Ivy Tech’s regional corporate and community services offices work closely with Indiana businesses to offer customized training, retraining and continuing education in response to specific company needs. These training programs are available on-campus or in-plant.

Guide to the student handbook. This handbook is intended to assist you. The college may revise any matter described in this publication at any time without publishing a revised version. Courses, programs, curriculum, and/or program requirements may be changed or discontinued at any time. Information that appears to apply to a particular student should be verified by the Office of Student Affairs. This publication and its provisions are not in any way a contract between the student and Ivy Tech.

Nondiscrimination and equal opportunity policy. The college provides open admission, degree credit programs, courses, and community service offerings, and student support services for all persons, regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, physical or mental ability, age, or veteran status. The college also provides opportunities to students for employment on the same nondiscriminatory opportunity basis. Persons who believe they may have been discriminated against should contact Celestine Johnson, executive director, human resources, (800) 459-0561, 1815 E. Morgan St., Kokomo, Indiana. Ivy Tech Community College is an accredited, equal opportunity/affirmative action institutions.

Regional accreditation. Ivy Tech Community College is accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, 30 N. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL 60602, (800) 621-7440.

Student and faculty responsibility for learning. An effective faculty-student partnership is an essential component to achieving student academic success. As is true in any partnership, both parties are expected to contribute. Faculty bring knowledge and expertise to the partnership. Their responsibility is to create an environment conducive to learning and to promote opportunities for student learning, while respecting the diversity of the student body. Faculty have a professional responsibility to plan and deliver quality instruction as defined by course objectives and to clarify expectations. This includes, but is not limited to:

• evaluating student work in a fair, objective, timely manner
• respecting opinions without demeaning the student
• giving help and clarification when needed
• being accessible and approachable to students, maintaining posted office hours and arranged appointments
• having a positive, caring attitude toward teaching and learning
• presenting facts and skills in an organized manner that respects various learning styles.

Students contribute effort and potential to the partnership. Students are responsible for participating in the learning process in a conscientious manner while taking full advantage of the educational opportunities available. Students also are expected to conduct themselves in such a manner as not to interfere with the learning of others. The following list is not meant to be inclusive, but rather further defines the student role:

• come to all classes prepared and on time
• display interest in the subject matter through participation and questions
• bring forth concerns to appropriate individuals
• seek help and clarification when necessary, through tutoring, study groups and questions
• engage in accurate, objective self-assessment of own work and continually be aware of class standing/performance
• understand the instructor’s expectations and methods of assessment
• initiate all paperwork necessary to enroll in and exit from the course, including financial aid documents.

Everyone has a responsibility to respect the rights of others with regard to academic affairs. This includes: refraining from inappropriate comments; engaging in value-neutral discussions when differences occur; developing sensitivity to diversity among students and faculty; allowing others an equal chance to participate; and respecting the personal times of others.  

The welfare and academic success of the students is the primary consideration for the learning partnership. The contribution made by both faculty and students is critical to the success of the partnership.

Prohibition against harassment policy and complaint procedure. The college will not tolerate harassment based on sex (with or without sexual conduct), race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, and/or opposition to prohibited discrimination or participation in this or any other complaint procedure. This prohibition covers harassment against any student by anyone, including other students, employees or non-employees during any college activity or program. The policy prohibiting harassment includes adverse treatment of students because they report harassment or provide information related to such complaints. Sexual harassment is simply one form of harassment covered by this policy. Sexual harassment encompasses unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature where:

• submission to the conduct is an explicit or implicit term of student status (which includes academic and non-academic decisions.)
• submission or rejection of the conduct is the basis for any decision affecting that individual's student status
• or such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's academic performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive academic environment.

Sexual harassment would include, but not be limited to, actions such as: (1) sex-oriented oral or written "kidding" or abuse, (2) photographs, drawings or graffiti of a sexual nature, (3) subtle pressure for sexual activity, (4) physical conduct such as patting, pinching, or constant brushing against another's body, and (5) explicit demands for sexual favors, whether or not accompanied by implied or overt promises or preferential treatment or threats concerning an individual's student status.  

Reporting and complaint procedure. Students are encouraged to report harassment before it becomes severe or pervasive. A student who thinks that he or she has been a victim of harassment and who desires to file a complaint to that effect should report a complaint as follows:

If the complaint is regarding harassment by another student, it may be filed with or reported to the dean of student affairs or an academic chairperson with the expectation that the harassing behavior will be a violation of the college's Code of Student Conduct, whether on its own terms or as a violation of another college policy.

If the complaint is regarding sexual harassment by a college employee or non-employee, it may be filed with or reported to Brad Thurman, dean of student affairs, any of the employee's supervisors, or with Celestine Johnson, executive director of human resources, or anyone else in a managerial role.

All supervisors and members of management to whom a complaint of harassment is brought or who independently observe behavior prohibited by the harassment policy are to report the complaint of harassment or information about harassment promptly to the highest ranking official at the respective facility who is not the alleged harassed, to the dean of student affairs or to the executive director of human resources.

Investigation. Students filing complaints of harassment are assured that information about the allegation of harassment will be shared only with those who need to know about it. Records relating to harassment complaints will be kept confidential on the same basis. Complete confidentiality cannot be guaranteed since conducting an effective investigation would not be possible without revealing certain information to the alleged harasser and potential witnesses. Under no circumstances will the individual who conducts the investigation or who has any direct or indirect control over the investigation be subject to the supervisory authority of the alleged harasser.

Determination. After all of the evidence is in, interviews are final, and any credibility issues are resolved, a determination as to whether harassment occurred will be made and the parties informed of the determination. If no determination can be made because the evidence is inconclusive, the parties will be informed of this result.  

Corrective action. After the determination is made, the college will undertake prompt and appropriate corrective action including discipline up to and including termination of employment of an employee-harasser or dismissal of a student-harasser, whenever it determines that harassment has occurred in violation of this policy. Such corrective action will be reported to the student making the complaint.

Student conduct. The college is committed to academic integrity in all its practices. The faculty value intellectual integrity and a high standard of academic conduct. Activities that violate academic integrity undermine the quality and diminish the value of educational achievement.

The reputation of the college and the community depends, in large part, upon the behavior of its students. Students enrolled at the college are expected to conduct themselves in a mature, dignified and honorable manner. Students are entitled to a learning atmosphere free from discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and intimidation. This applies to the conduct between faculty and staff to students, student to student, and students to faculty and staff.

Students are subject to college jurisdiction while enrolled at the college. The college reserves the right to take disciplinary action against any student whose conduct, in the opinion of the college representatives, is not in the best interests of the student, other students, or the college.

All students are expected to abide by the following college rules of conduct.

“Student” as used refers to a student, a group of students, a prospective student or a group of prospective students.