Addendum

Appendix 1. Student Transfer Policies

Maryland Higher Education Commission Student Transfer Policies

Authorization

These Student Transfer Policies, as adopted by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, will supersede the transfer policies in effect since 1972, as modified and adopted in 1979. These policies shall be effective and applicable to students first enrolling in Maryland public post-secondary educational institutions in Fall 1990, and thereafter.

Applicability of Policies

These transfer policies and procedures apply to admission, credit transfer, program articulation, and related matters for undergraduate students who wish to transfer between Maryland public colleges and universities. The Maryland Higher Education Commission also recommends them to Maryland independent institutions.

Rationale

A major premise of the Maryland public higher education system is that a student should be able to progress from one segment of higher education to another without loss of time or unnecessary duplication of effort. The Maryland Higher Education Commission’s objective is to ensure that a student who intends to complete a baccalaureate degree and who begins his or her work at a community college is able to move towards the completion of that degree by transferring to a baccalaureate degree-granting institution without loss of credit or unnecessary duplication of course content. At the same time, the Commission recognizes that some students change their educational objectives as they progress in their studies, indeed, sometimes because their studies expose them to new ideas and possibilities. These students should also be able to complete their general education courses and have them transfer without loss of credit.

One means of accomplishing this objective is through the development of recommended transfer programs between two- and fouryear institutions. A recommended transfer program, developed by careful planning and agreement between specific two- and four-year institutions, is that recommended sequence of courses which a student takes at a community college which will constitute the first two years of a baccalaureate degree program at a Maryland public institution of higher education.

The Maryland Higher Education Commission recognizes that students select institutions of higher education for a variety of reasons. These policies also recognize that each Maryland public college or university has a separate and distinct mission, and that each has the responsibility to establish and maintain standards of expectations for courses, programs, certificates, and degrees consistent with that mission. Nevertheless, effective and efficient transfer of credits between and among these institutions must occur within the larger context of the statewide structure of baccalaureate and community college education.

Successful and harmonious articulation depends upon:

• Firm agreement that the needs of the student should be a primary concern in developing articulation procedures, while maintaining the integrity of educational programs;
• The establishment of clear and equitable policies to assure optimum accessibility for transfer students with minimal loss of credits and minimal duplication of course content;
• Mechanisms for evaluating and resolving difficulties students may encounter in moving from one school to another;
• Free and continuous communications among institutions;
• Mutual respect for institutions and their missions;
• Adaptability, within a context of understanding that changes affect not only the institution making changes but also the students and institutions impacted by the changes;
• Free exchange of data among institutions;
• Timely exchange of information relative to students’ progress.

The intended principal benefactor is the student, whose uninterrupted progress towards a degree — based on successful academic performance — is best served by the open exchange of current information about programs, and is best protected by a clear transfer policy pertaining to the public segments of higher education in Maryland.

The State’s interests are similarly served through such a policy, which results in the optimal use of its higher education resources by reducing the costly duplication that results in the needless waste of the valuable time and effort of Maryland students, faculty, and administration.

Institutional interests and missions are also protected by this systematic approach, which permits them to incorporate into their academic planning more accurate projections about the programmatic backgrounds of transferring students.

In more specific ways this document’s purpose is to:

• Define broad areas of agreement among the public two-year and four-year institutions of higher education pertaining to facilitating the transfer of students within these segments;
• Provide a mechanism for continuous evaluation of programs, policies, procedures, and relationships affecting transfer of students;
• Provide such revisions as are needed to promote the academic success and general well-being of the transfer student;
• Provide a system of appeals beginning on the campus level to resolve difficulties that students experience in transfer.

While policies and procedures can be established which facilitate the transfer of students, it is the responsibility of the student, as the principal in the process, to know and follow the procedures defined.

I. Policies

The fair and equal treatment of “native” and “transfer” students is the fundamental principle of these policies.

A. Admission:

1. Associate Degree Holders (or those with 56 or more credit hours):
   1. Students who have completed the Associate degree or students who have completed 56 semester hours of credit with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher on a scale of 4.0 in college and university parallel courses, shall not be denied direct transfer to an institution. (Only the last grade received in a course repeated by the student shall be used in computing a cumulative grade point average.) If the number of students seeking admission exceeds the number that can be accommodated in a particular professional or specialized program, or certain circumstances exist which limit the size of an upper division program or the total enrollment, admission decisions will be based on criteria developed and published by the receiving institution, providing fair and equal treatment for native and transfer students.
   2. Courses taken at a Maryland community college as part of a recommended transfer program oriented toward a baccalaureate degree shall be applicable to related programs at a Maryland public institution granting the baccalaureate degree.
   3. The determination of the major program requirements for a baccalaureate degree, including courses in the major taken in the lower division, shall be the responsibility of the faculty of the institution awarding the degree. The receiving institution may set major requirements which may fulfill general education requirements simultaneously. However, in developing its lower division coursework, the degree-granting institution would be expected systematically to exchange information with the community college to ensure the transferability of credits into that program.
   4. If the student has attended more than one institution, the cumulative GPA for admission purposes will be computed on grades received in courses at all institutions attended.

B. Transfer of General Education:
TITLE 13B
MARYLAND HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION
Subtitle 02 ACADEMIC REGULATIONS
Subtitle 06 GENERAL EDUCATION AND TRANSFER
Authority: Education Article, 11-201 - 11-206
Annotated Code of Maryland

.01 Scope and Applicability.

This chapter applies only to public institutions of higher education.

.02 Definitions.

1. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated.
2. Terms defined.
   1. “A.A. degree” means the Associate of Arts degree.
   2. “A.A.S. degree” means the Associate of Applied Sciences degree.
   3. “Arts” means courses that examine aesthetics and the development of the aesthetic form and explore the relationship between theory and practice. Courses in this area may include fine, performing and studio art, appreciation of the arts, and history of the arts.
   4. “A.S. degree” means the Associate of Sciences degree.
   5. “Biological and physical sciences” means courses that examine living systems and the physical universe. They introduce students to the variety of methods used to collect, interpret, and apply scientific data, and to an understanding of the relationship between scientific theory and application.
   6. “English composition courses” means courses that provide students with communication knowledge and skills appropriate to various writing situations, including intellectual inquiry and academic research.
   7. “General education” means the foundation of the higher education curriculum providing a coherent intellectual experience for all students.
   8. “General education program” means a program that is designed to introduce undergraduates to the fundamental knowledge, skills, and values that are essential to the study of academic disciplines, to encourage the pursuit of life-long learning, and to foster the development of educated members of the community and the world.
   9. “Humanities” means courses that examine the values and cultural heritage that establish the framework for inquiry into the meaning of life. Courses in the humanities may include the language, history, literature, and philosophy of Western and other cultures.
   10. “Mathematics” means courses that provide students with numerical, analytical, statistical and problem-solving skills.
   11. “Native student” means a student whose initial college enrollment was at a given institution of higher education and who has not transferred to another institution of higher education since that initial enrollment.
   12. “Parallel program” means the program of study (or courses) at one institution of higher education which has comparable objectives as those at another higher education institution, e.g. a transfer program in psychology in a community college is definable as a parallel program to a baccalaureate psychology program at a four year institution of higher education.
   13. “Receiving institution” means the institution of higher education at which a transfer student currently desires to enroll.
   14. “Recommended transfer program” means a planned program of courses, both general education and courses in the major, taken at the community college which is applicable to a baccalaureate program at a receiving institution; ordinarily the first two years of the baccalaureate degree.
   15. “Sending institution” means the institution of higher education of most recent previous enrollment by a transfer student at which transferable academic credit was earned.
   16. “Social and behavioral sciences” means courses that examine the psychology of individuals and the ways in which individuals, groups, or segments of society behave, function, and influence one another. They include, but are not limited to, subjects which focus on history and cultural diversity; on the concepts of groups, work and political systems; on the applications of qualitative and quantitative data to social issues; and on the interdependence of individuals, society, and the physical environment.
   17. “Transfer student” means a student entering an institution for the first time with academic credit earned at another institution which is applicable for credit at the institution the student is entering.

