The Registrar and/or Program Chair will provide academic advising to enrolled students prior to orientation. The Registrar will assign each student a division academic advisor prior to orientation. Academic Advisors meet with students during orientation where guidelines of academic advising are reviewed. Students are encouraged to meet with their Academic Advisors at least once per month for the first year of enrollment and as needed thereafter during posted office hours. Such meetings may include but are not limited to the following:

Students may be enrolled on either a full time or part time basis. A student who is enrolled in 12 or more semester hours is considered to be a full-time student. All other students are considered part time. Special permission must be obtained from College administration for any student who wishes to exceed 17 semester hours. Currently enrolled students at Cabarrus College must obtain permission from the Registrar to enroll in courses for transfer credit at another college. Students should meet with their academic advisor prior to registration each semester to discuss their academic planning.

Student Status
Freshman - 00-29 credit hours earned and/or transferred
Sophomore - 30-59 credit hours earned and/or transferred
Junior - 60-89 credit hours earned and/or transferred
Senior - 90 or more credit hours earned and/or transferred

"Credit hours earned" includes hours approved as transfer credit.

Any student with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of less than 2.00 at the end of any semester will be placed on academic probation. "Academic Probation" will appear on the official transcript. (Note: Academic Probation may include stipulations, remediation, and a redesigning of the student's curriculum plan). Academic Advisors and the Director of Student Affairs will be notified of any advisees on academic probation. The student's GPA must be increased to a level of 2.00 to be removed from academic probation. After two consecutively enrolled semesters (excluding summer sessions) of not achieving a GPA level of 2.00, the student will be dismissed from the College. If a student has fewer than 12 cumulative credit hours, the student will have an additional semester to increase both the credit hours to 12 and the cumulative GPA to 2.00 in order to be removed from academic probation.

In compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 (amended in 1995), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, and the Graham-Leach-Bliley Modernization Act (GLB) of 1999, students have the right to inspect their academic records, to have the institution correct inaccuracies in the record, and to prevent disclosure of certain information. Access to, or disclosure of the record is limited and generally requires prior consent by the student.

Directory information including student's name, parent's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, most recent previous school/college attended and photograph may be disclosed without prior written consent, unless the student notifies the College in writing to the contrary by the first day of enrollment.

The entire policy governing the rights of students and parents including definitions, notification procedure to inspect records, limitations on right to access, refusal to provide copies, disclosure of educational records and request for disclosure is published in the Student Handbook.

Audit means the student attends all required activities of the course with the possible exception of tests and any other activities as determined by the instructor. No course credit will be earned. Students should contact their academic advisor if interested in auditing a course.

Applications for change of major are available at the scheduled change of major meeting and here. Submissions must be completed by the application deadlines for each semester (February 1 for the fall and October 1 for the spring). Applications for change of major are considered on a competitive basis. Criteria for change of major requests include:


If a request for change of major is approved by the Program Chair, the change is facilitated by the Registrar. Credits, quality points and grades from all courses taken at Cabarrus College in a previous major are carried forward to the new major. Please note that admission into one program does not guarantee admission into another program.

The student is responsible for notifying the College immediately upon a change of name, address, or telephone number. The preferred method of changing data is to utilize SonisWeb. The College is not responsible for any correspondence the student may miss due to the student's failure to notify the College of changes. Legal documentation is required to change a name.

A course may be challenged before the course begins. The examination must be taken by the end of Drop/Add (the first week of the session). Laboratory courses generally are not eligible for departmental examination challenges. The student is allowed only one challenge exam attempt per eligible course. The student will attend class until notified of the results by the instructor. To challenge a course, the student must:

-	Meet with their advisor.
-	Meet with the Financial Aid Director for financial clearance.
-	Submit to the course program chair the Credit by Departmental Examination Application and Authorization form, and acceptable evidence of proficiency in the area (e.g. relevant course descriptions, certificates, letters of recommendation from employers, a recent resume).

