X    Compliance         Partial Compliance         Non-Compliance

Narrative: Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College (OCtech) publishes a clear and appropriate statement of student rights and responsibilities and disseminates the statement to the campus community. The College follows the established South Carolina Technical College Student Code of Conduct as prescribed in State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education Policy 3-2-106: Student Code and Grievance Procedure. The provisions of this code were developed and approved by the Chief Student Services Officers from each of the system’s sixteen technical colleges. The Student Code addresses both the rights and responsibilities of students enrolled at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College as well as the other fifteen technical colleges within the system. This information is listed in detail on pages 79-94 in the Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Catalog, 2004. The Catalog is made available to all students and prospective students. General provisions of the Student Code and Due Process are also listed on page 37 of the OCtech Student Handbook, 2004 that is issued to students during new student orientation during the fall, spring and summer terms. This information is also accessible in the online College Catalog and Student Handbook. In addition, a handout detailing the Student Code is also available to students in the Student Services Division at the College. This distribution system works efficiently to ensure due process for students. Since 1999, only seven students have appealed disciplinary sanctions based on violations of the Student Code. Of those seven, four sanctions were upheld and three were revised in favor of the student.

Student rights and responsibilities are detailed in Sections I-V of the Student Code, The Student Grievance Procedure For the South Carolina Technical College System located on pages 91-94 of the Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Catalog, 2004. The Grievance Procedure provides students with a system to channel complaints against faculty, staff, or other students as outlined in State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education Procedure 3-2-106.1: The Student Code for the South Carolina Technical College System. Students have the right to file complaints based on discrimination, sexual harassment, and academic matters as described in Sections I through V of the Student Grievance Procedure. Students who desire to file a formal complaint may do so through the Vice President for Student Services. When a complaint is submitted, every attempt is made to resolve the issue between the student and the faculty/staff member or other student through discussions with all involved parties and an investigation of allegations. If a resolution cannot be reached to the satisfaction of the grievant, the student may request to appear before the Student Grievance Committee to seek resolution. The Student Grievance Committee is composed of the following: three students recommended by the Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Student Advisory Board, two faculty members recommended by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, one Student Services staff member appointed by the Vice President for Student Services, and one administrator, who serves as the Committee’s Chairperson. The Vice President for Student Services may not serve as Committee Chair but serves as an ex-officio non-voting member of the Committee. The College has done an effective job of addressing and resolving student concerns. Since 1995 only one formal grievance has been filed by a student. The complaint was course dismissal due to discrimination. The Committee ruled that no discrimination had taken place and upheld the course dismissal. The student appealed the Committee’s decision to the College President. The College President upheld the decision of the Committee.

OCtech publishes graduation information as required by the Student Right to Know Legislation and also publishes yearly Campus Crime statistics. Graduation rates are widely published, and this information is made available to all prospective and current students through use of the OCtech public web site (http://www.octech.edu), the College Catalog, and an annual email to all current students. Students are apprised of their right to privacy as outlined by FERPA. Students with Special Needs receive accommodations as required by the Americans with Disabilities Legislation as outlined in Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Policy 4.037: Special Accommodations for Students with Disabilities and in Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Procedure 4.037.01: Special Accommodations for Students with Disabilities.

Students are informed of their responsibilities as a student as outlined in the Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Policy 3.004: Academic Standards of Progress and Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Procedure 3.004.01: Academic Standards of Progress. Student responsibilities are also outlined in Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Policy 4.044: Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress and its accompanying Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Procedure 4.044.01. This information is also listed in the Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Catalog, 2004 on pages 38-39.

Evidence of Support: