Policies for Students

Summary of Student Rights

shoreline.edu/about-shoreline/policies-procedures

Student Rights and Responsibilities are protected through policies and procedures adopted by Shoreline Community College’s Board of Trustees.

Title IX

(206) 533-6746 • titleixcoordinator@shoreline.edu • 1000 Building (Admin), Room 1014

shoreline.edu/title-ix

Shoreline Community College complies with Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 which prevents discrimination based on sex and protects students from sexual harassment in all programs and activities at our college. This includes academics, extracurricular activities, athletics, and other programs. Sexual harassment, which is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature and includes sexual violence, is considered sex discrimination and is against Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

We offer all educational programs and services without discrimination based on race, creed, disability, religion, color, national origin, age, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, or status as a Vietnam-era or disabled veteran in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

We also make sure that all educational programs are accessible to all people no matter their physical status in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. No student with a disability who is otherwise qualified and can perform adequately in an academic environment will be excluded, denied benefits, or subjected to discrimination in any program, activity, or service at Shoreline Community College. All campus facilities and programs will be accessible to people with disabilities. We will provide reasonable accommodation unless doing so would cause our college too much difficulty (“undue hardship”).

Freedom from Discrimination

Shoreline Community College does not allow any kind of illegal discrimination, including sexual harassment, by or towards any student, instructor, administrator, or staff member. You are encouraged to contact the Title IX Coordinator or the Vice President of Instruction if you believe you have been harassed or discriminated against because of your race, ethnicity, gender, age, or marital status.

(See Policy 4111 - Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity and Policy 4113 - Discrimination, Harassment and Title IX).

Academic Credit by Prior Learning Assessment

shoreline.edu/apply-and-aid/registration/credit-for-prior-learning

Students can earn academic credit for prior learning by demonstrating that their experience meets the outcomes of college classes. Shoreline Community College acknowledges that students may have gained college-level knowledge and skills through employment, military service, internships, independent research, volunteer work, and previous classwork. We have an assessment process to award credit for prior learning which can help students to minimize the loss of credit and avoid repeating educational achievements.

Credit for prior learning needs to align with current theories, practices, and content in the specific academic field, as evaluated by faculty with expertise in that field. The evidence of learning should be thorough, verifiable, real, and up-to-date. High academic standards will be used, and modern methods for assessment will be applied. This might include portfolio reviews, standardized tests, demonstrations, projects, interviews, or other methods chosen by the faculty. The outcomes from prior learning need to match all the goals of the college coursework to qualify for credit, and not all classes are eligible for credit through prior learning. Additionally, some colleges and universities may not accept these credits for transfer.

Students interested in earning academic credit for prior learning should meet with faculty advisors to discuss the feasibility, available options, petition process (if applicable), and required documentation. They can contact the program or division for a list of classes eligible for Academic Credit through Prior Learning Assessment. Students are also encouraged to challenge classes by submitting a Petition for Course Challenge if available for a specific class.

(See College Policy 5164)

Prior Experiential Learning (PEL)

Prior Experiential Learning (PEL) refers to knowledge and skills gained through prior experience and assessed by faculty through an evaluation of compiled work. Credits awarded from PEL cannot exceed 25% of the total credits required for any program, certificate, or degree, and may not be available for all classes.

• credits from PEL will not be awarded if a Course Challenge Exam is available for a class. Students should instead navigate the Course Challenge process in these situations.
• students need to demonstrate experiential learning for both prerequisite and petitioned class outcomes.
• students will pay a fee for each class petitioned whether or not a credit is awarded.

Extra-Institutional Learning (EIL)

Extra-Institutional Learning refers to knowledge and skills gained outside Shoreline Community College that are verified through third-party certifications or industry-recognized tests or training. We have evaluated certain professional programs that are regionally or nationally recognized and have set clear criteria for awarding credits for these programs.

Students can request a review for credit for certificates or professional training experiences for which clear criteria do not exist by submitting a Petition for Credit by Extra-Institutional Learning or Course Challenge. 

Credit by Testing: Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB)

Students who complete college-level coursework in high school can receive appropriate credit and/or placement based on their performance on the Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) exams.

• visit shoreline.edu/placement for a complete list of AP and IB test scores that can be used for credit 
• visit collegeboard.org to request AP test scores be sent to Shoreline Community College
• visit ibo.org/en/programmes to request IB Diploma Programme transcripts be sent to Shoreline Community College

Note: Shoreline Community College generally does not award credit for the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) but exceptions can be made by the appropriate division dean. Relevant courses will be listed with a P Grade on your transcript for no fee.

Course Challenge

Students enrolled at Shoreline Community College can earn credit for certain classes by successfully passing Course Challenge Exams. These exams are thorough and ensure that students have the same knowledge and skills as those who successfully complete the course. Students should have prior training, private study, work experience, or other relevant qualifications showing they know as much as someone who finished the course.

