Student Affairs

Student Affairs Mission Statement

Student Affairs provides quality, student-focused programs and services that encourage the development of an inclusive, involved and educated community.

Career Services Center

The Career Center has trained personnel to assist students with all aspects of career planning and development. Specific services designed to promote professional and personal success include a carefully guided assessment of their skills, abilities, values, achievements and interests as aids to effective career planning; a library of resource and online information about occupations, corporations, agencies and government organizations; salary surveys; employment qualifications and employment trends; development and maintenance of placement documents; listings of full-time, part-time and summer employment opportunities and internships; and services for graduate and professional school placement. Programs are provided to inform and train the individual in such areas as interviewing, resume/cover-letter construction, job hunting and sourcing, networking, decision making and salary negotiation.

In addition to the Career Services Center on the main campus, Columbia College offers Jobtrak.com through the Internet. The service is free to students and alumni. The service provides networking, assessment, a resume maker, current articles, and individual consultation. While Columbia College offers placement assistance to all graduates, employment upon program completion is not guaranteed. Contact local campus personnel for information about access.

Testing Services

The Testing Center administers a variety of exams for Columbia College students, including: ADA Accommodated exams, Online Campus Proctored Exams, Math and English Placement, CLEP, DSST (DANTES), CBASE, ESL and ACT Residual. The Testing Center is located in the Tenth Street Center, at 310 North 10th Street. For more information about services offered, visit www.ccis.edu/testing. Contact the center by phone at (573) 875-7485 or by e-mail at testingservices@ccis.edu.

Student Handbook

Every fall a new edition of the Student Handbook is published providing detailed information about all aspects of campus life. Copies are available in the Student Affairs Office and on CougarTrack https://cougartrack.ccis.edu.

Nondiscrimination and Harassment Policy

Columbia College is committed to maintaining an educational and work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment in order to ensure the well-being of all members of our community, including students, faculty, staff and visitors. Discrimination and harassment, either intentional or unintentional, have no place in the learning and working environment. Columbia College does not authorize and will not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment based on race, religion, gender, color, nationality, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, veteran status or any status protected by law.

This policy complies with the requirements of Federal and State civil rights acts including Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1988, state code as well as applicable case law.

For more information about the Nondiscrimination and Harassment Policy or to file a complaint please visit our website at http://web.ccis.edu/Offices/HumanResources/TitleIX/Policy.aspx or contact our Title IX Coordinators at (573) 875-7898

Alcohol and Other Drugs

Columbia College recognizes the negative health effects associated with the use, possession and distribution of controlled and/or illicit substances, and their detrimental impact on the quality of the educational environment.

Columbia College prohibits the manufacture, possession, use, distribution and sale of alcohol and controlled or illicit substances by Columbia College students, regardless of age, and employees on College owned property and at College sponsored or supervised events or activities.

• Public intoxication on campus property is expressly prohibited. Those conditions considered to indicate intoxication include but are not limited to affected manner or disposition, speech, muscular movements, general appearance or behavior as apparent to the observer.
• Containers that contain alcohol as well as empty alcohol containers are prohibited on campus. Possession of empty alcohol containers will be regarded as a violation of this policy.
• Campus displays or advertisements that support or promote alcohol or drug use, possession, manufacture or distribution are prohibited.
• Behavior resulting from intoxication or the illegal use of controlled or illicit drugs will incur disciplinary action.
• Possession of drug paraphernalia and misuse of prescription drugs will be regarded as violations of the drug policy.
• Alcohol and other drugs possessed or consumed in violation of this policy are subject to confiscation.

It is the responsibility of students, faculty and staff to know and uphold the Columbia College Alcohol & Other Drug policy. In accordance, students and employees must be held accountable for their personal behavior. Excessive use, manufacture, possession or distribution of alcohol and/or controlled or illicit substances and the associated behavioral problems will be the basis for disciplinary action. Representatives of the College will cooperate with outside authorities in their efforts to enforce existing laws regarding illegal drugs and alcohol.

Standards of Conduct, Drug/Alcohol Use and Possession

Columbia College rules and regulations prohibit the manufacture, possession, use, distribution and sale of alcohol and controlled or illicit drugs by Columbia College students and employees. Violations of Columbia College rules and regulations pertaining to alcohol and other drugs can result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal for students and termination for employees.

Additionally, in conjunction with or in lieu of the imposition of any disciplinary sanctions, students and employees may also be referred to appropriate local, state or federal law enforcement agencies for arrest and prosecution and/or required to complete an appropriate treatment or rehabilitation program.

In accordance with the mandates of the Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988, and as a condition of employment at Columbia College, all employees (including student employees) must notify their supervisor of any criminal drug statute conviction for a violation occurring in the workplace no later than five days after such a conviction. Employees undergoing treatment for alcohol or drug abuse must meet all standards of conduct and job performance.

Legal Sanctions

Any Columbia College student or employee found possessing, manufacturing or distributing controlled or illicit substances or unlawfully possessing or attempting to possess alcohol or driving a motor vehicle while under the influence is violating local, state and federal laws. A student is ineligible for federal student aid if convicted, under federal or state law, of any offense involving the possession or sale of a controlled substance (generally meaning illegal drugs, but not including alcohol or tobacco).