If the student successfully passes the examination, the tuition paid for the course will be applied to the next semester's tuition, or in the case of it being the student's last semester, the tuition for the course will be refunded. The letters "CE" (Credit by Examination) will be recorded on the transcript to indicate the examination was passed.

To be eligible for consideration, the experiential learning experience must occur within five years of the current College application date. Requests should be made four weeks in advance of the specific course offering. Meeting all requirements for admission and enrollment, the student will request experiential learning credit by submitting the following items to the Registrar:

-	Credit for Life Experience Application
-	Letter explaining life experience
-	Current resume or portfolio
-	At least two letters of reference related to life or work experience within the discipline
-	Relevant licenses or certifications
-	A non-refundable processing fee

The Registrar will forward requests to the appropriate program chair for review and evaluation. The program chair may request additional documentation based on program policies and review of the documents submitted. The American Council on Education (ACE) Guides will be used whenever possible for decision making. The program chair will render a decision within 10-14 business days of receiving all requested documents. The decision made will be final and cannot be appealed by the applicant. The program chair will document the decision on the Credit for Life Experience Application form and forward it to the Registrar. The Registrar will notify the applicant in writing of the decision. The completed Credit by Departmental Examination Application and Authorization form will be inserted into the permanent student record. The letters "AP" will be recorded on the transcript to indicate the awarding of credit for experiential learning.

When an enrolled student will not be continuing in a scheduled semester/session, the student may, in consultation with their advisor and the program chair, be placed on Curriculum Leave of Absence (CLOA) for up to one year. The student must submit an official written request for the CLOA, pay the required non-refundable fee (which does not guarantee placement, but simply keeps the student's academic record active, and is applied to the tuition when the student returns), state an intended return date, contact the program chair to discuss the intended return date and return the name badge to the college. The request must be approved by a College official and the student must understand that re enrollment is on a space available basis and the student is required to meet the curriculum requirements of the class in which the student is to re-enroll. Individuals returning from a CLOA will pay tuition according to the current tuition and fee schedule.

At the end of one year of CLOA, the student must withdraw from the College or re-enroll, at which point the curriculum leave fee will be forfeited. A CLOA longer than 180 days will require the financial aid loan repayment grace period to end. Repayment of financial aid loans will begin six months after commencement of the leave.

Students returning from a leave of absence must follow the enrollment requirements of new students listed in the admission to the college section of the catalog.

A curriculum plan for new students is prepared by the Registrar after the tuition deposit has been paid. This plan will incorporate any transfer credits and the remaining courses needed for completion of the program.

All transfer credits and curriculum plans must be finalized by the Registrar by the end of the first semester of enrollment. The student's signature on the plan indicates agreement to complete the prescribed courses as planned at the College. Provisions for exceptions to this may be made only with approval of the Registrar.

Students receiving transfer credit must meet all admission requirements or approved equivalents and must complete a minimum of 25% of the total credit hours needed for graduation at Cabarrus College. The minimum must include at least 50% of the credit hours in the major.

A degree audit is a computer-generated analysis that enables the student and his/her advisor to assess the student's academic progress and unfulfilled requirements. The audit is a valuable tool for academic planning and course selection, because it matches the courses that the student has taken with the requirements of his/her program or anticipated program. Degree audits are available through SonisWeb for anyone who has enrolled for credit at Cabarrus College.

The degree audit is not the student's official College academic record. The transcript is the official record of completed work.

Students may drop or add a course during the first five business days (or the equivalent) of a semester. Students cannot add a course after the fifth business day of the semester. For courses less than a traditional semester in length, the drop/add period without record of enrollment will be within the first two class sessions. Faculty will publish this in the course syllabus.

The last day to withdraw from a course without academic penalty is at the 60% point of the course hours. For semester length courses the date will be published in the academic calendar and the catalog. Faculty will publish specific dates in the course syllabus.

If a student drops a course during the drop/add period, they are considered "never enrolled" and do not count as withdrawals (W's) on the grade sheet.

