WashingtonOnline Student Handbook
updated 1/25/05
Contractual Liability
Statement
Mission Statement
Acceptable Use Policy and Privacy
Statement for the WashingtonOnline Web Site
Student Services Policies
and Procedures
Instruction Policies
and Procedures
WAOL Sex Offender Notification Policy
Statement of Library Services
Diversity Statement
Definition of Directory
Information
Nondiscrimination
Statement
Voluntary Disclosure of Social
Security Number
Contractual Liability Statement
The provisions of this student handbook
do not constitute a contract, express or implied, between
the WashingtonOnline and any prospective
student, student, student's family, faculty or staff
member. The WashingtonOnline reserves
the right to change the policies, procedures, rules,
regulations, and information in the handbook at any time.
This handbook is a general information publication only,
and it is not intended to nor does it contain all regulations
that relate to students.
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Mission Statement
The mission of the WashingtonOnline
is to facilitate new collaborations among
colleges in order to improve the educational system of
Washington State for students who would otherwise not have
educational opportunities. Under the management of the
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges,
the WashingtonOnline will increase capacity
and access to anytime anywhere learning through online
delivery, support online learners by providing comprehensive
online student services, support colleges offering online
instruction, and support faculty and staff who serve online
learners. Using modern technology, the VC continually develops
systems of coordination and services.
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Acceptable Use Policy
and Privacy Statement for the WashingtonOnline Web Site
This section describes the privacy policy
regarding use of the Washington Online Web site
and information received about students during visits to the
Web site. The amount and type of information received depends
on how students use the site.
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Limitation on Scope of Content
The WashingtonOnline
web site contains information regarding WashingtonOnline , the community and technical colleges of Washington
State, and their education and training services. All pricing
information referred to in the site is in U.S. dollars.
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No Representation or Warranty
The WashingtonOnline reserves the right to modify the information
contained in the site at any time without notice. While WashingtonOnline
makes all reasonable efforts to insure that all material
on this site is correct, accuracy cannot be guaranteed and WashingtonOnline
does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness
or authenticity of any information contained on the site.
The site and all information and materials contained therein, is provided
to users "as is" without warranty of any kind. This site may
contain hypertext links to other World Wide Web sites, which are completely
independent of the site. WashingtonOnline makes no representation
or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or authenticity of the information
contained in any such hypertext link, and any hypertext link to another
person or entity shall not in any manner be construed as endorsement by
WashingtonOnline of such person's or entity's World Wide
Web site, products or services. Students and other users link to any other
off-site pages or other sites at their own risk.
WashingtonOnline cannot guarantee confidential use of this
site. WashingtonOnline shall not be responsible for any
harm that the student or any person may suffer as a result of a breach
of confidentiality in respect to the student's use of this site or any
information transmitted to this site.
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Normal Web Site Usage
Users may access the WashingtonOnline Web site to access education/training service information
or use the online tools (search, etc.) without revealing any personal
information. The only information collected and stored during normal
Web site usage is the referring Web site, the pages requested and
the date and time of those requests.
This information is used to generate statistics and measure site activity
to improve the usefulness of user visits. During normal Web site usage,
the site does not collect or store personally identifiable information
such as name, mailing address, e-mail address, phone number or social security
number. However, when a student logs in to the site to access password-protected
services or information, that student is thereby providing permission for
the WashingtonOnline to store any and all of the above information.
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Collection of Personally Identifiable Information
There are instances where WashingtonOnline requests personally identifiable information to provide the web
site visitor a service. This information, such as name, mailing address,
e-mail address, possibly additional information, is collected and stored
in a manner appropriate to the nature of the data by WashingtonOnline and is used to fulfill the request. WashingtonOnline
makes every effort to insure the secure collection and transmission of
sensitive user information using industry accepted data collection and
encryption methodologies such as SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). The information
provided by users is used by WashingtonOnline to improve
the services provided and will not be released to anyone without the student's
express permission.
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Use of Cookies
Cookies are pieces of information that a Web
site transfers to an individual's hard drive for record-keeping purposes
to track site and user activity. The use of cookies is an industry
standard and they are found at most major web sites. By showing how
and when visitors use the site, cookies help WashingtonOnline to better track site usage. Most browsers are initially set
to accept cookies. Users can set their Web browser to refuse cookies
or to alert you when cookies are being sent. However, it is possible
that some parts of the site will not function properly if cookies
are not accepted.
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Privacy
WashingtonOnline has created this privacy statement in order
to demonstrate our firm commitment to privacy. The following discloses
our information gathering and dissemination practices for the WashingtonOnline
Web site.
