ADMINISTRATIVE RULE NO: 7075-03

RELATED TO POLICY SERIES NO: 7075

TITLE: RESTRICTED ACCESS PROGRAMS

PURPOSE

This rule defines the standards for which an academic program would be exempt from the open-admission through the use of admission requirements or through reserved enrollment by an external sponsor.

STATEMENT

  1. Special Admissions Programs
    Linn-Benton Community College maintains an "open door" policy on admissions; However, special admission standards may be imposed for specific instructional programs to effectively and responsibly administer the resources of the institution. Such standards are set to ensure each student a reasonable chance of success in a program and shall constitute the minimum standards consistent with the demands of that program. The college will make an effort to enable current high school students to be eligible for admission to a special admission program by demonstrating a mastery of the material contained in appropriate high school courses. Admissions to all instructional programs shall otherwise be on a first-come, first-served, “open-door” basis.

    The Instructional Standards Committee is responsible for granting special admission status to instructional programs, approving changes to minimum admission criteria, and removing special admission status based on established guidelines.

    When changes to special admission requirements are under consideration students must be given sufficient notification to allow them time to adjust to academic programs. Phase-in programs with new requirements will be implemented if feasible.

    Special admission programs may grant priority admission to in-district residents in order to support citizens of the district in filling local employment opportunities. In-district residency will be determined at the time of application to the program. Applicants will need to validate residency as directed.

    Petition Process for Special Admission Requirements

    Students who do not meet the minimum admission standards for programs that require a course prerequisite or competency may petition for admission if denied admission based on the minimum standards. Petitions will not be accepted based on any other criteria used in the selection process.

    If a student feels there are extenuating circumstances that may not have been considered during the routine screening of applications by the Admissions Office, a petition may be filed. An Admissions Petition form must be completed and may be accompanied by additional documentation that would support the student's request..

    Dismissal from Special Admission Programs

    Students must meet all safety and behavioral expectations of programs to which they are admitted with or without accommodations. Failure to comply with the LBCC Students’ Rights and Responsibilities or the professional protocols of the college, clinical, CWE, or practicum sites may result in immediate removal from the program. The college reserves the right to not admit a student removed for non-compliance to the same, or similar, programs in which the student’s previous behavior, if repeated, exposes other students, the general public, LBCC, or its partners, to a significant safety and liability risk.

    Auditing Special Admission Program Courses

    Student may audit the lecture portion of a course that is part of a designated special admission program when there is space available and the instructor grants permission. Priority for any available space is to be given to students preparing to re-enter the program or people currently in the field who are in need of some additional professional development. Programs may have additional conditions or limitations set on students wanting to audit classes. Students may be restricted from auditing clinical and lab portions of the courses or program.

  2. Reserved Student Enrollment
    Academic programs may support regional employment needs. Regional employment needs would be for communities and employers beyond the service district, or to meet business partner needs when the business has a state or multi-state regional need.

    LBCC programs are authorized to support regional employment needs through the program approval process and may request permission to have a regional focus from the President in consultation with the college Vice Presidents. There are two forms of student sponsorship:

    1.  Spaces in programs offered within the district may be established to meet demands of local or regional employers.
    2.  Sponsoring organizations financially support the students attending the program.

    Sponsors from outside the district are expected to have students committed by a deadline after which the space is released to waitlist students and then opened to the public with no guarantee that a student will seek employment with the sponsor.

Sponsors must have in their agreement with the college that their recruitment and selection process and criteria are equally available to all potential candidates. The college may request copies of recruitment and selection guidelines as part of the review of meeting our commitment to non-discriminatory practices.

     C. Commitment to Non-Discriminatory Practices

Programs that are granted exception to the “open door” policy must be reviewed every 5 years reviewing the demographics of the students who apply to, are accepted, enrolled, and graduate. This review is to ensure that the institutional and sponsoring third party processes for advertising, selection, and program design are not creating or furthering disproportionate participation of any protected class. The review is the responsibility of the dean for the program. The review team consists of the following members at a minimum:  dean for the program, the department chair, Title IX officer, and Director of Enrollment Services. Each program is to include an assessment of recruitment materials and activities, selection procedures and requirements, and student retention as related to being inclusive of all prospective and enrolled students. The report is to address student demographic representation, impacts of efforts implemented to address previous demographic imbalances, evidence that processes are not related to the imbalances, and plans to address any disproportionate participation in the next year. The report will be submitted to the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs.

 

DATE OF ADOPTION: 08/13/84

DATE(S) OF REVISION(S): 03/16/04; 11/6/14; 6/1/17; 11/1/18; 10/06/22

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 6/1/17; 11/1/18; 10/06/22