Instructional Policies

Appeal of Final Grade in Course

Attendance Withdrawal Policy

Scholastic Probation and Suspension

APPEAL OF A 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.

*For complaints violating State law, including laws related to fraud or false advertising, students may follow the State complaint process from the Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation (MCCA) at http://www.mississippi.edu/mcca/student_complaint_process.asp. The MCCA will not respond to complaints until the student has exhausted all grievance procedures provided by the institution.

ATTENDANCE WITHDRAWAL POLICY

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. Official absences are NOT used for other absence-related activities outside of school sponsored events. All requests for official absences, excluding athletic events, should come from the appropriate college official to both the Vice President of Instruction – Academic/Transfer Programs and Vice President of Instruction – Career & Technical Education before the date of the absence. Athletic official absences will be communicated to the appropriate Dean of Students. 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 within one week of the absence, or before the end of the term if the absence occurs within a week of the end date of the course. Instructors should mark these students as “Official Present” with a comment of the event that is approved for official absence. If the student does not complete the work within one week of the absence then the instructor should change the attendance to “Official Absent”. “Official Present” will be counted as present for both attendance and audit purposes and “Official Absent” will be counted against the allowable absences for attendance and will not be counted for audit.

Notice of Absence

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. 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 “W” for withdrawal.

*The above attendance requirements apply to regular academic and career/technical credit programs including On Campus, online, and hybrid courses. This chart may not apply to non-credit, continuing education, or nursing and allied health programs which may require more stringent attendance policies that will be stated in the departmental regulations for the program of study.

No-Show Policy

A No-Show is defined as a student who has never attended a class. Instructors record No Shows in the college’s electronic attendance system. Students attending at least one time should understand that they cannot be marked as a no-show and will be charged for the course unless they drop the course within the drop/add period of the course’s term which can be found in the Academic Calendar online at www.hindscc.edu/academic-calendar 

In the case of required co-requisite courses, a student cannot be dropped as a No-Show in one course and continue to be enrolled in the co-requisite course. 

Course Withdrawal

Prior to the start of a term, students who withdraw from the College will not be liable for fees other than nonrefundable fees. Students who have paid tuition and do not have any registration holds on their account can use their My.Hinds account to remove themselves from all classes. Students who need assistance or who have a hold on their account should contact the Office of Advising. During the drop/add period of a term, classes that are dropped are considered schedule changes and do not appear on the student’s record. Student’s will not be charged for dropped classes during the drop/add period. After the drop/add period of a term, students can withdraw from classes through My.Hinds during the withdrawal period or with the assistance of an advisor. Students that withdraw from a class during the withdrawal period will receive a grade of “W” on the student’s record. Students will be charged for all classes from which they withdraw. The drop/add period and the withdrawal period for each term can be found in the Academic Calendar. Students requesting to completely withdraw from the College need to contact the Office of Advising to request a “Complete Withdrawal” form. Students must continue to participate in the course until the withdrawal can be processed. Any student withdrawing from either an on-campus or hybrid lecture or laboratory science course must withdraw from both at the same time except during the last week of the withdrawal period (with the exception of the BIO courses). However, online students are not required to withdraw from both the lecture and the lab courses at the same time (as those can be taken separately online). Note: Any student wishing to take a continuation academic science course must have credit in both the lecture and lab before being allowed to take the continuation lecture or continuation lab.

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. The attempt with the highest grade will be counted in grade point average calculations. All other grades will remain on the transcript. Some courses can be repeated for additional credit and cannot be replaced for a better grade (ex: Physical Education Activity courses, Music Lessons, Seminars). The replacement grade policy is honored at Hinds Community College and may not be recognized by other colleges/universities or employers. 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 a 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, as well as a financial aid advisor, before repeating any course. 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.

WITHDRAWAL FROM COLLEGE

Prior to the start of a term, students wishing to officially withdraw will not be liable for fees (other than nonrefundable fees). Students who have paid tuition can use their My.Hinds account to remove themselves from all classes. 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 MSVCC calendar. The grade at the time of withdrawal from the College will be “W” in all classes. It is the responsibility of the student to complete and return the Withdrawal Form to the Office of Admissions and Records within two (2) business days.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Academic pursuits require the exploration of ideas from a multitude of sources. A responsible scholar always gives credit to the ideas of others. Ethical treatment of sources as well as honesty  in testing and assignments are hallmarks of academic integrity. Hinds Community College considers academic honesty essential for scholastic excellence. Self-plagiarism occurs when an individual recirculates materials from a previous course into a current one without an instructor’s consent. Submitting unoriginal work in a course is unethical and does not demonstrate academic progress.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism occurs when an individual borrows words, ideas, original material, or data from another person, group, or organization without acknowledging the original source of the material. Students are expected to cite sources correctly. Several resources are available on the Hinds Community College website to help students incorporate ideas of others into their own work.

Cheating

Cheating is defined as the act of obtaining or attempting to obtain or aiding another to obtain academic credit for work by the use of any dishonest, deceptive or fraudulent means. Examples of cheating include: copying from another’s test or examination; discussing the nature or content of test items and/or answers before, during, or after an examination or test without permission of the instructor; possessing, giving or receiving copies of an examination or exam questions without the permission of the instructor; using or displaying notes, “cheat sheets,” or other information or devices inappropriate to the prescribed test conditions; allowing someone other than the officially enrolled student to represent the student and/or complete coursework in any manner.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Any use of artificial intelligence (AI) in assignments where it is not expressly allowed is a breach of our academic integrity policy and will be addressed in accordance with our policies on academic misconduct such as plagiarism. If you are uncertain about plagiarism or academic dishonesty, please refer to your course syllabus and reach out to your instructor for clarification.