.03 General Education Requirements for Public Institutions.

1. While public institutions have the autonomy to design their general education program to meet their unique needs and mission, that program shall conform to the definitions and common standards in this chapter. A public institution shall satisfy the general education requirement by:
   1. Requiring each program leading to the A.A. or A.S. degree to include not less than 30 and no more than 36 semester hours and each baccalaureate degree program to include not less than 40 and no more than 46 semester hours of required core courses, with the core requiring, at a minimum, coursework in each of the following five areas:
      1. Arts and humanities;
      2. Social and behavioral sciences;
      3. Biological and physical sciences;
      4. Mathematics; and
      5. English composition.
   2. Conforming with COMAR 13B.02.02.16D(2)(b)- (c).
2. General education programs of public institutions shall require at least:
   1. One course in each of two disciplines in arts and humanities;
   2. One course in each of two disciplines in social and behavioral sciences;
   3. Two science courses, at least one of which must be a laboratory course;
   4. One course in mathematics at or above the level of college algebra; and
   5. One course in English composition.
3. Interdisciplinary and Emerging Issues.
   1. In addition to the five required areas in §A of this regulation, a public institution may include up to eight semester hours in a sixth category that addresses emerging issues that institutions have identified as essential to a full program of general education for their students. These courses may:
      1. Be integrated into other general education courses or may be presented as separate courses; and
      2. Include courses that:
         1. Provide an interdisciplinary examination of issues across the five areas; or
         2. Address other categories of knowledge, skills, and values that lie outside of the five areas.
   2. Public institutions may not include the courses in this section in a general education program unless they provide academic content and rigor equivalent to the areas in §A (1) of this Regulation.
4. General education programs leading to the A.A.S. degree shall include at least 20 semester hours from the same course list designated by the sending institution for the A.A. and A.S. degrees. The A.A.S. degree shall include at least one 3 semester hours course from each of the 5 areas listed in §.03A(1).
5. A course in a discipline listed in more than one of the areas of general education may be applied only to one area of general education.
6. A public institution may allow a speech communication or foreign language course to be part of the arts and humanities category.
7. Composition and literature courses may be placed in the Arts and Humanities area if literature is included as part of the content of the course.
8. Public institutions may not include physical education skills courses as part of the general education requirements.
9. All general education courses shall reflect current scholarship in the discipline and provide reference to theoretical frameworks and methods of inquiry appropriate to academic disciplines.
10. Courses that are theoretical may include applications, but all applications courses shall include theoretical components if they are to be included as meeting general education requirements.
11. Public institutions may incorporate knowledge and skills involving the use of quantitative data, effective writing, information retrieval, and information literacy where possible in the General Education Program.
12. Notwithstanding §A(1) of this Regulation, a public four-year institution may require 48 semester hours of required core courses if courses upon which the institution’s curriculum is based carry 4 semester hours.
13. Public institutions shall develop systems to ensure that courses approved for inclusion on the list of general education courses are designed and assessed to comply with the requirements of this chapter.
14. A public college or university shall notify all other public degree-granting institutions of its intention to adopt a new lower-division course for general education credit at least six months prior to offering the course for general education credit.

.04 Transfer of General Education Credit.

1. A student transferring to one public institution from another public institution shall receive general education credit for work completed at the student’s sending institution as provided by this Chapter.
2. A completed general education program shall transfer without further review or approval by the receiving institution and without the need for a course-by-course match.
3. Courses that are defined as general education by one institution shall transfer as general education even if the receiving institution does not have that specific course or has not designated that course as general education.
4. The receiving institution shall give lower-division general education credits to a transferring student who has taken any part of the lower-division general education credits described in Regulation .03 of this Chapter at a public institution for any general education courses successfully completed at the sending institution.
5. Except as provided in Regulation .03L of this Chapter, a receiving institution may not require a transfer student who has completed the requisite number of general education credits at any public college or university to take, as a condition of graduation, more than 10-16 additional semester hours of general education and specific courses required of all students at the receiving institution, with the total number not to exceed 46 semester hours. This provision does not relieve students of the obligation to complete specific academic program requirements or course prerequisites required by a receiving institution.
6. Each sending institution shall designate on or with the student transcript those courses that have met its general education requirements, as well as indicate whether the student has completed the general education program.
7. A.A.S. Degrees.
   1. While there may be variance in the numbers of hours of general education required for A.A., A.S., and A.A.S. degrees at a given institution, the courses identified as meeting general education requirements for all degrees shall come from the same general education course list and exclude technical or career courses.
   2. An A.A.S. student who transfers into a receiving institution with fewer than the total number of general education credits as designated by the receiving institution shall complete the difference in credits according to the distribution as designated by the receiving institution. Except as provided in §03M, the total general education credits for baccalaureate degree-granting public receiving institutions shall not exceed 46 semester hours.
8. Student responsibilities. A student is held:
   1. Accountable for the loss of credits that:
      1. Result from changes in the individual’s selection of the major program of study;
      2. Were earned for remedial coursework; or
      3. Exceed the total course credits accepted in transfer as allowed by this Chapter.
   2. Responsible for meeting all requirements of the academic program of the receiving institution.

.05 Transfer of Non-General Education Program Credit.

1. Credit earned at any public institution in the State shall be transferable to any other public institution if the:
   1. Credit is from a college or university parallel course or program;
   2. Grades in the block of courses transferred average 2.0 or higher; and
   3. Acceptance of the credit is consistent with the policies of the receiving institution governing students following the same program.
2. Credit earned in or transferred from a community college is limited to:
   1. One-half the baccalaureate degree program requirement, but may not be more than 70 semester hours; an
   2. The first two years of the undergraduate educational experience.
3. Nontraditional Credit.
   1. The assignment of credit for AP, CLEP, or other nationally recognized standardized examination scores presented by transfer students is determined according to the same standards that apply to native students in the receiving institution, and the assignment shall be consistent with the State minimum requirements.
   2. Transfer of credit from the following areas shall be consistent with COMAR 13B.02.02. and shall be evaluated by the receiving institution on a course-by-course basis:
      1. Technical courses from career programs;
      2. Course credit awarded through articulation agreements with other segments or agencies;
      3. Credit awarded for clinical practice or cooperative education experiences; an
      4. Credit awarded for life and work experiences.
   3. The basis for the awarding of the credit shall be indicated on the student’s transcript by the receiving institution.
   4. The receiving institution shall inform transfer students of the procedures for validation of coursework for which there is no clear equivalency. Examples of validation procedures include ACE recommendations, portfolio assessment, credit through challenge, examinations and satisfactory completion of the next course in sequence in the academic area.
   5. The receiving baccalaureate degree-granting institution shall use validation procedures when a transferring student successfully completes a course at the lower division level that the receiving institution offers at the upper division level. The validated credits earned for the course shall be substituted for the upper division course.
4. Program Articulation.
   1. Recommended transfer programs shall be developed through consultation between the sending and receiving institutions. A recommended transfer program represents an agreement between the two institutions that allows students aspiring to the baccalaureate degree to plan their programs. These programs constitute freshman/sophomore level coursework to be taken at the community college in fulfillment of the receiving institution’s lower division coursework requirement.
   2. Recommended transfer programs in effect at the time that this regulation takes effect, which conform to this chapter, may be retained.

