Policy Statements

Acceptable Use of Information Technology

The Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) provides a rich information technology environment to support its educational activities and administrative functions. These resources, including computing systems and software, as well as internal and external data, voice, and video networks, are shared resources.To preserve them for the common good, the college expects all users, including students, faculty, staff, administrators, other employees, and members of the general public using the college’s  information  technology  resources,  to  comply  in  all  respects  to institutional and external standards for their appropriate use. Although incidental personal use is permitted, these resources should be used primarily for college educational and administrative purposes, and such incidental personal use must conform to these same standards of appropriate use. By using college information technology resources, users agree to abide by all college acceptable use and related policies and procedures, as well as applicable federal, state, and local laws. The college reserves the right to bar access to its network or other information technology resources to those who violate its acceptable use and related policies and procedures. Further, violations will be investigated and may result in disciplinary action, including suspension, dismissal, and legal proceedings. The college can monitor any or all transmissions on campus computers or systems. All electronic, print, or other media are the sole property of CCBC. No rights or privacy should be inferred or expected. The general public may be granted limited access to the Internet or restricted access to academic computing resources.

Serious and/or repeated violation of this policy will result in consequences up to and including: disciplinary action (for CCBC employees), Code of Conduct violation (for CCBC students), or a notice of trespassing (for non-CCBC users).

This  policy  applies  to  any  individual  using  the  college’s  computer  and/or  communication  facilities.  Every user of these systems is expected to know and follow this policy.

General Principles

Data communication facilities at the college have been developed to encourage widespread access and distribution of data and information. Non-CCBC users may be required to register for a guest user ID and password. A photo ID will be required. Computing systems facilitate manipulation and sharing of data and information. Together, these systems and facilities can be used in a fashion similar to mail and telephone services, and so are governed by principles of appropriate use for these services.

College data communication and computing resources are used to support the education, research, and public service missions of the college. Activities involving these resources must be in accordance with the faculty/employee handbooks, the student codes set forth in the college catalog, and relevant local, state, federal, and international laws and regulations.

In order for use and administration to be acceptable, it must demonstrate respect for the following:

• The rights of others to privacy;
• Intellectual property rights (e.g., as reflected in licenses and copyrights);
• Ownership and confidentiality of all CCBC-owned, leased, or licensed programs, files, and information;
• System mechanisms designed to limit access; and
• Individuals’ rights to be free from intimidation, harassment, and unwarranted annoyance.

Acceptable Use Guidelines

Related college policies and guidelines that must be respected by such individuals include the following acceptable uses of resources:

• Use only your CCBC authorized user ID and password.
• Use resources only for authorized purposes.
• Protect your user ID and system from unauthorized use. You are responsible for all activities on your user ID and all activities that originate from your user ID.
• Access only information that is your own, that is publicly available, or to which you have been given authorized access.
• Use only legal versions of copyrighted software in compliance with vendor license requirements.
• Be considerate in your use of shared resources. Refrain from monopolizing systems, overloading networks with excessive data, degrading services, or wasting computer time, connect time, disk space, printer paper, manuals, or other resources.

The Following Are Not Acceptable Uses of Resources:

• Using another person’s user ID and password or permitting another to use your user ID and password under any circumstances. Office of Information Technology will disable any user ID account detected as being shared.
• Using another person’s system files, or data without permission.
• Using computer programs to decode passwords or access control information.
• Attempting to circumvent or subvert system or network security measures.
• Engaging in any activity that might be purposefully harmful to systems or to any information stored thereon, such as creating or propagating viruses, disrupting services, damaging files or making unauthorized modifications to college data.
• Using college systems for downloading and storing large amounts of personal video, music, and pictures.
• Using college systems for printing large amounts of personal documents or pictures.
• Using college systems for commercial or partisan political purposes such as using electronic mail to circulate advertising for products or for political candidates.
• Making or using illegal copies of copyrighted materials or software, storing such copies on college systems, or transmitting them over college networks.
• Downloading, storing, creating and/or displaying threatening, obscene (including material as defined in Title 11, Section 203 of the Criminal Law of the Maryland Annotated Code*), pornographic, racist, sexist or harassing material, including broadcasting unsolicited messages or repeatedly sending unwanted mail, unless legal and for the purposes of specifically meeting course learning objectives.
• Downloading or storing personally identifiable information (PII) such as Social Security Numbers and/or Date of Birth and/or Credit Card Numbers, unless required by one’s job duties, in which case, such downloaded information must be stored in an encrypted and password-protected location behind the CCBC firewall.
• Transmitting PII through email and/or other unsecure technologies, devices, and media.
• Using the college’s systems or networks for personal gain; for example, by selling access to your user ID or to college systems or networks, or by performing work for profit with college resources in a manner not authorized by the college.
• Engaging in any other activity that does not comply with the General Principles presented above.

*§11-203. “Obscene” means:

1. That the average adult applying contemporary community standards would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest;
2. That the work depicts sexual conduct specified in subsection (b) of this section in a way that is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable material;
3. That the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious artistic, educational, literary, political, or scientific value.

Attendance Policy for Students

Regular attendance and participation are critical to student success in college. All students are expected to attend and participate regularly in face-to-face or distance education course sessions to gain the maximum benefit from instruction and to contribute to the learning process. Lack of attendance or participation may result in the LOSS OF ALL student financial aid or Veteran’s benefits. Per the course syllabus, failure to follow a faculty member’s attendance and participation policy will have an effect on the student’s overall grade including the possibility of academic failure. 

