STUDENT’S RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

General Statement

Through enrollment at Temple College, the student signifies that he/she recognizes the authority of the College in governing his/her actions in relation to the College, and he/she automatically agrees to abide by any regulation concerning students and/or student organizations set up by the College or its representatives.

Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

FERPA is federal legislation in the United States that protects the privacy of students’ personally identifiable information (PII). The act applies to all educational institutions that receive federal funds. For more information, consult http://templejc.edu/admissions/right-to-know/ferpa/

Student Accommodations

Temple College abides by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which states: “No otherwise qualified person shall, on the basis of a disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any academic or other postsecondary education aid, benefits, or services.” If you have a documented disability that may impact your performance and for which you may require accommodations, you must register with and provide documentation of your disability to the Office of Student Accommodations at the institution where you are attending classes.

Contact Information:

Misty Reid, Coordinator of Accommodations

One College Centre, Office 1469

254-298-8335

FAX: 254-298-8329

misty.reid@templejc.edu

Attendance/Participation Policy (Students are expected to attend and participate; however, this policy is suspended for 2022-2023.)

Students are subject to being dropped from their courses due to a lack of regular attendance. Most classes at Temple College have regularly scheduled/assigned meeting times while others are taught in a distance education format via the internet. For classes that have regularly scheduled/assigned meeting times, regular attendance implies that students are expected to be physically present in the classroom during those regularly scheduled/assigned times, regardless of the method by which the assigned work for the class is completed. A lack of regular attendance is defined in the following two ways:

At the beginning of each term, a lack of attendance includes:

1. 16 week terms – no attendance by the 5th day of the term, including Fridays.1*
2. 10-week terms – no attendance by the 4th day of the term, including Fridays.1*
3. 8-week terms – no attendance by the 2nd day of the term.2
4. 5-week terms – no attendance by the 2nd day of the term.2*
5. Internet/Hybrid courses – Failure to access your course in the content management system. Temple College’s content management system is D2L and/or the course software as prescribed by the instructor prior to the class day specified above based on the length of the term for the course in which the student is enrolled.
   1. Requires attendance during the first week of the term.
   2. If your class does not meet every day, you must attend the first class to satisfy the initial attendance requirement.

       *       Students unable to attend class during the specified times listed above must contact their instructor via e-mail prior to the start of classes for that term to avoid being dropped for non-attendance.

Once initial attendance at the beginning of the term has been satisfied:

Regular and punctual class attendance is expected at Temple College. A lack of regular attendance is defined as missing the equivalent of two weeks of instruction in a 16-week semester (the equivalent amount of time may be fewer class periods in shorter terms). Attendance includes the completion of assignments by the instructor’s posted deadlines. Failure to adhere to the attendance/participation policy may result in being dropped from the course.

Faculty members will maintain an official record of attendance for each course primarily for the purpose of remaining in compliance with federal financial aid regulations. Attendance requirements for some programs may be more stringent than the general policy discussed above as required by program specific accreditation agencies and/or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).

Students representing the College in sponsored activities related to credit courses or intercollegiate athletics will not be counted absent or penalized for work missed during their absences; however, they are expected to communicate their absence to their instructors – in advance – and make arrangements for class work that may be missed or due upon return to campus. Faculty/staff sponsoring college related activities will be responsible for notifying the faculty and the Provost/Vice President, Academic Affairs and Student Services of planned absences (including a list of participating students and the dates that they will be absent) one instructional week prior to the event. This policy also applies to high school students taking dual credit courses who must attend ISD-scheduled activities. Students who expect to be absent because of religious holy days should contact the Provost/Vice President, Academic Affairs and Student Services for details concerning Texas Education Code 51.911.

Students who do not show up for final exams may be issued a grade of “F” for the course.

Reinstatement (Students are expected to attend and participate; however, attendance/participation policy is suspended for 2022-2023.)

Adhering to the Temple College attendance/participation policy is mandatory. Students can be dropped from courses for excessive absences. Therefore, it is critical that a student communicate with his/her faculty member(s) each time he/she is absent from class. Reinstatement to classes at Temple College is initiated only for the purposes of correcting an institutional error. Students who (1) are dropped by faculty for non-attendance, or (2) initiate a drop on their own are not eligible for reinstatement.

Student Conduct

Each student shall be charged with notice and knowledge of, and shall be required to comply with, the contents and provisions of the College District’s rules and regulations concerning student conduct.

All students shall obey the law, show respect for properly constituted authority, and observe correct standards of conduct. Each student shall be expected to:

1. Demonstrate courtesy, even when others do not;
2. Behave in a responsible manner, always exercising self-discipline;
3. Attend all classes, regularly and on time;
4. Prepare for each class and take appropriate materials and assignments to class;
5. Obey all classroom rules;
6. Respect the rights and privileges of students, faculty, and other College District staff and volunteers;
7. Respect the property of others, including College District property and facilities; and
8. Cooperate with and assist the College District staff in maintaining safety, order, and discipline.

