Series 200.00 Policies

Cowley College provides comprehensive post high school educational programs, workforce training and community education.

Students are provided advisement and enrollment services to assist them in formulating educational and career goals. Specified plans of study outline the courses students need for transfer towards Baccalaureate degree programs or for Associate degree or Vocational certificate completion.

Individuals who have successfully completed an accredited high school program are regularly admitted for college credit programs. Certain college credit programs are available to high school students through an agreement with the school district.

The College also provides credit and non-credit training and other enrichment activities to individuals, businesses, and community organizations through the workforce and community education programs.

Adopted October 18, 1971
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised February 17, 2020

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The College is organized to provide general education, technical education, and community education with classroom instruction and distance educational delivery methods as integral parts of a comprehensive post-secondary educational program. The general organization and functions of the academic program are described below:

1. The Division of General Education provides freshman and sophomore courses designed to: 1) transfer to other colleges and universities, and 2) support the Technical education program of the College. General Education courses are parallel and comparable to lower division courses offered by other colleges and universities and are designed to satisfy the lower division course requirements of the liberal arts and selected professional programs.
2. The Division of Technical Education provides courses designed to: 1) prepare the graduate for employment in vocational or technical level occupations, 2) support the general education program of the College, and 3) transfer to selected advanced technical programs. Technical education courses are developed in cooperation with representatives of state and local government, business, industry, and state colleges and universities which offer parallel programs.
3. The Division of Community Education provides courses in general education and technical education, as well as personal development, and are offered by the College to enhance the cultural climate, improve the work force and provide enrichment and job-related opportunities.

Adopted October 18, 1971
Revised February 20, 1978
Revised July 16, 1984
Revised June 17, 1985
Revised August 14, 1989
Revised June 20, 1994
Revised July 21 2003
Revised August 9, 2004
Revised May 17, 2021

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Occasionally, students may wish to participate in a class offering for personal goals and not desire course credit or the additional work required by preparing for examinations and papers. Auditing a class means that a student may attend a class regularly but are not required to take exams or complete assignments. No college credit for the audited class is given. A student may attend a class for audit credit provided the following criteria are met:

1. The course has adequate space, physical and instructional, to accommodate the auditing student.
2. All course pre-requisites are met or the student has obtained the approval of the instructor.
3. Registration for audit classes will be accepted one week before and through the add period of the class.
4. Payment is due at the time of enrollment and is non-refundable. Financial aid and scholarship monies may not be used for audit courses.
5. The course is approved for audit credit (each department determines which courses, if any, may be taken for audit credit).

Courses attended as audit will be recorded as AU on the student’s transcript and may not be converted to another credit at any time. College credit may not be converted to audit credit. Audit courses carry no credit weight and may not be used to satisfy requirements for any program, degree or certificate.

Audit registration forms are available in the registrar’s office and must be completed with the required signatures.

Adopted July 21, 2003
Revised: May 18, 2020

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Program and course changes may be initiated by any full-time faculty after consultation with the Department Chairperson and members of the department.

Course changes are defined as addition of a new course, deletion of a current course, changes in course descriptions, course competencies, prerequisites or credit hours. Changes are brought forward to the Academic Affairs Council by the academic department chair. If the course changes are approved by the council, the department chair will complete and submit the form for course procedure approval.

Program changes are defined as addition of new courses, addition of new programs, certain changes in programs, certain changes in course descriptions, course deletions, program deletions, and changes in course credits. Major program revisions and new program approvals require the following steps.

The faculty member shall obtain recommendations from appropriate lay advisory committees or provide proper documentation and research support for those programs and courses which do not have lay advisory committees, including feedback from former and present students when appropriate and present the proposal to the Department and Department Chair.

• The Chairperson will then refer the proposal to the Chief Academic Officer for administrative consideration. Preliminary decisions concerning feasibility can be determined at this point through involvement of the entire administration, if necessary.
• If the proposal is deemed feasible, the Department Chairperson submits the proposal to the Academic Affairs Council along with the required supportive data.
• After review by the Academic Affairs Council, the proposal and recommendations shall be referred to the Administrative Council for consideration and appropriate action and the appropriate paperwork submitted.
• After review by the Administrative Council the proposed recommendations shall be referred to the Cowley Board of Trustees for approval, then to the Kansas Board of Regents for consideration and appropriate action, followed by approval of accrediting bodies if required.

Adopted October 18, 1971
Revised July 17, 1972
Revised August 14, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised June 21, 2010
Revised January 18, 2022

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The Professional Employee is a citizen, a member of a learned profession, and a representative of the College. When he/she speaks or writes as a citizen, he/she should be free from institutional censorship or discipline, but his/her special position in the community imposes special obligations upon the Professional Employee. As a scholar and as an educator, the Professional Employee should remember that the public may judge his/her profession and the College by his/her utterances. Hence, the Professional Employee should at all times be accurate, exercise restraint, show respect for the opinion of others, and make every effort to indicate that he/she is not speaking for the College.

• The Professional Employee is given full freedom in research and in the publication of the results, subject to the adequate performance of his/her other academic duties. Research for pecuniary return, however, shall be based upon an agreement with the President of the College.
• The Professional Employee is entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing appropriate subject matter and selecting appropriate learning materials and instructional methods based on accepted professional standards. In the exercise of this academic freedom, the Professional Employee may, within the law, discuss his/her own subject area in the classroom, including controversial materials, as long as such discussions and materials are relevant to the subject area and the Professional Employee distinguishes between his/her personal opinions and factual information.
• The Professional Employee is to make certain that controversial issues are presented and discussed as objectively as possible without forcing students to adopt the Professional Employee’s point of view as part of the student’s personal philosophy. In doing so, the Professional Employee should be aware of the mores of the community. Good pedagogy requires working with this framework while challenging the students with ideas and concepts.

