| Policies
& Procedures
Access to Records
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
of 1974, as amended, was designated to protect the
privacy of education records, to establish the right
of students to inspect and review their education
records, and to provide guidelines for the correction
of inaccurate or misleading data through informal
and formal hearings. Students also have the right
to file complaints with the FERPA Office about alleged
failures by the institution to comply with the Act.
KPC may release, without consent, certain directory
information (name, major, dates of attendance and
credentials awarded). No one outside the institution
shall have access to, nor will the institution disclose
any other information from a student's educational
record, without the written consent of the student,
except to personnel within the institution on a need
to know basis, to officials of other institutions
in which a student seeks to enroll, to persons in
compliance with a judicial order, and to persons in
an emergency in order to protect the health or safety
of the student or other persons, or as otherwise permitted
under the act.
Exceptions to the above policy are as follows:
- Names of students receiving awards
or appearing on the KPC Dean's List or UAA Chancellor's
List are released to the media unless a written
request not to do so has been received in the Business
Office.
- Names of students and their respective
degree/certificate will appear in the commencement
program and will be released to various media requesting
lists of candidates/graduates unless a written request
not to do so has been received by the Business Office.
Names of scholarship recipients are released to
the media unless the Financial Aid Office has received
a written request not to do so.
- Names of students receiving awards
of the Chancellor's Scholarship and any other honorary
scholarships, i.e. Truman Scholarships and/or appearing
in Who's Who Among Students in American Universities
and Colleges are released to the media unless a
written request not to do so has been received by
the Office of Admission and Student Services.
A complete copy of the UAA Policy
on the application of FERPA is available in the UAA
Enrollment Services, Anchorage. A variety of student
records are maintained by KPC and are available to
students upon request. Admission and academic records
are located in the Office of Admissions and Records,
and financial records are located in the Financial
Aid and Business Offices.
Academic Appeals
Students shall have the right to appeal academic actions.
A written request for appeal must be made to the dean/director
of the appropriate school or college not later than
fifteen (15) working days following notification of
the action under review. The request shall set forth
clearly and concisely the action to be reviewed, the
reason the student believes the action was inappropriate,
and the corrective action the student seeks. As a
general rule, the dean/director will not overturn
the action of a faculty member or committee unless
it is shown to be arbitrary and capricious, clearly
erroneous, or based on unlawful discrimination. Each
student requesting review of an academic action shall
be entitled to address the dean/director directly
if desired before the decision is rendered by the
dean/director. Whenever possible, the dean/director's
decision will be rendered and conveyed to the student
in writing within five (5) days of receipt of the
student's request for review. Until receipt of the
dean/director's decision, the student will be permitted
to attend classes unless such attendance poses a danger
to the student or others. There shall be no further
appeal of academic matters within the University.
If a student wishes to seek judicial review, he/she
must file an appeal with the superior court for the
state of Alaska within 30 days of the decision in
accordance with Alaska Appellate Rule 602(a)(2).
Expunging Records
Student records are destroyed when they appear to
be of no potential further use. (Transcripts are permanently
maintained.) Records will be expunged, corrected,
or clarified as required if they are either incorrect
or misleading. A record or portion thereof may be
expunged upon legitimate request of the affected student
if the official responsible for maintaining the record
determines that it would be proper to do so.
Complaint Procedures
The purpose of the local student complaint procedure
is to assist students who have a complaint arising
from conditions, working relationships, practices,
decisions, actions, or inactions of the University
of Alaska Anchorage and its employees. The local procedure
is one of administrative appeal. The procedures are
designed to guide students in resolving a complaint.
Students are encouraged to resolve complaints informally
with the employee directly involved and use the administrative
appeal procedures as a last resort. Should it be necessary,
the student should process an appeal to the employee's
supervisor if not resolved at the initial level.
Name/Address Change
A student's name on official records at KPC must be
the name under which the student applied for admission,
unless a "Change
of Name" form has been processed through
the Office of Admission and Records. Name change requests
must be supported by legal documentation i.e., marriage
certificate, dissolution or divorce decree, or a court
order. Currently enrolled students who have changed
their address should notify the Office of Admission
and Records by completing the appropriate form. Official
notification of change of address is necessary for
accurate mailing of correspondence, grade reports,
transcripts, registration instructions, and information
about graduation requirements.
