Academic Information

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Absences

Students are expected to attend all sessions of courses for which they are enrolled. Absences do not excuse students from meeting course requirements. Students who have a record of zero attendance for fourteen calendar days will be administratively withdrawn from the course(s) the absence is occurring, resulting in a grade of “W” for the course. Students who receive Financial Aid may have their financial aid status affected. There will be no tuition refunds for a student who receives a grade of “W” for non-attendance. 

Academic Activity

For students to receive federal financial aid, students must have academic activity. If academic activity isn’t confirmed in each class, federal financial aid will be cancelled or reduced based on the classes where academic activity is confirmed.

The United States Department of Education defines Academic Activity as:

• Physical attendance where there is direct interaction between the instructor and student;
• Completion and submission of an academic assignment, quiz, or exam;
• Participation in a study group as assigned by the instructor;
• Participation in an online discussion;
• Initiated contact with the instructor pertaining to an academic course.

Academic Activity is NOT:

• Logging into an online class or myTech;
• Meeting with an academic or student success advisor.

Academic Warning

All students accepted into a program of study who have taken 12 or more credits and have not maintained a 2.0 cumulative grade point average will be placed on academic warning. Academic warning is an indication that the student is performing below accepted levels established by the school and industry. Any student placed on academic warning will have one semester to raise their performance. Failure to achieve a 2.0 cumulative grade point average or to make satisfactory progress toward a 2.0 cumulative grade point average may result in termination from the student’s program or the college. See also Financial Aid Warning, Probation, and Suspension rules.   

Attendance policy at Southeast Tech

ADMINISTRATIVE WITHDRAW FOR NON-ATTENDANCE 

All students who have a record of zero (0) attendance for fourteen (14) consecutive calendar days (seven consecutive calendar days for courses lasting less than 16 weeks) will be administratively withdrawn from the course(s) the absence is occurring.  Upon administrative withdrawal, all current course grades will be changed to an “AW” – Attendance Withdraw (this is a non-punitive grade).  Students will be notified of their administrative withdraw via U.S. mail and email at the addresses on file.  Students receiving a grade of “AW” are not entitled to a refund of tuition and fees.  

Southeast Tech will contact (through U.S. mail and email) any student who begins attendance in a course but has no attendance recorded for seven consecutive calendar days (3 consecutive calendar days for courses lasting less than 16 weeks) to determine the student’s intentions. If the student did attend during the week referenced in the alert, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor immediately to change the attendance record.  Students who continue being absent in their course(s) are encouraged to withdraw themselves at the earliest opportunity.  A student-initiated withdraw versus being administratively withdrawn may have less severe financial and academic consequences. 

Students who receive financial aid may have their financial aid status affected.  Students should contact the Financial Aid Office as soon as possible to be advised on their Satisfactory Academic Progress status, future eligibility, and federal student loan repayment options, as applicable.  Students who receive third-party funding, including VA funding, need to contact that agency for details. 

Students who plan to return to Southeast Tech in the future must complete an academic success plan. 

ATTENDANCE 

Students are expected to attend all sessions of courses for which they are enrolled.  Absences do not excuse the student from meeting course requirements.  Each instructor will provide policies concerning course attendance and the ability to make up missed work on their course syllabus or in the Health Handbook. It is the responsibility of the student to know and understand the attendance requirements and make-up policies for each course. 

Students who are subpoenaed to testify in court (in a case in which they are not a party) or summoned to serve on a jury panel are asked to speak to their instructors about meeting course requirements for the time they are expected to be in court.  Students with military orders are expected to submit their orders to the Registrar’s Office when they are received and speak with each of their instructors to determine their enrollment eligibility. 

A student who does not attend class the first week of a term will be considered a “No-Show”.  This procedure applies to all traditional (face-to-face) and hybrid courses and includes participation in online courses. 

APPEAL 

If an Administrative Withdrawal for Non-Attendance (AW) is not the result of an error in attendance records, students may appeal the withdrawal if extenuating circumstances prevented them from attending all courses in which they were enrolled.  Extenuating circumstances mean the development of unforeseen, unexpected circumstances beyond a student’s control.  Examples of extenuating circumstances include serious illness, death in the immediate family, a significant change in the location and conditions of employment, or an unexpected call to active military duty.  The mere inconvenience or discomfort with the academic workload, minor schedule changes in employment, connectivity issues, etc. do not meet the definition of extenuating circumstances. 

An Appeal of Administrative Withdrawal for Non-Attendance will be submitted to the Vice President of Academics by the student.  The Vice President of Academics will review submitted appeals and has the authority to approve an appeal.  The likelihood of passing the course(s) if re-enrolled in the course(s) will be considered in the review of the appeal.   

Advisory Committees

Advisory Committees from business and industry represent a strong partnership Southeast Tech enjoys with regional business leaders and the Sioux Falls community. These committees are typically comprised of six to twelve representatives who meet a minimum of twice a year with program instructors and administration to discuss current job market trends, recent developments in industry, task competencies for courses, equipment selection, and student performance. As resource persons, these committee members provide the most direct and up-to-date index of the marketplace. Committee members also serve as classroom speakers and judges for student organizations. In addition, advisory members facilitate the assessment process by functioning as external panels/readers. This education/business partnership ensures the validity of task competencies and measures the effectiveness of the college’s mission.

