Instructional Regulations

• Requirements for Degrees
• Credits and Grades
• Class Attendance Policy
• Classroom Code of Conduct
• Cheating/Plagiarism Appeal Procedure
• Intellectual Property Rights Policy
• Standards of Academic Progress
• Academic Warning & Academic Probation
• Withdrawal from School
• Change of Schedule
• Course Load
• Classification
• Academic Record-Transcript Release Policy
• Honors

Requirements for Degrees

Northwest Mississippi Community College grants two associate degrees - the Associate of Arts Degree and the Associate of Applied Science Degree.

Associate of Arts Degree

With the exception of the Associate of Arts in Nursing, the Associate of Arts Degree is awarded for programs designed as the first two years of a four-year college or university program leading to a baccalaureate degree. To graduate from the College with an Associate of Arts degree a student must:

1. Earn a minimum of sixty (60) semester hours to include the thirty-five (35) semester hours listed in the Academic Core Curriculum.
2. Earn a minimum grade point of 2.0 on all work completed at Northwest Mississippi Community College.
3. Complete the remaining courses designated by the chosen academic pathway.
4. Earn not more than eighteen (18) semester hours through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or Advanced Placement Examination.
5. Complete a minimum of fifteen (15) semester hours at Northwest Mississippi Community College in the area of study.

Academic Core Curriculum    

Associate of Applied Science Degree

The Associate of Applied Science Degree is awarded for programs designed to meet the educational needs of students who are seeking preparation for employment in occupational fields not requiring a four-year degree.

Students must progress through CTE coursework in sequence due to the nature of the material covered. A grade of “C” or higher is required in all CTE courses for the student to advance to the next semester. Failure to achieve this minimum standard will require students to repeat the course. 

To graduate from the College with the Associate of Applied Science Degree a student must:

1. Earn a minimum of sixty (60) semester hours to include the fifteen (15) semester hours listed in the Technical Core Curriculum.
2. Complete the remaining courses designated by the program of study.
3. Earn a minimum grade point of 2.0 on all work completed at Northwest Mississippi Community College.
4. Complete a minimum of fifteen (15) semester hours at Northwest Mississippi Community College in the area of study (content-specific).
5. Earn not more than fifteen (15) semester hours through any combination of the following: College Level Placement Examination (CLEP) or Advanced Placement Examination. Credit by examination may be given to participants in articulated workforce training programs.

Technical Core Curriculum   

Career and Technical Certificates

Certificates for specific programs are awarded to students who successfully complete requirements for these programs of study as outlined in the College Bulletin. Students completing a one-year minimum of 30 hours career program will receive a Career Certificate, and those students completing a minimum of 45 hours technical program will receive a Technical Certificate.

Students must progress through CTE coursework in sequence due to the nature of the material covered. A grade of “C” or higher is required in all CTE courses for the student to advance to the next semester. Failure to achieve this minimum standard will require students to repeat the course. 

To graduate from the college with a certificate in a particular program of study a student must:

1. Make a passing grade and average a minimum 2.0 grade point on those courses required in the curriculum. Grades in the courses not listed in the curriculum will not be counted in calculating the grade point average. 

Application for Graduation

An application for graduation (diploma) should be filed with the Office of Admissions by the intended graduating semester deadline. Deadlines to apply for graduation are listed in the calendar section of this Bulletin. All students expecting to become candidates for degrees or certificates must file an application for graduation with the Office of Admissions and Records by the announced deadline date found in the school calendar.

eBook-IA (Inclusive Access)* Policy

In an effort to reduce the price of books for our students, Northwest began implementing digital technology for books during the fall 2016 term. The following policies and procedures have been defined for implementing electronic textbooks (eBooks) in courses as well as how courses with eBooks are processed through the Student Information System and accessed by the students.

