Academic Records

Confidentiality of Records

Your records are used by the College to assist you in reaching academic, personal, social, and vocational decisions. Your records are maintained in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).

The various records established for you may include admissions, academic records, assessment records, academic advising, and financial aid and placement files. You may have access to these records and the opportunity of a hearing to challenge information contained in them.

Some information, such as name, address, birth date, degrees earned, etc., are classified as public directory information and can be released without your consent. Other information will be released only upon receipt of your written consent.

Complete details on your records and privacy rights are contained in the current issue of the Student Handbook.

Student Classification and Credit Hour Load

Freshman

A student who has not yet successfully completed twenty-four (24) credit hours.

Sophomore

A student who has successfully completed a minimum of twenty-four (24) credit hours.

Credit Hour Load

Less than 1/4 time
0 - 2.99 credit hours in progress
1/4 time
3.00 - 5.99 credit hours in progress
1/2 time
6.00 - 8.99 credit hours in progress
3/4 time
9.00 - 11.99 credit hours in progress
Full-time
12 or more credit hours in progress

The credit hour load is halved to determine the classification for enrollment during the summer session (except for financial aid purposes).

Definition of Credit

For courses to which credit has been assigned, a credit hour is defined as requiring approximately forty-eight (48) hours of learning activities by a typical student to master the proportionate course outcomes.

Academic Transcript

An academic transcript is a record of all courses taken at Kellogg Community College and credit received through transfer, prior experiential learning, and by exam.

President’s List and Dean’s List

The President’s List and Dean’s List recognizes eligible students for outstanding academic achievement each fall, spring, and summer semester. Summer semester eligibility prior to summer 2019 is not retroactive.

Eligibility requirements

Students who meet each of the following criteria are eligible for recognition on the President’s List or Dean’s List each semester:

• Consideration for the President’s List or Dean’s List begins once students have completed twelve (12) or more college-level credits.
• Subsequent consideration continues for each semester that students are enrolled in at least six (6) or more college-level credits.
• Grades of “I” (incomplete) or “W” (withdrawn) disqualify students for that particular semester.
• Grades of “G”, “X”, or “P” do not have grade points associated with them; therefore, are not calculated in the semester grade point average.
• The calculated grade point average for the semester determines the following recognition:

3.50-3.99 Dean’s List
4.00 President’s List

Michigan Transfer Agreement

The Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) was designed to facilitate the transfer of general education requirements from one institution to another. Students may complete the Michigan Transfer Agreement as part of an associate degree or as a stand-alone transcript designation.

The agreement provides for transferability of up to thirty (30) credit hours to meet general education requirements at participating Michigan colleges and universities. To fulfill the MTA requirements, students must successfully complete one (1) course at the MTA awarding institution, and a minimum of thirty (30) credits with at least a grade of 2.0 in each course under the six (6) category requirements:

1. One (1) course in English Composition: ENGL 151  
2. A second course in English Composition OR one course in Communications: ENGL 152 , ENGL 153 ;  COMM 101 , COMM 111 , COMM 207 , COMM 241 ; JOUR 112 .
3. Two (2) courses in Natural Sciences from two (2) disciplines, including one (1) with a laboratory experience: ASTR 104 ; BIOL 101 , BIOL 105 , BIOL 109 , BIOL 110 , BIOL 111 , BIOL 140 , BIOL 201 , BIOL 202 , BIOL 205 ; CHEM 100 , CHEM 110 , CHEM 111 , CHEM 201 , CHEM 202 , CHEM 210 ; ENGR 256 , ENGR 258 ; GEOG 100 ; PHYS 111 , PHYS 112 , PHYS 221 , PHYS 222 ; SCIE 100  (SCIE 100  is a non-laboratory course), SCIE 102 , SCIE 103  
4. One (1) course in Mathematics from: College Algebra, Statistics, or Quantitative Reasoning: MATH 115 , MATH 125 , MATH 130 , MATH 132 , MATH 140 , MATH 141 , MATH 142 , MATH 241 , MATH 242  
5. Two (2) courses in Social Sciences from two disciplines: ANTH 200 ; ECON 201 , ECON 202 ; HIST 103 , HIST 104 , HIST 106 , HIST 151 , HIST 152 , HIST 201 , HIST 202 , HIST 211 , HIST 212 , HIST 240 , HIST 250 , HIST 260 ; PHIL 201 , PHIL 202 ; POSC 201 , POSC 202 , POSC 210 , POSC 211 ; PSYC 201 , PSYC 220 , PSYC 240 , PSYC 250 , PSYC 265 , PSYC 270 , PSYC 275 , PSYC 285 , PSYC 290 ; SOCI 201 , SOCI 202 , SOCI 203 , SOCI 204  
6. Two (2) courses in Humanities and Fine Arts from two (2) disciplines, excluding Studio and Performance classes: ART 141 , ART 210 , ART 211 , ART 212 , ART 213 , ART 214 ; FREN 101 , FREN 102 , FREN 201 , FREN 202 ; HUMA 151  ; INTL 210 ; LITE 105 , LITE 205 , LITE 206 , LITE 211 , LITE 212 , LITE 213 , LITE 216 , LITE 223 , LITE 230 , LITE 240 , LITE 241 , LITE 285 ; MUSI 130 , MUSI 131 , MUSI 141 , MUSI 211 , MUSI 240 , MUSI 250 ; PHIL 230 , PHIL 240 , PHIL 260 ; SERV 200 ; SPAN 101 , SPAN 102 , SPAN 201 , SPAN 202 ; THEA 121 , THEA 251  

