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Academic Affairs Policy and Procedure

Review

Spring 2014

Dean Pamela Pollard

Dean Ted Nygreen

Professor Karen Vanterpool

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Committee Charge

Review the current Faculty Handbook, Public Folders and emails and compile a document of policy and procedures for faculty and Academic Affairs.

Committee Findings

There is duplication of policies between Academic Affairs and Student Serviceso Some are geared to studentso Some are geared to facultyo Distinction needs to be made by the AVP and VP of Student Services

Resource Locationo Faculty Handbooko Public Folderso Student Handbooko Faculty Senate

Identify which is a policy, a process and a regulation Check dates

o Update if necessary o Revisions might be neededo Dates need to be noted

KEY:

BLUE text is the newest language/version found

BLACK text is the original text/document

Compiled by Deans Nygreen and Pollard and kmv REV. 061814

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ACADEMIC PROCEDURES AND REGULATIONS

Faculty members are expected to be familiar with all of the College's academic procedures and regulations.

ACADEMIC HONESTY

Academic dishonesty is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Cheating, forgery, plagiarism, and collusion in dishonest acts undermine the College's educational mission and the students' personal and intellectual growth. Westchester Community College students are expected to bear individual responsibility for their work and to uphold the ideal of academic integrity. Any student who attempts to compromise or devalue the academic process will be sanctioned.

Cheating harms the College community in many ways. Honest students are frustrated by the unfairness of cheating that goes undetected and, therefore, unpunished. Students who cheat skew the grading curve in a class, resulting in lower grades for students who work hard and do their own work.

Academic Honesty

Academic honesty is the basis of all endeavors of the College.

Academic honesty is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Cheating, forgery, plagiarism, and collusion in dishonest acts undermine the College's education mission and the students' personal and intellectual growth. Westchester Community College students are expected to bear individual responsibility for their work, and to uphold the ideal of academic integrity. Any student who attempts to compromise or devalue the academic process will be sanctioned. Cheating harms the College community in many ways. Honest Students are frustrated by the unfairness of cheating that goes undetected and, therefore, unpunished. Students who cheat skew the grading curve in a class, resulting in lower grades for students who work hard and do their own work.

Examples of Academic Dishonesty:

CONSEQUENCES OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

If a student is found guilty of academic dishonesty, faculty members have the right to either:

1. Fail the student for the assignment/test.2. Fail the student for the course.3. File a letter of complaint, describing the infraction, with the Vice President and Dean of Student

Affairs or any combination of the above.

A second reported infraction may result in suspension. A third reported infraction may result in academic dismissal at the discretion of the Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs.


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CHEATING

Cheating is the attempted or unauthorized use of materials, information, notes, study aids, devices or communication during an academic exercise. Examples include:

Tests and Examinations:1. Copying from another student during an examination or allowing another student to copy one's

work.2. Using unauthorized notes during a closed book examination.3. Using unauthorized devices during an examination.4. Asking or allowing another student, or anyone else, to take an examination for them.5. Changing a corrected examination and returning it for more credit.6. Preparing answers or writing notes in a blue book (exam booklet) before an examination.7. Taking an examination for another student.

Take Home Tests and Individual Assignments:

1. If tutors or others aid the student in the preparation of an assignment, the submitted assignment should represent the student' current level of ability.

2. Unauthorized collaborating on a take home assignment or examination.3. Submitting Substantial portions of the same paper to two classes without advising the second

instructor.4. Using a paper writing "service" or having a friend write the paper.5. Preparing an essay or assignment or allowing one's essay or assignment to be copied by someone

else.6. Borrowing all or part of another student's paper or using someone else's outline to write one's own

paper.7. Intentionally citing inaccurate or nonexistent source materials.

Collaborative (Group) Assignments:

1. Failure to acknowledge group members on homework and laboratory assignment.2. Turning in another group member's work as an example of one's individual work.

Note: Group projects require careful division of responsibility and careful coordination to control the quality of the final product. Group work calls for a different kind of effort, not less of it. When group projects are assigned the instructor is usually interested in the mastery of group process as well as the subject. The instructor should clarify individual responsibilities and suggest a method of proceeding.

Cheating and Plagiarism

Both cheating and plagiarism are very serious infractions and should not be tolerated. The penalty for such infractions may range from receiving an "F" grade in the course to academic dismissal, if these offenses are repeated.


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PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person's ideas, research, or writing as one's own. Examples include:

1. Copying another person's actual words without the use of quotations and documentation.2. Presenting another person's ideas or theories in one's own words without documentation.3. Using the information that is not considered common knowledge without acknowledging the source.4. Using a paper writing "service" or having a friend write the paper.

Note: The guidelines that define plagiarism also apply to information secured on internet websites. Internet references must specify precisely where the information was obtained and where it can be found.

Students may think that citing another author's work will lower their grade. In some unusual cases this may be true, if for example the instructor has indicated that students must write their paper without reading additional material. But in fact, as students progress in their studies, they will be expected to show that they are familiar with important work in their field and can use this work to further their thinking. The key to avoiding plagiarism is to show clearly where one's own thinking ends and someone else's begins.

LABORATORY WORK

1. Borrowing computer code in computer programming classes, from another student and presenting it as one's own.

2. Copying a laboratory report, or allowing someone else to copy one's report.3. Using another student's data unless specifically allowed by the instructor.4. Allowing someone else to do the laboratory report and submitting it as one's own.

CLASS ATTENDANCE

In 1999-2000 academic year the Westchester Community College Faculty Senate approved the following amended "Policy on Class Attendance."

Because of the relationship between attendance and course achievement, students are expected to attend all scheduled classes.

It is the responsibility of each faculty member at the start of the course to provide a clear written statement of the methods used to evaluate student achievement. Each faculty member also has the responsibility to advise students of his/her policies on make-up tests or assignments and on the treatment of missed assignments. Faculty members are encouraged to take into consideration extenuating circumstances when making individual decisions.

Traditionally, faculty members allow up to two (2) hourly absences for each credit hour (i.e. six (6) absences from a course which meets three (3) times per week in a fifteen (15) week semester), strictly for personal emergencies. There are some courses (i.e. clinical, laboratory, performance, etc.) that may demand different attendance. This information should be specified to the students at the beginning of the course.


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Student attendance cannot be the sole determinant of a final grade in a course (although a student's grade can be affected by poor attendance.) A faculty member cannot assign a grade of "F" solely for absences, however, students are strongly cautioned to be mindful of how professors link attendance requirements to other aspects of how they are evaluated. Thus attendance can seriously affect a grade, and even result in failure. Students have the right to appeal the grade they receive according to the established College procedure as stated in the "Student Rights & Responsibilities" document, which is available in the Student Affairs Office.

Attendance Proposal

Issue:

The use of the “JY” and “JN” attendance grades is a carryover from the previous way of collecting attendance at WCC. Prior to PeopleSoft, attendance was collected for all 15 weeks on scanned bubble-in forms with 3 submissions each semester (weeks 1-5, 6-10 and 11-15). This process was drastically changed with the PS implementation, and now adjustments also need to be made with the non-attendance grades. The current process is inconsistent in attendance reporting and is causing many students to be assigned “JY” grades unnecessarily.

Proposals:

1. Replace the use of the current “WN” grade (used only by the Health Office & Registrar) with a new grade of “WI”

2. Adjust the grade of “WN” to replace the current “JN” grade. The “WN” will stand for Withdrawal-Never Attended and will function the same way as the “JN”.

a. academically non-punitiveb. automatically posted to student record after faculty report attendance c. this grade applies to students who never attended the course in question from the first

day of the session through the census dated. appears on transcript as “WN”

3. Discontinue use of the “JY” grade4. Create a new non-attendance grade of “FN”, standing for Failure, non-attendance

a. academically punitive (factors into GPA the same as an “F” grade)b. this is to be faculty-assigned at the end of the semester to a student who:

i. has not officially withdrawn from the class (with a grade of “W”) ANDii. has not attended any class sessions from the official withdrawal date up until the

last day of instructionc. this grade would standardize the federal financial aid impact applied to students who do not complete a course subject to a Return to Title IV calculation

5. With development by IT, we need to change the current method of how attendance is collected from Faculty (we have already received some guidance and information from other PeopleSoft colleagues about their already existing customization in PS):

a. discontinue using Grade Roster for attendance purposesb. have a streamlined Attendance Roster process

i. new rosters generated in PS after census date for each individual session


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ii. Faculty will simply have to answer “YES” or “NO” to the question, “Did the student attend at least one time during the period of ________ to _______?” (Specific dates will be supplied each session to reflect the first day of the session through the census date. There will be no guesswork—a specific timeframe will be given.)

1. A reply of “YES” goes no further2. A reply of “NO” will need to automatically post the “WN” to the student’s

record for the class in question

If all above matters are approved, the following grades would exist in relation to attendance and withdrawals:

W - Student Initiated Withdrawal (non-punitive, done by the student during the withdrawal period for each term/session)

WN -Withdrawal-- Never Attended (non-punitive, equivalent of currently used “JN”, automatically posted to student record after faculty report attendance in the new procedure)

FN - Failure, non-attendance (punitive, faculty-assigned during final grade period, no current equivalent). This is to be assigned to a student who has not officially withdrawn from the class AND has not attended any class sessions after the official withdrawal date.

