Attendance Policy. Identification Cards. Auditing a Course

Transcription

1 V. Student Concerns

2 Attendance Policy A student at Austin Community College is expected to attend classes in order to progress satisfactorily toward completion of course objectives. Typically, a student is expected to attend 80% of the course to obtain credit (this may vary between courses). Because objectives can vary from department to department and from course to course, the instructor shall inform the student of specific objectives at the initial class meeting and this information may be found in the course syllabi as well. It is the student s responsibility to consult with instructors and seek counseling services when course objectives cannot be met. Continuing Education certificates will only be issued in courses with clear evaluation criteria and which award CEUs. Identification Cards Continuing Education instructors and students who wish to use Learning Resource Service (LRS) or other ACC services may request ACC ID cards from the Continuing Education Department. An ACC ID card and a photo ID are required to check out LRS materials, to use the Testing Center, to use the LRS Computer Centers, and for certain student activities. ID Cards are typically valid for the length of the course in which they are teaching or are enrolled. ID cards are currently available in two formats: Non-Photo ID Cards: These ID cards are produced by the Continuing Education Department and are typically only issued for semester-long courses (not short-courses), courses requiring use of the Testing Centers, or courses with another specific need which has been approved by the. Contact your to request these cards. Photo ID Cards: Currently available only for: (1) integrated courses (college credit course with CE students enrolled), (2) courses that put the student in a clinical setting, or (3) some teacher courses that put students in a school setting. These cards are produced by the Admissions & Records Office at any campus, and at the CE Department at HBC. Information on the new student photo-ids can be found at the campuses have a listing of CE courses approved for photo-ids. Auditing a Course Students may not audit Continuing Education classes unless specifically authorized by the Director/. Instructors may not allow students to remain in class who are not listed on the official class rolls. It is your responsibility to be sure that students attending class are officially registered. Students arriving at class, but not on rolls, should be directed to CE Registration or be asked to show proof of registration. 46

3 Student Services Services for Students with Disabilities Austin Community College provides a variety of services to disabled students who need special assistance. Assistance in classroom instruction, assignments, and examinations may be arranged through the Students with Disabilities Office. Contact your for assistance. Any student requesting accommodations during a course must first visit with the ACC Students with Disabilities office before starting the course. The Students with Disabilities office will produce a letter listing all required accommodations for the student. The instructor and coordinator are only responsible for providing the accommodations in this letter. It is the student s responsibility to present the letter to the instructor or coordinator. Additional information can be found at: Student Records The College shall maintain complete and accurate records of all students in accordance with the Records Retention Schedule. Such records shall be a part of the well-organized system of student accounting which is accessible and reflects the current status of all students. Such records shall conform to The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (P.L , 513) as amended (popularly known as the Buckley Amendment ) and Texas Revised Civil Statutes Annotated, Article a. Release of Student Records Requests for or questions concerning the release of student information should be directed to the Director of Admissions and Records or the Dean of Continuing Education, as appropriate. Under no circumstances can an instructor release information about a student s grade or attendance to anyone other than the student. If a company is paying the tuition, then the student must sign a waiver before grades/attendance can be released to the company. Transcripts & Certificates of Completion A transcript of a student s Continuing Education record at Austin Community College will be provided within a reasonable period of time upon request by eligible recipients. Each transcript costs $5. Upon completion of most CE courses, the student will receive a certificate of completion listing the course title, number of contact hours, date completed, and CEUs awarded. Some program certificates are available for series of courses completed. Duplicate certificates may be requested free of charge from the Administrative Assistant of the department or the CE Registration desk. 47

4 Religious Holy Days In compliance with Senate Bill 738, Austin Community College permits students to be absent from classes for the observances of a religious holy day. The student is permitted to be absent, without penalty, from an examination or from completing an assignment scheduled for that day. It is the student s responsibility to notify the instructor(s) in writing prior to the absence. Drug Free Workplace Policy Austin Community College is committed to full compliance with both the Drug Free Workplace and the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act. Student Grievance Process Continuing Education has a student grievance procedure that is available upon request from your coordinator, or can be found in the ACC Student Handbook available at: ACCeID Process Many of the College s online systems are being streamlined to require only one login ID for staff and students, rather than the multiple login IDs currently required for the various systems. CE Instructors who use online systems such as BlackBoard, ACC Online Services, and ACC Library Services need to complete an initial ACCeID login verification process to set your username and password. Detailed instructions for completing this process can be found at 48

