Rights and Policies

State law AB 705 took effect on January 1, 2018, which eliminated requiring students to take placement tests at all California community colleges. The intent of this law is to ensure that students are not placed in remedial courses that may delay or deter their educational progress. AB 705 requires that a community college maximizes the probability that a student will enter and complete transfer-level coursework in English and Math within a one-year timeframe and use, in the placement of students into English and Math courses, one or more of the following measures: high school coursework, high school grades, and/or high school grade point average.

Enrolling into English

In accordance with the state law AB 705, all incoming Golden West students can take ENGL G100 Freshman Composition , ideally their first semester. Based on the table below, some students may also elect to take ENGL G100S Freshman Composition with Support, which provides additional faculty-led support.

ELIGIBILITY FOR STUDENTS ENROLLING IN ENGLISH COURSES

High school GPA of 3.0 or above: ENGL G100 Freshman Composition
High school GPA of 2.60 - 2.99: ENGL G100S Freshman Composition with Support (recommended); ENGL G100 Freshman Composition (optional)
High school GPA below 2.60: ENGL G100S Freshman Composition with Support (strongly recommended); ENGL G100 Freshman Composition (optional)

For non-native English speakers who wish to improve their skills in speaking, comprehending, reading, or writing the English language, you may also complete My Academic Plan (MAP) or contact the Counseling Office at (714) 895-8119, to schedule an appointment with a Counselor for assistance in determining the appropriate placement into an English as a Second Language or English course.

Enrolling into Math

All students may enroll directly into transfer, college-level math. Placement is based primarily on high school grades.

HIGH SCHOOL COURSE + HIGH SCHOOL GPA = HIGHEST PLACEMENT

Calculus with any grade + 3.2 or higher = MATH G180 Calculus 1
Calculus with any grade + 2.6 to 3.1 = MATH G140 Business Calculus or MATH G170 Precalculus
Pre-Calculus with a C or higher + 3.2 or higher = MATH G180 Calculus 1
Trigonometry with a C+ or higher + 3.4 or higher = MATH G140 Business Calculus or MATH G170 Precalculus
Algebra 2 with a B or higher + 3.4 or higher = MATH G140 Business Calculus or MATH G170 Precalculus
Algebra 2 with a B- or lower + below a 3.4 = MATH G115 College Algebra

If you do not meet the criteria for the highest math class you took, please re-take the class at the college level.

Please note: The math class you take depends on your major and career goals. Please talk with a counselor or take My Academic Plan (MAP) to identify your optimal math class.

Grading (Credit Courses)

Grading (Noncredit Courses)

Grading Options

Optional Pass/No-Pass or grade classes.

In these courses, students may elect to receive either a traditional letter grade of “A” through “F” or Pass/No Pass for the course.

Pass/No Pass Grading Option:

Requesting the Pass/No Pass grading option must be submitted electronically via the MyCoastPortal site prior to the start of the term or session. Once classes begin, a student will be required to submit your request to take a class Pass/No Pass in person in Admissions and Records. Requests must be submitted no later than the end of the third week of the term for full-term (16 week) courses or during the first 20% of the course for all other length courses. For courses other than full-term, the deadline is the same as the deadline for the Last Day to Drop Without a Withdrawal as printed on the student's Student Class Program (Web Schedule Bill).
Once the grade option deadline has passed, the grade mode (Standard Letter or Pass/No Pass) cannot be changed. Before selecting this option, students should consult with a counselor. Generally, it is recommended that students select a letter grade in courses satisfying requirements for majors, general education, or for a high school course deficiency.
A maximum of 15 units of Pass/No Pass option coursework earned at an accredited college or university is counted toward the degree requirements for an Associate’s Degree.
Grades of “NP (No Pass)” are considered unsatisfactory and are counted towards progress probation and/or dismissal.
In courses where one performance standard determines unit credit, there is no option and only a “Pass” or “No Pass” is given.

Note: In classes graded on this basis, students are held to attendance regulations and academic standards expected in the standard graded courses.

Students are advised to read the following statements before deciding to pursue a course on a graded (“A” to “F”) or Pass/No Pass basis.

A grade of “Pass” or “No Pass” does not affect a student’s grade point average at Golden West College.
“NP”, “W”, and “I” grades are utilized by Golden West College in the determination of academic probation and disqualification. (Refer to college regulations concerning “Probation/Disqualification.”)
Courses taken at Golden West College to remedy an admissions deficiency for the University of California due to poor or incomplete high school preparation are not acceptable if completed on a “pass” basis. Students required to complete 60 units of course work with a grade point average of 2.4 prior to transfer to a University of California campus, such as Irvine, must complete at least 42 of these units on a graded (“A” through “F”) basis.
Some universities may specify that courses required for a major be completed on a standard grade basis (“A” through “F”).
A grade of “pass” is equivalent to a “C” for purposes of transfer.
Some universities specify that courses taken to satisfy general education breadth requirements be completed on a standard grade basis (“A” through “F”).
Some institutions limit the number of units completed on a “pass” basis which are accepted toward the bachelor’s degree.
Students planning to apply to competitive admissions programs such as the health professions are usually advised to complete the specified preparation on a graded basis (“A” through “F”).

W (Withdrawal)

Withdrawal is not an automatic process. The student is responsible for officially withdrawing, through their MyCoastPortal to avoid receiving an “F” or “NP” (no-pass) grades.

Upon entering Golden West College, the student assumes the responsibility of completing each course in which they are registered. A college student is expected to attend all sessions of the classes in which they are enrolled. An instructor may drop a student for excessive absences when the instructor determines that, due to absences, the student may not successfully complete the course. Students who miss the first meeting of the class will be dropped. Students who are dropped by their instructors for missing the first class meeting or for excessive absences should verify the instructor drop with Admissions and Records in order to avoid grade penalties and to comply with critical drop dates as specified. After a student has been dropped from the class for unexcused absences, appeal for reinstatement will be considered only under extenuating circumstances.

When withdrawing from a class, students should be aware that the following policies apply:

Early Withdrawal

Classes will not appear on a transcript (a “W” will not be assigned) when a student officially withdraws during the first two (2) weeks of full semester (16-week) fall or spring courses, and 20% of all other length courses. Students should refer to their class schedule “Student Class Program, Web Schedule Bill” for specific course withdrawal deadlines.

Other Withdrawals

A “W” will appear on a transcript for official withdrawals made between the first instructional day of the 3rd week and the last day of the 12th week for full semester (16-week) fall or spring courses and more than 20% and less than 75% in all other length courses.

MW (Military Withdrawal)

“Military Withdrawal” occurs when a student who is a member of an active or reserve United States military service receives orders compelling a withdrawal from courses. Upon verification of such orders, a withdrawal symbol of “MW” is assigned. Military withdrawals shall not be counted in progress probation and dismissal calculations.

EW (Excused Withdrawal)

Occurs when a student is permitted to withdraw from a course(s) due to specific events beyond the control of the student affecting the ability to complete a course(s) and may include a job transfer outside the geographical region, an illness in the family where the student is the primary caregiver, when the student who is incarcerated in a California state prison or county jail is released from custody or involuntarily transferred before the end of the term, when the student is the subject of an immigration action, or other extenuating circumstances, making course completion impracticable. In the case of an incarcerated student, an excused withdrawal cannot be applied if the failure to complete the course(s) was the result of a student’s behavioral violation or if the student requested and was granted a mid-semester transfer. Upon verification of these conditions and consistent with the district’s required documentation substantiating the condition, an excused withdrawal symbol may be assigned at any time after the period established by the governing board during which no notation is made for withdrawals. The withdrawal symbol so assigned shall be an “EW.”

Excused withdrawal shall not be counted in progress probation and dismissal calculations.
Excused withdrawal shall not be counted toward the permitted number of withdrawals or counted as an enrollment attempt.
Excused withdrawals will not create a refund for the course(s).

I (Incomplete)

An incomplete grade (I) may be assigned when the course is not completed for unforeseen, emergency and justifiable reasons, with permission from the instructor, and the student intends to complete the work after the end of the term. The condition for the removal of the “I” shall be stated by the instructor as well as the grade assigned in lieu of its removal in a written record available to the student at Enrollment Services.

The “I” must be made up no later than one year following the term in which it was assigned. If the work assigned is not completed within that year, then the grade will revert to what is indicated on the Incomplete Grade Form submitted by the instructor.

A final grade shall be assigned when the work stipulated has been completed and evaluated by the instructor or when the time limit for completion of the work has passed.

Note: When unusual circumstances prevail, a petition may be filed with Enrollment Services requesting a reasonable extension of time.

