Syllabus Institutional Policy Statements
For students who enrolled in college level courses for the first time in the fall of 2007, Texas Education Code 51.907 limits the number of courses a student may drop. You may drop no more than 6 courses during your entire undergraduate career unless the drop qualifies as an exception. Your campus counseling/advising center will give you more information on the allowable exceptions. Remember that once you have accumulated 6 non-exempt drops, you cannot drop any other courses with a “W”. Therefore, please exercise caution when dropping courses in any Texas public institution of higher learning, including all seven of the Dallas County Community Colleges. For more information, you may access https://www.dcccd.edu/SixDrop
If you are unable to complete this course, it is your responsibility to officially withdraw by the official drop date for this course. Failure to do so will result in a performance grade, usually an “F.” If you drop a class or withdraw from the college before the official drop deadline, you will receive a “W” (withdraw). For more information about withdrawal procedures access the Admissions page on policy/procedures or contact the Admissions/Student Records office at 972-238-6948 (Thunderduck Hall, T170).
Dallas County Community Colleges charge additional tuition to students registering the third or subsequent time for a course taken at any of the DCCCD colleges since the fall 2002 semester. All third and subsequent attempts of the majority of credit and continuing education/workforce training courses will result in an additional tuition charge. Developmental Education and some other courses will not be charged a higher tuition rate. See Third Attempt to Enroll in a Course at http://www.dcccd.edu/thirdcourseattempt/
The Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) was designed to ensure that students enrolled in Texas public colleges and universities have the basic academic skills needed to be successful in college-level course work. The TSIA requires assessment, remediation (if necessary), and advising of students who attend a public college or university in the state of Texas. Passing the TSIA is a prerequisite for enrollment in many college-level classes such as English 1301/1302, History 1301/1302, and Math 1414. Students who do not meet assessment standards must complete developmental courses in the deficient area with a grade of C or higher. Additional information is available from the TSI Office in T170T or T170S (phone no. 972-238-6115 or 972-238-3787) or at http://randyjensenonline.com/rlcalt/texas-success-initiative-tsi.
Your instructor is required by law to validate/certify your attendance in your on-campus or online course(s) in order for you to receive financial aid. To meet the attendance requirement, you must attend and participate in your on-campus or online course(s) prior to the course certification date and continue beyond the course withdrawal date. You must participate in an academic related activity pertaining to the course such as but not limited to the following examples: initiating contact with your instructor to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course; submitting an academic assignment; taking an exam; completing an interactive tutorial; participating in computer-assisted instruction; attending a study group that is assigned by the instructor; or participating in an online discussion about academic matters relating to the course. In an online class, simply logging in is not sufficient by itself to demonstrate academic attendance. You must demonstrate that you are participating in your online class and are engaged in an academically related activity such as in the examples described above.
Scholastic dishonesty is a violation of the Code of Student Conduct. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. As a college student, you are considered a responsible adult. Your enrollment indicates acceptance of the DCCCD Code of Student Conduct available at http://randyjensenonline.com/rlcalt/conduct.
If you are a student with a disability and/or special needs who requires accommodations, please contact the college Disability Services Office at 972-238-6180 (Voice/TTY), visit Thunderduck Hall, suite T120, or go to http://randyjensenonline.com/rlcalt/dso/.
Richland College is committed to ensuring that all community members learn and work in a welcoming and inclusive environment. We support the well-being and development of our students. Richland College prohibits discrimination, including harassment, against any employee on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or any other basis prohibited by law.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits retaliation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, age, and national origin. Title IX prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression (failure to conform to stereotypical notions of masculinity or femininity); sexual misconduct (including sexual harassment, non-consensual sexual contact, non-consensual sexual intercourse, and sexual exploitation); and sex/gender-based harassment.
Richland College faculty and staff members, unless deemed a confidential resource by law, have an obligation to report and respond to certain issues relating to the health and safety of college community members. This includes information shared with faculty and staff members in person, through electronic communications, or in class assignments. Faculty and staff members must report to the appropriate college officials any allegation of discrimination or harassment. In addition to reporting all discrimination and harassment claims, faculty and staff members are required to report allegations of dating or domestic violence, stalking or retaliation, child abuse or neglect, and/or credible threats of harm.
After receiving a report made by an employee, a Richland College official may want to contact the individual who initially shared the information with the employee. In almost all cases, the individual who shared the information with an employee may choose whether or not to speak with the Richland College official. The college does not guarantee the confidentiality of a report of sexual misconduct or discrimination unless the report is made to a Richland College Licensed Professional Counselor http://randyjensenonline.com/rlcalt/counseling-services/, who does not have this reporting responsibility. Limits to counselor confidentiality are available at http://randyjensenonline.com/rlcalt/counseling-services/confidentiality/.
A report may also be made directly to the Richland College Title IX/EO Coordinator or Deputy Coordinator:
Bill Dial, PhD, PHR, SHRM-CP
Executive Director of Human Resources
Title IX Coordinator
bdial@dcccd.edu
972-238-6386
Ms. Gloria Williams
College Director of Employee Relations
Deputy Title IX Coordinator
http://randyjensenonline.com/rlcalt/police-department/
Further information may be found on the College website: http://randyjensenonline.com/rlcalt/human-resources/title-ix-sexual-misconduct/
Richland College honors the right of each student to observe the practices of their belief system. It is the student’s responsibility to provide their instructors a written justification for a religious accommodation by the third class meeting or the fourth day after the course begins for online courses. It is the responsibility of the instructor and student to negotiate completion of all missed assignments prior to the absence, if possible.
Campus Emergency Operation Plan: Richland College and the Dallas County Community College District have developed policies and procedures for dealing with emergencies that may occur on campus.
To familiarize yourself with these procedures, please take time to watch the overview video:
http://media.dcccd.edu/video.php?vid=1735. The complete Emergency Operations Plan can be viewed and printed at the following website: http://randyjensenonline.com/rlcalt/emergency If you have questions or concerns, please contact the Richland College Office of Emergency Management. This office can be reached by phone (972-238-3794) or by e-mail at BOrton@dcccd.edu.
Contingency Plan: Richland College has developed an Instructional Contingency Plan for Temporary College Closing for On-Campus Courses. Please discuss this contingency plan with your instructor. For distance learning courses, your instructor will use email to contact students in the event of extended technology downtime. To assure work in the class continues, it is important for all students to have an accurate email address recorded in both eCampus and eConnect.
Richland College is implementing its Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) in select classes. The QEP provides techniques, practices, and tools to help students develop the habits, traits or behaviors needed to be effective and successful lifelong learners in college and in life. For more information, please log onto http://randyjensenonline.com/rlcalt/qep/.
Instructors reserve the right to amend a syllabus as necessary.
The Student Survey of Instruction (SSI) is designed to acquire information on the student perception of the quality of courses, faculty, and instruction, and to provide feedback information for improvement. In order to minimize the disruption in the classroom, the SSI is now being administered online in select courses. Students will take the survey through a link in eCampus. If you receive a request to complete the SSI, please do so as soon as possible. By completing this questionnaire, you will help the college and your instructors determine how we might improve your educational experiences. Your identity will remain strictly confidential and anonymous.