• Courses utilizing digital technology are selected and approved by full-time faculty who teach the specified course and the Directors of Instruction or lead instructor for the area of study. Every faculty member teaching the selected course is required to use some part of the Inclusive Access including eBooks or other digital components that have been approved.
• The negotiation of pricing for IA is handled by the Director of Union Services in cooperation with the Directors of Instruction for that area of study.
• Fees for IA are attached to each section of the course. This fee is due when completing the registration process.
• If the course is all digital, students are NOT REQUIRED to purchase a book from the Bookstore.
• EBooks-IA are available through CANVAS on the FIRST day of class.
• Students may go through CANVAS to download the eBook material to a mobile device in order to use offline.
• Students may print information from their eBook within CANVAS.
• If students prefer a hard copy of the entire textbook, black and white loose bound books are available for purchase in the Northwest Bookstore for most eBooks.
• IA fees will not be credited to a student’s account when withdrawing from the course any time after the last day to make schedule changes, as defined in the Northwest Bulletin for the term.
• Adjustments for IA fees must be made through the Business Office before the last day to make schedule changes, as defined in the Northwest Bulletin for the term, in order to receive credit on a student’s account.
• IA fees are assessed each time the student enrolls in the course.
• Any student receiving Title IV assistance has the option to “opt-out” of the IA charge. In order to do this, the student must provide proof of purchase elsewhere, must opt-out by the add/drop deadline, and must notify the Dean of eLearning in order for the Business Office to credit the charge. If the course requires digital components other than a book, proof of purchase of those components or codes must be provided as well.

*Inclusive Access (IA) includes an eBook and coordinating digital components.

Credits and Grades

Course Placement

Northwest Mississippi Community College requires applicants for admission to the college to be tested prior to completion of the registration process. Northwest utilizes the ACT exam for placement in English, Math, and Reading classes.

ENGLISH: Students with an English ACT sub-score of 17 or above are placed in ENG 1113 - English Composition I. Students with an English ACT sub-score of 13 or below are placed in ENG 0123 - Intermediate English And Reading (a prerequisite to ENG 1113). Students with an English ACT sub-score of 14, 15 or 16 are placed into an alternate corequisite pathway (if sections/seats are available); these students take both ENG 1113 and ENG 0143 - Composition Companion in the same semester.

MATH: Students with a Math ACT sub-score of 19 or above are placed in MAT 1313 - College Algebra . Students with a Math ACT sub-score of 17 or 18 are placed into MAT 1233 - Intermediate Algebra . Students with a Math ACT sub-score of 16 or below are placed into MAT 0123 - Beginning Algebra .

SCIENCE: Students with a composite ACT score  below 18 may take BIO 1113 - Principles Of Biology I, Lecture /BIO 1111 - Principles Of Biology I, Laboratory , BIO 1213 - Environmental Science, Lecture /BIO 1211 - Environmental Science, Laboratory  or BIO 1533 - Survey Of Anatomy And Physiology, Lecture /BIO 1531 - Survey Of Anatomy And Physiology, Laboratory .

In order to enroll in BIO 1313 - Botany I, Lecture /BIO 1311 - Botany I, Laboratory , BIO 2414 - Zoology I, Lecture  or BIO 2513 - Anatomy And Physiology I, Lecture /BIO 2511 - Anatomy And Physiology I, Laboratory , a student must have a composite ACT score of 18 or better OR a “B” or better in a college-level biology course. To enroll in BIO 1133 - General Biology I, Lecture /BIO 1131 - General Biology I, Laboratory  (the “Majors Biology”), a Composite ACT score of 19 or better OR a “B” or better in a college-level biology course is required. These lectures and their labs are co-requisites. Students must have a grade of C or better in the course to take the part II of the course. In order to enroll in CHE 1213 - General Chemistry I, Lecture /CHE 1211 - General Chemistry I, Laboratory  (the “Majors Chemistry”), a student must have a Math ACT subscore of 19 or higher OR a “B” or better in CHE 1313 .

STUDENTS WITHOUT ACT SCORES: Students who do not have ACT scores are required to take the local placement tests in English and Math (unless they are registering for a program that requires no academic classes at all). These placement tests are administered via the Accuplacer system.

CHALLENGE TO ACT PLACEMENT: Students who wish to challenge their ACT placement in order to try to be placed higher in a particular area must take the appropriate local placement test in Accuplacer.

The Semester Hour

The unit of credit is the semester hour. A semester hour, as defined by the Mississippi Community College Board, is a minimum student-teacher contact of 750 minutes for lecture, and 1,500 minutes for laboratory credit. 

Grading Symbols

A final grade is the instructor’s evaluation of the student’s work and achievement throughout a semester’s attendance in a course. Factors upon which the final grade may be based are attendance, written and oral quizzes, reports, papers, final examination, and other class activities. The evaluation will be expressed according to the following letter system:

Grades of “F” will not be counted against a student’s grade point average provided the course has been repeated and a better grade earned. The student’s grade point average on the student’s academic record card will reflect the true average, although the student’s grade report will not discount “F” grades that have been repeated. When a student repeats a passed course (“D” or “C”) for grade improvement the better grade becomes the official grade of record.

