Institutional Policies

Academic Appeals Process Policy

Policy: Students are afforded an appeal process when academic decisions are made to a non-final grade complaint and a grievance process when a final grade complaint needs further review.

SMC values students, listens to them, and welcomes healthy discussions and resolutions. Students must always try to resolve issues or differences in a professional and timely manner by going straight to the source first (e.g., instructor, department official). Students must initiate the academic complaint within 30 days of the occurrence and must approach academic resolution in this order: with the instructor first, if appropriate; and if necessary, with the Department Chairperson second. Documentation of the complaint is strongly advised. Ideally, by this point, most complaints should be thoroughly understood by both parties, and resolution finalized. However, if further action is still needed, the student must complete the Academic Student Grievance Form for a review by an academic administrator to commence. The Student Grievance form is available on Wired and must be submitted within 10 days of the denial of the complaint. The administrator will have up to 30 days to respond. Final grade complaints are final with the grievance process. In non-final grade academic disputes, if the student remains unsatisfied after the grievance process, an appeal must be submitted if further action is desired. The Appeal Form can be found on Wired and must be submitted within 10 days of the denial of the grievance. An impartial academic administrator will review the appeal and all known information and render a final decision. This final decision may take up to 30 days. Please see the Final Grade Change Policy for specifics related to a final grade complaint.

Academic Credit Limit Policy

Policy: Students cannot register for more than 20 credits in a given semester without approval.

SMC values quality academic learning. While some students may be able to manage more credits per semester, SMC believes that attempting too many credits at one time leads to a student giving less than their best effort in each course. The typical course load for most SMC students is 12-15 credits per semester. Students who take fewer than 15 credits each semester may cause their associate degree program to extend beyond two years. Some semesters within certain academic programs may require more credits than the policy permits. If specified by the program, this is acceptable. Otherwise, students who wish to appeal this policy may contact the Records Office directly (records@swmich.edu).

Academic Forgiveness Policy

Policy: Under certain circumstances, students with a prior record of poor academic performance can have previous grades forgiven from their academic record, thus making it more manageable to obtain a degree or certificate from SMC.

Students who previously had a GPA below a 2.0 and who, upon re-entering SMC after a minimum five-year absence, completed 12 credit hours at SMC with a GPA of 2.0 or better (not including performance or developmental courses) may apply to have certain courses forgiven from their academic record. Such forgiven courses must have final grades of C- or below and must have been taken at least five years ago (60 months as measured from the ending date of the most recent term to be dropped). Forgiven courses will be deleted from GPA calculations. The original transcript of grades, however, will remain intact, but will include the forgiven coursework, clearly identified with an asterisk. An academically forgiven course cannot count toward degree completion. Students may not invoke academic forgiveness after they have graduated. Academic forgiveness cannot be applied to pass-fail type courses or to courses in which a student was found previously to be in violation of academic integrity. Academic forgiveness can only be invoked once and cannot be reversed once invoked. Students should be aware that the re-calculation of the GPA, earned hours, attempted hours, and quality points from the academic forgiveness process does not apply to the student’s financial aid record, only to the academic record. All course attempts, whether forgiven or not, must be used in all financial aid calculations and determination for future financial aid.

Academic Honors Policy

Policy: Students are awarded academic honors after completing a degree program in which they earned a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or greater.

Academic honors are noted on the official transcript of each student who has earned such honors following completion of their degree. Academic honors are not associated with certificates or credential programs. For commencement purposes, honors are determined following the fall semester prior to the May commencement ceremony. It is possible for students to be recognized with honors at the spring commencement ceremony and not officially have honors on their transcript if their final semester grades drop them below the 3.5 cumulative GPA threshold. Students in the Honors Program at SMC are recognized as Honors Program graduates on their transcript by successfully completing a minimum of 12 honors-course credits.

Academic Statuses Policy

Policy: Students who have a cumulative GPA below 2.0 will be placed on an academic probation status and can be dismissed from SMC if improvement in overall GPA is not demonstrated.

