Records and Registration

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Registration and Course Information

The Oﬃce of Student Records provides information and services to meet the needs of the Trenholm State faculty, staﬀ, students, and community. The department maintains student academic records, facilitates advising and registration each semester for credit classes, and veriﬁes and certiﬁes student enrollment status. In addition to planning the Commencement Ceremony, the department is responsible for the processing of grade changes, transfer credits, awarding of certiﬁcates and degrees, curriculum updates, degree plans, and change of majors. To this end, the Oﬃce has the responsibility to maintain timely and accurate records of the academic progress and accomplishments of Trenholm students, while maintaining the privacy and security of those records.

Advising

Academic advising is a critical part for students seeking a degree or certiﬁcate or planning to take courses prior to transferring to a four-year institution from Trenholm State. Its primary purpose is to assist students in the development of meaningful educational plans which are compatible with their life goals. Every student enrolled is assigned a faculty advisor.

Faculty advisors are available in each program to advise students regarding courses, programs, and career planning along guided pathways to ensure success in their respective programs of study. Advisors are available during advising days and regular oﬃce hours throughout the semester. Prior to each semester, students are ultimately responsible for consulting with their faculty advisor to plan their course of study and review their degree plan for a timely graduation.

The Faculty Advisor Directory is published on the College’s website https://www.trenholmstate.edu/programs/faculty-advisor/.

Students who experience academic diﬃculty or consider withdrawal from the College for any reason are encouraged to contact their advisor or the Student Success Center.

Registration

Registration dates are listed in the calendar section of the College Catalog. During the scheduled registration, Trenholm State students must consult with their faculty advisor to select courses appropriate for their major. Students must complete the registration process by registering online via their “My Trenholm” Portal.

Speciﬁc registration information is contained in instructions distributed to students before each semester begins. Registration is held each semester according to scheduled dates, and procedures are published on the College’s website www.trenholmstate.edu and the College Calendar. A schedule of courses is published on the College’s website (www.trenholmstate.edu) each semester. Students are responsible for registering each semester.

Trenholm State may withhold the privilege of a student’s registration for the following reasons:

Unpaid Fees
Unreturned Library Books
Incomplete Admissions Records

Time and Location of Courses

Trenholm State Community College oﬀers most courses and instructional programs with day, evening, and online schedules. Courses are oﬀered at the Trenholm Campus, the Patterson Site, Culinary Arts, and online. All courses meet the same standards and have the same requirements regardless of the time, place, or method of delivery.

Prerequisites

A student who fails a course in a sequence cannot take the succeeding course before making up the failure. Prerequisites for a course must be met before the requisite course is taken.

Course Load

The maximum course load is nineteen (19) semester credit hours. A student may take more than nineteen (19) semester credit hours only with special permission from the Program Coordinator and the appropriate Dean. The Course Overload form is located on the College’s website https://trenholmstate.edu/current-students/student-forms/. An absolute maximum of twenty-four (24) semester credit hours exists for all students. The student must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 to request over 19 hours. The minimum load for a regular full-time student is twelve (12) semester credit hours. Students who are enrolled in developmental courses are strongly encouraged to enroll in 12 hours or less each term until all developmental courses have been completed.

Schedule Changes/Drop and Add

All student schedule changes must be made during the oﬃcial schedule change period. Students may change their schedules by accessing their “My Trenholm” Portal.

Student Classiﬁcation

Students who have earned less than 30 credit hours are classiﬁed as freshmen. Students who enroll for less than twelve (12) credit hours in a semester are classiﬁed as part-time students. Part-time students’ programs of study should conform to the general curriculum requirements of all students. Students registered at the College for twelve (12) credit hours or more in a semester are classiﬁed as full-time students.

Academic Freedom

Trenholm State Community College seeks to provide an atmosphere where students can make open and honest intellectual inquiry into any college matter appropriate for student participation. The student is free to express dissent to any college matter within the limits of good taste. Any student who believes his or her rights to academic freedom have been suppressed should follow the procedures outlined in the Grievance Appeals Procedures listed in the Student Handbook section of the Catalog.

Course Substitution

Generally, completion of the curriculum, as deﬁned by program faculty, is required to be awarded a degree or certiﬁcate. It may be acceptable, on occasion, to substitute a diﬀerent course/s for a course required in the curriculum.

Course substitutions will be made when the resulting substitution is relevant to the course it replaces and maintains the integrity of the academic program. No more than 25% of the total credit hours required in a degree or certiﬁcate program may be substituted. Credit for course substitutions required for a degree or certiﬁcate must be recommended by the program coordinator and approved by the Division Chair, Registrar, and the appropriate Dean.

The Program Coordinator must submit a Course Substitution Request form listing the required course(s) and the requested Substitution course(s) to the appropriate Division Chair. Upon completion, the Division Chair forwards the request to the Registrar and the appropriate Dean for review. The Course Substitution form is located on the College’s website https://www.trenholmstate.edu/current-students/student-forms/

Assignment of Course Instructor

The College reserves the right to change instructors listed to teach courses due to class cancellations, splits, or other conditions which might necessitate the reassignment of instructors. Students should be cautioned that the listing of an instructor’s name to teach a course in the schedule of classes is no guarantee that the instructor will teach the course.

Course Cancellation

If the course is canceled, the class will be deleted, and no grade will be assigned.

Independent Study Courses

In certain unusual circumstances, the appropriate Dean, upon recommendation of the Division Director and instructor, may permit a student to take a course by independent study. Permission will be based on such factors as future course availability, completion for graduation, and the student’s academic record. The student’s grade point average will be considered before approval to take a course by independent study is granted. A student will not be allowed to take more than one independent study course per semester. Transient students and other students whose GPAs are unknown will not be allowed to take any courses by independent study.

Change of Major

A student accepted and enrolled in a program and seeks to pursue a diﬀerent program must meet the requirements for admission to the new program. A student who changes their program will follow the College Catalog’s curriculum requirements for that current academic year. Students are cautioned that changing a program may impact the student’s ﬁnancial aid status. Students who desire to change their major must complete the Change of Major Form found on the Student Information webpage.

Withdrawal Procedures

Withdrawal Policy

A grade of "W" is assigned to a student who oﬃcially withdraws from the College. Students may withdraw from their classes prior to the last two weeks of the semester. The date a student may withdraw from a course is included in the Student Calendar for each term and is listed as the "Last Day to Withdraw." It is the student's responsibility to become familiar with the Student Calendar to know the exact date to withdraw. A student who officially withdraws from the College will receive a grade of "W." A grade of "W" earns zero quality points. If a student never attended or the class is canceled, the class will be deleted, and no grade will be assigned. However, a grade of "F" will be assigned to students who fail to satisfactorily complete the requirements of a course or who voluntarily discontinue class attendance and fail to follow the College's official withdrawal procedure.

