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Western Piedmont Community College was chartered by the North Carolina State Board of Education on April 2, 1964, as a member of the NorthCarolina Community College System. The Board of Trustees comprised of prominent citizens from Burke, McDowell, and Caldwell counties, assumedresponsibility for the College and elected Dr. E.W. Phifer, Jr. as its first chair. From the very beginning, the citizens of Burke County demonstratedinterest and strong support for their College by approving a state-required bond issue with an unprecedented margin of seventeen to one.INTRODUCTIONHISTORICAL REVIEWAppointed by the Board of Trustees in the fall of 1964, Dr. Herbert F. Stallworth served as the institution’s first president. With offices locatedin Morganton’s City Hall, the first classes were offered the following year at Central School, stores, church education buildings and other rentedspaces in the area. Over 400 full-time curriculum students were admitted in the fall of 1966 when construction began on a permanent campus.In August of 1967, Dr. Gordon C. Blank became president. Three buildings on the new 132-acre campus were occupied on March 25, 1968, andthe first degrees were granted in June. Western Piedmont was accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Collegesand Schools that same year and was well along the way toward fulfilling its purpose as a comprehensive community college. Mr. H.D. Moretz, Deanof the College and member of the staff since its founding, assumed the position of acting president upon Dr. Blank’s resignation in 1978. Dr. WilmonH. Droze served as president from 1979-1981 and provided new directions for Western Piedmont Community College. The campus bookstore wasmodernized and enlarged; all buildings were certified accessible to the handicapped; and grant funds permitted an expanded program for thehearing-impaired. In honor of two outstanding friends of the College, the administration building and the science building were dedicated as W.Stanley Moore Administration Hall and Frank C. Patton Science Hall.Dr. Jim A. Richardson served as the fourth president of Western Piedmont from 1981 to 2005. To improve management practices, a planningand evaluation process was implemented to assist in the identification of both short-term and long-range needs. By 1986 these activities hadresulted in the introduction of Cooperative Education, twelve new occupational programs, transfer degrees in the Performing and Visual Arts, anda record breaking annual enrollment of over 10,000 curriculum and continuing education students.A successful blueprint for the PROGRESS campaign in 1987 raised 1.3 million locally toward the construction of a Learning Resources Center.With 2.7 million in state funds, the 46,000 square feet structure contains a library, conference rooms, drama studio, media services center, facultyoffices and classrooms. The Phifer Learning Resources Center opened in the fall of 1989.Western Piedmont attracted national attention with a replica of Senator Sam J. Ervin’s home library and the annual Constitutional IssuesForum. The College named Hildebrand Hall in honor of local educators Johny and Abby Hildebrand.With annual enrollments exceeding 13,000 students, Western Piedmont Community College revised its “Master Campus Plan” to direct campusdevelopment into the twenty-first century. With funding from an approved state bond and matching funds from the county, the College dedicateda new 42,000 square foot building named the Robert P. Carr Business Technologies Center in September 1997. The College acquired an additional209-acres of land from the State in 2000. The Rostan Horticulture Center opened in 2002 to provide classrooms and office space for the horticulureprogram. A 25,000 square feet K Building was added on the Richardson Campus in 2003.Dr. Jim W. Burnett became the College’s fifth president in 2006. The Health Sciences building (17,500 square feet) opened in January 2008 andincludes classroom space for chemistry, medical assisting, medical laboratory technology and nursing. Construction began for the EmergencyServices Training Center in Fall 2007.Foothills Higher Education Center opened in August 2009 and houses the Division of Continuing Education and the Appalachian State UniversityCenter at Burke, as well as Western Carolina University and Lees-McRae College offices.828-438-6000www.wpcc.eduTDD: 828-438-60667

INTRODUCTIONSERVICE AREAWestern Piedmont Community College is located at the intersection of I-40 and Highway 64 within the corporate limits of Morganton, NC(pop. 17,290), the county seat. Burke County (pop. 89,148) was established in 1777 and named in honor of the third governor of North Carolina,Thomas Burke.Eighty percent of curriculum students attending Western Piedmont Community College live in Burke County. Of this number, sixty percentcommute within a ten-mile radius of the campus. The remaining students commute from adjacent Caldwell, Catawba, McDowell, and more thantwenty other North Carolina counties.8Western Piedmont Community College