SMC knows that education is an investment of time, energy, and resources for every student. Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 in order to complete a degree or certificate program. Therefore, students who are failing to meet this minimum standard must seriously consider re-evaluating their priorities to earn a degree or certificate from SMC. Students who do not meet the 2.0 cumulative GPA requirement will be notified of their academic status at the conclusion of each semester by SMC officials and must demonstrate improvement in their overall GPA during their next semester of enrollment or face possible dismissal from the institution.

Determination of academic statuses is performed by the Records Office in consultation with the Academic Status Committee. Communication to students who are failing to meet the GPA requirement will occur at the conclusion of each academic semester in time for the next semester and will include one of the following academic statuses:

Academic Probation (PR)

This academic status will be communicated to each student who falls below a 2.0 cumulative GPA for the first time. This academic status will also be communicated to each student who remains below a 2.0 cumulative GPA, yet their GPA is improving (e.g., improvement from 1.47 to 1.78). Continuing to improve the overall GPA to 2.0 or higher will help the student return to “Good Standing (GS)” with SMC. Students are afforded an appeal process (described below) if they disagree with the committee’s decision to be placed on Academic Probation.

Academic Probation Continued (PC)

This academic status will be communicated to each student who was on Academic Probation and did not improve their cumulative GPA during the next semester of enrollment (e.g., GPA decreased from 1.85 to 1.68; or GPA did not improve 1.85 to 1.85). Continuing to improve the overall GPA to 2.0 or higher will help the student return to “Good Standing (GS)” with SMC. Probation Continued students may be limited in the number of credit hours that they are permitted to register for during the next academic semester. Students are afforded an appeal process (described below) if they disagree with the committee’s decision to be placed on Probation Continued.

Academic Dismissal (DS)

This academic status will be communicated to each student who was on Probation Continued and did not improve their cumulative GPA during the next semester of enrollment (e.g., GPA decreased from 1.68 to 1.42; or GPA did not improve 1.68 to 1.68). Dismissed students are not permitted to register for classes at SMC for one calendar year and may be required to re-apply to SMC for admission. Students are afforded an appeal process (described below) if they disagree with the committee’s decision to be placed on Academic Dismissal.

Appeal Process

Students who are placed on any academic status and disagree with the decision of the committee may submit an appeal letter to the Records Office inbox within two weeks of receiving emailed notification of their status. The Vice President for the Student Experience will review the appeal, and the Records Office will respond back to the student within two weeks. Every effort will be made to reach a decision prior to the start of the next semester, but a decision within that time frame is not a guarantee. Appeal letters received after two weeks of notification will not be considered.

Artificial Intelligence Usage Policy

Policy: There are certain activities or assignments for which individual course instructors may permit the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) tools and programs (e.g. Chat GPT, Claude, Gemini, etc). Individual instructors will provide guidance where the use of GAI is permitted in their courses. Please refer to the individual course syllabi for course-specific guidance.

Students should carefully review each course syllabus for guidance on where the use of GAI tools is appropriate. Students may have courses that prohibit the use of GAI tools entirely, and courses that either limit the use to specific assignments or allow full use throughout the course. It is up to the student to follow the syllabus, and where the syllabus may be unclear, to ask the instructor for guidance prior to completing assignments. Faculty are encouraged to educate students on ethical AI usage and ensure students understand the implications of AI use and the importance of academic integrity. Failure of a student to adhere to this policy will lead to a violation of the Student Code of Conduct

Auditing a Course Policy

Policy: Students who audit a course must declare the audit to the Records Office by the established date in the Action Calendar, usually within the first few weeks of the course, and must realize that auditing a course does not fulfill graduation requirements.

