TITLE IIICHAPTER 21COMMUNITY COLLEGES[Prior to 9/7/88, see Public Instruction Department[670] Ch 5][Former Ch 21 Rescinded, IAB 9/7/88]DIVISION IAPPROVAL STANDARDS28121.1(260C) Definitions. For purposes of this chapter, the indicated terms are defined as follows:
"Department" means the Iowa department of education.
"Director" means the director of the department.
Related ARC(s): 8646B28121.2(260C) Administration. 21.2(1) Policy manual. A community college board of directors shall develop and maintain a policy manual which adequately describes the official policies of the institution. 21.2(2) Administrative staff. A community college shall develop an administrative staff appropriate to the size and the purpose of the institution and one which permits the institution to function effectively and efficiently. This administrative staff shall provide effective leadership for the major divisions of the institution including administrative services, adult and continuing education, career and technical education, college parallel education, and student services. 21.2(3) Chief executive officer. A community college shall have a chief executive officer who shall also be the executive officer of the board of directors. The executive officer shall be responsible for the operation of the community college with respect to its educational program, its faculty and student services programs, and the use of its facilities. The executive officer shall delegate to the staff all necessary administrative and supervisory responsibilities to ensure an efficient operation of the institution. 21.2(4) Financial records and reports. The community college shall maintain accurate financial records and make reports in the form and pursuant to the timeline prescribed by the department and other state agencies. 21.2(5) Enrollment. A community college shall meet minimum enrollment requirements if it offers instruction as authorized in Iowa Code chapter 260C, and if, to the satisfaction of the state board of education, it is able to provide classes of reasonable economic size as needed by students, meets the needs of the students, and shows by its past and present enrollment and placement record that it meets individual and employment needs. 21.2(6) Catalog. The catalog shall be the official publication of the community college. It shall include accurate information on institutional policies, admissions requirements, procedures and fees, refund policies, residency requirements, program enrollment and degree requirements, due process procedures, affirmative action, and other information as recommended by the department. Students’ rights and responsibilities may be included in the catalog or in a separate document. 21.2(7) Admissions and program/course enrollment requirements. The community college shall maintain an open-door admission policy for students of postsecondary age. This admission policy shall recognize that students should demonstrate a reasonable prospect for success in the program in which they are admitted. Applicants who cannot demonstrate a reasonable prospect for success in the program for which they apply should be assisted to enroll in courses where deficiencies may be remediated or into programs appropriate to the individual’s preparation and objectives. The community college may set reasonable requirements for student enrollment in specified programs and courses. Admissions and program enrollment requirements established by each community college shall be published in the community college catalog. 21.2(8) Academic year. The academic year of the community college shall consist of semester, trimester, or quarter terms, and shall be a period of time beginning with the first day of the fall term and continuing through the day preceding the start of the next fall term as indicated in the official college calendar. A community college may offer instruction in units of length (i.e., days and weeks) consistent with the identified scope and depth of the instructional content. 21.2(9) Award requirements. The director shall approve all new credit certificate, diploma, and degree award programs in accordance with Iowa Code section 260C.14. Awards from a community college shall be certified by the issuance of appropriate recognition, pursuant to award approval requirement guidelines issued by the department, indicating the type of program the student has completed. The minimum number and maximum number of credit hours required for each award type contained within this subrule may be waived pursuant to paragraph 21.2(13)“i.” Each award shall meet the expectations of statewide articulation agreements between Iowa community colleges and public universities. a. Associate of arts (AA). The degree is awarded upon completion of a college parallel (transfer) course of study that provides a strong general education component to satisfy the lower division general education liberal arts and sciences requirements for a baccalaureate degree. An associate of arts degree shall consist of a minimum of 60 semester (90 quarter) credit hours and a maximum of 64 semester (96 quarter) credit hours. b. Associate of science (AS). The degree is awarded upon completion of a course of study that requires a strong background in mathematics or science. The degree is intended to prepare students to transfer and initiate upperdivision