General Policies

Credits for Non-Traditional Learning

Students who have acquired college-level learning through work or other non-collegiate activities may earn BCCC credits for these life experiences by taking BCCC’s departmental exams or through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). A maximum of 30 credits may be earned through departmental exams; 15 through CLEP. Students should contact the Associate Dean of the appropriate department and the Test Center for information and requirements for departmental and/ or CLEP exams.

Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct

Academic dishonesty jeopardizes the quality of education and depreciates the genuine achievements of others. Apathy or acquiescence in the presence of academic dishonesty is not a neutral act. All members of the College Community – students, faculty, and staff – share the responsibility to challenge and make known acts of apparent academic dishonesty. Any of the following acts, when committed by a student, is an act of academic dishonesty.

1. Students completing any examination should assume that external assistance (e.g., books, notes, calculators, conversation with others) is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the instructor.
2. Students must not allow others to conduct research or prepare any work for them without permission from the instructor.  Using the services of commercial term paper companies is prohibited.
3. Substantial portions of the same academic work may not be submitted for credit or honors more than once without permission from the instructor.

1. “Invented” information may not be used in any laboratory experiment or other academic exercise without permission from the instructor. 
2. Students who attempt to alter and resubmit their returned academic work without notice to the instructor would be in violation of the Academic Honesty Policy.

1. Direct Quotation: Every direct quotation must be identified by quotation marks or by appropriate indentation and must be properly cited.
2. Paraphrase: Prompt acknowledgment is required when material from another source is paraphrased or summarized in whole or in part in the students’ own words.
3. Borrowed Facts or Information: Information that is obtained in one’s reading or research which is not common knowledge among students in the course must be acknowledged. Materials that are in most references may be acknowledged in the bibliography and need not be immediately cited.

1. Use prohibited.  Students are not allowed to use advanced automated tools (artificial intelligence or machine learning tools such as ChatGPT or Dall-E 2) on assignments in this course. Each student is expected to complete each assignment without substantive assistance from others, including automated tools.  Students are prohibited as follows: 

2. Use only with prior permission. Students can use advanced automated tools (artificial intelligence or machine  learning tools such as ChatGPT or Dall-E 2) on assignments in this course if instructor permission is obtained in advance. Unless given permission to use those tools, each student is expected to complete each assignment without substantive assistance from others, including automated tools. 
3. Use only with acknowledgment.  Artificial intelligence (AI) language models, such as ChatGPT, may be used for any assignment with appropriate citations. Students can use advanced automated tools (artificial intelligence or machine learning tools such as ChatGPT or Dall-E 2) on assignments in this course if that use is properly documented and credited.

For example, text generated using ChatGPT-3 should include a citation such as: “Chat-GPT-3. (YYYY, Month DD of query). “Text of your query.” Generated using OpenAI. https://chat.openai.com/” Material generated using other tools should follow a similar citation convention.  

Student Religious Accommodations

BCCC will provide reasonable accommodations so that students may: (i) observe faith-based or religious holidays; or (ii) participate in organized religious activities. Reasonable accommodations may include missing or rescheduling class time(s), examination(s), or other class requirement(s). BCCC also provides a designated space on campus to accommodate individual students’ faith-based or religious practices. Students should request a religious accommodation from the Vice President for Student Affairs or Designee.

Smoke-Free Environment Policy

Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) prohibits the use of any product that emits smoke that could be inhaled by others, including marijuana and tobacco cigarettes, electronic smoking devices (used for vaping) or hookahs, in any enclosed place, including, but not limited to, all offices, classrooms, hallways, restrooms, meeting rooms, community areas, and performance venues. Smoking is also prohibited outdoors on all BCCC campus property, owned or leased, including, but not limited to, parking lots, paths, fields, and sports/recreational areas, as well as in all vehicles while on property that is owned or leased by the College. This policy applies to all students, faculty, staff, and other persons on campus, regardless of the purpose of their visit. This policy shall be enforced by Public Safety. Students and employees that fail to comply with the smoke-free policy will be subject to progressive disciplinary action. Visitors that fail to comply with the smoke-free policy will be informed of the policy and requested to comply. Visitors that continue to violate the policy after verbal warning will be escorted off-campus

A Drug-Free Campus Plan

It is the policy of Baltimore City Community College generally to prohibit the possession, use, consumption, sale, purchase, distribution, dispensation, or manufacture of alcohol, controlled substances or illegal drugs on campus premises, at all College-sponsored activities, within its facilities, in the conduct of College-related work off College premises, or at anytime during the course of the workday.    Although alcohol consumption on campus is generally prohibited, the President has the authority to make exceptions to this policy when the President believes it is in the best interests of the College to do so, with the expectation that under-aged persons will not be served and that moderation will be practiced.    

