Student Rights and Responsibilities

SVC allows high school students on campus for instruction and other learning activities, but children are generally not permitted on campus unless they are directly supervised by a parent or responsible adult who is officially enrolled in classes or directly involved in an instructional process. In no case, even if accompanied by a parent or other adult, are children permitted in classrooms, labs, shops, or any area where potential hazards exist, with the exception of children directly involved in the instructional process (for example, Even Start, Kids College).

Individuals who bring children to campus are responsible for their supervision at all times; leaving children unattended in public areas such as the Student Lounge or Cafeteria does not meet this supervision standard. College officials will contact parents or other parties responsible for children left unattended on campus, and inform them that children must be properly supervised while on campus. Individuals who bring children to campus and refuse to abide by these guidelines will be referred to security or college officials and are subject to student discipline.

It is the intent of the College, as an educational institution, to follow state regulations and, as a long-range goal, to discourage smoking on the College campuses. The intent of this policy is to minimize the health hazards of those who choose not to smoke.

Procedure Relating to Smoking

All tobacco products are prohibited on campus except in designated areas.
Violations of the smoking policy may be referred to the college security office for enforcement. Students and employees who violate this policy and the Washington Clean Indoor Air Act and state revisions are subject to reprimand and disciplinary proceedings according to appropriate policy.

Academic Honor Code

Skagit Valley College exists to expand opportunities and horizons for students and to improve the communities in which they live. We achieve this by welcoming and valuing diverse learners, providing quality education and support, and contributing community leadership and service. Skagit Valley College values include:

Learning: Our focus is on learning in a climate of open inquiry, respect, academic freedom, and scholarship.
Civic Responsibility: We are committed to democratic ideals that encourage engagement in the affairs of the college and the community it serves, involvement in the global community, and the promotion of social justice.
Communication: We value honest and respectful communication that contributes to effective relations, operations, personal growth and learning.

Skagit Valley College provides a welcoming and supportive climate in which all people are respected and differing ideals and opinions are valued. A sense of mutual trust is critical to achieving such a community. Lying, cheating, and other acts of academic dishonesty are not acceptable in the Skagit Valley College community of trust. The community should not suffer due to the dishonest acts of its members.

The presence of an academic honor code is vital to achieving the college’s mission and values. An academic honor code establishes a fundamental social contract within which the college community agrees to live. Each member of the college community is expected to uphold the values of the honor code. Alleged honor code violations will be investigated through the procedures in the Code of Student Conduct and other college disciplinary policies.

Prevention and Detection of Academic Dishonesty

The prevention and detection of academic dishonesty depends upon the collaboration of SVC community members. Educating all community members about academic dishonesty, the unethical nature of such actions, and their consequences will deter dishonesty and promote the academic success of all students. The prevention of academic dishonesty is often accomplished by applying safeguards when assigning class work, homework, or proctoring exams.

What is Academic Dishonesty?

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following behaviors in both on-ground and on-line courses:

Plagiarism: Presenting as one’s own, intentionally or not, someone else’s words, ideas, conclusions, images, or data, without specific acknowledgement. This includes, but is not limited to presenting the source’s language without quotation marks (with or without citation); paraphrased language that is not cited; and/or language that is cited, but insufficiently paraphrased;

Cheating:

using unauthorized assistance, notes, or study aids in completing assignments, taking quizzes, tests, or exams;
allowing another party to do one’s work/exam and turning in that work/exam as one’s own;
submitting the same or similar work in more than one course or while repeating the same course without permission from the course instructors;
the acquisition, without permission, of a test or other academic material belonging to the college;

Fabrication: Falsification or creation of data, research, or resources, or altering graded work without the prior consent of the course instructor;

Lying: Deliberate falsification in written or verbal form;

Bribery: Providing, offering, or taking rewards in exchange for a grade, an assignment, or the aid of academic dishonesty;

Threat: An attempt to intimidate a student, staff, or faculty member for the purpose of receiving an unearned grade or in an effort to prevent the reporting of a conduct violation;

Aid of Academic Dishonesty: Intentionally facilitating any of the above behaviors.

