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Statements & Policies

Below are links to policies and documents that govern Patrick & Henry Community College.

Academic Freedom

P&HCC supports academic freedom for its faculty members. Issues related to academic freedom are governed by VCCS Policy § 3.5.5. 

Academic Integrity

P&HCC’s Academic Integrity Policy governs student conduct directly related to the academic life of the institution. View the full policy here or download the Fillable Academic Integrity Violation Form.

Accessibility

Patrick & Henry Community College is committed to providing an environment that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of ability or technology. P&HCC’s disAbility Resources provides students programmatic and physical access, in a supportive atmosphere and in accordance with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008, as well as other applicable state and federal law.

Use this form to report any barrier (barriers may be physical or electronic).

Accreditation

Patrick & Henry Community College is a member of the Virginia Community College System and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award career studies certificates, certificates, and associate degrees. Questions about the accreditation of Patrick & Henry Community College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

As a member of the Virginia Community College System, Patrick & Henry Community College is approved by the State Board for Community Colleges; the associate degree curricula offered in the college have also been approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. The college is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges and is an Achieving the Dream Leader College. The associate degree nursing program has conditional approval with terms and conditions per the Virginia State Board of Nursing. The Practical Nursing Certificate program and the Nurse Aide Training program have full approval granted by the Virginia State Board of Nursing. The associate degree nursing program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, the most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the associate degree program is continuing accreditation. The EMS-Paramedic Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Patrick & Henry Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

Commonwealth Accounting Policies and Procedures (CAPP)

The CAPP Manual documents the policies and procedures associated with the Commonwealth’s centralized accounting and financial systems.

Crime Statistics

Patrick & Henry Community College is committed to campus safety. As part of this, P&HCC maintains a commitment to Clery Act compliance and the disclosure of crime and security statistics. The college’s Annual Security Report, including current crime statistics, is readily available to the public along with other Clery Act compliance information. Daily crime logs are maintained in the campus police office.

Computer Use Guidelines 

P&HCC’s Computer Use Guidelines describes the policies governing the use of all P&HCC Information Technology resources.

Distance Education Policy

The Distance Education Policy establishes procedures for appropriate identification and test proctoring for students and faculty in accordance with SACSCOC standard 10.6. In addition, the policy establishes procedures for faculty peer review of online courses as required by VCCS Policy § 5.3.0.2 (c).

Drug and Alcohol Policy

Federal laws, and VCCS and DHRM policy, require an Institution of Higher Education such as Patrick & Henry Community College, to certify that it has implemented programs to prevent the abuse of alcohol and the use, and /or distribution of illicit drugs both by students and employees either on its premises and as a part of any of its activities. The Drug and Alcohol Policy.

Expressed Opinions

All opinions expressed by individuals purporting to be a current or former student, faculty, or staff member of this institution, on websites not affiliated with Patrick & Henry Community College, social media channels, blogs or other online or traditional publications, are solely their opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or values of Patrick & Henry Community College, the Virginia Community College System, or the State Board for Community Colleges, which do not endorse and are not responsible or liable for any such content.

Facilities Use

Patrick & Henry Community College wants to foster a relationship with the community that leads to educational and cultural enlightenment. Community organizations and groups in the college’s service region are welcome to use campus facilities and its available resources for meetings or other events. Our first commitment remains with our faculty, staff and students. To that end, use of the facility is at the sole discretion of the college and any Facilities Use Agreement may be canceled by the college at any time depending upon the particular circumstances. Also, the college reserves the right to disapprove requests based solely on the college’s inability to provide adequate support for the event or in cases where approving the event would adversely impact the college resources and/or limit the college’s ability to meet its primary obligation to its faculty, staff and students.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) 

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

Freedom of Information Act

The Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), located § 2.2-3700 et seq. of the Code of Virginia, guarantees citizens of the Commonwealth and representatives of the media access to public records held by public bodies, public officials, and public employees. Read the Rights of Requesters and the Responsibilities of Patrick & Henry Community College in regard to FOIA requests.

Intellectual Property

Ownership rights and responsibilities regarding intellectual property produced by a student and/or employee of the VCCS are determined by §12.0 of the VCCS Policy Manual.

Instruction Delivery Agreement

The institution agrees that in cases where the institution cannot fully deliver the instruction for which a student has contracted, to provide a reasonable alternative for delivering the instruction or reasonable financial compensation for the education the student did not receive. This may include tuition assurance funds, surety bonds, irrevocable letter of credit, assistance with transfer, teach-out provisions or other practices deemed sufficient to protect consumers.