WP -Withdrawal-- Passing (non-punitive, administrative withdrawal/faculty-assigned during final grade period, used only for unusual & extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control, currently in use)

WF - Withdrawal-- Failing (non-punitive, administrative withdrawal/faculty-assigned during final grade period, used only for unusual & extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control, currently in use)

WM - Medical Withdrawal (non-punitive, only used by the Health Office and Registrar) WI - Medical Withdrawal: Immunization non-compliance (non-punitive, only used by the Health

Office and Registrar)

The F- Failure grade would still: remain punitive; be faculty-assigned during final grade period; be used for a student who “earns” this failure grade. It would not be used for a student who has not attended any class sessions after the official withdrawal date.

Timeframe:If the proposals above are approved, many areas would need to be addressed prior to widespread implementation:

Development/programming of grades in PS Updating of catalog Grading key on transcript paper Updating of any queries/customizations/processes involving grades (such as the TAP

certification process) Training of Faculty for new attendance-taking process Sufficient testing to ensure a successful roll-out

Due to the far-reaching effects these changes will make, we are proposing the development to begin as soon as possible, but not be put in production until Summer 2013. We believe the shorter sessions are better suited to initiate these new processes.


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Academic Standing

Academics Committee's Proposal: Revised Academic Standing Policy

Students are expected to make satisfactory academic progress toward a degree and maintain appropriate academic scholastic standards. Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 will be required to meet with a designated counselor before registering for the next semester in order to help them improve their academic performance.

Scholastic Standards

3.75-4.0Semester GPA for President's List (must be enrolled as a full-time student)Cumulative GPA for Graduation with Highest Distinction

3.50-3.74Semester GPA for Dean's List (must be enrolled as a full-time student)Cumulative GPA for Graduation with Distinction

2.0 Minimum cumulative GPA required for good academic standing and graduation

Students Not Meeting Scholastic Standards

If a student does not meet the College's scholastic standards, the student's academic status will be changed according to the table below.

Academic Status of Students Not Meeting Scholastic Standards

Attempted Academic Credits

Cumulative GPA Academic Status

0-31 Less than 2.0 Academic Probation

32-47 1.75 but less than 2.0

Academic Probation

32-47 Less than 1.75 Academic Restriction

48+ 1.75 but less than 2.0

Academic Probation

48+ 1.5 but less than 1.75

Academic Restriction

48+ Less than 1.5 Academic Dismissal

Academic Probation


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A student on academic probation may take no more than 14 charged credits per semester, as approved by a counselor. Mandated counseling is required for all students on academic probation.

Probation

Students who have passed fewer than 32 cumulative credits are placed on probation if their semester grade point averages (SGPA), based on 9 credits or more attempted, are below 2.0. Students on probation may take no more than 14 charged credits per semester. Students on probation are mandated to meet with the designated counselor.

Probationary students who receive a subsequent SGPA of 2.0 or above for 9 or more charged credits are taken off probation. *Students who receive a subsequent SGPA of 1.75-1.99 are retained on probation; those who earn a subsequent SGPA lower than 1.75 are placed on Academic Restriction.

Academic Standard for Probation** Credits Earned: Below 32Semester GPA: Below 2.0

Academic Standards for Students on Probation*/** SGPA of 2.0 or above Off ProbationSGPA of 1.75-1.99 Retained on ProbationSGPA of below 1.75 Put on Academic Restriction


A student on academic restriction may take no more than 8 charged credits per semester, as approved by a counselor. Mandated counseling is required for all students on academic restriction.

Academic Dismissal

A student who is academically dismissed may not attend classes at Westchester Community College until the student petitions for reinstatement from academic dismissal and his/her Re-entry Application is approved.

Petition for Reinstatement from Academic Dismissal:

A student is encouraged to apply for reinstatement to the College only after the circumstances that caused him/her to be academically dismissed have been addressed.

A student who is reinstated to the College

can only re-enter at the start of a regular fall or spring semester. will automatically be placed on academic restriction, and as such, will be limited to 8 charged

credits. will be reinstated as a non-matriculated student, and as such, will not be eligible for financial

aid.


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To petition for reinstatement from academic dismissal, the application process is as follows:

1. Complete a Re-entry Application for Academically Dismissed Students available in the Registrar’s Office, the Counseling Office, and online. [attach link to application] The application must be filed at least 2 weeks prior to the beginning of the semester.

2. Submit any transcripts from other colleges attended in the interim.3. Make an appointment with the Dean of Student Affairs or the Dean’s designee.

The application and information will be evaluated by the Dean or designee. If the application for re-entry is approved, the student will be reinstated as a non-matriculated student on academic restriction.

Reinstatement to matriculated status can only be achieved once a cumulative GPA of 1.5 or greater is obtained.

Note: Reinstatement to matriculated status

does not automatically mean reinstatement into a student's former curriculum, since reinstatement or entry into certain curriculums requires the permission of the Curriculum Chair.

does not automatically mean financial aid reinstatement, since financial aid eligibility is governed by separate standards.

COLLEGE'S EXISTING ACADEMIC STANDING POLICY (from the College Catalog)


Students are expected to make satisfactory academic progress toward a degree. This includes maintaining appropriate academic standards (specified GPAs based on attempted credits) and passing a minimum number of the courses for which they are enrolled each semester.

3.75-4.0 President’s List (Semester Average - must be enrolled as a full-time student for 12 or more credits) and Graduation with Highest Distinction (Cumulative Average)

3.50-3.74 Dean’s List (Semester Average-must be enrolled as a full-time student for 12 or more credits) and Graduation with Distinction (Cumulative Average)

2.00 Cumulative average required for graduation

1.75 If the student has attempted 48 credits or more, his or her cumulative index must be 1.75 or above

1.50 If the student has attempted 32 to 47 credits, his or her cumulative index must be 1.50 or above.

1.00 If the student has attempted 21 to 31 credits, his or her cumulative index must be 1.00 or above


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Probation

Students who have passed fewer than 32 cumulative credits are placed on probation if their semester grade point averages (SGPA), based on 9 credits or more attempted, are below 2.0. Students on probation may take no more than 14 charged credits per semester. Students on probation are mandated to meet with the designated counselor.

Probationary students who receive a subsequent SGPA of 2.0 or above for 9 or more charged credits are taken off probation. *Students who receive a subsequent SGPA of 1.75-1.99 are retained on probation; those who earn a subsequent SGPA lower than 1.75 are placed on Academic Restriction.

Academic Standard for Probation** Credits Earned: Below 32Semester GPA: Below 2.0

Academic Standards for Students on Probation*/** SGPA of 2.0 or above Off ProbationSGPA of 1.75-1.99 Retained on ProbationSGPA of below 1.75 Put on Academic Restriction


A student, either matriculated or non-matriculated, whose academic record does not meet college standards (see chart below) shall be Academically Restricted and may subsequently register for a maximum of eight charged credits per semester, after meeting with the designated counselor.

Academic Standards for Restriction**

Cumulative Credits Attempted Cumulative GPA12-31 below 1.0032-47 below 1.5048 or more below 1.75

Academic Reinstatement

Students may be reinstated (and thereby regain matriculated status and the right to take more than eight charged credits):

1. By raising their academic averages to satisfactory levels (by repeating or taking new courses), students are automatically reinstated into the former curriculum.*** Alternatively, after raising their averages, students may work with the Counseling Office to transfer to a new curriculum.***

* The status of students taking fewer than nine charged credits while on probation will be based on their SGPA for the most recent two semesters attempted.


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** When the semester and the cumulative GPA’s each yield a different academic status, the more severe status will have priority.

*** Reinstatement or entry to Nursing, Dietetic Technology, Respiratory Therapy, Radiologic Technology, and Human Services requires the permission of the curriculum chair.

Note: Reinstatement to a curriculum does not automatically mean financial aid reinstatement, since some financial aid programs are governed by independent standards.

2. By working with the Counseling Office, a student may petition the right for reinstatement to a former or new curriculum. Where circumstances warrant, a student may be accepted back into full-time matriculated status or the college may accept a student back into an academically restricted status (see previous page).

Deadlines for Reinstatement

Students wishing to attend the next regular semester after their dismissal must complete the reinstatement process by July 31 for the fall semester or by the first week of class for the spring semester. Students reinstated for a given semester may not claim retroactive reinstatement to a previous semester.

Academic Reinstatement After an Absence

Students who have not registered for an academic year, may be permitted to return to classes full-time on a provisional, non-matriculated basis by working through the Counseling Office. Full Academic Reinstatement will still require compliance with either paragraph 1 or 2 of this section.


A student, either matriculated or non-matriculated, whose academic record does not meet college standards (see chart below) shall be Academically Restricted and may subsequently register for a maximum of eight charged credits per semester, after meeting with the designated counselor.

Academic Standards for Restriction**

Cumulative Credits Attempted Cumulative GPA12-31 below 1.0032-47 below 1.5048 or more below 1.75


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3.75-4.0 President's List and "Graduation With Highest Distinction."3.50-3.74. Dean's List and "Graduation With Distinction."2.0 Cumulative average required for graduation.1.75 If the student has attempted 48 credits or more his/her

cumulative index must be 1.75 or above.1.50 If the student has attempted 32 to 47 credits, his/her

cumulative index must be 1.50 or above.1.00 If the student has attempted 12 to 31 credits, his/her

cumulative index must be 1.00 or above.

