Academic Policies

Attendance-Withdrawal Policy

Attendance

Effective Spring 2022:

Attendance Requirements

It is the instructor’s responsibility to convey to the students the attendance requirements which include: the type of course, how attendance is recorded regarding absences and tardies, notice of absence, and the number of absences resulting in withdrawal for excessive absences. The primary method by which the College communicates with its students concerning attendance is the student’s College-issued email account. All students are responsible for activating their College email account and checking it frequently. Students should be aware that failure to meet attendance requirements may impact the student’s business office account, financial aid, scholarships, federal student loans, Veteran’s benefits, housing, future enrollment, and enrollment status by lowering or stopping benefits or causing repayment to be due immediately.

Types of Courses Requiring Attendance

Hinds Community College offers three types of courses that require recording attendance: On Campus, Online, and Hybrid. Courses may have multiple attendance markers for each instructional type included in the course (combined lecture/labs, hybrid courses with face-to-face and virtual meeting dates, clinicals, etc.). Each type of course has a specific method of taking attendance:

On Campus Courses

Instructors will mark attendance at the beginning of each class meeting and will maintain an attendance record for each student.

Online Courses

Attendance in online courses is recorded weekly or bi-weekly (depending on length of term) and requires completion of online content-related assignments. Logging in to the course will not count towards attendance.

Hybrid Courses

Hybrid courses will mark attendance at the beginning of each on campus class meeting and through the completion of online content related assignments for the online component of the course. Attendance markers will be in place for both the face-to-face meetings as well as the online portion. Both count toward “total class meetings”.

Absences and Tardies

Hinds Community College recognizes two forms of absences: absent and official absence.

Absences are those where the student is not present at the time of the class meeting or the student failed to complete the required online content-related assignments. The instructor will determine whether the student will be allowed to make up the missed assignments for the time the student was marked absent. Also, the student will be marked absent for missed class meetings prior to enrollment in the course. The student is responsible for all assigned work which occurred prior to the student’s enrollment in the class.

Official Absences are those resulting from student participation in activities sponsored by the College. Students will be provided with an Official Absence Notice by the proper College official. It is the responsibility of the student to provide the instructor with the Verification of Official Absence form or letter. A student will be allowed to make up the class or laboratory assignments that were missed during an official absence prior to a date determined by the instructor of the course. Official absences will not count towards allowable absences if the missed work is completed by the date determined by the instructor.

Instructors record a tardy when a student is not present at the beginning of the class period. Students who miss more than fifteen (15) minutes of a class will be marked absent. A student who leaves the classroom without the instructor’s permission will be marked absent. In online, tardies are determined by the instructor. Three tardies equal one absence which will be recorded at the meeting time when the third tardy occurs.

Notice of Absence

A notice of absence is sent to a student who has been marked absent for 12% or more of the total class meetings in the course. The notice of absence is sent to the student’s college issued email account via the online attendance system.

The student is required to contact the instructor immediately upon receipt of the notice of absence to discuss the student’s attendance and options regarding the course. Once a notice of absence is sent, failure to contact the instructor and/or failure to be counted present for a subsequent attendance date could result in a withdrawal for excessive absences.

Excessive Absence

Withdrawal for excessive absences occurs when a student is marked absent for the number of days correlating to the term length in weeks and the number of class meetings per week based on the chart below. The instructor will record a student’s grade as either “WP” or “WF” for the course. “WP” is defined as withdrawal passing; “WF” is defined as withdrawal failing.

Prior to the start of a term, students wishing to officially withdraw will not be liable for fees (other than non-refundable fees).  Students can use their My.Hinds account to remove themselves from all classes. 

After the start of a term, to withdraw from the College at any time prior to five (5) working days before the first day of final exams for day/evening classes during a regular semester (three [3] days during the summer), a student must contact a counselor who will initiate the withdrawal. Students in Distance Learning courses must contact a counselor to initiate the withdrawal by the date designated on the College Calendar . (NOTE:  This date is earlier than the date for on-campus classes). The grade at the time of withdrawal from the College will be “W” in all classes in which the student has not been dropped with a “WP” or “WF” for excessive absences. It is the responsibility of the student to complete and return the completed Withdrawal Form to the Counseling Office within twenty-four (24) hours of initiation of withdrawing.

