Academic Policies

Academic Honors

To encourage and recognize academic excellence, Manchester Community College has established a CEO’s List and a Dean’s List.

• The CEO’s List recognizes the exceptional scholarship of students who earn a 4.0 or “A” grade point average in their courses. Full-time students who have completed at least 12 credits for the semester with no “W” or “I” grades are eligible for this honor.
• Once a part-time student has accumulated 12 credits in residence, that student may be considered for the Part-Time CEO’s List. Part-time students who have earned a 4.0 GPA with no “W” or “I” grades in a given semester are eligible for the Part-Time CEO’s List.
• Full-time students who are matriculated in a certificate or degree program and who successfully complete 12 or more credits of work in a semester with a grade point average of 3.4 or higher shall be recognized by having their names placed on a Dean’s List.
• Part-time students who are matriculated in a certificate or degree program are also eligible for such recognition when they have completed 12 or more credits of work with a cumulative grade point average of 3.4 or higher.  They may be subsequently recognized at the completion of an additional 12 or more credits of work with a cumulative grade point average of 3.4 or higher, and at successive intervals of 12 credits.
• A course Withdrawal or Incomplete shall make the student ineligible for the Dean’s List recognition that semester.  Upon completion of the Incomplete, the student may be recognized retroactively.
• Students who are in a probationary status are not eligible for Dean’s List recognition, even if their cumulative grade point average might otherwise make them eligible.

Phi Theta Kappa

Students who have established a GPA of 3.5 or above and have earned 12 credit hours at MCC are extended an invitation to join Phi Theta Kappa. Phi Theta Kappa is the only internationally acclaimed honor society for colleges offering associate degree programs. Membership in Phi Theta Kappa offers students opportunities for leadership, fellowship, scholarship and community service, as well as providing an intellectual climate for continued academic excellence. Phi Theta Kappa members in good standing (have at least a 3.5 GPA when graduating) may wear the organization’s gold tassel, stole and blue/gold honors cord during commencement.

Graduation Honors

Students with exemplary academic performance shall be recognized at graduation with the following designations:

• Summa Cum Laude/Highest Honors for students with a 3.9 to 4.0 grade point average
• Magna Cum Laude/High Honors for students with a 3.7 to 3.89 grade point average
• Cum Laude/Honors for students wtih a 3.4 to 3.69 grade point average

An incomplete grade for any class during the semester will make the student ineligible for honors at graduation. However, upon completion of the course work, if the student has earned the required grade point average, the appropriate level of recognition will be noted on the student’s official transcript.

Grades received for developmental courses may be used to determine eligibility for semester honors.  However, they cannot be used to determine eligibility for graduation honors.  Only students who are Summa Cum Laude graduates may wear a gold cord at commencement.

Valedictorian and Salutatorian

Graduating students who have completed at least 30 credits at Manchester Community College are eligible for consideration as valedictorian or salutatorian. Among the eligible students, the student with the highest cumulative GPA will be designated the valedictorian and the student with the second highest cumulative GPA will be named the salutatorian. In the case of identical averages, the student with the larger number of credits from MCC will be the valedictorian. If the GPAs and the number of credits taken at MCC are the same for two students, the pair will be named co-valedictorians.

The Board of Regents Medallion

The Board of Regents Medallion is awarded at each of the twelve community colleges to graduating students who have earned perfect 4.0s and who have completed at least half of their requirements at the college where the degree is being awarded. Certificate programs are not included for this award.

Academic Standing

Students enrolled at the college must maintain minimum academic progress to be considered in good standing. Students should check their transcripts online on myCommNet. There are two academic policies: 1. Satisfactory Progress and Grade Point Average (GPA).

1. Satisfactory Progress

The calculation of Satisfactory Progress is based on the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 50% of all credits (not courses) taken at the college. Students who do not maintain a 50% completion rate earn Progress Probation. Non-completion annotations include F, F#, I, W and N on courses that have been graded.

For example, if a NEW student takes four three-credit courses this fall and receives grades of C, B, F and W, then the calculation will be: 12 credits - 6 credits = 50% completion rate. The student will be in good standing because they have successfully completed a minimum of 50% of total credits.

Students who have three consective semesters of Progress Probation will have a hold placed on their account and must make an appointment with the Student Retention Services office at 860-512-3303 for academic counseling before registering for subsequent semesters.

Students who have four consecutive semesters of Progress Probation have earned Progress Suspension status for a minimum of one 15-week semester.

Satisfactory Progress Suspension

Students returning to MCC after a minimum of one 15-week semester of Progress Suspension may apply for reinstatement at the Student Retention Services office.  Appointments may be made by calling 860-512-3303. Suspension status remains in effect for each subsequent semester until the 50% balance of Satisfactory Progress is attained.

