Academic Policies and Procedures

Academic Renewal

Academic Renewal allows for a one-time exclusion of a maximum of 30 semester hours of credit from the calculation of the cumulative grade point average. The following criteria apply for Academic Renewal:

1. A maximum of 30 hours can be excluded from the GPA.
2. Courses and grades approved for Academic Renewal remain on the transcript but are excluded from the GPA calculation(s).
3. Academic Renewal applies to D and F grades only.
4. In order to apply for Academic Renewal, students must wait a minimum of two (2) academic years from the last term being considered for Academic Renewal.
5. Students must be enrolled and have completed at least six (6) credit hours in a single semester with a 2.0 term GPA in that semester to be awarded Academic Renewal.
6. Students can only apply for Academic Renewal once, and it is not reversible.

To request Academic Renewal, students who meet the criteria must meet with an Advisor and submit the completed Academic Renewal Request form (available online).

Academic Standing

Academic Standing applies to all students who have completed 9 or more credits at ACC, regardless of the number of term credits they attempt from that point forward. ACC will determine Academic Standing following the posting of the majority of term grades for each semester. Students placed on probation or suspended will be notified of their status. Suspended students will not be allowed to attend any CCCS college in the subsequent semester/s unless an appeal is approved. Academic Standing status will be noted on the advising, official, and unofficial transcripts. The Academic Standing of a student is not specific or limited to ACC; it does impact a student’s enrollment at other CCCS colleges.

Recognizing the value of measuring academic progress for all students, ACC (as a member of the Colorado Community College System) has established the following practice and procedures for measuring and notifying students of their academic standing. A student’s academic standing at one college may impact a student’s ability to register at another CCCS college. Students will be notified of their sacademic standing at their student email address only.

Definitions:

• Only college level classes will be used to calculate term and cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA); this does include summer term courses.
• Only courses taken “in residence” will be used for this procedure; “in residence” means taken at ACC. Courses taken elsewhere and transferred in do not apply. The GPA calculations for this procedure may not match those used for financial aid purposes.
• Cumulative Grade Point Average will be abbreviated as CGPA.
• Term Grade Point Average will be abbreviated as TGPA.

Practice Standards:

Initial Standing

Student has attempted fewer than nine (9) cumulative credit hours with a CGPA => 2.00 for all classes attempted.

Academic Alert

Student has attempted fewer than nine (9) cumulative credit hours with a CGPA< 2.00 for all classes attempted.

Good Standing

Student has attempted at least nine (9) cumulative credit hours and has a CGPA => 2.00 for all classes attempted.

Performance Support

Student has attempted at least nine (9) cumulative credit hours and has a CGPA < 2.00 for all classes attempted.

Performance Improving

Student on Performance Support or Returning Support earns a TGPA of at least 2.00 for all classes completed during the term, but fails to raise their CGPA to at least 2.00 for all classes completed, the student will be allowed to attend the next term as Performance Improving.

Academic Suspension

Student on Performance Support, Returning Support or Performance Improving earns a TGPA of less than 2.00 for all classes attempted, the student will be suspended and will not be allowed to enroll at ACC for the next term. Any student placed on Academic Suspension will be dropped from all courses in which they are enrolled for future semesters. Students on Academic Suspension have a right to appeal.

Academic Suspensions are for one term only. If a student who served a suspension wishes to return, the student will be allowed to re-enroll after completing the Petition for Re-Entry Form and meeting with Advising Office designee. The student will be placed on Returning Support for their return semester. Students suspended from ACC are not suspended from other CCCS colleges.

Returning Support

Student is returning from Academic Suspension.

Academic Suspension - Appeal

If a student has unusual circumstances of a compelling nature, they may appeal their Academic Suspension by submitting an Academic Suspension Appeal Form to the Executive Director of Advising and Retention. Academic Suspension appeal deadlines are listed on their Academic Standing notification email.

Registration (Add, Drop & Withdrawal)

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure accuracy of their schedule; this includes meeting all registration rules and deadlines. 

The Census Date, also referred to as the Add/Drop Date, is the last day a student may add or drop a course.  The Census Date occurs at 15% of the course term.

ACC has three semesters - Summer, Fall and Spring - and students may start attending classes beginning any semester.  Semester registration typically opens in the following timeframes:

• Summer - early to mid March
• Fall - early to mid March
• Spring - early November

There are rules and deadlines associated with registration, some important ones include:

• Students must be registered prior to the first day of the course.

