Academic Information

Academic Calendar

The academic calendar for this academic year can be found here: Academic Calendar .

College-Wide General Education Outcomes

Graduates of an associate degree from Central Carolina Technical College will:

1. Effectively communicate information, ideas, and/or arguments appropriate to the audience and purpose.
2. Utilize appropriate mathematical and statistical methods to interpret data and solve problems.
3. Locate, evaluate, and use information from diverse and credible sources in an effective and ethical manner.

Academic Integrity and Honor Code

Central Carolina Technical College affirms the values of excellence, integrity, and innovation. Academic integrity is an important element of our values. The Academic Integrity Honor Code holds students to high academic and personal behavior standards. The Academic Integrity Honor Code emphasizes the importance of academic integrity, personal pride, honor and accountability; and these are the standards by which students are expected to adhere to in the academic environment whether or not they are explicitly asked in advance to do so.

I pledge the work in this course will be my own.

I pledge not to allow others to copy or present my work as their work.

I pledge not to commit any acts of plagiarism, including the use of Artificial Intelligence tools without faculty permission.

I pledge to cite and reference any work obtained from resources.

I pledge not to lie, cheat, or steal to gain academic advantage.

I pledge to oppose every instance of academic dishonesty.

I understand that any act of academic dishonesty is a direct violation of the Student Code and will have consequences, up to and including failing the course, as outlined in the College Catalog and Student Handbook.

Information on Grading

Central Carolina Technical College assigns a final grade at the end of each course for every course you complete or attempt. Each grade has a grade point value associated with it. For example, an “A” is worth 4 points; a “B” is worth 3 points, and so on. This information is used to calculate your grade-point average (often referred to as GPA). The GPA is important, because you must keep your GPA at or above a certain level.

Sometimes, grades other than “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” are assigned at the end of the course. In some courses, the grade of “D” is not assigned. You should consult your syllabus (course outline) at the beginning of each course so you know how grades are determined or ask your instructor if you are not sure. The course syllabus also includes the grading scale used for your course (10-point scale, etc.) Following is a list of all possible grades the College uses. Notice that some grades are worth “0” points:

A student may repeat any credit course. All grades will appear on the transcript and the higher of the grades will be included in the GPA.

Note: The Veterans Administration will not pay benefits for repeating a course for which the student previously received a passing grade.

A student has one year from the date the grade is entered to contest the grade.

Students may access grades and other academic information through https://my.cctech.edu/.

Grade-Point Average (GPA) Computation

As a student, you should track your GPA. You must maintain a grade-point average at a certain level in order to remain enrolled at CCTC the next semester. At the end each semester, GPAs are computed for the academic work completed for that semester and for the cumulative academic work completed while at the College. Unless a course is repeated, the GPA is determined by dividing the total number of grade points by the number of attempted semester hours as shown in the following example. Every course carries a certain number of credit hours. The number of credit hours appears in the “Programs ” and “Courses ” section in this catalog. If you repeat a course, the highest grade earned will be used in computing the GPA. Your record will continue to show the original grade awarded, but only the highest grade will be calculated in your GPA.

Grade-Point Average = 30.0 total points /15 total hours = 2.0 GPA

The College uses your current semester GPA and your cumulative GPA to determine your academic progress. The cumulative average refers to all the courses numbered 100 and higher taken at CCTC. Notice that both averages are important. Try to always remain in good standing. Following is a chart to help you determine if you meet the standards of academic progress necessary to stay in good standing. The best approach is to maintain a “C” (2.0) or better average each and every semester. If you are not in good standing, the college faculty and staff believe that if you take fewer hours the next semester, you may be more successful.

Midterm Grades

A midterm grade will be assigned by your instructor mid-way through the semester (excluding some condensed sessions). Midterm grades do not appear on your transcript and are not calculated into your GPA. You can access your midterm grades in myCCTC through the Student Records link on the Student tab.

Standards of Academic Progress Chart

Current term and cumulative GPAs are calculated at the end of each semester and are used to determine your academic status. Student Records will notify you via myCCTC e-mail if you have been placed on academic warning, probation or suspension.

If you are on academic warning or probation, you are limited to registering for a maximum of thirteen (13) credit hours, which will give you full-time status. If you pre-registered for more than 13 hours, you must reduce your hours to less than 13 by the deadline stated in your notification e-mail or you will be dropped from all classes. If you are on academic suspension, you will not be permitted to register for classes for the semester following suspension. If you pre-registered, you will be dropped from all classes. You may re-enroll after one full semester of suspension; however, you must see an admissions coordinator before you can register. During your first semester back following suspension, you will be on return from suspension status and may register for no more than seven (7) credit hours.