Students considering withdrawing from classes after receiving Title IV Aid should contact the financial aid department prior to withdrawing in order to discuss their withdrawal options. Additionally, ﬁnancial aid recipients who completely withdraw from all classes before 60% of the semester has passed are subject to repaying a portion of any grant funds received.

** Oﬃcial Withdrawal is defined as a student who completes the official withdrawal form located on the Student Forms page of the Trenholm State website at https://www.trenholmstate.edu/current-students/student-forms/.

Withdrawal Process

Students withdrawing from a course after registration ends must withdraw from a course by the published last date to withdraw from classes as noted on the College calendar. A grade of “W” will be assigned for withdrawals submitted before the published deadline.

Students withdrawing from the College must complete a withdrawal form to drop all courses for which they are registered. A grade of “W” will be assigned for withdrawals submitted before the published deadline.

Withdrawal Prior to the Start of Classes

A student who withdraws from classes prior to the ﬁrst day of class will be refunded the total tuition and other institutional charges. The ﬁrst-class day is not the ﬁrst day of the student’s class, it is the ﬁrst day of the semester.

Oﬃcial Withdrawal – Total Withdrawal

Students who wish to totally withdraw from the College must complete the oﬃcial withdrawal form located on the Student Forms page of the Trenholm State website (http s://w ww.tre n holmstate.edu/current-students/student-forms/). Students who submit the form prior to the ﬁrst day of classes for the semester/term will be refunded the total amount of tuition and other refundable fees. The “ﬁrst day of class” is the ﬁrst day classes are oﬀered within any term conﬁguration, including, but not limited to, full terms, split terms, mini-terms, and weekend terms. Students who submit the form on or after the ﬁrst day of classes, but prior to the end of the third week of classes will be refunded according to the withdrawal date, as follows:

Total Withdrawal before the oﬃcial first day of class
100% refund
Total Withdrawal during the ﬁrst week
75% refund
Total Withdrawal during the second week
50% refund
Total Withdrawal during the third week
25% refund
Total Withdrawal after the end of the third week
NO REFUND

An administrative fee not to exceed 5% of tuition and other refundable institutional charges shall be assessed for each withdrawal within the period beginning the ﬁrst day of class and ending at the end of the third week of class. The ﬁrst oﬃcial day of classes is indicated on the College calendar as the day that classes begin. There is only one ﬁrst day of class. This day may not be the ﬁrst day on which all individual classes begin. The calendar also indicates the last day to drop/add. For calculating refunds during the fall and spring sixteen-week terms, a “week” is deﬁned as seven calendar days, i.e., the ﬁrst day of class running seven calendar days (inclusive of Saturday and Sunday). Refunds of shorter than sixteen weeks, such as summer semesters and mini terms will reﬂect a prorated week based on the number of days in the term.

Example:

Classes begin June 14; the student withdraws on June 17.
Fourth day = 75% Refund Due.

Tuition/fees paid:	$648.00
	X .75
	$486.00
Administrative Fee	-$32.40
Round to nearest dollar:	$453.60
Refund amount: (round to nearest dollar)	$454.00

Once the withdrawal has been processed, the student will not be allowed to register again during the term of withdrawal.

The withdrawn grade of “W” will be assigned for classes in which students oﬃcially withdraw from the end of the drop/add period to the withdrawal deadline.

A grade of “W” means oﬃcially withdrawal from a course or from the College within a period designated by Trenholm State. Credit hours will not be calculated into the grade-point average.

If a student stops attending or participating in class assignments without oﬃcially withdrawing from the class or the College, a failing grade of “F” will be assigned.

Statewide Transfer and Articulation Reporting System (STARS) – Now Alabama Transfers

Alabama Transfers (formerly STARS) is a web-accessible database system that provides guidance and direction for prospective transfer students in the State of Alabama.

The Alabama Transfers system allows students, advisors, faculty, and administrators to obtain the most current and approved transfer information from the Alabama Articulation and General Studies Committee (AGSC). Prospective transfer students can log onto the Alabama Transfers system and obtain a transfer guide for their chosen major that prescribes the coursework needed in the first 60-64 semester hours (SH) of their degree program. If a student follows the guide and does not change majors, they should receive degree credit upon transfer to the receiving institution.

The Alabama Transfers system allows public two-year students in Alabama to obtain a transfer guide/agreement for the major of their choice. This guide/agreement, if used correctly, guides the student through their first two years of coursework and prevents loss of credit hours upon transfer to the appropriate public four-year university in Alabama. Although transfer guides/agreements can only be generated for two-year to four-year transfers, the Alabama Transfers system can still provide guidance and direction to transfer students who have a different transfer situation.

The information that students receive from the Alabama Transfers system has been approved by the AGSC.

General Principles of Transfer Credit

Coursework transferred or accepted for credit toward a certiﬁcate or a degree must represent collegiate coursework relevant to the student’s degree plan. In assessing and documenting equivalent learning and qualiﬁed faculty, Trenholm State uses recognized guides that aid in the evaluation for credit. Such guides include those published by the American Council on Education, The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Oﬃcers, and the National Association of Foreign Student Aﬀairs.

The Registrar is charged with the initial evaluation of transcripts for potential transfer of credit. The Registrar has the authority to approve transfer credit applicable to a student’s degree plan when (a) the transferred course meets the General Principles for Transfer of Credit as previously outlined and (b) the course name, level, description, and learning outcomes substantially match that of the course for which credit is awarded in the student’s degree plan. In addition, the Registrar may grant transfer credit for a speciﬁc course in a student’s degree plan when the transferred course is of a higher level and has the speciﬁc course (or one with substantially similar learning outcomes) as a prerequisite. For example, the Registrar may grant credit for MTH 100 (Intermediate Algebra) if the student earned a grade of C or better in MTH 112 (Pre-Calculus Algebra) for which MTH 100 is a prerequisite.

Other potentially transferable courses are evaluated for credit toward the student’s degree plan cooperatively by the Registrar and designated faculty member. For general education courses, the designated faculty member is the lead academic instructor credentialed in the discipline. For technical courses in the student’s major, the designated faculty member is the corresponding Program Coordinator. In determining whether the credit is awarded, the Registrar and designated faculty member consider evidence such as the course description, the credentials of the instructor who taught the course, and the curriculum and learning outcomes detailed in the course syllabus. Credit is awarded when the evidence aﬃrms that the student has achieved the knowledge, skills, and experiences comparable to those attained by students who successfully complete the required course at Trenholm State.

The College will accept courses completed at other duly accredited colleges for transfer credit only when the student earned a passing grade of “C” or higher in the course and the course is part of the student’s degree plan at Trenholm. Higher grades may be required by the College for selected courses provided the higher grades are also required in courses for native students.

