Academics Policies and Procedures

Chargebacks and Cooperative Agreements

Incoming From Other Colleges

Residents of another Illinois community college district that does not offer a program of study available at Joliet Junior College should apply for a chargeback or cooperative agreement at their local community college. The chargeback application must be made at least 30 days before the beginning of the term. If the chargeback application is approved by the home district, the student will be responsible for paying only the in-district tuition rate to attend JJC. The in-district rate of tuition shall apply only to coursework for currently approved programs of study between cooperating colleges and those providing chargeback agreements. Students who change to programs of study outside these existing agreements will be billed at the out-of-district rate of tuition for all coursework.

Outgoing To Other Colleges

The college has arranged cooperative agreements with neighboring community colleges to provide opportunities for students to enroll in programs not offered at JJC at the in-district tuition rates of the attending college. Under the provisions of these cooperative agreements, students may not be approved to attend a college for a program of study where a cooperative agreement has not been arranged.

Joliet Junior College is part of a consortium of community colleges that has overall cooperative agreements for any program that the home community college does not offer. If a program is offered at any of these cooperative colleges, a student will not be authorized to attend a non-cooperating community college under a chargeback. The following colleges are a part of this consortium:

Black Hawk College, Dist. 503
Carl Sandburg College, Dist. 518
Danville Area Community College, Dist. 507
Elgin Community College, Dist. 509
Heartland Community College, Dist. 540
Highland Community College, Dist. 519
Illinois Central College, Dist. 514
Illinois Valley Community College, Dist. 513
John Wood Community College, Dist. 539
Joliet Junior College, Dist. 525
Kankakee Community College, Dist. 520
Kaskaskia College, Dist. 501
Kishwaukee College, Dist. 523
Lake Land College, Dist. 517
Lewis and Clark Community College, Dist. 536
Lincoln Land Community College, Dist. 526
McHenry County College, Dist. 528
Moraine Valley Community College, Dist. 520
Morton College, Dist. 527
Prairie State College, Dist. 515
Richland Community College, Dist. 537
Rock Valley College, Dist. 511
Sauk Valley Community College, Dist. 506
South Suburban College, Dist. 510
Southwestern Illinois College, Dist. 522
Spool River College, Dist. 534
Waubonsee Community College, Dist. 516

Lists of the most common cooperative agreements from other community colleges not in this consortium can be found on the Joliet Junior College Web site. Interested students can find the chargeback/cooperative agreement request form on the JJC Web site as well.

Distance is not considered the basis for approving chargebacks/cooperative agreements. If a program is offered anywhere within District 525, it is judged to be available. The time of day, the day of the week, or the particular semester or term of offering, the program or its component parts are not considered as factors affecting approval.

A student working a minimum of 35 hours in the community college district in which he/she would like to attend may be treated as an in-district student. A letter from the employer may be required. As this may vary in each college district, contact the admissions office of the attending college to determine eligibility.

All requests for permission to attend another community college under a chargeback or cooperative agreement should be made at least 30 days prior to the required registration date. No chargeback/cooperative agreement will be approved retroactively.

For more information about outgoing chargebacks and/or cooperative agreements, contact the Academic Affairs Office at (815) 280-6629.

Grades

Grades are available to students at the end of each semester and are entered on their permanent record. Final grade reports are available online through eResources. Quality points are numerical values that indicate the scholarship level of a letter grade and are accumulated on the basis of the course credits earned. Quality points for each credit hour of the following grades are:

Grade Points

Semester grade point averages (GPA) are computed by multiplying the number of credits earned in a subject, times the number of points the letter grade is worth. For example, an A in English 101, which carries three credits, equals 12 quality points (A = four points); a B would result in nine quality points, etc. To determine the GPA, add all the quality points together and divide by the number of credits attempted. If a student has a total of 44 quality points and attempted 14 credit hours, his/her GPA would be 3.14. Grades are issued at the end of the semester and are entered on the student’s permanent record.

Audit

A student who wishes to attend a class as an auditor may do so by registering for the class and designating the enrollment as “audit” at the time of registration. Enrollment as an auditor is permitted only after all enrollment of credit has been honored. Full tuition and fees are assessed for auditing. No grade will be assigned, but the course designated as an audit (L) will appear on the student’s permanent record.