Professional Employees are entitled to evaluate students in their classes based solely on their assessment of the academic merit of each student’s work in that class. Grades given a student by a Professional Employee shall be final, subject to the student appeal of course grades process as defined in College policy.

Adopted October 18, 1971
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised August 9, 2004
Revised November 21, 2011
Revised December 12, 2022

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Selection of textbooks shall be made after careful evaluation of the instructional value of the text. Changes in textbooks shall be recommended to the Vice President of Academic Affairs based on content, adoption date, copyright date, present inventory, and availability of the books from the publisher.

In order to ensure textbooks recommended for adoption meet the requirements established, all full-time instructors who will be using the text and the Department Chairperson will review texts being considered for adoption. Input is also sought from adjunct/part-time instructors who have taught the course for more than two semesters. The final recommendation will be submitted by a consensus of the full-time instructors and Department Chairperson.

Textbooks must be adopted for minimum use of three years, or the textbook publisher's rotation, or if any text is out of print, or if current text proves unacceptable.

Notice to change or delete a textbook is to be made in advance according to the timeline set by the bookstore. The selection of a new textbook is to be made following the guidelines in ACD207.

Any change in the adoption process must be approved by the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Adopted October 18, 1971
Revised May 11, 1976
Revised February 16, 1981
Revised July 22, 1986
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised September 21, 1992
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised August 9, 2004
Revised July 21, 2008
Revised December 17, 2018

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College develops an academic schedule of course offerings for Fall, Spring and Summer terms that ensure program and degree requirements are available to students, as well as meeting minimum class time requirements as specified by College Policy #280 - Credit Hour Definition.

Once published, changes to the scheduled time of meeting or the scheduled room assignment require approval from the Academic Affairs office. If an instructor must cancel a class session, they shall notify the Chief Academic Officer or designee of his/her intent to be absent as soon as possible, and shall initiate the procedure for notifying students or obtaining a substitute, if required.

Adopted October 18, 1971
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised May 1, 2008
Revised July 21, 2008
Revised December 14, 2020

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Cowley College awards the Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate of Fine Arts, Associate of General Studies, and the Associate of Applied Science degrees, as well as the College Certificate. Associate degrees require successful completion of a minimum of 62 credit hours, documentation of high school graduation or GED, and fulfillment of the General Education requirements.

A minimum 2.0 grade point average at Cowley College and a cumulative 2.0 grade point average including transfer course work applied is required for all associate degrees. A minimum 2.0 grade point average is required for courses applied to college certificates. Official transcripts of high school graduation or GED and any other college transcripts to be applied toward a degree must be on file in the Registrar's Office prior to issuance of a diploma.

Students completing a degree or certificate will need to complete a Degree Application and submit it to the Registrar's Office according to the published deadlines for submission. Students who fail to file the Degree Application by the deadline may request to graduate in a subsequent semester if requirements are met.

Students will be awarded a diploma or certificate upon successful completion of the degree or certificate requirements. The diploma or certificate will be issued at the end of each semester. Commencement will be held at least once a year. Students who are within 9 hours or less to fulfill graduation requirements and who plan to complete their coursework during the summer term may participate in the graduation program in May of that academic year.

The associate degree requires 15 credit hours earned in residence at Cowley College. Credit for prior learning, or other non-graded hours awarded by Cowley College, will not count toward satisfying residence hours. Developmental courses cannot be used to fulfill degree requirements. If a student does not maintain continuous enrollment (excludes summer), the student will be required to follow the graduation requirements that are in effect at the time of re-enrollment.

Adopted June 19, 2006
Revised June 21, 2010
Revised April 15, 2013
Revised April 18, 2016
Revised July 20, 2020
Revised July 18, 2022

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The College maintains an extensive inventory of equipment for instructional purposes. All equipment is restricted to official school business without the express permission of the Information Technology Department.

A check-out system shall be implemented by the Vice President of Information Technology for use of equipment outside of normal classroom and office use. The Information Technology Department reserves the right to recall such items as are necessary to meet the needs of the institution.

Adopted October 18, 1971
Revised July 15, 1974
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised February 22, 2021

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The final decision on specific library resource purchases is the responsibility of the Director of the Library. The decision is based upon budget allocations and relative need for items in relation to curricula taught and accessibility. Library resources are ordered throughout the year, although the emphasis on purchases comes at the end or beginning of each semester. Book and other library resource recommendations are accepted and encouraged from all departments.

Adopted October 18, 1971
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised October 19, 2020

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Short term or extended loan privileges for printed library materials shall be made available to instructors and students of the institution. Faculty members wishing to have books placed on reserve may select and list titles for the reserve shelf for a specific time period. Students may copy all print materials at the established reproduction rate in compliance with the copyright law. The library has a large number of on-line resources, which may be accessed from both on or off-campus with appropriate login credentials.

Faculty members must assume responsibility of giving advance notice to the Director of the Learning Resource Center of the materials or books that they wish placed on "reserve" for a specified period of time. The Director should be notified when such materials and books are no longer needed on reserve. (Reserve materials may be deemed for in-library use only, or limited loan times). All library materials should be returned to the Library as soon as they are no longer needed. If they are needed in the new semester, a request should be made with the Director.

Materials checked out and inventoried to an instructor must be returned to the Library at the end of each school year, unless other arrangements have been made with the Library Director.