Transfer credit accepted for coursework completed at another institution will reﬂect the letter grade earned and is not included in Trenholm State’s GPA calculation.
Transfer credit(s) will be evaluated during the ﬁrst term of enrollment, only if transferrable grades are “C” or better. College transcripts will only be evaluated when all transcripts are received.
Awarding of transfer credit to fulﬁll graduation requirements will be based on the applicability of the credits to the requirements of the degree pursued.
Credit may be extended based on a comprehensive evaluation of demonstrated and documented competencies and previous formal training. (See section on Alternative Sources of Credit).

Courses completed at Trenholm State may transfer to other duly accredited colleges and to the technical divisions of community colleges. Credits may transfer to the academic divisions of community colleges or to four-year colleges/universities. However, the decision on the acceptance of transfer credits always rests with the receiving college. All requests concerning transfer courses should be directed to the college/university to which a student plans to transfer.

Credit for Prior Learning

It is the philosophy of Trenholm State Community College that a student should not be required to repeat a learning experience for knowledge or skills currently possessed by the applicant. Therefore, if prior learning can be appropriately documented, the applicant may be awarded credit or advanced placement.

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is a means for a student to receive college-level credit for learning that took place in a non-traditional learning environment, such as on-the-job training, military training, professional development seminars, volunteerism, and in-field experience. PLA relies heavily on aligning learning gained through experience with outcomes found in traditional courses of higher education. A maximum of 25% of non-traditional credit may be awarded and applied toward graduation. Non-traditional credit is not posted to the student’s transcript until the student is enrolled. Non-traditional credit may not count toward the 25% of TSCC work needed to satisfy residency for graduation. Students may not earn credit, through non-traditional academic work, for any course in which a grade has previously been received. PLA applies only to non-academic, non-transfer courses.

Military Credit

Military credit may be granted for any military service school or for any United States Armed Forces Institute/Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Services (USAFI/DANTES). Subject tests that have been satisfactorily completed and are determined to have a course equivalent in the student’s degree plan will be accepted.

Credit awarded through nontraditional means for academic transfer courses may be awarded by examination or nationally recognized guidelines (AP, CLEP, ACT/ PEP, DSST, Challenge Exams, ACE PONSI/CREDIT, ACE/MILITARY) or through other statewide programs identiﬁed by the Alabama Community College System.

Advanced Placement

Trenholm State recognizes a number of Advanced Placement (AP) courses that are taken in high school and supplemented by satisfactory scores on National Examinations of the College Entrance Examination Board Advanced Placement Program. With a score of 3 or higher, students receive credit for a minimum of one course in the subject area corresponding to the test. Credit is awarded based on students’ majors. Trenholm State is not currently a testing center for Advanced Placement examinations but will evaluate and accept credits for AP examinations for courses listed in the college catalog. Students who apply for AP credit should contact the Records Oﬃce.

Industry-Recognized Credentials

Credit(s) may be awarded for prior learning that has been veriﬁed and assessed through an industry-recognized credentialing process. Individual departments may identify speciﬁc licensure and/or certiﬁcation that will be accepted for course credit. The departmental faculty and the appropriate Dean will establish speciﬁc course credits to be awarded for speciﬁc industry credentials. The department must verify the credentials of the applicant requesting credit and attach supporting documentation for review by the appropriate Deans. There is no fee for the evaluation of industry-recognized credentials.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Trenholm State welcomes students from a wide variety of backgrounds. The College recognizes students’ prior learning by accepting credits earned from the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) if there is a course equivalent in the student’s degree plan. Credit for CLEP subject examinations is granted based on 50th percentile scores with courses awarded for credit listed in the College Catalog. Trenholm State is not currently a testing center for CLEP examinations but will evaluate and accept credits for CLEP examinations for courses listed in the college catalog. The College may grant up to 25% of the total credits required for degree completion. Students will be responsible for scheduling and paying for CLEP examinations. For information on testing centers, examinations, fees and other details, please visit the College Board website https://clep.collegeboard.org/about-clep.

Advanced Placement Table

Advanced Placement Test	AP Minimum Score Required	Credit Hours Granted	Equivalent Course
Biology	3	4	BIO 101 or BIO 103
Calculus AB	3	4	MTH 125
Calculus BC	3	8	MTH 125 and MTH 126
Chemistry	3	4	CHM 104
Comparative Government and Politics	3	3	POL 200
English Language and Composition	3	3	ENG 101
English Literature and Composition	3	3	ENG 101
European History	3	3	HIS 101
Macroeconomics	3	3	ECO 231
Microeconomics	3	3	ECO 232
Music Theory	3	4	MUS 111
Precalculus	3	8	MTH 112 and MTH 113
Psychology	3	3	PSY 200
Statistics	3	3	MTH 265
Spanish Language and Culture	3	6	SPA 101 and SPA 102
Spanish Literature and Culture	3	6	SPA 101 and SPA 102
United States Government and Politics	3	3	POL 211
United States History	3	3	HIS 201
World History: Modern	3	3	HIS 122

CLEP Table

CLEP Test Topic	CLEP Standardized Minimum Score	Credit Hours Granted	Equivalent Course
History and Social Sciences
American Government	50	3	POL 211
History of the United States I: Early Colonization to 1877	50	3	HIS 201
History of the United States II: 1865 to Present	50	3	HIS 202
Human Growth and Development	50	3	PSY 210
Introductory Psychology	50	3	PSY 200
Introductory Sociology	50	3	SOC 200
Principles of Macroeconomics	50	3	ECO 231
Principles of Microeconomics	50	3	ECO 232
Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648	50	3	HIS 101
Western Civilization II: 1648 to Present	50	3	HIS 102
Composition and Literature
American Literature	50	6	ENG 251 and ENG 252
Analyzing and Interpreting Literature	50	3	ENG 102
College Composition	50	3	ENG 101
English Literature	50	6	ENG 261 and ENG 262
Science and Mathematics
Biology	50	8	BIO 101 and BIO 102 or BIO 103 and BIO 104
Calculus	50	4	MTH 125
Chemistry	50	4	CHM 104
College Algebra	50	3	MTH 100
College Mathematics	50	3	MTH 110
Precalculus	50	6	MTH 112 and MTH 113
Business
Introductory Business Law	50	3	BUS 263
Principles of Management	50	3	BUS 275
World Languages
Spanish Language: Levels 1 and 2	50	8	SPA 101 and SPA 102
Spanish with Writing: Levels 1 and 2	50	8	SPA 101 and SPA 102

Grades

Letter grades are assigned according to the following system for all courses for which students have registered:

Grade	Description	Numerical Range	Quality Points
A	Excellent	90-100	4
B	Good	80-89	3
C	Average	70-79	2
D	Poor	60-69	1
F	Failure	Less than 60	0
I	Incomplete	Must be removed during the following term or the grade of F will be assigned	0
AU	Audit	Must be declared prior to the end of the Drop/Add Period
W	Withdrawal	Must be prior to the 70% date.	0

Satisfactory grades are “A”, “B”, “C” and “D.” However, a grade of “D” is NOT considered a passing grade in a developmental course or in some programs of study. A student must earn a minimum ﬁnal course average of 70, a grade of “C”, to pass a developmental course. Some programs may have a more stringent grading system due to external agencies/accreditation requirements.

