Policies and Procedures

Policies and Procedures

This section addresses general policies and procedures of the college. For a more in-depth discussion of specific policies or procedures, please consult the student handbook or contact the Vice President of Student Services.

Attendance

Students are expected to be in attendance at all times in classes and laboratories. If a student is absent it is his/her responsibility to find out what was missed. Federal Financial Aid, the Veterans Administration (VA), and other financial providers require the college to monitor and report attendance.

It is the responsibility of the student to obtain and meet attendance requirements. In cases of late enrollment, students may have to contact the instructor directly for this information.

Only students who have officially registered and enrolled may attend classes. Dependents or other guests are not allowed in the classroom with students. If a student is on a waiting list, he or she may attend the wait-listed class during the first week of the term. Starting the second week of the term, the student’s name must appear as enrolled on the class roster. If the student is not officially registered for the class by this time, he or she may no longer attend.

Auditing a Class

If you wish to participate in a course but do not wish to receive credit or a grade, you may register for the course under the audit option. Tuition and fees are the same as registration for a grade and credit. Federal Financial Aid does not pay for auditing a course.

An audit carries no credit and does not meet degree requirements or contribute to full-time student status. Students wishing to change from credit to audit, or audit to credit, must do so by the add/drop deadline. To apply for credit for audited courses, students must repeat the course as a regular registered class member or follow the challenge procedure. For more information, contact the Registrar’s office.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Students, staff, and administration have developed rules to guide student behavior. It is the student’s responsibility to understand and abide by these regulations. Student rights and responsibilities guidelines are meant to enhance KCC as an educational institution. The college has certain obligations in the governance of student discipline and conduct. Policies governing student rights and responsibilities are covered in detail in the student handbook. These include student rights, freedoms, and responsibilities policy which:

• Identifies fundamental provisions for students’ freedom to learn.
• Identifies student conduct guidelines.
• Clarifies college expectations for student responsibility.

Harassment

All forms of harassment are prohibited. Sexual harassment is defined consistent with the guidelines of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. For more specific information on KCC’s harassment policies, please consult the student handbook.

Award of Completion

Although Community Education courses carry no credit, Awards of Completion are available upon request and by recommendation of the instructor, through the Community and Workforce Education Department.

Transcripts

Unofficial transcripts are available on the KCC Web page (www.klamathcc.edu). Official transcripts may not be ordered by phone. A maximum of five transcripts may be ordered at a time. Allow 5-7 business days to process.

To order a transcript by mail, send a signed letter with the student’s name at the time of attendance, and the address to where records should be sent. Mail requests to:

Student Services
Klamath Community College
7390 South 6th Street
Klamath Falls, OR 97603

Student Educational Records

Student records are maintained for the benefit of students. KCC must keep records in order to effectively advise and counsel students. Records are brought up when promoting instruction, guidance, and educational progress.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) provides for the protection of student records. Consistent with FERPA, KCC has identified information which is considered part of a student’s educational record. Specific policies are established which govern the conditions for its disclosure and provide security practices which control access to such records.

Students have the right to inspect their educational records while attending KCC. If a student believes the contents are inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of privacy or other rights, they have the right to a hearing to challenge the contents. The college will normally comply with the request to inspect a student’s records within ten days, but in no case more than 45 days from the request.

In accordance with FERPA, KCC considers the following to be “directory information.” This information may be released upon request, unless a student files a directory information withholding request form in Student Services.

• Student’s First and Last Name
• Current Mailing Address
• E-mail Address
• Telephone Number
• Major Field of Study
• Dates of Attendance
• Certificate(s), Degree(s), and Award(s) Received
• Most Recent Previous Educational Institution Attended
• Current Grade Level
• Enrollment Status
• Participation in Officially Recognized Activities

If a student files a directory information withholding request form, the student will not be listed on honor rolls and other similar college announcements. The student may be prevented from participating in Web registration or other activities where the college cannot reasonably assure privacy. The request to withhold information must be renewed each term of attendance to remain in effect.

A student has the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the college to comply with the requirements. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Officer
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20202-5901

Use of Student Social Security Number

OAR 589-004-0400 authorizes KCC to ask students to provide their social security number. The number will be used by the college for reporting, research, and record keeping. A student’s number will also be provided by the college to the Oregon Community College Unified Reporting System (OCCURS). OCCURS is made up of community colleges in Oregon, the State Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development, and the Oregon Community College Association. OCCURS gathers information about students and programs to meet state and federal reporting requirements. It also helps colleges to plan, research, and develop programs to support the progress of students and their success in the workplace and other educational programs.