In addition to College employees and students, the Library also extends loan privileges to Cowley County patrons and public school students in the service area on a limited basis, depending upon the availability of the materials and the needs of College students and faculty.

All materials are checked out in usable condition. If materials are returned damaged, the patron will pay the current price for repair and/or replacement. The patron will not check out additional materials until the damaged items are reconciled. Patrons will be charged a full replacement fee for any item checked out from the library and not returned.

Renn Memorial Library participates in the state-wide interlibrary program. Materials may be borrowed for any staff or student that has a clear account. Likewise, Renn Memorial Library will lend materials to any other participating library.

Adopted October 18, 1971
Revised July 15, 1974
Revised June 17, 1985
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised October 19, 2020

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Cowley College provides its catalog for general guidance. The catalog contains detailed information about admissions requirements, academic programs, pathways, policies, course descriptions, financial aid, special services, extracurricular activities and related policies and procedures for students.

The Academic Affairs Office works to maintain and assure that the catalog information is up-to-date and complete. However, the College cannot guarantee that all information contained within the catalog is accurate, and individuals assume any risks associated with relying upon information without checking other credible sources, such as a student’s academic advisor. In addition, a student’s or prospective student’s reliance upon information contained within the catalog, when making academic decisions does not constitute, and should not be construed as, a contract with the College. Further, the College reserves the right to make changes to any provision or requirement within these sources, as well as changes to any curriculum or program, whether during a student’s enrollment or otherwise.

If a student has specific questions or needs further information, they should contact a student success advisor at a Cowley College campus location.

Adopted August 4, 1969
Revised July 18, 1977
Revised August 14, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised October 19, 2020

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Full-time faculty, defined as professional employees according to state statutes, are approved by the Board of Trustees upon the recommendation of the President.

Professional employee positions are approved by the Board of Trustees, and the President is directed to establish Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action selection procedures to fill vacancies in approved positions.

Adjunct faculty are hired according to procedure guidelines to teach on a part-time basis and are employed by semester or academic year and are not subject to board approval.

Policy 240 is implemented in process through procedures AP 240a and AP 240b.

Adopted August 4, 1969
Revised March 18, 1974
Revised October 15, 1990
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised May 17, 2010
Revised April 20, 2020

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The duties of the Department Chairperson shall be assigned to a full-time faculty member in each department by the President in consultation with the department faculty and the Vice President of Academic Affairs Exceptions to full-time faculty appointments must be approved by the Academic Affairs Council. Such appointments shall continue for as long as there is evidence of satisfactory performance, based upon regular evaluations by the department faculty, and the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Adopted February 20, 1978
Revised July 20, 1981
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised August 9, 2004
Revised August 9, 2005
Revised July 21, 2008
Revised July 19, 2021

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Cowley College supports experiential learning through alternative classroom activities such as field trips and special presentations. Instructors scheduling an outside speaker for class purposes should notify the appropriate administrator, so full utilization may be made of the services offered.

Approval for a field trip involving required student participation must be secured from the Chief Academic Officer or designee one week prior to the trip. The instructor shall complete the appropriate forms to submit to the Academic Affairs office.

If the trip is approved and the activity requires absences of students from other classes, the Academic Affairs office will provide a notice for dissemination to the general faculty one week in advance of the absence.

The instructor shall make appropriate arrangements for absence from any other assigned classes. Instructors who are notified in advance of the official approval of the activity shall record absent students as “Absent for an Approved College Activity.”

Adopted October 18, 1971
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised August 9, 2004
Revised May 1, 2008
Revised July 21, 2008
Revised July 19, 2021

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The College will encourage employees to participate in professional activities that contribute to the goals and objectives of the institution. Reimbursement for such activities shall be within the limitations of the budget and according to the policies of the Board of Trustees.

• Fulfilling contractual obligations to the College shall have priority over other professional activities.
• Participating in professional activities at the expense of the College may require employees to submit individual written reports concerning such activities.
• Attending conferences, workshops, or conventions requires the recommendation of the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the written approval of the President.
• Program visitation, staff exchange, or other professional activities require a written proposal prepared by the employee, recommendation by the appropriate administrator and approved in writing by the President.

Adopted October 18, 1971
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised July 21, 2008
Revised November 15, 2021

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The purpose of the following evaluation activities at the College is to improve the performance of assigned responsibilities. All professional employees shall be evaluated once each semester for the first three years of employment; once each year for the next three years; and once every three years thereafter. The performance of each professional employee will be evaluated for the period of time beginning with the latest prior evaluation and follow the processes outlined in the Master Agreement.

Adopted July 16, 1973
Revised July 15, 1974
Revised July 20, 1981
Revised July 19, 1982
Revised August 14, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised July 21, 2008
Revised September 20, 2021

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Work-Based Learning (WBL) provides students with real-life work experiences where they can apply academic and technical skills. All class work projects must be approved by the instructor who makes the final determination of the acceptability of such projects. These projects must never interfere with the planned course in instruction, and must contribute to the learning process. Work-based learning projects can be initiated in the following ways.

• The student may submit projects personally, initiated by the immediate family, as the result of an activity in which the student is actively and directly involved.
• The student is responsible for the project in all respects.
• Work projects for other departments within the College and community service type projects are to be considered by the instructor only after approval of the Vice President of Academic Affairs and/or President.
• Certain work, considered as an emergency or of unusual nature, may be undertaken for a work project as a service to an industry or business, provided prior approval of the Vice President of Academic Affairs is obtained.
• Requests initiated by other instructors and administrators may be accepted for work projects if approved by the instructor of the class involved.
• Supervised students enrolled in lab classes and their designated instructors are the only persons allowed to operate school equipment without express permission from the instructor in charge of the shop or lab.
• Charges are made only for materials involved and are to be charged to the person who brings in the project in question.

