Faculty Handbook

Policies and Procedures

Expanding the tradition of excellence through learning and collaboration.

Hutchinson Community College will be the premier, two-year educational institution in Kansas, delivering accessible opportunities for learning, growth and improved quality of life.

• Teaching and Learning – HutchCC empowers students and other stakeholders to develop abilities, talents, and skills while assessing outcomes, celebrating achievements, and encouraging lifelong learning.
• Integrity and Social Responsibility– HutchCC contributes to the public good by treating people and organizations with equity, civility and respect, and by demonstrating responsible institutional citizenship through engagement with state and local policymakers.
• Service and Collaboration – HutchCC provides a dynamic environment of active internal and external partnerships embracing the potential for innovation.
• Diversity and Inclusion – HutchCC celebrates the uniqueness of individuals, ideas, and forms of expression by supporting and listening to students and stakeholders.
• Tradition and Responsiveness – HutchCC respects tradition while examining future-focused trends to predict how conditions will change, and then innovates to meet the mission-driven needs of our students and stakeholders.
• Leadership and Stewardship – HutchCC fosters the development of and provides opportunities for leadership within the institution and community while undertaking responsible management of resources.

Hutchinson Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an independent corporation that was founded in 1895 as one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. HLC accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in the North Central region, which includes the following 19 states: Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming. HLC is recognized by the US Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

For More Visit:The Higher Learning Commission

Program Accreditation

Allied Health Department

Health Information Management (AAS)
Commission on the Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education
200 E. Randolph Street, Suite 5100
Chicago, IL 60601
Action Letter
Next Review: Reviewed Annually

Nursing - Associate Degree (ADN)
The associate degree nursing program at Hutchinson Community College at Hutchinson Campus, located in Hutchinson, KS is accredited by the:

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE
Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA  30326
404-975-5000
http://www.acenursing.org

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the associate degree nursing program is continuing accreditation.
View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at
http://www.acenursing.us/accreditedprograms/programSearch.htm

Initial Accreditation:                                      May 1985
Date of most recent Commission Action:  July 2017
Date of Last Visit:                                            February 1-3, 2017
Next Site Visit:                                                  Spring 2025

Kansas State Board of Nursing
900 SW Jackson St., Room 1051
Topeka, KS  66612
785-296-4924

Nursing - Practical Nursing (LPN)

The practical nursing program at Hutchinson Community College at the McPherson, KS campus is approved by:

Kansas State Board of Nursing
900 SW Jackson St., Room 1051
Topeka, KS  66612
785-296-4924

The most recent approval decision made by the KSBN for the practical nursing program is continuing approval. 

Initial Accreditation:                                      May 1996
Date of most recent Commission Action:  July 2017
Date of Last Visit:                                            February 1-3, 2017
Next Site Visit:                                                  Spring 2025

Physical Therapist Assistant
Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100
Alexandria, VA 22305-3085
703-706-3245
Action Letter
Next Review: Fall 2025

Radiologic Technology

The radiography program is accredited by the
Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 2850
Chicago, IL 60606-3182
312-704-5300
Email: mail@jrcert.org

The program's current accreditation award is 8 years. General program accreditation information and the current accreditation award letter can be found here:  https://www.jrcert.org/programs/hutchinson-community-college/

Hutchinson Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Respiratory Care
Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care

Action Letter
Next Review: 2033

Surgical Technologist
Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 - 113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL  33775
727-210-2350

Accreditation Review Committee on Education for Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting
19751 East Mainstreet, Suite #339
Parker, CO  80138
303-694-9262
Action Letter
Next Review: 2024

Public Safety Department

Emergency Medical Services - Paramedic
Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
25400 US Highway 19 N., Suite 158
Clearwater, FL 33763
727-210-2350
Action Letter 
Next Review:2022

Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services
Landon State Office Building
900 SW Jackson Street, Suite 1031
Topeka, Kansas 66612-1228

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Hutchinson Community College Leadership teams are comprised of:

President's Council

• President – Dr. Tricia Paramore
• Vice President of Academic Affairs – Mr. Mel Whiteside
• Vice President of Student Services – Mr. Christopher Lau
• Vice President of Finance and Operations – Ms. Julie Blanton
• Vice President of Workforce Development & Outreach – Mr. Bryce McFarland

President's Staff

• Administrative Assistant -- Ms. Becky Rogers
• Athletic Director -- Mr. Josh Gooch
• Director, Marketing and Public Relations -- Mr. Denny Stoecklein
• Director, Volunteer Center -- Ms. Leah Chandler
• Endowment /Alumni Executive Director -- Ms. Cindy Keast
• Research Coordinator -- Mr. Rex Cheever

Academic Affairs

• Agriculture, Business, Computer Science & Technology – Ms. Jillene Cunningham and Mr. Sheldon Stewart
• Allied Health and Nursing – Ms. Alison Casebolt
• Fine Arts and Humanities -- Ms. Frances Johannsen and Ms. Kimberly Ivancovich
• Math, Science, Social Science – Ms. Erin Beavers and Ms. Michelle Carey
• Public Safety – Mr. Cliff Moore
• Online Education - Dr. Rhonda Corwin
• Adult Education - Ms. Rachel Wannamaker
• Rimmer Support Services - Mr. Bradley Fenwick
• Honors - Dr. Ryan Diehl
• Assessment -

Business & Industry and Community Outreach

• Outreach – Ms. Kristie Torgerson
• Workforce Development – Mr. Dave Mullins

Student Services

• Director of Admissions - Diego Esparza
• Coordinator of Counseling & Social Work Services - Debbie Graber
• Director of Accessibility Services – Ms. Lisa Jolliff
• Executive Director of Enrollment Management - Brea Turner
• Equity and Compliance – Bernadett Dillon
• Financial Aid – Mr. Nathan Buche
• Registrar and Records – Ms. Christina Long
• Executive Director of Student Affairs and Campus Safety – Ms. Dana Hinshaw
• Director of Residence Life & Student Activities - Ms. Shelby Branting
• Director of Advising and Career Development - DJ Chastain

Finance and Operations

• Accounting – Ms. Karla Taylor
• Campus Store – Ms. Lynita Ummel
• Human Resources -- Mr. Brooks Mantooth
• Maintenance/Plant Facilities – Mr. Don Rose
• Student Billing System – Ms. Anita Biel

Committees and Task Forces

Shared governance occurs through numerous HutchCC committees/task forces comprised of faculty, staff, administrators, and students. The institution sustains 6 major committees who meet regularly to discuss academic, service, and operational advancements and process improvements.

Institutional Committees

• Advising Committee
• Curriculum Committee
• Institutional Effectiveness
• Regulatory Compliance & Due Process
• Skill Enhancement and Employee Development
• Teaching & Learning

Advisory Committees with Business & Industry Members

Each technical program (faculty, staff, administrators, students) meets (at least) twice annually with Advisory Committees. Advisory Committees are comprised of professionals from business & industry, human resource specialists, applied technicians from various fields, past graduates who now serve in the workforce, etc. Agendas focus on analysis of industry trends, curriculum/program reviews, enrollment/degree completion and/or credentials/licensure rates, job placement, industry needs for training and education, and departmental activities and events.  

• Vice President of Academic Affairs
  • Adm Asst to VP of Academic Affairs
  • Adult Education Coordinator
    • 14 Staff Members
  • Curriculum/Program Improvement Coordinator
  • Employment Manager - Part Time Faculty
  • Director of Online Education
    • 4 Staff Members
  • Director of Rimmer Support Services
    • 6 Staff Members
  • Grant Writer
  • Dept. I Allied Health & Nursing
    • 15 Administrators & 18 Faculty
    • 5 Adm Assistants
  • Dept. II Agriculture, Business, Computers & Technology
    • 9 Administrators & 22 Faculty
    • 3 Adm Assistants
  • Dept. III Fine Arts & Humanities
    • 26 Faculty
    • 1 Adm Assistant
    • Production Manager, Stringer Fine Arts Center
  • Dept. IV Natural Science, Social Science & Mathematics
    • 1 Administrator & 26 Faculty
    • 1 Adm. Assistant
    • 1 Lab Technician
  • Dept. V Public Safety
    • 3 Administrators & 7 Faculty
    • 2 Adm Assistants

• Vice President of Student Services
  • Administrative Assistant to the VP of Student Services
  • Coordinator of Accessibility Services
  • Director of Admissions
  • College Registrar
  • Director of Residence Life and Student Activities
  • Director of Financial Aid & Scholarships
  • Director of Enrollment Management & Advising Services
  • Coordinator of Counseling and Social Work Services
  • Esports Head Coach

• Vice President of Finance & Operations
  • Administrative Assistant to VP of Finance & Operations
  • Director of Facilities
  • Director of Human Resources
  • Campus Store/Central Store Supply Mgr.
  • Accountant
  • Director of Accounting Services - Treasurer
  • Child Care Center Coordinator
  • Chief Information Officer
  • Grant Compliance Manager

• Vice President of Workforce Development & Outreach
  • Adm. Asst. to VP of Workforce Development & Outreach
  • Director of Business & Industry
  • Executive Director of Outreach

• Chief Information Officer
  • Director of IT
    • Systems Support Manager
      • Systems Support Analysts
    • CSOC Team Lead
      • Cybersecurity Analysts
    • Infrastructure Team
      • Network Administrators
      • Infrastructure Technicians
    • Audio Visual Analyst
  • IT Systems Analyst – PT
  • DevOps Team Lead
    • Software Engineers
  • IT Project Manager – PT
    • IT Project Technologist – PT
  • Digital Media Analyst
  • Live Event Media Coordinator
  • Media Production Analyst
  • ITS Admin

Full-time contracts are based on the Master Agreement, Article VIII. A hiring schedule for new full-time teaching faculty is published in the Master Agreement, Article IX.A. Appendix C. Adjunct faculty working conditions are also identified in the Master Agreement.

Adjunct faculty and part-time faculty are issued contracts on a semester by semester basis if sufficient enrollment justifies offering a course.  The Vice President of Academic Affairs or designee determines sufficient enrollment.  Course assignments are not guaranteed each semester; assignments are based on enrollment and the schedule.  Should the class be cancelled, part-time faculty receive cancellation pay for preparation and/or meeting with the class the first session regardless of enrollment (fall and spring semesters).  Each compensation contract contains specified dates of employment, a description of the class assignment, and exact compensation. 

Contracts for all faculty are sent through campus mail or US mail for signature after the first Board of Trustees meeting of the semester.  Faculty must sign and return the contract within 7-10 days.  Once returned to the Human Resources Office, a copy of the signed contract will be sent to each faculty member through HutchCC email.

In general all payroll will be direct deposit unless other arrangements are made with Human Resources.

For questions concerning paychecks or contracts, please contact Brooks Mantooth, Human Resources Director, at 620-665-3497 or mantoothb@hutchcc.edu, or Jolene Williamson, Payroll Specialist, at 620-665-3504 or williamsonj@hutchcc.edu.

The Employee Benefit Scholarship is available to the following people:

(Faculty and Adjunct Faculty, please refer to the Master Agreement)

• Full time (as defined under Flexible Benefit Plan terms) employees, their spouses, and eligible children. (Employee must be employed during the semester the benefit is granted and must have completed the Employee Benefit Scholarship form while still employed.)
• Retired full time employees and their children or the children of deceased full time employees who were employed for ten (10) years of continuous service. The children must have been eligible for the benefit at the time the full time employee retired or is deceased.  

An eligible child is age 23 or younger.

Employees who use the benefit must take the course(s) outside of their work schedule.

The scholarship applies to any credit bearing course offered by HutchCC, regardless of location or delivery method.

Exception:  If the course is eligible for Excel in CTE funding, it is not eligible for the scholarship.

The scholarship does not apply to non-credit classes, i. e. motorcycle safety or CDL training.

Each qualified individual is eligible for a scholarship for up to thirty-six (36) credit hours each academic year - fall, spring and summer semesters.  The scholarship covers tuition only.  (Student fees are not assessed for those enrolled as staff/ family.)  The employee or family member is responsible for the purchase of required textbooks and payment of course specific fees. Course fees can be found in the cost section of the college catalog.

To receive the scholarship, the employee must:

• Request the Employee Benefit Scholarship Request form from Human Resources: HRinfo@hutchcc.edu  
  • The form must be completed each time courses are added.
  • The form can be submitted as early as one month prior to the beginning of the semester.
  • If the form is submitted after classes have begun, there may be a delay in applying the scholarship to the student's bill. 
  • If the form is submitted after the first disbursement of financial aid for the semester, the scholarship request may be denied.
  • If the form is submitted after the end of the term, the scholarship request will be denied.

Students who receive the Employee Benefit Scholarship will also receive an IRS Tax Form 1098T for the applicable tax year.  For questions regarding how to report the information on the form, please contact your accountant or tax advisor. 

FAQ

Is this scholarship per family, or per individual?  It is provided per individual.  For example, assume an employee, spouse, and 18 year old child each take up to thirty-six credit hours. The scholarship would cover thirty-six credit hours for the employee, thirty-six credit hours for the spouse, and thirty-six credit hours for the child.  The maximum benefit any individual may receive per academic year is thirty-six (36) hours.

How do I know if the benefit has been applied to the student's bill?  The student can see the benefit listed as an award in the Financial Aid section under the Finances tab in the student's DragonZone account.

If my child is in high school and is taking a college course, may he/she receive the scholarship?  The employee's child will be awarded the scholarship for the approved high school class unless it is a class eligible for Excel in CTE funding.  Later, that same class can also be counted as credit hours for the Step Ahead scholarship.

If my child doesn't live with me, may he/she still receive the scholarship?  Yes, we will honor the scholarship regardless of the child's address.

May step-children receive the scholarship?  Yes, as long as they meet the age criteria.

Purpose

To maximize the benefits of electronic communication for Hutchinson Community College and its employees, while protecting HutchCC and its administration, faculty and students from liability and/or performance challenges caused by the improper or unauthorized use of the systems made available to facilitate the business of an institution of higher learning.

Company Property

As a productivity tool, HutchCC provides and encourages the use of electronic communications (including but not limited to voice mail, electronic mail, messaging systems, social media, and digital documents). HutchCC encourages the appropriate use of these forms of communication, as defined in this and other HutchCC policies, to further its mission and vision.

HutchCC electronic communications remain the property of Hutchinson Community College.  Electronic communication use that violates the law, rights of others, or HutchCC codes of conduct, regulations, or policies is a serious abuse.  Such actions may subject an individual to termination of account privileges and/or appropriate disciplinary and/or legal action.

Authorized Usage

HutchCC encourages employees to communicate electronically whenever possible. Electronic communications may replace paper communication unless prohibited by federal or state law, including regulatory guidance as appropriate.   

HutchCC’s electronic communications systems must be used solely to facilitate the business of the institution.

HutchCC employees (faculty and administration) are forbidden from using HutchCC electronic communication systems for private business activities, personal purposes, or amusement and entertainment activities.

HutchCC employees are reminded that the use of HutchCC resources, including electronic communications, should never create either the appearance or the reality of inappropriate use. Inappropriate use may result in loss of access privileges and disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Official HutchCC communications must originate from a HutchCC managed system or account. Any communication originating from a source other than HutchCC will not be considered official communication. 

HutchCC employees and students are expected to check their electronic communications on a frequent and consistent basis in order to stay current with HutchCC and/or faculty-student related communications. 

HutchCC employees and students will not be held responsible for an interruption in their ability to access electronic messages due to a HutchCC system-related problem that prevents the timely delivery or access to the electronic message (power outages, system viruses, etc.).

Examples of official HutchCC communications include, but are not limited to:

• Enrollment information
• Academic progress notifications
• Financial statements and other financial information
• Library overdue notices
• Policy announcements
• Notification of official disciplinary hearings

Proper Usage

HutchCC faculty may determine how electronic communication will be used in their classes, but must specify their requirements in the Instructor Sheet.  

HutchCC student and campus organizations recognized by Student Services may use electronic communication to notify students and employees of meetings, events, and fund-raising activities.

Prohibited Usage

HutchCC employees (administration and faculty) are strictly prohibited from using HutchCC computers, e-mail systems, and Internet access accounts for personal reasons or for any improper purpose.

HutchCC e-mail may not be used to sign up for non-HutchCC work related systems access or recovery, or as the username for such systems.

Some specific examples of prohibited uses include, but are not limited to:

• Transmitting, retrieving, downloading, or storing messages or images that are offensive, derogatory, off-color, sexual in content, or otherwise inappropriate in a higher learning environment.
• Making threatening or harassing statements to another employee, or to a vendor, student, or other outside party.
• Transmitting, retrieving, downloading, or storing messages or images related to any status protected under federal, state and local laws.
• Transmitting, retrieving, downloading, or storing personal health information without the written consent of the person. The Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) prohibits the dissemination of personal health information without the written consent of the person.
• Communicating confidential HutchCC information to individuals inside or outside the institution or to other organizations, without specific authorization from management to do so.
• Sending or receiving confidential or copyrighted materials without prior authorization.
• Soliciting personal business opportunities, or personal advertising.
• Supporting partisan political candidates, political party fundraising, or political causes
• Gambling, or playing electronic games.
• Sharing HutchCC student email addresses without the student’s permission.

Individuals who wish to use HutchCC electronic communication in support of external organizations (e.g., charities) must secure written or email approval of the President.

User Passwords

Regardless of the circumstances, individual passwords must never be shared or revealed to anyone else besides the authorized user.

User Identity

Misrepresenting, obscuring, suppressing, or replacing a user’s identity on an electronic communications system is forbidden. The user’s name, electronic mail address, organizational affiliation, and related information included with electronic messages or postings must reflect the actual originator of the messages or postings.

No Expectation of Privacy

HutchCC employees (administration and faculty) should expect that all information created, transmitted, downloaded, received or stored in HutchCC computers, or other electronic devices may be accessed by the institution at any time, without prior notice.

HutchCC employees should not assume that they have an expectation of privacy or confidentiality in such messages or information (whether or not such messages or information is password protected), or that deleted messages are necessarily removed from the system.

Monitoring Use

HutchCC may monitor and collect data about electronic communications and Internet use.

Handling Information About Security

HutchCC employees must promptly report all information security alerts, warnings, suspected vulnerabilities, and the like to the Cybersecurity Operations Center (CSOC).

HutchCC employees are prohibited from utilizing HutchCC systems to forward such information to others, whether internal or external to the institution.

Public Representations

HutchCC restricts the use of broadcast electronic communications, which are defined as electronic communications broadcast to large segments of the HutchCC community, such as but not limited to all employees, a particular group of employees (e.g., all faulty, all staff), all students, or all HutchCC email account holders.  Subjects that are not appropriate for broadcast electronic communications include but are not limited to:

• Personal notices, e.g., items for sale, lost or found;
• Messages of a commercial, political, or lobbying nature; or
• Messages that solicit support (financial or otherwise) for charity, personal gain, or special causes not connected with an official HutchCC effort.

Broadcast electronic communications containing attachments are discouraged because of the burden on HutchCC’s system resources.

Students are not authorized to send broadcast electronic communications.

HutchCC employees may send broadcast electronic communications only with (1) advance approval from the President’s Office, the Vice Presidents’ Offices, the Chief Information Officer, the Director of Human Resources, the Coordinator of Equity and Compliance, or the Director of Marketing and Public Relations, and (2) for mission-related matters pertinent to the functioning of HutchCC or emergency messages.  If the broadcast electronic communication is directed to students, the employee must obtain the prior written or email approval of the President or one of the Vice Presidents.  

All new faculty must have the following items on file with Human Resources before they will be given login rights and access to HutchCC computing.

All faculty may obtain a HutchCC Employee ID Card in Hutchinson (lower level of Parker Student Union), Newton Outreach Center, or McPherson Outreach Center.

FAQ

Fall 2024

Last Updated 2024

1-888-GO-HUTCH
www.hutchcc.edu

Application/Enrollment:

How do I apply to Hutchinson Community College?
www.hutchcc.edu/apply

When can I enroll?

After you have completed your application for admission, enrollment information can be obtained back at your Apply/Enroll student type checklist.  Hutchinson Community College enrollment is available for the current term and up to two semesters out when completing your application.

www.hutchcc.edu/apply-enroll

How do I apply for scholarships?

1. Complete the HutchCC Application: www.hutchcc.edu/apply     
2. Log onto DragonZone: www.hutchcc.edu/dragonzone
3. Go to Finances > Scholarships
4. Select the button corresponding to the academic year you wish to apply for
5. Complete the Scholarship Application Wizard.

For more information go to:  https://www.hutchcc.edu/types-of-aid#scholarships

How do I apply for Federal Financial Aid?

1. Complete the HutchCC Application: www.hutchcc.edu/apply
2. Complete the FAFSA: www.fafsa.gov
   • Hutchinson Community College School Code – 001923

Once you have completed your FAFSA, you will receive notification from the U.S. Department of Education (within 72 hours if filing electronically) saying that your application has been processed.

How much do my classes cost?

• For an approximate cost of courses, go to the tuition and fees page:  www.hutchcc.edu/tuitionfees
• Log into DragonZone to find out your account balance:  www.hutchcc.edu/dragonzone
• Payment plan information: http://www.hutchcc.edu/payment
• The Finances tab in DragonZone contains a link to sign up.

Textbooks:

When can I buy my books?
Books can only be purchased for a current term within that term.  Financial Aid, Book Scholarships, and 3rd Party Pay funds cannot be used until the first business day of August for fall, January for spring, and June for summer.  If students are purchasing books with cash, check, or credit card, they are able to buy their books approximately a week or two prior to those dates.   Actual dates for each semester can be found on the Campus Store Website.
Go to: www.hutchcc.edu/campus-store
 

Can I buy my books anywhere I want?
Students can purchase their books from anywhere they choose; however, the money they spend at the Campus Store stays on campus and goes towards funding future projects college wide.

Can I rent my books?
The textbook rental program allows students attending HutchCC the opportunity to rent selected textbooks for the duration of a single semester.  

Academic: 

How do I order my official Hutchinson Community College transcript?

HutchCC uses the National Student Clearinghouse for transcript ordering services.  To order an official transcript, students will log into their DragonZone account, click the Academics tab, click Transcript tab, and then click the National Student Clearinghouse link.  For unofficial transcripts, students will log into their DragonZone account, click the Academics tab, click Transcript tab, then click the Print button.  If students do not know their DragonZone log in information, an external link to the service and/or more information can be found at the following address www.hutchcc.edu/records/transcript.

I am having trouble in a class.  What do I do?

• First, contact your instructor for guidance and direction.
• Next, contact your advisor.
• If questions remain, one of these two individuals should be able to point you in the proper direction to address your concern.
• Tutoring is available for students needing help with coursework: www.hutchcc.edu/tutoring
• Rimmer Learning Center offers a Writing Lab for help with papers and English assignments.  A Mathematics Lab is also available for help with any math course.
• Student Success Center offers counseling: www.hutchcc.edu/student-success-center/

Where do I find a list of available courses?

Go to www.hutchcc.edu, click Course Search or visit www.hutchcc.edu/courses.

What areas of study/majors are available at HutchCC?

Go to www.hutchcc.edu and click Areas of Study.  There you will find an alphabetical listing of the many areas of study/majors available at HutchCC.  You can Search Alphabetically or enter in the search bar the first few letters of the name of the area of study you wish to view, or you may click Explore Areas of Study to search by category.

Degrees HutchCC offers:

• AA – Associate of Arts
• AS – Associate of Science
• AGS – Associate of General Studies
• AFA – Associate of Fine Arts
• AAS – Associate of Applied Science
• Certificates HutchCC offers: 
  • Certificate A (up to 1 year)
  • Certificate B (1.5 years)
  • Certificate C (2 years)

How can I get help from a tutor?

Drop in tutoring labs:
For Writing (any courses - not just English classes), assistance is available at the front desk in RLRC or by email at tutors@hutchcc.edu.

For Math, assistance is available in the Math lab in RLC 109 (NW   corner) or by email at tutors@hutchcc.edu.

For other courses, or to request an appointment for online chat, go to DragonZone, then click LearningZone.  Click on Courses, then click All Courses and “Browse More Courses” to search and add Tutor Services.  On the course page, click “Request a tutoring appointment” and fill out the form.  Tutoring Services will try to locate a tutor within 48 hours.

Online or Appointment-based tutoring:

To schedule an appointment for tutoring in-person or via web conferencing, go to www.hutchcc.edu/rlrc-tutoring, click the Tutoring tab, click OnlineTutoring, then click “online request form,” or click the Tutoring tab, click Appointment-based Tutoring, then click “Tutoring Appointment Request Form.”

Will my classes transfer?

Hutchinson Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. There are 115+ general education courses that transfer seamlessly across all public higher education institutions in the state of Kansas.  This list of courses may be found at https://www.kansasregents.org/transfer_articulation. Beyond this list of courses, credits generally will transfer to most higher education institutions, though students should contact the college they are transferring to for more information on how individual classes will transfer.  

Links to common transfer guides can be found here: www.hutchcc.edu/transfer

When is the library open?
JFK Library is in the lower level of Rimmer Learning Resource Center. Up-to-date hours are found at: https://www.hutchcc.edu/jfk-library

JFK hours:

Rimmer hours: https://www.hutchcc.edu/rimmer-learning-resource-center

Reduced hours during summer and school breaks.

How do I read my schedule?

• Course: The course identification number and section you are enrolled in
• Quick Key: Type of course and location you are enrolled in

• Title: Name of the course
• Days: The day(s) the class meets

• Start Time: Time the class starts
• End Time: Time the class ends
• Location:  The campus location
• Room: The building and room the class is held in
  • See list of building abbreviations below
• Instructor: The instructor teaching the course. “Staff” indicates the class is in the process of being staffed that an instructor has not yet been assigned to the course.
• Hours: The number of credit hours earned by successfully completing the course.
• Start Date: Date the class starts
• End Date:  Date the class ends
• Refund Date: The last day the student can DROP the class and not be required to pay for it.
• Withdraw Date: The last day a student can WITHDRAW and receive a W on his/her their transcript instead of a grade. The student is still responsible for payment.
• Cert Date: The date instructors must verify the course roster

Where are my classes held?

Your schedule will show what building and room your class is in; for example, LH208 would be Lockman Hall room 208.

Building Codes: 

What is the Step Ahead program?

Take some classes from HutchCC while attending a Kansas high school.  After graduation, enroll and attend full-time at HutchCC for freshman year and we will reimburse the cost spent on tuition. 
 

Student requirements are listed at:  http://www.hutchcc.edu/admissions/step-ahead

Support:

Whom do I contact for technical support (computer issue, software issue)?

• Submit a Request: http://helpdesk.hutchcc.edu/support
• Phone: 620-665-3524
• Location: Lockman Hall — LH110

When is technical support available?

Mon-Thurs: 7:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday: 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

How do I contact Campus Security?

• If there is an emergency – dial 911
• If you need to contact campus security – dial 620-665-3379
• Emergency Procedures: www.hutchcc.edu/emergency

Campus Maps:

www.hutchcc.edu/maps 

Center/Site Locations: 

1. Media Production:  1800 N. Plum, Hutchinson, KS 67502 
2. Davis Hall:  815 N. Walnut, Hutchinson, KS 67501 
3. Cosmetology & Barbering:  200 E 3rd Ave., Hutchinson, KS 67501 
4. Fire Science Center: 3211 E. 4th Ave., Hutchinson, KS 67501 
5. McPherson: 2208 Plaza East Place, McPherson, KS 67460 
6. Newton: 203 E. Broadway St., Newton, KS 67114 
7. Peel Center: 1 E. 9th Ave., Hutchinson, KS 67501 
8. South Campus:  

Pioneer Hall: 1809 E Essex Rd, Hutchinson, Ks 67501
Ag. Diesel: 2101 E Wasp Rd, Hutchinson, Ks 67501
Cameron Hall: 2009 E Wasp Rd, Hutchinson, Ks 67501
Wagner Hall: 1800 E Essex Rd, Hutchinson, Ks 67501 

Common Contact Info:

Complete listing: www.hutchcc.edu/directory

General Information: info@hutchcc.edu, 620-665-3500 or
1-888-GO-HUTCH

History & Highlights of the College

https://www.hutchcc.edu/history

Hutchinson Community College, a fully accredited, public comprehensive college, offers five degrees in Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Fine Arts, and Associate of Applied Science. HutchCC has an open admissions policy and is governed locally by an elected Board of Trustees.

In spring 1928, Hutchinson voters approved the establishment of a two-year co-educational college called the Hutchinson Junior College. The College held its first classes that fall. Enrollment was 187 students – 177 freshmen, 10 sophomores. Classes were held on the second and third floors of a newly constructed addition to Hutchinson High School at Seventh and Walnut. In February 1938, the Board of Education acquired land on Plum Street and built Lockman Hall.

On July 1, 1965, the College name was changed to Hutchinson Community Junior College and governance was transferred to an elected Board of Trustees. The name was changed again in 1980 to Hutchinson Community College. On July 1, 1993, HutchCC merged with the local vocational school and was renamed Hutchinson Community College and Area Vocational School.  The “and Area Vocational School” was removed from the name in 2012.

Additions to HutchCC include an athletic field, stadium, tennis courts, maintenance and warehouse buildings, a student union with two additions, two residence halls, a library, science building, fine arts building, and an athletic complex. The John F. Kennedy Library was completed in 1966 and the Kopke Science Hall was completed in fall 1967.  Elland and Kent Halls, residence halls for men and women, were also opened in 1967.

In April 1970, the College acquired 425 acres of land and buildings from the Hutchinson Air National Guard. They are used primarily for agricultural, emergency medical science, building construction, and technical education courses. This location is called South Campus.

A wing was added to Lockman Hall in 1975. The College acquired Davis Hall (Ninth and Walnut) from Hutchinson Hospital Corporation in 1980. It is used for allied health curricula, Radio Kansas (HutchCC's public radio station), The Volunteer Center, Kansas Small Mine Safety and Occupational Safety.

Stringer Fine Arts Center was opened January 1989.  A major addition to the Parker Student Union was completed in 1996.  In 1999 the College built Shears Technology Center to house vocational programs and technical labs. On April 27, 2003, after major renovation, the library was renamed the Rimmer Learning Resource Center, after John Rimmer, chairman of HUBCO and major contributor to the College.

In fall 2006, a renovated Gowans Stadium reopened for use. The stadium hosts a variety of high school, college, regional and national events.  In 2008, the Reno County Industrial Center was renovated and expanded. The new facility was reopened in fall and as the Ade-Wifco RCIC to recognize the contributions of Fred Ade and the Wifco Corporation.

The science hall was revamped into a modern scientific facility and was renamed the Richard E. Smith Science Center to recognized the major contributions of local entrepreneur and alumnus Richard Smith in 2010.

