Official Notices

The statements set forth in this Publication are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as the basis of a contract between a student and this institution.

In case of any divergence from or conflict with the By-laws or Policies of the Board of Regents, the official By-laws and Policies of the Board of Regents shall prevail. This catalog is prepared for the convenience of students and is not to be construed as an official publication of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

While the provisions of this publication will ordinarily be applied as stated, Dalton State College reserves the right to change any provision listed in this catalog, including but not limited to academic requirements for graduation, without actual notice to individual students. Every effort will be made to keep students advised of any such changes. Information on changes will be available in the offices of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. It is especially important that students note that it is their responsibility to keep themselves apprised of current graduation requirements for their particular degree or certificate program.

Dalton State College (DSC) FERPA/Directory Information Policy (effective 12/31/2024)

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to define Directory Information as it pertains to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and outline the rights of students regarding the disclosure of such information by Dalton State College (DSC). The policy ensures compliance with FERPA and The Solomon Act while balancing the need for transparency and the protection of student privacy.

Definition of Directory Information

Under FERPA, "Directory Information" refers to student information that is not generally considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. In compliance with the University System of Georgia (USG) policy (Section 3.2.1.), the following categories are designated as Directory Information:

  • Student’s name
  • Hometown
  • Institution-assigned email address. Under this category, an institution-assigned email address may be disclosed without consent only to other, current students. In addition, students may not request email listings of the entire student body or segments thereof, except for academic purposes.
  • Major field of study
  • Enrollment status (e.g., full-time, part-time)
  • Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
  • Dates of attendance
  • Degrees, honors, and awards received
  • Thesis/Dissertation title
  • The most recent educational institution attended
  • Height and weight of athletes
  • Class level

This information may be disclosed without the student's prior written consent unless the student has opted out of such disclosure (see Student Rights below).

Student Rights Under FERPA

  1. Right to Inspect and Review Education Records Students have the right to inspect and review their education records within 45 days of submitting a written request to the institution registrar. The institution will arrange access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
  2. Right to Request Amendment of Records If a student believes their education records contain inaccurate or misleading information, they have the right to request an amendment. The request must be submitted in writing, clearly identifying the part of the record to be amended and explaining why it is inaccurate or misleading.
  3. Right to Provide Written Consent Before Disclosure Students have the right to provide written consent before the institution discloses any personally identifiable information from their education records, except as authorized under FERPA. Directory Information, as defined above, may be disclosed without prior consent unless the student has opted out.
  4. Right to Opt-Out of Directory Information Disclosure Students may choose to opt out of the disclosure of Directory Information by submitting a written request to the Office of the Registrar. Once the request is submitted, the institution will withhold Directory Information from public disclosure. Important: Opting out does not prevent the institution from disclosing Directory Information to school officials with legitimate educational interests, including certain institution administrators, faculty, and contracted service providers.
  5. Right to File a Complaint with the U.S. Department of Education Students who believe the institution has failed to comply with FERPA may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education at the following address:

Family Policy Compliance Office

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20202-8520

Disclosure Without Consent

USG institutions may disclose education records without a student’s prior written consent to certain parties under certain conditions, as allowed by FERPA, including:

  • School officials with legitimate educational interests.
  • Other schools to which a student is transferring.
  • Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes.
  • Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid.
  • Organizations conducting certain types of studies for or on behalf of the school.
  • Accrediting organizations.
  • Compliance with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena.
  • Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies.

Annual Notification

USG is committed to informing students of their rights under FERPA annually. This policy will be made available through each college or university official communication channels, including student handbooks, institution websites, and registrar’s offices.

The Solomon Act

Under federal law, the Solomon Amendment supersedes most elements of Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and permits for the disclosure of student information if the request conforms to the parameters and requirements set forth in the law.

Legal Authority under the Solomon Amendment

The Solomon Amendment (10 U.S.C. §503) allows military organizations access to education records and information ordinarily restricted under FERPA for the purposes of military recruiting. The Solomon Amendment supersedes most elements of FERPA and requires colleges to release certain information pertaining to their students. Colleges that fail to comply with the Solomon Amendment risk losing funds from several federal agencies, including: the Departments of Education, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Defense (10 U.S.C. §983).