A student may change the course from an audit to grade-awarded credit at any time prior to and up to the course midterm date if the following criteria are met:

• The student will have complied with attendance, class participation, and all other syllabus requirements of the course;
• The student has completed all assignments, quizzes, exams, and designated coursework at the times required by the instructor;
• The student presents an instructor-signed add/drop slip to the Registration and Records Office prior to the course midterm changing from audit to credit (the form also will require the signature of the registrar; and
• The student understands that the course cannot be changed back to audit at any time.

Repeating Courses

When a course is repeated, the grade given at the end of the repeated course becomes the official grade. Both grades will remain on the permanent record, but the second grade is used to compute the GPA. Students are cautioned that some senior colleges/universities average the two grades upon transfer.

Incomplete Grade

An incomplete (I) grade may be given to a student who because of illness or other unique circumstances has not been able to complete a course in the prescribed amount of time. A student receiving an I grade from an instructor will have eight weeks into the following semester (excluding summer) to complete the work. For students receiving financial aid the I grade will be temporarily calculated as an F grade until a final grade is assigned. For students who are not receiving financial aid, the I grade will not be calculated in to the grade point average until a final grade is assigned. If the work is not completed within eight weeks from the assignment of the I grade, the I grade will be changed to an F with the understanding that the instructor has the option of issuing a change of grade at a later date.

A student who requests to complete the coursework must do the following:

1. Assume the responsibility of contacting the instructor. If the instructor grants the request, upon completion of the coursework, the instructor will process a grade change through the Registration and Records Office.
2. If unable to locate the instructor, the student must contact the appropriate department chair.
3. In the event the department chair and student cannot resolve the matter, the department chair will refer the student to the Final Course Review Committee, which will have 30 days in which to reach a decision. That decision shall be final and binding to all parties.
4. Granting a request for additional time beyond the eight weeks is at the discretion of the instructor.

Time Extended Grades

Time extended (TE) grades may be given in selected self-paced courses to students who will require more than three weeks to complete the course requirements following the assignment of the grade. Such students will be expected to re-enroll and pay tuition for the course which they are seeking to complete. Normally, re-enrollment to remove the TE grade should be in the semester immediately following the assignment of the grade; however, this is at the discretion of the department. Students are encouraged to consult with their instructor for a definite decision. Records of a student’s performance will be kept for two years to facilitate re-enrollment of students who receive TE grades. The TE will remain on the student’s transcript.

Academic Standards of Progress Procedure

The JJC Academic Standards of Progress procedure is designed to help students clearly understand what constitutes good academic standing and academic progress, while offering assistance in setting appropriate academic goals and connecting students with resources to help them achieve academic success.

Academic Standing Categories:
Students who fall below good academic standing will be identified into progressive categories as follows:

Category 1: Academic Caution
Category 2: Academic Probation
Category 3: Academic Suspension
Category 4: Academic Dismissal

Grade point average requirements for academic standing categories:

The interventions prescribed must result in academic progress demonstrated by improved GPA. In some cases and at the discretion of a counselor or academic program adviser, the summer semester can be utilized to demonstrate academic progress.

Academic Standards Appeal Process:

Students who have been placed on probation, suspended, or dismissed for not meeting the appropriate grade point average requirements may appeal to the Academic Standards of Progress Appeal Committee.

The appeal committee shall review appeal requests on a case-by-case basis and determine if a meeting with the student is warranted. Students who choose to appeal must submit documentation to support extenuating circumstances that resulted in failure to meet the appropriate grade point average requirement. Examples of extenuating circumstances include: death in the family, prolonged hospitalization or serious illness, and personal crisis (such as divorce or illness of family members).

By the end of the third week following the issuance of the probation, suspension or dismissal notification letters, the student must complete and submit an academic standards appeal form and include appropriate documentation of reason for appeal. The registrar will serve as the committee facilitator to coordinate paperwork and committee meeting schedules. The appeal committee will review the appeal form within 30 days from the issuance of the notification letters. The committee may ask the student to attend a hearing.

The decision of the appeal committee is final.

For more information on the Academic Standards of Progress, visit www.jjc.edu/info/standards-progress.

Student Grade Appeal Procedure

The student has a right to a final course grade review if he/she feels the instructor’s criteria for determining the final course grade has not been fairly or accurately applied in the calculation of the final course grade.

