Policies

Employee and Applicant Grievance Procedure and Policy

Delta Community College adheres to the LCTCS policy on Grievance - For All Employess (policy # 6.015):

1. Guidelines

It is the policy of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System to develop and maintain a satisfied and efficient work force. An employee who is seeking a solution concerning disagreements arising from working relationships, working conditions, employment practices, or differences in interpretation of policy is encouraged to discuss the matter with the immediate supervisor before filing a grievance. Most concerns can be resolved informally without the need for a formal grievance. Performance evaluations are not grievable under this formal grievance policy. LCTCS believes that employee grievances should be resolved at the lowest possible administrative level and an employee must exhaust all administrative procedures at the institution level before an appeal can be made to the President. Only those grievances that are related to the President or that the President cannot resolve shall be sent to the Board.

When an employee feels he/she has been treated unjustly, the employee has the right to utilize the grievance policy without fear of retaliation, discrimination, or reprisal because of the action. The decision to utilize the grievance policy shall be the employee’s decision. It is understood that a grievance will be kept confidential except to the extent necessary to investigate and resolve the grievance.

When an employee feels that a condition of employment or application of a policy is unjust or inequitable, he/she is encouraged to first seek assistance from his/her immediate supervisor, who should attempt to solve the problem The supervisor is responsible for handling the complaint and striving to arrive at a prompt, equitable solution.

Occasionally, an employee’s complaint involves his/her supervisor, or the employee does not feel the matter has been resolved by the supervisor. In such an instance, the employee Page 2 of 3 should feel free to file a formal grievance. The employee may appeal a complaint through to the college Chancellor. In the event that the complaint is appealed beyond the Chancellor level, the LCTCS President will respond to the appeal through a procedure established by the system President.

When an employee feels he/she is being discriminated against because of race, color, sex, ethnic origin, religion, age, veteran status, or disability and is not able to discuss this issue with his/her supervisor, the employee should refer to the LCTCS policy on harassment.

Only those grievances that are not eligible for appeal to the Director of Civil Service or the Civil Service Commission shall be processed through the LCTCS grievance policy.

Under certain circumstances, Civil Service classified employees should use the Civil Service procedure for appeals and hearings rather than the LCTCS system grievance policy. Examples of the types of actions over which the Civil Service Commission assumes responsibility are disciplinary actions which impact pay, such as:

• Removal of a permanent employee for cause
• Suspension with or without pay as a disciplinary action
• Reduction in pay
• Prohibited political activity
• Classification and Pay

2. Grievance Procedure

To file a grievance, employees should use the following procedures:

• The employee is encouraged to work out issues of concern with his or her immediate supervisor on an informal basis. However, this is not required before filing a grievance.
• The employee should file a written grievance as soon as possible after the action giving rise to the grievance and normally within fifteen (15) working days.
• The grievance should be directed to employer’s supervisor, unless the grievance involves that supervisor, in which case the grievance should be directed to the next in line of management.
• The supervisor or, if applicable, the next in line of management , normally has fifteen (15) working days to respond to the grievance in writing.
• Should an employee be unsatisfied with a response from their supervisor, he or she may direct a written grievance to the Executive Director of Human Resources within ten (10) working days of receiving their supervisor’s response. The Executive Director will act upon the complaint, in writing, normally within ten (10) days.
• The Executive Director will arrange an investigation with the parties involved. The Executive Director will then respond in writing to the aggrieved employee normally within fifteen (15) working days once the investigation is complete.
• The employee may appeal a complaint through to the college Chancellor within 10 working days of receiving the response.
• In the event that the complaint is appealed beyond the Chancellor level, the LCTCS President will respond to the appeal through a procedure established by the system President.

Time periods provided in this policy for presenting or responding to grievances may be extended when necessary and appropriate.