SMC values students who desire to learn. Auditing a course typically means that the student wants to learn a particular subject without earning credit, satisfying graduation requirements, or receiving a typical letter grade. Students may complete the audit form found in the Records Office and return the form to the Records Office once proper signatures are obtained. On the form, the student is asked to secure the written permission of the instructor. The instructor can determine the level of involvement expected from an auditing student. Some instructors may choose not to have their course audited. Once a student chooses to audit the course and secures the instructor’s permission, the student may not later switch the course back to a for-credit course. A final grade of “X” will be used on the grade sheets and permanent record.

College Catalog Advising Year Policy

Policy: Students are assigned a college catalog year that represents the curriculum that they are to follow in order to satisfy degree requirements.

Initially, the college catalog advising year of the student is the year in which the student started at SMC (e.g., if a student first enrolled in Fall 2025, the student is to follow the program outlined in the 2025-2026 College Catalog). This is true as well for early middle college students. This college catalog advising year may be modified only at the request of the student and the approval of the advisor. It is not to be adjusted to a year prior to the entry year of the student. Advisors and department faculty should not assume that every student is following the most current catalog advising year for their program. Final communication of the correct advising year of a student must be sent to the Records Office for processing. Students who change majors or degree programs should assume the catalog advising year that corresponds to the year in which the decision occurred. Students who return to SMC following a one or more-year absence [defined as at least two major semesters (fall and spring)] will be assigned the advising year that corresponds with the year of their return. Exceptions to this policy may be considered only at the request of the student and the approval of the advisor and Registrar.

College Transcript Prerequisite Course Policy

Policy: Students, except guest college students, must provide an official transcript prior to enrolling in courses which require the prerequisite class they earned at another institution.

There is no grace period for providing an official transcript for prerequisite purposes. The prerequisite course must have a final grade. In-progress courses are not sufficient for prerequisite purposes. Official transcripts are required if students wish to receive SMC credit for their transfer classes. If the official transcript supporting the prerequisite course is not received by SMC in a timely manner, the student will need to take the prerequisite course through SMC. If flagged for financial aid unusual enrollment, students will be required to submit all college transcripts. Students wishing to pursue a degree in nursing are required to submit all college transcripts. Guest college students may produce an unofficial transcript from their home institution. A final grade meeting the SMC prerequisite standard must be on the unofficial transcript.

Course Placement Policy

Policy: Placement tests are for the purpose of putting the student at the best learning level for their current knowledge and are not credit-bearing exams.

SMC wants every student to have a great learning experience and to take courses that they need based on their knowledge and skill level. A student who takes a placement test like Accuplacer Next-Generation Reading is not earning academic credit but is demonstrating their ability in a subject area at a certain level in order to clearly show the correct course to be guided into. Students who, through this process, are guided into a course that is higher than the required course for their declared academic program still need to satisfy the requirements of the academic program. In some cases, this may require students to need a curriculum variance (See Credit by Variance, Exam, or Experience policy). Students should talk to their advisor to ensure that they are taking the right courses to finish their certificate or degree program.

Course Repeat Policy

Policy: Current and former students may repeat courses once to improve their grade only if such courses are offered in the current curriculum.

When a student repeats a course, the best grade earned between the two attempts will be factored into the student’s cumulative GPA. Both attempts of a course will be present on the academic transcript. Students are strongly encouraged to investigate any financial ramifications for repeating a course with the Office of Financial Aid prior to enrolling in a course again. Students may repeat courses that they have previously passed, failed, or withdrawn from. A student cannot use a different course to repeat the former course (e.g., cannot use MATH 150  as a repeat for MATH 128 ). If a student needs to repeat a course two or more times (i.e., three or more overall attempts), the student must submit a Repeat Course Appeal form. Students enrolled in the nursing program are subject to the repeat course policy as outlined in the Nursing Student Handbook. Veteran students should always investigate the impact of repeating a course on their VA benefits.

Credit by Variance, Exam, or Experience Policy

Policy: Students may satisfy program requirements by 1) securing proper approval for a course variance (e.g., take EDUC 230  instead of EDUC 217 ); 2) taking an appropriate, qualifying exam (e.g., CLEP, AP, ACE, or other through the Testing Center); 3) or in some cases through experience (e.g., military training, adult education programs, or proper certifications/licensures).