Students should use the following procedure:

Step 1: The appeals procedure mandates that the student shall consult with the instructor if there is a question concerning the calculation of a final course grade given by the instructor. If the instructor is unavailable within a three-week period, the student may pursue the appeal unilaterally by contacting the department chair (see Step 2).

Step 2: The appeals process allows that by the end of the third week following the issuance of the grade in question, the student shall contact the responsible academic department chair and present to them a written statement requesting appeal, including the reasons or basis for the appeal. If the department chair is unavailable, the student should contact the vice president for academic affairs who will be responsible for notifying the department chair.

Upon receipt of the written statement, the department chair shall schedule and conduct a meeting with the student, the instructor and the vice president or his/her designee. At the meeting:

1. the student shall set forth his/her contentions;
2. the instructor shall have an opportunity to answer the concerns presented by the student; and
3. the student and instructor shall be excused and the department chair and the vice president shall consult and shall, within five school days, make a written recommendation to the instructor. If all three parties (instructor, department chair and vice president) concur in the recommendation, the appeal procedure is exhausted and the grade will stand or be changed as recommended.

Step 3: In the event that an agreement is not reached following the procedures in Step 2, the matter will be referred immediately to a committee composed of five full-time faculty members to be elected by the faculty at the first fall faculty meeting.

The faculty committee shall schedule a hearing to be conducted in the same manner as the meeting described in Step 2. The decision of the committee shall be made by majority vote within 30 days after the hearing. The decision of the committee shall be final and binding to all parties.

Academic Achievement

Honor Rolls

Lists of those full- and part-time students recognized for their academic achievement will be published following the end of each semester. The list can be found at www.jjc.edu/info/honor-roll. Following are the varying levels of achievement and recognition:

• The Roll Of Excellence - Recognizes full- and part-time students who attain the highest level of excellence in their academic studies by completing six or more credit hours during the semester and earning a semester GPA of 3.75-4.0.
• The Roll Of Honor - Recognizes full- and part-time students who achieve superior grades in their studies by completing six or more credit hours during the semester and earning a semester GPA of 3.50-3.74.
• The Roll Of Merit- Recognizes full- and part-time students who achieve above average grades in their studies by completing six or more credit hours during the semester and earning a semester GPA of 3.0-3.49.

Honors Program

Honors Program

The Honors Program is designed to intellectually stimulate and challenge students striving for the utmost in their college education. As members of this community of scholars, honors students actively participate in courses designated for honors students; honors colloquia (activity/discussion sessions); the Honors Students Advisory Committee; and honors forums (lecture/discussion sessions led by honors students and faculty). Honors students will receive the assistance of the honors program director throughout their academic careers and if they satisfy all program and college requirements will be recognized for their achievements on their transcripts and at graduation. For more information, contact the honors program director at (815) 280-2643 or at honors@jjc.edu.

Honor Societies

National honor societies are clubs that recognize special achievement and/or accomplishments within a particular program of study.

Alpha Beta Gamma

Alpha Beta Gamma® International Business Honor Society is the sole business honor society for accredited junior, community, and technical two-year colleges. The society exists to encourage scholarship among two-year college students in business curricula and recognize and reward academic excellence among business honor students.

Alpha Mu Gamma

The national honor society for French and German languages for two-year colleges recognizes students who attain excellence in the study of French or German and in the knowledge of the literature and culture of the people. The purpose of this society shall be to recognize achievement in the field of foreign-language study; to stimulate a desire for linguistic attainment; to encourage a continuing interest in the study of foreign languages, literature and civilization; and to foster sympathetic understanding of other people and international friendship.

Delta Psi Omega

Delta Psi Omega is the national collegiate honor society for those in drama and theater. The Joliet Junior College chapter has been chartered since 1973.

Phi Rho Pi

Phi Rho Pi, the national honor society for speech competitors in two-year colleges, recognizes and honors outstanding student achievement in forensic activities. The society provides opportunities for outstanding forensic students to compete in regional and national tournaments.

Phi Theta Kappa

Phi Theta Kappa, is the national honor society of two year colleges. The PTK mission is to recognize and encourage academic achievement. To be eligible for membership, students must have completed 12 hours of course work that may be applied to an associate degree and have a grade point average of 3.5. Eligible students will receive an invitation to join PTK from the Alpha Lambda Phi Chapter. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.jjc.edu/info/ptk.