The WashingtonOnline Web site uses your IP address to help
diagnose problems with our server, and to administer our Web site. Your
IP address is used to help identify the student and the student's schedule
builder and to gather demographic information.
The WashingtonOnline Web site registration form requires
users to provide contact information (like name and e-mail address), unique
identifiers (like student identification number), financial information
(like account or credit card numbers), and demographic information (like
zip code). The WashingtonOnline Web site uses customer contact
information from the registration form to send the student information
about the WashingtonOnline . The contact information is also
used to contact the student when necessary. Financial information that
is collected is used to collect for tuitions and services. Unique identifiers
(such as student ID numbers) are collected to verify the student's identity,
for use as account numbers in the record system, and for other purposes.
Demographic and profile data is also collected at our site. The WashingtonOnline
Web site uses this data to tailor the student's experience
at the site, showing them content specific to the student, and displaying
the content according to his/her preferences.
This site contains links to other sites. WashingtonOnline
is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such Web
sites.
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Public Forums
The WashingtonOnline Web site makes chat rooms, forums,
threaded discussions, message boards, and/or news groups available to its
users. Students should remember that any information that is disclosed
in these areas becomes public information and students will be encouraged
to exercise caution when deciding to disclose personal information.
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Security
The WashingtonOnline Web site has security measures in place
to protect the loss, misuse and alteration of the information under its
control.
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Guidelines for Underage Students
At which time a user's underage status is
determined, the WashingtonOnline will:
1. NOT collect online contact information without prior parental consent
or parental notification, which will include an opportunity for the parent
to prevent use of the information and participation in the activity. Without
prior parental consent, online information will only be used to respond
directly to the request of the underage student and will not be used for
other purposes without prior parental consent
2. NOT collect personally identifiable offline contact information without
prior parental consent
3. NOT distribute to third parties any personally identifiable information
with out prior parental consent
4. NOT give the ability to publicly post or otherwise distribute personally
identifiable contact information without prior parental consent
5. NOT entice by the prospect of a special game, prize or other activity,
to divulge more information than is needed to participate in the activity
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Advertising
WashingtonOnline recognizes
the value and potential of advertising on the Internet and therefore
reserves the right to display advertising on the WashingtonOnline
Web site. However, copy which is unethical, misleading,
extravagant, challenging, questionable in character, in bad taste,
detrimental to public health or interest, otherwise inappropriate
or incompatible with the character of the WashingtonOnline Web site or that does not meet with the approval of the Federal
Trade Commission, will be rejected or excluded.
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Password
When a student enters his/her unique
WashingtonOnline identification number, and
enters a password, this combination will serve as the student's
signature.
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Student Rights and Responsibilities
Students served by the WashingtonOnline
will follow the policies and procedures that
govern student conduct, disciplinary procedures and procedures
for resolving conflicts regarding student conduct which are
in place at the enrolling college. WashingtonOnline students are responsible for being familiar with the
student rights and responsibilities and code of conduct of
the enrolling college(s).
Jurisdiction and authority for discipline of students registered through
the Washington Online will rest with the enrolling college,
however administrators and faculty of the teaching college and/or the WashingtonOnline
staff may be included in investigations prior to final decisions
regarding a discipline situation. All appeals will be handled according
to the policies of the enrolling college.
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Instructional Policies and Procedures for the
WashingtonOnline
Definition of a WashingtonOnline Class
A WashingtonOnline Class is any section of
any course offered by any college in the consortium that meets the
following criteria:
· Uses
the WashingtonOnline enrollment management system,
· Uses
the course management environment supported by WashingtonOnline , regardless of the ownership of the course materials, and
· Is
delivered asynchronously.
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Sex Offender Notification Policy
Students served through WashingtonOnline may have
occasion to experience the Sex Offender Notification Procedure. This procedure
could include the posting of information, including picture and name of
a registered sex offender, to online classes electronically. The purpose
of the Sex Offender Notification Procedure is to respond to the enrollment
or presence of a convicted sex offender within the WashintonOnline State
Community and Technical Colleges system, including all WashingtonOnline
courses, with minimum interruption to each online class community. Jurisdiction
and authority for the dissemination of information concerning registered
sex offenders served through WashingtonOnline will rest with the enrolling
college. All questions and concerns will be handled according to the policies
of the enrolling college. (See your enrolling campus policies.)
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Instructor Policies
· Instructors
who teach WashingtonOnline courses must meet the standard
qualifications for their field according to the policies of the colleges
that hire them.
· Colleges
that hire instructors to teach classes that have shared enrollment with
other colleges must make available to WashingtonOnline information on those
instructors.
· Instructors
are governed by the policies and procedures of the colleges that write
their contracts to teach WashingtonOnline courses.