If making changes in the academic load results in tuition adjustments, all financial responsibilities must be met by the tenth business day of the semester. No tuition refunds will be made after the drop/add period is over. Financial aid is usually dependent on the number of semester hours of enrollment. Changing the academic load often impacts the financial aid award.

After the five day limit, dropping a course will follow the general academic progression policy which states:

Elective courses beyond requirements for graduation may be taken on a Pass/Fail (P/F) credit basis with instructor approval. The student must apply to take an elective P/F course with the Registrar by the end of the second week of classes. The Registrar's decision is nonreversible. The grade of Pass is not used in the calculation of GPA, but credit hours are given for the course. Certificate courses may be taken as P/F if the student will not be pursuing a degree. Continuing Education courses are taken for contact hours and/or CEU credit only.

Enrollment verifications serve as proof of your status as a student. Insurance companies, loan agencies and other organizations may require a verification in order for you to be eligible for certain benefits. In some cases, verification may be necessary to prove that you did not attend Cabarrus College of Health Sciences.

Status is defined in the Catalog as:

-	Full-Time Status - 12 or more credit hours per term*
-	Three-Quarter Status - 9 to 11 credit hours per term
-	Half-Time Status - 6 to 8 credit hours per term
-	Part-Time Status - 1 to 5 credit hours per term
-	Less than Half-Time Status - 0 to 5 credit hours per term

*Dropping below full-time status may affect such items as insurance eligibility, loan deferments and financial aid. Summer semester only: Full-time status is 6 or more credit hours. Be advised that having just 6 credits might affect your financial aid.

Military students: The Veterans Administration determines statuses.

Extra-Institutional Credit is credit based on evidence of probable proficiency in an area of study as a result of previous study, work experience, or public service, and for which transfer credit does not apply. This includes, but is not limited to standardized advanced placement tests, credit by departmental examination, current licenses and certifications, and experiential learning.

The decision to count extra-institutional credits toward degree completion is made at the program level. Programs are not required to accept extra-institutional credits.

A student may not pursue extra-institutional credit for a course in which a "D" or "F" was previously earned. Hours earned through extra-institutional credit will not count toward hours for full time status or financial aid. Extra-institutional credit will appear on the student's transcript but will not be included in calculations of GPA and honors recognition. Students receiving extra-institutional credit must meet all admission requirements or approved equivalents. A minimum of 25% of the total credit hours needed for graduation must be completed at Cabarrus College. The minimum must include at least 50% of the credit hours in the major. Students should be aware that awarding of extra-institutional credit by Cabarrus College does not guarantee transferability of credit to other institutions.

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) seeking extra-institutional credit for their license must meet the College's general admission criteria as well as admission criteria for the ADN program. Upon admission to the ADN program, the LPNs will receive extra-institutional credit for BIO 100 (Medical Terminology) and NSG 110 (Fundamentals of Nursing) if they scored 70 or above on the Nursing ACE I PN-RN Foundations of Nursing exam.

The grading scale for Cabarrus College of Health Sciences is as follows:

93 -100%	= A
87 - 92%	= B
80 - 86 %	= C
73 - 79%	= D
<73%	= F

Graduation rates are defined as the percentage of first-time, full-time degree/diploma seeking students who complete the requirements within 150% of normal time. This calculation was established by the National Center for Educator Statistics' IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) database. Accordingly, the calculation of graduation rate from a two year (normal time) program, includes the number of students who completed the program within a three-year period of time (150% of normal time).

Beginning with academic year 2009/10, IPEDS has changed the graduation rate calculation to 200% of normal time. Consequently, the graduation rate from a two-year program will now be defined as students who completed the program within four years.

