Graduation Standards
Johnson State College wants all students to achieve, and be able to demonstrate their mastery of, important skills. This commitment is consistent with the mandate of the trustees and presidents of the Vermont State Colleges (VSC), including Johnson State College, that all students, in order to graduate, must satisfy graduation standards in four areas: writing, quantitative reasoning, information literacy, and oral communication. As a mandate of the Board of Trustees and the Council of Presidents, the requirement to satisfy graduation standards supersedes all other catalog statements concerning academic regulations and requirements. Successfully fulfilling graduation standards at one VSC institution will be accepted as fulfilling the standards at any other VSC institution for an equivalent associate's or bachelor's degree.
All baccalaureate-level students must satisfy the following graduation standards as a condition for graduation:
- Writing: Students must pass the Writing Proficiency Exam or The Self-Sufficient Writer course (or, for External Degree Program students, Rhetorical Expression).
- Quantitative Reasoning: The college and its faculty are committed to a robust standard of quantitative reasoning. This standard contains two parts. The second part is being phased in (see below) and will be implemented fully as soon as is practicable:
• First, students entering fall 2009 and later (spring 2010 and later for EDP) are required to pass the Quantitative Literacy Assessment exam or the Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning course. (Note: Students who entered prior to fall 2009—prior to spring 2010 for EDP—must complete the General Education requirement in mathematics to satisfy the first part of the Quantitative Reasoning standard.) AND
• Second, students graduating in May 2010 or later must pass one course designated as "quantitatively enriched." The College and its faculty intend that, as soon as possible after that, a second "quantitatively-enriched" course will be required of baccalaureate-level graduates.
- Information Literacy: Students must complete the Information Literacy Tutorial (TILT) and score 80% or higher on each of the three accompanying quizzes. The TILT and quizzes will be available to the student on the VSC MyJSC site after s/he registers for a section of GRS-3000.
- Oral Communication: Students must receive passing scores on the Oral Communication Grading & Evaluation Form for two oral presentations, each at least five minutes long.
All associate-level students must satisfy the following graduation standards as a condition for graduation:
- Writing: Starting with those entering fall 2009, students must pass the Writing Proficiency Exam or The Self-Sufficient Writer course.
- Quantitative Reasoning: Students must pass the Quantitative Literacy Assessment exam or the Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning course (for those entering fall 2009 and later) or the GECC requirement in mathematics (for those entering prior to fall 2009).
- Information Literacy: Students must complete the Information Literacy Tutorial (TILT) and score 80% or higher on each of the three accompanying quizzes. The TILT and quizzes will be available to the student on the VSC MyJSC site after s/he registers for a section of GRS-3000.
- Oral Communication: Students must receive a passing score on the Oral Communication Grading & Evaluation Form for one oral presentation at least five minutes long.
Comprehensive information about JSC graduation standards may be obtained by consulting "JSC Graduation Standards," available through the Vermont State Colleges' MyJSC portal. Students may receive electronic (through JSC email addresses) communications about the required graduation standards, and the instructions to satisfy them.