Course Challenge Exams can only be taken once per class, and students cannot take a Course Challenge Exam for a class they have previously audited or failed. Students cannot retake the exam but may choose to enroll in the course after a decision has been made. Not all courses offer Course Challenge Exams. The process is explained in the Petition for Credit by Course Challenge Form.

Community Standard

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly…”

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Shoreline Community College is a place for students, employees, and the community to pursue excellence in education in an environment dedicated to equity, inclusiveness, and self-reflection. We value respectful, dynamic interactions and lively discussion and strive to create an environment where everyone is supported and valued. Shoreline Community College does not tolerate hateful, violent, or discriminatory actions that target any person or group based on their beliefs, customs, identity, or affiliations. When one of us is diminished, all of us are diminished.

It is Shoreline Community College’s policy that all students, employees, vendors, and visitors are expected to treat all students, employees, vendors, and visitors with dignity and respect in their behavior and their communications when they are on campus or involved in a college activity; accept responsibility for the appropriateness of their conduct; and comply with all laws and contract requirements applicable to workplace and academic behavior.

Students who experience or observe a violation of our community standard are encouraged to:

• contact the Campus Safety & Security Department (or law enforcement) 
• report the incident via the Bias Incident Intake Form
• share the incident with an instructor or administrator 

Students who engage in behavior that violates the community standard are subject to disciplinary action under the Student Conduct Code.

(See Policy 5030 - Student Conduct Policy)

Expressive Activities

Shoreline Community College is a place for students, employees, and the community to pursue excellence in education in an environment dedicated to equity, inclusiveness, and self-reflection. We are required to provide all members of our community with their right to free speech as a public institution of Washington State. However, we also maintain the right to enforce requirements related to the time, place, and manner in which free speech occurs on campus. 

Any recognized student group or organization at Shoreline Community College, with their advisor’s permission, can invite any speaker they want to our campus. The advisor ensures the talk is educational, but the speaker can choose what to say and how to say it, as long as they follow federal and state laws.

Expressive activities must not seriously disrupt educational activities inside or outside of buildings or prevent Shoreline Community College from fulfilling its mission and achieving its primary purpose of providing an education to its students. These activities must also not substantially infringe on the rights and privileges of students, employees, or visitors at the College.

Views expressed by individuals and groups that make use of the Shoreline Community College’s limited public forum do not necessarily represent the views endorsed by the College. We value respectful, dynamic interactions, and are dedicated to continually refining our process and engaging in conversations that enhance the security and safety of our entire campus community. 

(See Policy 1005 - Use of College Facilities for Expressive Activities)

Use of Human Subjects

Shoreline Community College’s policy on the use of human subjects established by its Board of Trustees aims to protect individuals’ rights, well-being, and privacy, ensure a supportive environment for skill development and academic research, and protect the interests of the College. This policy addresses classroom, laboratory, or clinical activities in which learning by students requires the use of human subjects as part of the training procedures, demonstrations, and/or experiments. 

(See Policy 5329 - Use of Human Subjects)

Reasonable Accommodation of Students with Disabilities

(206) 546-4545 • sas@shoreline.edu • 5000 Building (FOSS), Room 5226

shoreline.edu/oss/students-with-disabilities

Students with disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to programs, facilities, and the 7000 Residence Hall at Shoreline Community College. They should contact Student Accessibility Services (SAS) to request these accommodations. Medical documentation is usually not required.

Reasonable accommodations can include the following:

• ergonomic furniture
• extended testing time
• interpreters for American Sign Language
• notetaking software

(See Policy 5114 - Reasonable Accommodation of Students with Disabilities)

Student Conduct

Student Grievance

Students can appeal decisions about their grades through a step-by-step process. Contact the dean of the specific academic subject for assistance regarding the grievance process.

• Step 1: The student talks to the instructor, explains the issue, and tries to mutually resolve it. 
• Step 2: The student can ask to meet with the Division Dean If the issue isn’t resolved. This meeting needs to happen by the 20th day of instruction in the next regular academic quarter, excluding the summer quarter.
• Step 3: The Dean will arrange a meeting with the student and the instructor if the meeting with the dean doesn’t resolve the problem.
• Step 4: The student can take the complaint to the Committee for Resolution of Academic Grievances (CRAG) if there’s still no resolution. The CRAG includes four faculty members, two students, one administrator, and the Vice President of Instruction.

Grades will be changed only under the following circumstances:

• the grading policy for the course was unclear or confusing.
• the instructor acted dishonestly or unfairly.
• the instructor did not follow the grading policy in the course syllabus or applied it unfairly.
• there was a mistake in calculating the grade.

