Academic Standards, Procedures, and Policies

• General Policies and Procedures
• Policies Regarding Courses
• Graduating
• General Education Requirements

  General Policies and Procedures

Students are expected to be familiar with all of the college’s academic policies and procedures. Seek the assistance of a counselor or faculty advisor if you have questions about regulations and procedures stated in this or any other section of the college catalog.

In order to receive credit and a grade for a course, a student must properly register for and pay for the course prior to the registration deadline as stated in the Course Schedule for a particular semester or summer session.

Academic Honesty Policy

Academic dishonesty is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Cheating, forgery, plagiarism, and collusion in dishonest acts undermine the college’s educational mission and the students’ personal and intellectual growth. Students are expected to bear individual responsibility for their work and to uphold the ideal of academic integrity. Any student who attempts to compromise or devalue the academic process will be sanctioned.

Cheating harms the college community in many ways. Honest students are frustrated by the unfairness of cheating that goes undetected and therefore unpunished. Students who cheat skew the grading curve in a class, resulting in lower grades for students who worked hard and did their own work.

Definition of Academic Dishonesty:

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person’s ideas, research, or writing as your own. Examples include:

1. Copying another person’s actual words without both the use of quotations and documentation. 
2. Presenting another person’s ideas or theories in your own words without documentation.
3. Using information that is not considered common knowledge without acknowledging the source. 
4. Using a paper writing “service” or having a friend write the paper for you.

Note: The guidelines that define plagiarism also apply to information secured on web sites. Internet references must specify precisely where the information was obtained and where it can be found.

You may think that citing another author’s work will lower your grade. In some unusual cases this may be true, if your instructor has indicated that you must write your paper without reading additional material. But in fact, as you progress in your studies, you will be expected to show that you are familiar with important work in your field and can use this work to further your thinking. Your professors write this kind of paper all the time. The key to avoiding plagiarism is that you show clearly where your own thinking ends and someone else’s begins.

Cheating

Cheating is the attempted or unauthorized use of materials, information, notes, study aids, devices or communication during an academic exercise. Examples include:

Tests and Exams:

1. Copying from another student during an examination or allowing another to copy your work.
2. Using unauthorized notes during a closed book examination.
3. Using unauthorized devices during an examination.
4. Asking or allowing another student, or anyone else, to take an examination for you.
5. Changing a corrected exam and returning it for more credit.
6. Preparing answers or writing notes in a blue book (exam booklet) before an examination.
7. Taking an examination for another student.
8. Taking an examination or any examination material out of an examination room at any time without the expressed permission of the instructor who created that examination.

Take Home Tests and Individual Assignments:

1. If tutors or others aid the student in the preparation of an assignment, the submitted assignment should represent the student’s current level of ability.
2. Unauthorized collaborating on a take home assignment or examination.
3. Submitting substantial portions of the same paper to two classes without consulting the second instructor.
4. Using a paper writing “service” or having someone else write the paper for you.
5. Preparing an essay or assignment, or allowing one’s essay or assignment to be copied by someone else.
6. Borrowing all or part of another student’s paper or using someone else’s outline to write your own paper.
7. Intentionally citing inaccurate or nonexistent source materials.

Collaborative (Group) Assignments:

1. Failure to acknowledge group members on homework and lab assignment.
2. Turning in another group members work as an example of your individual work.

Notes: Group projects require careful division of responsibility and careful coordination to control the quality of the final product. Group work calls for a different kind of effort, not less of it. When group projects are assigned, the instructor is usually interested in the mastery of group process as well as the subject. Ask the instructor to clarify individual responsibilities and suggest a method of proceeding.

Labs:

1. In computer programming classes, borrowing computer code from another student and presenting it as your own.
2. Copying a lab report, or allowing someone else to copy one’s report.
3. Using another student’s data unless specifically allowed by the instructor.
4. Allowing someone else to do the lab report.
5. Faking laboratory data.

Abuse of Library Privileges

Any attempt to deprive others of equal access to library resources constitutes a violation of academic integrity. This includes the hiding or deliberately misshelving of library books for the use of an individual or group, a repeated failure to respond to recall notices and the removal or attempt to remove library materials from the college library without authorization. Defacing, stealing or destroying books, articles or other library materials meant to serve the entire college community also constitutes a violation of academic integrity.

Consequences of Academic Dishonesty:

If a student is found guilty of academic dishonesty, faculty members have the right to either:

1. Fail the student for the assignment/test.
2. Fail the student for the course.
3. File a letter of complaint, describing the infraction, with the Academic Dean of Student Personnel Services. or any combination of the above. The Dean may elect to pursue College disciplinary action against a student who is reported to that office for a subsequent act of academic dishonesty.

A second reported infraction may result in suspension. A third reported infraction may result in expulsion at the discretion of the Vice President and Dean, Student Development and Support Services.

Attendance

Because of the relationship between attendance and course achievement, students are expected to attend all scheduled classes.

It is the responsibility of each faculty member at the start of the course to provide a clear written statement of the methods used to evaluate student achievement. Each faculty member also has the responsibility to advise students of his/her policies on make-up tests or assignments and on the treatment of missed assignments. Faculty members are encouraged to take into consideration extenuating circumstances when making individual decisions.