Student Identification Numbers / Social Security
Numbers
The University of Alaska has moved away from
the practice of using social security numbers as default
ID numbers. This will
reduce the risk of identity theft and fraud for students.
The University is still required to
collect a valid social security number from each student
for tax, employment, and Federal financial aid purposes.
Access your new student ID number when you sign on
to UAOnline.
UAA Graduation Application
UAA issues diplomas
three times a year: in January following the fall
semester, in May following the spring semester and
in September following the summer session. The student
must submit an Application for Graduation by the following
deadlines:
Fall ..........................May 1
Spring ......................September 15
Summer ....................March 1
There is a required $25 fee to be paid to UAA Enrollment
with the Application for Graduation. For further UAA
graduation application requirements see the UAA course
catalog.
Deadline
to Apply for Spring Graduation
Graduation Application
The responsibility for meeting all KPC graduation requirements rests with the student. It is recommended that all students periodically meet with an advisor to make certain all requirements for their degree are being met. A student must apply for graduation prior to the expected date of his/her graduation. The application deadline for each semester is announced in the academic calendar (in semester schedules), posted on campus and the KPC website. A student should obtain the “Application for Graduation” form from the Student Services Office. In order to make sure a planned degree program can be completed, a student should apply for graduation in the semester prior to the estimated graduation date. This insures that the student knows exactly what courses will be needed to complete his/her program before registering for the last semester. There is a required $25 fee to be paid to KPC Admissions and Records with the Application for Graduation.
Graduation with Honors
To be eligible to graduate with honors, an undergraduate
student must earn a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher
in all college work attempted at UAA. Grades and credits
earned from all repeated courses are included in determining
eligibility to graduate with honors. Honors for the
commencement exercises will be determined by the student's
grade point average through the semester prior to
graduation. However, a student's total academic history
will be the determinant in including honors on the
diploma and official transcript. KPC issues diplomas
in December and May.
Commencement Exercises
All students who complete degree or certificate requirements
during the academic year are invited to participate
in the annual commencement exercises that follow the
spring semester. A transfer student who is earning
an associate degree must complete a minimum of 15
resident credits with academic letter grades and a
UAA cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher to be eligible
to graduate with honors. A transfer student who is
earning a baccalaureate degree must complete a minimum
of 30 resident credits with academic letter grades
and a cumulative UAA GPA of 3.50 or higher to be eligible
to graduate with honors. All transfer students must
have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher in all college
work attempted at UAA and at other institutions in
order to graduate with honors. Honors will be awarded
to associate and baccalaureate degree students with
cumulative GPA's as follows: Cum Laude (3.50 to 3.79),
Magna Cum Laude (3.80 to 3.99), Summa Cum Laude (4.00).
Dishonesty
Academic integrity is a basic principle that requires
that students take credit only for ideas and efforts
that are their own. Cheating is defined as the submission
of materials in assignments, exams, or other academic
work that is based on sources forbidden by the faculty
member. Cheating shall include but is not limited
to situations in which the student:
- Refers during an academic evaluation
to material sources not authorized by the faculty
member.
- Utilizes devices during an academic
evaluation that are not authorized by the faculty
member.
- Provides assistance to another
student or receives assistance from another student
during an academic evaluation in a manner not authorized
by the faculty member.
- Presents as one's own, the ideas
or words of another person without customary and
proper acknowledgment of sources.
- Knowingly permits one's words to
be submitted by another person without the faculty
member's permission.
- Acts as a substitute or utilizes
a substitute in any academic evaluation.
- Fabricates data in support of laboratory
or fieldwork.
- Possesses, buys, sells, obtains
or uses a copy of any materials intended to be used
as an instrument of academic evaluation in advance
of its administration.
- Alters grade records of his/her
own or another student's work in a course or a component
of a course.