Procedures, Grading and Sanctions

Procedures for Students
If it is determined that a student violated the Academic Honor Code, s/he can receive a failing grade for the assignment. S/he will fail the course in which the violation occurred if the course instructor determines that the violation is repeated or serious in nature. In these cases, a student has the right to appeal the course grade via the student complaint process found at https://www.skagit.edu/complaint.

Since academic dishonesty is a violation of the Code of Student Conduct, all incidents on which an instructor takes action are reported to the office responsible for student discipline. The college may take disciplinary action in addition to any academic penalty assigned by instructors. If a student is found responsible for repeated or serious academic dishonesty violations, s/he may be suspended or expelled from the college in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct, WAC 132D-150-070. More information about the Code of Student Conduct can be found at https://www.skagit.edu/conduct.

A student may report an alleged Academic Honor Code violation to an instructor. If this occurs the instructor will approach the student with the alleged code violation and forward the allegations and any accompanying documents to the student conduct officer who will investigate it further.

Procedures for Faculty
Instructors are responsible to familiarize themselves with the tenets and procedures of the academic honor code and incorporate the following statement in each of their syllabi:

Academic Honor Code

“All students of Skagit Valley College are responsible for knowing and adhering to the Academic Honor Code of this institution found at https://www.skagit.edu/honorcode. Violations of this code include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct are reported to the student conduct officer. Students found to be in violation of the Academic Honor Code are subject to academic consequences up to and including failure of the course. Students may also be subject to college disciplinary sanctions up to and including expulsion from the College.”

Instructors may add additional course-specific clarifications and definitions to their syllabi as needed.

When an instructor determines that a student has violated the Academic Honor Code:

S/he will contact the student to discuss the situation as soon as possible prior to the posting of final grades and allow the student to present his/her perspective on the case (meeting with the student is not required in subsequent occurrences of academic dishonesty);
The instructor will document the incident and contact the appropriate student conduct officer;
The instructor may invite the student conduct officer to join in the meeting with the student and/or the officer may hold a separate disciplinary conference with the student;
The instructor will determine how to grade the assignment and/or the course in keeping with the policies outlined in the course syllabus;
Instructors are to grade course assignments in light of work completed during the current quarter only;
The student conduct administrator will decide what, if any, college disciplinary action will be taken.

A student may report an alleged Academic Honor Code violation to a faculty member. If this occurs the instructor will approach the student with the alleged code violation and forward the allegations and any accompanying documents to the student conduct officer who will investigate it further.

Disciplinary action may not be taken against a student based solely on an anonymous report. If an instructor receives one, s/he may choose to investigate further, address the issue to the class in question, or wait for more concrete information.

Contact Information
For information regarding disciplinary processes contact:

Mount Vernon Campus/Business Resource Center
Dean of Students Office
360.416.7663
deanofstudents@skagit.edu

Whidbey Island Campus/San Juan Center/South Whidbey Center
Office of the Vice President, Whidbey Island Campus
360.679.5331

For information regarding grading procedures consult the following:

Your course syllabus
Your course instructor
Your academic advisor

Significant portions of this code were adapted with permission from the Academic Honor Code of the University of Colorado-Boulder.

Introduction

As an institution of higher learning, we expect all students to be honest and to behave with integrity—that is, to do their own work without unauthorized assistance. Although students’ behavior is monitored at some level while they are here, to be successful students must demand integrity from themselves during their time here and later in their lives. In addition, they should help to establish honesty as a value that characterizes the education of all students at SVC. Each and every student determines the academic climate of the college.
Skagit Valley College is committed to respecting the intellectual property rights of our faculty and students and the rights of colleagues and other experts outside of the college community. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that our plagiarism policy protects these rights and educates all members of the SVC community regarding proper citations of the words and ideas of others.