Sigma Delta Mu

Sigma Delta Mu, the national honor society for Hispanic students for two-year colleges, recognizes students who attain excellence in the study of Spanish and in the knowledge of the literature and culture of Spanish-speaking peoples.

International Studies/Study Abroad

In the college’s efforts to provide students with the necessary skills for the 21st century workplace, there are many courses that have been developed or modified to include international perspectives and cross-cultural awareness. These courses are identified in the catalog with an asterisk preceding the course title and/or with the IS (International Studies) designation.

Students interested in highlighting their academic interest in international/global studies can register for classes with the IS designation. Check the class schedule under “Global Studies Concentration” for a list of these courses.

Study abroad opportunities are offered through the college’s membership in the Illinois Consortium for International Studies and Programs and all credit is granted through the college. Currently, semester study abroad programs are offered in Austria, China, England, Ireland and Spain; summer programs are offered in Australia, Austria, Costa Rica, France, Morocco and Spain. To be eligible, students must have completed at least 12 hours of college credit courses, including English 101 and must have a minimum GPA of 2.75. For those who qualify, some scholarship funding is available through the JJC Foundation and through ICISP. Financial aid support might also apply.

For more information about any of these programs, please contact the international education coordinator (consult www.jjc.edu for information).

Credit Without Attending Formal Classes

In all cases of credit without attending formal classes (except for independent study), a maximum of 30 credits may be awarded.

Advanced Placement

Advanced placement can be attained by taking examinations in the Advanced Placement program sponsored by the College Board. The results of these tests form the basis for awarding college credit to those students who have passed one or more tests with satisfactory grades. Students who have taken these examinations should request that their official scores be sent to the academic credentials analyst in the Registration and Records Office.

CLEP

The College Level Examination Program* can be used by students to earn credit by examination toward general education at JJC. The following guidelines apply:

There are five general examinations (English with essay-following departmental review, humanities, mathematics, natural sciences and social sciences-history) for which students may be awarded up to six semester hours of credit in each area passed. Credit also may be awarded in certain specific courses pending attainment of the minimum score required.

*The CLEP tests are administered through the Academic Skills Center at the Main Campus only. For more information, contact the ASC at (815) 280-2261, visit www.jjc.edu/info/clep or go to www.collegeboard.com/clep.

Students who have taken these examinations should request that their official scores be sent to the academic credentials analyst in the Registration and Records Office.

Direct Evaluation of Credentials

In some cases, the college will award course credit for relevant credentials, licenses, or certifications. It is recommended that interested students contact the appropriate academic department chairperson for additional information. A credit evaluation form must be forwarded to the academic credentials analyst in the Registration and Records Office.

Military Service

Credit for four semester hours of physical education and three semester hours of BIO 103 - Health  is awarded for military service experience to former members of any of the branches of the armed services who served honorably on active duty for one year or more upon submission of a copy of DD Form 214 (or other evidence of honorable discharge) to the office of Financial Aid/Veterans Affairs. Members of the armed services still on active duty will be given credit subject to verification of the completion of one tour of duty. Veterans who have been discharged for medical reasons will be evaluated on an individual basis.

A former member of the armed services also may receive credit for college level general or subject matter tests taken under the jurisdiction of the United States Armed Forces Institute. An official copy of the test scores and ratings must be submitted to the academic credentials analyst in the Registration and Records Office. As many as six semester hours of credit may be awarded for each general test (English, humanities, natural sciences, mathematics and social science) in equated college-level courses. Credit may be awarded for each subject matter test as equated to a corresponding college-level course.

Joliet Junior College participates fully in SOCAD. Military service members coming to JJC via this program should consult with the registrar.

Military schooling experience will be evaluated by the academic credentials analyst in the Registration and Records Office and equated with equivalent college courses. A proficiency examination may be required by an academic dean to determine if knowledge or skills are sufficient to award credit.

Proficiency Examination

Proficiency examinations for advanced standing are offered in some course areas of the college. They may be taken only by students currently enrolled at Joliet Junior College.

The examinees must show that they are eligible to take the examination because they have knowledge or experience which justifies some expectation of proficiency. Approval must be obtained by the department chair. In some cases, the approval of the appropriate dean may be required. In no case may a student take a proficiency examination subsequent to participating in a course for which the proficiency examination is requested except upon recommendation of the instructor during the first two weeks of the class.