Traditionally, faculty members allow up to two hourly absences for each credit hour (i.e., six absences from a course which meets three times per week in a fifteen-week semester) strictly for personal emergencies. There are some courses (i.e., clinical, laboratory, performance, etc.) that may demand different attendance. This information should be specified to the student at the onset of the course.

Student attendance cannot be the sole determinant of a final grade in a course (i.e., although a student’s grade can be affected by poor attendance, a faculty member cannot assign a grade of “F” solely for absences); however, students are strongly cautioned to be mindful of how professors link attendance requirements to other aspects of how they are evaluated. This can seriously affect their grade, and even result in failure. Students have the right to appeal the grade according to documentation which is available in the Student Affairs Office.

Students Unable to Attend Courses on Certain Days Because of Religious Beliefs

Section 224a, Paragraph 6-a, of the New York State Education Law regarding absence from classes for religious observance states that “… each student who is absent from school, because of his or her religious beliefs, must be given an equivalent opportunity to register for classes or make up any examination, study or work requirements which he or she may have missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to such student such equivalent opportunity.”

Grading System

A grade will be assigned for each credit course in which a student enrolls, in accordance with the following grading system, subject to the conditions listed below:

Although all faculty are required to follow the grading system described above, faculty has the right to determine the specific evaluative criteria for a course (e.g., quizzes, exams, assignments, etc.) as well as their relative weight toward the final course grade.  These grading scenarios may vary by department, from instructor to instructor, and from course to course; however students have the right to be informed in writing at the first or second class meeting about the content of the course and the criteria for evaluation.

Since many courses include laboratory or clinical components, faculty also has the right to determine the relative weight of a lab or clinical component in calculating the final grade as well as whether or not a student must pass a lab or clinical component in order to receive a passing grade for the course. 

For partially- or fully-online courses, faculty may require one or more on-campus examinations, including the final examination.  In addition, faculty of either online or on-campus courses are within their rights to specify that passing a final examination is required in order to pass the course.

The following grades do not affect grade point averages:

Grade Points, Credit Hours, Index

The credit hour value of a course is determined by the number of hours per week for which the course is scheduled to meet during a regular semester. In general, one credit hour is given for each hour of class (lecture-recitation) per week and one-third or one-half credit hour for each hour per week of laboratory or courses where outside preparation is less extensive. Note that, in general, students should expect to spend two hours working on course-related projects and assignments outside of the classroom for each one hour spent in class.

Grade points are obtained by multiplying credit hours by the quality points corresponding to the letter grade earned in the course. For example, a grade of “A” in a three-credit-hour course would give a total of 4 quality points x 3 credit hours = 12 grade points. A grade of “B” in the same course would give a grade point total of 3 x 3 = 9 points.

The grade point average is obtained by dividing the total number of grade points earned in all courses by the number of credit hours attempted (withdrawals are not considered attempts). If all grades are “A,” the index would be 4.0; B = 3.0; C = 2.0; D = 1.0; F = 0.0.

Full-time students who achieve a semester grade point average of 3.5 to 3.74 will have their names placed on the Dean’s List; those who achieve a grade point average of 3.75 to 4.0 are placed on the President’s List.

Academic Standing

Students are expected to make satisfactory academic progress toward a degree and maintain appropriate academic scholastic standards. Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 will be required to meet with a designated counselor before registering for the next semester in order to help them improve their academic performance.

Scholastic Standards

Students Not Meeting Scholastic Standards

If a student does not meet the College’s scholastic standards, the student’s academic status will be changed according to the table below. Financial aid standards are governed differently because all courses attempted, including developmental and transfer credits, are counted to determine financial aid eligibility.

Academic Status of Students Not Meeting Scholastic Standards

Academic Probation

A student on academic probation may take no more than 14 charged credits per semester, as approved by a counselor.  Mandated counseling is required for all students on academic probation.

Academic Restriction

A student on academic restriction may take no more than 8 charged credits per semester, as approved by a counselor and/or curriculum chair. Mandated counseling is required for all students on academic restriction.

Academic Dismissal

A student who is academically dismissed may not attend classes at Westchester Community College until the student petitions for reinstatement from academic dismissal and his/her Re-entry Application is approved. Students will be limited to 8 charged credits upon re-entry. Students returning after 2 or more years may be eligible for the Fresh Start Program (see Fresh Start).

Petition for Reinstatement as a Non-Matriculated Student, from Academic Dismissal to Academic Restriction:

A student is encouraged to apply for reinstatement to the College only after the circumstances that caused him/her to be academically dismissed have been addressed. 

A student who is reinstated to the College

• will be reinstated as a non-matriculated student, and as such, will not be eligible for financial aid. 
• can only re-enter at the start of a regular fall or spring semester.  
• will automatically be placed on academic restriction, and as such, will be limited to 8 charged credits. 

To petition for reinstatement from academic dismissal, the application process is as follows:

1. Complete a Re-entry Application for Academically Dismissed Students   available in the Registrar’s Office, the Counseling Office, and online by clicking on the above link. The application must be filed at least 2 weeks prior to the beginning of the regular fall or spring semester.
2. Submit any transcripts from other colleges attended in the interim.
3. Make an appointment with the Curriculum Chair assigned to the program of study you seek to enter or re-enter.
4. Make an appointment with the Academic Academic Dean (or Dean’s designee) of the Division that houses the program of study. The application and information will be evaluated by the Academic Academic Dean or Dean’s designee. If the application for re-entry is approved, the student will be reinstated as a non-matriculated student on academic restriction.