If a student withdraws from courses by the published withdrawal date identiﬁed in the Student Calendar, a grade of “W” will be assigned. If a student withdraws from a class or the College after the withdrawal date and the student is failing the course or courses, the instructor will provide the student’s last date of attendance, and a grade of “F” will be assigned. If a student never attended or the class is canceled, the class will be deleted, and no grade will be assigned.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

To obtain a numerical measure of the quality of a student’s work, quality points are assigned to grades as indicated below:

A - 4 Quality Points
3 semester hours of “A” = 3 x 4 = 12 quality points
B - 3 Quality Points
3 semester hours of “B” = 3 x 3 = 9 quality points
C - 2 Quality Points
3 semester hours of “C” = 3 x 2 = 6 quality points
D - 1 Quality Points
3 semester hours of “D” = 3 x 1 = 3 quality points
F - 0 Quality Points
3 semester hours of “F” = 3 x 0 = 0 quality points

The grade point average (GPA) of a student is determined by multiplying the number of quality points for each grade received by the number of credit hours for that course. The total number of quality points is divided by the total number of credit hours attempted, excluding courses with W, I, and AU designations. Example: 30 quality points divided by 12 semester hours attempted = 2.5 GPA.

Incomplete (I) Grade

With the permission of the instructor and appropriate Dean, an “I” may be assigned when a student’s work in a course is incomplete because of circumstances beyond the student’s control but is otherwise of passing quality. Unless the deﬁciency is made up within the following term, the “I” automatically becomes an “F”. If circumstances prevent the deﬁciency from being made up within the following term, the College reserves the right to extend the make-up period for up to two semesters after the “I” is awarded. An “Incomplete Grade Contract” form must be signed by the student, instructor, program coordinator, and the appropriate Dean. The instructor is responsible for securing all signatures required on this form before submitting it to the Oﬃce of Records. Students are not allowed to secure these signatures.

An incomplete grade (“I”) does not count toward coursework completed but is counted as coursework attempted. However, the grade that replaces the “I” is counted in hours attempted and hours earned once the “I” grade is removed. An “I” grade is intended to be only an interim course grade. Unless the deﬁciency is made up within the following term, the “I” automatically becomes an “F.”

Earned “F” Verification Procedure

If a student receives the ﬁnal grade of “F”, the instructor is required to enter the last date of attendance on the course roster.

Grade Changes

If a student has reason to believe that the letter grade earned in a course is incorrect, the student must make an informal eﬀort to correct the error with the instructor who issued the grade. If the informal eﬀorts of the student and faculty member have not produced a satisfactory resolution, a formal appeal is in order. See the Formal Grade Appeal Process below. The grade change must be made within one semester after the grade was initially earned. Grade changes after one semester must be done through the Formal Grade Appeal Process.

Grade Report

Students may access their grade reports and view their academic status via “My Trenholm” on the College website, https://trenholmstate.edu, at the end of each term. The grade report becomes a part of the student’s oﬃcial transcript. The grade report will be withheld if there is an outstanding ﬁnancial obligation to the College. If any student suspects that a grade may have been recorded in error, the student should schedule a conference with the instructor of that course. This must be done by the last day of the next term. If an error has been made, it will be corrected and reﬂected on the student’s transcript. If resolution is not attained, a formal appeal is in order. See the Formal Grade Appeal Process below.

Formal Grade Appeal Process

If the informal efforts of the student and faculty member have not produced a satisfactory resolution, a formal appeal is in order. A written appeal should be initiated by the student prior to the last day of classes of the semester following the semester in which the grade was issued. After this deadline, the appeals will not be considered. The following procedures should be followed for formally appealing a grade:

The student should ﬁrst contact the instructor and request veriﬁcation of the grade and how it was determined.
If the student does not receive satisfaction from the instructor, the student may confer with the program coordinator and the faculty member in an attempt to reach closure. If the appeal is resolved at this point, a “memorandum of record” should be prepared by the program coordinator and retained on ﬁle.
If closure is not reached, the student may ﬁle a formal grade appeal to the appropriate Dean. This must be done in writing and dated prior to the one-semester time limit. The appeal must state the name of the course, the reasons for the request, the dates involved, and the name of the instructor who issued the grade, including all previous attempts to resolve the situation.

The Dean will assign an Ad Hoc Grade Appeals Committee for deliberation. The Department Chair or the Program Coordinator will Chair the Committee. The Committee shall consist of two full-time faculty members, one faculty member from the discipline and one faculty member from outside the Division, and a Student Services designee. The Committee will review the student’s appeal letter, transcript, instructor’s roll book, tests, papers, reports, projects, and any other documentation as appropriate. A vote will be taken by the committee to attempt a resolution. If no resolution is achieved, a formal hearing will be scheduled where the student and faculty member will be requested to present their sides of the matter. After deliberating, the Committee will make a recommendation to the appropriate Dean to either support the grade as awarded or to change the grade. The Dean will notify the student of the decision and/or action within 3-5 days following the hearing.

Standard of Academic Progress

Required Credit Hours, Grade-Point Averages (GPAs), and Required Pace of Completion

A student enrolled in an Associate Degree or Certiﬁcate Program requiring more than 26 credit hours must meet the following standards:

After attempting 0-21 credit hours, must earn a 1.50 GPA
After attempting 22-32 credit hours, must earn a 1.75 GPA
After attempting 33 or more credit hours, must earn a 2.00 GPA

Students enrolled in Certiﬁcate Programs with 26 credit hours or less must meet the following standards:

After attempting 1-17 credit hours, must earn a 1.50 GPA
After attempting 18 or more credit hours, must earn a 2.00 GPA

Exceptions to Standards of Academic Progress

Standards of academic progress shall apply to all students unless otherwise noted:

Exemptions: Programs that are subject to external licensure, certiﬁcation, and/or accreditation or which are fewer than four semesters in length may have higher academic standards.

Transfer students on Academic Probation must adhere to these standards of academic progress.
Special standards of academic progress have been established for students enrolled in institutional credit courses (developmental courses) and for students who wish to remain eligible to receive Title IV Financial Aid. (See Satisfactory Academic Progress Detailed in the Financial Aid Section).

Intervention for Student Success

When a student is placed on academic probation, one-term academic suspension, or one-year academic suspension, the College may advise the student to take the minimum course load and refer the student to the Student Success Center for intervention in study skills and tutorials. Other services may be available on a case-by-case basis. For assistance or more information from the Student Success Center, please email mrobinson@trenholmstate.edu.