OCCURS, or the college offices, may provide a student’s social security number to the following agencies, or match it with records from the following systems:

• State and private universities, colleges, and vocational schools, to find out how many community college students continue their education and whether or not community college courses are a good basis for further education.
• The Oregon Employment Department, which gathers information (including employment and earnings) to help state and local agencies plan education and training services for the best job placement available.
• The Oregon Department of Education, to provide reports to local, state, and federal governments. The information is used to learn about education, training, and job market trends for planning, research, and program improvement.
• The Oregon Department of Revenue and collection agencies, only for purposes of processing debts, and only if credit is extended to a student by the college.
• The American College Testing Service, if a student takes the COMPASS Placement test, for educational research purposes.
• The U.S. Department of Revenue for tax purposes. State and federal law protects the privacy of student records. Social security numbers will be used only for the purposes listed above.

Challenging a Course

KCC maintains a course challenge procedure, recognizing that alternative avenues exist other than the classroom for acquiring knowledge. Students wishing to challenge a course must have completed a minimum of 12 credits at KCC prior to the challenge. If adequate justification exists, students may challenge courses using the following procedures:

1. Consult the appropriate instructor.
2. Obtain the appropriate instructor’s signature and the department chair’s signature.
3. Present the completed challenge form to Student Services during the add/drop period for the term and pay the $10 per course, non-refundable challenge fee plus any other fees associated with the examination.
4. Complete the challenge examination within the term in which the course is offered, at a time that is mutually agreed upon with the instructor. Students successfully passing the challenge exam must register for the class and pay the appropriate tuition.

Note: Students may not challenge a course a second time.

Challenged courses are not financial aid eligible and are not considered part of the residency requirements for degrees, diplomas, or certificates nor are they considered in determining full-time status or eligibility for student benefits. After successfully passing the challenge exam and paying the appropriate tuition, registration for the class can be completed. The instructor will record the grade (A, B, C or P) on the regular end-of-term grade sheet. Failure to pass the exam will result in no grade being recorded. A course may not be challenged a second time. A course may not be challenged in which a grade has been received, nor may a lower level course be challenged. For example, WRI 095  may not be challenged after completion of WRI 121 . Furthermore, some courses may not be challenged for any reason. A list of these courses is available at Student Services. Alternative challenge procedures exist for current high school students and are identified in the Academic Policy Handbook, located in the LRC.

Repeating a Course

Before repeating a course, a student should consult with his/her academic advisor. Courses may be repeated once with the intention of getting a better grade. Grades not affecting GPA (W, NP, P, I or AU) are not recognized as repeats. If a course is repeated, the first repeat attempt will replace the prior grade and be included in the GPA. A grade may be replaced only one time; however, a course may be repeated more than once. All attempts of repeated courses will be recorded on the official transcript and all grades earned after the initial repeat will be used in calculating GPA.

Repeated courses count as attempted credits for Federal Financial Aid and can affect future financial aid eligibility. Financial aid will pay for two attempts at any course up to the maximum credits allowed for the degree or certificate. A student may use the second attempt to improve the grade received on the first attempt. Financial aid will not pay for a course more than twice. Contact Student Services if you have any questions.

If you are receiving veteran educational benefits, repeating a course could have an effect on your benefits. Please contact the Veterans’ Certifying Official before repeating a course.

Withdrawing from a Course

When students register for classes they are expected to be in attendance. If they discontinue attending without filing an official withdrawal form, they will receive a failing grade or a grade which represents the course accomplishments. To withdraw from a course, students must complete an official withdrawal form and file it with a Student Success Representative by the withdraw date published in the term calendar. Generally, withdrawals are processed in person. Withdrawals are reflected on official transcripts; therefore, adherence to correct procedures will help protect academic records. To ensure an official withdrawal from a class, contact Student Services for verification. To receive a refund, students must initiate the withdrawal procedure during the first week of the term, except for classes fewer than ten weeks in length.

Instructor-Initiated Student Drop

If a student has not attended class and has not contacted the instructor during the first week of the term, the instructor may drop the student from class. This will occur on or before Friday of the first week of class. Appeals to the drop policy must be directed to Student Services. For more information on the appeals process, see the Student Handbook or contact Student Services.