Entering Cohort for 2-year Program	Entering Cohort for 1-year Program	Graduating Class	Graduation Rate
Spring '03/Fall '03	Spring '04/Fall '04	Fall '05/Spring '06	78%
Spring '04/Fall '04	Spring '05/Fall '05	Fall '06/Spring '07	83%
Spring '05/Fall '05	Spring '06/Fall '06	Fall '07/Spring '08	76%
Spring '06/Fall '06	Spring '07/Fall '07	Fall '08/Spring '09	73%
Spring '06/Fall '06 *	Spring '08/Fall '08	Fall '09/Spring '10	75%
* Graduation rate calculation changes to 200% of normal time

The grade of "I" (incomplete) indicates that some requirement of the course is not yet complete. To receive an "I," a student must be progressing satisfactorily in class and lab activities. Any student who receives an incomplete is responsible for contacting the instructor to initiate the steps for removing the incomplete. The process of removing the "I" must be completed within 10 business days from the end of the semester in which the "I" is obtained. At the request of the instructor, an extension may be granted by the Provost. If these requirements are not met, the "I" will be changed to an "F." For courses that are taught in less than a traditional semester in length, the incomplete must be completed within five business days.

The Intent to Graduate Form notifies the College that you are satisfactorily progressing to graduate at the College's next commencement. The form must be completed the semester prior to graduation during the published registration period and be submitted to the Student Support Center (Office 133).

Cabarrus College provides opportunities for applicants to enroll in specified non-degree and/or degree courses on a space available basis for a maximum of 12 semester hours. Applicants who meet the College admission requirements may enroll in these courses with the understanding that this does not guarantee acceptance into any of the College's degree, diploma, or certificate programs. Non-degree students pay tuition and fees according to the established schedule.

Associate of Science Degree in Nursing
-	A student must earn at least a "C" as a final grade in each program and major course in order to enroll in the subsequent course(s) in the major or to graduate. Before enrollment in Nursing 230, all progression requirements must be met.
-	Each student must have a minimum cumulative 2.00 grade point average at the completion of Nursing 120 to enroll in subsequent nursing courses.
-	A student may repeat a maximum of one nursing course per admission.
-	Students must meet and maintain current health requirements as specified by the clinical agencies to participate in and/or continue clinical assignments.
Allied Health Diploma and Associate Degree
-	A student must earn at least a "C" as a final grade in each program and major course in order to enroll in the subsequent course(s) in the major or to graduate.
-	Each student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 upon completion of the first academic year in order to progress in the program.
-	A student may repeat a maximum of two courses in the major per admission.
-	Students must meet and maintain current health requirements as specified by the clinical agencies to participate in and/or continue clinical assignments.
Associate in Science Degree Program
-	A student must earn at least a "C" as a final grade in each program and major course in order to enroll in the subsequent course(s) in the major or to graduate.
-	Each student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher at the end of the first academic year, or the equivalent (minimum 24 credit hours) to progress in the program.
-	A student may repeat a maximum of two courses in the major per admission.
Baccalaureate Programs
-	A student must earn at least a "C" as a final grade in each program and major course in order to enroll in the subsequent course(s) in the major or to graduate.
-	A student may repeat a maximum of two individual courses in the major per admission.
-	Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher.
-	Students must maintain a current, unrestricted RN license or appropriate certification.
-	Students must meet and maintain current health requirements as specified by the clinical agencies to participate in and/or continue clinical assignments.
-	Students enrolled in the College's Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program may take a maximum of 6 credit hours applicable towards meeting the elective requirements of the BSN Completion Program. All other BSN general education and program requirements courses must be taken after acceptance to the BSN Completion Program

A student may enroll in any course a maximum of two times. The second enrollment will be on a space available basis at the time of registration. Only the grade obtained on repeating the course will be used in determining the GPA and is considered the final grade; however, both courses and grades will appear on the transcript. Final course grades are included in the calculation of the GPA for honors at graduation. This applies only to the courses taken and repeated at Cabarrus College.

A student may earn credit for general education courses by attaining acceptable scores (4 or 5) on a College Board Advanced Placement (AP) exam, or a credit granting score of 50 or better on a College Level Examination Program (CLEP) test. Requests for advanced placement test credit must be submitted to the Registrar prior to enrollment in first semester courses. The Registrar will make the decisions to award credit, consulting with the appropriate program chair or Provost as warranted.