IP (In Progress)

The “IP” (In Progress) grade indicates that the class extends beyond the normal academic term. It indicates that work is “in progress” but assignment of a final grade awaits completion of the course. The “IP” symbol remains on the student’s record and is not used in calculating units attempted or grade points. The appropriate evaluative grade, units and grade points are assigned and appear on the student’s record for the term in which the course is completed.

Note: There are very few classes at Golden West College that qualify to use the IP grade.

NG (Non-Graded)

The NG symbol is assigned to non-graded courses.

Examinations

Awarding Of Credit, Supplementary Methods

Golden West College recognizes work taken at other accredited colleges and for experiences outside of the traditional classroom setting. Accordingly, college credit is awarded for prior learning in accordance with Board Policy 4235 and Administrative Procedure 4235 Credit for Prior Learning and in the following areas:

Previously Earned Units

Transcripts submitted to Golden West College are evaluated for every lower division, degree applicable course completed with a grade of A, B, C, D, F, CR or P. These courses, units, and grades earned are applied as appropriate to the student's GWC goal and used for educational planning purposes. Transcript evaluations are completed in conjunction with scheduled counseling appointments or by completing an online request if no counseling appointment is scheduled. Courses with W, NC or NP notations are not reviewed or applied. Students must request copies of official sealed transcripts be sent to Admissions and Records from each college attended before an evaluation can be performed.

We are required to carefully scrutinize general education courses in the areas of written and oral communication, critical thinking and composition, and mathematics and quantitative reasoning that represent the following areas:

For California State University General Education Certification:

CSU GE Area A2 – Written Communication
CSU GE Area A3 – Critical Thinking
CSU GE Area B4 – Mathematics / Quantitative Reasoning

For Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum Certification:

IGETC Area 1A – English Composition
IGETC Area 1B – Critical Thinking – English Composition*
IGETC Area 2 – Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning

Application of courses from private or out-of-state colleges and universities is often denied because course descriptions are insufficient and do not confirm required course elements (e.g., 5,000 written words, critical thinking, inductive/deductive reasoning, etc.).

*Note: Since it is unlikely that institutions other than California Community Colleges will have a combined course in Critical Thinking/English Composition, certification of coursework from other institutions to satisfy this requirement is not common. See https://icas-ca.org/igetc/standards-policies-and-procedures-manual/

Review of Coursework Completed at Private Colleges/Universities

GWC does not accept coursework completed at any institution that is not regionally accredited by one of the agencies accepted by GWC, for CSU/GE or IGETC. To be accepted by GWC, the courses must have been taken at an institution regionally accredited by one of the following agencies:

Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) - Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)

Also, please note that some private colleges/universities offer courses that have similar titles, and appear to be equivalent to courses offered by GWC. However, the elements of the course – course content, learning objectives, lecture and/or lab hours, prerequisites/corequisites – may not be congruent with the GWC course. When evaluating coursework, all of these elements are taken into consideration.

Students with Prior Bachelors Degree or Higher

Students with an earned bachelor’s degree from an institution regionally accredited by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) will be exempt from General Education requirements under the AA Option 1 GE pattern.

Students will need to complete the following for an Associate of Arts Degree:

12 units of residency at Golden West College
Completion of major coursework as stated in catalog

Submission of official transcripts is required. This does not apply to Associate Degree for Transfer options, the CSU-GE Breadth or IGETC requirements. Please see a counselor for further details on this process and remaining requirements for the degree.

Note: Students pursuing a nursing degree must still undergo a full transcript evaluation for equivalent coursework and complete any deficiencies for the nursing degree.

Upper-Division Credit

Request for transfer of upper division courses and credits will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Upper-division units may be considered for application towards a Certificate, local/non-transfer Associate Degree, Associate Degree for Transfer, CSU/GE and IGETC certification. The units will count toward the 60 units required for the associate degrees and meet the transfer requirements. If a student is using upper-division courses to fulfill a lower-division IGETC or CSU/GE course or Associate Degree for Transfer major requirement, remember that students are required to have a certain number of upper-division courses at the transfer institution. Contact the receiving institution to see how upper-division course credit will be awarded towards the baccalaureate degree. See the IGETC Standards policy, Policies, and Procedures Version 1.9 policy details: http://www.icas-ca.org/standards-policies-and-procedures-manual. CSU policy can be viewed at: https://www.calstate.edu/eo/EO-1100-rev-8-23-17.html

International Transcripts

GWC grants credit for courses taken at regionally accredited institutions outside of the United States.

Students seeking credit for foreign coursework must provide a transcript evaluated by an accredited evaluation and translation service (see the Counseling Center or International Student Center for referrals). Students must turn in the official evaluation to Admissions and Records for inclusion in their record and then schedule an appointment with Counseling so that international coursework may be evaluated. Coursework from foreign institutions cannot be used for CSU GE Breadth or IGETC certification except to validate the foreign language requirement. Credit can be granted for GWC AA General Education requirements in the Natural Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Lifelong Learning and Self Development, or Math Competency areas only.

Transfer to a University

We cannot apply international coursework to CSU General Education Certification or IGETC Certification for transfer purposes. Although some courses may be accepted by the institution to which the student transfers, it is up to the destination institution to evaluate and determine what coursework will be accepted and how it will apply to the degree. For more information consult directly with the 4-year college that is the transfer destination.

A MAXIMUM OF 40 UNITS IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES WILL BE AWARDED.

Students will be mailed an evaluation after the required documents have been submitted. Awarded credit is not transferable to other colleges and universities; it is subject to the individual policies of the respective institutions.

Credit by Examination

Credit by Examination may be offered on a limited basis at the discretion of the respective instructional division. Students who are currently enrolled in at least one course (other than the course to be challenged) and in good academic standing are eligible to seek “credit by examination.” Students may inquire in the respective division office regarding eligible courses. If approval is granted, a Petition for Credit By Examination should be completed and submitted to the instructor and division office. A grade of will be awarded based on the grading method for the course, and the course will be identified as a “Credit by Examination” on the transcript. Once the petition is approved by the dean and the instructor, the student will need to file the petition with Admissions and Records, make payment no later than the third week of the semester, and meet with the instructor to take the examination. Exam grades are final and will be posted to the transcript. Failure to successfully complete the examination will result in an unsatisfactory grade. Students should not enroll in the course to be taken as Credit by Examination. The course credit is clearly identified on the student’s transcript and designated as “Credit by Examination.” Since Credit by Examination may not transfer to other institutions, students are strongly encouraged to make an appointment with a counselor. Transferability of Credit by Examination is subject to review and approval by other colleges and universities. Units earned by examination are excluded from enrollment verifications, Financial Aid eligibility, and the college’s residency requirements for associate degrees.”

Military Service Credit

Golden West College reserves the right to evaluate and grant credit based on the academic policies established at GWC. The college recognizes and grants academic credit to veterans who have completed a minimum of one year of active honorable service in the armed forces unless it has been awarded by another school. This credit includes three (3) units for AA Degree Area E-Self Development on the GWC General Education pattern, or Area E-Self Development on the California State University General Education pattern (CSU GE Breadth). Three (3) additional units of elective credit are awarded toward the GWC AA Degree to equal a total of six (6) units.

Veterans will be awarded credit based on a review of their DD-214 #4.

English Equivalency Test

Students who pass the State University English Equivalency Test (prior to 1993) are awarded course and unit credit for ENGL G100 Freshman Composition and ENGL G110 Critical Thinking, Reading And Writing Through Literature. Credits are posted to transcripts upon completion of all other graduation requirements. Copies of the official test results must be requested from the testing service by the student and forwarded to Admissions and Records.

Licensure Credit for Vocational Nurses

Twenty units may be awarded for holders of valid California Vocational Nursing Licenses. Credits are posted to transcripts upon completion of all other graduation requirements. Students must provide a copy of their current California license upon application to the program in order to be eligible for this credit.

Individualized Study

For courses listed in this catalog, a student may prefer to take the course through Individualized Study because of special circumstances. This privilege is available only to students who have completed 12 units of course work at Golden West College with a GPA of 2.0 in all units attempted. Students may request a petition in Admissions and Records. This petition must be approved by the instructor who will supervise the individualized study, as well as by the Division Dean. Individualized Study petitions must be filed in Admissions and Records during the first six weeks of the semester.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Duplicate Credit

Duplicate credit will not be awarded in the same area for Advanced Placement Exams, the International Baccalaureate and the CLEP subject exams. In order to receive credit students must have official test results from the testing service sent to Golden West College. Credits are posted to the transcript upon completion of all other graduation requirements.