Plagiarism

Definition: Plagiarism is presenting as one’s own, intentionally or not, someone else’s words, ideas, conclusions, images, or data, without specific acknowledgment. This includes, but is not limited to presenting the source’s language without quotation marks (with or without citation); paraphrased language that is not cited; and/or language that is cited, but insufficiently paraphrased.

If students have questions about citation, acknowledgment, paraphrasing, or specific course standards related to plagiarism, they should consult with their instructor BEFORE submitting assignments that may contain questionable material.

Detecting Plagiarism

While the growth of information and its accessibility via the Internet has arguably made it easier for students to plagiarize, it also makes it easier for educators to detect plagiarism. Students, who are tempted to use others’ work as their own or copy phrases or ideas as their own should be aware that if they find a website from which to steal words and ideas, their instructors can also find it.

It doesn’t take a lot of time to discover a plagiarized document. One of the easiest methods to detect plagiarism is to cut and paste suspected passages from a paper into common search engines. This produces a list of source material that can be compared against the student’s work to ensure it was produced fairly. In addition, many instructors share collected lists of websites that provide downloadable college papers. Those websites are often linked to a growing industry that produces anti-plagiarism software available for purchase. Furthermore, there are dozens of free software applications that instructors can download and use to detect plagiarism.

Although detection of plagiarism can be useful in stemming its use by students, the best approach is for students to be educated about the negative impact of plagiarism and why it is wrong.

Consequences

If it is determined that a student plagiarized any portion of an assignment, s/he can receive a failing grade for the assignment. S/he will fail the course in which the plagiarism occurred if the course instructor determines that the plagiarism is repeated or serious in nature. In these cases, a student has the right to appeal the course grade via the student grievance process. Since plagiarism is a violation of the Code of Student Conduct, all incidents of plagiarism on which an instructor takes action are reported to the office responsible for student discipline. The college may take disciplinary action in addition to any academic penalty assigned by instructors.

If a student is found responsible for repeated or serious academic dishonesty violations, s/he may be suspended or expelled from the college in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct, WAC 132D-150-070. More information about the Code of Student Conduct can be found at https://www.skagit.edu/conduct.

Faculty Procedures

When an instructor determines that a student has plagiarized an assignment, s/he will contact the student to discuss the situation if at all possible and allow the student to present his/her perspective on the case. It is not mandatory for student and instructor to meet in subsequent occurrences of plagiarism during the quarter if the student has been warned. The instructor will also contact the student conduct office on campus. The instructor may invite the student conduct administrator to join in the meeting with the student and/or the administrator may hold a separate disciplinary conference with the student. The instructor will determine how to grade the assignment and/or the course in keeping with the policies outlined in the course syllabus. Instructors are to grade course assignments in light of work completed during the current quarter only. The student conduct administrator will decide what, if any, college disciplinary action will be taken.

Skagit Valley College is committed to providing effective, quality education for our community. In support of this commitment, the College intends to provide a drug free, healthful, safe, and secure environment.

Skagit Valley College recognizes drug dependency to be an illness and a major health problem. The institution also distinguishes drug abuse as a potential health, safety and security problem.It is imperative that Skagit Valley College assumes leadership in the prevention of substance abuse by providing college personnel and students with education and resources.

Skagit Valley College will:
Notify all employees through distribution of this policy that unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of controlled substances is prohibited in the workplace.

Advise and assist individuals within the college community seeking help with substance abuse problems and provide information about worthwhile counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance programs.

Take appropriate personnel action against employees who sell, distribute, or use illegal drugs in accordance with existing policy and state law. Failure to correct unsatisfactory job performance or behavior, for whatever reason, will result in appropriate disciplinary action, including, when necessary, termination.

Reaffirm the State of Washington policy on alcoholism and drug dependency endorsed by Skagit Valley College, effective November 1, 1992.

Therefore, the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of a controlled substance in and on Skagit Valley College owned and controlled property, or while conducting college business, is prohibited. Violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action being taken in accordance with the Higher Education Personnel Board rules, bargaining unit agreements, tenure laws, or other policies of the institution.