To be reinstated as a matriculated student, a student must have a semester GPA of 2.0 and have a minimum status of academic probation. Reinstatement to matriculated status does not automatically mean financial aid reinstatement, since financial aid eligibility is governed by separate standards.

Reinstatement to matriculated status does not automatically mean reinstatement into a student’s former curriculum, since reinstatement or entry into certain curricula requires the permission of the Curriculum Chair. Curricula that require special permission from the Curriculum Chair include, but are not limited to, Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, Radiologic Technology, Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, Veterinary Technology and Human Services.

Report of Grades

It is college policy to provide all possible assistance to students so that their courses will be successfully completed and their educational goals achieved. Accordingly, instructors must be explicit in presenting course requirements, including attendance policy, especially at the beginning of the term. If the course instructor is not available to assign grades, the Department Chair will appoint a qualified faculty member to administer the grading process.

As soon as grades are posted at the end of each semester, a student can access his or her grades online by visiting www.sunywcc.edu/grades. This grade report (which can be easily printed by the student) will show the current academic index as well as the cumulative average. The student copy of the grade report cannot be used as an official transcript. In order to receive credit and a grade for a course, a student must register and pay for the course prior to the registration deadline for that semester or summer session. Students who wish to receive a hard copy of their grade report can do so, at no charge, by contacting the Registrar’s Office either by phone (914-606-6810) or by sending an email to Registrar@sunywcc.edu

Mid-Term Standings

A student whose work is not satisfactory is so informed by the instructor at mid-term. An informal conference is usually held with the instructor in order to discuss difficulties and suggest withdrawal or plan a course of action which should result in improvement and satisfactory achievement by the end of the semester.

Fresh Start

For students returning to Westchester Community College after a prior unsuccessful start and a lengthy absence, our institution offers the Fresh Start Program.  Achieving success after an unsuccessful first try is not uncommon. Students find themselves unable to continue college for different reasons. The Fresh Start Program provides eligible students with an opportunity for academic success.

1. To be Eligible:

Student must not have enrolled for undergraduate courses at Westchester Community College for, at least, 2 consecutive years prior to returning.

2. Criteria required to apply a student must:

• complete 12 undergraduate academic credits with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0
• be matriculated in a degree or certificate program.

3. Application process:

After completing 12 or more undergraduate academic credits with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0, a student must see the counselor(s) responsible for the Fresh Start Program in the Office of Academic Counseling & Student Success to complete an application.

3. Forgiveness after meeting Eligibility and Application process:

Once approved for a Fresh Start, all of a student’s  grades of “D” and “F” earned prior to his/her return are excluded from their cumulative GPA and given asterisks (*) on the transcript. The excluded course grades cannot be re-included later t complete academic requirements. From the forgiveness point the transcript will be marked with the term “Fresh Start”

4. Caveats:

• Fresh Start can be used by each student only once.
• An Academic Fresh Start will NOT automatically make a student eligible for financial aid.  Please contact the Financial Aid office for further information.
• Fresh Start does not apply to any completed degree or certificate.

To apply for the Fresh Start Program visit the Fresh Start page of our website.

Transcript of Record

An official transcript is one bearing the seal of the college and the signature of the Registrar. Official transcripts cannot be sent by fax or email. If a student owes money to the college from any previous semester, no academic transcripts will be forwarded to any other institution until the debt is paid. Requests for an Official transcript may be made in three ways:

• Online
  Find instructions at www.sunywcc.edu/transcripts. Online requests must be paid for by credit card at the time of the request. 
• In-Person
  Stop by Room 107 in the Administration Building to order your transcript during normal business hours.  Please be advised when ordering your transcripts in person that transcripts take one business day to prepare. If you order a transcript in person, you can either return to pick it up the next business day, or we can mail it out to a designated address on your behalf. The fee for official transcripts is $10.00 per copy.

• By Mail
  Official copies of your Westchester Community College academic transcript can be requested by mail. Please visit www.sunywcc.edu/transcripts to download and print a Transcript Request Form. Mail your completed written transcript request form to:
   
  Westchester Community College Registrar’s Office
  75 Grasslands Road
  Valhalla, NY 10595

  Written transcript requests must include an accompanying check or money order for $10.00 (per official copy), made payable to Westchester Community College. Cash cannot be accepted.

An unofficial transcript is one given to the student for his or her own use and is marked “unofficial” or “student copy.” A student can find out how to obtain an unofficial transcript by visiting www.sunywcc.edu/transcripts. There is no charge for access to unofficial transcripts.

Confidentiality of Student Records

The academic and personal records, which the student establishes at Westchester Community College, are considered by this institution to be confidential information, and information contained in the student’s records will be furnished to other parties, including parents, only upon receipt of a release signed by the student, or to duly authorized officials.