Policy - Students are expected to adhere to the student code of conduct and uphold the College values of caring, commitment, teamwork, and integrity. If at any time it is the judgment of the faculty, staff, or administration that a student has failed to meet the behavioral expectations of the College, the student may face disciplinary action leading up to or including probation, suspension, or dismissal. Student Code of Conduct Students enrolled at Cabarrus College of Health Sciences are expected to:

-	Engage in safe, professional behaviors on campus, online, and at clinical and fieldwork sites*
-	Regularly attend classes, labs, clinicals and fieldwork experiences
-	Be honest and report acts of dishonesty, fraud, or theft
-	Maintain academic and copyright integrity
-	Maintain a drug-free, alcohol-free, and tobacco-free environment
-	Report physical, emotional, or behavioral limitations or illnesses that could limit clinical performance
-	Meet financial obligations to the College
-	Notify the College of any existing or new criminal charges, convictions, or sanctions
-	Comply with College, program, clinical, and fieldwork site policies
*Professional behaviors at Cabarrus College include but are not limited to treating others with respect; wearing appropriate attire; wearing identification badge as required; maintaining patient confidentiality; avoiding the use of obscene, offensive, or threatening language; and, refraining from behaviors that are destructive, threatening, or violent.

Procedure - Students who fail to adhere to the College's values or to abide by the Student Code of Conduct may be subject to disciplinary action. Infractions shall be handled at the most directly impacted level of the organization. Persons addressing the infraction should carefully document, date, and maintain files regarding the incident, names of involved parties, conversations with the student(s), decisions, and actions.

Appeal Procedure - This procedure is for any grievance other than academic. Students who wish to appeal an academic decision should follow the Academic Appeal Process, outlined in the College Catalog and available on the College's website. Students have the right to present a grievance and appeal a decision they believe is unjust. The Coordinator for Campus and Community Outreach is available to assist with this process. Students should follow the process outlined below:

1.	Students are expected to verbally discuss their concerns with the decision maker within 5 working days of the date of the incident/decision. If the grievance is not resolved to satisfaction, students have 5 working days to file an appeal with the decision maker's supervisor.
2.	Students must submit to the decision maker's supervisor a written and dated summary of the alleged violation, surrounding circumstances, and parties involved within 5 working days of the decision in Step 1.
3.	Within the next 5 working days, the Supervisor will review the documentation and attempt to contact all parties involved. During this period of fact-finding, involved parties may be placed on suspension and may not be allowed to participate in College classes, labs, clinicals, fieldwork experiences, and/or activities.
4.	Based on information collected during fact-finding, the Supervisor will render a verbal decision or recommendation, followed by a written letter.
5.	If a student disputes the decision, he/she has 5 working days from the communication of the verbal decision in Step 4, to submit a written request to the Dean for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management for an appeal. The Dean for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management will determine if the appeal will be handled informally (hearing with the student and Dean for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management) or formally (hearing with all parties involved).
6.	If the appeal is handled formally, the Dean for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management shall schedule the hearing no later than ten working days after receipt of the student's request.
7.	The student requesting the hearing, the decision maker, the supervisor and when applicable, any witnesses (if witnesses are unavailable, written and signed statements may be accepted and read aloud) shall attend the hearing. Those in attendance will be allowed to ask questions of one another. All proceedings at the formal hearing (only) shall be recorded and later transcribed.
8.	Absence agreement by the parties in advance of the hearing, neither party shall be represented by counsel.
9.	If the student requesting the hearing fails to attend the hearing, it will be held at the appointed time in his/her absence.
10.	At the conclusion of the informal or formal hearing, or no more than 10 working days of the hearing, the Dean for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management shall render a verbal decision to the student, (and other parties involved) followed by a letter. This letter shall be made a part of the record of the proceedings.
11.	The decision by the Dean for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management is final.
12.	Formal hearing transcripts and accompanying documentation shall be housed in the office of the Dean for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.