Scope of the Request

The Solomon Amendment allows the Department of Defense entities, such as the U.S. Army, to obtain certain information about currently enrolled full-time students, ages 17 and over, once per term. This information is limited to:

  1. Student names
  2. Addresses
  3. Email address
  4. Phone numbers
  5. Age
  6. Level of education
  7. Degree program currently enrolled in
  8. Degrees received for recent graduates
  9. Educational institutional last enrolled in

Notice of Nondiscrimination

All of the programs, activities, and organizations of Dalton State College are open for the participation of all employees and all individuals enrolled as students. Admissions policies, activities, services, and facilities of Dalton State College do not exclude any person on the basis of race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, or disability. Dalton State College is an Affirmative Action Program Institution.

Dalton State College subscribes fully to the following policy of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia:

The Board of Regents stipulates that no student of the University System, on the ground of race, color, sex, religion, creed, national origin, age or disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity conducted by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia or any of its several institutions now in existence or hereafter established. In addition, in accordance with the policy of the Board of Regents, on the ground of race, color, sex, religion, creed, national origin, age, or disability, there shall be no discrimination of employees in their appointment, promotion, retention, remuneration, or any other condition of employment. 

Consistent with these principles, it is Dalton State College’s policy not to discriminate in offering access to its educational programs and activities or employment opportunities on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, religion, creed, disability, or veteran’s status. 

Incorporated in this policy are the applicable provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Executive Order 11246, as amended; of Title IX Regulations Implementing Education Amendments of 1972; of Section 503 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; of the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974; of the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended; of Title II and other provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended; and of any other federal laws or regulations regarding equal opportunity, affirmative action, and nondiscrimination with respect to employees and students to which Dalton State College is subject. Any person who requires assistance under these measures for admission to or participation in any program, service, or activity of Dalton State College should contact the designated Title IX and Section 504 Coordinator:

Lori McCarty
Director of Human Resources
Dalton State College
650 College Drive
James E. Brown Center, Room 315
Dalton, GA 30720
706.272.2034 or 1.800.829.4436 ext. 2034
lmccarty@daltonstate.edu

Institutional Policy on Sexual Harassment

Dalton State College seeks to provide an environment that supports effective teaching and learning, mutual respect among students, faculty, and staff, and productive, congenial working relations. Discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, or handicap subverts these goals and is unacceptable on this campus.

Sexual harassment, whether overt or subtle, is a form of discriminatory behavior incompatible with institutional commitments and is a violation of policies of the Board of Regents (Policy Manual 802.18) and federal legislation (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the 1972 Educational Amendments). Legal guidelines published in 1980 by the Equal  Employment Opportunity Commission provide the following definition of sexual harassment:

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment or academic advancement, (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions or academic decisions affecting such individual, (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or academic environment.

Sexual harassment may occur between individuals of different status or authority in the institution or between peers. Offenders may be subject to dismissal or other disciplinary action after being afforded procedural due process. Members of the college community are encouraged to resolve sexual harassment situations as informally as possible. Unresolved problems should be reported immediately to a supervisor, a member of the administrative staff, or to the Equal Opportunity Officer (Director of Human Resources). Students should report unresolved problems to the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. Every effort will be made to protect the rights, privacy, and confidentiality of both the complainant and the accused and to protect the complainant from reprisals or other discrimination. Additional information is available in the Dalton State College Policy and Procedures Statement on Sexual Harassment. Copies are available in the office of the President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, and the Fiscal Affairs Office and in the Library.

Grievance Procedures

The Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management is responsible for providing support for students by serving as a voice for student concerns within the broader campus community. The Office also serves as a primary link between students, faculty, and the administration of the College. The Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management offers a first line of response for students in addressing issues in any area of student life.  Students enrolled in the college’s distance education program who take online/hybrid courses are subject to the same grievance procedures.