  • No registration is permitted after the census date (add/drop date), regardless of prior course attendance or drop reason.

• Students must complete all course section changes by the course census date (add/drop date).
• Students must meet all course pre-requisites and / or co-requisites.
  • View the ACC course catalog for course prerequisite requirements.
  • Students who took the prerequisite course at another institution need to provide an unofficial transcript to the Records and Enrollment Services Office showing the prerequisite course completed with a C or better. Students needing to meet a prerequisite using a course at another institution should allot at least ten business days for the Records and Enrollment Services Office to review and process any transcript review request.
• Some programs have a separate admissions process and students must be admitted into the program prior to course registration. 
  • View the program’s web page for more information.
• Some courses require special permission from the Department Chair or Instructor.
  • In these cases, the Department Chair or Instructor will grant the student permission to register in the course.
  • Students registering in special permission courses must meet all registration deadlines.
• Students may drop or withdraw from courses; there are deadlines associated with each.
  • It’s important for students to understand the financial impact of dropping or withdrawing from courses.
• ACC may drop a student from their courses under certain circumstances.

Adding a Course

Students are advised to be registered before the first day of class; however, the latest a student may be able to register for a course is 5 p.m. on the course census date as long as the student has attended the class. Courses in certain programs and CCCOnline courses may have different registration deadlines.  Students may not register for a course if the course census date (add/drop date) has passed.

Students may register:

• Online via myACC or Navigate through the first 7% of the course (typically the first week for 15- and 13-week courses).
• With a Schedule Adjustment Form after the first 7%, but prior to the census date (add/drop date).
  • The completed Schedule Adjustment form must be submitted to the Records & Enrollment Services Office prior to 5pm on the course census date. 
  • An incomplete Schedule Adjustment form will not be accepted; it must contain student information, faculty signature, and course information. 

Below is a quick reference chart of ACC registration deadlines related to adding a course:

* Courses in certain programs, and CCCOnline courses, may have different registration deadlines.

Dropping a Course

IIt is the student’s responsibility to drop a course by the census date. The census date, also referred to as the Add/Drop Date, is the last day a student may drop a course with a refund. Students will find the course census date on the Detailed Student Schedule (in myACC), or on the Class Schedule (in Navigate). When a student drops a course, they receive a full refund of tuition and fees for that dropped course, and the course no longer appears on the student’s academic record.  

Students drop courses via myACC (Registration Tools section on the Student Tab), or via Navigate (MyPlan section). If a student drops a course that is a prerequisite or co-requisite of another registered course, the student must drop all related courses. If a student receives financial aid or Veteran’s benefits, they should consult the Financial Aid Office or the ACC VA Certifying Official prior to dropping a course. Dropping a course could have a negative effect on a student’s financial aid or Veteran’s benefits.

Students cannot drop a course after the census date.

Regardless of any of ACC Drop policies, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to ensure the accuracy of their schedule and drop courses by the course census date.

Drop for Non-Attendance (No-Show)

Students are expected to attend all classes. ACC conducts a drop for non-attendance throughout each semester. Students who do not attend any class sessions between the first day of the course and the course census (add/drop date), and are identified as a no show by the faculty, will be dropped from the course. Once dropped as a no show, a student cannot re-register in that same section, regardless of heir reason for not attending. In addition, the student could be dropped from any prerequisite or co-requisite courses, regardless of attendance in the prerequisite/co-requisite course(s). Being dropped as a no-show can have negative consequences for students using financial aid or Veteran’s benefits.

For online courses, and / or hybrid courses where the online component starts first, attendance is defined as accessing the course and completing at least one academic activity (as determined by the individual faculty).

Instructors will inform students of their individual attendance policies.

Drop for Failed Prerequisite

Students are required to meet the prerequisite and/or corequisite requirement(s) for any course(s) in which they are enrolled. ACC regularly monitors student registration and if a student is found to not have met the prerequisite or corequisite (or received the appropriate override approval), they will be dropped from the appropriate course(s).

Drop for Outstanding Balance

When students register for a course, they incur a financial obligation to ACC. Students must have tuition paid in full, set-up payment plan/, have a third-party billing agreement in place, or awarded financial aid in place covering their entire balance, by 5pm on the payment deadline. If a student is dropped for outstanding balance, the student may only re-register in a course if there is space available, meets all registration guidelines, and it is not past the course census date (add/drop date). If the student is dropped for outstanding balance on the course census date, the student cannot re-register in that same section and will need to find a late-start option (if available).

