Academic Life

Academic Advising

Academic advising assists students in reaching their academic and career goals at Cincinnati State. Program chairs, academic advisors, other faculty members, and some staff members are assigned to guide students through activities such as:

• Setting academic goals
• Developing educational plans
• Selecting courses
• Providing information on transfer credits
• Understanding and meeting requirements for graduation
• Clarifying career and personal goals
• Explaining academic policies and procedures
• Addressing academic challenges
• Making appropriate referrals to campus support services

Mandatory Advising 

Students are required to meet with an academic advisor prior to registering for their first two semesters. In some cases, students may be required to meet with an advisor each semester prior to registering for classes until all prerequisite coursework has been completed for admission into their major.  

Academic Appeals Procedure

Cincinnati State Technical and Community College has adopted the following procedures to ensure students with legitimate concerns about academic processes (hereafter called “academic appeals”) can resolve these concerns equitably.

Before using the steps below, a student is expected to attempt to resolve concerns directly with the instructor, within the semester immediately following the semester when the grade was issued.

1. A student is expected to bring his or her academic appeal first to his or her faculty advisor (program chair or cooperative education coordinator).
2. If the concern cannot be settled at this level, the student is expected to bring his or her academic appeal to the division dean or the dean’s designee.
3. It is expected that most academic appeals will be resolved at the division level. However, if the concern cannot be resolved by the division dean, the student may continue the academic appeals process by meeting with an academic appeals panel.
   To initiate the appeals process, the student must submit a written request to appeal the decision of the division dean, including a statement of the concern that is to be addressed, and pertinent documentation, to the Provost. The Provost reviews all pertinent information in order to determine whether the appeal merits the formation of a panel. If the Provost determines that an appeals panel should appropriately be formed, the process continues to step four. If the Provost does not feel the student’s appeal merits the formation of a panel, he/she meets with the student involved and relays his/her findings and recommendations.
4. If an academic appeals panel is convened, it is composed of one dean (excluding the dean of the division involved in the appeal), appointed by the Provost; and two faculty members, appointed by the Faculty Senate. The designated dean chairs the panel, solicits appointment of the faculty representatives, convenes meetings of the panel, and provides copies of necessary documentation to the other panel members. Documentation includes:
   1. The student’s written statement and other material the student wishes to submit.
   2. A written summary of the disposition of the case at the division level, prepared by the division’s dean.
   3. The student’s transcript, or any other related materials the panel may wish to examine.
5. The chair will convene a meeting that includes the student, the members of the panel, and other participants the panel may choose to invite to the meeting. The student has an opportunity to present his or her concern, and the panel members have the opportunity to ask questions and seek clarification. If the panel determines there are issues involved which are not academic concerns, the panel informs the student of appropriate measures to be taken.
6. The panel may, at its own discretion, refer the matter to the Academic Policies & Curriculum Committee (APCC) for advice and recommendations.
7. If the APCC is convened to review the appeal, the panel chair must ensure that all related documentation is submitted to the APCC chair one week prior to the APCC meeting. Any recommendations made by the APCC are submitted to the academic appeals panel for consideration.
8. The chair of the academic appeals panel forwards a recommendation along with all related documentation to the Provost. The Provost makes the final determination regarding the appeal and notifies the dean of the division involved in the appeal. That dean communicates this determination to the student who initiated the appeal.

Absence for Participation in School Sponsored Activities

If a student must miss class because he or she is participating in a Cincinnati State sponsored co-curricular event (such as a meeting of a professional organization, or an academic-related competition), the absence should be treated as excused and should not have a negative impact on the student’s attendance grade for the course.

Students are responsible for providing their instructors with appropriate documentation prior to the event. Students must also make up any required work through a process and on a schedule to be determined by the course instructor.

It is understood that this waiver applies only to the attendance grade, and not necessarily to other components of the instructor’s grading system.

Absence for Religious Observance

Students are permitted to be absent from class to observe a religious holiday. It is the student’s responsibility to notify instructors of this planned absence no later than the end of the first week of the academic semester. It is also the student’s responsibility to make up any required work through a process and on a schedule to be determined by the course instructor.

Adding, Dropping, or Withdrawing from a Course

The Important Dates page of the College website lists the dates when students may add, drop, or withdraw from a course after completing their initial registration. Student transactions to add, drop, or withdraw from a course are not official unless processed onlinw using MyCState/MyServices or in person at the Office of the Registrar.

The appropriate forms and instructions for registration activity can be obtained in the Office of the Registrar or in the Registration section of the College website.

The following procedures apply to full-semester courses with start and end dates that coincide with the first and last days of the regular (15-week) semester schedule.