Access to Other Records

In response to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as it is currently understood, enrolled students have the right to inspect and review all official records, files, and data directly related to them which are maintained by Westchester Community College (except confidential documents dated before January 1, 1975, certain financial records, and medical records). While the college will make every attempt to assist students at the time of their requests, it should be understood that office responsibilities such as registration, placement, grading, etc. may require that a later, mutually convenient appointment be arranged for document review. Under the law providing access to institutional records, students have the right to:

1. A list of the types of educational records which are maintained by the institution and are directly related to students
2. Inspect and review the contents of those records
3. Obtain copies of those records at the expense of the eligible student
4. A response from the institution to reasonable requests for explanation and interpretation of those records
5. An opportunity for a hearing to challenge the content of those records.

Student records are maintained by the Office of the Registrar, Room 107, Administration Building, where Request Forms for record access may be obtained.

Any questions concerning the procedure to be followed in requesting such a hearing should be directed to the Dean of Student Personnel Services.

Policies Regarding Courses

The information given below will help you determine what courses to take, help you decide what to take first, and inform you of exams, evaluations or courses you may have to take before registering for certain courses or programs. The procedures for making changes in your curriculum and withdrawing from courses are also explained.

Maximum Credit Load

Students enrolling during the Fall and Spring semesters may not register for more than 19 credits without obtaining special permission from both their Curriculum Chair and the appropriate Academic Dean.

Students entering or continuing at the college who are required to take ENG 91 - Writing for College 1 or ENG 92 - Writing for College 2 along with a non-credit mathematics course (Computational Skills or Beginning Algebra) or College Reading and Study Skills may take no more than 14 charged credits.

Students may not register for more than two courses in any single Summer session.

Developmental Education Courses

All matriculated  students at Westchester Community College are required to take the Placement Test  prior to registering in courses. Students are placed in appropriate courses depending on their placement test scores in reading, writing, and mathematics. If students’ scores indicate that they need to improve their skills in any of the above-mentioned areas, they must enroll in developmental courses.

Developmental Education Mission Statement

The mission of Developmental Education at Westchester Community College is to meet the educational needs of academically underprepared students through high quality learning opportunities and to help prepare them for their academic work at the College and beyond.

The goals of NADE (The National Association for Developmental Education) are:

• To preserve and make possible educational opportunity for each postsecondary learner
• To develop in each learner the skills and attitudes necessary for the attainment of academic, career, and life goals
• To ensure proper placement by assessing each learner’s level of preparedness for college coursework
• To maintain academic standards by enabling learners to acquire competencies needed for success in mainstream college courses
• To enhance the retention of students
• To promote the continued development and application of cognitive and affective learning.

Westchester Community College subscribes to all of these goals and encourages a commitment to lifelong learning.

Westchester Community College offers the following developmental courses to help students build a strong foundation in basic skills and prepare for the challenges of college-level coursework:

All first-time matriculated students must be advised by a counselor prior to registration. For students placing in any number of developmental courses, specific course selection will be decided in consultation with either a counselor or a curriculum chair.

Below are the minimum course requirements for full-time matriculated students:

• Full-time matriculated students placed into one or two developmental courses must take those courses within their first semester at the College.
• Full-time matriculated students placed into three developmental courses must enroll in at least two of those courses within their first semester at the College; these students must take the third developmental course in the following semester. These students are strongly advised to enroll in all three developmental courses within their first semester.

Below are the minimum course requirements for part-time matriculated students:

• Part-time matriculated students placed into one or two developmental courses must take those courses prior to enrolling in a third credit-bearing course. These students are strongly advised to enroll in their developmental courses within their first semester at the College.
• Part-time matriculated students placed into three developmental courses must enroll in all those courses prior to enrolling in a third credit-bearing course. These students are strongly advised to enroll in their developmental courses within their first year at the College.

Non-matriculated students are required to take the placement test or demonstrate proof of completion of college-level math, reading, and writing courses with a grade of “C” or better from a regionally accredited college or university if they wish to enroll in courses that have a test score pre- or co-requisite.

Westchester Community College provides students with further assistance through the Academic Support Center  which provides free tutoring in developmental and college-level courses. Students in developmental courses are strongly advised to take advantage of these services to expedite their skill development.

Registration in College-level Courses

Students placed into developmental courses may be able to enroll in a number of credit-bearing courses in consultation with a counselor (click for the current list of these credit-bearing courses ). Students should check the specific course pre-requisite and/or co-requisites. For more information, call the Assistant Dean of Developmental Education at 914-606-6714.

Prerequisites and Corequisites

Students should read carefully the stated prerequisites and corequisites listed in the course description section of this catalog. A prerequisite to a course is a requirement that must have been completed prior to enrollment in that course. A corequisite to a course is a requirement to be taken at the same time that a student is enrolled in that course.

Students should see an academic counselor or their Curriculum Chair for more specific information about taking courses in proper sequence.

Online Courses

Students with a GPA below 2.0 at Westchester Community College require special permission from a counselor to register for a fully online course. 

Linked Courses

Linked courses are courses that offer an integrated learning experience, and as such, they need to be taken simultaneously. The linked courses can be within the same discipline, or across disciplines, offering an opportunity to understand both subjects more deeply. Linked courses must be registered for together. Similarly, students choosing to drop or withdraw from linked courses, must drop or withdraw from both courses. 