How to Request MTA at KCC

Upon submission of the Kellogg Community College Application for Graduation, or request for an Academic Transcript, the Registrar’s Office will audit your record for meeting the MTA requirements. Upon meeting the MTA requirements, “MTA Satisfied” will be designated on your academic transcript. If after the audit you have not met the requirements for the MTA designation, you will be notified by KCC email.

You are not required to complete an associate degree to qualify for MTA. You are required to complete coursework at KCC before the MTA statement will be applied to your transcript. Completed coursework does not include grades of “W,” “I,” “N,” or Audit.

MTA course requirements are not to be confused with Kellogg Community College’s general education learning outcomes core courses. 

Repeated Courses

You may repeat any course that you have previously taken at Kellogg Community College. If you repeat a course for the purpose of improving the grade earned in a previous attempt(s), only the highest grade earned will be used in computing the cumulative grade point average. Financial aid recipients should consult with the Financial Aid Office about eligibility for repeated courses.

Generally, credit earned in a course may be applied toward graduation requirements only once; however, certain courses may be repeated with cumulative credit applied to graduation. Course descriptions will indicate if a course is repeatable for credit toward graduation.

The course entry for each attempt of a course will remain on your academic record. When transferring to another college or university, you may be held accountable for all attempts and grades associated with a course taken at Kellogg Community College.

Credit by Examination

Students who wish to earn credit for qualified courses may request to earn Credit by Exam. Credit by Exam is available only for qualified courses. To request Credit by Exam, the student must contact the academic Chair/Director responsible for the course. If Credit by Exam is available, the student may then request and schedule the exam through the academic Chair/Director.

• To qualify for the opportunity to earn credit by exam, the student may not have had a prior attempt at taking the course(s) for credit within the last five years.
• If students wish to earn credit by exam for a course in which they are currently registered, they must make the request before the add/drop deadline for the course.
• There is a non-refundable $50.00 fee per course to attempt credit by exam. Only one (1) attempt per course is permitted.

Students who are seeking to transfer should communicate directly with transfer institutions to determine the transferability of credit earned by exam as transfer institutions may not honor credit by exam.

You may receive credit by examination by following this process:

1. Contact the Chair/Director of the department or coordinator of the program offering the course to schedule an appointment for an evaluation.
2. Complete a Request for Credit by Examination form.
3. Pay a $50 fee to the Registrar’s Office or at your Center office.
4. Present the receipt to the instructor administering the exam and complete the exam.
5. If a grade of “A,” “B,” or “C” is earned, course and grade information will be added to your academic record.
6. Grades of “D” and “F” are not satisfactory for credit by examination. If such grades are earned, no course entry will be made on your academic record.
7. To have credit by examination credits recorded on your KCC transcript, you must have completed coursework at KCC. Courses for which you receive a grade of “W,” “I,” “N,” or Audit are not considered completed.