In September 2013 the College dedicated the Bob and Lou Peel Allied Health Center at Ninth and Main to house five Allied Health programs — Physical Therapy Assistant, Respiratory Therapy, Health Information Management, Surgical Technology, and Pharmacy Technology.

On April 26, 2015 the new Fire Science Training Center was dedicated.  This project was completed in conjunction with the City of Hutchinson Fire Department. The College also utilizes the Hutchinson Sports Arena, providing maintenance of the building in exchange for its use.

The College has multiple off-campus locations: McPherson, Newton, Fire Science, Allied Health (Davis Hall and Peel Center) and Cosmetology. The Newton location is housed in the Axtell Educational Center at 203 East Broadway Street in Newton, Kansas and opened in 2008.  The McPherson location, at 2208 Plaza East Place in McPherson, Kansas, opened in 2010. HutchCC Cosmetology, located at 200 E. 3rd Avenue in Hutchinson, Kansas, opened in 2016.

The Jack Mull family Football Complex, renovated in the spring of 2015, houses the coaches’ offices, meeting space, locker rooms, and the Bob and Lou Peel Weight Training Center.

Thanks to the support of the City of Hutchinson and the voters of Hutchinson, the Hutchinson Sports Arena underwent a $29 million renovation project that was completed in the spring of 2017.  The project included the addition of three new practice gyms, a new weight training and sports medicine facility and renovated locker rooms and office for the athletic department.
 

Part-time faculty who drive more than 10 miles one way to teach a class may be issued a mileage amount for the semester.  This amount will be issued along with the part-time faculty teaching agreement.  If a faculty member qualifies for mileage, they should contact the Outreach Coordinator or Department Chairperson for additional information.

Full-time Faculty

1. Faculty Member completes the Application for Approval of Faculty Development and the Faculty Development Rubric, submitting the completed forms to the appropriate Department Chairperson for preapproval. 
2. The Department Chairperson reviews the application and rubric and submits a recommendation (with the application and rubric) to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
3. The Vice President of Academic Affairs will make a recommendation to the College President. 
4. Upon successful completion of the preapproved coursework or work experience, the faculty member will submit an official transcript or work experience summary from work supervisor to the Human Resources Office.

Part-time Faculty

1. The faculty member will complete the Part-time Faculty Development Application and Rubric and submit it to the appropriate Department Chairperson for approval. 
2. The Department Chairperson will review the application and rubric and submit a recommendation (along with application and rubric) to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
3. Upon completion, the faculty member should attach the Faculty Development Log and documentation (transcripts, certifications, certificates of completion, etc.) to the Department Chairperson.
4. Human Resources will receive the entire package once the faculty member has accumulated 18 hours of approved faculty development and taught 36 hours at HutchCC.

Professional Development opportunities for faculty occur in sessions offered at the beginning of fall and spring semesters. Department meetings are also considered professional development as are advisor trainings, LearningZone trainings, Bridge trainings, computer support trainings, and other institutional service training to keep faculty members up-to-date with changes and system improvements.   

For part-time faculty, certain graduate/college courses or specialized training and seminars may be approved to meet a portion of the faculty development hours for part-time faculty.  Prior approval by the Department Chairperson is required.  To request prior approval for professional development hours, complete the part-time faculty development application form.  Submit this form to the Department Chairperson. 

At least six hours of the faculty development time must be from Hutchinson Community College professional development activities.  During semesters when not teaching for Hutchinson Community College, part-time faculty may participate in professional development activities and may also receive credit for external faculty development.

Education requires integrity and respect for HutchCC's institutional values. HutchCC students are required to maintain honesty through a "responsible acquisition, discovery, and application of knowledge" in all academic pursuits. Preserving and upholding academic honesty is the responsibility of HutchCC students, faculty, administrators and staff.

I. Student Responsibilities

All HutchCC students are required to:

• Submit all work in all courses without cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, dissimulation, forgery, sabotage, or academic dishonesty as defined below.
• Provide all academic records such as transcripts and test scores that are free of forgery.
• Refrain from participating in the academic dishonesty of any person.
• Use only authorized notes and student aids.
• Use technology appropriately, including refraining from submitting AI (Artificial Intelligence)-generated work without express written consent from your instructor.
• Protect the security of passwords/login/privacy/electronic files, and maintain sole individual access for any online course information.

II. Definition of Academic Dishonesty

• Academic dishonesty is any intentional act, or attempted act, of cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, dissimulation, forgery, or sabotage in academic work.
• Cheating includes using unauthorized materials of any kind, whether hard copies, online, or electronic, such as unapproved study aids in any academic work, copying another student's work, using an unauthorized "cheat sheet" or device, or purchasing or acquiring an essay online or from another student.
• Fabrication is the invention or falsification of any information or citation in any academic work, such as making up a source, providing an incorrect citation, or misquoting a source.
• Plagiarism is the representation of words, ideas and other works that are not the student's own as being original to the student. A non-inclusive list of examples includes work completed by someone else, work generated by an external entity (such as AI), omitting a citation for work used from another source, or borrowing the sequence of ideas, arrangement of material, and/or pattern of thought of work not produced by the student, even though it may be expressed in the student's own words.
• Dissimulation is the obscuring of a student's own actions with the intention of deceiving others in any academic work, such as fabricating excuses for absences or missed assignments, or feigning attendance.
• Forgery of academic documents is the unauthorized altering, falsification, misrepresentation, or construction of any academic document, such as changing transcripts, changing grades on papers or on exams which have been returned, forging signatures, manipulating a digital file of academic work, or plagiarizing a translation.
• Sabotage is any obstruction or attempted obstruction of the academic work of another student, such as impersonating another student, stealing or ruining another student's academic work.
• Aiding and abetting academic dishonesty is considered as knowingly facilitating any act defined above.
• Academic honesty violations can also include the omission or falsification of any information on an application for any HutchCC academic program.

III. Sanctions for Academic Dishonesty

Students who violate the Academic Honesty Policy may be subject to academic or administrative consequences.

Instructor Sanctions for Violation:

Students suspected of violating the Academic Honesty Policy may be charged in writing by their instructor and any of the following may apply:

• Assign Avoiding Plagiarism Bridge Module
• Receiving written warning that could lead to more severe sanction if a second offense occurs
• Revising the assignment/work in question for partial credit
• Voiding work in question without opportunity for make-up
• Reducing the grade for work in question
• Lowering the final course grade
• Failing the work in question

Institutional Sanctions for Violation:

Students charged with academic dishonesty, particularly in instances of repeated violations, may further be subjected to an investigation and any of the following may apply:

• Instructor recommendation to the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA) to dismiss the student from the course in which the dishonesty occurs
• Instructor recommendation to the VPAA to dismiss student from the course in which the dishonesty occurs with a grade of 'F." Student will not be allowed to take a 'W' for the course
• Instructor recommendation to the VPAA that the student be suspended and/or dismissed from the program
• Student barred from course/program for a set period of time or permanently
• May be recommended by the instructor (after documented repeated offenses) to the VPAA that the student be placed on probation, suspended and/or dismissed from the institution.

IV. Procedure

• Instructor will communicate in writing via the student's HutchCC email account and/or LearningZone email account to the student suspected of violating the Academic Honesty Policy.  That communication may include sanction(s). Department Chair will notify the student's academic advisor upon receipt of the Academic Honesty Violation Form.
• For each violation, the instructor will submit a completed Academic Honesty Violation Form to the Department Chair. Department Chair will notify the student's academic advisor upon receipt of the Academic Honesty Violation form.
• Should the instructor choose to pursue institutional sanctions, the instructor shall notify the student in writing via the student's HutchCC email account.  Instructor shall also submit a completed Academic Honesty Violation Form and all prior completed forms regarding said student to the Department Chair and the office of the VPAA with recommendation to proceed with specific Institutional Sanctions. Department Chair will notify the student's academic advisor upon receipt of the Academic Honesty Violation Form.
• The decision of the VPAA on Institutional Sanction is final. The VPAA will notify the student's academic advisor of any institutional sanctions.

V. Due Process Rights

Students charged with violations of academic honesty have the right of appeal and are assured of due process through the Academic Honesty Appeal process.

Academic Honesty Appeal Process

I. Due Process Rights: Students charged with violations of academic honesty have the right of appeal and are assured of due process through the Academic Honesty Appeal process.

• If an instructor has recommended course or program dismissal, the student may continue in coursework (providing there are no threatening or security behavioral issues) until appeal processes are concluded. However, if an issue has been documented at a partnership location (e.g., clinical sites, secondary institutions, correctional or military facilities), then the student is no longer eligible to continue participation in internships, apprenticeships, and/or clinical-based practice. For clinical sites, this sanction is immediate.

II. Process

If the student disagrees with the charge of a violation of academic honesty, the student has the right to due process as described in the Academic Honesty Appeal process below:

• If the matter is not resolved upon communicating with the instructor about the violation, the student shall, within five business days of the issuance of the written notice of violation, submit a completed Academic Honesty Appeal Form and supporting documentation to the appropriate department chairperson to initiate an Academic Honesty Appeal.
• Within two business days of receiving the student's completed Academic Honesty Appeal Form, the Department Chair and VPAA will review and the VPAA will render a decision.
• Within two business days, a response will be sent to the student's HutchCC email address. The VPAA's decision is final.

The HutchCC Security Office provides basic information about how the college and its employees can work together for a safer and more secure educational environment.  Questions about campus security and/or campus safety should be addressed to the Office of Plant Facilities and Campus Security at 620-665-3590, located in the Office Technologies Building.  Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.  Offices are closed during college-recognized holidays.  HutchCC Security Officers work with HutchCC students and employees to make sure the campus is as safe as possible for students, faculty, and staff.

HutchCC expects all students to attend and interact substantively across all delivery methods in all classes in which they are enrolled; however, if students must be absent, they should make arrangements in advance of the absence with their instructors. When students are absent as official college representatives, their absence is excused; however, the student must make arrangements in advance with the instructor to complete all work missed.

Instructors are expected to keep a record of their students’ class attendance. Instructors may withdraw students from classes before the last date to withdraw, which is equivalent to 80% of the class, if students have been officially warned in DragonZone that their attendance has been irregular. After a student has been officially warned that their attendance has been irregular, if irregular attendance continues, an instructor may withdraw the student from the class, resulting in the grade of “W.” The last day the student attended the class will also be recorded. If the instructor chooses not to withdraw the student, the earned grade will be issued.

Irregular attendance is defined as missing 15% of the class or a percentage less than 15% as determined by the instructor. The irregular attendance policy and the last date to withdraw will be published on each instructor sheet.

HutchCC aligns with the federal definition of “academic engagement” when defining attendance:

• Attending class where there is an opportunity for interaction between the instructor and students;
• Submitting an academic assignment for the course;
• Taking an assessment or an exam for the course;
• Attending a study group that is assigned by the instructor; or
• Participating in a discussion that is assigned by the instructor

Attendance does not include the following:

• Living in institutional housing;
• Participating in the institution's meal plan;
• Logging into an online class without any further participation; or
• Participating in academic counseling or advisement

Roster Certification

Rosters are certified electronically through DragonZone after the end of the course refund period and prior to the certification date listed on the course roster. The certification roster verifies the student attended at least once and is still enrolled in the course. HutchCC funding is dependent on these verifications.

If the student has never attended class, per the definition of attendance in this document, the instructor must remove that student during the roster certification process.

The student should be left enrolled if they have attended class at least once.

If a student has been attending class but is not already on the roster, the instructor must add the student using the roster certification process.

Once the roster has been finalized, the instructor will click on the “I Certify” button on the page on or before the certification date listed for that course.

Rearranging desks and tables

Classroom furniture arrangements must be maintained based on mandates by the State Fire Marshall.  If there is a need to temporarily adjust the furniture arrangement in a classroom, it must be moved back to the original configuration at the end of the class period. 

Instructors should check HutchCC email regularly (24 hours) and keep their HutchCC email calendar up-to-date. 

The Central Printing Center procedure for copying materials is located on the college internal website, HCC WebServices.  Copy requests should be submitted using the website by selecting the “Facility” link and then selecting the “Central Printing” option. Steps to complete copy work submissions are explained as you progress through questions on the screen. The use of the website allows for more efficient copying and reduces costs to the department. 

Copy work should be submitted to the Central Printing at least 24 hours in advance of the needed time.  The Copy Center will work with the intent of returning all copy work to you as soon as possible.  The rates charged are as follows.  The Copy Center will furnish all paper.

All copies made on small departmental copies is $.05 per copy, per side

*A 25% discount on the website submission costs will be applied if the printing is double sided.

A standardized Syllabus for each Hutchinson Community College course is on file in the Office of Academic Affairs and can be found online in DragonZone under the tab Employee/Academic Course Options, and searched by course number.  The course Syllabus does not change without notification and approval of the HutchCC Curriculum Committee.  It is to be strictly adhered to in meeting course outcomes, and course content. Each section of each course must be taught from this standard Syllabus as it is the HutchCC contract with the student. All Syllabi are also approved by the Kansas Board of Regents/Technical Education Authority on behalf of the state of Kansas.  If an instructor does not have a copy of the Syllabus for his/her course,they may contact the appropriate Department Chairperson or Outreach Coordinator for direction.  Departmental Syllabi may not be altered in any way.

Faculty Instructor Sheet templates (including the course calendar) are found on DragonZone Employee/Academic Sections.  The Instructor Sheet can also be found in LearningZone.

An Instructor Sheet is completed electronically for each course section. An Instructor Sheet is critical to convey to students expectations about procedures that guide each class, and institutional policies that govern all courses.

• Some fields are automatically filled from information on the master course schedule.
• Instructors should be very clear about their expectations for the students in terms of a) Attendance b) Late work c) Make up work/tests If these options are allowed-- be VERY CLEAR about parameters regarding deadlines for turning in late work and/or make-up work/tests. 
• The instructor contact information should be checked for accuracy and instructors should check email/phone messages at least every 48 hours. 
• Remember that the HutchCC email account is the official form of communication between institution/instructor/student, so it should be used by both instructor and student.  (Forward email from your HutchCC account to your personal account if needed; but make sure you are receiving student emails forwarded from your official HutchCC email account.)
• A federal compliance statement for Title IX is a requirement and automatically included on the Instructor Sheet.
• The Course Calendar is instructor-created—the Course Calendar lists what the instructor will do (tentative calendar for semester) and is required on all Instructor Sheets.
• Methods of Assessment help students understand how they will be graded in the course.  This section is to include a breakdown of how the grade will be determined (based on points or percentages) and is required on all Instructor Sheets.  Please note that attendance is not a method of assessment so should not be used in calculating the course grade. 

All classes must meet at the time and place designated by the final examination schedule unless an exception is approved in writing by the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Food and beverages with lids will be allowed in classrooms at the discretion of the instructors unless posted otherwise. Restricted areas where food and beverages are not allowed include but are not limited to John F. Kennedy Library; all computer laboratories; Stringer Fine Arts Recital Hall, recording studio, and music rehearsal rooms; Science Hall laboratories; and the broadcasting laboratories in Building 12 (Media Productions)..

The Final Exam Adjusted Calendar may be found by accessing the following link:  www.hutchcc.edu/calendar.  Final exam times will be used for all face-to-face classes; evening class instructors may choose to use the final exam time for a final exam or an additional class time but the course must meet; off-campus finals will be given during last week of class.

• Final grades: 
  • Post grades by going to DragonZone, select term and course section, grade posting, import from LearningZone to enter grades for each student.  At the bottom of the page click the box to post grades.
  • Click the "save" button when you are ready to do the final submission. When grades have been submitted, a green box will appear stating "Final Grading Complete".  The instructor will receive a confirmation email when grades have been submitted. 
  • Grades are due by the posted date or the day after the class officially ends.
• Grade of “Incomplete”
  • For a grade of “Incomplete” to be given to a student, the student must request the incomplete AND the student must be making a passing grade in the course at the time the coursework was interrupted by a significant life event. 
  • A form and a contract must be completed by the instructor.  The form may be requested from the Department Chairperson.
  • When a faculty member enters an “I” grade, they will receive an email warning that they have 48 hours to submit the completed and signed “Incomplete Contract” to the Department Chairperson for approval or the grade will automatically convert to an F. 
• Grade changes
  • Once final grades are submitted, a grade change may occur only if the grade was calculated incorrectly/arbitrarily/capriciously.  A Grade Change Form may be requested from the Department Chairperson.  The instructor will complete the form and submit it to the Department Chaiperson for approval.  Upon approval, the Department Chairperson will forward it to Records. 
  • All grade change forms must be seen and approved by the appropriate Department Chairperson. 
  • If a student grade is changed because the faculty member has allowed the student additional time to complete work -- this is not considered a grade change, instead it is considered an “Incomplete” (the student should have initiated an Incomplete request and provided valid reasoning for that request).
  • A grade change is only for grades where there are errors (miscalculation or incorrect evaluation of work) and evidence showing these reasons must accompany the grade change request. 
• Reporting course outcomes
  • Course outcomes may be reported throughout the semester or at the end of semester, but this reporting must be completed by the time final grades are posted.
  • Course Outcome Reporting may be accessed in LearningZone or in DragonZone, select term and course section, outcomes reporting.

Assessment of Student Learning

Each course at HutchCC uses a Master syllabus approved by the Department, Curriculum Committee, Representative Assembly, and Board of Trustees. Each syllabus states measurable course outcomes and competencies that must be taught in the course. The listed assessment instruments are the minimum required. An instructor has the ability to use more instruments at their discretion. Common syllabi allow for course consistency across the institution regardless of the delivery modality or location.

Instructors use evaluation tools to determine grades. It is important not to confuse evaluation with assessment. Assessment focuses on the examination of how students learn, what they learn, and at what level they learn it. Assessment is a formative process of analysis while evaluation is summative, focusing on the end product of scores, points, and/or grades.

HutchCC faculty report the number enrolled at the time the assessment instrument was given, the number of completers, the number of achievers, the assessment instrument used, and teaching modifications. “Completers” are defined as those who completed the assessment instrument, and “achievers” are defined as those who successfully completed the assessment instrument. The "Assessment Instrument" is the name and/or type of assignment(s) used to measure student learning.  "Teaching Modifications" is a place to record future revisions to your teaching or revisions that have worked.

Faculty can review previous semester data by reviewing previous course sections taught in DragonZone.  Assessment information is required for both the Higher Learning Commission and various program accreditations, Kansas Board of Regents system reporting, and internal HutchCC program reviews.

To review HutchCC assessment activities, including information about program reviews and institution-wide assessment, please see www.hutchcc.edu/assessment.

Grades of A, B, C, D, F (Failure), I (Incomplete) and P (Pass) and designations of R (Re-enrollment), W (Withdrawal) and Credit/No Credit are used.  Final course grades are made available online through HutchCC’s virtual campus. At their discretion, college officials may send students other reports.

Incomplete Grades
Instructors may give a student a grade of Incomplete (I) under the following conditions:

1. The student must initiate the request prior to the time final course grades are submitted to Records.
2. The request must be made because of an emergency, illness or otherwise unavoidable life-event.
3. The instructor must agree to the request before a grade of incomplete can be submitted.
4. A written contract between the instructor and student, signed by both, will document the work required and date needed to complete course work.
5. If a student does not complete the course requirements within the timeframe established by the instructor, a grade of "F" will be recorded on the student's transcript at the end of the following semester.

Grade of "R" - Re-enrollment
A student who earns a grade of "R" has demonstrated satisfactory progress towards completion of, but has not met, all of the competencies needed to pass the designated developmental course as determined by the instructor.  (See course list below)  A student may not receive a grade of "R" for the same course more than twice.

• EN 098 Basic English
• LC 098 Study Strategies
• MA 097 Essential Principles of Math
• Other developmental courses (0xx level) may be added as deemed appropriate by the department chair

If extenuating circumstances develop beyond a student’s control (e.g., death in immediate family, life-threatening illness, emergency, catastrophic conditions), an instructor may choose to post a grade of “I” and prepare a written contract to assist a student in finishing a course.

A grade of Incomplete (I) will only be awarded under the following conditions:

• The student must initiate the request prior to the time final course grades are submitted to Records.
• The request must be made because of an emergency, illness or otherwise unavoidable life-event.
• The instructor must agree to the request before a grade of incomplete (I) can be submitted.
• A written contract between the instructor and student, signed by both, will document the work required and date needed to complete course work.
• The contract will be filed in the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

If a student does not complete the course requirements within the following semester, the grade of “I” will automatically convert to a grade of "F" on the student's transcript.

General instructional supplies, such as pens, grade books, planning books, markers, etc. are available from the departmental secretary for the department in which you teach on campus, or at the location where you teach (Newton/McPherson). Electronic materials may be available in the LearningZone. Contact OnlineEd@hutchcc.edu for additional information on what may be available for your course and for training in LearningZone.

If a student has missed several classes consecutively, HutchCC faculty may send an Irregular Attendance Warning. This warning clarifies with the student the potential for “administrative withdrawal.” 

• Find “Irregular Attendance Warning” on Web Services, Faculty Tab, Warn/Withdraw. 
• Open the Irregular Attendance Warning, save to your computer, then fill it out. 
• Faculty member will complete the Irregular Attendance Warning and email it to  Records@hutchcc.edu from their HutchCC email account.    
• The Records Office will notify the student and the student’s advisor via email that the student’s attendance has been irregular.

An Instructor Initiated Withdrawal may be submitted if a student continues to miss class after the warning has been sent.  Per the instructors policy as noted in the Instructor Sheet, the instructor may withdraw the student from the class. 

• Find this form on Web Services, Faculty Tab, Warn/Withdraw. 
• Open the Instructor Withdrawal, save to your computer, then fill it out. 
• Faculty member will complete the Instructor Withdrawal and email it to Records@hutchcc.edu from their HutchCC email account. 
• The Records Office will notify the student and the student’s advisor via email that the student has been withdrawn from the course. 

NOTE:  The instructor must send the Irregular Attendance Warning at least 1 week prior to sending an Instructor Withdrawal.

In LearningZone, a Master course shell has been developed by faculty for each course HutchCC offers in both a fully online and/or hybrid format. These Master Course shells will be followed in content, schedule, gradebook, and assignments to ensure students receive the same consistent content and competencies regardless of delivery modality.

Some online courses require proctored exams. Faculty should have updated links in the online classroom detailing the proctor guidelines and local availability to schedule proctored exams. Proctoring services, located in Rimmer Learning Center, are made available only for fully online courses. Testing should occur in the classroom for hybrid courses with in-person meeting dates.

Accessing course rosters/lists can be found in DragonZone under "Academics" and then select "Sections."  Under the Sections tab you can navigate to "My Sectiors" or find your course by searching by the course number, course name, or your last name.  Each Roster/Class list will contain the photo, name, student id, and email for the students enrolled in the course.  By selecting "Section Details" in the upper right corner of the screen each Roster/Class list will contain the start/end date for the course, meeting times/days, and location.  All classes should start on the start date and end on the end date.

Roster options:

• Print the roster (upper right corner of screen “nine small grey squares”)
• Make a spreadsheet of the roster by clicking on “nine small grey squares”
• Email all students in the course at one time by clicking “Message” at top of page
• Look at who has/has not “confirmed their intent” to be part of your class

Class Sizes -- Every effort will be made to maintain a class size conducive to proper learning.  The instructor and department chairperson make recommendations to the appropriate vice president concerning class size for individual classes; the appropriate vice president makes the final determination regarding class size.  In lab sections, the number of students enrolled is fixed by the number of stations in the assigned room.  If the number of students in a lab section exceeds the number accommodated by fixed stations in the assigned room, temporary stations will be made available to the extent physically possible for students until such time as students change schedules resulting in enough stations for each student. 

Schedules

All face-to-face classes are scheduled to meet certain days and times.  The instructor is to meet the class during those times.

If an instructor must miss class for some reason, he/she is to contact either the Department Chair or the appropriate site coordinator ASAP to let them know and efforts should be made by the instructor to find a substitute. The Office of Academic Affairs should also be notified by full-time faculty teaching at any of the Hutchinson locations (Plum Street, 3rd street, 4th Street, 9th Street) so that an appropriate substitute can be located to fulfill the missed class lesson/assignments.    

After appropriate notifications mentioned above, if an instructor must miss class and the class is canceled, the instructor should also email all students in the course to inform them of the cancellation and give them an assignment to work on in lieu of having that class period.

Closing-Weather Related

In the event the college is closed and/or classes are canceled, the information will usually be available by 6:00 a.m. for day classes and 4:00 p.m. for evening classes:

• Via television on channels KSN-3, KAKE-10 and KWCH-12
• Via radio stations KWBW 1450 AM, KHUT 102.9 FM, and Radio Kansas 90.1 FM (the official Hutchinson Community College radio station)
• Via running banner announcement on the HutchCC main home page and Web Services
• Emergency text messaging is available for your cell phone.  Faculty can sign up for the text alert in Web Services under the Employee/My Profile tab. 

Cancellation of class information will apply to all sites (HutchCC’s main campus, Building 12, Cosmetology, Davis Hall, Fire Science, Peel Center, South Campus, Newton Center, McPherson Center, and all high school locations) unless otherwise stated.

Students at Hutchinson Community College are expected to conduct themselves as self-respecting, educated men and women in accordance with the laws of the nation, state and community, as well as the academic community. Hutchinson Community College affirms the principle of intellectual freedom in scholarly activity, the right of each member of the community to be treated with respect and dignity and the right to learn. This affirmation imposes a duty not to infringe upon the rights of others. Within its sphere of responsibilities, the college will afford students proper procedural safeguards to resolve matters in dispute. Those students who willfully violate college standards must expect to face disciplinary action on the part of the institution.

Students at Hutchinson Community College have the following responsibilities:

1. Provide the necessary documents for admission to the college.
2. Observe all regulations of the college.
3. Consult their advisors on academic careers, curriculum planning and changes in their programs.
4. Attend all meetings of each class in which they are enrolled from the first class meeting and be aware of and comply with the instructor's attendance policy as outlined in the instructor sheet.
5. Prepare for each class meeting as instructed and be an active participant in the class.
6. Answer promptly all written notices from advisors, faculty, vice presidents and other college officials.
7. Upon completion of requirements, file an application for graduation with the Records Office.
8. Enroll in only those courses for which the stated prerequisite(s) -- if there are any -- have been satisfactorily met. Failure to comply with prerequisites may result in administrative withdrawal.
9. Be aware of and comply with the policy and procedures for college or course withdrawal.
10. Be aware of and comply with the academic honesty policy.
11. Use the appropriate channels in appealing any academic actions which the students believe are unfair.

Anyone may view the Textbook Management System, but only HutchCC Department Chairpersons can enter information in the master list. To adopt a textbook, the title and ordering information must be entered into the master list of textbooks. When recommending a textbook, the 14 digit ISBN number is used from the STUDENT edition of the text. This number begins with 978. If the edition of a textbook is changed, HutchCC Department Chairpersons retire the current edition and enter the new information into the master course list.

In an effort to reduce costs faculty, are required to adopt a textbook for a minimum of 9 terms. If the text cannot be used for 9 terms (e.g., currency of information, out-of-print, books are unavailable), a change in text may impact whether a book will be covered by a book scholarship.

Visitors (individuals who are not officially enrolled or employed by HutchCC) are welcome on Hutchinson Community College (HutchCC) campuses and properties.

HutchCC seeks to provide an environment that is conducive to study and work and, therefore, HutchCC will take reasonable steps to protect the student and work environment of HutchCC. HutchCC is also concerned with the health, safety, and liability issues associated with children on HutchCC properties.

Visitor Expectations

Visitors on campus are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with all federal and state laws and regulations, and conduct themselves in a manner consistent with all HutchCC Policies and Procedures. Any violations of these laws and/or policies and procedures could result in corrective action taken by HutchCC.

Child-Age Campus Visitors

Parents/guardians are responsible for the behavior of their children on HutchCC campuses and properties. Parents/guardians are required to provide reasonable supervision for their children in accordance with all federal and state laws and regulations, and all HutchCC Policies and Procedures. Children with an illness that prevents them from going to a childcare facility or from attending school should not be brought to HutchCC campuses. Parents/guardians whose children engage in any disruptive or destructive behavior may be referred for possible College conduct action.

Classroom Visitors

Only registered students are allowed in the HutchCC classrooms during official class periods. College employees on official business, along with their guests, are allowed to visit HutchCC classrooms upon approval from the instructor. Any other exceptions must be approved by the instructor and appropriate supervisor and/or their designee. If the instructor, in their discretion, and/or a registered student find(s) the non-registered person's presence in their classroom disruptive, the instructor may ask the non-registered person to leave for the remainder of the class period and the disruption shall be communicated to the appropriate supervisor and/or their designee.

Office or Workspace Visitors

Visitors in offices or workplaces should conform to expected office norms. If a visitor does not conform to office norms, such that the visitor's presence is deemed disruptive or potentially disruptive to the productivity of the employees, an appropriate College employee should ask the visitor to leave the area and the disruption should be documented.

Academic advising services are provided to current and prospective students who are undecided or interested in General Studies curriculum, and to students who have declared a college major. Professional academic advisors are available to assist undeclared students in setting practical and realistic academic goals.  Academic advisors help students interpret academic assessment results, enrollment restrictions, course selection, degree options, transfer information, and related academic guidance information.  Students who have declared a college major are advised by advisors from their academic departments.

Students may contact one of the following offices to speak to a General Studies Advisor:

The Student Success Center – Hutchinson Campus: (620) 665-3377

McPherson Center: (620) 245-0202

Newton Center: (316) 283-7000

Students with a declared major may contact the department chair of their academic department to speak to a departmental advisor.

The Accessibility Services Office, located in the Parker Student Union, provides and coordinates services to students with disabilities, promotes equal educational opportunities, and provides equal access to all institutional programs and services. Accommodations are provided on an individualized, as-needed basis. Students requesting accommodations must provide current documentation regarding the nature of his or her disability and the need for accommodation. Examples of accommodations include exam accommodations, note-taking, sign language interpreting, and the use of special equipment.

Hutchinson Community College encourages students to be as independent as possible on campus and to use those services which help maximize learning. So that services are in place on the first class day, early contact with the Accessibility Services Office for students with disabilities is encouraged.

The Business Office at Hutchinson Community College is responsible for all of the financial transactions and record keeping for the institution. The Business Office is committed to professional and courteous service to students, faculty, staff and vendors and strives to be organized and efficient. The Business Office can assist with all account billing and payment information, and works with students to provide convenient payment options, including the FACTS payment plan.

You should seek emergency help immediately if a student is talking about direct harm to self or others or acting in a bizarre or disruptive manner. The following list of phone numbers represents local support options in case of an emergency.