If a student is failing a class, including for reasons of insufficient attendance, as long as a student remains on the roster and is not disruptive to the class, faculty may not ban that student from class or class materials, including access to tests, assignments, and Blackboard.

Audit Policy

For most courses, any student can designate a course for audit when registering and is expected to pay the required fees and tuition. Some courses may limit the number of times an audit may occur. Students may elect to change their registration from credit to audit only during the published 50% refund period (as indicated on the CCBC academic calendar). Students are required to confer with the faculty member to ensure they understand the audit requirements for the course. Students may be required to participate in course activities and complete assignments as designated by the instructor. Students are not required to take exams, nor are instructors required to give exams to audit students. Students not meeting these requirements will have their grade changed from AU to a W. After the published 50% refund period, a student is permitted to change from credit to audit only under extenuating circumstances with written  approval  of  the  appropriate  academic  dean  or  dean’s  designee  responsible  for  the  course.

Faculty should place their audit requirements on their syllabus. Should a student not meet their requirements, faculty must complete a change of grade form and send it to the Registrar at the end of the semester. 

Cell Phone Usage and Access in the Classroom

CCBC allows the use of electronic devices in the classroom for purposes directly related to course content and materials.  Cell phones or electronic devices should be placed on vibrate or silent mode and should be used in class solely for educational purposes as directed by faculty.  Students may not respond to texts, social media or phone calls while in the classroom.  If a student needs to respond to a phone call, text or other matter, the student must leave the classroom to do so.  Faculty may require electronic devices and cell phones to be turned off in class for any pedagogically valid reason, including but not limited to testing or assessment situations.

Faculty reserve the right to consider students who abuse this policy and repeatedly leave and return to the classroom to be disruptive, and the student may be subject to the sanctions stated in the CCBC Student Code of Conduct.  A student found using an unapproved device during testing/assessment situations will be subject to sanctions under the Academic Dishonesty section of the Standards of Behaviors in the Classroom policy of the CCBC Code of Conduct.

Children of Students On-Campus

CCBC values family, work and life balance. The college encourages families to participate in college-sponsored family activities and to attend on campus community events such as plays, sports competitions, art openings, camps, etc. However, first and foremost, CCBC is an educational and work environment. Although the college recognizes that students may have family responsibilities that sometimes impact their class schedule, CCBC does not encourage students to bring children with them to the campus. In the case of exceptional circumstances approved by the instructor, the following guidelines will apply:

• This policy is not intended to substitute for regular childcare.
• Except for CCBC activities open to children, CCBC accepts neither responsibility nor liability for injuries that may occur to a child while on the CCBC campuses. Responsibility and liability lie entirely and completely with the responsible parent or guardian.
• This document does not apply to minors who are registered CCBC students.

Children of Students in Non-Classroom Related Areas

• Children under the age of 16 must not be left unattended on college property.
• Children who are 16 years of age and older may access general college areas including the library, student lounges or food service areas unless otherwise stated by that area.
• The parent/guardian of a disruptive child will be asked to remove the child from the campus.

Children of Students in Classroom Settings

In rare and extreme circumstances:

• Students must contact the instructor before class to request and receive permission for their child to attend the class.
• No child shall be permitted in laboratory settings or any learning setting where there is a danger of injury to the children or others and/or damage to facilities/equipment.
• The child may, at the discretion of the instructor and in accordance with school policy, be permitted to be present in classroom settings. The instructor shall consider the impact of allowing that child into the classroom on the learning environment and consider the nature of the material to be presented and/or discussed in making that determination.
• If, after having been given permission, in the judgment of the instructor or his or her supervisor, the child is disrupting or otherwise having a negative impact in the learning environment, the child and the parent/guardian may be asked to leave the classroom immediately. Parents/guardians shall be responsible for enforcing the child’s proper decorum and behavior at all times.
• If permission is denied for any reason, faculty will handle the missed material based on their own attendance policies as stated in their syllabi.
• No consideration will be given to allowing a child with a contagious illness to come to school with the student parent/guardian

College Closing and Class Start and End Times

When CCBC opens late or closes early, classes and labs which would meet for less than 30 minutes will be cancelled.  Classes and labs that would meet for 30 minutes or more will be held.**  

No announcements will be made via website, weather line or other media unless there is an actual closing or delay message to be delivered (i.e. unless otherwise announced, the college is open during normal operating hours). Exceptions: On days immediately following a closing, CCBC will post a message on the website noting that the college is open, operating on normal schedule that the campus phone lines are returned to normal messageing by 5:00 a.m. Also, on days when Baltimore County Public Schools are closed, CCBC will post on the website the following message: All campuses and extension centers operating on normal posted schedule. Continuing Education courses held at Baltimore County Public School locations are cancelled.

** For example, if CCBC opened at noon, a Monday/Wednesday/Friday 11:15 am-12:10 pm class would NOT meet.  A Tuesday/Thursday 11:10 am-12:35 pm class WOULD meet.

Consumption of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages on Campus

Unless otherwise prohibited, the consumption of food and drink is generally allowed in non-specialized, non-classroom areas and facilities at CCBC.