Prior Experiential Learning

If you have background experiences obtained through proprietary schools, on-the-job training, apprenticeship, or correspondence courses, you may have this prior experiential learning evaluated for recognition toward a certificate or degree from Kellogg Community College. Credits recognized through this process may or may not transfer to other colleges and universities.

To initiate this process, you must:

1. Review the goal statements and objectives of the course outline to determine if the prior experiential learning is the equivalent of the College course.
2. Collect and assemble information that document the experience(s).
3. Contact the Chair/Director of the department, or coordinator of the program, offering the course to schedule an appointment for an evaluation.
4. Request the evaluator complete a Request for Prior Experiential Learning form.
5. Bring the form, along with the required payment fee ($20 per credit hour or $5 per industrial trades’ module), to the Registrar’s Office. Accompanying the form must be the documentation that supports the request. Appropriate documentation would consist of the following:
   • College transcripts
   • Portfolio
   • Notes from in-depth interview
   • Resume
   • Examination results
6. To have prior experiential learning credits recorded on your KCC transcript, you must have completed coursework at KCC. Courses for which you received a grade of “W,” “I,” “N,” or Audit are not considered completed.

Credit for National Standardized Examinations

KCC grants credit for college-level equivalency examination programs such as CLEP and DANTES. The requirements for awarding credit are determined by the American Council on Education (ACE). You can find a listing of the examinations, minimum acceptable scores, and equivalent courses at Testing and Assessment. Credit is considered transfer credit that is subject to a maximum of 75% of a degree or certificate.

To receive credit for CLEP or DANTES tests, have your test scores sent to the Registrar’s Office at Kellogg Community College. See the next section on the Transfer Evaluation Process.

Transfer Credit Policy

KCC will accept comparable college coursework earned at other accredited colleges and universities and through the military. Courses considered for transfer must have a comparable course offered at KCC. Courses completed with a passing grade of “C” or above may be considered for transfer. A maximum of 75% of a KCC degree or certificate may be completed using transfer credits. Grades from other institutions are not calculated in your cumulative grade point average at KCC. Once received by the Registrar’s Office, official academic transcripts from other colleges are not available for release to the student or to other KCC offices without an educationally related purpose for viewing the transcript.

To begin the transfer evaluation process, request from your other institutions attended an official academic transcript to be sent to the Registrar’s office for the purpose of transfer credit evaluation. Following the transfer evaluation process, an email will be sent to your KCC email account indicating the courses and credits transferred to KCC.

Evaluation of International Transcripts

Transcripts from institutions outside of the United States will need to be translated and evaluated by an international academic credential evaluating organization; either Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, Inc. (ACEI) or World Education Services, Inc. (WES). Applications for these services are available from the Admissions Office.

Reverse Transfer Policy

Students who have completed a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution may be considered for reverse transfer to meet the general education requirements for an Associate of Applied Science Degree at KCC. The determination of which courses are to be considered in reverse transfer is at the discretion of the program director or coordinator for the student’s program of study. This policy does not release the student from meeting program specific requirements or graduation requirements, and does not apply to the following KCC transfer degrees: Associate Degree in Arts, Associate Degree in Criminal Justice, Associate Degree in Elementary Education, Associate Degree in General Studies, Associate Degree in International Studies, and Associate Degree in Science.

Grading

°This grade is not computed in either the semester or cumulative grade point averages.

The Grade of “X” (Audit)

When you enroll in and complete the general requirements for auditing a course, a grade of “X” will be recorded on your permanent record, and no credit will be earned. Auditing students must meet course prerequisites or obtain department approval before registering. Tuition and fees are the same as for regular credit courses. Courses taken on an audit basis are not applicable toward fulfillment of degree or certificate requirements. Audited courses do not count in determining student eligibility for financial aid. If you are receiving financial aid, you should contact the Financial Aid office before changing a course from academic credit status to audit status. Audit grades are not used in determining academic load for athletic eligibility.

Students should indicate their audit status at the time of registration. You may change from audit to credit, or credit to audit, no later than the end of the Kellogg Community College official drop/add (refund) period without instructor approval. An audit status change may be made with instructor approval up to seven-eighths (7/8) of the duration of the course. Inquire at the Registrar’s office for the exact drop/add or seven-eighths (7/8) date for your course.