Adopted October 18,1971
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised July 21, 2008
Revised March 14, 2022

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Cowley College supports co-curricular learning and promotes student engagement through the offering and sponsorship of clubs and organizations that enrich the educational environment.

Compensation for sponsors is determined by job description and faculty or non-faculty.

Adopted September 16, 1991
Revised January 21, 2020

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Admission to Cowley  College is open to all individuals who can academically benefit from its educational programs.

Before  admission can be granted, students must provide the following:

1. verification of high school graduation or GED certificate.
2. transcripts from all colleges previously attended if athlete or JST Transcript if military utilizing VA benefits.
3. assessment scores or ACT scores demonstrating an ability to benefit from college level coursework.

Cowley College reserves the right to deny a student admission or readmission if it is determined to be in the best interests of the college community to do so, or if the College is unable to provide the services, courses or program(s) needed to assist the student in meeting educational objectives.

Ability to benefit
Students who do not meet the ability to benefit guidelines will be admitted on a provisional basis, pending satisfactory progress in the essential skills curriculum. These students may enroll in a maximum of 13 credit hours and must earn a semester GPA of 2.0 to be eligible for continued enrollment.

Non-Degree Seeking Students
Students of other colleges and universities and other applicants not seeking a degree from Cowley College may be admitted as  non-degree seeking.  . Students in this category   will not declare a major. Non-degree seeking students who may later decide to obtain a degree from Cowley College must then provide the above documentation.

High School  Students
Students who have not received a high school diploma and are currently enrolled in grades 10, 11, or 12  maintained by a school district, or are classified as a gifted 9th grade student  may  be admitted to the College if they meet minimum grade point and assessment requirements, obtain written authorization from the school principal, and have an individualized plan of study or individualized education plan outlining the ability to benefit from participation in regular curricula of a postsecondary education..

International Students
Cowley College welcomes students who are citizens of other nations and are able to meet admissions and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requirements.

Adopted November 20, 2006
Revised September 15, 2008
Revised October 17, 2022

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The Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, also known as the Buckley Amendment, is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. Schools must have written permission from the student in order to release any information from a student’s record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31):

• School officials with legitimate educational interest;
• Other schools to which a student is transferring;
• Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
• Appropriate parties concerning financial aid to a student;
• Organizations conducting certain studies for, or on behalf of, the school;
• Accrediting organizations;
• To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
• Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
• State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific state law.

According to this law, Cowley is NOT allowed to release information to parties such as family members, employers, etc. If a student wishes to authorize the release of information such as educational, financial aid, or billing information to third parties not covered under this law, a Release of Information Form must be signed by the student and kept on file in the Registrar’s Office or completion of the parent/third party permission process. Permission to release information will remain valid until revoked by the student.

According to this law, schools MAY DISCLOSE WITHOUT CONSENT the following directory information about students:

• Name;
• Address;
• Telephone number;
• Date and place of birth;
• Major field of study;
• Participation in officially recognized activities;
• Sports–weight and height of an athletic team member;
• Dates of attendance;
• Degrees;
• Awards received;
• Most recent previous educational institution attended;
• Photographs;
• Email addresses; and
• Enrollment status (full-time, half-time, less than half-time)

If you object to the disclosure of any of the directory information listed above, you may notify the Registrar’s Office, in writing, of the items that should not be released without your consent. A student must submit notification within the first three (3) weeks of a semester. Please be aware that if a student chooses to block disclosure of this information, the college will not release this information to ANY party, including the National Student Loan Clearinghouse. If you are a dependent student under 18 years of age, parents will have access to your educational record. The college will assume you are a dependent if parents provide a written statement and verification that you are listed as a dependent on their federal income tax forms. A student has the right to file a complaint if the college fails to comply with the requirements of this law. A copy of the college’s policy may be obtained from the Registrar’s Office. If Cowley closes, access to academic and financial records will be kept on file with the Kansas Board of Regents. The college will assist current students in researching and locating an institution that meets their academic progress needs.

In addition to the above stated policies the following general provision shall apply:

Permanent Academic Records, from which official transcripts are prepared, shall be stored in a fire-proof vault, fire-proof cabinets, or backed up electronically. At the earliest possible date following the annual state audit, the College shall digitally retain all records of students who were registered for the past academic term and shall store such records consistent with regular data backup processes.

Adopted January 18, 1971
Revised July 15, 1974
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised June 21, 2010
Revised November 15, 2021

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Students will register for classes according to instructions and deadline dates contained in the schedule of classes published prior to the beginning of each semester.

Students with enrollment holds may not enroll for classes until such obligations are resolved to the satisfaction of the college.

The college reserves the right to deny enrollment to any individual who has violated the Academic Code of Conduct, Student Code of Conduct and is currently suspended from the college, who is not making satisfactory academic progress as defined in Board Policy 433.00, or when the college is unable to provide the services, courses or programs needed to assist a student in meeting his/her education objectives.

Adopted January 18, 1971
Revised July 21, 1975
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised August 9, 2004
Revised June 21, 2010
Revised October 18, 2021

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Adding a Credit Class

The last day to add a class for each semester and subterm will be published when registration for the semester begins. Students who wish to add a class after the beginning of the semester must do so within seven calendar days of the first class meeting for nine- to 16-week classes, and within three calendar days of the first class meeting for eight-week classes unless enrollment is closed when classes start, as determined by the Vice President of Academic Affairs. The last day to add a class less than eight weeks in length will be determined by the registrar and published each semester in the schedule of classes. Students may not attend a course unless officially enrolled in the course. Any student seeking to add a class outside the add period will need special permission from the Academic Affairs office.

