Navigating Freshman Year at Southern Union State Community College: A Comprehensive Guide

Southern Union State Community College (SUSCC) welcomes a diverse range of students, including high school graduates, GED recipients, transfer students, and returning students. This guide provides essential information for incoming freshmen to ensure a smooth transition into college life.

Admission Requirements and Initial Steps

The application for general admission provides Southern Union with the information needed to get students started. Several key steps must be completed:

Submit Application for General Admission: This form gathers the necessary personal and academic information for the college to begin processing the application.
Provide Official Identification: The Admissions Office requires appropriate identification to complete the admission process. Applicants should present one primary form of identification in person.
Submit Official Transcripts: Southern Union requires official documents. This includes Official High School and College Transcripts (if applicable) Indicating Graduation Date and Official College Transcripts (if applicable). Be sure to request your transcript be sent directly to Southern Union. Box 1000, Wadley, AL 36276.

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Financial Matters: Tuition and Aid

Securing a method for tuition payment is crucial. Here's how to navigate the financial aspects of attending Southern Union:

Federal Financial Aid: To apply for federal financial aid, visit www.studentaid.gov. Final approval for financial aid may take up to 6-8 weeks for processing once all documentation has been received by the school.
Tuition Payment: Students who do not receive financial aid will be required to pay tuition at the time of registration. Payments can be made by credit or debit card through the mySUSCC portal. Choose the Student Tab > Student Account > Touchnet Bill+Payments, and log in using your "A" number and mySUSCC password.

Academic Advising and Course Registration

Academic advising is a vital resource for students.

Schedule a meeting with an academic advisor: Sign-up for an individual advising appointment.
- Virtual meetings: Virtual meetings will take place on Google Meet. Access to a webcam and microphone is helpful to utilize this service.
- In-Person Meetings: In-person appointments will be available for certain dates.
Prior to registering for classes, please complete the steps below.
Check your credit hours: You can check the number of Southern Union hours you have by looking at your transcript in your mySUSCC Portal. Your unofficial transcript can be found under your Student Records in the portal.

Student Identification and Resources

Obtain Student ID: Report to the Learning Resource Center on Opelika or Wadley Campus with a PAID class schedule during designated LRC operating hours to get your student ID.
Obtain books for your classes: Students using financial aid to purchase books and supplies may charge these through the campus bookstore following a 24 hour waiting period after scheduling classes. Books for financial aid recipients are sold during a designated schedule each semester which is posted in the financial aid office or bookstore.

Additional Information for Specific Student Groups

Dual Enrollment: Are you a highly motivated high school student with a 2.5 or better grade point average who would like to earn college credit while also earning high school credit?
International Students: Special requirements may apply to international students seeking admission. NOTE: You must submit your International Student Application for Admission at least three (3) months prior to the beginning of the semester in which you hope to be admitted to the College in order to be issued an I-20. Read the instructions and information in this packet carefully.
- First, you must complete the Application for General Admission. Please note: Southern Union requires official documents.
- Official High School and College Transcripts (if applicable) Indicating Graduation Date.
- Official College Transcripts (if applicable).
- A minimum score of 5.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), a total score of 61 on the Internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), a 2A on the Step EIKEN Test in Practical English Proficiency, a total score of 500 on the paper-based TOEFL, or a 95 on the Duolingo English Test must be taken by each international student whose national language is not English and who did not graduate from an English speaking high school.
- Proof of Adequate Health/Accident Insurance.
- Sponsor. The Sponsor Support Form must indicate that he/she will be responsible for the student while they are in the United States. A sponsorship form is attached for your convenience.
- Financial. The college requires the Financial Support Form to be on file. This letter should indicate that the student will have at least $35,850 (United States currency) available in the United States for their expenses while they are enrolled.
- Immunization/Medical Form. *Note: International students are required to be enrolled full-time (12 semester/contact hours or more) during the fall and spring semesters. However, they can be part-time or do not have to be enrolled during the summer term. This is the college’s “break period” regarding international student enrollment.

Campus Life and Resources

Parking: Southern Union has many designated student parking areas. You must have a Southern Union parking permit in order to park on campus.

Academic Policies and Procedures

Course Withdrawal: Students may withdraw from a class at any time through the last day to withdraw, as listed in the college calendar. calendar. Withdrawing from the last class is considered a complete withdrawal from the college. from the last class through their MySUSCC portal.
Course Repetition and Forgiveness: This procedure has been updated to allow students to repeat a course as many times as they would like and to allow the higher/highest grade to replace other grades earned in the course on previous attempts. Students will still be held to any financial aid regulations that may limit the number of times a student may receive aid for a given course and how repeated courses are calculated for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards. This policy applies to Southern Union State Community College courses only. Implementation of forgiveness does not guarantee that other institutions will approve such action. This determination will be made by the respective transfer institutions. A student may request forgiveness for courses by completing a “Request for Course Forgiveness” form in Student Records.
Academic Bankruptcy: Academic bankruptcy is the removal of one to three semesters of grades from the calculation of a student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA).
- None of the coursework taken during a semester for which academic bankruptcy is declared, including hours completed satisfactorily, will be used to fulfill degree requirements.
- To be eligible for academic bankruptcy, the student must have completed 12 semester credit hours of coursework at the college since the most recent semester for which the academic bankruptcy is requested.
- Approval of the academic bankruptcy status at a college does not guarantee other institutions will honor that status.
- Academic bankruptcy has no bearing on financial aid status or eligibility.
Academic Suspension Intervention Program: Southern Union has developed an intervention program to assist students who are on a one term academic suspension.
Residency and Tuition: Eligibility for in-state tuition is determined in one of three ways: legal residency, substantial connections, or non-resident request. Residency is determined at the time of admissions acceptance. All international students who hold an F-1 visa are assessed at the out-of-state rate and are not eligible for in-state rates. The in-state tuition rate shall be extended to students who reside outside of Alabama in a state and county within fifty (50) miles of a designated campus of Southern Union State Community College, provided, however, that the campus must have been in existence and operating as of January 1, 1996.