For more information regarding the attendance policy for Fall 2021, please click here: Fall 2021 Attendance Policy 

Credit for Prior Learning

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is an individualized process that offers students the opportunity to earn college credit for the knowledge, training, and skills previously learned through a broad range of experiences. It is designed to encourage degree completion by awarding credit for College level learning that a student has acquired prior to enrolling at Hinds.  PLA refers to all the processes the College uses to review and evaluate evidence of learning and to award academic credit. Hinds adheres to the guidelines established by the Council of Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) for recognizing and assessing prior learning.  Questions about Prior Learning Credit may be addressed to priorlearning@hindscc.edu.

Credit may be awarded for standardized assessments/examinations, military coursework, industry certifications or licenses, licensure/registry exams, and high school articulated credits in career-technical fields. The policies below apply to all types of PLA.

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) policies have been adopted by the College and include:

• PLA credit is not guaranteed.
• All students are required to meet the residency requirement of 25% or more of their credit hours for any certificate or degree sought.
• PLA credit is issued a grade of “P” for credit awarded; no quality points will be awarded toward a student’s GPA.
• PLA credit cannot replace a failing grade nor duplicate previously earned course credit.
• Students should seek PLA credit before or during the registration process of their first semester.  Academic credit will be awarded only for students who have been admitted to the institution.
• When a national, standardized assessment or examination exists, HCC will utilize that form of verification for PLA credit (i.e. CLEP, NCCER).
• If a course is challenged, only one attempt is permitted.
• PLA credits apply toward the degree or certification being sought in the same manner as traditional courses.
• Students must pay all applicable fees  before PLA awarded hours will be posted to transcripts.
• PLA credit awarded at HCC may not transfer to another institution.  It is the student’s responsibility to check with their transfer institution for transferability.
• PLA credit awarded at another institution will be reviewed and may be accepted at HCC.

Questions regarding credit for Prior Learning may be addressed to: priorlearning@hindscc.edu.

College Credit by Examination

Hinds Community College accepts credits earned by examinations through the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), Advanced Placement (AP) testing, International Baccalaureate (IB) and DANTES Subject Standardized Test (DSST) examinations.  Submit official AP, CLEP, IB or DSST scores to the Office of Admissions and Records for evaluation: Office of Admissions and Records, P.O. Box 1100, Raymond, MS 39154. PLA policies above apply to College Credit by Examination.

Credit will be awarded only in subject matter areas that are taught by Hinds Community College. See below for specific guidelines and policies for each of these types of credit.

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) www.collegeboard.com

The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) enables students to earn college credit-by-examination. The Assessment Center on the Raymond Campus administers the CLEP program.  A maximum of 18 hours of CLEP subject examination credit will be accepted by Hinds Community College, and scores must be at or above 50.  A maximum of 6 hours may be earned from each group listed (each class equals three credits). See the listing of courses for which HCC will award credit here .

Advanced Placement (AP) apcentral.collegeboard.com

Hinds Community College will award credit for scores of 3 or above on the AP Examinations administered by the College Entrance Examination Board. Minimum score and corresponding credit hours awarded for AP exams are listed here .

International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit by Examination www.ibo.org

Students awarded an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma receive credit for scores of 4 or above on both higher-level and standard-level examinations in these areas .  Credit for exams not listed may be considered by contacting the Office of Admissions and Records, who will submit a request to the appropriate Academic Dean.

DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) www.dantes.doded.mil/EducationPrograms/get-credit/creditexam.html

Hinds Community College will award credit for DSST exams. These are college subject tests that a student can take to earn college credit for knowledge acquired outside of a traditional classroom. Minimum score and corresponding credit hours awarded for the exams are listed here .

Career-Technical Articulated High School Credit

In order to provide high school students in Career-Technical fields credit for learning toward a college Career-Technical program, HCC awards credit to students who continue their education in that same or a very similar field at the College.  High school students who present their Mississippi Department of Education Certificate verifying MS-CPAS2 scores of 70% or above, and are enrolled in eligible Career-Technical programs at Hinds, will receive College credit.  Such students must enroll in the College program within 18 months of their high school graduation.  Additionally, PLA policies listed above apply to Career-Technical Articulated High School Credit.