A cumulative index below 1.00 for the first or any succeeding semester, will result in dismissal for scholastic reasons, unless unusual circumstances (extended illness, for example) warrant special consideration.

REPEATING COURSES

The Westchester Community College Policy on Repeating Courses is as follows:

REPEATING THE SAME COURSE MORE THAN TWICE

Westchester Community College adopted the following academic regulation to restrict the practice of permitting students to take the same course more than twice:

If a student wishes to repeat a particular course more than twice (i.e. take the same course three (3) times), the student is required to obtain a written recommendation of the Department Chair or Curriculum Chair, with the final decision to be made by the Associate Dean of the Division in which the course is offered.

REPEATING COURSES AFTER GRADUATION

When a student graduates and receives a degree, the student's graduation grade point average is fixed and final. It is not subject to change by repeating courses taken subsequent to the student's graduation.

If the student takes further course work after graduation, the calculation of the grade point average will be cumulative. However, the official graduation average of a student who has already graduated will not be altered by the subsequent repeating of a course or courses.

Repeating Courses

The following rules concern repeating courses:

1. On a one-time basis, students may repeat courses they have completed with a grade of D or F. Certain health and field experience courses are restricted.

2. Taking a course more than twice requires the approval of the chairperson of the department in which the course is given.


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3. Repeating a course in which a grade of C or better was previously earned also requires the approval of the chairperson of the department in which the course is given.

4. Students may be asked to leave a course if they do not have the necessary approval to take the class.

5. When two or more grades exist for the same course, all grades remain on the transcript; however, only the highest grade will be used to calculate the cumulative grade point average. Courses repeated after graduation will not change the graduation average.

CLASSROOM CONDUCT

In the interest of establishing and maintaining an appropriate learning environment, maximizing the educational benefit for all students, maintaining an atmosphere of safety and comfort in the classroom, and clarifying the faculty expectations of classroom conduct, the College has established the following classroom conduct policy:

1. Students are expected to arrive on time. If a student is unavoidably late and the instructor permits him/her to enter, he/she should do so quietly and be seated quickly.

2. Students are expected to refrain from participating in personal conversations during class.

3. Every student is expected to focus on the class lesson. Students are to refrain from doing other class work, reading newspapers or magazines, eating, drinking or sleeping.

4. Students are expected to use appropriate language at all times and be polite to one another.

5. Students are expected to remain seated during the class session and not leave the room unless they have notified the instructor, or in case there is an emergency.

6. Students must silence all cell phones prior to the beginning of the class. In the event of a College-wide emergency their cell phones will provide access to notification sent by the emergency alert system.

7. Visitors are only allowed with the permission from the instructor. Children are not permitted in class at any time.

Students are expected refrain from packing up and preparing to leave until the instructor has dismissed the class. It is the instructor's responsibility to dismiss the class at the designated time.

Adopted by the Faculty Senate in 2003.Updates by the Faculty Senate on November 28, 2007

CLASS LATENESS

In March 1955, the Westchester Community College Faculty Senate approved the following "Policy on Class Lateness."


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It is the responsibility of the student to fulfill all the requirements of credit-bearing courses and non-credit developmental courses. The basis for determining the final grade is the method of assessment tied into course learning objectives as stated in the course syllabus. Because of the relationship [between attendance and course achievement], students are expected to be punctual in their attendance of all scheduled classes. Students who are habitually late for class, or who arrive long after class has begun, disrupt the instruction/learning process for the professor as well as for the other students in the class.

It is the responsibility of each faculty member at the start of each course to provide a clear written statement of his/her policy concerning lateness to class, aid of the treatment of missed assignments or exams that are brought about by the student's lateness to class. Faculty members are encouraged to take into consideration extenuating circumstances when making individual decisions.

Class Schedules

The Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs is responsible for the overall coordination and final approval of the Schedule of Instruction (SOI). The associate deans, with the assistance of department chairs and appropriate staff are responsible for the preparation of the SOI for each semester. It is only after the SOI has been developed that faculty preferences may be considered. All classes must be conducted as scheduled in the assigned rooms. Any necessary room changes, due to special circumstances, must be approved by the Associate Dean and the Vice President and Dean, of Academic Affairs. NO ROOM CHANGES MAYBE MADE UNLESS PROPER PROCEDURES ARE FOLLOWED.

Supervision of Instruction

Associate Deans and department chairs are responsible for supervising instruction for the primary purpose of improving the effectiveness and the delivery of instruction. Supervision includes evaluating the instruction by use of objective criteria. Working under the direct supervision of the Associate Deans and department chairs, faculty holding the positions of Assistant Department Chair, Adjunct Coordinator and Adjunct Coordinator/Off Campus Liaison may also conduct class visits (observations) and evaluate the instruction by use of objective criteria, before a written report is filed it is discussed with the faculty member, who may attach his/her own comments if he/she so desires. A pre- and post-conference with the faculty member is to be held by the evaluator.

Class Length

Monday through Friday classes are normally 50 minutes in length held three times a week, or 75 minutes held twice weekly. There is a 10-minute break between all classes. Seventy-five minute (75) classes have no break; 160 minute sessions have one 10-minute break. Laboratory science classes are scheduled for more than one period. Faculty have no authority to change class schedules, or to modify the length of class sessions (i.e., to start late or leave early, etc.), or to change the day or the time of the class meeting. If you have any questions about these general rules, please discuss them with your department chair.

Make-up Class

Faculty members who wish to make-up a missed class(es) at other times convenient for them and for their students must receive prior approval from the appropriate department chair and Associate Dean.


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Admission to Class

Faculty may obtain their class rosters through People Soft. Directions on how to do this are on the My WCC Portal. Any student whose name or social security number does not appear on the roster must present a Bursar's receipt to enter that class. The names of those students will appear on the next updated roster. Only students whose names are on this roster are officially registered in the class.

Any student whose name is not on the printed roster, or who does not have a Bursar's receipt should not be permitted to remain in class. The student should be sent immediately to the Registrar's Office for clarification and necessary adjustment

Attendance Certification

A student how withdraws from a course during the first three weeks of class is considered not to have registered for that class, and his/her name will not appear on the official roster published between the fourth and fifth week of class. At any time up to the 9th week of the semester, the student may officially withdraw from a course. The procedure is initiated by the student who contacts a counselor to obtain a "Course Withdrawal Request Form." Either the course instructor or a counselor may review and sign the withdrawal form. The student has the option to withdraw from a course without penalty up to the 9th week of the semester.

After the 9th week of the semester, the decision whether to permit a student to withdraw is at the discretion of the instructor of the course. The instructor may deny the request, or submit a grade of WP (Withdraw With a Passing Grade) or WF grade (Withdraw With a Failing Grade). Faculty are cautioned not to use the grades of WP or WF in lieu of the grade of F. A WP or WF grade should be based on the consideration of emergency circumstances, i.e., extended illness that precludes finishing the course. WP/WF is not a consolation grade for not having kept up with the work of the class or for dropping the class after the 9th week of the semester. At the time of withdrawal students should be informed about the possible consequences of a WP or WF grade to financial aid awards. These questions should be referred to the Financial Aid Office.

A student may withdraw from the college (as opposed to merely withdrawing from a class) up to the last day of class prior to the start of the final examinations. If time permits, each instructor will be notified that the student has withdrawn from the College, and that the instructor should submit a grade of WP or WF.

Mid-Semester Warning

A student whose work is not satisfactory should be so informed by the instructor by mid-semester. An informal conference with the student should be held to discuss the difficulties the student is having, and a plan of action toward satisfactory achievement by the end of the semester should be made. Students in jeopardy of failing the course should be so advised prior to the ninth week of the course to allow the student the option of withdrawal from the course with an "F" grade.


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GRADING

Final Grades

It is College policy to provide all possible assistance to students so that their courses will be successfully completed and their educational goals achieved. Accordingly, instructors must be explicit in presenting course requirements, including attendance policy, at the beginning of the semester. Students should be informed about grading practices by each instructor, preferably in writing, at the beginning of the semester. The department chair should be consulted to determine the normal policy or general practice in that department.

Submission of Final Grades

Grades for each class section are to be inputted in People Soft as soon as possible after the final assessments of the class sections are completed. All grade reports must be submitted no later than 48 hours after the last officially scheduled final assessment. This policy applies to all faculty, full-time and part-time, who teach on- or off-campus. Any extenuating circumstances are to be reported to the Associate Dean and to the Registrar as soon as the faculty member is aware of them. We no longer mail grade reports to students. Everything is on the self-serviced web site.

Changes in Final Grades

Any grade change made after the original grade has been submitted to the Registrar's office must be done in the following manner:

1. Changes should be made within one semester after the end of the semester in which the grade was originally awarded.

2. A "Request for Change of Final Grade" form, available in the Associate Dean's office, must be completed in duplicate by the faculty member and signed by the Department Chair and the Associate Dean. Grade changes should be made only for significant reasons.Faculty should not permit students the opportunity to do additional work to improve an assigned grade.

3. When the grade is recorded in the Registrar's Office, the duplicate copy is returned to the instructor, to be kept in his/her files. The student is notified of the change of grade by the Registrar's Office.