(See Policy 5035 - Student Grievances - Academic Evaluation)

Title IV Student Complaint Process

studentcomplaint.sbctc.edu/about

The Higher Education Act (HEA) prevents colleges and universities from giving false information about their programs, costs, or graduates’ job prospects. Every state is required to have a process to review and handle complaints about their colleges and universities and enforce state laws.

• The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) investigates complaints from students at community and technical colleges in Washington State.
• Students can visit sbctc.edu/colleges-staff/programs-services/student-services for more information.

Dishonesty in Academics

Students at Shoreline Community College are expected to demonstrate academic integrity. We do not permit any form of academic dishonesty, such as cheating, fabrication, or plagiarism.

• Cheating includes trying to give or get help with the completion of an academic assignment without permission.

• Fabrication includes falsifying data, information, or citations in completing an academic assignment and also includes giving false or misleading information to an instructor about finishing an assignment.

• Plagiarism includes taking and using another person’s ideas, writings, or work as their own without giving proper credit in an academic assignment, such as copying text directly without quotation marks, paraphrasing without acknowledgment, or presenting someone else’s research findings as your own, as well as the submission of academic work that has already been submitted for credit in a different course.

The consequences of breaking academic rules should be clearly explained in the course syllabus or program handbook. These consequences can include losing credit, getting a lower grade, failing the assignment or course, being removed from the program, or other smaller penalties. Cases of cheating may be reported to the Vice President of Student Services for further discipline.

(See Policy 5030) - Student Conduct)

General Student Complaint Process

shoreline.edu/apply-and-aid/out-of-state/student-complaint-process.aspx

1. Introduction​

In the event of an alleged violation of a Shoreline Community College policy or procedure, refer to the specific policy or procedure for the applicable complaint process. If there is no such complaint process within the applicable SCC policy and procedure, then this general complaint procedure is available to SCC students. The purpose of this procedure is to establish a process whereby a student may complain about the action, or inaction, of a Shoreline Community College employee or representative of the College such as a vendor or third-party contractor.

A student may initiate the general complaint process to seek resolution of an alleged incident or violation of a policy or procedure that occurred while enrolled as a student at Shoreline Community College. If the complaint falls under a policy that has a specific dispute resolution procedure, that procedure will take precedence. Federal and state laws (other than consumer protection laws), rules and regulations shall not be grievable matters under this process.

The general complaint process utilizes and encourages an informal process to resolve problems that do not violate college policies, or state or federal law. However, a formal complaint process can be used in any situation where the informal process does not successfully resolve the issue or at the request of the student making the complaint.

This general complaint process is available to any student who is currently enrolled or was enrolled as a student at Shoreline Community College at the time of the incident. Documentation related to complaints are subject to the requirements of public records law or other legal reporting requirements. The College is not responsible for the confidentiality of the parties involved and cannot guarantee confidentiality to any participant.

2. Making A Complaint

​Informal Process

This process promotes constructive dialogue and understanding and does not require the student to submit paperwork or forms. If the complaint involves violation of college policy or state/federal law, the student should pursue the formal complaint process.

Supervisors will keep written records of the complaint, including date, student information, nature of the complaint, and resolution. Faculty names will not be maintained with these records, and students will be informed that no such record will be kept. Students who wish the complaint to be linked with an individual faculty should pursue the formal process.

Prior to filing a formal complaint, the student must use the following informal process:

1. Within twenty-one (21) calendar days following the alleged incident that gave rise to the complaint, the complainant should discuss the complaint informally with the respondent involved.

• Any College official receiving a complaint shall refer the complaint to respondent’s immediate supervisor for review.

2. At their discretion, the complainant may report the concern to the supervisor of the respondent who is the subject of the complaint. In the case of a complaint against a vendor, the concern may be reported to the President or designee.

3. Both parties, complainant and respondent or supervisor, should discuss the matter, explore alternatives, and attempt to arrive at a satisfactory resolution to the complaint within fifteen (15) calendar days following the date the complainant first made the issue or problem known to the respondent.

• Depending on the nature of the complaint, the College may be required by law to take action, notwithstanding the complainant’s desire to address the issue informally.

4. If a complainant is not satisfied with respect to the outcome of the informal process to the complaint, they may (at their discretion) initiate a formal process to address their concern.

Formal Process

If an informal attempt at resolution is unsuccessful, a complainant may proceed with a formal complaint. A complaint may be submitted verbally or in written form, or online. Verbal and written complaints should be submitted to the supervisor of the employee when possible. The College official receiving the complaint shall mark the date the complaint was received and refer the complainant to the appropriate unit administrator for an initial review within a reasonable time-period, taking into consideration all relevant circumstances, including the due process rights of the person(s) subject to the complaint. In the event that the person subject to the complaint is a member of the executive team, then the reviewing official shall be the President or their designee who does not report directly or indirectly to the respondent. In the event that the person subject to the complaint is the President, then an alternate administrator shall be designated by the Board of Trustees to review and respond to the complaint. The following is the process for a formal complaint: 

1. If a complainant wishes to make a complaint that seeks a formal resolution, the complaint must be filed no later than ninety (90) calendar days following the alleged incident that gave rise to the complaint.