The CSU CLEP Chart is based on the most current information available. Although every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, make sure to use the CSU CLEP link to see the original document.

Historical CSU CLEP exam credit and changes.

College Board CLEP information.

Course credit and units granted at Golden West College may differ from course credit and units granted by a transfer institution.

CLEP CREDIT

CLEP credit can be used to satisfy CSU General Education Breadth requirements. It cannot be used to meet IGETC requirements. CSU grants CLEP credit, UC does not. It is up to the receiving institution to evaluate and grant CLEP credit. CLEP credit awarded at GWC may not transfer to other colleges. See a GWC counselor for more information.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

GWC CLEP
CLEP Exam	Passing Score	AA/AS GE Area	Units Towards AA/AS GE	CSU Passing Score	CSU Minimum Units Earned Toward Transfer	Units Towards CSU GE Breadth	American Institutions and/or GE Breadth Area
American Govt.	50	3 (D)	3	50	3	3	D
American Literature	50	3 (C)	3	50	3	3	C2
Analyzing & Interpreting Literature	50	3 (C)	3	50	3	3	C2
Biology	50	3 (B)	3	50	3	3	B2
Calculus	50	3 (A)	3	50	3	3	B4
Chemistry	50	3 (B)	3	50	3	3	B1
College Algebra	50	3 (A)	3	50	3	3	B4
College Algebra-Trig	50	3 (A)	3	50	3	3	B4
CLEP College Composition	50	N/A	0	50	0	0	N/A
CLEP College Composition-Modular	50	N/A	0	50	0	0	N/A
College Mathematics	50	N/A	0	50	0	0	N/A
English Comp (No Essay)	50	N/A	0	50	0	0	N/A
English Comp (with Essay)	50	N/A	0	50	0	0	N/A
English Literature	50	3 (C)	3	50	3	3	C2 (-F11)¹
Financial Accounting	50	N/A	0	50	3	0	N/A
French Level I²	50	N/A	0	50	6	0	N/A
French Level II²	59	3 (C)	3	59	12	3	C2 (-F15)¹
French Level II²	59	3 (C)	3	59	9	3	C2
Freshman College Comp	50	N/A	0	50	0	0	N/A
German Level I²	50	N/A	0	50	6	0	N/A
German Level II²	60	3 (C)	3	60	12	3	C2 (-F15)¹
German Level II²	60	3 (C)	3	60	9	3	C2
History, US I	50	3 (D)	3	50	3	3	D+US-1
History, US II	50	3 (D)	3	50	3	3	D+US-1
Human Growth and Dev	50	3 (D)	3	50	3	3	E
Humanities	50	3 (C)	3	50	3	3	C2
Info Sys & Comp. Apps	50	N/A	3	50	3	0	N/A
Intro Edu Psychology	50	N/A	0	50	3	0	N/A
Intro Bus. Law	50	N/A	0	50	3	0	N/A
Intro Psychology	50	3 (D)	3	50	3	3	D
Intro Sociology	50	3 (D)	3	50	3	3	D
Natural Sciences	50	3 (B)	3	50	3	3	B1 or B2
Pre-Calculus	50	3 (A)	3	50	3	3	B4
Prin of Accounting	50	N/A	0	50	3	0	N/A
Prin of Macroeconomics	50	3 (D)	3	50	3	3	D
Prin of Management	50	N/A	0	50	3	0	N/A
Prin of Marketing	50	N/A	0	50	3	0	N/A
Prin of Microeconomics	50	3 (D)	3	50	3	3	D
Social Science & History	50	N/A	0	50	0	0	N/A
Spanish Level I²	50	N/A	0	50	6	0	N/A
Spanish Level II²	63	3 (C)	3	63	12	3	C2 (-F15)¹
Spanish Level II²	63	3 (C)	3	63	9	3	C2
Spanish with Writing I²	50	N/A	6	50	6	0	N/A
Spanish with Writing II²	63	3 (C)	9	63	9	3	C2
Trigonometry	50	3 (A)	3	50	3	3	B4 (-06)¹
Western Civilization I	50	3 (D)	3	50	3	3	C2 or D
Western Civilization II	50	3 (D)	3	50	3	3	D

1 Students seeking certification in GE Breadth prior to transfer must have passed the test before this date.

2 If a student passes more than one CLEP test in the same language other than English (e.g., two exams in French), then only one examination may be applied to the baccalaureate. For each test in a language other than English, a passing score of 50 is considered “Level I” and earns six units of baccalaureate credit; the higher score listed for each test is considered “Level II” and earns additional units of credit and placement in Area C2 of GE Breadth, as noted.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Advanced Placement Credit (AP)

Technical Advanced Placement (TAP) Articulation

Repetition Policy Courses

Course Repetition

In accordance with Title 5, sections 55024, 55040-55045 only courses which fall into the following categories may be repeated. Enrollment in two sections of the same course in the same term or part of term is not permitted.

Repeating Courses

It is possible to repeat a class only in certain circumstances as follows:

In the course description in the catalog, the class is identified as eligible for repetition; or
The class is eligible for grade remediation by repetition.
Students are limited to three (3) total enrollments for most credit courses. Students will not be allowed to repeat a course more than three times without documented evidence of extenuating circumstances. ‘W’ grades are counted as enrollments.
Special classes which meet the needs of students with a documented disability may be repeated in compliance with Title 5, Section 56029, of the Education Code.

Reasons to Repeat a Class

Repeating a course in an effort to alleviate a substandard grade; Students who receive substandard grades (“D,” “F,” “NP” or “NC”) and/or one or more Withdrawals (“W”) on the transcript may attempt to successfully complete the course up to a total of two additional times within the Coast Community College District, if necessary to alleviate the substandard grade or successfully complete the course.

After the third attempt to receive a passing grade in a course, the student may complete the Petition to Repeat form and submit to Admissions & Records for one additional attempt. Appeal forms are available in Admissions & Records. Students who are approved to take a specific course for the fourth time do not receive registration priority for that course and must wait until the first week of the semester or term to register. Petitions are only considered for documented extenuating circumstances. Students who withdraw and receive a “W” on each of the three allowable attempts, and are given permission to enroll by petition, will not be able to withdraw from the course again, and an evaluative grade symbol will be recorded. No further attempts will be permitted.

If the substandard grade is repeated within the Coast Community College District, the Repeat/Delete grade exclusion will be automatically performed on the student’s academic transcript. The grades in the latest term will be the grade which will be used to calculate grade point average regardless of which grade was higher. Although the previous grade(s) will not be counted in the grade point average, they will remain visible on the transcript and the last recorded attempt is the course which will be counted in the student’s permanent academic history.

When a student repeats an equivalent course at a regionally accredited college outside the Coast Community College District, they must file a Repeat/Delete Request and submit it to Admissions & Records along with an official transcript from the other college showing successful completion of the course.
Repeating a course due to a significant lapse of time, where a passing grade (CR or P) or C or better was previously earned. A significant lapse of time is defined as at 36 months has passed. All coursework shall remain on the student’s permanent record. The previous grade and credit will be disregarded in computing the GPA. Course repetition based on significant lapse of time may only occur once. (Documentation of program requirements must be submitted with the request.)
If a student has an extenuating circumstances – verified cases of accidents, illness, or other life changing event(s) beyond the control of the student that prevented them from doing well in the final attempt of the course documentation must be provided to Admissions & Records. Please contact the Admissions & Records office to discuss your options based on your individual circumstances.
The course they wish to repeat is part of a legally mandated training as a condition of continued or volunteer employment. Regardless of whether or not a substandard grade (D, F, NC, or NP) was previously earned, the grade and unit credit shall be included each time for the purpose of calculating the GPA. (Documentation must be attached to certify that course repetition is necessary to complete legally mandated training).
Repeating a course previously taken at another college. Substandard or non-substandard grades earned at another institution will not be alleviated by repeating a course at Golden West College. The grade and unit credit earned will be calculated and averaged in GPA.

Note: Some transfer institutions may elect to include both courses or may choose to use only the first grade taken in their computation of the grade point average to establish entrance requirements.

Important: The Course Repetition Policy and the Repeatability of Courses Regulations mentioned above are subject to change at any time during the academic year as new Legislative Bills may be introduced by State Legislation requiring changes to these policies and regulations. The District and College reserve the right to add, amend, or repeal any of the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures as necessary.

Repetition Of Activities Courses–Families Of Courses

New regulations governing the repetition of credit courses in the California Community College system effective Fall 2013 have eliminated repeatability in Dance, Drama, Physical Education, Visual Arts, and most Music courses. Intercollegiate Athletics and some Music courses that are required for transfer programs will be the only courses that will remain repeatable; all other courses previously offered as repeatable will be offered as one time enrollment courses.