Request for Reinstatement

Students have the option to appeal their warning, probation and suspension status because of special circumstances. Special circumstances may include, but are not limited to, obligations of employment, military duty or medical problems. Documentation may be required. Appointments to request reinstatement should be made by the student in person or by calling the Student Retention Services office at 860-512-3303.

2. Grade Point Average

The table below depicts grade point averages for the various academic standing categories. Academic standing is calculated based on cumulative GPA hours (rather than attempted hours). Grades included in the calculation of academic standing are A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F, I. Academic standing will be recomputed upon completion of any course in which an “I” incomplete grade is received.

GPA Warning

Students who have completed 11 or fewer credits and whose cumulative grade point average (GPA) falls below 1.5 have earned GPA warning status and are limited to 12 credit hours for the following semester.

GPA Probation

Students who have completed 12-30 credit hours and whose cumulative grade point average (GPA) falls below 1.7 have earned GPA probation status and are limited to 11.99 credit hours for the following semester. Students on GPA Probation who, at the close of the following semester in which the student is registered, have not attained the overall GPA to move back into good standing have earned Suspension status for a minimum of one 15-week semester.

GPA Suspension

Students returning to MCC after a minimum of one 15-week semester may apply for reinstatement at the Student Retention Services office. Appointments may be made by calling 860-512-3303.

Fresh Start Option

Students who are re-admitted to MCC after an absence of two or more years (four academic semesters) who have been suspended or are on probation, and who have a poor academic record of less than a 2.0 grade point average, are eligible to apply for the Fresh Start Option. Application must be made within one year of being re-admitted to the college. A student re-admitting under this option will be given the equivalent of transfer credits for all courses taken at MCC with a grade of C- or higher. The earlier grades will remain on the transcript, but all future calculations of GPA will include only courses taken after re-admission under the option. The Fresh Start Option may be used only once by the student and is subject to the existing residency requirement of 15 credits. Eligible students may apply for the Fresh Start Option by meeting in person with the Director of Student Retention Services in room L127, Lowe Student Services Center. Call 860-512-3303 for information or an appointment.

Enrollment and Withdrawal

Changes in Schedule, Major, Status

Change of Schedule: Students are permitted to add and drop courses during scheduled add and drop periods in the Registrar’s office.

Change of Major: Students who want to change their major should consult a member of the academic advising staff. Change in Curriculum forms are located in the Registrar’s office and are available online in the Forms Depot by going to www.manchestercc.edu/students/form.php.

Change of Status: Credit-free students may become degree students by applying for a change of status at the Admissions office. An official application, a high school transcript reflecting date of graduation and, if applicable, proof of Measles/Rubella, Mumps and Varicella immunization are required. In addition, official transcripts from college(s) attended should be sent directly to the Admissions office. A copy of a secondary equivalency certificate or general education diploma (GED) should be submitted if an individual has one of these instead of a high school diploma.

Withdrawal from Courses

• Before two-thirds of the semester: A student who withdraws from any course(s) must obtain a withdrawal form from the Registrar’s office, and return the completed form to the Registrar’s office. Students can also withdraw on-line prior to two-thirds of the semester through their myCommnet account.  Grades for courses from which a student withdraws during the first two-thirds of the semester will be recorded as “W” at the end of the semester.
• After two-thirds of the semester: A student who wishes to withdraw from a course(s) must obtain an Instructor Approval Course Withdrawal Form from the Register’s, Academic offices, or online in the Form Depot. This form must be approved and signed by the instructor and returned to the Registrar’s office by the last day of classes. If the withdrawal is approved, a “W” will be recorded on the student’s transcript. If a student stops attending and fails to withdraw officially from a course, a grade of “F” may be recorded on the student’s transcript. In all cases of withdrawal, a “W” does not affect the student’s grade-point average.

Academic Misconduct Withdrawal Procedure

If a student receives a final grade of “F” in a course due to academic misconduct, the student may not obtain a transcript notation of “W” for that course. Instructors must report instances of academic misconduct to the Office of Student Affairs in a timely manner and be specific about all academic misconduct policies in their syllabi.

Withdrawal from the College

A student who withdraws from the college must complete a withdrawal form at the Registrar’s office. Failure to officially withdraw in writing from the college may result in failing grades for uncompleted courses and might result in probation or suspension status (Academic Policies).

Grades

Unit of Credit

A credit hour is the unit of credit students earn at MCC. One credit hour usually corresponds to one 50-minute class meeting each week for 15 weeks. A course worth three hours of credit, therefore, usually requires three 50-minute class meetings plus additional work outside the class each week.

