Academic Policies: Table of Contents

Academic Policies

Academic Integrity

Honesty in all academic work is an essential element in a learning environment. Attempting to gain an unfair academic advantage by cheating or presenting another’s work as one’s own are violations of OCCC’s Guidelines for Student Conduct. The descriptions below outline unacceptable academic conduct that may lead to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from the college. Cheating Cheating is an act defined as presenting examinations, assignments, materials, projects, or other work which was completed, created, and/or assembled from sources or activities forbidden by the faculty. Cheating includes giving information, materials, or work to another person in order to help that person cheat. Cheating is an act in which a student gains unfair academic advantage through duplicity, deception, or dishonesty of any kind. Plagiarism Plagiarism is an act defined as presenting academic work, term papers, essays, projects, experiments, examinations, or other assignments which are not entirely the student’s work. Plagiarism may include, but is not limited to, quoting sources without giving appropriate credit, building upon the work of another without giving proper credit, taking and presenting as one’s own work actual articles or documents or any portion of actual articles or documents from any source, including print, computer and electronic media, or directly using another person’s ideas or concepts rather than words without crediting the source. Copyright Violations Unauthorized use of copyrighted materials from any source, including but not limited to, print and electronic media, is an act of academic dishonesty. Copyright violators are subject to legal penalty. (https://www.oregoncoast.edu/copyright/). Policy

Learning is built on the fundamental qualities of honesty, fairness, respect and trust. At Oregon Coast Community College, academic integrity is a shared endeavor characterized by truth, personal responsibility, and high academic standards. Any violation of academic integrity devalues the individual and the community as a whole. One important aspect of academic integrity is academic honesty. Violations of academic honesty include:

Plagiarism Collusion/Inappropriate Assistance Cheating Fabrication/Falsification/Alteration Unauthorized Multiple Submission Sabotage and Tampering

A student who violates academic honesty will be subject to disciplinary action according to Students Rights and Responsibilities.

Definitions

Violations of academic honesty may include:

Plagiarism:

      • presenting someone else’s words, ideas, artistry, product, or data as one’s own;
      • presenting as new and original, an idea or product derived from an existing source;
      • Collusion/Inappropriate Assistance:
      • helping another commit an act of academic dishonesty
      • knowingly or negligently allowing work to be used by others. It is a violation of Oregon state law to create and offer to sell part or all of an educational assignment to another person (ORS 1.65.114).

Cheating:

      • an act of deceit, fraud, distortion of truth, or improper use of another person’s effort to obtain an educational advantage;
      • includes, but is not limited to, unauthorized access to examination materials prior to the examination itself;
      • Fabrication/Falsification/Alteration:
      • intentional misrepresentation, invention, exaggeration, or alteration of information or data, whether written, verbalized, or demonstrated;
      • Unauthorized Multiple Submission:
      • using any work previously submitted for credit without prior instructor permission;
      • Sabotage and Tampering:
      • intentional altering or interfering with documents or other student’s work;
      • intentionally depriving others of academic resources.

Procedures of Academic Integrity Inquiry Process Action/Steps by Faculty:

  1. The faculty member observing or investigating an apparent violation of academic honesty meets with the student and shares the Oregon Coast Community College Academic Integrity Policy and Procedures. The faculty member explains to the student the procedures and penalties for violation of academic honesty.
  2. The faculty member provides the student with an opportunity to explain the incident.
  3. If, after initial investigation and conference with the student, the faculty member resolves the issue informally with the student and determines that there was no violation of academic honesty, the process is concluded and there is no need to complete the Academic Integrity Concern Form.
  4. If, after initial investigation and conference with the student, the faculty member finds that there has been some violation of academic honesty, the violation is documented, using the Academic Integrity Concern Form.
  5. The faculty member collects evidence by assembling all relevant documentary evidence and creating a paper trail of all that occurs after the alleged act of academic dishonesty. Often the evidence will include various samples of the student’s work showing a radical disparity in style or ability.
  6. If the faculty member finds the student to have been dishonest, the faculty member may resolve the matter by determining an appropriate course of action, which may include an oral or written warning; or a grade of “F” or zero on an assignment, project, or examination; or a lower grade or grade of “F” or “No Pass” for the course. The completed Academic Integrity Concern Form is submitted to the Vice President for Student Affairs and to the Chief Academic Officer.
  7. In the event the faculty member’s investigation is pending at the time course grades are due, the faculty member may elect to submit a mark of “I” (Incomplete), with the student informed in writing by the faculty for the reason for the investigation and the incomplete mark via the Academic Integrity Concern form.
Involvement of Chief Academic Officer:
  1. If the accused student contests the faculty member’s decision, a meeting with the Vice President for Student Affairs and the Chief Academic Officer may be requested.
  2. If the faculty member wishes to assign a grade of “F” or “No Pass” for the course, or initiate further disciplinary action (e.g., place the student on program-based academic probation), the student is entitled to a meeting with the Vice President for Student Affairs and the Chief Academic Officer for the purpose of further inquiry into the incident.
  3. Within ten (10) working days of receiving the Academic Integrity Concern Form, the Chief Academic Officer coordinates a meeting between all parties regarding the alleged incident of academic dishonesty. Official notification of this meeting should be in writing. The purpose of the meeting is for the student to hear the charges and present his/her side of the case. The Chief Academic Officer will consider any evidence submitted within seven (7) days of the meeting, and interview persons as warranted. The CAO determines if the action recommended by the faculty member is appropriate. If the student misses the meeting, the faculty member and the CAO may proceed with the process to completion.
  4. Within five (5) working days of the meeting, the Chief Academic Officer sends written notification of the results of the inquiry to the student, faculty member, and the Vice President for Student Affairs. The decision of the CAO is final.
  5. Further consequences may be imposed by the Chief Academic Officer in cases of grievous violations of academic honesty or for a continued pattern of violations.

Grievance Procedure: See Conflict Resolution (Student Grievance Procedure). Consequences for Violations of Academic Honesty

If a student is found guilty of violating academic honesty, any one or a combination of the following consequences may be imposed by the faculty member:

    1. Oral or written disciplinary admonition and warning;
    2. Temporary Exclusion from class, lab, clinical not to exceed one class session;
    3. A grade of “F” or a zero for the assignment, project, or examination

The following consequences may be imposed by the faculty member after an inquiry conducted by the Chief Academic Officer:

    1. Program-based academic probation;
    2. A lower grade or a grade of “F” or “No Pass” for the course, overriding a student’s ability to withdraw from the course (in some programs, this may result in a student’s removal from the program).

The following consequences may be imposed by the Chief Academic Officer in cases of grievous acts of dishonesty or for a continued pattern of dishonesty:

    1. Disciplinary admonition and warning;
    2. Disciplinary probation with or without the loss of privileges for a definite period of time. The violation of the terms of the disciplinary probation or the breaking of any college rule during the probation period may be grounds for suspension or expulsion from the college;
    3. Suspension from Oregon Coast Community College for a definite period of time;
    4. Expulsion from Oregon Coast Community College.

Contents of this policy and procedure were reviewed and Approved by Council of Curriculum and Instruction: May 12, 2004.

Attendance Policy

Students are expected to attend all class meetings of the courses in which they are enrolled. Students are also responsible for all class work assigned. Withdrawal Procedure: Students must observe withdrawal deadlines and officially withdraw from a course, if they stop attending classes. Attendance Rules, Absences, and Grades Absences may affect a student’s grade. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain attendance rules from each instructor and obtain instructions for missed assignments, particularly in the case of late enrollment. Student performance suffers from repeated absences. If one must miss a class meeting, it is highly desirable to contact the instructor beforehand or as soon as possible after returning. Absences due to participation in college-sponsored field trips, or intercollegiate functions trips may be excused through prior arrangement with instructors. Financial Aid programs have specific attendance requirements. Contact Financial Aid for more information at 541-867-8525. Absences Have Consequences: Multiple absences without an official withdrawal by the drop/withdrawal deadline may result in a grade of “F” for a course. In order to avoid receiving a failing grade if a student stops attending a course, it is her/his responsibility to officially withdraw from the course before each term’s withdrawal deadline.

Academic Freedom

Approved by Board of Education:      01/21/2015 Institutions of higher education exist for the common good, and the unfettered search for truth and its free exploration is critical to the common good. The college seeks to educate its students in the democratic tradition, to foster recognition of individual freedoms and social responsibility, and to inspire meaningful awareness of and respect for a collaborative learning environment. Freedom of expression will be guaranteed to instructors to create a classroom atmosphere that allows students to raise questions and consider all sides of issues. OCCC instructors are responsible for exercising judgment in selecting topics of educational value for discussion and learning consistent with course requirements, goals, and desired outcomes.

Class Cancellations

Minimum enrollment numbers are required for a class to be held. If a class is canceled by the college, a refund will be granted. In some cases, a class may be postponed. A postponement does not constitute a cancellation for refund purposes. The college will attempt to contact via email all students in canceled or postponed classes based upon information given on the registration form. It is the student’s responsibility to promptly submit changes of email address, mailing address and telephone number through My.OregonCoast or to the registration office.

Refunds

If a class must be canceled due to low enrollment, or for any other reason, students will either be given a full refund or they may enroll in other open classes. If a student chooses to enroll in other classes, he or she must complete an add/drop form and pay any additional tuition or fees, if applicable. Any unused tuition balance will be refunded. Student refunds are paid by check. Please allow two to four weeks to receive a refund. Refunds will be mailed to the most recent address provided by the student to the college through My.OregonCoast. Any refunds will first be applied to reduce or pay off any outstanding debts owed to the college. A refund of tuition, fees, or other items funded with financial aid or by a sponsoring agency will be processed as a credit back to the student’s sponsoring agency or financial aid funding source. Refunds of tuition, fees, or other items paid with a credit card will be processed as a credit back to the original credit card account.

Enrollment Limitations

The college may restrict enrollment in a class or program because of limited staff, space, or equipment. Enrollment is also limited for some programs, e.g., Aquarium Science, Emergency Medical Technology, because of special admission requirements.

Final Examinations

Final examinations are given at the close of each term. Students are required to take final examinations at the scheduled time, usually at the last scheduled class meeting. If unusual circumstances warrant taking them at another time, arrangements must be made with the instructor in advance. 

Grade Definitions & Procedures

Oregon Coast Community College Grading Definitions

Students will be provided with a course syllabus for each credit class in which they are enrolled. The course syllabi will provide required and recommended course syllabus components established in the Office of Instruction Syllabus Template. The clear objectives and grading explanation stated on the course syllabus enables students to understand how they are graded for a class.

TRADITIONAL GRADE SYSTEM

If available, students may select this grade system option at registration or change to this grading system option at any time during the first 80% of a course’s term. Degree or certificate requirements may only allow specific grade system options.

PASS/NO PASS SYSTEM

This grading system uses P and NP as defined under “Grade Definitions.” Transfer Students should be aware that four-year institutions limit the number of pass/no pass credits that may be applied to a degree and frequently recalculate the student’s grade point average by weighting each P as if it were a C or D and each NP as if it were an F from the traditional graded system. If available, students may select this grade system option at registration or change to this grading system option at any time during the first 80% of a course’s term. Subject Area Committees may specify whether this grade system option is unavailable for each course in its control. Degree or certificate requirements may only allow specific grade system options. Students who stop attending and who fail to drop or withdraw from a class by the published deadlines may earn a grade of F or NP according to the grade system option selected by the student. Students having excessive absences and who fail to drop or withdraw from a class by the published deadlines may earn a grade of F or NP according to the grade system option selected by the student.

GRADE DEFINITIONS
A (Superior)

Honor grade indicating excellence. Earned as a result of a combination of some or all of the following as outlined by the instructor in the course handout: superior examination scores, consistently accurate and prompt completion of assignments, ability to deal resourcefully with abstract ideas, superior mastery of pertinent skills, and excellent attendance. Probable success in a field relating to the subject or probably continued success in sequential courses.

B (Above average)

Honor grade indicating competence. Earned as a result of a combination of some or all of the following as outlined by the instructor in the course handout: high examination scores, accurate and prompt completion of assignments, ability to deal well with abstract ideas, commendable mastery of pertinent skills, and excellent attendance. Probable continued success in sequential courses.

C (Average)

Standard college grade indicating successful performance earned as a result of a combination of some or all of the following as outlined by the instructor in the course handout: satisfactory examination scores, generally accurate and prompt completion of assignments, ability to deal with abstract ideas, fair mastery of pertinent skills, and regular attendance. Sufficient evidence of the ability to warrant entering sequential courses.

D (Substandard but receiving credit)

Substandard grade indicating the student has met only minimum requirements as outlined by the instructor in the course handout. Earned as a result of some or all of the following: low examination scores, generally inaccurate, incomplete or late assignments, inadequate grasp of abstract ideas, barely acceptable mastery of pertinent skills, irregular attendance, insufficient evidence of ability to make advisable the enrollment in sequential courses. It does not satisfy requirements for entry into courses where prerequisites are specified.

F (Failure)

Non-passing grade indicating failure to meet minimum requirements as defined by the instructor in the course handout earned as a result of some or all of the following:  non-passing examination scores, inaccurate, incomplete or late assignments, failure to cope with abstract ideas, inadequate mastery of pertinent skills, and repeated absence from class. Does not satisfy requirements for entry into courses where prerequisites are specified. Faculty must record the last date attended for students that earn an F.

P (Pass)

Acceptable performance. A grade of P represents satisfactory achievement which would have been graded C or better under the traditional grading system. The P grade is disregarded in the computation of the OCCC grade point average. This grade is available only when a student has selected the pass/no pass grade system option during the first 80% of a course’s term. Some courses are not available for a P/NP, and if that is the case, it will simply default to the standard grade mode. If P/NP is allowed for a course, you are permitted to change the grade mode selected up until the Withdraw deadline.

NP (No Pass)

Unacceptable performance. A grade of NP represents unsatisfactory achievement which would have been graded D or lower under the traditional grading system. The NP grade is disregarded in the computation of the grade point average. Faculty must record the last date attended for Students that earn an NP. This grade is available only when a student has selected the pass/no pass grade system option during the first 80% of a course’s term. Some courses are not available for a P/NP, and if that is the case, it will simply default to the standard grade mode. If P/NP is allowed for a course, you are permitted to change the grade mode selected up until the Withdraw deadline.

Incomplete (I)

When the quality of work is satisfactory, but some minor, yet essential, requirements of the course has not been completed, and for reasons acceptable to the instructor, a report of “I” may be made and additional time granted for completion of the work. If no replacement grade for an “I” mark shall have been provided by the course Instructor within one calendar year, the “I” mark shall automatically be changed to an “F” or “NP” depending on the grade system option (chosen by the Student) in effect at the time the “I” mark was originally recorded. The conditions for completion of work should be stated in writing, signed by the instructor and the student, and kept on file in the department or program office. An “I” may not be assigned as a withdrawal. An “I” does not entitle a student to repeat a course without paying tuition. It may be impossible to receive an “I” in some courses where, for example, equipment usage is required.

Honor Roll

OCCC recognizes academic excellence in students who have earned a 3.25 or higher grade point average (GPA) on a minimum of six graded credits in a given term.

Honor’s List 3.25 – 3.49 Dean’s List 3.50 – 3.74 President’s List 3.75 – 4.00 *Highest Honors 3.75 – 4.00 *Awarded at graduation based on cumulative GPA 
Grade Assignment

Instructors may use only the grades of A, B, C, D, F, and the marks of I (for incompletes). P, NP (for approved courses), and AUD (for audits) may be used if the student has selected this option for approved courses.

Withholding Grades

Oregon Coast Community College reserves the right to withhold issuance of grades, transcripts, or diplomas to students who have not met their obligations to the college.

Grade Discrepancies and Changes

In order to correct a recording error or grading discrepancy, students must notify their instructor within 90 days of the receipt of the grade report. If a student has repeated a course, it is the student’s responsibility to notify Enrollment Services so that it will be properly recorded. 

Transcripts

Instructions on how to request your transcripts from your time at OCCC can be found here: OCCC Transcripts webpage. This information is found under the 1st tab, titled “Obtaining transcripts for courses taken at OCCC”. Please note that official transcripts cannot be provided from prior to OCCC’s independence in Summer 2020. The transcripts webpage linked previously explains which colleges hold OCCC student transcripts for the years prior to Summer 2020.

To obtain copies of GED Transcripts go to GED.com.

Receiving credit for courses taken at another institution

Instructions on how to request a transcript evaluation for the purpose of receiving credit for courses taken at another institution can be found here: OCCC Transcripts webpage. This information is found under the 3rd tab, titled “Transcript Evaluation Requests”.

Auditing

Students may audit a class if they wish to enroll in credit courses, but do not wish to receive grades or credits. However, auditing students must pay full tuition and fees and obtain the instructor’s permission to audit a course. Students must meet with the instructor to determine if there are any specific requirements or expectations for auditing a course. An audit carries no credit, and therefore does not meet degree or certificate requirements, nor does it contribute to full-time student status. A student wishing to change from credit to audit, or audit to credit, must do so by the first Friday of the term before 4:30 p.m.

Audit Procedure

To request permission to audit a course, the student must:

    1. Pay full tuition and fees with registration.
      1. Senior audits do get tuition waived, but are still responsible for course fees. Please view our senior audit process on here: Tuition Discount for Seniors webpage.
    2. Receive instructor permission to audit a course by emailing the instructor, and copying (cc’ing) the Registrar’s office at registrar@oregoncoast.edu.

Audits may not be reversed for a letter grade.

Repeating a Course

Students may repeat a course in which they received a low or unsatisfactory grade, i.e., a D or F. Students who wish to repeat a course and have the original grade changed in the transcript need to contact the Enrollment Services Coordinator at the Central County Center to change the first grade to R (Repeated). If a lower grade is received for the repeated course, both grades will appear on the transcript. An original mark of N or I may not be changed by repeating a course. An R grade is not included when computing a grade point average (GPA), nor are courses with an R grade counted when determining the total number of credit hours earned. (More info about Grade Definitions, here.) When registering for a repeated course, students must follow regular registration procedures. Financial aid or veterans’ educational benefits may not be used for repeated courses. Students receiving financial aid or veterans’ education benefits should contact Student Services before repeating a course. Some courses may be taken more than once for credit (i.e., ART 281, FA 256 and 257, MUP 100, MUS 197, and TA 285). In these cases, the grades of the repeated courses will reflect in the cumulative grade point average. It is strongly recommended that students who have questions about repeating courses for additional credits contact an advising specialist for further clarification. 

Applying to Graduate

OCCC considers graduation as an achievement of a student’s educational goal and is honored to recognize students for their accomplishments. Students may usually graduate under requirements existing at the time of initial enrollment, as long as they have successfully completed at least one term of a college credit course per academic year. If credits from other colleges are used toward graduation requirements, it is the student’s responsibility to request that official transcripts from those colleges be sent to the OCCC Registrar. Official transcripts must arrive in sealed envelopes from the reporting institution or emailed from said institution to OCCC’s Registrar at registrar@oregoncoast.edu. The petition to graduate form can be found here: Student Forms webpage.

Credit & Clock Hours

How College Credits Are Calculated

The standard unit of measurement of college work is called a credit hour. Oregon Coast uses the quarter credit hour system. A college quarter-hour credit is granted in most cases for every 11-12 hours that a course meets during the term. A three credit course then, would normally meet three hours per week for a total of 33-36 hours per term. (During the eight-week summer term, more class hours are required each week to achieve the total required hours.) Some laboratory and technical courses may have different hour requirements. A laboratory period may consist of two or more clock hours per credit hour. Two to three hours of outside preparation are normally required for each clock hour that a course meets. Some courses may require additional hours of preparation.

Credit Hour Load and Full-Time Status

Full-time students at Oregon Coast Community College are those students who enroll in 12 or more credit hours per term. Most degree programs, however, require at least 90 credits, or an average of 15 credits per quarter for six terms as a full-time student to complete the degree within two academic years. No student may enroll in more than 20 credit hours in any single term without an advising specialist’s signature and the approval of the Dean of Instruction. Students working while attending college should bear in mind that most classes require one or two hours of outside preparation for each class hour. Work schedules and college schedules may need to be adjusted to assure a successful college education. If working, anticipate taking more than six terms to complete a normal, full-time, two-year educational plan. 

Sources of Information

CATALOG

This catalog is available online here.

ACADEMIC ADVISING

Advising specialists are available to help students at any stage of planning their education. Call Student Services at the Central County Campus at 541-867-8501 to schedule an advising appointment or use this online appointment-reservation utility.

CLASS SCHEDULE

The class schedule is available online here.

SOCIAL MEDIA

TikTok Facebook Twitter Instagram If you do not have access to a computer or internet connection at home, public computers and free printing are available in the commons areas of the Central County Campus and the North County Center. 

Effective Catalog

OCCC General

Each year, Oregon Coast Community College publishes an online catalog. The document includes faculty, staff, courses, programs, certificates, degrees and more. View the current OCCC catalog. Questions about the catalog? Call 541-867-8501.