• Food and/or drink may be consumed in general, non-specialized classrooms unless prohibited by individual faculty. The consumption of food and drink should be moderate and not disruptive to the teaching/learning process. Faculty who teach in such a classroom shall include guidelines in their syllabi: for example, “You may bring water, soft drinks, coffee, or tea to class” or “You may not bring food or drinks to this class.” In cases where food and/or drinks are allowed, the faculty member should be certain that the students dispose of their refuse appropriately either in a trash can or a recycling bin.
• No food or drink shall be consumed in certain specialized facilities at CCBC, such as theatres. Signs will be clearly posted in and/or outside of such facilities conveying this message. If there are any exceptions to this general guideline, they must be approved by the appropriate director or coordinator for the facility.
• No food or drink shall be consumed in specialized classrooms with computers, specialized equipment, or biological/chemical hazards, all of which pose a safety concern. Examples of these rooms would include but are not limited to science labs, computer labs, classrooms with computers, automotive instruction areas, etc. Signs will be clearly posted in and/or outside of labs or classrooms with specialized equipment or biological/chemical hazards, conveying this message. Any exceptions to this general guideline must be approved by the appropriate academic dean.

Consumption and/or Sale of Alcohol at Events

This policy specifies the conditions under which alcoholic beverages may or may not be sold or consumed at CCBC events. Under this policy, the sale and consumption of alcohol is generally prohibited unless an exception is approved by the President. The procedure for obtaining approval is specified in the proposed policy.

General Policy

The Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) generally does not permit the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages at events sponsored by the College, both on and off campus, or at events on college property sponsored by external groups. However, the President has the authority to make exceptions to this policy on terms and conditions the President believes are in the best interest of the College.

A Sponsor shall request use of a CCBC facility in accordance with the Guidelines for Use of College Facilities by External Users or Guidelines for Use of College Facilities by Internal Users (the “Guidelines), and the terms of the Reservation Request Form (“Reservation Request”); and shall execute an Agreement for Use of CCBC Facility (collectively, “CCBC Requirements”). A Sponsor may apply to the President for permission to serve alcohol at an event in accordance with this Policy.

Undefined terms in this Section I are defined in Section II of this Policy.

Definitions

Terms used in this Policy shall have the following meaning:

1. “Alcohol” or “alcoholic beverages” means only light wine and beer. Under no circumstances will an exception be granted for hard alcohol, i.e. distilled spirits;
2. “Application” means the application for a Special Liquor License the Sponsor plans to submit to the Baltimore County Liquor Board. A description of the precautions the Sponsor intends to take to prevent service by or consumption of alcohol by persons under 21 years of age is to be submitted with the Application;
3. “Event” means an activity, sponsored by CCBC held on or off campus (excluding specific course requirements/curricula), or an activity held at a CCBC facility for which CCBC is not a sponsor.
4. “Justification” means a written rationale for why an exception to the alcohol policy is appropriate for this event; 
5. “Permission Statement” means the Permission Statement to Serve Alcoholic Beverages which, when signed by the President, grants permission to serve alcoholic beverages with the injunction to assure that underage persons are not served and that provisions for moderation are practiced and in place. 
6. “Policy” means this Policy for Sale and/or Consumption of Alcohol at Events;
7. “President” means the President of CCBC;
8. The official “Scheduling Office of the College” means the scheduling office on the campus at which the event will be held;
9. “Serve” means the sale and/ or consumption of alcohol;
10. “Special Liquor License” means a special one day alcoholic beverage license issued by the Baltimore County Liquor Board. 
11. “Sponsor” means an individual, CCBC group, affiliated foundation, alumni group recognized by CCBC, or a non – profit organization with a mission consistent with the mission of the College.

Application Procedure

1. To request the consent of the President to serve alcohol at an Event, a Sponsor shall submit a Justification and, when required, an Application with its Reservation Request to the Scheduling Office at least 60 days in advance of the event. The Scheduling Office will send these documents to the President and notify the Campus Dean/Director.
2. The President shall approve, reject, or conditionally approve the request for an exception to the alcohol policy within 15 business days of the receipt of the Justification and Application. Receipt by the President is the day the document is stamped as received by the President’s Office.
3. If the President approves the request for an exception to the alcohol policy without conditions, the President will sign the Permission Statement and, when required, the Application solely as the property owner and return these documents to the Scheduling Office. The Scheduling Office will then notify the Campus Dean/Director and forward the forms to the Sponsor to submit to the Baltimore County Liquor Board for issuance of a Special Liquor License.
4. If approval is conditional, the Scheduling Office of the College shall notify the Sponsor, in writing, of the additional requirements. The Scheduling Office will not release the signed Application until the Sponsor has submitted evidence to the Scheduling Office that the Sponsor has completed the conditions required by the President to the reasonable satisfaction of the Scheduling Office. 
5. If the President does not approve the Application, the Scheduling Office will return the Application and all of the documents attached to the Application to the Sponsor and notify the Campus Dean/Director. 
6. A Sponsor must submit to the Scheduling Office, a copy of the Special Liquor License issued by the Baltimore County Liquor Board at least 15 days prior to the event. Failure to obtain a Special Liquor License automatically revokes the approval of the President of the Application and may result in the cancellation of the event by CCBC.

General Provisions

1. Permission to serve alcohol is within the sole discretion of the President.
2. In determining whether to approve an Application, the President may apply the following criteria as well as any other criteria the President deems reasonable:
   1. The mission of the Sponsor and the Event are consistent with the mission of CCBC;
   2. The Event is primarily for persons 21 years of age or older;
   3. The primary focus of the Event is not consumption of alcohol;
   4. The CCBC Facility requested is suitable for the Event;
   5. The Sponsor has provided the steps it will take to prevent service by or consumption of alcohol by persons under 21 years of age;
   6. The Sponsor will comply with the insurance requirement in the CCBC Requirements; and
   7. The Sponsor agrees to indemnify CCBC in accordance with the CCBC Requirements.

Representations and Warranties by the Sponsor

As a condition to using a CCBC Facility, a Sponsor shall hereby represent and warrant that it shall do the following:

1. Be responsible for compliance with all laws of the State of Maryland related to the sale or service of alcohol, including criminal violations contained in Title 10, Subtitle 1 of the Criminal Law Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, as amended;
2. Not use the CCBC name or logo in advertising the event without permission from the institution;
3. Take reasonable steps to prevent service by or consumption of alcohol by individuals under 21 years of age;
4. Take reasonable steps not to serve alcohol to individuals who appear to be intoxicated;
5. Ask a guest to leave the event if the guest becomes disruptive and/ or refuses to abide by the CCBC Requirements or this Policy. Failure to comply with the request to leave may result in detainment by CCBC Public Safety Officers or local law enforcement;
6. Not use College funds, including student activity fees, to purchase alcohol;
7. Sell and/or consume alcohol only in the CCBC Facility at which the Event is held and ask guests found drinking outside of the CCBC Facility to return to the Event or leave the premises; and
8. Serve non – alcoholic beverages in a manner equally accessible as alcoholic beverages.

CCBC does not assume any responsibility for service of alcohol to minors or for personal or property damages related to the event, that are the result of the acts or omissions of the external sponsor or its guests, or for their violation of the civil or criminal laws of the State of Maryland related to consumption of alcohol.

Delayed Opening: Timeframe for Student/Employee Arrival on Campus

In cases of a delayed opening, campuses and extension centers will be accessible 30 minutes before the scheduled opening.

Distance Learning Course Assessment Policy

This policy is intended to assure the integrity of Distance Learning course performance and is in response to the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, Title IV, Part H, Program Integrity that mandates accrediting agencies to require institutions offering distance education to have a process to establish that a student registered for the distance education course is the same student that participates in, completes, and receives credit for the course.

In response to the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, Title IV, Part H, Program Integrity, CCBC:

1. Will provide a secure login and password for each student;
2. Will provide an ethics statement to each student upon signing on to a CCBC course site;
3. Will conduct proctored authenticated assessment* for a minimum of 30% of the course grade;
4. May provide new or other authentication technologies that assist in verifying student identity.

*Authenticated assessment represents at least 30 percent of the final grade. Proctors and proctoring sites must be authorized by CCBC. Examples of proctored authenticated assessment include: debate, presentation, demonstration, recital, simulation, defending work, video conference technology or CCBC authorized proctored exam.

Faculty Tardiness

Faculty are expected to attend all class meetings and to begin and end classes at the scheduled times. If students arrive to class and the instructor is not present, they are encouraged to notify the department listed on the syllabus. If an instructor is twenty (20) minutes late for lecture or laboratory and has not notified the class or the department, then the students are officially dismissed and will not be held responsible or penalized for missed class or laboratory time. Students should then contact the instructor and/or check Blackboard for further information. By the next class meeting, the instructor is responsible for updating the course schedule on the syllabus as needed.

Hoverboards

The college prohibits the use, possession, charging, or storage of all electronic skateboards, hoverboards, or any similar device on college grounds due to fire-safety concerns.

Netiquette in Online and Blended Courses

The CCBC Netiquette Statement must be included in the Syllabus and/or Getting Started page of all CCBC online and blended courses. Faculty may add additional guidelines, but cannot edit the original document.

CCBC Netiquette Statement

In the academic and professional worlds, exhibiting respectful and professional behavior is an important component of all interactions.  In digital communication, this behavior is referred to as netiquette. Netiquette applies not just to emails, websites and social media, but also to the online classroom, where proper behavior in messages, discussion posts, journals, etc., is just as important as it is in the traditional classroom. 

There are certain expectations CCBC has of all participants in an online classroom.  It’s easy to overlook the fact, when staring at words on a computer screen, that there is an individual on the receiving end of the words being typed, whether it be a student or an instructor. In general, it is good to have the philosophy of “treat others as you would want them to treat you.” The CCBC Netiquette statement outlines the behaviors and expectations of all students and faculty when communicating online or interacting in an online classroom.

• Use proper grammar, capitalization and punctuation in all online communications, discussions and assignments.This includes avoiding “text-speak” like “C U l8r” and typing messages in either all upper case (which is interpreted as YELLING) or in all lower case letters.
• Include a subject and a signature.The subject line helps identify the topic of the email and signed messages will allow the recipient to easily identify the sender.
• Give positive feedback.Keep reply emails and comments on discussion posts positive and constructive, even if you disagree with the email or position of the discussion.Respect what has been written and reply in kind.Remember that discussion posts are “public” and meant for constructive exchanges. Also remember that once the message is sent or the post is submitted, it cannot be undone.
• Recognize and appreciate differences.This will ensure that we embrace and celebrate unique values and backgrounds that each individual brings to the online environment as well as ensure that you treat your instructors and classmates with respect.
• Proofread your messages and comments.This ensures that you’ve corrected any grammatical mistakes and that the tone of your message is appropriate.
• Cite your sources. This will help you present your point of view with valid documentation.Not citing sources is plagiarism, which violates CCBC’s Student Code of Conduct .
• Participate fully. Read the instructions, classmates’ posts and replies before posting your message to ensure that you are contributing your unique voice and research to the conversation.
• Keep your comments relevant to the discussion.While it may be tempting to carry on a personal conversation with a fellow student in a discussion board, that location isn’t the proper place.
• Search before you ask. Most well-constructed courses have the answers to your questions.Faculty expect students to attempt to find the answer to their questions before asking.
• Help out your classmates. If someone emails you or posts a question for some help with a technical issue, feel free to help out, especially if you are experienced in online learning.