Federal Credit Hour Definition: A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally-established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:

(1) one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or (2) at least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other activities as established by an institution, including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading toward to the award of credit hours.

Grades and Grade Points

Letter grades are assigned to inform students how well they have learned the material in their course(s). For each letter grade there is a corresponding number called grade points. These grades are used to get a numerical expression of a student’s work. The table below shows the grades and their grade point equivalents.

The grade point average (GPA) is computed by multiplying the point value of each grade earned by the number of semester hours of the course for which the grade is received and then dividing by the total number of hours of work attempted. 

Example:

34.0 grade points ÷ 16 attempted hours = 2.125 GPA.

Reports of grades are issued at the end of the semester and are available online on myCommNet. Only those grades that are issued at the end of the semester are recorded on the student’s permanent record.

Administrative Transcript Notations 

All colleges will use the following system of administrative transcript notations for student records, when required. Any other letters, whether called administrative notations, transcript notations, non- academic grades, or otherwise, currently in use shall be eliminated.

AU - Audit

Used for students not wishing credit for a course taken. This status will allow them to participate in class activities without being required to meet the examination requirements of the course. Students may ask to have papers critiqued, but faculty members are not required to grade an auditor’s coursework. Full tuition and fees are charged for courses audited. A student who wishes to change from credit to audit status must request this within the first four weeks of the course, using such forms and procedures as the college may prescribe. Students auditing a course may not change to credit status.

M - Maintaining Progress

Used only for developmental courses to indicate that the student is maintaining progress, but not at the usual rate. It may be given to a student for a course only twice.

P - Pass

Used for successful completion of courses taken on a pass/fail basis. Students failing will receive a letter grade of “F.”

TR - Transfer

Used in lieu of grades for courses accepted for credit from other institutions of higher education.

W - Withdrawal

Used to indicate that a student has withdrawn from a course.

Academic Engagement

While none of the community colleges are considered attendance-taking institutions, they are required to verify the academic engagement of each student in each registered course by demonstrating “academic attendance” or an “academically-related activity” for Title IV purposes. This must be completed prior to the predetermined census date of each traditional semester, as well as during periods of enrollment shorter than the traditional 15-week semester (i.e. summer terms). The purpose of this practice is to identify students who have enrolled in coursework, but have not demonstrated an academically-related activity as a means to accurately report official college enrollment and meet the regulatory standard of compliance.

Required Activity Prior to Census

All students are required to demonstrate academic engagement (defined below) in each of their registered courses no later than the predetermined census date of each period of enrollment. Students who make this demonstration in at least one of their registered courses shall be considered to have begun the period of enrollment. Students who do not make this demonstration in any registered courses shall be considered to have not begun the period of enrollment.

Students Who Begin a Period of Enrollment

Students who begin a period of enrollment shall be counted in official census data, reflective of their actual enrollment status. Students who then cease engagement in their coursework, without officially withdrawing from the college prior to the end of the withdrawal period, shall be assigned a letter grade of “F” with a corresponding last date of academic engagement for each affected course. These students shall be considered an unofficial withdrawal from the college, and be subject to Return of Title IV regulations, if applicable. The latest date reported by faculty shall be the date of determination for unofficial withdrawal from the college.

Students Who Do Not Begin a Period of Enrollment

Students who are determined to have not academically engaged in a period of enrollment leading up to census shall be assigned a registration status of “Never Participated (NP)” for each affected course.
Students assigned an NP for all courses shall be removed from the period of enrollment, and shall be counted as “never attended” for enrollment reporting purposes. Courses with an NP designation are not counted toward a college’s official census, and affected students are not eligible to receive financial aid for courses assigned this status.

NP - Never Participated

A registration status used for students who have enrolled in coursework, but have failed to engage in an academically related activity by the predetermined census date. Students who receive an NP designation are no longer permitted to attend a course section after an NP has been reported. Additionally, they are not eligible to receive a final grade, and not eligible to access the learning management system for the affected course section.

Academic Engagement

In accordance with federal regulatory definition, academic engagement (otherwise known as “academic attendance” and “attendance at an academically-related activity”) includes, but is not limited to:

• Physically attending a class where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and students;
• Submitting an academic assignment;
• Taking an exam, an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction;
• Attending a study group that is assigned by the institution;
• Participating in an online discussion about academic matters; and
• Initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course.
• This does not include activities where a student may be present, but not academically engaged, such as:
• Logging into an online class without active participation; or
• Participating in academic counseling or advising.

