Academic Excellence Standards
Tougaloo College is committed to maintaining high academic standards that prepare students for success in their chosen fields. Our comprehensive academic policies ensure fairness, clarity, and support throughout your educational journey.
Academic Policies & Procedures
Understanding these academic standards is essential for your success at Tougaloo College. Each policy is designed to support your educational goals while maintaining the integrity of your academic experience.
Academic Advising
The College recognizes that sound, systematic academic advising is essential for students to achieve their educational goals. Thus, the College offers an academic advising program that assists students throughout their college matriculation.
Freshman & Sophomore Advising: Generally assigned an academic advisor who is a member of a group of student advisors.
Junior & Senior Advising: As students complete the general education core curriculum, become juniors, and begin a concentrated study of a major, they are assigned faculty advisors in the appropriate department.
Attendance Policy
Tougaloo College believes that its students must learn to take major responsibility for their own education. Tougaloo students are required to attend all of their classes and be responsible for all assigned course material and all material covered in class.
Student Responsibility
When students are absent from class, it is the student's responsibility to notify the instructor and ascertain what the instructor requires regarding missed material or assignments.
Student Classification
Student classification is based on completed semester hours:
Sophomore: At least 30 semester hours
Junior: At least 60 semester hours
Senior: At least 90 semester hours
Full-time Class Load
During any given semester, a normal academic load is 12 to 18 semester hours. The Vice President for Academic Affairs may permit exceptional students to carry extra hours. However, there will be additional charges for extra hours.
Important Policies:
- Full-time students are not permitted to carry less than 12 semester hours
- Students who carry less than 12 hours are classified as part-time students
- Full-time students may not transfer credits taken at another institution during the same semester except where taken as part of cross-registration or with special approval
Grading System
Near the middle and end of each semester, students receive grades evaluating their work. These evaluations are made in terms of letter grades with corresponding quality points:
A - Excellent (4 Points)
B - Good (3 Points)
C - Average (2 Points)
D - Poor (1 Point)
F - Failure (0 Points)
CR - Credit (0 Points)
NC - No Credit (0 Points)
I - Incomplete
WF - Withdrew Failing
W - Withdrawal without penalty
CE - Credit by examination
To determine academic standing or eligibility for graduation, a student's cumulative grade point average is computed by dividing the total quality points earned by the number of semester hours earned in those courses submitted in fulfillment of degree requirements.
Grade Replacement Policy: Once a student repeats and earns higher grade in a course in which a "D" or "F" was earned earlier, the earlier grade and hours will not be removed from the transcript, but will not enter into the computation of the cumulative grade point average upon graduation.
Letter Grade Change Policy
Requests for letter grade change should be made no later than ten (10) working days after the close of registration for any grade issued the preceding semester.
Review Full Letter Grade Change PolicyCredit/No Credit (CR/NC)
Students during their years in college may elect two courses on a credit or no-credit basis. The grade in such a course is either credit or no-credit and does not affect the student's grade point average. However, if the student passes the course, course credit is given toward graduation.
Important Restrictions:
- Courses required for either general education or the major are excluded from election on a credit-no-credit basis
- Students have one week after midterm grades are due to decide whether they will take the course on a credit-no-credit basis or for a letter grade
- The form must be submitted online via the LOO (student portal)
Incomplete Grades
An "Incomplete" (I) indicates that although the work completed is of passing quality, some portion of the work of the course remains unfinished because of illness or for some other reason over which the student has no control.
Important Deadline
If the "Incomplete" is not removed by the deadline outlined in the Academic Calendar of the following semester in which the student is enrolled, the Office of the Registrar will automatically record a grade of "F."
Withdrawal From College
Students who leave the college (except for temporary absence with the Vice President for Academic Affairs' permission) must complete the withdrawal form located on the LOO (student portal).
Critical Requirement
Failure to complete the form via the LOO may result in the loss of a student's right to honorable dismissal (and hence of re-entrance to the College), as well as the loss of any credit balance.
Withdrawal From A Course
Students may petition to withdraw from a course without penalty through the deadline outlined in the Academic Calendar of that semester. The student's advisor must review the course withdrawal form.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, Tougaloo College students have the right to review, inspect, and challenge the accuracy of information kept in a cumulative file by the institution.
It also ensures that records cannot be released without the written consent of the student except:
- To school officials and faculty who have a legitimate educational interest
- To others where this information is classified as directory information
Privacy in Distance Education Review Full Student Identity Verification and Privacy in Distance Education Policy
Tougaloo College Policy on Student Identity Verification and Privacy in Distance Education
I. Policy Statement
Tougaloo College is committed to ensuring the academic integrity of its distance and online education offerings while protecting the privacy of all students enrolled in such courses and programs. In compliance with the requirements of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the College maintains procedures to verify that the student who registers for a distance or online course is the same individual who participates in, completes the course, and receives academic credit. This policy is separate from, and operates in addition to, the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and specifically addresses identity verification and data protection in the context of distance education.
II. Scope
This policy applies to all students enrolled in distance education or online courses and programs offered by Tougaloo College, as well as to all faculty and staff responsible for the delivery, administration, and oversight of such courses and programs.
III. Student Identity Verification
Tougaloo College utilizes one or more of the following methods to verify student identity in distance education:
• Secure login and password credentials for access to institutional systems and course platforms
• Proctored examinations, including the use of online proctoring services
• Multi-factor authentication or other emerging identity verification technologies
• Other reasonable and appropriate measures as determined by the College or the course instructor
Faculty members may require specific identity verification methods appropriate to the nature of the course. All such requirements will be communicated to students in the course syllabus and/or through official course materials.
IV. Protection of Student Privacy
The College is committed to safeguarding the privacy of students participating in distance education. Any personal information collected for the purpose of identity verification will:
• Be used solely for identity verification and academic integrity purposes • Be maintained in accordance with institutional data security and records management protocols
• Be protected from unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse
Tougaloo College does not disclose personally identifiable information obtained through identity verification processes except as necessary to support academic operations or as otherwise permitted or required by law.
This policy is effective as of March 24, 2026
V. Student Responsibilities
Students enrolled in distance education courses are responsible for:
• Maintaining the confidentiality of login credentials and authentication information
• Complying with all identity verification procedures required for their courses
• Ensuring that all submitted work and assessments reflect their own academic efforts
Failure to comply with identity verification requirements or evidence of misrepresentation may result in disciplinary action in accordance with institutional academic integrity policies.
VI. Fees and Costs
Students may be responsible for any additional costs associated with identity verification processes, including but not limited to online proctoring services. Any such fees will be clearly communicated in advance through course syllabi or official institutional materials.
VII. Oversight and Review
The Office of Academic Affairs, in collaboration with Information Technology and other relevant administrative units, is responsible for the implementation, oversight, and periodic review of this policy to ensure ongoing compliance with accreditation standards and best practices in distance education.
VIII. Effective Date
This policy is effective upon approval and will be reviewed periodically to ensure alignment with evolving regulatory, technological, and accreditation requirements.
Need Academic Support?
Our Academic Affairs and Registrar offices are here to help you navigate these policies and ensure your academic success at Tougaloo College.