4. In the case of a grade of Incomplete (I), it is the student's responsibility to make arrangements with the instructor to satisfy the course requirements. If a grade of "I" is not changed by the end of the next semester, it automatically becomes and "F" on the student's record, and is calculated in his/her cumulative index as such.


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Procedure for Appealing a Final Grade (12/12/2012 Faculty Senate Approved FINAL Draft)

Students who wish to appeal a final grade are required to follow the steps outlined below. A grade appeal can be requested only after a final grade for a course has been recorded. Prior to that, students are expected to discuss their academic progress, first with the faculty member involved and, if necessary, with the chairperson of the faculty member’s department.

Step 1 Student Meets With Faculty Member

The student must request a meeting with the faculty member no later than the third week of the fall or spring semester immediately following that in which the grade was recorded. Failure to do so will result in a forfeit of the appeal. The faculty member is expected to grant this request for a meeting, but students should understand that in the case of summer session courses, faculty may not be able to respond as quickly as might be the case during the regular fall and spring semesters. This meeting may take place in person (face-to-face), by telephone, or electronically (e.g., Skype, email correspondence, etc.). The goal of Step 1 is for the faculty member and student to earnestly strive to resolve the problem themselves.

Step 2 Student Meets With Department Chair

The student shall request a meeting with the Department Chair if:

The faculty member is unavailable or fails to meet with the student within ten (10) business days of the student’s request, or

The meeting with the faculty member does not resolve the problem.

The student will request the meeting with the Department Chair by completing a Grade Appeal form obtained from the Division Office and giving it to the Department Chair. The request to meet with the Department Chair must be made within ten (10) business days of the Step 1 meeting. The Department Chair will have the faculty member complete his/her portion of the form (if available), and then schedule either a separate or joint meeting with the student and faculty member within a timely manner. The choice to meet separately or together with the student and faculty member shall be at the sole discretion of the Department Chair. These meetings may take place in person, by telephone, or electronically. The Department Chairperson, faculty member and student shall act


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in these meetings in a determined manner to resolve all differences. If the problem is not settled to the student’s satisfaction and the student indicates an intention to continue to pursue the issue, the Department Chair will complete the appropriate section of the form and forward it to the Division Office.

Step 3 Student Meets With Associate Dean

The student must request a meeting with the Associate Dean of the division in which the course was offered within ten (10) business days of the conclusion of Step 2. The Associate Dean will investigate the matter, consulting as needed with the faculty member and the department chair, either in person, by telephone, or electronically. The Associate Dean will then meet with the student in person to discuss the unresolved issues. This meeting will be followed up by a written response to the student, issued within a timely manner, and will be sent to the student electronically.

Step 4 Student Appeals To The Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs

If the problem is not concluded to the satisfaction of the student in Step 3, the student can choose to make a request for an appeal to the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs. This request must be made within ten (10) business days of the conclusion of Step 3. The student will present (either electronically or in hard copy form) the Vice President with:

the grade appeal form previously submitted to the Associate Dean

a written summary of what occurred during Steps 1-3, and

a statement explaining why the student wishes to continue the appeals process.

The Vice President will investigate the matter and make a determination as to whether Steps 1-3 have been properly executed. At his/her discretion, the Vice President for Academic Affairs may confer with the Vice President for Student Affairs. If there is agreement that steps 1-3 have been properly executed and that no basis exists for further review, the matter will be dismissed and there will be no further avenue for appeal. If further investigation and/or a hearing are warranted, the Vice President of Academic Affairs will decide if the matter should be referred to the Departmental Committee, and/or the Tripartite Committee. The Vice President of Academic Affairs will in a timely manner provide


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written notification to the student of his/her decision. Should the decision entail further investigation by the Departmental Committee or a Tripartite Committee hearing, the student will be provided with a copy of the Procedures for Conducting a Departmental Committee Investigation or Tripartite Committee Hearing.

The student should be aware that in the event that his/her case is heard by the Departmental Committee and/or the Tripartite Committee, the Vice President of Academic Affairs will make the final decision after due consideration of all recommendations of the Committees and all documents and materials presented. The Vice President's decision may uphold that of the faculty member, support the request of the student or it may constitute an alternative outcome. In some cases, the final resolution decided upon by the Vice President may be considered by the student to be less favorable than the original ruling. For example, after reviewing the case, the Vice President may decide a lower grade is warranted than that which was initially assigned by the faculty member. The grade decided upon by the Vice President will become the student's official grade for the course.

Procedures for Conducting a Departmental Committee Investigation or Tripartite Committee Hearing (Faculty Senate Approved FINAL Draft – 12/12/2012)

The Procedure for Appealing a Final Grade is outlined in the Student Rights and Responsibilities section of the Student Handbook. Step 4 includes the possibility for an investigation by the Departmental Committee or a hearing by the Tripartite Committee. The composition of these committees is discussed below.

The following procedures will apply in the event of a Departmental Committee investigation or Tripartite Committee hearing.

The Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs will determine the following:

1. In any case where the grade appeal involves issues related to academic content, the matter will be referred to the Departmental Committee (DC) of the course instructor’s department.

2. In any case where issues other than academic content are involved, the grade appeal will be forwarded to the Tripartite Committee.


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The Departmental Committee

The Departmental Committee (DC) includes all tenured faculty in the department. In cases where the Departmental Committee consists of less than three individuals in the content area, the Department Chairperson will consult with one or more tenured faculty in related disciplines at the College (e.g., Physics faculty in the case of Math; English faculty in the case of Reading, etc.), or, if needed, one or more academic specialists from outside the College for the purpose of this particular meeting.

The DC Chairperson will make every effort to schedule a meeting within three (3) weeks of the Vice President’s determination of the need for a Departmental Committee investigation. The DC will review all materials forwarded by the Vice President, including the grade appeal form and the student’s written request. A statement of opinion or determination will be prepared by the DC and presented to the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs.

The Tripartite Committee

The Tripartite Committee will be composed of three (3) students elected from the Student Senate, two (2) administrators selected by the College President and three (3) faculty members. The College President will select one of the two administrators to serve as chair of the committee. The faculty representation will include one (1) member from the Department of the faculty member involved in the Tripartite hearing, one (1) faculty member from the Division in which the course was offered and one (1) faculty member elected from the College faculty at large.

Procedures for election of students are detailed in the Student Handbook under Student Governance.

Procedures for the selection of faculty members are as follows: The Departmental Faculty Representative will be elected at the beginning of each academic year by the departmental committee to serve for that academic year. In the event that the elected member cannot serve on a particular tripartite case due to unforeseen circumstances, the D.C. Chair will then appoint a member of that department to serve as a substitute for that particular hearing. The Division Faculty Representative will be elected at the beginning of each academic year by the members of the Division (in attendance at the Central Committee Election meeting) and will serve for that academic year. In the event that the elected member cannot serve on a particular tripartite case due to unforeseen circumstances the Academic Dean of that Division will appoint a member of that division to serve as a substitute for that particular hearing. The At-Large Representative and the At-Large Alternate Representative will be determined by the faculty "at-large" in an election convened by the Faculty Senate Student Personnel Policies Committee. Both of these representatives will serve two-year terms, to begin on fall semesters in odd-numbered years which will end at the end of spring term in odd-numbered years. The Faculty Senate Student Personnel Policies Committee will collect nominations and conduct the election for upcoming representatives during the spring semester of odd-numbered years.


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Procedures for the Tripartite Committee:

The Committee will first meet in executive session to consider the matter At least five (5) business days in advance of this meeting, each member of the Committee will be provided with copies of all materials, including the grade appeal form and the formal written Step 4 appeal made by the student.

If the Committee determines that the appeal has already been adequately handled, no hearing will be scheduled and the matter will be dismissed. The Committee will notify the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs of its decision in writing.

If the Committee determines that further investigation is necessary, a formal Tripartite hearing will be scheduled. Every effort will be made to have the hearing within three (3) weeks of the Vice President’s determination of the need for a Tripartite Committee hearing.

The Office of Student Personnel Services will provide the student with a representative whose responsibility it shall be to ensure that the student is fully aware of his/her rights and is fully enabled to take advantage of them. The representative may accompany the student to the hearing, but will not be permitted to speak during the hearing unless specifically requested to do so by the chair. The student is free to consult privately with the representative at any time before, during or after the hearing, including in private sessions (outside the hearing room) during the hearing. Any private sessions requested while the hearing is in progress must first be approved by the committee chair.

At the course instructor’s discretion, a member of the Executive Board of the Faculty Senate will be available to ensure that the instructor is fully aware of his/her rights and is fully enabled to take advantage of them. The Senate representative shall serve the same role for the course instructor as the Student Personnel Services representative serves for the student. The representative may accompany the instructor to the hearing, but will not be permitted to speak during the hearing unless specifically requested to do so by the chair. The instructor is free to consult privately with the representative at any time before, during or after the hearing, including in private sessions (outside the hearing room) during the hearing. Any private sessions requested while the hearing is in progress must first be approved by the committee chair.

If the student fails to attend the hearing, s/he will forfeit the right to appeal . The course instructor is expected to attend and provide the Tripartite Committee with documentation or evidence if requested.