.06 Academic Success and General Well-Being of Transfer Students.

1. Sending Institutions.
   1. Community colleges shall encourage their students to complete the Associate degree or to complete 56 hours in a recommended transfer program which includes both general education courses and courses applicable toward the program at the receiving institution.
   2. Community college students are encouraged to choose as early as possible the institution and program into which they expect to transfer.
   3. The sending institution shall:
      1. Provide to community college students information about the specific transferability of courses at 4-year colleges.
      2. Transmit information about transfer students who are capable of honors work or independent study to the receiving institution.
      3. Promptly supply the receiving institution with all the required documents provided the student has met all financial and other obligations of the sending institution for transfer.
2. Receiving Institutions
   1. Admission requirements and curriculum prerequisites shall be stated explicitly in institutional publications.
   2. The receiving institution shall admit transfer students from newly established public colleges that are functioning with the approval of the Maryland Higher Education Commission on the same basis as applicants from regionally accredited colleges.
   3. The receiving institution shall evaluate the transcripts of degree seeking transfer students as expeditiously as possible, and notify students of the results no later than mid-semester of the students’ first semester of enrollment at the receiving institution provided that all official transcripts have been received at least 15 working days before mid-semester. The receiving institution shall inform students of which courses are acceptable for transfer credit and which of those are applicable to the student’s intended program of study.
   4. The receiving institution shall give transfer students the option of satisfying institutional graduation requirements that were in effect at the receiving institution at the time the student enrolled as a freshman at the sending institution. In the case of major requirements, a transfer student may satisfy the major requirements in effect at the time when the student was identifiable as pursuing the recommended transfer program at the sending institution. These conditions are applicable to the student who has been continuously enrolled at the sending institution.

.07 Programmatic Currency.

1. Receiving institutions shall provide to the community college current and accurate information on recommended transfer programs and the transferability status of courses. Community college students shall have access to this information.
2. Recommended transfer programs shall be developed with each community college whenever new baccalaureate programs are approved by the degree-granting institution.
3. When considering curricular changes, institutions shall notify each other of the proposed changes that might affect transfer students. An appropriate mechanism shall be created to ensure that both two and four-year public colleges provide input or comments to the institution proposing the change. Sufficient lead time shall be provided to affect the change with minimum disruption. Transfer students are not required to repeat equivalent coursework successfully completed at the community college.

.08 Transfer Mediation Committee.

1. There shall be a Transfer Mediation Committee, which shall be representative of the public four-year colleges and universities and the community colleges, appointed by the Secretary.
2. Sending and receiving institutions that disagree on the interpretation of the transfer of general education courses as defined by this Chapter shall submit their disagreements to the Transfer Mediation Committee. The Transfer Mediation Committee shall also address questions raised by any institutions about the acceptability of new general education courses. As appropriate, the Committee shall consult with faculty on curricular issues.
3. The findings of the Transfer Mediation Committee shall be considered binding on both parties.

.09 Appeal Process.

1. Notice of Denial of Transfer Credit by the Receiving Institution.
   1. Except as provided in §A(2) of this Regulation, the receiving institution shall inform a transfer student in writing of the denial of transfer credit not later than mid-semester of the transfer student’s first semester provided that all official transcripts have been received at least 15 working days before mid-semester.
   2. If transcripts are submitted after 15 working days before mid-semester of the student’s first semester, the receiving institution shall inform the student of credit denied within 20 working days of receipt of the official transcript.
   3. The receiving institution shall include in the notice of denial of transfer credit:
      1. A statement of the student’s right to appeal; and
      2. A notification that the appeal process is available in the institution’s catalog
   4. The statement of the student’s right to appeal the denial shall include notice of the time limitations in §B of this regulation.
2. A student believing that the receiving institution has denied the student transfer credits in violation of this chapter may initiate an appeal by contacting the receiving institution’s Transfer Coordinator or other responsible official of the receiving institution within 20 working days of receiving notice of the denial of credit.
3. Response by Receiving Institution.
   1. The receiving institution shall establish expeditious and simplified procedures governing the appeal of a denial of transfer of credit.
   2. The receiving institution shall respond to the student appeal within 10 working days.
   3. The institution may either grant or deny the appeal. The institution’s reasons for denying an appeal must be consistent with these policies and conveyed to the student in written form.
   4. Unless the student appeals to the sending institution, this written decision constitutes the receiving institution’s final decision and is not subject to appeal.
4. Appeal to Sending Institution.
   1. If the student has been denied transfer credit after an appeal to the receiving institution, the student may request the sending institution to intercede on his/her behalf by contacting the Transfer Coordinator of the sending institution.
   2. The student must make this appeal to the sending institution within 10 working days (2 weeks) of having received the decision of the receiving institution.
5. Consultation between Sending and Receiving Institutions.
   1. Representatives of the two institutions shall have 15 working days (3 weeks) to resolve the issues involved in the appeal.
   2. As a result of this consultation, the receiving institution may affirm, modify, or reverse its earlier decision.
   3. The receiving institution shall inform the student in writing of the result of the consultation.
   4. The decision arising out of this consultation shall constitute the final decision of the receiving institution and is not subject to appeal.

.10 Periodic Review.

1. Reports by Receiving Institutions.
   1. The receiving institution shall annually report the progress of students who transfer from two-year and four-year institutions within the State to each community college and to the Secretary of the Maryland Higher Education Commission.
   2. The annual reports shall include longitudinal reports on the subsequent academic success of enrolled transfer students, including graduation rates, by major subject areas.
   3. The receiving institution shall include in the reports comparable information on the progress of native students.
2. Transfer Coordinator. Each public institution of higher education shall designate a Transfer Coordinator, who serves as a resource person to transfer students at either the sending or receiving campus. The Transfer coordinator is responsible for overseeing the application of the policies and procedures outlined in this plan and interpreting transfer policies to the individual student and to the institution.
3. The Maryland Higher Education Commission shall establish a permanent Student Transfer Advisory Committee that meets regularly to review transfer issues and recommend policy changes as needed. The Student Transfer Advisory Committee shall address issues of interpretation and implementation of this chapter.

C. Credit Transferability:

1. Traditional Credit
   1. Credit earned at any public institution in Maryland shall be transferable to any other public institution provided:
      • the credit is from a college or university parallel course or program;
      • the grades in the block of courses transferred average 2.0 or higher; and
      • the acceptance of the credit is consistent with the policies of the receiving institution governing students following the same program. (For example, if a “native” student’s “D” grade in a specific course is acceptable in a program, then a grade of “D” earned by a transfer student in the same course is also acceptable in the same program.)
   2. Credit earned in or transferred from a community college normally shall be limited to half the baccalaureate degree program requirement, but in no case more than 70 credits, and to the first two years of the undergraduate educational experience.
2. Non-Traditional Credit
   1. The assignment of credit for AP, CLEP, or other nationally recognized, standardized examination scores presented by transfer students will be determined according to the same regulations that apply to native students in the receiving institution, and such assignment must be consistent with the State minimum requirements
   2. Transfer of credit from the following areas shall be consistent with the State minimum standards and shall be evaluated by the receiving institution on a course-by-course basis:
      • technical courses from career programs;
      • course credit awarded through articulation agreements with other segments or agencies;
      • credit awarded for clinical practice cooperative education experiences; and
      • credit awarded for life and work experiences.
        
        The basis for the awarding of the credit shall be indicated on the student’s transcript.
         