Academic Appeals

If you wish to appeal your suspension status or maximum enrollment hour limit, you must submit an Academic Appeal Form (available on the College’s website) and appropriate documentation to Student Records no later than the appeal deadline which is the close of business on the Wednesday before the semester begins. Acceptable reasons for an appeal include extenuating circumstances which are beyond your control such as: personal illness, family difficulties, and death or serious illness of a family member. Examples of documentation include: letter from physician, obituary, divorce decree, and other verifiable documentation.

The Academic Appeals Committee will review each appeal and make a decision based on professional judgement and documentation provided. Student Records will notify the student of the committee’s decision via myCCTC e-mail. A student who appeals and is permitted to register for classes must take the classes recommended by the committee. If both of the student’s term and cumulative grade point averages are below a 2.0 for the appealed semester, the student will be suspended for two semesters with no appeal permitted.

Academic warning, probation, and suspension are separate and independent of financial aid warning, probation, and suspension just as the academic appeal process is separate from the financial aid appeal process. Academic appeals must be submitted to Student Records. The Standards of Progress for Financial Aid are covered in the paragraphs that follow. Please contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@cctech.edu if you have questions concerning Financial Aid warning, probation, or suspension or the financial aid appeal process.

Standards of Academic Progress for Financial Aid

To remain eligible for financial aid at Central Carolina Technical College, a student must make reasonable academic progress toward a degree, diploma, or certificate. Satisfactory Academic Progress is a federal government requirement and is measured by a number of factors including the following:

Cumulative Grade-Point Average (Qualitative Measure)

• A student must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 (C) or better to remain eligible for financial aid.
• At the end of the first semester in which a student’s cumulative GPA is less than 2.00, the student will be placed on Warning. Financial aid will be continued during Warning.
• If the cumulative GPA falls below a 2.00 (C) during the probationary period, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension.

Cumulative Credit Hours (Quantitative Measure)

• A student must successfully pass 67% of the cumulative hours attempted including DVS and transfer hours.
• Students who do not pass at least 67% of their cumulative hours will be placed on Warning; any time a student fails to pass 67% of attempted hours thereafter, he/she is subject to suspension from federal financial aid.
• If a student receives a W, I, WA, or an F, the student does not pass the hours. These grades factor into the 67% completion requirement.

Maximum Program Hours (Quantitative Measure)

• A student may only receive financial aid for a limited number of credit hours. Eligibility for federal financial aid is terminated after a student has attempted 150% of the hours required for his or her program required hours.
• The attempted hours include all course work taken at CCTC (including DVS) and transfer credits accepted by the college.
• The Maximum Program Hours measure is program specific.
• A student transferring from another institution will have all credits accepted by CCTC considered toward the 150% maximum hours.
• Students who are within 15 credit hours of the maximum allowed by their program of study will be placed on Danger status, and should contact the aid office if they will need more hours to complete the program of study.

First-time Applicants for Financial Aid

There is a possibility that a student may be ineligible for aid, based on academic progress, even before the student applies. (CCTC looks at a student’s complete enrollment history to establish eligibility regardless of the student’s past application.)

Exceptions / Appeals / Reinstatement

Exceptions to this policy will be reviewed based on an appeals process under the umbrella of professional judgment. Students with documented appeals may be given exceptions on a case-by-case basis. A written appeal must be submitted and approved for reinstatement.

• A student on financial aid suspension may appeal by completing a Financial Aid Appeal Form, (available on the college’s web site) indicating reasons why he or she did not meet the requirements.
• Acceptable reasons for appeal include circumstances which the student could not have foreseen at the beginning of the term, and which are completely beyond the control of the student such as: personal illness, family difficulties, and death or serious illness of a family member. The student must provide appropriate documentation supporting the appeal. Incomplete appeal documents will be returned to the student, unprocessed.
• Appeals deadline will be posted prior to the beginning of each term, and notification of suspension sent to students. Appeals must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office in writing and accompanied by appropriate documentation no later than the published deadline for the semester in which the student is requesting aid. Late appeals will be processed for the following academic term.
• Students are limited to two financial aid appeals at Central Carolina Technical College.
• Initially, the appeal will be reviewed by the Director of Financial Aid and/or the Satisfactory Progress Coordinator to determine the merit of the appeal. If appropriate, the appeal will be forwarded to the Financial Aid Appeal Committee.
• Appeal decisions will be made within one week of the appeal deadline. Students will be notified via myCCTC e-mail.
• Students may have their financial aid reinstated with the approval of an appeal. Students reinstated by appeal will have to adhere to prescribed guidelines established by the Director of Financial Aid or the Appeal Committee.
• All decisions made by the Financial Aid Appeal Committee are final. Students whose appeals are denied must regain eligibility prior to receiving additional financial assistance.