SMC will work with each student to ensure that proper steps are taken to help them earn a degree that they are proud of. Students should work closely with their advisor, Dean, the Testing Center, and Records Office to ensure that all approved variances, exams, and experiences are recorded on their academic record. Please know that the advisor or Dean may not approve a variance, exam, or experience. If that happens, please know that they are striving to act in the student’s overall best interest. Please also know that some forms of curriculum variances may not satisfy MTA requirements . For instance, taking and passing a CLEP exam may satisfy a requirement for the degree but will not satisfy MTA.

Credit Hour Definition Policy

Policy: SMC uses multiple modalities of instruction to teach its courses (e.g., hybrid, variable, independent study, practicum, virtual, hyflex) but ensures that all courses satisfy the definition of a credit hour therefore ensuring that a student’s education meets or exceeds accreditation standards.

SMC values quality education. SMC defines a credit hour as 800 minutes of instruction per semester. One credit hour must involve no less than the equivalent of one hour of direct faculty instruction (defined as 50 minutes for 16 weeks) and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work. Even though SMC courses are of a shorter duration than 16 weeks, faculty still adhere to the rule of 800 minutes equals one credit hour. Virtual, hybrid, individual instruction, and other-formatted courses make adjustments so that the total number of hours and minutes of work required by students is equivalent to that of a traditional face-to-face class.

Disposition of Academic Records Policy

Policy: Student transcripts are maintained permanently, but other academic records are only maintained for five years by the Records Office.

SMC strives for safe and accurate electronic record keeping of a student’s academic records that may include the following: transcripts, transfer credit evaluations, curriculum and name changes, drop/add requests, graduation applications, admission applications, FERPA-related documents, and international student documents. Once a student withdraws or graduates from the school, most academic records are kept for five years. After five years, such documents are likely to be disposed, with the exception of the academic history records (i.e., transcript) of the former student. Faculty only maintain gradebooks from previously taught courses and the work of students in those courses for 30 days following the final grade being posted.

Dropping, Withdrawing, Adding Credits Policy

Policy: Students may change their schedules after they have registered for the semester but must do so within the timeline and deadlines provided for each semester.

Students should refer to the Academic Calendar for key dates and deadlines regarding a student’s ability to adjust their schedule. Additional key dates for adding, dropping, and withdrawing can be located in the details of registering for classes through SMC Wired and on the Student Dashboard. Students should be aware that there are likely different deadlines for withdrawing from hybrid, early end, and late start courses. Students that register for a corequisite course should ask an advisor about the potential consequences of withdrawing or dropping such a course, as some courses cannot be taken as stand-alone courses. Students should be aware that dropping or withdrawing from a course does not necessarily generate a financial return to the student, depending upon the timing of such transactions. Withdrawing from a course or several courses may also have significant financial aid implications for the student. Students receive communication via email from the Financial Aid Office prior to being officially withdrawn from a course. This communication helps the student better understand their financial aid situation. See Withdrawal from SMC policy and Understanding Course Descriptions  for more information.

EDUC 120 Waiver Policy

Policy: Educational Exploration and Planning  is a core requirement of all degree programs at SMC and can only be waived under specific conditions. 

Students who have successfully completed a minimum of 15 credit hours of college-level, post-high school credits (performance and developmental courses do not apply) can have EDUC 120  waived as a requirement in their SMC program. These 15 credit hours should be evidenced through attendance as a full-time student at an institution prior to enrollment with SMC. Current dual-enrolled students should not register for EDUC 120 . Early middle college students should plan to take EDUC 120  in their 13th year. Waiving the requirement does not provide the student with credit hours. Students may have to earn additional credit hours to compensate for the waiving of EDUC 120 .

ENGL 115 Waiver Policy

Policy: Students must meet certain criteria in order to receive a waiver from ENGL 115 , a fundamental prerequisite course for many other courses at SMC. 