* For certain classes, a “D” is not passing in terms of being able to exit the course and move on to the next course in the sequence. For most, students must earn a “C” or better in order to exit or to pass and move on to the next course in the sequence. Examples are developmental classes (such as ENG 0123, MAT 0123 and MAT 1233, and REA 1213 and REA 1223) and certain math and science classes. Details are provided in the course descriptions in the back of this Bulletin and in the standard syllabi for the relevant courses.

F Grade

A grade of “F” is recorded if the student has failed on the combined evaluation through the semester.

Students in the School of Health Sciences should familiarize themselves with the specific policies regarding “F” grades for that program. 

I Grade

An incomplete grade may be assigned if, upon completion of a grading period, unavoidable circumstances have kept the student from meeting some course requirements. An incomplete grade is not allowed on the basis of course deficiency not caused by an unavoidable circumstance. The “I” grade must be removed by the end of the semester that immediately follows the semester in which the “I” grade was given. If the incomplete is not removed in this period of time, it automatically becomes an “F” grade. The “I” grade is computed as an “F” grade until the course requirements are met to the instructor’s satisfaction.

W Grade

The “W” grade is recorded if the student officially withdraws from a course before the last day specified in the College Calendar. The “W” grade is not computed in determining the grade point average.

AU Grade

The “AU” is recorded for those students auditing a course, and this grade is not computed in determining a student’s grade point average.

Grade Reporting

Students may access their grades in Canvas. They may also access their final grades by logging into their student account via the Northwest website. 

Student Grade Appeal Procedure

The grade appeal procedure is designed to provide a student with a procedure for appealing the assignment of a course grade which is believed to be based on prejudice, discrimination, arbitrary or capricious action, or other reasons not related to academic performance. In all cases, the student shall have the burden of proof with respect to the allegations in the complaint and in the request for a hearing. If the student fails to pursue any step of the procedure outlined below, the disposition of the student’s complaint made in the last previous step shall be final. All correspondence and records will be retained in the campus dean’s office. It is important to note, the grade appeal procedure is different for students in the School of Health Sciences. Students should refer to the Grade appeal procedure under the School of Health Sciences for further details. The grade appeal procedure involves the following steps:

1. The student shall submit the complaint in writing to the Director of Instruction or appropriate Associate Vice President or dean within 15 days from the date the grade was received.
2. (a) The Director of Instruction or appropriate dean will attempt to resolve the complaint in conference between the student and the instructor or through agreement met of an internal committee, to be held within 15 days from the date the complaint was received. (b) If the Director of Instruction was the instructor of the course involved in the complaint, the written complaint of the student shall be submitted to the Associate Vice President for Academic Instruction, Associate Vice President for Workforce Solutions and Career-Technical Education or Dean of Health Sciences, who will attempt to resolve the issue in conference with the student and the director to be held within 15 days from the date the complaint was received.
3. If the complaint is not resolved in (2)(a), the student may submit the complaint to the Associate Vice President for Academic Instruction, Associate Vice President for Workforce Solutions and Career-Technical Education, or School of Health Sciences Dean within 15 days from the date of the dissolution of step 2.
4. If the Associate Vice President for Academic Instruction, Associate Vice President for Workforce Solutions and Career-Technical Education, or School of Health Sciences Dean does not resolve the complaint the student may request a hearing before the Student Grade Appeals Committee. This request must be submitted in writing to the Vice President for Instruction within 15 days following the Associate Vice President’s or Dean’s decision in the matter.
5. The Northwest Mississippi Community College Student Grade Appeals Committee shall be composed of seven members and constituted as follows: a Chairperson designated by the President, four faculty members selected by the President, and two students who are Student Government officers or are enrolled in or have completed the leadership course. Alternate students may be chosen by the Vice President for Instruction.
6. In order to expedite clinical attendance and other time constraints within the School of Health Sciences, specific time-frames for the grade appeal procedure differ. Students, in the School of Health Sciences, will follow the grade appeal procedure listed in the School of Health Sciences Student Handbook.

Auditing a Course

To audit a course means to enroll as a student in a course and attend in the usual manner but without credit or grade. Declaration of intention to audit must be made at the time of registration. Regular fees are charged for auditing.