Students desiring this type of credit should present the required certificate to the Office of Admissions and Records.  See the listing of Career-Technical programs  and the courses which may be earned.

Certifications

Through industry, business, and government certifications, students are able to demonstrate college level learning that has been acquired in a subject area and that mastery of the content of specific courses has been earned.  Many certifications have been aligned with Hinds coursework and will be awarded to students who present official Certifications to the Prior Learning Coordinator who may be contacted through email at PriorLearning@Hindscc.edu.  See the complete listing of credit awards for industry certifications or exams.   PLA policies above apply to credit through certifications and exams.

Experiential Learning

Hinds Community College awards experiential learning credit in the following areas: Licensed Journey Persons in electrical trades and plumbing/pipefitting, Police Academy training, and Military coursework. See the appropriate section below to view procedures related to experiential learning credit.  Additionally, PLA policies listed above apply to all types of Experiential Learning.

Licensed Journey Persons in Electrical Technology

The Electrical Technology program provides the journey persons of the Mississippi Construction Education Foundation (MCEF) and the Electrical Training Alliance (formerly the National Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee or NJATC) the opportunity to apply their education and experience in a career specialty toward an Associate of Applied Science degree in Electrical Technology (AAS-ELT) . In addition to seven courses in the electrical construction field, students will complete five core courses of general education requirements in order to receive PLA credit based on the journey person status toward the AAS-ELT degree.

To receive credit for the education and experience earned as a journey person, a student must make application to Hinds Community College and present a uniform national or regionally recognized standardized and validated examination. The examination must cover the minimum requirements of electrical construction, as well as knowledge of electrical principles accepted in the electrical construction industry. The examination must also test the ability to use, understand, and apply recognized technical and accepted engineering practices.  Students must submit an official license and transcript of education obtained through MCEF or the Electrical Training Alliance to the Office of Admissions and Records.  After successful completion of 36-37 semester hours of credit through Hinds Community College, credit will be awarded for an additional 25 semester hours toward the AAS degree in Electrical Technology.

Licensed Journey Persons in Plumbing and Construction Technology

The Plumbing and Construction Technology program gives the journey persons of the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters (UAPP) and the Mississippi Construction Education Foundation (MCEF) the opportunity to apply their education and experience in a career specialty toward an Associate of Applied Science in Plumbing and Construction Technology (AAS-PCT) .  Students will complete five core courses of general education requirements in order to receive PLA credit based on the journey person status, toward the AAS-PCT degree for their prior education and experience.

To obtain credit for the education and experience earned as a journey person, the student must make application to Hinds Community College and show that he/she has passed a uniform national or regionally recognized standardized, and validated examination. The examination must cover the minimum requirements of plumbing and pipefitting, as well as knowledge of accepted plumbing and pipefitting principles, in the construction industry. The examination must also test the ability to use and understand recognized technical and accepted engineering practices.  Students must submit an official license and transcript obtained through UAPP or MCEF to the Office of Admissions and Records. After successful completion of 28-33 semester hours of credit through Hinds Community College, credit will be awarded for an additional 28-32 semester hours  toward the Plumbing and Construction Technology AAS degree.

Credit for Police Academy Training

Hinds Community College will award PLA credit for completion of a Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Academy (MLEOTA). Students wishing to receive this credit must submit documentation to the Office of Admissions and Records upon completion of the Academy. The Academy completion date must not exceed three years from the date of registration for the Hinds coursework, unless the student has been employed in the law enforcement field since completion of the Academy.

Credit for Military Coursework

Hinds Community College will award PLA credit for completion of military coursework. Students wishing to receive this credit must submit an official Joint Services Transcript or Community College of the Air Force to the Office of Admissions and Records for evaluation.  The American Council on Education (ACE) recommended credit for coursework in the Associate Degree category will be considered when granting PLA credit.  Students submitting military transcripts should have them sent as soon as possible to the Office of Admissions and Records, as the evaluation of military coursework may take several weeks.