Students can place into a higher-level English course than ENGL 115  with performance on specific tests like the SAT or ACT, or placement tests offered through the Testing Center. Students who do not meet these placement testing standards may qualify for an alternative ENGL 115  waiver by submitting an official college transcript to be evaluated by SMC. The official college transcript must reflect 12 or more credits of textbook-dependent courses with a grade of B or better in each course as evaluated by the appropriate academic personnel, and/or the student must have demonstrated a 2.75 or higher cumulative high school GPA. Dual enrolled students must be able to demonstrate a high school GPA of 2.75 or higher to be awarded the ENGL 115  waiver.

FERPA and Student Education Records Policy

Policy: The institution maintains the privacy of student education records in its possession, with the exception of those situations in which the law or consent of the student permits disclosure according to FERPA legislation.

A complete FERPA policy is available to every student upon request in the Records Office. The policy helps protect the privacy of student education records. FERPA gives students the right to inspect and review education records, the right to seek to amend those records, and to limit disclosure of information from the records in general or to specific individuals. The intent of FERPA is to protect students and to ensure the privacy and accuracy of their education records.

FERPA does allow SMC to disclose directory information about students without written permission upon request from third parties without violating FERPA. SMC has defined directory information as the student’s name, SMC email address, curriculum, participation in officially recognized activities, dates of attendance, and degrees and awards received. Students have the option to restrict release of this information by providing written notice to the Records Office.

Final Examination Policy

Policy: In any particular course, the course instructor or Dean of the school determines whether or not a final examination is appropriate and to be given. Such determination should be announced in class early in the semester.

It is the intent of SMC that all final examinations for full semester-length courses and late-start courses (meeting the last 7-8 weeks of the semester) be given on the last day of the course meeting. However, on certain and rare occasions, final examinations are not deemed appropriate for certain courses or are scheduled at times other than the last class session. Alternative final exam times should be cleared by the academic department with the Office of Academic Affairs prior to announcing to the students enrolled in the course. Students who have more than two final exams on the same day may contact an instructor to make special arrangements to take an exam at a different time.

Final Grade Change Policy

Policy: A student’s final grade can only be changed by the instructor if a complaint arises within 30 days after the posting of the grade, and only if an error in calculation or the actual grade posting was found to be incorrect. Otherwise, the final grade stands.

Students are responsible for checking their final grades shortly after grades are to be posted. If a student suspects an error has occurred, they must contact their instructor directly and professionally, within 30 days of the date after the grade was posted. If an error was found to have occurred, the instructor will submit a Change of Grade form to the Records Office for proper posting of the new grade. Please see the Academic Appeals Process Policy for situations in which a complaint escalates to a grievance.

Fulfillment of Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) Policy

Policy: Not all courses that satisfy MTA requirements  will satisfy SMC degree requirements, and not all courses that satisfy SMC degree requirements will satisfy MTA requirements .

SMC wants to work closely with students to help them achieve both the MTA  and their SMC degree, but different standards have been set to govern these two distinct achievements. For instance, students cannot use a successful CLEP Exam result to satisfy MTA (according to MTA policy) but may be able to use that same CLEP score to satisfy a graduation requirement in their degree path at SMC. Additionally, transfer credit from another university may meet MTA requirements  but not SMC degree program requirements. SMC wants students to satisfy both and to do so properly so that these credentials are valued by other universities and/or employers. Students should refer to their DegreeWorks graduation planning tool on Wired and consult with the Academic Advising and Resource Center for details about their specific situation.

Graduation Policy

Policy: To graduate from SMC, a student must complete all degree requirements (or have approved curriculum variances noted) for their program of study for the appropriate program year and have at least a 2.0 overall GPA.

