STEPS to ENROLL     |     APPLY NOW     |     REGISTER for COURSES     |     MyMERCER     |    
 

Academic Policies

 

Academic Integrity

Students are required to perform all the work specified by the faculty and are responsible for the content and integrity of all academic work submitted, such as papers, reports, and examinations. A student will be guilty of violating the Rule of Academic Integrity if he or she:

More information about


Withdrawal From Courses

To receive a W grade for any course, a student should consult with the course instructor or an appropriate division representative and then withdraw officially before two-thirds of the course has been completed by submitting a withdrawal form to the Enrollment Services office. Withdrawal after this point results in a grade other than W (usually F) unless the registrar determines that the student was unable to continue due to extraordinary circumstances beyond the student’s control. For such situations students should utilize the Administrative Withdrawal request option in the next section below.

At any time before two-thirds of the course has been completed, the instructor may also withdraw, with a WI grade, any student who has been absent excessively. A student withdrawn by the instructor for excessive absence will not be entitled to any refund of tuition or fees. The student may appeal this action.

It is the responsibility of students sponsored or receiving financial aid to report any change of status (e.g., full-time to part-time) to the sponsoring agency. The college has the same responsibility. Some agencies adjust the amount of benefits; others may cancel the benefits entirely.

Withdrawal from a course does not necessarily release the student from any academic integrity violation consequences.

Students are responsible for filling out the form accurately. Once processed, all withdrawals are final and cannot be undone.

 Course Withdrawal Form


Administrative Withdrawal

Students may petition for an Administrative Withdrawal due to a serious documented extenuating circumstance that prohibits continue enrollment in all courses for the term. Petitions must be submitted no later than 180 days from the end of the semester.

The Registrar’s Office will review the petition upon receipt of all the necessary supporting documentation. Students will be notified of the final decision by email within 30 days after submission of a complete petition.

Submission of a petition does not equate to an automatic approval for grade adjustment or refund issuance. A WA grade is posted for all courses in a term for approved petitions. This may affect a student’s financial aid and result in a financial obligation. All tuition refunds/credit related questions must be addressed to the Bursar and Financial Aid offices.

Requests may be rejected for any of (but not limited to) the following reasons:

Students may submit an Administrative Withdrawal petition using the form below:

 Administrative Withdrawal Form


Repeating Courses

Students may repeat courses. The most recent grade is the student's official grade for the course unless the grade is S, NC, X, W, WI, or WA. Only the most recent grade will be used in QPA calculations, although any prior grade will also appear on the transcript. A student who wishes to take a course for the third (or more) time is required to obtain formal, written approval from the appropriate division dean unless otherwise specified.


Graduation

Commencement ceremonies take place in May each year. January, May, or August graduates may attend the May ceremony.

Cap and gown measurements are taken in the Book Store in April until May.


Outstanding Scholastic Achievement

Honors Convocation

Students are eligible for achievement awards in academic disciplines and programs. These are presented at an annual Honors Convocation held on Commencement Day in May.

Graduation Honors

A candidate for graduation who earns a cumulative Quality Point Average as indicated in the table below graduates with the designated honors citation, which is noted on the graduate's degree.

Quality Point Average Graduates With
3.50-3.79 Honors
3.80-3.89 High Honors
3.90-4.00 Highest Honors

Academic Honor Lists

The President's Honor List and the Dean's Honor List are compiled each semester to recognize outstanding and superior scholastic achievement.

Full-time students (12 credits or more) are considered for academic honors at the end of each fall and spring semester.

To qualify for the President's Honor List, a student must have a 4.00 average.
To qualify for the Dean's Honor List, a student must have a 3.2 quality point average or better, and no grades of D, F, or NC.

Honorary Societies

Phi Theta Kappa, the national honorary scholastic fraternity founded in 1918 for community and junior colleges, has established the Alpha Theta Gamma chapter at Mercer County Community College. Students who meet strict academic requirements and are inducted into Phi Theta Kappa have opportunities for leadership, service, and fellowship.

Also at Mercer is a chapter of Psi Beta, the national honor society that recognizes students who have achieved excellence in the study of psychology. Alpha Mu Gamma, the national society for foreign languages, has established the Kappa Iota chapter at Mercer.