Student Complaints

The purpose of this section is to protect enumerated rights outlined in WAC 132D-150-040 are guaranteed to each student within the limitations of statutory law and college policy which are deemed necessary to achieve the educational goals of the college:

These academic freedoms include:

Students are guaranteed the rights of free inquiry, expression, and assembly upon and within college facilities that are generally open and available to the public.
Students are free to pursue appropriate educational objectives from among the college’s curricula, programs, and services, subject to the limitations of RCW 28B.50.090 (3)(b).
Students shall be protected from academic evaluation which is arbitrary, prejudiced, or capricious, but are responsible for meeting the standards of academic performance established by each of their instructors.
Students have the right to a learning environment which is free from unlawful discrimination, inappropriate and disrespectful conduct, and any and all harassment, including sexual harassment.

Students may follow the college policy on sexual harassment and/or may file complaints with outside agencies, as referenced in WAC 132D-305-005(10). Students should determine the time deadlines that apply to the filing of complaints with such outside agencies, as the college’s internal processing of student complaints may not recognize such time periods.

Complaints excluded from this section

A student may not use the provisions of this section as the basis for filing a complaint based on the outcome of disciplinary proceedings described in sections of the code of student conduct.
Federal and state laws, rules and regulations, in addition to policies, regulations and procedures adopted by the state board for community and technical colleges or the board of trustees of Community College District No. 4 shall not be grievable matters. College personnel actions are considered confidential. Results may not be made available for review.

Initial complaint
If a student believes he or she has been unfairly treated by an officer of the college, faculty member or a member of the college staff, the student may follow the complaint procedures in the order outlined below. The student must initiate proceedings with the college within thirty calendar days of the occurrence that gave rise to the complaint. The college may choose to take appropriate corrective action at any time based on a student report whether or not the student chooses to pursue the complaint process.

Complaint procedure

The complaint procedures set forth in this section concern only those complaints that do not involve violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (sex discrimination) or section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (disability discrimination).
A student wishing to pursue a resolution to his or her concern may contact the office where counseling services are provided. That office will serve as a source of information and direction for complainants.
A student shall contact the faculty or staff member with whom he or she has a concern and attempt to resolve the matter through direct discussion. Students are expected to meet with their instructor about issues related to grades, assignments, class projects, group work, conflicts with classmates, and other classroom related issues. A student may ask a support person to accompany him or her in this discussion.If a student is concerned about inappropriate or unprofessional instructor conduct, then the student should contact the instructor’s supervising Dean or Vice President.
If direct discussion does not resolve the concern to the student’s satisfaction, the student shall take the matter to the faculty member’s Division or Department Chair or the staff member’s immediate supervisor. The supervisor shall attempt to resolve the matter promptly and fairly. The student should provide to the supervisor any documentation to support the complaint, such as—but not limited to—the course syllabus, a copy of the student’s grades in the Learning Management System (e.g. Canvas), feedback from assignment, and written feedback and/or correspondence with the instructor.
If the issue is not resolved, the supervisor shall forward the complaint to the appropriate administrator who shall meet with the student and, within ten business days, write a letter to the student involved, copied to the faculty or staff member involved that details the resolution proposed. In appropriate cases, the student shall also be informed of his or her right to file a petition to have the complaint heard before the grievance review committee.
In order to have his/her complaint heard by the grievance review committee:
1. The student must submit this request to the office of the vice president for instruction within five business days of his/her receipt of the administrator’s letter;
2. The student’s complaint must fall into one of the following categories to be reviewed by the grievance review committee:
  1. Alleged deviation from course grading policies as specified in the syllabus;
  2. Alleged errors in applying grading procedures;
  3. Alleged lowering of grades for nonacademic reasons;

The vice president of instruction shall have the authority to determine if a complaint meets the eligibility requirements to be forwarded to the grievance review committee. The vice president of instruction may request additional information or evidence from the student: in such cases, the student shall provide the additional information or evidence within 5 business days. Appeals to the vice president of instruction’s decisions regarding the eligibility of grade complaints shall be subject to the Brief Adjudicated Proceedings outlined in WAC 132D-150-130.

