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Academics

Academic Records and Grades

An academic record is your official record of all work completed and attempted. Students must supply copies of their high school and previous college academic records to West Hills College Coalinga upon admission. These academic records become the property of WHCC and cannot be forwarded to other institutions.

Transcript Requests

Two academic records are furnished free upon request via myWestHills. Additional academic records can be ordered online. Students also have the option to request “rush” academic records via walk up service. Please call 559-934-2000 for additional information on this service.

Classification of Students

  • Freshmen — Students who have completed fewer than 30 semester units.
  • Sophomores — Students who have completed 30 or more semester units, but who have not yet been awarded an associate degree or higher degree.
  • Full-time — Students enrolled for 12 or more semester units of college credit.
  • Part-time — Students enrolled for fewer than 12 semester units of college credit.
  • Special admit — Student currently attending a K-12 school or under 18 years of age and who desires to enroll for college credit. 

Honors

  • President’s Citation — A student will receive the President’s Citation when twelve units or more are completed with a G.P.A. of 4.0 in one semester.
  • Dean’s List — A student’s name will be placed on the Dean’s List for the semester when the student completes twelve units or more achieves a G.P.A. of 3.0 or above receives no grade below C

Note: PE activity classes and P/NP classes are not considered in computing G.P.A. for eligibility for the Dean’s List and President’s Citation. Incomplete grades or credit-by-examination classes are not computed for eligibility.

Grading Standards

Pursuant to Administrative Procedure 5075** of Title 5, the grading practices of West Hills College Coalinga shall be as follows:

Grade
Symbol        Definition                          Points

A ........ Excellent ...................................... 4
B ......... Good ........................................... 3
C ......... Satisfactory ................................. 2
D ......... Passing, less than satisfactory ...... 1
F .......... Failing ........................................ 0

  • P (Pass)  — at least satisfactory-units awarded; not counted in grade point average
  • NP (No Pass) — less than satisfactory or failing-units not counted in grade point averages
  • I (Incomplete) — shall not be used in calculating units attempted nor for grade point averages
  • IP (In Progress) — a student may receive an IP grade when the class extends beyond the normal end of the semester. An appropriate evaluation grade shall be assigned when all course work has been completed within the following college semester
  • RD (Report Delayed) — shall be assigned only by the Associate Vice Chancellor of Information and Academic Services/Registrar and will not be used in calculating grade point averages
  • W (Withdrawal) — shall not be used in calculating grade point averages
  • MW (Military Withdrawal) — requires copy of military orders for processing
  • EW (Excused Withdrawal)— An EW is acceptable when a student withdraws from a course(s) due to reasons beyond their control.

Guide to Grades

Pass/No Pass (P/NP) Option

Students planning to transfer to a four-year college or university should take classes for a letter grade, not as pass/no pass. Only selected courses are offered on this basis. A student must select the pass/no pass option in a class by the end of the fourth week for semester-length courses and 30% of the course for short-term courses within the semester. Under the P/NP policy, if a student successfully completes the course requirements, he/she will be granted credit and will receive units but no grade points. If the student does not successfully complete the course requirements, the student’s record will reflect units attempted but the student will not have grade points calculated. The student decision is final and cannot be changed, for any reason, back to a grade once this option is selected.

  • P indicates grade of C or better.
  • P is not included in computing the student’s GPA.
  • P/NP grading, when it is a grading option, must be declared during the first 22% of the class (by the end of week 4 in an 18 week class)
  • P/NP is an option on select courses only as noted in the catalog.
  • Students must select the P/NP option with their instructor by week four of a semester length class, this is prorated for short term classes.
  • P/NP grades are not eligible for change to a letter grade.
  • P/NP is not recommended for students planning to transfer to a university.

In Progress (IP)

Instructors have the option to assign an In Progress (IP) Grade to students when the class extends beyond the normal end of the semester. An appropriate evaluation grade shall be assigned when all course work has been completed within the following college semester.

