Student update 4/6/20

ric_adminAnnouncements, COVID-19, Roanoke Innovates

A message from Dr. Elizabeth Wilmer:

I hope that this communication finds you healthy and moving
forward with your spring semester classes. As we have said before, but I want
to say again, Virginia Western is committed to supporting you and helping you
to complete these classes with the needed learning to successfully move on to
future classes or graduate. COVID-19 had forced us to deliver your classes in
ways that none of us intended. For this reason, the Virginia Community College
System (VCCS) had made some emergency policy changes only for Spring Semester
2020 to help the colleges and our students. These changes can be found at https://www.virginiawestern.edu/covid19/grading/.

The changes and what you need to
do are listed below:

  1. Withdrawal
    Deadline

The Withdrawal deadline has been extended
to May 8, 2020 for all but third four-week classes. The withdrawal deadline for
third four-week classes is April 17.

  1. To
    withdraw from a class up until the deadline, you will go into the Student
    Information System through MyVWCC and withdraw from the class. This process is
    the same as it has been in the past with the exception of the deadline. Instructions on how to do this can be found at https://virginiawestern.edu/iet-services/myvwcc-help/withdraw-from-a-class/

    1. Guidance
      on Withdrawals:

      1. A “W” grade does not count towards your GPA but
        does appear on your Virginia Western transcript.
      1. A class with a “W” graded does not count towards
        graduation requirements
      1. If you are on financial aid, a “W” grade could
        impact future financial aid. Please note that the financial aid office will
        approach all appeals (impacts) with leniency and expedited turn around during this
        time.
      1. Students are only allowed to repeat a class
        three times. A “W” grade counts as one of these repeats.
  • Grading
    Scale

The default grading scale for spring
semester will be the P+, P- W scale. Unless students select the A-F scale,
faculty will use the default grading scale. The “WC” grade will be treated the
same as a “W” grade.

Letter Grade What does the Grade Mean? How
does it Apply?
P+ Pass with a grade of “C” or higher Applies to college transfer and technical education courses. A grade of
P+ will not impact a student’s GPA. A grade of P+ will transfer.
 
P- Pass with a grade of “D” Applies to college transfer and technical education courses. A grade of
P- will not impact a student’s GPA. Will count towards Virginia Western
graduation but will not transfer.
 
W

WC

Withdraw
 
 
Withdraw/COVID-19 		A student-initiated withdrawal through the revised deadline of May 8,
2020
 
A
faculty member may award a WC for a student who did not initiate the
withdrawal or did not pass.
I Incomplete The
faculty member and student may agree to a plan to complete the remaining
course requirements. The College has waived the requirement that students
must complete 60% of course competencies and attendance requirements in order
to receive a grade of Incomplete.  The Colleges has also agreed to allow
students up to two semesters to complete the requirements for the course.
  • Students
    may opt for the standard A-F grading scale.

    • An
      assignment will be added to all Canvas shells that gives students the opportunity
      to select the A-F scale. This assignment will not count toward your grade for
      the class but is simply designed to give you this option. The option will be
      the only question on the assignment. If you select the A-F option:

      • You must do so by May 8, 2020
      • You may only do this once. Once it is done, you
        have selected the option and can’t change it. You will receive a grade on the
        A-F scale rather than the COVID-19 P+, P-, W grading
        scale above.
      • Guidance on when you might want to consider this
        option:

        • If
          you are transferring to UVA, an out of state college, or a private college that
          has not agreed to accept the P+ grade in transfer. Please check with your
          transfer institution.

          • Please
            note than when a course transfers, it only transfers for course credit and does
            not impact a student’s GPA at the transfer institution.
        • If
          you are a veteran and are concerned about the impact of a “W” on benefits.
          Please contact your veteran’s advisor for advising.
        • If
          you are trying to raise your GPA for graduation or academic standing purposes.
        • If
          you simply want a letter grade.
  • Incomplete
    Grade

    • If
      your class is not completed this semester, an incomplete is an option. This
      option must be agreed upon for just reason by both the faculty member and the
      student. All normal paperwork processes for documenting the incomplete should
      be followed. The exceptions are that the requirement that 60% of the work has
      been completed has been waived and the deadline has been extended to the last
      day of classes for Fall 2020.

      • Students in hands-on classes or clinicals where
        the class has not been able to meet in-person to complete the necessary
        in-person requirements of the class will receive an incomplete. We will ensure
        that you have the opportunity to complete this instruction to remove this incomplete.
        Your instructor will provide additional guidance as more information is
        available regarding when we can resume in-person classes.
      • Other students with extenuating circumstances
        should contact your instructor and follow the normal process with the two above
        exceptions.

Sincerely,

Dr. Elizabeth Wilmer

Vice President for Academic and
Student Affairs

Virginia Western Community College

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