Student Code of Conduct

Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) is a diverse community of students, faculty and staff. We recognize the importance of a Student Code of Conduct that promotes the growth and development of its members, guides actions, and defines sanctions that will be imposed if rules and regulations are violated. For the benefit of the community at large, the Student Code of Conduct limits certain behaviors and activities. Any student whose conduct violates this Student Code of Conduct (the Code) will be subject to disciplinary action. Therefore, all students attending BCCC are expected to conduct themselves in a civil manner. Civility at BCCC is defined as behavior that demonstrates respect for the rights, needs, and feelings of others. The standards of behavior set forth in the Student Code of Conduct allow the College to promote civility within its community.

Student Athletic Eligibility Policy

It is the policy of Baltimore City Community College to comply with eligibility rules and regulations of the NJCAA, the Maryland Junior College Conference and Region XX. The Registrar has the responsibility to make the final determination of Athlete Academic Eligibility. The Athletic Director has the responsibility to verify that all Athletes meet all other NJCAA and BCCC’s eligibility criteria including compliance with the Student Code of Conduct. 

Acceptable Use of Technology Policy

This policy outlines practices and constraints that a user must agree to for access to Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) IT resources. 

Acceptable Use of BCCC IT resources:

1. Understand and comply with College policies and applicable public laws. Users are responsible for understanding and complying with all laws, rules, policies, contracts, and licenses applicable to their particular uses. 
2. Make reasonable efforts to protect all assigned accounts and passwords. Account owners are responsible for all actions, network use, and transactions originating from an assigned computer account.
3. Use College IT, network resources, and user accounts for appropriate College activities.
4. Respect all pertinent licenses, copyrights, and contracts.
5. Respect all restricted and/or proprietary data and information.
6. Respect the freedom, rights, and privacy of others.
7. Use IT and network resources responsibly, ethically, and with integrity.
8. Make reasonable efforts to maintain a secure home and/or personal computing environment if devices will be used to access College IT resources.
9. Acknowledge that the College may monitor computer or network use and may examine files, mail and printer history logs.   
10. Report known violators of IT related College policy and/or laws to the College ITS Department.

Prohibited uses of BCCC IT resources:

1. Using another person’s BCCC IT login credentials and/or sharing your BCCC credentials with another person.   
2. Misrepresenting yourself or your data on the network.
3. Transmitting threatening, harassing, intimidating, discriminatory or obscene messages.
4. Interfering with the ability of others to conduct College business.
5. Using IT resources to gain unauthorized access to or attack any remote computer or network.
6. Any intentional act that would deny or interfere with the access and use of IT resources by others, including acts that are wasteful of computing resources, or that unfairly monopolize resources to the exclusion of other users.
7. Violations of copyright law; copying, or making available on the network copyrighted material, including without limitation, software programs, music files, video files, still and digital images, radio and television broadcasts, and written text works, unless permitted by a license, by the consent of the copyright owner, by a fair use limitation under copyright law, or by permitted copying under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) or other law.   
8. Intentional misuse or theft of software and/or IT resources.
9. Unauthorized or inappropriate access to information resources, data, equipment, or facilities, including, but not limited to tampering with components of a local-area network (LAN), or the high-speed backbone network, otherwise blocking communication lines, or interfering with the operational readiness of a computer.
10. Inappropriate use of data. The unauthorized sale or transfer of data contained on College IT resources on networks (including social security number, date of birth, addresses, and other information that may be used for identity theft).
11. Unauthorized interception or monitoring of communications, user dialog, or password input, circumventing data protection schemes, exploiting security loopholes, or interfering with standard technical measures that identify and protect the rights of copyright owners.
12. Altering or disrupting system software or hardware configurations without authorization.
13. Introducing unauthorized, independent computer or network hardware to the College IT environment. Personal devices may not be connected to the College secure network without written authorization from the CIO or the CIO’s designee. 
14. Unauthorized use or permitting unauthorized use of and access to electronic distribution lists and/or mailing lists created by the College.
15. Use of College IT resources for personal profit or to solicit sales for any goods, services, or contributions not authorized by the College.
16. Any other practice or use of college IT resources that is inconsistent with law, with this policy, other BCCC policies, or with the College’s mission and its role. 

Summary of Financial Aid Recipients’ Rights and Responsibilities

Students who receive financial aid from the College have the right to:

• Know the costs of attendance at the institution
• Know all available sources of financial aid
• To speak with the financial aid officer who has determined their need
• Be informed of all aspects of financial aid packages, including disbursement of aid
• Know the academic expectations of the institution

Students who receive financial aid from the College are responsible for:

• Complying with the College’s deadlines
• Reporting any outside awards to the College’s Financial Aid Office
• Remaining in good Academic Standing
• Complying with loan repayment schedules
• Reporting any changes in the family’s or student’s financial status to the Financial Aid Office.