The Grade of “I” (Incomplete)

Students who are unable to complete course requirements by the end of the semester may request that their instructor(s) assign a grade of “I.” The grade of “I” may be awarded only when the instructor has determined that illness, unavoidable absence, or extenuating circumstances will prevent the student from completing all course requirements. At minimum, the student must have completed more than 50% of the coursework and have a passing grade at the time the “I” is requested. The instructor may state in the course syllabus a more stringent requirement for the amount of coursework completed to qualify for an “I.”

Before assigning the “I” grade, the instructor will develop an Incomplete Contract stating how and when the remaining coursework (including laboratory work) is to be completed. Students should give serious consideration to the requirements for making up the incomplete coursework before requesting an “I” grade. The Incomplete Contract will need to be signed by the instructor and the student, and signed copies provided to the student, instructor, and academic Chair/Director.

Remaining coursework requirements must be completed within one calendar year with an expiration date noted. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange for completion of remaining course requirements with the instructor issuing the grade. If course requirements are not completed by the expiration date, the “I” grade on the transcript will be converted to the grade earned based on work completed toward meeting the total requirements of the course.

An “I” grade provides an opportunity for the student to submit remaining materials and have his/her learning assessed; it does not ensure a course seat in a subsequent semester.

The Grade of “W” (Withdrawal)

The academic record of a student, who drops a class after registering, but prior to the refund deadline, will not be affected. After the refund period, but prior to seven-eighths (7/8) of the duration of a class, a grade of “W” (withdrawal) will be entered on your academic record for each class withdrawal.

During the final one-eighth (1/8) of the duration of a class, a grade of “F” (failure) will be entered on your academic record for each class withdrawal.

If you discontinue class attendance and do not formally submit a Course Withdrawal form or letter of withdrawal, the instructor will assign a final grade based upon progress toward completion of the course objectives.

The Grades of “P” (pass), “G” (progress), and “N” (not pass)

Certain courses use the grades of “P”, “G”, and “N”:

• A “P” indicates you have passed the course and academic credit is earned for the course.
• A “G” indicates you have made progress towards completing the outcomes of the course, but not all of them have been completed. No academic credit is earned; if credit is needed for this course, the course must be retaken.
• An “N” indicates that you have not passed the course and no academic credit is earned.

Calculating a Grade Point Average

The grades of “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” and “F” have associated grade points. To determine the total number of points earned in a class, the points are multiplied by the credit hours for the class. For example, a grade of “A” earned in a three (3) credit hour class would produce twelve (12) grade points (4 points x 3 credits).

Both the semester and cumulative grade point averages are determined by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of credit hours attempted. In this calculation, grades of “G,” “X,” “I,” “W,” “P,” and “N” are excluded.

Your grade report and academic record reflect the following semester and cumulative totals: credit hours attempted, credit hours earned, credit hours used in calculating the grade point average and grade point average. For financial aid purposes, all grades are considered when determining eligibility.

Change of Grade Policy

Upon completion of a course, a final grade is entered on a student’s transcript as an official record. Any change of a final grade must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office within one year of the date when the grade was assigned.

Academic Fresh Start Policy

The Academic Fresh Start policy is designed to allow a student who has not performed well academically to have credits and grades excluded from the transcript calculations. The policy contains the following points:

1. Students requesting Academic Fresh Start must have shown academic success in their most recent semester at KCC.
2. The student determines the semester to begin their Academic Fresh Start. A period of two years or more must have passed since the Academic Fresh Start point.
3. All grades, favorable or unfavorable, received prior to the Academic Fresh Start point decided upon by the student, would be excluded from computation of grade requirements for transcript purposes.
4. While the affected grades and credits are excluded from transcript calculations, they remain as part of the official transcript.
5. This is a one-time request that cannot be reversed.
6. Courses for which grades have been excluded under this policy are not counted toward meeting graduation requirements for a KCC degree or certificate.
7. Semesters containing courses that have been applied to an awarded degree or certificate may not be excluded as part of this policy.

The Academic Fresh Start policy is a Kellogg Community College policy and does not affect the considerations of transfer institution. Application forms for Academic Fresh Start are available from the Registrar’s office Eastern Academic, Fehsenfeld, and Grahl Centers and the RMTC office.