Other complaints about instructional issues (including the appeal of test questions, curriculum issues, and quality of instruction) and/or college employees will be considered and acted upon at the discretion of the appropriate administrator and are not eligible to be heard by the grievance review committee. Appeals regarding the validity of test questions and other curriculum issues are normally adjudicated at the department level, and the appropriate administrator will only review the appeal process to ensure fairness and impartiality.

Grievance procedure – Sex and disability discrimination
SVC provides a drug free environment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, or age in its programs and employment. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

Title IX Coordinator – Sandy Jordan
2405 E. College Way, Mount Vernon, WA 98273
360.416.7923

Grievance review committee procedures

Any complaint meeting the eligible criteria not resolved by an administrator may be appealed to the grievance review committee for a hearing. The complainant or respondent shall petition the committee by obtaining an official complaint form from the office of the vice president of instruction. That petition shall be made within five business days of the notice of decision in the previous proceedings.
When a petition for review is filed, the student shall either:
1. Be assigned a process advisor by the vice president of instruction or choose an advisor of his/her own; or
2. Waive his or her right to an advisor; or
3. Notify the college of his or her retention of an attorney at least one week prior to a scheduled grievance hearing. Where the student is accompanied by an attorney, the college may be represented by an assistant attorney general.
The student’s completed official complaint form shall be distributed to all members of the grievance review committee.
The vice president of instruction shall appoint a chair the grievance review committee and its members shall be chosen as follows:
1. The Chair;
2. Two faculty members appointed by the vice-president of instruction; and
3. Two students appointed by the president of the associated students of Skagit Valley College; and
4. Two classified or exempt staff members appointed by the classified staff designated leadership or the president.
Hearings may be heard by a quorum of four members of the grievance review committee so long as one faculty member and one student are included on the hearing panel. Committee action may be taken upon a majority vote of all committee members attending the hearing.
Members of the grievance review committee shall not participate in any case in which they are a party, complainant, or witness, in which they have direct or personal interest, prejudice, or bias, or in which they have acted previously in an advisory capacity. Any party may petition for disqualification of a committee member pursuant to RCW 34.05.425(4).
The grievance review committee may call any witnesses and hear any testimony needed to reach a prompt, fair resolution of the complaint. The proceedings before the committee shall not be considered a formal trial-type hearing.
Within five business days of the conclusion of the hearing, the committee shall issue a written decision to all involved in the case.
If a student feels that his/her case was not handled according to the procedures set forth in this section, he/she may request that it be reviewed by the vice president of instruction. The vice president will review the process carried out by administrators and the grievance review committee together with any appeal statement and will deliver a written acceptance of the grievance review committee decision or directions as to what other course of action shall be taken, within ten business days after receiving the appeal.

Final decision regarding process review – Extra-institutional appeals

Where the student is not satisfied by the vice-president’s decision, he or she may appeal that decision to the president of the college provided that such appeal is made within five business days of the student’s receipt of notice of the decision.
The president’s review will be limited to the process used in decision making. The president will deliver a written acceptance of the vice-president’s decision or directions as to what other course of action shall be taken, within ten business days after receiving the appeal.
This decision shall constitute final agency action by the college.
A student who feels aggrieved by the institution’s final decision, may petition for judicial review of that decision according to the provisions of RCW 28B.19.150.
For further review in sexual or disability discrimination cases, the grievant may send appeals or inquiries to:
1. U.S. Department of Education
  Office for Civil Rights Region X
  915 Second Avenue, Room 3310
  Seattle, WA 98174
  206-220-7900
2. Washington State Human Rights Commission
  Third Avenue
  Seattle, Washington 98101
  206-464-6500
3. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
  1424 New York Avenue, Room 5041
  Washington, D.C. 20005
  202-307-0818 (TTD), or 800-514-0383 (voice)

Skagit Valley College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (http://www.nwccu.org/). If you feel that your concerns have not been adequately addressed by the college, you can file a complaint with the Northwest Commission by mail at 8060 165th Avenue NE Suite 100, Redmond, WA 98052 or by telephone (425) 558-4224. The college is regulated by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (http://www.sbctc.edu) which you can reach by mail at PO Box 42495, Olympia, WA 98504-2495, ballinder@sbctc.edu, 360-704-4315 or visit sbctc.edu.

