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THE STUDENT HANDBOOK 2008-2009 STUDENT LIFE I. ACADEMIC A. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT 1. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT includes plagiarism, copying, cheating or other forms of academic dishonesty. 2. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT, either directly or indirectly through participation or assistance is prohibited. 3. Penalties for ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT are defined in the Student Conduct and Disciplinary Policies section of this handbook. B. ACADEMIC OVERLOAD 1. Any number of hours above 18 per semester is considered an OVERLOAD. 2. A student who has a “B” average for a semester may with written approval, schedule a maximum of 22 semester hours in the semester after the “B” average was earned. 3. A student who wishes to register for an OVERLOAD must seek and secure approval from the Vice President for Academic Affairs. C. ACADEMIC PROBATION 1. ACADEMIC PROBATION is a conditional status which allows a student the opportunity to continue his/her enrollment, attend classes and return to academic good standing. 2. A student who fails to meet the criteria for academic progress will be placed on ACADEMIC PROBATION at the end of the semester in which academic progress was not met and for the subsequent 15-week semester of enrollment. 3. An official notice of probation will be mailed to students placed on ACADEMIC PROBATION after the semester grades are posted for the term the ACADEMIC PROBATION status was earned. D. ACADEMIC SUSPENSION FROM THE COLLEGE If a student does not meet the criteria for academic progress at the conclusion of the term the student is on Academic Probation, the student will be suspended. An official notice of suspension will be mailed to students after the semester grades are posted for the term the academic suspension status was earned. After the student has completed his/her term of suspension, the student may apply for readmission to the College. Upon being readmitted, the student will be designated as having Academic Probation status. If a student is notified of suspension status at the end of the Spring Semester, the summer term may not be counted as the term of suspension. The student will not be allowed to re-enroll until after the Fall Semester. A student may appeal suspension to the Vice President for Academic Affairs if the appeal is based upon extenuating circumstances and/or hardship. Appeal forms are available in the Office of Records and Registration. E. ADDING/DROPPING COURSES Students can change their schedules by adding or dropping courses through the late registration period using PRIDE (Volunteer State's Automated Registration System). Students can drop courses using PRIDE through the published date to drop each semester (published in the Schedule of Classes). Courses can only be added after late registration if the course has not met (late-starting courses). Courses from which the student withdraws after late registration will receive a mark of "W" (withdrew) when official procedures are followed. A student may be permitted to withdraw from a course after the date specified in the catalog and still receive a "W" only if the student can present documented evidence of serious personal illness, death in the immediate family, or employer mandated transfer. If a refund is due to the student as a result of a change in his/her schedule, the Business Office will mail a refund check to the student within three weeks after the Drop/Withdrawal process was initiated. Students receiving financial aid are strongly encouraged to make sure dropping courses will not affect their aid status. Any student who has questions regarding dropping or adding courses to their schedule may see their academic advisor or contact the Advising Center. F. APPEAL FOR GRADE CHANGE Students are given the opportunity to appeal a grade received in a course once the grade has been posted. The appeal of a posted grade must be initiated during the semester immediately following the semester in which the grade was posted (Summer semester will be considered in determining the following semester.) Prior to submitting a grade appeal, the student must contact the instructor who issued the grade in an effort to solve the problem. To appeal a grade, the student should follow the procedure outlined below: 1. An appeal for a grade change must be made in writing to the Academic Status and Grade Appeals Committee. A form for such an appeal may be obtained from the Office of Records and Registration or from the Committee Chair of the Academic Status and Grade Appeals Committee.The written appeal may be submitted to the Office of Records and Registration or the Chairperson of the committee 2. The committee will grant a hearing for the appeal if one is desired by the student or the faculty member affected by the grade appeal. An opportunity will be given to present evidence or information that might assist the committee in reaching a decision. The committee will notify the student and the faculty member of their decision but the committee is not required to give reasons for their decision. 3. If the student or the faculty member wishes to appeal the decision of the Academic Status and Grade Appeals Committee, an appeal can be made to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The appeal must be in writing, should include all information appropriate to the appeal, and must be submitted within ten calendar days after notification of the Academic Status and Grade Appeals Committee decision. Within ten working days after receipt of the appeal, the Vice President for Academic Affairs will submit to all concerned parties a written decision concerning the appeal of the grade change. G. CHANGE OF MAJOR A student who wishes to change his/her college major must complete a "Request For Change of Major/Advisor" form. These forms are available in the Office of Records and Registration, Academic Division Offices or the Office of Counseling and Testing . Completed forms must be submitted to the Office of Records and Registration for processing and reassignment of an advisor for the new major. H. CHANGE OF PERSONAL DATA A student must notify the Office of Records and Registration when there has been a change of