Academic Guidelines

Scholastic Integrity

Students of John A. Gupton College are expected to be honest in relationships with students and
professors alike. Cheating or dishonesty in any form is considered unethical and unprofessional and
will not be tolerated. Anyone witnessing such conduct should report it to the Administration or the
instructor of the course. Matters involving questions of integrity will be referred to the Academic
Affairs Committee and appropriate action will be taken. Faculty members are required to carry out
their duties in a professional, ethical, and collegial manner that will enhance the purpose of the institution.

Study

Students are encouraged to make optimum use of every free moment. Successful students
organize and plan to include adequate time for assignments and exams. Caution should be
exercised in regard to last minute preparation. Cramming is unwise and a useless practice. The
library, vacant classroom, and other quiet areas are ideal for study.

Availability of Faculty

The faculty, including full-time, part-time and adjunct, will provide the students with a listing of
office hours and telephone numbers in order that conference sessions can be scheduled.
Accessibility to students is essential in order to provide a comprehensive educational program.

Attendance

A student missing more than three absences of class work, regardless of the time of registration, will be dropped from the class  and will receive a grade of “F” for the course. He or she may be reinstated upon recommendation of the Academic Affairs Committee. The attendance policy is effective for all programs offered at John A. Gupton College. Veterans must electronically verify their attendance with the VA.

Governance

The Catalog in effect at the time that a student is admitted will govern program requirements for
that student as long as he/she is continuously enrolled and making progress toward graduation.

Grading System

Letter grades are given in all course work as follows:

• The grade of A signifies work of the highest caliber.
• The grade of B denotes work of high quality.
• The grade of C signifies average work.
• The grade of F indicates failure.
• The grade of I is issued for incomplete work due to extenuating circumstances.

Note: An I grade is conditional and must be removed within the first
two weeks of the succeeding semester or it automatically converts to an F.

Quality Points

In addition to the grade assigned in each class, a student also receives quality points in
relationship to his or her grade. The grades equate in the following manner:
A – 4 quality points per semester hour
B – 3 quality points per semester hour
C – 2 quality points per semester hour
F – 0 quality points per semester hour
I – Incomplete

Students must have obtained a quality point average of at least 2.00 in order to meet graduation
requirements. The quality point average is determined by dividing the total number of quality
points by the total number of hours attempted. When courses are repeated, only the highest grade
will be used in determining the quality point average and hours attempted will be used only once.

Class Meeting

All classes begin as scheduled. If the instructor of any class happens to be late, the students must
remain in the classroom until class has been officially canceled or 20 minutes has elapsed. A student
representative must notify the Administration prior to students leaving class or class dismissal.

Course Load

John A. Gupton College assigns credit hours in accord with federal regulations. A credit hour
is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of
student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably
approximates:

1. Not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two
   hours out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one
   semester, and
2. At least an equivalent amount of work as required outlined in item 1 above for other
   academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work,
   practicum, clinicals, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

The minimum course load for a full-time student is 12 hours per semester. A student may not
register for more that 18 hours including both on and off campus courses without written approval
from the Registrar.

All courses are offered at the collegiate level, and each student should give due consideration to
the extent of outside employment and/or extracurricular activities.