The institution must make a determination of “academic attendance” or an “academically related activity;” a student’s certification of attendance that is not supported by institutional documentation is not acceptable.

Repeating a Course

No student can take a course more than three times. The highest grade received will be used in calculating the student’s GPA. This does not apply to those courses that are designed to be repeated for additional credit. A request for waiver of these standards shall be made to the Director of Student Retention Services.  Call 860-512-3303 for more information.

College transcripts will record all attempts at classes and the grades earned in each attempt. Students should note that, while MCC will not use repeated grades in calculating GPA, colleges to which they are applying for transfer may use a different method to make such a calculation.

Developmental Classes

MCC offers developmental classes in English and math. These classes are not college level classes, but serve to prepare students for college level English and math. There are multiple levels of these developmental classes and placement in a particular level is determined by performance on the Accuplacer assessment test. Successful completion of each class with a grade of “C” or better enables one to go on to the next level. When the last class in the sequence is completed with a grade of “C” or better, students may then enroll in the corresponding introductory college level course. Developmental classes can be identified by examining the course number and/or course description. The three number code for developmental classes has a zero as the first number and the catalog descriptions indicate that these courses earn zero credits. Because developmental courses are not college-level classes, students do not earn college credit in such courses. Developmental classes vary in time commitment from three to six hours per week. These hours will be included in determining full- or part-time status. Grades earned in developmental classes will not contribute to a student’s GPA, but will contribute to an assessment of whether a student is making satisfactory progress and in determining eligibility for financial aid. Students are charged for developmental classes and those students who are eligible for financial aid may apply their aid toward this cost.

Incomplete Grades

Granting of an Incomplete:

1. An Incomplete (I) is a temporary grade assigned by the faculty member when course work is missing and the student agrees to complete the requirements. Although a student may request an Incomplete, the faculty member is not required to honor the request. The faculty member should assign an Incomplete when there are extenuating circumstances, such as illness, that prevent a student from completing the assigned work on time and the student has completed most of the course requirements and, in the judgment of the faculty member, the student can complete the remaining work within the time limit established by system policy.
2. A faculty member who assigns an Incomplete shall file a report form that includes:
   1. a brief description of the requirements to be completed;
   2. the date by which the course work must be submitted to the faculty member, which is the end of the tenth week of the next standard semester;
   3. a statement that the Incomplete will change to a specified letter grade if the work is not completed by the end of the tenth week of the next standard semester.

The faculty member shall keep the original signed form, with copies to the student, the faculty member, the Registrar and the academic division director.

3. All Incompletes must convert to a letter grade by the end of the following semester. If a student submits the required work on time, the faculty member shall calculate a grade to replace the Incomplete and submit it to the Registrar by the end of the semester. If a student fails to complete or submit the required work by the specified time, or if the faculty member fails to submit a replacement grade, the Registrar shall convert the Incomplete to the letter grade specified in the report form, and that letter grade shall be entered on the student transcript.
4. Students with an Incomplete are temporarily ineligible for semester or graduation honors. Upon conversion of the Incomplete to a letter grade, students may retroactively receive semester or graduation honors, and such recognition shall appear on the transcript, provided that the student has earned the required grade point average.
5. Academic Standing will be recomputed upon completion of any course in which an incomplete “I” grade is received.

Transcripts

Requests for official or unofficial transcripts can be obtained online in myCommNet by following these steps:

1. Login to myCommNet (http://my.commnet.edu)
2. Once you are in myCommNet, click on the Student tab.
3. Click into Student Self-Service, and choose Student Records.
4. Click Request Official Transcript.

No telephone requests will be accepted.

Student Responsibilities

Attendance Policy

The faculty of Manchester Community College believe that regular and prompt class attendance is necessary for a student to benefit from the learning experience. Specific attendance requirements will be set by each individual instructor.

Academic Integrity

Manchester Community College is committed to academic integrity. An academically honest student submits for evaluation only such work, including tests, papers, reports, presentations or ideas, that have been written, performed or created solely by that student. On those occasions when the stated rules of a course permit collaborative efforts, the contributions of other individuals and sources should be appropriately acknowledged. It is, at all times, the responsibility of the student to maintain conduct consistent with the concept and definition of academic integrity, including not only the avoidance of plagiarism, but also other actions further outlined under College Policies in the Student Handbook.

Failure to Pay

Failure to have made all applicable payments by the payment deadline may result in the withdrawal of the student’s registration.  If the student’s registration is withdrawn effective after the start of classes, either because the student has officially dropped/withdrawn from courses, has neglected to withdraw from courses, or has failed to pay, the account receivable will remain on the student’s record.  The college shall take reasonable measures to collect the amounts due and shall not issue the student’s academic records or allow the student to register for future semesters until such receivable is paid in full.  