Legitimate Collaboration

In situations in or outside the classroom where some degree of collaboration is permissible, it is the responsibility of the instructor to give written instructions to his/her classes specifically stating what forms of collaboration are authorized. When procedures are not clearly understood, it is the responsibility of the student to consult with the instructor.

Penalties for Academic Dishonesty

The penalty for the first commission of any offense set out above will be either a zero on the particular assignment, withdrawal from the course, or failure in the course. The instructor will state clearly on the course syllabus which penalties may apply. These options will be clearly stated on the instructor’s syllabus. The instructor will also refer the matter for possible further action, including possible suspension or dismissal from the program of study or from the college. The penalty for subsequent commissions of any of these offenses will be failure in the course and possible dismissal or suspension from the program of study or from the College.

In cases of academic dishonesty:

1. The instructor will immediately email the student, the department chairperson, the Academic Dean or Career-Technical Dean and/or Dean of Distance Learning (whichever is appropriate) and the campus Dean of Students, indicating the action taken.
2. If the student has been previously reported as committing the same offense, the Dean of Students will notify the instructor, department chairperson, and appropriate dean, who will together determine if further action is needed. 

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 Standing 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 Scholastic 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 Hinds CC on Scholastic Probation. Transfer students who were placed on Scholastic Probation after their last semester will be admitted to Hinds CC on Scholastic Probation.

SUMMER

Hinds Community College students have the opportunity to improve standing through summer work at Hinds. Scholastic standing can rise from Scholastic Suspension to Scholastic 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 Scholastic 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 Standing 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 Scholastic 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 next 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 Scholastic Probation.

SCHOLASTIC SUSPENSION APPEALS

Appeals for permission to continue in school when facing Scholastic Suspension must be made in writing to the student’s academic advisor. The forms can be acquired from the advisor. Each appeal will be considered on its own merits and should be based on extenuating circumstances supported by proper documentation. Appeals must be filed within six months of the end of the semester during which the Scholastic Suspension occurred. If the appeal for permission to continue in school is approved, the student must enroll in no more than 15 semester hours and will also be enrolled in the non-credit online course, Project You, for the upcoming spring or fall semester. Students that do not actively participate in the first week of the non-credit Project YOU course, with active participation defined as completion of initial confirmation assignments, will not be allowed to continue in their enrolled for-credit courses and will remain on Scholastic Suspension pending the completion of satisfactory requirements.

SCHOLASTIC RESTART POLICY

“Scholastic Restart” is a way for a student to have previously earned grades removed from consideration when computing the quality point average (except for federally funded financial aid eligibility) or when assessing graduation status at Hinds Community College. Before the student decides to participate in this program, he/she should be aware of the following requirements:

1. A completed Declaration of Scholastic Restart Form must be submitted to the Office of Admissions and Records.
2. A student may not have enrolled in college for a minimum of two academic years (academic year includes fall semester, spring semester and summer terms) preceding the petition for re-enrollment under Scholastic Restart.
3. A student may petition for Scholastic Restart during any semester in which they are currently enrolled. Courses taken since re-enrollment are not eligible for Scholastic Restart.
4. Scholastic Restart may be declared only one time.
5. All hours attempted during the student’s entire enrollment in the college will be considered when determining federally funded financial aid eligibility. This includes grades of “W.”
6. Scholastic Restart is honored at Hinds Community College and may not be recognized by other colleges/universities or employers. Students should check with their chosen transfer college/university or employer to determine their academic status upon completion of their studies at Hinds.
7. A re-entering student requesting Scholastic Restart may be provisionally approved but must complete 12 semester hours with a quality point average of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) on the first 12 hours (or on all hours completed through the semester in which they reach 12 hours) before being officially accepted into the program.
8. No grades will be removed from a student’s official transcript; however, notation will be made on the transcript as to the Scholastic Restart. No coursework completed before that time will be used when determining quality point average or determining graduation status at Hinds Community College. The coursework will be used for federally funded financial aid eligibility.
9. The Registrar is responsible for providing the necessary interpretations on questions not expressly answered in this policy.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind, inventions, literacy and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and design used in education or commerce. This includes works prepared for distribution in digital form. Faculty, staff and students are fully entitled to all proceeds from their own intellectual property. However, when intellectual property is developed at the direction of a College official and/or using College resources, then that intellectual property is owned by the College.

* An employee who desires to work on the development of intellectual property on College time and/or with College resources should get approval from his/her immediate supervisor. Contractual employment with College obligates the employee to adhere to all policies of the College including this one. Appeals to the College’s policy on intellectual rights should be addressed to the college president in a timely manner.

*The College may elect to share on a 50/50 basis any proceeds above cost of the development from the commercial exploitation of intellectual property with the creator.

ACADEMIC FREEDOM

In order to secure the greatest educational advantage to the student, the administration of Hinds Community College is directed to ensure that responsible and professional instructors will have freedom to teach the knowledge that their professional peers have agreed upon as being the truth; freedom to examine in the classroom the evidences of truth that have not been so agreed upon as to meaning; freedom to lead discussions about the speculative theories concerning the systems of truth; freedom to avoid indoctrination, yet to inform; freedom to elicit student response, while according the student freedom to respond in an orderly and cordial manner; and freedom to have ultimate determination about the program of instruction, within consideration that all instructional activities at Hinds Community College will be carefully and fairly evaluated in light of the aims of the College.