Academic Rules

Effective: Fall 2017

Student Catalog Rights

A student is normally governed by the degree or certificate requirements stated in the current College Catalog at the time of the student’s first term of enrollment as a matriculated student in a particular degree or certificate program. (For the purpose of this policy, enrollment is defined as registration for and completion of at least one course.) If program requirements change while a student is continuously enrolled, the student has the option to complete the new requirements. Students always have the option of following the requirements in the Catalog in effect at the time all requirements are completed.

A student who interrupts or discontinues his/her enrollment for more than a period of two consecutive years, and thus loses matriculated status will be placed on inactive status and must fulfill the requirements in the Catalog in effect in the term of re-enrollment admission. A student may not receive a degree or certificate under the requirements in any Catalog that is more than six years old.

In order to maintain and nurture the scholastic standards of Onondaga Community College, the following academic rules have a two-fold purpose. The first is to stimulate the pursuit of academic excellence, and the second is to establish minimum criteria for academic standing.

Note: Individual academic programs may have additional rules. Please refer to the catalog or website for further details.

I. Matriculation

A. Matriculated Status:

A matriculated student is one who has been admitted to and has declared a particular degree or certificate program at Onondaga Community College (OCC).

Matriculated students who have discontinued enrollment for a period of two consecutive years will be placed on inactive status. Inactive students who wish to regain active status should complete a returning student application form. Students must rematriculate into the current academic year’s catalog. Students who wish to attend with non-matriculated status should contact Student Central.

B. Academic Forgiveness:

Students who change their academic program or return to the college after an absence of at least two years may apply for one-time grade forgiveness. This forgiveness, if approved, applies to the cumulative GPA.

A student may submit a petition for grade forgiveness for prior courses with grades of D and F that are not applicable to the new program. For example, if a student was in MUS and changes to NUR, all MUS courses with grades of D or F will be forgiven. Extra liberal arts electives that could potentially still be applied to the current program may remain in the cumulative GPA and cannot be forgiven. If approved, forgiven courses with grades of D and F will be made non-applicable to the cumulative GPA. The grades will be annotated by an FG on the official records kept by the College, but will not be reflected on the transcript or count towards graduation requirements.

A student may submit a petition for grade forgiveness after earning a term GPA of at least 2.0 in 12 or more credits. Petition forms are available by request at the Office of Registration and Records. Students must submit the petition along with a letter explaining the circumstances that warrant grade forgiveness. Petitions are at the discretion of the Office of Registration and Records and the Scholastic Standards committee.

Greater consideration will be given to candidates demonstrating a significant disparity between prior and current academic performance. Students will be granted only one grade forgiveness petition during their academic career at Onondaga Community College and must petition no later than four weeks after the completion of 12 credits.

II. Course Load

A. Enrollment Status:

A full-time student is one who is enrolled for 12 or more credit hours/equivalent credit hours during the fall/spring semester. A part-time student is enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours/equivalent credit hours during the fall/spring semester. Full-time students are encouraged to register for a minimum of 15 credits.

B. Maximum Credit Load:

During the fall/spring semesters, a student may register for a maximum of 18 credit hours. During the summer semesters, a student may register for a maximum of 12 credit hours total. During the winter semester, a student may register for a maximum of 3 credit hours.

Exceptions: Registering for more than the maximum credit load is allowed only under special circumstances. Advisor approval is required after certification of student grade point average and credit hours by the Office of Registration and Records. Permission will not be granted to any student with a cumulative GPA less than 3.0 or a student who has earned fewer than 12 credit hours.

III. Registration

A. Registration

Registration occurs prior to the start of the semester.

B. Registration Changes

Courses may be added or sections of the same course may be changed through the first six business days of the semester.* Any students wishing to add a course after this time must have instructor approval. Students adding a course after classes begin are responsible for all missed work but may not be penalized for absences which occur before they are registered for the course.

*The College shall post these dates for each term, and deadlines for courses shall be adjusted proportionally.

