Academics

Appeal of Capricious Final Grade

The following procedures are available only for review of alleged capricious grading, and not for
review of the judgment of an instructor in assessing the quality of a student’s work. Capricious
grading is limited to one or more of the following:

a. The assignment of a final course grade to a particular student on some basis other than
performance in the course.

b. The assignment of a final course grade to a particular student by a substantial departure from
the instructor’s standards announced during the term which are not uniformly applied to others
in the class.

The assessment of the quality of the student’s academic performance is solely and properly the
professional responsibility of the RVC faculty. It is essential for the standards of the academic
programs at RVC and the integrity of the degrees conferred that these professional judgments
are not subject to pressures or interference from any source.

If a grade concern does not meet one of the two criteria listed, a student may submit a general
complaint for review to the Dean of Students Office.

Grading

Grading

Grade points at Rock Valley College are assigned on the following scale:

GRADE LEVEL SIGNIFICANCE GRADE-POINT

• A superior 4.0
• B good 3.0
• C average 2.0
• D poor 1.0
• F failure 0
• NA not applicable
• W withdrew/not completed NA
• T credit by proficiency NA
• AU audit* NA
• P successful completion NA
• I incomplete** 0

* Audit – Students may elect to audit a course (no credit, no grade points, not figured in grade point average). Audit status indicates that the student will attend the classes but will not receive credit. (A student must declare audit status before the first day of classes.)

** Incomplete – Upon prior arrangement and agreement with the course instructor and upon submission of the college’s “incomplete grade agreement form” submitted by the instructor, an incomplete (I) indicator will be recorded on the student’s record.

An “I” will be issued at the discretion of the instructor when course requirements are not fulfilled by the end of the term only when the instructor believes that the reason the student cannot complete the course in a timely fashion is sufficiently serious to warrant the issuance of the “I” indicator.

The incomplete grade agreement is a contract made between the student and the instructor, and states specifically what the student must do to complete the course work. The course work must be completed within the specified time period, not to exceed 12 months from the end of the term in which the course was taken. Upon completion of the course work, the instructor will change the “I” indicator to the appropriate letter grade (A, B, C, D, or F). If the student does not complete the course work within this prescribed time period, a grade of “F” will be entered for the course.

Calculation of Grade Point Averages

A Grade Point Average (GPA) will be calculated at the conclusion of each semester. The GPA includes all A-B-C-D-F grades complete to date, except those courses in which the pass/fail system is used exclusively, or those courses in which the pass/fail option is selected, or courses numbered less than 100. If a course is repeated, only the grade of the final repetition will be computed in a student’s GPA.

The GPA will be calculated based on a four point basis (F=0, D=1, C=2, B=3, and A=4) where the number of grade points for a specific letter grade is multiplied by the number of credit hours earned for that course. For instance, the number of credit hours in which the student earned an A is multiplied by four (4) then added to the number of credit hours in which the student earned a B multiplied by three (3), etc. Finally, the total grade points are divided by the total credit hours for which a student received an A, B, C, D, or F.

Academic Forgiveness Criteria

Academic forgiveness is the one-time elimination of up to a maximum of 15 semester hours of “D” or “F” grades in courses numbered 100 or above received at Rock Valley College.

Academic forgiveness applies to the calculation of a grade point average (GPA) at RVC and does not result in the deletion of those grades from the transcript. RVC does not guarantee that a receiving transfer institution will honor RVC’s Academic Forgiveness Policy.

To be eligible for academic forgiveness:

1. Students may petition for academic forgiveness for a maximum of 15 semester hours of “D” or “F” grades which have been earned in any 365-day period.

2. A period of 12 months must have elapsed between the date of the request for forgiveness and the end of the last semester in which the undesirable grades were earned.

3. Petitions shall include:

a. A list of those courses to be considered for academic forgiveness.

b. A statement which contains pertinent information regarding the receipt of the undesirable grades and an indication of serious intent to continue academic studies.

4. To be considered for academic forgiveness, a student must have completed a minimum of 12 credits of subsequent course work at a 2.0 GPA at RVC or another regionally accredited
institution.

5. Academic forgiveness does not apply to courses which have been repeated and completed with grades of A, B, C, D, or F.

6. Special circumstances will be reviewed by the Chief Academic Officer (CAO).

7. Students will meet with an Academic Advisor to review courses that may be eligible for academic forgiveness.

The petition form may be obtained from the Records and Registration Office. The petition should be completed and submitted to the Records and Registration Office. The final decision for academic forgiveness will be determined by the CAO.

