2013-2014 Catalog
In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, ACC provides students with documented disabilities academic accommodations based on an individual needs assessment. Support services may include:
To request accommodations, contact Disability Services in Room M2710 or call 303.797.5937.
Students with disabilities are responsible for providing documentation of disability from a qualified professional.
You are expected to keep your address and other contact information updated and current with ACC. You can update your address and other contact information at www.arapahoe.edu by accessing myACC.
Academic advising is a crucial first step if you are beginning a college program. Advisors will help you explore academic goals and select courses based on basic skill assessment tests and programs of study. New and continuing students are encouraged to meet with an Advisor every semester to help clarify goals and stay updated on program changes. The Advising office also offers assistance in:
Connect with Academic Advising through http://www.arapahoe.edu/student-resources/academic-advising or 303.797.5664. Academic Advisors are available to meet with students at the Littleton, Parker and Castle Rock campuses.
Basic Skills
If you are a first-time college student, are planning to enroll in college-level English or math, or you are a recent high school graduate, you must complete assessment in writing, reading and math.
The purpose of assessment is to provide you and your Advisor with information useful in selecting courses and planning for success in college. The ACCUPLACER assessment test provides you with competency scores in writing, reading and math. There is a charge for the test, it is un-timed and takes approximately two hours to complete.
You can take this test at the Testing Center (Littleton Campus, Main Building Room M2210) on a walk-in basis. Call the Testing Center at 303.797.5993 for days and hours. Plan to begin testing at least two hours BEFORE the closing time.
Testing is also available at the Parker Campus (303.734.4822) and the Castle Rock Campus (303.660.3160) please call in advance.
ACCUPLACER test accommodations are provided to qualified students with disabilities. To request accommodations, contact Disability Services in Room M2710 or call 303.797.5937.
If you are a new student enrolling in a degree program, you must take the ACCUPLACER unless you have documents that show you:
Exemptions are granted if you:
To receive an exemption, you must present documentation to the Testing Center, an Advisor or to Admissions and Records. Some ACC programs require specific minimum ACCUPLACER scores for admission. Please refer to the specific degree/certificate in this Catalog or at www.arapahoe.edu/departments-and-programs/degrees-and-certificates. A charge is assessed to take the placement test. The charge is payable at the testing facility. You are allowed to retake the ACCUPLACER after 24 hours and then every 30 days after retaking the test the first time. (A charge is assessed for each portion of the ACCUPLACER you retake.) If you test below college level in two or more of the assessment test subjects, you will be required to meet with an Advisor before registering and you may be required to enroll in certain courses. The College provides materials if you want to review skills before taking the ACCUPLACER. The materials are available at on the Testing Center page at www.arapahoe.edu/student-resources/testing-center/acuplacer-placement-test. Enrolled students can also use the Peer Mentoring and Tutoring Center to work on skills.
Developmental Studies Courses
Rapid skill development is the goal of developmental studies. If you need to boost your basic skills to succeed in college, sign up for these courses. Non-English speaking students are encouraged to register for English as a Second Language courses. First-time students are encouraged to take AAA 109 to ensure success in college-level studies.
Research has shown that students who take recommended developmental courses perform better in college. Your academic Advisor can help you determine which course(s) you need based on your placement test scores. If you are required to take developmental courses, you must complete them within your first 30 credit hours at ACC.
Developmental Studies courses include:
AAA |
109 |
Advanced Academic Achievement |
ENG |
060 |
Writing Fundamentals |
ENG |
090 |
Basic Composition |
MAT |
045 |
Compressed Pre-Algebra w/ Basic Math |
MAT |
060 |
Pre-Algebra |
MAT |
090 |
Introductory Algebra |
MAT |
095 |
Compressed Intro/Intermediate Algebra |
MAT |
099 |
Intermediate Algebra |
REA |
060 |
Foundations of Reading |
REA |
090 |
College Preparatory Reading |
Students functioning below the secondary level on educational achievement or placement tests, or who need longer-term remedial education, should contact the Developmental Studies Department at 303.797.5825, or the Advising Center at 303.797.5664. Most Developmental Studies courses may not be used to satisfy program graduation requirements.
Our Bookstore, on the first floor of the Littleton Campus Main building, is the official source for new and used books. You can order books, review our refund and buy-back policies, and access other store information at www.efollett.com. The campus bookstore sells school supplies, bargain books, laptops, software, ACC gifts and apparel, study guides, greeting cards, technology supplies and more.
The Campus Police Department is a full service department that consists of professional police officers and staff dedicated to working in partnership with the campus community. Services include: taking incident reports, investigating alleged crimes, providing motorist assistance, safety escorts, managing lost and found, first response to emergency situations and victim assistance referrals.