   3. The baccalaureate degree-granting institution shall inform transfer students of the procedures through which coursework for which there is no clear equivalency can be validated, such as ACE recommendations, portfolio assessment, credit through challenge examinations, and satisfactory completion of the next course in sequence in the academic area.
   4. The baccalaureate degree-granting institution shall use validation procedures when a transferring student successfully completes a course at the lower division level which the degree-granting institution offers at the upper division level, and once validated, the credits earned for the course shall be substituted for the upper division course.

D. Program Articulation

Recommended transfer programs will be developed through consultation between the sending and receiving institutions. As such, each recommended transfer program represents an agreement between the two institutions that allow students aspiring to the baccalaureate degree to plan their programs. These programs will constitute freshman/sophomore level coursework to be taken at the community college in fulfillment of the receiving institution’s lower division coursework requirement.

II. Policies to Promote the Academic Success and General Well-Being of Transfer Students

1. By the Sending Institutions:
   1. Students who enroll at Maryland community colleges shall be encouraged to complete the Associate degree or to complete 56 hours in a recommended transfer program which includes both general education courses and courses applicable toward the program at the receiving institution.
   2. Community college students are encouraged to choose as early as possible the institution and program into which they expect to transfer.
   3. Sending institutions shall provide to community college students information about the specific transferability of courses at four-year colleges.
   4. Information about transfer students who are capable of honors work or independent study shall be transmitted to the receiving institution.
   5. The sending institution should promptly supply the receiving institution with all the required documents provided the student has met all requirements of the sending institution for transfer.
2. By the Receiving Institutions:
   1. Admission requirements and curriculum prerequisites shall be stated explicitly in institutional publications.
   2. Transfer students from newly established public colleges which are functioning with the approval of the Maryland Higher Education Commission shall be admitted on the same basis as applicants from regionally accredited colleges.
   3. The receiving institution shall evaluate the transcripts of possible, and shall notify students of the results no later than at the completion of the students’ first semester of enrollment at the receiving institution. Students shall be informed both of which courses are acceptable for transfer credit and which of those are applicable to the student’s intended program of study.
   4. Transfer students shall be given the option of satisfying institutional graduation requirements which were in effect at the receiving institution at the time they enrolled as freshmen at the sending institution. In the case of major requirements, the transfer student has the option of satisfying the major requirements in effect at the time when the student was identifiable as pursuing the recommended transfer program at the sending institution. These conditions are applicable to the student who has been continuously enrolled at the community college by completing a minimum of 12 hours within the calendar year.

III. Maintaining Programmatic Currency, Student Appeals, and Periodic Review

1. Programmatic Currency:
   1. Receiving institutions shall provide to the community college current and accurate information on recommended transfer programs and the transferability status of courses. Community college students shall have access to this information.
   2. Recommended transfer programs will be developed with each community college whenever new baccalaureate programs are approved by the degree-granting institution.
   3. When considering curricular changes, institutions shall notify each other of the proposed changes that might affect transfer students. An appropriate mechanism shall be created to ensure that both two- and four-year public colleges provide input or comments to the institution proposing the change. Sufficient lead time shall be provided to affect the change with minimum disruption. Transfer students shall not be required to repeat equivalent coursework successfully completed at the community college.
2. Appeal Process:
   1. Notification of denial of transfer credit by the receiving institution:
      A receiving institution must inform a transfer student in writing of the denial of transfer credit no later than mid-semester of the transfer student’s first semester provided that all official transcripts have been received at least 15 working days before mid-semester. If transcripts are submitted after 15 working days before mid-semester of the student’s first semester, the receiving institution must inform the student of credit denied within 20 working days of receipt of the official transcript. A statement of the student’s right to appeal the denial and a notification that this appeal process is available in the institution’s catalog shall accompany the notification of denial of transfer credit.
   2. Student appeal to receiving institution:
      If a student believes she/he has been denied transfer credits in violation of the State Student Transfer Policy, she/he must initiate an appeal by contacting the receiving institution Transfer Coordinator or other responsible official of the receiving institution within 20 working days (four weeks) of receiving notice of the denial of credit. The receiving institution shall inform the student of this time limitation at the same time as the transfer of credit is denied.
   3. Response by receiving institution:
      The receiving institution must respond to the student appeal within 10 working days (two weeks). The institution may either grant or deny the appeal. The institution’s reasons for denying an appeal must be conveyed to the student in written form.
   4. Appeal to sending institution:
      If the student has been denied transfer credit after an appeal to the receiving institution, the student may request the sending institution to intercede on his/her behalf by contacting the Transfer Coordinator of the sending institution. The student must make this appeal to the sending institution within 10 working days (two weeks) of having received the decision of the receiving institution.
   5. Consultation between sending and receiving institutions:
      Representatives of the two institutions shall have 15 working days (three weeks) to resolve the issues involved in the appeal. The sending institution will inform the student of the result of the consultation.
   6. Appeal to the Student Transfer Advisory Committee:
      If the transfer of credit is still denied after consultations between the sending and receiving institutions and the sending institution considers the student’s appeal to have sufficient merit, the sending institution may appeal in writing to the Secretary of Higher Education to request that the Student Transfer Advisory Committee review the student’s appeal and make a ruling on the merit of the appeal. The sending institution must make this appeal to the Secretary within 10 working days (two weeks) of having informed the student of the result of the consultation between the two institutions.
      In the absence of an appeal to the Secretary by the sending institution, if the credit is still denied, the student may appeal in writing to the Secretary to request that the Student Transfer Advisory Committee review the student’s appeal and make a ruling on the merit of the appeal. The student must make this appeal to the Secretary within 10 working days (2 weeks) of either being informed of the result of the consultation between the two institutions or, if the student receives no notification, within 10 working days (2 weeks) of the expiration of the time period of the sending institution’s right to appeal.
   7. Consideration and action by the Student Transfer Advisory Committee:
      The Student Transfer Advisory Committee shall receive relevant documentation, opinions, and interpretations in writing from the sending and receiving institutions and from the student at its next regularly scheduled meeting after the Secretary has received an appeal from a sending institution or from a student. The Committee will hold a hearing if it deems a hearing to be necessary to act upon the appeal.
   8. Advisory opinion of the Secretary:
      After receiving testimony on the merits of the appeal from the sending and receiving institutions, the Student Transfer Advisory Committee shall render an advisory opinion on the merits of the appeal to the Secretary of Higher Education.
      The Secretary will then convey the opinion of the Student Transfer Advisory Committee to the appropriate segmental chief executive for disposition.
3. Periodic Review:
   1. The progress of students who transfer from two-year and four-year institutions within the State shall be reported annually by the receiving institution to each community college and to the Secretary of the Maryland Commission of Higher Education. Such information shall include longitudinal reports on the subsequent academic success of enrolled transfer students, including graduation rates by major subject areas. Comparable information on the progress of native students shall be included.
   2. Each public institution of higher education shall designate a Transfer Coordinator, who serves as a resource person to transfer students at either the sending or receiving campus, and who is responsible for overseeing the application of the policies and procedures outlined in this plan. The Transfer Coordinator shall also assist in interpreting transfer policies to the individual student and to the institution.
   3. The Maryland Higher Education Commission shall establish a permanent Transfer Advisory Committee that meets regularly to review transfer issues and recommend policy changes as needed. The committee shall also arbitrate disagreements as necessary and receive written appeals as described in the “student appeals” section above.
   4. The Transfer Advisory Committee shall review these transfer policies at least every five years and recommend changes as necessary.