Degrees Offered

Associate of Arts Degree  

• Conferred on students who complete requirements for graduation in various arts and science programs, the pre-professional programs, and programs designed for transfer from Hinds Community College to senior colleges and universities

Associate of Applied Science Degree  

• Conferred on students who satisfactorily complete requirements for graduation in the various two-year technical programs/applied science fields offered at Hinds Community College

Career Certificate or Technical Certificate  

• Awarded to students who satisfactorily complete requirements in the various technical and career certificate programs at Hinds Community College

Requirements for Graduation

An application for graduation (accessed through My.Hinds) must be submitted online and will go to the Office of Admissions and Records on the Raymond Campus.  These applications should be submitted prior to the deadline published in the college calendar the semester the student plans to graduate. No degrees or certificates will be awarded until all degree requirements have been met, including the payment of all fees owed to the College.

Courses that begin with a 0 level designation will not count towards the number of credits required for graduation (ENG 0124 ).  

A student may graduate under the requirements of the published Catalog for the current year or under the graduation requirements of the published Catalog for the year the student entered Hinds Community College under that program of study. Requirements, however, may not be divided between the two.  Students completing programs are eligible for participation in formal graduation exercises.

Graduation exercises are held in the fall, spring and summer semesters. A student may meet the requirements for graduation by complying with one of the following:

1. Select a specialized field of study and follow the Associate of Applied Science curriculum which is outlined for it in this Catalog, or
2. Follow the General Program requirements for the Associate of Arts, which are given in the Academic Programs of Study  section of this Catalog, or
3. Comply with the catalog requirements of the first two years of a specified four-year accredited college or university to which the student will transfer. This transfer curriculum must calculate to a minimum of 62 transferable hours. Sixteen of these transferable hours must be drawn from and include at least one course from each of the following areas (even if they are not contained within the first two years of that chosen program of study): Humanities/Fine Arts; Social/Behavioral Sciences; and Natural Science/Mathematics. The courses selected should be survey courses rather than applied courses.
4. Note that Associate of Applied Science Degree, Career Certificate, and Technical Certificate students are required to take an Occupation-Specific Assessment Prep Course with the Occupation-Specific Assessment completion as part of their program of study, unless a program of study requires a certification or licensure examination for professional practice.
5. A minimum quality point average of 2.0 is required in order to graduate. The 2.0 GPA may be calculated using either of the following methods; both calculations will only include courses completed at Hinds Community College:

• GPA of 2.0 calculated on all hours attempted
• GPA of 2.0 calculated on only those courses required for graduation

(See the “GRADES” section above for calculating grade or quality point average.)

If a student has previously attended or is currently attending another institution and has met one of the above-mentioned criteria and has completed at least 16 semester hours at Hinds CC, he or she may transfer back, from a regionally accredited institution, the number of hours needed to graduate from Hinds.  (Example: Student completes 16 hours at Hinds CC under the General Program of Study for the AA degree.  Student may transfer back 46 hours of completed coursework from a regionally accredited institution applicable to this degree.)  The transferring back of up to 46 hours to complete a Hinds Community College degree excludes programs that require special admissions or have accrediting restrictions. 

Students transferring into Hinds Community College should see below for more information.

NOTE:  Due to changing technologies and workforce needs, some programs may have limitations on the amount of time allowed between completing a class and applying for the degree.  In these cases, students may contact the appropriate Dean at the campus/location of their program, to discuss their options. 

Students taking online courses must meet the same graduation requirements as all other students.

Transfer Students Planning to Graduate:

Courses and credits will be accepted up to 46 semester hours (or the equivalent thereof - one quarter hour is equivalent to .67 semester hour) as they correspond to the curriculum of Hinds Community College, provided they are earned at a state and regionally accredited institution. All college transfer credits, military credits, etc., should be submitted via an official transcript in order to be considered toward a degree. 

Passing (“P”) / Failing (“F”) credits from a regionally accredited institution will be accepted for placement and transfer credit at Hinds Community College.  No quantitative grade will we assigned to these courses and the course credit will not be used in calculating the grade point average. 

