Records & Transcripts

Admissions and Records will accept only official transcripts from other colleges, universities, high schools, and educational testing sources; unofficial copies will not be accepted. A transcript must be sent directly to Admissions and Records by mail or electronically from the applicable institution to be considered official; faxed copies will not be accepted. A transcript that is hand carried in a sealed envelope to Admissions and Records that was mailed to the student directly from the applicable institution may be accepted as official provided the envelope has not been opened.

Official Transcripts

All students may order official transcripts through the National Student Clearinghouse for $4 per transcript plus a $2.25 handling fee per address. Transcripts may be sent as an electronic PDF for an additional 50 cents. A credit card and email address is required. To order a transcript through the National Student Clearinghouse, click on the following link:

Transcripts sent to institutions within the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) will be sent to the Admissions and Records/Registrar’s office at no cost to the student, NSHE Institutions that qualify for free delivery include:

• College of Southern Nevada (CSN)
• Great Basin College (GBC)
• Nevada State College (NSC)
• Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC)
• University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)
• University of Nevada, Reno (UNR)

Please note: To qualify for free delivery, students must check the box “yes” during the ordering process when asked, “Are you sending your transcript only to an NSHE (Nevada) school?” Students who neglect to check this box and are charged will not receive a refund. Students who wish to have their transcript mailed to a specific department (other than Admissions and Records/Registrar’s office) at an NSHE institution are not eligible for free delivery.

The processing time for official transcripts is approximately three to five business days. During peak periods such as registration and final examinations there may be some delay. Official transcripts cannot be issued until holds preventing release of transcripts are removed, including payment of all debts to any Nevada System of Higher Education institution.

Students will receive an email from the National Student Clearinghouse confirming receipt of a transcript order, and another email confirming that the transcript has been sent or is ready for pick-up.

Transcripts ordered for pick-up will be available in Admissions and Records in Carson City. When ordering through the National Student Clearinghouse, students may request that another person may pick up a transcript under processing option, “Special Instructions.” All individuals must have a government issued or WNC issued student photo ID to pick up a transcript.

Unofficial Transcripts

Current students or any student with an active myWNC account may access an unofficial transcript free of charge through myWNC.

High School Transcripts

Credit from high school courses are not applicable towards a degree or certificate of achievement.

High school transcripts from a home school must clearly display the following information:

1. Student’s name (first, middle, last) and date of birth
2. For each course completed, the following must be listed:
   • Specific course title
   • Units or credits for each
   • Time frame or semester in which it was completed
   • Grade received
3. Description of grading system used such a grade scale or grade key
4. Cumulative credits/units earned and grade point average
5. Graduation date (month/day/year) indicating completion of secondary school or high school education

The following statement, or one very similar, is to appear about the home school administrator/parent signature line: “I, the undersigned, do hereby self-certify and affirm that this is the official transcript and record of ___(name of student)___ academic studies of ___(years attended home school)__.”

• Signature of school administrator/parent and date.

A copy of a Nevada Receipt of Notice of Intent to Home school or a letter from the applicable school board approving the student as home schooled must also be submitted in order for the transcript to be considered official.

Release Of Transcripts From Other Institutions

When a transcript from another institution is received by Admissions and Records, the transcript becomes the official property of Western Nevada College. Admissions and Records does not release or provide copies of a student’s official transcript from another institution to third parties or to students.

Upon request, students may view their transcript from another institution and take notes in regards to classes, semester, and grades, but may not have a copy. Exceptions to the policy are at the discretion of the registrar, and are granted only in extreme cases, such as 1) the institution housing the original records has been destroyed and WNC has the only known existing transcript, or 2) international transcripts that the student is unable to obtain.

Enrollment Status

Full-time students are defined as those who are enrolled in 12 or more credits/units (6 or more credits/units for summer); three-quarter time students are enrolled in 9-11 credits/units; half-time students are enrolled in 6-8 credits.

Enrollment Verifications

The National Student Clearinghouse is the authorized agent for WNC for providing enrollment and degree verifications. Students may obtain enrollment verifications by accessing the Clearinghouse through myWNC. Employers or background screening firms requesting enrollment and/or degree verifications may obtain a verification through the Clearinghouse at www.degreeverify.com.

Course Withdrawal

Classes dropped after the 100 percent refund period that are not “even exchanged” will remain on a student transcript with a grade of “W”.

Student Responsibility

Students are encouraged to read the college catalog and schedule for important policy, procedure, and deadline information. Students are required to add and drop courses through myWNC, ensure they have fulfilled all course prerequisites, verify the accuracy of their enrollment, keep their address, phone number and email address current in myWNC, and pay for classes by the published deadline. Unpaid students may be removed from class rosters throughout the semester and will not receive a final grade or credits regardless of attendance and completion of course work.

