Registrar's Office

Policies

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

  • Students have the right to inspect and review the student's education records maintained by the school. Schools are not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for students to review the records. Schools may charge a fee for copies.
  • Students have the right to request that a school correct records which they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. If the school decides not to amend the record, the student then has the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the student has the right to place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about the contested information.
  • Generally, schools must have written permission from the student in order to release any information from a student's education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31):
    • School officials with legitimate educational interest;
    • Other schools to which a student is transferring;
    • Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
    • Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
    • Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
    • Accrediting organizations;
    • To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
    • Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
    • State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.

Schools may disclose, without consent, "directory" information such as a student's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell students about directory information and allow students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Schools must notify students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a PTA bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each school.

Student may not have access to the following information.

  • Parent's financial records (without written consent from the parent)
  • Law Enforcement Records
  • Medical, psychiatric records or similar records in connection with the treatment of the student
  • Letters/statements of recommendation

Directory Information is defined by Central Carolina Community College as the following items:

  • Name
  • Academic Major
  • Enrollment Periods
  • Hours Earned
  • Degrees Awarded
  • Awards Received

For additional information or technical assistance, you may call (202) 260-3887 (voice). Individuals who use TDD may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.

Or you may contact us at the following address:

  • Family Policy Compliance Office
  • U.S. Department of Education
  • 400 Maryland Avenue, SW
  • Washington, D.C. 20202-5920

* Updated 07/27/10

Accepted Regionally Accredited Correspondence Schools for High School Diplomas at Central Carolina Community College

American School (www.americanschoolofcorr.com)
A Becka Academy (www.abekaacademy.org)
Continental Academy (www.continentalacademy.com)
Degree must have been received after July 2006
Keystone National High School (www.keystonehighschool.com)
Penn Foster (www.pennfoster.edu/diploma/index.html)
Previously Thompson Educational Direct
Degree must have been completed after November 1, 2002
Ashworth High School (www.ashworthuniversity.edu/programs/highschool)
Part of Ashworth University
Used to be James Madison High School

Central Carolina Community College does not endorse any of these schools. Successful completion of one of these programs will fulfill the high school graduation admissions requirement for the college.

If you have questions about another correspondence school please call 919-718-7201. Correspondence schools must have regional accreditation at the time of graduation for the college to accept the diploma.

For more information about regional accreditation please go to distancelearn.about.com/od/accreditationinfo/a/regional.htm or www.chea.org/Directories/regional.asp

Course Load

Students enrolled for 12 or more semester credit hours during the fall and spring semesters are designated as full-time students. No additional tuition is charged for credit hours over and above 16. Normally, the course load range is from 16-19 semester credit hours.

Students may take no more than 19 semester credit hours during fall or spring semester without special permission of their advisor and the vice president for Educational and Student Support Services or the dean of Student Services.

Students will not be permitted to register for more than 22 semester credit hours.

Students enrolled for seven or more semester credit hours during the summer semester are designated as full-time students. Pell recipients must enroll in at least 12 semester credit hours to receive a full Pell award for a summer semester. Students may take no more than 12 semester credit hours during the summer semester without special permission of their advisor and the vice president of Educational and Student Support Services or the dean of Student Services. Students are not permitted to register for more than 14 semester credit hours during the summer semester.

Students experiencing academic difficulty will be advised to take a reduced course load. Employed students may also be advised to take a reduced course load contingent upon their academic standing.

Double Major

Students wanting to pursue two degrees at the same time may do so by seeing a counselor and completing a Change of Program form. On the form under the question of "New Program," the name of both degrees to be pursued must be indicated. The current catalog in effect on the date the form is completed will be used to determine the course requirements for the degree(s).

Auditing Courses

A student who desires to take a course without credit may choose to audit the course by completing the Audit Declaration Form, having it signed by either the instructor, department chair, or dean, turning it in at registration, and paying full tuition. An audit student cannot change the course from audit to credit or from credit to audit after the last day to register or drop/add a course. A grade of "AU" will be assigned to the student upon completion of the course. NOTE: Pell and VA students cannot count audited courses for payment purposes.

Auditing a course is subject to permission of the instructor and is contingent upon space available in the class.

The registrar will ensure that all faculty receive a copy of the completed Audit Declaration Form in order to know who is auditing their classes.