IV. Definitions

1. Native Student: A student whose initial college enrollment was at a given institution of higher education and who has not transferred to another institution of higher education since that initial enrollment.
2. Parallel Programs: The program of study (or courses) at one institution of higher education which has comparable objectives as those at another higher education institution, e.g. a transfer program in psychology in a community college is definable as a parallel program to a baccalaureate psychology program at a four-year institution of higher education.
3. Receiving Institution: The institution of higher education at which a transfer student currently desires to enroll.
4. Recommended Transfer Program: A planned program of courses, including both general education and courses in the major, taken at the community college level which is applicable to a baccalaureate program at a receiving institution; ordinarily the first two years of the baccalaureate degree.
5. Sending Institution: The institution of higher education of most recent previous enrollment by a transfer student at which transferable academic credit was earned.
6. Transfer Student: A student entering an institution for the first time with academic credit earned at another institution which is applicable for credit at the institution the student is entering.

Appendix 2. Annual Notice to Students of Rights Under FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords the student rights with respect to education records. They are:

1. The right to inspect and review the educational records within 45 days of the day the college receives a request for access.
   The student must submit to the Registrar a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Registrar will make arrangements for access and send notice of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
   If the Office of Registration and Records does not maintain the records, the Registrar will advise the student of the college official to whom the request should be addressed.
2. The right to request the amendment of education records believed to be inaccurate or misleading.
   The student must write the college official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record in question, and specify why it is accurate or misleading.
   If the college decides not to amend the record as requested, the college will send notice of the decision and advise the student of the right to a hearing regarding request for amendment. Within thirty (30) days from the date of the request, the Admissions, Academic Standing and Financial Aid committee will schedule and hold a hearing. The petitioning party will be given an opportunity to present reasons for concern to the committee and the Committee will notify the student within fourteen (14) days thereafter of the results of its findings.
3. The right to consent to disclosure of non-directory, personally identifiable information contained in education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
   One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the college in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research or support staff position; a person or company with whom the college has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor or collection agency); a person serving on the Board of Trustees.
   A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educational record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the College discloses educational records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. Directory information is information that may be released to a third party without your consent.
   As of January 3, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education’s FERPA regulations expand the circumstances under which your education records and personally identifiable information (PII) contained in such records—including your Social Security Number, grades, or other private information—may be accessed without your consent. First, the U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or state and local education authorities (“Federal and State Authorities”) may allow access to your records and PII without your consent to any third party designated by a Federal or State Authority to evaluate a federal- or state-supported education program. The evaluation may relate to any program that is “principally engaged in the provision of education,” such as early childhood education and job training, as well as any program that is administered by an education agency or institution. Second, Federal and State Authorities may allow access to your education records and PII without your consent to researchers performing certain types of studies, in certain cases even when we object to or do not request such research. Federal and State Authorities must obtain certain use-restriction and data security promises from the entities that they authorize to receive your PII, but the Authorities need not maintain direct control over such entities. In addition, in connection with Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, State Authorities may collect, compile, permanently retain, and share without your consent PII from your education records, and they may track your participation in education and other programs by linking such PII to other personal information about you that they obtain from other Federal or State data sources, including workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, military service, and migrant student records systems.
4. Directory information includes, but is not limited to, name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, dates of attendance, degrees earned, previous colleges attended, enrollment status, (full-time or part-time), campus e-mail address, and participation in officially recognized activities and sports. While the college does not routinely release information to everyone who inquires, it may legally do so if the third party demonstrates a legitimate need to know such information. Student may refuse to permit such disclosure without written consent by notifying the Office of Registration and Records in writing of their wish to be excluded from such release of information.
5. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the college to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:
   Family Policy Compliance Office
   U.S. Department of Education
   400 Maryland Avenue, SW
   Washington, DC 20202-4605

Appendix 3. Student Right-to-Know Graduation and Transfer-Out Rates

Federal Student-Right-to-Know regulations call for colleges and universities to report the graduation and transfer rates of “full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking undergraduates entering the institution on or after September 1, 1996.” These rates are based on degree completion or transfer-out within “150 percent of normal time,” which for a two-year institution would be three years. The rates do not include those who may have taken longer than three years to graduate or transfer.

Chesapeake College, a two-year public regional community college, has adopted an open admissions policy in keeping with its philosophy of providing residents with access to postsecondary education. Thus students attend the College with a wide variety of goals including exploring transfer or career courses/programs and obtaining associate degrees and certificates.

The source for the following Chesapeake College graduation and transfer-out rates is the Graduation Rate Survey (GRS), a report submitted annually to the U.S. Department of Education. It should be noted that at this time the number of transfers-out refers only to those transferring to a Maryland public college or university and not to a Maryland private institution or any out-of-state institution.

In the 2009 cohort of first-time degree- or certificate-seeking students at Chesapeake, 13 percent graduated within 150 percent of normal time and another 26 percent transferred to another Maryland public two- or four-year college or university. The combined graduation and transfer rate was 39 percent. There were an additional 17 percent who were still enrolled at Chesapeake at the three-year mark.

Appendix 4. Student Right-to-Know Campus Crime Report

Federal regulations call for colleges and universities to report crime statistics to students and employees (and upon request to applicants for enrollment or employment). These requirements stem from the Federal Campus Security Act of 1990 and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Higher Education Opportunity Act, 2008). This information is shown below and covers the federally-prescribed crimes and time periods. Public Property is defined as “All public property, including thoroughfares, streets, sidewalks, and parking facilities, that is within the campus, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.”

Definitions for criminal offenses can be located at http://ope.ed.gov/security/glossaryPopup.aspx.

Chesapeake College’s detailed results are available at the Website: http://www.chesapeake.edu/consumer/security.asp.

The College’s Emergency Procedures Manual: http://www.chesapeake.edu/consumer/epg. pdf, which preceded this document, contains more security-related information, including detailed information about specific emergency situations.

*Non-Campus includes the Cambridge Center and the Center for Allied Health at Memorial Hospital.

Appendix 5. Chesapeake College Student Code of Conduct

I.      GENERAL

        The appeals process for academic matters is contained in the academic regulations of the College catalog under the heading “Student Academic Grievance Procedure”.

        Students seeking information on how to resolve issues that may occur between the student and the College are encouraged to seek guidance from counselors in the Office of Student Affairs, the Vice President for Student Affairs, academic advisors, classroom instructors, the College Catalog, or any appropriate professional employee of the College.

II.     ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

Definition:

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following:

1.  Cheating on examinations, be they online or proctored in person.
2.  Plagiarism, the representing of another’s ideas or writing as one’s own, including but not limited to:

1.  Presenting all or part of another person’s work as something one has written;
2.  Paraphrasing or summarizing another’s writing without proper acknowledgement;
3.  Representing another’s artistic or technical work or creation as one’s own.

3.  Willingly collaborating with others in any of the above action(s) which result(s) in work being submitted which is not the student’s own.
4.  Stealing examinations, falsifying academic records, and other such offenses.
5.  Submitting work previously presented in another course without permission of the instructor.
6.  Unauthorized duplication of computer software.
7.  Unauthorized use of copyrighted or published material.

Disciplinary Action:

If, based on substantial evidence, a student is deemed guilty of academic dishonesty; the College may initiate disciplinary action as follows:

1. The student may be required to repeat the assignment or the examination.
2. The student may be given a failing grade for the assignment or the examination.
3. The student may be given a failing grade for the course and does not have the opportunity to withdraw.  Faculty member will submit a change of grade form to the registrar with a full explanation for the failing grade.
4. The student may be suspended or dismissed from the College.

Appeal Process:

A.     Informal Appeal Process:

        If a student wishes to discuss a disciplinary action that he/she has received for an alleged instance of academic dishonesty, the initial step is for the student to meet with the instructor to attempt to resolve the issue in an informal manner.  This meeting should be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time, outside of the instructional setting.

