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At its May meeting, the Richmond Community College Board of Trustees approved a new student placement policy for students graduating from high school this spring and enrolling in the college next fall.

“For the high school class of 2013, a student with an unweighted grade point average (GPA) of 2.6 or higher will not have to take our placement test, the ACCUPLACER,” said Sharon Goodman, RCC’s Director of Testing. To be eligible to exempt the ACCUPLACER based on the GPA criteria, a student must complete high school with a Future Ready Core 1, 2, 3, or 4 course of study.

Also, according to the new policy, if a student has below a 2.6 unweighted GPA in high school, the student’s SAT or ACT scores can be used to determine if they are college ready and exempt from placement testing.

Applicants to RCC who graduated prior to 2013 and/or graduated from an out-of-state high school will be required to take the placement test unless they meet the exemption criteria based on their ACT or SAT scores.

“This is a statewide change in policy, not something that is unique to RCC,” said Al Covington, Vice Chair of the Student and Academic Policies committee.

The trustees also voted to approve a new student attendance policy at Tuesday’s meeting that strikes a balance between student retention and student accountability.

“This new policy gives the faculty more flexibility to establish attendance guidelines that can increase student retention while still meeting student learning outcomes,” said RCC’s Vice President of Instruction Tony Clarke. “At the same time it places more responsibility on the students for their own academic progress.”

In other business, the board approved a bid for roof replacement on the J. Richard Conder Learning Center on the college’s main campus. Mecklenburg Roofing will be completing the replacement on the 26-year-old building’s original roof this summer.

Bert Unger, Chair of the Building and Grounds Committee, updated the trustees on the progress of the addition to the Forte Building.

“We are moving forward on the Forte Building addition,” said Unger. “Currently, the project is on schedule. They are erecting steel frame this week and the building is beginning to take shape.”

In his report, RCC President Dale McInnis recognized the Medical Assisting program at the college for attaining accreditation from the Medical Assisting Education Review Board. Accreditation is based on student retention, job placement, graduate surveys and employer surveys.

McInnis also updated the board on the college’s 49th graduation exercises.

“This is a momentous occasion in the history of the college,” said McInnis. “It is an honor for the college to be celebrating another large graduating class this year.”

According to McInnis, the 2013 graduation exercises will be the last time that the college will host a single commencement ceremony.

“With our tremendous growth, we will have to hold two graduation ceremonies next year,” said McInnis.