Commencement Ceremony

The Commencement Ceremony is held once a year at the end of the spring semester, May 16, 2025. All students who complete graduation requirements for the following degrees; A.A., A.S., A.E.S., A.A.S., and A.G.S. are eligible for participation in the Spring Commencement Ceremony. Students who expect to complete their degree at the end of the spring semester or summer immediately following, as well as those who completed their requirements the previous summer or fall semesters, are encouraged to participate. Students must submit an application for Graduation to participate in the Commencement Ceremony (see more about Graduation/Commencement https://rockvalleycollege.edu/academics/graduation). These students will be sent additional information and notified about picking up their cap and gown during the spring semester.

Students completing a certificate program will receive their certificate in the mail following the semester of completion. Certificate recipients will have the opportunity to participate in the Certificate Earners Ceremony, which is held once a year (May 15, 2025).

Second Degree Requirements

A student who has received or qualified for one Associate Degree from Rock Valley College may receive a second degree upon satisfactory completion of all graduation requirements for the second degree, including an additional 15 semester hours of residency. All specific course requirements for the second degree must be satisfied and at least 15 semester hours of credit, not applied to meet minimum requirements for the first degree, must be applicable toward the second degree. A student who has received a degree from any other college accredited by a regional accrediting agency, such as the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), may receive a second degree from Rock Valley College upon satisfactory completion of all graduation requirements for the second degree, including
a minimum of 15 semester hours of residency at Rock Valley College.

Academic Integrity

Honesty Statement

The faculty and administration expect that RVC students are serious and honorable scholars.

Academic integrity is a part of the learning process which is infused throughout the student’s

experiences at RVC, both in and out of the classroom. Additionally, support resources on campus

exist to aid students in their pursuit of academic excellence.

Students are expected to do their own, original work, except when collaboration on projects

is directed by faculty as part of the course or specific assignment. Students are expected to

observe the commonly accepted standards of academic honesty at all times and in all learning

environments. This includes but is not limited to face-to-face, hybrid, and online class meetings;

experiential learning opportunities; clinical and lab sites; alternative testing environments like the

Testing Center; and, crucially, the production of homework and major and minor projects.

Students who commit any of the forms of academic misconduct as outlined below are subject to

the penalties and sanctions agreed upon by the faculty and administration of Rock Valley College.

Acts of Academic Misconduct

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the representation of someone else’s intellectual property (words, ideas or data) as one’s own. When a student submits work for credit that includes the work of others, the source of that information must be properly acknowledged through complete, accurate and specific references. If verbatim statements are included, quotation marks must be used and the source must be cited.

Cheating by Copying: Students may not copy or purchase any part of another student’s or entity’s assignment, computer program, or examination. No unauthorized communication is allowed between students during an examination. No student is permitted to keep books, papers, calculators, computers, cell phones or the like, or notes during an examination, unless permitted by the instructor or proctor.

Dishonest Collaboration: Collaboration in the completion of assignments is prohibited unless explicitly permitted by the instructor. Students must acknowledge any collaboration and its extent in all submitted course work.

Fabrication: Fabrication is the intentional use of invented information or the falsification of research or other finds with the intent to deceive.

Other acts of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to: Giving or receiving information during an exam; aiding cheating or other acts of academic dishonesty by providing material or information to another student with the knowledge that this material or information will be used improperly.

Academic Integrity Considerations

In online learning environments, students are expected to be mindful that any consultation of apps, services, or resources without the instructor’s approval will be considered “cheating by copying.” In some courses, students will be required to use online proctoring for quizzes, tests, or other exams. Online proctoring allows students to complete tests in the Testing Center or on their own personal device.

When academic misconduct has been identified, faculty members will exercise their best judgment about the consequences and will, at all times, consider what the student should take away from the experience. In some cases, a failing grade on the assignment or the course will achieve these goals. Faculty are encouraged to outline in the course syllabus the range of consequences students might face if academic misconduct is discovered.

In addition to the penalty assigned, faculty members should report all incidences of academic dishonesty to the Dean of Students Office, even if the penalty is a warning, so that students may receive support to correct the academic integrity concerns.