Incomplete Grade (I)

In the case of unforeseeable emergency and justifiable reasons discussed with the instructor prior to the end of the term an incomplete (I) grade may be entered in the student’s record.

Requirements for removal of the (I) grade are provided by the instructor on the Notice of Incomplete Grade which is mailed to the student. This includes any projects, assignments, papers, or exams the student must complete.

  • Students may be granted no more than 12 months’ time in which to complete the coursework.
  • To be eligible for an (I), a student must have completed at least 75% of the coursework required.
  • A final grade is assigned when the conditions have been completed and evaluated by the instructor, or when the time limit for completing the work has passed.
  • Students are not allowed to re-enroll in the class in which (I) grade was issued.

Withdrawal (W) Notation

A student may withdraw from a class or classes prior to the end of the thirteenth week or prior to attending 70% of the class sessions of a short-term course and receive a grade of withdrawal (W). If a student remains enrolled in a class through the beginning of the fourteenth week, then a grade other than a W must be assigned.

Military Withdrawal (MW)

Military withdrawal occurs when a student who is a member of an active or reserve United States military service receives orders requiring a withdrawal from courses. Upon verification of such orders, a withdrawal symbol may be assigned at any time after the period established by the Governing Board of West Hills Community College District during which no notation is made for withdrawals. The withdrawal symbol so assigned will be MW. Military withdrawals are not counted in progress probation and dismissal calculations. In all cases, verification of orders compelling a student to withdraw from courses must be filed in the Office of Admissions and Records before the MW symbol will be assigned.

Excused Withdrawal (EW)

In accordance with Title 5 Section 55024 an EW is acceptable when a student withdraws from a course(s) due to reasons beyond their control, which include but are not limited to, the following:

  • Job transfer outside the geographical region;
  • Illness in the family where the student is the primary caregiver;
  • An incarcerated student in a California State Prison or County Jail is released from custody or involuntarily transferred before the end of the term (In the case of an incarcerated student, an excused withdrawal cannot be applied if the failure to complete the course(s) was the result of a student's behavioral violation or if the student requested and was granted a mid-semester transfer);
  • The student is the subject of an immigration action;
  • Death of an immediate family member;
  • Chronic or acute illness;
  • Verifiable accidents; or
  • Natural disasters directly affecting the student.

Verifiable documentation can include, but is not limited to a note from a doctor stating the student is not currently able to complete the work due to illness, employment verification of a new job, a booking report, police report of an accident, or any other documentation that proves the student’s completion of a course is impractical. The Chancellor’s Office defines impractical as impossible due to reasons beyond the student’s control. The determination shall be made by the local college’s admissions and records office.

A student may request to use an EW for only one course or all courses in a term depending on the reason for the request. It is possible a student, based on an illness for example, is not able to participate in an in-person course but is able to continue with online courses. 

Grade Point Average (GPA)

To graduate from West Hills College Coalinga, a student must attain a minimum 2.0, or C, cumulative grade point average. GPA is determined by dividing grade points by the number of units attempted. A minimum GPA of 2.0 must be maintained within the major courses.

Grade Changes

The grade issued by the instructor is final in absence of mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetence Per Administrative Policy Section 4231** and California Administrative Code, Title 5. The following policies apply to changes of grades except for changes of Incomplete (I) and Withdrawal (W) grades.

  • All course grades are final when filed by the instructor at the end of the term and they become part of the student’s academic record or permanent record.
  • A change of grade may not be based on acceptance of additional work or re-examination beyond the specified course requirements.
  • A request for a grade change may be initiated by the student affected through an appeal or by the instructor within the next regular semester following the award of the original grade. If the instructor determines that there is a valid basis for the grade change, a grade change form shall be completed and sent to the Office of Instruction. If the instructor determines that there is not a valid basis for the change and denies the student’s request, the instructor’s decision, subject to the Student Grievance Procedure, is final. 

The change of grade form must be completed by the instructor, signed by the VP of Educational Services, and then supplied to the Registrar for posting.