C. Audit

Audit status may be declared at the time of registration. Audit students must meet all course prerequisites and co-requisites, if applicable, or receive permission of instructor. Auditing a course means that the student enrolls and attends the class, but does not receive a grade or earn credit. Students who choose to audit will not be allowed to take the final exam. Mid-term and other coursework evaluation will be at the discretion of the instructor. The “AU” designation will be awarded in the case of satisfactory attendance, as determined by the instructor. A change from audit to credit status may not be made. Students may audit a course only one time.

D. Change to Audit Status

Students may elect to declare audit status instead of withdrawing. To declare audit status, the student must obtain the instructor’s approval on the “Change to Audit Status” form. The final day to declare audit status is four weeks prior to the last day of classes. The deadline for partial semester classes will be adjusted accordingly. Once approved for change to audit status, the requirements of rule III.C above apply.

E. Student Drops & Withdrawals

Students must drop courses prior to the start of the semester to receive a full refund. The last day to drop and remove a class from the official transcript is the end of the third week of the semester.* After the third week of the semester, drops are considered withdrawals and are recorded with a ‘W’ on the transcript. The last day to withdraw from a course is three weeks prior to the last day of classes. Click here to view the full Academic Calendar.

*The College shall post these dates for each term, and deadlines for courses shall be adjusted proportionally.

F. Non-Attendance

1. For students who never attended by the College’s defined census date*, faculty are required to assign an ‘NA’ (“Never Attended”) in classes where there is a face-to-face component. In face-to-face, hyflex, and hybrid classes, attendance is defined as being present for at least one meeting of the class. In online classes, attendance is defined as logging into the class at least once on or after the first day of the semester. In real-time remote online classes, attendance is defined as presence in at least one class meeting, which may include responding to roll call, or participating in a chat or discussion board. The NA will remove the student from the class.
2. Student appeals for reinstatement to a course after an ‘NA’ or ‘X’ has been assigned shall be adjudicated by the College’s Chief Academic Officer.

*The College shall post these dates for each term, and deadlines for courses shall be adjusted proportionally.

G. Notes on Drops, ‘W,’ ‘NA,’ and ‘X’

1. ‘W’ and ‘X’ do not carry quality points and will not be computed into the student’s grade point average. However, they will appear on the student’s transcript.
2. Drops, ‘W,’ ‘NA,’ and ‘X’ do not count as credit toward overall full-time or part-time load and may therefore affect a student’s associated benefits, which may include, but are not limited to, current and future financial aid, veteran’s eligibility, current student housing, health insurance eligibility, visa status, etc.
3. ‘W,’ ‘NA,’ and ‘X’ do not relieve students of their financial responsibility for tuition and fees.

IV. Academic Integrity

Current and prospective students at Onondaga Community College are expected to adhere to the values of intellectual and academic honesty and integrity. Violations of academic honesty will not be tolerated.

A. Definition*:

Academic dishonesty describes a wide range of behaviors; the following is offered as a working definition. Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to:

1. Cheating: Intentionally using unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any work submitted (e.g. using crib notes, copying another’s work during tests, or collaborating with others on out-of-class assignments without permission).
2. Fabrication: Intentionally falsifying or misrepresenting information derived from another source in an assignment (e.g., making up sources for the bibliography of a paper or faking the results of a laboratory assignment).
3. Plagiarism: Deliberately adopting or reproducing ideas, words, or statements of another person as one’s own without acknowledgement (e.g., paraphrasing or summarizing a source without acknowledgement, turning in a paper written by another person, buying a paper from a commercial source, failing to properly attribute quotations within a paper, or submitting the same paper for credit in more than one course without the instructor’s permission [self-plagiarism]).
4. Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: Intentionally helping another engage in academic dishonesty.
5. Misrepresentation: Providing false information to an instructor concerning an academic exercise (e.g., giving a false excuse for missing a test or deadline or falsely claiming to have submitted a paper).
6. Failure to Contribute: Taking credit for participation in a collaborative project while failing to do one’s fair share.
7. Sabotage: Preventing others from completing their work (e.g., disturbing someone’s lab experiment or removing materials from a reserved reading file so that others may not use them).