Students who have been reported multiple times for committing acts of academic misconduct (by a single instructor or by multiple instructors) will be required to discuss with the appropriate Vice President in Academic Affairs necessary measures to better understand Academic Honesty and appropriate resources to use prior to pursuing the appeal process. In extreme cases, a suspension or expulsion might be warranted. Students should refer to the Student Handbook and Student Code of Conduct for complete procedures for addressing academic misconduct and the academic appeal and review process.

The following link is meant to be a quick reference for both prospective and current students at Rock Valley College: Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism

Procedures for Addressing Academic Misconduct

Action Taken by Instructors

1. A faculty member has the original jurisdiction over instances of academic misconduct that occur in their course; the faculty member’s jurisdiction is subject (in some cases) to departmental policy.

2. When academic misconduct by a student is identified by an instructor, an appropriate academic penalty will be assessed by the faculty. The Dean of Students and the Academic Dean should be informed of both the nature of the offense and the action taken. The instructor may impose one or more of the sanctions:

An oral reprimand
A written reprimand
An assignment to repeat the work, to be graded on its merits
A lower or failing grading for the exam, paper, or project
A lower grade for the course
A failing grade for the course

3. The instructor will report the violation and action taken to the Dean of Students Office for the purpose of centralized reporting and review. The online referral form is available at: File Academic Misconduct Referral Report

4. Accordingly, an instructor or designated proctor who has witnessed an act of academic misconduct or who has other evidence that academic dishonesty has occurred, will advise the student involved that there is reason to believe that the student has committed a violation of academic integrity and a report has been made to the Dean of Students Office.

5. A letter will be sent from the Dean of Students Office to the student’s RVC email address acknowledging this report. If this incident has occurred previously with the same student, the student will first be referred to the appropriate Academic Vice President for a consultation regarding multiple incidents of academic misconduct.

6. The request to appeal should be made within 10 business days of the notification letter from the Dean of Students Office or the student forfeits the right to appeal.

Academic Appeal and Review Process

Student Appeal Process

If the student does not agree to the action taken by the faculty member, the student should contact the faculty’s Dean. After meeting with the Dean, if the student chooses to request a formal appeal by an Academic Conduct Hearing Panel, the student will follow these steps:

Student submits, in writing, a request to appeal the faculty member’s allegation. Student should include any supporting documentation. Student submits request to the Dean of Students
Student will be provided a written notice of the allegation(s) from the Dean of Students. The notice will also include the date, time, and place of the Academic Conduct Hearing Panel.
The Academic Conduct Hearing Panel will consist of the Dean of Students (facilitator, non-voting member), the appropriate Academic Dean, two (2) faculty members from the same academic discipline as the faculty member bringing the charge. If two additional faculty members do not exist within that department, the Dean of Students will consult with the Academic Dean to select other faculty members within the Division that teach a similar or related subject, one (1) faculty member from outside that department, and one (1) Student Development administrator; all five (5) will be chosen by the appropriate Associate Academic Vice President in consultation with the Dean of Students
If the student does not attend the Academic Conduct Hearing Panel as scheduled or notify the Dean of Students Office of their inability to attend the panel within 48 hours of the date selected, the student forfeits their right to appeal and the assigned sanction stands as is.

Faculty Review Process

If a faculty member feels a penalty greater than an “F” in the course is warranted:

Faculty member consults with Academic Dean.
If Faculty member chooses to request a formal review, they will contact the Dean of Students to initiate the Academic Conduct Hearing Panel process.

Academic Conduct Hearing Procedures

Any documentation should be submitted to the Dean of Students Office within 48 hours of the scheduled Academic Conduct Hearing Panel for consideration. The student will meet individually with the Panel first. After the student has met with the Panel, the faculty member making the allegation will meet individually with the Panel.
Legal counsel shall not be permitted; however, a non-attorney representative from within the college shall be permitted for both faculty and student for support and may speak, only when addressed by the facilitator.
The Panel shall have the right to examine all documents presented, and question all participants.
The Panel will reach its decision, in closed session, within three to five (3–5) business days. Both the student and faculty member will be informed, in writing, by the Dean of Students of the results of the Panel’s decision. Decisions of the Academic Conduct Hearing Panel are final.

Penalties

If, as a result of the hearing, the student is found responsible for the violation, one or more of the following penalties* may be assigned by the Academic Conduct Hearing Panel:

Faculty member’s original penalty remains in place.
The Academic Conduct Hearing Panel may impose the following sanctions:

Withdrawal from course;
Dismissal from program, or withdrawal from the course;
Suspension from the college.