Academic Policies

Credit Hour Policy

10.7 SACSCOC

Louisiana Delta Community College’s Determination of Credit Hours for Courses Policy:

1. Defines a credit hour for all credit bearing college courses
2. Provides direction for determining credit hours for credit bearing college courses
3. Ensures credit hours are properly applied and assigned to courses which conform to commonly accepted practices in higher education

Academic Courses Not Subject to Clock-to-Credit Hour Conversion (Associate Degree Programs)

In setting its annual calendar beginning and ending school dates, Louisiana Delta Community College sets a minimum of 750 minutes of seat time for one semester hour of academic course credit in traditional face-to-face courses. According to Federal Regulation 34 CFR 600.2, a credit hour is defined as not less than one collegiate hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction per week over a fifteen-week semester. Additionally, a credit hour of seat time requires a minimum of two hours of unsupervised student work outside of scheduled meeting times (homework assignments, research, test preparation, etc.). A course offered in fewer than 15 instructional weeks shall contain the same total hours (contact hours, preparation time, content, and requirements) per credit hour as the same course offered in the standard 15-week semester.

Louisiana Delta Community College recognizes that college-level learning may be acquired in a variety of settings and can be documented objectively and comprehensively through written or performance examinations and other academically sound procedures. With the growth of distance education; the introduction of technology in teaching methods, and increased number of special topic courses and independent study courses, the nature of instructional contact hours has changed and requires greater flexibility. All courses not subject to the clock-to-credit hour conversion must be of reasonable length and include both content and contact sufficient to maintain high academic quality and standards commensurate with the credit hours awarded. The basis for such certification of learning is a valid and credible assessment system which reliably determines whether a student possesses clearly identified standards-based knowledge, skills, and abilities.

To award credit hours for distance education courses, hybrid, studio, clinical, directed study, and lab course formats, LDCC shall engage students for a minimum of three hours per week (homework assignments, research, test preparation, class meeting, clinical experience, etc.) and not less than 2,250 minutes per credit hour per week for one semester credit hour.

Because it is difficult to measure engaged unsupervised time for courses offered in hybrid or online formats, course content and learning outcomes are matched to those established in face-to-face sections of the same courses.

Non-Degree Programs Subject to Clock-to-Credit Hour Conversion (Technical Diploma Programs/Certificates)

For courses in programs that are subject to the clock-to-credit hour conversion formula (programs that do not lead to an associate degree), LDCC follows the Federal Department of Education Guidelines in accordance with 34 CFR 668.8. Non-degree programs that do not lead to an associate degree or courses within a program that are not transferrable for credit toward an associate degree will adhere to the clock-to-credit hour conversion. Credit hours for courses meeting the Gainful Employment (GE) criteria are determined based on 30 contact hours per one credit hour.

For the purpose of awarding credit hours for distance education courses and other alternative formats (hybrid, studio, clinical, directed study, and labs) which are applicable to GE programs and subject to the clock-to-credit hour conversion, students shall engage for a minimum of 30 hours to earn one credit hour. Because it is difficult to measure engaged time for courses offered in hybrid or online formats, course content and learning outcomes are matched to those established in face-to-face sections of the same courses.

Note: Programs governed by separate accreditation bodies or state boards (i.e., LSBNE) must adhere to special guidelines stipulating program length or contact hours for a particular course. For these programs, this policy regarding the clock-to-credit hour conversion serves as the minimum standard. Courses within programs governed by oversight bodies and boards may have student engagement more than 30 hours per credit hour.

Purge Policy

Students will be purged from all classes in a semester or term if their financial account is not in good standing and/or if they are reported as not attending every registered class within the Show/No Show period as stated on the Academic Calendar. The Show/No Show period for parts of term within a semester or term is set by the Registrar’s Office.

To explicitly define a student’s financial account to be in good standing and prevent removal of classes, a student must meet one of the following conditions:

• The student has paid all tuition and fees for all classes in which the student is registered in the entire semester using cash, check, credit card, or debit card, and the amount is posted in the system of record to reflect the student does not owe any amount of money to the college.
• The student has applied and is granted financial aid to include all grants, scholarships, waivers, outside resources, and loans that cover the entire amount owed to the college for all classes the student is registered for the entire semester and the amount has been applied in the system of record in the student’s account.
• The student has applied and is granted scholarship money. The responsible issuer of the money has completed all proper processes and has officially and properly notified Louisiana Delta Community College of the money to be applied toward the student’s account, and the amount has been properly posted to the student’s account in the system of record by the responsible party.