Adapted from:

• “Netiquette: Ground Rules for Online Discussions.” Netiquette: Ground Rules for Online Discussions. Colorado State University. Web. 2 Dec. 2015. <http://teaching.colostate.edu/tips/tip.cfm?tipid=128>.
• Erstad, Will. “9 Netiquette Guidelines Online Students Need to Know.” 9 Netiquette Guidelines Online Students Need to Know. Rasmussen College, 25 Sept. 2014. Web. 2 Dec. 2015. <>.
• “Netiquette Guides for Online Learning”.Gadsen State Community College.Web.Sept. 2016. http://www.gadsdenstate.edu/elearning/netiquette
• “Netiquette: Etiquette for the World of Online Communication.” Netiquette: Etiquette for the World of Online Communication. Howard Community College. Web. 2 Dec. 2015. <http://www.howardcc.edu/programs-courses/academics/elearning/faq/netiquette.html>.

Non-Motorized Wheeled Devices

The use of bicycles, skates, skateboards, and similar non-motorized wheeled devices is permitted on college roadways and in parking lots, but not on any pedestrian walkways, including those surrounding and connecting buildings, or inside college buildings. 

All such activity is to be conducted in a safe manner, giving priority and right of way to motorists and pedestrians.

This policy excludes wheelchairs and other medically necessary devices.

Notification Procedures in the Event of the Death of a Currently Enrolled Student

The Dean of College Life (or designee) will be the primary point of contact for the family of the deceased; Dean (or designee) will be the primary coordinating person for ensuring that the following on-campus action steps are taken.

1. CCBC is notified of a death of a currently enrolled credit or non-credit student.  (These procedures do not apply to former students.)  Notification can be from a newspaper article, obituary, from a family member or family representative, police report, etc.  If notified in person, the college representative should ask what the family is willing to share about the death, using his/her judgment on what information will be shared with the campus community.  Additionally, the college representative will summarize how the school will respond, that the Dean of College Life will be the primary contact person should the family have any questions, and ask who CCBC should contact if the school has questions about the student’s account.  As possible, the college representative will confirm the death without causing undue distress to the family; a death certificate will not be required. 
2. The Dean of College Life (or designee) shall inform the following:

a) Members of Senior Staff, including the President, who will send a letter of condolence

b) The Registrar (or designee), who will notify via email the appropriate college officials as noted:

 i) Provide next-of-kin contact information to the President’s Office for the letter of condolence

ii) Provide specific information about the student’s program of study, enrolled classes, and faculty to the Financial Aid office, Senior Director of College Communications, Director of College and Community Outreach, and Dean of Enrollment Management, Dean of Student Life and Dean of Student Development along with other points of contact when appropriate (i.e. Athletics, Payroll, International Student Services, and Admissions). (If a continuing education student, will notify CE operations)

c) The Registrar will inform each of the student’s instructors and copy the Director of College and Community Outreach.

d) The Senior Director of College Communications (or designee) who will (1) handle media inquiries and (2) provide a template for letter of condolence to President’s Office.

e) The Executive Director of Human Resources who will research if the deceased student is also employee.  If so, HR will coordinate the response.   

f) The Chief Information Officer who will review the student’s email communications and disable the deceased student’s email address.  All emails will be archived for one year after the date of death.

g) The Director of Public Safety who will remove the student, and all known family members from the campus alert database.

3. The Registrar’s Office or CE (if non-credit student) will inactivate the student’s address and indicate “deceased” in the information system (SPAPERS).
4. If the student dies at any point between the time s/he registers for classes and the last day of the term, the Registrar will retroactively withdraw the student using a 100% refund date and notify the Bursar’s office to issue a check to “The Estate of” the student.  All outstanding fees or fines (parking, library, etc.) will be waived by the Bursar’s office. 
5. A posthumous degree indicating that the student had completed the degree/certificate requirements at the time of death may be awarded at the discretion of the President. (See the posthumous degree policy located on SharePoint)
6. The Dean of College Life (or designee) contacts the next of kin to explain the forgiveness policy regarding the student’s loans.
7. The Director of Financial Aid (or designee) will review the student’s financial aid account to ascertain if the student has outstanding loans. If the student has outstanding loans, then the Financial Aid Office, in cooperation with the Dean of College Life (or designee), will advise the family to send a copy of the death certificate to the Department of Education to have the loans discharged. If preferred, the Financial Aid Office can handle this on the family’s behalf.

Online Office Hours

In online courses it is expected that the faculty member will be available to his or her students for consultation at a distance using available communication tools including email, chat, computer conferencing or other technologies. To best serve the students, the number of online office hours will be equal to one online office hour for every three online teaching load hours. The physical location of these online office hours is at the discretion of the faculty member. These online office hours may fall beyond standard institutional business days and hours.

The faculty member must post a statement of the methods and procedures to be used for online office hours and the expected response time to student communications consistent with the current standards for on-line courses.

Preferred Name

The Community College of Baltimore County recognizes that employees and students may use names other than their legal names to identify themselves. As long as the use of this preferred name is not for the purposes of misrepresentation or fraud, the college acknowledges that a preferred name can and should be used where possible in the course of college education and internal communication.

The college will make a good faith effort to display the preferred name to the college community through internal college systems when and where available and appropriate, except where the use of the legal name is necessitated by college business or legal requirement.

All college employees and students are expected to facilitate the use of the preferred name and corresponding pronouns.