Flexibly scheduled courses (with start and/or end dates that do not coincide with the first and last days of the regular semester schedule) use similar procedures, but may have a different timeline. More information is available from the Office of the Registrar.

Adding a full-semester course

• Prior to the first course meeting of the semester, no approval is required to add an open course, unless the course has an “instructor consent” requirement.
• Once a course has met, the approval of the course instructor must be obtained.
• The fifth class day of the semester is the last day to add a course.

Dropping a full-semester course

• Courses dropped from the time of registration through the fourteenth calendar day of the semester do not need additional approval to be processed.
• The fourteenth calendar day of the semester is the last day to drop a course. In an instance when the fourteenth day falls on a weekend or holiday, the last day to drop a course is the preceding business day.

Withdrawing from a course - available online via MyServices

• The withdrawal period for full-semester courses begins each semester the day after the last day to drop a course (14th calendar day of the semester) and ends on the fifty-sixth instructional day. No additional approval is required to withdraw from a course during this period.
• The withdrawal period for flexibly scheduled courses begins after the day designated as the Last Day to Drop a Course for that course section, through the day designated as the Last Day to Withdraw from that course section. More information is available from the Office of the Registrar.
• Only in circumstances beyond the student’s control will a withdrawal be permitted after the fifty-sixth instructional day. All official late withdrawals must be approved by the course instructor and the division dean.
  In cases where late withdrawal is not approved, the student receives the grade assigned by the instructor.

Attendance

Each student is expected to attend all classes and cooperative education/clinical placements as scheduled. Each College faculty member is expected to document student attendance during the first two weeks of the semester and to report attendance and non-attendance to the Office of the Registrar. Attendance in cooperative education and clinical placements is reported by the cooperative education/clinical coordinator based on reports from the student’s site coordinator.

Individual faculty members may establish course policies that consider attendance as a factor in determining course grades. These policies may include limits and/or penalties related to excused and/or unexcused absences. Students should check with all of their instructors to determine how attendance will be taken, and in what ways, if any, attendance is a factor in grading.

Non-Attendance

The following policies pertain to all courses.

• Instructors are required to document student attendance in each course section for all class sessions held during the first two weeks of the semester. For courses that do not meet for the full semester (i.e., flexibly scheduled course sections) the attendance reporting period will vary based on the course’s structure. Please consult the Important Dates page on the College website or the Office of the Registrar for information on when non-attendance is reported for these courses.
• From the first day of the semester until the First Day to Withdraw for the semester, students who drop a course must identify whether or not they attended the course section.
• A student who enrolls in a course but does not attend the course during the stated no-show period will be designated a No Show (NS) and dropped from the course by the instructor.
• If there is a discrepancy between a student’s self-reported attendance status and the attendance status reported by an instructor, the attendance status reported by the instructor will be the status of record.
• Students are not permitted to begin attending a course section after an NS has been issued by the instructor or self-reported by the student for that course section.
• The designation of NS will not appear on the student’s transcript.
• A student who receives an NS designation for a course is still financially responsible for payment for the course. State and federal financial aid is not applicable to a course for which a student has received an NS designation.
• A student is not permitted to withdraw from a course he or she did not attend or to which an NS has been assigned.

Non-Attendance in Web-based and Hybrid Courses

Students enrolled in courses classified as WEB (web-based; no in-person attendance required) or HYB (hybrid; primarily web-based but with some required in-person activities), and WHYB (web hybrid; primarily web-based with some required "real time" online participation using web-conferencing tools) must log in to the course website during the stated no-show period of the semester and participate in an online activity.

Participation in course includes, but is not limited to, submitting an academic assignment; taking an exam, completing an interactive tutorial, or completing computer-assisted instruction; participating in an online discussion about academic matters; attending a synchronous session; and/or initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course.

A student who is enrolled in the course but does not log into the course website during the first two weeks of the semester will be designated as No Show (NS) by the instructor. All other policies described in the Catalog section above on “Non-Attendance” apply to students in WEB, HYB, and WHYB courses also.

In some cases, the website for a WEB, HYB, or WHYB course will be open to students prior to the first day of the semester. Student activities on the website prior to the first day of the semester will be used to determine whether an NS designation is given.

Non-Attendance Leading to Administrative Withdrawal

The following policies pertain to all courses.