While students will not, in most cases, be allowed to repeat active participatory courses in Dance, Drama, Music, Physical Education, and Visual Arts, they will still be allowed to enroll in a series of active participatory courses that are related in content (commonly referred to as a family of courses) a maximum of four times. This is a state regulation and applies to all Dance, Drama, Music, Physical Education and Visual Arts activity classes in the District.

For example, all Ballet courses are part of the “Ballet Family.” Repeatable courses that are related in content and taken prior to FALL 2013 will count toward the four enrollment limitation. Therefore, the “Ballet Family” includes DANC G120 Ballet 1 - Beginning, DANC G155 Ballet 2 - Intermediate and DANC G220 Ballet 3 - Advanced. A student who previously enrolled in DANC G120 Ballet 1 - Beginning twice can only take two more courses in the family; a student who previously enrolled in DANC G120 Ballet 1 - Beginning four times may not take any additional courses in the family.

A family of courses may include more than four courses, but students are limited to a maximum of four courses in any family, in the District. Further, all grades, including “W”s, will count toward the four course enrollment limitation and for computing the grade point average (GPA). Students can repeat Art, Dance, Drama, Music, and PE courses that are included in Families of Courses in which a “NP”, “D”, “F” grade was earned or “W” was assigned; however, all enrollments count toward the four enrollment maximum for each family of courses.

Course Numbering System

Auditing Of Courses

In accordance with California Educational Code Section 76370 and Coast Community College District BP 5030 and AP 5030, the governing board of a community college district may authorize a person to audit a community college course and may charge that person a fee pursuant to this section:

If a fee for auditing is charged, it shall not exceed fifteen dollars ($15) per unit per semester. The governing board shall proportionately adjust the amount of the fee for term lengths based upon a quarter system or other alternative system approved pursuant to regulations of the board of governors and shall also proportionately adjust the amount of the fee for summer sessions, intersessions, and other short-term courses. In making these adjustments, the governing board may round the per unit fee and the per term or per session fee to the nearest dollar.
Students enrolled in classes to receive credit for 10 or more semester credit units shall not be charged a fee to audit three or fewer semester units per semester.
No student auditing a course shall be permitted to change his or her enrollment in that course to receive credit for the course.
Priority in class enrollment shall be given to students desiring to take the course for credit towards a degree or certificate.
Classroom attendance of students auditing a course shall not be included in computing the apportionment due a community college district.

To petition a course:

The student must meet college eligibility requirements for admissions and be an active student in the Coast Community College District.
The student may only petition to Audit a course if they are ineligible to enroll in the course for credit. Students that have previously enrolled the maximum number of times allowed for credit or who have satisfactorily completed the course previously meet the requirements to audit.
Petitions to audit are subject to instructor approval and will not be considered until the first class meeting and will not be considered after the last day to add a course as posted in the class schedule.
Audit registration will only be processed after the last day to add a course as posted in the class schedule.
All current and outstanding fees must be paid at the time of Audit Registration. Auditing fees are non-refundable. Audit fees are not covered by a fee waiver or financial aid.
All courses are potentially available for audit but will be approved at the discretion of the instructor, dean, and vice president of instruction.

High School Equivalency

Servicemen's Opportunity College

Student Records

Active Records

Most requests for changes to a student’s current class program or information can be done online by logging in their MyCoastPortal or in Admissions & Records. Included are “adds” to program, “withdrawal from class,” “fee payments”, “address changes”, and “grade option requests.” Grade option requests can be done online prior to the start date of the class. Once the class begins, grade option requests must be done in person prior to the filing deadline. Name changes must be done in person in Admissions & Records. If changing a name, official documentation must be presented at the time of the request.

Transcripts

Transcripts of academic work taken at Golden West College are available upon official request. Students make their requests online through Credentials, Inc. on the GWC website, www.goldenwestcollege.edu. Two transcripts and/or enrollment verifications will be provided free of charge. For each additional transcript, there will be a charge of $5. Students may request “rush” (next day) services for an additional $5 per transcript or verification. Fees are subject to change.

Credentials Solutions (Parchment) has been retained as the designated agent for processing and sending official electronic transcripts on behalf of Golden West College. The electronic transcript that is produced using this service contains the identical information as the printed transcript and can be certified as unaltered by uploading the file to the company’s website that is provided during the delivery process. Credentials Solutions has been granted the authority to deliver all such electronic transcript requests on behalf of Golden West College and respond to any inquiries regarding transcript transactions.

Withholding of Student Records

In accordance with District Administrative Procedure 5035, the College Admissions and Records Director shall withhold grades, diplomas, enrollment verifications and registration privileges from any current or former student who fails to pay a proper financial obligation to the District. The student shall be given written notification and the opportunity to explain if the financial obligation is in error. The definition of proper financial obligation shall include, but is not limited to: student fees; obligations incurred through the use of facilities, equipment or materials; library fines; unreturned library books; materials remaining improperly in the possession of the student; and/or any other unpaid obligation a current or former student owes to the District. A proper financial obligation does not include any unpaid obligation to a student organization.

Cumulative Folders

Admissions & Records maintains an electronic cumulative file on each student who has records sent to the College. The electronic file, containing copies of high school and college transcripts, and other relevant academic information, such as records of military service and other awarded credit, is available for the student to review based on a written request. These files are the property of the college and become a permanent part of the student's academic record.

Verifications

Admissions & Records will provide information regarding a student’s record upon written request by the student. There is a $5 charge. Two verifications and/or transcripts will be provided free of charge. This fee is subject to change. Golden West College also utilizes the National Student Clearinghouse for reporting of enrollment status. Enrollment status is reported automatically several times during the semester or session.

Student Picture Identification:

Students may be required to furnish picture identification in order to participate in certain classes and activities. All students are expected to have a Golden West College Photo I.D. Card. Free Photo I.D. cards are issued in Admissions & Records. Student's are only allowed one replacement during their studies at Golden West College.

Associate Degree Petition

Certificate Awards Petition

Student Code Of Conduct–AP 5500

Academic Honesty Policy

Probation Policy

Academic Disqualification Policy

Academic Renewal Policy and Procedure

BP 4240 / AP 4240

This Academic Renewal Policy for Golden West College is issued pursuant to Section 55764 and 55765 of the California Administrative Code (Title 5) regulations and in accordance with Coast District BP 4240. The purpose of this policy is to disregard past substandard academic performance of a student when such work is not reflective of their current demonstrated ability. It is based on the recognition that due to unusual circumstances, or circumstances beyond the control of a student, the past substandard work will negatively affect their academic standing and unnecessarily prolong the rate at which the student may complete their current objectives. Academic renewal is intended to facilitate graduation from a college in the District and/or enable qualified students to transfer to a four-year college or university.

If the specific conditions listed below are met, the colleges in the District may disregard from all consideration associated with the computation of a student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA) up to a maximum of 30 semester units of course work taken at any college in the District for graduation or transfer purposes only.

The course work to be disregarded is substandard (grades of D or F or NP). If approved, the selected course work shall be disregarded in that semester, except those courses required as a prerequisite or to satisfy a requirement in the student’s current declared program of study.
A minimum of 15 semester units has been completed at any regionally accredited college or university with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in all course work subsequent to the course work to be disregarded.
At least 12 months have elapsed since the most recent approved request for academic renewal.
Academic renewal cannot be reversed once it has been granted.
A student may request academic renewal a maximum of two times district-wide during enrollment at the colleges in the District.

All course work will remain legible on the student’s permanent record (transcript), ensuring a true and complete academic history. However, students’ permanent records will be annotated so that it is readily evident to all users of the records that the units are to be disregarded. This notation will be made at the time that the academic renewal has been approved by the appropriate college office.

If another accredited college has acted to remove previous course work from consideration in computing the GPA, such action shall be honored in terms of its procedure. However, such units disregarded shall be deducted from the 30 semester units maximum of course work eligible to be disregarded at a college in the District.

Interpretation of the academic renewal procedure is the responsibility of the appropriate college official who may, for compelling reasons, make exceptions to the stated conditions provided the requirements of Title 5 Section 55044 are observed. All receiving schools may not accept the District’s academic renewal Policy and Procedure.

The Admissions and Records and Counseling departments at the colleges in the District are responsible for implementing this procedure.