If a student has not completed all applicable requirements to have financial aid applied to their account or their award does not cover the entire tuition bill, they must provide acceptable monies to cover the entire bill or utilize the payment plan to stay in classes. This includes students who have not completed all financial aid requirements, but think they will be granted financial aid, and students applying for a Satisfactory Academic Progress appeal. The Director of Financial Aid and Financial Aid Advisors have the authority to review a student’s account and place a Financial Aid Purge Protection (FP) on the student’s record to hold the student’s classes as necessary. If the student is unable to secure funding or utilize the payment plan in order to stay in classes; the student will be required to cover their financial responsibilities, and if they are awarded monies from financial aid after the purge, the student will be reimbursed the amount they are eligible to receive.

Non-attendance status is defined as a student whose attendance is reported as not attended/not participated in their registered class(es) (to include online courses) during the Show/No Show period.

Procedure

There are three set purges directly following set payment deadlines, which are published on the college’s calendar.

1. FIRST PURGE - This purge is usually set the Thursday before the start of the first class for the full term, which is the first tuition deadline. The purpose of this purge is to identify classes for low-enrollment cancellation thus allowing the college to secure classes based upon paying students.
2. SECONDPURGE - This purge is set one day after add/drop date (on the fifth “in-class” day of the full term) and is the final tuition payment deadline. The purpose of the second purge is to set and maintain proper student rosters for classes prior to the 14th-day data freeze. No late enrollments will be authorized without exceptional extenuating circumstances.
3. FINAL PURGE - Once census rosters have been submitted to the Registrar’s Office, students who have never attended or participated in all registered courses (including online courses) will be identified and dropped. This ensures the College reports the student as non-attending and federal financial aid will not be disbursed. The disbursement of federal financial aid funds creates an institutional responsibility to collect unauthorized funds from the student.

Students who fall into any of the three categories listed above during the specified time periods will be removed from their courses as if they never attended, and all related tuition and fees are removed.

Prior to each purge, a committee consisting of representatives from the Registrar’s Office, Academic Affairs, Enrollment Services, Financial Aid, and Finance will determine the purge threshold after scrutinizing the total balance due for all registered students.

Affected students will be notified by the Office of Student Accounts before and after each purge. In addition, students who fall into any of the categories listed above during the specified time periods receive timely notices from LDCC regarding the status of their balance due and/or attendance.

Purge Protection

Faculty and Staff are not allowed to purge-protect students without proof the student has a guaranteed source of funds that will cover the entire amount owed to LDCC. Any exception to this policy regarding purge-protection will require approval from the Chancellor and/or approved designees.

To prevent a student’s classes from being purged, the following purge protections can be placed on the account:

• Bursar Purge Protection (BP, PP) - Bursar’s/Accounting Office
• Enrollment Services Purge Protection (EP) - Office of Enrollment Services
• Financial Aid Purge Protection (FP) - Office of Financial Aid
• Registrar Purge Protection (RP) - Registrar’s Office

Under the discretion of the offices listed above, a purge protection may be placed on a student’s account when it has been clearly identified and determined that a student will be eligible to receive enough financial aid, including Scholarships, VA Benefits, and Third Party Payments (WIOA, PHOCAS, etc..) to cover the student’s entire account balance or enough funding that will prevent the student from being purged.

Below are the allowable reasons for LDCC staff to place a Purge Protection on a student’s account:

Bursar Purge Protection (BP)

Third party payment verification has been received.

Payment Plan Purge Protection (PP)

Automatically placed on accounts once student enrolls in a payment plan with BankMobile.