A student must complete at least 25 percent of their semester hours at Hinds in order to graduate. For graduation purposes, a cumulative 2.0 GPA is required on all courses used to meet degree requirements.  Transfer credit is allowed for non-developmental courses in which a grade of “D” or above has been earned. Some Hinds programs require a “C” or above on specific courses; students should check their intended program of study for transferability of incoming courses.  Likewise, the transfer of some technical courses will need to be evaluated for alignment with Hinds’ coursework.

For further explanation regarding transferring in other institutions’ courses, see the Transfer Students  section in Admissions.

Grades

Mid-Semester and Final Grades

At mid-semester and at the end of the semester, the scholastic performance (grades) of students in each course is reported by the instructor. Grades and other information are provided to students via the student’s CANVAS or My.Hinds account. Mid-semester grades are used only to inform students of their progress in class.  Grades recorded for the end of the course become a part of the student’s permanent record.

Final Examinations

All students are required to take examinations at the designated time. Any exemptions of students from final exam is at the discretion of the instructor and must be stated in the instructor’s syllabus and approved by the Department Chair/Direct Supervisor.

A student who is absent from a final exam and who has made no report of personal illness or other emergencies to an instructor will not be permitted to take the examination at a later date. A student who reports an emergency to an instructor before a scheduled examination may be given a grade of “I” (Incomplete). The incomplete work must be completed by the due date determined by the instructor, not to exceed the end of the succeeding fall or spring semester. Unless the “I” grade is changed to another letter grade by this time, the “I” grade will become an “F.” Students who are absent from a final examination in that course without the approval of the instructor will receive a grade of “0” for the final exam. 

Grading System

Courses are graded according to the following system: (NOTE: Some courses do not award a grade of “D”.)

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are awarded for some courses. These courses are generally graded according to the following system:

NOTE: A Continuing Education Unit is defined as ten contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education adult or extension experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction. The CEU is used as a basic unit of measurement for an individual student’s participation in an educational activity which does not award semester hour credit. Continuing Education Unit credit cannot be converted to semester hour credit and is not used to determine a student’s quality point average.

Withholding of Grades

Grades and other information are provided to students via their My.Hinds account. However, grades may be withheld by the College for the following reasons: unpaid fees or fines, unreturned library books or other materials, incomplete admission records, or disciplinary actions.

“I” Incomplete Grades

An incomplete grade “I” may be assigned, at the instructor’s discretion, if the student is satisfactorily meeting the College’s attendance and course requirements, but due to personal illness or other emergencies, a student is unable to complete the remaining required coursework by the end of the semester. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor and to arrange a method for completing course requirements.  Coursework must be completed by the due date determined by the instructor, not to exceed the end of the succeeding fall or spring semester in which the incomplete grade “I” was received. Unless the “I” incomplete grade is changed to another letter grade by this time, the “I” incomplete grade will become an “F”.

Auditing a Course

A student who wishes to take a credit course for no credit must, at the time of registration, register for the course as an audit, complete the audit form and pay the regular fee. The audit student will receive no credit, no quality points, and may not change the course from audit back to credit. The student may, in succeeding semesters, take for credit any course previously audited. Audited courses will be reflected on the student’s permanent record as “AU” (Audit).

Auditing a course should not be confused with repeating a course to raise a grade.

NOTE: Students cannot audit an online course.

Semester Credit Hour

A semester credit hour is the unit of credit earned over one semester, or the equivalent, for the work associated with one class hour per week of lecture (a minimum of 750 minutes per semester). A minimum of two hours per week over the same period is required for laboratory classes (a minimum of 1,500 minutes per semester). Clinical rotations and supervised work experience require a minimum of three hours per week over the period of one semester or the equivalent (a minimum of 2,250 minutes per semester).

Classification of Students Who Receive Credit

Classification of students who receive credit at Hinds Community College is as follows:

Quality Point Average (Grade Point Average)

A quality point average is determined by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total semester hours attempted. For example:

Dividing 42 quality points by 14 semester hours attempted = 3.0 quality point average.  This student would be considered having a “B” average. 

Honor Graduates

Students graduating from Hinds Community College with a quality point average of 4.0 are graduated Summa Cum Laude. Students graduating with a quality point average of 3.60 - 3.99 are graduated Magna Cum Laude. Students graduating with a quality point average of 3.20 - 3.59 are graduated Cum Laude. The quality point average is determined by dividing the total number of quality points by the total semester hours of work attempted.