Progress Grades

1.  Progress Grades are  issued for all courses for ALL students during late start (12wk) and 14wk semesters.
2.  The due date for faculty submission of grades (letter grades) will be at the 40% mark of each academic term. A date for grade availability for students will be posted on the CCBC website on the Academic Calendar .
3.  The grades will be accompanied by a message that urges students with less than desired grades to see their professor for additional help and/or go to the Tutoring Center, Student Success Center, and Advisement Centers.
4.  All faculty will be expected to enter grades in SIMON by the due date.  

Student Concerns Policy

CCBC will provide students with procedures for bringing concerns to the attention of appropriate college personnel who are in a position to evaluate the validity of their concerns and take action if deemed necessary.

The following statement will be placed in the Student and Faculty Handbooks, as well as in the college-wide syllabus policies linked to the “Syllabus tab” in the MyCCBC Student Portal and in the appropriate location on the CCBC website:

Student Concerns

CCBC is dedicated to helping students make the most of their academic experience; therefore, we seek to maintain a positive environment for you to attain your academic goals. If you encounter problems or have concerns about an experience you have encountered, there are established procedures that you may use to bring your concerns to the attention of the proper authorities within CCBC. 

Students wishing to express class-related concerns about the conduct of a course instructor should adhere to the following process.

• If possible, students should first confer with the faculty member involved.
• If that is impossible or unsatisfactory, concerns should next be addressed to the discipline or Program Coordinator for the course in question.
• If the issue remains unresolved, students may then take concerns to the Department Chair, and then finally to the Assistant Dean or Dean of the appropriate school, if necessary. If the faculty member is the discipline or Program Coordinator or Department Chair, then concerns may be taken to the next appropriate level directly.

Students wishing to express non-class related concerns about the operations of the college (for example, safety issues or harassment on campus) should contact the office of the appropriate Campus director. Evening or weekend students may also contact the appropriate Coordinator for Evening and Weekend Campus Services during off-hours.

The CCBC Syllabus Template will be modified as follows:

As an institution, CCBC will do the following:

1. Establish procedures to allow students to efficiently contact the Office of the Campus Dean/Director on each campus with their concerns. Possibilities for doing this include (but are not limited to) placing and regularly monitoring “suggestion boxes” on each campus, developing an online form within the MyCCBC Student Portal for reporting concerns, and/or developing signage informing students that they may take their concerns to the Campus Dean/Director and how to do so.
2. Seek ways to inform evening and weekend students that the Coordinator for Evening and Weekend Campus Services is available to hear their concerns. 
3. Ensure that appropriate entry-level contact information for various academic units (departments and schools) is available to students by placing such information in the Student Handbook and online.
4. Train appropriate individuals on proper intake and handling of allegations of discrimination or harassment based on protective status.

Student Out-of-Class School Work Expectations — Traditional Semesters

The statement of a student’s out of class work expectations must be included in the syllabus for every section of a course. Wording for the different course delivery modes is found below.

The U.S. Department of Education mandates that students are to be made aware of their school work expectations outside the classroom. Statements of these expectations are to be placed in all syllabi to make it available for all students in all classes. Middle States Accreditation is also looking to check for and reinforce the presence of these statements.

Traditional 14-Week Credit Hour Language

Instructions: The following language should be added to each course syllabus, appropriate for course type.

Face-to-Face Course:

This is a _____credit/billable hour course. For each credit/billable hour, the student is expected to complete at least two hours of work per week outside of the class, including reading, class preparation, homework, studying, etc.
Syllabus Language Example: This is a three credit course. You are expected to complete at least six hours of work per week outside of the class including reading, class preparation, homework, studying, etc.

Face-to-Face Course with a Lab:

This is a _____credit/billable hour course. For each credit/billable hour, the student is expected to complete at least two hours of work per week outside of the class, including reading, class and lab preparation, homework, studying, etc.
Syllabus Language Example: This is a 4 credit course. You are expected to complete at least eight hours of work per week outside of class including reading, class and lab preparation, homework, studying, etc.

Online Course:

This is a ________ credit/billable hour course. For each credit/billable hour, the student is expected to complete at least three hours of work per week of reading, course preparation, homework, studying, etc.
Syllabus Language Example: This is a three-billable hour class. You are expected to complete at least nine hours of work per week of reading, course preparation, homework, studying, etc.

Modified Online/Blended Learning Course:

This is a ________ credit/billable hour course, with ________ in-class hours. For each credit/billable hour, a student is expected to complete at least three hours of work per week including class time and work outside of class, such as reading, course preparation, homework, studying, etc.
Syllabus Language Example: This is a three-billable hour course, with one hour per week in-class. You are expected to complete at least eight hours of work per week including class time and work outside of class, such as reading, course preparation, homework, studying, etc.

Student Out-of-Class School Work Expectations — Non-Traditional Semesters

The statement of a student’s out of class work expectations during non-traditional semesters must be included in the syllabus for every section of a course. Wording for the different course delivery modes is found below. The attached wording should be added to the Statement of Student Out-of-Class School Work Expectations document already passed by the Senate in January of 2012. This document should be placed in a folder with the syllabus template on the Policies and Procedures tab for ease of access for faculty.

The U.S. Department of Education mandates that students are to be made aware of their school work expectations outside the classroom. The standards are:

• For every credit hour for Face-to-Face class(with or without lab), the student is expected to have 2hrs of work out of the class.
• For every credit hour for Online and Blended/hybrid courses, the student is expected to have 3 hours of work out of the class.