Repeating Courses

Repeating a course in which a grade of D, F, FN, IF, RC, W, WP, or WF was received:

On a one-time basis, students may repeat courses they have completed with a grade of D, F, FN, IF, RC, W, WP, or WF. If a course has been repeated once (i.e., taken twice), a registration block will prevent the student from registering for the same course again. To make a request for a further repeat, please follow the procedure on the below chart. Certain health science and field experience courses cannot be repeated.

Repeating a course in which a grade of C or better was received:

Students who request to repeat a course in which a grade of C or better was received must seek approval by a Counselor. 

When two or more grades exist for the same course, all grades will remain on the transcript; however, only the highest grade will be used to calculate the cumulative grade point average. Students applying for transfer should be aware that it is sometimes the policy of four-year colleges to recalculate an applicant’s GPA using all grades earned. 

Repeating a course previously passed may jeopardize financial aid eligibility. Prior to repeating a course, financial aid recipients are urged to consult with a financial aid counselor to determine if current or future financial aid may be negatively affected. See Financial Aid, Pursuit and Progress Standards and general Financial Aid Guidelines on the college website.

Auditing Courses

A student who wishes to audit a credit course must formally register and receive permission from the instructor to receive the AUDIT grade. This permission must be obtained no later than the first day of class. Students who are permitted to audit a credit course are subject to payment of all tuition and fees. The audit grade shall be designated as “AU” (No Credit).

College credit lecture courses may be audited during fall and spring semesters by Westchester County residents 60 years of age or older on a space available basis. Courses with labs, foreign languages and hands-on classes, such as computer and art classes are not qualified.  Senior auditors pay $13.00 in registration fees each semester. Proof of age and residency is required. For more information, contact the Mainstream Office at 914-606-6793 or mainstream@sunywcc.edu.

Grades of “Incomplete”

Incomplete Grade Policy

An Incomplete or “I” may be assigned when extenuating circumstances prevent a student from completing a course. This grade is NOT a student right and is granted only upon approval of the Instructor, Department Chair and Academic Dean to ensure fairness and consistency in the assignment of this grade.

A student request for an Incomplete will be reviewed only if the following minimum criteria apply:

1. The course requirement has not been completed for serious and compelling reasons beyond the student’s control (e.g., illness, death in family) for which the student must be able to, upon request, provide clear and complete documentation of the situation from a qualified professional (e.g., physician), AND
2. There is a reasonable expectation that the student upon completing the missed work can pass the course.

The Incomplete grade must be changed to a letter grade according to the below schedule or it will automatically convert to an “IF”:

Incomplete Grade Procedure

The process for the assignment of an Incomplete is as follows:

1. The student must request an Incomplete from his/her Instructor and provide the Instructor with all necessary information and documentation regarding the extenuating circumstances.
2. If the above minimum criteria for the assignment of an Incomplete apply, the Instructor will fill out a Request for Incomplete Grade Form (accessible to faculty via MyWCC) so that the request can be further reviewed in consultation with the Department Chair and Academic Dean.
3. If the request for an Incomplete is approved, the Registrar’s Office will post the grade of “I” on the student record, which will then appear on the final grade roster next to the student’s name. In addition, the Registrar’s Office will notify the student of the “I” grade assignment by sending an email to the student’s MYWCC email address.
4. If the approval for an Incomplete Grade request is still pending by the time the Instructor is ready to submit his/her final course grades, the Instructor should assign the student a final grade for the course that factors in all missed assignments. If the request for an Incomplete is subsequently approved, this course grade will be changed to an “I” by the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar’s Office will notify the student of the “I” grade assignment by sending an email to the student’s MYWCC email address. However if the request for an Incomplete is denied, this grade will remain as the student’s final course grade.

A student assigned an “I” must make arrangements with the Instructor to make up the missed work. Once the student completes the missed work, the Instructor, in a timely manner, will grade the work and replace the Incomplete Grade with a letter grade by filling out a Change of Grade form. The Incomplete Grade must be changed to a letter grade according to the schedule above (see Incomplete Grade Policy) or it will automatically convert to an “IF.”

Withdrawal Policies and Procedures

Deadlines

Student Initiated Withdrawal from a Course: Last Day of Ninth Week of Semester

Student Initiated Complete Withdrawal from College: Last Day of Classes Before Final Exams

For Semesters Shorter than 15 Weeks: See Academic Calendar for the Established Withdrawal Date

Student Initiated Withdrawal from a Course (Deadline: Last Day of the Ninth Week of a Semester)

The deadline for withdrawal from a course with a grade of “W” is the last day of the ninth week of the semester.

A grade of “W” does not affect a student’s GPA. However, it is important to use withdrawals wisely. If unsure, it is best to consult with your instructor or academic counselor.  Prior to withdrawal, financial aid recipients are urged to consult with a financial aid counselor to determine if current or future financial aid may be negatively affected.

While it is the right of a student to withdraw from a course, withdrawal without following the procedure listed below may result in the student’s failure of the course.

The procedure to withdraw from zero-credit courses is as follows:

1. Meet with a Counselor, Curriculum Chair, Department Chair or Academic Dean.
2. The Counselor, Curriculum Chair, Department Chair or Academic Dean will release the hold that is placed on these zero-credit courses and withdraw the student.