Regardless of any of the ACC Drop policies, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to ensure the accuracy of their schedule and add or drop courses by the appropriate deadline(s).

Withdrawing from a Course

Students may withdraw from a course after the Census Date and prior to the Withdrawal Deadline (which occurs at 80 percent of the course term); students may withdraw online via myACC or Navigate. Students may view the withdrawal deadline for their course(s) by accessing their Detailed Schedule available (in myACC) or in the Class Schedule (in Navigate). Students cannot withdraw from a course after the withdrawal deadline.

Once withdrawn from a course, the student may not be re-registered back into the same section of that course during that semester. The course will still appear on the student’s transcript along with a “W” grade. However, a “W” will not affect the student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA). Students who do not officially withdraw will be graded by the Instructor. A “W” cannot be submitted by a faculty member as a final grade. If a student withdraws from a course and has an unpaid balance, the student remains obligated to pay the outstanding balance. Unpaid balances are sent to collections and a collection fee is assessed.

If a student receives financial aid or Veteran’s benefits, they should consult with the Financial Aid Office or the ACC VA Certifying Official prior to withdrawing from a course. Withdrawing from a course results in reduced completion rate and could have a negative effect on the student’s aid.

The College may initiate withdrawal in some instances.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all classes.  Instructors will inform students of their individual attendance policies.  Please refer to the Drop for Non-Attendance for more information about how not attending a course could result in a student being dropped.

Regardless of any of the ACC Drop policies, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to ensure the accuracy of their schedule and add or drop courses by the appropriate deadline(s).

Auditing a Course

Students may audit a course (i.e., take a course without earning academic credit), but they will be charged full tuition and fees (COF not applicable). Students can request to audit a course or change back to credit status through the census (add / drop) date of the course with Instructor permission. Audit students are expected to follow attendance and withdrawal policies and meet all program and course prerequisites and / or co-requisites. No credit is earned for courses taken by audit. Courses taken by audit are not eligible for the College Opportunity Fund, financial aid or veterans’ educational benefits. An audited course will not be considered to meet a future course pre-requisite, nor will it be calculated in the student’s enrollment status for financial aid.  An audited course will not satisfy any degree or certificate requirements and will not count toward graduation requirements.

To audit a course, a Course Audit Request must be submitted prior to the course census (add / drop) date.

Course Numbering System

ACC utilizes the following Course Numbering System:

• Developmental Education level:  courses numbered below 100
• Undergraduate College Level: courses numbered between 100 and 499

Course Substitutions

If a student believes they have a legitimate reason to do so, they may seek to have course(s) requirements in their declared degree or certificate program substituted. To pursue a course substitution, the course being used in substitution of the required course must already exist on the student’s record, either as transfer credit, or as another course completed in residency with ACC.  Credit is not granted by a substitution; the petition must include how the credit requirement will be satisfied.  Substitutions must be approved by the Department Chair and Instructional Dean. If approved, the Department Chair will complete the Course Substitution Petition. Course Substitution Petitions must be submitted to the Records & Enrollment Services Office no later than last day of the semester in which the student intends to graduate.

Generally speaking, course substitutions are not allowed in the Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degrees. An occasional exception may only be granted in the elective course category and must be approved in advance. If a student is in a statewide articulated transfer degree, any course substitution requests need to be approved by the Colorado 4-year institution in which the student plans to transfer. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate and work with the 4-year institution on completion of the Degree with Designation Course Exception Request Form.  Degree with Designation Course Exception Request Forms must be submitted to the Records & Enrollment Services Office no later than last day of the semester in which the student intends to graduate.

Credit for Prior Learning / Prior Learning Assessment

Students may earn college credit for non-college or experience-based learning attained outside of accredited postsecondary education institutions. Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is not awarded for experience but for college-level learning, which entails knowledge, skills and competencies.

There are costs associated with the various forms of PLA credit; students may refer to the Credit for Prior Learning / Prior Learning Assessment page on ACC’s website for current cost information.

Students may use Prior Learning Assessment to fulfill all degree / certificate graduation requirements except for the mandatory residency requirements*.