Application of Standards of Progress for Institutional Credit Courses

Institutional credit courses are those which are not creditable toward a formal degree and include Training for Existing Business and Industry, Continuing Education, and courses numbered below the 100 series.

Standards of Academic Progress for Transfer Student

A transfer student who is admitted on CLEAR academic status is subject to the same standards of academic progress as “native” students. Grades accrued at other regionally accredited colleges and universities are not included in the grade point average calculation.

A transfer student admitted on ACADEMIC PROBATION retains that status until the student has attempted at least 12 credit hours. If, at the conclusion of the semester in which the student has attempted a total of 12 or more credit hours and the Cumulative GPA is below 2.0, the student is suspended for one semester. The transcript will read SUSPENDED ONE SEMESTER.

At the conclusion of the semester in which the transfer student was admitted on ACADEMIC PROBATION, has attempted a total of 12 or more credit hours, and the Cumulative GPA at the College is 2.0 or above, the student’s status is CLEAR. For additional information regarding transfer credit see the “Records and Registration” section of this catalog.

Academic Bankruptcy

A student must complete a request for Academic Bankruptcy listing the courses he/she wishes to bankrupt. This form which is located on the College’s website at https://trenholmstate.edu must be signed by the Registrar and a Financial Aid Oﬃcial. A student may declare academic bankruptcy only once. Implementation of academic bankruptcy at the College does not guarantee that other colleges/universities will approve such action. This determination will be made by the respective transfer college/university. A student may declare academic bankruptcy under the following conditions:

If fewer than three (3) calendar years have elapsed since the term for which the student wishes to declare bankruptcy, the student may declare academic bankruptcy on all coursework taken during the one semester, provided he/she has taken a minimum of 12 semester credit hours since the bankruptcy term occurred. All coursework taken, even hours completed satisfactorily during the term for which academic bankruptcy is declared, will be disregarded in the cumulative grade point average.
If three (3) or more calendar years have elapsed since the most recent semester for which the student wishes to declare bankruptcy, he/she may declare academic bankruptcy on all coursework taken prior to 12 semester credit hours of coursework since the bankruptcy term occurred. All coursework taken, even hours completed satisfactorily, during the semester(s) for which academic bankruptcy is declared will be disregarded in the cumulative grade point average.
When academic bankruptcy is declared, the term “ACADEMIC BANKRUPTCY” will be reﬂected on the transcript for each semester aﬀected. All individual courses and grades will remain on the permanent transcript. Academic Bankruptcy cannot be considered by the Financial Aid Oﬃce when calculating Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Course Forgiveness Policy

Students may repeat courses for which they have previously registered. Courses completed at Trenholm State may be repeated at Trenholm State. The last grade earned excluding W, and AU will be the grade used for graduation audits. Courses may not be repeated at another college and used as a component of Trenholm State’s Course Forgiveness Policy.

If a student repeats a course once, the second grade (excluding grades of W, or AU) replaces the ﬁrst grade in his/her cumulative grade point average if the student ﬁles a written request with the Oﬃce of Records. For example, if a student repeats a course, the second grade earned (excluding grades of “W”) will replace the ﬁrst grade in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average. If the second grade is a non-satisfactory grade (F), the F will replace the ﬁrst grade, even if the ﬁrst grade is passing.
When a course is repeated more than once, all grades for the course, excluding the ﬁrst grade, will be employed in the computation of the cumulative grade point average provided the student has requested the course repeat as noted in the first bullet above.
Transcripts will list all courses and the grades earned. A repeat symbol, ‘R,’ may denote a course repeat. Zero credit hours can also indicate a course repeat. See the ﬁnancial aid section in the Catalog regarding eligibility. A transfer institution may choose to average all coursework regardless of Trenholm State’s institutional policy.
A student must request, by submission of the appropriate form, that the Registrar implement the “Course Forgiveness” policy after a course has been repeated.

Some sources of financial aid will not pay tuition for repeated courses. See the Financial Aid section in Catalog regarding repeat courses and repeat developmental courses eligibility.

Application of Standards of Progress

When the cumulative GPA of a student is at or above the GPA required for the total number of credit hours attempted, the student’s status is CLEAR.
When the cumulative GPA of a student is below the GPA required for the number of credit hours attempted, the student is placed on Academic Probation.
When the cumulative GPA of a student on Academic Probation remains below the GPA required for the total number of credit hours attempted, but the semester GPA is 2.0 or above, the student remains on Academic Probation.
When the cumulative GPA of a student on Academic Probation remains below the GPA required for the total number of credit hours attempted, and the semester GPA is below 2.0, the student is suspended for one term. The transcript will read SUSPENDED- ONE SEMESTER.
The student suspended for one term may appeal. If, after appeal, the student is readmitted without serving the one-semester suspension, the transcript will read SUSPENDED-ONE SEMESTER/READMITTED ON APPEAL.
The student readmitted on appeal will remain on Academic Probation until a 2.0 grade point average is earned.
A student on Academic Probation after being suspended for one semester (whether the student has served the suspension or has been readmitted on appeal) without having since achieved Clear academic status and whose Cumulative GPA falls below the level required for the total number of hours attempted, but whose semester GPA is 2.0 or above, will remain on Academic Probation until the student achieves the required GPA for the total number of hours attempted. Readmission to the College does not mean that a student is automatically eligible to receive ﬁnancial assistance.
A student returning from one semester or one-year suspension and, while on academic probation, fails to obtain the required GPA for the number of hours attempted and fails to maintain a semester GPA of 2.0, will be placed on one year’s suspension.
The student may appeal a one-term or one-year suspension.
The permanent student record will reﬂect the student’s status (except when the status is “clear”). When appropriate, the record will reﬂect ACADEMIC PROBATION, SUSPENDED ONE SEMESTER, ACADEMIC SUSPENSION ONE YEAR, SUSPENDED ONE SEMESTER/READMITTED ON APPEAL, OR ONE YEAR SUSPENSION READMITTED ON APPEAL.
All applicable academic designations except “CLEAR” will appear on the student’s transcript.

Process for Appeal for Readmission

If a student declares no contest to the facts leading to suspension but wishes to request consideration for readmission, the student may submit a request in writing for an “appeal for readmission” to the Admissions Committee within 3-5 days of notice of suspension. The Admissions Committee shall not be considered a “due process” hearing, but rather a petition for readmission. The student shall be given an opportunity to present a rationale and/or statement of circumstances in support of immediate readmission. The decision of the Admissions Committee, along with the materials presented by the student, shall be placed in the student’s oﬃcial records. Additionally, a copy of the written decision shall be provided to the student.