Transfer Policy

General Transfer Policy

It is the policy of Baltimore City Community College that students who have successfully completed college level courses at a regionally accredited college or university will receive credit toward an associate degree or certificate. In addition, exemption from relevant placement tests will be granted. At least 30, but not more than 45, credits that were earned at any public senior higher education institution in the State may be awarded. The total number of credits that may be allocated toward an associate degree is 45. The credits awarded for a certificate is half of the total required hours. Students can earn up to 30 of these transfer hours through transfer of nontraditional credit.  Students registered at a four-year college or university can take applicable course work and transfer that work back to Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) in accordance with BCCC’s transfer policy. 

Maryland Higher Education Commission General Education and Transfer Regulations

Authorization

These Student Transfer Policies, as adopted by the Maryland Higher Education Commission on December 4, 1995, shall be effective and applicable to students first enrolling in Maryland public post-secondary educational institutions in Fall 1996, and thereafter.

Applicability of Policies

These transfer policies and procedures apply to admission, credit transfer, program articulation, and related matters for undergraduate students who wish to transfer between Maryland public colleges and universities. The Maryland Higher Education Commission also recommends them to Maryland independent institutions.

Rationale

A major premise of the Maryland public higher education system is that a student should be able to progress from one segment of higher education to another without loss of time or unnecessary duplication of effort. The Maryland Higher Education Commission’s objective is to ensure that a student who intends to complete a baccalaureate degree and who begins his or her work at a community college, is able to move toward the completion of that degree by transferring to a baccalaureate degree- granting institution without loss of credit or unnecessary duplication of course content. At the same time, the Commission recognizes that some students change their educational objectives as they progress in their studies, indeed, sometimes because their studies expose them to new ideas and possibilities. These students should also be able to complete their general education courses and have them transfer without loss of credit.

One means of accomplishing this objective is through the development of recommended transfer programs between two- and four-year institutions. A recommended transfer program, developed by careful planning and agreement between specific two-and four-year institutions, identifies a recommended sequence of courses which a student takes at a community college, which will constitute the first two years of a baccalaureate degree program at a Maryland public institution of higher education.

The Maryland Higher Education Commission recognizes that students select institutions of higher education for a variety of reasons. These policies also recognize that each Maryland public college or university has a separate and distinct mission, and that each has the responsibility to establish and maintain standards of expectations for courses, programs, certificates, and degrees consistent with that mission. Nevertheless, effective and efficient transfer of credits between and among these institutions must occur within the larger context of the statewide structure of baccalaureate and community college education.

Successful and harmonious articulation depends upon:

• Firm agreement that the needs of the student should be a primary concern in developing articulation procedures, while maintaining the integrity of educational programs;
• Establishment of clear and equitable policies to assure optimum accessibility for transfer students with minimal loss of credits and minimal duplication of course content;
• Mechanisms for evaluation and resolving difficulties students may encounter in moving from one school to another;
• Free and continuous communications among institutions;
• Mutual respect for institutions and their missions;
• Adaptability, within a context of understanding that changes affect not only the institution making changes but also the students and institutions impacted by the changes;
• Free exchange of data among institutions;
• Timely exchange of information relative to students’ progress.

The intended principal benefactor is the student, whose uninterrupted progress toward a degree - based on successful academic performance- is best served by the open exchange of current information about programs, and is best protected by a clear transfer policy pertaining to the public segments of higher education in Maryland.

The State’s interests are similarly served through such a policy, which results in the optimal use of its higher education resources by reducing the costly duplication that results in the needless waste of the valuable time and effort of Maryland students, faculty, and administration. Institutional interests and missions are also protected by this systematic approach, which permits them to incorporate into their academic planning more accurate projections about the programmatic backgrounds of transferring students.

In more specific ways this document’s purpose is to:

• Define broad areas of agreement among the public two-year and four-year institutions of higher education pertaining to facilitating the transfer of students within these segments;
• Provide a mechanism for continuous evaluation of programs, policies, procedures, and relationships affecting transfer of students; 
• Provide such revisions as are needed to promote the academic success and general well-being of the transfer student;
• Provide a system of appeals beginning on the campus level to resolve difficulties that students experience in transfer.

While policies and procedures can be established which facilitate the transfer of students, it is the responsibility of the student, as the principal in the process, to know and follow the procedures defined.

Notification of Rights under FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the College receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The College official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the College official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate.Students may ask the College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. They should write the College official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate. If the College determines that the record is accurate and denies the request, the College will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the College has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:

     Family Policy Compliance Office
     U.S. Department of Education
     400 Maryland Avenue, SW
     Washington, DC 20202-5901

Resolution on Americans With Disabilities Act Compliance

Baltimore City Community College intends to comply with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and other laws protecting the rights of persons with disabilities.  Students requiring information or assistance on account of disabilities, should contact the Office of Disability Support Services.