Declaration of Academic Pathway, Career-Technical Program, or School of Health Sciences Program

Every student must indicate an intended academic pathway, Career-Technical program, or School of Health Sciences program during the registration process.

Change of Academic Pathway, Career-Technical Program, or School of Health Sciences Program

Students who wish to change their academic pathway, Career-Technical program, or School of Health Sciences program should contact their adviser or the Office of Admissions and Records for advisor assignment. Students must recognize that changing their pathway or program could result in having completed courses that will not apply to their new pathway or program. Students desiring veteran benefits must also secure the approval of the veteran’s advisor. Failure to do so may result in loss of benefits.

Class Attendance Policy

Regular and punctual attendance at all scheduled classes is expected of all students and is regarded as integral to course credit. There are times, however, when students must miss class. Nevertheless, if a student has an excessive number of absences before the course withdrawal deadline, based on the MCCB allowed absences chart provided here, that student will be withdrawn from the class with a grade of “W.” Online courses have additional information regarding class attendance included in the instructor’s Course Outline. This requirement is required for licensure obtainment and supersedes the NWCC attendance policy. 

Please see the chart on the following page for the number of absences allowed for each class:

16-Week Course = Traditional fall and spring semesters (campus only)
15-Week Course = Traditional fall and spring semesters (online only)
8-Week Course = Mini-term Sessions (campus and online), Summer Evening Campus Classes, Summer Online Classes
4-Week Course = Summer Day Classes

For On Campus Classes: Students are expected to be prompt in class attendance. A student is counted absent from class if he or she misses more than 10 minutes of a class meeting. Three tardies constitute one absence.

For Online Classes: Students must attempt at least one of that week’s graded class assignments or they will be marked absent for that week.

Particular policies and procedures on absences and makeup work are established for each class and are announced in writing at the beginning of the term. Each student is directly responsible to the individual instructor for absences and for making up work missed.

The School of Health Sciences (SHS) has a specific attendance policy for both clinical and classroom hours. This requirement is required for licensure obtainment and supersedes the NWCC attendance policy. SHS students should refer to their class syllabus for the class attendance policy. The allowable number of absences in the School of Health Sciences is determined by the number of clock hours required to meet the student learning outcomes. 

A student who has been reported as having excessive absences has the right to appeal.

For more information about the appeal process, contact the Center Dean, the Associate Vice President for Academic Instruction, the Associate Vice Preside for Career-Technical Education, or the Dean of the School of Health Sciences.

Official Absences

Official absences are absences caused by a student representing the College for an approved function. These absences shall not count toward the student’s total absences for the purposes of counting excessive absences.

No Show Policy

Purpose

Northwest Mississippi Community College (NWCC) recognizes that attendance and participation in class are extremely vital to student success and the overall achievement of a student’s educational goals. NWCC is also committed to compliance with the rules regarding the Return of Title IV funds based on attendance.

The no-show policy and procedure helps prevent students from accruing unwanted balances as well as receiving final grades of “W” on their permanent records.

No Show Policy and Procedure

A “no show” student is identified as a registered student who does not attend at least one class session (in person or students who do not log into their course and complete an instructor-designated activity for online classes) by the end of the registration period. Faculty are responsible for recording attendance, identifying “no show” students, and reporting “no show” students to the Office of Admissions and Records. All courses reported by the instructor as a “no show” will be administratively removed from the student’s schedule the week following the registration period.

“No show” students will not be responsible for the tuition for that course, but class removal could result in a loss of financial aid. There may be serious financial aid consequences for students who are receiving financial aid since this will reduce the number of enrolled credit hours. Also, please be aware that charges will increase if a student’s registered status changes from full-time student to part-time student. If students believe their instructor reported them as a “no show” in error, they must contact the instructor immediately to resolve the issue. Only students who were reported in error will be allowed to be enrolled back into the class.

*MSVCC has its own state-mandated no-show policy to which they adhere.

Classroom Code of Conduct

Northwest Mississippi Community College is committed to providing an educational environment that is conducive to learning for all students. Students play a critical role in creating an environment in which learning can take place. The purpose of this Code of Conduct is to address student behavior within the classroom.