Dropping a Credit Class

Students may drop a class prior to the completion of 12% of the class and after that time may withdraw from a class A dropped class will not appear on the student's transcript, however a class from which a student has withdrawn will appear on the transcript with a grade of “W”.

Students who withdraw from a class after the refund period must still pay tuition and fees for the class. The last date to drop a class with a refund will be printed on the student’s schedule for each class.

Courses with the same number of credit hours that are dropped and added simultaneously will be treated as an even exchange of cost per credit hour during the refund period of each semester or session. For courses with different total credit hour that are dropped and added simultaneously, students will receive the appropriate refund for the dropped course and pay the total cost per credit hour for the added course.

After the expirations of the refund period, an even exchange for tuition purposes may be granted in the following situations:

1. Changes in sections for the same subterm;
2. Changes to adjust math and English placement may occur until 25% of the initial class has beencompleted. Students will not be granted an even exchange when dropping any other regular-start class and adding a late-start class or adding a self-paced class.

If a student drops a class and adds a different class after the expiration of the refund period, the student will be required to pay the additional tuition and fees.

All changes occurring after the expiration of the refund period require approval by the academic affairs office.

Adopted January 18, 1971
Revised July 21, 1975
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised August 9, 2004
Revised December 18, 2006
Revised July 16, 2007
Revised March 18, 2013
Revised October 18, 2021

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Students may have a grade of W posted on their transcript instead of a letter grade by officially
withdrawing from a course. To officially withdraw, students need to complete the required form
which then is processed in the Registrar’s office postmarked by the published withdrawal date.
Students who have never attended classes will be dropped. Students who stop attending class
but do not officially withdraw from a course, will receive an F on their transcript and be
responsible for outstanding charges.

The deadlines for withdrawing are published by the Registrar’s office and generally as follows:

1. Full term (14 - 16 weeks): Students may withdraw prior to November 15 during the fall
   semester and April 15 during the spring semester.
2. Short term: Students may withdraw up to 25% prior to final examinations.

If a student completely withdraws from the College, refunds are made in accordance with the
refund Board policy and published refund dates.

Adopted January 18, 1971
Revised July 21, 1975
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Reviewed July 21, 2003
Revised August 9, 2004
Revised September 18, 2006
Revised December 16, 2019

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At the beginning of each grading period, the instructor shall publicize his/her class policies. Excessive absences may result in the student not meeting the competencies of the course. Behavioral or disruptive issues may result in the student being withdrawn from the class at the request of the instructor by the Registrar. It is the student's responsibility to withdraw from the course for reasons of academic performance through the Registrar's Office.

1. Each instructor shall publicize to the students in his/her class, the attendance, course requirements, and grading policies which are in accordance with College policy.
2. The student should adhere to the individual instructor’s policy with regards to attendance.
3. Late registrations will be accepted by the Registrar with concurrence of the instructor involved and approval of the Chief Academic Officer (CAO). Days missed will be counted as authorized absences.
4. Absence from class may be authorized by the CAO for participation in College sponsored activities or to represent the institution in an official capacity.
5. Before an instructor is permitted to submit to the Registrar a request for withdrawal of a student from classes, an incident report must be initiated by the instructor stating the specifics of the behavioral or disruptive issue. It is the responsibility of the instructor to file this report with the Instruction Office.
6. A student may petition for reinstatement in the class within five days of notification of withdrawal, according to provisions of Section 262.00 of the Policy Manual.

ATTENDANCE DEFINITION:

The Higher Learning commission defines attendance in an online course by the submission of classwork, therefore, student must submit coursework to be considered “attended”.

Face-to Face Courses being physically present in the classroom when the course is in session is counted as attended.

In order to report an accurate enrollment to the Kansas State Board of Regents and IPEDS, students who do not attend class by the above definitions will be designated as a “no show” by their instructor on the official certified roster and will be dropped from the course by the registrar.

Students may appeal to be reinstated into the course within two days of being dropped as non-attended.

Adopted July 17, 1972
Revised June 21, 1976
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised August 9, 2004
Revised April 16, 2007
Revised December 17, 2018

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Cowley College adheres to the following guidelines regarding the submission of official rosters to help provide an accurate headcount for census reporting.

The official class roster will be available on the internet to the faculty when approximately 25% of the class has been completed. The instructor will code the students as those students who attended class one time during the certification period or those students who never attended class in accordance with the attendance policy. A student whose name does not appear on the roster and has been attending class will be provided an opportunity to enroll, however, enrollment is not guaranteed.

Adopted October 18, 1971
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised June 19, 2006
Revised January 21, 2020

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Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) all current and former students at the College are entitled to have access to their own records for the purpose of determining the accuracy and relevancy of such records.