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is as the act of taking someone else’s idea, writing or work, and passing it off as one’s own. If you fail to give credit to the source of the material, whether directly quoted or put in your own words, this lack of credit constitutes plagiarism. Whether you take, buy or receive material from the Internet, from a book, from another student or from any other source, and you fail to give credit, you are stealing ideas; you are engaged in plagiarizing. Plagiarism is a serious violation of academic standards and has serious academic consequences for the student. At the discretion of the instructor, plagiarism may result in failure of the submitted work or failure for the course and as an act of academic dishonesty, may result in additional disciplinary action by the college, as indicated in the Student Handbook, College Policies, under the heading “Student Discipline,” 5.2.1 Policy of Student Conduct, Section 3 (2) - Academic Integrity and Section 4 - Sanctions.

Copyright and Fair Use Policy

Manchester Community College encourages its faculty, staff and students to use multimedia and text resources to enhance teaching and learning while abiding by copyright and intellectual property law, including the U.S. Copyright Act, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the TEACH Act.

Students Rights

Review of Academic Decisions

Students are evaluated and awarded credit based upon academic performance and without regard to personality, race, gender, religion, personal beliefs or on the basis of a previous complaint/grievance.

A student may request review of a grade or other decisions affecting academic status in accordance with the college’s policies. The informal procedure that follows is suggested as the way a student would begin:

A student who has an academic grievance may discuss it first with the instructor or staff person involved, with a counselor or with an administrator (for example: division director, dean). If this discussion does not resolve the matter, the student should discuss the complaint with the supervisor of the person towards whom it is directed.

Within 15 calendar days of the student’s awareness of the academic decision, if a satisfactory resolution still has not been achieved, the student should proceed in accordance with the grievance procedure.

A student may seek review of the assignment of a grade or other decision affecting academic status in accordance with the following procedure:

1. The grade or academic decision affecting academic status should be discussed informally with the instructor or official responsible for the decision within fifteen calendar days of the student’s awareness of the decision.
2. If the matter is not satisfactorily adjusted within ten calendar days of this appeal or the instructor is not available, the student may refer the matter to the academic dean by filing a written appeal. The appeal must be filed with the academic dean within thirty calendar days of the student’s awareness of the decision which is being appealed.

Upon receipt of such appeal, the dean shall meet with the instructor, if he or she is available, to determine that step 1 has taken place or is not possible and to receive relevant information from the instructor responsible for the decision. The dean may then refer the matter to the academic supervisor for informal consideration prior to step 3 below.

1. The academic dean or other designated official(s) shall afford review as provided below. The CEO may designate an official or an academic appeals committee to provide review at this step in lieu of the academic dean.

The student shall be afforded the right to present a statement of appeal and relevant information in support of it. It is the student’s responsibility to show that the decision in question is arbitrary, i.e., without a reasonable basis, or was made for improper reasons in violation of section 1 of this policy. The student is entitled to a written response within thirty days of the completion of his or her presentation. A decision to change the grade or modify the decision which has been appealed is advisory to and subject to the approval of the CEO.

1. The foregoing decision may be appealed to the CEO by filing a statement of appeal within ten calendar days of the date of the decision. Review by the CEO shall be on the basis of the written record unless he or she decides that fairness requires broader review. The decision of the CEO shall be final.
2. The time frames provided herein may be modified by the CEO for good cause shown.

(Adopted October 18, 1976; amended February 19, 1979, April 20, 1981, July 20, 1981, November 16, 1987, February 26, 1990, March 16, 1998, and November 15, 1999; technical amendment May 1, 2002 in compliance with Public Acts 98-180 and 01-28.)

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Notice

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the College or University receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The College or University official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the College or University official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

2. The right to request amendment of an education record that the student believes is inaccurate. Students may ask an appropriate College or University official to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate, misleading or a violation of the student’s right to privacy. However, FERPA is not intended to provide a process to question substantive judgments that are correctly recorded. Consequently, FERPA amendment requests do not allow a student to contest a grade in a course because the student believes that a higher grade should have been assigned.