Storage of Student Records

Educational records are kept by Admissions and Records permanently:

• Final grade rosters and grade change forms
• Schedule of classes
• Files of student graduates

The following records are kept for a minimum of five years for students who attend WNC:

• Admission applications
• Incoming transcripts or other credit sources
• Personal identification data change forms
• Residency applications
• Enrollment forms

Student Grades

Students may view their grades online at myWNC. Mid-term grades for full-term classes are generally available after the eighth week of the semester for fall and spring semesters; mid-term grades are not available for short-term classes. Final grades are available two weeks after the end of the semester. Check the dates and deadlines page for more information.

The college does not send grade mailers; students may view grades through myWNC.

Instructions for checking grades using myWNC

• Log in to your account through myWNC by entering your student ID number as your user name and password
• Click on the line in the center box, “myWNC Student Information Center”
• Click on “Other Academic” under the Academics section.
• Select “Mid-term Grades” or “Official Grades” for final grades.

Grading System

The following grading policies apply to WNC:

“A” Superior 4.0
“A-” 3.7
“B+” 3.3
“B” Above Average 3.0
“B-” 2.7
“C+” 2.3
“C” Average 2.0
“C-” 1.7
“D+” 1.3
“D” Below Average 1.0
“D-” 0.7
“F” Failure 0.0
“P” Pass
“I” Incomplete
“R” Repeat
“AD” Audit
“W” Withdrawal

1. It is at the discretion of individual faculty to use the “Plus” and “Minus” grading scale.
2. All grades are awarded according to faculty members’ judgments. Students may repeat failed courses.
3. Withdrawal indicates the student withdrew from the course and did not complete it.
4. The course syllabus shall contain a clear explanation of the grading scale to be used by the instructor. Students may not appeal the format an instructor chooses.
5. “I” Grade: An Incomplete grade may be given by the instructor when a student has completed 75 percent of the course with a grade of at least “C,” but where there is some verifiable, compelling reason for the lack of completion. College regulations limit the amount of time the student has to make up assignments or examinations. The “I” (Incomplete) must be made up within 120 days of the end of the semester. Failure to do so will result in the “I” grade being changed to an “F.” A student seeking to complete the work for a course in which he/she received an Incomplete must make arrangements with the instructor who issued the incomplete grade. A grade change from the instructor is due to Admissions and Records within 120 days of the end of the applicable semester.

Grade Appeal

A grade appeal is the process for students who believe the grade that they received for a course is incorrect. A grade appeal must be initiated no later than 30 instructional days into the following regular semester and must follow the following process:

1. Prior to activation of the formal grade appeal process, it is recommended that the student discuss his/her complaint with the instructor who issued the grade. If the student cannot reach the instructor, or if the grade is not resolved by the instructor, the student must file a written intent to appeal the grade with the instructor’s division office.
2. Once the written notice is filed, the student must contact the division chair. The division chair will arrange a meeting between him/herself, the instructor and the student, or between the instructor and the student if such a meeting has not yet taken place.
3. If the grade appeal is still unresolved, the student must submit details in writing to the vice president for Academic and Student Affairs, who will act on the grade appeal within 15 days of being notified.
4. Within 15 days of the receipt of the written certified letter, a hearing committee composed of the division chair, two faculty members of the same division and two students chosen by the Associated Students of Western Nevada president will meet to hear the grade appeal. The instructor and the student who is appealing the grade will be invited to be present when this committee meets.
5. The written recommendation of this hearing committee will be forwarded to the vice president for Academic and Student Affairs who will act on the grade appeal within 15 days of being notified.

Academic Probation

Degree/certificate seeking students who has a cumulative grade point average (GPA) less than a 2.0 are placed on academic probation and must meet with a WNC Counselor before they can enroll for classes. Students will continue to be an academic probation until their GPA reaches a 2.0 or higher.

Repeat Adjustment Request

A student may repeat a course and have only the highest grade counted as part of his/her total grade point average; all grades will remain on the student transcript. Students will not receive duplicate credit for repeated courses unless the course is designated as repeatable for credit. Students may repeat courses provided they have fulfilled current course prerequisites and met criteria established for courses with selective readmissions criteria.

Students may petition to repeat up to 12 units with an adjustment to the previous grade(s). If approved, the original grade will be reflected as an “R” for repeat. The “R” will only be used as a replacement if the repeated course earns a grade higher than the grade originally earned. Repeat adjustment may not be applied to W or AD grades. A repeat adjustment request must be submitted to Admissions and Records no later than four weeks past the published date on which grades are posted, for the semester in which the course was repeated.

If a student requests a repeat adjustment for a course that is designated as repeatable for credit, he/she will not receive additional units for the repeated course.