• Records described in this Section are on file in the Office of Registrar, and the Office of Academic Affairs.
• Access to records will be granted within 45 days from the date of the request to review such records.
• Any challenge to the accuracy or relevance of the recorded entries must be filed with the custodian of the records within 180 days of the date of these entries.
• Records will be released to third parties only if students give  consent  through the Third Party/Parent verification link in their student web account
• In cases of a subpoena or judicial order for records, students, affected by the subpoena or judicial order will be notified, if possible of the subpoena or judicial order before the records are released.
• Instructor's grade books are not subject to review by any student.
•  Persons, organizations, agencies, or institutions who have a legitimate interest may have access to the educational records of each student.
• Because of lack of space, or if the records are deemed to be of no further value, the college reserves the right to destroy such records.
• Every academic year  the College will publish the  catalog  with the official notice of compliance. Under FERPA schools MAY DISCLOSE WITHOUT CONSENT the following directory information about students:
  • Name
  • Address;
  • Telephone number;
  • Date and place of birth;
  • Major field of study;
  • Participation in officially recognized activities;
  • Weight and height of an athletic team member;
  • Dates of attendance;
  • Degrees;
  • Awards received;
  • Most recent previous educational institution attended;
  • Email addresses;
  • Photographs; and
  • Enrollment status (full-time, half-time, less than half-time).

Adopted April 19, 1976
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised August 9, 2004
Revised June 21, 2010

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Transfer credits will be accepted from vocational-technical schools, colleges, and universities starting from the year that they are accredited or hold candidacy status with the Higher Learning Commission or other similar regionally accrediting body. Transfer credit from other institutions is subject to approval by the Registrar. All transfer credit will be equated to the semester-hour system.  Transfer hours are not included in Cowley College grade-point average but are included in the cumulative GPA toward the graduation requirements. 

Transfer credits must apply toward the degree pathway at Cowley College and shall be received in the form of an  official transcript directly from the awarding institution. When transferring credits, only courses where credits were awarded will be accepted. Students may appeal the acceptance of transfer credit by completing a transfer credit appeal form in the Registrar’s office. 

Cowley College will accept survey courses in religion from a non-regional accredited institution for a maximum of 6 credit hours. These credits will be counted as credits towards humanities requirements or elective hours toward graduation. Students should be aware that when they transfer to another college or university they may have to validate their course work again. 

The coursework from a non-regional accredited institution will not be entered in its entirety on the Cowley College transcript, but only those courses that have been approved will have the notation of credit hour, letter grade, and grade points. 

Reverse Transfer 
Students who have not completed the requirements of an associate degree before they transferred from Cowley College to a public or private university may transfer credits back to fulfill their associate degree requirements. Eligible students must have completed at least 45 hours of earned credit from Cowley College, complete a Reverse Transfer Degree Application and provide an official transcript direct from the university. All student accounts must be in good standing. Upon evaluation of the academic records for degree completion the associate degree will be conferred based upon a satisfactory evaluation. The conferral of the degree will be made at the next conferral opportunity in the fall, spring, or summer. 

Adopted July 20, 1987 
Reviewed July 11, 1989 
Reviewed July 21, 2003 
Revised February 22, 2021 
Revised October 17, 2022 
Revised June 20, 2023

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A complete record of all evaluative data for each student shall be maintained by the instructor and should be available for review by the student at his request. Instructors shall explain their evaluation procedures to students at the beginning of each semester or start of each course, and any special requirements should be clarified.

Evaluation of student performance shall be a continuing and inclusive process, so that in addition to the grade record or transcript, an appraisal of achievement is available for counseling and advisory purposes.

Adopted October 18, 1971
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised May 1, 2008
Revised July 21, 2008
Revised March 14, 2022

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College uses a 4.0 grading scale as a way to measure academic performance. To be eligible to receive a letter grade denoting college credit, the student shall complete the academic requirements specified for the course. A student having completed all requirements for a course shall have the achievements evaluated by the instructor and recorded on the permanent record. The recorded grade shall be considered final after the specified appeal and/or make-up period has expired.

An explanation of grades and grade points follows, with "A", "B", "C", "D", represent passing grades in descending order of value. Grade points are assigned per letter grade and used to determine a grade point average (GPA), calculated by taking the total number of grade points earned and dividing that by the total number of credits taken.

An incomplete “I” grade is given only when a course cannot be completed because of illness or other special conditions beyond the control of the student. An incomplete cannot be granted before three-quarters of the course is completed (which is past the last day to withdraw from the course with a "w" grade). The student will enter into a contract with the instructor to outline course work necessary to complete the course and require the approval of the CAO. The contract must be executed prior to the first day of the published schedule for final examinations and submitted to the Registrar's Office. The contract terms must be fulfilled by the date designated on the contract but no later than December 1, and May 1 of the following semester. An “I” grade will be changed to “F” if the instructor does not initiate a grade change within one week after the contract deadline following the grading period for which the “I” was given.

Adopted July 17, 1972
Revised June 16, 1980
Revised July 18, 1983
Revised July 21, 1986
Revised April 18, 1988
Revised August 14, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised June 19, 2006
Revised July 18, 2011
Revised November 21, 2022

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The evaluation of student performance reflected in the final course grade becomes a part of the permanent student record of the College and is recorded on the College Transcript for the student. This grade is based upon several factors relating to the achievement of course objectives, as assessed by the instructor according to the policies of the College, and shall be considered final, unless an appropriate appeal is filed with the Vice President of Academic Affairs within 90 days of the original issuance of the grade by a student according to the procedure. (AP263)

Adopted January 17, 1972
Revised July 16, 1973
Revised July 18, 1983
Revised August 14, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised September 19, 2005
Revised May 1, 2008
Revised July 21, 2008
Revised October 18, 2011
Revised April 18, 2022
Revised May 16, 2022

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Students enrolled at Cowley College may earn college credit for educational experiences in the armed services. Credit is awarded based on the recommendations of the American Council on Education (ACE) Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services.

The College grants credit in certain courses for honorably discharged service personnel who have previously served on active duty with the United States Armed Forces for a period of at least one year. Military correspondence courses, most vocational courses and courses that last less than two weeks are not recognized for college-level credit.