All ACC Littleton campus, Art and Design Center and Parker campus lots require an ACC permit. Permit costs are automatically charged to your account when you register for classes and are reissued each year. Parking is on a first-come, first-served basis. The Art and Design Center requires a Lot J permit, which is ONLY available to students registered for classes at the Center.
To obtain a permit, bring your Cashier’s receipt to Campus Police, Room M2630. A permit will be issued to you to be permanently affixed to the lower left hand corner, inside front windshield of your vehicle or affixed to a plastic hang-tag and placed over the rearview mirror.
Littleton campus classrooms have in-house security phones. The Campus Police Department can be reached by calling ext. 5911. If no immediate answer, call 9-911.
Parker campus and Castle Rock campus classrooms have in-house security phones. These phones are in-house and 911 only. For 911 these must be dialed as 9-911
Code Blue emergency phones are located in each parking lot at ACC’s Littleton campus, Parker campus, and the Art and Design Center.
If a class is canceled, staff will make every effort to notify you before you arrive at class. In addition, notices will be posted near the classroom. If there is no posted notice and your Instructor does not appear, check with the school office (Room A2000).
Insufficient Enrollment
The Vice President for Instruction may cancel any course with insufficient enrollment. Every effort is made by staff to contact students affected by these cancelations. In addition, notices of classes canceled for insufficient enrollment are posted on the classroom door.
The Career and Transfer Center is here to help you develop your career and academic plan and transition from ACC to continuing education or the workplace. Services include career exploration and decision-making, job search and employment services, and transfer information.
Career Exploration and Planning
Undecided about a major or career? Career exploration can help you make one of the more important decisions in your life. Career assessments are available, both free and for a nominal fee. The Center provides up-to-date information on career decision making and occupational information. You can develop a career plan to fit your needs and focus your future, based on realistic self-knowledge.
Employment Services Available
The Center will work with you to answer specific questions about your job search and can provide practice interviews.
Transfer Information
Resources and information are available to assist with making decisions about your next steps beyond ACC and to pursue transferring to a four-year college or university. The Career and Transfer Center facilitates visits with transfer advisors from several universities and hosts an annual College Transfer Fair.
Sign up for the ACC Notification System (via myACC) to to receive a text message about campus closures, emergencies and important student account information. Television and radio stations and the website (www.arapahoe.edu) will also be alerted to College closures.
ACC is committed to listening and responding to student compliments, complaints and suggestions. Comment cards are available in each ACC facility.
These cards are collected regularly by staff and reviewed by the Executive Team. You can submit a card anonymously or can request a personal response.
There is no paging system at ACC, but emergency message delivery will be provided through the Campus Police Department (303.797.5800). We cannot tell callers where a student can be found, but we will make every effort to locate a student with a message about a REAL emergency (family/medical).
Grades are not mailed. You may access your grades at www.arapahoe.edu by accessing myACC.
If you are taking any Arapahoe Community College courses, and you have a complaint about your experiences with Arapahoe Community College, you have two options:
1. You can follow Arapahoe Community College's process for student complaints, or you may also contact the Higher Learning Commission, which is Arapahoe Community College's accrediting agency.
2. If you are residing outside of Colorado while attending Arapahoe Community College, in many cases you can file a complaint in the state where you are residing. As required by federal regulations, please refer to the list of agencies in each state where complaints can be filed.
Before exercising either of the above options, you should know that most (if not all) external complaint processes require that the student exhaust all avenues of complaint internal to the institution before they will consider a grievance.
See Weber Center for Learning Resources
In addition to traditional classroom-based courses that are a full semester in length, ACC offers a variety of courses in other formats to help meet the needs of students.
Accelerated Courses
Accelerated courses require less classroom time than traditional classes. Accelerated classes have additional hours by arrangement with significant outside classroom coursework.
Arrangement Courses
Arrangement courses require students to complete projects and class activities with faculty direction.
Flex Courses
FLEX courses provide flexibility of learning at your own pace. Instructors post hours in the classroom when they will answer your questions, support your progress and promote your success.
Hybrid Courses
Hybrid courses have less classroom time than traditional classes and provide additional online activities and online class content. Students may use computers at the Open Computer Lab at ACC’s Littleton campus to meet the online requirements of the hybrid class.
Independent Study
Independent study is to meet your individual needs and to foster strong faculty and student connections. This course format allows you to learn and study at your own pace under the guidance an Instructor.
Many courses can be set up for Independent Study. Courses may also be designed outside of our offerings. All Independent Study programs must be approved by the appropriate School dean.
