Academic Information Academic Credit Students should expect to devote the following time per credit, per week for a 15-week semester. A period is 50- minutes or a minimum of 80 hours of on-the-job training with college supervision. • 1 lecture credit equals 1 period with 2 hours of outside preparation. • 1 laboratory or activity credit equals 2 to 4 periods and necessary outside preparation. • 1 music studio credit equals 30 minutes of applied instruction plus three hours of practice per week. An equivalent amount of work is expected for internships, practicums, studio work, clinicals, independent study, compressed courses, and other academic work leading to the award of academic credit. Academic Standing Students are considered in good standing if they attend Casper College for one or more semesters and earn a 2.0 or higher grade point average for that semester or for their cumulative average. The registrar notifies students who are not making satisfactory academic progress. Students may be placed on academic probation when: • The student does not meet the minimum qualifications for admission or • The student does not meet the minimum grade standard to be considered in good standing The college removes students from academic probation who attain a semester grade point average that meets or exceeds the minimum requirements to be considered in good standing. Students who fail to achieve good standing after one semester on academic probation are subject to academic suspension. The college issues an academic suspension when a student fails to achieve good standing after one semester on academic probation or for academic dishonesty. Students on academic suspension may not register for academic courses for at least one semester unless they receive an approved petition for an exception. Financial aid probation and suspensions are issued in accordance with the rules and regulations governing the form of aid received and are determined separately from academic probation and suspension. Corrective measures come in the following forms. 1. Current semester problems. Students having trouble with a course may withdraw from the course or the college (see schedule changes) audit the course (see Auditing Courses), or request an incomplete or in progress (see Incomplete and In Progress). All timelines must be met to make any changes. 2. Academic standing. Academic standing is based on either semester grade point average or cumulative grade point average (see Academic Standing), thus allowing redemption in one semester regardless of past record and avoiding a penalty for one below par semester in an otherwise satisfactory record. 3. Academic Forgiveness. Degree-seeking students currently attending Casper College may petition the registrar to remove up to two semesters, in their entirety, from the calculation of the student's cumulative grade point average (GPA) and degree credits. The registrar will approve petitions for students who have completed 24 semester credits of college level courses with a 2.5 GPA after the last semester listed on the forgiveness petition. This is a one-time-only option. 1 Advising Your advisor is essential to your success. Be sure to meet with your advisor prior to enrolling for classes or making schedule changes. Advisor Assignments Students are assigned an advisor who has specific knowledge about their chosen program during new student advising and registration events. Students have the right to request a new advisor. Students who wish to change their advisor contact Enrollment Services. Students who want a specific advisor must obtain permission from that advisor and contact Enrollment Services to make the change. Advisor's Roles and Responsibilities • Help advisees develop realistic educational career plans. • Assist advisees in planning a program of study consistent with abilities and interests. • Assist with selecting courses and verify that prerequisites are met. • Provide registration priority date and time. • Monitor advisee's progress toward educational and career goals. • Discuss the relationship between instructional programs and occupation/career goals. • Interpret instructional policies, procedures, and requirements. • Approve educational transactions (e.g. schedule, drops, adds, withdrawals, change of major, waivers, removing academic holds, etc.). • Maintain a file for each advisee. • Refer students to appropriate resources and services. • Request reassignment of advisee to another advisor, if necessary. • Assist advisees in identifying career opportunities. • Direct advisees to career counselors, if necessary. Advisee's Roles and Responsibilities • Share interests, goals, and educational and career plans. • Report personal information that has a bearing on your academic success such as the number of hours working, family responsibilities, and financial aid status. • Be familiar with the academic catalog and student handbook. • Know your advisor's advising hours and phone number. • Schedule an appointment or meet during designated advising hours. Call if you are unable to keep an appointment. Meeting with your advisor is required before you can register. • Keep a record of graduation requirements, which is your responsibility to fulfill. • Keep correspondence from the college and meetings with your advisor(s). • Know deadline dates listed in class schedules and Student Handbook. • Contact the appropriate student support services when necessary. • Prepare for meetings with your advisor, particularly when registering for classes. Have an idea about what courses you want to take for your program and electives. Have a list of alternative courses in case the courses you want are closed or wait-listed. • Become familiar with how to use WebAdvisor or myCCinfo. • Alert your advisor immediately of difficulties affecting your course work or continued enrollment. • Provide Enrollment Services with your current address and phone number. 2 Class Attendance Students are expected to attend all sessions of the classes in which they are enrolled. Students should contact the Vice President for Student Services Office in the Nolte Gateway Center or 307-268-2201 if they are called for jury duty, subpoenaed as a witness, or ill or injured and unable to attend class for an extended period. The office will notify instructors of students on extended leave. This notification does not give students an excused absence. Students should contact their instructors as soon as they are able to inform them of an absence. Instructors may request that students provide appropriate documentation to the Vice President for Student Services Office upon their return and complete any makeup work assigned. Contact the Vice President for Student Services Office at 307-268-2201 about documentation requirements. Students should check with their instructors about their class attendance policies. Casper College encourages its instructors to make a reasonable effort to allow students to observe their major religious holidays or to participate in college-sponsored activities without academic penalty. Students must notify their instructors as soon as possible of dates for which they plan to request an excused absence and abide by their instructor's class policies. Instructors are required to report the names of students who attend class irregularly or are absent for several consecutive class sessions to the Vice President for Student Services Office, who will contact students about their intent to continue in the course. Excessive absences or tardiness may result in a lower grade or in a faculty-initiated withdrawal from the course. Automatic Withdrawal: Students who have not attended or participated in a course they are enrolled in during the first week of the semester will be automatically dropped from that course at the beginning of the second week. Contact your instructor if you have questions about automatic withdrawal. Instructor sponsors or coaches submit a list of students who will miss class because of a college-sponsored activity to the student's faculty and to the vice president for student services at least three days before the first scheduled day to be gone. Students should talk with their instructors prior to any absences. The instructor may excuse absences and allow make-up work. Choosing a Major Many students come to Casper College with a clear idea about what they want to accomplish while they are here; other students are undecided. Instructors can provide information about the areas in which they teach. The Enrollment Services/Student Success Center in the Nolte Gateway Center, third floor provides assistance by looking at different majors and how those translate into careers, creating academic and career timelines, and providing direction on how to declare a major and find a new academic advisor. Casper College offers certificates and associate's degrees. It is important when choosing a major or career to know the differences between the programs we offer. Certificates usually take two semesters to finish and include only the courses directly relevant to the field. An associate of applied science degree is a good choice for students who want to earn a college degree and enter the workforce, but do not plan to pursue a bachelor's degree. Students interested in pursuing a bachelor's degree will want to select majors that lead to an associate of arts, associate of business, associate degree in nursing, or associate of science. These programs parallel the first two years of most bachelor degree programs. Course Evaluations Casper