By Lindsey Bever/editor-in-chief

   For TCC students planning to graduate, the deadline to petition is quickly approaching.
   The TCC spring 2006 graduation ceremony will be five days earlier this year. Therefore, students graduating May 12 must petition for graduation by March 31.
   Dr. Van Parker, NE Campus dean of student development and educational services, said NE students graduating with an Associate in Arts should contact the counseling center on the second floor of the Student Center, but said each campus will vary somewhat in their application guidelines.
   However, students applying for graduation on any campus must request an application from the counseling center for A.A. degrees or the appropriate program adviser for Associate in Applied Science degrees and certificates, including an Associate of Arts in Teaching or an Associate in Arts in Cornerstone.
   Lonzetta Smith-Allen, director of counseling on South, said students are required to meet the appropriate hour requirements for their degree plans and pass all classes they are currently enrolled in. After receiving the student’s application, the counseling center or adviser will compare the student’s information to a degree audit, ensuring the student is eligible for graduation.
   “ Students must petition in the counseling office. If they need anything in addition to the classes they are enrolled in, we give them a transmittal form stating what they are missing,” she said.
   “ Once the student’s application is filed, we send the original to the assistant dean of instruction and send a copy downtown.”
   Students earning their A.A. degrees, A.A.S. degrees or certificates must have completed a minimum of 25 percent of their courses at TCC.
   A minimum 2.0 grade point average is required for all TCC courses presented for graduation and all degree requirements must be completed to TCC’s satisfaction.
   Also, all financial obligations must be met prior to graduation.
   Students completing A.A or A.A.S. degrees with an exceptional GPA will be awarded as follows: the highest honor will be presented to students with a 4.0; high honors go to those with a 3.75 to 3.99, and graduates with a 3.5 to 3.74 will receive honors.
   Graduation with distinction will be awarded to students earning a certificate of completion with a 3.5 GPA or higher. Graduates must complete a minimum of 15 semester hours at TCC to be considered for this honor.
   Students who meet the graduation requirements will be notified about the graduation ceremony to be held at the Fort Worth Convention Center.
   There is no charge to petition for graduation.
   For more information on petitioning for the spring 2006 graduation, contact the counseling center on any campus.