work in baccalaureate programs. An associate of science degree awarded upon completion of an arts and sciences course of study shall consist of a minimum of 60 semester (90 quarter) credit hours and a maximum of 64 semester (96 quarter) credit hours. c. Associate of general studies (AGS). The degree is awarded upon completion of an individualized course of study that is primarily designed for the acquisition of a broad educational background rather than the pursuit of a specific college major or professional/technical program. The AGS is intended as a flexible course of study and may include specific curriculum in lower division transfer, occupational education, or professional-technical education. It shall not include a marketed course of study. An associate of general studies degree shall consist of a minimum of 60 semester (90 quarter) credit hours and a maximum of 64 semester (96 quarter) credit hours. d. Associate of applied science (AAS). The degree is awarded upon completion of a state-approved program of study that is intended to prepare students for entry-level career and technical occupations. An associate of applied science degree shall consist of a minimum of 60 semester (90 quarter) credit hours and a maximum of 86 semester (129 quarter) credit hours. The general education component of the associate of applied science degree program shall consist of a minimum of 15 semester (22.5 quarter) credit hours of general education and shall include at least one course from each of the following areas: communications, social science or humanities, and mathematics or science. A maximum of 3 semester (4.5 quarter) credit hours of the required 15 general education credits may be documented through an integrated, embedded, and interdisciplinary model adopted by the chief academic officers of the 15 community colleges in consultation with the department. The technical core of the associate of applied science degree shall constitute a minimum of 50 percent of the course credits. e. Associate of applied arts (AAA). The degree is awarded upon completion of a state-approved program of study that is primarily intended for career training in providing students with professional skills for employment in a specific field of work such as arts, humanities, or graphic design. An associate of applied arts degree shall consist of a minimum of 60 semester (90 quarter) credit hours and a maximum of 86 semester (129 quarter) credit hours. The general education component of the associate of applied arts degree program shall consist of a minimum of 15 semester (22.5 quarter) credit hours of general education and shall include at least one course from each of the following: communications, social science or humanities, and mathematics or science. A maximum of 3 semester (4.5 quarter) credit hours of the required 15 general education credits may be documented through an integrated, embedded, and interdisciplinary model adopted by the chief academic officers of the 15 community colleges in consultation with the department. The technical core of the associate of applied arts degree shall constitute a minimum of 50 percent of the course credits. f. Associate of professional studies (APS) pilot. The degree is awarded upon completion of a state-approved program of study that is intended to prepare students for transfer and upper division coursework in aligned baccalaureate programs or immediate entry into the workforce. (1) Pilot awards shall be approved on a limited basis at the director’s sole discretion. To be eligible to participate in the pilot, a college shall demonstrate that other award types cannot meet needs and the associate of professional studies award is appropriate. The department shall study the effectiveness of associate of professional studies programs with regard to transfer and employment success after five years and make recommendations to the state board of education regarding program parameters and continuation. (2) Each state-approved associate of science-career option (AS-CO) program of study shall be phased out by the end of the 2015-2016 academic year. All existing AS-CO programs shall be modified to meet the parameters of allowable award types or shall be discontinued. (3) An associate of professional studies degree shall consist of a minimum of 62 semester (93 quarter) credit hours and a maximum of 68 semester (102 quarter) credit hours. The general education component of the associate of professional studies degree shall consist of a minimum of 30 semester (45 quarter) credit hours of general education including 3 semester (4.5 quarter) credit hours of each of the following: speech, mathematics, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, science; 6 semester (9 quarter) credit hours of writing; and 9 semester (13.5 quarter) credit hours distributed among mathematics, social and behavioral sciences, humanities, and science. The technical core of the associate of professional studies degree shall consist of a minimum of 16 semester (24 quarter) credit hours of career and technical coursework accepted by a receiving baccalaureate degree-granting institution with an aligned program as applying toward a specific major or program of study. The technical core of the degree shall also consist of a minimum of 16 additional semester (24 quarter) credit hours of