Special Circumstances - Bursar

In the event that a special circumstance occurs and a student does not meet the allowable reason for a purge protection, a purge protection should not be placed on a student’s account without approval from the CFO. Approvals for a Special Circumstance purge protection will be provided by an email.

Enrollment Services Purge Protection (EP)

• Student is a dual enrollment student. At the start of each term (Fall, Spring, Summer), a purge protection hold is applied to allow for accounting to apply their dual enrollment waiver and bill the student’s school district.
• Student is enrolled in a Workforce or “Special program” (i.e. Mortgage Document Program) where payment is secured (i.e. State funded) but will be delayed.

Financial Aid Purge Protection (FP)

• Student has completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and has submitted all required documents to the Office of Financial Aid in order to process the student’s financial aid.
• Student has accepted Federal Direct Student Loans or Alternative Loans and the loan(s) have not authorized to the student’s account.
• Students enrolled in the “Student Offender Program” that have been determined eligible for Federal Pell Grant and require a waiver to be applied to the student’s account.
• Student’s Federal Financial Aid has been authorized, but is not enough to cover the student’s entire balance and the student is eligible and awaiting for TOPS to post to their account.

Special Circumstances - Enrollment Services and Financial Aid

In the event that a special circumstance occurs and a student does not meet the allowable reason for a purge protection, a purge protection should not be placed on a student’s account without approval from the Executive Director of Enrollment Management, the Director of Financial Aid, or a Campus Director. Approvals for a Special Circumstance purge protection will be provided by an email.

Purge Expiration Date

No LDCC staff can place an end-of-time purge protection (XX-DEC-2099) on any student’s account for any reason; any purge protection placed on a student’s account should not exceed the census date for that term. Payment Plan Purge Protections will not exceed the final payment plan date for the semester.

Students in Financial Good Standing

To explicitly define a student’s financial account to be in good standing and prevent removal of classes, a student must meet one of the following conditions:

• The student has paid all tuition and fees for all classes in which the student is registered in the entire semester using cash, check, credit card, or debit card and the amount is posted in the system of record to reflect the student does not owe any amount of money to the college.
• The student has applied and is granted financial aid to include all grants, scholarships, waivers, outside resources, and loans that cover the entire amount owed to the college for all classes the student is registered for the entire semester and the amount has been applied in the system of record in the student’s account.
• The student has applied and is granted scholarship money. The responsible issuer of the money has completed all proper processes and has officially and properly notified Louisiana Delta Community College of the money to be applied toward the student’s account, and the amount has been properly posted to the student’s account in the system of record by the responsible party.

Attendance After Purge

A student is strictly not allowed to attend a class without being registered for the class. If a student is identified as not being on the roster, the instructor will direct the student to immediately go to the Knight Center or Student Services to identify why the student is not listed on the roster. The student is not allowed to attend the class until the situation is resolved.

Student Appeal of Purge

If a student is inadvertently purged and can prove their finances were in place appropriately prior to the final purge, they can fill out an add/drop slip (found on the college’s website) and contact their appropriate division chair for reregistration. All add/drop slips after the final purge will require a signature from each instructor and the appropriate division chair. The form will be turned in to the Registrar for policy compliance review/approval and registration.

If the division chair and/or the Registrar, based on policy enforcement, denies the add/drop request, the student can appeal to the Vice Chancellor of Education of Student Services for review of the evidence. The Vice Chancellor of Education and Student Services, in collaboration with the Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration, has the authority to make exceptions based on extenuating circumstances that are out of the control of the student. These appeals will require evidence that exceeds normal circumstances and is considered to be exceptional, not common. (See Tuition and Fee Refund Policy FN_107)

Reverse Transfer Policy

Louisiana Delta Community College allows returning students an opportunity to retroactively earn a diploma or associate degree by transferring courses from an accredited institution.