For detailed student conduct information, please visit the Student Rights and Responsibilities – Student Conduct section of the Temple College Board Policy Manual, which can be found at https://pol.tasb.org/Policy/Code/161?filter=FLB.

Disruptive Behavior

Disruptive behavior or violence have no place in education. It is imperative that the College provides an atmosphere conducive to learning, which enables the faculty to teach and permits students to engage in advancement of knowledge. Behaviors in class and other learning environments such as sleeping in class, belligerent attitude, ignoring instructor’s directions, (e.g. not participating in class group activities), talking at inappropriate times, use of unauthorized personal devices (e.g. gaming, browsing the Internet, texting, listening to music, etc.) and other behaviors as outlined under the Student Rights and Responsibilities: Student Conduct section of the Student Handbook may be considered disruptive behavior and may lead to the student being asked to leave the classroom. Failure to comply may result in a faculty member requesting that the campus police remove the student from the classroom.

After the first in class disruptive behavior incident, the faculty member should hold a conference with the student detailing the disruptive behavior and the actions necessary for the learner to remain in class. If the student agrees to the conditions outlined by the faculty member, a conference form detailing the conditions will be sent to the student and to the department chair. If the student violates the conditions stated on the form, the instructor can request that the Provost,Vice President, Academic Affairs remove the student from the class roll. If the student wishes to appeal removal from the classroom, they must follow the Disciplinary Proceedings policy outlined in the Student Handbook at http://templejc.edu/.

Behaviors outside of class such as being loud and disruptive, using wheeled devices (e.g. skateboards, hoverboards, rollerblades, scooters, bicycles, etc.) on the College premises in such a manner as to constitute a safety hazard or cause damage to College or personal property, belligerent attitude, etc. may also be considered disruptive behavior. Operation of wheeled devices, other than those medically approved, are prohibited inside any College building.

Any person who creates an interruption of the normal function of the College may be asked to leave the area and could be subject to disciplinary action. Failure to comply with such a request may be reported to the Provost/Vice President, Academic Affairs and Student Services. Repeated or severe violations will be handled through the College

Discipline and Penalties: Further, any conduct jeopardizing the health, safety, State, Federal or local criminal statutes or civil rights of others on campus shall be grounds for possible disciplinary action and/or arrest by local law enforcement officers.

Cell Phone and Other Personal Devices

Use of cell phone and other personal devices must be conducted outside Temple College’s classrooms, laboratories, testing areas, and the library unless used for academic purposes and approved by the faculty member teaching the class or person responsible for the appropriate area. Violations of the Cell Phone and Other Personal Devices policy will be addressed through the Disruptive Behavior policy.

Food and Drinks

There are certain locations across the Temple College where food and drink are restricted or expressly prohibited.  Signs indicating these restrictions will be posted at all such locations.

Professors may enforce stricter policy standards than those outlined below. These policies must be established in the course syllabus.

Food and drinks that disrupt student learning are not allowed. These include, but are not limited to, foods that are messy, noisy, or strongly aromatic. Drinks can be either (1) in plastic containers with a screw on lid or (2) in leak-proof, re-sealable, non-disposable containers with screw on, snap on, or locking lids.

Students are responsible for leaving classrooms in good order by properly disposing of and/or recycling all food and drink related waste. Professors may revoke food and drink privileges if students fail to comply with any of the above requirements.

Classes held at center locations (TBI, EWCHEC-Taylor, EWCHEC-Hutto, and ISDs) are subject to the food and drink policies of the institutions governing those locations.

Open Carry

Texas Senate Bill 11 (SB 11) was passed by the 84^th Texas Legislature and was signed into law on June 1, 2015. It is often referred to as “Campus Carry.” The law permits individuals to carry a concealed handgun on a public community college in Texas beginning August 1, 2017. Open carry of handguns on any Temple College location is not authorized as outlined in Government Code Sec. 411.2031 and Penal Code 46.035. Maintaining a safe and secure educational environment is of the utmost importance to Temple College. The Board of Trustee approved policy for campus carry on any Temple College location can be found at https://www.templejc.edu/live/files/59-campus-concealed-carrypdf .

Instructor’s Unplanned Absence

In the unlikely event that an instructor is absent from class, students are required to wait for at least 15 minutes. If, after that time, the instructor has not arrived, class members may be excused for the remainder of the period without penalty. However, students are strongly encouraged to report the absence to the appropriate department chair, division director, or to the Vice President, Academic Affairs and Student Services to ensure that the reason for the absence is effectively addressed and resolved.