Students may withdraw from credit-bearing courses using the MyWCC self-service portal. For instructions on how to withdraw, please login to MyWCC and follow the procedures for “How to Drop Courses Online.”

Faculty Assigned Course Withdrawal Grade of WP/WF (After Ninth Week of Semester)

After the ninth week, the course instructor may allow a student with extenuating circumstances to withdraw from the course by assigning a grade of WP (withdrawal-passing: student is passing at the time of withdrawal) or WF (withdrawal-failing: student is failing at the time of withdrawal). A grade of WP or WF does not affect a student’s GPA.

This is not a student right and is reserved only for unusual and extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control. The reasons for withdrawing must be serious and compelling (not merely poor attendance or grades). The student must be able to, upon request, provide clear and complete documentation of the situation from a qualified professional such as a physician.

Here are some guidelines for acceptable serious and compelling reasons:

Medical: Serious illness or injury of the student or of his/her immediate family, which has resulted in the inability to make up course material missed.

Financial: A student’s financial situation has become so critical that it has resulted in the inability to make up course material missed.

Personal: Serious family crisis or death in a family, which has resulted in the inability to make up course material missed.

A grade of WP or WF can negatively affect a student’s current or future financial aid eligibility. 

Student Initiated Complete Withdrawal from College: All Courses (After Ninth Week of Semester)

Students may withdraw from all courses at the college up until the last day of classes before final examinations. A grade of “W” would be assigned for all classes. A grade of “W” does not affect a student’s GPA. The reasons for withdrawing should be serious and compelling, not merely poor attendance or grades.

The procedure to withdraw from college is as follows:

1. Obtain a withdrawal form from the Counseling Office or the Registrar’s Office.
2. Allow enough time to complete the form, including obtaining all signatures.
3. Notify all instructors of the withdrawal.
4. Check with the Library, the Financial Aid Office, and the Bursar’s Office to determine if there are outstanding obligations.
5. Meet with the Counselor for final approval.
6. Submit the form to the Registrar before the deadline date.

If a student is not physically able to do this process, a member of his/her family or a designee of his/her choice, with proper identification and written consent from the student, could be requested to do so.

Withdrawal from college can negatively affect a student’s current or future financial aid eligibility.

Students who withdraw from the college and wish to register for the next semester may do so. 

Required Continuation

The Required Continuation (RC) grade may be given to students in zero-credit courses who have persisted through the course with great effort, completed all required assignments and satisfied course attendance requirements, but did not achieve a passing grade for the course.  In addition, this grade may be given to students who have academically performed very well and satisfied course attendance requirements, but did not pass the department exit exam.  In both cases, the student is required to retake the course during the following fall/spring semester.

Credit for Work Completed Elsewhere

Matriculated students may obtain credit for college level work completed in addition to their regular college courses. A few basic rules apply. The college can grant credit only for specific equivalent coursework in the student’s curriculum, and the number of credits for each specific course cannot exceed the credit value of that course. No more than 50 percent of the required credits for a degree or certificate may be granted by transfer, examination or evaluation.

A student may be granted a maximum of 50 percent of the required credits for a degree or certificate at Westchester Community College through one or more of the following methods:

• Advanced Standing. Transfer credit can be granted in equivalent courses completed at other accredited institutions of collegiate rank. (See Admissions , Admission With Advanced Standing.)
• College Level Examination Program (CLEP). Click for CLEP Exams and Equivalent Courses . See www.collegeboard.com/CLEP for testing sites in New York State.
• Advanced Placement (AP). Click for AP Exam Score Requirements . AP courses and examinations are given at most high schools.
• Students who wish to have CLEP or AP scores evaluated to satisfy Westchester Community College degree requirements should submit official copies of the scores to the Transfer Credit Evaluator in the Registrar’s Office.
• Study while serving in the military. (See Admissions, Admission with Advanced Standing.)

A student cannot earn duplicate credit for examination programs and college studies covering the same material.

For further information contact:

Transfer Credit Evaluator, Registrar’s Office, Westchester Community College or The College Level Examination Board (CLEP) College Entrance Examination Board, Box 1824, Princeton, New Jersey 08540.

Advanced Placement Policy

Department of English
October 5, 2004


1. Students who complete the AP English Language and Composition course and score a 3 or higher on the AP exam will be granted 3 credits by Westchester Community College for ENG 101 - Writing and Research . They may proceed to ENG 102 - Writing and Literature .

2. Students who complete the AP English Literature and Composition course and score a 3 or higher on the AP exam will be granted 3 credits for ENG 102 - Writing and Literature . To fulfill Westchester Community College’s Core Requirements for graduation they must take either ENG 101 - Writing and Research  or an English literature elective.

3. Students who complete both the AP English Language and Composition course AND the English Literature & Composition course and score a 3 or higher on the respective AP exams will be granted 6 credits for both ENG 101 - Writing and Research  and ENG 102 - Writing and Literature  and may enroll in any English elective they may wish to take.