Procedures for the Tripartite Hearing:

1. The Chairperson will state for the record that the proceedings of the meeting will be audio-recorded.

2. For the record, the Chairperson should indicate that the meeting is being held in accordance with the Student’s Right to a Final Grade Appeal.

3. All parties will be named for the record.4. The Chairperson will indicate that the Tripartite Committee will hear the student’s

case, followed by the course instructor’s case, and will render an opinion or


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determination which will be given to the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs.

The following sequence of steps will apply: (please note: the student and instructor representatives mentioned above are not considered witnesses)

1. The student presents his/her case. Relevant witnesses and/or documentation may be presented.

2. The eight members of the Tripartite Committee are given an opportunity to ask questions.

3. The course instructor presents his/her case. Relevant witnesses and/or documentation may be presented.

4. The eight members of the Tripartite Committee are given an opportunity to ask questions.

5. The course instructor is given the opportunity to question the student and witnesses.6. The student is given the opportunity to question the course instructor and witnesses.7. The eight members of the Tripartite Committee are given a final opportunity to ask

questions or confer with the student, the course instructor and the witnesses.

Upon conclusion of the hearing, the Tripartite Committee will prepare and present to the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs a written opinion on the appeal.

The Vice President will review materials provided by the Departmental Committee and/or the statement of opinion from the Tripartite Committee and make a determination on the grade appeal. The Vice President will then notify the student and course instructor in writing. This determination by the Vice President shall constitute the final step in the appeals process.

Grading System

A grade will be assigned for each credit course in which a student enrolls, in accordance with the following grading system:

Grade Numerical Equivalent Quality Points per Credit Hours

A 90-100 4.0B+ 85-89 3.5B 80-84 3.0C+ 75-79 2.5C 70-74 2.0D 60-69 1.0F Below 60 0.0IF Incomplete that became an F

Although all faculty are required to follow the grading system described above, faculty has the right to determine


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the specific evaluative criteria for a course (e.g., quizzes, exams, assignments, etc.) as well as their relative weight toward the final course grade. These grading scenarios may vary by department* from instructor to instructor, and from course to course, however students have the right to be informed in writing at the first or second class meeting about the content of the course and the criteria for evaluation.

Since many courses include laboratory or clinical components, faculty also has the right to determine the relative weight of a lab or clinical component in calculating the final grade as well as whether or not a student must pass a lab or clinical component in order to receive a passing grade for the course.

For partially- or fully-online courses, faculty may require one or more on-campus examinations, including the final examination. In addition, faculty of either online or on-campus courses are within their rights to specify that passing a final examination is required in order to pass the course.

The following grades do not affect grade point averages:

I Incomplete must be made up within one regular semester or it converts to an F at the end of the following semester

w Student Initiated Withdrawal before the ninth (9U1) week deadline - is not assigned by the faculty member

WP Faculty Initiated Withdrawal - PassingWF Faculty Initiated Withdrawal - FailingRC Student with a grade of RC in a course is required to retake

the course in the next regular semester. Not a passing grade for Financial Aid.

AU Audit (no credit)P or F In a course which is graded only P (Pass) or F (Fail)JY/JN Unofficial withdrawal. This designation is given by the

Registrar

Proposed addition to Grading System section of Student Handbook and College Website

(Final Draft – Approved by Faculty Senate – 12/12/2012)

Grading System

A grade will be assigned for each credit course in which a student enrolls, in accordance with the following grading system, subject to the conditions listed below:

Grade NumericalEquivalent

Quality PointsPer Credit Hours

A 90-100 4.0 B+ 85-89 3.5 B 80-84 3.0 C+ 75-79 2.5


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C 70-74 2.0 D 60-69 1.0 F Below 60 0.0 IF Incomplete that became an F 0.0

Although all faculty are required to follow the grading system described above, faculty has the right to determine the specific evaluative criteria for a course (e.g., quizzes, exams, assignments, etc.) as well as their relative weight toward the final course grade. These grading scenarios may vary by department, from instructor to instructor, and from course to course; however students have the right to be informed in writing at the first or second class meeting about the content of the course and the criteria for evaluation.

Since many courses include laboratory or clinical components, faculty also has the right to determine the relative weight of a lab or clinical component in calculating the final grade as well as whether or not a student must pass a lab or clinical component in order to receive a passing grade for the course.

For partially- or fully-online courses, faculty may require one or more on-campus examinations, including the final examination. In addition, faculty of either online or on-campus courses are within their rights to specify that passing a final examination is required in order to pass the course.

The following grades do not affect grade point averages:

I = Incomplete (must be made up within one regular semester or converts to “IF” at the end of the following semester)

W = Student Initiated WithdrawalWP = Faculty Initiated Withdrawal PassingWF = Faculty Initiated Withdrawal Failing

RC = Required Continuation (student is expected to retake the course during the next available fall/spring semester). Not a passing grade for financial aid.

NC = Audit (No Credit)P or F = In a course which is graded only “P” (Pass) or “F” (Fail)

J = Student did not satisfy attendance requirements.

WITHDRAWAL


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ACADEMICS COMMITTEE PROPOSAL REVISED WITHDRAWAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES (April 11, 2012)

Withdrawal Policies and ProceduresDeadlines

Student Initiated Withdrawal from a Course: Last Day of Ninth Week of SemesterStudent Initiated Complete Withdrawal from College: Last Day of Classes Before Final Exams

Withdrawal from a Course:

Student Initiated Withdrawal from a Course (Deadline: Last Day of Ninth Week of Semester)

The deadline for withdrawal from a course with a grade of “W” is the last day of the ninth week of the semester. For non-regular semesters, an equivalent date will be established. A grade of “W” does not affect a student's GPA. However, it is important to use withdrawals wisely. If unsure, it is best to consult with your instructor or academic counselor. Prior to withdrawal, financial aid recipients are urged to consult with a financial aid counselor to determine if current or future financial aid may be negatively affected.While it is the right of a student to withdraw from a course, withdrawal without following the procedure listed below may result in the student’s failure of the course.

The procedure to withdraw from zero -credit courses (listed below) is as follows: Basic Writing I Basic Writing II Introduction to Academic Writing I Foundations of College Reading Prealgebra Beginning Algebra Math Literacy for College Students

1. Meet with a Counselor, Curriculum Chair, Department Chair or Associate Dean.2. The Counselor, Curriculum Chair, Department Chair or Associate Dean will release the hold and

withdraw the student.The procedure to withdraw from credit-bearing courses is as follows:

1. Sign in to the MyWCC portal2. Click on the STUDENT CENTER link3. Under the ACADEMICS section, highlight ENROLLMENT: DROP in the dropdown menu.4. Click the >> to continue.5. Select the term you’re registering for and press the CONTINUE button.6. Read the Financial Aid message. If you are in full understanding of the message, click OK. If

not, please see a Financial Aid counselor.7. On the SELECT CLASSES TO DROP page, check the SELECT box for that/those course(s)

to be deleted. 8. Click the DROP SELECTED CLASSES button to process request.


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9. Click the green FINISH DROPPING button on the CONFIRM YOUR SELECTION page in order to complete the drop.

10. If the drop was successful, you should see a green check mark in the STATUS section indicating the drop has been successful.

Faculty Assigned Withdrawal from a Course (After Ninth Week of Semester)

After the ninth week, the course instructor may allow a student with extenuating circumstances to withdraw from the course by assigning a grade of WP (withdrawal-passing: student is passing at the time of withdrawal) or WF (withdrawal-failing: student is failing at the time of withdrawal).

This is not a student right and is reserved only for unusual and extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control. The reasons for withdrawing must be serious and compelling (not merely poor attendance or grades). The student must be able to, upon request, provide clear and complete documentation of the situation from a qualified professional such as a physician.

Here are some guidelines for acceptable serious and compelling reasons:Medical: Serious illness or injury of the student or of his/her immediate family, which has resulted in the inability to make up course material missed.

Financial: A student’s financial situation has become so critical that it has resulted in the inability to make up course material missed.

Personal: Serious family crisis or death in a family, which has resulted in the inability to make up course material missed.

A grade of WP or WF can negatively affect a student’s current or future financial aid eligibility.

Student Initiated Complete Withdrawal from College

Students may withdraw from all courses at the college up until the last day of classes before final examinations. A grade of “W” would be assigned for all classes. The reasons for withdrawing should be serious and compelling, not merely poor attendance or grades.

The procedure to withdraw from college is as follows:1. Obtain a withdrawal form from the Counseling Office or the Registrar’s Office. 2. Allow enough time to complete the form, including obtaining all signatures. 3. Notify all instructors of the withdrawal.4. Check with the Library, the Financial Aid Office, and the Bursar's Office to determine if there

are outstanding obligations.5. Meet with the Counselor for final approval.6. Submit the form to the Registrar before the deadline date.

If a student is not physically able to do this process, a member of his/her family or a designee of his/her choice, with proper identification and written consent from the student, could be requested to do so.


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Withdrawal from college can negatively affect a student’s current or future financial aid eligibility.

Students who withdraw from the college and wish to register for the next semester may do so.

Faculty Assigned Course Withdrawal Grade of WP/WF ( After Ninth Week of Semester)

After the ninth week of the semester, the course instructor may allow a student with extenuating circumstances to withdraw from the course by assigning a grade of WP (withdrawal-passing: student is passing at the time of withdrawal) or WF (withdrawal-failing: student is failing at the time of withdrawal). A grade of WP or WF does not affect a student's GPA.