*A minimum of 25% of the credit requirements for a degree or certificate must be completed by credits taken in residence at ACC.

Standards for awarding PLA credit:

• PLA credit may be awarded if the following standards have been met:
  • Student has been admitted to ACC
  • Student has declared a degree or certificate (changing a declared degree or certificate will result in the reassessment of the applicability of PLA credit)
  • Student’s prior learning is equivalent to college level
• PLA credit may only be awarded for courses and credits required in the student’s declared degree or certificate.
• PLA credit may satisfy course prerequisite requirements
• PLA credit cannot be used to satisfy the ACC or degree / certificate residency requirements (see note above*)
• All work evaluated for PLA credit must meet or exceed ‘C’ level work
• PLA credit cannot duplicate any previously-awarded credit
• PLA credit is specifically noted on the transcript as such and is considered Transfer coursework (and not Institutional coursework):
• PLA credit is not calculated into student’s grade point average (GPA)
• PLA credit noted on the transcript will have a grade of ‘PLA’
• If the PLA credit assessment determines that the prior learning does not warrant the awarding of credit, or if the standardized / institutional exam is not passed, the PLA credit does not appear on the student’s transcript
• PLA credits are not included as part of a student’s semester enrollment for the purposes of financial aid, veteran benefits or any other purpose predicated on total hours of enrollment for a given semester

PLA credit may be earned through a combination of the following:

National standardized placement tests

Students may earn college credit through certain standardized testing. Upon receiving a satisfactory score, students may earn college credit. A current detailed list of tests and acceptable scores is maintained on the ACC Prior Learning Assessment webpage. For more information on what types of exams Arapahoe Community College accepts, please contact the ACC Graduation & Prior Learning Assessment Coordinator at 303.797.5630.

To schedule a CLEP, DSST, UExcel exam and/or for fee information, please contact the ACC Testing Center at 303.797.5993.

If a student has taken one of the standardized exams listed below at another location, they may order an official transcript/score report and have it sent to ACC for evaluation: Arapahoe Community College, Attention Admissions and Records, Campus Box 14, 5900 S. Santa Fe Drive, P.O. Box 9002, Littleton, CO 80160.

• CLEP Exams:

CLEP (The College-Level Examination Program) gives students of any age the chance to demonstrate college-level achievement through a program of exams in undergraduate college courses. 2,900 colleges grant credit and/or advanced standing for CLEP exams.

• DSST Exams:

DSST exams are available in a variety of subjects. Previously just available to those in the military, since 2006 DSST exams are available to adult learners, homeschooled students and military veterans as a way to earn college credits.

• UExcel Excelsior College Exams:

Uexcel exams are offered in a variety of subjects and provide students the opportunity to earn college credit by exam.

• AP (Advanced Placement) Exams:

AP exams are generally taken as a final part of the AP course the student is completing while in high school.

• IB (International Baccalaureate) Exams:

IB exams are taken at the end of a student’s participation an IB program at their high school.

Institutional Challenge Examinations:

Institutional Challenge Exams are faculty-developed tests. They assess a student’s mastery of the competencies for the ACC course being taught. For more information on Institutional Challenge Exams, please contact the ACC Graduation & Prior Learning Assessment Coordinator at 303.797.5630.

Institutional Challenge Exams are the way ACC abides by Colorado Revised Statutes 23-1-125, which requires public institutions of higher education to offer students an option for testing out of core courses.

Published Guides:

Published guides contain credit recommendations made by reputable third party organizations for certain trainings and / or credentials. Approved published guides include the American Council on Education (ACE), National Guide to College Credit for Workplace Training, the ACE Military Guide, and the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS).

Additionally, credit for learning gained in the U.S. military (if applicable to a student’s declared degree or certificate at ACC) is generally transferred based upon ACE credit recommendations found on a Joint Service Transcript (JST) for current or former Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy personnel. Air Force personnel will have their credit documented on a Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcript.

To be evaluated for possible credit, you should order your official transcript from the provider (JST, CCAF) or third party organization (ACE, NCCRS, etc.) and have it sent directly from the issuing organization to ACC for evaluation: Arapahoe Community College, Attention: Records & Enrollment Services, Campus Box 14, 5900 S. Santa Fe Drive, P.O. Box 9002, Littleton, CO 80160.

Portfolio Assessment:

Knowledge and skills acquired through work and lifelong learning may be evaluated and validated through a formal portfolio assessment process.