Summary

• It is the student’s responsibility to monitor his/her status for Satisfactory Academic Progress. This can be done using the student’s myCCTC account. The status is updated at the end of each semester, once grades are finalized in Student Records.
• At the end of each semester the Financial Aid Office will review the GPA, earned credit hours, and maximum hours, and notify students on Warning, Danger and Suspension as quickly as possible via myCCTC email; students who are suspended will also be notified via the US Postal Service.
• Students on Warning Status will be required to meet with his/her Academic Advisor to complete a Student Progress Plan (SPP) before being eligible to submit an SAP Appeal Form, should they change to Suspension Status.
• Students on suspension will be ineligible for all Title IV financial aid, including loans.

Financial Aid Categories of Enrollment are:

• Full-time student - enrolled for 12 or more credit hours per semester.
• Three-quarter time student - enrolled for 9 to 11 credit hours per semester.
• Half-time student - enrolled for 6 to 8 credit hours per semester.
• Less-than half-time student - enrolled for 5 or less credit hours per semester.

Return of Title IV Funds

If you receive financial aid and completely withdraw from the College, you are subject to the return of Title IV funds policy. The amount to be returned is based on the percentage of enrollment completed for the semester and the amount of financial aid assistance considered earned. Funds are returned to the appropriate programs in the following order: unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans; subsidized Federal Direct Loans; Federal Pell Grant; Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant; other Title IV Assistance. The College and the student are both responsible to return unearned financial aid assistance to the appropriate program(s). Information on returned funds is available in the Financial Aid Office. Students who do not repay the required amount will be ineligible for aid until repayment has been made.

Standards of Academic Progress for VA and or National Guard Educational Benefits

Academic progress will be measured at the end of each evaluation period. Failure by a student to maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 2.0 and/or have a less than 67% pass rate for any evaluation period will result in that student being placed on academic probation (warning) for the next enrolled term per Federal and CCTC Standards of Academic Progress.

Failure by the student to attain a cumulative GPA of at least a 2.0 during the probation term and/or obtaining a less than 67% pass rate will result in academic suspension (termination of student/Veteran’s benefits) for one term; the next enrolled term. The interruption will be reported to the Veterans Administration (VA) using VA Form 22-1999b or the applicable National Guard educational benefit administrator. Student must obtain a 2.0 cumulative GPA or higher during the suspension term (next enrolled term) and obtain a pass rate of 67% or higher to be considered for reinstatement of VA educational benefits. VA/CAP educational benefits will not be paid during a suspension term.

Veterans/students who obtain a 2.0 or higher cumulative GPA and a 67% pass rate during their suspension term are eligible to be considered for reinstatement of VA educational benefits. Veterans/students who fail to attain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 during the return term (after suspension) and/or less than 67% pass rate will be placed on academic dismissal for 2 terms; next 2 enrolled terms. Reinstatement after dismissal will be granted only if mitigating circumstances exist and are presented/documented with appeal. VA/CAP educational benefits will not be paid during dismissal terms.

Mitigating Circumstances: Mitigating circumstances are those which directly hinder pursuit of a course and which are judged to be beyond the student’s control.

Pass rate is computed based on attempted hours and hours receiving a passing grade. Receiving a “W”, “I”, “WA”, or an “F” for a class is considered a grade and used in computing a student’s pass rate.

Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid

Students receiving financial assistance must be making satisfactory progress towards a degree, diploma, or certificate. Students receiving financial aid through state programs will, at a minimum, meet the same standards when specific criteria are not prescribed. See Student Handbook for details or the College’s website at http://www.cctech.edu/financial-aid/.