Repeating Courses

Students may repeat courses for which they have previously registered. If a course is repeated, only the last grade awarded for the course will be used in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average (GPA) for the purpose of fulﬁlling graduation requirements. A course may be considered in the calculation only once to satisfy the credit hours required for graduation. Some sources of ﬁnancial aid will not pay tuition for repeated courses.

Degrees and Graduation - Commencement

A student is responsible for completing the online Application for Graduation at least one term prior to the planned term of graduation. Students must complete the application for graduation via their My Trenholm portal.

To apply for graduation, students must complete the steps listed below.

Go to My Trenholm Portal
Click on the Students Tab
Under the Student Section, click on Student Records
Under the Student Records Section, click on Apply to Graduate

Associate in Arts

College Transfer - Coursework leading to the Associate in Arts (AA) is designed to prepare students to transfer to a four-year college or university to pursue a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree. Students are assigned advisors in the General Education Division. Degree plans have been outlined in the catalog to guide students in the choice and sequence of courses.

A student shall be awarded the Associate in Arts upon satisfactory completion of the requirements of a speciﬁc program in accordance with policies of the Alabama Community College System. A student must:

Satisfactorily complete an approved major, including prescribed general education courses.
Earn a 2.0 cumulative grade point average in all courses attempted. The calculation of the grade point average for graduation shall not include grades earned for developmental courses. All grades earned in courses that have been repeated will be calculated into the cumulative grade point average.
However, only the last grade awarded in a course will be used in calculating the cumulative grade point average for graduation purposes.
Complete at least 25% of the total semester hours at the College.
Must satisfy all requirements for graduation within one calendar year from the last term of attendance. This timeframe includes credits earned at other colleges.
Fulﬁll all ﬁnancial, academic, and admissions obligations to the College.
Apply for graduation and pay the graduation fee online at the time of registration for the ﬁnal semester of enrollment.

Associate in Science

College Transfer - Coursework leading to the Associate in Science (AS) is designed to prepare students to transfer to a four-year college or university to pursue a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree. Students are assigned advisors in the General Education Division. Degree plans have been outlined in the catalog to guide students in the choice and sequence of courses.

A student shall be awarded the Associate in Science upon satisfactory completion of the requirements of a speciﬁc program in accordance with policies of the Alabama Community College System. A student must:

Satisfactorily complete an approved major, including prescribed general education courses.
Earn a 2.0 cumulative grade point average in all courses attempted. The calculation of the grade point average for graduation shall not include grades earned for developmental courses. All grades earned in courses that have been repeated will be calculated into the cumulative grade point average. However, only the last grade awarded in a course will be used in calculating the cumulative grade point average for graduation purposes.
Complete at least 25% of the total semester hours at the College.
Must satisfy all requirements for graduation within one calendar year from the last term of attendance. This timeframe includes credits earned at other colleges.
Fulﬁll all ﬁnancial, academic, and admissions obligations to the College.
Apply for graduation and pay the graduation fee online at the time of registration for the ﬁnal semester of enrollment.

Associate in Applied Science

The Associate in Applied Science is a specialized degree in a speciﬁc technical ﬁeld. The degree is awarded based on the completion of an approved Degree Plan which includes speciﬁc technical courses from the technical area plus designated general education requirements. Requirements are listed in the program descriptions.

Since general education courses provide students with a solid understanding of a wide variety of subjects and methods of learning, general education courses are required of all students seeking an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree. General education courses also provide students with exposure to broader and more varied intellectual concepts, thereby impacting each program by providing more quality and enhancing the marketability of graduates.

To ensure the preparedness of all students seeking an AAS, the College has developed the following general education competencies which are assessed throughout the year in identiﬁed general education courses: computer literacy skills, computational skills, oral communication skills, and written communication skills.

A student shall be awarded the Associate in Applied Science upon satisfactory completion of the requirements of a speciﬁc program in accordance with policies of the Alabama Community College System. A student must:

Satisfactorily complete an approved major, including prescribed general education courses.
Earn a 2.0 cumulative grade point average in all courses attempted. The calculation of the grade point average for graduation shall not include grades earned for developmental courses. All grades earned in courses that have been repeated will be calculated into the cumulative grade point average. However, only the last grade awarded in a course will be used in calculating the cumulative grade point average for graduation purposes.
Complete at least 25% of the total semester hours at the College.
Must satisfy all requirements for graduation within one calendar year from the last term of attendance. This timeframe includes credits earned at other colleges.
Fulﬁll all ﬁnancial, academic, and admissions obligations to the College.
Apply for graduation and pay the graduation fee online at the time of registration for the ﬁnal semester of enrollment.

Certiﬁcate

Each Certiﬁcate program is designed to prepare the student for employment in one of several technical or skilled jobs in a speciﬁc occupational area. Each program requires in-depth technical preparation supported by related general education courses. The award is based on the completion of an approved Degree Plan.

Certiﬁcate (CER) 30 to 60 Credit Hours

A student may be granted a Certiﬁcate upon satisfactory completion of the requirements of the speciﬁc program in accordance with the Alabama Community College System policies. To earn a Certiﬁcate a student must:

Satisfactorily complete an approved major.
Earn a 2.0 or above cumulative grade point average in all courses attempted. The calculation of the grade point average for graduation shall not include grades earned in developmental courses. All grades earned in courses repeated will be calculated into the grade point average. However, the last grade earned in a course will be used in calculating the cumulative grade point average for graduation purposes.
Complete at least 25% of the total semester credit hours required in the program at Trenholm State Community College.
Must satisfy all requirements for graduation within one calendar year from the last term of attendance.
Fulﬁll all ﬁnancial, academic, and admissions obligations to the College.
Apply for graduation and pay the graduation fee online at the time of registration for the ﬁnal semester of enrollment.

Short-Term Certiﬁcate (STC) 9 to 29 Credit Hours

Each Short-Term Certiﬁcate program is designed to provide specialized preparation in a speciﬁc technical skill. The program requires several closely-related technical courses. The Short-Term Certiﬁcate is appropriate for an individual who plans to enter a job requiring speciﬁc technical skills or for a currently employed individual who needs to develop a new skill or to upgrade an existing skill. The award is based on the completion of an approved Degree Plan.

To earn a Short-Term Certiﬁcate a student must:

Satisfactorily complete an approved major.
Earn a 2.0 or above cumulative grade point average in all courses attempted. The calculation of the grade point average for graduation shall not include grades earned in developmental courses. All grades earned in courses that have been repeated will be calculated into the grade point average. However, the last grade earned in a course will be used in calculating the cumulative grade point average for graduation purposes.
Complete all credit hours required in the program at Trenholm State Community College.
Fulﬁll all ﬁnancial, academic, and admission obligations to the College.
Apply for graduation and pay the graduation fee online at the time of registration for the ﬁnal semester of enrollment.