Course Information

Open Enrollment

West Hills College Coalinga policy fully opens to enrollment and participation every course and section, the average daily attendance of which is reported for state aid, wherever offered and maintained by the District by any person who has been admitted to the College and who meets such prerequisites as may be established pursuant to Chapter 11, Division 2, Part VI, Title 5 of the California Administrative Code, commencing with Section 41820 unless specifically exempted by statute.

Unit or Credit Value

Each course carries a certain credit or unit value. The amount is indicated in parentheses at the right of the title in the course description section of the catalog. A lecture class requires 18 academic hours, (50 minutes = 1 academic hour) for each unit conferred. Laboratory classes require 54 academic hours for each unit conferred.

  • Prerequisites — are prescribed courses covering skills and or knowledge that are normally expected to be acquired prior to enrolling in another course. The intent of prerequisites is to ensure that any student enrolling in a course in which specific information is required will have the necessary background so that every opportunity exists to experience success. Therefore, any course with a prerequisite presumes that subject matter will be acquired in a sequential way.
  • Corequisites — are courses that a student is required to take simultaneously in order to enroll in another course.
  • Successful Completion — is defined as a grade C or better for the minimum prerequisite/corequisite requirement.

Students enrolling in courses without the appropriate prerequisite may find that they are ill-prepared to continue their studies in that course. Prerequisites are designed to enhance success. Please refer to the West Hills College Coalinga prerequisite policy in the Academic Regulations portion of this catalog.

Class Hours

The number of class hours required is indicated in the course description. The schedule of classes will indicate which periods of the day and which days of the week the class is scheduled to meet.

Tip - Expect to spend two hours outside of class as preparation for each hour of lecture.

 

Course Classification

Courses are classified by subject as they exist at West Hills College Coalinga. All courses within an area usually count toward a major in that area. Other institutions may classify their courses differently. Transfer students should consult the catalog of the four-year college to which they intend to transfer for its classification of identical or comparable courses.

  • Courses numbered 001-049 — are baccalaureate level (transfer) courses. Courses thus numbered are transferable to four- year institutions. Agriculture courses are designed to parallel the work taught in similar courses at California Polytechnic State University or at California State University, Fresno but may not carry the same number.
  • Courses numbered 050-099 — are associate degree level courses. Courses thus numbered are primarily for the student who does not plan to continue his/her education beyond the community college level; however, occupational education courses may transfer according to articulation agreements. Complete information on articulation is available through the Counseling Center.
  • Courses Numbered 100-201 — are non-transfer and are non-degree applicable; they are skill building or remedial.

Abbreviations for Degree, Non-Degree, and Transfer Courses

The following abbreviations designate degree applicable, transfer, and non-degree applicable courses:

AA — Associate Degree

CSU — Transferable to California State University System

UC — Transferable to University of California System

NDA — Non-Degree Applicable

Distance Learning

West Hills College Coalinga is committed to meeting the student needs of the five counties that it serves. An emphasis has been placed on distance learning courses in order to make a college education available to students who live in the remote areas of the district or are otherwise unable to attend traditional classes. West Hills College Coalinga offers online courses that can be completed from any location with an internet connection. We also offer video conference courses that allow students on multiple campuses to participate in class together.

Videoconference

Videoconference courses allow the full breadth of academic curricula to be available to each campus. The Technology of multi-conferencing brings together students and instructions throughout the district to optimize the interaction and learning experience of students at each site.

Distance Education Formats

  • Online - All course activities take place online,
  • Modified Online - Courses activities are online and students do not have to come to any college facility. Instructors may arrange proctored test, and conduct orientations and/or face-to-face class meetings.
  • Hybrid - Face to face class time is scheduled along with a distance education activity or instructor-designated site for any reason (testing, orientation, labs, field experience, etc.).
  • Web Enhanced - Face to face course that requires the student to access the Internet and/or MyCourses as part of the course work. Seat time may note be replaced with online activities.

 

**See Administrative Procedures and Board Policies at https://westhillscollege.com/district/administration/board-of-trustees/policies-and-procedures.php