WAC 132E-120-120   Academic affairs.  Students' scholastic performance shall be evaluated on the basis of educational performance, not on opinions or conduct in matters unrelated to scholastic standards.

     (1) Protection of freedom of expression.

     Students shall be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any course of study and to reserve judgment about matters of opinion, but they are responsible for learning the content of any course for which they are enrolled.

     (2) Right to pursue educational goals.

     Students are free to pursue appropriate educational goals from among the college's curricula, programs, and services, subject to the limitations of RCW 28B.50.090 (3)(b).

     (3) Protection against improper academic evaluation.

     Students shall have protection, through orderly procedures, against prejudice or capricious academic evaluation. At the same time, they are responsible for maintaining the standards of academic performance established for each course in which they are enrolled (see academic grievance procedure in the student handbook, WAC 132E-120-360).

     (4) Rights and responsibilities regarding final examinations.

     Students have the right to have course comprehensive final examinations scheduled per the college's final exam schedule and are expected to take these examinations as scheduled by the final exam schedule. A comprehensive final examination is that which includes material covered throughout the entire course. The exception to this rule applies during summer quarter when there is not a scheduled final examination week.

     (5) Right to attend classes as regularly scheduled.

     Students have the right to expect classes to be held as regularly scheduled and are expected to attend such classes per the class instructor's attendance expectations as stated in the syllabus for the course.

     (6) Rights and responsibilities regarding course syllabi.

     Students have the right to expect the class instructor to follow his/her course syllabus and if any changes are made to the grading system and/or course requirements during the quarter, the students must be promptly notified. If a different instructor is assigned to the class during the quarter, the original course syllabus shall be followed; however, if the new instructor determines a need to modify the syllabus for the portion of the course he/she is teaching, the students must be promptly notified. The students are responsible for reading and understanding the information provided in the course syllabus and any changes made to it during the quarter.

     (7) Protection against improper disclosure.

     Information about student views, beliefs, and political associations acquired by faculty members in the course of their work as instructors, advisers, and counselors will be considered as privileged and confidential.



[Statutory Authority: Chapters 28B.50 and 28B.10 RCW. 07-11-165, § 132E-120-120, filed 5/23/07, effective 6/23/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.50.140. 00-17-015, § 132E-120-120, filed 8/3/00, effective 9/3/00.]