Curriculum and Course Information

Area IV Requirements: Study in history and the social and behavioral sciences deals primarily with the study of human behavior, social and political structures, and economics. **Must complete a minimum of three (3) semester hours in History. A maximum of six (6) semester hours are allowed in Area IV. Must complete a minimum of six (6) semester hours from among other disciplines in the Social and Behavioral Sciences.
Engineering Exceptions: *ENGINEERING EXCEPTIONS: For all engineering majors, the AGSC voted to allow the hour requirements in Area II to be reduced from 12 SH to 9 SH and in Area IV to be reduced from 12 SH to 9 SH. This reduction allowed for additional hours (6 semester hours) to be added to Area V for engineering majors so that required math and science courses could be taken prior to transfer that would meet national engineering accredita- tion standards (ABET). The ACCS has adopted this exception.
Literature or History Sequence: **Must complete a 6 semester hour sequence either in Literature or in History.
Baccalaureate Degree Programs: ***Respective programs of study for baccalaureate degrees at Alabama Public Universi- ties range from 120-128 semester credit hours in length.
MySUSCC Portal: The user name will be your new student ID (A ########).
STARS Guide Information: If you plan to transfer to a college/university in the state of Alabama after Southern Union, click here to access a STARS transfer guide for your specific major.

Enrollment and Placement

Transient Students: If you are enrolled at another post-secondary institution and are interested in earning credit for transfer back to that college or university, you may be interested in enrolling as a transient student at Southern Union. Payment is due at time of registration.
Admission Status: Applicants who have not previously attended a regionally accredited postsecondary institution will be considered first time college students. Students who have applied and submitted all required documentation shall be admitted unconditionally. Students who have applied but not submitted required documentation shall be admitted as conditional status (excluding transient and international students).
Accuplacer Placement Test: Students are required to take the Accuplacer placement test in English and math prior to enrollment in classes unless appropriate exemptions are on file with the Admissions Office (see the Accuplacer section of this catalog). Prospective students are strongly urged to schedule and complete the placement test prior to registration, as results are used to determine placement in courses at registration. Students whose Accuplacer scores indicate the need for developmental courses must register for the indicated developmental courses the first term.
- Students who successfully completed a college-level English or math course with a “C” or better at a regionally accredited institution as verified by official transcripts, faxed transcripts, or student grade reports. (Unofficial transcripts or reports are only used for registration purposes.
- A student who has not attended a developmental English or math class may retest one time per calendar year provided there is evidence the student has completed test preparations and/or remediation activities. Southern Union will charge a one-time fee of $10.00 per retest assessment. Placement test scores will be valid for five years from the date of the retest assessment.

Instructional Programs and Degrees

Instructional Program Definition: An instructional program is defined as a combination of courses and experiences that is designed to accomplish a predetermined objective or set of allied objectives such as preparation for advanced study, qualification for an occupation or range of occupations, or simply the increase of knowledge and understanding.
Associate in Science Degree: Students desiring to earn an Associate in Science degree and then continue their education at a senior institution should schedule an appointment with an academic advisor. The academic advisor can provide information to the student concerning the college and program in which they wish to transfer. Students must accept the final responsibility of becoming familiar with the requirements of the senior college to which they may transfer. The student is advised that in many cases changing from one major to another, at the same transfer school, may result in the student having to take additional courses.
Associate in Applied Science Degree: Programs leading to the Associate in Applied Science degree are college-level programs of study designed to prepare students to enter occupational, semi-professional, or para-professional employment. Though many of the courses in these programs transfer to four-year colleges and universities, the primary intent is to prepare students for immediate employment after successful completion of a two-year program.
Certificates: Certificates are awarded to students who successfully complete the requirements of specific technical or occupational programs.
Course and Program Availability: Every effort is made to ensure that courses and programs described in this catalog are offered to students in an appropriate and reasonable sequence. Students should be aware, however, that admission to the College or registration for a given semester does not guarantee the availability of a specific course or a program of courses. Course and program availability is determined by student demand, instructor availability, and periodic program reviews. Whenever a program is determined to have insufficient numbers to continue institutional support, students currently enrolled will, whenever possible, be given notification of the decision and sufficient time to complete the program with continuous enrollment.

Online and Hybrid Courses

Online: Access your class on a flexible schedule by taking an online course. A computer, webcam, microphone, and high-speed internet is required.
Hybrid: The best of both worlds. Please Note: A computer with a Mac or PC operating system is highly recommended for online coursework to meet the minimum compatibility requirements. The Canvas LMS application can be downloaded for use with a mobile phone running iOS or Android, but some assignments may not be accessible on a phone.

Registration

Registration for new students begins on the registration dates based on 0 or more credit hours and continues until classes begin on the beginning of the semester. Our advisors will be able to help students get registered for classes!

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