Contact Information -

Jodi Johnson

Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management

650 College Drive

Dalton, GA 30720

706-272-4475

jjohnson@daltonstate.edu

Where possible, student complaints should be resolved on an informal basis without the filing of a formal grievance. A student has 10 business days from the date of the incident being grieved to resolve his/her complaint informally by approaching his/her instructor, department chair, dean, or any other staff or faculty member directly involved in the grieved incident. Where this process does not result in a resolution of the grievance, the student may proceed to the formal grievance procedure.

Where a student cannot resolve the complaint informally, the formal grievance procedure may be used. Within 15 business days of the incident being grieved, the student must file a formal grievance in the office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management (VPSAEM) with the following information:

  1. Name,

  2. Date,

  3. Brief description of incident being grieved,

  4. Remedy requested,

  5. Signed, and

  6. Informal remedy attempted by student and outcome.

If the grievance is against the VPSAEM, the student shall file the grievance in the Office of the President.

The VPSAEM, or her designee, will investigate the matter and supply a written response to the student within 15 business days. If the aggrieved incident is closely related to an incident being processed through student conduct, the student conduct proceedings will take precedence and the grievance will not be processed until after the discipline hearing. The VPSAEM, or her designee, shall be granted an additional 15 business days to investigate the grievance upon notice to the grieving student.

If a student is unsatisfied with the response from the VPSAEM, the student may appeal the decision to the President. A student shall file a written appeal to the President within 5 business days of receiving the response. The appeal will be decided based entirely on documents provided by the student and the administration; therefore, the student must ensure that he/she has provided all relevant documents with his/her appeal. At the President’s sole discretion, grievance appeals at the institution may be held in one of the following two ways:

  1. The President may review the information provided by the student and administration and make the final decision; or

  2. The President may appoint a cross-functional committee comprised of three members of the faculty to make the final decision.

The decision of either the President or the cross-functional committee shall be made within 10 business days of receipt by the President of the appeal. The President shall send notification of the decision to the student in writing within five (5) business days of the final decision.

Whichever process is chosen by the President, the decision of the grievance appeal is final.

Retaliation against a student for filing a grievance is strictly prohibited.

In addition, the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will be asked to respond to grievances concerning maintenance of an appropriate academic environment, such as the openness of every class to reasonable and civil expression of diverse intellectual viewpoints as they may relate to material under study, and grade related appeals.  If a student complaint cannot be resolved informally, the formal grievance appeal outlined above should be followed and submitted to the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Contact Information -

Office of Academic Affairs

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

650 College Drive

Dalton, GA 30720

706-272-4420

academicaffairs@daltonstate.edu

Student grievance records are maintained in the office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.

Some student complaints have additional formal mechanisms for redress. The processes for these complaints are outlined in the corresponding sections of the Dalton State College catalog.

Admission
Disability Support Services
 

Invitation to Identify

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, define a disabled individual for the purposes of the program as any person who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of such person’s major life activities, has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment. If this definition applies to you and you wish to be considered for admission as a student or for employment under the Affirmative Action Program of Dalton State College, please tell us about:

  1. special methods, skills and procedures which may qualify you for programs or positions for which you might not otherwise be considered because of your disability and
  2. accommodations which might enable you to perform properly and safely, including use of special equipment, changes in the physical layout of the workspace, and modifications of nonessential duties related to the job or other accommodations.

This information is voluntary and refusal to provide it will not subject you to discharge or to discriminatory or disciplinary treatment. All employees and applicants for employment are protected from coercion, intimidation, interference or discrimination for filing a complaint or assisting in an investigation under these Acts. Any information provided shall be kept confidential, except that:

  1. instructors, supervisors and managers may be informed regarding restrictions on the work or duties of disabled individuals and necessary accommodations,
  2. security personnel may be informed, when and to the extent appropriate, if the condition might require emergency treatment, and
  3. government officials investigating compliance with the Acts shall be informed. Lack of English-language skills will not be construed as a barrier to participation in a program, or occupancy of a position for which an applicant may be other-wise qualified.

July 1, 2010