2. The formal complaint should normally include the following:

• Date, time, place of the alleged incident(s) or violation(s)

• Description of the alleged incident(s) or violation(s)

• The identity of the employee named in the complaint

• The Shoreline policy or procedure allegedly violated, if applicable

3. Once the formal complaint is submitted, the appropriate supervisor (the reviewing official) shall meet with the complainant.

• The purpose of this meeting is to discuss and review the complaint and the options available to the complainant through the formal complaint procedure. If the complainant fears retaliation in a class in which they are currently enrolled, the identity of the complainant will be withheld until the completion of the quarter and grades have been submitted.

• At the initial meeting with the complainant, if in the reviewing official’s judgment an informal approach has not been attempted or exhausted and would be effective, the reviewing official may request that the complainant meet with other party(ies) involved in an effort to resolve the concern.

4. ​The reviewing official shall begin an investigation to be normally completed within 20 instructional days for faculty and 30 business days for all others (investigations may take longer if classes are not in session or in the event of extenuating circumstances). All such investigations shall comply with the College’s obligations under any applicable collective bargaining agreement, including modifying any deadlines or procedures of this procedure to comply with that agreement.

• After reviewing all evidence presented from the investigation, the reviewing official shall submit written conclusions and recommendations that the official deems appropriate from the evidence presented. The complainant and the employee shall each receive copies of written conclusions and recommendations.

• Both the complainant and the employee shall be given 14 calendar days or 7 instructional days, whichever is longer, to submit a written statement in rebuttal to any of the findings. Any reply to such rebuttal shall be submitted within seven calendar days thereafter. The terms of any applicable collective bargaining agreement shall prevail over this procedure, in the event of a conflict.

• If the complaint is not resolved by this process or by mediation, and/or if either of the parties decides not to participate in mediation, when recommended, then the reviewing official shall, after an investigation, submit a written report to the chief student services administrator or designee, including the complaint, any responses, finding, and any other information the unit administrator deems relevant. The employee who is the subject of the complaint shall be provided an opportunity to defend themselves against any charges brought by the complainant or brought by any witnesses who testify regarding the events at issue.

• Within 14 calendar days, based upon the recommendations of the chief student services administrator, corrective action will be taken if necessary and appropriate. The chief student services administrator or designee shall provide all parties with copies of the final decision. The terms of any applicable collective bargaining agreement shall prevail over this procedure, in the event of a conflict.

• An employee who disagrees with the decision of the chief student services administrator or designee, or with the appropriateness of any corrective measures may contest the same through applicable sections of the most current negotiated faculty agreement. Disciplinary action taken against faculty shall be limited to procedures regarding Corrective Action as described in the most current negotiated faculty agreement.

• If the complainant disagrees with the decision, said complainant retains all legal rights to seek redress that may exist at the completion of this procedure.

Student Records and Rights to Privacy

shoreline.edu/advising/ferpa.aspx

All students and their educational at Shoreline Community College are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 which allows only people with a valid reason to access their records.

However, FERPA also lets Shoreline Community College share directory information unless our Enrollment Services Department receives a written request from a student not to share any information. Directory information includes attendance dates, graduation dates, degrees and certificates earned, enrollment status, honors, major or field of study, student name, and weight of student-athletes. This is to help Shoreline Community College do important tasks, like checking information for auditors or helping students transfer to new schools, without causing delays.

Students at Shoreline Community College have the following rights to keep their educational records private and secure:

• the right to see and review their student education records within 45 days of making a request. Students should submit a request that identifies the records they want to inspect to the Enrollment Services Department.
• the right to ask for corrections to their education records if they believe there are mistakes.
• the right to decide who can see their personal information except when FERPA allows Shoreline Community College to share it without permission.
• the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education if they believe Shoreline Community College is not following the requirements of FERPA.

Academic Standards

shoreline.edu/advising/low-gpa.aspx

Students at Shoreline Community College need to maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher each quarter and pass at least half of their classes. Some academic programs may also have additional requirements and procedures for their students. We will offer support and notify students by email if they do not meet these academic standards.

• Exceptions: Students enrolled only in basic skills classes may be exempt from this policy. The instructors of those courses will decide the academic standards and support needed. (See Classification of Instructional Program Code 32)

(See Policy 5032 and Procedures 5032 - Academic Standards)

Reasonable Accommodations for Religion/Conscience

Students who will miss class activities for reasons of faith or conscience can request accommodations so their grades are not affected. They must fill out and submit the Faith and Conscience Absence Form within the first two weeks of each quarter.