For more information on Portfolio Assessment at Arapahoe Community College accepts, please contact the ACC Graduation & Prior Learning Assessment Coordinator at 303.797.5630.

Faculty Evaluated Industry and Workplace Credit:

ACC may evaluate non-collegiate instructional programs that result in industry certification, professional licensure, apprenticeship completion, and other workplace skills development. Faculty subject-matter experts will evaluate the prior learning and identify if the learning warrants the awarding of credit.

For more information regarding this type of prior learning assessment at Arapahoe Community College accepts, please contact the ACC Graduation & Prior Learning Assessment Coordinator at 303.797.5630.

Grade Corrections

• Grades are not grievable.
• If a student finds omissions or errors in their grade report, ask the Records & Enrollment Services Office to review the record.
• If a student find a computational error, the student must contact the Instructor.
• If a student wishes to have an I (Incomplete) converted to a letter grade, the student must contact the Instructor.
• All requests to review errors must be filed within one year from the end of the course; requests made after one year will not be considered.

Grade Point Average

1. Grade Point Average Calculation
2. Grade points indicate the achievement for the number of credits completed. To calculate a grade point average, multiply the course credits by the grade points for the grade earned. Total the course credits and total the grade points. Divide the total grade points by the total course credits. The result is your GPA.

3. Only the credits and grade points earned at ACC will be used to compute the semester and cumulative GPA appearing on a student’s ACC transcript.
4. Grades awarded for developmental courses (courses numbered under 100) will not be included in a student’s grade point average. Grading for developmental courses will utilize the Developmental grade mode (P/A, P/B, P/C, P/D, P/F). The credits will count toward earned and attempted credits. GPA’s for term recognition such as President’s List and Dean’s List will not include developmental courses in the calculation.

Grade Reports

Grades will be available to students after grades are posted at the end of each semester. Students may access their grades online at www.arapahoe.edu by accessing myACC.

Grades & VA Benefits

Grades and Veteran Benefits

If a student is eligible to receive veteran educational benefits, they must make sufficient academic progress to retain their full educational benefits. Their cumulative GPA will be computed by their A, B, C, D, F, P and S grades. Grades of “I” or “F” are reported to the VA Regional Office as non-punitive grades. The VA may deny some of a student’s benefits for the semester they received an “I” or “F” grade, unless those grades are corrected by the end of the next regular semester. Under “mitigating circumstances,” a student may appeal this decision.

Grades of “W” are also reported to the VA Office and include the date of withdrawal. Once again, a student may be denied some of their benefits, unless their mitigating circumstances are accepted by the VA. VA students must earn at least a 2.0 GPA each semester or risk being placed on probation. Those who do not improve their grades by the end of the next semester may be subject to suspension of their benefits.

If a student’s benefits are suspended, they may reinstate them by 1) undertaking academic progress counseling with Advising, or 2) completing a semester of credit hours equal to or greater than the hours they were taking in the semester their benefits were terminated. The VA will certify payment if the student’s cumulative GPA for the semester is 2.0 or above. Veterans are not awarded benefits for courses assigned an “AU” (Audit) designation or for credit awarded through prior learning (i.e. portfolio, challenge, etc.).

Students are responsible for keeping the Veteran Services Coordinator (Room M1605) informed of any changes in their enrollment status, address and/or phone number while attending ACC. Students must make sure that the classes they are registered for apply toward their degree. Failure to do so may affect payment of the student’s monthly benefits.

Grading Systems

The Records & Enrollment Services Office keeps a permanent academic record of a student’s college progress.

Letter Grades

We use a grading system to evaluate the level of a student’s academic achievement. The following grades are awarded for each course and entered on a student’s academic record.

These symbols may also appear on a student’s academic records, but they are not awarded by an Instructor:

Guidelines for Grades and Symbols

Grade A – Superior

The student has demonstrated superior mastery of achievement of course objectives.

Grade B – Above Average Achievement

The student has demonstrated better-than-acceptable mastery of the course objectives and/or additional objectives.

Grade C – Average

The student has demonstrated acceptable mastery or achievement of the course objectives.

Grade D – Deficient but Passing Grade

The student has demonstrated less-than-acceptable mastery or achievement of course objectives. In some programs it may be necessary to repeat the course in order to advance, as D-level achievement is not satisfactory for advancement in the same or related studies. Credit may not transfer. Courses earned with a grade of “D” will not satisfy course pre-requisites

Grade F – Failure

The student remained enrolled in the course but has not demonstrated achievement of course objectives.