This is not a student right, and it is reserved only for unusual and extenuating circumstances beyond the student's control. The reasons for withdrawing must be serious and compelling (not merely poor attendance or grades). The student must be able to, upon request, provide clear and complete documentation of the situation from a qualified professional such as a physician.

Here are some guidelines for acceptable serious and compelling reasons:

Medical: Serious illness or injury of the student or of his/her immediate family, which has resulted in the inability to make up course material missed.Financial: A student's financial situation has become so critical that it has resulted in the inability to make up course material missed.Personal: Serious family crisis or death in a family, which has resulted in the inability to make up course material missed.

A grade of WP or WF can negatively affect a student's current or future financial aid eligibility.

ABUSE OF LIBRARY PRIVILEGES

Any attempt to deprive others of equal access to library resources constitutes a violation of academic integrity. This includes the hiding or deliberately misshelving of library books for the use of an individual or group, repeated failure to respond to recall notices, and the removal or attempt to remove library materials from the College library without authorization. Defacing, stealing or destroying books, articles or other library materials meant to serve the entire College community also constitutes a violation of academic integrity.


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APPLYING FOR AN ADDITIONAL DEGREE

The policy for students at Westchester Community College who wish to apply for an additional degree at the College is as follows:

A student admitted as a matriculated for an additional degree at Westchester Community College is required to complete in addition to all specific course requirements, a minimum of 15 additional credits encompassing the required curriculum courses for the additional degree.

APPLYING CREDITS FOR A DEGREE FOR COURSES TAKEN MORE THAN TEN YEARS AGO

It is the policy of Westchester Community College to review all requests for the • acceptance of credits earned more than ten (10) years ago for a Westchester Community College degree on a case by case basis.

If it is possible to locate course descriptions and/or syllabi for courses taken more than ten (10) years ago, the department chairpersons and curriculum chairpersons involved will be asked to review these descriptions for course content, and to recommend how many credits these courses are equivalent to by the current Westchester Community College standards.

The final approval of awarding credits for courses taken more than ten (10) years ago is made by the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs.

CHILDREN IN CLASSROOMS

Westchester Community College adopted the following policy concerning children visiting the college with their parents during instruction time.

Children of students and college employees are not permitted on College campus premises.This policy is based on the following safety factors:

1. The safety of the child is an important factor.

2. The college could be held liable for any injuries occurring to children of students and employees.

3. Children may produce a distraction to the professor in the delivery of instruction, and other professional duties.


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4. Children may be distracting to other students, and, thus interfere with their learning.

5. The parent of the child in the classroom may be distracted by the presence of the child, thus affecting the learning of this parent.

COUNTING COURSES DURING A CHANGE OF CURRICULUM

In 1980 the Westchester Community College Senate passed unanimously the policy stated below in an effort to provide Westchester Community College students who are changing curricula with the same advantages that Westchester Community College gives to students transferring to Westchester Community College from other institutions, i.e., count all core curriculum courses but do not count courses required by the old curriculum.

The policy on counting courses, credits and grades during a change of curriculum is as follows:

a) When a student transfers into a new curriculum, the new Chairperson will identify those courses in the student's record which can meet specific curriculum requirements as well as subject matter electives. The grades in those courses shall be counted toward the 2.00 grade point average required for graduation. The grades in courses outside of these categories shall remain on the student's record, but will not count toward the graduation requirements. The Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs will review the record of the student requesting a curriculum change and approve or disapprove the curriculum change.

b) If a student wishes to change his/her curriculum a second time, his/her academic record will once again be reviewed by the Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs before permission is granted.

DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION PLACEMENT All first-time matriculated* students must be advised by a counselor prior to registration. For students placing in any number of developmental courses, specific course selection will be decided in consultation with either a counselor or a curriculum chair.

1. Following are the minimum course requirements for students placed into one or two developmental courses:

Full-time matriculated students placed into one or two developmental courses must take those courses within their first semester at Westchester Community College.

Part-time matriculated students placed into one or two developmental courses must take those courses prior to enrolling in a third credit-bearing course. These students are strongly advised to enroll in their


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developmental courses within their first semester at Westchester Community College.

2. Following are the minimum course requirements for students placed into three developmental courses:

Full-time matriculated students placed into three developmental courses must enroll in at least two of those courses within their first semester at Westchester Community College; these students must take the third developmental course in the following semester. These students are strongly advised to enroll in all three developmental courses within their first semester at the College.

Part-time matriculated students placed into three developmental courses must enroll in all those courses prior to enrolling in a third credit-bearing course. These students are strongly advised to enroll in their developmental courses within their first year at Westchester Community College.

* Matriculated students are those students who are registered in a program of study. They are working toward a degree or certificate.

ONLINE EDUCATION: CODE OF CONDUCT FOR STUDENTS

The Code of Conduct for Students Who Enroll in an Online Education Course is a follows:

Students have the right to express themselves and participate freely in an online class. However, they are expected to treat each other and the instructor with courtesy and respect. Offensive or inappropriate language is not to be used in any form of communication, e.g., emails, discussion postings, group projects, and submitted assignments. Students are allowed to disagree with each other or the instructor but must do so in an appropriate and civil manner.

The discussion area of the course is reserved for postings related to course work only.- Postings of a personal or non-academic nature are not permitted and may be removed by the instructor should they appear. Grades and personal issues should be handled by private email to the instructor.

Emails to the instructor that are considered offensive or inappropriate will be sent back to the writer with a request to rewrite and resubmit. If the emails continue to be unacceptable, the student will be referred to the Associate Dean of Student Development and Support Services and denied access to the course until the Associate Dean of Student Development and Support Services contacts the student and resolves the problem. If students receive inappropriate emails from other students in the class they should notify the instructor and appropriate action will be taken.

Students are expected to submit work which is their own. Plagiarism or cheating will not be tolerated. If either


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is the case the student may have his or her grade for the assignment/quiz lowered or may fail the course. Students may view the College's Academic Policy from the Students Services Page at http:/ www./wcc.edu/student _services/Student_affairs.htm .

Note: Students will be able to view the Code of Conduct for Students but not the Guidelines for Instructors.

Approved by the Faculty Senate on February 21, 2005

STUDIES COMPLETED WHILE SERVING IN THE MILITARY

Policy

Students who have been engaged in a course of study while serving in the military may be eligible to earn college credit at Westchester Community College.

Criteria:

• The coursework completed in the military must be applicable to the program of study (degree) in which the student wishes to enroll (or is enrolled) at Westchester Community College.

• In addition, students must submit the following documents to the Transcript Evaluator in the Admissions Office:

• AARTS1 transcript or a SMARTS2, or a CCAF3 transcript• And• An ACE4

recommendation/transcript Or• The DD214 (for Physical Education transfer credit)

• Students may earn:

• Generic credit identified by discipline or type of degree requirement OR

• Credit for a specific, parallel course

• Transfer credit may fulfill

• Core Program or elective requirements

1AARTS - Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript System 2SMARTS - Sailor/Marine American Council of Education Registry Transcript System 3CCAF -Community College of the Air Force 4ACE - American Council on Education


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Implementation• In determining equivalent courses, the Admissions Office will confer with:

1) The Curriculum chair - when the course will fulfill a degree requirement2) The Department Chair - when the course will fulfill a College Core, or elective

requirement[*Chair people will determine equivalents only for those courses that reside in their disciplines.]

• The College will apply the ACE-approved credit in the same fashion by which we acceptcredit from a regionally accredited college (no fee and no requirement to enroll in a substitute course, when an equivalent has been identified.)

FACULTY INFORMATION

Academic Freedom

It is the policy at the College to maintain and encourage full freedom, within the law of inquiry, teaching and research. In the exercise of this freedom the faculty members may,' without limitation, discuss own subjects in the classroom; they may not, however, claim as a right the privilege of discussing in their classrooms controversial subject matter which has no relation to the subject matter being taught in that class. Intheir role as citizens, the faculty members have the same freedom as any other citizen. However, in their extramural utterances they have an obligation to indicate that they are not this institution's spokespersons.

Access to Student Files

In response to the "Family Education Rights and Privacy Act" as it is currently understood, enrolled students have the right to inspect and review all official records/files and data directly related to them which are maintained by the College (except confidential documents dated before January 1, 1975, certain financial records, and medical records). While the College will make every attempt to assist students at the time of the request, it should be understood that office responsibilities, such as registration, placement, grading, etc., may require that a later, mutually convenient appointment be arranged for document review. Under the law providing access to institutional records, students have a right to:

1. A list of the types of education records which are maintained by the College and are directly related to the student;

2. Inspect and review the contents of those records;

3. Obtain copies of those records, at the expense of the eligible students;

4. A response from the institution to reasonable requests for explanations and interpretations of those records;

5. An opportunity for a hearing to challenge the content of those records. Any questions concerning the


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procedure to be followed in requesting such a hearing should be directed to the Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs, who is located in Hartford Hall.

An official list of records maintained by the College will be posted in the Office of the Registrar, Administration Building, Room 107, where request forms for record access may be obtained.