Emergency Phone Numbers

• 911 and Campus Security Emergency Line 620-665-3379
• The Mental Health Crisis Hotline 1-800-794-0163 or 620-694-1099
• Student Success Center 620-665-3377

Recognizing and Assisting Students in Distress

Faculty and staff are in good positions to recognize students who are in distress. The HutchCC Counseling staff wants to support your efforts by providing this practical information about how to identify distressed students and to make referrals to Counseling Services or other crisis support services. Things to look for include but are not limited to:

Marked Changes in Academic Performance or Behavior

• Uncharacteristically poor performance and preparation
• Dramatic change in attendance (absences or tardiness)
• Repeated requests for special consideration especially when this represents a change from previous functioning
• Extremes in avoiding or dominating discussions
• Excessively anxious when called upon
• Disruptive classroom behavior
• Intense emotion or inappropriate responses

Behavioral or Interpersonal Problems

• Asking instructor for help with personal problems
• Complaints from other students
• Hyperactivity or very rapid speech
• Tearfulness
• Irritability or angry outbursts
• Problems with roommate or family
• Change in personal hygiene or dress
• Dramatic weight loss or gain
• Disjointed thoughts

References to Suicide, Homicide, or Death

• Expressed thoughts of helplessness or hopelessness
• Overt references to suicide
• Isolation from friends or family
• References to suicide or homicide in verbal statements or writing

What Can You Do?

• TALK...to the student in private when both of you have the time and are not rushed or preoccupied. Privacy will help minimize embarrassment and defensiveness.
• LISTEN...in a sensitive, nonthreatening way. Discuss your observations in behavioral, nonjudgmental terms. For example, “I’ve noticed you’ve been absent from class lately and I’m concerned.”
• COMMUNICATE...understanding by repeating back the essence of what the student has told you. Try to include both content and feelings (“It sounds like you’re not accustomed to such a big campus and you’re feeling left out of things.”) Let the student talk.
• GIVE HOPE...assure the student that help is available. Help the student identify options for action and explore the possible consequences.
• MAINTAIN...clear and consistent boundaries and expectations. Be frank with the student about the limits on your ability to help him or her.
• REFER...when:
  • the problem is more serious than you feel comfortable handling.
  • you have helped as much as you can and further assistance is needed.

Making a Counseling Referral

Presenting yourself as knowledgeable about campus services can ease a student’s discomfort about seeking help. Here are some suggestions for non-crisis and crisis situations:

Non-Crisis Referrals:

1. Encourage students to contact the Student Success Center directly to schedule a counseling intake appointment by calling 620-665-3377.
2. Offer to let the student call from your office or offer to walk over with the student if you believe they need extra support.

Crisis Referrals:

• If a student is in crisis during business hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) call the Student Success Center at 620-665-3377 and ask to speak to a crisis counselor. When campus counseling services are not available refer students to The Mental Health Crisis Hotline 1-800-794-0163 or 620-694-1099. If the student or another person is in imminent danger, or when you believe a student is out of control, call 911 and the Campus Security Emergency Line 620-665-3379.

• Providing a description of the situation will help determine the appropriate actions to take.

Advisors should FOLLOW-UP with students after the referral was made. Be aware that counselors in the Student Success Center work within ethical limits of confidentiality and WE CANNOT give information about the student or specifics about the situation without written permission. WE CAN answer your general questions about making referrals, offer you information about psychological concerns and problems in general, and take information from you about the student.

Hutchinson Community College provides services for students seeking part-time employment to help offset educational, living, and social expenses. HutchCC has two categories of jobs: college work-study program jobs and campus payroll jobs.  Contact the Financial Aid Department for college work-study eligibility, the available jobs can be found on Career Zone. Financial Aid is located in the Parker Student Union. More information can be found through the HutchCC website for each Department.

Rimmer Learning Resource Center provides free drop-in tutoring services for HutchCC students in the Math and Writing Labs whenever the building is open. Students should go to the front desk for writing tutoring and Room 109 for math tutoring. Students should come prepared with specific questions about their class assignments. Online tutoring for math and writing is also available for HutchCC students by emailing tutors@hutchcc.edu or submitting questions on the public forums in LearningZone. Students can access the LearningZone forums by going to:  https://www.hutchcc.edu/rlrc-tutoring

Tutors will try to respond within an hour when Rimmer Learning Resource Center is open. Furthermore, Students can schedule an online tutoring appointment via Zoom by contacting Rimmer Learning Resource Center or filling out a form available in the Tutoring Services section of the webpage:  https://www.hutchcc.edu/rlrc-tutoring

Federal Student Financial Aid

Hutchinson Community College is committed to providing clear and understandable information regarding the student financial aid process as well as timely and accurate financial assistance to all eligible students.

Visit the Hutchinson Community College Web site for detailed information about the following:

1. How to apply for financial aid
2. Who qualifies for aid
3. What types of aid are available
4. Who to talk to about financial aid

Institutional Scholarships

Hutchinson Community College offers a variety of scholarships that are as diverse as our student body.  Whether you are a full time or part time student, seeking vocational training or looking to transfer to a university, we have a scholarship that you may qualify for. Scholarships are designed to recognize and reward students for academic performance, participation in activities and leadership abilities.

The application dateline is February 15th and can be found on the Hutchinson Community College website along with a list of scholarships offered.

Employment

Hutchinson Community College provides services for students seeking part-time employment to help offset educational, living, and social expenses. HutchCC has two categories of jobs: college work-study program jobs and campus payroll jobs.  Contact the Financial Aid Department, located in the Parker Student Union, for college work-study eligibility. More information can be found through the HutchCC website.

Service for Veterans

The veteran’s representative, whose office is located in the Parker Student Union in the Financial Aid Office, serves as liaison with the Veterans Administration and provides services for veterans who are attending or wish to attend Hutchinson Community College. Students receiving VA benefits are responsible for payment of their tuition and fees.

The Kansas State Approving Agency recognizes Hutchinson Community College as qualified to provide college level education under all laws providing veterans' benefits. Veterans enrolling in the college are subject to the same regulations and policies as non-veteran students.

Hutchinson Community College complies with the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018, and will not impose any penalty upon eligible students if they are unable to meet their financial obligations due to delayed payment of benefits from the Department of Veteran Affairs.

Credits from special schools of the military services and courses completed through study of the U.S. Armed Forces Institute and/or a transcript of in-service training are considered for possible conversion to college credits using the American Council on Education evaluation guides.  A currently enrolled student may apply for military service credit through the Records Office by presenting an official copy of their military transcript.

Career Counseling and Testing

HutchCC counselors assist current and prospective students by exploring career options, gathering personal and occupational information, and making sound career decisions.  Counselors assist students in the career decision-making process using a variety of assessments including interest and personality inventories and work values questionnaires.  Interactive computer systems are also available, allowing students to work independently exploring their interests, values, and abilities relative to the career choice process.

Interested persons should schedule an appointment with a college counselor to determine which assessments would be most appropriate.  To schedule an appointment call (620) 665-3377.  There is a charge for career assessment testing for individuals who are not currently enrolled at the college.  There are no testing charges for currently registered HutchCC students.

Social Work Services

Social work services in Parker Student Union provide resourcing for various student needs. Resources may be shared related to college support, financial services, rent assistance, mental health symptoms, substance abuse issues, and other needs. Beyond immediate resourcing, students may set up ongoing appointments to work towards their own goals in various areas of life and process progress and any further needs.  To schedule an appointment call (620) 665-3377.

Personal Counseling

Professional counselors provide a confidential and empathetic environment where students may seek assistance with the many varied and complicated issues.  Personal counseling services are designed to assist students with emotional and behavioral problems that may interfere with the successful attainment of college goals.  Typical counseling needs among college students include stress and anxiety issues, alcohol and drug abuse, loneliness, eating and sleeping disorders, and relationship problems.  Students in need of long-term or clinical psychological treatment are referred to outside agencies and services.

The Student Success Center – Hutchinson Campus

Counselors are available from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday.

To schedule an appointment call (620) 665-3377.

McPherson Center: (620) 245-0202

Newton Center: (316) 283-7000

Rimmer Learning Resource Center (RLRC) is designed to promote student success, retention, and graduation.  HutchCC faculty and staff encourage students to take advantage of the center’s resources and services which include FREE tutoring with CRLA-certified tutors (College of Reading and Learning Assistance).  Math and writing drop-in tutoring is available both face-to-face and online during all open hours.  Tutoring is also offered by appointment, face-to-face or online, for all subject areas. 

Hutchinson Community College defines minimum faculty qualifications as follows:

Transfer/General Education

Qualified transfer/general education instructors will have earned a Master's degree or higher in the discipline in which the instructor is teaching or Master's degree in a discipline other than that in which they are teaching plus 18 graduate credit hours in the discipline.

Technical

Each technical instructor's minimum qualifications may be measured by academic degrees n the discipline, technical and/or professional certifications, relevant to professional experience, creative activity, training or licensure, or any combination of these.

1. What is FERPA?

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as the Buckley Amendment, is a federal law designed to protect the privacy of education records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their educational records, and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate and misleading data. The act applies to all institutions that are the recipients of federal funding.

2. Who is protected under FERPA?

Students who are currently enrolled in higher education institutions or formerly enrolled regardless of their age or status in regard to parental dependency.

Parents of students termed “dependent” for income tax purposes may have access to the student’s educational records. Deceased students do not have rights under FERPA.

3. What are Educational Records?

“Educational Records” include any records in the possession of an employee which are shared with or accessible to another individual. FERPA coverage includes records, files, documents, and any information maintained in any way about a student. With certain exceptions, a student has the right of access to those records which are maintained by an educational institution or party authorized to keep records for the institution.

This would include transcripts or other records obtained from a school in which a student was previously enrolled.

FERPA contains no requirement that certain records be kept. This is a matter of institutional policy and/or state regulation. The records may be handwritten in print, computer files, generated information, magnetic tape, film, or other mediums.

4. What is not included in an Educational Record?

• Sole possession records or private notes held by educational personnel which are not accessible or released to other personnel
• Law enforcement or campus security records which are solely for law enforcement purposes
• Records relating to individuals who are employed by the institution (unless contingent upon attendance)
• Records relating to treatment provided by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist or other recognized professional or paraprofessional and disclosed only to individuals providing treatment
• Records of an institution which contain only information about an individual obtained after that person is no longer at that institution (i.e. alumni records)

5. What documents can be removed from an Educational Record before the student reviews it?

• Any information that pertains to another student
• Financial records of parents
• Some confidential letters of recommendation under conditions described in FERPA section 99.12.

6. What is Directory Information?

FERPA regulations define “Directory Information” as information contained in an education record of a student “that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy.” At HutchCC, this includes:

• Name
• Month and day of birth
• Current address and telephone number
• HutchCC e-mail address
• Major (pathway of study)
• Enrollment status (full-time, half-time, less than half-time)
• Dates of attendance
• Degrees and certificates earned
• Honors and awards received
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Previous educational institutions attended
• Photographs taken by the college

HutchCC personnel reserve the right to refuse the release of any or all of the information listed above if in the institution’s judgment the release of the information might compromise the welfare of the student. Any issues resulting from these professional judgments should be taken to the HutchCC Registrar.

7. Who is entitled to student information?

• The student and any outside party who has the student’s written consent
• School officials who have “legitimate educational interests” as defined by FERPA
• Parents of a dependent student as defined by the IRS
• A judicial order or subpoena which allows the institution to release records without the student’s consent, however, a “reasonable effort” must be made to notify the student before complying with the order

8. When do you need consent to disclose personally identifiable information from an educational record (including transcripts)?

Students must authorize access to non-directory information for third parties before any disclosure is made.

The authorized consent must:

• Specify the records that may be disclosed
• State the purpose of the disclosure
• Identify the party or class of parties to whom the disclosure may be made

9. When is the student’s consent not required to disclose information?

• To school officials with a legitimate educational need to know.
• To federal, state, and local authorities involving an audit or evaluation of compliance with educational programs
• In connection with financial aid (this includes veteran’s benefits)
• To organizations conducting studies on behalf of educational institutions
• To accrediting organizations
• To parents of dependent children (with appropriate documentation on file)
• To comply with judicial order or subpoena
• In a health or safety emergency
• When releasing directory information
• Releasing results of a disciplinary hearing to an alleged victim of a crime or violence
• To officials of another institution in which the student seeks or intends to enroll

10. Who should students contact at Hutchinson Community College for inspection of educational records?

The Hutchinson Community College Privacy Officer is the College Registrar. Contact can be made by phoning (620) 665-3500 or by e-mailing Records@Hutchcc.edu.

11. How does a student file a complaint?

A student may file a written complaint with the Department of Education regarding an alleged violation under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act at the following address:

Family Policy Compliance Office U.S. Department of Education        
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington D.C. 20202-4605

PURPOSE

The academic appeal procedure is designed to offer a means to resolve disagreements related to the interpretation of academic and/or selective admissions program policies. A student may request in writing (through the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs) a hearing before the Academic Appeal Committee.

NOTE: Academic dismissal from the institution, based on grade point average (GPA) per the Academic Standing, Probation, Dismissal and Reinstatement Policy (#1003), may not be appealed.

If a department or program has recommended course or program dismissal, the student may continue in coursework (providing there are no threatening or security behavioral issues) until appeal processes are concluded. However, if an issue has been documented at a partnership location (e.g., clinical sites, secondary institutions, correctional or military facilities), then the student is no longer eligible to continue participation in internships, apprenticeships, and or clinical-based practice. For clinical sites, this sanction is immediate. 

The College President or the President’s designee may immediately suspend a student in the event that it is reasonably determined that a student’s continued presence on campus poses a significant danger to either the student or to others or if there is reasonable cause to believe that such an interim suspension is required to protect lives or property and to ensure the maintenance of order. (Section C. Emergency Suspension, Standards of Conduct for Students Policy)

LEVEL 1 –ACADEMIC APPEAL COMMITTEE

DOCUMENTATION OF ISSUE

Documented evidence of said policy violation must be provided by the student in regard to the academic issue (this includes correspondence, course notes, grading/testing, procedural variances, etc.).

The appeal (containing documented evidence) must be received by the Vice President of Academic Affairs' office within 10 business days after the event. The student will be notified by email at least three business days prior to the hearing with the Academic Appeal Committee. The notice will state the time, date, and place of the hearing. The hearing will be held within 10 business days of receipt of the request for appeal. If the student appeals and fails to present during a live appearance (in person or through an electronic medium) for the scheduled appeal hearing, the committee will dismiss the appeal. There will be no further opportunity for appeal. The Academic Appeal Committee is appointed by the Vice President of Academic Affairs and consists of administrators, faculty and students. Five members of the committee, selected from these three groups, with at least one member from each group, will hear the student appeal. An audio recording of the proceedings will be made.

TIMELINE

The hearing will occur within 10 business days of the appeal being received by the college. A business day is defined as a day the college is open for business. The student will be requested to appear at the hearing, each party/group shall have the right to have an advisor present (including an attorney) at the party's own expense. Although each party has the right to have an advisor present, the advisor may not speak for the student or the college.

OUTCOME

The outcome or decision will be communicated to the student, college faculty/administrators and the Vice President of Academic Affairs within 5 business days of the hearing.

LEVEL 2—INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION

The Level 2 Institutional Appeal Review is not intended to be a full re-hearing of the original appeal. A summary of NEW EVIDENCE that was unknown or unavailable during the original hearing which could substantially impact the original finding or sanction must be included in order to request an additional hearing. This evidence must be provided before the appeal date will be scheduled ONLY NEW documented evidence of said policy violation will be accepted from the student in regard to the academic issue (this includes additional correspondence, course notes, grading/testing, procedural variances, etc.) to provide causal evidence in the case.

If the decision of the Academic Appeal Committee requires further clarification by the student, the follow-up appeal (including new/unpresented evidence) must be received by the Vice President of Academic Affairs' office within 10 business days. The student will be notified by email at least three business days prior to the hearing with the Vice President of Academic Affairs. The notice will state the time, date, and place of the hearing. The hearing will be held within 10 business days of receipt of the request for appeal. If the student appeals and fails to present during a live appearance (in person or through an electronic medium) for the scheduled appeal hearing, the appeal will be dismissed. A business day is defined as a day the college is open for business. Each party shall have the right to have an advisor present (including an attorney) at the party's own expense. Although each party has the right to have an advisor present, the advisor may not speak for the student or the college.  An audio recording of the proceedings will be made. The Vice President of Academic Affairs will consult with the President about the recommended outcome before the final decision is rendered. This decision will be final.

OUTCOME 

The outcome or decision will be communicated to the student and college faculty/administrators within 5- business days of the hearing.

Standards of Conduct

In compliance with the Federal Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-690) and the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act of 1989 (Public Law 101-226), Hutchinson Community College (“HutchCC” or “the College”) prohibits the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of a controlled substance or abuse of alcohol (as defined in these Acts) by a student or employee on college property or at any college event or activity.

Student or employee violations of federal, state, and/or local drug and alcohol laws, including underage drinking laws, or HutchCC policies will be handled in accordance with applicable law enforcement and/or HutchCC disciplinary procedures. In Kansas, the legal drinking age is 21; however, no alcohol is allowed on HutchCC property or property controlled by HutchCC without prior written approval of the HutchCC Board of Trustees.

Residence halls, student clubs and organizations, and athletic teams, may impose additional restrictions.

Student Sanctions

Students who violate this policy are subject to the HutchCC Disciplinary Policy (Policy 1047) and the sanctions included in that policy. Violations of this policy by students will be reported to the Vice President of Student Services and, when appropriate, to law enforcement officials.

Financial Aid Penalties for Drug Law Violations

A federal or state drug conviction can disqualify a student for FSA funds. The student self certifies in applying for aid that they are eligible; the College is not required to confirm this unless the College has conflicting information.

Convictions only count against a student for aid eligibility purposes (FAFSA question 23c) if they were for an offense that occurred during a period of enrollment for which the student was receiving Federal Student Aid—they do not count if the offense was not during such a period, unless the student was denied federal benefits for drug trafficking by a federal or state judge (see drug abuse hold sidebar, next page). Also, a conviction that was reversed, set aside, or removed from the student’s record does not count, nor does one received when they were a juvenile, unless they were tried as an adult.

The chart below illustrates the period of ineligibility for FSA funds, depending on whether the conviction was for sale or possession and whether the student had previous offenses. (A conviction for sale of drugs includes convictions for conspiring to sell drugs.)

If the student was convicted of both possessing and selling illegal drugs, and the periods of ineligibility are different, the student will be ineligible for the longer period. Schools must provide each student who becomes ineligible for FSA funds due to a drug conviction a clear and conspicuous written notice of their loss of eligibility and the methods whereby they can become eligible again.

A student regains eligibility the day after the period of ineligibility ends or when they successfully complete a qualified drug rehabilitation program or passes two unannounced drug tests given by such a program. Further drug convictions will make them ineligible again.

Students denied eligibility for an indefinite period can regain it after successfully completing a rehabilitation program (as described below), passing two unannounced drug tests from such a program, or if a conviction is reversed, set aside, or removed from the student’s record so that fewer than two convictions for sale or three convictions for possession remain on the record. In such cases, the nature and dates of the remaining convictions will determine when the student regains eligibility. It is the student’s responsibility to certify to Financial Aid that they have successfully completed the rehabilitation program; as with the conviction question on the FAFSA, the College is not required to confirm the reported information unless the College has conflicting information.

When a student regains eligibility during the award year, the College may award Pell grant, TEACH, and Campus-based aid for the current payment period and Direct loans for the period of enrollment.

Standards for a qualified drug rehabilitation program

A qualified drug rehabilitation program must include at least two unannounced drug tests and satisfy at least one of the following requirements:

• Be qualified to receive funds directly or indirectly from a federal, state, or local government program.

• Be qualified to receive payment directly or indirectly from a federally-or state-licensed insurance company.

• Be administered or recognized by a federal, state, or local government agency or court.

• Be administered or recognized by a federally- or state-licensed hospital, health clinic, or medical doctor.

If the College is counseling a student who will need to enter such a program, the student should be advised of these requirements. If a student certifies that they have successfully completed a drug rehabilitation program, but the College has reason to believe that the program does not meet the requirements, the College must then find out if requirements are met before paying the student any FSA funds.

Employee Sanctions

As a condition of employment, employees of HutchCC who violate this policy will be reported to the Director of Human Resources and, when appropriate, to law enforcement officials. Employees of HutchCC who violate this policy will be subject to one or more of the following disciplinary actions:

• Placement on probationary status.
• Short-term suspension with pay.
• Short-term suspension without pay.
• Long-term suspension without pay.
• Required participation in a drug and alcohol education treatment, counseling, or rehabilitation program.
• Termination of employment.
• Or other actions determined appropriate by the Director of Human Resources.

Employees who violate this policy will be afforded a hearing in accordance with current policies relating to employee discipline. Nothing in this policy is intended to diminish the right of the college to take any other disciplinary action permitted or authorized by HutchCC policies or the negotiated agreement.

If it is determined that an employee should complete a drug or alcohol education or rehabilitation program as a condition of continued employment, payment of the costs of any such program will be the employee’s responsibility. Employees convicted of a violation of a criminal drug statute occurring in the workplace are required to notify HutchCC of the conviction no later than five calendar days of the conviction. After receiving the notification from the employee, HutchCC must provide notice of the conviction, including position title and affected grants, to the U.S. Department of Education’s Director of Grants and Contracts Service.

Distribution

This policy will be distributed annually to all employees and all students.

The policy and related procedures will be reviewed and updated biennially by the Regulatory Compliance and Due Process Committee. The Director of Financial Aid may make minor modifications to policy if Federal Regulations warrant such revisions.

Consequences of the Use, Misuse, and Abuse of Drugs and Alcohol

Health Consequences

Students and employees of HutchCC should be aware that the following health risks have been associated with the use, misuse and abuse of drugs and alcohol:

• Alcohol: Birth defects, ulcers and gastritis, liver damage, heart disease, cancer, and brain damage.
• Anabolic Steroids: Acne, cancer, heart disease, liver disease, sterility, jaundice, and kidney stones.
• Cocaine/Stimulants: Increased blood pressure, blurred vision, sleeplessness, anxiety, irregular heartbeat, and death.
• Hallucinogens: Increased body temperature, increased heart rate, blood pressure, sleeplessness and tremors.
• Marijuana: Irritation of the lungs, emphysema, increased heart rate, reduced short term memory, and cancer.
• Opiates/Narcotics: Decreased heart rate, nausea, cold, moist skin, bluish in color, and slowed breathing.
• Sedatives: Slowed body function, drowsiness, convulsions, and coma.

Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications: Risks associated with the nonmedical use, abuse or misuse of prescription and over-the-counter medications are dependent upon the particular medication and may include any of the risks described above.

Students and employees should note that the above listing is not intended as all inclusive.

Workplace Consequences

The negative impact of substance abuse by employees in the workplace can be; increased risk of accidents, lower productivity, increased insurance costs, increased institutional costs, increased absenteeism. Loss of jobs and loss of life may result from substance abuse on the job.

Legal Consequences

Local, state, and federal laws provide for a variety of legal sanctions and penalties for the possession, distribution, misuse and abuse of controlled substances, pharmaceutical products, prescriptions, over-the counter medications, and alcohol.

The Federal Controlled Substances Act provides penalties of up to 15 years imprisonment and fines up to $25,000 for unlawful distribution or possession with intent to distribute narcotics. For unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a person is subject to up to one year of imprisonment and fines up to $5,000. Any person who unlawfully distributes a controlled substance to a person under twenty-one years of age may be punished by up to twice the term of imprisonment and fine otherwise authorized by law.

Kansas law provides that any person who violates the criminal statutes on controlled substances by possessing, offering for sale, distributing, or manufacturing opiates and narcotics, such as cocaine and heroin, shall be guilty of a Class C felony. For a conviction of a Class C felony, the court may sentence a person to a term of imprisonment of a minimum of three to five years, a maximum of 10 to 20 years, and a fine of up to $15,000. Unlawful possession of a depressant, stimulant or hallucinogenic drug is punishable as a Class A misdemeanor, with a penalty of up to a year in jail and a fine of $2,500.

Under Kansas law, persons under 21 years of age may be subject to minimum fines of $200 for possessing, consuming, obtaining, purchasing or attempting to obtain or purchase alcoholic liquor or cereal malt beverages. Persons convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs are subject to severe fines, imprisonment, and other penalties.

The most recent & complete Federal Trafficking Penalties are available online.

Counseling, Treatment, and Rehabilitation

Drug and alcohol counseling and treatment programs are available to students and employees on a national, state, and local basis. The Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website maintains a substance abuse treatment locator.

Alcohol assessments and personal counseling are available to currently enrolled students and employees through the HutchCC Student Success Center (620) 665-3377. The Student Success Center maintains a list of local treatment facilities and this is available for students and employees to pick upon request.

Drug and Alcohol Abuse and Prevention Information

The following web sites provide additional drug and alcohol abuse and prevention information:

• Above the Influence

Above the Influence was originally created as part of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, a program of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Above the Influence has since transitioned away from federal oversight and is now a program of the non-profit Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.

• National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD)

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) has been a valuable resource for millions of people struggling with alcoholism and addiction.

• It Matters

The It Matters website and related educational campaigns are sponsored by the Behavioral Health Services Commission at the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS).

• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

The mission of the National Institute on Drug Abuse is to advance science on the causes and consequences of drug use and addiction and to apply that knowledge to improve individual and public health.

• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is one of the 27 institutes and centers that comprise the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIAAA supports and conducts research on the impact of alcohol use on human health and well-being.

POLICY PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to describe how concealed handguns may be carried on the campus of Hutchinson Community College (the “College”) in accordance with Kansas law, specifically the personal and family protection act, K.S.A 75-7c01 et seq., as amended (the “Act”)

APPLIES TO: Everyone on Campus

DEFINITIONS: Concealed Carry Defined. Individuals who carry a handgun on or in any building located on the grounds of the College and any building leased by the College must carry it concealed at all times. Individuals who choose to carry a concealed handgun are responsible for doing so in strict compliance with the Act, other applicable Kansas laws and regulations and with the College policies.

With respect to this policy, a concealed handgun shall remain at all times within the person’s exclusive control except when used for personal or family protection in accordance with applicable law.

Geographic Applicability. This policy is applicable only within the geographic limits of the campus of the College and within locations owned or leased by the College that are not part of the College campus, provided that such locations are located within the State of Kansas. The owners of facilities leased or used on a temporary basis by the College and who may lawfully exclude or permit firearms at their premises (concealed or otherwise) may choose at their sole discretion to exclude or permit concealed firearms from their property, notwithstanding use by the College.

Campus Gun Free Locations with Adequate Security Measures. Each location within the geographic applicability of this policy designated as gun free with “adequate security measures,” as defined by Kansas law, will be identified with appropriate signs in accordance with Kansas law. There are no College locations that currently are designated as gun free with permanent adequate security measures. The College may from time to time designate a specific location as gun free and use adequate security measures as defined and required by law. Appropriate notice will be given of any such designation.

Prohibitions. Open carry of firearms by any means is prohibited. The carrying of any rifle, shotgun, or other long gun by any means is prohibited. The carrying of any firearm, concealed or otherwise, is prohibited in any location or under any circumstances prohibited by the applicable federal or state law.

Restrictions to the Carrying of a Concealed Firearm Pursuant to Kansas Law: Kansas law states that the only type of firearm that an individual can carry while concealed is a handgun. Nothing in this policy is intended to replace municipal, state or federal law regarding weapons, firearms, explosives and other hazardous objects or substances or be inconsistent with the rights afforded a lawfully commissioned peace officer. Restrictions applicable to concealed carrying of a handgun under Kansas law include but are not limited to the following:

• An individual in possession of a concealed handgun must be at least 21 years of age [K.S.A. 21-6302(a)(4)];
• A firearm cannot be carried by an individual under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or both, to such a degree as to render the individual incapable of safely operating the firearm [K.S.A. 21-6332];
• A firearm cannot be carried by an individual who is both addicted to and an unlawful user of a controlled substance [K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(10)];
• A firearm cannot be carried by an individual who is or has been a mentally ill person subject to involuntary commitment [K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(13)];
• A firearm cannot be carried by an individual with an alcohol or substance abuse problem subject to involuntary commitment [K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(13)];
• A firearm cannot be carried by an individual who has been convicted of a felony crime [K.S.A. 21-6304];
• An automatic firearm cannot be carried [K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(5)];
• A cartridge which can be fired by a handgun and which has a plastic-coated bullet with a core of less than 60% lead by weight is illegal [K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(6)];
• Suppressors and silencers cannot be used with a firearm [K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(4)]; and,
• Firearms cannot be fired in the corporate limits of a city or at a dwelling, or at a structure or vehicle in which people are present, except in self-defense [K.S.A. 21-6308, 6308a].

Violations of any of such restrictions may constitute a criminal offense under applicable Kansas law. Persons who violate any provision of this policy or applicable Kansas law shall be subject to the disciplinary actions in accordance with the policies and procedures of the College. Violations also may be reported to appropriate law enforcement agencies.

Definition: A potential conflict of interest occurs when a divergence between private interests and professional obligations to the College exists such that an independent observer might reasonably question whether the individual’s professional actions or decisions are determined by considerations of personal benefit, gain or advantage.

Conflict of Interest/General:

Employees of Hutchinson Community College have an obligation to avoid activities or situations which may result in a conflict of interest or the appearance of conflict of interest. HutchCC is an institution of public trust; all employees must respect that status and conduct their affairs in ways that will not compromise the integrity of the College.

College employees must not use their position to influence outside organizations or individuals for the direct financial, personal, or professional benefit of themselves, members of their families or others with whom there is a personal relationship. An employee’s actions or decisions made in the course of College activities should not be determined by consideration of personal gain.

College employees not covered by the Master Agreement should not engage in any type of outside business activity during normal College work hours as determined by the employee’s supervisor.

Per Article V, Section D, Paragraph 3 of the Master Agreement, as to College employees covered by the Master Agreement, “A full-time faculty member shall not be excused to engage in remunerative activities during the school day except with the consent of the president or his/her designee.”

College employees shall faithfully discharge their responsibilities and shall refrain from knowingly engaging in any outside matters of financial interest incompatible with the impartial, objective, and effective performance of their responsibilities.

No employee shall realize personal gain in any form which would influence improperly the conduct of their College responsibilities.

As to College employees covered by the Master Agreement, the Master Agreement Article V, Section N, Paragraph 1 states “Professional employees are entitled to full freedom in research and in the publication of the results, subject to the adequate performance of his/her other academic duties. Access to facilities and funds for research shall be at the discretion of the department chairperson and appropriate vice president. Research for pecuniary return should be based upon an understanding with the president and the board of trustees of the institution.”