1. All electronics, including communication and listening devices, i.e. cell phones, Ipods, etc., must be deactivated and stored during class time. Students who are enrolled in courses that are utilizing e-books may use their cell phones to access course information along with laptop computers, iPads, Kindles, or similar technology if they have the book downloaded on those devices. Any other exceptions must be approved in advance by the instructor.
2. All students must respect other people’s rights, opinions, and beliefs even though they may be different from their own. It must be understood by each student that his/her rights end where other students’ rights begin.
3. No food, drink, or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom.
4. No manner of dress will be allowed which disrupts the normal educational process.
5. All dishonesty, including cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly providing false information, either in oral or written form, is prohibited.
6. Language which is appropriate to the classroom is expected of all students.
7. All students must do their own work, except where instructors state that group work is permissible.
8. Students must arrange to take restroom and water breaks before or after class hours. Any student who leaves class once the class has begun will not be allowed to return to that session and will be counted absent.
9. Students must attend class, arrive on time, stay through the entire period, bring all necessary materials and come prepared.
10. Students must conform to the Code of Student Conduct.

The instructor has the right to remove from the classroom any student whose behavior is disruptive to the learning process. The instructor has the authority to determine which behaviors are disruptive.

A student who is removed from the classroom for disruptive behavior must report to the appropriate administrator as advised by the faculty member. Potential penalties may range from warnings to temporary or permanent removal from the course.

Cheating/Plagiarism Sanctions

An instructor who determines that a student is cheating or plagiarizing should employ the following sanctions:

For the first offense in the class, up to a “0” grade on the assignment or test.
For the second offense in the class, an “F” for the course with notification to the Director of Instruction and appropriate Associate Vice President or Dean of Health Sciences. If the Director of Instruction is the instructor in the course then notification will go directly to the Associate Vice President. Additional notification should be made to the Campus Dean or Dean of eLearning as applicable.”

Appeal Procedure:
Students who wish to appeal the decision of their instructor with regards to an allegation of cheating or plagiarism should notify the Associate Vice President for Academic Instruction, Associate Vice President of Workforce Solutions and Career-Technical Education or Dean of School of Health Sciences (head of the appropriate school of instruction) in writing within one (1) week of the formal decision by their instructor. The head of the appropriate school of instruction will, within a reasonable amount of time, convene an Ad Hoc Committee to hear the student’s appeal and will notify the student in writing of the date, time, and location of the hearing. The Ad Hoc Committee will be chaired by the head of the appropriate school of instruction and may consist of up to two (2) faculty members, and two (2) students, and the campus dean if applicable. The Committee will review all supporting documentation and hear from the accused student in person. The accused student may submit any documentation and present witnesses in his/her defense at that time. The Committee will render a decision following the hearing and the decision of the Committee is final. If the head of the appropriate school of instruction is the instructor of record, then the Vice President of Instruction will serve in that place in the above procedure.
 

Intellectual Property Rights Policy

All work products created or produced using the College’s resources, facilities, or time are considered to be the property of Northwest Mississippi Community College. Products developed on personal time using personal resources shall be deemed the property of the individual. All revenue derived from College-owned products is unrestricted for institutional budgeting purposes, while any revenue gained from individually-owned work products is discretionary for the developer. This policy is applicable to all faculty, staff, and students.

Standards of Academic Progress

A student, to move assuredly toward a degree should maintain the following grade point average:

Academic Warning & Academic Probation

Standards of satisfactory academic progress for full-time and part-time students are the same as those required to maintain financial aid eligibility. (See Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy .)

If a student fails to maintain the minimum GPA on the first level of the scale (6 hours passed with a minimum semester GPA of 1.25), the student is placed on “Academic Warning” at the end of the semester. If the student fails to attain the prescribed GPA in the second level of the scale (12 hours passed with a minimum cumulative GPA of 1.35), the student is placed on “Academic Probation”. The student who is on Academic Probation may find certain campus privileges are suspended until they are once again making satisfactory progress toward their educational goals. Students not making satisfactory academic progress are also encouraged to utilize academic support services.

A student who does not achieve the designated cumulative GPA (2.00 with 21 or more semester hours passed) remains on Academic Probation. A student may continue to pursue their education at Northwest with an Academic Probation status, however, the student may be restricted from federal financial assistance, scholarships, and other benefits for students in good academic standing.