Course Substitution

Under extenuating circumstances, a student may apply to his advisor for approval of a course substitution. A course substitution may be granted upon review and recommendation of the department chair to the dean or provost and in consultation with the chief academic officer. Consideration of any substitution involving a required core course as stipulated in the curriculum standard must receive additional approval by the North Carolina Community College System office staff. For VA purposes, the VA counselor must be notified of all approved course substitutions.

The course used as a substitute must have credit hours that are at least equal to the number of credit hours of the original course. The substitute course must have relevance to the curriculum and should also have relevance to the course for which the substitution is made.

Independent Study

Under extenuating circumstances, independent study may be scheduled for selected courses with the approval of the subject instructor, department chairperson, and the program dean.

Alternative Credit

A student may earn alternative credit in the following ways:

  • Transfer of credit from one curriculum to another (Resident Credit Transfer)
  • Transfer of credit from regionally accredited institutions
  • Advanced Placement Examinations (AP)
  • College Level Examinations Program (CLEP)
  • Defense Activities for Non-Traditional Education Support Systems Examination (DANTES)
  • Proficiency demonstrations
  • Experience

Amount of Alternative Credit Allowed

At least one-third of credit for a certificate, diploma, or associate degree required for graduation must be an earned grade at Central Carolina Community College.

No more than 20% of credit for a certificate, diploma, or associate degree required for graduation may be earned through credit by experience.

Resident Credit

When a student transfers from one curriculum to another within the college, all courses applicable to the new program for which the student has earned credit will transfer as resident credit depending upon the curriculum guidelines and academic policies in effect at the time of transfer. Some courses may be ineligible for transfer based on time limitations set by specific curriculum programs.

Transfer Credit from Another Institution

CCCC accepts transfer credit from regionally accredited institutions under the following rules:

  • Higher education institution (college) transfer credits may be accepted only from regionally accredited institutions.
  • Students must request official transcripts to be sent to the Registrar's Office for evaluation.
  • When deemed necessary, students must provide course descriptions and/or course syllabi if they are needed to determine credit eligibility.
  • Some courses may be ineligible for transfer credit based on time limitations as set by specific curriculum programs.
  • Credit will be granted on a course-by-course basis for courses closely paralleling those offered at the college and must meet the credit hours of the CCCC course for which transfer credit is granted.
  • Transferred credit will not be calculated in the grade point average.

Advanced Placement (AP), CLEP, DANTES

Students may request credit for subjects tested under advanced placement exams such as AP, CLEP, and DANTES. Subjects must be applicable to the student's current curriculum program requirements and test scores must meet American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations. Such credit must be supported by official test score reports. The following rules apply:

  • Students must request that official score reports be sent to the CCCC Registrar's Office for evaluation.
  • Credit will be granted only for scores earned within the last ten (10) years unless approved by the chief academic officer.
  • Credit will be granted on a course-by-course basis for courses closely paralleling those offered at the college and must meet the credit hours of the CCCC course for which transfer credit is granted.
  • Such credit will not be calculated in the grade point average.
  • An exam score of 3 or better is required to receive credit for an AP course.
  • Recommended ACE cut-off scores will be used for CLEP and DANTES.

Credit by Examination

Students with prior proficiency in a course due to previous educational or work experience may apply for credit by examination. This option is available for selected courses as determined by the department chair. A proficiency demonstration may be a written exam, oral exam, shop exercise, or lab exercise. The following rules for the student apply:

  • Show evidence of preparedness for a proficiency demonstration (i.e., high achievement in secondary school, military service, and/or work experience) that must be submitted to the department chairperson accompanied by a written request for a review.
  • Obtain permission from the appropriate department chairperson or chief academic officer.
  • Register and pay tuition for the regular course.
  • Take the Proficiency Test during the first week of the term.
  • Earn a grade of "B" (86%) or better.
  • Drop the course using the Drop/Add form if an acceptable score is earned, and then add the course as Section "OP" (Proficiency) on the Drop/Add form.
  • Credit granted through a proficiency exam will not be calculated in the grade point average.
  • Proficiency demonstrations may be taken only one time for each course.
  • Credit for proficiency demonstration may not be granted for a course being audited by the student.
  • The instructor will complete a Student Termination Form and assign a grade of "CE" (Credit by Examination). Reason for termination will be "Passed by Proficiency."