To request amendment of an education record, the student should write to the official, clearly identifying the part of the record he or she wants changed and specifying why he/she believes it is inaccurate. The institution will notify the student of the decision. If the institution decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, a College or University official will advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

3. The right to provide written consent before the College or University discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. FERPA permits disclosure without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials who have a legitimate educational interest. A “school official” is a person employed by a College or University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the Board of Regents; an employee of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system office; or, a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of the College or University who performs an institutional service or function for which the College or University would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the College or University with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent or a student volunteering to assist another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for the College or University. Upon request, the College or University also discloses education records to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll without the prior consent of, or notice to, the student. FERPA also permits disclosure of education records without consent in connection with, but not limited to:

• To comply with a judicial order or a lawfully issuedsubpoena;
• To appropriate parties in a health or safetyemergency;
• In connection with a student’s request for or receipt of financial aid, as necessary to determinetheeligibility,amountorconditionsofthefinancialaid,ortoenforcetheterms and conditions of theaid;
• To certain officials of the U.S. Department of Education, the Comptroller General, to state and local educational authorities, in connection with certain state or federally supported educationprograms;
• To accrediting organizations to carry out theirfunctions;
• To organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the College orUniversity;
• The results of an institutional disciplinary proceeding against the alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence to the alleged victim of that crime with respect to thatcrime.
• Directory information as defined in the policy of the Board of Regents.
   

4. The right to refuse to permit the College or University to release Directory Information about the student, except to school officials with a legitimate educational interest and others as indicated in paragraph 3 above. To do so, a student exercising this right must notify the University’s or College’s Registrar, in writing. Once filed, this notification becomes a permanent part of the student’s record until the student instructs the University or College, in writing, to remove it. A student may exercise his or her right to opt out of Directory Information, prohibiting disclosure of the student’s information without the student’s consent as noted in section 3, except however, that pursuant to the Solomon Amendment, military recruiters must be provided the same access to student information as is provided to nonmilitary recruiters.

5. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Colleges 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

Release of Directory Information

Directory Information Policy

Acknowledging that Directory Information is FERPA protected information that may be disclosed at the discretion of a College or University, it is the policy of the Board of Regents for Higher Education for the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities  that disclosure of Directory Information is within the sole discretion of the College or University. Colleges and Universities may disclose Directory Information without the prior consent of the student only as provided herein.

The Board of Regents for Higher Education has designated the following as Directory Information:

For purposes of access by school officials of the Colleges and Universities governed by the Board of Regents for Higher Education, the following is designated as Directory Information:

Student’s legal name
Permanent mailing address Month and day of birth Photographs
Student identification number, User ID, or other unique identifier Email address Telephone number
University or College previously attended or currently attending Dates of attendance Full vs. part-time student status Awards and honors
Class standing/year
Major, minor, concentration and/or program of study Degree(s)/Certificate(s) candidacy Degree(s)/Certificate(s) earned
Previous Institutions attended Graduation expected/completion dates
For purposes of access by military recruiters only, the following is designated as Directory Information (Student Recruiting Information):
Student’s legal name
Permanent mailing address Telephone number Age
Place of birth
Class standing/year
Major and/or program of study Degrees received Most recent educational institution attended

For purposes of access by military recruiters only, the following is designated as Directory Information (Student Recruiting Information):
Student’s name
Permanent mailing address
Telephone number
Age
Place of birth
Class standing/year
Major and/or program  of study
Degrees received
Most recent educational institution attended

Student’s preferred name
Permanent mailing address
Photographs
Dates of attendance
Major, minor, concentration and/or program of study
Degree/Certificate candidacy Degree(s)/Certificate(s) earned
Awards
Full vs. Part-time status
Anticipated graduation date Graduation date

Connecticut Community College Only - Student identification number, User ID, or other unique identifier
Charter Oak State University Only - Email address

A copy of the Board of Regents Policy Manual is available in the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs and online at: http://www.ct.edu/regents/policies

Name Change

A student who has a legal name change must bring into the Register’s office legal court documentation, marriage certificate or divorce decree.

Board Sexual Harassment Policy

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that is illegal under state and federal law and is also prohibited by the Board of Regents policies. This policy is available in the following offices: Human Resources, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs and Library.

Transfer Policies

Transfer into a Connecticut Community College:
At all community colleges, degree and certificate credit shall be granted only for credit courses completed at all institutions within the Connecticut state system of higher education and at all other collegiate institutions accredited or approved by an agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as either a Regional Accrediting Organization or a Specialized and Professional Accrediting Organization in accordance with the following:

1. Degree and certificate credit shall be granted for all credit courses that are applicable to the objectives of, or equivalent to the course requirements of, the curriculum in which the transferring student enrolls. Credit work that is not applicable or equivalent to curriculum requirements shall be accepted for credit at the discretion of the college. Degree and certificate credit shall also be granted on the basis of performance on examinations in accordance with standards and limits approved by the board of trustees.
2. Degree and certificate credit shall be granted for credit courses completed with a letter grade of “C-minus” or better, or with a grade of “P” (Pass). Such credit courses shall be accepted only for credit, and letter grades assigned by other institutions shall not be recorded or included in computations of student grade point averages.
3. Notwithstanding the number of degree or certificate credits which shall be granted in accordance with the foregoing, the student must complete at least 25% of the minimum credit requirements for the degree or certificate through course work at the college awarding the degree or certificate.
4. When a student seeks transfer credit for technical or specialty courses into a program that is also accredited or approved by a national or regional specialized accrediting or approval agency, such credits must be from a comparably accredited or approved program. In the case of a request for transfer credit for technical or specialty courses from a non-specially accredited or approved program, the college shall provide appropriate means for the validation of the student’s competency in the technical specialty course areas.