Reverse transfer students must follow the guidelines below:

• Meet all LDCC graduation requirements, with exception to being enrolled the term of graduation. The student will only be enrolled in ‘absentia’ during the graduation term.
• Student will follow diploma/degree requirements under current catalog year.
• Be currently enrolled at or graduated from an accredited institution.
• Current or earned diploma/degree program cannot be in the same field of study as the diploma/degree pursued at LDCC.
• Student must complete an application for a Reverse Transfer.
• Student must reapply to the College.
• Student must complete graduation application.
• Student must meet all admission, registration, and graduation deadlines.

Transfer Credit Policy and Procedure

Transfer Credit

Louisiana Delta Community College accepts transfer credit from traditional and non-traditional sources in accordance with Louisiana Community & Technical Colleges System (LCTCS) Policy #1.017.

Official transcripts received from regionally accredited institutions of higher education are recorded on the student’s permanent record. The Registrar’s Office will compute the grade point average in the same manner as is done for a LDCC student. All credits earned at regionally accredited schools are accepted as transfer credit; however, not all credits earned may be applied toward a particular degree or certificate. Acceptance of transfer credits to meet degree/certificate program requirements will be governed by the following guidelines:

• Acceptance of courses more than 10 years old to meet degree requirements is determined by the Registrar.
• Acceptance of courses that are not equivalent to courses taught at LDCC is determined by the Registrar.
• Grades for transferred courses will be interpreted according to the LDCC grading scale and will be recorded as follows:
  • Plus (+) or minus (-) symbols will be disregarded
  • Grades of Pass, Credit, and Satisfactory will be treated alike and count in hours attempted and earned only
  • Failing grades including WF will count as hours attempted, quality hours, quality points and will impact GPA
  • A grade of “N” will count in attempted hours only
  • Incomplete (“I”) grades will be calculated as “F”
  • Quarter hours will be converted to semester hours by multiplying the quarter hours by two-thirds.
• Only those courses in which a grade of “C” or higher has been earned will be used to fulfill degree requirements.
• Students are not required to provide transcripts from other institutions. If a student wants to use any of the grades they earned or courses they completed while attending another accredited institution toward placement or degree completion, they will need to request an official transcript to be sent to LDCC prior to their first term of attendance
• Official transcripts must be received by the Registrar’s Office within 30 days from the beginning of the start of a transfer student’s first term of attendance.
• Transcripts for degree-seeking students will be evaluated and articulated by the Registrar’s Office.
• A grade of “C” or better is required to meet pre-requisite or program requirements
• The Louisiana Board of Regents for Higher Education Student Transfer Guide for General Education Articulation Matrix will be used to determine course equivalencies for the general education courses from all Louisiana public colleges and universities, as well as individual transfer guides from institutions with which LDCC has entered into transfer agreements
• Transfer credits from non-regionally accredited institutions are not generally accepted at LDCC. A request for a review of this type of credit may be made to the Registrar.

Lifespan of Coursework

LDCC is interested in moving its students toward the successful completion of their associate degree or certificate regardless of when or where they began their college program, or what courses they have taken to support their degree progress. Previous college coursework will be transferred to LDCC for purposes of establishing grade point average and completion.

Correspondence Courses

LDCC does not offer correspondence courses. Students who wish to use credit from correspondence courses taken through other accredited institutions to meet degree or certificate requirements must receive permission from the Registrar prior to registering for the correspondence course.

Uniformed Service Mobilization

In compliance with the policy set forth by the Board of Regents of the State of Louisiana and in recognition of the needs of students who are subject to unforeseen mobilization/activation in response to local, regional, national, and international emergency situations, LDCC has adopted the following procedures to help minimize the effects of this disruption as much as possible.

Louisiana Board of Regents Academic Affairs Policy: 2.21

Uniformed Service Mobilization

A.A. 2.21 Approved: 26 August 2015

In order to qualify under the provisions of this policy, students must present to the registrar or other appropriate college/university official a copy of military orders indicating their mobilization or activation. Students should contact the Division Chair of their degree as soon as they are in receipt of their orders. The Division Chair will inform them of the procedures to be followed. If, due to time constraints between the time of notification and the time of actual mobilization or activation, the students cannot present their orders as required, the parents, guardians, or spouse of the student may do so.