B.     Formal Appeal Process:

        To initiate a formal appeal, the student should first request a meeting with the instructor.  If the issue cannot be resolved, the student must complete an Academic Grievance Form available from the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.  The form should be submitted to the appropriate Academic Dean.  Appeals will be processed in accordance with the Academic Grievance Procedures outlined in the College Catalog. 

III.    NON-ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

        The non-academic misconduct listed below is prohibited on College premises, at College sponsored activities, or during the execution of College-related business.  This is not an all-inclusive list of prohibited behavior.  The prohibited behavior described in this section applies to students enrolled in both credit and non-credit programs offered by the College.

        Attempts to commit acts prohibited in the Code or encouraging or assisting others to commit such acts are prohibited and may be punished to the same extent as if one had committed the prohibited act.

        College sponsored activities are any activities, on or off campus, which are initiated, authorized or supervised by Chesapeake College.  For purposes of this Code, this definition also extends to behavior, which affects the execution of College business, but which does not necessarily occur on College premises or at a College sponsored activity.  For purposes of this Code, ‘Chesapeake College student’ is defined as any person enrolled in credit or non-credit programs offered by Chesapeake College.  This includes all credit and non-credit courses offered on or off campus.

PROHIBITED CONDUCT

1. Physical and/or psychological abuse, threat, or harassment of any member of the College community or visitor to the College, or conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any such person. This would include person-to-person, written, and electronic communication.
2. Unauthorized use, possession, or storage of any weapon, dangerous chemical, or explosive element.
3. Initiation of, or causing to be initiated, any false report, warning or threat of fire, explosion or other emergency.
4. Violation of fire regulations, including the misuse or damage of fire safety equipment.
5. Disruption, obstruction, or interference with College or College-sponsored activities, including, but not limited to, teaching, studying, research, administration, disciplinary procedures, cultural events, or fire, police, or emergency services.
6. Violation of the terms of any disciplinary action imposed in accordance with this code.
7. Interference with freedom of expression of others.
8. Violation of any College policy, procedure, or regulation, including, but not limited to those concerning parking, student organizations, use of College facilities, smoking, alcohol, and the time, place, and manner of public expressions.
9. Unauthorized possession, use, sale, or distribution of alcoholic beverages or of any illegal or controlled substance.
10. Littering, damaging, defacing, or destroying College property or property under the College’s jurisdiction, or removing, using, occupying, or entering such property without authorization.
11. Gambling or holding a raffle or lottery at the College without proper College approval.
12. Violation of any local, state, federal, or other applicable law.
13. Disorderly, lewd, or obscene conduct or expression.
14. Furnishing false information to the College or to members of the College community who are acting in the exercise of their official duties.
15. Forging, altering, falsifying or misusing College documents, records, or identification cards.
16. Theft or attempted theft of College property or services, or personal property, or knowingly possessing such stolen property.
17. Infringing upon the right of other students to fair and equal access to any of the College’s library materials and comparable or related academic resources.
18. Unauthorized or fraudulent use of the College’s facilities and/or equipment including but not limited to the phone system, mail system, computer system, transportation system and/or equipment, or use of any of the above for any illegal act.
19. Causing false information to be presented before any administrative proceeding of the College or intentionally destroying evidence important to such a proceeding.
20. Failure to comply with the direction of College officials, including campus security officers acting in the performance of their duties.
21. Hazing, which means doing any act or causing any situation which recklessly or intentionally subjects a student to the risk of bodily injury or endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into any student organization.
22. Encouraging others to commit any of the acts, which have been herein prohibited.
23. Violation of the Chesapeake College Internet Access Policy as stated below.
24. Sexual misconduct offenses including, but not limited to: sexual harassment, non-consensual sexual contact (or attempts to commit the same), non-consensual sexual intercourse (or attempts to commit the same), or sexual exploitation;
25. Bullying, defined as repeated and/or severe aggressive behavior likely to intimidate or intentionally hurt, control or diminish another person, physically or mentally (that is not speech or conduct otherwise protected by the 1st Amendment).
26. Domestic violence, including felony or misdemeanor crimes of violence committed by a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim, by a person with whom shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabitating with or who has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse, by a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction in which the crime of violence occurred, or by any person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family laws of the jurisdiction in which the crime of violence occurred.
27. Dating violence, defined as violence committed by a person who has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim, and where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on the consideration of the following factors:  the length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.
28. Stalking, defined as engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her safety or the safety of others, or suffer substantial emotional distress.  Course of conduct means two or more acts, including but not limited to, acts which the stalker directly, indirectly, or through third parties, by any action, method, device, or means follows, monitors, observes, surveils, threatens, or communicates to or about, a person, or interferes with a person’s property. 

INTERNET/PORTAL ACCESS PROCEDURE CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE

Chesapeake College provides access to the Internet in order to support Chesapeake’s Mission and Objectives as a community college serving the counties of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot.  Specifically, the Internet is used to support the following objectives:

1. Provide for the information needs of the students, faculty, and staff of Chesapeake College and for the information needs, as deemed appropriate by the College, of the residents of the five-county area.
2. Expand the distance learning services of the College, so that the residents of the five-county area have access to a school without walls.
3. Develop the information literacy skills of the students of Chesapeake College.
4. Support the lifelong learning of the community.
5. Support the professional development needs of the faculty and staff of Chesapeake College and enhance communication between members of the College community and their colleagues across the country.

It is a general policy that Chesapeake College facilities used for connection to the Internet are to be used in a responsible, ethical, and legal manner in accordance with the stated objectives for Internet access and the mission of Chesapeake College.  Users must acknowledge their understanding of the general policy and guidelines as a condition for use of the Internet through Chesapeake College.  Failure to adhere to this policy and its guidelines below may result in suspension of the offender’s privilege of network access by the College.  Persons who make use of the resources of the College to access the Internet do so as guests of the College and are expected to conduct themselves accordingly.  Conduct which

adversely affects the ability of others to use the Internet or which is harmful to others will not be permitted.  The College reserves the right to monitor its computing systems, workstations, and lab facilities.

General Guidelines

Guideline 1.  Acceptable uses of the Internet are activities, which support learning and teaching.  Internet users are encouraged to develop uses which meet their individual needs and which take advantage of the Internet’s functions:  electronic mail, conferences, bulletin boards, databases, telnet and ftp resources, etc.

Guideline 2.  Persons obtaining access to the Internet through Chesapeake College, should adhere to the commonly accepted social norms of classroom behavior.

Guideline 3.  Unacceptable uses of the Internet include:

1. Violating the rights to privacy of students and employees of the College including attempts to access another person’s account, private files, or e-mail without permission of the owner.
2. Use of the College’s computer resources to threaten or harass others.
3. Reposting personal communications without the author’s prior consent.
4. Copying commercial software in violation of copyright law.
5. Using the Internet for any illegal activity.
6. Attempts to write, produce, copy, or attempt in any way to introduce any computer code designed to self-replicate, damage or otherwise hinder the performance of any computer.  Any such software is commonly referred to as a computer virus.
7. Attempts to alter system software or hardware configurations.  Deliberate attempts to degrade or disrupt system performance will be viewed as criminal activity under applicable state and federal laws.
8. Storing or printing files, materials, or messages that violate Maryland obscenity laws.
9. The display of sexually explicit materials on a College computer screen in such a manner that it can be seen by others may be a violation of the College’s policies on sexual harassment.
10. Playing of computer games or simulations not in support of the curriculum at Chesapeake.
11. Use of the Internet for any commercial purpose without the express written consent of the College.
12. Developing web pages that do not meet the published standards of Chesapeake College.
13. Sending mass e-mail messages such as chain letters, spam, pyramid schemes, etc.