Transfer from a Connecticut Community College: It is the policy of the Board of Regents that graduates of the regional community colleges in Connecticut shall be accepted for admission to the state universities, provided they have received either the associate in arts degree or the associate in science degree in transfer programs, and further provided they are recommended for admission by the CEO of the regional community college granting the degree. Community college graduates who meet these conditions will be given credit for two years of college work and will be treated exactly like students who have completed the sophomore year at a state university and are advanced to junior standing.

Connecticut State University (CSU) Transfer Compact: Transfer compacts have been established between the Connecticut Community College system and the Connecticut State University system. The following guidelines outline conditions that must be met by students in order to participate in the program:

• Prior to completing fifteen college-level credits, students enrolled at any of the community colleges in a designated transfer program are eligible to participate in a guaranteed admissions program with a CSU system institution by completing a dual admissions form. They will be encouraged to enroll as soon as possible in their studies.
• Completion of the associate degree with a 2.0 GPA will guarantee admission to a Connecticut State University System institution.
• An associate degree holder will transfer a minimum of sixty (60) credits to the Connecticut State University, and the student will be awarded junior-level standing.
• During the dual enrollment period, community college students will be treated as continuing students in the Connecticut State University System institution for which they have been jointly admitted. These students will have access to faculty/staff advisement, library privileges and adhere to the requirements of the university catalog in effect when they first enroll in classes at the community college. Upon completion of the associate degree, registration options in the CSU institution will be granted junior level standing. The appropriate university will communicate with them on a regular basis.
• To continue the conditions of the guaranteed admissions provision, students must earn an associate degree within five years of their enrollment in the program and enroll at the Connecticut State University institution within two years of the completion of the associate degree.
• Community college students not choosing to sign a Guaranteed Admissions Agreement will still be eligible for transfer to a Connecticut State University. If transfer occurs prior to completion of the associate degree, transcripts will be evaluated by the university personnel on a course-by-course basis in accordance with existing transfer credit guidelines.

Transfer Agreements with the University of Connecticut

MCC partners with the University of Connecticut on several transfer programs. Students interested in transferring to UConn should meet with a faculty advisor or transfer counselor early in their MCC career for questions on eligibility and program advice.

Business & Technology Pathway: If you are earning an associate degree in business at MCC, you may be eligible to enter the UConn School of Business to pursue a bachelor of science degree in Business and Technology, available at UConn branch campuses in Stamford, greater Hartford, Torrington and Waterbury. To qualify for admission to the Business and Technology program as part of the Transfer Pathway, you must: complete your associate degree in the appropriate business program; earn a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0, achieve a 3.0 or higher in courses being used to meet junior/senior-level major requirements, and complete and submit an application for transfer admission directly to the University of Connecticut.

Bachelor of General Studies, Bachelor of Professional Studies: MCC students who successfully complete an associate degree with a GPA of at least 2.0 are offered automatic admission into the UConn College of Continuing Studies. The course credits earned for the associate degree will be transferred toward the 120 credits needed to earn a BGS degree from UConn; Bachelor of Professional Studies program students have a choice of degrees in occupational safety and health, organizational studies or web technology.

Accounting and Business Administration Transfer Program: Students are required to earn a minimum 3.3 cumulative average and be awarded an associate degree in the Accounting and Business Transfer Program at MCC to participate under the terms of this agreement. In addition, students must meet program prerequisites with a minimum grade of “B”; and must have met UConn’s second language requirement. Former University of Connecticut degree-seeking students are not eligible for this program.

Guaranteed Admission Program (GAP): The Guaranteed Admission Program is a transfer agreement between MCC and the University of Connecticut that guarantees admission to the University provided certain requirements are met. Incoming MCC students or students with up to 15 transferable credits at MCC may enroll in this transfer program. A 3.0 minimum cumulative grade point average, (3.3 for the School of Business) and an associate degree in Liberal Arts is required in order to qualify under the terms of this agreement. Upon completion of an associate degree, students may then go on to UConn and major in one of more than 50 majors offered in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources or School of Business. To complete the application process, contact the Admissions office. Former UConn degree-seeking students are not eligible to participate in the Guaranteed Admission Program. Note: It is recommended that students interested in transferring to the School of Business follow the Accounting and Business Administration Transfer Program, which is directly articulated for transfer to the University of Connecticut (see above).