Academic Renewal

Students may petition to have an entire semester of course work be disregarded in all calculations regarding academic standing and grade point average. Eligibility for academic renewal is subject to the following conditions:

1. At the time the petition is filed, at least one year must have elapsed since the most recent course work to be disregarded was completed.
2. In the interval between the completion of the most recent course work to be disregarded and the filing of the petition, students shall have completed at least 12 acceptable units of course work at a regionally accredited institution of higher education with a grade-point average of at least 2.5 on all work completed during that interval. Courses taken during the interval may be repeats of previously attempted college work.
3. The student’s filed petition must specify the semester to be disregarded. A semester with only “W” grades may not be considered for academic renewal. If the petition is approved under this policy, the student’s permanent academic record will be suitably marked to indicate that no work taken during the disregarded semester, even if satisfactory, may apply toward graduation requirements, and the grades will not be calculated into the student’s grade point average. However, all course work will remain on the academic record, ensuring a true and accurate academic history. The original grades earned will be calculated toward satisfactory academic progress for financial aid.
4. Academic renewal can occur only once during a student’s academic career. Academic renewal can only be applied prior to graduation from the first degree or certificate. Once a student graduates, academic renewal cannot be retroactively applied.

Dean’s List

Students are eligible for the Dean’s List if:

1. At least 12 units (6 units for the summer semester), excluding developmental course units, have been completed during the semester on the A, B,C,D scale, and
2. The semester grade point average is 3.50 or higher.

In accordance with institutional policy and the U.S. Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), Western Nevada College vigorously protects the privacy of student educational records. FERPA was enacted to protect the privacy of educational records and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data.

No one shall have access to, nor will WNC disclose any non-directory information from a student’s educational records without the written consent of the student except to:

a) School officials including college staff, student employees, volunteers, contractors, consultants, etc. performing an assigned college function, b) authorized representatives from federal and state agencies, c) officials of other institutions in which the student seeks to enroll, d) accrediting agencies carrying out their accreditation functions, e) military recruiters as specified in the Soloman Amendment, f) a student serving on an official committee such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, g) persons in compliance with a judicial order, h) officials providing student financial aid, i) the audit firm retained by the Nevada System of Higher Education, j) the data warehouse for NSHE or designated institutional research personnel, k) a person or company with whom the institution has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using institutional employees or officials (such a as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent), and l) persons in an emergency to protect the health/and/or safety of students, or other persons. WNC does not release information to parents of students regardless of dependence status without prior written consent of the student. A student is defined as an individual who has applied to WNC and who is or has been in attendance at WNC.

The institution does not release the records of individual students, such as grades and class schedules, without prior written consent of the student. As permitted under federal law, an exception to the above practice is the release of “directory” information considered to be public in nature and not general deemed to be an invasion of privacy. At Western Nevada College, the following categories are defined as “directory” information: student name, address including city and state, telephone number, Email address, full-time/part-time status, graduation date, major/field of study, degrees, honors and awards received, dates of attendance and whether currently enrolled, most recent educational agency or institutions attended, weight and higher of members of athletic teams, and photographs from college sanctioned events.

Students have the right to request non-disclosure of directory information. If they do not restrict release of this information, the information may be released or disclosed. WNC assumes that failure to specifically request the withholding of directory information indicates individual approval for disclosure. Directory information may be provided for commercial purposes to businesses affiliated with the institution, honor societies, the alumni association and foundation, or other individuals for purposes that may be beneficial to students. WNC exercises discretion in responding to requests for directory information and may or may not provide such information when requested, depending on the intended purpose of the request. The institution does not sell or rent student information for a fee.

It is important for students to consider carefully the potential consequences of restricting the release of directory information. If a student restricts release for non-commercial purpose, the institution will be unable to place the student’s name in publications such as honors and graduation programs; to confirm graduation and dates of attendance to potential employers, to verify enrollment with organizations such as insurance companies; or to send notifications about specialized scholarships without the express written authorization of the student.

If, after due consideration, a student wishes to restrict the release of directory information, he/she may request this through myWNC or submit a Request for Confidential Status of Directory Information form and submit to Admissions and Records. A request for non-disclosure submitted to WNC or any NSHE institution will apply to all NSHE institutions. This directive will apply permanently to a student’s record, even after graduation, until the student reverses it by submitting a written authorization to Admissions and Records or changing the restriction in myWNC.

FERPA provides a student with the following rights:

1) The right to inspect and review information in his/her education records within 45 days of the day the institution receives a request for access.

WNC is not required to provide copies of such records to students

2) The right to seek to amend education records that the student believes to be inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

If a student disagrees with some information in his/her educational records, he/she may challenge that information. If the situation is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, the student may request a hearing. Contact Admissions and Records for additional information.

3) The right to provide written consent before the institution discloses personally identifiable information form the students’ educational records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

WNC Protects Student Privacy

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects student privacy. Personally identifiable information is not released without student consent and signature. To review or pick up academic records in person, a valid government or WNC issued photo ID that includes signature is mandatory. The college’s registration system requires students to create a password to access their WNC account. The password is considered the equivalent of a signature.

Student Right to Inspect Records

Students have a right to inspect and review information in his/her education records, the right to seek to amend education records, and the right to have some control over the disclosure of information from education records. WNC is not required to provide copies of such records to students. If a student disagrees with some information in his/her educational records, he/she may challenge that information. If the situation is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, the student may request a hearing. If the student disagrees with the results of that hearing, he/she may submit explanation statements for inclusions in his/her file. Contact Admissions and Records for additional information.