Cabarrus College provides a formal system that guides the College and the student through the voluntary and involuntary withdrawal processes. Withdrawal from a course or the College may be voluntary (requested) or involuntary (Dismissal).

From a Course - A student may withdraw from a course up to 1 week (5 class days) after mid-semester (last day to drop a course without academic penalty) and receive a "W" providing the student secures the necessary signatures (Faculty Advisor, Coordinator of Advising and Student Success and Director of Financial Aid). A student who drops a course after this date, but prior to exams will receive a "W" if passing and a "WF" if failing. A student may not drop a course during the week of the course's final exam. Should a student discontinue attending a course at any time without officially withdrawing, the student is considered enrolled.

From the College - Leave of Absence or Withdrawal (Voluntary) - The College requires that all degree-seeking students enroll in course work every fall and spring semester during their academic career. Some degree programs may require summer enrollment. If a student's academic plans must be discontinued, the student must choose one of two options: a Leave of Absence or Withdrawal from the College. The Coordinator of Advising & Student Success can help students decide the more appropriate course of action for their situation.
Failure to formally request a leave or withdrawal will result in the automatic removal from the official roll, resulting in an Administrative/Involuntary Withdrawal, and the student must re-apply through the Admissions Office for reinstatement of degree status.
A Leave of Absence releases the student from degree study for up to one academic year, after which the student may resume study according to regular registration procedures. The student must complete and submit the official Leave of Absence (LOA) form, the required non-refundable fee, (which does not guarantee placement, but simply keeps the student's academic record active, and is applied to the tuition when the student returns) state an intended return date, contact the program chair to discuss an intended return date and return the name badge to the college. The request must be approved by a College official and the student must understand that re-enrollment is on a space available basis and the student is required to meet the curriculum requirements of the class in which the student is to re-enroll. Individuals returning from a LOA will pay tuition according to the current tuition and fee schedule. At the end of one year on Leave of Absence, the student must withdraw from the College or re-enroll, at which point the Leave of Absence fee will be forfeited. A Leave of Absence is treated the same as a withdrawal for financial aid purposes.

Students returning from a leave of absence must follow the enrollment requirements of new students.

A student withdrawal from the College (as opposed to a course withdrawal) is appropriate if the student wishes to discontinue study at Cabarrus College of Health Sciences for the foreseeable future. This officially closes the student's file and serves as notice that the student initiated separation from the College. Failure to withdraw officially can seriously complicate any effort later to resume study at this or another institution.

Absence from class(es) does not constitute official withdrawal.

Students may request leaves or withdrawals during a semester if circumstances are such that the student is no longer able to continue with coursework. If a student wishes to withdraw voluntarily from the College, he/she should obtain the Withdrawal/Leave of Absence (LOA) Form from the Office of Advising and Student Success, complete all parts of the form, and return the completed form to the Office of Student Records and Information Management. For a Withdrawal or Leave of Absence to be finalized, the student's completed Withdrawal/LOA Form must be filed in the Office of Student Records and Information Management. The date the College receives the completed Student Withdrawal Form is the official date of withdrawal.

When a request is submitted prior to the last date for withdrawal without academic penalty (as determined by the Provost and published in the academic calendar) a grade of W is recorded for all courses in which the student is currently enrolled. If the request is submitted after the deadline for withdrawal only extenuating circumstances, as determined by the Appeals Process, justify the granting of W grades. Requests for leaves of absence and student withdrawals are processed through the Office of Advising and Student Success and the Office of Student Records and Information Management.

From the College (Involuntary) - Involuntary withdrawal occurs when a student fails to meet certain standards to remain in the College. If at any time it is the judgment of the faculty and/or administration that a student has failed to meet the academic, behavioral or health policies of the College, the student may be academically dismissed and will not be eligible for tuition refunds. Failure to register for subsequent semesters or submit a Withdrawal/LOA Form will result in an Administrative/Involuntary Withdrawal from the College.