The Board of Trustees delegates to the president or designee the responsibility to have procedures in place pertaining to the academic regulations that enable students to earn credit and transfer credit based on engagement and enrollment of learning opportunities that lead to fulfillment of their educational goals, productive learning environment, and protection of the College and student from unnecessary risk. These academic regulations must be clearly communicated to students, faculty, and other employees with relevant interest.

315.001 PUBLISH ACADEMIC REGULATIONS

Academic rules and regulations are printed in the College catalog, Clark College Student Handbook,
and faculty handbook. Changes in academic regulations are recommended by the Instructional
Planning Team (IPT) with approval of the vice president of instruction.

Revised Policy/Procedure Approved by Executive Cabinet
May 27, 2014

315.005 ADOPTION OF ACADEMIC CALENDAR

See Clark College/Association of Higher Education (CC/AHE) Agreement.

315.015 PRIVACY OF THE CLASSROOM

See CC/AHE Agreement.

315.016 UNREGISTERED PERSONS

It is the responsibility of the instructor to ensure that students are registered in accordance with College procedures and deadlines. The instructor may permit guests but may not allow unregistered persons to attend classes. An unregistered person accompanying a student with a disability in order to provide equal access for the student will be permitted in class if he/she has been pre-approved by the director of disability support services.

315.020 CHANGES TO CLASS MEETING TIME OR LOCATION FOR QUARTERLY SCHEDULE

All class meetings will be held in the time and location assigned in the quarterly class schedule. Requests for changes to class meeting time or location that will remain in effect for the duration of the quarter must be approved by the unit dean and coordinated through the Office of Instruction.

Revised Policy/Procedure Approved by Executive Cabinet
May 27, 2014

315.021 NOTIFICATION OF CANCELLATION OR CHANGE IN CLASS MEETING TIME OR LOCATION

Notification of cancelled or changed classes will be communicated by the College in two ways: 1) All cancelled or changed classes will be posted by faculty daily to the Clark College Website and 2) When a class is cancelled or changed, an e-mail notification will automatically be sent to the Clark College student e-mail address of each student in the class. Students who are unsure if the class has been cancelled or changed should check their student e-mail account or go to a kiosk to check on the Clark College Website.

New Policy/Procedure Approved by Executive Cabinet
May 27, 2014

315.025 USE OF PAGERS AND CELL PHONES IN THE CLASSROOM

The College recognizes the need of faculty to manage the classroom environment in a manner that supports student learning; therefore, disturbances should always be kept to a minimum. However, there may be specific situations (medical emergency, family emergency, etc.) in which a student must have access to a cell phone or pager. Students who bring cell phones or pagers into the classroom should adhere to the following: 

1. The pager and/or phone is turned to a vibration/non-audible notification or text message.
2. The student leaves the classroom in a quiet, respectful manner if necessary to answer a call.

Faculty members are encouraged to inform students of this provision in the syllabus. If a student does not have access to a cell phone or pager, and it is necessary to notify the student of a medical emergency, family emergency, etc., Administrative Procedure 710.015 NOTIFYING STUDENTS ABOUT EMERGENCIES will be utilized. Please note: Personal cell phones in the classroom are a vital tool in the College’s ability to notify the College community via text message in the case of an emergency or lock down event.

315.035 ATTENDANCE AT GRADUATION

All contracted faculty and administrators must attend the graduation ceremonies unless excused by the appropriate dean, Executive Cabinet member, vice president, or president.

315.040 FIELD AND RELATED TRIPS

Definitions

Field or Related Trip:

Any activity/function when groups of students will be away from the campus for the purpose of first-hand observation or experience as related to academic, co-curricular or extracurricular activities or programs. This includes but is not limited to visits to exhibits, museums, parks, sporting events, errands for staff/class, trainings, and conferences.

Authorized Advisor:

A Clark College employee (faculty or staff) who chaperones a student group or activity.

Activities:

Include, but are not limited to – extracurricular programs and activities benefitting the students by offering opportunities in social, cultural, entertainment, recreational, multicultural, and leadership experiences.

The following applies to any Field or Related Trip as defined above, with the following exceptions – Study Abroad and International programs.

Individuals who are family members, partners or have other personal relationships to an Authorized Advisor may not participate in Field or Related Trips. Persons who may participate in field trips include the following:

1. The Authorized Advisor (see definition above).
2. Students currently enrolled or registered for the class of which the Field or Related Trip is a part
3. Students as authorized by the Authorized Advisor to participate.
4. Current employees of the College as approved by the Authorized Advisor and their supervisor(s) to participate.
5. Volunteers registered with Human Resources and approved by the Authorized Advisor to participate.

Students under age 18 may be required to provide adult supervision (as approved by the Authorized Advisor) at their own expense for Field or Related Trips that will not be accompanied by an Authorized Advisor or other College staff.

For purposes of this section, children of students currently registered in Child and Family Studies classes are considered to be currently enrolled students for Field or Related Trips in Child and Family Studies classes.

Students whose attendance on a Field or Related Trip results in their absence from other classes are responsible for notifying in advance the instructor(s) whose classes they will miss and for making arrangements as necessary.

For students age 18 and older, and emancipated minors, Field or Related Trip participants are required to complete and sign the Acknowledgement of Hazards and Risks Form (Please see Administrative Procedure 460.001 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF HAZARDS AND RISKS). It is the Authorized Advisor’s responsibility to verify that each participant has completed and signed the Acknowledgement of Hazards and Risks form). If an authorized advisor is not required for the activity, the College staff responsible for travel authorization will verify completion of Acknowledgement of Hazards and Risks forms.

For Students under age 18, who are not emancipated, a parent or legal guardian must complete and sign the Release & Medical Treatment and Authorization form. This form, in addition to the Acknowledgement of Hazards and Risks Form, must be kept with the Authorized Advisor during the entire trip.

Required Supervision:
Authorized Advisors are required for student activities when travel is required (such as Field or Related Trips, etc.) or funding for travel transportation is requested. If the travel is not a required activity (optional) and funding for travel transportation is not requested, an Authorized Advisor is not required.

For activities requiring an Authorized Advisor, the following ratios of Authorized Advisors are required for single day trips (trips not requiring an overnight stay): For credit courses – the course enrollment size is the appropriate ratio; for non-credit courses or activities – a minimum of one (1) Authorized Advisor per up to every 30 students. For credit and non-credit courses or activities that involve an overnight stay – a minimum of one (1) Authorized Advisor per up to every 15 students is required.

When required, the Authorized Advisor and chaperones must be present during the entire length of the program/activity. When transportation is provided by the College, the advisor and participants must travel together and are not allowed to extend their stay and/or travel separately from the group.

Please see Administrative Procedure 410.001 TRAVEL REQUEST/ADVANCE to initiate the Field or Related Trip process.

Special Circumstances and Exceptions – Approval for special circumstances and/or exceptions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis with approval from the appropriate supervisor (dean, director of student life, administrative supervisor, administrator) in consultation with the director of risk management or designee).

This section does not apply when students are acting in the capacity of an agent of the College, such as but not limited to reporters for the Independent, student ambassadors, ASCC officers, Activities Programming Board members and peer mentors.

 

Revised Policy/Procedure Approved by Executive Cabinet
January 16, 2014
May 12, 2015