Cancellation of Classes

Southeast Tech reserves the right to cancel any scheduled class and also to combine class sections due to insufficient enrollment. In the event of a class cancellation for the semester, refunds will be issued.

Challenging a Grade

A student who believes he or she has received an inaccurate grade must immediately notify the Registrar’s Office of a discrepancy. (A challenge to a grade must take place within one calendar year of grade issuance. A grade cannot be contested after one year has passed.)

A student may challenge a grade based on two criteria:

• Clerical or administrative error
• The instructor assigned the grade in a manner inconsistent with the criteria stated in the course syllabus

If the grade is found not to be a clerical error, the student must schedule a meeting with the faculty member to attempt to resolve the grade dispute. If the student is not satisfied with the disposition of his or her grade appeal, the student has the option to request a review of the grade by the Dean of Curriculum and Instruction.

Credit Hour Definition

Southeast Tech defines a traditional credit hour over a 16-week semester to be one 50-minute period per week for a lecture credit hour and a minimum of two 50-minute periods per week for a lab credit hour, with an expectation of two to three hours of outside work performed by the student for each credit hour. Southeast Tech defines the expected student learning outcomes for each course through its course syllabi. Achievement of these learning outcomes is verified through various assessments – tests, quizzes, portfolios, assignments, etc.

For alternate delivery formats, including online, hybrid and accelerated courses where traditional in-class hours are reduced, the expected learning outcomes of the students are equivalent to the expected learning outcomes of the traditional credit hour courses. Student expectations for outside work, however, increase to include the reduced in-class hours of lecture and/or lab hours associated with the course. Achievement of the learning outcomes is verified through various assessments – tests, quizzes, portfolios, assignments, chats, videos, etc. Students have equivalent access to courses, course information, instructors, etc. through the Southeast Tech LMS system.

Southeast Tech assures that all courses, regardless of delivery method, provide the same level of instruction through the following:

• Professional development of faculty regarding alternative delivery formats
• Curriculum review process and Curriculum Committee approval, including alternative delivery formats
• Development of Southeast Tech courses by Southeast Tech faculty
• Review of courses by Southeast Tech academic administrators
• Student evaluation of courses
• Faculty evaluations by academic administrators
• Supervision of and assurance by the Vice President of Academics that the credit hour requirements are followed appropriately

Grade Changes

No grade changes are allowed after one year of the semester the course was taken.

Grading System

Students will be graded for each course. Grades will be issued at the end of each semester and placed on the student’s transcript. If an incomplete (“I”) is received for the reporting period, all work must be made up within four weeks or the “I” will automatically become an “F” grade.

Definition of letter and points assigned are as follows:

*Grades cannot be provided to any student or any third party over the phone.

Hybrid/Accelerated/Late Start/Online Classes

Besides traditional in-class courses that require student attendance on campus for the full semester of the course, Southeast Tech also offers various courses using the following structures:

Hybrid: A combination of meetings with the instructor and “on your own” assignments and reading. Classroom meeting time is reduced but still required, requiring students to complete more work outside of class. In addition, interaction via electronic means such as email and the myTech LMS is utilized.

Accelerated Learning:  The pace of the class is accelerated, requiring class work to be completed in fewer weeks. Both instructor/class interaction and interaction via the myTech LMS and/or email is used.

Online: No in-person class meetings are held. Tests could be proctored per instructor choice. Learning may be over the entire semester or accelerated. Interaction between instructor and students and between students takes place via electronic means such as email and the myTech LMS.

Students must be self-motivated and have a computer at home with a broadband Internet connection to take online or hybrid courses. Students should also consider their learning styles when deciding upon a course structure that fits them best. Most Accelerated Learning and all Hybrid and Online courses require the use of a computer meeting Southeast Tech specifications.

NC-SARA establishes a state-level reciprocity process that supports the nation in its efforts to increase the educational attainment of its people by making state authorization more efficient, effective, and uniform. Membership in NC-SARA is voluntary for both states and colleges. Once a state becomes a member of NC-SARA, all degree-granting post-secondary colleges from all sectors (public colleges & universities; independent institutions, both non-profit and for-profit) accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education are eligible to participate in SARA. Colleges that participate in SARA are authorized in all states who are Members of NC-SARA. Membership is voluntary for both states and colleges. See also: www.southeasttech.edu 

President’s List

Each fall and spring semesters a President’s List is published identifying students enrolled full-time who showed exemplary scholarship ability. Students must have a semester grade point average of 3.5 or higher to qualify for the President’s List.  Part-time students (6-11 credits) meeting the 3.5 criteria will be placed on the Academic Honors List.

Recording Classes Statement

Delivery of some courses at STC allows flexible participation options for students in time and location.  Courses may be made available to properly enrolled students who are not physically in the classroom, and/or a time delayed recording made available to all properly enrolled students. In addition to instructional content, remote delivery may include capture of all classroom audio and visual happenings during designated class times, including that of students who may be part of the class, but who are not physically in the classroom. By remaining in classes capturing audio and visual happenings, you are agreeing to this statement.

Student Progress Reports/Midterm Grades

Once each semester instructors will note in myTech student midterm grades for full-term courses. This information is available to students through myTech and will be shared with Academic and Student Success Advisors to better inform the advisors on the progress of their students.