Multiple Degrees

To receive a second Associate Degree from Trenholm State Community College, a student must earn a minimum of twenty (20) semester credit hours beyond the requirements for the ﬁrst degree and which are a part of the program requirements for the second degree. Also, a student must meet all other graduation requirements.

Teach-out and Closing a Degree Program or Certificate Program

If Trenholm State Community College should decide to close a degree program or a certiﬁcate program, the College will make every eﬀort to teach out currently enrolled students. The College will inform the community that no additional students will be accepted into the program. Students who have not completed their programs will be advised by faculty regarding suitable options including transfer to comparable programs. The College may oﬀer the courses required for graduation by students enrolled in the program at the time of closure until all those students have had an opportunity to complete their degrees.

Honors and Awards

Dean’s List - A Dean’s List shall be compiled at the end of each semester. The requirements for the Dean’s List shall be:

A grade point average for the term of 3.5 to 3.99 on a 4.00 scale.
Completion of 12 credit hours of college-level work for the semester. Developmental courses do not count toward the minimum course load requirement.

President’s List - A President’s List shall be compiled at the end of each semester. The requirements for the President’s List shall be:

A grade point average for the term of 4.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Completion of 12 credit hours of college-level work for the semester. Developmental courses do not count toward the minimum course load requirement.

Deﬁnition of Academic Major/Area of Concentration

A “major” refers to the student’s selected ﬁeld of concentration.

Commencement Honors

Candidates for commencement will be recognized in the printed program for academic achievement. Recognition will be given according to the following designations:

Associate in Applied Science (AAS), Associate in Arts (AA), or Associate in Science (AS)
Graduation with Honors
(3.50 - 3.69 cumulative GPA)

Graduation with High Honors
(3.70 - 3.89 cumulative GPA)

Graduation with Highest Honors
(3.90 - 4.00 cumulative GPA)

Certiﬁcate
Graduation with Distinction
(3.50 - 4.00 cumulative GPA)

In order to be eligible for any academic honor, a candidate must have completed a minimum of thirty (30) semester hours of credit at Trenholm State.

Annual Notification of Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The College is required by the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 to provide students annual notiﬁcation of their FERPA rights. This Act, with which the institution fully complies, was designed to protect the privacy of education records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records, and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings. Students will be notiﬁed by the publication of the regulations in the College Catalog/Student Handbook. FERPA information is available on the College’s website. A student who believes his or her FERPA rights have been violated can ﬁle a complaint with the Family Policy Compliance Oﬃce at the U.S. Department of Education. Questions concerning the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act may be referred to the office of the Registrar.

Family Policy Compliance Oﬃce
U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5920
Phone: 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327)

Student Records General Policy

No information from records, files, or other data directly related to the student, other than the directory information defined below, shall be disclosed without the written consent of the student. Consent shall include the specification of records to be released, and to whom records are to be released. Exceptions to this policy apply when satisfying compliance with a judicial order or pursuant to any lawfully issued subpoena, upon the condition that the student is notified of all such orders or subpoenas. The student will have ten days to respond to the College concerning the notification of the subpoena in advance of the compliance by Trenholm State Community College. Additionally, records may not be withheld from appropriately authorized representatives, including educational and governmental officials, as provided by law.

Directory Information

The following categories of information with respect to each student have been designated by the College as directory information that may be made available to the public, absent a student’s request that any such information should not be released without the student’s prior consent:

Student’s name, address, telephone number
Date and place of birth
Dates of attendance
Educational agencies or institutions most recently attended by the student
Major, degree desired and classiﬁcation
Participation in oﬃcially recognized clubs, organizations, and activities
Degrees and awards received.

If a student has an objection to any of the aforementioned information being released during a given semester or academic year, the student should notify, in writing, the Dean of Student Affairs and Information Services during the ﬁrst three weeks of the semester or academic year. The Student Request to Withhold Directory Information form is located on the College’s website https://trenholmstate.edu/current-students/student-forms/.

Deﬁnition of Educational Records

Student educational records are deﬁned as those records, ﬁles, documents, and other materials that contain information directly related to a student and are maintained by the College or by a person acting for the College. Speciﬁcally excluded from the deﬁnition of “educational records” and not open to student inspection are the following materials:

Records of instructional, supervisory, and administrative personnel that are in the sole possession of the maker and accessible only to the maker or a designated assistant to the maker;
Records of campus security, except in those instances where they have been transmitted within the College for administrative purposes;
Records which are created or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other recognized professional or paraprofessional acting in capacity or assisting in that capacity;
Records created, maintained, or used only in connection with the provision of treatment to the student will not be available to anyone other than persons providing such treatment or who could not be involved oﬃcially within the College, but such records are available to a physician or appropriate professional of the student’s choice.

Deﬁnition of Student

For the purposes of this policy, a “student” is defined as “any individual currently or previously enrolled in any course offered by Trenholm State Community College.” This definition does not include prospective students or applicants that never enroll in a course.

Access of Student Records to Students

The student is accorded the right to inspect and review, in the presence of the appropriate College staﬀ member, any records, ﬁles, and data directly related to the student. To inspect a personal folder or ﬁle, a student shall submit a written request signed by the student to the appropriate records oﬃcial, and if not personally submitted by the student, then the student’s signature shall be acknowledged by the aﬃdavit of a Notary Public. The request for inspection shall be acted upon within forty-ﬁve (45) days from the date the request is received. If, in the opinion of the appropriate records oﬃcial, inspection can reasonably be accomplished by providing copies of said documents, such copies shall be made and provided to the student. The Request to Inspect-Review Academic Records is located on the College’s website https://www.trenholmstate.edu/current-students/student-forms/.

Limitations of Access

The right of inspection of personal information described in the above paragraph does not include:

Financial records of the parent(s) of the student or any information contained therein,
Conﬁdential letters and statements of recommendation which were placed in the education records prior to January 1, 1975, if such letters or statements are not used for purposes other than those for which they were speciﬁcally intended, or
Other conﬁdential records, access to which has been waived by the student in accordance with policy concerning waivers.

Amendment of Educational Records

After inspecting his/her record, a student may request an explanation to challenge any part of the contents of such record. The student shall submit a written request for a hearing in the same manner and under the same procedures as provided within the section titled, “Location of Records.”

The request for hearing should identify the item or items in the ﬁle to be challenged and state the grounds for the challenge, e.g., inaccuracy, misleading information or inappropriateness, etc. The records oﬃcial shall examine the contested item, shall hear the person responsible for placing the item in the ﬁle, if appropriate and possible, and shall examine any documents or hear any testimony the student wishes to present. The records oﬃcial may decide that the contested item should be retained, deleted, or revised or the records oﬃcial may refer the matter.

Waiver of Access

A person applying for admission may waive the right of access to conﬁdential statements concerning his/her application for admissions, ﬁnancial aid, employment, honorary recognition(s), or any other beneﬁt made available by the College. No such application shall be denied because of the student’s failure or refusal to sign such waiver.