B. Examples of Activities Associated with Academic Dishonesty

1. Copying from another’s exam, test, or quiz.
2. Giving or receiving answers during an exam, test, or quiz.
3. Using written or electronic aids during an exam, test, or quiz when prohibited.
4. Reviewing current or previous copies of an instructor’s exam, test, or quiz.
5. Discussing the nature and/or content of an exam, test, or quiz with students who have not yet taken it.
6. Giving exam, test, or quiz questions to students in another class.
7. Copying materials without citing the original source.
8. Purchasing term papers, projects, etc. and turning them in as original work.
9. Writing papers for another student or hiring a ghostwriter.
10. Submitting the same term paper, project, etc. to another class without permission.
11. Padding entries on a bibliography.
12. Feigning illness to avoid an exam, test, quiz, etc.
13. Turning in a lab report without doing the experiment.
14. Collaborating on any course work unless instructions permit.
15. Submitting work for someone else, or another’s work as your own.
16. Engaging in bribery, blackmail, threats or harassment.
17. Altering or forging an official academic document.

Instructors may provide additional examples of activities more specific to their course and/or discipline.

* Adapted from: Bleeker, Karen C. To Be Honest: Championing Academic Integrity in Community Colleges. Washington, D.C.: American Association of Community Colleges, 2008. Used with the author’s permission.

C. Procedure:

When a faculty member wishes to impose a penalty for academic dishonesty, the faculty member initiates action by notifying the student(s), in writing, of the charges against them, the nature of the evidence supporting the charge, and of the penalties which apply. This notification should take place within one week of when the infraction is discovered. The faculty member must retain written documentation to substantiate the charges.

The student(s) may then, within one week, submit to the faculty member a written statement in their defense.

If the faculty member finds the student statement satisfactory, the charge is dropped and the matter is resolved.

If the student(s) offers no defense, or if the faculty member finds the student’s statement unsatisfactory, the faculty member imposes the penalty. A written report is then (no later than four weeks after discovery of the cheating/plagiarism) sent to:

1. The student(s)
2. The Department Chairperson
3. The Chief Academic Officer or designee
4. The Office of Registration and Records, if the penalty to be imposed is a failing grade for the course. In this case, the student will not be permitted to withdraw from the course in which the penalty is imposed.

If the Chief Academic Officer or designee finds the academic dishonesty to be a part of a pattern of repeated offenses or complicity on a larger scale, they may initiate further action.

D. Appeals:

If, within two weeks of being notified of the imposed penalty, the student(s) disputes the facts constituting the evidence of the infraction, an appeal may be filed. The appeal is filed with the Chairperson of the department offering the course in which the dishonesty is alleged. (If the Chairperson is also the faculty member making the charge of academic dishonesty, another faculty member shall be assigned the duties of coordinating this appeal process.) The Chairperson will appoint an ad hoc Appeal Board, consisting of three faculty members. The Appeal Board will schedule a hearing at which both the student(s) and the faculty member will be present. Both the student(s) and the faculty member may be assisted by an advocate of their choice, and may call additional witnesses. The Appeal Board will review the facts of the case and hear testimony from both parties and any additional witnesses. Following the hearing, the Appeal Board will deliberate in private and render a decision to either uphold or reject the appeal. The Appeal Board will complete its investigation promptly and communicate its decision, in writing, to the faculty member and the same persons listed in the above section within three days after the hearing. This appeal process is confidential, and is to be completed no later than the end of the semester following the semester in which the alleged cheating/plagiarism took place.

If either the student or the faculty member disputes the decision of the Appeal Board and has new evidence bearing on the case, they may submit an additional appeal to the Chief Academic Officer no later than one year after the alleged infraction took place. The decision of the Chief Academic Officer shall be considered final and binding on all parties.

Passed by the faculty in November 2009.

E. Class Recording Policy

Students are not permitted to record, modify, or distribute recordings of any course content without permission, including but not limited to lectures, laboratory participation, and classroom discussions. This is to ensure that all class participants can safely engage with the material without fear of having participation scrutinized. Of those participating in this class, only this course’s instructor may record and distribute recordings of classroom activities and only to share material with those students participating in this course. Students with appropriate accommodations may record, but may not distribute, course content.