I – Incomplete

An incomplete may be given to students who, because of illness or circumstances beyond their control, are unable to complete their coursework within the semester. An Incomplete is given only if the student has completed at least 75% of the term with a “C” or better and has provided evidence to the Instructor that they are unable to continue.

A faculty member enters the Incomplete online, along with the incomplete final grade and extension date. The student can view the assigned Incomplete Final Grade and Extension Date on the unofficial transcript, available via myACC.

• Incomplete Final Grade is the grade the student will earn if they submit no additional work.
• Extension Date is the maximum amount of time that a student has to complete the course requirements (not to exceed the end of the semester following the one in which the Incomplete was earned).

The faculty emails the student at their student email address confirming that the Incomplete grade has been posted, what work the student needs to complete, and the Extension Date for the work to be completed. This email serves as the contract between the faculty and student for the Incomplete and must detail:

• Work that the student must submit to complete the course.
• The time period in which the work must be completed (not to exceed the following semester - Summer excluded), and
• The grade to be assigned if the work is not completed. The grade assigned by the Instructor will be posted on the transcript and the “I” removed if the work is not completed in the time period established on the form.
• To remove an Incomplete and have it replaced with a grade, following the successful completion of the course requirements; the faculty must submit a Grade Change form to the Records & Enrollment Services Office.

AU – Audit

Some students prefer to “audit” a course for self-enrichment or review without earning a grade or college credit. You can request to audit by submitting the Course Audit Request Form to Records & Enrollment Services Office by the census (add / drop) date for the course.

Courses taken by audit are not eligible for the College Opportunity Fund, financial aid or veterans’ educational benefits.  Audited courses do not meet course pre-requisite or graduation requirements.

W – Withdrawal

Students may withdraw from a class after the Census Date and prior to the Withdrawal Deadline (which occurs at 80 percent of the class term); students may withdraw online by accessing myACC. Students may view the withdrawal deadline for their course(s) by accessing their Detailed Schedule available via myACC.

Once withdrawn from a course, the student may not be re-registered back into the same section of that course during that semester. The course will still appear on the student’s transcript along with a “W” grade. A “W” will not affect the student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA) but will negatively affect a student’s completion rate. Students who do not officially withdraw by the deadline date will be graded by the Instructor. A “W” cannot be submitted by a faculty member as a final grade. The College may initiate withdrawal in some instances. If a student withdraws from a course and has an unpaid balance, the student remains obligated to pay the outstanding balance. Unpaid balances are sent to collections and a collection fee is assessed.

WX – Administrative Withdrawal

College administration withdrew the student from these courses, or approved an Administrative Withdrawal Petition or Tuition Credit Appeal. These courses are not calculated in hours completed or GPA, but are counted in completion rate calculations.

WX – Administrative Withdrawal

College administration withdrew the student from these courses for cause. These courses are not calculated in hours completed or GPA, but are counted in completion rate calculations.

IP – In-Progress- Grade not yet reported

“IP” will appear on the transcript while a course is in-progress and before a final grade is posted.

Graduation

A student may utilize DegreeCheck, available via myACC, to monitor progress toward earning their degree or certificate; students can informally check on their degree/certificate through the Office of Advising. ACC may choose to confer degrees and certificates for students whom we have identified as having completed all program requirements; however, this automatic conferral is not guaranteed and each student is ultimately responsible for applying for graduation.

Occasionally, degree requirements change. Students may be allowed to go by the requirements listed in any Catalog published while they were a student, with the following conditions and exceptions:

• Catalog must contain their program
• Catalogs cannot be combined (e.g., some requirements from one catalog may not be combined with some requirements from another catalog)
• If a student’s record at ACC becomes inactive, they must reapply for admission and may only select from Catalogs in effect after their re-admittance
• Catalog may not be more than six academic years old at the time of graduation.
• Programs that are selective admission or pre-professional may have more restrictive catalog year requirements and may limit the catalogs from which a student may choose for graduation requirements. Unless otherwise stated by the Department Chair, students must go by the requirements listed in the catalog for the academic year in which they were officially accepted in the degree / certificate program.

To obtain a degree or certificate from ACC, a student must:

1. File an application for graduation, available online. Deadline Dates are: Summer Semester - June 30; Fall Semester - October 31; Spring Semester - March 15
2. Achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better in coursework applicable to the degree or certificate. Some programs also have minimum “C” grade requirements for certain courses or all courses in that degree and / or certificate program.
3. Fulfill the published course and program requirements applicable to their degree or certificate.
4. Fulfill published degree or certificate residency requirements in any of the following ways:
   1. Complete all program requirements at ACC or
   2. Complete a minimum of 25% of credit hours required for the degree at ACC*.
   3. Complete a minimum of 25% of credits required for the certificate at ACC*

*Certain degree and certificate programs may have more restrictive residency and / or transfer credit requirements.

ACC only confers degrees once per semester at the end of the term.

• Spring Conferral Review – May
• Summer Conferral Review – August
• Fall Conferral Review – December

ACC does not award degrees early. Once conferrals have been completed for the semester, no further degrees will be awarded for that term.

If a student does not meet their program requirements when their graduation application is being reviewed for conferral, ACC will roll their application to the next semester. Students are not required to submit a new graduation application in this circumstance. Graduation applications can be rolled for up to three semesters before the application is denied. Once a graduation application is denied, students will be required to submit a new graduation application.

If a student wishes to enroll in additional courses at ACC after they graduate from their declared program of study, they will need to declare a new program.

Special Graduation Considerations

1. To obtain a second degree from ACC, a student must complete all program requirements, satisfy all residency requirements, and complete an additional 25% of program credit hours that meet residency requirements at ACC. The additional 25% of credit hours must be unique to the second degree and not used for completion of the first degree. 
2. Content in a course may change as new information or technology becomes available. Some changes are so critical that dated courses may no longer satisfy current requirements for the degree or certificate. Courses taken within the six year Catalog limit will not be subject to this review unless otherwise specified in the Catalog by the department.
3. Students should refer to the appropriate sections of this Catalog for specific requirements and limitations related to:

• Prior Learning Assessment
• ROTC Credit
• Developmental Studies Courses

Graduation Checklist

When a student completes their degree and/or certificate requirements, they may receive their diploma(s) in the semester in which they satisfy the requirements, provided they complete the graduation application process below.

A full semester before a student intends to graduate (no later than the application deadline listed above):

• View their DegreeCheck program audit available online via myACC to ensure all requirements are completed or in progress.
• Complete and submit a Graduation Application online.
• Verify their address on file with ACC by logging into myACC or by calling the Records & Enrollment Services Office at 303.797.5621.
• Expect an e-mail, sent to their student e-mail account, from the ACC Graduation & Prior Learning Assessment Coordinator officially informing them of their remaining requirements.
• Initiate any Course Substitution Petitions.
• If qualified and interested, join Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

Commencement Ceremony:

Students are encouraged to participate in the annual Commencement ceremony held each May.

ACC graduation and commencement are two separate events. Graduation is the actual conferral of degrees/certificates and the mailing of diplomas. Commencement is the ceremony that celebrates the student’s completion of the degree and / or certificate.

During the following Spring Semester (in which the student intends to walk at Commencement):

• Update their contact information (mail, email, telephone) with the ACC if necessary.
• Summer, Fall and Spring semester graduating students who indicated on their graduation application that they were interested in participating in the commencement ceremony, should expect to receive detailed ceremony information at their student email address by the second week of March. If they do not receive information by the third week of March, contact the Dean of Students Office at acc.dos@arapahoe.edu  or 303.797.5730.
• The annual commencement ceremony is held at a local venue, which will be announced on the ACC Commencement Ceremony website. The ceremony date is listed on the Academic Calendar, which is available at www.arapahoe.edu.
• Purchase their cap, gown and tassel for the ceremony from the Bookstore on the date(s) published in the ceremony information packet.
• Expect to receive additional information at their student email address by the end of April with instructions for the day of the ceremony. If they do not receive an email, contact the Dean of Students Office at  acc.dos@arapahoe.edu or 303.797.5730.

Within 6 weeks after the Ceremony:

Expect to receive a proof of their graduation photo and order form from the photographer so they may place an order. If they do not receive this after six weeks, and they want to see their photo, contact the photographer listed in the ceremony information packet.

