The Office of Student Success

• Advising Handbook
• Catalog
• Learning Support Policies
• Learning Support Appeal


• Withdrawals


Summary of Learning Support Requirements
From Learning Support Policy of the University System of Georgia

1. Until learning support requirements have been satisfied, students shall not be permitted to take credit courses which require the content or the skills of the prerequisite courses. Students with learning support placement must:

1. exit or exempt learning support reading as a prerequisite for social, natural, and physical science courses;

2. exit or exempt learning support English and reading as prerequisites for college-level English;

3. exit or exempt learning support mathematics as a prerequisite for mathematics, physics, and chemistry;

2. The following requirements apply to those students who have learning support requirements:

1. During each semester of enrollment a student must first register for all required learning support courses before being allowed to register for other courses. This policy also applies to part-time students. Two exceptions are possible:

•  When two or three learning support areas are required and a student is enrolled in at least one learning support course, a freshman seminar course or physical education or other activity or performance courses may be taken that semester instead of one of the required learning support courses.

• In the event that a required learning support course is not available, a student may enroll in a course for degree credit if the student has met the course prerequisites, subject to the written approval of the division chair.

1.  A third exception applies to students in Career and Tech programs at ABAC

• If career tech students need all three learning support areas, they may take English and reading with other college level courses that do not have a learning support prerequisite. The following semester, the student should enroll in MATH 0090.

2. Students who have accumulated 20 semester hours of college-level credit and have not successfully completed required learning support courses may enroll only in learning support courses until requirements are successfully completed.
    

3. Students with learning support requirements who are enrolled in both learning support courses and credit courses may not withdraw from the required learning support courses with a “W” unless they also withdraw from credit courses.
    

4. To exit a learning support area, students must successfully complete (C or better) the exit level learning support course in that area, meet any established institutional standards, and attain at least the University System minimum score on the appropriate part of COMPASS. An exit writing sample shall also be required in learning support English.

3. If a student does not complete requirements for an area in twelve semester hours or three semesters, whichever occurs first, the student will be suspended. The student may not be considered for readmission within three years of the suspension.

Prior to suspending a student who has not exited a learning support area within the twelve-semester hour or three semester limit, an institution may allow the student to APPEAL for one additional course. The student must:

• be individually evaluated and determined to have a reasonable chance of success

• be in an exit level course

• have reached the limit in only one learning support area

If granted the additional course, the student may enroll in only the learning support course.

4. Students who have been suspended from the institution without completing learning support requirements may not be exempted from their learning support requirements through transfer of course credit unless they are eligible for transfer admission under the institution’s regular transfer admission policies.
    

5. Students who have not taken any college work in the University System for three years may be retested with COMPASS (in any unsatisfied area) and readmitted without a learning support requirement if they meet the institutional criteria for exemption. Students who do not exempt on the retest may appeal for readmission. Students readmitted under this provision are subject to the 20-hour limit on college-level course work and may not take credit work if they had earned 20 credit hours during their previous period(s) of enrollment.
    

6. Students with learning disorders who are required to enroll in learning support must fulfill all stated requirements, including the COMPASS requirements. These students should be provided with appropriate course accommodations.

Appropriate course and testing accommodations will be made for students with visual, hearing, or motor impairment.

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WITHDRAWALS

Dropping Classes: If a student needs to reduce his/her course load during a particular semester, that student may officially withdraw from a class with a grade of “W,” provided he/she takes this action before the mid-point in the semester or session (see the college calendar) or if very unusual circumstances require the withdrawal after the mid-point. After midterm, a student withdrawing from a class will receive a “WF”. The student who wants to withdraw from a course must first see his/her academic advisor for permission to withdraw. At that point the advisor completes a drop form and the student follows the steps outlined on the form and submits it to the Enrollment Services Office. See the “Change of Schedule” section below for further information. Although a “W” has no impact on the GPA, the student should be aware that there are possible negative Financial Aid ramifications in withdrawing from any class.

Total Withdrawal from the College: Any student who voluntarily withdraws from the college must first consult the Enrollment Services Office. A student who withdraws from the college prior to mid-term will receive a “W” in all classes in which he/she is enrolled. A student who withdraws from the College after mid-term will receive a “WF,” unless significant mitigating circumstances exist and the student is passing the class at the time of withdrawal.

Withdrawal from Learning Support Courses: A student who wishes to withdraw from a required learning support course must also withdraw from any college-level courses in which he/she is enrolled. This requirement does not apply to Regents’ remediation courses.

Medical Withdrawal: Prior to mid-term, medical withdrawals are the same as any other official withdrawal from the college. The student will receive “W’s” in all classes. After mid-term, a student seeking a medical withdrawal must submit medical documentation from a physician and/or hospital to the Student Development Office. If the Medical Withdrawal Committee determines that a student be totally withdrawn from classes for a given term for medical reasons, the Student Development Office will notify the student’s instructors and the Registrar’s Office. The student will be given the grade of “W” in all classes. In cases that the instructor is not notified by the Student Development Office, assignment of a “W” is strictly up the individual instructor’s discretion. In all cases, the student should make every effort to keep the instructor informed of any situation which affects class attendance.

CHANGE OF SCHEDULE (DROP/ADD)

A student is discouraged from changing schedules after classes begin. However, consideration is given to every request for a change in a student’s program, and recommendations are made in accordance with the educational goals and the individual needs of the student.


If, after registration, a change in schedule becomes necessary, all changes should be made at the beginning of the semester during the official drop/add period. The official drop/add period is published in the official college calendar. No refund will be made for a dropped course after the official drop/add period. During the drop/add period, students may change their schedule through Banner Web.

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