Withdrawal from School

A student who finds it necessary to withdraw from school for any reason should do so properly. The proper withdrawal procedure is as follows:

1. To obtain the complete withdrawal form please click here or visit northwestms.edu and click on the Students tab at the top left of the screen. Then click on Complete Withdrawal Form under Links and Resources. **The form must be submitted online.
2. This form is used only if you are withdrawing from ALL classes for the current semester.
3. Please review the deadlines for withdrawal found here under the 2023-2024 Instructional Calendar.
4. Once the form has been submitted online it goes to the appropriate offices for processing. The student will be notified via their Northwest email once the process has been completed.

A student who properly and officially withdraws will receive a grade of “W” (official withdrawal) in all classes. Withdrawal must be made by the earliest date of withdrawal for courses the student is taking that semester. An unofficial withdrawal is attributed to a student who leaves Northwest without going through the published withdrawal procedures.

Change of Schedule

Students should set up their program of study and schedule with extreme care and exert every effort to keep that schedule. Regulations concerning a change of schedule are:

Schedule changes can be made up to the second week of class by the Associate Vice President for Academic Instruction, Associate Vice President for Career-Technical Education, Center Dean, Dean of the School of Health Sciences or the student’s adviser. Please see the college calendar for the exact dates.

Adding a Course

1. A new course cannot be added after the end of late registration.

Dropping a Course

1. A new course cannot be dropped after the end of late registration. After late registration, the student must use the withdrawal process to withdraw from a course.

Withdrawing From a Class

A student may withdraw from a class until the withdrawal deadline for that course listed in the instructional calendar.

Procedure for Withdrawing from a Course

Go to the Advising and Retention Center (ARC) on the Senatobia Campus in Yalobusha Hall; Student Success Center on DeSoto Campus or Administrative Office # 115 on Oxford Campus.

Course Load

The normal load of work is from 15 to 21 semester hours. No student may enroll for more than 21 hours in one semester without the approval of the adviser and the appropriate dean or Associate Vice President.

Classification

Students are classified according to the following standards:

Freshman - 0 to 29 credit hours;
Sophomore - 30 or more credit hours.

Credit hours include accepted transfer hours and do not include developmental credit hours.

Academic Record-Transcript Release Policy

One of the major services of the Office of Admissions and Records is to maintain accurate and permanent records of a student’s academic work while the student is enrolled at Northwest. In accordance with the rules and regulations governing the release of these records, the Office of Admissions and Records follows these policies:

1. Before a transcript can be released, all admission papers must be on file in the Office of Admissions and Records - transcript(s), HSE scores if applicable, and ACT scores or SAT.
2. No transcript can be released if the student has a “balance due” in the Business Office. The student’s account must be paid in the Business Office by cash, money order, or bank check, and receipt taken to the Office of Admissions and Records before a transcript can be released.
3. Authorization from the student may be submitted via an online transcript request.
4. Transcripts sent to other colleges, employers, or agencies will bear the official college seal and will be an official transcript. Transcripts sent directly to the student that makes the request will not bear the college seal and will be an unofficial transcript. Official Transcripts can only be sent directly to other colleges, employers, and agencies.
5. Employers or other agencies who request information about a Northwest student should get the signature of the person in question before sending a request. This signature serves as authorization for this office to release information.
6. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Buckley Amendment) relates to the rights of access assuring certain privacy of students’ records. This act provides students or parents of dependent students (children or wards claimed for income tax purposes) the right to review, inspect, and challenge the accuracy of information kept in the “office of record” of the institution. At Northwest, they may do so by completing an NWCC Waiver of Rights to Privacy of Records (FERPA) form. All students have the opportunity to complete the form as it is available on the website: http://www.northwestms.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/FERPA-Waiver_ fillable.pdf. In completing the form, the student is waiving their right to privacy of records, allowing the Northwest office overseeing the record requested to release the student’s records to the person(s) listed on the form at their request.
   A repository or “office of record,” for “personally identifiable” information relating to students is maintained, according to the designated data, at the locations listed below.
   1. Records accessible to a student and his/her parents as indicated above.
      1. Office of Admissions and Records
         1. Academic records
         2. The permanent file of personal data for all students
         3. Course enrollments
         4. Official transcripts for all schools
         5. Application for Admission files, including test scores
      2. Athletic Department
         1. Data on athletes’ competitive abilities
      3. Financial Aid
         1. Application and certification
      4. Student Services
         1. Disciplinary records
      5. Business Office
         1. Fiscal records
            Unofficial copies of records and official copies of records (certified with Northwest seal) may be obtained by contacting the Office of Admissions and Records. These documents will be released upon written authorization. (Charges are subject to change.)
   2. “Directory Information” The following categories of information have been designated by Northwest as “Directory Information,” and as such may be used as a matter of public record. However, should a student desire that this information not be released, it will be withheld if notification is given in writing to the Registrar (Office of Admissions and Records) within three weeks after the first day of class registration.
      1. The student’s name
      2. Address
      3. Telephone listing
      4. Date and place of birth
      5. Field of study
      6. Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
      7. Weight and height of member of athletic teams
      8. Dates of attendance
      9. Degrees, awards, and honors
      10. The most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student
      11. School or college year (freshman or sophomore)
      12. Degree sought
      13. Class schedule
      14. E-mail address
   3. Other items
      1. Except as provided by the law, data released to outside sources will be in aggregate form and no “personally identifiable” records will be made available.
      2. When grades are reported, they are accessible via the student’s myNWCC account.
      3. Should you have questions or object to the policy stated above, you are encouraged to discuss your concern with the Registrar, who is located in the Office of Admissions and Records in Yalobusha Hall. Policy appeals may be made by written petition to Registrar, Northwest Mississippi Community College, Senatobia, MS, 38668. A hearing will be afforded the petitioner if requested. Students will be informed, in writing, as to the disposition of the petition.
      4. In the event any part of this policy is in conflict with state or federal law, statutory or judicial decisions will govern access to records.
      5. All official non-credit records of the College are maintained by Workforce Solutions. This department also issues non-credit transcripts and certificates for any non-credit training conducted.  

