Mar 28, 2024  
2015-2016 Catalog 
    
2015-2016 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

General Policies



 

Nondiscrimination Statement

Casper College is committed to equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate in its employment or educational programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, political affiliation, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, religion, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Questions concerning equal opportunity, discrimination, Title VII, Title IX, or Section 504 may be referred to Casper College, Human Resources Department, 125 College Dr., Casper, WY 82601; 307-268-2025, or to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Region VIII, 1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204-3582; 303-844-5695 or TDD 303-844-3417.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

This act outlines the rights of students and the responsibilities of educational institutions in the maintenance and security of student records. The rights of students under this act include the following, subject to conditions and limitations specified in the act:

  1. The right to access official records directly related to the student. Students may request to amend education records for inaccurate or misleading information but they may not challenge a grade, an opinion, or a substantive decision. Students have the right to a hearing pertaining to denied requests and may submit a personal statement in the record regarding the dispute.
  2. The right to limit disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in education records. Casper College may release student information to excepted parties per this act without student consent. The college considers the following information to be directory information and, in response to public inquiry, may be disclosed in conformance with state law, at the college’s discretion, without prior consent of the student: (a) student name, (b) major field of study, (c) educational level (d) participation in officially recognized activities and sports, (e) weight and height of athletic team members, (f) dates of attendance, (g) degrees and awards, and (h) enrollment status. Students may restrict access to their directory information by providing enrollment services with written notification during the first 14 calendar days of fall or spring semester or the first four calendar days of summer session.
  3. The right to file a complaint concerning alleged failure by Casper College to comply with the act with the Family Policy Compliance Office. U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue SW, Washington DC 20202-4605.

The information contained in educational records, except for directory information, will not be disclosed to anyone without the prior written consent of the student.

Title IX of the Higher Education Act of 1972 as Amended

Throughout this catalog, the masculine pronoun is generic and should be construed to apply equally to men and women. It is the intent of Casper College to comply with Title IX.

Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Casper College may not exclude any students with an ADA and/or Section 504 qualified disabling condition from any course or course of study because of a disability. Students seeking accommodative services under ADA or Section 504 must meet with the disability services counselor, located in the student success center, Room 344 of the Walter H. Nolte Gateway Center, prior to the implementation of expected services. Some services may require more than 72 hours advanced planning. Written documentation is required to qualify for accommodative services.

Sexual Misconduct

Casper College is committed to and seeks to maintain a safe academic and work environment. The college prohibits all forms of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. The college has a duty to prevent and redress sexual misconduct under federal law including Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972, Violence Against Women Act, and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. The full policy and procedures are available at caspercollege.edu/policies.

Individuals who believe they have been sexually harassed should follow college policies and procedures to address the issue. Harassment complaints may be reported to the director of human resources or the vice president of student services; both offices are located in the Walter H. Nolte Gateway Center, fourth floor, or to the director of security and judicial review. The Denver Regional Office of the Department of Education or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Office in Denver are also available to address harassment issues. Confidentiality will be maintained for all parties involved, insofar as possible. College policy explicitly prohibits retaliation against individuals for bringing harassment complaints. Individuals found responsible for harassment are subject to disciplinary action. See the student handbook for more information.

MMR Immunization

All new degree-seeking students must provide proof of immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) prior to registration. Persons born before 1957 are exempt from this requirement. Acceptable proof of immunization includes 1) an immunization record documenting the receipt of two doses of the MMR vaccination at 15 months of age or later or one dose for people who receive the vaccination after age 18; 2) a signed physician statement verifying a diagnoses of all three of the diseases; or 3) an official, signed statement documenting laboratory evidence of immunity for all three diseases. Immunization must be validated prior to registration. Students may obtain an MMR immunization through public health, a private physician, or at student health. Immunizations fees are the students’ responsibility.

Students may request a medical or religious exemption. For a medical exemption, the student must submit a signed statement from a medical practitioner’s verifying a medical contraindication (i.e., anaphylactic reaction to eggs or neomycin, pregnancy and altered immune status) to student health. For a religious exemption, the student must submit a signed statement declaring religious beliefs contrary to immunizations to student health. If a measles, mumps, or rubella outbreak occurs on campus, students with an exemption will be excluded from campus for the duration of the outbreak. Any MMR immunization exemption is only applicable to enrollment to Casper College. It does not extend to any program, course, clinical, or internship/cooperative work experience offerings in which an accrediting agency or third party site provider requires the MMR immunization.

Resident Status

The Wyoming Community College Commission establishes residency requirements. Residence classification is determined at the time of admission or whenever a student has not been in attendance for more than one semester. A student may also be reclassified prior to the end of a published refund period for any semester in which he or she qualifies. A registered student who is classified as a resident by one Wyoming community college will be classified as a resident at all Wyoming community colleges.

Community colleges may require applicants to supply information to document residency status. Direct any questions to enrollment services at 307-268-2111.

A.     Residing in Wyoming primarily as a student will not support a claim for resident status. The following students are considered Wyoming residents:

  1. Individuals who are financial dependents or under the age of 24 with a parent, guardian, or spouse who lives in the State of Wyoming.
  2. Graduates of a Wyoming high school.
  3. Active Wyoming National Guard members and U.S. Armed Forces members stationed in Wyoming, and their dependents.
  4. Graduate students with university-funded fellowships.
  5. Wyoming residents temporarily absent from the state due to military service, attendance at an educational institution, or other type of documented temporary sojourn.
  6. The spouse or financial dependent of an individual who is determined to be a Wyoming resident pursuant to this regulation.
  7. Individuals with a permanent home in Wyoming. To determine if a permanent Wyoming home has been established, a variety of factors are considered including evidence that any former home has been abandoned, full-time employment in Wyoming for one continuous year, ownership of home or property in Wyoming, one year of continual presence in Wyoming, former Wyoming residency and maintaining state ties, reliance on Wyoming resources for full financial support, Wyoming vehicle registration, Wyoming address on most recent federal income tax return, a valid Wyoming driver’s license, and Wyoming voter registration. No one factor determines residence status.
  8. Effective for the 2015 summer school session and each semester thereafter, an applicant for resident tuition who is a veteran or eligible individual, as described in 38 U.S.C. 3679(c)(2), shall qualify as a resident for purposes of tuition at the University of Wyoming if the applicant provides:
    a.  A certificate or other evidence of the veteran’s qualifying service in the uniformed services of the United States.
    b.  Documented evidence at the time of enrollment that:
         (1)  The applicant for resident tuition intends to live in Wyoming during the term of enrollment,
         (2)  The veteran was discharged or released from a qualifying period of service in the active military, naval, or air service before the date of enrollment,
         (3)  If the applicant is a spouse or a child of the veteran, the applicant is a transferee pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 3311(b)(9) or 3319 of the veteran’s eligibility for educational benefits.
    c.  A person who has qualified for resident tuition pursuant to the above requirements of this section, shall remain qualified in subsequent years if the person pursues one or more courses of education while remaining continuously enrolled, other than during regularly scheduled breaks, lives in the state during the term of enrollment, and, if the person is eligible through a transfer of eligibility pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 3319, the transfer has not been validly revoked.

B.     The following students are considered nonresidents:

    1.     Individuals who do not qualify under Section A above; and
    2.     Individuals who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents except as provided by Section A2 above.