Communicable Diseases

Communicable diseases include, but are not limited to, measles, influenza, viral hepatitis-A (infectious hepatitis), viral hepatitis-B (serum hepatitis), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), AIDS, AIDS-Related Complex (ARC), leprosy, and tuberculosis.

For the purposes of this policy, the term “HIV infection” shall include AIDS, ARC, and a positive test for the antibody to HIV

Basis for Action: The College District’s decisions involving persons who have communicable diseases shall be based on current and well-informed medical judgments concerning the diseases, the risks of transmitting the illnesses to others, the symptoms and special circumstances of each individual who has a communicable disease, and a careful weighing of the identified risks and the available alternatives for responding to a student with a communicable disease.

Nondiscrimination

The College District shall not discriminate in enrollment against any student solely on the ground that the student has a communicable disease. A member of the student body of the College District shall not be denied access to a College District facility, program, function, or campus activity solely on the grounds that the student has a communicable disease. The College District reserves the right to exclude a person with a communicable disease from College District facilities, programs, functions, and campus activities if the College District makes a medically based determination that the restriction is necessary for the welfare of the person who has the communicable disease and/or the welfare of the other members of the College District community.

Privacy

The College District shall comply with all pertinent statutes and regulations that protect the privacy of persons in the College District community who have a communicable disease. The College District shall ensure that procedural safeguards sufficient to maintain the strictest confidence about persons who have HIV infection are in effect throughout the College District.

Education Program About HIV Infection

The College District shall develop and maintain a comprehensive education program about HIV infection for members of the College District community. The program shall address current medical opinions about the nature of HIV infection and its symptoms, methods of transmission, types of behavior that increase the risk of transmission of the disease, and preventive measures for avoiding infection.

Title IX Pregnancy Services

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”), 20 U.S.C. §1681 et seq., is a Federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex—including pregnancy and parental status—in educational programs and activities. This policy pertains to student rights under Title IX Pregnancy Services and to the respective course of action the student may choose to elect.

Qualifying students expecting academic relief under Title IX Pregnancy Services must disclose medical need to Title IX Deputy Coordinator for Pregnancy Services.*

Students who are requesting services related to pregnancy must disclose their need to their respective instructor and submit a signed diagnostic statement to the Temple College Title IX Deputy Coordinator for Pregnancy Services prior to or immediately upon learning of medical need. The Temple College Title IX Deputy Coordinator for Pregnancy Services will send a form letter to the student’s instructor(s) outlining the specific guidelines as related to the current function impact stated in the signed diagnostic statement. The Title IX Pregnancy Services form letter is only applicable for the time deemed necessary by the student’s treating health care professional.  Please note that students who do not disclose until after a medical need determination has been made by the treating professional will not qualify for retroactive services.

The signed diagnostic statement on letterhead from the treating health care professional must include the following information:

• Diagnosis – date of onset, end date of services, original diagnosis, and description of present symptoms.
• A description of the current functional impact on the student within the academic setting.
• A description of the expected prognosis.
• Credentials of the diagnosing professional including certification, licensure, professional training.

Title IX Deputy Coordinator for Pregnancy Services, Director of Retention – 254-298-8328, OCC RM 1473

All public and private schools, school districts, colleges, and universities receiving any Federal funds (“schools”) must comply with Title IX.^*

Here are some things you should know about your rights:

Classes and School Activities – your school MUST:

• Allow you to continue participating in classes and extracurricular activities even though you are pregnant. This means that you can still participate in advanced placement and honors classes, school clubs, sports, honor societies, student leadership opportunities, and other activities, like after-school programs operated at the school.
  • Allow you to choose whether you want to participate in special instructional programs or classes for pregnant students. You can participate if you want to, but your school cannot pressure you to do so. The alternative program must provide the same types of academic, extracurricular and enrichment opportunities as your school’s regular program.

• Allow you to participate in classes and extracurricular activities even though you are pregnant and not require you to submit a doctor’s note unless your school requires a doctor’s note from all students who have a physical or emotional condition requiring treatment by a doctor. Your school also must not require a doctor’s note from you after you have been hospitalized for childbirth unless it requires a doctor’s note from all students who have been hospitalized for other conditions.

• Provide you with reasonable adjustments, like a larger desk, elevator access, or allowing you to make frequent trips to the restroom, when necessary because of your pregnancy.

Excused Absences and Medical Leave – your school MUST:

• Excuse absences due to pregnancy or childbirth for as long as your doctor says it is necessary.

• Allow you to return to the same academic and extracurricular status as before your medical leave began, which should include giving you the opportunity to make up any work missed while you were out.