Memberships

Patrick & Henry Community College is a proud member of the Southern Regional Education Board and eVA is Virginia’s online, electronic procurement system. This web-based vendor registration and purchasing system allows state agencies, colleges, universities and many local governments to use eVA to conduct all purchasing and sourcing activities for goods and services.

Military Service Member Recruitment

This policy relates to restrictions on misrepresentation, recruitment, and payment of incentivized compensation in the recruitment of service members. This policy applies to the college and its agents including third-party lead generators, marketing firms, or companies that act on behalf of the educational institution. To view each restriction, click here for the full policy.

Nondiscrimination

Patrick & Henry Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, or veteran’s status in its programs and activities.  The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy: Affirmative Action Coordinator, Francis T. West Hall, room 148, (276) 656-0214. This includes access to electronic information and services.  You may also submit a comment or concern to P&HCC’s Equity Alliance Response Commission by filling out this form.  Full Nondiscrimination Policy

Policy Manual

The Virginia Community Colleges Policy Manual is a living document that guides the operation of all community colleges in the commonwealth.

Privacy Policy

It is the policy of the Commonwealth of Virginia that personal information about citizens will be collected only to the extent necessary to provide the service or benefit desired; that only appropriate information will be collected; that the citizen shall understand the reason the information is collected and be able to examine their personal record which is maintained by a public body.

The Patrick & Henry Community College website collects no personal information, does not place a “cookie” on your computer, and will not track your movements through the website.

This statement refers only to the above-referenced URL, and may differ from other websites or portals hosted by Patrick & Henry Community College, or sites of other community colleges, or the Virginia Community College System

Procurement Manual

P&HCC employees utilize the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Agency Procurement and Surplus Property Manual for purchasing and travel.

Retention of Records

Patrick & Henry Community College adheres to VCCS policy 6.2.6 – Student Records Retention (each college shall comply with the Virginia State Library and Archives Records Retention Schedule and procedures for destruction of records) for record maintenance and destruction. A retention schedule lists records series and provides instructions and special guidelines for their care-how long to maintain them, and procedures for disposing of them. Retention schedules reflect the length of time that records have administrative, legal, fiscal or historical value. Records cannot be destroyed before the stated period, nor should they be retained longer than the stated period (unless they are needed for an investigation, litigation or audit). A complete list of these schedules can be located here.

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV)

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) makes higher education public policy recommendations to the governor and general assembly in areas such as capital and operating budget planning, enrollment projections, institutional technology needs, and student financial aid. SCHEV administers a variety of educational programs that benefit students, faculty, parents, and taxpayers and serves as a catalyst to promote greater access, quality, affordability, and accountability throughout the system. SCHEV creates a profile for all Virginia public colleges and for each private campus that participates in the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant Program in order to provide users with more information about colleges and careers. P&HCC’s profile is available here.

Strategic Plan 2021-2027

As a complement to the VCCS Opportunity 2027, P&HCC adopted its Strategic Plan in the summer of 2022. This plan dovetails off the VCCS strategic plan to address equity gaps within our institutional framework.

Student Achievement Data

Patrick & Henry Community College embarked on a new strategic plan for 2016-2021 and followed the Completion by Design framework as its foundation. Student achievement data are complete for the fourth year of the five year plan and contained in the Strategic Plan Report for 2019-20. Strategic Plan Report for 2020-21P&HCC Program Review System.

 Student Policies & Handbook

To assist you during your time at P&HCC, the online Student Handbook provides important information about the college’s various services, procedures and policies. This information is also available in the Annual Catalog.

Student Refund Policy

P&HCC adheres to the Student Refund Policy Contract (Addendum) in accordance with the Virginia Community College System.

Title IX

Students, prospective students, employees, and prospective employees who believe they witnessed or experienced discriminatory conditions or discriminatory acts inclusive of sexual misconduct, sexual violence, sexual harassment, or inaccessible conditions should follow the appropriate Title IX procedures with P&HCC.

Transparency at Work in Virginia

Commonwealth Data Point includes 100% of all state spending, including all contract payments. Some information has been excluded and/or redacted if the information was deemed confidential as determined by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or other state or federal regulations.

Weather and Delays

In the case of inclement weather, P&HCC reserves the right to close the facilities or to delay opening the campus. P&HCC distributes information regarding closings and delays to area television and radio stations, the homepage of the college’s website, the college’s social media accounts, and it is sent to registered P&HCC Alert users. Find the full delayed class schedule policy here.

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