• A student who is enrolled in a course and does not attend any class sessions of that course for the consecutive equivalent of 20% of the total course length, at any time during the semester, may be administratively withdrawn from the course.
• Non-attendance is defined by the "Non-Attendance" policy and the "Non-Attendance in Web-based and Hybrid Courses" policy listed in this Catalog.
• Faculty members who implement the Administrative Withdrawal policy will include information in their course syllabus explaining how attendance is taken and stating that the consecutive equivalent of 20% of the total course length of non-attendance will lead to administrative withdrawal.
• Faculty members who implement this policy will inform the academic dean (of the division that offers the course) of the last date of attendance for any student who does not attend course sessions for the consecutive equivalent of 20% of the total course length.
• The last day an instructor may submit an Administrative Withdrawal is the date published in the College's Important Dates Chart on the College website as the last day to withdraw from a course, as applicable for the 15-week and/or 10-week session of a semester. 
• The dean will notify the Registrar to administratively withdraw the student from the course.

Children on Campus

Cincinnati State Technical and Community College strives to maintain an environment conducive to teaching and learning. Therefore, whenever children are brought to campus they must remain with their parents, guardians, or caretakers in all areas of the College. Whether or not a child can be brought into a classroom is at the discretion of each instructor.

If the College’s Campus Police Department finds any child left unattended, they will locate the parent/caretaker so the child can be cared for properly. Above all else, the College wishes to ensure the safety and well-being of each child.

Course Cancellation

A course offering may be canceled prior to the first class meeting (face-to-face) or start of the course (online) because of low enrollment. The College will make every attempt to notify students prior to the cancellation.

A refund of 100% of tuition and lab/course fees is made to a student who has registered for a course that is cancelled by the College, if the student does not change to another course.

Course Drop/Withdrawal Grading Policy

• Courses officially dropped through the fourteenth calendar day of each semester, using official processes described elsewhere in this Catalog, do not appear on a student's transcript.
• During the Withdrawal Period (the fourteenth day through the fifty-sixth day of each semester), official withdrawals are assigned a grade of W. The W appears on the student’s transcript; however, it is not calculated into the grade point average (GPA).
• The instructor may not issue a W as the final grade. A grade of W is assigned only if the student completes the withdrawal process.

Expectations for Time Required Outside of Class

The amount of time required to complete homework for Cincinnati State courses will vary, depending on the course topic and level, as well as the student’s prior preparation.

Homework for college courses may include reading; writing essays, reports, or other papers; studying for quizzes and exams; preparing project materials; meeting with others to complete course activities; and a wide range of other tasks.

As a general guideline, students should plan to spend at least two to three hours outside of class each week for each course contact hour (that is, either a lecture hour or a lab hour). For example, a student enrolled in a course that has two lecture hours per week and three lab hours per week (five total contact hours) should plan to spend 10 to 15 hours per week outside of class completing work for that course.

It is the student’s responsibility to plan a schedule that allows adequate time to complete the work required for each class. Students should seek additional information from their instructors regarding expectations for the time needed to complete all coursework.

Faculty Office Hours

All full-time College faculty members maintain office hours to conduct in-person meetings with students. Some faculty members also maintain online office hours for communication with students by email or other methods designated by the instructor.

Students should check with each instructor, or the receptionist in the instructor’s division office area, to schedule appointments. In most instances, students should use the Starfish online system to schedule appointments.

Flexibly Scheduled Courses

The following policies and procedures pertain to flexibly scheduled course sections only:

• Course sections with a beginning and/or ending date different than the first and last days of the regular (15-week) semester schedule are considered flexibly scheduled. Flexibly scheduled course sections are typically identified in the course schedule with alphabetical section designations.
• Students may register for a flexibly scheduled course section with no additional approvals, up to the time of the first course meeting.
• A student may enter a flexibly scheduled course section by the date established as the Last Day to Add for that course section. Registration after the date established as the Last Day to Add for that flexibly scheduled course section is not permitted.
• A student may drop a flexibly scheduled course section, without a grade appearing on their record, by the date established as the Last Day to Drop a Course for that course section.
• A student may withdraw from a flexibly scheduled course section from the date established as the Last Day to Drop a Course for that section through the date established as the Last Day to Withdraw from a Course for that section.

Making Up Missed Work

The privilege of making up missed assignments, quizzes, tests, exams, and other course activities is not automatic. An instructor does not have to permit or grant make-up privileges. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the instructor’s make-up policies, and to seek this information from the instructor if necessary.

MyServices

MyServices is the pathway to web-based student services at Cincinnati State. Through MyServices, students can register, add, and drop classes; view and print their class schedules; make payments; check on financial aid status; view and print their grade reports; view and print degree audits; and access a variety of other services.

To access MyServices, go to the "Current Students" section of the Cincinnati State website and then choose MyCState. Log in with username and password, and then choose the MyServices tab.

Procedures for Students Called to Active Duty

Students enlisted in the military reserves or National Guard who are called to active duty may drop or withdraw from all courses. This may be accomplished in person, by email, by fax, or by mail.