No college employee shall use property for personal economic or personal political gain without prior written approval by the president or his designee. No college employee shall use college funds or position for personal economic or personal political gain.

A College employee, who is concerned that a conflict may exist, or who is uncertain as to the impact or appearance of his/her activities, should consult his/her supervisor prior to engaging in the activity.

Use of Confidential Information:

College employees shall not use confidential information about the College and/or college employees obtained by reason of their employment with intent to cause financial gain for themselves or unfair advantage for themselves or another person.

Outside Business Interests of College Employees:

A College employee’s outside employment or business activity and interest must not interfere with the employee’s or any other employee’s regular responsibilities nor represent a conflict of interest.

Occasional use of the electronic bulletin board found at HCCWeb Services to post personal items for sale, to promote charitable sales (for example, PTO, Girl Scouts, etc.) and to post items of interest to the general campus community is acceptable..

Use of College name and logo:

No College employee may use the name of the College or any of its graphic identification symbols in printed materials intended to endorse or promote individual enterprises or to otherwise enhance private gain or for endorsement of any external activities without prior written approval from the office of Marketing and Public Relations. An employee may list their institutional affiliation in professional books, articles, and monographs they author or edit and in connection with professional workshops they conduct or presentations they make.

Failure to follow this policy will result in appropriate action.

PURPOSE

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA requires Hutchinson Community College (HutchCC) to have processes in place to effectively combat the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material and, to the extent practicable, offer alternatives to illegal downloading or peer-to-peer distribution of intellectual property.

Copyright infringement constitutes a violation of Institutional policy and may create potential liability for both civil and criminal actions. Action on the part of the Institution as a matter of policy does not remedy a user against possible legal actions from the content owner or possible actions on the part of law enforcement.

I. POLICY STATEMENT

Copyright infringement of any kind is not permitted at HutchCC and may subject violators to criminal and civil penalties as well as termination of employment or dismissal from the College. This policy applies to all students, faculty, and staff of HutchCC as well as any other individual who may act on behalf of the College or in an official capacity.

II. DEFINITION

Copyright infringement is defined as the copying, distribution or sharing of copyrighted works (including music, videos, and digital copies of textbooks) without permission and may be referred to as "pirating," or, in the electronic context of peer-to-peer networks, "illegal file sharing." Copyright infringement is the act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner under section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). These rights include the right to reproduce or distribute a copyrighted work. In the file-sharing context, downloading or uploading substantial parts of a copyrighted work without the permission of the copyright holder constitutes infringement.

III. COPYRIGHT NOTICE - WARNING CONCERNING COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United State Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproduction of copyrighted material.

Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." Additionally, the work cannot be digital material such as "a musical work, a pictorial, graphic or sculptural work, or a motion picture or other audiovisual work other than an audiovisual work dealing with news." Materials may be used for limited educational purposes (in class). If a user makes a request for, or uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement.

IV. COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT PLAN OF ACTION

Pursuant to certain amendments to the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), HutchCC has adopted a plan to combat copyright infringement. This plan details the technology-based deterrent used by HutchCC to reduce illegal fire sharing, the mechanisms for informing the community about inappropriate use, the procedures for handling unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material and the procedures for periodically reviewing plan effectiveness.

As part of its efforts to combat illegal fire sharing, HutchCC endeavors to educate and inform its community about copyright infringement. To that end, users of the College network must agree to be bound by the IT Acceptable Use Policy. The College publishes the Student Handbook, which contains the Copyright Policy and penalties for violations. The Copyright Policy is maintained on the public website. 

During Success Seminar & College Orientation coursework, Orientation instructors provide the Copyright Policy in addition to other educational materials to students. Topical articles and issues are sent periodically via email to the College community. John F. Kennedy Library staff are trained on copyright law and College policy so as to assist students with issues. Finally, a notice about copyright infringement and the associated penalties are also included in the College Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

V. PENALTIES FOR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

The unauthorized copying, sharing or distribution of copyrighted material is strictly prohibited. It is a violation of federal law, the Copyright Act, and of the Student Code of Conduct. Students who infringe a copyright are subject to disciplinary action under the Student Code of Conduct, up to and including expulsion. Employees may be subject to disciplinary action ranging in severity from a warning to including termination of employment.

In addition, penalties for copyright infringement include civil and criminal penalties. In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or "statutory" damages affixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. For "willful" infringement, a court may award up to $150,000 per work infringed. A court can, in its discretion, also assess costs and attorney fees. For details, see Title 17, United States Code, Sections 504 and 505.

Willful copyright infringement can also result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to $250,000 per offense.

HutchCC provides this information to all students in its annual Higher Education Act notice, as well as to all students and employees in its Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

VI. RESOURCES

• Copyright Law of the United States
• Fair Use Index

   Alternatives to illegal downloading and file sharing:

• Legal Sources of Online Content
• Public Domain Movies
• Creative Commons Licensed Music

Hutchinson Community College

Equal Opportunity, Harassment, and Nondiscrimination Policy & Procedures[1]

Overview:

Hutchinson Community College (“the College”) affirms its commitment to promote the goals of fairness and equity in all aspects of the educational enterprise. All policies are subject to resolution using the College’s Equity Grievance Process, as detailed below. The Equity Grievance Process is applicable regardless of the status of the parties involved, who may be members or non-members of the campus community, students, student organizations, faculty, administrators, and/or staff. The College reserves the right to act on incidents occurring on-campus or off-campus when the off-campus conduct could have an on-campus impact or impact on the educational mission of the College.

The Coordinator of Equity & Compliance serves as the Title IX/Equity/Affirmative Action Coordinator and ADA/504 Coordinator and oversees implementation of the College’s Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Plan, disability compliance, and the College’s policy on equal opportunity, harassment, and nondiscrimination. Reports of discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation should be made to the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance (or deputy/deputies) promptly, but there is no time limitation on the filing of grievances as long as the accused individual remains subject to the College’s jurisdiction. All reports are acted upon promptly while every effort is made by the College to preserve the privacy of reports. Anonymous reports may also be filed online, if such mechanisms are available, by using the designated reporting form. Reporting is addressed more specifically in Section VIII below. Reports of discrimination by the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance should be reported to the College President.

This policy applies to behaviors that take place on the campus, at college-sponsored events, and may also apply off-campus and to actions online when the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance determines that the off-campus conduct affects a substantial College interest. A substantial College interest is defined to include the following:

• Any action that constitutes criminal offense as defined by federal or Kansas state law. This includes, but is not limited to, single or repeat violations of any local, state, or federal law committed in the municipality where the College is located;
• Any situation where it appears that the accused individual may present a danger or threat to the health or safety of self or others;
• Any situation that significantly impinges upon the rights, property, or achievements of self or others or significantly breaches the peace and/or causes social disorder; and/or
• Any situation that is detrimental to the educational interests of the College.
• Any online postings or other electronic communication by students, including cyber-bullying, cyber-stalking, cyber-harassment, etc. occurring completely outside of the College’s control (e.g., not on College networks, websites, or between College email accounts) will only be subject to this policy when those online behaviors can be shown to cause a substantial on-campus disruption. Otherwise, such communications are considered speech protected by the 1st Amendment.

Off-campus discriminatory or harassing speech by employees may be regulated by the College only when such speech is made in an employee’s official or work-related capacity.

Inquiries about this policy and procedure may be made internally to

Equity & Compliance
Phone: (620) 665-3512
Email: equity@hutchcc.edu

Inquiries may be made externally to[2]

Office for Civil Rights (OCR)U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-1100
Phone (Customer Service Hotline): (800) 421-3481
Fax: (202) 453-6012 
TDD#: (877) 521-2172
Email: OCR@ed.gov
Web: :https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ocr

Office for Civil Rights (OCR) for Region VII
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
601 East 12th Street - Room 353
Kansas City, MO 64106
Phone: (800) 368-1019
Fax: (816) 426-3686
TDD: (800) 537-7697 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Contact: http://www.eeoc.gov/contact-eeoc

The Kansas Human Rights Commission (KHRC)
Contact: www.khrc.net

I.   College Policy on Nondiscrimination

Hutchinson Community College adheres to all federal and state civil rights laws banning discrimination in public institutions of higher education. The College will not discriminate against any employee, applicant for employment, student, or applicant for admission on the basis of race, color, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, religion, age, ancestry, disability, military status, or veteran status (including special disabled veteran, Vietnam-era veteran, or recently separated veteran), domestic victim status, or any other protected category under applicable local, state, or federal law, including protections for those opposing discrimination or participating in any grievance process on campus or within the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or other human rights agencies.

This policy covers nondiscrimination in employment and in access to educational opportunities. Therefore, any member of the campus community, guest, or visitor who acts to deny, deprive, or limit the educational, employment, residential and/or social access, benefits, and/or opportunities of any member of the campus community on the basis of their actual or perceived membership in the protected classes listed above is in violation of the College policy on nondiscrimination. When brought to the attention of the College, any such discrimination will be appropriately remedied by the College according to the procedures below.

II.   College Policy on Accommodation of Disabilities

Hutchinson Community College is committed to full compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibit discrimination against qualified persons with disabilities, as well as other federal and state laws pertaining to individuals with disabilities. Under the ADA and its amendments, a person has a disability if he or she has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. The ADA also protects individuals who have a record of a substantially limiting impairment or who are regarded as disabled by the institution whether qualified or not. A substantial impairment is one that significantly limits or restricts a major life activity such as hearing, seeing, speaking, breathing, performing manual tasks, walking, caring for oneself, learning, reading, concentrating, or thinking.

The Coordinator of Equity & Compliance, in cooperation with the Coordinator of Accessibility Services and the Director of Human Resources, has been designated as the ADA/504 Coordinator responsible for coordinating efforts to comply with these disability laws, including investigation of any grievance alleging noncompliance.

A.   Students with Disabilities

The College is committed to providing qualified students with disabilities with reasonable accommodations and support needed to ensure equal access to the academic programs and activities of the College.

All accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. A student requesting any accommodation should first contact the Coordinator of Accessibility Services who coordinates services for students with disabilities. The coordinator reviews documentation provided by the student and, in consultation with the student, determines which accommodations are appropriate to the student’s particular needs and academic programs.

B.   Employees with Disabilities

Pursuant to the ADA, the College will provide reasonable accommodation(s) to all qualified employees with known disabilities, where their disability affects the performance of their essential job functions, except where doing so would be unduly disruptive or would result in undue hardship.

An employee with a disability is responsible for requesting an accommodation in writing to the Director of Human Resources and provide appropriate documentation. The Director of Human Resources, in cooperation with the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance, will work with the employee’s supervisor to identify which essential functions of the position are affected by the employee’s disability and what reasonable accommodations could enable the employee to perform those duties.

III.   College Policy on Discriminatory Harassment

Students, staff, administrators, and faculty are entitled to a working environment and educational environment free of discriminatory harassment. The College’s harassment policy is not meant to inhibit or prohibit educational content or discussions inside or outside of the classroom that include germane but controversial or sensitive subject matters protected by academic freedom. The sections below describe the specific forms of legally prohibited harassment that are also prohibited under College policy.ted by academic freedom. The sections below describe the specific forms of legally prohibited harassment that are also prohibited under College policy.

A.   Discriminatory and Bias-Related Harassment

Harassment constitutes a form of discrimination that is prohibited by law. The College will remedy all forms of harassment when reported, whether or not the harassment rises to the level of creating a hostile environment. When harassment rises to the level of creating a hostile environment, the College may also impose sanctions on the harasser.[3] The College’s harassment policy explicitly prohibits any form of harassment, defined as unwelcome conduct on the basis of actual or perceived membership in a protected class, by any member or group of the community.

A hostile environment may be created by oral, written, graphic, or physical conduct that is sufficiently severe, persistent/pervasive, and objectively offensive that it interferes with, limits, or denies the ability of an individual to participate in or benefit from educational programs or activities or employment access, benefits or opportunities. [4]

Offensive conduct and/or harassment that does not rise to the level of discrimination or that is of a generic nature not on the basis of a protected status may not result in the imposition of discipline under this College policy but will be addressed through civil confrontation, remedial actions, education, effective conflict resolution mechanisms, and/or interventions/sanctions outlined in the College’s Standards of Conduct for Students. For assistance with conflict resolution techniques, employees should contact the Director of Human Resources, and students should contact the Vice President of Student Services.

The College condemns and will not tolerate discriminatory harassment against any employee, student, visitor, or guest on the basis of any status protected by college policy or law.

B.   Sexual Harassment

Both the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the State of Kansas regard sexual harassment as a form of sex/gender discrimination and, therefore, as an unlawful discriminatory practice. The College has adopted the following definition of sexual harassment, in order to address the special environment of an academic community, which consists not only of employer and employee but also of students as well. [5] Sexual harassment is unwelcome, sexual or gender-based verbal, written, online, and/or physical conduct. [6]

Anyone experiencing sexual harassment in any College program is encouraged to report it immediately to the College’s Coordinator of Equity & Compliance.

Sexual harassment creates a hostile environment, and may be disciplined when it is sufficiently severe, persistent/pervasive, and objectively offensive that it

• has the effect of unreasonably interfering with, denying or limiting employment opportunities or the ability to participate in or benefit from the university’s educational, social and/or residential program, and is
• based on power differentials (quid pro quo[7]), the creation of a hostile environment or retaliation.[8]

C.   Sexual Misconduct

State law defines various violent and/or non-consensual sexual acts as crimes. Additionally, the College has defined categories of sexual misconduct, as stated below, for which action under this policy may be imposed. The College uses the term “sexual misconduct” to address behaviors like rape and sexual assault. The use of this term is not intended to diminish or minimize a victim’s experience but is instead a recognition that the College has no authority to determine that a crime occurred. The  College does not view sexual misconduct as a lesser form of misconduct than rape or sexual assault. Generally speaking, the College considers Non-Consensual Sexual Intercourse violations to be the most serious and therefore typically imposes the most severe sanctions, including suspension or expulsion for students and termination for employees. However, the College reserves the right to impose any level of sanction, ranging from a reprimand up to and including suspension or expulsion/termination, for any act of sexual misconduct or other gender-based offenses, including intimate partner or relationship (dating and/or domestic) violence, non-consensual sexual contact and stalking based on the facts and circumstances of the particular grievance. Acts of sexual misconduct may be committed by any person upon any other person, regardless of the sex, gender, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity of those involved. Violations include:

1.   Sexual Harassment (as defined in section B above)

2.   Non-Consensual Sexual Intercourse[9]

Defined as

• any sexual penetration or intercourse (anal, oral, or vaginal)
• however slight
• with any object
• by a person upon another person
• that is without consent and/or by force.[10]

Sexual penetration includes vaginal or anal penetration by a penis, tongue, finger, or object, or oral copulation by mouth to genital contact or genital to mouth contact.

3.   Non-Consensual Sexual Contact

Defined as

• any intentional sexual touching
• however slight
• with any object
• by a person upon another person
• that is without consent and/or by force.

Sexual touching includes any bodily contact with the breasts, groin, genitals, mouth, or other bodily orifice of another individual, or any other bodily contact in a sexual manner.

4.   Sexual Exploitation

Sexual Exploitation refers to a situation in which a person takes non-consensual or abusive sexual advantage of another, and situations in which the conduct does not fall within the definitions of Sexual Harassment, Non-Consensual Sexual Intercourse or Non-Consensual Sexual Contact. Examples of sexual exploitation include but are not limited to

• Invasion of sexual privacy;
• Sexual voyeurism (such as watching a person undressing, using the bathroom, or engaged in sexual acts without the consent of the person observed);
• Taking pictures or video or audio recording another in a sexual act, or in any other private activity without the consent of all involved in the activity, or exceeding the boundaries of consent (such as allowing another person to hide in a closet and observe sexual activity, or disseminating sexual pictures without the photographed person’s consent);
• Prostitution;
• Prostituting another student or employee;
• Engaging in sexual activity with another person while knowingly infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or other sexually transmitted disease (STD) and without informing the other person of the infection;
• Administering alcohol or drugs (such as “date rape” drugs[11]) to another person without his or her knowledge or consent;
• Exposing one’s genitals in non-consensual circumstances; inducing another to expose their genitals;
• Sexually-based stalking and/or bullying may also be forms of sexual exploitation.

5.   Consent[12]

Consent is knowing, voluntary, and clear permission by word or action to engage in mutually agreed upon sexual activity. Consent is active, not passive. Since individuals may experience the same interaction in different ways, it is the responsibility of each party to make certain that the other has consented before engaging in the activity. For consent to be valid, there must be a clear expression in words or actions that the other individual consented to that specific sexual conduct. Silence—without actions demonstrating permission—cannot be assumed to show consent.

Additionally, there is a difference between seduction and coercion. Coercing someone into sexual activity violates this policy in the same way as physically forcing someone into sex. Coercion happens when someone is pressured unreasonably for sex.

A person cannot consent if he or she is unable to understand what is happening or is disoriented, helpless, asleep, or unconscious for any reason, including due to alcohol or other drugs. An individual who engages in sexual activity when the individual knows, or should know, that the other person is physically or mentally incapacitated has violated this policy.

Because alcohol or other drug use can place the capacity to consent in question, sober sex is less likely to raise such questions. It is not an excuse that the individual responding party of sexual misconduct was intoxicated and, therefore, did not realize the incapacity of the other. Incapacitation is defined as a state where someone cannot make rational, reasonable decisions because s/he lacks the capacity to give knowing consent (e.g., to understand the “who, what, when, where, why or how” of her/his sexual interaction). This policy also covers a person whose incapacity results from mental disability, involuntary physical restraint and/or from the taking of incapacitating drugs.

Consent to some sexual contact (such as kissing or fondling) cannot be presumed to be consent for other sexual activity (such as intercourse). A current or previous dating relationship is not sufficient to constitute consent. Likewise, consent to engage in sexual activity with one person does not imply consent to engage in sexual activity with another. The existence of consent is based on the totality of the circumstances, including the context in which the alleged incident occurred and any similar previous patterns that may be evidenced. Silence or the absence of resistance alone is not consent. A person can withdraw consent at any time during sexual activity by expressing in words or actions that he or she no longer wants the act to continue, and, if that happens, the other person must stop immediately. Under this policy, “No” always means “No,” and “Yes” may not always mean “Yes.” Anything but a clear, knowing, and voluntary consent to any sexual activity is equivalent to a “No.”

In the State of Kansas, a minor (meaning a person under the age of 17 years) cannot consent to sexual activity. This means that sexual contact by an adult with a person younger than 17 years old is a crime, as well as a violation of this policy, even if the minor wanted to engage in the act.

D.   Sexual Misconduct Scenarios:

1.   Situation:

Amanda and Bill meet at a party. They spend the evening dancing and getting to know each other. Bill convinces Amanda to come up to his room. From 11:00pm until 3:00am, Bill uses every line he can think of to convince Amanda to have sex with him, but she adamantly refuses. He keeps after her and begins to question her religious convictions, and accuses her of being “a prude.” Finally, it seems to Bill that her resolve is weakening, and he convinces her to give him a “hand job” (hand to genital contact). Amanda would never have done it but for Bill’s incessant advances. He feels he successfully seduced her and that she wanted to do it all along but was playing shy and hard to get. Why else would she have come up to his room alone after the party? If she really didn’t want it, she could have left.

·Bill is responsible for violating the College’s non-consensual or forced sexual contact policy. It is likely that a College hearing board would find that the degree and duration of the pressure Bill applied to Amanda are unreasonable. Bill coerced Amanda into performing unwanted sexual touching upon him. Where sexual activity is coerced, it is forced. Consent is not effective when forced. Sex without effective consent is sexual misconduct.

2.   Situation:

Mark is a sophomore at the college. Beth is a freshman. Mark comes to Beth’s dorm room with some mutual friends to watch a movie. Mark and Beth, who have never met before, are attracted to each other. After the movie, everyone leaves, and Mark and Beth are alone. They “hit it off” and are soon becoming more intimate. They start to make out. Mark verbally expresses his desire to have sex with Beth. Beth, who was abused by a baby-sitter when she was five and has not had any sexual relations since, is shocked at how quickly things are progressing.  As Mark takes her by the wrist over to the bed, lays her down, undresses her, and begins to have intercourse with her, Beth has a severe flashback to her childhood trauma. She wants to tell Mark to stop but cannot. Beth is stiff and unresponsive during the intercourse.

·Mark would be held responsible in this scenario for non-consensual sexual intercourse. It is the duty of the sexual initiator, Mark, to make sure that he has mutually understandable consent to engage in sex. Though consent need not be verbal, it is the clearest form of consent. Here, Mark had no verbal or non-verbal mutually understandable indication from Beth that she consented to sexual intercourse. Of course, wherever possible, students should attempt to be as clear as possible as to whether or not sexual contact is desired, but students must be aware that for psychological reasons, or because of alcohol or drug use, one’s partner may not be in a positive position to provide as clear an indication as the policy requires. As the policy makes clear, consent must be actively, not passively, given.

3.   Situation:

Kevin and Amy are at a party. Kevin is not sure how much Amy has been drinking, but he is pretty sure it’s a lot. After the party, he walks Amy to her room, and Amy “comes on” to Kevin, initiating sexual activity. Kevin asks her if she is really up to this, and Amy says, “Yes.” Clothes go flying, and they end up in Amy’s bed. Suddenly, Amy runs for the bathroom. When she returns, her face is pale, and Kevin thinks she may have thrown up. Amy gets back into bed, and they begin to have sexual intercourse. Kevin is having a good time, though he can’t help but notice that Amy seems pretty groggy and passive, and he thinks Amy may have even passed out briefly during the sex, but he does not let that stop him. When Kevin runs into Amy the next day, he thanks her for the wild night. Amy remembers nothing and decides to make a complaint.

·This is a violation of the non-consensual sexual intercourse policy. Kevin should have known that Amy was incapable of making a rational, reasonable decision about sex. Even if Amy seemed to consent, Kevin was well aware that Amy had consumed a large amount of alcohol, and Kevin thought Amy was physically ill and knew that she passed out during sex. Kevin should be held accountable for taking advantage of Amy in her condition. This is not the level of respectful conduct expected of students.

E.   Sexual Misconduct—Risk Reduction Tips

Risk reduction tips can often take a victim-blaming tone, even unintentionally. With no intention to victim-blame and with recognition that only those who commit sexual misconduct are responsible for those actions, these suggestions may nevertheless help one reduce their risk experiencing a non-consensual sexual act. Below, suggestions to avoid committing a non-consensual sexual act are also offered:

• If you have limits, make them known as early as possible.
• Tell a sexual aggressor “NO” clearly and firmly.
• Try to remove yourself from the physical presence of a sexual aggressor.
• Find someone nearby and ask for help.
• Take affirmative responsibility for your alcohol intake/drug use and acknowledge that alcohol/drugs lower your sexual inhibitions and may make you vulnerable to someone who views a drunk or high person as a sexual opportunity.
• Take care of your friends and ask that they take care of you. Real friends will challenge you if you are about to make a mistake. Respect them when they do.

If you find yourself in the position of being the initiator of sexual behavior, you owe sexual respect to your potential partner. These suggestions may help you to reduce your risk for being accused of sexual misconduct:

• Clearly communicate your intentions to your sexual partner and give them a chance to clearly relate their intentions to you.
• Understand and respect personal boundaries.
• DO NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS about consent, about someone’s sexual availability, about whether they are attracted to you, about how far you can “go” or about whether they are physically and/or mentally able to consent. If there are any questions or ambiguity, then you DO NOT have consent.
• Mixed messages from your partner are a clear indication that you should stop, defuse any sexual tension, and communicate better. You may be misreading them. S/he may not have figured out how far s/he wants to go with you yet. You must respect the timeline for sexual behaviors with which s/he is comfortable.
• Do not take advantage of someone’s drunkenness or drugged state, even if s/he did it to her/himself.
• Realize that your potential partner could be intimidated by or fearful of you. You may have a power advantage simply because of your gender or size. Do not abuse that power.
• Understand that consent to some form of sexual behavior does not automatically imply consent to any other forms of sexual behavior.
• Silence and passivity cannot be interpreted as an indication of consent. Read your potential partner carefully, paying attention to verbal and non-verbal communication and body language.

IV.   College Policy Expectations with Respect to Consensual Relationships

There are inherent risks in any romantic or sexual relationship between individuals in unequal positions (such as faculty and student, supervisor and employee, coach and player). These relationships may be less consensual than perceived by the individual whose position confers power. The relationship also may be viewed in different ways by each of the parties, particularly in retrospect. Furthermore, circumstances may change, and conduct that was previously welcome may become unwelcome. Even when both parties have consented at the outset to a romantic or sexual involvement, this past consent may not remove grounds for a later charge of a violation of applicable sections of this policy. The College does not wish to interfere with private choices regarding personal relationships when these relationships do not interfere with the goals and policies of the College. For the personal protection of members of this community, relationships in which power differentials are inherent (faculty-student, staff-student, administrator-student, supervisor-subordinate) are generally discouraged.

Consensual romantic or sexual relationships in which one party maintains a direct supervisory or evaluative role over the other party are unethical. Therefore, persons with direct supervisory or evaluative responsibilities who are involved in such relationships, including supervision in an athletic, academic, or classroom setting, must bring those relationships to the timely attention of their supervisor or department chairperson, and will likely result in the necessity to remove the employee from the supervisory or evaluative responsibilities, or shift a party out of being supervised or evaluated by someone with whom they have established a consensual relationship. This includes RAs and students over whom they have direct responsibility. While no relationships are prohibited by this policy, failure to self-report such relationships to a supervisor as required can result in disciplinary action for an employee.

V.   Other Civil Rights Offenses, When the Act Is Based Upon the Status of a Protected Class

• Threatening or causing physical harm, extreme verbal abuse, or other conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person on the basis of her/his actual or perceived membership in a protected class
• Discrimination, defined as actions that deprive other members of the community of educational or employment access, benefits, or opportunities on the basis of their actual or perceived membership in a protected class
• Intimidation, defined as implied threats or acts that cause an unreasonable fear of harm in another on the basis of actual or perceived membership in a protected class
• Hazing, defined as acts likely to cause physical or psychological harm or social ostracism to any person within the College community, when related to the admission, initiation, pledging, joining, or any other group-affiliation activity on the basis of actual or perceived membership in a protected class; hazing is also illegal under Kansas State law[13] and prohibited by College policy
• Bullying, defined as repeated and/or severe aggressive behavior likely to intimidate or intentionally hurt, control or diminish another person, physically or mentally on the basis of actual or perceived membership in a protected class
• Violence between those in an intimate relationship to each other on the basis of actual or perceived membership in a protected class (which includes romantic relationships, dating[14], domestic[15], and/or relationship violence)[16]
• Stalking[17], defined as a course of conduct directed at a specific person on the basis of actual or perceived membership in a protected class that is unwelcome and would cause a reasonable person to feel fear[18]
• Any other College rules, when a violation is motivated by the actual or perceived membership of the victim on the basis of sex or gender or in a protected class, may be pursued using this policy and process. 

Sanctions for the above-listed “Other Civil Rights Behaviors” behaviors range from reprimand up through and including expulsion (students) or termination of employment.

VI.   Retaliation

Retaliation is defined as any adverse action taken against a person participating in a protected activity because of their participation in that protected activity. Retaliation against an individual for alleging harassment, for supporting a party bringing a grievance, or for assisting in providing information relevant to a claim of harassment is a serious violation of College policy and will be treated as another possible instance of harassment or discrimination. Acts of alleged retaliation should be reported immediately to the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance and will be promptly investigated. The College is prepared to take appropriate steps to protect individuals who fear that they may be subjected to retaliation.

VII.   Remedial Action

The College will implement initial remedial and responsive and/or protective actions upon notice of alleged harassment, retaliation, and/or discrimination. Such actions could include but are not limited to: no contact orders, providing counseling and/or medial services, academic support, living arrangement adjustments, providing a campus escort, academic or work schedule and assignment accommodations, safety planning, referral to campus and community support resources.

The College will take additional prompt remedial and/or disciplinary action with respect to any member of the community, guest, or visitor who has been found to engage in harassing or discriminatory behavior or retaliation. Procedures for handling reported incidents are fully described below. Deliberately false and/or malicious accusations of harassment, as opposed to grievances which, even if erroneous, are made in good faith, are just as serious an offense as harassment and will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.

VIII.   Confidentiality and Reporting of Offenses Under This Policy

College officials, depending on their roles at the College, have varying reporting responsibilities and abilities to maintain confidentiality. In order to make informed choices, one should be aware of confidentiality and mandatory reporting requirements when consulting campus resources. On campus, some resources may maintain confidentiality, offering options and advice without any obligation to inform an outside agency or individual unless you have requested information to be shared. Other resources exist for you to report crimes and policy violations and these resources are required to take action when you report victimization to them. Some resources on campus fall in the middle of these two extremes; neither the College, nor the law, requires them to divulge private information that is shared with them, except in rare circumstances but yet must share general, non-identifiable information with designated officials. The following describes the three reporting options at the College:

A.   Privileged & Confidential Reporting

If a reporting party would like the details of an incident to be kept confidential, the reporting party may speak with one of the College’s professional, licensed counselors who provide mental-health counseling to members of the school community (and including those who act in that role under the supervision of a licensed counselor), off-campus local rape and/or domestic violence counselors ( https://www.brighthouseks.org/) and/or local or state assistance agencies. [19] Such individuals will maintain confidentiality and are not required to report any information about an incident to the College’s Coordinator of Equity & Compliance, or other College officials, without the reporting party’s permission except in extreme cases of immediacy of threat or danger or abuse of a minor. Campus counselors are available to help free of charge and can be seen on an emergency basis during normal business hours. These College employees will submit anonymous statistical information for Clery Act purposes unless they believe it would be harmful to their client. A person bringing a grievance who initially requests confidentiality may later decide to wave such a request in order to file a formal complaint with the College or may choose to report the incident to local law enforcement and thus have the incident fully investigated.

Persons wishing to speak with one of the College’s licensed counselors, should contact the Student Success Center (https://www.hutchcc.edu/student-success-center#counseling) or call 620-665-3377 during regular business hours.

B.   Private & Limited Reporting

Those desiring to report misconduct may seek advice from certain resources who are not required to initially tell anyone else your private, personally identifiable information unless there is a pattern of abuse, cause for fear for your safety or the safety of others. These are resources who the College has not specifically designated as “responsible employees” [20] for purposes of putting the institution on notice and for whom mandatory reporting is required, other than in the stated limited circumstances. For instance, individuals who work or volunteer in the College’s Student Health Services (HASHS), including the front desk staff and students, can generally talk to a victim without revealing any personally identifiable information about an incident to the College. While maintaining a victim’s confidentiality, these individuals or their office should report the nature, date, time, and general location of an incident to the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance. This limited reporting helps keep the College informed of the general extent and nature of sexual misconduct on and off campus and allows the institution to track patterns, evaluate the scope of the problem, and formulate appropriate campus-wide responses. Before reporting any   information to the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance, these individuals will consult with the victim to ensure that no personally identifying details are shared.