Graduation Honors

Graduation honors recognize outstanding academic achievement throughout a student’s academic career at the home institution. The honors are awarded to students who complete the requirements for a Bachelor or Associate Degree and earn a 3.5 or better cumulative grade point average at the institution. Only college level courses completed at the institution will be included in the GPA calculation. The three levels of recognition are defined as follows and will be posted on the student’s transcript.

Cum Laude (“with honor”):

3.50 to 3.749 Cumulative GPA

Magna Cum Laude (“with great honor”):

3.75 to 3.99 Cumulative GPA

Summa Cum Laude (“with highest honor”):

4.00 Cumulative GPA

Repeat Courses

Students will be limited in the number of times that they can take the same course; however, certain courses are exempt from the repeat course procedure due to the nature / offering of the course.

If a student has taken a course twice or more and attempts to register for the course an additional time, the student will not be able to register for that particular course until an action plan is created and approval granted by the Executive Director of Advising and Retention. Please note that the student is able to register for other courses without needing an action plan or approval as per college rules and regulations.

If the Executive Director of Advising and Retention does not feel that the registration is warranted, the student may appeal via the Repeat Course appeal policy.

If a student has taken a course three times and wants to register for the course a fourth time, the student must appeal via the Repeat Course appeal policy. All records of the repeated course(s) and grades will remain on your transcript; a new grade will be recorded under the following guidelines:

1. If the student completed the repeat of a course after June 1, 1987 and before August 27, 2006, they can request that the original course and grade have a notation under the course title which reads “Repeat (excluded from GPA).” If they do not make this request, all instances of the course will remain on the transcript and be calculated into the GPA. For graduation purposes, a course will only count once within any single degree or certificate program and will be flagged as repeated during the degree check process.
2. If the student repeats a course beginning Fall semester, 2006, the highest grade will be used in the GPA calculation. There will be no limitations on course grades that are eligible to repeat.
3. All credit hours earned for initial and repeated courses will be deducted from students remaining College Opportunity Fund Stipend eligible hours.

Repeated courses may be applied only one time to a certificate or degree, except for variable credit courses and other designated courses, such as Special topics. Students may make their request to have the previous instance of a course flagged as a repeat by submitting the Repeat / Exclude from GPA form, available online.

Student Bill of Rights

The General Assembly implemented the Student Bill of Rights (C.R.S. 23-1-125) to assure that students enrolled in public institutions of higher education have the following rights:

• A quality general education experience that develops competencies in reading, writing, mathematics, technology and critical thinking through an integrated arts and science experience.
• Students should be able to complete their Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree programs in no more than sixty credit hours or their baccalaureate programs in no more than one hundred twenty credit hours, unless there are additional degree requirements recognized by the commission.
• A student can sign a two-year or four-year graduation agreement that formalizes a plan for that student to obtain a degree in two or four years, unless there are additional degree requirements recognized by the commission.
• Students have a right to clear and concise information concerning which courses must be completed successfully to complete their degrees.
• Students have a right to know which courses are transferable among the state public two- and four-year institutions of higher education.
• Students, upon successful completion of core general education courses, should have those courses satisfy the core course requirements of all Colorado public institutions of higher education.
• Students have a right to know if courses from one or more public higher education institutions satisfy the student’s graduation requirements.

A student’s credit for the completion of the core requirements and core courses shall not expire for ten years from the date of initial enrollment and shall be transferable.

Student Rights, Freedoms and Responsibilities

Through its procedures, Arapahoe Community College (ACC) ensures the rights of all its students to pursue their educational objectives. The ACC community includes students who are enrolled in ACC courses for credit or non-credit courses, including Community Education courses. The ACC community also includes faculty, staff, administrators and guests.

A student is subject to two sources of authority: College authority and civil-criminal authority. ACC also expects students who are enrolled in specialized programs to follow the standards specified in their respective program handbooks (e.g., Nursing, Law Enforcement Academy and Emergency Medical Technician).

Judicial processes, including code of conduct, academic honesty statement and grievance procedures are stated in the ACC Student Handbook. The Handbook is available in the Student Engagement Center, Room M2720 or online. For answers to specific questions, contact the Director of Student Life.

Term Academic Honors

If a student completes a minimum of 6 college-level credits during the semester they can achieve honors designations on their transcripts as follows (developmental education level courses do not count toward this calculation):

• President’s List – 4.0 term GPA
• Dean’s List – 3.5 to 3.74 term GPA
• Vice President’s List – 3.75 to 3.99 term GPA