Student Rights and Responsibilities

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Glossary

Student Code of Conduct

Admission to Cascadia College carries with it the expectation that students will conduct themselves as responsible members of the college community. Cascadia has adopted policies governing student conduct, including disciplinary procedures and procedures for resolving conflicts related to student discipline. The student conduct system is designed to protect the rights of each individual to support the community values and to assist students in conducting themselves as responsible members of the college community. (WAC 132Z­115). The complete Student Code of Conduct is available on Cascadia's Policy webpage.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Cascadia College, a state supported institution of higher education, is a learning-centered college, maintained for the purpose of providing to all learners knowledge and skills for the achievement of their academic, professional, technical, and personal goals. As a public institution of higher education, the college also exists to provide students with the capacity for critical judgment and an independent search for truth toward both optimal individual development and the well-being of the entire learning community.

Inherent in the college’s mission, vision, and goals are certain rights and freedoms which provide to students the support and respect needed for learning and personal development. Admission to Cascadia College provides these rights to students but also assumes that students accept the responsibility to conduct themselves in a manner that does not interfere with the purposes of the college in providing education for all of its learners. (WAC 132Z-112-010). These policies are available on Cascadia's Policy webpage.

Student Right to Know

In accordance with federal regulations, Cascadia College will be required to disclose completion or graduation rates and transfer-out rates for the general student body immediately following the end or 150% of normal time to complete a program. The study group, as specified by federal law, will be relatively small when compared with the general student population. It will include only students who were: enrolled in credit classes full-time, entering any college for the first time, and seeking a degree or certificate or planned to transfer to a four-year college or university. This information will be found on the Cascadia College website.

Drug-Free Schools and Campuses Act

Cascadia College complies with the reporting requirements of the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1998, the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of Amendments of 1989, the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy, and Campus Crimes Statistics Act of 1998. This information will be found on the Cascadia College website. In compliance with the Drug-Free Schools and Campuses Act (EDGAR 34 CFR, Part 86), Cascadia annually distributes the following information to students and staff:

  • Standards of conduct that clearly prohibit the unlawful possession, use or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol on school property or as part of school activities.
  • Cascadia’s Student Code of Conduct (WAC 132Z-115-025, paragraph 2b) prohibits students from: “using, possessing, delivering, selling, or being under the influence of marijuana or the psychoactive compounds found in marijuana and intended for human consumption, regardless of form. While state law permits the recreational use of marijuana, federal law prohibits any possession or use of marijuana on college premises or in connection with college activities.”
  • Cascadia’s Student Code of Conduct (WAC 132Z-115-025, paragraph 2c) prohibits students from: “using, possessing, delivering, selling, or being under the influence of any legend drug, including anabolic steroids, androgens, or human growth hormones as defined in chapter 69.41 RCW, or any other controlled substance under chapter 69.50 RCW, except as prescribed for a student’s use by a licensed practitioner. The abuse, misuse, or unlawful sale or distribution of prescription or over-the-counter medications may also constitute a drug violation.
  • Administrative procedure 6:3.110.08 prohibits employees from manufacturing, distributing, dispensing, possessing, or using a controlled substance.
  • A description of the applicable legal sanctions and disciplinary actions.
  • Cascadia’s Student Code of Conduct (WAC 132Z-115-006(2)) states that “the student conduct code shall apply to student conduct that occurs on college premises and to conduct that occurs at or in connection with college sponsored events, programs, or activities. This code may also apply to other student conduct occurring off campus or in non-college electronic environments when the college deems such conduct to threaten safety or security or otherwise adversely impact the college community. Students shall be responsible for their conduct from the time of acceptance for admission or registration through the actual awarding of a degree or other certificate of completion. The college shall have authority to revoke a degree or other certificate of completion based on prohibited student conduct that is found to have occurred before the award of such degree or certificate. Student organizations affiliated with the college may also be sanctioned under this code for the conduct of their student members.” Aside from any criminal proceedings, the college may impose sanctions ranging from a verbal warning to dismissal, as outlined in WAC 132Z-115-035, paragraph 4.
  • Administrative procedure 6:3.110.08 outlines the sanctions for employees found to have violated provisions of the Drug-Free Schools and Campuses Act. The policy reads, “Violation of this policy will be reason for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal, or for mandatory evaluation treatment for substance abuse.”
  • A description of any drug or alcohol counseling, treatment, or rehabilitation/re-entry programs.
  • Student Success Services maintains a referral list of agencies and individuals providing support services to students or employees struggling with drug and/or alcohol use/abuse. Such referrals can be accessed by contacting Student Advising and Support Services at 425.352.8860.
  • Administrative procedure 6:3.110.08 states that “Cascadia College recognizes drug use and/or dependency to be a health, safety and security problem,” and offers employees assistance through the State Employee Advisory Services and/or employee medical insurance plans.

Social Security Number

To comply with federal laws, the college is required to ask for the student’s Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). The college will use the student’s SSN/ITIN to report payments made by the student that may qualify for a tax credit or a tax deduction on the annual income tax return. The college may also use this information to administer state/federal financial aid, to verify enrollment, degree and academic transcript records, and to conduct institutional research. If a student does not submit their SSN/ITIN, the student will not be denied access to the college; however, the student may be subject to an IRS penalty of $100. Pursuant to state and federal law, the college will protect the student’s SSN from unauthorized use and/or disclosure. Cascadia assigns each student an alternative identification number upon application to the school and/or class registration.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)/Confidentiality of Records

Below is a brief summary of student rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the federal law that governs release of and access to student education records. These rights include:

  1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education record within a reasonable time after the College receives a request for access. If students want to review their record, contact the College office that maintains the record to make appropriate arrangements.
  2. The right to request an amendment of the student’s education record if the student believes it is inaccurate or misleading. If the student feels there is an error in their record, the student should submit a statement to the College official responsible for the record, clearly identifying the part of the record to change and why it may be inaccurate or misleading. That office will notify the student of the decision and advise of the appropriate steps if the student does not agree with the decision.
  3. The right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with “legitimate educational interests.” A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official has a “need to know” information from the student’s education record in order to fulfill official responsibilities. Examples of people who may have access, depending on their official duties, and only within the context of those duties, include: college faculty and staff, agents of the institution, students employed by the institution or who serve on official institutional committees, and representatives of agencies under contract with the College.
  4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

Release of student record information is generally not done at Cascadia College without the expressed, written consent of the student. There are, however, some exceptions.

For example, directory information includes the following, and may be released without the student’s consent: student’s name, major field of study, enrollment status, dates of attendance, participation in recognized sports, degree or certificate earned, term degree or certificate awarded honors. In response to outside inquiries for information on students, Cascadia’s policy is to only confirm: dates of attendance, major field of study, and degree and awards received.

Please note that the student has the right to withhold the release of directory information. To do so, the student must complete a “Release of Information/Do Not Release Information form”, which is available on the Enrollment webpage. Please note two important details for students regarding placing a “No Release” on the student record:

  1. The College receives many inquiries for directory information from a variety of sources outside the institution, including friends, parents, relatives, prospective employers, the news media and honor societies. Having a “No Release” on the student record will preclude release of such information, even to those people.
  2. A “No Release” applies to all elements of directory information on the student’s record. Cascadia College does not apply a “No Release” differentially to the various directory information data elements.

Exceptions include a subpoena, emergency situations, compliance with the Solomon Amendment and Department of Education requests through the Patriot Act, and the National Student Clearinghouse. Student ID numbers are provided to UW Bothell shared services, such as the campus library for UW Net ID, campus safety, counseling services, the Activities and Recreation Center.

A copy of the Act, more details about student rights, and any College policies related to the Act are available here, under Student Records. Questions concerning FERPA should be referred to Enrollment Services at enrollment@cascadia.edu.

Solomon Amendment

Under Public Law 104-208 Cascadia College is directed by the federal government to provide the names, addresses, telephone numbers, date of birth, level of education, major and/or degrees received, and prior military experience for all our students. Students who do not wish this information to be released should complete the Release of Information/Do Not Release Information form, which is available on the Enrollment webpage.

Release of Student Information

To protect student privacy, photo identification is required to view, receive copies of educational records, change student information, or enroll, drop, or withdraw from classes.

Name Changes

To change the name shown on Cascadia records, students must complete the Name Change Form which is available on the Enrollment webpage in the Forms section and present full documentation of name change to Enrollment Services. Students must present a new social security card, new driver’s license or new state ID, and legal documentation that demonstrates a link between the old name and new name such as official marriage certificate, divorce decree, other legal name change documentation granted from a court. Acceptable full documentation would be original forms of legal documentation and IDs that have the new legal name.

Students may include preferred names in their ctcLink account that will show on their class rosters, but not on the official college transcript.

Address Changes

Students are responsible for informing the college of their current address including email address. To update a mailing address, students should log into their ctcLink account and update their mailing address in the Profile tile.

Academic Holds/Holds on Records

Students who have been placed on academic suspension or who have outstanding debts owed to the college (such as traffic and parking fines, library fines, or instructional materials due) will not be allowed to register or make class schedule changes until these have been cleared. The release of a Hold on Record may take up to two business days to process. For more information, contact Enrollment Services at enrollment@cascadia.edu.

Official Transcript and Transcript Requests

An official transcript is a copy of a student’s academic record; it shows courses taken, credits earned, grades received, transfer credits accepted, and degrees or certificates earned at Cascadia College.

An “Official” transcript carries the college’s seal. Students may order Cascadia College official transcripts online.

An “Official” transcript for students who have attended other colleges and need the official transcript to be reviewed and credits transferred to Cascadia College must:

  1. Be sent electronically via a secure service by the former college directly to Enrollment Services OR
  2. Be mailed (in an unopened in an envelope which has been officially sealed by the former institution) OR
  3. Be delivered by the student (unopened in an envelope which has been officially sealed by the former institution) to the Kodiak Corner Front Counter.

Contents Disclaimer

Cascadia College has made reasonable efforts to provide in this catalog information that is accurate. However, the college reserves the right to make changes in procedures, policies, calendars, requirements, programs, courses, and fees. When feasible, changes will be announced prior to their effective date, but the college assumes no responsibility for giving any particular notice of any such changes. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to create any offer to contract or any contractual rights.

Limitation of Liability

The college’s total liability for claims arising from a contractual relationship with the student in any way related to classes or programs shall be limited to the tuition and expenses paid by the student to the college for those classes or programs. In no event shall the college be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including but not limited to, loss of earnings or profits.