Completion of all degree requirements implies earning at least 60 credits for a degree program or 21 credits for a certificate program. The Graduation policy is different from being eligible to participate in commencement and different from securing one’s diploma. The Graduation policy addresses what is required to earn a degree from SMC. The DegreeWorks graduation planning tool on Wired lists all of a student’s program requirements including the courses to take, the credits to earn, the grades needed, and prerequisite requirements. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they have met all graduation requirements. Students should work closely with their advisors in the Academic Advising and Resource Center as they start their final year of study. A complete list of graduation requirements can be found in the Graduation Requirements for A.A.S. programs , A.A. programs , A.S. programs , and Certificates and Credentials , General Education , and MTA  sections of this catalog.

High School Transcript Proof Policy

Policy: All students are required to provide proof of high school completion with a graduation date.

Having proof of high school completion is a requirement for students to be in a certificate or degree-seeking program at SMC. Providing the final, official high school transcript to SMC in a timely manner is ideal. High school transcripts best aid in the guided placement of key foundational courses such as Math and English, and set students up for early success. Students who cannot produce a final, official high school transcript, can show proof of high school completion with a diploma or GED transcript. Diplomas will be evaluated by SMC personnel for authenticity, as there are several different classifications of high school diplomas that exist. Students who provide diplomas that do not meet the standard (e.g., some alternative diplomas or high school certificates of completion) are not permitted to be in a degree-seeking or certificate program at SMC.

Students receive a one-semester grace period for not having their proof of high school completion to SMC officials, which will be their first semester of enrollment. After this first semester, a student will not be permitted to register for any classes at SMC without proof of high school completion on file that indicates the graduation date. Because summer and fall registration is open simultaneously, a new student can register for both summer and fall semester courses. Students who are attending SMC while in high school should work closely with the Director of Dual Enrollment to supply transcripts as needed. Adult students with prior completion of a bachelor’s degree may substitute the bachelor’s transcript for the high school transcript.

Incomplete Grades Policy

Policy: Only in highly unusual situations, such as serious illness or other emergencies, will students be assigned an incomplete (“I”), pending a final grade. Students may be issued a maximum of 45 days to complete the remaining coursework.

Students may request an incomplete through direct communication with the instructor. The instructor must have the Dean’s approval before entering the final grade of “I.” The instructor, in talking with the student, does not have to grant the additional course time and should only grant such time if highly unusual circumstances outside the control of the student occurred during the course, particularly later in the course. Additionally, the instructor can determine which assignments can be made up during the post-term timeframe, and the instructor can also determine the appropriate length of the incomplete not to exceed 45 days. In rare cases, an extension beyond 45 days is necessary. The individual faculty member, with the Dean’s approval, can approve such extensions.

Legal Name Change Policy

Policy: Students who have had their legal name changed by the appropriate government entities shall inform SMC of this change by completing the Change of Name form in the Records Office.

Official documentation showing the name was changed legally is required. Acceptable documentation includes a court order, driver’s license, passport, Social Security card, or Tax Identification Number card. Former names and previous identities are maintained in the college student information system database to ensure correct selection when records are searched.

Math Waivers Policy

Policy: Students with a high school GPA of 3.0 and above may be placed into a college-level math course.

SMC strives to guide students into the appropriate mathematics course for their skill, aptitude, and academic program using a variety of methods and scores (e.g., advising guidance, PSAT, SAT, Accuplacer, etc.) The Math Waiver is another of these methods. Students’ high school transcripts will be reviewed and those with a 3.0 GPA or greater will receive a waiver that could allow them to register for a college-level math course suitable to their program (i.e., MATH 127 , 128 , or 150 ). Students with a 2.5 GPA or better on their high school transcript will receive a waiver permitting them placement into a college-level corequisite course (i.e., MATH 127C , 128C , or 150C ). Students with a 2.0 GPA or better on their high school transcript will receive a waiver permitting them placement into MATH 114 . Students should always consult with their advisor about scheduling a mathematics course in order to choose the correct course that will lead to their most successful path. These waivers may also provide an opportunity to register for non-math courses that may require a certain level of mathematics achievement.