Guideline 4.  Accounts issued to individuals are intended for the sole use of that individual.  The person in whose name an account is issued is responsible at all times for its proper use.  Users should change their passwords frequently according to published password guidelines.

Guideline 5.  When making copies of information from the Internet, files should be downloaded to your own removable media (floppy disk, zip disk, CD, USB storage device or personal file storage on Canvas).  Files downloaded to the College’s network, or hard disk drives attached to that network, are subject to deletion without notice.

Guideline 6.  When remotely accessing Chesapeake College subscriptions to the library’s electronic databases, users should abide licensing, regulations and not share user names and passwords with those not associated with Chesapeake College.

Guideline 7.  Electronic e-mail is not guaranteed to be private.  Misuse of e-mail will result in the College’s retrieval and review of e-mail residing on the College’s servers.

Guideline 8.  Access to the Internet or Chesapeake Cruiser may be limited or terminated at the College’s discretion.  In the event that other users are waiting to access College computing facilities, you will be asked to limit your time.  Please be considerate of other users.

Canvas Guidelines

Guideline 1.  Eligibility to have an account 

                     All students enrolled in credit and developmental courses will be provided an account.

Guideline 2.  Account termination

                     The account will terminate at such time that the student is not enrolled in a credit or developmental course or privileges have been terminated due to disciplinary sanctions for violating the Chesapeake College Internet Access Policy in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.

Guideline 3.  Privacy Issues

                     a.  Inclusion in the Canvas Directory

                          The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of a student’s educational records.  Student information that is considered public or directory information is defined in the Annual Notification of Student Rights under FERPA. Information that has been designated as directory information by FERPA may include the following:  student name; address; telephone number; date of birth; major program of study; dates of attendance; degrees; diplomas, certificates and awards received; full or part time status; participation in recognized activities.  Canvas  will not divulge any student information to the general public and only e-mail addresses and participation in student organizations or clubs will be included in the directory accessible by other students, faculty and staff of the College. Students may request that no directory information be released by completing the non-disclosure form in the Registrar’s office by the fifth day of the semester term. Complete information on the College’s FERPA policy is available at http://www.chesapeake.edu/students/retention/ferpa.asp

                     b. Electronic Mail System

                          E-mail users of Canvas are advised that there is no guarantee that confidentiality of the user’s use of the e-mail or the content of specific messages will be maintained and that the system should not be regarded as a secure medium for sensitive or confidential correspondence.

Guideline 4. Storage limitations

                     Canvas provides storage for students’ personal files, e-mail, photos, and Web pages.  Specific storage limits are not currently in effect, but may be implemented in the  future if deemed necessary.  Students are responsible for deleting old items and/or downloading them to CDs or other offline storage media, and limiting their use of storage space to academic-related items. Canvas administrators will monitor the amount of storage space being used by individual accounts.  If a student appears to be using an excessive amount of storage, the Canvas administrator will contact the student and request that they reduce their storage usage. The administrator will provide assistance in archiving or deleting items, if needed.

Guideline 5.  Standards for creating Web pages

                     Canvas provides resources to support its mission of teaching, information distribution, professional development, communication and lifelong learning.   Faculty, students and campus organizations are encouraged to create Web pages that fulfill one or more of these goals. All Web pages must follow Chesapeake College Web Guidelines and the Internet/Web Portal Access Procedure of Chesapeake College.

IV.    DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES

A.  General

1. The Vice President for Student Affairs is responsible for the administration of disciplinary procedures.  Students whose behavior constitutes a violation of both this Code and/or federal, state, local, or other applicable law may be accountable to both the College and to civil authorities.  Disciplinary action at the College will normally proceed while the criminal proceedings are pending and will not be subject to challenge on the ground that criminal charges involving the same incident have been dismissed, reduced or are pending.

2. Written reports of alleged student violation of the Student Code of Conduct may be submitted by any individual to the Vice President for Student Affairs
3. and Enrollment Services.  The individual shall supply supporting documentation for the charge.  It is the responsibility of the Vice President for Student Affairs to investigate and interpret the alleged misconduct and to identify the appropriate specific charge(s) that will be brought against the student(s) involved, or to impose appropriate disciplinary action, or to dismiss the allegation(s) and notify the appropriate persons.

B.  Procedure for Investigating Allegations of Student Misconduct

The Vice President for Student Affairs, when officially notified of an alleged violation of the Code, will initiate an investigation of the incident to determine possible courses of action.

1. The Vice President for Student Affairs will request the student appear for a conference to discuss the alleged violation of the Code.  After this meeting, the Vice President for Student Affairs will determine whether to officially charge the student with a violation of the Code or seek an opportunity to informally resolve the matter.  If the student is officially charged with a violation of the Code, the Vice President for Student Affairs will specify the charge(s) and explain the Student Code of Conduct procedures to the student.

2.  If the student fails to respond to the Vice President’s request for a meeting within the time frame established by the Vice President, the Vice President may institute any of the actions described in the section on ‘Disciplinary Sanctions’.

3.  If the complaint is not informally resolved, the Vice President for Student Affairs will formally investigate the allegations or delegate this task to the Committee of Review.  Either the Vice President for Student Affairs or the Committee of Review will interview the student involved, the complainant and any other appropriate witnesses, to determine whether the Code was violated and exercise one of the following options:

1. If it is determined the Code was violated, impose disciplinary action(s) (see section VIII Disciplinary Sanctions). In this circumstance, the Vice President for Student Affairs will inform the student of his/her appeal rights.

2. Dismiss the charge(s) brought against the student.

4. Either party has the right to appeal the decision of the Vice President for Student Affairs or the Committee of Review.

A decision of the Vice President for Student Affairs may be appealed to the Committee of Review, with the final level of appeal being to the President of the college.

A decision of the Committee of Review may be appealed to the President of the college.

Where a student has admitted guilt, but disagrees with the disciplinary sanction imposed, the student may appeal in writing to the President of the college the extent of the disciplinary action(s) recommended by either the Vice President for Student Affairs or the Committee of Review.

5. In all cases involving a student appeal of a disciplinary action imposed by the Vice President for Student Affairs, or a request for a hearing before the Committee of Review, the Vice President will inform the student of the procedure required to request an appeal.

.     

V.     EMERGENCY DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES

1. The Vice President for Student Affairs, may take immediate action to protect the College community and the public prior to an administrative hearing or a hearing before the Committee of Review in circumstances which involve an apparent immediate danger to the health or safety of members of the College community or the public, or which involve serious disruption of normal College operations. Such actions – which are automatically reviewed by the President of the college prior to implementation – may include but are not limited to those listed below:

1.  Barring the student from the campus or any part of the campus.

2.  Removing the student from a particular class or classes.

3.  Prohibiting the student from participating in a College-sponsored activity, on or off campus.

2.  A student suspended on a temporary basis shall be given written notice of suspension by the Vice President for Student Affairs, along with a brief statement of the reasons for the suspension.

3. If the Vice President for Student Affairs determines that the facts of a case do not warrant emergency disciplinary action, the complainant may request a meeting with the President for the purpose of requesting a reconsideration of the decision.

4. If emergency action is taken, the Vice President for Student Affairs will take steps to expedite the procedures set forth in this Code.

5. Except for emergency disciplinary action as noted above, no disciplinary sanction will be imposed against the student prior to completion of the appeals process.

6. Nothing in this section shall preclude a faculty member from requesting a disruptive student to leave a class, activity or facility immediately.