V. Grading

A. Grading Policy

At the beginning of a course, the instructor informs the students of the criteria to be used in determining the final grade. Numerical or letter grades may be used during a course, but the final grade must be submitted in letter form. The instructor determines the appropriate final grade. A student whose achievement through mid-semester is C- or below may be given formal warning at the discretion of the instructor.

B. Grading System

A quality-point system will be used to determine academic standing:

A = 4.0
A- = 3.7
B+ = 3.3
B = 3.0
B- = 2.7
C+ = 2.3
C = 2.0
C- = 1.7
D+ = 1.3
D = 1.0
D- = 0.7
F = 0.0

For Nursing courses only:

Exceeds Mastery, EM = 4.0
Mastery+, M+ = 3.5
Mastery, M = 3.0
Mastery-, M- = 1.0
Non Mastery, NM = 0.0

Non-Credit Equivalent courses will be graded as follows (except Mathematics courses):

S = Satisfactory
U = Unsatisfactory

Mathematics Courses: All grades SA-SB indicate 80% or higher competency.

PTA Clinical Courses are taken Pass/Fail only, with grades of “CR” or “NC” assigned. Passed courses, with a grade of “CR” are not calculated in the GPA. Failed courses, with a grade of “F” are computed in both the semester and cumulative GPA.

The grades of SA, SA-, SB+, SB, S, U, CR, AU, W, UF, X, I, and IP (In Progress) do not carry quality points.

Pass/Unsatisfactory

Pass (P) grade 

For the entire semester of Spring 2020 only, the Pass (P) grade can be awarded in place of a grade that indicates performance of a D or higher. The P grade carries no quality points. A student may elect to use the P option for a course only after consultation with an academic advisor and either the program coordinator or school specialist. The deadline to elect Pass/Unsatisfactory was 6/19/2020. After this deadline, a student may complete a petition to waive the academic rule for a late Pass/Unsatisfactory request through fall 2020. Grades may not be changed after a student has graduated. 

Unsatisfactory (U*) grade 

For the entire semester of Spring 2020 only, a U* may be taken in place of an F. A U* carries no quality points and does not affect the student’s GPA. 

C. Grade Point Average (GPA)

The GPA is calculated by dividing the sum of the earned quality points by the sum of the attempted credit hours, except as modified elsewhere. Transfer credit is not computed in the index.

D. Repeated Courses

All grades and credits are recorded on the student’s transcript. If a course is repeated, only the highest grade is computed in the GPA and used for graduation requirements. Only courses repeated at Onondaga Community College will affect a student’s GPA. Once a student has graduated, their grades are part of their permanent record and cannot be changed.

The following conditions apply to the NUR, RPD*, SGT, and PTA programs:

1. A student is allowed to repeat a course with a program prefix only once.
2. Students who fail to receive a “C” or “M” for a repeated course lose matriculation status in that program
3. PTA students may repeat BIO 171   & BIO 172   only once.

E. Incompletes

In consultation with the student, the instructor may assign a grade of Incomplete “I”. An incomplete is assigned only when a student has completed most of the coursework. The instructor notifies the student that a grade of Incomplete is to be assigned. The reason for the incomplete and the plan for its removal will be specified through completion of the incomplete grade form to be maintained in the department. A student may not remove an Incomplete through unofficial participation in the major portion of any subsequent offering of the same course. Participation in the same course with another instructor is not valid for removal of an incomplete. Course requirements must be completed before the end of the next regular semester (fall or spring) or the “I” becomes an “F”. An instructor may extend this deadline for one additional regular semester through written notification to the Office of Registration and Records.