his/her name, address or telephone number. I. SNOW POLICY Volunteer State Community College will normally remain open as scheduled regardless of weather conditions. however, should generally prevailing hazardous ice and snow conditions dictate that the school be closed for the day, or part of the day, area television and radio stations will be notified. Please note that radio/TV stations customarily announce school closings and do not ordinarily announce that a school is open. The College has no control over how or when announcements are aired. Volunteer State closing/opening schedules will be posted on the College Website at www.volstate.edu and will be announced on the College radio station, WVCP-FM 88.5 FM. For the most accurate information students should visit the College website or listen to the College radio station during inclimate weather. Information concerning evening classes, on and off campus, will be broadcast as soon as possible during inclement weather. Every attempt will be made to make the announcement by 3 p.m. It is not necessary to inform teachers in advance of absences. Even though the college is “open” in full or in part, students and college personnel should not endanger their lives or safety, by attempting to reach campus when their local road conditions prohibit safe travel. Students are on an “honor” system in observing this, but where such local hazardous conditions exist, individual students may be entitled to an excused absence (privilege of making up missed work). Keep in mind that relative hazards may vary within the College's 12 county service area and the decision to be opened or closed will relate to the generally prevailing conditions. Students will be responsible for any academic work which they missed due to absences caused by severe weather conditions, and it is the individual student’s responsibility to take the initiative to make up class work missed. For earliest announcements and latest information about Volunteer State closings and openings, listen to the VSCC public service radio station, WVCP (88.5 FM) and/or visit the Volunteer State website at www.volstate.edu. For information about weather related school opening or closing in the Livingston area, students should listen to 94.7 FM "Country Giant" Radio in Livingston. Off-Campus Snow Policy When local county schools are closed due to inclement weather, dual enrollment classes will not meet. Check local radio and television stations for school closing information. When Macon, Robertson, and/or Wilson County schools are closed due to inclement weather, College classes will not meet at these locations: Madison Site - College classes at the Madison Church of Christ site will follow the same schedule as the main campus. When classes are cancelled on the main campus, classes at the madison Site are also cancelled. If the main campus opens late, the Madison site will open late. Example: If the College opens at 9 a.m., the first regularly scheduled 9:35 a.m. class will be the first class to meet that day. McGavock Center, Hunters Lane Site, Livingston Center* - The decision to close at these locations is not based on county school closings, rather on local road conditions. College classes will meet unless announced on local radio and television stations. If classes are cancelled, the announcement will be specific to the site (i.e. "Vol State McGavock classes are cancelled.") and will be made as early as possible (morning news reports for day classes; by 3 p.m. for evening classes.) *The Livingston Center may open late. Example: If the Center opens at 10 a.m. on a Monday, the regularly scheduled 10:10 class will be the first class to meet that day. If the Center opens at 9 a.m. on a Tuesday, the regularly scheduled 9:35 a.m. class will be the first class to meet that day. For site-specific information, call: Other Sites - For information about inclement weather closings at these locations, call 615-452-8600 or 615-741-3215 or 1-888-335-8722 and then the respective program office: In any case, faculty and students should determine whether local road conditions prohibit safe travel. J. CLASS MISCONDUCT 1. CLASSROOM MISCONDUCT includes disruptive, threatening or otherwise unacceptable social behavior in the classroom. 2. CLASSROOM MISCONDUCT, either directly or indirectly through participation or assistance is prohibited. 3. Immediate penalties for CLASSROOM MISCONDUCT are defined in the Student Conduct and Disciplinary Policies section. 4. Students who are charged with CLASSROOM MISCONDUCT are subject to all other policies which govern student conduct and may be referred to the Vice President for Student Services for appropriate disciplinary action. K. EXEMPTION FROM PHYSICAL ACTIVITY Students who have been determined by a physician or certifying agency to be unable to engage in physical activity courses because of permanent physical disability may request exemption from physical activity course requirements for graduation. An affidavit or certificate signed by a physician or certifying agency representative which clearly states the extent of the physical disability must accompany the student’s written request for exemption and must be submitted to the Office of Admissions. Documentation of the student's disability should be on file in the Office of Disability Services. The Director of Disability Services will act as liaison in the process. If an exemption is granted, the student must take appropriate substitute courses which have been recommended by the student’s academic advisor. Students who have been determined to have physical limitations should receive advisement prior to selecting the appropriate activity course. L. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES 1. Students are encouraged to discuss any problem related to the classroom experience with the instructor first. If further grievance is required, the student must contact the appropriate Dean:
Final grievances must be submitted to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Ramer 107. 2. Students with disabilities who have complaints regarding physical accessibility of the college campus or regarding a complaint about the instructional accommodations they are receiving should follow the guidelines and procedures listed in the Disability Handbook (Policy 111:05:09) M. PRIVACY RIGHTS OF STUDENTS Volunteer State has adopted policies that comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, which sets out requirements designed to protect the privacy of parents and students. The statute governs the access of educational records and the release of such records. In brief, the statute provides: that institutions must provide students, and in some cases, parents of students, access to official educational records directly related to the students and an opportunity for a hearing to challenge such educational records on the grounds that they are inaccurate, misleading or otherwise inappropriate; and that institutions must obtain the written consent of students, and in some cases parents, before releasing personally identifiable data about students from records to other than a specified list of exceptions. The bill does provide for release of "Directory Information" such as: student's name, address, telephone number, major fields of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of athletic team members, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received and most recent educational institution attended. Directory information is treated as public information and will be released to the public unless otherwise requested by the student. The law provides for the release of information to authorized college personnel and other institutions engaged in research (provided information is not revealed to any other parties), and certain federal and state government officials. Students have a right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education if he or she believes the college has failed to comply with the Act. Copies of Federal and State laws concerning student records are available in the Office of Records and Registration. If you have any questions regarding the provisions of this Act, contact the Director of Records,and Registration. i N. TEST(S) OF ACHIEVEMENT 1. Any or all students may be required to take one or more tests designed to measure general education achievement in major areas as a prerequisite to graduation, for the purpose of evaluation of academic programs. Unless otherwise provided for any individual program, no minimum score or level of achievement is required for graduation. 2. Participation in testing may be required of all students, of students in selected programs, and of students elected on a sample basis. O. MATH LAB Located in the Warf Building room 125, the Math Lab offers FREE help for students in math and science courses (such as Biology, Chemistry, and Physics) as well as Remedial/Developmental Math. Students may expect the assistance of trained tutors and the use of supplementary materials which include audio visual aids and computer assisted tutorial materials. The associated computer tutorial laboratory, Warf 124, is available to students when mathematics classes are not being taught. P. OFF -CAMPUS CLASSES Students enrolled in classes at off-campus locations may contact the Office of Off-Campus Services at 230-3742 regarding services available at specific sites. A Volunteer State representative is available at the McGavock Center (885-8910), Hunters Lane (860-1435), the Livingston Center (931-823-7065 or 1-800-563-8220) Wilson Central (453-4600, ext. 1139) and Madison (860-3255) to assist students with admissions-related functions, campus resources, room assignments, and general college information. Q. PUBLIC TELEPHONES For the convenience of students, public telephones are located in: R. RE-ORIENTATION FOR PARALLEL TRANSFER STUDENTS Many students who plan to transfer to senior institutions after graduation from Volunteer State find it necessary to prepare a successful transfer. The Advising Office plans and coordinates visits from representatives of the senior institutions to our campus for the purpose of providing Volunteer State students with opportunities which will facilitate successful transfers. Additionally, a library of catalogs, brochures, and articulation agreements from senior institutions is maintained in the Advising Office. S. LANGUAGE CENTER The Language Center is available to students, in any class, writing at any level, who wish to enhance their writing skills. Experienced tutors are on hand to assist students with every aspect of the writing process--from getting started to producing the final draft - for any writing situation. Visitors may drop in at any time or make an appointment; hours are posted. Computers are available for word processing and Internet access. In addition, some computers have special software for ESL students and those taking foreign language courses. The Language Center is located in the Ramer building in room 309.The Language Center Webpage is http://www2.volstate.edu/language. T. WVCP-FM 88.5 The on-campus radio station, WVCP-FM 88.5 is a public, non-commercial radio station offering news, educational programming and entertainment services to listeners in Northern Middle Tennessee. The station also serves as a training facility for communications students and as an information outlet for Volunteer State. WVCP provides publicity at no cost to students, faculty or staff for special activities and events sponsored by civic groups and student organizations. Call, visit or send post cards to the station for such requests. In the event of the College’s closing, WVCP will be the “first to know.” During inclement weather and hazardous driving conditions, tune-in to FM 88.5 for special announcements. U. EMERGENCY EVACUATION OF DISABLED If you have disclosed your disability, a locator list is given to Campus Security in case of an emergency, for those with severe physical mobility disabilities. If your class is located on the second floor, during the first week of class , please notify your instructor if you would prefer to be lifted, moved, or any special assistance in the case of an emergency. If you choose not to accept assistance, remain by the stairwell landing until security arrives to assist. 1480 Nashville Pike | Gallatin, Tennessee 37066 - 3188 | (615) 230-3441 (Gallatin) | (615) 741-3215, ext. 3441 (Nashville area) | Toll Free 1-888-335-VSCC (8722), ext 3441 | TDD# (615) 230-3488
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2008-2009 STUDENT HANDBOOK LINKS
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