VI.    FACULTY-STAFF COMMITTEE OF REVIEW

1. Purpose

A Faculty-Staff Committee of Review will be constituted to investigate, hold hearings, and make decisions on formal complaints involving student violations of the College’s Student Code of Conduct.

2. Organization of the Committee of Review

1. The Committee of Review shall consist of one staff member and two faculty members.

2. The faculty and staff members of the Committee of Review shall be appointed from the membership of the Committee for Admissions and Academic Standing (CAAS) by the Chairman of said committee.  A faculty or staff member from outside the CAAS membership may be allowed if approved by the CAAS chair.

1. Faculty members shall be full-time members of the faculty.

2. Faculty and staff members shall hold office for one calendar year, beginning with the start of the Fall semester and concluding at the end of the following Summer session.

3. The chairman of the Committee for Admissions, and Academic Standing will immediately appoint a full-time faculty member to fill a vacancy occurring in the faculty representative on the Committee.

4. The Committee of Review will elect its own chairman from the faculty membership.

3. Operating Procedures

1.  General

The Committee of Review may decide their general rules of procedure except for the specific operating procedures detailed below.

2.  Hearing Procedures

1. The chairperson of the Committee will receive from the Vice President for Student Affairs a written notification of the charges pending against the student and all pertinent information relevant to the allegations, including the name(s) of accuser(s) and witnesses, evidence and signed statements.

2. Upon notification from the Vice President for Student Affairs, the chairperson of the Committee of Review will notify the student involved of the time, place, and date of the hearing. The student may request a change in the hearing date. All reasonable efforts by the College will be made to accommodate the student. If the student does not agree to the new hearing date, the Committee may choose to hold the hearing without the student present.

3. The hearing will be closed to the public.  All proceedings and decisions will be considered confidential by the hearing body, and only those persons whose presence is required, as determined by the chair, will be permitted to attend.  The hearing may be audio taped in order for the Committee to review any pertinent testimony.

4.  Any person, including the student charged, who disrupts a hearing or fails to adhere to the rulings of the chair, shall be excluded from the proceeding.

5.  All evidence against a student will be presented in his/her presence, and he/she will be permitted to question and confront any witness.

6. The burden of proof shall be on the presenter who shall prove the charge by a preponderance of the evidence.

7. When the Committee is satisfied that all relevant available evidence has been presented and that all the available relevant participants have been interviewed, the hearing will be adjourned.  The Committee will meet to consider the evidence and to reach a decision.  The deliberations of the Committee will be confidential.

8. Any decision will be based only on the record developed at the hearing.  The record shall consist of the record of the Committee’s proceedings, and all written reports, documents and other material submitted to the Committee, as well as taped testimonies.

9. The attendance of three (3) members of the Committee shall be required in order to form a quorum qualified to conduct a hearing.  The Committee will reach its decision by a majority vote of the full Committee.  Voting shall be by secret ballot.

10. The Committee will forward its decision, in writing, to the Vice President for Student Affairs no later than ten (10) working days after the conclusion of the hearing, except that the Committee reserves the right to have the proceedings transcribed if it believes such transcription is necessary for its deliberations.  In that event, the time for issuance of its decision will be automatically extended until five (5) working days after receipt of the transcript.

11. The stenographic record or audio-tape of each hearing, and all written documentation pertaining to the hearing will be sealed and stored in the Vice President for Student Affairs’ office in accordance with College procedures for a period of five (5) years, then destroyed.

3.  Committee Decision and Implementation

1. The decision of the Committee of Review will be implemented by the Vice President for Student Affairs, except those decisions which involve suspension or dismissal shall be approved by the President.

2. The Vice President for Student Affairs will notify the student in writing of the decision of the Committee within five (5) working days of the Committee’s decision.  If disciplinary action is imposed, the student will be informed of the duration of such action and/or the date by which restitution or other appropriate conditions must be met.  At the same time, the Vice President will inform the student of his/her appeal rights.

VII.   APPEAL PROCEDURES

1. Appeals of a decision by the Committee of Review will be forwarded to the President.

2. Appeals must be submitted in writing to the President within five (5) working days of the receipt by the student of notification of the disciplinary action to be taken.  The appeal becomes part of the official record.

3. The written appeal shall state the grounds for review, the type of relief requested, and such supporting argument as the student or his/her representative may choose to include.

4. The President may affirm or lessen (including reverse) the decision; in no case will a more severe action be imposed.

5. In considering the appeal, the President will be limited to a review of the record and any written documentation included as evidence from the hearing.

6. The written decision of the President will be submitted to the student within ten (10) working days of receipt of the written appeal or, if a transcript is required, within ten (10) working days of receipt of the transcript.  A copy of the decision will be forwarded to the Vice President of Student Affairs and the chair of the Committee of Review.

7. The decision of the President is final.

VIII.    DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS

The listing below is not intended to be all-inclusive.  The Vice President, Committee of Review, Vice President for Academic Affairs and President, or higher administrative authorities may impose other sanctions as the situation may warrant.  All disciplinary sanctions may become a permanent part of the student’s official records.

1. For purposes of this Code, “disciplinary sanction” is defined as an activity whose intent is to assist an individual or individuals in maintaining a state of order conducive to the orderly implementation of the business of the College.

2. Sanctions for violations of the Code of Conduct may be imposed by the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Committee of Review, Vice President for Academic Affairs and the President, as appropriate.

3. Disciplinary sanctions may include any one or more of the following:

   1. Admonition:  A statement to the student that he/she is violating or has violated the Code of Conduct and may be subject to more severe action if such violations recur.

   2. Social probation:  Removal and/or restriction of the privilege of participating in extracurricular activities of the College.  (This may include, but not be limited to, the holding of any student office or participation in any intercollegiate activity for a period not to exceed one academic year.)

   3. Withholding a transcript or a degree:  Refusal to issue a transcript or a degree to any student who fails to pay a debt owed to the College.  The penalty terminates upon payment of the debt.

   4. Bar against readmission:  Refusal to readmit a student who has violated the Code of Conduct and has withdrawn from the College prior to or during disciplinary proceedings.  This action may be lifted upon final disposition of the case.

   5. Restitution:  Reimbursement for damage to or misappropriation of property, and/or rehabilitative action as designated by the Vice President for Student Affairs, Committee of Review, or President, in compensation for violation of the Student Code of Conduct.

   6. Bar against registration:  Refusal to allow a student to register for credit or non-credit courses offered by Chesapeake College.  This restriction may be lifted by the Vice President for Student Affairs when the conditions established for readmission have been met.

   7. Suspension:  Separation of the student from the College for a specified period of time.  Except for temporary suspension under the section on Emergency Disciplinary Procedures, the decision to suspend (or dismiss) will be held in abeyance pending completion of the appeal process.  The student will not participate in any College sponsored activity and may be barred from College premises during the period of suspension.

   8. Dismissal from College:  Termination of student status.  Except for temporary suspension under the section on Emergency Disciplinary Procedures, the decision to dismiss will be held in abeyance pending completion of the appeal process.  Permanent notification will appear on the student’s transcript.  The student may be barred from the College premises.  Conditions of readmission will be stated in the order of dismissal.  This action must be approved by the Vice President for Student Affairs and may be appealed to the President.

4. Nothing contained in this Code shall limit the right of the College at any time to agree to disciplinary sanction(s) if the student agrees not to contest the charges.  Any such agreement shall be reduced to writing which when signed by the student and the Vice President shall conclude the case.

5. Nothing contained in this Code shall preclude the College from pursuing any and all remedies available at law or equity and such rights and remedies are specifically reserved.