Honors Program

The Honors Program at Westchester Community College brings together bright, highly-motivated students who thrive on the honors experience and enjoy the fellowship of other students excited about learning. Honors classes are small in order to encourage lively interchange between students and faculty. This helps students develop social, communication and research skills and explore topics of interest more deeply. Student research papers are published in the Honors Program interdisciplinary journal Verdandi and presented at a regional scholarly conference. An honors seminar room has been set aside for students and faculty in the program. Also, honors students have an opportunity to study abroad at Cambridge University in England every summer.

Since the program began in 1987, honors courses, which have an honors designation on college transcripts, have included Writing and Research, Writing and Literature, World Cinema, Introduction to World Politics, Psychobiology, History of Mathematics, Holocaust Studies and Seminar in Ethics. Honors courses are open to both full- and part-time students, regardless of academic program. Note that honors versions of courses satisfy the same requirements as the non-honors versions. Students in the program are free to take one, two or several honors courses; they are not required to take every honors course offered. In order to be accepted into the Honors Program, candidates are expected to demonstrate a strong overall academic record with a grade point average of at least 3.25. However, any extenuating circumstances as well as particular strengths in certain academic areas will be considered in the review process. Final decisions regarding acceptance or continuation in the program rest with the co-directors. Students graduating from the college are named as Honors Program Graduates if the following criteria are met: a minimum grade point average of 3.25 and successful completion of at least four honors courses at Westchester Community College.

Honors scholarships are available for continuing students at the college and from many four-year colleges and universities, (e.g., Cornell University, Columbia School of General Studies, The University of Rochester, Mercy College, and SUNY/Brockport).

For more information about the Honors Program visit www.sunywcc.edu/honors.

Changing Your Curriculum (Program of Study)

Procedures for students wishing to make curriculum changes:

1. Make the request to change your curriculum before selection of courses for the next semester.
2. Obtain a Curriculum Change Request Form from your counselor.
3. Consult with your counselor, then see the Curriculum Chair of the program you wish to enter.
4. After obtaining the signature of the chairperson of the curriculum being entered, take the form to the Registrar’s Office for processing.

Graduating

See your Academic Counselor and/or Curriculum Chairperson to be sure you will have satisfied all degree requirements by the time you plan to graduate.

Graduation Requirements

Requirements for the Associate in Arts (A.A.), Associate in Science (A.S.), and Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees, and all certificate programs are as stated in the appropriate curriculum descriptions (See Programs of Study ).

The minimum cumulative grade point average required for graduation is 2.0.

Students who have completed four or more honors courses will be designated as Honors Program Graduates.

All students are responsible for communicating their anticipated graduation date to their Curriculum Chairperson and for submitting an Application for Graduation Form to the Registrar’s Office during the January prior to May graduation. Students expecting to complete their degree requirements in December must do this by November of their final Fall Semester. The student is responsible for ensuring that all graduation requirements have been met. If graduation requirements are not successfully completed by the deadline, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the Registrar’s Office to change the Application for Graduation to indicate a new anticipated date of graduation. Under no circumstances can a degree be conferred retroactively.

Graduation Honors and Distinctions

• Graduation with Distinction. Graduation recognition for students with a cumulative average of 3.50-3.74.
• Graduation with Highest Distinction. Graduation recognition for students with a cumulative average of 3.75 or higher.
• Honors Program Graduate, a student who: 
  1. is graduating from the college with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 
  2. has successfully completed a minimum of four Honors courses
  3. has a minimum GPA for all Honors courses of 3.25.

Valedictorian and Salutatorian Policy

Students graduating from a degree program at Westchester Community College are eligible for consideration as valedictorian or salutatorian if they have transferred in no more than ten credits from another accredited college or university. Among the eligible students, the student with the highest cumulative GPA will be honored with the designation of valedictorian and the student with the second highest cumulative GPA will be honored with the designation of salutatorian. Rankings will be determined at the application deadline for May graduation. The valedictorian will write and deliver a formal address to fellow students, faculty and guests at commencement.

In the case of identical cumulative GPA’s, candidates will be invited to complete the valedictorian application. The applications will be reviewed by the Valedictorian/Salutatorian Selection Committee, appointed each February by the Presiding Officer of the Faculty Senate and comprised of five faculty, one from each of the five academic schools that make up the college.

The application asks each candidate to list three faculty references and to compose a personal statement. The applicant with the highest ranking based upon the strength of his/her faculty evaluations for academic excellence will be selected as valedictorian and the runner-up will be selected as salutatorian. In the event of a further tie, the selection will be based upon the evaluation of the personal statement. 

All applicants will receive notification informing them of the Committee’s decision. However, the college reserves the right to rescind the designation of valedictorian or salutatorian if the student’s final semester grades are determined to deviate from his/her original ranking.  

Graduation Ceremony

Graduation and participation in Commencement are not automatic. Students must initiate the process themselves. Those intending to graduate in May must file for graduation in the Registrar’s Office during the January prior to May graduation.

Students who complete their graduation requirements at the end of the fall semester, or during the summer sessions, are also invited to participate in the May commencement ceremony by filing an Application for Graduation with the Registrar’s Office by this deadline.

Posthumous Degree or Certificate

Westchester Community College may recognize a student’s work by conferring a degree or certificate posthumously to the family of a deceased student. The student must have been enrolled in the college and in good standing at the time of death. Upon the recommendation of the student’s Curriculum Chair, the college may award a posthumous degree or certificate if the student completed at least 75% of the credit hour requirements for said degree or certificate at the time of death. This recommendation will then be made to the Academic Dean, Vice President/Dean of Academic Affairs and to the President for final approval.