F. Class Standing

A class standing grade may be requested by a student in the event of serious illness or other extenuating circumstance which prevents completion of the course. The class standing grade can be awarded only after the instructor certifies completion of 75% of the required course content, and upon approval of the Department Chairperson. No class standing grade may be higher than a “C”, with a lower grade being recorded if the student has not earned a “C”. The student’s permanent record will indicate that the grade represents class standing

G. Grade Changes

After a grade is recorded by the Office of Registration and Records, a faculty member may request that the grade be changed. This request must be submitted to the Office of Registration and Records on an official Grade Change Form during the following semester. Grade changes for reasons other than computational or clerical error are subject to the approval of the Scholastic Standards Committee. Records of grade changes and the reason for the grade change must be kept in the department and Registration and Records. Grades may not be changed after a student has graduated.

VI. Grade Disputes

Members of the faculty will respect the right of any student to dispute a final grade. The student shall initiate a grade dispute procedure with the instructor no later than March 1st for fall grades and October 1st for spring and summer grades. Records of grade disputes must be kept in the Department and Registration and Records. In the absence of the instructor, the student may contact the instructor’s Department Chairperson. If the instructor is not available, the Department Chair will utilize the grades and records left on file by the instructor.

The following procedure is established to resolve grade disputes. While Stages 2 and 3 of this procedure are available to students in all such cases, it is assumed that most, if not all, grade disputes will be resolved at Stage 1. The original grade will not be adjusted downward at any stage of these proceedings.

A. Stage 1 - Instructor/Student Conference

1. A student disputing a final grade shall request a conference with his/her instructor and shall bring to that conference all exams, papers, assignments and other material pertinent to that discussion.
2. The instructor shall be prepared at this conference to explain the way in which the final grade was determined, and such explanation shall include, though not necessarily be limited to, the following:
   1. The instructor’s grading policy as it was previously presented to the class under the provisions of the Academic Rules, Sec. V. A.;
   2. Records that support the determination of the student’s final grade within the context of the instructor’s policy to the extent that they do not violate the privacy of other students in the class.
3. In the event that no resolution can be reached at this conference, the instructor shall refer the student to the Department Chairperson who shall inform the student of the rules governing Stage 2 and Stage 3 of this procedure. If the Chairperson is also the student’s instructor, that Chairperson shall refer the student to the Chief Academic Administrator who will appoint another department member to administer the completion of Stage 2 in the capacity of the Chairperson. If there are barriers to working with the instructor, the Chairperson will facilitate Stage 1; if no resolution occurs, the Chairperson will inform the student of the rules governing Stage 2 and Stage 3 of this procedure.

B. Stage 2 - Ad Hoc Faculty Committee

1. The student shall prepare a written statement of what is being challenged and why. This statement is to contain evidence supporting the student’s challenge other than simple dissatisfaction with a low grade. This statement shall be submitted to the instructor’s Department Chairperson no later than March 15th for fall grades and October 15th for spring and summer grades. The Chairperson may accept a statement submitted after that time if in his/her opinion there were extenuating circumstances.
2. The Chairperson will appoint an ad hoc committee to review the student’s challenge and the instructor’s response. In order to accommodate varying departmental circumstances, the exact membership of this committee may vary from department to department, but in all cases the following criteria shall apply:
   1. Three faculty members will serve on this committee, and one of them will be chosen chairperson by the committee. The ad hoc committee will be composed of members of the department unless the department is too small for this to be possible. In the case of small departments, non-department members will be asked to serve on this committee. The choice of non-department members will be made on the basis of their closeness to the discipline involved in the dispute. If that is not possible, faculty members who will be impartial third parties to the dispute will be selected to serve on the ad hoc committee.
   2. Both the student and instructor involved in the dispute should be present at the Stage 2 hearing. Both parties should present written statements to the committee chairperson at least one week prior to the scheduled hearing for review by the ad hoc committee, student and instructor.
   3. The student and/or instructor may each choose one member of the campus community to be an advocate to assist in the presentation of his/her case. An advocate is not a member of the committee.
   4. A committee member is appointed by the chair of the committee to record minutes of the proceedings.
3. While it is understood that the burden of proof rests with the student, the instructor shall make available to the committee those materials used in explaining the grade assignment to the student at Stage 1 (VI. A.).
4. The ad hoc committee may either reject the student’s appeal or recommend that the instructor change the grade. In either case, a written report containing the recommendation shall be given to the student, the instructor, and the Department Chairperson. If a grade change is recommended and the instructor declines, such refusal shall be explained in a written statement that must be given to the student, the ad hoc committee and the Department Chairperson.