The employees (or categories of employees) listed below are designated as “responsible employees” under College policy and are required to report alleged incidents brought to their attention to the College’s Coordinator of Equity & Compliance. A responsible employee must report all relevant details about the alleged incident shared by the reporting party—including the names of the reporting party, the alleged perpetrator(s) (responding party), any witnesses, and any other relevant information, including the date, time, and specific location of the alleged incident.

If the reporting party wants to tell the responsible employee what happened but also maintain confidentiality, the employee should tell the reporting party that the College will consider the request but that s/he cannot guarantee the College will be able to honor it. Responsible employees will not pressure a reporting party to request confidentiality but will honor and support the reporting party’s wishes, including for the College to fully investigate an incident. By the same token, responsible employees will not pressure a reporting party to make a full report if the reporting party is not ready to do so.

The College recognizes the following faculty, staff, and employee positions as responsible employees for which mandatory reporting, as outlined in the above policy, is mandatory:

• Members of the College Board of Trustees
• President of the College
• Vice Presidents
• Directors (including Executive, Associate, and Assistant)
• Coordinators
• Academic Advisors
• Coaches (including Head, Associate, Assistant, and Volunteer)
• Athletic Trainers
• Department Chairpersons
• Faculty/Instructors (including both full-time, adjunct, and part-time)
• Staff members with a formal supervisory role of either students or staff
• Residence Administrators

If a reporting party is unsure of a College official’s duties and ability to maintain privacy and/or confidentiality, ask her/him before discussing the incident of concern with her/him. S/he will be able to explain and help a reporting party to make decisions about who is in the best position to help. All resources, except those specifically exempted from doing so, are instructed to share limited incident reports with their supervisors and/or the College’s Coordinator of Equity & Compliance. If personally identifiable information is shared, it will be shared with as few people as possible and all efforts will be made to protect privacy to the greatest possible extent.

C.   Formal Reporting Options

A party bringing a grievance(s) is encouraged to speak to the College’s Coordinator of Equity & Compliance or a member of the College’s Equity Grievance Panel (see membership list below) to make formal reports of incidents of sexual misconduct. A party bringing a grievance(s) has the right, and can expect, to have grievances taken seriously by the College when formally reported and to have those incidents affords privacy to the reporter, and only a small group of officials who need to know will be told. Information will be shared as necessary with investigators, witnesses and the responding party. The circle of people with this knowledge will be kept as tight as possible to preserve a party bringing a grievance’s rights and privacy. Additionally safe and anonymous reports, which do not trigger investigations, can be made by victims and/or third parties using an online reporting form, if such mechanism is available, by using the designated reporting form.

D.   Weighing Requests for Confidentiality in Reports Disclosed to Responsible Employees

If a reporting party discloses an incident to a responsible employee but wishes to maintain confidentiality or requests that no investigation into a particular incident be conducted or disciplinary action be taken, the College must weigh that request against the College’s obligation to provide a safe, non-discriminatory environment for all individuals, including the reporting party.

If the College honors the request for confidentiality, a reporting party must understand that the College’s ability to meaningfully investigate the incident and pursue disciplinary action against the alleged perpetrator(s) may be limited. Although rare, there are times when the College may not be able to honor a reporting party’s request in order to provide a safe, non-discriminatory environment for all individuals.

The College has designated the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance to evaluate requests for confidentiality once a responsible employee is on notice of alleged misconduct. When weighing a reporting party’s request for confidentiality or that no investigation or disciplinary action be pursued, the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance will consider a range of factors, including the following:

• The increased risk that the alleged perpetrator will commit additional acts of misconduct or other violence, such as
  • whether there have been other misconduct complaints about the same alleged perpetrator;
  • whether the alleged perpetrator has a history of arrests or records from a prior school indicating a history of violence;
  • whether the alleged perpetrator threatened sexual violence or other violence against the reporting party or others;
• Whether the sexual violence was perpetrated with a weapon;
• Whether the reporting party is a minor;
• Whether the College possesses other means to obtain relevant evidence of the sexual misconduct (e.g., security cameras or personnel, physical evidence);
• Whether the reporting party’s report reveals a pattern of perpetration (e.g., via illicit use of drugs or alcohol) at a given location or by a particular group.

The presence of one or more of these factors could lead the College to investigate and, if appropriate, pursue disciplinary action. If none of these factors is present, the College will likely respect the reporting party’s request for confidentiality.

If the College determines that it cannot maintain a reporting party’s confidentiality, the College will inform the victim prior to starting an investigation and will, to the extent possible, only share information with people responsible for handling the College’s response.

The College will remain ever mindful of the reporting party’s well-being and will take ongoing measures to protect the reporting party from retaliation or harm and work with the reporting party to create a safety plan. Retaliation against the reporting party, whether by students or College employees, will not be tolerated. The College will also

• assist the reporting party in accessing other available victim advocacy, academic support, counseling, disability, health or mental health services, and legal assistance both on and off campus;
• provide other security and support, which could include issuing a no-contact order, helping arrange a change of living or working arrangements or course schedules (including for the alleged perpetrator pending the outcome of an investigation) or adjustments for assignments or tests; and
• inform the reporting party of the right to report a crime local law enforcement—and provide the reporting party with assistance if the victim wishes to do so.

The College may not require a reporting party to participate in any investigation or disciplinary proceeding.

Because the College is under a continuing obligation to address the issue of sexual misconduct campus-wide, reports of sexual misconduct (including non-identifying reports) will also prompt the College to consider broader remedial action—such as increased monitoring, supervision or security at location where the reported sexual misconduct occurred; increasing education and prevention efforts, including to targeted population groups; conducting climate assessments; and/or revisiting its policies and practices.

If the College determines that it can respect a reporting party’s request for confidentiality, the College will also take immediate action as necessary to protect and assist the reporting party.

IX.   Federal Statistical Reporting and Timely Warning Obligations

Certain campus officials have a duty to report sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking for federal statistical purposes (Clery Act). All personally identifiable information is kept confidential, but statistical information must be shared with campus law enforcement regarding the type of incident and its general location (on or off-campus, in the surrounding area, but no addresses are given) for publication in the College’s Annual Security Report. This report helps to provide the community with a clear picture of the extent and nature of campus crime, to ensure greater community safety. Mandated federal reporters include student/conduct affairs, campus security, local police, coaches, athletic directors, residence life staff, student activities staff, human resource staff, advisors to student organizations, and any other official with significant responsibility for student and campus activities. The information to be shared includes the date, the location of the incident (using Clery location categories) and the Clery crime category. This reporting protects the identity of the victim and may be done anonymously.

Victims of sexual misconduct should be aware that College administrators must issue timely warnings for incidents reported to them that pose a substantial threat of bodily harm or danger to members of the campus community. The College will make every effort to ensure that a victim’s name and other identifying information is not disclosed while still providing enough information for community members to make safety decisions in light of the potential danger.

X.   Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Reporting

The following are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding the College’s sexual misconduct policy and procedures.

• Does information about a complaint remain private?

The privacy of all parties to a complaint of sexual misconduct must be respected, except insofar as it interferes with the College’s obligation to fully investigate allegations of sexual misconduct. Where privacy is not strictly kept, it will still be tightly controlled on a need-to-know basis. Dissemination of information and/or written materials to persons not involved in the complaint procedure is not permitted. Violations of the privacy of the complainant or the accused individual may lead to conduct action by the College.

In all complaints of sexual misconduct, all parties will be informed of the outcome. In some instances, the administration also may choose to make a brief public announcement of the nature of the violation and the action taken, without using the name or identifiable information of the alleged victim. Certain college administrators are informed of the outcome within the bounds of student privacy (e.g., the President of the College, Vice President of Student Services, Campus Security Officer). If there is a report of an act of alleged sexual misconduct to a conduct officer of the College and there is evidence that a felony has occurred, local police will be notified. This does not mean charges will be automatically filed or that a victim must speak with the police, but the institution is legally required to notify law enforcement authorities. The institution also must statistically report the occurrence on campus of major violent crimes, including certain sex offenses, in an annual report of campus crime statistics. This statistical report does not include personally identifiable information.

• Will my parents be told?

No, not unless you tell them or unless you are a minor. Whether you are the complainant or the accused individual, the College’s primary relationship is to the student and not the parent. However, in the event of major medical, disciplinary, or academic jeopardy, students are encouraged to inform their parents. College officials will directly inform parents when requested to do so by a student, in a life-threatening situation, or if an accused individual has signed the permission form at registration which allows such communication.

• Will the accused individual know my identity?

Yes, if you file a formal complaint. Sexual misconduct is a serious offense and the accused individual has the right to know the identity of the complainant/alleged victim. If there is a hearing, the College does provide options for questioning without confrontation, including closed-circuit testimony, Skype, using a room divider or using separate hearing rooms.

• Do I have to name the perpetrator?

Yes, if you want formal disciplinary action to be taken against the alleged perpetrator. No, if you choose to respond informally and do not file a formal complaint (but you should consult the reporting policy above to better understand the college’s legal obligations depending on what information you share with different college officials). Victims should be aware that not identifying the perpetrator may limit the institution’s ability to respond comprehensively.

• What do I do if I am accused of sexual misconduct?

DO NOT contact the alleged victim. You may immediately want to contact someone who can act as your advocate (advisor); anyone may serve as your advocate. You may also contact the Student Services Office or the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance, which can explain the college’s procedures for addressing sexual misconduct complaints. You may also want to talk to one of the college’s confidential counselors or seek other community assistance.

• Will I (as a victim) have to pay for counseling/or medical care?

Not typically, if the institution provides these services already. If a victim is accessing community and non-institutional services, payment for these will be subject to state/local laws, insurance requirements, etc. In this state, victims may be ineligible for state-based assistance if they were engaged in any illegal activity during the assault or if they fail to cooperate with criminal prosecution.

• What about legal advice?

Victims of criminal sexual assault need not retain a private attorney to pursue prosecution because representation will be handled by the District Attorney’s (Prosecutor’s) office. You may want to retain an attorney if you are the accused individual or are considering filing a civil action. The accused individual may retain counsel at their own expense if they determine that they need legal advice about criminal prosecution.

• What about changing residence hall rooms?

If you want to move, you may request a room change. Room changes under these circumstances are considered emergencies. It is typically institutional policy that in emergency room changes, the student is moved to the first available suitable room. If you want the accused individual to move and believe that you have been the victim of sexual misconduct, you must be willing to pursue a formal or informal college complaint. No contact orders can be imposed and room changes for the accused individual can usually be arranged quickly. Other accommodations available to you might include

• Assistance from college support staff in completing the relocation;
• Arranging to dissolve a housing contract and pro-rating a refund;
• Assistance with or rescheduling an academic assignment (paper, exams, etc.);
• Taking an incomplete in a class;
• Assistance with transferring class sections;
• Temporary withdrawal;
• Assistance with alternative course completion options;
• Other accommodations for safety as necessary.

• What should I do about preserving evidence of a sexual assault?

Police are in the best position to secure evidence of a crime. Physical evidence of a criminal sexual assault must be collected from the alleged victim’s person within 120 hours, though evidence can often be obtained from towels, sheets, clothes, etc. for much longer periods of time. If you believe you have been a victim of a criminal sexual assault, you should go to the Hospital Emergency Room before washing yourself or your clothing. The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (a specifically trained nurse) at the hospital is usually on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (call the Emergency Room if you first want to speak to the nurse; ER will refer you). A victim advocate from the institution can also accompany you to the hospital and law enforcement or campus security can provide transportation. If a victim goes to the hospital, local police will be called, but s/he is not obligated to talk to the police or to pursue prosecution. Having the evidence collected in this manner will help to keep all options available to a victim but will not obligate him or her to any course of action. Collecting evidence can assist the authorities in pursuing criminal charges, should the victim decide later to exercise it.

For the Victim: the hospital staff will collect evidence, check for injuries, address pregnancy concerns and address the possibility of exposure to sexually transmitted infections. If you have changed clothing since the assault, bring the clothing you had on at the time of the assault with you to the hospital in a clean sanitary container such as a clean paper grocery bag or wrapped in a clean sheet (plastic containers do not breath, and may render evidence useless). If you have not changed clothes, bring a change of clothes with you to the hospital if possible, as they will likely keep the clothes you are wearing as evidence. You can take a support person with you to the hospital, and they can accompany you through the exam if you want. Do not disturb the crime scene—leave all sheets, towels, etc. that may bear evidence for the police to collect.

• Will a victim be sanctioned when reporting a sexual misconduct policy violation if s/he has illegally used drugs or alcohol?

No. The severity of the infraction will determine the nature of the College’s response, but whenever possible the College will respond educationally rather than punitively to the illegal use of drugs and/or alcohol. The seriousness of sexual misconduct is a major concern and the College does not want any of the circumstances (e.g., drug or alcohol use) to inhibit the reporting of sexual misconduct.

• Will the use of drugs or alcohol affect the outcome of a sexual misconduct complaint?

The use of alcohol and/or drugs by either party will not diminish the accused individual’s responsibility. On the other hand, alcohol and/or drug use is likely to affect the complainant’s memory and, therefore, may affect the outcome of the complaint. A person bringing a complaint of sexual misconduct must either remember the alleged incident or have sufficient circumstantial evidence, physical evidence, and/or witnesses to prove her/his complaint. If the complainant does not remember the circumstances of the alleged incident, it may not be possible to impose sanctions on the accused without further corroborating information. Use of alcohol and/or other drugs will never excuse a violation by an accused individual.

• Will either party’s prior use of drugs and/or alcohol be a factor when reporting sexual misconduct?

Not unless there is a compelling reason to believe that prior use or abuse is relevant to the present complaint.

• What should I do if I am uncertain about what happened?

If you believe that you have experienced sexual misconduct but are unsure of whether it was a violation of the institution’s sexual misconduct policy, you should contact the College’s Coordinator of Equity & Compliance or the College’s counseling office. The College provides non-legal advocates (advisors) who can help you to define and clarify the event(s) and advise you of your options.

Equity Grievance Process for Resolving Grievances of Harassment, SEXUAL MISCONDUCT and OTHER FORMS OF Discrimination

The College will act on any formal or informal grievance or notice of violation of the policy on Equal Opportunity, Harassment and Nondiscrimination, that is received by the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance, his or her deputies (if/when applicable), a member of the Equity Grievance Panel, a member of the administration, or a responsible employee (as designated by College policy).

The procedures described below will apply to all grievances involving students, staff or faculty members. Redress and requests for responsive actions for grievances brought involving non-members of the community are also covered by these procedures.

I.   Equity Grievance Panel (EGP)

A.   Membership Roles

Members of the EGP are announced in an annual distribution of this policy to campus, prospective students, their parents and prospective employees. The list of members and a description of the panel can be found at www.hutchcc.edu. Members of the EGP are trained in all aspects of the grievance process and can serve in any of the following roles at the direction of the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance

• To provide sensitive intake and initial counseling of grievances
• To serve in a mediation role in conflict resolution
• To investigate grievances
• To act as advocates (advisors) to those involved in grievances
• To serve on hearing panels for grievances
• To serve on appeal panels for grievances

EGP members also recommend proactive policies and serve in an educative role for the community. The President, in consultation with the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance, appoints the panel which reports to the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance. EGP members receive annual training organized by the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance, including a review of College policies and procedures, so that they are able to provide accurate information to members of the community. All EGP members are required to attend this annual training.

B.Membership

The Equity Grievance Panel includes

• At least 2 Co-chairs: one representative from Human Resources and one from Student Services, etc.
• One Administrative Hearing Officer who is an ex officio member and serves as Chair of grievance panel hearings for grievances involving student responding parties such as the Vice President of Student Services or her/his designee
• At least 2 members of academic affairs administrators and/or faculty
• At least 2 members of the administration
• At least 2 members of the staff
• At least 1 representative from Campus Security and/or Campus Facilities
• At least 1 representative from Human Resource
• At least 1 representative from Athletics

Panel members are usually appointed to three-year terms. Appointments to the EGP should be made with attention to representation of groups protected by the     harassment and non-discrimination policy. Individuals who are interested in serving       on the EGP are encouraged to contact the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance.

II.   Filing a grievance

Any member of the community, guest or visitor who believes that the policy on Equal Opportunity, Harassment and Nondiscrimination has been violated should contact the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance or a member of the EGP. It is also possible for employees to notify a supervisor, or for students to notify an administrative advisor or faculty member, or any member of the community may contact Campus Security. These individuals will in turn notify the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance. The College website may also include a reporting form, if available, which may serve to initiate a grievance.

All employees receiving reports of a potential violation of College policy are expected to promptly contact the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance, within 24 hours of becoming aware of a report or incident. All initial contacts will be treated with the maximum possible privacy; specific information on any grievances received by any party will be reported to the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance, but, subject to the College’s obligation to redress violations, every effort will be made to maintain the privacy of those initiating a report of a grievance. In all cases, the College will give consideration to the party bringing a grievance with respect to how the grievance is pursued, but reserves the right, when necessary to protect the community, to investigate and pursue a resolution when an alleged victim chooses not to initiate or participate in a formal grievance.

III.   Grievance Intake

Following receipt of notice of a grievance, the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance [21] will, promptly assign an EGP panel member to work as an advocate (advisor) to the person who reported the grievance or, if so desired by the party bringing a grievance, the party bringing a grievance may choose from the EGP pool (or choose a non-trained advocate from outside the pool, if preferred, or proceed without an advocate). Normally, within two business days, an initial determination is made whether a policy violation may have occurred and/or whether conflict resolution might be appropriate. If the grievance does not appear to allege a policy violation or if conflict resolution is desired by the party bringing a grievance and appears appropriate given the nature of the alleged behavior, then the grievance does not proceed to investigation.

A full investigation will necessarily be pursued if there is evidence of a pattern of misconduct or a perceived threat of further harm to the community or any of its members.  The College aims to complete all investigations within a 60 business day time period, which can be extended as necessary for appropriate cause by the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance with notice to the parties.

In campus investigations and hearings, legal terms like “guilt,” “innocence,” and “burdens of proof” are not applicable, but the College never assumes a student is in violation of College policy. Campus investigations and hearings are conducted to take into account the totality of all evidence available from all relevant sources.

The College reserves the right to take whatever measures it deems necessary in response to an allegation of sexual misconduct in order to protect students’ rights and personal safety. Such measures include, but are not limited to, modification of living arrangements, interim suspension from campus pending a hearing, and reporting the matter to local law enforcement. Not all forms of harassment of misconduct will be deemed to be equally serious offenses, and the College reserves the right to impose different sanctions, ranging from verbal warning to expulsion, depending on the severity of the offense. The College will consider the concerns and rights of both the party bringing a grievance and the respondent (person accused of misconduct).

IV.   Investigation

If a party bringing a grievance wishes to pursue a formal grievance or if the College, based on the alleged policy violation, wishes to pursue a formal grievance, then the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance appoints EGP members to conduct the investigation, usually within two business days of determining that a grievance should proceed. Investigation of grievances brought directly by those alleging harm should be completed expeditiously, normally within 10 business days of notice to the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance. The investigation may take longer when initial grievances fail to provide direct first-hand information. The College may undertake a short delay (3-10 days, to allow evidence collection) when criminal charges on the basis of the same behaviors that invoke this process are being investigated. College action will not be altered or precluded on the grounds that civil or criminal charges involving the same incident have been filed or that charges have been dismissed or reduced. All investigations will be thorough, reliable, and impartial, and will entail interviews with all relevant parties and witnesses, obtaining available evidence and identifying sources of expert information if necessary.

V.   Interim Remedies

If, in the judgment of the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance, the safety or well-being of any member(s) of the campus community may be jeopardized by the presence on-campus of the accused individual or the ongoing activity of a student organization whose behavior is in question, the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance (or designee) may provide interim remedies intended to address the short-term effects of harassment, discrimination and/or retaliation, i.e., to redress harm to the alleged victim and the community and to prevent further violations. These remedies may include referral to counseling and health services or to the Employee Assistance Program (if available), education to the community, altering the housing situation of an accused student or resident employee (or the alleged victim, if desired), altering work arrangements for employees, providing campus escorts, implementing contact limitations between the parties, offering adjustments to academic deadlines, course schedules, etc.

The College may interim suspend a student, employee, or organization pending the completion of EGP investigation and procedures. In all cases in which an interim suspension is imposed, the student, employee, or student organization will be given the opportunity to meet with the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance prior to such suspension being imposed, or as soon thereafter as reasonably possible, to show cause why the suspension should not be implemented. The Coordinator of Equity & Compliance has sole discretion to implement or stay an interim suspension under the policy on Equal Opportunity, Harassment and Nondiscrimination, and to determine its conditions and duration. Violation of an interim suspension under this policy will be grounds for expulsion or termination.

During an interim suspension or administrative leave, a student or employee may be denied access to College housing and/or the College campus/facilities/events. As determined by the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance (or designee), this restriction includes classes and/or all other College activities or privileges for which the student might otherwise be eligible. At the discretion of Coordinator of Equity & Compliance (or designee), alternative coursework options may be pursued to ensure as minimal an impact as possible on the accused student.

VI.   Grievance Resolution

During or upon the completion of investigation, the investigators will meet with the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance. Based on that meeting, the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance will make a decision on whether there is reasonable cause to proceed with the grievance. If the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance decides that no policy violation has occurred or that the preponderance of evidence (i.e., whether it is more likely than not that the accused individual committed each alleged violation) does not support a finding of a policy violation, then the process will end unless the party bringing a grievance requests that the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance makes an extraordinary determination to re-open the investigation or to forward the matter for a hearing. This decision lies in the sole discretion of the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance. If there is reasonable cause, the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance will direct the investigation to continue, or if there is a preponderance of evidence of a violation, then the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance may recommend conflict resolution, a resolution without a hearing, or a formal hearing, based on the below criteria.

   A. Conflict Resolution

Conflict resolution is often used for less serious, yet inappropriate, behaviors and is encouraged as an alternative to the formal hearing process to resolve conflicts. The Coordinator of Equity & Compliance will determine if conflict resolution is appropriate, based on the willingness of the parties, the nature of the conduct at issue and the susceptibility of the conduct to conflict resolution. In a conflict resolution meeting, an EGP member will facilitate a dialogue with the parties to an effective resolution, if possible. Sanctions are not possible as the result of a conflict resolution process, though the parties may agree to appropriate remedies. The Coordinator of Equity & Compliance will keep records of any resolution that is reached, and failure to abide by the accord can result in appropriate responsive actions.

Conflict resolution will not be the primary resolution mechanism used to address grievances of sexual misconduct or violent behavior of any kind or in other cases of serious violations of policy, though it may be made available after the formal process is completed should the parties and the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance believe that it could be beneficial. It is not necessary to pursue conflict resolution first in order to make a formal EGP grievance, and anyone participating in conflict resolution can stop that process at any time and request a formal hearing.

B.   Resolution Without a Hearing

Resolution without a hearing can be pursued for any behavior that falls within the policy on Equal Opportunity, Harassment and Nondiscrimination, at any time during the process. The Coordinator of Equity & Compliance will provide written notification of a grievance to any member of the College community who is accused of an offense of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation. The Coordinator of Equity & Compliance [together with the investigator(s)] will meet with the responding individual to explain the finding(s) of the investigation. Once informed, the responding party may choose to admit responsibility for all or part of the alleged policy violations at any point in the process. If so, the Coordinator of Equity& Compliance will render a finding that the individual is in violation of College policy for the admitted conduct, and will normally proceed to convene a formal hearing on any remaining disputed violations. For admitted violations, the appropriate Co-chair of the EGP will recommend an appropriate sanction or responsive action. If the sanction/responsive action is accepted by both the party bringing a grievance and responding party, the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance will implement it, and act promptly and effectively to remedy the effects of the admitted conduct upon the victim and the community. If either party rejects the sanction/responsive action, an EGP hearing will be held on the sanction/responsive action only, according to the EGP procedures below, except in the case of at-will employees for whom findings and responsive actions will be determined by the Director of Human Resources, in cooperation with the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance, based on the results of the investigation.

C.   Formal Hearing

For any grievances that are not appropriate for conflict resolution and which are not resolved without a hearing, the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance will initiate a formal hearing or for employees for whom no hearing process is available and will refer her/his findings to the Director of Human Resources for joint implementation.

VII.   Formal EGP Procedure

A.   Hearing Panels

The Coordinator of Equity & Compliance will appoint a non-voting panel Chair (one of the EGP co-chairs [or their designee]; the Administrative Hearing Officer [or her/his designee]), depending on whether the responding party is a faculty member, other employee, or student, and three members of the EGP to the hearing panel, none of whom have been previously involved with the grievance. EGP members who served as investigators will be witnesses in the hearing of the grievance and therefore may not serve as hearing panel members. Hearing panels may include both faculty and non-faculty employees with a least one faculty or academic affairs employee selected in a grievance involving a faculty member. No member of the panel may be a practicing attorney. The panel will meet at times determined by the Chair.

B.   Notification of Charges

At least one week prior to the hearing, or as far in advance as is reasonably possible if an accelerated hearing is scheduled with the consent of the parties, the EGP Co-chair will send a letter to the parties with the following information. Once mailed, emailed, and/or received in-person, notice will be presumptively delivered. The letter will contain

• A description of the alleged violation(s), a description of the applicable procedures, and a statement of the potential sanctions/responsive actions that could result.
• The time, date, and location of the hearing and a reminder that attendance is mandatory, superseding all other campus activities. If any party does not appear at the scheduled hearing, the hearing will be held in their absence. For compelling reasons, the Co-chair may reschedule the hearing.
• The parties may have the assistance of an EGP panel member, or other advocate (advisor), at the hearing. Typically, advocates are members of the campus community, but the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance may grant permission for an outside advocate upon request. The advocate may not make a presentation or represent the party bringing a grievance or responding party during the hearing. The parties to the hearing are expected to ask and respond to questions on their own behalf, without representation by their advocate. The advocate may consult with the party quietly or in writing, or outside the hearing during breaks, but may not speak on behalf of the advisee to the panel.
• Hearings for possible violations that occur near or after the end of an academic term will be held immediately after the end of the term or during the summer, as needed, to meet the resolution timeline followed by the College and remain within the 60-day goal for resolution.

C.   Hearing Procedures

EGP Hearings will be convened, usually within one to two weeks of the completion of the investigation, and will be conducted in private. The EGP has the authority to hear all collateral misconduct, meaning that it hears all allegations of discrimination, harassment and retaliation, but also may hear any additional alleged policy violations that have occurred in concert with the discrimination, harassment or retaliation, even though those collateral allegations may not specifically fall within EGP jurisdiction. Accordingly, investigations should be conducted with as wide a scope as necessary.

Participants will include the non-voting Chair, the three members of the panel, the investigator(s) who conducted the investigation on the grievance, the party bringing a grievance and responding party(ies) (or three organizational representatives in a case where an organization is charged), advocates (advisors) to the parties, and any called witnesses. The Chair will exchange the names of witnesses the College intends to call, all pertinent documentary evidence and any written findings from the investigators between the parties at least two business days prior to the hearing. In addition, the parties will be given a list of the names of each of the EGP panel members at least two business days in advance of the hearing. Should either (any) party object to any panelist, s/he must raise all objections, in writing, to the Chair immediately. Panel members will only be unseated if the Chair concludes that their bias precludes an impartial hearing of the grievance. Additionally, any panelist or Chair who feels s/he cannot make an objective determination must recuse himself or herself from the proceedings when notified of the identity of the parties and all witnesses in advance of the hearing.

The Chair, in consultation with the parties and investigators, may decide in advance of the hearing that certain witnesses do not need to be physically present if their testimony can be adequately summarized by the investigator(s) during the hearing. All parties will have ample opportunity to present facts and arguments in full and question all present witnesses during the hearing, though formal cross-examination is not used between the parties. If alternative questioning mechanisms are desired (screens, Skype, questions directed through the Chair, etc.), the parties should request them from the Chair at least two business days prior to the hearing.

Once the procedures are explained and the participants are introduced, the investigator will present the report of the investigation first and be subject to questioning by the parties and the EGP. The investigator(s) will be present during the entire hearing process but will only be present during deliberations at the request of the Chair. The findings of the investigation are not binding on the panel, though any undisputed conclusions of the investigation report will not be revisited, except as necessary to determine sanctions/responsive actions. Once the investigator(s) is/are questioned, the EGP will permit questioning of and by the parties and of any present witness. Questions may be directed through the panel at the discretion of the Chair.

Formal rules of evidence will not apply. Any evidence that the panel believes is relevant and credible may be considered, including history and pattern evidence. The Chair will address any evidentiary concerns prior to and/or during the hearing, may exclude irrelevant or immaterial evidence and may ask the panel to disregard evidence lacking in credibility. The Chair will determine all questions of procedure and evidence. Anyone appearing at the hearing to provide information will respond to questions on her/his own behalf.

Unless the Chair determines it is appropriate, no one will present information or raise questions concerning (1) incidents not directly related to the possible violation, unless they show a pattern, or (2) the sexual history of or the character of the victim/party bringing a grievance.

There will be no observers in the hearing. The Chair may allow witnesses who have relevant information to appear at a portion of the hearing in order to respond to specific questions from the panel or the parties involved. The panel does not hear from character witnesses but will accept up to two letters supporting the character of the individuals involved.

In hearings involving more than one accused individual or in which two parties bringing a grievances have accused the same individual of substantially similar conduct, the standard procedure will be to hear the grievances jointly; however, the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance may permit the hearing pertinent to each responding party to be conducted separately. In joint hearings, separate determinations of responsibility will be made for each responding party.

Proceedings are private. All persons present at any time during the hearing are expected to maintain the privacy of the proceedings, subject to College consequences for failure to do so. While the contents of the hearing are private, the parties have discretion to share their own experiences if they so choose and should discuss doing so with their advocates.

Hearings are recorded for purposes of review in the event of an appeal. EGP members, the parties and/or the persons who initiated the action, and appropriate administrative officers of the College will be allowed to listen to the recording in a location determined by the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance or designee. No person will be given or be allowed to make a copy of the recording without permission of the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance. Persons given access to the recording will be required to sign an agreement confirming that they will protect the privacy of the information contained in the recording.

D.   Decisions

The EGP will deliberate in closed session to determine whether the responding party is responsible or not responsible for the violation(s) in question. The panel will base its determination on a preponderance of the evidence (i.e., whether it is more likely than not that the accused individual committed each alleged violation). If an individual responding party or organization is found responsible by a majority of the panel, the panel will recommend appropriate sanctions to the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance.

The Chair will prepare a written deliberation report and deliver it to the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance, detailing the finding, how each member voted, the information cited by the panel in support of its recommendation and any information the hearing panel excluded from its consideration and why. The report should conclude with any recommended sanctions. This report should not exceed two pages in length and must be submitted to the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance within two (2) days of the end of deliberations.

The Coordinator of Equity & Compliance will inform the responding party and the party bringing a grievance of the final determination within 2-3 business days of the hearing, without significant time delay between notifications. Notification will be made in writing and may be delivered by one or more of the following methods: in person, mailed to the local or permanent address of the parties as indicated in official College records, or emailed to the parties’ College-issued email account. Once mailed, emailed, and/or received in-person, notice will be presumptively delivered.

E.   Sanctions

Sanctions or responsive actions will be determined by the EGP. Factors considered when determining a sanction/responsive action may include

• The nature, severity of, and circumstances surrounding the violation
• An individual’s disciplinary history
• Previous grievances or allegations involving similar conduct
• Any other information deemed relevant by the EGP
• The need for sanctions/responsive actions to bring an end to the discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation
• The need for sanctions/responsive actions to prevent the future recurrence of discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation
• The need to remedy the effects of the discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation on the victim and the community

1.   Examples of Possible Student Sanctions

The following are the usual sanctions that may be imposed upon students or organizations singly or in combination:

• Warning: A formal statement that the behavior was unacceptable and a warning that further infractions of any College policy, procedure or directive will result in more severe sanctions/responsive actions. Probation: A written reprimand for violation of the Code of Student Conduct, providing for more severe disciplinary sanctions in the event that the student or organization is found in viola­tion of any College policy, procedure or directive within a specified period of time. Terms of the probation will be specified and may include denial of specified social privileges, exclusion from co-­curricular activities, non-contact orders and/or other measures deemed appropriate.
• Suspension: Termination of student status for a definite period of time not to exceed two years, and/or until specific criteria are met. Students who return from suspension are automatically placed on probation through the remainder of their tenure at the College. This sanction may be noted as a Conduct Suspension on the student’s official transcript.
• Expulsion: Permanent termination of student status, revocation of rights to be on campus for any reason or attend College-sponsored events. This sanction may be noted as a Conduct Expulsion on the student’s official transcript.
• Withholding Diploma. The College may withhold a student's diploma for a specified period of time and/or deny a student participation in commencement activities if the student has a grievance pending or as a sanction if the student is found responsible for an alleged violation.
• Revocation of Degree. The College reserves the right to revoke a degree awarded from the College for fraud, misrepresentation or other violation of College policies, procedures or directives in obtaining the degree, or for other serious violations committed by a student prior to graduation.
• Organizational Sanctions. Deactivation, de-recognition, loss of all privileges (including University registration), for a specified period of time.
• Other Actions: In addition to or in place of the above sanctions, the College may assign any other sanctions as deemed appropriate.

2.   Employee Sanctions

Responsive actions for an employee who has engaged in harassment, discrimination, and/or retaliation include warning, required counseling, demotion, suspension with pay, suspension without pay, and/or termination.

F.   Withdrawal or Resignation While Charges Pending

Students: The College does not permit a student to withdraw if that student has a grievance pending for violation of the policy on Equal Opportunity, Harassment and Nondiscrimination, or for charges under the Code of Student Conduct. Should a student decide to leave and not participate in the investigation and/or hearing, the process will nonetheless proceed in the student’s absence to a reasonable resolution and that student will not be permitted to return to College unless all sanctions have been satisfied.

Employees: Should an employee resign while charges are pending, the records of the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance will reflect that status, as will College responses to any future inquiries regarding employment references for that individual. The Coordinator of Equity & Compliance will act to promptly and effectively remedy the effects of the conduct upon the victim and the community.

G.   Appeals

All requests for appeal considerations must be submitted in writing to the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance within three business days of the delivery of the written finding of the EGP.

A three-member panel of the EGP designated by the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance who was not involved in the grievance previously will consider all appeal requests. Any party may appeal, but appeals are limited to the following:

• A procedural error or omission occurred that significantly impacted the outcome of the hearing (e.g., substantiated bias, material deviation from established procedures, etc.).
• To consider new evidence, unknown or unavailable during the original hearing or investigation, that could substantially impact the original finding or sanction. A summary of this new evidence and its potential impact must be included.
• The sanctions fall outside the range of sanctions the College has designated for this offense.

The appeals panel of the EGP will review the appeal request(s). The original finding and sanction/responsive actions will stand if the appeal is not timely or is not based on the grounds listed above, and such a decision is final. When any party requests an appeal, the other party (parties) will be notified and joined in the appeal. The party requesting appeal must show that the grounds for an appeal request have been met, and the other party or parties may show the grounds have not been met, or that additional grounds are met. The original finding and sanction are presumed to have been decided reasonably and appropriately.

Where the EGP appeals panel finds that at least one of the grounds is met, and proceeds, additional principles governing the hearing of appeals include the following:

• Appeals decisions by the EGP panel are to be deferential to the original decision, making changes to the finding only where there is clear error and to the sanction/responsive action only if there is a compelling justification to do so.
• Appeals are not intended to be full rehearings of the grievance. In most cases, appeals are confined to a review of the written documentation or record of the original hearing, and pertinent documentation regarding the grounds for appeal. Appeals granted based on new evidence should normally be remanded to the original hearing panel for reconsideration. Other appeals may be remanded at the discretion of the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance or heard by the three-member panel of the EGP.
• Sanctions imposed are implemented immediately unless the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance or designee stays their implementation in extraordinary circumstances, pending the outcome of the appeal.
• The Coordinator of Equity & Compliance will normally, after conferring with the EGP appeals panel, render a written decision on the appeal to all parties within 2-3 business days from hearing of the appeal.
• All parties should be informed of whether the grounds for an appeal are accepted and the results of the appeal decision.
• Once an appeal is decided, the outcome is final; further appeals are not permitted.

H.   Failure to Complete Sanctions/Comply with Responsive Actions

All responding parties are expected to comply with conduct sanctions/responsive/corrective actions within the time frame specified by the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance. Failure to follow through on conduct sanctions/responsive/corrective actions by the date specified, whether by refusal, neglect, or any other reason, may result in additional sanctions/responsive/corrective actions and/or suspension, expulsion, and/or termination from the College and may be noted on a student’s official transcript. A suspension will only be lifted when compliance is achieved to the satisfaction of the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance.

I.   Records

In implementing this policy, records of all grievances, resolutions, and hearings will be kept by the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance indefinitely in the Coordinator’s designated database and/or filing system.

J.   Statement of the Rights of a Party Bringing a Grievance

• To be treated with respect by College officials.
• To take advantage of campus support resources (such as counseling services, the Hutchinson Area Student Health Services for students, or EAP services for employees [if such program is available]).
• To experience a safe living, educational, and work environment.
• To have an advocate (advisor), if desired, during this process.
• To refuse to have an allegation resolved through conflict resolution procedures.
• To receive amnesty for minor student misconduct (such as alcohol or drug violations) that is ancillary to the incident.
• To be free from retaliation.
• To have grievances heard in substantial accordance with these procedures.
• To full participation of the injured party in any EGP process whether the injured party is serving as the party bringing a grievance or the College is serving as party bringing a grievance.
• To be informed in writing of the outcome/resolution of the grievance, sanctions where permissible, and the rationale for the outcome where permissible. 
• Refer to law enforcement and have assistance.
• Housing and living accommodations.
• No contacts.

K.   Statement of the Rights of the Responding Party

• To be treated with respect by College officials.
• To take advantage of campus support resources (such as counseling services, the Hutchinson Area Student Health Services for students, or EAP services for employees [if such program is available]).
• To have an advocate (advisor), if desired, during this process.
• To refuse to have an allegation resolved through conflict resolution procedures.
• To have grievances heard in substantial accordance with these procedures.
• To be informed of the outcome/resolution of the grievance and the rationale for the outcome in writing. 

VIII.   Revision

These policies and procedures will be reviewed and updated annually by the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance. The Coordinator of Equity & Compliance may make minor modifications to procedure that do not materially jeopardize the fairness owed to any party. However, the Coordinator of Equity & Compliance may also vary procedures materially with notice (on the institutional web site, with appropriate date of effect identified) upon determining that changes to law or regulation require policy or procedural alterations not reflected in this policy and procedure. Procedures in effect at the time of its implementation will apply. Policy in effect at the time of the offense will apply even if the policy is changed subsequently, unless the parties consent to be bound by the current policy.

This policy and procedure was originally approved by the Board of Trustees on January 15, 2015.

[1]USE AND ADAPTATION OF THIS MODEL WITH CITATION TO THE NCHERM GROUP/ATIXA IS PERMITTED THROUGH A LICENSE TO HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY COLLEGE (HUTCHINSON, KS). ALL OTHER RIGHTS RESERVED. ©2013. THE NCHERM GROUP, LLC/ATIXA

[2]Specific requirements and time frames may exist for filing complaints with these agencies.

[3]The determination of whether an environment is “hostile” must be based on all of the circumstances. These circumstances could include

• The frequency of conduct;
• The nature and severity of the conduct;
• Whether the conduct was physically threatening;
• Whether the conduct was humiliating;
• The effect of the conduct on the complainant’s mental or emotional state;
• Whether the conduct was directed at more than one person;
• Whether the conduct arose in the context of other discriminatory conduct;
• Whether the conduct unreasonably interfered with the complainant’s educational work performance;
• Whether the statement is a mere utterance of an epithet which engenders offense in an employee or student, or offends by mere discourtesy or rudeness;
• Whether the speech or conduct deserves the protections of academic freedom or the 1st Amendment.

[4]This definition of hostile environment is based on Federal Register / Vol. 59, No. 47 / Thursday, March 10, 1994: Department Of Education Office For Civil Rights, Racial Incidents And Harassment Against Students At Educational Institutions Investigative Guidance. The document is available at http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/race394.html.

[5]Also of relevance is the Office of Civil Rights 2001 statement on sexual harassment, “Revised Sexual Harassment Guidance: Harassment Of Students By School Employees, Other Students, Or Third Parties, Title IX,” which can be found at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/shguide.pdf.

[6]Some examples of possible Sexual Harassment include

• A professor insists that a student have sex with him/her in exchange for a good grade. This is harassment regardless of whether the student accedes to the request.
• A student repeatedly sends sexually oriented jokes around on an email list s/he created, even when asked to stop, causing one recipient to avoid the sender on campus and in the residence hall in which they both live.
• Explicit sexual pictures are displayed in a professor’s office or on the exterior of a residence hall door.
• Two supervisors frequently “rate” several employees’ bodies and sex appeal, commenting suggestively about their clothing and appearance.
• A professor engages students in her class in discussions about their past sexual experiences, yet the conversation is not in any way germane to the subject matter of the class. She probes for explicit details, and demands that students answer her, though they are clearly uncomfortable and hesitant.
• An ex-girlfriend widely spreads false stories about her sex life with her former boyfriend to the clear discomfort of the boyfriend, turning him into a social pariah on campus.
• Male students take to calling a particular brunette student “Monica” because of her resemblance to Monica Lewinsky. Soon, everyone adopts this nickname for her, and she is the target of relentless remarks about cigars, the president, “sexual relations,” and Weight Watchers.
• A student grabbed another student by the hair, then grabbed her breast and put his mouth on it. While this is sexual harassment, it is also a form of sexual violence.

[7]Quid pro quo sexual harassment exists when there are

1. unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature; and
2. submission or rejections of such conduct results in adverse educational or employment action.

[8]Retaliatory harassment is any adverse employment or educational action taken against a person because of the person’s participation in a complaint or investigation of discrimination or sexual misconduct.

[9]The state definition of rape (sexual assault), as outlined by K.S.A. 44-1131 or any crime defined in chapter 21 article 55 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, is provided below and is applicable to criminal prosecutions for rape (sexual assault) in Kansas, but may differ from the definition used on campus to address policy violations.

Rape is

1. knowingly engaging in sexual intercourse with a victim who does not consent to the sexual intercourse under any of the following circumstances:
   1. when the victim is overcome by force or fear; or
   2. when the victim is unconscious or physically powerless;
2. knowingly engaging in sexual intercourse with a victim when the victim is incapable of giving consent because of mental deficiency or disease, or when the victim is incapable of giving consent because of the effect of any alcoholic liquor, narcotic, drug or other substance, which condition was known by the offender or was reasonably apparent to the offender;
3. sexual intercourse with a child who is under 14 years of age;
4. sexual intercourse with a victim when the victim's consent was obtained through a knowing misrepresentation made by the offender that the sexual intercourse was a medically or therapeutically necessary procedure; or
5. sexual intercourse with a victim when the victim's consent was obtained through a knowing misrepresentation made by the offender that the sexual intercourse was a legally required procedure within the scope of the offender's authority.

[10]Force is the use of physical violence and/or imposing on someone physically to gain sexual access. Force also includes threats, intimidation (implied threats) and coercion that overcome resistance or produce consent.

• Coercion is unreasonable pressure for sexual activity. Coercive behavior differs from seductive behavior based on the type of pressures someone uses to get consent from another. When someone makes clear to you that they do not want sex, that they want to stop, or that they do not want to go past a certain point of sexual interaction, continued pressure beyond that point can be coercive.
• Note: There is no requirement that a party resists the sexual advance or request, but resistance is a clear demonstration of non-consent. The presence of force is not demonstrated by the absence of resistance. Sexual activity that is forced is by definition non-consensual but non-consensual sexual activity is not by definition forced.

[11]Possession, use and/or distribution of any of these substances, including, but not limited to, Rohypnol, Ketomine, GHB, Burundanga, etc., is prohibited, and administering one of these drugs to another student is a violation of this policy. More information about these drugs can be found at http:www.911rape.org/

[12]The state meaning of ‘consent’ (or the inability to provide it) is implied through the related state definition of rape (and/or sexual assault), as outlined by K.S.A. 44-1131, K.S.A. 21-5501, and/or in chapter 21 article 55 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated. Such a definition may differ from the definition used on campus to address policy violations. [See earlier footnote for the definition of rape (and/or sexual assault)].

[13]The state meaning of ‘hazing,” as outlined by K.S.A. 21-5418 or any crime defined in chapter 21 article 54 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, is provided below. Such a definition may differ from the definition used on campus to address policy violations.

Hazing is recklessly coercing, demanding or encouraging another person to perform, as a condition of membership in a social or fraternal organization, any act which could reasonably be expected to result in great bodily harm, disfigurement or death or which is done in a manner whereby great bodily harm, disfigurement or death could be inflicted.

[14]The federal definition of dating violence, as outlined by 42 U.S.C. § 40002(a) of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and subsequent amendments thereof, and for which the College is required to both track and disclose incidents of in its Annual Security Report (ASR), is applicable to criminal prosecutions for, but may differ from the definition used on campus to address policy violations.

Dating Violence means violence committed by a person

• who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim; and
• where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of the following factors
  • the length of the relationship;
  • the type of relationship; and
  • the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.

[15]The state definition of domestic violence (domestic battery), as outlined by K.S.A. 21-5414 or any crime defined in chapter 21 article 54 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, is provided below and is applicable to criminal prosecutions for domestic violence in Kansas, but may differ from the definition used on campus to address policy violations.

Domestic Violence is

1. knowingly or recklessly causing bodily harm by a family or household member against a family or household member; or
2. knowingly causing physical contact with a family or household member by a family or household member when done in a rude, insulting or angry manner.

• "Family or household member" means persons 18 years of age or older who are spouses, former spouses, parents or stepparents, and children or stepchildren, and persons who are presently residing together or who have resided together in the past, and persons who have a child in common regardless of whether they have been married or who have lived together at any time. "Family or household member" also includes a man and woman if the woman is pregnant and the man is alleged to be the father, regardless of whether they have been married or have lived together at any time.

Furthermore, the federal definition of domestic violence, as outlined by 42 U.S.C. § 40002(a) of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and subsequent amendments thereof, and for which the College is required to both track and disclose incidents of in its Annual Security Report (ASR), is also applicable.

Domestic Violence means a felony or misdemeanor crime of violence committed by

• a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim,
• a person with whom the victim shares a child in common,
• a person who is cohabitating with or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse or intimate partner,
• a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction receiving grant monies, or
• any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction.

[16]Relevant Examples:

• Employee A has been in an intimate relationship with Employee B for over a year; Employee A punches Employee B in the face during an argument (Dating Violence).
• Student A has been in an intimate relationship with Student B for over a year; Students A & B live together. During an argument, Student A shoves Student B to the ground (Domestic Violence).

[17]The state definition of stalking is, as outlined by K.S.A. 21-5427 or any crime defined in chapter 21 article 54 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, is provided below and is applicable to criminal prosecutions for stalking in Kansas, but may differ from the definition used on campus to address policy violations.

Stalking is

1. recklessly engaging in a course of conduct targeted at a specific person which would cause a reasonable person in the circumstances of the targeted person to fear for such person's safety, or the safety of a member of such person's immediate family and the targeted person is actually placed in such fear;
2. engaging in a course of conduct targeted at a specific person with knowledge that the course of conduct will place the targeted person in fear for such person's safety or the safety of a member of such person's immediate family.

Furthermore, the federal definition of stalking, as outlined by 42 U.S.C. § 40002(a) of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and subsequent amendments thereof, and for which the College is required to both track and disclose incidents of in its Annual Security Report (ASR), is also applicable.

Stalking means engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to

• fear for his or her safety or the safety of others; or
• suffer substantial emotional distress.

[18]Relevant Examples:

• Employee A recently ended an intimate relationship with Employee B. For the past three weeks, B has been sending A 100 text messages per day and waits by A’s car at the end of each day to beg and plead with her to take him back. When she refuses, he loses control, makes threatening gestures, and tells her she will regret this. Employee A indicates she is fearful of what B might do to her (Stalking).

• Joe is a student on campus who has always been fascinated by women who dye their hair. One day, he notices Mary Lou, whose hair is dyed a very bright purple. He follows her home to see where she lives and begins to track her history, actions, and movements online. His fascination increases to the point where he follows her frequently on campus, takes pictures of her without her permission, and spies through her window at night with a long-range camera lens. He wants to have her beautiful purple hair for his own so that he can stroke it whenever he wants.

[19]While these off-campus counselors and agencies may maintain a victim’s confidentiality vis-à-vis the College, they may have reporting or other obligations under state law.

[20]A “responsible employee” is a College employee who has the authority to redress sexual harassment or sexual misconduct, who has the duty to report incidents of sexual harassment or sexual misconduct, or who a student could reasonable believe to have this authority or duty. A responsible employee should work to ensure that the reporting party understands the employee’s obligations.

[21]If circumstances require, the President of the College or Coordinator of Equity & Compliance may designate another person to oversee the process below, should a grievance be made against the Coordinator or the Coordinator be otherwise unavailable or unable to fulfill her/his duties.

It is important that classes meet according to the assigned schedule, and for the full class period in order to meet Kansas Board of Regents regulations. If an instructor is unable to hold a class due to illness, emergency, or scheduled absence, the instructor is to take the following steps:

• Contact your Department Chair(s)/Associate Director of Outreach and the Office of Academic Affairs at least one hour prior to the start of the first class whenever possible so that students can be notified.
• Efforts should be made by the instructor in cooperation with the Department Chair(s)/Associate Director of Outreach to arrange for a professional employee to substitute for scheduled absences.
• If a class must be canceled, the Vice President of Academic Affairs office will post on-campus notices, and the Associate Director of Outreach will post off-campus notices.
• Instructors who will be absent should notify students through Learning Zone prior to the start of class.  If the instructor is unable to notify students in a timely manner, the Department Chair(s)/Associate Director of Outreach should notify students as soon as possible.
• Classes must have the assigned instructor or a professional employee (preferably another instructor) acting as a substitute in order to hold class.
• Please do not cancel a class and assign an alternate assignment, or send students to alternate locations without notifying the Vice President of Academic Affairs office and the Department Chair(s)/Associate Director of Outreach.
• Upon his/her return, the instructor will be expected to file a Leave Request/Report Form in Bamboo.
• Sub pay form will be submitted by the Department Chair(s)/Associate Director of Outreach to Human Resources. 

Please note: HutchCC is the responsible entity to our federal/state /accreditation regulators for any and all activity in each and every class, section, and course.

• If a long-term substitute instructor is needed, they must meet professional qualifications in the specific discipline.
• If an instructor is chronically absent during a semester (i.e. absent the equivalent of 10% of a class), a consultation is needed between the instructor and Department Chair(s)/Associate Director of Outreach to develop an action plan in the event of additional absences.

Believing in the worth and dignity of each human being, the professional educator recognizes the importance of pursuing truth, striving toward excellence, nurturing democratic citizenship and safeguarding the freedom to learn and to teach.  HutchCC guarantees equal educational opportunity for all.

Hutchinson Community College Faculty are expected to comply with all local, state, and federal laws, and represent the institution in a professional manner.  Further, all faculty members must comply with policies and procedures adopted by the college.

Conduct that is detrimental to the college may result in disciplinary measures up to and including termination of employment.

Appropriate conduct includes, but is not limited to: fulfilling responsibilities to each Student, the College, and the Profession.

Responsibilities to Each Student: 

• Appropriately manage confidential information
• Create, support and maintain an effective learning environment.
• Embody for students the characteristics of honesty, diplomacy, tact and fairness
• Fulfill the roles of mentor & advocate for students in a professional relationship.  A professional relationship is one where the educator maintains a position of teacher/student authority while expressing concern, empathy and encouragement for students
• Provide professional education services in a lawful, nondiscriminatory manner

Responsibilities to Hutchinson Community College:
 

• Appropriately use funds, personnel, property and equipment committed to the individual’s charge
• Manifest an active role in college and community relations
• Fulfill reporting requirements in a timely and accurate manner
• Conduct college business through established procedures
• Honor college agreements and commitments
• Respect the values and traditions of diverse cultures represented within the college and the communities served
• Use HutchCC social media sites responsibly, transparently and primarily for purposes of recruiting, teaching and learning

Responsibilities to the Profession:

• Demonstrate conduct that follows generally recognized standards
• Abide by the terms detailed in the HutchCC Master Agreement
• Maintain appropriate knowledge and skills for the position
• Provide accurate information to legitimate authorities and agencies
• Encourage and support colleagues in developing and maintaining high standards
• Treat people with dignity and respect
• Be transparent regarding potential conflicts of interest
• Maintain academic honesty and integrity

The Hutchinson Community College Endowment Association (HCCEA) is a private non-profit fundraising arm of the College. It shall be the responsibility of the HCCEA to serve as the central coordinating department for all fundraising programs and solicitation of funds from private individuals, foundations, businesses, corporations and organizations to benefit HutchCC. All proposed external gift solicitations shall be coordinated through the HCCEA and brought forth to the College President for approval. Fundraising, gift solicitations, sponsorships and disbursement procedures are as follows.

1. The purpose of coordinating all private fundraising activities through one office is as follows:

• a. To provide continuity in building understanding and support for the College wide funding needs
• b. To avoid conflict and duplication of effort in the fundraising contact program
• c .To maximize the contribution from each potential donor and to make certain each donor is appropriately thanked and stewarded

2. Individuals, groups, department or administrative units seeking to solicit any gifts, contributions, donations, in-kind gifts or sponsorships in the name of HutchCC will submit a HutchCC Endowment Association Fundraising Proposal Form to the Endowment Association.

3. Upon completion of the form, please return to the Endowment Office. The Director of the Endowment will collect the forms and share with the College President. Once the form has been reviewed and determination of approval has been made, requestor will be notified.

4. Include names of individuals or businesses you plan to solicit with the Request for Fundraising Activity form. This will assist in helping to avoid conflict/duplication of donor.

5. The most important thing is to coordinate with the Endowment Office. HCCEA and the Athletic Department have many programs and projects running at the same time. By working together, we can all be more successful.

6. All gifts received through fundraising efforts shall be delivered to the Endowment Office. Gifts will be deposited in the appropriate account.

7. Disbursement of funds will require an Endowment requisition (not College PO) and an invoice or other documentation be sent to Endowment Office for approval by the Director according to Endowment policies and procedures.

8. No gifts obtained through fundraising or gifts solicitation which violates tax laws, jeopardizes the 501(c)(3) tax status of the Endowment Association, or jeopardizes entitlement subsidies benefiting the College’s funding operations will be accepted.

9. All marketing material, including t-shirt designs, must be approved in advance by the HutchCC Marketing Department.

10. For additional questions please contact Cindy Keast at 620-665-3565 or email her at keastc@hutchcc.edu.

Hutchinson Community College is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of health information for the campus community including students, faculty, and staff. Federal law gives individuals rights over their health information and sets rules and limits regarding who can look at and receive health information. This applies to all forms of individuals' protected health information, whether electronic, written, or oral. Health information should not be disclosed or confirmed to anyone without prior written consent from the student or employee. Failure to adhere to state and federal law or Hutchinson Community College policies and procedures will result in disciplinary and or legal action.  

Hutchinson Community College may use and disclose medical information without prior written consent for treatment and to support the college’s health care operations. Examples of this may include sending medical information to specialists or using patient data to improve treatment methods. The college may also release information to the sports information staff and members of the media regarding athletic participation. 

Students or employees may inspect and review their health records upon request. Request to inspect health records should be directed to the record custodian or an appropriate college staff person to make arrangements for access as promptly as possible. Access to the record may be granted immediately if the student can verify his or her identity using acceptable identification (student i.d., driver's license). If it is not possible to view the record immediately, the student should submit a written request to the record custodian or appropriate college staff person. Access must be given within 30 days from the receipt of the request

Students or employees may inspect and review their health records upon request. Request to inspect health records should be directed to the record custodian or an appropriate college staff person to make arrangements for access as promptly as possible. Access to the record may be granted immediately if the student can verify his or her identity using acceptable identification (student i.d., driver's license). If it is not possible to view the record immediately, the student should submit a written request to the record custodian or appropriate college staff person. Access must be given within 30 days from the receipt of the request.   

If students or employees believe their HIPAA-rights have been violated, they may file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). Health Information Privacy complaints can be filed electronically by visiting:   Health Information Privacy Complaint Form Package - PDF.  

Medical Record Custodians:

Accessibility Services

Athletics

Child Care Center

Director of Financial Aid

Director of Residence Life

Food Service

Human Resources

Registrar

Selective Admissions Program

Student Success Center

Introduction: 

All Hutchinson Community College institutionally approved policies and procedures shall reside in the official centralized repository referred to as DragonDocs. This document outlines the procedure for entering and maintaining accurate information inside of DragonDocs. 

Entry on Final Approval: 

Documents are entered into DragonDocs only upon final approval at the appropriate level as noted below. 

Document Levels:   

All institutional documents fall under one of four final approval levels. 

Approval levels for new documents and handbooks will be determined by President’s Council. 

Level 1: Indicates items that impact the Board of Trustees per KSA-71-201 and/or are included in the Board Policy Manual. These items require Board approval. 

Level 2: Indicates items that impact the institution, as a whole, but do not impact the responsibilities, functions, and rights of the Board of Trustees per KSA-71-201.  Level 2 documents require Representative Assembly approval, and then Board approval, but are not in the Board Policy Manual. 

Level 3: Indicates standard operating procedures impacting multiple divisions and/or the institution.  Level 3 documents require Representative Assembly approval.  

Level 4: Indicates items that are standard operating procedures within a single division. Level 4 documents require divisional approval by the appropriate Vice President and then President’s Council approval. 

Document Editors: 

All DragonDocs editors will be trained and certified to maintain the integrity of institutional documents, meet standards of ethical conduct for accreditation purposes, and provide consistency of format.

• Level 1 and 2 documents will be the responsibility of the Vice President of Finance and Operations, who may delegate the clerical editing task.
• Level 3 documents will be entered by the secretary of Representative Assembly.
• Level 4 documents will be entered by a designee of that division’s vice-president.  [GU1] [JF2] 

Document Details:

All DragonDocs documents contain metadata to further describe the details of the document. The following template should be used to outline the metadata:

When documents are approved, the metadata will also be approved. 

Substantive vs. Nonsubstantive Changes: 

New versions of existing documents stored in DragonDocs are approved and created when content in the document changes substantially. Non-substantive content is defined as grammatical, spelling, demographic, nomenclature, or metadata in nature.  All other changes are considered substantive. If there is a question whether a change is substantive or nonsubstantive, a member of President’s Council will make the determination.  Non-substantive content changes are updated by the appropriate editor, without creating a new version of the document, and are reported to Representative Assembly as an information item.  New versions of DragonDocs documents are approved and created only when substantive content in the document changes. At that time the older version will be archived.   

Disputes: 

A task force under the Institutional Effectiveness committee will be called by the Institution-Wide Council (IWC) or President’s Council as needed to research institutional document discrepancies. Findings and recommendations will go to either IWC or President’s Council. 

Handbooks: 

Handbooks are an assembly of institutional documents. Each handbook will have a HutchCC employee assigned who is responsible for assembly of the handbook. The assembly process (adding documents to a handbook and deciding their order) is done through DragonDocs. Handbooks may be extracted/downloaded and reformatted (i.e. margins, marketing photos, pagination, and fonts) for publishing purposes, but the content cannot be altered.  Additional content cannot be added, changed, or removed, and must accurately reflect the authoritative content of documents in DragonDocs. The extracted/downloaded/reformatted handbooks must reference DragonDocs as the HutchCC official centralized repository. 

New documents and handbooks: 

President’s Council will determine the appropriate approval level for any new documents and/or handbooks. 

Archiving (Retiring) documents:

When a determination has been made to archive (retire) a document it must go through appropriate Vice President, President’s Council, and/or Representative Assembly. Upon approval, the appropriate DragonDoc level editor will update DragonDocs.

Purpose:

All users of the Hutchinson Community College (HutchCC) computer system - defined as a computer, hand held/cell phones, computer system, computer network, computer software, computer program, data base, or any part thereof owned and controlled by HutchCC - hereby agree to abide by the procedures and policies of HutchCC and the State and Federal laws.

Outlined in this policy are expected standards of conduct on the use of the HutchCC computer system and the disciplinary actions taken for not adhering to those standards.

Mission and Rights:

HutchCC owns a variety of computing systems that are provided for the use of HutchCC students, faculty, and staff in support of the educational programs of the college. All computer use shall be consistent with the mission and goals of HutchCC.

Unauthorized commercial uses of the HutchCC computer system are prohibited.

All users are responsible for seeing that the computing facilities are used in an effective, efficient, ethical, and lawful manner.

HutchCC reserves all rights, including termination of service without notice, to the computing resources that it owns and operates.

This policy shall not be construed as a waiver of any rights of HutchCC, nor shall it conflict with applicable laws.

Computer User Names and Passwords:

It is the responsibility of all HutchCC users to maintain and protect their user names and passwords. HutchCC users are solely responsible for all computing operations executed under their user names.

Sharing a user name and/or password with others is prohibited.

Disguising an identity to acquire a user name falsely is prohibited.

Users may not, under any circumstances (except for system administrators), transfer or confer computer information privileges to other individuals.

Electronic accounts that remain inactive for six months will be disabled.

System Resources:

Users are responsible for maintaining an environment in which resources are shared equitably between users.

Any attempt to deprive other authorized users of resources or access to any HutchCC computer is prohibited.

Any attempt to gain access to unauthorized computer resources is prohibited.

Any unauthorized modification or destruction of computer resources is prohibited.

The willful introduction of malicious software, such as computer "viruses" is prohibited.

Harassment:

HutchCC's Harassment Policy applies with full force and effect to any use of the HutchCC computer system. Harassment of any kind is prohibited. No messages with derogatory or inflammatory remarks about any individual or group's race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, physical or mental attribute, age, gender, and/or sexual preference will be transmitted. A user who violates this policy shall bear full responsibility for his or her actions. Further, by their use of HutchCC's computer system, users agree that individuals who transmit such remarks shall bear sole responsibility for their actions.

All users have the right to be free from any conduct connected with the use of HutchCC's computing systems that discriminates against any person on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, disability, age, gender, and/or sexual preference. Discriminatory conduct includes, but is not limited to, written or graphic conduct that satisfies the following conditions:

Harasses, denigrates, or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group based on that person's race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, age, gender, and/or sexual preference; and

Has the purpose or effect of creating a hostile, intimidating, or offensive environment.

Users agree that HutchCC's role in managing this system is only as an information carrier and that they will never consider transmission through this system as an endorsement of said transmission by HutchCC.

Internet Access, including Internet II and other private networks:

The purpose of allowing or providing internet access through HutchCC's computer system is to facilitate communications and research in support of the public purpose, mission, vision, and value statements at HutchCC. Users have the responsibility to act consistent with and to enhance the public purpose of HutchCC including the mission, vision, and value statements of HutchCC.

Within these purposes, users must comply with the following guidelines for using the internet through the HutchCC computer system:

1. Users accessing the internet are representing HutchCC. All communications should be for or related to the purposes, mission, vision, and value statements of HutchCC;
2. Users are responsible for ensuring that the internet is used in an effective, ethical, and lawful manner;
3. Users are responsible for the content of all text, audio, or images placed or sent over the internet. Messages that are inconsistent with the HutchCC Acceptable Use are prohibited, including but not limited to, fraudulent, harassing, or obscene messages;
4. All messages communicated on the HutchCC computer system should have the user's name attached. No messages will be transmitted under an assumed name;
5. Information published on the internet through the HutchCC computer system should not violate or infringe upon the rights of others;
6. Any network traffic that originates at HutchCC and moves to other networks must conform with any applicable policies of those subsequent networks.
7. HutchCC reserves the right to restrict access to internet or any other outside network.

Unacceptable uses:

1. Uses that violate any local, state, or federal statute;
2. Uses that interfere with the user's duties and responsibilities to HutchCC;
3. Downloading software that does not follow the procedures outlined in HutchCC's Software Acquisition Process;
4. Accessing, uploading, downloading, or distributing any text, graphic, video, or audio clip that is obscene, sexually explicit, profane, or harassing in nature;
5. Accessing, uploading, downloading, or distributing any test, text, graphic, video, or audio clip that is for personal financial gain;
6. Uses that interfere with or disrupt any network services - disruptions include, but are not limited to, introducing malicious software, such as computer viruses, and unauthorized entry into any other machine or system (hacking);
7. Uses that violate any other provisions of the HutchCC Acceptable Use Policy and/or the HutchCC Conflict of Interest policy.

Software Licensing, Copyright and Unauthorized Distribution:

Computer software protected by copyright shall not be copied from, into, or by means of HutchCC computing facilities, except as permitted by law or by the contract with the owner of the copyright.

HutchCC may not duplicate any software or related documentation for use either on HutchCC premises or elsewhere unless HutchCC is expressly authorized to do so by agreement with the licenser. Unauthorized duplication of software may subject the user to both civil and criminal penalties under the United States Copyright Act.

HutchCC computers are organization-owned assets and must be kept both software legal and virus free. Only software approved through the software acquisition/standardization procedures may be used on HutchCC machines. Software purchased outside of this procedure is not permitted to be loaded on HutchCC computers.

Generally, institution-owned software is not licensed for home use; however, some software companies permit home use under certain circumstances. If software is needed for home use, and is not covered in its license agreement, a separate license should be purchased and recorded as an institution-owned asset in the software register. Before taking any software home, please check with the software manager.

Assume that all software is bound by copyright.

Any unauthorized release of printed or computer-based information is prohibited.

Disclaimers:

While reasonable attempts have been made to ensure the privacy of users' electronic information, this in no way guarantees that electronic information is private. The HutchCC computing system is not necessarily secure.

System administrators will respect users' privacy to the extent possible and will not examine electronic information except when investigating an apparent violation, investigating systems resource over-utilization or abuse, performing preventive maintenance, forwarding misdelivered messages, or closing an account.

Students who reside within the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) system are subject to additional account restrictions, relinquishing account access, and account activity monitoring by authorized HutchCC personnel.

Violations:

Any violation of this policy or applicable laws will result in disciplinary actions by the proper authorities.

Any user's privileges may be suspended immediately upon the discovery of a possible violation of this policy.

Such suspected violations will be confidentially reported to the appropriate college official(s).

Violations of these policies will be dealt with in the same manner as violations of other HutchCC policies and may result in disciplinary review or termination of employment.

Appendixes:

A. Electronic Communication Policy

B. Software Acquisition/Standardization Procedure

C. Social Networking Policy

Hutchinson Community College acknowledges the worksite accommodation law in the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act enacted in March 2010, which amends the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and therefore provides breastfeeding employees the following lactation accommodations.  Students will be provided these accommodations as well.

Lactation Accommodation Provisions

Reasonable Time to Express Milk at Work

Employees and students shall be provided reasonable time to express milk while at work for up to three years following the child’s birth each time the employee has need to express milk. Employees should use usual break and meal periods for expressing milk, when possible. If additional time is needed beyond the provided breaks, employees may use personal leave or may make up the time as negotiated with their supervisors.

A Private Area for Milk Expression

Employees and students will be provided with a private place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from co-workers and the public, to express breast milk. The rooms are listed at the end of this policy. 

No employee shall be discriminated against for breastfeeding or expressing milk during the work period, and reasonable efforts will be made to assist employees in meeting their infant feeding goals while at work.

Any act found to be intentional that invades a nursing mother’s privacy shall be treated as a disciplinary offense and reported to the appropriate supervisor.

Employer Responsibilities

Hutchinson Community College will:

• Maintain the cleanliness of the room or location set aside for the use of employees and students expressing breast milk while on campus.
• Notify employees returning to work following the birth of a child of their rights under the national worksite lactation accommodation law in the U.S. Patient Affordable Care Act. This notice may either be provided individually to affected employees or to all employees through college communications.

Employee/Student Responsibilities

Breastfeeding persons utilizing lactation support services will:

• Give supervisors advance notice of the need for lactation accommodations, preferably prior to their return to work or school following the birth of the child. This will allow supervisors the opportunity to establish a location and work out scheduling issues. 
• Maintain the designated area by wiping the pump (if provided) and surfaces with microbial wipes so the area is clean for the next user.

Students may inquire at the Information Counter, main floor of the Parker Student Union, about locations and contact persons.

PROPOSED LACTATION LOCATIONS (Additional locations will be included when identified)

STRINGER FINE ARTS – Dressing Room # 148 or #147 – Contact Secretary – 620.665.3503

SHEARS TECHNOLOGY CENTER – Conference Room # 107 – Contact Secretary – 620.728.8104

LOCKMAN HALL/PARKER STUDENT UNION – Human Resource Conference Room – Contact Placement Specialist – 620.665.3495

RIMMER LEARNING CENTER – Room 115 – Contact Administrative Assistant - 620.728.8125 (available M-TH evenings and Sundays during academic year)

NEWTON AXTELL CENTER – Conference Room - Contact Secretary – 316.283.7000

McPHERSON CENTER – Workforce Development Room # 117 – Contact Secretary – 620.245.0202

PIONEER BUILDING/SOUTH CAMPUS – Dispatch Room – Contact Secretary - 620.728.4406

FIRE SCIENCE – Contact Administrative Assistant – 620.728.4460

BUILDING 12 – Audio Lab – Contact Secretary – 620.665.3349

DAVIS HALL/PEEL CENTER – Rm 223 – Contact Secretary – 620.665.4930

SCIENCE HALL -  Conference Rm A – Contact Secretary – 620.665.3533

I. POLICY STATEMENT

The Administration, Faculty, and Staff of Hutchinson Community College (HutchCC) are committed to providing equal education, employment opportunity, and full participation for all individuals with disabilities.

HutchCC recognizes its responsibility to provide equal access to opportunity, full inclusion, and integration for persons with disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended in 2008. It is HutchCC's policy that "no otherwise qualified" person with a disability be excluded from participating in any HutchCC program or activity, be denied the benefits of any HutchCC program or activity, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination with regard to any HutchCC program or activity.

Prospective and current students with disabilities requesting accommodations must do so by contacting the Coordinator of Accessibility Services at 620-665-3554, or by emailing AccessibilityServices@hutchcc.edu.

Prospective and current employees with disabilities requesting accommodations must do so by contacting the Director of Human Resources at 620-665-3497, or by emailing hrinfo@hutchcc.edu.

Patrons with disabilities attending HutchCC sponsored functions requesting accommodations must contact the President's Office at 620-665-3505 at least 10 days prior to the event.

II. DEFINITIONS

1. Disability means, with respect to an individual:
   1. a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the person's major life activities; or
   2. a history of such an impairment; or
   3. being regarded as having such an impairment
2. Qualified Individual with a Disability is someone who (with or without accommodations) meets the essential eligibility requirements for participating in programs, services, and activities provided by the college.
3. Accommodations means adjustments including reasonable modifications to rules, policies, or practices; environmental adjustments such as the removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers; or auxiliary aids and services. Examples of accommodations include, but are not limited to: alternative testing, extended time, scribe services, sign language interpreting, reduced distraction environment, brailled material, recorded lectures, and computer-assisted instruction.
4. Essential Eligibility Requirement means the academic or other technical standards required for admission to or participation in the college's programs, services, or activities which an individual must be able to meet with or without accommodation.
5. Individual means any person applying for admission to or participation in a program, service, or activity of the College.

III. RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Hutchinson Community College Administration:
   1. shall designate a person or office (The Office of Accessibility Services located in the Parker Student Union) to coordinate its efforts to comply with and fulfill its responsibilities under Title II of the ADAAA and Section 504 and to investigate any complaints alleging the institution's non-compliance with Title II of the ADA and Section 504.
   2. shall maintain and require academic and technical standards in their individual programs.
   3. shall designate a person or persons (The Office of Accessibility Services located in the Parker Student Union) to coordinate student requests for accommodations, assess provided documentation, determine appropriate accommodations, and assist students with notification of accommodations to their instructors.
   4. shall provide students, faculty, and staff with information regarding disabilities, accommodations, and assistive technology.
   5. shall provide a student an opportunity to appeal decisions made by the Office of Accessibility Services if the individual feels that he/she has been denied equal access to a HutchCC program or activity because of a disability.
   6. shall make available information regarding policies and procedures to students with disabilities.
2. The Office of Accessibility Services
   1. shall serve as a clearinghouse for all Accessibility Services requests and documentation and maintain appropriate confidentiality of documentation and communication concerning students with disabilities.
   2. shall develop appropriate accommodations that will provide a student with disabilities equal access to the campus, courses, programs, and all college related activities.
   3. shall assist students with transition from high school to college.
   4. shall assist faculty who are providing accommodations.
   5. shall use the student interview, Application for Accessibility Services, disability documentation, and course requirements to make appropriate accommodation determinations.
3. The Student
   1. shall be responsible for self-identifying to the Office of Accessibility Services.
   2. shall complete and turn in an Application for Accessibility Services.
   3. shall provide appropriate documentation to support the need for accommodations.
   4. shall meet with the Office of Accessibility Services either in person, on-line, or on the phone each semester to set up accommodations.
   5. shall communicate with his/her instructor(s) regarding the accommodations needed to provide equal access to the course.
   6. shall return a signed copy of the Letter of Accommodation to the Office of Accessibility Services each semester.
4. The Faculty
   1. shall use accessibility guidelines when developing classroom material.
   2. shall provide approved accommodations for students with disabilities with support from the Office of Accessibility Services.
   3. shall supply required tests, handouts, and notes to the Office of Accessibility Services as warranted so they can be formatted for student use.
5. The Employee
   1. shall self-identify to the Human Resources Office.
   2. shall provide documentation as requested by the Human Resources Office.
6. The Human Resources Office
   1. shall provide reasonable accommodations as warranted.
   2. shall evaluate all requests individually.

To the extent allowed by law and except as otherwise provided herein, all College properties and facilities shall be weapons-free. Each entrance to each building and facility owned or operated by the College shall be posted in accordance with K.S.A. 2007 Supp. 75-7c10, 75-7c11, K.A.R. 16-11-7, K.S.A. 21-4218 and K.A.R. 1-49-11,
and amendments thereto.

Additional signs may be posted as appropriate. Notice of this policy shall also be included in the College employee and student handbooks, student housing contracts and the College administrative policies and procedures.

Nothing is this Policy shall be construed to prohibit possession of weapons on property and facilities owned or operated by the College (1) as necessary for the conduct of Board approved academic programs or College approved activities or practices, or (2) by College security officers while acting within the scope of their employment or (3) by employees of the college who are also commissioned law enforcement officers.

For the purpose of this policy, the term “weapon” means:

1. any object or device which will, is designed to, or may be readily converted to expel bullet, shot or shell by the action of an explosive or other propellant;
2. any handgun, pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun or other firearm of any nature, including concealed weapons licensed pursuant to the Personal and Family Protection Act, and amendments thereto;
3. any BB gun, pellet gun, air/C’O2 gun, stun gun or blow gun;
4. any explosive, incendiary or poison gas (A) bomb, (B) mine, (C)grenade, (D)rocket having a propellant charge of more than four ounces, or (E) missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than ¼ ounce;
5. any incendiary or explosive material, liquid, solid or mixture equipped with a fuse, wick or other detonating device;
6. any tear gas bomb or smoke bomb; however, personal self-defense items containing mace or pepper spray shall not be deemed to be a weapon for the purposes of this  policy;
7. any knife, commonly referred to as a switch-blade, which has a blade that opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button, spring or other device in the handle of the knife, or any knife having a blade that opens or falls or is ejected into position by the force of gravity or by an outward, downward or centrifugal thrust or movement,
8. any straight-blade knife of four inches or more such as a dagger, dirk, knife or stiletto; except that an ordinary pocket knife or culinary knife designed for and used solely in the preparation or service of food shall not be construed to be a weapon for the purposes of this policy;
9. any martial arts weapon such as nunchucks or throwing stars; or
10. any longbow, crossbow and arrows or other projectile that could cause serious harm to any person.

Hutchinson Community College offers affiliated programs through courses, academic and vocational programs, internships, clinical placements, and other educational experiences at off campus locations.  Students who participate in any activity sponsored by the college at an off campus location are required to follow all rules and regulations of the host site, as well as abiding by college policies while engaged in the activity.  

Students who violate regulations of the host site are subject to academic and/or behavioral discipline by the college.  Students who are dismissed from a site that houses a required portion of an academic or technical program are subject to dismissal from the program.  If an affiliated program dismisses a student, the college must have written approval from the site administrator before permitting the student's return to the site.

The Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) at Hutchinson Community College (HutchCC) exists to provide a structured, positive method for addressing student behaviors that impact the HutchCC community and may involve health and/or safety issues. The BIT strives to eliminate "fragmented care," to manage each case individually, and to initiate appropriate intervention without resorting to punitive measures.

BIT Members

BIT membership consists of the Vice President of Student Services who will serve as the BIT Chair. In the Vice President's absence, the Executive Director of Student Affairs and Campus Safety will serve as Chair. Other members of the BIT include the Coordinator of Counseling and Social Work Services, the Executive Director of Student Affairs and Campus Safety, the Registrar, and the Coordinator of Equity and Compliance.

Reporting

To report a concern to the BIT:

• Submit a report using the TIPS System. Visit www.hutchcc.edu, scroll to the bottom of the homepage, and click the "TIPS Report Incident" icon. Select the appropriate location and select "BIT Referral" from the Incident Type drop down menu.
• Email BIT@hutchcc.edu
• Call a BIT member's office phone number.

Emergency Protocol

In the event of an emergency, BIT members will be contacted by calling their office phone numbers and/or via text message through HutchCC's Emergency Alert System. This system can only be activated by the President of HutchCC or the President's designee.

If the emergency is more appropriate for the Crisis Team, the Chair of the BIT will notify the Chair of the Crisis Team. At this point, the BIT will default to the Crisis Team to handle the emergency.

If an emergency warrants immediate notification of the HutchCC Campus, the Chair of the BIT will, with the President of HutchCC's approval, activate the Emergency Alert System.

Discipline

After reviewing reports to the BIT, the team may take any of the following actions:

• Gather additional information
• Continue to observe student behavior
• Report concerns to appropriate parties (e.g. instructors)
• Mandate counseling referral
• Mandate agency referral
• Coordinate with other agencies
• Notify emergency contact (e.g. next of kin, parent, etc.)
• Alert appropriate authorities (911)
• Enact college emergency plan
• Suspension

If the BIT reasonably determines that a student's continued presence on campus poses a significant danger to either the student or to others or if there is reasonable cause to believe that an interim suspension is required to protect lives or property and to ensure the maintenance of order, the BIT may recommend to the President of HutchCC the student be temporarily suspended.

Both faculty and students can enroll to receive important emergency alerts via DragonZone.

To enroll, log in to your DragonZone account. Click “My Profile” and then select “Notifications” from the “Profile Options” menu in the top right-hand corner of the “My Profile” window. Scroll down to the “ALERTS” section and click the + to expand each type of alert. Click to check the phone number you would like to use for alerts.

To verify that you have successfully enrolled in alerts, click the “TEST ALERT” button. You should receive a text message that reads “(HUTCHCC ALERT!) This is a test of the HutchCC Emergency Alert System.”

DragonZone is the main web site and mobile app for credentialed access to information and services for all HutchCC users; including faculty, staff, and students. It is the main entry point of electronic information, automated systems, communication, and collaboration. HutchCC is currently in the middle of a migration process; moving HutchCC Web Services functionality to DragonZone for employees. Over time HutchCC Web Services will cease to exist.

Accessible -- DragonZone is responsively designed and can be accessed on any device (computer, tablet, or smart phone) by browsing to http://dz.hutchcc.edu or by downloading the DragonZone app from the Google or Apple app stores.

Integrated --It is anticipated that all HutchCC external information systems will be integrated within the DragonZone framework. For example, HutchCC’s learning management system LearningZone, integrates with, and is accessible through, DragonZone. In order to get into LearningZone, one must log into DragonZone. DragonZone contains a centralized message notification system called the “message center”, which notifies students when they have messages from HutchCC messaging systems. For example, students will be alerted to course messages sent by faculty through LearningZone via the DragonZone message center.

Customizable-- DragonZone contains a “my links” feature which allows users to customize their home page to include the features and functions that are most applicable to their role at HutchCC.  As new features are added to DragonZone, they will become selectable as a “my link” option. Each DragonZone user can decide which links are most important to them.

Student:

Operational -- Although the migration from HutchCC Web Services to DragonZone is still in process for employees, DragonZone is completely operational for students. Through DragonZone, students can check their course schedule, order textbooks, receive their grades, view their transcript, check on degree progress, view their bill and set up payment plans, review their financial aid, download their 1098-T form, register a vehicle for parking, search an employee directory, take advantage of online library services, view and search for HutchCC events, and get involved in student clubs and organizations.

Alerts -- HutchCC emergency alert system is integrated with DragonZone. When important alerts go out to the HutchCC community a red banner will appear at the top of DragonZone, viewable from all DragonZone pages.  In the future, DragonZone will contain the ability to alert users of important information applicable to them. For example, alerting students of things they must do to receive financial aid, or alerting employees that time cards are due.

Role Based --DragonZone is a role based system that automatically adapts the features and information presented based upon the role of the person logged in. Current DragonZone roles include students, employees, and guardians. Other planned roles to come in the future include high school staff (for concurrent classes), employers (for job placement), and vendors (for purchasing and electronic payment).

The HutchCC Information Technology Services (ITS) department is responsible for the care and upkeep of college computing systems and infrastructure, including security of systems and data. ITS provides support to students, faculty, and administration.

The ITS department is committed to efficient and effective operation of academic and administrative information systems while supporting the multiple infrastructure, hardware and software platforms owned by the institution.

ITS has offices and support staff located in Lockman Hall, the Parker Student Union, and the McPherson and Newton outreach locations. The ITS leadership office is in Lockman Hall, suite 106. The ITS Helpdesk office is in Lockman Hall room 110.

The HutchCC ITS Helpdesk can be reached via the Helpdesk page in DragonZone. Submit a help request or call (620) 665-3524 for urgent requests. Normal ITS Helpdesk operating hours during the fall and spring semesters are 7:30 am to 7:30 pm Monday – Thursday, and 7:30 am to 5:00 pm on Friday with extended hours at the beginning and end of each semester. The ITS Helpdesk is available during the summer Monday – Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

IT Acceptable Use Policy: Each HutchCC employee is bound to follow the IT Acceptable Use Policy (Ref #1045). The policy can be found in DragonDocs.

Electronic Communication Policy: Each HutchCC employee is bound to follow the Electronic Communication Policy (Ref #1055). The policy can be found in DragonDocs.

Appendixes:

Software Acquisition/Standardization Procedure (Ref #1056)

Social Networking Policy (Ref #1057)

ITS Helpdesk Service Level Agreement

Located in the lower level of Rimmer Learning Resources Center, John F. Kennedy Library provides research assistance and instructional services to students, faculty, and staff including interlibrary loan services, course related instruction, course reserves, and research and reference services. JFK Library’s primary role is to support the curricular needs of Hutchinson Community College programs. The library’s secondary role is to support the diverse interests of students and to provide professional resources for faculty and administrators. Community users are also welcome to enjoy the library.

Access

Library resources, including access to the online catalog and research databases, can be found on the Library Services page in DragonZone, located under Resources. Information can also be found on the library’s public website.

Circulation, Interlibrary Loan, and Reserves

To check out materials from the library, please bring a photo ID. Books may be checked out for three weeks and audiovisual materials may be checked out for 1 week. Faculty are allowed multiple renewals of items.

Items not available through JFK Library may be requested through interlibrary loan. Please allow 5-7 days for physical materials (e.g. print books, DVDs, and CDs) and 2-3 days for electronic materials such as journal articles. Ebooks are generally not eligible for interlibrary loan due to publisher licensing.

Reserve materials are items that instructors may set aside for only their students to use, such as extra copies of textbooks, readings, films shown in class, or lab materials. These items may be owned by the library or may be provided by the instructor. To place materials on reserve, please bring the item(s) to the circulation desk and include your name, the course number and name, and your desired checkout period: 2 hours, 1 day, or 1 week. Please allow library staff two days to process the items and place them on reserve. Direct students to go to the circulation desk to checkout reserve materials.

Instruction Services

Library staff is available to instruct students on access and use of the online catalog and research databases. Instruction can be tailored to specific classes and assignments and may also include finding and critically evaluating sources, developing search terms, and creating research strategies. Instructors may also reserve the library’s computer lab and work space for research work days and request staff to be on hand to assist students. Please schedule instruction sessions and work days as soon as possible.

Faculty may request subject bibliographies and research guides that include materials available in JFK Library and relevant research databases. Due to staff availability, please allow 3-4 weeks for completion.

Collection Development

JFK Library staff encourages faculty to be involved in the selection and weeding of materials to keep our collection relevant and responsive to student needs and to support program requirements. Faculty may submit recommendations to staff and may also be asked to review items being considered for withdrawal.

Additional Resources

Library FAQ page in Help and Resources module in LearningZone

Library Tutorial Videos

JFK Library Facebook Page

Outgoing mail is processed twice daily.  Pick-up times are approximately 2:40 and 4:40 pm.  Please be sure your account number appears on all outgoing mail.  Mail may be left at the mailroom window.  If you need to do a bulk mailing, please check with the mailroom staff for procedure and cost.

Information/maps on HutchCC’s Main Campus, McPherson, Newton, Building 12, Cosmetology, Davis Hall, Peel Center, Fire Science Center, StartUp Hutch, Sports Arena and South Campus can be found by accessing the following link:  https://www.hutchcc.edu/map

The Online Education team (located in Lockman Hall Rm 113) provides students an opportunity to complete their degree by supporting flexible (anytime, anywhere) learning opportunities.  Currently online, hybrid and web-supported courses are available for students. Staff assists faculty in instructional design and the integration of technology into each course of study.

Internet or online courses, which HutchCC began offering in 1998, allow busy students the most opportunity to schedule their time for learning. HutchCC now offers accredited Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees by distance learning. The full range of online courses appears in the Class Schedule, along with all other courses and is also available in DragonZone https://dz.hutchcc.edu/sections

Course learning materials consist of online material, textbooks, and software as required by the academic department. Online classes are delivered using a course management system branded as LearningZone. An ongoing schedule of training opportunities in the latest instructional technology applications is available through Online Education. Staff are available for individualized training with departments and/or individuals.

Instructional Design –Online Education provides a range of faculty services to aid with instructional technology in the face-to-face, online, hybrid, and web-supported classroom. Labs are devoted to faculty use, equipped with special software for various needs including Adobe Acrobat Professional, Camtasia, Dreamweaver, Photoshop and video and audio editing software. A site license for Respondus Test Creator is available for download and installation to all faculty and staff computers. The staff within Online Education may also assist with:

• Development of online, web-supported and hybrid classes and learning materials
• Group training throughout the year on use of new technology in teaching and learning
• Meetings with individuals for one-on-one training and consulting
• Assistance to instructors with computer applications for creating learning activities, alternative assessments, blogs, wikis, podcasts, multimedia presentations and other cutting edge techniques and methods for instruction

PLEASE NOTE: Faculty should advise students who take online classes that they must have access to a high speed internet connection, access to a computer and basic computer skills.

The Online Education Office can be found by accessing the following link: https://www.hutchcc.edu/online-education

Date_____________________________

COURSE BY ARRANGEMENT

(Proposal & Contract)

Student’s Name___________________________________Student Id #__________________________________

Local Address____________________________________Phone Number________________________________

Name of Course___________________________________Number____________________Credit Hours_______

Course Objectives:  (Same as listed on course syllabus filed in Vice President of Academic Affairs office)

Conference and/or Lab Schedule:  (Include beginning and completion dates and total number of meetings)

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Assignments Required:

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Testing Requirements:  (Same final activity or exam as in regular course is required)

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Testing and Assignment Deadlines:

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________                ________________________________________

Student’s Signature                                                            Instructor’s Signature

__________________________________________                 ________________________________________

Department Chairperson                                                       Vice President of Academic Affairs

HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY COLLEGE

CREDIT BY EXAMINATION APPLICATION

The student must verify with the appropriate Department Chairperson that the course is subject to Credit by Examination.

Name:_______________________________________________Date:________________________

Social Security Number:______________________________________________________________

Course(s) requested by Examination:

Background Qualifications:

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

Approved:

Directions to Student:  Present this form to the instructor.  When approval is secured, the form should be forwarded to the Department Chairperson and the Vice President of Academic Affairs.  Tuition must be paid separately for each examination and must be paid in advance to the Business Office.

DIRECTED INDEPENDENT STUDY PROPOSAL AND AGREEMENT

Form to be Submitted to the Records Office by the Vice President of Academic Affairs

Student’s Name ______________________ Student Id # ______________________________

Local Address ________________________ Phone______________________________

Number of hours enrolled for current semester____ Cumulative Hours____ Cumulative GPA ___

Name of Project must be DIRECTED STUDIES IN EDUCATION

Course Number as listed on schedule ___________________ Number of Credit Hours ________

Beginning Date of Project ___________________ Ending Date of Project __________________

DIRECTED STUDIES PROJECT SYLLABUS

A. How many times during the project will the student and instructor meet? _________________

     For how long? _____________

B. What are the objectives of the project? (What skills or knowledge will the student have   

     acquired as a result of the project? 

_____________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

C. Identify the topics that will be covered in the content of the project:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

(Please continue on back side)

D. Describe papers, exams and/or other products that will be required to evaluate student’s learning:

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

The student’s signature indicates that he/she agrees to perform all activities outlined in this agreement. In addition to directing the student in his/her efforts, the instructor will evaluate the student’s work, keep a log of meetings, prepare a summary for the Vice President of Academic Affairs file and assign a grade for the project.

Name of Instructor and Department Chairperson approving and supervising project:

________________________________________   _____________________________________

Instructor                                                          Student

________________________________________    ____________________________________

Department Chairperson                                      Vice President of Academic Affairs

Directed Independent Study Documentation Log

Name _______________________________________   SS# _____________________________

Course Title __________________________________   Course # ________________________

Instructor ________________________________ Beg Date __________ End Date ___________

Instruction:

Product of Study:

Name _______________________

SS # _______________________

DIRECTED STUDIES

FINAL PROJECT SUMMATION

(Instructor or Department Chairperson agrees by signing the Directed Studies Agreement to perform the final project summation.)

A. How did the project benefit the student in a way that a regular class would not have?

B. Please describe whatever methods or products you used to evaluate the students

    competency:

C. What grade was the student given? _________

Instructor Signature _____________________________________

Date ________________________

1. This form must be submitted to the Vice President of Academic Affairs at least one week in advance of the field trip. 
2. The following items must also accompany this request:

• list of students to be off campus
• day by day itinerary (if trip is overnight)
• leave request

1. A list of students who will be off campus must also be emailed to the campus email list a week in advance of the trip.

Date submitted ____________________                                                  Date of trip ________________________

Leave Request has been submitted (check one):       Yes                          No

Name of class and/or club: _____________________________________________________________________

Name of instructor/sponsor: ___________________________________________________________________

Emergency Contact Phone #:___________________________________________________________________

Destination: _________________________________________________________________________________

Date and time leaving _______________________ Date and time returning___________________________

Educational objective: ________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Funds are being requested (if yes, attach a budget)  yes  /no    

Account Number(s)____________________________________________________________________

Transportation:

_________ Students will provide their own transportation (include a list of all students who will be providing their own transportation).

__________ School Vehicle    _________ Personal Vehicle    ____________Rental Vehicle  

Name of driver(s): (All drivers must have clearance from the business office if a school vehicle is used.) _____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Signatures:

Instructor/Sponsor:  _____________________________    Supervisor: _________________________________

                                                                             (date)                                                                                                       (date)

Vice President of Academic Affairs: _____________________________________________________________

                                                                                                                                                                  (date)

Peer Collaborator Info, Log & Payment Form

Record of Classroom Visitation

Dillon Lecture Series

Information on the Dillon Lecture Series may be found by accessing: 

http://www.hutchcc.edu/dillon-lecture-series

Student-sponsored activities

With more than 80 different organizations on campus, students can find something to be involved in and feel passionate about.  Through unlimited opportunities with volunteer organizations, clubs, social organizations and faith-based groups, students can practice leadership skills, and make life-long friends.  Information on student-sponsored activities may be found by accessing the following link:  http://www.hutchcc.edu/student-life/clubs-and-organizations

Sporting Events

Information on athletic activities may be found by accessing the following link: www.bluedragonsports.com

I. Student Code of Conduct

When students enroll at Hutchinson Community College (HutchCC), they assume the obligation to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with the College's mission and function as an educational institution. The Student Code of Conduct has been approved by the governing board of HutchCC and will apply on College property, any College sponsored or sanctioned activities, and any off-campus behavior which reflects on the mission of the College. Each student is expected to be fully acquainted with all published policies, rules, and regulations of the College. Students are also expected to comply with all federal, state, and local laws.

For a student who is found to have committed an offense and who previously has been found in violation of the Hutchinson Community College Code of Conduct, the previous offense will be considered during the disciplinary process.

The standard of evidence used to determine responsibility is a "preponderance" of evidence (i.e. is it more likely than not a violation has occurred). This determination is based on the greater weight of the evidence and does not require a standard beyond a reasonable doubt.

Misconduct or prohibited behavior includes, but is not limited to:

1. Alcoholic Beverages

     a. Use, possession, sale, delivery, manufacture, or distribution of alcoholic beverages.

     b. Storage of alcohol in any amount or possession of alcohol containers.

2. Narcotics or Drugs

     a, Use, possession, sale, delivery, manufacture, and/or cultivation or distribution whether usable or not of any narcotic, drug, illicit drug, medicine prescribed to someone else, chemical compound, synthetic drug, or other controlled substances.

     b. Possession of drug-related paraphernalia.

     c. Possession of any item that may not in itself be an illegal drug but presented to be a drug and passed off as a drug.

     d.  Improper use of products for purposes of altering mood or state of being. This includes the misuse of legal products as inhalants.

3. Flammable Materials/Arson

     a. Use or possession of flammable materials, including incendiary devices, and/or other dangerous materials or substances used to ignite, spread, or intensify flames for fire. Attempting to ignite and/or the action of igniting College facilities, and/or personal property either by intent or through reckless behavior which results in damage to College and/or student property.

4. Firearms, Weapons and Explosives

     a. Violation of the Possession of Weapons policy (Policy Number 1134) and/or Concealed Carry policy (Policy Number 1552).

5. Theft, Damage, or Unauthorized Use

     a. Attempted or actual theft of property or services of the College, other College students, other members of the College community, or campus visitors.

     b. Possession of property known to be stolen or belonging to another person without the owner’s permission.

     c. Unauthorized use of facility, equipment, lab or resource, including unauthorized use of communication systems.

     d. Attempted or actual damage to property owned or leased by the College, by College students, members of the College community, or campus visitors.

     e.  Attempted or actual unauthorized use of a credit card, debit card, student identification card, cell phone, personal identification number, test number, account information, and/or personal check.

     f. Misuse of, or attempted misuse of, or actual damage to, or defacing of property owned or leased by the College, by College students, members of the College community, or campus visitors.

     g. Tampering with security camera systems.

     h. Tampering with automated door systems

6. Violation of the Equal Opportunity, Harassment, and Nondiscrimination Policy and Procedure (Policy Number 1089)

                    Statement Regarding Sexual Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct 

HutchCC neither tolerates nor condones any form of sexual discrimination - including, but not limited to rape, "date or acquaintance" rape, sexual assault, sexual misconduct, or sexual harassment. In accordance with federal and state regulations regarding sexual discrimination, the College has established an official policy and procedure which is both independent from the Student Code of Conduct and application to students, faculty, and staff, to investigate, and adjudicate such prohibited behavior. The Equal Opportunity, Harassment, and Nondiscrimination Policy and Procedures (Policy Number 1089) is available in the College Catalog and in the Student Handbook.

7. Actions against Members of the College Community Not Included in the Equal Opportunity, Harassment, and Nondiscrimination Policy and Procedures (Policy Number 1089)

     a. Intentional or reckless conduct which endangers the health or safety of self or others.

     b. Physical abuse, verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment, stalking, and/or coercion.

     c. Behavior that disrupts the normal operation of the College, including its students, faculty and or staff.

     d. Deliberate constraint or incapacitation of another, without that person’s knowledge or consent.

     e. Excessive pressure, threats or any form of conduct, coercive tactics or unwanted mental coercion techniques used to retain or recruit a student for membership in an organization.

     f. Passive or covert behavior may also be regarded as quite disruptive. Examples of passive yet disruptive behaviors include students whose poor personal hygiene so seriously offends the sensibilities of roommates/classmates and instructors that the classroom becomes an academic/residential environment that is no longer tenable.

     g. Failure to register as a sex offender with the Coordinator of Equity and Compliance in accordance with college policy.

     h. Gambling, wagering, gaming, or bookmaking as defined by federal, state, and/or local laws is prohibited on College premises or while using College equipment or other services.

     i. Hazing (i.e. any intentional, knowing or reckless act directed against a student by one person acting alone or by more than one person, occurring on or off the premises, that endangers the mental and/or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of pledging or associating with, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, seeking and/or maintaining membership in any organization whose membership consists of students). Consent and/or acquiescence by a student(s) subjected to hazing is not considered a reasonable defense in a disciplinary proceeding.

8. Fire Safety, False Alarms, or Terroristic Threats

     a. Intentional sounding of a false fire alarm, falsely reporting an emergency or terroristic threat in any form, issuing a bomb threat, constructing mock explosive devices, destruction or activation of fire sprinklers, filing false police reports, improperly possessing, tampering with, or destroying fire equipment or emergency signs on College premises.

     b. Failure to evacuate the building immediately upon the sound of an alarm or to follow specific evacuation and safety procedures. Exceeding designated fire code capacity of a room/facility.

     c. Exceeding designated fire code capacity of a room/facility.

     d. Misusing or tampering with fire safety equipment (e.g. alarm pull stations, smoke detectors, or fire extinguishers), or removal of doors, door closures, exit signs, or emergency exits.

      e. Initiating, communicating, or circulating a false report of a present, past, or future bombing, fire, offense, or other emergency that would cause action by an agency services agency.

     f. Placing a person in fear of imminent, serious bodily injury.

     g. Preventing or interrupting the occupation of a building, room, vehicle, or other mode of transportation.

     h. Posting any statement on social media that could be considered a threat against the college community or an individual.

9. Financial Irresponsibility

     a. Failure to meet financial obligations owed to the College, or components owned or operated by the College, including, but not limited to, the writing of checks from accounts with insufficient funds.

10. Financial Transactions with the College

     a. A student who owes a debt or has an outstanding financial obligation to the College may be denied admission or readmission to the College, and have their official transcript, grades, diplomas, and degrees to which they otherwise would be entitled, withheld until the debt or obligation is paid or met.

     b. A student with a past due unpaid balance is considered to have a delinquent status. Delinquent accounts may be turned over to a collection agency, potentially affecting students’ personal credit ratings. Students with delinquent accounts are responsible for any charges associated with the collection of such delinquent accounts.

11. Unauthorized Entry, Possession, or Use

     a. Unauthorized entry into or use of College premises or equipment.

     b. Unauthorized possession, use, duplication, production, or manufacture of any key or unlocking device, College Identification Card, or access code for use in College premises or equipment.

     c. Unauthorized use of the College name, logos, registered marks, and/or symbols of the College.

     d. Unauthorized use of the College’s name to advertise or promote events or activities in a manner that suggests sponsorship and/or recognition by the College.

     e. Accessing campus roofs or window ledges.

     f. Removing or damaging window screens in the Residence Halls.

12. Violation of College Parking Services

     a. Violation of the Traffic Regulations policy (Policy Number 1200).

     b. Obstruction of the free flow of vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic on College premises or at College-sponsored or College-supervised functions.

13. Failure to Comply

     a. Failure to comply with the reasonable directives or requests of a College official acting in the performance of their duties.

     b. Failure to present student identification on request or identify oneself to any College official acting in the performance of their duties.

     c.  Failure to comply with the reasonable directives of an institutional official (e.g., resident assistants and security personnel) acting in the performance of their duties (includes loitering upon College property after being warned to leave by a person in charge).

     d. Violation of College regulations and policies, including residential life policies, housing contracts, or motor vehicle regulations.

      e. Obstruction of an investigation being conducted by the College administration/security/police and/or other law enforcement officers while conducting official business on Campus by a student/visitor.

14. Violation of the Anti-Tobacco/Smoking Policy (Policy Number 1063).

15. Providing False Information or Misuse of Records

     a. Knowingly furnishing false information to the College, or to a College official in the performance of their duties, either verbally or through forgery or alteration.

     b. Failure to provide requested information to the College or to a College official in the performance or their duties

     c. Misuse, alteration, forgery, or misrepresentation of any College Document, form, records, or instrument of identification.

     d. Possession or use of any form or false identification.

     e. Failure to report felonies on an application for admission or housing application, if requested.

16. Ball Playing, Skateboards, Rollerblades, Scooters, Bicycles, or Similar Devices

     a. Ball playing, the use of skateboards, rollerblades, hover boards, scooters, bicycles, or other similar devices in College buildings or on College premises in such a manner as to constitute a safety hazard or cause damage to College or personal property.

17. Violation of Federal, State, and/or Local Law

     a. Misconduct which constitutes a violation of any provisions of federal, state, and/or local laws.

18. Violation of Published College Policies, Rules, or Regulations

     a. Violation of any published College policies, rules, or regulations that govern student or student organization behavior.

     b. Violating a published College policy governing residence life or breaching a Housing and Residential Life contract.

19. Abuse of the Discipline System

     a. Failure of a student to comply with or respond to a notification to appear, during any stage of an investigation or disciplinary proceeding. Failure to appear will not prevent the designated disciplinary officer from proceeding with an investigation of disciplinary action.

     b. Falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation of information in disciplinary proceedings.

     c. Disruption or interference with the orderly conduct of a disciplinary proceeding.

     d. Filing an allegation known to be without merit or cause.

     e. Discouraging or attempting to discourage an individual’s proper participation in or use of the disciplinary system.

     f. Influencing or attempting to influence the impartiality of a member of a disciplinary body prior to and/or during the disciplinary proceeding.

     g. Harm, threat of harm, or intimidation, either verbally, physically, or written, of a member of a disciplinary body prior to, during, and/or after disciplinary proceedings.

     h. Influencing or attempting to influence another person to commit an abuse of the discipline system.

     i. Aiding, abetting, conspiring, or being an accessory to any act prohibited by this code is to be considered the same as a violation.

     j. Retaliation against any person or group who files grievances or provides evidence, testimony, or allegations in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.

     k. Failure to comply with the sanctions, conditions, and/or restrictions imposed under the Student Code of Conduct by a designated disciplinary officer or College official.

     l. Failure to maintain a current legal mailing address in the DragonZone or giving a false or fictitious address to an institutional representative.

20. Guests

     a, Students may be responsible for the behavior or guests, including any violations of the Student Code of Conduct (e.g., guests bring alcohol onto campus).

     b. Persons visiting who have been evicted and/or advised of criminal trespass from the residence halls/campus for any reason following eviction/trespassing.

21. Possession of a Pet on Campus

     a. Other than a service/emotional support animal, pets are not allowed in campus housing without prior approval from the Director of Residence Life.

     b. Other than service animals, pets are not allowed in campus buildings without prior approval from the Vice President of Student Services.

22. Entry without Permission

     a. Entering any private room, locked building, or common area without following security procedures or obtaining appropriate permission is prohibited.

23. Complicity

     a, Attempting, aiding, abetting, conspiring, hiring, or being an accessory to any act prohibited by the Student Code of Conduct shall be considered to the same extent as completed violations.

24. Disorderly Conduct/Breach of Peace

     a. Engaging in conduct on College premises or at College-sanctioned events, which a reasonable person would believe to be violent, abusive, indecent, obscene, profane, unreasonably loud, or disorderly, and which has a tendency to disturb the peace.

     b. Engaging in conduct on College premises or at College-sanctioned events which a reasonable person would believe to be maliciously disturbing, threatening, or insolent, and which has the tendency to cause a disturbance of the peace.

     c. Engaging in conduct that aids and abets another in a disturbance of the peace to the College or to a College-sanctioned event.

25. Ethical or Professional code violation

     a. Violation of licensure board rules and regulations, state and federal laws, and/or other applicable regulatory or privileges issues: as defined by the student’s program or professional association or licensure board, as may be applicable to the student(s), or applicable laws and regulations.

26. Photographing, Recording, or Spying

     a. Secretly viewing, with or without a device, another person without that person’s consent in any location where the person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, or in a manner that violates a reasonable expectation of privacy. This does not apply to lawful security or surveillance filming or recording that is authorized by law enforcement or the College.

27. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)

     a. The use of any unmanned aerial vehicle (i.e. drones) is prohibited on campus. Students seeking exemptions for the use of such devices in teaching or research may apply to the Vice President of Student Services.

II. Campus Disorder or Unrest

The following policies will be followed in case of campus disorders or student unrest or in the event any building or portion thereof is seized or occupied unlawfully.

The College President (or in the President's absence, the President's designee) will be notified immediately of any such activity. No other action shall be taken on behalf of the College until such notification has been made. Only the President (or in the President's absence, the President's designee) is authorized to call for assistance from law enforcement officials.

No conference will be held between any College official and the parties involved in such activities so long as any violence is taking place on the campus or while any building or portion thereof is being occupied by such parties, or while such parties bar other persons from such building, or portion thereof, thereby preventing the orderly conduct of school activities.

The College reserves the right to pursue civil, criminal, and college disciplinary remedies against any person involved in such activity.

III. Emergency Suspension (Danger to Self or Others)

The College President or the President's designee may immediately suspend a student in the event that it is reasonably determined that a student's continued presence on campus poses a significant danger to either the student or to others or if there is reasonable cause to believe that such an interim suspension is required to protect lives or property and to ensure the maintenance of order.

IV. Additional Campus Disciplinary Action

If a crime is committed on campus (including but not limited to murder, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, or motor vehicle theft), the occurrence shall be reported to the proper authorities by calling 911 and should also be reported to Campus Safety (620-665-3379). Campus staff will consult with police agencies and any other applicable College official investigating the case, when appropriate, and will assist the victim as necessary in accordance with College policy and federal and state laws and regulations.

V. Disclosure of Disciplinary Information

1. Upon written request, the College will disclose to the alleged victim of a violent act or a sexual assault, the result of any disciplinary hearing conducted by the College. In the event that the alleged victim is deceased, the College will disclose the results of any hearing conducted to the student's next of kin upon written request.
2. In the event that a disciplinary investigation or action yields information upon which the College reasonably concludes that a crime may be committed or that an individual represents a danger to the individual or to others, the College may disclose information to appropriate parties without the student’s consent.

I. Initial Disciplinary Procedure

The Vice President of Student Services will designate disciplinary officers for purposes of dealing with issues of non-academic misconduct and for acting as hearing officers upon appeal. These officers include, but are not limited to, the director of Residence Life and Student Activities and the Executive Director of Student Affairs and Campus Safety.

For violations of the Student Code of Conduct (other than those that result in an immediate suspension as described in the Student Code of Conduct [Policy Number 1047]) that occur in a course or College program, the faculty member or department chairperson will inform the student of the alleged offense, and after an investigation and a conference with the student, will take one of the following actions:

1. Dismiss the allegation as unfounded.

2. Upon admission of guilt by the student, impose a level one sanction.

3. Upon admission of guilt by the student, recommend to a disciplinary officer the imposition of a level two sanction.

4. Determine guilt based upon reasonable evidence and impose a level one sanction.

5. Determine guilt based upon reasonable evidence and recommend to a disciplinary officer the imposition of a level two sanction.

Upon completion of the investigation, a written statement will be provided to the student and to the Executive Director of Student Affairs and Campus Safety detailing the allegation, the finding, and the sanction imposed or recommended. If a level two sanction is recommended, the author of the report will specify the following: (1) whether the behavior of the student is reasonably expected to cause continued disruption or interference with the school's operation and (2) whether the sanction should stand pending the outcome of any appeal.

For incidents that occur in areas other than those reasonably construed as academic, the College disciplinary officers or their designees will inform the student of the alleged offense, and after an investigation and a conference with the student, will take one of the following actions:

1. Dismiss the allegation unfounded.

2. Upon admission of guilt by the student, impose a level one sanction

3. Upon admission of guilt by the student, recommend to a disciplinary officer the imposition of a level two sanction; or as a disciplinary officer, impose a level two sanction.

4. Determine guilt based upon reasonable evidence and impose a level one sanction.

5. Determine guilt based upon reasonable evidence and recommend to a disciplinary officer the imposition of a level two sanction; or as a disciplinary officer, impose a level two sanction.

Upon completion of the investigation, a written statement will be provided to the student and to the Executive Director of Student Affairs and Campus Safety detailing the allegation, the finding and the sanction imposed or recommended. If a level two sanction is imposed or recommended, the author of the report will specify the following: (1) whether the behavior of the student is reasonably expected to cause continued disruption or interference with the school's operation and (2) whether the sanction should stand pending the outcome of any appeal.

The office of the Executive Director of Student Affairs and Campus Safety will maintain disciplinary files on each case. The office of the Director of Residence Life and Student Activities will maintain disciplinary files on each case that involves housing discipline.

Disciplinary Sanctions

Sanctions are divided into two categories as described below. When sanctions are imposed, it is the responsibility of the student to abide by sanctions applied and to follow established procedure in connection with any appeal from decisions imposing such sanctions.

If a sanction is imposed that has a time limit and the time remaining in the semester or school year is less than the sanction imposed, the sanction will carry forward to the next semester or college year that the student attends HutchCC.

Level One Sanctions

Imposed for less serious violations of the Student Code of Conduct, level one sanctions include those sanctions not ordinarily imposed for conduct described under level two sanctions. Level one sanctions include but are not limited to the following:

1. Warning - oral or written reprimand from the disciplinary officer to the student on whom it is imposed.

2. Dismissal from a class period by the instructor - if a student is disruptive in a classroom, lab, or other structured learning activity, they may be immediately dismissed for the remainder of the period without an investigation or conference.

3. Dismissal from a section of a class by the instructor and department chair.

4. Probationary periods in a class, activity, housing, food service area, recreation area, or other environments where a violation has taken place.

5. The imposition of College service work or community service work.

6. Restriction of privileges including, but not limited to access to services, visitation in housing, recreational services, food service area, parking, and entrance into College events.

7. Required professional consultation (e.g., counseling, medical, psychological, drug and alcohol, etc.) to address behavioral problems.

Level Two Sanctions

Level two sanctions are imposed for repeated or serious offenses that, in the judgment of the disciplinary officer, merit the imposition of level two sanctions. These sanctions are college-wide and include but are not limited to:

1. Educational sanctions - completion of a reflection or research paper, attending a class, attending a program, attending a lecture, or other actions.

2. Disciplinary probation - indicates that the student has engaged in unacceptable behavior and that further violation may result in more severe disciplinary action which may include suspension. Failure to meet the conditions will be considered an additional violation.

3. Administrative withdrawal from a class or classes.

4. Withholding of grades, official transcript, or degree - the disciplinary officer may withhold the issuance of an official transcript, degree, grade, or certificate of completion from a student alleged to have violated the Student Code of Conduct. The disciplinary officer may take such action pending an investigation, disciplinary hearing, appeals hearing, and/or exhaustion of appeal rights.

5. Suspension of rights and privileges - including but not limited to participation in intramural or extracurricular activities, election to student office, housing or visitation privileges, and other student activities. Suspension will be for a specified period and may impose limitations to fit the case, including removal from office or activities. Suspension may include prohibition from representing the College. This penalty does not supersede or negate the rights of responsibility of any director of such activities to take interim action as necessary.

6. Bar against readmission for a specified period, and/or drop from current enrollment, and/or drop from enrollment in one or more courses. This sanction may become a part of the student's permanent record and may be removed upon completion of the sanction period at the student's request.

7. Restitution - reimbursement for damages to or misappropriation of College, student, employee, or guest property. Restitution may be monetary or by specific duties. 8. Denial of degree - a student found in violation of the Academic Honesty and Appeal Policy & Procedure (Policy Number 1002) may be denied his/her degree. This sanction will become a part of the student's permanent record.

8. Denial of degree - a student found in violation of the Academic Honesty and Appeal Policy & Procedure (Policy Number 1002) may be denied their degree. This sanction will become a part of the student's permanent record.

9. Failing grade, or other academic penalty - other academic penalties could include reduction of grade in a test, course, or other academic work, and/or performance of additional academic work not required of other students in the course.

10. Suspension from the College for a specified period - during such a suspension, a student will not attend class or participate in College campus activities (prohibits the student from entering the College campus without prior written approval of the Vice President of Student Services).

11. Expulsion from the College - expulsion may be permanent or for a specific period not less than one year. Permanent dismissal from the College prohibits the student from entering the College campus without prior approval of the Vice President of Student Services. Expulsion may include receiving a failing grade for all classes in which the student is currently enrolled.

12. Revocation of a degree, grade, or certification may be imposed when the student violates the Academic Honesty and Appeal Policy & Procedure (Policy Number 1002).

13. Bar from all HutchCC Campus locations after suspension or dismissal - a student who has been suspended or dismissed from a state-supported institution of higher education after a hearing, in accordance with procedures established by the institution, for disrupting the orderly operation of the Campus or facility of the institution, as a condition of the suspension or dismissal, may be denied access to the Campus or facility, or both, for a period of suspension. In the case of dismissal, the period of suspension should not exceed one year.

14. Eviction or barred from campus housing.

II. Appeal of a Level One Sanction

Within three business days (a business day is defined as a day that the College is open for business) after the date a sanction is imposed against a student by a disciplinary officer, the student or a representative of the College may appeal the disciplinary officer's decision by communicating in writing a request for appeal. The request for appeal should contain a description of the disciplinary officer's decision being appealed, the date the offense took place, and the requested outcome. Requests for appeal should be returned to the Executive Director of Student Affairs and Campus Safety, either in person, by mail (must be postmarked within 3 business days after an imposition of a sanction), or email. If an appeal is not received by the College or the student within the period stated above, the student or the College will be deemed to have waived the right of appeal and the disciplinary officer's decision will be deemed final.

In the event of an appeal to the Executive Director of Student Affairs and Campus Safety, the Executive Director of Student Affairs and Campus Safety will interview the student and the disciplinary officer and either affirm, modify, or reverse the disciplinary officer's decision. The decision of the Executive Director of Student Affairs and Campus Safety shall be final and not subject to further appeal.

III. Appeal of a Level Two Sanction

Within three business days (a business day is defined as a day that the College is open for business) after the date of the electronic notification of the imposition of a sanction against a student by a disciplinary officer, the student or a representative of the College may appeal the disciplinary officer's decision by communicating in writing a request for appeal. The request for appeal should contain a description of the disciplinary officer's decision being appealed, the date the offense took place, and the requested outcome. Requests for appeal should be returned to the Executive Director of Student Affairs and Campus Safety, either in person, by mail (must be postmarked within 3 business days after an imposition of a sanction), or by email. If an appeal is not received from the College or the student within the period stated above, the student or the College will be deemed to have waived the right of appeal and the disciplinary officer's decision will be deemed final.

IV. The Discipline Committee

Upon receipt of the appeal of a level two sanction, a hearing officer will be appointed to chair a hearing before the College's Discipline Committee. The hearing officer will be a person other than the disciplinary officer whose decision is being appealed. The discipline committee shall be chaired by a hearing officer appointed by the Vice President of Student Services or designee and is composed of representatives from administration, faculty, and the student body. To hear an appeal, the Committee will consist of a minimum of two members and a designated hearing officer, and will include at least one administrator, one faculty member, and one student.

The student will be notified by email at least three business days before the hearing. The notice will state the time, date, and place of the hearing. The hearing will be held within ten business days of receipt of the request for appeal. If a student appeals and fails to appear for the scheduled appeal hearing, the Committee will dismiss the appeal and the earlier decision will be deemed final.

At any hearing before the Discipline Committee the following will occur:

1. The student will have the right to hear charges of conduct violations read.

2. Each party will have the right to have an adviser present (including an attorney) at the party's own expense. Although each party has the right to have an adviser present, the adviser may not speak for the College or the student or cross-examine witnesses.

3. Each party will have the right to hear the testimony and see the evidence presented at the hearing.

4. Each party will have the right to present witnesses to be heard by the Committee.

5. Each party will have the right to provide a statement and give reasons supporting its position.

6. Proceedings will be recorded, except for Committee deliberations.

7. A written report will be prepared by the Committee affirming, modifying, or reversing the decision appealed. The Committee may modify the sanctions by either decreasing the severity of the sanctions or increasing the severity of the sanctions. Copies of the written report will be emailed to the student at the student's college email address and delivered to the Executive Director of Student Affairs and Campus Safety and to the Vice President of Student Services.

V. Appeal to the Vice President of Student Services

Within three business days after the date of the Discipline Committee's written report of its decision, the student or a representative of the College may appeal the Discipline Committee's decision. The request for appeal should contain a description of the Committee's decision being appealed, the reason for appeal, the date the offense took place, and the requested outcome. Requests for appeal should be returned to the Vice President of Student Services in writing. Appeals to the Vice President of Student Services are limited to the following:

1. A procedural error or omission occurred that significantly impacted the outcome of the hearing.

2. To consider new evidence, unknown or unavailable during the original hearing or investigation, that could substantially impact the original finding or sanction. A summary of this new evidence and its potential impact must be included.

3. The sanctions fall outside the range of sanctions the College has designated for this offense.

If neither of the parties appeal during the time specified, the Committee's decision will be deemed final.

If, in the opinion of the Vice President of Student Services, the behavior of the student is reasonably expected to cause continued disruption or interference with the school's operation, the Vice President may find that the sanction will stand pending the outcome of the appeal.

Upon receipt of a complete request for appeal, the Vice President of Student Services will review the recording and any written materials from the Discipline Committee hearing. At the Vice President's sole discretion, the parties may be asked to appear, or the parties may be asked to present additional evidence. If additional evidence is requested, it will be presented in a manner granting each party the same due process rights as those outlined above. Within ten days of receipt of the request for appeal or within ten days after the date upon which the parties appear or additional evidence is presented to the Vice President of Student Services, the Vice President of Student Services will affirm, modify, or reverse the decision of the Discipline Committee. The Vice President's decision is final and will be set forth in a written report and the report will be emailed to the student.

VI. Failure to Respond

If the charged student does not schedule or attend a mandatory meeting by the date specified in the notice or fails to follow instruction or submit requested documentation or information within a reasonable specified amount of time, the College may proceed with adjudication of the case in the student's absence. In such cases, the student, by failing to respond or participate, will have waived any right to further due process.

Located in Lockman Hall 101, the Teaching and Learning Resource Center houses books, articles/activities, newsletters, and other resources to improve and enhance teaching and learning. All materials are available to check out. A listing of resources is available in the LearningZone Virtual Faculty Lounge.

Purpose:

Hutchinson Community College is committed to maintaining a safe, secure, and positive environment for all campus community members. In the event of a substantiated serious safety concern, the College has established procedures to provide prompt notification of a confirmed situation impacting the campus community and to provide instructions for responsive action when needed. These procedures, in accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (The Clery Act), provide guidance for issuing Timely Warnings, Emergency Notifications, and Campus Alerts using the Dragon Alert Emergency System. They are integrated into the HutchCC Emergency Operations Plan and apply only to the Dragon Alert Emergency System.

The College may use additional communication methods as part of a broader incident response strategy, when appropriate, such as postings on social media, contacting the local media for immediate distribution, printing, and posting notifications in relevant campus locations, and/or use of pre-recorded messages on the College’s telephone answering system.

Anyone with information regarding criminal activity or a safety-related incident that may warrant a Timely Warning, Emergency Notification, or Campus Alert should immediately report the circumstances to the HutchCC Campus Security at (620) 665-3379.

The College has communicated with local law enforcement, asking them to notify the College if it receives reports or information warranting such messages.

Definitions:

HutchCC Emergency Operations Plan:

The Dragon Alert System is an institution-wide, multi-modal communication network (e.g., e-mail, text, web alerts, audio messages). The use of the Dragon Alert System provides for rapid dissemination of time-sensitive information to enhance the safety and security of the campus community during an emergency and to relay timely information to community members.

All College employees and students are automatically opted into the text messages segment of the Dragon Alert System system. Students and employees are encouraged to update their contact information through DragonZone. The Executive Director of Student Affairs and Campus Safety, in coordination with designated members of the HutchCC Crisis Management Team, has overall management responsibility for the Dragon Alert System.

Emergency Notification (Clery Act Requirement):

An alert issued to the campus community triggered by an event that is currently occurring or imminently threatening.

HutchCC will initiate Emergency Notification procedures for any significant emergency or dangerous situation occurring on campus that represents an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees. Possible examples of incidents which could trigger an Emergency Notification include, but are not limited to:

• Disaster-Natural or Human Caused
• Evacuation
• Shelter in Place/Lockdown
• Fire/Explosion
• Medical Injury or Death
• Poisoning
• Chemical Spill
• Natural Hazards-Severe Weather
• Natural Hazards-Wildfire Ash/Air Quality
• Natural Hazards-Earthquake
• Building Systems (Utilities) Failure
• Threat of Violence-Crimes in Progress
• Threat of Violence-Sexual Assault
• Threat of Violence-Armed Intruder
• Threat of Violence-Hostage Situation
• Threat of Violence-Bomb Threat
• Threat of Violence-Bomb/Suspicious Object
• Threat of Violence-Disruptive Person
• Code Adam (Missing Youth) Support

Timely Warning (Clery Act Requirement):

An alert issued to the campus community triggered by Clery Act crimes that have already occurred but represent an ongoing threat.