Penalties for Dishonesty
In addition to any adverse academic action that may
result from engaging in academically dishonest behavior,
the University specifically reserves the right to
address and sanction the conduct involved through
the student disciplinary procedure contained in this
bulletin. Academic actions may be reviewed under the
Academic Appeals Policy.
Sex Offenses on Campus
It is the policy of KPC that the sexual assault of
one member of the academic community by another will
not be tolerated. This policy applies to all members
of the campus community: students, faculty and staff.
The term sexual assault, as used by KPC encompasses
the legal definitions of sexual assault contained
in Alaska state statutes. It includes, but is not
limited to: rape, acquaintance or date rape, as well
as rape by a stranger. Sexual assault is against the
law and is defined as sexual misconduct that is forced
or coerced against the will of the victim. The same
definition applies regardless of whether the assailant
is a stranger or an acquaintance (date, friend, or
someone known casually.) This type of threat may involve
physical violence, coercion, or the threat of harm.
A person who has been the victim of sexual assault
should report the crime to the Director's Office or
the local police. Student Services may provide initial
support services for students on the KPC campus. Staff
will serve in an advocacy role and help refer individuals
for appropriate medical, police, judicial, and counseling
services. In the event an accused person is found
in violation of this policy, the entire range of sanctions
outlined in the Student Code of Conduct may be considered
including, but not limited to, disciplinary probation,
suspension, or expulsion from the College. Should
the alleged sexual assault involve an employee, sanctions
will be determined under applicable employment contracts
and agreements. In an effort to educate the campus
community about sexual assault, acquaintance rape,
and other sex offenses, campus sponsored prevention
programs are offered on an on-going basis throughout
the year. Additional information about the above policy,
and programs offered can be obtained from Student
Services. Sexual assault may also be considered a
violation of the University of Alaska's policy against
sexual harassment. According to the UA Board of Regents'
policy (4.08.02), sexual harassment involves unwelcome
sexual advances or requests for sexual favors by a
member of the campus community when the assailant
uses, threatens to use, or implies that submission
to, or rejection of such conduct will have an impact
on employment or academic decisions affecting the
victim. Sexual harassment includes other verbal or
physical conduct related to sex when such conduct
has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering
with an individual's performance at work or study
by creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive
environment in which to work, live, or learn. The
Director's office or Student Services can provide
information and referral on issues of sexual harassment.
Smoke Free Environment
The college endorses the Alaska "No Smoking Law"
and asks all concerned to respect the individual rights
to health and personal privileges of others. Alaska
State statute prohibits smoking in public buildings
and classrooms. Smoking is permitted outdoors, outside the back doors of the rear entrances.
Alcohol Policy
The mission of the University and Student Services
is to promote the education of the whole student.
The University is concerned about ways in which alcohol
use and abuse may affect the primary academic mission
of the institution, its overall atmosphere and the
personal well being of the University community. The
laws of the state shall be observed in all private
and public events conducted on the property of the
University of Alaska Anchorage. Whether or not a person
drinks alcoholic beverages is a personal decision,
but individuals are held personally accountable for
their actions. The primary objectives of the University's
policy and procedures on alcoholic beverages are to:
1) promote responsible behavior and attitudes among
all members of the University community, 2) to educate
the university community concerning the use and effects
of alcoholic beverages in order to promote responsible
decision-making, 3) To help individuals experiencing
difficulties associated with the use of alcohol. No
University activity or function shall include the
service of alcoholic beverages to participants without
the advance written approval of the Chancellor or
the designee of the Chancellor. Approval to serve
alcoholic beverages will be granted only for the designated
premises and approximate time of private University
events and upon the condition that only persons of
legal age with positive identification will be served.
Personal consumption, possession, or display of beer,
wine, or other alcoholic beverages is prohibited in
University public places. The possession of kegs and
other large quantities of alcoholic beverages will
only be allowed by special permission of the Chancellor.
Any person who exhibits offensive behavior, misconduct,
excessive noise, or creates a public disturbance on
property owned or supervised by the University will
be subject to disciplinary and /or legal action.
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