CANCELLATION OF CLASSES DUE TO SEVERE SNOW STORM

During severe snow storms Westchester Community College follows the procedures outlined below:

I. The College Web Site is the primary source for announcements about cancellation of classes, school closings, and delays.

II. RADIO AND TELEVISION ANNOUNCEMENTS

A. The standard radio and television announcement will be "Day classes are canceled today." This will be made as soon as possible after 6:00am. We will use the home page of our Web Site ( www.sunywcc.edu ) as our primary means of communication.

B. The radio and television stations contacted are WCBS, WFAS, WHUD, and NEWS 12 WESTCHESTER. Anyone living beyond the reach of these stations should arrange with a colleague who can hear these stations to call her/him on severe snowstorm days.

C. A separate decision will ALWAYS be made concerning evening on-campus classes. A decision on closing for the evening will be based on the condition of the parking lots and the pathways and the weather forecast at 3:30pm. We will be unable to answer questions about the evening schedule prior to 3:30pm. When necessary the radio station will be given the message "No evening classes on campus tonight after 3:30pm."

D. OFF-CAMPUS classes taught in the evenings in high school buildings will follow whatever decision has been made by the local school district in which the high school site is located. The Westchester Community College Center for the Arts, Peekskill, Ossining, Cross County and Mt. Vernon satellite programs will usually follow the main campus, but may reach a separatedecision with an announcement. Call the individual sites for specific information.

E. At the same time that the morning and evening announcements are called to the radio stations, a tape on 606-6900 will be changed to indicate what has been decided. This is an alternate to the radio announcement to find out whether we have decided to close.

Please note that this is cancellation of classes only. Radio stations, in their haste to serve the public have been known to switch "classes cancelled" to "school is closed". In many cases the cancelling of classes will not mean that the campus is closed - all clerical and


http://www.sunywcc.edu/

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administrative personnel should report as usual.

III. TELEPHONE ANNOUNCEMENT

Every time there is a snow variation (cancellation of classes, or late start of classes) a telephone message will be prepared to announce the arrangements for that day. By calling the College information number, 606-6900, that information will be available. In addition to using the Web and 6900 to communicate information on delays and closings, we will continue to institute the phone chain system, issue College-wide emails (when the delay/closing decision is made during regular business hours), and alert local radio stations and News 12 Westchester to help spread the word.

CANCELLING OF CLASSES

CANCELLATION OF CLASSES has this impact on the various populations in the College -community:

A. STUDENTS - No classes will be held; students are to stay at home and, if at all possible, off thehighways.

B. TEACHING FACULTY - Since buildings and offices will be open, teaching faculty with non-teaching work to do or meetings to attend may come in. As per the union contract, adjunct andoverload teaching faculty will be paid for classes canceled by the College for emergency reasons,but they are expected to make up the content of the classwork missed on the snow day.

This makeup can be done in several ways: the student can be given an additional outside assignment; a few minutes can be added to all remaining classes; a makeup session can be held at a time agreed upon by the instructor and all students in the class. Many evening classes meet only one night per week and one snow closing can wipe out a whole week's work. Because of this, whenever possible, the College will provide a makeup night - usually a Friday. Members of the evening faculty have the option of using the makeup night if they feel that it the most appropriate way to make up the work. The manner is left up to the professional discretion of the faculty member, but should be communicated in writing to the department chairperson.

C. ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF IN THE ACADEMIC AREAS - All administrators and staff should report to the College when classes are cancelled. Anyone who remains at home will have to charge the missed time to annual leave, personal days, or compensatory time. Because it is possible that an occasion could arise in which (because of unplowed parking lots or unhealed buildings) the staff will be asked to stay at home as well, a telephone chain has been, instituted in each area so that each employee would receive a phone call DIRECTLY from his/her supervisor telling him/her to remain at home. In such cases no time would be charged against the employee. (Please note: Remember the radio announcement is only for the cancellation of classes, it does not excuse administrators and staff from reporting to work). Staff who do report should expect to work the full work day. Again, there could be extenuating circumstances due to campus conditions which might occasionally result in.an early release, but this is not the norm.

V. PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED PERSONS - Over the years Westchester Community ' College has opened its doors to more and more physically challenged individuals, those who use wheelchairs, canes,


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crutches, etc. While it is difficult negotiating the campus for everyone, clearly the physically challenged individuals are at a severe disadvantage. The faculty should give special consideration to those students if they are unable to make classes due to the severe conditions on campus. No punitive cuts should be assigned, and arrangements should be made for them to make up the work, or test(s) that they have missed.

Confidentiality of Student Records

The academic and personal records which the student establishes at the College are considered by this institution to be confidential information, and information contained in the student's records will be furnished to other parties, including parents, only upon receipt of a release signed by the student, or duly authorized officials.

Copyright Information

According to the U.S. Copyright Office, "Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) to the authors of original works of authorship,' including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works."

The WCC Digital Copyright Committee makes resources about copyright available to students, faculty, staff and administrators at http://researchguides.sunywcc.edu/copyright?hs=a The Committee may be contacted at: [email protected].

Course Evaluation

It is required that all instructors ask their students to complete a "Course Evaluation" at the end of each course. The outcome of this questionnaire allows the instructor to judge which methods and approaches were effective, and which ones need to be improved. The students submit these evaluations anonymously. The results of these evaluations are returned to the instructor for the purpose of improvement. Contact your department chair for information and for details of the administration of the "Course Evaluation" procedure.

CREATION OF ORIGINAL WORK: OWNERSHIP/COPYRIGHT

This policy sets forth the terms of ownership and derived benefits of such ownership of Original Work created by a member of the Westchester Community College Faculty (hereafter stated as the Faculty). Original Work is defined as the creation of a tangible product by a member(s) of the faculty, supported by Westchester Community College (hereafter stated as WCC) in any form, approval for Sabbatical Leave, use of WCC-owned property as a component part of such creation, or creation during time defined as the standard hours of employment.

Original Works include but are not limited to product(s) eligible for federal copyright and/or patent; i.e., works that are written, electronic, and mechanical.

Original Works may be copyrighted and/or patented by the faculty member(s) who has produced the product. Any/all


mailto:[email protected]

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royalties/gross revenues derived from the sale of Original Work or derivative of such sale is distributed as follows:

• First one-thousand dollars ($1,000) or part thereof is paid to Westchester Community College.• One-third of all gross revenues in excess of one thousand dollars ($ 1,000) is paid to Westchester

Community College.• Remaining two-thirds of all gross revenues in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000) is retained by the

Westchester Community College faculty member(s).

CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND RACISM

Westchester Community College endeavors to establish and maintain an environment in which individuals of various groups and backgrounds learn to live together in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Furthermore, the College asserts that the students' education is inadequate unless they have acquired knowledge and appreciation of human diversity, and have established sets of values with which to function positively in a pluralistic society.

Respect for, and understanding of, cultural diversity in all its forms is a strong antidote for prejudice, racism and discrimination based on religion, national origin, ethnic grouping, color or other socially-derived attempts to deny people their human rights. Accordingly, the College strived to find the common elements that unite us, and the positive differences that strengthen us.

Westchester Community College, therefore, endeavors to:

1. Provide all students with experiences in and out of the classroom that enhance their understanding and respect for differences in race, national origin, religion, ethnic identity, gender, sexual preference, age and socioeconomic background.

2. Sensitize the faculty and staff to regard cultural differences as the norm, not the exception, while recognizing our common needs and aspirations,

3. Encourage diverse groups to participate in cooperative endeavors and interactions.

4. Explain that in the context of organizational life diversity is about individual differences that can be drawn upon and developed to promote the goals of affirmative action.

5. Emphasize that there is no scientific validity that race is a determinant of human abilities, and that various racial groups constitute a hierarchy in which one group is regarded as superior to others.


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DEATH OF A STUDENT NOTIFICATION POLICY

This Policy has been developed so that appropriate channels of communication are followed upon learning of the death of a student. That includes the following:

1. Notify Juana Reina, Vice President and Dean of Student Development and Support Services, of the death of the student after investigating the reliability of the information.

2. Express condolences on behalf of the College to the family. Dr. Joseph Hankin's the President’s office will also send a condolence note.

3. Dean Juana Reina Vice President and Dean of Student Development and Support Services will notify the following individuals/departments:

a) Registrar, for the removal the student's name and address from the student database and deactivation of the student's name on the strata voice system.

b) FSA Director, for possible life insurance eligibility notification.

c) Health Services Coordinator, who will contact the following:

• The student's professors, and when appropriate, request that they share the information with the student's classmates. The professors will be reminded to refer any student(s) in need of counseling to the Counseling Department.

• Director of College-Community Relations.• Director of Student Development Programs and Community Standards, who will alert

counselors of the potential need for their services.• Student Involvement Director.

d) SUNY system

As per HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) privacy laws, no personal or medical information will be disclosed to students, staff and the media.

DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT

A faculty member who wishes to make a complaint about a supervisor or another employee regarding alleged


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discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, age, sex, sexual preference or disability, should register that complaint with the Office of Student Affairs speaking to the Associate Dean of Student Development and Support Services in the Student Center Building (606-6733), or with the Affirmative Action Officer (606-6977). A complaint about sexual harassment should be referred to the Sexual Harassment Officer (606-6931).