5 Withdrawals and Refunds Continuing Education Refund Policy The ACC Continuing Education refund policy is: 100% prior to the weekday before the first class day. 100% if the class is canceled by ACC. After classes begin see the table below. The number of days listed refers to business days, not class meeting days. Classes that are ONE day long must be dropped before the class starts for any type of refund to occur. 100% refund if the college cancels class. Last Day For Last Day For Class Length Last Day* For 70% Refund` 25% Refund In Weeks 70% Refund 2 or less 2 N/A or more Class Length In Weeks Insurance Fees are non-refundable after the class begins. Last Day For 25% Refund IMPORTANT: ACC mails refund checks to the address on file at the college. Check with Continuing Education registration staff to verify current and accurate information before the refund process is started. Credit card refunds will appear on your monthly statement as soon as possible after the official reporting date. You are responsible for interest charged to the credit card account while the refund is processed. Credit card refunds may take up to six weeks. ACC charges a $25 processing fee for any refunds that are reissued. Each course will be taught as listed, provided enrollment in each section justifies the offering. The schedule of time, room and instructor reflects our intent at the time of publication. Course offerings are subject to change, and the listing is not a guarantee that they will be offered exactly as listed. Conversion of Continuing Education Course to Credit The college has developed a policy and procedure which allows a student to convert selected continuing education courses to credit. The course must be equivalent to the college credit course and that equivalency must be determined by credit program coordinator, faculty, and the Dean of Continuing Education. The policy and forms can be obtained from the Continuing Education Office. Typically, if a continuing education course can be converted to credit, the equivalent credit course number is printed in the course description in the CE Course Schedule. 49

6 CONTINUING EDUCATION SPRING 2010 STUDENT PAYMENT PLAN INFORMATION An Installment Payment Plan may be available for selected sections in the following areas for Continuing Education: Health Professions (Massage Therapy, Medical Coding, VoCAT ) Business & Industry (Renewable Energy, Home Inspection) Community Programs (Floral Design) High Technology (Game Design, MSCA/MCSE, PC Technician, CISCO, Linux, Fiber Optics, Oracle, Sun, Computer Aided Design) Teacher Certification Classes within the above mentioned areas must meet all of the following requirements to be eligible for an Installment Payment Plan: - Tuition must be $500 or more per class section. - Start Date for the section must be before the first installment due date. - End Date for the section should be after final installment due date. - Section must be coded with a payment plan tuition code. - Students must register for Spring Semester classes by January 21, Last day to enroll in a fall payment plan is January 21, 2010!IMPORTANT! Payment Deadlines: The down payment of 25% is due when the payment plan is set up. The first installment payment is due on February 12, 2010 (Friday). The second installment payment is due on March 12, 2010 (Friday). The third (and final) installment payment is due on April 9, 2010 (Friday). A $20 late fee is charged on late payments. In order to sign up for the tuition installment plan you must: - Be registered for an eligible course - Pay one-fourth of your tuition, plus any course related fees and student activity fees by your tuition payment deadline - Pay the full amount of any other applicable fees stated in the ACC Catalog and schedule Note: Students registering for classes after January 21, 2010 will not be eligible for an installment plan; they must pay for classes in full at the time of registration. 50

7 If a Student Asks About Assessment/Advising Course Descriptions Degree and Certificate Plans Enrolling/Admissions Requirements Financial Aid Grading System Graduation Disabled Services ID Cards Orientation Refunds (Tuition and Fees) Registration Procedures Student Services Student Grievance Tuition/Fees Tutoring/Remedial Aid Withdrawing Student Needs to Contact: ACC Catalog and Course Schedule ACC Catalog Admissions Office Continuing Education Registration Desk Financial Aid Office ACC Catalog Students with Disabilities Office Continuing Education Registration desk Continuing Education Registration desk Student Services Office /Director/Dean ACC Catalog and Course Schedules Continuing Education Registration Desk Continuing Education Registration Desk 51