Applications for proficiency examinations may be obtained from the appropriate department chair. There is a nominal fee for each examination.

Independent Study

Independent study is designed to allow students to pursue, for credit, subject areas of interest outside of the existing college course structure. In certain instances, independent study may be used to complete the requirements for a regularly offered course. A maximum of four credit hours of course work with an INDS 199 prefix can be applied to a degree/certificate. Self-Instructional Language Program courses may not be taken as independent study.

Graduation

Graduation Requirements

The student has the ultimate responsibility to fulfill the requirements for the degree he/she is pursuing, to check eligibility, to take courses, and to abide by the academic rules governing the program. The adviser/counselor’s role is to assist the student in making important decisions. Students should check with their adviser/counselor to ensure all graduation requirements have been met.

The requirements for graduation at Joliet Junior College are those specified in the official college catalog at the time a student enrolls. Unless a student interrupts his/her enrollment for more than three consecutive years, he/she may elect to abide by the graduation requirements specified in any later catalog. If the student does interrupt his/her enrollment by more than three years, he/she will be subject to the requirements stated in the current catalog at the time of initial re-enrollment. Again, a student may elect to abide by the graduation requirements set forth in any subsequent catalog.

To be awarded an associate degree at Joliet Junior College, each student must meet the following requirements:

1. Satisfy all admission requirements.
2. Complete the courses required to earn the chosen degree, including the completion of a minimum of 64 semester hours of credit. Students who are transferring in course credits from other colleges and universities must complete a minimum of 64 semester hours of credit, of which either the last 15 semester hours or a total of 30 semester hours is applicable towards the degree and must be earned within a two year period upon enrolling at JJC. Proficiency test, CLEP and Advanced Placement does not meet the academic residency requirement.
3. Earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0.
4. Discharge all financial obligations to the college; have no restrictions.
5. File an application for graduation. (An application should be filed at the time of registration for the semester in which the degree requirements will be completed; students must be enrolled in their final semester of coursework to apply for graduation.)
6. Have on file in the Graduation Office by the graduation filing date all transcripts from other colleges/universities that are to be evaluated for credit, to be applied toward a degree. A delay in the process may result in a later graduation date.

To be awarded a certificate of achievement or a certificate of completion at Joliet Junior College, each student must meet the following requirements:

1. Satisfy all admission requirements.
2. Complete a minimum of 4-29 hours (certificate of completion) or 30-50 hours (certificate of achievement). If the student is a transfer student with course work taken elsewhere he/she must complete a minimum of 64 semester hours of credit, of which either the last 15 semester hours or a total of 30 semester hours is applicable towards the degree and must be earned within a two-year period upon enrolling at JJC. Proficiency test, CLEP and Advanced Placement does not meet the academic residency requirement.
3. Earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in the area of concentration.
4. Discharge all financial obligations to the college; have no restrictions.
5. File an application for graduation. (An application should be filed at the time of registration for the semester in which the certificate requirements will be completed; students must be enrolled in their final semester of coursework to apply for graduation.)
6. Have on file in the Graduation Office by the graduation filing date all transcripts from other colleges/universities that are to be evaluated for credit, to be applied toward a certificate. A delay in the process may result in a later graduation date.

Commencement Ceremony

Graduation exercises are held once a year in May. Students who are graduating in May 2011 will participate in the ceremony, along with those who qualified to graduate in December 2010. Students may also participate who have applied for and been tentatively approved for graduation in August 2011. The college reserves the right to hold an additional ceremony in December. Students may contact the Graduation Office at (815) 280-2459 for commencement information. There is a cap and gown fee. An additional charge will be assessed by the vendor for those persons who do not meet the required deadline for ordering caps and gowns.

Scholastic Review

The opportunity for scholastic review will be afforded to those students who want to complete an application for graduation, but whose grade point average is below the minimum required to receive a degree. Such students shall be eligible to submit an application to the Registrar (J-1030) requesting review of their scholastic records. For graduation purposes, this review allows courses that are not required for the degree or certificate sought to be excluded from the calculation of the grade point average. The scholastic review application should be submitted by an adviser/counselor simultaneously with registering for classes and applying for graduation. Courses excluded for this purpose remain on the official transcript and are calculated in the overall grade point average earned at Joliet Junior College.