As a member of the North Carolina Community College System, Western Piedmont operates under an “open door” admission policy. Any person,18 years of age or older, or who is a high school graduate, and who is able to profit from further formal education, will be served by the College.The College serves all students regardless of race, religion, association, sex, age, disability, or ethnic origin. Admission requirements for “limitedenrollment” programs are published with the program description.All students must submit a properly completed application to the Office of Admissions. Application forms are available in Student Services, fromlocal high school counselors, and online.APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR CURRICULUM PROGRAMSEntering curriculum students to all associate degree programs, and some diploma and certificate programs, are required to be diplomagraduates of a valid high school or GED program. High school transcripts showing graduation, and transcripts from all postsecondary enrollmentare required. Students are responsible for releasing all transcripts to Western Piedmont Community College.The College will accept graduates from valid high schools and adult high school programs, GED programs, home schools approved by the NCDivision of Non-Public Education, and valid American schools abroad. Foreign students must have graduated from a secondary school that isequivalent to secondary schools in the United States; otherwise, they must complete a valid GED or high school program. Only the English versionof the GED will satisfy proof of high school graduation equivalency.All students seeking a degree, diploma, or certificate will be required to sit for the ASSET or COMPASS placement test. Students may be exemptfrom the placement test if they submit appropriate SAT or ACT scores or an official college transcript verifying completion of a college level Englishand math with a grade of “C” or better. Permission to register may be denied if all admission requirements are not complete.ADMISSIONSADMISSION POLICIESADMISSION PROCEDURES FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND COURSES ARE FOUND IN THE SECTION ON CONTINUING EDUCATION.SPECIAL STUDENTSA special student is defined as one who is enrolled in curriculum credit courses but who is not working toward a degree or diploma. Specialstudents will be allowed to register for courses upon providing documentation that prerequisite courses are met.For admission, special students need only to complete the application available in the Admissions Office. Special students, however, will beasked to submit proof of high school graduation and meet placement criteria if they desire to be reclassified as regular students. Special studentspay the same tuition and fees as regular students, and must meet course prerequisites, if any.TRANSFER STUDENTSA transfer student is a student entering Western Piedmont Community College who has earned credit at another institution and wishes to applythose credits toward a WPCC degree or diploma. In addition to submitting all other application materials, transfer students must have officialtranscripts sent to Western Piedmont by the institution which originally granted the credit. To be considered for credit, courses must have beentaken at a regionally accredited institution. Transfer students must meet the admission requirements of a beginning student; however, students whohold an Associate Degree or higher may be exempt from WPCC placement testing. Students who have successfully completed ENG 111 with a gradeof “C” or better may be exempt from the reading and writing sections of the placement test. Exemption from the numerical, elementary algebra,or intermediate algebra sections of the placement test is dependent on the major students are pursuing. Questions regarding exemptions for theplacement test should be directed to the Director of Enrollment Management. To receive an exemption, a student must submit an official copy ofhis/her previous college transcripts.Transfer credit may be allowed for courses in which students have made a grade of “C” or better. Transfer credit may be allowed for courses inwhich students have made a grade of “D” if approved by petition. Transfer credit will not be allowed for courses in which students have received agrade for credit by examination. Credits from colleges operating on the quarter system are recalculated on a semester-hour basis. A grade pointaverage for graduation, honors, and continuing enrollment is computed only for courses taken at Western Piedmont Community College.VISITING STUDENTSStudents working toward a degree at other institutions may take courses at Western Piedmont for transfer. Written permission from thestudent’s home institution should be obtained stating that the courses at WPCC will be acceptable toward degree requirements. Also, studentsmust meet and document all course prerequisites prior to taking courses at WPCC.HIGH SCHOOL CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT/HUSKINS BILL COURSESUnder regulations issued by the North Carolina State Board of Education, WPCC has entered into cooperative agreements with the Burke CountyPublic Schools and the North Carolina School for the Deaf under which “qualified high school students” may enroll in certain courses at the Collegewhile still enrolled in high school. The Director of Enrollment Management should be contacted for further details.828-438-6000www.wpcc.eduTDD: 828-438-60669