Credit by Experience

Students may request credit for work experience or skills that directly correlate with competencies required in a specific course under the following rules:

  • Requests for credit by experience must be properly made and acted upon prior to the 10% point of the class and must be made in writing on the Request for Credit by Experience Form.
  • Credit by experience may not be granted for cooperative work experience courses.
  • The department chairperson or lead instructor will guide the student in determining the appropriate documentation necessary to evaluate the request. Documentation required will vary depending upon the field of study.
  • For guidance, the following are examples of the appropriate documentation: official work history with job responsibilities and proficiency ratings verified by supervisors and human resource officers within the company; a completed thesis verified by an official transcript could serve as verification that a student should receive credit for a technical writing course; electronically recorded presentations (taped presentations could be evaluated to determine credit by experience for an oral communications class); and brochures announcing a pottery exhibit and displaying the creations of the student.
  • Experiences, which may require a demonstration of one's ability, must be approved by the student's curriculum department chairperson or lead instructor, the subject area department chairperson, and the vice president/chief academic officer.
  • Experiences must be officially documented per the college's request.
  • Veterans may apply credit for training received under the armed forces college training programs and some specialized and technical training completed under the auspices of the armed forces. Appropriate documentation must be provided.
  • The approved credit recommendation should be submitted to the Registrar's Office.
  • The registrar will record a symbol of "EL" on the transcript with credit hours; however, no quality points will be assigned.
  • Documentation shall be kept on file for five (5) years in the Registrar's Office.
  • Credit granted for experience will not be calculated in the grade point average.

Prerequisites/Corequisites

Prerequisites and corequisites serve as safeguards to successful course and program completion in that they ensure proper knowledge and background for higher-level courses. In the case of corequisites, the goal is to ensure a proper educational experience when two courses depend upon one another for coherence and knowledge application. In rare cases, prerequisites or corequisites may be waived upon review and recommendation by the department chair to the dean or provost and in consultation with the chief academic officer. Permissible reasons for waiver of local prerequisites (course taken prior to another course) / corequisites (course taken at the same time or prior to another course) are limited to the following:

  • Grade of at least "C" in a course judged of similar or higher-level content to that of either the prerequisite/corequisite or the requested course.
  • Demonstrated competency in the content of the prerequisite/corequisite obtained through professional application. In this case, the student must request credit by experience.
  • Life experiences that are deemed equivalent to or that supersede the prerequisite or corequisite; a formal review of course level outcomes would occur and be maintained in the student's records.
  • Transfer in of a course that has a prerequisite or corequisite (example: a student transferring in with the local prerequisite of RED 090 would not have to take RED 090).
  • Satisfactory completion of proficiency exams administered by CCCC (when such exams are available).
  • Enrollment in another course deemed suitable to satisfy the corequisite.
  • Student engaged in a job experience during the duration of the course that would provide a similar purpose of the corequisite.
  • An associate or higher level degree when enrolling in beginning college level courses (e.g. ENG 111; PSY 150).
  • For visiting students, written documentation from their college/university to enroll in a specified course that has a prerequisite.

Time Provisions for Completing a Curriculum Program

In accordance with CCCC's mission and values, the college quests to educate, train, and graduate students who are competent, capable, and current in their chosen programs. Therefore, students who have not completed their program of study within five years of initial enrollment are subject to new or revised policies, provisions, rules, guidelines, electronic program of study, catalog, etc. in existence once the five-year term expires. NOTE: All students are subject to provisions and guidelines imposed by the state or outside accrediting agencies that impact changes in programs. Such changes are at the discretion of the state or outside accrediting agencies. When such happens, students may be required to adhere to the provisions of the revised program prior to the five-year expiration point.

This provision applies to all students and all curriculum programs (certificates, diplomas, degrees) and is subject to the following rules:

  • When a student does not complete a program of study within five years, the department chair and appropriate faculty members may consider course-by-course credit within a student's program and grant appropriate substitutions and credit with review by the dean/provost and final approval by the vice president of instruction/chief academic officer.
  • Requests for transfer credit for courses earned under special credit status or while enrolled in another program are also subject to five-year limitations. Such credit exceeding the five-year limit may be evaluated and considered for credit by the department chair and appropriate faculty members with review by the dean/provost and final approval by the vice president of instruction/chief academic officer.