C. Stage 3 - Final Appeal

An appeal of the Stage 2 decision is considered only if the student or instructor presents new information. The information must be presented to the Chief Academic Administrator who determines if a Stage 3 hearing is warranted. If a new hearing is warranted, the dispute proceeds to Stage 3 of this procedure. All documents used in Stage 2 are forwarded to the Chief Academic Administrator, who schedules a hearing with the student, instructor and advocates, if any. After hearing this case, the Chief Academic Administrator informs the student, instructor, and the committee of his/her decision in writing, and notifies the Office of Registration and Records if a grade change is to be made. The decision of the Chief Academic Administrator is final.

VII. Attendance

Experience demonstrates that regular attendance enhances academic success. Students are expected to attend each meeting of their registered courses, whether taught online or in the traditional classroom setting. Participation in classroom activities such as lectures, films, guest speakers, class discussions, labs, group activities, and online work contributes to student success in college level coursework. Attendance in an online course requires students to demonstrate an active and continued presence in the course through participation in assigned activities such as discussion posts, submissions, written assignments, and tests.

It is the student’s responsibility to inform the instructor of an anticipated absence ahead of time. Students are responsible for completing any missed work, as allowed by the instructor’s syllabus and/or course outline.

Earned grades must be based on demonstration of student learning outcomes and/or participation, not solely on attendance.

VIII. Academic Standing

The Office of Registration and Records reviews a student’s academic record when a student is matriculated into a degree program, has attempted 12 credit hours, and includes all coursework.

A. Good Academic Standing:

A matriculated student is in good academic standing when he/she meets the minimum satisfactory cumulative index described below.

B. Academic Probation:

A student whose cumulative index is unsatisfactory at the time of review will be placed on academic probation.

The Office of Registration and Records reviews a student’s academic record when a student is matriculated into a degree program, has attempted 12 credit hours, and includes all coursework.

NOTE: Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher to earn a degree from Onondaga Community College. A student on academic probation will be limited to 12-13 credits in order to support academic success. In addition, a student on academic probation may be required to meet with an academic advisor/counselor to develop an academic success plan.

C. Extended Probation:

A student on Academic Probation who subsequently attains a semester index of at least 2.0, but who still has an unsatisfactory cumulative index, will be granted extended probation. A student on Extended Probation who continues to attain at least a 2.0 semester index, but still has an unsatisfactory cumulative index, will remain on Extended Probation.

D. Academic Dismissal:

A student on academic probation who subsequently fails to achieve the required minimum cumulative index (see chart in VII.B) and does not meet the terms of extended probation will be subject to academic dismissal at the next review.

A student who is academically dismissed must remain out of the college for at least one semester (summer does not apply) and will then be allowed to apply for reinstatement. A student who is reinstated on probation after dismissal must achieve at least a 2.0 semester GPA in each subsequent semester in order to remain on probation until a cumulative index of 2.0 is achieved. A student who is dismissed a second time must  remain out of the college for one academic year. Reinstatement will follow the guidelines stipulated below.

E. Reinstatement:

The Academic Standing for all reinstated students is Academic Probation. All readmitted/reinstated students will be subject to catalog and program requirements in effect in the semester of the readmission or reinstatement.

NOTE: Reinstatement to matriculated status does not automatically reinstate eligibility for Financial Aid. Students must also meet any academic standing or academic progress requirements articulated by individual financial aid programs. Any questions regarding these policies should be directed to the Financial Aid office.

F. Academic Achievement:

Students who are matriculated in a credit degree/certificate program and complete twelve or more credit hours in a semester may, according to their grade point average (GPA), be recognized for academic achievement as follows:

Part-time students and non-matriculated students will be eligible for Provost’s List and President’s List based on their cumulative GPA after completing a minimum of 12 credit hours, and subsequently after each 12-credit hour increment.