Honors, Scholars, Distinctions and Awards

The 3-E Awards for Emphasis on Excellence and Enrichment are given during the school year. Sophomores selected to Who’s Who Among Students in Community and Junior Colleges are honored at a ceremony held in the fall semester.  The Distinguished Student is selected from the Who’s Who recipients and is honored by the College and the Mississippi Legislature.

Awards Day is held in the spring semester for the purpose of presenting various awards (certificates, medals, ribbons, trophies, etc.) to students for outstanding achievements and/or accomplishments in all areas of college life. Departments may award the distinction of Outstanding Student in a major or subject area.

Deans’ and President’s Scholar academic standing is awarded at the end of fall and spring semesters based on the following criteria:

A Deans’ Scholar is a student who has maintained a cumulative 3.50 - 3.99 quality point average with an accumulation of twelve or more completed semester hours and earned a minimum 2.00 quality point average for the term of the award OR who earned a 3.50-3.99 quality point average based on a minimum of twelve completed semester hours for the award term with a minimum 2.00 overall quality point average.

A President’s Scholar is a student who has maintained a cumulative 4.00 quality point average with an accumulation of twelve or more completed semester hours OR who earned a 4.00 quality point average based on a minimum of twelve completed semester hours for the award term with a minimum 2.00 overall quality point average.

Deans’ and President’s List Scholars are recognized at a ceremony in the spring for their fall semester grade accomplishments. Deans’ and President’s List Scholars receive a letter during the summer noting their spring semester grade accomplishments. The Deans’ and President’s List distinction is posted on the student’s transcript in the fall and spring.  The programs, sponsored by the College President and student services employees from all campuses, are held in the spring semester and are coordinated through the Dean of Student Services Office and the Honors Center.

Repeating a Course

In order to better his or her grade point average, a student may repeat, for grade replacement, a course already taken at Hinds.  Each course may be repeated only one time for grade replacement.  A student may repeat up to eight (8) credit hours. The official grade will be the grade earned in the repeated class, even if the grade is lower than the first attempt, and will count toward the cumulative grade point average at Hinds.  All grade attempts remain posted on the Hinds transcript, but only the quality points and attempted hours of the 2nd course will be calculated in the GPA.  Some courses can be repeated for additional credit and cannot be replaced for a better grade (ex:  Physical Education Activity courses, Music Lessons, Seminars). Developmental courses nor Career/Technical Assessment Prep courses may be repeated for replacement.  The replacement grade policy is honored at Hinds Community College and may not be recognized by other colleges/universities or employers.  

Students must complete the Request to Repeat a Course for Replacement Grade form (found at My.Hinds) and fax, email, or deliver to a campus Admissions Office no later than the last day to withdraw from the course.  If the course is no longer available, no other course may be substituted. In some programs such as Nursing and Allied Health, the right to repeat courses for replacement grade is not automatic.  A designation of “W” or “AU” cannot be substituted for a previous grade. 

All hours attempted during the student’s entire enrollment in the college will be considered when determining federally funded financial aid eligibility.  This includes repeated courses.  Students are urged to consult with their academic advisor or counselor before repeating a passed course. Students repeating any courses after the eight credit hour limit will have their grade point average determined by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total semester hours attempted. In computing scholastic averages in these cases, all semester hour attempts will be included and shown on the transcript.

To raise a grade point average at Hinds Community College, the course must be repeated at Hinds. When a student transfers to another institution, the policy of the receiving institution will determine the student’s grade point average.

Appeal of Final Grade in a Course

A student may appeal a final grade in a course if the student believes the grade was calculated incorrectly.  The student must initiate the process below before the beginning of Final Exams for the following semester after the grade was posted (excluding summer):