Medical Amnesty

Medical amnesty encourages students to seek medical attention for themselves or a fellow student suffering from an alcohol or other drug overdose or medical emergency. This policy encourages students to call for medical assistance by removing the threat of campus judicial repercussions. However, the student in need will still participate in mandated substance abuse education and treatment services. The health protection strategies will not shield students from disciplinary action when other rules or codes of conduct have been violated. Students will still be subject to legal consequences for violating other college codes of conduct and state/federal laws.

Health Risks

The use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs may have a negative effect on school or work performance, as well as health and personal relationships. Some common health risks include: addiction; damage to the liver or heart; birth defects; accidents as a result of impaired judgment; and sexual assault or sexually transmitted disease.

Contact the Campus Director, or the college counselor, (800) 231-2391, extension 7423, for answers to questions and help regarding drug and alcohol abuse problems.

Grievance

Students have the right to freedom from unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, sexual orientation or national origin. It is the intent of the college to create an environment in which students can grow and develop as free from problems as possible. However, it is recognized that legitimate concerns, complaints and/or grievances may occur. Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, portions of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and various sections of the Civil Rights Act specifically prohibit discrimination. Students who feel they have a legitimate complaint or grievance are encouraged to voice their concerns and seek remediation.

The following options are available:

1. Students should, when appropriate, discuss their concerns with the person involved and seek appropriate means of solution.
2. Students may, if a policy rather than a person is involved, or if the person involved is unresponsive to the complaint, present the problem to the supervisor of the area - e.g., department head or director of campus safety.
3. Students may file a written complaint with the dean for Student Affairs and the dean for Academic Affairs. It is then the responsibility of these officials to investigate the issues raised in the written complaint and take appropriate action based on their findings. Students will be provided written notice of the disposition of the complaint.
4. Students with disabilities have the right to address access and accommodation complaints through a formal appeals procedure. Disabilities grievance forms are available in the Student Affairs office, the academic affairs office and the administrative services office

Criminal Convictions & Criminal Background Checks

Columbia College reserves the right to require a student to provide to Columbia College a formal criminal background check prepared by an outside vendor approved by Columbia College. The criminal records report must be received by Columbia College personnel within twenty (20) days of the original request, unless a different deadline is stated in the request.

Additionally, students who are charged with a crime after the admissions review process and while enrolled in Columbia College are required to report all charges and/or convictions to the Assistant Dean for Adult Higher Education in writing within ten (10) days of the criminal charge and/or conviction.

Background Check Procedures

Columbia College will notify students in writing using their CougarMail email account that the College is requesting that a student provide to the College a criminal background check report

• Should Columbia College not receive the report within twenty (20) days or other deadline, the student will be placed on interim suspension from classes unless good cause for the delay is otherwise shown by the report deadline. The College reserves the right to extend for good cause the deadline for receipt of the report.
• Should Columbia College not receive the requested criminal background check report by the approved extension deadline, the student may face expulsion from Columbia College unless good cause is otherwise shown.
• Should a student fail to report a criminal charge or conviction within the deadline, the student may face suspension or expulsion.
• This policy is not intended in any way to restrict Columbia College’s ability to suspend or expel a student as otherwise provided by Columbia College policy.
• A student wishing to appeal the decision to suspend or expel that student must submit a letter of appeal to the Assistant Dean for Adult Higher Education within three days of receipt of the decision.

Solicitation

All sales and solicitations are prohibited on Columbia College property, which includes all college-owned, rented or otherwise occupied (e.g., military) buildings and grounds. Requests for exceptions to this policy may be directed to the appropriate member of administrative council. Chain letters in any form are prohibited.

Students with Disabilities

Columbia College prohibits unlawful discrimination against qualified students with disabilities and encourages their full participation within the College Community. All faculty, staff and administrators will actively support students with disabilities in all educational programs, services, and activities, in cases where such support is readily achievable and is not an undue burden.

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (public law 93-112) section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, provides that “no otherwise qualified disabled individual in the United States shall solely by reason of his/her disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”

The Americans with Disabilities Act defines a qualified student with a disability as “any person who is regarded as having such an impairment, and (a) who meets the academic and technical standards requisite for admission to or participation in the College’s programs, and (b) who has a documented physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.”

1. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the institution of a disability that would require academic adjustments in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in section 504. To self-identify as a student with a disability, the student must register with the Coordinator of Disability Services. Registration with the Coordinator of Disability Services is necessary each semester or session in order to receive accommodations. All disabilities must be appropriately documented each semester or term.
2. While students are encouraged to self-identify at the earliest possible time, students may not know or choose to self-identify, but may still receive services at any time once they self-disclose and document. Students must allow enough time for the registration process to be completed.
3. Accommodations are provided on a case by case basis through an Intake Interview process between the Coordinator and student. Students must complete all course requirements and testing requirements as stipulated by the College.
4. Students with disabilities have the right to have access and accommodation complaints addressed through a formal appeals procedure. Students wishing to file a grievance must complete the Disabilities Grievance Form in its entirety, attach a description of the circumstances leading to the complaint as directed on the Disabilities Grievance Form, and submit both documents to the Student Affairs Office.

Disabilities Grievance Forms are available in the Student Affairs Office, the Academic Affairs Office, the ADA Coordinator’s Office and the Administrative Services Office. The ADA Coordinator’s office is located in AHSC 216. Students can contact the Disability Service Office by calling (573) 875-7626 or emailing disabilityservices@ccis.edu.