If you are interested in an Independent Study course, talk to an Academic Advisor or an Instructor. You must complete a contract when you register that includes the course title, credits, learning objectives and strategies. For more information, contact the Admissions and Records Office at 303.797.5621.
Late Start Courses
Late start classes begin anytime after the second week of the semester.
Online Courses
Online courses are regular college-credit courses that are taught online as opposed to in the classroom.
Though online courses require due dates and interaction with other students in the class, they offer flexibility to the busy, highly motivated, self-directed student. If you wish to take an online course you must have an email address, access to a computer with up-to-date hardware and software and Internet connectivity. Students may use computers at the Open Computer Lab at ACC’s Littleton campus.
Webcast Courses
Webcast courses provide the access convenience of online courses, with the in-person faculty and student interaction of traditional classroom-based courses. Students attend Webcast courses on scheduled days and times, but they attend via the web utilizing software that allows the students and faculty to see and interact with each other.
See Weber Center for Learning Resources
If your name changes due to marriage, divorce or other reasons, contact Admissions and Records immediately. You will need to provide appropriate documentation to process a name change. The only forms of acceptable supporting documentation to change a name are: valid Colorado Driver’s License, valid Colorado Identification Card (issued by the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles), United States Military Card, United States Military Dependent Identification Card, United States Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Card, Native American Tribal Document, United States Passports (except for "limited" passports), or Birth Certificate from any state, the District of Columbia and all United States territories (valid photo ID must accompany birth certificate).
The Open Computer Lab is on the first floor of the Main building at the Littleton campus. ACC students will need a current Student photo ID card. The computers offer Internet access, email and Microsoft software as well as specialized instructional software.
All ACC students are assigned a school email address upon acceptance to the College. You will be notified of the email address in your acceptance letter. You will be able to access your email address via myACC at www.arapahoe.edu. You must activate the email address.
ACC communicates with students via email only through the school-issued email address.
Smoking and the sale of tobacco products are prohibited in all campus buildings pursuant to State Executive Order D003690. Smoking is permitted in outside designated smoking areas only.
Your academic year classification is made according to the number of credit hours you have completed. We use the following definitions to determine your classification:
Freshman: A student who has successfully completed fewer than 30 semester credit hours.
Sophomore: A student who has successfully completed 30 or more semester credit hours.
The Student Handbook is an essential resource for students at ACC. The Handbook includes detailed information about renting a locker, posting items on the bulletin boards, opportunities in and around campus, Student Rights and Responsibilities, the Code of Conduct and much more. Get your copy at the Student Affairs Office, Room M2820, and at the front desk of the Parker campus.
You can obtain your Student Photo ID from the Campus Police. Your Student ID card is required to check out books and materials from the library, to use the pool or Open Computer Lab and to buy/sell books in the bookstore. Cards are valid for 2 years. Replacement cards cost $10.00.
Through its procedures, Arapahoe Community College (ACC) ensures the rights of all its students to pursue their educational objectives. The ACC community includes students who are enrolled in ACC courses for credit or non-credit courses, including Community Education courses. The ACC community also includes faculty, staff, administrators and guests.
A student is subject to two sources of authority: College authority and civil-criminal authority. ACC also expects students who are enrolled in specialized programs to follow the standards specified in their respective program handbooks (e.g., Nursing, Law Enforcement Academy and Emergency Medical Technician).
Judicial processes, including code of conduct, academic honesty statement and grievance procedures are stated in the ACC Student Handbook. The Handbook is available in the Student Affairs Office, Room M2820 or at www.arapahoe.edu/departments-and-programs/schedules/catalogs. For answers to specific questions, contact the Director of Student Affairs and Support Services.
The Student Success Center is a free, drop-in tutorial service staffed by math instructors and advanced students who have excelled in their classes. Students can work individually with tutors and also attend small group sessions that focus on specific courses. From time management to test taking, tutors offer valuable tips on what it takes to be successful. For more information, go to Room M2720 or call 303.797.5669.
The Weber Center for Learning Resources at ACC houses the college library and learning commons. The library contains over 30,000 print books and over one hundred print periodicals in addition to over 150,000 ebooks and thousands of academic journals in digital form. The learning commons provides computers, free wireless internet access, individual and group study spaces, a writing center and a flex lab for faculty to student tutoring. The library and learning commons are staffed with professional librarians and research professionals to help with student, faculty, staff and community needs. The Weber Center for Learning Resources is open weekdays and Saturdays.
ACC provides open wireless Internet access in most common areas of the buildings on the Main Campus, the Castle Rock Campus and the Parker Campus. If you have problems connecting your laptop to this network contact Information Technology at 3199 from a campus phone, or 303.797.5700 extension 3199 from off-campus.
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