Academic Load

During the regular semester, you are considered a fulltime student for financial aid and VA purposes if you are enrolled in 12 or more semester credit hours and part-time if you are enrolled in less than 12 semester credit hours. However, for associate degrees and some other programs, a full semester load requires that you complete 15 or more semester credit hours; if you complete less than 15 semester credit hours, you should not expect to complete programs within the prescribed time period. Maximum student course load is 18 credit hours per semester. Exceptions must be approved by the department chair of the program in which you are enrolled. Documentation of approval must be provided to Student Records before you register for additional hours.

Attendance Policy

The faculty, administrators, and staff of Central Carolina Technical College believe that it is in your best interest to have an attendance policy that will promote academic success and effective workplace skills as required by employers.

The attendance policy of Central Carolina Technical College states that a student may not be absent more than 20 percent of the attendance period which begins with the first day of class and ends with the date designated as the withdrawal deadline. An absence is defined as missing the entire class session. In addition, tardiness and early exit from class are disruptive to the learning environment. Students coming in late (tardy) after the instructor has taken roll, or leaving before class is dismissed will incur a one half (1/2) absence. Absences in excess of 20 percent of the attendance period will result in a grade of WA. Each instructor will clearly define to each class how many absences equate to “20 percent” of the attendance period. When the student’s absences exceed 20 percent of the attendance period, the instructor will withdraw the student from the class by recording a grade of WA. The student’s last date of actual class attendance will be entered. Absences after the withdrawal deadline will be recorded by the instructor but will not result in a grade of WA. Students who attend class after the withdrawal deadline will receive a grade of A, B, C, D, F, or I. Students who do not attend class after the withdrawal deadline will receive a grade of WF and the last date of attendance will be recorded.

If students have extenuating circumstances that cause them to exceed the 20% limit on absences, they may present documentation for each absence to the department chair/program manager of the appropriate department. Such documentation may support a grade change from WA to W. Attendance is important to student success at all times but especially during the initial class sessions at the beginning of the semester. Therefore, if a student has not attended class prior to roster verification by the faculty member and is designated as “Never Attended,” the student will not be allowed to attend classes unless documentation is presented for each absence to the Vice President for Student Affairs for consideration for readmission into the class.

Individual departments may have more stringent requirements than those stated in this attendance policy. If departmental requirements are more stringent, the departmental requirements should be communicated to you in the course syllabi and/or departmental orientation. (See Health Sciences Attendance Policy, for example.)

Section Changes

Section changes after the Drop/Add Period must be approved by the department chair under which the course resides. A Withdrawal/Section Change Form can be obtained from the instructor or on the College website at www.cctech.edu/resources/forms-library. The completed Withdrawal/Section Change Form must be submitted to Student Records with all appropriate signatures for final processing of a section change.

Adding/Dropping Courses

You may add and drop courses online through the Drop/Add Period provided the courses are not closed. Drop/Add dates are published in the current course schedule and in the academic calendar. Course(s) may be dropped during the Drop/Add Period without academic penalty. In order to receive a tuition refund or credit, you must drop before the end of the Drop/Add Period for that course. After the Drop/Add Period has passed, discuss withdrawal from courses with your instructor and a financial aid counselor. Withdrawal may affect the time it will take to complete your program of study and may result in financial and academic consequences including debt owed to the College. 

Auditing Courses

A student who desires to attend courses on an audit basis without earning a grade or credit may register as an audit student. Students must complete a Course Audit Form (available on the College’s website) and submit to Student Records prior to the last day of the drop/add period. Auditing a course is contingent upon departmental approval. Students may not change course status (credit to audit or audit to credit) after the drop/add period has ended.

The tuition and fees for auditing a course are the same as when the course is taken for a grade/credit. Audit students must meet the course prerequisites. An audited course may not be used to fulfill prerequisite requirements. Students may not take a proficiency test for previously audited courses.

Home Contracts

Students who are relocating may request this degree completion option by making application for a “Home Contract.” Criteria for approval will include the completion of at least 25 percent of the required curriculum courses in residency from Central Carolina Technical College. A one-year completion rate is mandatory. Students should see their advisor who will collaborate with the Registrar to make the necessary arrangements.

Withdrawing from Class

It is never wise to just quit going to class. If you realize you can no longer meet the requirements of a course, you may withdraw from the course after the Drop/Add Period. To do so, you must initiate a withdrawal with your instructor prior to exceeding the allowed number of absences for the course and prior to the published withdrawal deadline in order to receive a grade of “W”. A grade of “W” does not negatively impact your Grade Point Average (GPA), but it may negatively impact your financial aid, causing you to owe money to the College. Withdrawal deadlines are published in the Academic Calendar which can be found on the College’s website. Please discuss your withdrawal with your instructor and a financial aid counselor before completing the process.