IX. Degree/Certificate Requirements

A. Degree Requirements:

A candidate must fulfill the following requirements, except where exemptions or waivers are approved and recorded:

1. A student must be matriculated in a degree/certificate program and meet all program and credit hour requirements.  
2. Onondaga will automatically confer a degree or certificate upon the student’s completion of all program requirements.
3. The student must achieve at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
4. All grades of Incomplete (“I”) must be resolved before the degree/certificate is conferred.
5. All financial obligations to the College and other College requirements must be met.
6. At least twenty-four (24) of the academic credits for the degree/certificate must be completed at Onondaga Community College subject to specific program restrictions (Certificate programs will be calculated proportionally).
7. No more than 12 independent study credits may be taken at Onondaga Community College.

B. Graduation:

Degree/Certificate candidates are recommended for graduation by the Curriculum Proctor, the Scholastic Standards Committee, the Faculty, and the Board of Trustees. Applicants for graduation who fail to meet requirements are notified by the Office of Registration and Records.

C. Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Summa Cum Laude

Will be recognized at the commencement ceremony based on the cumulative GPA recorded for the semester prior to commencement. Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Summa Cum Laude will be designated on the diploma based on the student’s final cumulative GPA.

Cum Laude 3.4 - 3.59
Magna Cum Laude 3.6 - 3.79
Summa Cum Laude 3.8 - 4.0

D. Multiple Degrees/Certificates:

A student may earn more than one degree at Onondaga Community College, subject to the following restrictions: A minimum of 20 of the academic credits for any associates degree and ten academic credits for any certificate must be credits which have not been applied to any previously or concurrently awarded degree. A student may not earn more than one degree from any single Academic Program grouping.

X. Waivers and Substitutions

A. Waivers and Course Substitutions:

A program requirement may be waived or a course substitution may be granted pending review by the Office of Registration and Records and the approval of the Department Chair (or designee) of the student’s academic program, Academic Affairs, and the Scholastic Standards Committee. Students must still meet the necessary program requirements, including all program learning outcomes, for graduation. The total credit hours required for the specific program, as outlined in the curriculum, must still be met. SUNY Gen Ed requirements may not be waived or substituted. Click here for the full list of approved SUNY Gen Ed courses.

B. PEH Waivers:

A waiver from physical education requirements may be granted to a student who meets one of the following criteria:

1. 30 years of age or older at the time of first matriculation into the College;
2. A physician’s statement, which precludes the student’s participation in PEH, has been submitted. The Office of Registration and Records records the medical waiver on the student’s permanent record.

C. Proficiency Examinations:

All students may take a health proficiency examination. Students who receive a grade of 75% or higher are not required to pass a health course. Credit is not awarded for successful completion of the health proficiency examination.

XI. Transfer Credits and Experiential Learning

A. Transfer Credits:

Course work which has been satisfactorily completed with a grade of “C” or better at any regionally accredited college or university will be considered for credit. Transfer credit from institutions on a “quarter plan” or “trimester” system will be adjusted accordingly.

The application of transfer credits to a program is subject to department guidelines. After a student has been admitted, and submitted an official transcript or transcripts, a review of credits will be completed. Students will be notified in writing of the applicable credits to an Onondaga degree or certificate. These credits are not guaranteed to be accepted by other institutions.

B. Military Service Credit:

A veteran or soldier on active duty who submits a Joint Services Transcript (JST) or DD214, indicating at least six months of active duty, will be awarded any applicable transfer credit, including physical education, for the program in which the student is enrolled.

C. Credit by Examination/Evaluation:

Credit by examination or evaluation may be granted at the discretion of individual departments.

XII. Changes to the Academic Record

In unusual or extenuating circumstances, the Scholastic Standards committee will consider exceptions to these rules. Petition forms are available at Student Central. A student who requests changes to the academic record must present evidence of extenuating circumstances supporting the change. All changes must be finalized before the student graduates. Once a student graduates, their grades are part of their permanent record, and cannot be changed.