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Cheating in all its forms, including plagiarism and cheating on visual work, is considered an academic matter to be controlled and acted upon by the individual faculty member. Students guilty of academic dishonesty on examinations in any course shall receive, as a minimum penalty, a grade of F in that course. Such action shall be taken by the instructor, with written notification to the VP of the division. Repeated offenses shall subject the student to suspension or dismissal from the College. Students involved in facilitating academic dishonesty among others, such as by the unauthorized dissemination of examination materials, will be subject to disciplinary action beyond that called for by their own cheating in a course. Plagiarism is “the act of stealing and using, as one’s own, the ideas, or the expression of the ideas of another.” Whether that other is another student or a published author, plagiarism is cheating. Detailed instructions on avoiding plagiarism will be provided in required English courses, and comments may be made by instructors in other courses for which papers are written. Guidelines and policies affecting dishonesty and most other aspects of student life may be found in the Blue Ridge Community and Technical College Student Handbook.
Dean’s List
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College students eligible to be named to the Blue Ridge Community and Technical College Dean’s List include both Associate Degree seeking and Non-Degree special students. To be named to the Blue Ridge Community and Technical College Dean’s List, a student must earn at least 7 credit hours, maintain a 3.5 average for the semester, and have no Incomplete grades for the semester. ACFN courses do not count in the 7 earned credit hours.
President’s List
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College students eligible to be named to the Blue Ridge Community and Technical College President’s List include both Associate Degree seeking and Non-Degree special students. To be named to the President’s List, a student must earn at least 7 credit hours, maintain a 4.0 average for the semester, and have no Incomplete grades for the semester. ACFN courses do not count in the 7 earned credit hours.
Students who need exception to College policies or procedures, due to extraordinary circumstances, may petition for special consideration. The petition packet is reviewed by a committee to determine if special consideration should apply.
Directions for Submission (incomplete submissions cannot be reviewed):
- Pick-up copy of the Admissions & Credits Petition Form from Blue Ridge Community and Technical College Welcome Desk or print from www.blueridgectc.edu.
- Complete the form (a separate form must be submitted for each course that may be affected by the petition).
- Attach a typed letter to the committee explaining the circumstances of your petition and why you are asking for special consideration to challenge college policy.
- Secure proper signatures.
- If payment is required, attach payment or proof of financial aid.
- Submit petition form and supporting documentation to the Welcome Desk. Students are notified of results via Blue Ridge email only. Although petitions are reviewed regularly, it may take up to two weeks for completion.
A Petition is considered incomplete if any of the required information requested on the form is missing. Incomplete petitions will not be reviewed.
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College has an ongoing assessment program that is firmly rooted in its mission. The assessment initiative grew from both faculty and administration concerns for institutional quality and accountability. The assessment process provides the college and its programs with information regarding institutional effectiveness; all segments of the institution including faculty, staff, students, and the community are actively involved in this process. Blue Ridge Community and Technical College is constantly evaluating its effectiveness by assessing student learning and the environment in which it occurs. As a student, this implies that you are an important aspect in evaluating the institution as a whole and will be periodically asked to participate in assessments of various aspects of the environment.
While grades are one measure of student performance, grades do not provide the institution with the necessary data to assess areas of the curriculum that are strong and areas that need improvement. To assess student academic achievement, each program conducts its own assessments of student learning. At the conclusion of every course, students have the opportunity to assess the class and their instructor by completing the Course and Instructor Evaluation; this evaluation is used to make courses more effective for future students. Other assessments are conducted as needed and will capture data such as demographics and students’ career goals.
Assessment is an important part of continually growing and improving our college. Full participation in the assessment process by faculty, staff, students, and the community will most effectively lead the institution toward more effective teaching and learning. The information gathered is used to shape and guide Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, moving it in the direction that best suits the needs of its population.
Students are expected to attend class and to know and understand the specific attendance policies established by each of their instructors. An attendance policy for a given class is established by the instructor or by the program and stated in the course syllabus. Instructors will make reasonable accommodations for occasional, unavoidable absences based on highly legitimate grounds. Instructors will determine the most appropriate means of compensating for work unavoidably and legitimately missed in their classes. To be eligible for such substitute evaluation, students are responsible for discussing any absences with their instructors: such discussions must occur in advance of foreseeable absences and as soon as possible following unpredictable ones. Students are expected to plan their class, work, and personal schedules to avoid potential conflicts. Legitimate reasons for class absences include documented and/or verifiable instances of the following:
- death in the immediate family;
- incapacitating illness or injury (not including any non-emergency doctors’ appointments that could be scheduled at other times);
- field trips required for other classes, intercollegiate competitions, or activities entailing official representation of Blue Ridge Community and Technical College;
- seriously hazardous, weather-induced driving conditions.
A student’s evaluation in a course is the instructor’s responsibility. A grade decision in a course must be made by the instructor prior to the initiation of a grade appeal. A student who believes his or her grade has been adversely affected by an instructor’s inappropriate implementation of the attendance policy may pursue a grade appeal at the close of the semester.
- A student who has a documented medical disability or chronic illness that may affect his/her ability to attend class regularly and/or to complete scheduled in-class, graded activities (e.g., exams, oral reports, lab assignments) should confer with the Student Development Coordinator as soon as possible after the semester begins. In consultation with the student, the Coordinator can develop a contingency plan to accommodate any absences that may occur because of the disability or illness: the Coordinator, with the instructor may create alternative assignments or otherwise determine the best means of assuring that the student’s semester grade will not suffer should the student have to miss classes as a direct result of his/her disability or medical condition. To the greatest extent consistent with the particular disability involved, a chronically ill or disabled student will not only be treated equally with other students, but will also be equally expected to adhere to course policies and assignments established for all students.
- In rare instances, a student may suffer an unanticipated medical problem or must meet a military-service obligation requiring complete absence from school over an extended period (i.e., weeks rather than days). Such a situation will create the need to confer with instructors as soon as is feasible-possibly through a relative or other responsible surrogate. An instructor may be able to design alternative assignments that can be done independently. However, some courses, by their nature, do not lend themselves to compensation for prolonged periods of missed classes and assignments: for such classes, the alternatives may be limited to either a Withdrawal or an Incomplete specifically mandating that the student actually take some or all of the relevant course when it is next offered. In such circumstances, the Blue Ridge Community and Technical College Admissions and Credits Committee will review any necessary requests for waivers regarding institutional deadlines regarding Withdrawals or Incompletes when:
- the student’s petition clearly and fully explains the situation calling for the waiver,
- appropriate documentation is presented,
- the request is supported in writing by both the instructor and the student’s advisor, and
- the student’s request is made in a timely manner, but no later than the tenth class day of the following spring or fall semester.
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