Students called to active duty must complete the following steps:

• Provide the Office of the Registrar with a copy of the military orders. The student may deliver the copy of the orders to the Office of the Registrar, mail it to Office of the Registrar, 3520 Central Parkway, Cincinnati OH, 45223; fax it to (513) 569-1883; or email to registraroffice@cincinnatistate.edu.
• Request to be dropped from all courses. If this is accomplished in-person, the student completes the Registration Activity Request form. For fax, mail, or email requests, staff in the Office of the Registrar may complete the appropriate form on the student’s behalf.
• Indicate to the Office of the Registrar whether he/she attended any class sessions.
• If the student attended class sessions, he/she must provide the last date of attendance for each course to be dropped.
• In some instances, time constraints may prevent the student from completing a Late Withdrawal request. In this case, the student may present the military orders within 30 business days of his/her return to receive Late Withdrawal. The Office of the Registrar does not accept Requests for Late Withdrawal after that time period.

Requesting College Transcripts from Cincinnati State

To obtain a copy of a Cincinnati State transcript, students should complete the Transcript Request Form available on the College website, and turn in the form in person at the Registrar's Office (Clifton Campus), online (using MyServices if they are an active student), by mail, or by fax. Students may also email the form to the Registrar's Office, as an attachment to an email message.

All requests for transcripts must include either the Transcript Request Form or all of the following information: name, student ID or Social Security number, approximate dates attended, and the address to which the transcript should be sent. Requests must include the student’s signature authorizing the College to release this information.

To request or pick up a transcript in person, please check the Office of the Registrar section of the College website for information regarding open hours. When requesting or picking up transcripts in person, a valid photo identification or a SurgeCard is required.

To request transcripts by mail, please mail the request to:
Office of the Registrar
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
3520 Central Parkway
Cincinnati, OH 45223-2690

The Transcript Request Form may be faxed to (513) 569-1883.

The Transcript Request Form may be scanned and emailed as an attachment to transcripts@cincinnatistate.edu.

Please note:

• Students who attended Cincinnati State after 1986 may request an official transcript be printed in-person at the Office of the Registrar.
• Students may request a transcript to be sent directly from the Office of the Registrar to an individual or other institution designated by the student. Please allow three to seven working days for staff to process such requests.
• Because records prior to 1986 may be on microfilm, allow seven to ten working days for staff to process such requests.

For questions regarding ordering transcripts, please call the Office of the Registrar at (513) 569-1522.

All financial obligations to the College must be cleared before any transcripts are released.

Student Recording and Distribution of Course Lectures and Materials

Students may not photograph, record (using audio or video technology), duplicate, reproduce, transmit, distribute, or upload or share via internet or website environments any class lectures, discussion, and/or other course materials, unless written permission has been obtained in advance from the instructor.

In the case of class discussions and/or presentations, permission must also be obtained from all students in the class and any guest speakers, if applicable. All participants must be informed in advance that activities will be recorded.

Students should review the course syllabus for instructions regarding the instructor’s policy on class recordings. Unless directly authorized by the syllabus, any student wishing to record classroom activities must discuss this issue with the instructor and obtain written permission.

Any photograph or recording of class activities and/or materials is authorized solely for use as an educational resource by an individual student or, when permission is granted, with other students enrolled in the same class. Photographs and/or recordings may not be publicly exchanged, distributed, shared, or broadcast for any purpose.

Permission to allow a photograph or recording is not a transfer of any copyrights.

Violation of this policy may subject a student to disciplinary action under the College’s Student Code of Conduct.

Exception: it is not a violation of this policy for a student determined by the Office of Disability Services to be entitled to educational accommodations to exercise any rights protected under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, including needed recording or adaptations of classroom lectures, discussions, and/or course materials for personal research and study. However, all other restrictions on other use and/or distribution apply in such cases.

Weather-Related Cancellation or Delay of Classes

In the event of adverse conditions, it may be necessary to cancel some class sessions. The College will rarely close completely. Local radio and television stations may begin announcing Cincinnati State’s operating status as early as 6:15 a.m. on the day involved, or the prior evening (depending on the weather situation). When adverse weather conditions begin to occur during a day the College is open for standard operations, the status of day and/or evening classes will be handled by an announcement during the day.

When the College announces a "late start," classes that occur prior to the delayed start time are canceled. However, if a class has at least 50 minutes remaining after the delayed start time, students should attend that class. For example, if a student's class meets from 9 to 10:50 a.m., and the College announces a delayed start time of 10 a.m., students should attend that class beginning at 10 a.m.

It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of their instructors' policies and procedures for dealing with weather-related cancellations and delays, and to seek this information from their instructors if necessary.