Academic Achievement Awards–Policy ED(24) 9-1

Please see www.cariboo.bc.ca/policy/index.html for the latest policy and regulations.

Policy

The University College of the Cariboo (UCC) is committed to recognizing the outstanding achievement of its students through the provision of medals, prizes and scholarships.

Medals are awarded for excellent performance in a program of study.

Prizes are monetary or non-monetary awards which recognize outstanding performance in a course or program of study.

Scholarships are monetary awards based on high scholastic achievement over an entire academic year and, unless otherwise specified, are to be used for further study at UCC.

Regulations

Medals
1. Each UCC school or department will identify their best candidates based on the criteria set forth herein and forward their selections, including supporting documentation, to the Awards Committee for review and recommendation of medal recipients to the Education Council. In the absence of a quorum, the Chair of the Education Council is vested with the authority to approve the recommendations.
2. The name of any medal issued by UCC to a graduating student will be placed on the student's transcript.
3. Medals will be awarded at Convocation except for the Lieutenant-Governor's Silver Medal, which will be awarded at the annual Awards Reception.
Medal Selection
1. UCC Medals
  1. One medal will be awarded in each UCC degree program to the eligible graduating student who achieves the highest grade point average over the assessment period.
  2. Assessment will be based on all the graded credits required for the final two years of the degree program, which must include all the upper-level graded credits.
  3. If the student has more than the requisite credits, then the highest-graded credits required to meet the awards criteria will be assessed.
  4. The minimum grade point average for medal consideration will be 3.50 over the assessment period.
  5. Once students have been identified as meeting the minimum grade point average, a nine point grading system will be used for medal adjudication.
  6. Tie-breaking will be conducted by eliminating the lowest-graded equivalent number of upper-level credits until the medal winner emerges.
  7. Consideration will only be given to students who have maintained a minimum of 80% of a full program load over each semester of the assessment period.
  8. Courses taken concurrently at UCC and at another institution will count towards program load and the credit granted will be assessed in the same manner at UCC credit.
  9. Ungraded credit will not count towards the program load requirement.
  10. Each school or department will identify the two candidates who best meet the criteria.
  11. Regardless of the number of graduates in a given degree program, if an individual meets the criteria, that graduate will be awarded a medal.
2. Governor General's Academic Medal (Silver)
  1. The medal is awarded annually to the undergraduate who achieves the highest academic standing upon graduation from a bachelor degree program.
  2. The recipient will be selected from the UCC Medal nominees on the basis of the average of the graded upper-level credits required to complete the final two years of the degree.
  3. The nine point grading system will be used for medal adjudication.
  4. Tie-breaking will be conducted by eliminating the lowest graded equivalent number of upper-level credits until the medal winner emerges.
  5. The winner of the Governor General's Medal may not receive the UCC medal from his/her faculty. The UCC medal will go to the second place student from the same degree program.
3. Governor General's Academic Medal (Collegiate Bronze)
  1. The medal is awarded annually to the student who achieves the highest overall average upon graduation from a diploma-level, post-secondary program of a minimum of two years, full-time duration.
  2. Consideration will only be given to students who have maintained a minimum of 80% of a full program load over each semester of the assessment period.
  3. The minimum grade point average for medal consideration will be 3.50 over the assessment period.
  4. Once students have been identified as meeting the minimum grade point average threshold, the nine point grading system will be used for medal adjudication.
  5. Assessment will be based on all the credits required for the program.
  6. If the student has more than the requisite credits, then the highest-graded credits required to graduate from the program will be assessed.
  7. Tie-breaking will be conducted by eliminating the lowest-graded equivalent number of credits until the medal winner emerges.
  8. Graded transfer credit will count towards program load and be assessed in the same manner as UCC credit.
  9. Each school or department will identify the two candidates who best meet the criteria.
4. Lieutenant-Governor's Silver Medal
  1. The medal is awarded annually to the top-ranking student in a vocational or career program of less than two years' duration who has participated actively in college and/or community affairs.
  2. The minimum program length for consideration will be four months.
  3. Consideration will only be given to students who have maintained a minimum of 80% of a full program load over each semester of the assessment period.
  4. The minimum grade point average for medal consideration will be 3.50 over the assessment period for students on the Letter Grading System and Dean's List standing for students on the Competency Based Grading System.
  5. Only students who have met all graduating requirements will be considered.
  6. Each school or department will identify the top-ranking academic student in each eligible program and send the nomination to the Financial Aid & Awards Office.
  7. The Financial Aid & Awards Office will advise the student of their nomination for the medal and request biographical information.
  8. The Financial Aid & Awards Office will forward the names of nominees, their transcripts and biographical information to the Awards Committee.
Prizes
1. Prizes are awarded upon the recommendation of faculty, schools or departments and do not require an application.
Scholarships
1. Unless otherwise specified, scholarships are tenable only at UCC.
2. The minimum standard for an award designated as a scholarship will require the student to:
  1. have completed 80% of a full program load at UCC in each semester of the previous academic year with a minimum of a 3.50 grade point average in each semester, with no failed courses.
  2. maintain enrollment in 80% of a full program load during each semester of the academic year for which the scholarship is issued
3. Unless otherwise specified, scholarship standing for students taking more than 80% of a full program load will be assessed on the basis of 80% of a full program load, chosen to provide the greatest benefit to the student.
4. Scholarships may be awarded upon the recommendation of a specific division, school or department, or by the Financial Aid & Awards Office.
5. Students entering UCC directly from secondary school and wishing to be considered for entrance scholarships require a B+ or 75% graduating average.
6. Students entering UCC directly from another post-secondary educational institution and wishing to be considered for scholarships will be assessed in the same manner at UCC students.

Scholarships may be withheld, reduced, or cancelled for any of the following reasons: lack of suitable candidates, failure to meet the terms and conditions of the award, withdrawal from the institution, reduced income on invested funds, withdrawal of the award by the donor.