Grade Grievance Procedures

All grade grievances will be handled through the student grievance process outlined in the sections below. However, in general and by law, the instructor is solely responsible for the grades they assign. No instructor may be directed to change a grade except in certain narrow circumstances authorized by California Education Code Section 76224(a), “When grades are given for any course of instruction taught in a community college, the grade given to each student shall be the grade determined by the instructor of the course and the determination of the student’s grade by the instructor, in the absence of mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetency, shall be final.”

Stage One - Informal Problem Resolution

When a student has a complaint about their final grade in a course, the student should be encouraged to make every effort to meet with the Faculty Member to resolve the complaint. If the student is unable to meet with the Faculty Member, the student is encouraged to use the services of a campus advisor for this meeting or at any point during the informal resolution level or the formal grievance stage of the process. If a satisfactory resolution is not achieved with the Faculty Member, the student may proceed to the Faculty Member’s immediate supervisor to resolve the issue. The immediate supervisor is usually the Division Dean.

If the complaint cannot be mutually resolved at the informal problem resolution level, then the student may file a formal written grievance by completing the Student Grievance Form and filing it with the College Grievance Officer within the limitations period. Grade grievance petitions must be submitted prior to the end of the sixth week of the subsequent semester, following the semester (or summer session) in which the grade was assigned.
Stage Two - Administrative Review of the Formal Complaint
Upon receipt of the written and signed Student Grievance Form, the College Grievance Officer shall promptly forward a copy to the person against whom the complaint has been lodged and the Faculty Member’s supervisor. The College Grievance Officer may proceed with any investigatory meeting with the Faculty Member if there is a basis for a legitimate complaint.
Stage Three - Appeal of Findings
When students appeal a finding that favors the Faculty Member, the Faculty Member will be provided timely notice of the appeal and of the Faculty Member’s right to a union representative if follow-up meetings or hearings require the Faculty Member’s participation.
Stage Four - Administrative Review of the Formal Complaint

If the Grade Grievance Officer determines that a grade-change may be warranted, a grade-grievance panel will be convened.

The Vice President of Instruction will convene an appropriate panel, which includes a faculty member from the appropriate academic division. If the instructor of record or the student wish to appear before the panel, they will be given at least a week to prepare for the meeting. A good-faith effort will be made to decide the case within twenty-five (25) days.

If the panel recommends a grade change, the panel’s division faculty member will submit a grade-change form to the Director of Admissions and Records.
Technical Departures from this Procedure

Technical departures from this procedure and errors in their applications shall not be grounds to void the college’s right to make and uphold its determination unless, in the opinion of the chancellor, or designee, the technical departure or error prevented a fair determination of the issue.

Prohibition of Discrimination and Harassment BP/AP 3410

Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Complaints and Investigations BP/AP 3435

Sexual Misconduct/Title IX BP/AP 5910

Family Rights And Privacy

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

The rights include:

The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day Golden West College receives a request for access. Students should submit to the Director of Admissions and Records or appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Golden West 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 Golden West 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.
The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate.

Students may ask Golden West College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. They should write the College official responsible for the records, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate.

If Golden West College decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the College will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of the 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.
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 tasks.

A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill professional responsibility.

School officials may disclose any and all educational records, including disciplinary records, to another institution at which the student seeks or intends to enroll without the prior consent of the student.
The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Golden West 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 20202-4605

Directory Information

Student’s directory information is released only upon approval of the Director of Admissions & Records. Students may request in writing to the Director of Admissions & Records or designee, that directory information not be released.

Directory information includes one or more of the following: student’s name, birthdate, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, number of units of enrollment, and degrees and awards received.

Golden West College maintains in Admissions & Records the following student record information (section A):

Demographic data supplied to the college by the student through the admission and enrollment process
Transcripts of high school work if supplied by the student
Transcripts of college work
Semester class enrollment data

Additional information maintained in other offices on some students may include (section B):

Financial Aid and EOP/S application information on students who have applied for either program
Work Experience records on students who have taken work experience courses within the past three years
An application file on students who have applied to the Health Professions programs within the year
Instructor evaluations for students enrolled in Health Professions programs
Instructor evaluations for students enrolled in Criminal Justice Academy courses
Records maintained of students who have been disciplined
Medical records on students who have filed a medical inventory form or who have made use of the health services

Students may review the information contained in items 1-11. For items 1-5, a letter requesting review should be directed to Admissions & Records. Requests for review of information contained in item 6 may be made to the Vice President of Student Services and information in item 7 may be reviewed by arrangement with the office of Work Experience. Inquiries regarding information contained in items 4b, 5b, and 6b are to be directed to the Director of Admissions & Records, the Dean of Students, the Dean of Health Professions Programs, and the Associate Dean of the Criminal Justice Program, respectively. All requests for review will be honored within 15 days. Medical records are not available to the student. However, the student may request review of the records by the student's physician or appropriate professional of choice. Students may challenge the contents of any records by notifying the administrator associated with the records in question. If the issue is not resolved at that level, the student may use the student grievance procedure.

Free Speech Policy BP/AP 3900

BP 3900 / AP 3900

The District’s students, employees, and members of the public shall be permitted to exercise their rights of free expression subject to reasonable time, place, and manner policy contained in Board Policy and Administrative Procedure 3900.

The students and employees of the District and members of the public shall be permitted to exercise their constitutional rights of free speech and free expression subject to reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions contained therein. The District takes no stance on the content of protected speech.

The areas open to the exercise of free speech are the open areas on each campus with the exception of classrooms, labs, lecture halls, offices, and other areas that the colleges or the District use to conduct business. Free speech, as part of scheduled instructional activities or in the course of conducting District business, can be exercised in any space on each campus or the District.

No illegal activities nor activities that disrupt or may lead to disruption of the safe and orderly operations of the Colleges or the District Office will be permitted.

If an individual or a group wants to use campus or District facilities, other than the open areas noted above, arrangements must be made with the College or the District at least 72 hours in advance, not counting weekends and holidays.

No person on District property or at official District functions may:

Block entrances to or otherwise interfere with the free flow of traffic into or out of campus buildings;
Block any street, roadway, crosswalk, driveway, parking structure, or parking lot and its entrance or exit, or otherwise obstruct the free flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic unless authorized to do so;
Urinate or defecate in any place on District property other than a designated restroom or other facility designated for the sanitary disposal of human waste;
Participate in a disturbance of the peace or unlawful assembly;
Use, possess, sell, or manufacture illegal drugs, tobacco, or any products containing tobacco, and marijuana or any products containing marijuana or any of its byproducts;
Fail to comply with the lawful directions of a District employee acting in the performance of duties;
Rummage through or remove any discarded item from any waste can, trash can, dumpster, recycling container, or any designated District waste or recycling center without authorization;
Engage in the theft, destruction, or other misuse of District property or equipment;
Have any open fire or torch anywhere on District property, unless, and only to the extent, specifically authorized and limited by the District.

Amplification Requirements and Restrictions

The provisions of this section are intended to be viewpoint neutral and no posting may be removed based on viewpoint. Further, no posting may be removed based on content, except any posting that

references illegal substances;
is obscene;
is defamatory, or
incites students to create a clear and present danger of the commission of unlawful acts on District premises, the violation of lawful District regulations, or the substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the District.

Any posting which is obscene or incites students to create a clear and present danger of the commission of unlawful acts may be removed by the President or Chancellor or designee.

In order to ensure that all written postings abide by this Procedure, the following requirements and restrictions apply:

Written postings in languages other than English must be accompanied by an English translation. All general posting areas are cleared weekly each Friday. Items that have expired or are not dated will be removed.
In order to accommodate multiple users of limited space, no more than one commercial or non-commercial handbill, circular, or advertisement may be posted by any person or organization concerning the same subject matter, in any one posting area. The size of the commercial or non-commercial handbill, circular, or advertisement shall not exceed 120 square inches.
A commercial or non-commercial handbill, circular, or advertisement may be posted only in approved areas that are designated public usage areas as follows:

General Purpose Posting Locations

Bulletin Boards and kiosks marked “General Purpose” are available for posting by any person;
For Coastline Community College, the posting locations shall be the bulletin boards labeled as “free speech” boards within the Coastline Community College Center, the Garden Grove Center, Westminster Center, and Newport Beach.

Specific Use Posting Locations

All bulletin Boards not marked "General Purpose" are reserved for official College uses such as posting of grades, job offers, and scholarship information where only those items may be posted by designated employees.

Distribution of Handbills, Circulars, or Advertisements

In addition to the limitations imposed upon the posting of commercial or non-commercial handbills, circulars, or advertisements, such materials may be similarly limited from distribution on District property. Prior approval for distribution of commercial or non-commercial handbills, circulars, or advertisements is required except as specified below.