• Ensure that teachers understand the Title IX requirements related to excused absences/medical leave. Your teacher may not refuse to allow you to submit work after a deadline you missed because of pregnancy or childbirth. If your teacher’s grading is based in part on class participation or attendance and you missed class because of pregnancy or childbirth, you should be allowed to make up the participation or attendance credits you didn’t have the chance to earn.

• Provide pregnant students with the same special services it provides to students with temporary medical conditions. This includes homebound instruction/at-home tutoring/independent study.

Harassment – your school MUST:

• Protect you from harassment based on sex, including harassment because of pregnancy or related conditions. Comments that could constitute prohibited harassment include making sexual comments or jokes about your pregnancy, calling you sexually charged names, spreading rumors about your sexual activity, and making sexual propositions or gestures, if the comments are sufficiently serious that it interferes with your ability to benefit from or participate in your school’s program.

Policies and Procedures – your school MUST:

• Have and distribute a policy against sex discrimination. It is recommended that the policy make clear that prohibited sex discrimination covers discrimination against pregnant and parenting students.

• Adopt and publish grievance procedures for students to file complaints of sex discrimination, including discrimination related to pregnancy or parental status.

• Identify at least one employee in the school or school district to carry out its responsibilities under Title IX (sometimes called a “Title IX Coordinator”) and notify all students and employees of the name, title, and contact information of its Title IX Coordinator. These responsibilities include overseeing complaints of discrimination against pregnant and parenting students.

Helpful Tips for Pregnant and Parenting Students:

• Ask your school for help—meet with your school’s Title IX Coordinator or counselor regarding what your school can do to support you in continuing your education.

• Keep notes about your pregnancy-related absences, any instances of harassment and your interactions with school officials about your pregnancy, and immediately report problems to your school’s Title IX Coordinator, counselor, or other staff.

• If you feel your school is discriminating against you because you are pregnant or parenting you may file a complaint:
  • Using your school’s internal Title IX grievance procedures.
  • With the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR), even if you have not filed a complaint with your school. If you file with OCR, make sure you do so within 180 days of when the discrimination took place.
  • In court, even if you have not filed a complaint with your school or with OCR.

• Contact OCR if you have any questions. We are here to help make sure all students, including pregnant and parenting students, have equal educational opportunities!

If you want to learn more about your rights, or if you believe that a school district, college, or university is violating Federal law, you may contact the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, at (800) 421-3481 or ocr@ed.gov. If you wish to fill out a complaint form online, you may do so at: http://www.ed.gov/ocr/complaintintro.html.

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-know-rights-201306-title-ix.pdf

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act 2008

Students who are pregnant are not considered disabled by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act 2008, and Temple College is not obligated to provide accommodations to students with non-chronic impairments that last less than six months (28 CFR 35.108(b) and 28 CFR 36.105(b)).

However, if the pregnant student is diagnosed with a pregnancy-related impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, the student may qualify for educational accommodations under Title II of the ADAA (2008).  Pregnant students with such an impairment must disclose their need and submit the diagnostic statement to the Temple College Coordinator of Student Accommodations immediately upon learning of medical need.  Students that do not disclose until after returning from medical leave will not qualify for retroactive services. 

Title II Coordinator for Educational Accommodations, Coordinator of Student Accommodations – 254-298-8335, OCC RM 1450 A

Appeal Process

If the student feels the decision to grant or not grant services is not satisfactory, the student may appeal the decision. The student must present in writing to the Provost/Vice President, Academic Affairs and Student Services their reason(s) for the appeal. The appeal must be made within 5 business days after the decision made by the Temple College Title IX Deputy Coordinator for Pregnancy Services.

A. Final Appeals Procedure

1. The Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Services is the final institutional authority on appeals.
2. The Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Services must issue a decision within ten working days after the receipt of the appeal by the grievant.
3. No new information may be introduced unless the parties can show cause as to why it was not introduced at the hearing.

B. Time Extensions

1. Any time limits set by this procedure may be extended by mutual consent of the grievant and the respondent and must be made in writing.
2. In the event any of the days falls on a College holiday, the extension will be the same number of days as the holiday. 

C. Other Courses of Action

The grievant may also file a complaint of Sexual Violence or Sexual Misconduct with the Office for Civil Rights, Department of Education [1200 Main Tower, Suite 2260, Dallas, TX 75202] at the same time, during, or after use of this appeal procedure. Such complaints must be filed in writing no later than 180 days after the occurrence of the possible incident.

Grievance Procedures

If the student feels they have been discriminated against, there is a separate process that must be initiated. The Grievance Procedures policy is located in the Student Handbook on the Temple College website. Specific guidelines for initiating the process are contained within that policy.