College of Technology, Pathway Transfer Programs: Associate in science degree programs in Engineering Science, Manufacturing Engineering Technology and Technology Studies provide the pathways within the Connecticut College of Technology transfer programs into the University of Connecticut and the Connecticut State University System Schools of Engineering and Engineering Technology. Students may enter university engineering and technology programs through the MCC associate in science degree programs in engineering and technology and, upon successful completion of the programs, continue on at the University of Connecticut or the Connecticut State University System as third-year students with a full two years of credit towards a baccalaureate degree in engineering, engineering technology or industrial technology. MCC also provides the opportunity for students who complete the engineering and technology programs to transfer full credit to baccalaureate degree programs at other colleges and universities with which the college has transfer agreements.

Credit for Prior Learning

Students may earn college credit for knowledge they have acquired previously, for instance through independent study, prior course work at a non-collegiate institution, on-the-job training, professional development, military experience, cultural pursuits, or internships.

There are five ways to obtain credit for prior learning:

1. AP Advanced Placement (College Board) Examinations https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/
2. College-level Examination program (CLEP) http://clep.collegeboard.org/
3. Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES, now called DSST) http://www.dantes.doded.mil/index.html
4. Portfolio Development at Charter Oak College https://www.charteroak.edu/prior-learning-assessment/portfolio-program.php
5. Credit for prior learning may be awarded by certain departments or programs at MCC, which have received approval by the Dean of Academic Affairs to do so. Please contact your program coordinator or division director for further information.

It is important to note the following:

• The credit listed as “credit by exam” on the transcript is treated as a form of transfer credit and it cannot be used to satisfy the college’s 25% residency requirement for graduation
• Credit by exam or portfolio development may or may not transfer to another college or university. Students should check with the college or university to which they hope to transfer if they have questions about transferability.
• Students are responsible for all fees charged by testing and educational centers.

College Level Examination Program

CLEP enables those who have reached a college level of education outside the classroom to demonstrate their achievement and to use the test results for college credit or placement. The CLEP program offers two types of examinations:

• General examinations in English composition, humanities, mathematics, natural sciences and social science/history assess the student’s knowledge of fundamental facts and concepts, ability to perceive relationships, and understanding of basic principles.
• Subject examinations measure achievement in undergraduate courses. These tests measure the understanding of fundamental facts and concepts that would normally be covered in a college-level course in a specific subject area.

The CLEP tests are administered at various locations, such as Charter Oak College and Three Rivers Community College:

• Charter Oak College, CT https://www.charteroak.edu/exams/  Master list of tests:  https://www.charteroak.edu/Current/Academics/EarningCredits/Exam/exams-master-list.pdf
• Three Rivers Community College, CT  https://www.threerivers.edu/testing/

For more information on additional CLEP testing centers in CT visit https://clep.collegeboard.org/test-center-search

For additional information on CLEP visit: http://clep.collegeboard.org/

Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES)

DANTES (now called DSST) sponsors a wide range of examination programs to assist service members in meeting their educational goals. They include:

• Credit-By-Exam - CLEP, DSST (DANTES Subject Standardized Tests), ECE (Excelsior College Exams)
• Entrance Tests - ACT, GMAT, GRE, LSAT, SAT
• Other - GED, Praxis

These examinations are administered at 500 military installations by the DANTES Test Control Officer (TCO), who is normally the Education Services Officer or Navy College Education Specialist for the military installation, or by base-sponsored National Test Centers. About 150,000 DANTES-sponsored examinations are administered each year to military personnel.  For more information visit https://www.dantes.doded.mil/EducationPrograms/take-tests-get-transcripts/takeatest.html

Portfolio Development at Charter Oak College

Students who wish to apply for credit through portfolio development may enroll in Charter Oak College’s 3-credit Lifelong Learning Credit Portfolio course, IDS102. Charter Oak only offers this option for courses for which no acceptable examinations of prior learning are available (such as through CLEP.) In this course, the student develops a portfolio in which he or she describes the learning acquired through prior experiences, specifies learning outcomes, provides appropriate documentation, and requests college credit for that learning. Information and FAQs regarding this program can be found at https://www.charteroak.edu/prior-learning-assessment/portfolio-program.php. Students are responsible for all fees charged by Charter Oak College.