and MAT 171.

Core Competency #2: The faculty define the core competency Critical Thinking as the following: Louisburg College graduates will address diverse problems logically and critically through knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. The competency is evaluated in English 111, English 112, History 131, and History 132. Within these four courses the embedded assessment measures include common-curriculum prompts for writing assignments; evaluation of reading comprehension and articulated responses to societal, historical, or personal issues; pre- and post-test evaluation; and standardized critical thinking rubrics used in assessing responses. The first measure assesses the competency by requiring students to construct essays possessing thoughtful logical analysis to prompted problems. The second measure assesses the competency by requiring students to create summaries of relevant assertions and resources from accepted research. The third measure assesses the competency by evaluating student development over the course of a semester. The fourth measure assesses the competency by requiring students to demonstrate logical and well formulated responses to pertinent issues or historical periods. Critical Thinking is also an academic program competency.

Core Competency #3: The faculty define the core competency Written Communication as the following: Louisburg College graduates will be able to communicate effectively and coherently in writing. Coherent and effective writing is well-organized, is audience-appropriate, is grammatically-correct, states objectives clearly, and uses adequate supporting evidence for assertions. The competency is evaluated in English 111 and English 112. Within these two courses the embedded assessment measures are pre- and post-test evaluation, standardized rubric evaluation of writings, and common prompts for writings evaluated by English Faculty. The first measure assesses the competency by requiring students to demonstrate improvement in Written Communication over the course of a semester. The second measure assesses the competency by requiring students to meet common, approved standards. The third measure assesses the competency by requiring students to demonstrate written acuity in response to an accepted cross- course assignment. Written Communication is also an academic program competency. Core

Competency #4: The faculty define the core competency Oral Communication as the following: Louisburg College graduates will be able to communicate effectively and coherently in public speaking. Effective and coherent public speaking demonstrates competent delivery skills, is well-organized, is audience-appropriate, is grammatically-correct, states objectives clearly, and uses adequate supporting evidence for assertions. The competency is evaluated in English 112 and Communications 231. Within these two courses the embedded assessment measures are standard speech modes across the curriculum and standardized evaluation rubrics. The first measure assesses the competency by requiring students to perform a variety of public speeches in different audience settings. The second measure assesses the competency by requiring students to meet the standards of an approved rubric. Oral Communication is also an academic program competency.

Employment Placement and Types of Employment Obtained by Graduates

A primary aspect of Louisburg’s mission is to ‘provide a bridge for students to make a successful transition from high school to senior colleges and universities. Due to the mission of the institution, students are encouraged to complete their associate’s degree at Louisburg and then pursue their bachelor’s degree immediately after graduation.

Almost any academic major may be started at Louisburg College. Selections of specific courses fulfilling each requirement in the curriculum should be made in terms of the student's prerequisite skills, expected major, and anticipated transfer requirements. Louisburg College maintains current information on transferability of courses through close coordination and transfer agreements with numerous colleges and universities. Programs of study have been developed in cooperation with the University of North Carolina system and are intended as blueprints for guiding students who plan to transfer into the system. Additional agreements have been established with other institutions for direct admission into professional programs. Academic advisors guide their advisees in course selection as well as career and transfer exploration. Students who are undecided about a college major will find ample opportunity to explore a variety of options at Louisburg College. The undecided student should follow the Associate of Arts in General College curriculum.