The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) has authority to investigate student complaints against specific schools. WSAC may not be able to investigate every student complaint. Visit http://www.wsac.wa.gov/student-complaints for information regarding the WSAC complaint process.

The Higher Education Act (HEA) prohibits an institution of higher education from engaging in a “substantial misrepresentation of the nature of its educational program, its financial charges, or the employability of its graduates.” 20 U.S.C. §1094(c)(3)(A). Further, each state must have “a process to review and appropriately act on complaints concerning the institution including enforcing applicable state laws.” 34 C.F.R. § 600.9. The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) maintains a process to investigate complaints of this nature brought by community and technical college students in the state of Washington. For information, contact SBCTC Student Services, PO Box 42495, Olympia, WA 98504-2495, ballinder@sbctc.edu, 360-704-4315 or visit sbctc.edu.

Nature of grievance proceedings
All hearings growing out of a student-initiated complaint, including appeals to the office of the president, shall remain closed unless all parties to the grievance agree on an open hearing.

Withdrawal of grievance

At any time during the complaint or grievance procedure, the complainant may officially withdraw the grievance in writing.
In the event the complainant or appellant fails to appear for any scheduled hearing without prior notification or evidence of extenuating circumstances, this shall be considered to constitute withdrawal of the grievance or appeal.

Administrative, faculty and staff grievances
Any administrator, faculty member or staff member who is the subject of a student’s complaint and who is dissatisfied with the results of any level of the student complaint proceedings may file a grievance under the appropriate grievance procedure established by Skagit Valley College.

Students Records Policy Overview

To comply with the “Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act” (FERPA) guidelines, federal and state rules and regulations with respect to release of student records.

PROCEDURE

The Registrar is responsible for reviewing requests for information and assisting in interpretation of the rules and regulations of the “Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974” and subsequent revisions.

“Directory Information” is a term used by the “Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974”. According to FERPA the directory information definition is “Information contained in an education record of a student that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. It includes, but is not limited to, the students’ name, address, telephone listing, electronic mail address, photograph, date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, grade level, enrollment status (e.g., undergraduate or graduate; full-time or part-time) participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, degrees, honors and awards received, and the most recent education agency or institution attended”, per the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers book entitled AACRAO FERPA 2006 GUIDE. Each institution of higher education must define what information constitutes directory information as part of its records policy.

At Skagit Valley College, directory information includes:

name, address, telephone listing, enrollment status, E-mail address, home town/city, photo, participation in officially recognized activities, athletics-related information, certificates, degrees or honors received,dates of attendance, major field of study, most recent educational institution attended, and weight and height for members of athletic teams. . Directory information may not be released without the express permission of the Registrar or his/her designee(s).
Information contained in the student record will not be released without written consent of the student with the exception of directory information. Prospective employers, creditors, parents, or other interested parties must obtain a signed release from the student and submit it to the Registrar at the time of the request.
A parent wishing to obtain information from these educational records or to grant consent for the release of these records without consent of the student must submit an affidavit stating that the student is a dependent for income tax purposes.
The Registrar, or his/her designee(s), may disclose in writing to the Financial Aid Officer, personally identifiable information from the educational records of a student without the written consent of the eligible student if the disclosure is in connection with financial aid for which a student has applied, or received, for such purposes as:
1. To determine the eligibility of the student for financial aid;
2. To determine the amount of the financial aid;
3. To determine the conditions which will be imposed regarding the financial aid; and/or
4. To enforce the terms and conditions of the financial aid.
The Registrar or his/her designee may disclose personally identifiable information from the educational record of a student without the written consent of the student, to comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena. Reasonable effort must be made to notify the student of the order or subpoena in advance of compliance, unless the information is required for a criminal investigation or the judicial order or subpoena states that this not be done.
Information obtained during professional medical and psychological treatment or counseling will be released by the professional only in accordance with the ethics of his/her profession; provided that the records can be personally reviewed by a physician or other appropriate professional of the student’s choice.
Where required for the performance of responsibilities to the College, faculty and staff may obtain the following information on the basis of need to know without the consent of the student involved:
1. Academic record and status.
2. Reports of academic and other campus misconduct, including disciplinary action.
3. Results of counseling other than professional medical or psychological.
4. National origin and ethnic background.
5. Standard test data regarding individual tests for decision about an individual.
6. Student-produced papers for class assignments.
7. Financial information including delinquencies, etc.
8. Evaluation materials about a student, with the consent of the author of the evaluation.
9. Determination of student eligibility for athletic participation.
10. College disciplinary and investigating authorities may have access to all of the information in 1 – 9 above if it is required in the performance of their duties.
11. Recognized college student organizations, such as scholastic and service honoraries, may obtain information relating to a student’s academic record and status.
12. In special circumstances, qualified research personnel may be permitted access to information contained in a student’s records where the student’s name will not accompany the data.
Students may inspect and review their own educational records at the College with some exceptions. The College is not required to permit a student to inspect and review the following records:
1. Financial records and statements of his/her parents or any information contained therein;
2. Confidential letters and confidential statements of recommendation which were placed in the educational records of a student prior to January 1, 1975; and
3. Confidential letters and confidential statements of recommendation which were placed in the educational records of the student after January 1, 1975:
  1. respecting admission to an educational institution;
  2. respecting an application for employment; and
  3. respecting the receipt of an honor or honorary recognition; provided, that the student has waived his/her right to inspect and review those letters and statements of recommendation.

Skagit Valley College will grant reasonable accommodation so that grades are not impacted for students who are absent for reasons of faith or conscience, or for an organized activity conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or religious organization. Such absences must be requested in writing within the first two weeks of the quarter and may not incur additional fees for students. Students’ grades may not be adversely impacted by absences authorized under this policy. Each holiday taken under this policy must be taken as a whole day, that is, the day may not be divided into hours and taken piecemeal. Students who have concerns about approval or a grade impact may utilize the student grievance procedure for concerns not directly related to grades, or to the grade appeal process in cases impacting a final grade.

Procedure

Students must coordinate an absence with the Office of the Vice President of Instruction within the first two weeks of the quarter. All requests for authorized absences under this policy must be in writing and contain a concise explanation of how the requested holiday is related to a reason of faith or conscience or an organized activity conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or religious organization.
All absences under this policy must be authorized by the Office of the Vice President of Instruction in advance of the absence. The college will not authorize an absence for a student after the absence occurs without compelling circumstances.
The Office of the Vice President of Instruction will provide the student with a document verifying the date of the authorized absence and further instructions. In order to ensure that their absence does not negatively affect their grades, the student must comply with directions for notifying their instructors of their upcoming authorized absence. The student is solely responsible for ensuring the documentation authorizing the absence is provided to each of the instructors whose classes or assignments will be affected by the absence.
After an instructor is notified by the student of an upcoming absence, the instructor will determine what adjustments, if any, will need to be made to the student’s scheduled classwork or assignments. The instructor will inform the student of these adjustments within two business days of receiving the student’s notification. “Business Day” means a weekday, excluding weekends and college holidays.
If the student’s desired absence date is on a day when a test is scheduled or an assignment is due, the instructor may require that the student take the test or submit the assignment before or after the regularly assigned date.
Regardless of an instructor’s class expectations or grading policies, absences authorized under this policy will not adversely impact a student’s grade.
If a student fails to notify any of their instructors of an authorized absence (as directed by the Office of the Vice President of Instruction), the instructor is not obligated to make any accommodations for the student’s absence or treat the absence as authorized under this policy or the law.

Student Rights and Responsibilities