In any case of alleged discrimination, the first step should be to attempt to resolve the complaint informally. If a resolution satisfactory to both complainant and respondent is reached within seven (7) working days through the efforts of the Associate Dean of Student Development and Support Services, the Affirmative Action Officer, another appropriate College official or other such designated person, the case shall be closed. A written notice to that effect will be sent to the complainant.

If no formal resolution is possible, and the faculty member or another employee wishes to pursue the complaint, a grievance must be submitted in writing. Such formal grievances must be filed within forty-five (45) working days following the alleged discriminatory act, or when the complainant first becomes aware of that alleged discrimination.

All cases of alleged discrimination for any of the above-mentioned reasons will be forwarded to the Affirmative Action Officer. In cases of alleged discrimination based on gender, the grievance will also be forwarded to the Title IX Gender Equity Coordinator; in cases of alleged discrimination based on disability, the grievance will also be forwarded to the 504 Disability Coordinator. In all cases the discrimination complaint will be dealt with in a timely fashion by each compliance officer in the manner described above.

A decision will be sent in writing to the grievant within thirty (30) working days of the receipt of the formal complaint by all appropriate parties.

Disruptive Student Behavior

In the event that faculty experience or observe disruptive student behavior, or require assistance in dealing with it, they should follow the following directions:

a) If the problem with a student is in the classroom, contact Dr. Ruben Barato, Student Center, Room 222, Tel. No. 606-6777.

b) If the problem is not in the classroom (anywhere on campus) contact Ellen Zendman, Student Center, Room 203, Tel. No. 606-6733.

c) If you feel that the student has personal/emotional problems contact Debra Santora or Tiffany Kalihovd, Student Center, Room 224, Tel. No. 606-6721.

d) If you feel disruptive situations requires the assistance of campus Security, contact the Security Office, Student Center, Room 118, Tel. No. 606-6351 or 606-6984. In case of an emergency contact 6911.

e) For additional information see the section on Westchester Community College Policy on Student Conduct (page 169-171) and Policy on Classroom Conduct (page 130)


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DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

In compliance with the 1989 Drug Free Schools and Community Amendment Act relating to United States Public Law 101-226, Westchester Community College is a drug and alcohol free campus. Drug and alcohol abuse can devastate the college community, causing "accidents" and poor performance affecting college morale.

Possession, use or distribution of illegal drugs or alcohol on college property or at college-sponsored events will result in serious disciplinary action. Students could be expelled (see Policy on Student Conduct, page 169). Employees could be fired.

In addition to impacting the lives of others in dangerous ways, users of illegal drugs and alcohol subject themselves to serious health problems both now and for years into the future, including, addiction, disease and loss of physical skills. The college, therefore, discourages students and employees from covering for co-workers or fellow students who are users, but rather encourages them to assist users in getting help. Students should seek out faculty members, counselors, the Student Health Office (606-6610) or Student Affairs Office (606-6731). Employees can go to their immediate supervisors, or to Westchester County's Employment Assistance Program.

Further information on the legal ramifications and health consequences of drug and alcohol abuse is available in the college library and in the Offices of Student Health and Student Affairs.

Emergency Closing and Delayed Openings

School closing or delayed opening due to weather or other emergencies will be announced on the following radio stations:

WCBS, WFAS, WHUD AND NEWS 12 WESTCHESTER. We will use the home page of our Website ( www.sunywcc@edu ) as our primary means of communication.

The announcement generally will be made by 6:00am for day classes, and by 3:00pm for evening classes. Instructors will be paid for any class hour(s) which is missed when the College has cancelled the class(es). Arrangements should be made to cover the course work missed. See Policy on Cancellation of Classes due to Severe Snow Storm on page 126-127.

Employment and Retention Policies

The College faculty shall be responsible for the implementation of the College's instructional student personnel service and learning resource programs. Faculty members in all ranks and classifications have a primary responsibility to perform completely and faithfully all College assignments.

Hiring recommendations are made by Department Chairs with the assistance of Departmental committees. Contracts are issued by the Human Resources Office after consultation with the appropriate Associate Deans,


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Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs and the President.

Faculty Absence

If a faculty member must be absent due to illness, the department chair or the division associate dean must be informed as soon as possible so that arrangements can be made for a substitute instructor.

Faculty Responsibilities Acceptance of a teaching position at the College indicates an acceptance of responsibility for doing the following:

1. Provide an educational experience as described in the course syllabus and the course description in the catalog.

2. Meet all scheduled classes, except as unavoidable emergencies interfere, in which case, inform the division and/or department chair of your problem as soon as possible.

3. Meet classes on time in the assigned classroom, in a business-like manner, and make use of the entire designated period of instruction.

4. Maintain academic standards as outlined in the catalog and in this Handbook.

5. Provide a worthwhile educational experience each and every session.

6. Come fully prepared to teach each class.

7. Maintain a frequent and equitable student evaluation procedure which is understood by all the students.

8. Apply departmental policies, as instructed by the department chair to maintain uniform academic quality, safety and equitability, in all department offerings.

9. Provide student evaluations:

a. All grades during the semester. These might include tests, reports, themes,term papers, projects, etc.

b. Final grade(s) and overall student attendance on grade record sheet(s) andcomputer form(s) which must be picked up from the Associate Dean's Officeand submitted to the Registrar in person by the established deadlines.

10. Maintain an accurate and up-to-date syllabus according to the information in the faculty folder kept on file in Department Chair's Office.


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11. Cooperate in the development and preparation of course syllabi, selection of texts, etc., when necessary and/or requested.

12. Check assigned mailbox every class session to maintain up-to-date and efficient communication.

13. Read all memoranda and notes on your class(es) whenever requested and applicable. You provide the most important link between the College and your students.

FIELD TRIPS

Faculty planning field trips can request support for transportation from the Student Affairs Office. Some clubs and athletic teams have funds for such transportation built into their budgets. If funds are available and the College provides the transportation, the students are covered by the College's insurance if there is a mishap.

Over the years, some faculty have availed themselves of other networks for providing transportation - requesting that students use their own cars and meet the instructor at the field trip site. Given the limited student affairs funds, this is a viable alternative; however, those students are not covered by the College's insurance policy for mishaps on the road (just as they would not be covered driving to the campus for a regular class). Even more important, if they give other students a ride, those students are also not covered by the College's insurance policy. If there is some mishap at the field site under the supervision of our faculty, there would be insurance coverage, but not en route to the field trip site.

Students should be aware that when they give rides (and accept rides) they do so at their own risk.

All field trips, therefore, regardless of the means of transportation, should be formally requested by memo through the academic division, clearly indicating the following facts:

• Faculty person who is in charge;• Location of the field trip;• Date and time of the field trip;• Type of activity;• Other pertinent information.• The above facts are especially important in case of a mishap.

Field Trips Faculty who wish to undertake educational field trips should contact their department or curriculum chair for assistance or information. If the field trip is club related the Office of Student involvement (Adam Frank) should be contacted. Location: Student Center Building, Room 290; Tel. No. 606-6335.


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Global Email

The College email provides a simple and convenient procedure to quickly disseminate email communications to the entire campus by using the Global Address list. This list is available for use by College employees for the purpose of distributing business communication of interest and relevance to the entire campus - administrators, faculty, and staff. It is NOTTo be used for PERSONAL communication (e.g. to sell personal property, charitable solicitations, "Classified," non-business related invitations). Now that the College has implemented the PeopleSoft faculty/staff portal ( www.sunvwcc.edu/nyce/ this site should be used as the main communication source for the campus community. Information on events or activities, and other news that is of interest and concern to the campus community may be posted on the portal. Since both employees and students have access to the site, this is an effective means to share information. To have information posted on the portal, please email Janice Adams ([email protected]) with all pertinent details and information.

Guest Lecturers If you plan to use guest lecturers in your class, please consult with your department chair. Guest lecturers are not reimbursed by the College.

Observance of Religious Holiday

Although the College schedules classes on religious holidays, students have the right according to New York State Law to observe these holidays. Students must not be penalized for absences on such days. Do not schedule examinations on those days. Please permit students who observe the holiday to make up missed class work.

If the observance of religious holiday prevents you from meeting your class, please advise students of the method you will use to make up the missed class time. You will not be paid for the class you miss unless you make up the time. Confirm this in writing with your department chair. You may wish to give an out-of-class assignment, meet with the class on another day, or arrange for a substitute teacher. Your department chair must be informed of the method you will use to make up the missed class. See New York State Law concerning Observance of Religious Holidays on page 154.

Smoking

Westchester Community College adopted a SMOKE -FREE POLICY. See the section on WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE POLICY ON SMOKING," for a detailed description of this Policy on page


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Student Use of Recording Devices in the Classroom (2nd Draft)The college leaves the decision of allowing any type of recording devices in the classroom to the professor's discretion and it is the student's responsibility to obtain permission from the professor prior to any recordings. Student use of recording devices in the classroom must be limited to the recording of instructional information for personal use as a study aid and these class recordings must not be duplicated, transferred, or shared with others. Please note: any case for class recordings that is deemed necessary under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the ADA of 1990, needs to be properly documented in the event that the professor prohibits recordings. Such requests for accommodations should be through the college's Disability Office.


Documents

Web viewStudents who cheat skew the grading curve in a class, ... (exam booklet) before an ... Physics faculty in the case of Math;