If the student is found not responsible, the Panel will consult with the faculty member regarding the removal of the penalty.

* The prior disciplinary record of a student may be considered in establishing an appropriate sanction but not in establishing a student’s responsibility.

Please contact the Dean of Students Office for questions regarding the Academic Misconduct Procedure.

Academic Procedure Revisions: June 2010; August 2012; June 2013

Academic Policies and Procedures

Transcript Requests:

In order to obtain a transcript from Rock Valley College visit Rock Valley College Transcripts webpage for details. Please contact Records and Registration Office at 815-921-4250 with questions.

NOTE: Transcripts listing courses numbered 100 and above will be sent for each request. If you took courses numbered below 100 (remedial), Community and Continuing Education courses or Adult Education courses, you will need to specifically request inclusion of these records.

Transcripts of work completed at other institutions become a part of a student’s record at Rock Valley College and are not released or copied for distribution. Copies must be obtained from the institution where the courses were completed.

All financial and academic obligations to Rock Valley College must be satisfied before transcripts will be released.

Financial Obligation Of The Student:

Grade reports, transcripts, degrees/certificates, or other academic record information may be withheld from students who are in default on financial obligations. In such a case, students maintain the right to inspect and review their records. Information will only be released once the student’s account has been cleared.

Updating Student Records:

It is the responsibility of students to notify the Records and Registration Office of any change or correction to their name, address, telephone number, and/or any other information on their record. It is imperative that this information be kept current and accurate.

Repetition Of Courses:

The highest grade of the repeated course will be computed in the student’s Grade Point Average (GPA), but all attempts will be listed on the transcript. If a student chooses to audit a course, it will not be considered a repeat or counted in the GPA. This does not apply to grades earned at other colleges. It is important to note that other colleges may count all grades for repeated courses when arriving at a GPA. It is the students’ responsibility to acquaint themselves with the policy of the college(s) to which they plan to transfer.

Placement into Developmental Coursework:

Rock Valley College offers developmental coursework in Math and English. Placement into developmental courses is determined by multiple measures as indicated in the Illinois Developmental Education Reform Act (110 ILCS 175/100-15 Section 100.15. Placement Measures)

Visit https://rockvalleycollege.edu/academics/testing-center/placement-requirements for details on determining placement.

Credit For Prior Experiences

Rock Valley College defines Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) as learning obtained outside of the traditional college classroom. All potential students, from high school to returning adult, may benefit from Credit for Prior Learning. Credit for Prior Learning can provide you with the opportunity to receive credit for these past learning experiences, save money on tuition, and accelerate the completion of your educational goals. Visit https://rockvalleycollege.edu/academics/testing-center/credit-for-prior-learning/index for details.

Credit For Alternate Learning

College credit may be granted toward an Associate Degree for the following programs certified by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training.

Early Childhood Education (formerly Child Care and Development): Maximum three (3) hours for Child Development Associate Credential (CDA).
Criminal Justice: College course credit may be granted for successful completion of a state-approved full-time or part-time academy in law enforcement.
Fire Science: College course credit may be granted for the successful completion of Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) approved course programs (Illinois or Wisconsin), Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, National Fire Academy (NFA), Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI), Department of Defense, Emergency Medical Technician (National Registry), and Illinois Department of Public Health courses/certificates (Policy 209).
Military: Military transfer credit may be awarded upon evaluation of the Joint Services Transcript. The Joint Services Transcript (JST) can be ordered at no cost to the student by going to the website – https://jst.doded.mil/jst/ (for Army, Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard) Air Force must request an unopened copy of their official transcripts from the Community College of the Air Force. In response to the new Credit for Military Experience ACT, (HB3701), the college will use ACE, American Council on Education, to conduct and facilitate academic reviews of military courses and occupations. Four (4) Fitness, Wellness, and Sport (FWS) credits will automatically be awarded to students who have completed basic training.

President's List and Dean's List

To be eligible for the President’s List and Dean’s List for a given semester, students must earn at least 12 credit hours of college course work which count toward a certificate or degree. Students who meet the eligibility requirements and earn at least a 3.25 GPA will be named to the Dean’s List (fall and spring semesters only). Students who meet the eligibility requirements and earn at least a 4.0 GPA will be named to the President’s List (fall and spring semesters only).