If you stop attending a class and exceed the number of absences allowed prior to the withdrawal deadline, you will be withdrawn by your instructor and will receive a grade of “WA”. A grade of “WA” does not negatively impact your GPA, but it may negatively impact your financial aid, causing you to owe money to the College. Students who do not attend at all after the withdrawal deadline will receive a grade of “WF”. Students who attend any days after the withdrawal deadline will receive the grade earned (A, B, C, D, F, or I).

The last date of attendance provided by the instructor will be the offical withdrawal date. Please familiarize yourself with the attendance policy and remember it is best to complete a student-initiated withdrawal if necessary.

If you receive a grade of “WF”, you may present official documentation of medical/personal reasons to the Vice President for Student Affairs for consideration of changing the grade from “WF” to “W”. The Vice President for Student Affairs will review the documentation and consult with the faculty member to determine if the documentation merits support to change the grade from “WF” to “W”. Examples of medical/personal documentation are: (a) hospitalization of student or immediate family member; (b) relocation from college’s service area; (c) change in employment hours; (d) military orders - TDY or PCS; (e) other extenuating circumstances.

Detailed withdrawal procedures can be found in myCCTC under Academic Links/Course Information & Policies.

Course Scheduling

The course schedule is available on the College’s website and your myCCTC/CCTCgo account. The College reserves the right to add or delete courses in the published semester schedule as deemed necessary.

An academic advisor is available to assist you in scheduling classes to meet your educational goals. You can locate your academic advisor information and register online through your myCCTC account once you have been admitted to the College.

Change of Program

The first step in the process to change to a different program is to complete a change of program form on CCTC’s website at http://www.cctech.edu/service-and-support/forms-library/ in the Forms Library. Once received, the Advisement and Support Center advisor will discuss available programs of study based on your interests and career goals. If you have already changed your program twice, you may be referred to the Career Services Center for career counseling. If you are using Financial Aid, Veterans’ Benefits, or WIA/TAA funds, a financial aid counselor may verify eligibility to change your program prior to the Advisement and Support Center advisor’s approval.

The Advisement and Support Center advisor will finalize the change of program and assign you to a new advisor. You should complete the change of program process as early as possible to reduce delays in registering for the next semester. If you request a change of program, you will be required to complete the program requirements as outlined in the catalog in effect at the time of the change in program. Program changes requested after add/drop will be effective for the following semester.

Advisement and Registration

Advising is a critical part of the college experience and can significantly impact your success. Your assigned advisor will help guide you in planning your courses to best meet your goals, assist you with proper class selection, stay on track toward graduation, and help connect you with other resources at the College. Your assigned advisor may be faculty teaching within your program area or an academic advisor in the Advisement and Support Center. Many programs assign both a faculty advisor and an academic advisor so that students in a team approach. You will find the name of your assigned advisor listed in DegreeWorks in myCCTC. You should plan to meet with your assigned advisor before registering each semester. You can meet in person, virtually, or use email or telephone. Choosing your college courses without advising can cause you to fall behind on your plan for graduation and may also affect your eligibility for financial aid. You should continuously monitor your program progress through DegreeWorks in myCCTC.

Advisement and Support Center

The Advisement and Support Center’s mission is to provide quality advising and access to resources to support students in successfully achieving their educational and career goals. Students in the Pre-Nursing Preparatory Certificate program as well as students pursuing Medical Assisting or Surgical Technology will be assigned an academic advisor in the Advisement and Support Center until they apply to and are accepted to their target program. Students in all other programs will receive first-semester advising and continuing registration assistance from the Advisement and Support Center. Dual Enrollment and Early College students are exclusively advised by their assigned Dual Enrollment Coordinator. The Advisement and Support Center is located in Building M500 in Room M533 on the Main Campus in Sumter. Advisement and Support Center staff can be reached by phone at (803) 774-3310 or email to asc@cctech.edu.

Registration

After you contact your advisor, you may register in the Advisement and Support Center on the main campus, open computer labs throughout all campuses, or online at www.cctech.edu. New students are encouraged to register in the Advisement and Support Center where assistance is available. Various holds from prior enrollment, including balances owed, may prevent registration.