Areas where commercial or non-commercial handbills, circulars, or advertisements may be distributed:

Outside of any District building where such distribution does not block any sidewalk or create an obstruction to unrestricted access;
Along the walkways adjacent to the parking lots.

No handbills may be distributed within the parking lots without the written consent of the Associated Student’s Office or the College President, or the Chancellor for the District Office location. No handbills or advertisements can be placed on cars parked on district property. All persons distributing handbills or advertisements are responsible for removing all debris caused by the distribution of same and should do so in a manner that does not disrupt the flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic.

Commercial or non-commercial handbills, circulars, or advertisements may not be distributed inside any buildings including classrooms (except as may be distributed by faculty members in their classroom for educational purposes related to the course)..

Litter Removal

In the event that litter is created by the distribution of commercial or non-commercial handbills, circulars, or advertisements, the distributor is expected to remove any litter from the immediate area and throw out any discarded materials that may be on the ground or visible within the area of distribution. In the event that a distributor does not remove litter, the District reserves the right to charge the distributor a reasonable fee for costs incurred in litter removal.

Obscene, Defamatory, or Materials that Incite

Nothing in this Procedure shall be deemed to permit the distribution of material that is obscene, defamatory, or incites students as to create a clear and present danger of the commission of unlawful acts on District property or at a District event, the violation of law, Policy, or Procedure, or the substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the College or the District.

Copyrighted Material and Trademarks

The District disclaims any responsibility for any alleged violation of copyright trademark, or service mark laws in regard to any material that is set forth in any writing that is posted or distributed on its property by persons who are not District employees. Persons utilizing District facilities are advised not to violate copyright, or trademark laws as it may expose the user to liability.

Advertisement

The advertisement of the following is prohibited:

Alcoholic beverages
Tobacco products
Guns or firearms of any kind
Illegal substances as identified by the federal government, or by the State of California
Explosive material of any kind

Admission Fee or Charge

No person or entity that intends to use District facilities may charge any person who is invited or seeks to attend the event or usage an admission charge or any other charge for any entrance fee or any use fee, with the following exception:

A non-profit organization may charge for entrance or admission to:

Cover the cost of the event or use including for example, the cost of referees, judges, equipment, etc., in regards to any supervised recreational use of District property
Cover the cost of the event or use including for example, the cost of travel, equipment, handouts, in regard to use of District Property
Hold a fund raising event to support the organization

Ratified December 11, 2013
Revised March 21, 2018

Alcohol, Drug Abuse Information And Unauthorized Weapons

Course List
Course	Title	Units
COLL G100	Becoming A Successful Student	3
HLED G100	Personal Health	3
HLED G107	Drugs, Health, and Society	3
PE G103	Exercise For Healthy Living	2
PSYC G100	Introduction To Psychology	3
PSYC G118	Life Span Developmental Psychology	3
PSYC G250	Psychobiology	3

State Laws and College Policy

Unauthorized Weapons

Parking

Parking and Traffic Rules and Regulations

By authority of California Vehicle Code Section 21113, the following parking and traffic rules and regulations have been adopted to facilitate vehicular movement and parking and provide for the safety of all persons using the community college campus. These parking and traffic rules and regulations will be in effect 24 hours a day.

Enforcement

Authorization is granted to the college Public Safety Department to issue parking citations within the confines of the campus. Citations will be issued for violation of the Parking Regulations as outlined below. Automatic penalties will be assessed on all fines not paid prior to the specified due date.

All authorized permit parking areas will be enforced Monday through Thursday 7:00 a.m.to 10:00 p.m. and Friday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm Overnight parking is prohibited Monday – Sunday 12:00 am – 6:00 am

Parking Regulations and Recommended Bail

Section 208 No person shall sleep in or remain overnight in any vehicle on campus. No vehicle shall be parked overnight on campus (midnight to 6:00 a.m.) without permission from Public Safety Department. $35.00

Section 401 No parking is allowed in any area that does not have a clearly marked stall, except designated dirt lots. $35.00

Section 402 Vehicles parking within a stall shall not overlap the lines that designate the stall. $35.00

Section 403 No persons shall park or leave standing a vehicle on any walkway, landscaped area, driveway, road or field without prior approval of the Public Safety Department. $35.00

Section 404 No person shall park or leave standing a vehicle not a motorcycle nor moped in an area designated for motorcycles only.$35.00

Section 405 No vehicle shall be parked backwards in diagonal parking stalls.$35.00

Section 406 No person shall park or leave standing a motor vehicle blocking traffic lanes on any campus roadway or parking lot. $40.00

Section 407 When signs or marking (such as red curbs) prohibiting and/or limiting parking are erected or placed upon any street, road, or area, no person shall park or leave standing any vehicle upon such street, road, or area in violation of any such sign or marking.Red Zone $40.00

Section 409 No person shall park in any area marked in blue and identified as Handicapped Parking unless a handicapped placard/license plate issued by DMV is displayed inside the vehicle. $250.00

Section 410 No person shall park in an area posted or marked Staff Parking unless a valid staff parking permit is properly displayed. $35.00

Section 411 No person shall park any vehicle in any fashion so as to create a traffic hazard. $40.00

Section 412 No person shall park on campus in a designated permit area without a current, valid parking permit properly displayed either on the left rear bumper or suspended from the rear view mirror, on the dashboard or inside lower left windshield. Motorcycles/mopeds shall have the permit affixed to the left front fork.$35.00

Stolen/Forged/altered/mutilated permit.$40.00

Section 413 Vehicles parking in metered stalls must pay for use of the stall as indicated on the meter. Display of a campus parking permit does not preclude payment of meter fees.$35.00

Abandoned Vehicles

Section 501 No person shall abandon or leave standing any vehicle or motorized cycle on the campus in excess of 96 hours. All such vehicles will be stored under authority of Section 2265 8 (a) of the California Vehicle Code.

Section 502 Any person who abandons a vehicle or motorized cycle on campus or violates campus regulations that require towing of such vehicle will be responsible for payment of all towing and storage charges.

GWC Smoke-Free Campus Policy

Computer and Electronic Resources

BP 3720 Computer and Network Use

References:

Education Code Section 70902;Government Code Section 3543.1(b);Penal Code Section 502;Cal. Const., Art. 1 Section 1;17 U.S. Code Sections 101 et seq.

The District owns, leases, and/or operates a variety of computer and communication systems, including but not limited to, voicemail, electronic mail (e-mail), telephone, and access to the internet, which are provided for the use of District faculty, administrators, staff, and students in support of the programs of the colleges and District. Hereinafter, this system and all of its component parts shall be referred to as the District Network. This network establishes a communications platform that often substitutes for in-person meetings regarding District business.

Employees and students who use the District Network and the information it contains, and related resources, have a responsibility not to abuse those resources and to respect the rights of others. The Chancellor shall establish a Procedure that provide guidelines to students and staff for the appropriate use of the District Network and information technologies. The Procedure shall include provisions that users must respect software copyrights and licenses, respect the integrity of computer-based information resources, refrain from seeking to gain unauthorized access, and respect the rights of other computer users.

Students who do not observe the requirements of this Policy may be in violation of the Student Code of Conduct and subject to student discipline. Employees who do not observe the requirements of this Policy may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Adopted January 19, 2005Revised February 20, 2008Replaces CCCD Policy 050-1-6.2, Spring 2011Revised March 21, 2018

AP 3720 Computer and Network Use

References:

Education Code Section 7054;17 U.S. Code Sections 101 et seq;18 U.S. Code Section 2520Penal Code Section 502, Cal. Const., Art. 1 Section 1;Government Code Section 3543.1(b);Government Code Section 8314;BP/AP 3710 Securing of CopyrightBP/AP 3750 Use of Copyrighted Material

This Procedure applies to all members of the District community using the District Network including faculty, administrators, staff, students, independent contractors, and authorized guests. The Procedure covers the use of all District computer equipment and communication systems in computer labs, classrooms, offices, and libraries, and the use of the District equipment, servers, systems, and networks from any location. If any provision of this Procedure is found to be legally invalid, it shall not affect the other provisions of this Procedure as long as they can be effective without the invalid provision.

Ownership Rights

This Procedure is based upon and shall be interpreted according to the following fundamental principle: the entire District Network, including all hardware and software components with it, is the sole property of the District which sets the terms and conditions of its use consistent with the law. Except as provided in Board Policies, Administrative Procedures, or collective bargaining agreements pertaining to intellectual property rights, employees and students have no rights of ownership to these systems or to the information they contain by virtue of their use of all or any portion of the District Network.