I. Awarding of Academic Credit/Grades

1. Students in the uniformed services who are mobilized/activated during a semester or term will be given the option of either: (1) complete withdrawal from the college or university for the semester; or (2) withdrawal from or continuation in individual courses within the college or university upon a determination that institution guidelines are met and that it is educationally sound to allow such continuation. Students who choose to remain enrolled in some or all courses should be provided reasonable support to ensure that the pursuit of education is disrupted to the minimum extent possible and that no undue penalties are assessed due to a military call to service.
2. Course Withdrawals. When mobilization/activation occurs prior to the college or university census date, mobilized students who withdraw will incur no penalty or grade in any course. Those who withdraw from all courses will be given a complete withdrawal from the college or university (with 100 percent refund of tuition and fees which have been paid, including student insurance and other non-refundable fees). After the census date, mobilized students who withdraw from a course shall receive a grade of “W” in the course and 100 percent refund of course-related tuition and fees which have been paid, excluding student insurance fees and other non-refundable fees. When possible, transcripts should be annotated to reflect that the resignation is the result of activation for military duty. Room and board payments will be refunded on a prorated basis, regardless of the date of involuntary mobilization/activation.
3. Continued Enrollment After Involuntary Mobilization/Activation. Students may choose to remain enrolled in individual courses upon a determination that it is educationally sound to allow such continuation and with the concurrence of the instructor and dean (or equivalent), as required by college or university guidelines. For courses in which enrollment is continued, institution policies should address, at a minimum, and dependent upon the date of involuntary mobilization, provisions for students to request: (a) a grade of incomplete; (b) a final grade based upon course work prior to the date of mobilization; or (c) an early final examination in order that the instructor can determine a final course grade. Those students who receive incomplete grades shall have no longer than one year after conclusion of the involuntary term of active duty to meet with university officials and work out a timetable for removing the incomplete grades.

II. Academic Status Upon Re-Enrollment

When students whose enrollment was interrupted by mobilization/activation re-enroll in the same institution within one year of completion of their involuntary term of active service, the college or university will make every possible effort to place the students back into their academic studies track as close as possible to the same place they occupied when mobilized/activated. The normal readmission application fee will be waived for these students.

1. Reasonable attempts should be made to give preferential enrollment into high demand courses necessary for these students to continue their studies with as little interruption as possible.
2. Time spent on active duty should not be counted in determining the catalog under which the student must meet curricular or degree requirements; involuntary mobilization/activation will not be considered a break in continuous attendance, for catalog purposes. A person who, upon being offered separation from involuntary active duty, reenlists or otherwise voluntarily extends active duty, may be considered to have broken continuous attendance.
3. In instances of substantial change to curricula or course inventory during the period of involuntary military service, the institution shall make reasonable accommodations with substitute courses, independent study or other appropriate means. If a student’s curriculum no longer exists at the time of re-enrollment, the institution shall reasonably assist the student in changing to a new curriculum or transferring to an institution where the desired curriculum is available.

III. Scholarships

A student who is mobilized/activated while holding a scholarship under the control of the college or university in which the student is enrolled shall have the scholarship, or an equivalent scholarship, reinstated upon re-enrolling at the college or university after the period of involuntary active duty so long as he/she remains otherwise eligible. This provision shall lapse if the student does not re-enroll in the same college or university within one year from the time of separation from the involuntary active duty.

IV. Books

If course textbooks are to continue being used in subsequent semesters or terms for courses from which a mobilized/activated student withdraws, colleges and universities should arrange for the purchase of these textbooks by the campus bookstore, when possible.

V. Student Grants and Loans

Students who have been awarded grants or loans and are mobilized/activated at any time during the semester or term should be advised to consult with the Financial Aid Office of the college or university they are attending in order to obtain clarification and/or further information on the status or repayment requirements of any existing grants and loans for attending college. Students on any State aid (e.g., TOPS, GO) should be urged to contact the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance before leaving the campus (www.osfa.state.la.us)