Statements of these expectations are to be placed in all syllabi to make it available for all students in all classes. These statements, along with the table for all faculty to use to apply to their courses, cover all other possible lengths and credit values for semesters not taught in the traditional 14-week format.

Non-Traditional Semester Credit Hour Work Expectation Language

(Use the chart below to fill in the blanks appropriate for the course taught.)

Face-to-Face Course:

This is a _____credit/billable hour course offered over _____weeks. The student is expected to complete at least _______ hours of work per week outside of the class, including reading, class preparation, homework, studying, etc.
Syllabus Example: This is a three-credit course offered over 5 weeks. You are expected to complete at least 17 hours of work per week outside of the class including reading, class preparation, homework, studying, etc.
Syllabus Example: This is a three-credit course offered over 7 weeks. You are expected to complete at least 12 hours of work per week outside of the class including reading, class preparation, homework, studying, etc.

Face-to-Face Course with a Lab:

This is a _____credit/billable hour course offered over ______weeks. The student is expected to complete at least ______hours of work per week outside of the class, including reading, class and lab preparation, homework, studying, etc.
Syllabus Example: This is a three-credit course offered over 5 weeks. You are expected to complete at least 17 hours of work per week outside of the class including reading, class preparation, homework, studying, etc.
Syllabus Example: This is a three-credit course offered over 7 weeks. You are expected to complete at least 12 hours of work per week outside of the class including reading, class preparation, homework, studying, etc.

Online Course:

This is a ________ credit/billable hour course offered over ______weeks. The student is expected to complete at least _______ hours of work per week of reading, course preparation, homework, studying, etc.
Syllabus Example: This is a three-credit course offered over 5 weeks. You are expected to complete at least 25 hours of work per week of reading, course preparation, homework, studying, etc.
Syllabus Example: This is a three-credit course offered over 7 weeks. You are expected to complete at least 18 hours of work per week of reading, course preparation, homework, studying, etc.

Modified Online/Blended Learning Course:

This is a ________ credit/billable hour course, with ________ in-class hours offered over ______weeks. The student is expected to complete at least ________ hours of work per week including class time and work outside of class, such as reading, course preparation, homework, studying, etc.
Syllabus Example: This is a three-credit course offered over 5 weeks. You are expected to complete at least 25 hours of work per week including class time and work outside of class, such as reading, course preparation, homework, studying, etc.
Syllabus Example: This is a three-credit course offered over 7 weeks. You are expected to complete at least 18 hours of work per week including class time and work outside of class, such as reading, course preparation, homework, studying, etc.

Minimum hours spent per week, including the time in class (for blended and online classes)

Minimum hours spent per week, outside of traditional face-to-face class

Traditional spring and fall semesters are 14 weeks.

Student Recording Devices in the Classroom

The audio recording and transmission of class sessions (lectures and discussions) by students at CCBC are prohibited unless permission is received from the class instructor. Students must fill out and sign the Recording of Class Sessions Agreement form, which will be provided to the student by the instructor. This form needs to be completed prior to the first recording and is applicable for that semester and that class only. Recording of these sessions is authorized solely for the educational use of the individual student and may not be reproduced or uploaded to any publicly accessible web environments.

Violation of this agreement between the student and course instructor may incur sanctions as a violation of the CCBC Code of Conduct and the CCBC Intellectual Property Rights Policy. Violations may result in disciplinary and/or legal action.

Video recording and picture taking in any class or lab is prohibited unless this is a required component of the course itself.

All students in the class, as well as guest speakers, must be informed that audio recording may occur.

Signed approval forms (paper or electronic) should be kept with the instructor.

It is not a violation of this policy for a student determined by the CCBC Disability Support Services office to be entitled to educational accommodations, to exercise any rights protected under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, including needed recording or adaptations of classroom lectures or materials for personal research and study. 

Syllabus Policy

All CCBC faculty will provide syllabi to students. Syllabi must meet the minimum requirements of the CCBC Syllabus Template.

The institution will:

• Create a tab on the new student portal (MyCCBC) titled “Syllabus tab.” This tab will contain college-wide syllabus policies including but not limited to CCBC’s Code of Conduct related to Academic Integrity and Classroom Behavior, Repeated Course Policy, Audit/Withdrawal Policy, Grade Appeal Process, Writing Policy, Inclement Weather, Religious Holidays, (student services including but not limited to) - Disability Support Services, Student Success Center, Testing Center, Academic Advising, Clinical Counseling Services, and Career Development Services.
• Create a standard electronic version of the CCBC syllabus template.

Syllabus Template

Faculty Instructions for the CCBC Syllabus Template

The faculty member will:

• Post syllabus on the faculty or course webpage and/or distribute to students during the first day of class;
• Place syllabus on file with appropriate school at the same time;
• Include material in this document that constitutes a minimum requirement of the information which should be provided to every student in a syllabus;
• Follow the template formatting of Roman numerals and capital letters, but font style and size may be changed;
• Place additional material that may be necessary or valuable to the conduct of the course at the end of each section at “Other material…”; and
• Remind students each semester that they should refer to the Syllabus tab on their MyCCBC page for college wide policies not specified in the syllabus.