Students in the military can request to have their military experiences and training evaluated by providing the official documentation required by the school.

Please note, before an evaluation can be completed, the student must have passed at least six credit hours with Cowley College. Service members can request to have their military evaluation re-evaluated once every six months. The equivalent of one semester of college work up to (twenty semester hours) is the maximum of credit allowed for military service.

The Kansas Collaborative on Military Credit has been working to evaluate and award credit for military training. Refer to the Kansas Board of Regents website on College Credit for Military Service for additional information.

Adopted October 18, 1971
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised August 9, 2004
Revised December 17, 2018
Revised May 17, 2021

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The College will award course credit for non-traditional educational experience validated by performance on approved examinations, military training transcripts, certifications and professional credentials or evaluation of experiential learning through life experience. Administration of examinations or evaluation procedures for granting credit shall be authorized by the Chief Academic Officer. The student shall pay all fees related to the administration of the examination or evaluation of credit but will not be charged for the tuition for the hours of credit applied through prior learning. The associate degree of vocational certificate requires 15 credit hours earned in residence at Cowley College. College Level Examination Program (CLEP), advanced standing, or other non-graded hours awarded by Cowley College will not count toward satisfying residence hours.

Standardized Exams:

1. Students must complete 12 semester hours at Cowley with a GPA of 2.0 or higher before Advanced Placement or CLEP credit is listed on the transcript.
2. A maximum of 15 semester hours of credit may be awarded to a student who scores at a level established by the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) on one or more of the subject matter examinations CLEP or the CEEB Advanced Placement tests.
3. A maximum of 15 semester hours may be awarded to a student who meet the required scores on the International Baccalaureate Exams (IB). (Refer to the subject level exams and required scores for IB Credit published by the Registrar)
4. Credit will be awarded for ACT or SAT scores that meet the required scores established by the Registrar’s office. Credit for the appropriate course will appear on the Cowley College transcript with a grade of "CR."

Military Credits:

5. A maximum of 20 semester hours may be awarded to a student who scores at the level established by the American Council on Education (ACE) for the United States in accordance with Board Policy 264.

Certifications and Professional Credential:

6. Industry related certifications and professional licenses may qualify to earn college credit for a specific course if directly aligned with a college course or program curriculum. An evaluation will be conducted and credit awarded upon approval. The college uses ACE guidelines as an evaluation tool.

Evaluation of Life Experience:

7. A maximum of 20 semester hours may be awarded to a student through evaluation of life experiences, based on the Registrar’s published guidelines for earning college credit through evaluation of life experience.

Adopted January 17, 1972
Revised May 11, 1976
Revised April 25, 1978
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised June 20, 2007
Revised December 16, 2019
Revised May 17, 2021

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1. Academic Standing

A student whose cumulative grade point average (GPA) is 2.00 or above is considered in good academic standing. Academic standing is determined by all attempted course work at Cowley College. Attempted course work is defined as any course that has received a grade of A, B, C, D, or F. Courses that have received a grade of W are not included in attempted course work.

2. Academic Probation

a.  Cowley students are expected to perform at an academic level sufficient for graduation. Any student whose current semester grade point average falls below the following guidelines after attempting 12 or more total credit hours will be placed on academic probation and notified by the Registrar after semester grades have been posted.

b. Students placed on probation shall not enroll in more than twelve (12) credit hours the following semester without consent of the Chief Academic Officer (CAO).

3. Academic Improvement Plan

Once placed on academic probation, the student must adhere to each of the following guidelines to continue enrollment in subsequent semesters.

a. The student has one semester to make progress toward the minimum standards outlined above or the student will be suspended from Cowley for one semester (fall or spring).

b. At the end of this time period, the student will be readmitted on a probationary basis and required to maintain a 2.0 semester GPA until the minimum cumulative GPA standard is met.

c. The student will complete a course on academic success by the end of the first semester of academic probation.

4. Academic Suspension

Any student on academic probation that does not meet each of the criteria under the academic improvement plan outlined above will be suspended from enrollment at Cowley College for one semester (fall or spring). The student will be notified by the Registrar of the suspension. Upon return to Cowley, the student must make academic progress and maintain a semester GPA of 2.00 or higher until the student is in good academic standing. Failure to maintain the semester GPA requirement will result in subsequent academic suspension of one academic year (fall, spring, and summer).

Academically suspended students may appeal in writing to the CAO. All appeals must provide written documentation substantiating the student's reinstatement request.

5. Academic Fresh Start

Students who return to Cowley College after an absence of at least two years from higher education, and who subsequently pass twelve hours with a 2.00 GPA or better, may petition to implement the Academic Fresh Start procedure. If the petition is approved, all the grades previous to the return to college will be changed to “NC”. All the courses will continue to appear on the transcript, but will not be calculated into the new GPA. A notation will appear on the transcript indicating Academic Fresh Start. Academic Fresh Start may be granted only once and does not apply to any courses taken at another college or university.

6. Academic progress standards

Academic progress standards for recipients of financial aid are outlined in Policy 433.00.

Adopted January 19, 1971
Revised July 17, 1978
Revised July 15, 1985
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised October 18, 1993
Reviewed July 21, 2003
Revised August 9, 2004
Revised July 21, 2008
Revised June 18, 2012
Revised November 21, 2022

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Degree candidates who have completed a minimum of 30 graded hours in residence are considered for graduation with scholastic honors as follows:

Honor	GPA
Summa cum laude	4.00
Magna cum laude	3.950-3.999
Cum laude	3.750-3.949

Honors are based on the student’s final grade point average, including all transfer hours, and including a minimum of 30 resident Cowley hours.