Release of Student Records

Federal law governs how colleges and universities supervise student educational records. Trenholm State Community College adheres to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974. This act is designed to protect the privacy of students’ educational records. FERPA also establishes the rights of students to inspect and review their educational records; it provides guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings; and establishes the rights of students to ﬁle complaints with the FERPA Oﬃce. Students will be notiﬁed by the publication of the regulations in the College Catalog/Student Handbook. The College shall not permit access to or allow the release of education records or personally identiﬁable information contained therein, other than directory information as deﬁned within the paragraph titled ‘Directory Information,’ without the written consent of the student, to any party other than the following:

Other school oﬃcials and teachers of the College who have been determined by the College to have legitimate educational interests;
Oﬃcials of schools or school systems in which the student seeks or intends to enroll, upon the condition that the student may receive a copy of the record, if desired, and have an opportunity for a hearing to challenge the content of the record;
Certain authorized representatives of federal departments/agencies or state educational authorities for purposes of audits, evaluative studies, etc. Data collected will be protected in a way that prevents personal identiﬁcation except when speciﬁcally authorized by federal law;
State and local oﬃcials or authorities to which such information is speciﬁcally required to be reported or disclosed pursuant to State statute adopted prior to November 19, 1974;
Organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, educational agencies or institutions for the purpose of developing, validating, or administering predictive tests, administering student aid programs, and improving instruction, if such studies are conducted in such a manner as will not permit the personal identiﬁcation of students by persons other than representatives of such organizations and such information will be destroyed when no longer needed for the purpose for which it is conducted;
Accrediting organizations in order to carry out their accrediting functions;
Parents of a student who is a dependent for income tax purposes;
A lawful subpoena or court order;
Other appropriate persons in an emergency to protect the health or safety of the student or others. Students shall have access to all such information in accordance with the procedures outlined in this statement with the exceptions speciﬁed within the following paragraph.

Location of Records

The College has designated the following oﬃcials as responsible for student records within their respective areas of responsibility:

Type of Records	Oﬃce Location	Director Responsible
Permanent	Records	Records/Registrar
Admissions	Enrollment Management	Enrollment Management
Financial	Business Oﬃce	Regional Chief Financial Officer
Financial Aid	Financial Aid	Financial Aid
ADA/504	Student Services	Student Success

These oﬃcials shall hereinafter be referred to as “records oﬃcials.” Each oﬃcial is responsible for maintaining a listing of student records. The listing shall indicate the location and general content of the records. A student’s request concerning his/her records or ﬁles, including requests that information not be disclosed to the public, requests for disclosure to third parties, and requests for access by the student shall be directed to the appropriate records oﬃcial listed above. Forms for all such requests may be obtained from these oﬃcials. The appropriate records oﬃcial will also attempt to resolve any challenges to the records at an informal hearing with the student. If an agreeable solution is not reached, the records oﬃcials will refer the student and his/her challenge to the College Hearing Oﬃcer, who shall set a hearing within ten (10) days for the ﬁnal decision.

Providing Records to Third Parties

The general policy of Trenholm State Community College is to refuse access to student records to third parties without the written consent of the individual student. Should a student wish to have such records released, a written request must be directed to the proper records oﬃcial specifying the records to be released, the person and address to whom records are to be released, and a request for copies to the student, if desired. Trenholm will then transfer or grant access to the information. A record of requests of access, the legitimate interest involved, and action taken will be placed in the student’s ﬁle for all requests of the ﬁle, except those from school oﬃcials as noted in paragraph one.

The Registrar will supervise the inspection of individual student records, and the student’s record ﬁle shall not be taken from the designated records oﬃce. The student may obtain one unoﬃcial copy of his/her academic record in writing. An unoﬃcial copy is deﬁned as copy that does not bear the oﬃcial seal of the College embossed on the record, but otherwise, an oﬃcial copy when released by the College’s records oﬃcial.

The Registrar, or designee, is the only person authorized to reproduce copies of oﬃcial transcripts. Transcripts of records received from other colleges or universities become the property of Trenholm State Community College. Records of documents received from third parties will not be reproduced.

Records Retention and Disposal

All records are safely secured at the College and are retained and disposed of in accordance with policies established by the Alabama Department of Archives and History and the Alabama Community College System.

Transcripts

The transcript policy of the College includes the following:

In compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the College does not release transcripts of a student’s work except upon the student’s written request. Oﬃcial transcripts are sent to institutions, companies, agencies, etc. after the student’s written release is received by the Oﬃce of Student Records. Transcripts will not be faxed to an individual or a receiving institution. Oﬃcial transcripts will be accepted when delivered “by hand” in an unbroken sealed envelope. Upon receipt, the transcript must be oﬃcial and in a sealed envelope. The College reserves the right to deny hand-delivered transcripts if foul play is detected. Transcripts are available to former and current students.

Trenholm State Community College has partnered with Credentials Solutions to accept online transcript orders. Students and alumni can order their oﬃcial transcripts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Name, dates of attendance, social security number, fee (if any), and the address to which the transcript is to be sent are to be included in the request. Students with name changes should include ALL former names.

Transcripts can be sent electronically or mailed in hard copy, depending on the receiving institution or destination. Requests for transcripts of work where the student previously attended must be directed to those institutions.

Students will be charged a $5.00 fee for each transcript requested, which can be paid online using credit or debit cards such as a Visa, MasterCard Discover, and American Express. More information can be found on the transcript ordering page https://www.trenholmstate.edu/request-transcript/.

Enrollment Veriﬁcation

Trenholm State Community College has authorized the National Student Clearinghouse to act as the agent for all veriﬁcations of student enrollment and provide veriﬁcation of degrees. Requestors should use www.studentclearinghouse.org for enrollment veriﬁcation and www.degreeverify.org for degree veriﬁcation. The telephone number is (703) 742-4200, Monday – Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. The fax number is (703) 742-4239. The email address is enrollmentverify@studentclearinghouse.org.

The mailing address is:

National Student Clearinghouse
2300 Dulles Station Blvd., Suite 300
Herndon, VA 20171

Through Enrollment Verify, the National Student Clearinghouse will process enrollment veriﬁcations, on your behalf, for the following types of companies:

Credit Issuers: veriﬁcation for students who have applied for student cards.
Travel Companies: veriﬁcation for students who have applied for discounted student travel.
Housing Providers: veriﬁcation for students who have applied to rent a property.
Scholarship Providers: veriﬁcation for students who have been awarded scholarships.
Consumer Product Companies: veriﬁcation for students who have applied for student discounts when purchasing computers, books, etc.
Requests by Students and Parents: many companies, including health insurers, ask students directly to provide proof of current enrollment. Students and parents can use the National Student Clearinghouse Enrollment Verify website to download or print certiﬁcations.