CCBC Syllabus Template Approved June 2012

1. Basic Course Information
   1. Instructor’s name
   2. Instructor’s office room number, contact information (phone number(s) and email address(es))
   3. Instructor’s office hours or optional statement of availability to give students an appropriate expectation of the instructor’s availability
   4. Department or school phone number(s)
   5. Class meeting day(s), time(s) and location(s) on campus and classroom Statement of Student Out-of-Class Work Expectations (click on the following links to the Student Out-of-Class Work Expectation Policies for the specific language to include in the syllabus):
   6. Student Out-of-Class Work Expectation Policy – Traditional Semesters 
   7. Student Out-of-Class Work Expectation Policy – Non-Traditional Semesters
   8. Materials (texts, equipment, software, and supplies)
   9. Other material related to Basic Course Information
2. Course Goals Overall
   1. Course objectives as listed on the official common course outline
   2. Major topics as listed on the official common course outline 
   3. Rationale (instructor’s statement relating course content to student’s personal and academic growth, etc.)
   4. Other material related to Course Goals
3. Evaluation
   1. Requirements (papers, oral reports, projects, quizzes, tests, final exams, etc.)
   2. Instructor’s grading policy 
   3. Instructor’s attendance policy 
   4. Instructor’s audit policy 
   5. Other material related to Evaluation
4. Course Procedures
   1. Course-related policies and procedures (including course-specific links) 
   2. College-wide syllabus policies (the following statement should also be hyperlinked to the tab): “For college-wide syllabus policies such as the Code of Conduct related to Academic Integrity and Classroom Behavior or the Audit/Withdrawal policy, please go to the Syllabus Tab on the MyCCBC page.”
   3. Contact information for course-related concerns* 
   4. Other material related to Course Procedures 
   5. Course calendar/schedule (may include appropriate links to college calendar)

This syllabus may be changed with notification to the class.

*Students should first attempt to take concerns to the faculty member. If students are unable to resolve course-related concerns with the instructor, they should contact (name and position of discipline or program coordinator, or other “next level” contact in the event that the instructor is the coordinator or department chair) at (appropriate contact information).

Visitor/Guest Policy

We encourage visitors and guests to enjoy the many events and services offered by the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC). In order to maintain the integrity of CCBC’s mission and the quality of its facilities, we ask visitors and guests to follow applicable sections of the Student Code of Conduct .

1. DEFINITIONS:
   1. The term “college” signifies the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC), including primary and satellite campuses.
   2. The term “guest” signifies a person invited by faculty, staff and/or students for an event or activity at CCBC.
   3. The term “visitor” signifies someone coming to CCBC to use the facilities or attend an activity or event.
   4. The term “college premises” signifies buildings or grounds owned, leased, operated, controlled or supervised by the college.
2. POLICY STATEMENT: All visitors and guests are expected to abide by applicable sections of the Student Code of Conduct . Students may be held responsible for the activities and actions of their guests while on CCBC college premises.
   1. CCBC reserves the right to take necessary and appropriate action to protect the safety and well-being of the campus community.
   2. CCBC expects its guests and visitors to adhere to high standards of good citizenship.
   3. The following misconduct is subject to disciplinary action as determined by the Department of Public Safety:
      1. Intentionally or recklessly causing physical harm to any person on college premises or at college-sponsored activities, or intentionally or recklessly causing reasonable anticipation of such harm.
      2. Sexual assault or sexual harassment, as defined in published college regulations.
      3. Unauthorized use, possession or storage of any weapon on college premises or at college-sponsored activities.
      4. Initiating or causing to be initiated any false report, warning or threat of fire, explosion or other emergency on college premises or at college-sponsored activities.
      5. Any act or omission committed on college premises constituting a serious criminal offense, defined as an action that Maryland state law identifies as a felony; and/or any act or omission which indicates that the individual presents a substantial and continuing danger to the safety or property of the college or members of the campus community.
      6. Knowingly violating the terms of any disciplinary administrative sanction imposed in accordance with this policy.
      7. Furnishing false information to the college. 
      8. Interfering with the freedom of expression of others on college premises or at college-sponsored activities. 
      9. Theft of property, services or resources on college premises or at college-sponsored activities; knowing possession of stolen property on college premises or at college-sponsored activities. 
      10. Intentionally or recklessly destroying or damaging the property of others on college premises or at college-sponsored activities.
      11. Engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct on college premises or at college-sponsored activities which interferes with the activities of others, including but not limited to studying, teaching, research and college administration.
      12. Failure to comply with the directions of college officials, including campus Public Safety officers, faculty and professional staff acting in performance of their duties.
      13. Sale, distribution, use and/or possession of any controlled dangerous substance, illegal drug, or unauthorized alcohol on college premises or at college-sponsored activities.
      14. Violation of the CCBC Smoking and Tobacco-Free Policy.
      15. Unauthorized use or possession of fireworks on college premises.
3. SOLICITATION: The use of any CCBC facilities and/or resources for any activity or event that involves the sale of items, the solicitation of funds, or the donation of materials must be approved by the appropriate academic/administrative structure and the Campus Director. Inquiries can be made to the appropriate Campus Director.
   1. The sale or offer of sale of merchandise, goods or services is forbidden on any college premises except through the Bookstores or through other CCBC-approved organizations or agencies.
   2. The solicitation of funds to support any activity or cause is forbidden on any college premises except when approved by the appropriate Campus Director. Fundraising efforts by college-recognized clubs and organizations should be channeled through the Office of Student Life for approval.
4. SANCTIONS: Guests and visitors violating this policy may receive sanctions as delineated by CCBC administration and may be responsible for restitution to the college. Sanctions that may be imposed for any violations of this policy may include:
   1. Restitution: repayment to the college or to an affected party for damages resulting from a violation of this policy.
   2. Removal and exclusion from college premises and other privileges or activities.
   3. Arrest.