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 

Purpose of FERPA and the Solomon Amendment

The purpose of this policy is to define Directory Information under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and to explain student rights regarding the disclosure of such information by Dalton State College (DSC). This policy ensures compliance with FERPA and the Solomon Amendment while balancing transparency with 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 accordance with University System of Georgia (USG) Policy Section 3.02.01, Dalton State College designates the following items as Directory Information:

  • Student name
  • Hometown
  • Institution‑assigned email address
    • An institution‑assigned email address may be disclosed without consent only to other current students
    • Students may not request email listings of the entire student body or groups of students, except for approved academic purposes
  • Major field of study
  • Enrollment status (e.g., full‑time or part‑time)
  • Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
  • Dates of attendance
  • Degrees, honors, and awards received
  • Thesis or dissertation title
  • Most recent educational institution attended
  • Height and weight of athletic team members
  • Class level

Directory Information may be released without prior written consent unless the student has chosen to opt out of directory disclosure (see Student Rights below).

Student Rights Under FERPA

  1. FERPA provides students with the following rights regarding their education records:

    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 Office of the Registrar. The College will arrange access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be reviewed.

    2. Right to Request Amendment of Records

    Students who believe their education records are inaccurate or misleading may request an amendment. Requests must be submitted in writing, clearly identifying the portion of the record to be changed and explaining why the information is inaccurate or misleading.

    3. Right to Provide Written Consent Before Disclosure

    Students have the right to provide written consent before Dalton State College discloses personally identifiable information from their education records, except as permitted under FERPA. Directory Information may be disclosed without consent unless the student has opted out.

    4. Right to Opt Out of Directory Information Disclosure

    Students may opt out of Directory Information disclosure by submitting a written request to the Office of the Registrar. Once an opt‑out request is processed, the College will withhold Directory Information from public disclosure.
    Important: Opting out does not restrict access to Directory Information by College officials with legitimate educational interests, including certain faculty, administrators, and contracted service providers.

    5. Right to File a Complaint

    Students who believe that Dalton State College has failed to comply with FERPA may file a complaint with:

    Family Policy Compliance Office
    U.S. Department of Education
    400 Maryland Avenue, SW
    Washington, DC 20202‑8520

Disclosure Without Consent

As permitted by FERPA, Dalton State College may disclose education records without prior written consent to the following parties under specific conditions:

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

Annual Notification

The University System of Georgia is committed to informing students annually of their rights under FERPA. This policy is made available through official institutional communication channels, including student handbooks, College websites, and the Office of the Registrar

The Solomon Act

Federal law, known as the Solomon Amendment, supersedes most FERPA nondisclosure provisions and permits the disclosure of certain student information for military recruiting purposes when requests meet legal requirements.

Legal Authority

The Solomon Amendment (10 U.S.C. §503) requires colleges and universities to provide specified student information to authorized military recruiting entities. Institutions that do not comply with the Solomon Amendment risk the loss of federal funding, including funds from the U.S. Departments of Education, Defense, Labor, and Health and Human Services (10 U.S.C. §983).

Scope of Disclosure

Under the Solomon Amendment, Department of Defense entities may request information once per academic term for currently enrolled, full‑time students aged 17 and older. Information subject to release includes:

  • Student name
  • Address
  • Email address
  • Telephone number
  • Age
  • Level of education
  • Degree program currently enrolled in
  • Degrees received (for recent graduates)
  • Most recent educational institution attended

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
Assistant Vice President 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. 

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