Honors

Graduation Honors

Graduates will receive their degrees with special recognition in accordance with the following grade averages:
3.50-3.79 Graduation cum laude
3.80-3.99 Graduation magna cum laude
4.000 Graduation summa cum laude

Hall of Fame

Some students may be selected for the annual Hall of Fame, which is the highest honor that a Northwest student can achieve. Selection is based on a minimum GPA of 3.0 and high qualities of leadership, character, scholarship, and participation in college activities. Members must have sophomore standing.

Outstanding Student

One outstanding student may be chosen for each academic pathway, Career-Technical program, and School of Health Sciences program. The choice is made by faculty within the department. The student must attend full-time, and only one outstanding student may be chosen for each pathway or program.

President’s List and Vice President’s List

The honors lists are announced at the end of each semester. To be eligible a student must be classified as a full-time student. Criteria are as follows:

1. President’s List: 3.75 quality points to 4.0 quality points
2. Vice President’s List: 3.5 quality points to 3.74 quality points

Honors Program & Organizations

Northwest Mississippi Community College strives to meet the needs of academically advanced students in a variety of ways. First, qualified students can request an Honors contract in any course in which they are enrolled. Teacher and student agree on accelerated or enhanced requirements to be completed by semester end. No penalty is levied for attempting an Honors contract and not completing it.

Secondly, the college promotes active Phi Theta Kappa chapters to meet both the academic and social needs of our students. Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) is an invitational honor society with chapters on all three campuses. Eligibility requires a minimum of 12 transferable credit hours and a cumulative GPA of 3.5. Students are invited to join each semester. Once membership dues are paid, students are eligible for exclusive PTK transfer scholarships.

Thirdly, the college promotes active National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) chapters to recognize the scholastic achievement of Career and Technical students. Among the benefits of membership are well-deserved recognition, scholarship opportunities, cultivation of excellence in tomorrow’s workforce, and career opportunities. Thousands of schools and colleges throughout the U.S. and its territories have established NTHS chapters on their campuses. Eligibility requirements include:

• Must have at least a 3.25 in a Career-Technical program of study and enrolled in at least a one-year CTE program of study.
• Must have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.
• Must have earned at least 12 credit hours in the CTE program of study.
• Must uphold at least a 3.0 GPA to maintain membership.

Fourthly, Gamma Beta Phi Society is a scholastic, honor, educational-service organization that recognizes and encourages excellence in education. It promotes the development of leadership ability and character in the members; and fosters, disseminates, and improves education by appropriate service projects through membership in a national association of local chapters of the Society. Northwest requires, and members must maintain, a 3.00 grade point average for initiation and membership.  Advisors -
Lafayette/Yalobusha - Carol Cleveland, office ext. #8153; Julie Stokes office ext. #8650 and at Senatobia - Kimberley N. Poland, office ext. #3382