FOREIGN APPLICANTS (FROM OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES)ADMISSIONSProficiency in the English language and satisfactory academic records are important factors in the admission decision for all applicants fromoutside the United States. Foreign students must have graduated from a secondary school that is equivalent to secondary schools in the United States.Furthermore, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the College placement tests are required of all foreign applicants. Eachforeign student should contact a university in his/her native country for information about the Test of English as a Foreign Language. Foreignapplicants should write to the Admissions Office of Western Piedmont Community College for additional information.RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTUnder North Carolina law, persons must qualify as state residents for a tuition rate lower than that for nonresidents. North Carolina statute 116143.1 requires that, “To qualify as a resident for tuition purposes, a person must have established legal residence (domicile) in North Carolina andmaintained that legal residence for at least twelve (12) months immediately prior to his or her classification as a resident for tuition purposes.” A12-month presence in North Carolina, even when coupled with a declaration of intent to remain permanently, does not, in and of itself, entitle anapplicant to in-state tuition.Failure to provide accurate information for residency classification can result in classification as a nonresident and/or disciplinary action.Students who believe that they have been erroneously classified shall be permitted to appeal the classification to the campus appeals officer withinone month of the initial residency determination.Regulations concerning the classification of students by residence are set forth in the “North Carolina State Residence Classification Manual.”A copy of the manual is available in the Admissions Office for student inspection.READMISSIONWestern Piedmont Community College follows the Records and Retention Schedule provided by the North Carolina Community College System.Students who have not attended the College for a period of two semesters and later wish to be readmitted should contact the Director of EnrollmentManagement. Students should be aware that some programs have specific requirements for readmission. Additionally, some programs limit thenumber of times students can be readmitted.Students who were suspended due to academic deficiencies may seek readmission after one calendar year. Any student who was suspendeddue to a violation of the Student Code of Conduct must meet the terms of his/her suspension to be considered for readmission.Former students will not be readmitted until all financial obligations to any program or activity under the administrative jurisdiction of theCollege have been satisfied.TESTING AND PLACEMENTPlacement testing is required at Western Piedmont to determine course placement. The College’s series of placement tests measures skill levelsin reading, writing, and mathematics. Advisors discuss the test results with students in order to plan the most efficient route to each individual’seducational goal. Generally, students may take the placement test only once. However, retesting is possible under certain circumstances. Questionsregarding the retesting policy should be directed to the Coordinator of Career Counseling and Placement Testing.Test results indicate whether students need special preparation before credit coursework is attempted. Some programs have requirements thatvary from those of the general college and should be explained by a counselor or academic advisor. Test accommodations may be available tostudents with documented disabilities. Students requiring special test accommodations must make arrangements in advance of their scheduled testdate through the Offices of Disability Access.Students in a degree or diploma program who score below 30 on the ASSET Writing Placement Test or below 20 on the COMPASS WritingPlacement Test must take ENG 070 followed by ENG 080 and ENG 090/090A as early as possible in their program of study. It is recommended thatENG 070 and RED 070 be taken concurrently unless the student is exempt from RED 070. An ASSET writing score of 30-35 or a COMPASS writing scoreof 20-37 places students in the ENG 080, ENG 090/090A sequence. Students whose ASSET writing score is 36-40 or whose COMPASS writing scoreis 38-69 must enroll in ENG 090/090A. Students who score 41 or above on the ASSET Writing Placement Test or 70 or above on the COMPASS WritingPlacement Test are exempt from developmental coursework in English.Students in a degree or diploma program who score below 30 on the ASSET Reading Placement Test or below 42 on the COMPASS ReadingPlacement Test must take RED 070 followed by RED 080 and RED 090 as early as possible in their program of study. It is recommended that ENG 070and RED 070 be taken concurrently unless the student is exempt from ENG 070.

The mission of Western Piedmont Community College is to provide accessible high-quality education that improves lives and promo tes growth in our community. - Adopted September 2009 OUR COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS At Western Piedmont Community College our focus is on you, the student. We are here to help you meet your personal, professional and