· Colleges
that hire instructors to teach shared courses must meet all accreditation
standards.
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Curriculum Courses and Programs
Each WashingtonOnline course will
be adopted by each enrolling college using the established institutional
program approval mechanisms for that college. By enrolling students in
the course, the college takes responsibility for the curriculum.
WashingtonOnline course are developed so that students will
be involved in a variety of activities that involve interactive exchanges
among other students and between the student and the teacher. This interactivity
will be accomplished in one or more of the following ways:
1. Online discussion, recorded lecture, and/or distributed orientation
sessions
2. Either synchronous or asynchronous chat rooms
3. Threaded discussions
4. Listservs in which questions or notices will be posted by any participant
and automatically sent to all participant mailboxes.
5. E-mail communications among students and between students and faculty.
Outcomes and assessment methods in WashingtonOnline courses
will be detailed in observable, measurable and achievable terms. The learning
design, delivery structure and course design will be consistent with the
intended learning outcomes.
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Evaluation and Assessment
· WashingtonOnline
will use or provide evaluation tools that will measure student
learning outcomes, student retention, and student and faculty
satisfaction.
· WashingtonOnline
courses will be listed and transcripted in the same way any
other credit course is listed and transcripted at each enrolling
institution.
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Learning Resources
· Colleges
enrolling students in WashingtonOnline courses have agreed
to share responsibility with the WashingtonOnline
to provide library services to online students.
· WashingtonOnline
will provide uniform access to bibliographic and periodical
databases; individual colleges will ensure that students receive
materials and assistance as needed.
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Grading Policies
· Instructors
in WashingtonOnline shared courses will use the WashingtonOnline
Grading Policy and meet the deadlines for grade submission
as set by WashingtonOnline
· Grade
disputes will be governed by the policies of the college where
the student is enrolled.
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Statement of Library Services
PROVIDING LIBRARY/MEDIA SERVICES FOR DISTANCE LEARNING STUDENTS AND FACULTY
Library Media Directors Council
Washington State Community and Technical Colleges
In 1999, the Commission on Colleges of the Northwest Association of Schools
and Colleges revised accreditation standards with a new emphasis on distance
learning and on each college's expanded responsibility to distant learners.
This new language includes the following statement:
"The Institution ensures that students have access to and can effectively
use appropriate library resources" (Standard 2.6.j).
The Library Media Directors Council offers the following guidelines to
assist Washington community and technical colleges in developing services
in support of distance learning and in compliance with the associated standards:
· Community and technical colleges are required to provide library media
instruction, resources, and services to distant learners that are analogous to
those provided to on?campus students and instructors. · The college that
enrolls the student is responsible for compliance with standard 2.6.j. · Students
and faculty involved in distance learning will typically require non?traditional
services that necessitate a dedicated effort to achieve compliance with this
standard.
INSTRUCTION, SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO BE PROVIDED
· Equitable
access to information resources. This includes:
Educating users to effectively locate, evaluate,
and manage information
Providing access to catalogs and indexes of the Library
Media Centers' collections
Providing access to electronic resources
Delivering books, videos, copies of articles, and
other physical materials promptly
Facilitating loan of materials from other libraries
· Collaboration
between librarians and course instructors. This includes:
Integrating information literacy and research abilities
into the course curriculum
Developing the services required for a course
Identifying the resources required for student success
in the course
· Reference
service to all students and faculty
· Subject
and literature searches on course topics
· Equitable
access to equipment and media production support
· Systematic
performance assessment
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Diversity Statement
The WashingtonOnline is committed to ensuring that every
member of our learning community feels welcome and included. We do not
condone harassment, discrimination or exclusion of anyone who chooses to
learn and work in our community.
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Definition of Directory Information
Students may withhold disclosure of
directory information under the Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act of 1974 by giving written notice. Students should
print out, complete, and mail in the Non-Disclosure of Directory
Information Form, available on the WashingtonOnline web site. If a student does not complete a form, the
college can disclose the following information: name, e-mail
address, date of attendance, enrolling college(s).
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Nondiscrimination Statement
The WashingtonOnline complies with
all federal rules and regulations against discrimination, and does not
discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex,
marital status, age, sexual orientation or handicap/disability. This holds
true for all students who are interested in participating in educational
programs as well as staff and faculty.
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Voluntary Disclosure of Social Security Number
Your social security number is confidential and,
under a federal law called the Family Educational Rights & Privacy
Act, the college will protect it from unauthorized use and/or disclosure.
In compliance with state/federal requirements, disclosure may be authorized
for the purposes of state and federal financial aid, Hope/Lifetime Learning
tax credits, academic transcripts, assessment or accountability research.
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