Academic Progress Standards

All students are expected to meet standards for academic progress while attending Kellogg Community College. Students will be monitored for academic progress at the end of each semester (fall, spring, and summer) after a student has attempted at least twelve (12) cumulative credit hours at KCC.

Students must achieve a required minimum cumulative GPA (Minimum Cumulative GPA Measure) and complete a specified percentage of cumulative credit hours attempted (Pace of Progression Measure) to indicate academic progress.

Students will be notified of their academic progress status through their Kellogg Community College email account if they do not meet the minimum standards for academic progress. (Students who are meeting the academic progress standards will not receive notification.)

The first time a student does not meet academic progress standards they will be placed on Warning. A student that continues not meeting minimum academic progress standards will be placed on Academic Monitoring that may result in Academic Probation.

Students in specific programs at KCC, and students receiving financial aid and/or veterans benefits must meet the specific academic requirements that determine continuation in those programs. Students receiving financial aid should review additional information at http://www.kellogg.edu/admissions/financial-aid/%20sap-standards/.

Academic Appeals

Any questions concerning the receipt of a grade should be directed to the instructor. If an adequate solution to a questioned grade is not received, you are encouraged to discuss your concern with the Chair/Director of the department or the coordinator/manager of the program which offers the course, and/or the Dean of the division. If a satisfactory resolution related to the questioned grade cannot be reached, you may submit a written appeal to:

Academic Appeals Committee c/o Registrar
Kellogg Community College
450 North Avenue
Battle Creek MI 49017-3397

The written appeal must be submitted within one year of the date when the grade was assigned. The Academic Appeals Committee will respond to you in writing.

Graduation

You must complete a separate Application for Graduation form for each degree or certificate you are applying for. You can apply online through the Bruin Portal, or in person at the Registrar’s Office, Eastern Academic, Fehsenfeld, Grahl Centers, or Regional Manufacturing Technology Center (RMTC) office.

Applications for graduation are accepted during the following dates:

Fall Semester Graduation - April 1 through December 1
Spring Semester Graduation - September 1 through March 1
Summer Semester Graduation - January 1 through July 1*

*If you are applying for graduation in the summer and want to participate in the May commencement ceremony, your deadline to apply for graduation is March 1st.

Graduation applications received after the application period closes may be accepted as late applications and assessed a non-refundable late fee. If you submit a late graduation application, the processing of your application will be delayed and you will be notified by the Registrar’s Office as soon as possible regarding your eligibility for graduation.

Graduation with Honors

Students who have fulfilled the requirements for an associate degree, and have earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or higher, will be graduated with honors as follows:

Summa cum Laude 3.90-4.00 Highest Honors
Magna cum Laude 3.50-3.89 High Honors
Cum Laude 3.00-3.49 Honors

The appropriate honors designation will be included on the student’s academic record and diploma.

Academic Forgiveness Policy

A student who desires to have inapplicable coursework and related grades from a previous curriculum excluded for the purpose of meeting graduation requirements may submit a written appeal to the Registrar. Such a request should be submitted with an application for graduation after 75% of the coursework in the present curriculum has been completed.

If approved, this action will generate a statement on the student’s academic record indicating the excluded courses and the revised cumulative grade point average.

Original entries for courses excluded under the terms of this policy and the actual cumulative grade point average will remain on the student’s record. When transferring to another college or university, a student may be held accountable for all attempts and grades associated with a course taken at Kellogg Community College.

Course Exemptions and Substitutions

A course exemption is a waiver of a course requirement in a degree or certificate based on an equivalent course, a course transferred to KCC, occupational skills, or personal experience. A course substitution is the substituting of a required course in a degree or certificate with an alternate course.

Course exemptions and substitutions do not reduce the total number of credit hours required in a degree, certificate, or general graduation requirements. Course exemptions and substitutions are granted for a specific degree or certificate and for a specific catalog year. The granted exemption/substitution will not automatically apply to other degrees or certificates you are pursuing.

Course exemptions and substitutions are requested as part of the graduation audit, and are designed to assist the graduating student and not to circumvent the established program of study. You may request course exemption and substitution by contacting the Chair/Director or coordinator of the degree or certificate program to discuss your exemption and substitution options.