Military Withdrawals Policy

Policy: Students who are members or are the spouse of a member in the National Guard or reserve forces of the United States and who are ordered to military service, federal service, or duty may complete or withdraw from course work without financial penalty.

SMC is a military-friendly campus that holds to firm academic guidelines. Military students should contact the School Certifying Official at veterans@swmich.edu from their school email account to report their need to return to duty/training. In situations when the duty/training required is of a short duration, it may be determined that the student can work successfully with each instructor to continue making progress in their course(s). In other situations, this may not be possible, and the student must enact the Military Withdrawal. Our School Certifying Official will communicate with the student to let them know the exact paperwork that will need to be completed in order to withdraw from classes, as well as any paperwork needed to ensure the student is not responsible financially for the semester.

Participation Confirmation Policy

Policy: Students are expected to be in attendance and participate outside the classroom for all courses in which they are registered. Failure of a student to participate in their courses may not excuse a student from academic and financial consequences if they are registered for the course.

SMC values student learning and personal responsibility. If a student signs up, then the student needs to be an active participant. Being an active participant demonstrates the type of character and consistency that is important for achieving life goals. Students who lack participation in a course will receive communication from SMC personnel (typically during week three of the semester) informing them that they have been dropped for non-participation.

Participation in on-campus and online courses alike is defined as doing at least one of the following: attending a class session (even if it is just one time); attending a class session online; submitting an academic assignment; taking a quiz, exam, interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction; participating in an online discussion; initiating contact with the instructor to ask a question related to the academic subject studied in the course; or participating in some other academically-related activity of the course known to the instructor. Students who engage their courses in at least one of these ways will remain actively enrolled. Students who do not will be administratively dropped. An appeal process is available for students who were dropped and seek re-admittance into a course.

The failure of a student to properly drop or withdraw from courses during the appropriate timeframe outlined by SMC does not necessarily excuse the student from the consequences, both academic and financial. Students should refer closely to the Academic Calendar for key deadlines for adjusting their semester academic schedule.

Preferred Name Policy

Policy: Students may be called by a preferred name that differs from their given name while at SMC. However, the given name must still be tied to the student’s official SMC records in certain circumstances for legal reasons.

SMC recognizes that there are members of our community who prefer to use names other than their legal names to identify themselves. SMC is committed to using the preferred names of individuals in our community wherever possible. There are certain legal documents and communications that require use of an individual’s legal name.

SMC allows students to use a first name different than their legal name on certain college records. Any student may choose to identify a preferred first name in addition to their legal name (as listed on the driver’s license, Social Security card, Tax Identification Number card, or passport). The college will display the preferred first name where feasible and appropriate and make a good faith effort to update reports, documents, and systems accordingly.

Here is a partial listing of areas in which the preferred and legal names may appear: advisor/advisee lists, class/grade rosters, commencement program, President’s and Dean’s Lists, diploma, email display and username, ID card, major/minor lists, online student directory, and residence life rosters.

Here is a partial listing of areas in which the legal name may appear: billing statements, enrollment verifications, financial aid documents, immigration documents, medical documents, official correspondence with external entities, official and unofficial transcripts, paychecks, W2s, and 1098-T.

President’s and Dean’s List Policy

Policy: Students are recognized on the President’s List for GPAs of 4.0 in a given semester with a minimum of 12 credits earned in that semester. Students are recognized on the Dean’s List for GPAs of 3.5-3.99 in a given semester with a minimum of 12 credits earned in that semester.

SMC believes in celebrating outstanding educational achievements. Students are notified via letter of President’s List and Dean’s List accomplishments.

Reverse Transfer Policy

Policy: Students who previously attended SMC and earned a minimum of 30 credits within the previous seven years may earn a SMC associate degree by transferring credits from their new school back to SMC.

The Records Office at SMC will review the transfer credits and determine if an SMC degree can be awarded. Students who are found to have earned a SMC degree are eligible to participate in the next commencement ceremony by following all graduation procedures.