Grading System

CCCC operates on a required-subject grade point system in the curriculum areas. All subjects must be completed with satisfactory grades if the student is to be awarded a certificate of completion, diploma, or degree. This grade system is followed for all subjects in curriculum areas.

A cumulative grade point average is maintained which includes all courses taken. If a course is re-taken, only the highest grade will be averaged in the cumulative grade point average; however, both grades will be recorded on the transcript.

The instructors will not post end-of-term course grades without the written permission of the students.

How to Compute the Grade Point Average (GPA)

Academic quality must be achieved in order to graduate from any program at CCCC. The standard for students' work is determined by the Quality Point system. Under this system, a letter grade is assigned a certain number of quality points (QPs) per credit hour; i.e., an "A" is given four QPs; a "B", three QPs; a "C", two QPs; a "D", one QP; and "F", no QPs. Quality points are computed by multiplying the number of credit hours per course by the value of the grade earned. The grade point average (GPA) is then computed by dividing the total number of quality points by the total number of credit hours attempted.

Letter Grade Meaning Quality Points
(Per Credit Hr.)
A (94-100) Excellent 4
B (86-93) Above Average 3
C (78-85) Average 2
D (70-77) Below Average 1
F (69 & under) Failure 0
I Incomplete 0
W Withdrew 0
WF Withdrawal/Failing 0
AU Audit 0
P/F Pass/Fail 0
CE Credit by Exam 0
CS Continuing Studies (in Developmental Studies) 0
* (Grade) Indicates grade not applicable 0
ER Exempt by retest (in Developmental Studies) 0
EL Learning by Experience 0

Example of Computing Grade Point Average

Course
Earned		 Credit
Hrs		 Grade   QPs
ENG 111 3 C (2) 3x2= 6
BIO 163 5 A (4) 5x4= 20
PSY 150 3 B (3) 3x3= 9
SOC 210 3 D (1) 3x1= 3
BUS 110 3 F (0) 3x0= 0
  17     38

Thirty-eight (38) divided by (17) equals 2.235 GPA.

NOTE: Grade point averages are not rounded up or down for graduation or honor awards.

President's/Dean's List Eligibility

A student will be announced as a President's List student if he is enrolled full-time in a curriculum program (minimum of 12 credit hours), receives all grades of "A" (4.0 GPA), and has no grades of "I" during the term. The required GPA will be determined by computing grades earned only in credit courses.

A student will be announced as a Dean's List student if he is enrolled full-time in a curriculum program, receives a grade point average of 3.50 with no grades lower than a "C," and has no grades of "I" during the term.

A student graduating with an average of 3.5 or higher in credit courses will be announced as an Honor Graduate.

A student will be announced as a President's List student if he is enrolled full-time in a curriculum program (minimum of 12 credit hours), receives all grades of "A" (4.0 GPA), and has no grades of "I" during the term. The required GPA will be determined by computing grades earned only in credit courses.

A student will be announced as a Dean's List student if he is enrolled full-time in a curriculum program, receives a grade point average of 3.50 with no grades lower than a "C," and has no grades of "I" during the term.

A student graduating with an average of 3.5 or higher in credit courses will be announced as an Honor Graduate.

Electronic Signature Policy

Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) recognizes an electronic signature as a valid signature from faculty, staff, and students subject to Condition below.

An electronic signature is defined as any electronic process signifying an approval to terms, and/or ensuring the integrity of the document, presented in electronic format.

Students use electronic signatures to register, check financial aid awards, pay student bills, obtain unofficial transcripts, update contact information, log into campus computers, complete forms, submission of class work, tests, etc.

Faculty and staff use electronic signatures for submitting grades, viewing personal payroll data, logging into campus computers, accessing protected data through the administrative computing system and custom web applications provided by the college, etc.

An electronic signature is considered valid when the following condition is met:

Campus Network Username and Password

  • Institution provides student or employee with a unique username
  • Student or employee sets his or her own password
  • Student or employee logs into the campus network and secure site using both the username and the password

It is the responsibility and obligation of each individual to keep their PIN and their password private so others cannot use their credentials.

Once logged in, the student or employee is responsible for any information they provide, update, or remove. CCCC will take steps to ensure the passwords are protected and kept confidential. Furthermore, users are responsible for logging out of all systems and exercising the necessary precautions when using publicly accessible computers.

This policy is in addition to all applicable federal and state statutes, policies, guidelines, and standards.