1. Meet with the Instructor - The student should discuss the complaint with the person the grievance is addressing, the person closest to the situation. The instructor will have seven (7) school business days (excluding Final Exam days) to verify the grade and/or show the student how the grade was calculated. 
2. Meet with the Department Chair/Director - If there is no resolution, the student should ask to meet jointly with the instructor and the Department Chairperson/Program Director if the issue has not been resolved in the initial meeting.  If the issue is with an online course, email the Distance Learning Department at distancelearning@hindscc.edu. 
3. Submit a written complaint to the appropriate Dean - If not resolved at the first two levels, the student should submit a written complaint including related documentation and remedy sought to the appropriate dean responsible for the department.  The Dean will confirm that the student has followed the appropriate complaint procedures and sought a resolution.  The Dean will provide the student a written decision on the resolution of the complaint within seven (7) business days.  If the student wishes to progress to the next step in the process, the student has seven (7) business days to respond.
4. Instructional Appeals Committee - If the student does not accept the resolution from the dean, he/she may request that a review of the written complaint be sent to the Instructional Appeals Committee.  The Committee Chairperson will respond to the written request within seven (7) business days.  The Committee Chairperson will send a written response to the student filing the complaint. Results will be filed with the Instructional Dean or eLearning Dean and he/she shall maintain the instructional student complaint.

NOTE: All non-instructional complaints should follow the procedures found in the Student Handbook.

Semester Hours Total

The College is committed to student learning and student success. The student is encouraged to register for an optimal load of courses each semester that enables them to complete the requirements for graduation in four semesters.  However, students are discouraged from overloading their course schedule with too many semester hours that may put them at risk of becoming academically ineligible to continue their studies.  The usual total number of semester hours taken by a student in good standing during a regular semester is 15 to 19. The maximum number of semester hours a student on scholastic probation can take is 17. A student enrolled in less than 15 semester hours in a fall or spring semester is classified as a part-time student.  (See above for more information on full-time and part-time statuses.)

Career/technical students may take additional coursework beyond their regular program provided the career advisor approves.

Summer School: Hinds Community College operates day classes in two four-week sessions and evening and online classes in an eight-week summer session. A student’s course load may not be above twelve hours during the summer sessions without the approval of the campus instructional dean.

It is recommended that students who are engaged in outside employment in addition to attending Hinds Community College give careful consideration to taking a reduced number of hours.

Transcripts

Students who have met all admission requirements and business office obligations and have completed a semester at Hinds Community College are eligible to request a transcript. The transcript request form must be completed in its entirety & signed by the student.
How to request your Hinds transcript:

1. BY MAIL OR FAX, by sending a completed request form to the Admissions and Records Office, Raymond Campus
2. ONLINE at TranscriptsPlus. These requests may be designated for electronic delivery (fastest method).
3. IN PERSON at the Admissions and Records Office, Raymond Campus

Transcript requests may be faxed to 601.857.3539 or emailed to records@hindscc.edu

Mailed transcript requests should be sent to:

Office of Admissions and Records
Hinds Community College
P.O. Box 1100
Raymond, MS 39154-1100

Scholastic Probation and Suspension

Fall and Spring

If a student, who is in Good Scholastic Standing at the beginning of a fall or spring term, earns a term GPA of less than 1.75, his/her scholastic standing will become Probation at the end of that term.

If a student, whose scholastic standing is Probation at the beginning of a fall or spring term, earns a term GPA less than a 1.75, his/her standing will become Suspension at the end of that term, provided his/her overall GPA is also less than 2.00 at the end of that term; otherwise, his/her scholastic standing will remain Probation.

If a student, whose scholastic standing is Probation at the beginning of a fall or spring term, earns a term GPA of 1.75 or above, his/her standing will become Good at the end of that term, provided his/her overall GPA is also 2.0 or above at the end of that term; otherwise, his/her scholastic standing will remain Probation.

Transfer students who were academically dismissed from the last school they attended, have sat out the required number of semesters, and are eligible for immediate readmission may be admitted to HCC on Scholastic Probation. Transfer students who were placed on Scholastic Probation after their last semester will be admitted to HCC on Scholastic Probation.

Summer

Hinds Community College students have the opportunity to improve standing through summer work at Hinds.  Scholastic standing can rise from Suspension to Probation provided a student earns six (6) or more semester hours of credit during a summer term with a term GPA of 2.00 or above. This work must be taken at Hinds Community College.