Second SMC Degree Policy

Policy: Students may seek a second degree from SMC, but at least 21 credits of the second degree must be comprised of credits that are distinct from the first-degree program. Additionally, all requirements of the second-degree program must be satisfied.

In many cases, once the first SMC degree is conferred, a student’s financial aid options may become quite limited.  Students must speak with their advisor to secure approval, understand the minimum 21 credits involved in the second-degree program, and understand whether or not a second degree is necessary for their career goals.  Next, students must contact the Financial Aid Office to understand the financial options available..

Transfer Credit Policy

Policy: Transfer credits to SMC can be awarded from institutions that are regionally accredited postsecondary educational institutions.

SMC values academic quality and accountability in the standards and processes of other schools in the evaluation of transfer credit. Students must have an application for admission on file with SMC and have an active student record before any credits will be evaluated for transfer. Transcripts must be sent directly to SMC from the transferring institution. Hand-delivered transcripts will only be accepted if the seal on the envelope has not been broken. SMC transfers credits, not grades. Therefore, transfer credits do not impact your SMC GPA positively or negatively. AP and CLEP test scores can be evaluated by SMC, but original scores, not copies or screen shots, should be sent directly to SMC. CLEP test scores do not satisfy MTA requirements . Military transcripts are also evaluated for academic credit by SMC. SMC only accepts grades of C or better for transfer. SMC only accepts courses for transfer that are 100 level or above and that were considered as counting toward credits needed to graduate at the previous institution. Pre-college courses do not transfer to SMC. SMC will attempt to award equivalent course credit for 100 and 200 level courses, and when direct equivalencies are not available, elective credit will be awarded in an appropriate academic subject. SMC will not evaluate 300 or higher-level courses unless equivalent course credit can be awarded (e.g., PSYC 364 at ABC University=PSYC 260  at SMC). Quarter credits will be converted to semester credits and reflected as semester credits on the SMC student record. A transfer course must be within 1 credit hour of SMC’s standard to be considered. Credit is not awarded for seminars, student success courses, or special topics courses, nor is credit awarded for math courses below the equivalent of SMC’s MATH 127 /128 /150 . SMC may accept an unlimited number of transfer credits, but the student will still need to follow graduation guidelines for degree completion. Students must provide an official transcript prior to enrolling in courses which require the prerequisite class they earned at the other institution. There is no grace period for providing an official transcript for prerequisite purposes. The prerequisite course from the other institution must have a final grade. In-progress courses are not sufficient for prerequisite purposes at SMC.

Withdrawal from SMC Policy

Policy: Students who find it necessary to withdraw from SMC should make sure they understand the potential impact of the withdrawal on their financial aid before finalizing their decision. If they still wish to withdraw, the student should remain in continual communication with their advisor throughout the entire withdrawal process.

The process of withdrawing from a course begins with the student contacting their advisor to clearly communicate the intent. The advisor will start the communication workflow on behalf of the student involving the Financial Aid Office and the Residence Life team, if needed. Notifications are sent via SMC email to students throughout the process. After learning of the financial impact of the withdrawal process, the student is given the opportunity to solidify their decision to withdraw or reconsider it. The student must solidify their decision with their advisor in order for the withdrawal to be processed by the Records Office. A grade of “W” appears on the student transcript for all course withdrawals.

Withdrawing from a course or all courses in a given semester can have a large financial impact. Often times, for financial reasons, it is better to stay through the end of the semester rather than withdraw during the term. Students who “drop” a course or all of their courses prior to the published add/drop date for full-length courses and early end courses will receive a full refund without a “W” on their transcript. After the add/drop deadline, students who withdraw should expect to receive a “W” for each course. Students who withdraw from the school because of unusual or unforeseen circumstances may wish to receive a financial refund and can request an exception to this policy by completing the Request for Exception for a Late Refund or a Late Withdrawal form. Such refunds are rarely given unless in matters of student illness or medical emergency, the death of an immediate family member, or U.S. military active duty or induction. Each exception is considered by a SMC committee.