Privacy Interests

The District recognizes the privacy interests of faculty and staff and their rights to freedom of speech, participatory governance, and academic freedom, as well as their rights to engage in protected union and concerted activity. However, both the nature of electronic communication and the public character of the District’s business make electronic communication less private than many users anticipate, and may be subject to public disclosure. In addition, the District Network can be subject to authorized and unauthorized access by both internal and external users. For these reasons, there are no online activities or services that guarantee an absolute right of privacy, and therefore, the District Network is not to be relied upon as confidential or private. Nonetheless, the District seeks to afford email communications privacy protections comparable to those it traditionally affords paper mail and fax communications, consistent with state and federal laws. The District will also provide voice mail protection to the extent required by the Federal Wiretap Act.

Districts Rights

System administrators may access user files or suspend service that they manage without notice only:

to protect the integrity of computer systems;
under time-dependent, critical operational circumstances;
as required by and consistent with the law; or
where evidence exists that violations of law or Board Policies or Administrative Procedures have occurred.

For example, system administrators, following District guidelines, may access or examine individual files or accounts based on evidence that they have been corrupted or damaged or subject to unauthorized use or misuse. In such cases of access without notice, data or information acquired may be used to initiate or extend an investigation related to the initial cause or as required by law or Board Policy or Administrative Procedure and/or to protect system integrity.

User access to any aspect of the District enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) system or other District applications containing personally identifiable information (“PII”) or protected health information (PHI), or any other student or employee information protected by state or federal law, shall be granted upon the successful completion of the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) Live Scan background check.

User Rights

Although the District monitors electronic usage as part of its normal network operating procedures, the District does not routinely inspect or monitor users’ computer hardware or files, email, and/or telephone message system, nor disclose information that is created or stored in such media without the user’s consent. The District shall attempt to notify users before accessing computer hardware and files or prior to suspending service. In the event that the District acts without user consent, under its District’s Rights specified above, the District shall do so with the least perusal of contents and the least action necessary to resolve the immediate situation. When the District accesses files without user consent, it shall notify the user as soon as practical of its access and provide the reason for its action.

User Responsibilities

The District recognizes that computers and networks can provide access to resources on and off campus, as well as the ability to communicate with other users worldwide. Such open access is a privilege and requires that individual users act responsibly. Users must respect the rights of other users, respect the integrity of the systems and related physical resources, and observe all relevant laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and contractual obligations.

For District employees, the intended uses of the District Network are those which are reasonable and necessary for the pursuit of job duties; for students, the intended uses are those which are reasonable and necessary for the pursuit of instructional or other authorized activities.

Although personal use is not an intended use, the District recognizes that the District Network will be used for incidental personal activities provided that such use is within reason and provided that such usage is ordinarily on an employee’s own time, is occasional, and does not interfere with or burden the District’s operation, and is not otherwise contrary to Board Policies or Administrative Procedures.

“Unauthorized uses” include prohibited uses and any other use for a prohibited purpose, including illegal activities, messages which may constitute discrimination or harassment under state or federal law or anything that interferes with the intended use.

All users of the District Network must read, understand, and comply with this Procedure as well as any additional guidelines established by the District. Such guidelines will be reviewed by the District and may become subject to Board approval as a Board Policy or Administrative Procedure. By using any part of the District Network, users agree that they will comply with this Procedure.

Enforcement of the Procedure

The Chancellor or designee will enforce applicable federal and state laws, Board Policies and Administrative Procedures, including not only those laws and regulations that are specific to computers and networks but also those that apply generally to personal conduct. Violations of this Procedure will be dealt with in the same manner as violations of other Board Policies or Administrative Procedures or standards of behavior and may result in disciplinary action, subject to applicable due process requirements. Such violations may be subject to appropriate personnel action and/or criminal investigation.

Users who believe this Procedure has been misinterpreted or misapplied may file a complaint in accordance with the Complaint Procedures noted below.

Students who do not observe the requirements of this Procedure may be in violation of the Student Code of Conduct and subject to student discipline. Employees who do not observe the requirements of this Procedure may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

This Administrative Procedure shall be distributed to all new and existing employees. Nothing in this Procedure should be construed to interfere with First Amendment rights or with the academic freedom of faculty.

The District is responsible for making this Procedure readily accessible to all users prior to their use of the District Network. Abuse of computing, networking, or information resources contained in or part of the District Network may result in the loss of access to the District Network. Additionally, abuse can be prosecuted under applicable laws. Users may be held accountable for their conduct under any applicable Board Policies, Administrative Procedures, state and federal laws, or collective bargaining agreements. Complaints alleging abuse of the District Network will be directed to those responsible for taking appropriate disciplinary action. Illegal reproduction of material protected by U.S. Copyright Law is subject to civil damages and criminal penalties including fines and imprisonment.

Examples of behaviors constituting abuse which violate this Procedure include, but are not limited to, the following activities:

System abuse

Using a computer account that one is not authorized to use.
Obtaining a password for a computer or application or system account that one is not authorized to have.
Using the District Network to gain unauthorized access to any information technology systems.
Knowingly performing an act which will interfere with the normal operation of applications, systems, computers, terminals, peripherals, or networks.
Knowingly running or installing on any system or network, a program intended to take control of the computer(s) or systems, or giving to another user, a program intended to damage or to place excessive load on a system or network. This includes but is not limited to programs known as computer viruses, Trojan horses, zombie software, and worms.
Knowingly or carelessly allowing someone else to use the student's account.
Forging e-mail messages.
Forwarding email specifically marked as confidential.
Attempting to circumvent data protection schemes or uncover or exploit security loopholes.
Masking the identity of an account or machine.
Deliberately wasting computing resources by file sharing schemes, participating in e-mail chains, spamming, and/or excessive bandwidth usage.
Intentionally accessing, downloading, displaying, uploading, or transmitting obscenity, as legally defined.
Attempting without District authorization to monitor or tamper with another user’s electronic communications, or changing, or deleting another user’s files or software without the explicit permission of the owner, or any activity which is illegal.
Personal use which is excessive or which interferes with the user’s or others’ performance of job duties, or otherwise burdens the intended use of the Network.
Using the District Network for online gambling.
Using the District Network for political purposes as set forth in Education Code Section 7054.

Harassment

Using the District Network, including telephone, e-mail, or voice mail to harass or threaten others.
Knowingly downloading, displaying or transmitting by use of the District Network, communications, pictures, drawings or depictions that do not constitute proper exercise of academic freedom or constitutionally protected free speech or expression which contain ethnic slurs, racial epithets, or anything that may be construed as harassment or disparagement of others based on their race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, religious or political belief.
Knowingly downloading, displaying, or transmitting by use of the District Network sexually explicit images, messages, pictures, or cartoons which have the clear purpose of harassment or have been identified as harassment as the result of a formal investigation into the matter.
Knowingly downloading, displaying or transmitting by use of the District Network sexually harassing images or text that do not constitute proper exercise of academic freedom or constitutionally protected free speech or expression which in a public computer facility, or location that can potentially be in view of other individuals.
Using the District Network to publish defamatory information about another person.

Commercial use

Using the District Network for any commercial activity, other than incidental or traditional commercial use, without written authorization from the District. “Commercial activity” means for financial remuneration or designed to lead to financial remuneration. Examples of “incidental or traditional commercial use” include but are not limited to:

Electronic communication between an instructor who is an author of a textbook and publisher.
Electronic communication by a staff member who uses the District Network to communicate regarding a presentation at an educational conference or workshop, for which that staff member might receive an honorarium.
Electronic use by a student of the District Network to seek a part-time or full-time job or career related to the student’s field of study, or to assist her/him in applying for such work.
Electronic communication by a staff member to inform a colleague about a child’s candy bar fundraising sale for the child’s school.
Using electronic resources to research and/or purchase supplies, equipment, or other items required for campus, District, or student use.

Copyright

Violating terms of applicable software licensing agreements or copyright laws.

Publishing copyrighted material without the consent of the owner on District websites in violation of copyright laws.

Downloading of unlicensed or copyrighted movies or music for other than legally authorized uses or uses authorized by the District.

Illegally downloading the “codes” to copyrighted material even if the software in question is not downloaded.

Exceptions

The interaction of a user’s personal computing equipment, connected to the District Network, is subject to this Procedure. Contents of a user’s personal computing equipment are subject to search by the District only by legal warrant.

There may be times when a District employee may be exempted from certain provisions of this Procedure in order to perform their duties or assignments that are an established part of their job.

Should an employee be directed by a supervisor to perform an activity that they believe may be in violation of this Procedure, or if they are given a directive which inhibits the employee in performing duties or assignments, the employee may request that the directive and/or permission for exception be put in writing and signed by the supervisor.