Additional Degree or Certificate

A matriculated student who is admitted for an additional degree at Westchester Community College is required to complete, in addition to all specific course requirements, a minimum of 15 additional credits at the college encompassing the required courses for the additional degree.

Matriculated students for an additional certificate, or a certificate in a different discipline area from the Associate degree, must complete an additional number of credits equal to at least one-half the requirements of that certificate at the college. Such credits must encompass the required courses for the certificate.

A student who has successfully completed a certificate may apply those credits earned, where appropriate, to fulfill the requirements or electives in an Associate degree program.

Special Programs

Biology Participation in Research and Education Program (BioPREP) at SUNY/Stony Brook

A six-week residential summer program for underrepresented minority students at two-year institutions who want to transfer to four-year schools and prepare for careers in the biological sciences. Participants receive $2,500 salary for completion of BioPREP and are responsible for room ($720) and board costs.

Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program

The National Institute of Health sponsors this program between SUNY/Binghamton, Purchase College and Westchester Community College. Underrepresented minority students receive special benefits while they pursue their studies in the sciences and math. These students continue to receive support when they go on to Binghamton or Purchase to pursue a baccalaureate degree in a biomedical field. For more information, contact Professor Glen Richards at 914-606-6979.

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

In spring 2010, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation will award scholarships to help students with exceptional promise and demonstrated financial need to reach their full potential through education. Each award will fund tuition, fees, and living expenses for two to three years of a Jack Kent Cooke Scholar’s undergraduate degree. To be eligible, a candidate must have completed freshman credits in 2009 at, or be a recent graduate (since May 2004) of, an accredited community college or two-year institution in the U.S., have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale, plan to transfer to a four-year college or university in Fall 2010, and be nominated by his or her two-year institution.

Details and application materials may be obtained at: www.jkcf.org. All applications must be returned to the Westchester Community College Foundation by December 15. For more information, please contact the Scholarship Office at 914-606-6442, or at scholarships@sunywcc.edu.

National Science Foundation’s Pipeline Scholarship Fund

To be eligible, a student must:

• Be a full-time student majoring in Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering or Technology.
• Transfer students must have a GPA of 2.5 (3.0 for Purchase College transfers).
• Have financial need. 
• Be a U.S. citizen, refugee alien, or permanent resident alien.

For more information please contact Professor Rowan Lindley at 914-606-8584.

Transfer to Four-Year Colleges

Westchester Community College graduates often transfer to four-year institutions with a full two years of credit and are able to complete most Bachelor’s degrees within two more years of study. Students are advised to consult the four-year college of their choice as early as their first semester at Westchester. They may visit the Career and Transfer Center where they can meet with a counselor or the Coordinator of Transfer Services. The professors in each program of study are also a good source of transfer information.

A significant number of all Westchester Community College graduates transfer to four-year colleges and universities immediately after graduating. Most of them attend as full-time students, but many do so as part-time students while working in full-time or part-time, career-related jobs. Other graduates work for a few years before transferring.

Westchester Community College graduates have transferred to colleges and universities throughout the country including Boston University, Columbia School of General Studies, Cooper Union, Cornell University, Manhattan College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, Stanford University, Vassar College, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University. Many of our students have transferred to local colleges such as the College of New Rochelle, Iona College, Mercy College, New York University, Pace University, Fordham University, CUNY institutions, as well as to most of the SUNY colleges, including Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Oneonta, Purchase College, and Stony Brook.

Specific information regarding the transfer experience of our graduates is reported in the Study of the Graduates, published annually by the Office of Institutional Research. This study is available at the Reserve Desk in the Harold L. Drimmer Library and Learning Resource Center. Prospective students also are given information on curriculum-specific outcomes, in compliance with Consumer Disclosure Requirements from the U.S. Department of Education. Westchester Community College has both formal and informal transfer agreements with many four-year colleges. These agreements smooth the transition from one college to the other and help students decide which courses to select and which degree to pursue to facilitate transfer to the desired program of study.

Westchester Community College currently enjoys formal transfer agreements with the following colleges and universities: Berkeley College, College of New Rochelle, Concordia College, Dominican College, Fairfield University, Houghton College, Iona College, Lehman College (CUNY), Marymount College of Fordham University, Marymount of Manhattan, Manhattan College, Manhattanville College, Maritime College, Mercy College, New York Institute of Technology, New York University, Pace University, Paul Smith’s College, St. Thomas Aquinas, SUNY Albany, SUNY Empire, SUNY Farmingdale, SUNY New Paltz and Purchase College.

Transferring to a SUNY Four-Year School

Students who plan to transfer to a State University of New York four-year school with an Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree from Westchester Community College need to ensure that they have met seven of the ten SUNY General Education requirements by the time of their graduation from this college. These ten knowledge areas are: Basic Communication, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, the Arts, Foreign Language, American History, Western Civilization, and Other World Civilizations. (To earn a four-year degree from a SUNY institution, students must complete all ten requirements)

Click to view the SUNY General Education Courses .