If a Hinds student, whose scholastic standing is Probation at the beginning of the summer term, earns a summer term GPA of 2.0 or above (including all courses taken in all summer terms) on a minimum of 6 hours, his/her standing will become Good at the end of the summer term, provided his/her overall GPA is also 2.0 or above at the end of that term; otherwise, his/her scholastic standing will remain Probation. This work must be taken at Hinds Community College.

Probation Status Requirements

An academic student who is on probation must enroll in LLS 1422 , unless he/she has previous credit in this course or is enrolled in fewer than fifteen (15) semester hours.  Also, a student on scholastic probation cannot enroll in more than seventeen (17) semester hours (including LLS 1422 ) during a fall or spring term.

If Suspension occurs at the end of a fall semester, the student cannot enroll again until the next summer term. If Suspension occurs at the end of a spring term, the student may enroll immediately at Hinds for the summer term. If the conditions outlined under Summer above are satisfied, the scholastic standing will revert to Probation. If these conditions are not satisfied, the suspended student cannot enroll for the upcoming fall semester. A suspended student who does not enroll for one or more fall or spring semesters will be eligible for readmission on Probation.

Scholastic Suspension Appeals

Appeals for permission to continue in school when facing scholastic suspension must be made in writing to the local Student Services Committee. The forms are available at the Dean of Student’s Office/operating Dean’s office. Each appeal will be considered on its own merits. Appeals must be filed within six months of the end of the semester during which the Suspension occurred.

Student Guarantee Policy

Hinds Community College guarantees to both academic and career and technical graduates, subject to special conditions, (below), the option of enrolling in additional tuition-free courses or credit hours for transfer or skills training, respectively.  Graduates of the College are assured of this guarantee if the following conditions are satisfied:

Academic Graduates:

Graduates must have met the catalog requirements of the first two years of a specified four-year degree at an accredited Mississippi college or university, such as those listed in the Mississippi Statewide Articulation Agreement, and/or those that cooperate in the development of community college selection guidelines to which the student will transfer.  This transfer curriculum must calculate to a minimum of 62 transferable hours.  If courses taken at the College are rejected by a receiving college or university, the student may take alternate courses at Hinds that are acceptable to the college or university, tuition-free. 

Special conditions applicable to the guarantee include:

1.  Transferability means the acceptance of credit toward a specific major and degree. Courses must be identified by the receiving university and the community college as transferable and acceptable under previous agreements between both the College and the four-year college or university.
2.  Limitation on the total number of credits accepted in transfer, grades required, relevant grade point average, and duration of transferability apply as stated in previous agreements between community colleges and four-year colleges and universities.
3.  The guarantee applies to courses included in the written transfer plan, which includes the institution to which the student will transfer, the baccalaureate major and the degree sought, and the date such decision was made which must be filed with the appropriate official of the College.

Career and Technical Graduates:

If graduates’ career or technical education programs are determined by their employer to lack the technical skills, identified as exit competencies within their specific degree program, the graduate will be allowed to enroll in up to nine (9) credit hours of additional skills training offered by the College district, tuition free.

Special conditions which apply to the guarantee are as follows:

1. The graduate must have earned a degree or certificate for a course listed in the current College Catalog.
2. The graduate must have completed his/her coursework within a four-year time span.
3. Graduates must be employed full-time in an area directly related to the area of program concentration as certified by the vice president or dean of instruction.
4. Employment must commence within twelve (12) months of graduation.
5. The employer must certify in writing that the employee is lacking entry-level skills identified by the community college as the employee’s program competencies, and must specify the areas of deficiency, within ninety (90) days of the graduate’s initial employment.
6. The employer, graduate, dean, job placement counselor, and appropriate faculty member will develop a written educational plan for retraining.
7. Retraining will be limited to nine (9) credit hours related to the identified skill deficiency, and to those classes regularly scheduled during the period covered by the retraining plan.
8. All retraining must be completed within a calendar year from the time the educational plan is agreed upon.
9. The graduate and/or employer is responsible for the cost of books, insurance, uniforms, fees, and other course-related expenses.
10. The guarantee does not imply that the graduate will pass any licensing or qualifying examination for a particular career.
11. The student’s sole remedy against the district and its employees for skill deficiencies shall be limited to nine (9) credit hours of tuition-free education under conditions described above.
12. The program can be initiated through a written contract with the Office of the College President.