Activities by technical staff as authorized by appropriate District or college officials that take action for security, enforcement, technical support, troubleshooting, or performance testing purposes will not be considered abuse of the Network.

Although personal use is not an intended use, the District recognizes that the Network will be used for incidental personal activities and will take no disciplinary action provided that such use is within reason and provided that such usage is ordinarily on an employee’s own time, is occasional and does not interfere with or burden the District’s resources. Likewise, the District will not purposefully surveil or punish use of the network for union business-related communication between employees and their unions.

Complaints by Employees or Students Regarding Enforcement of this Procedure

An employee who asserts that the District or District personnel have violated this Procedure may file a complaint. A student who asserts that the District or District personnel have violated this Procedure may file a complaint pursuant to the College’s student complaint process.

Ratified March 21, 2018

Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) Notification

It is the Coast Community College District’s intent to fully conform to the requirements of section 668.14 of the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA), commonly known as the Peer-to-Peer provision. The District maintains Policies and Procedures necessary to ensure that copyright violations and improper computer use are prohibited within the District and its colleges, and that Student users face possible disciplinary consequences for such unlawful use.

The District requires that each new user, including students, to affirmatively confirm, by use of a dialogue box at the time of log-in, that the user has reviewed the District’s applicable policies and the District’s HEOA Compliance Plan concerning peer-to-peer file sharing and copyright responsibilities as a necessary step for their logging onto District or its colleges’ computer networks.

Peer-To-Peer (P2P) File Sharing Can Infringe Copyright Laws

Unauthorized use of, or distribution of copyright protected materials, including the use of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) software to distribute such protected materials, may be actionable in both criminal and civil courts, if a court determines that users have infringed on copyright protections. Copyright protections may be infringed through the practice of copying and distributing protected work without permission of the owner. If the student uses P2P software to infringe copyright, they may liable civilly and/or criminally for copyright infringement. There are significant economic and criminal penalties associated with copyright infringement actions.

Copyright infringement constitutes a severe violation of District policy and may subject the violator to the student disciplinary process. The student disciplinary actions that the District could take against student users are described in the Coast Community College District’s Student Code of Conduct. Please note that any disciplinary action taken against a student user by District under District policy does not prevent the content owner, or law enforcement from initiating a criminal or civil proceeding against the student. A content owner may bring an infringement claim, and by law would be entitled to a minimum of $750 for each infringement; if intent to infringe copyright is demonstrated, statutory damages may go as high as $150,000 per infringement.

Copyright infringements and unauthorized Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Activities will subject District Students to Discipline under the District’s Student Code of Conduct.

Intentional file sharing of material when the student user does not have the copyright holder’s permission is a violation of the District’s Computer Use Policy. Such a violation subjects the student user to the District’s Student Code of Conduct disciplinary process. District Policies and Student Disciplinary Procedures serve to protect the District, its Colleges, and other students from harm for the conduct of individual violators.

Users of file sharing programs should be aware of the criminal, civil, and student discipline liabilities that they create for themselves by using such programs on the District’s or its Colleges’ computer networks.

Student and Staff Email

Coursework and Computers

Student Right To Know (Completion Rates)

GWC Completion and Transfer Rates

COMPLETION RATE

A student is included in the Completion Rate if they attained a certificate or degree or became “transfer prepared” within the three-year period. Transfer-prepared is defined as having completed 60 transferable units with a GPA of 2.0 or better.

TRANSFER RATE

A student is included in the Transfer Rate if, within the three-year tracking period, they transferred to another postsecondary institution prior to receiving a certificate or degree or becoming “transfer-prepared.”

The table below compares Golden West College’s Completion and Transfer Rates to the statewide community college average.

Rate	GWC	State Wide
Completion Rate	36.00%	32.26%
Transfer Rate	9.66%	10.35%

GWC GRADUATION RATES

Graduation rates of full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates within 150% of normal time to program completion, by gender and race/ethnicity and transfer out-rate: 2016 cohort.

Overall Graduation Rate	Rate
Total	36%
Men	31%
Women	41%
American Indian or Alaskan Native	100%
Asian	49%
Black or African American	31%
Hispanic or Latino	30%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	33%
White	42%
Two or more races	26%
Race/ethnicity unknown	50%
Nonresident alien	26%
Transfer out-rate	10%

Graduation rates are based on the student’s completion status as of August 31, 2019.

Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) retrieved from: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacenter/institutionprofile.aspx?unitId=115126

These rates do not represent the completion and transfer rates of the entire student population at Golden West College, nor do they account for student outcomes occurring after this three-year tracking period. For more information on SRTK methodology, interpretation, and rates at other community colleges, they can visit the California Community College Chancellor’s Office website at http://srtk.cccco.edu/index.asp. Additionally, the IPEDS Graduation Rate Survey utilizes the same cohorts and reports out six-year tracking periods.

Academic Freedom Board Policy 4030

BP 4030
Title 5, Section 51023
Accreditation Standard II.A.7

Agreement between the Coast Federation of Educators American Federation of Teachers Local 1911 and Coast Community College District August 11, 2011-June, 2012

Recognizing that free search for truth and the expression of diverse opinions are essential to a democratic society, both the District and the Federation will affirm the principles of academic freedom, with the understanding that

Academic Freedom is essentially the right of faculty to express or discuss in their classrooms and throughout the District challenging ideas and topics related to courses they teach and their own academic, professional expertise. The primary responsibility is to achieve the objectives of the course outline of record. This does not preclude Faculty Members from using their professional judgment in discussing other topics with their students when aimed at enhancing student learning. The expression of this right is guided by a deep conviction of the worth and dignity of students and the advancement of their knowledge.
Academic Freedom includes the right of faculty to create and to use instructional materials that may be thought-provoking or controversial and are relevant to the courses they teach to enhance student learning. These rights notwithstanding, Academic Freedom is to be practiced within the parameters of commonly recognized standards of teaching, professional conduct, and applicable policies and laws.
Faculty Members recognize the special responsibilities placed upon them. These responsibilities include the obligation to exercise critical self-discipline and sound judgment in using, extending, and transmitting knowledge. In the conduct of their teaching and professional lives, faculty members demonstrate intellectual honesty and devotion to continual improvement of scholarly competence.

With the shared understanding of the rights and responsibilities, Academic Freedom will be promoted and protected.

A Faculty Member’s exercising of their right of academic freedom as delineated below shall not be subject to any adverse action affecting the Faculty Member’s employment status with the District:

For the development and publication of instructional materials, as well as the interpretation of course content and adoption of innovative instructional methods compatible with the course outline of record and standards accepted within the academic community;
For exercising freedom to examine or endorse unpopular or controversial ideas within their fields of professional expertise as appropriate to course content, discussions with students, or academic research or publication. In so doing, the Faculty Member shall attempt to be accurate, fair, objective, and show respect for diverse opinions;
For using or recommending, within the parameters of (a) above, instructional materials which may challenge prevailing social attitudes, or contain unpopular or controversial ideas;
For presenting all points of view in teaching and discussing controversial ideas or content in their courses and for including library materials of broad and diverse interest, information and enlightenment without prejudice in regards to the race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, social, political or religious views of the authors;
For expressing in an appropriate forum the Faculty Member’s viewpoint on matters of College and District policy.
In collegial life, for example, for participation in the governance of their colleges, and engaging in the collegial expression of opinions in their department, college, and/or District meetings.

Political activities on college campuses shall be governed by District policies and procedures which shall be in accordance with the requirements of applicable Federal and State law.

The District shall respect the Faculty Member’s right in public life to exercise freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of union activity, and freedom to express expert opinions in a public forum provided it is clear that the Faculty Member is not speaking or acting on behalf of the District.

Adopted February 5, 2003
Renumbered from CCCD Policy 030-3-1.5, Fall 2010
Revised January 15, 2014

Grade	Significance	Grade Points Per Unit
A	Excellent	4
B	Good	3
C	Satisfactory	2
D	Passing, less than satisfactory	1
F	Failing	0

Symbol	Definition
SP	Satisfactory Progress towards completion of the course
P	Passing (at least satisfactory)
NP	No Pass (less than satisfactory, or failing)
A-NC	Excellent
B-NC	Good
C-NC	Satisfactory
D-NC	Passing
F-NC	Failing
W-NC	Withdrawal after the start of the class
MW-NC	Military withdrawal
EW-NC	Excused withdrawal

Rights and Policies

Enrolling into English

Enrolling into Math

CLEP CREDIT

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Requirements for Earning TAP Credit