Honor rolls will be prepared each semester to recognize the academic achievement of full-time students. A single grade lower than a “C” automatically disqualifies a student from either of the honor rolls. The following criteria are used in preparing honor rolls:

Honor	GPA
President’s	4.00
Dean’s	3.50-3.99

Adopted July 21, 2003
Revised August 9, 2004
Revised November 19, 2007
Reviewed May 17, 2021

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Employees shall not accept any gratuities, gifts, or favors that might impair or appear to impair professional judgment, nor offer any favor, service or thing of value to obtain special advantage. Students in need of funds are to be encouraged to contact the Financial Aid Officer at the College or a commercial lending agency for advice on established procedures to follow in such cases.

Adopted October 18, 1971
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003
Revised August 9, 2004
Revised April 19, 2021

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Staff members employed by the College are not to engage in the practice of urging students or other staff members to vote for certain student candidates in an election conducted by the College. When requested to do so, staff members are free to offer to other staff members an objective and honest appraisal of students in order to provide an intelligent basis for casting votes. Under no circumstances, may a staff member prevail upon other staff members to cast votes for certain student candidates.

Adopted July 17, 1972
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Reviewed July 21, 2003
Revised January 19, 2021

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It is the professional responsibility of all full-time faculty to perform those duties specified on the "Check Out Form" provided by the Vice President of Academic Affairs at the conclusion of each academic year or upon termination of employment. The final salary payment will not be made until the approved "Check Out Form" is presented to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Names of Faculty not fulfilling this obligation will be submitted to the President for review.

Adopted October 18, 1971
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2008
Revised March 14, 2022

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A final examination is required for each academic credit course. Examinations are given according to a published final exam schedule. Students must take such examinations at the scheduled time. Permission to take final examinations at another time will be granted only for compelling reasons, not including convenience of the student. Such permission, if granted, must be secured from the Vice President of Academic Affairs prior to the time of the final examination in question. Failure to appear for a final examination may result in loss of credit for the course.

Reviewed January 19, 2021

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Cowley College reserves the right to discontinue academic and vocational programs using the following criteria as a guide:

1. A program may be considered for discontinuance if it meets one or more of the following:
   1. Insufficient enrollment for an extended period of time.
   2. Loss of instructional staff qualified to teach said program.
   3. Loss of sufficient financial or material support to continue said program.
   4. Other extenuating circumstances meeting the President and the Board of Trustees needs for college stability and governance.
2. The President of the College and the Board of Trustees will have the final authority regarding the discontinuance of any program.
3. Once a decision has been made to discontinue a program the following shall occur:
   1. All affected personnel shall be notified of the discontinuance as soon as possible and treated according to their individual employment agreement, contract or other binding document.
   2. No new students will be enrolled in the program.
   3. Current students will be informed of the teach-out plan for the program. Cowley will make every attempt to teach-out discontinued programs, but reserves the right to transfer teaching duties to outside sources.
   4. If so determined, a comprehensive teach-out plan will be developed by the academic affairs office and made available to the Kansas State Board of Regents.
   5. Equipment, supplies, curriculum, teaching materials, and all other items pertaining to the program shall be disposed of in a manner according to their funding source (i.e., Perkins programs so discontinued will have their related items absorbed by another Perkins program).
   6. The academic affairs office will be responsible for the implementation of this policy and all requirements therein.

Adopted July 21, 2003
Revised March 15, 2021

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In order to assess the effectiveness of instruction, Cowley College adjunct faculty will be evaluated at least once annually utilizing feedback from students and/or observations by Cowley College instructional personnel. Two methodologies are utilized:

1. Classroom Observations – Visitations by Cowley College personnel in which instructors are evaluated utilizing a standard form outlining observation criteria. A written copy is returned for review and to obtain a signature from the instructor. A copy is kept on file in the instructional office.
2. Student Evaluation – A rating sheet is completed by students towards the end of the course ranking instructors on a number of criteria. A summarized copy of the results is provided to the instructor upon completion of the semester. A copy is also kept in each instructor’s personnel file.

Adopted July 21, 2003
Revised August 11, 2008
Revised January 19, 2021

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The U.S. Department of Education, Higher Learning Commission and the Kansas Board of Regents define credit hour and have specific regulations that the college must follow when developing, teaching and assessing the educational aspects of the college. As such, the college shall utilize and adhere to the following:

1. A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified byevidence of student achievement that is an institutionally-established equivalency thatreasonably approximates not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and aminimum of two hours of out-of-class student work for approximately fifteen weeks for onesemester hour of credit or an equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time.
2. The college shall record one semester hour of credit for any student who has made satisfactoryprogress and attended a class, which consists of at least the minimum class instruction timebased on course classification type plus time allowed for a final examination. Minimum classinstruction time per credit hour for a lecture class will consist of at least 750 minutes, alaboratory class at least 1,125 minutes, a physical activity class at least 1500 minutes and anensemble class 2,250 minutes. A studio class will meet a minimum of 1500 – 2250 minutes percredit hour, depending on if any student work can be completed outside of the studio time. Thecollege shall record one semester hour of credit for any student who completes a minimum of2,700 minutes in on-the-job training, internships, practica, or clinical experiences in healthoccupations.
3. The number of semester hours of credit allowed for each distance education or blended hybridcourses shall be assigned by the college based on the amount of time needed to achieve thesame course outcomes in a purely face-to-face format.

Adopted December 19, 2011
Revised May 17, 2022

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