career and technical coursework accepted by the receiving institution as electives. (4) An associate of professional studies degree program of study shall have a minimum of three program-to-program articulation agreements with baccalaureate degree-granting institutions, at least one of which must be a public institution. A program shall have a minimum of one articulation agreement effective prior to program implementation, provided all three agreements are effective within the program’s first year of student enrollment. The agreements shall provide for the application of no fewer than 60 semester (90 quarter) credit hours toward the graduation requirements of each articulated baccalaureate degree program. g. Diploma. The diploma is awarded upon completion of a state-approved program of study that is a coherent sequence of courses consisting of a minimum of 15 semester (22.5 quarter) credit hours and a maximum of 48 semester (72 quarter) credit hours including at least 3 semester (4.5 quarter) credit hours of general education. The general education component shall be from any of the following areas: communications, social science or humanities, and mathematics or science. The technical core of the diploma shall constitute a minimum of 70 percent of the course credits. A diploma may be a component of and apply toward subsequent completion of an associate of applied science or associate of applied arts degree. h. Certificate. The certificate is awarded upon completion of a state-approved program of study that is designed for entry-level employment and shall consist of a maximum of 48 semester (72 quarter) credit hours. A certificate may be a component of and apply toward subsequent completion of a diploma or associate of applied science or associate of applied arts degree and may be developed in rapid response to the needs of business and industry. A certificate may consist of only career and technical courses and no general education course requirements. 21.2(10) Academic records. The community college shall maintain in perpetuity for each student the complete academic record including every course attempted and grade received. An official transcript must be created at the time of course enrollment. The credit hour(s) and grade must be recorded on the student’s official transcripts upon completion of a community college course. These records shall be kept in disaster-resistant storage, unless other equivalent safeguards are used, such as maintaining duplicate files (electronic or otherwise) in separate facilities. The method of storage shall be consistent with current technology to ensure the ability to retrieve records. The community college shall implement a security plan that ensures the confidentiality of student records. 21.2(11) Residency status and tuition. A student who has been admitted to an Iowa community college shall be classified as a resident or as a nonresident for admission, tuition, and fee purposes. A student classified as a resident shall pay resident tuition costs. A student classified as a nonresident shall pay nonresident tuition costs. Tuition rates are established by a community college’s board of trustees pursuant to Iowa Code section 260C.14(2). a. Tuition rates. Tuition rates adopted by a community college’s board of trustees shall be consistent with the following requirements. (1) Resident tuition.- Tuition for residents shall not exceed the lowest tuition rate per semester, or the equivalent, for a full-time student charged by an institution of higher education under the state board of regents.
- For students of high school age enrolled in a course through a contractual agreement with a school district, the limit on resident tuition shall not apply, and the amount of tuition shall be determined by the community college’s board of trustees with the consent of the school board.
- Resident tuition rates shall not require department approval.
- International student tuition rates. A separate nonresident rate for international students shall be permissible, provided the rate is reasonable and reflects the cost of appropriate services.
- Reciprocal agreements. A lower tuition rate for nonresidents is permitted under a reciprocal tuition agreement between a community college and an educational institution in another state, if the rate established in the agreement is approved by the department.
- Other nonresident rates. Other nonresident tuition rates may be established for specific purposes provided the tuition rate is greater than the resident tuition rate, the tuition rate is not less than the marginal cost of instruction, and the arrangement is approved by the department.
- If a student gives misleading or incorrect information for the purpose of evading payment of nonresident tuition, the student must pay the nonresident tuition for each term the student was not officially classified as a nonresident.
- The procedures described in paragraph 21.2(11)“b” shall be administered by the registrar or staff designated by the community college.
- A student who is a refugee or who is granted asylum by an appropriate agency of the United States must provide proof of certification of refugee or asylum grantee status. A student may be accorded resident status for admission and tuition purposes when the student comes directly, or within a reasonable time, to the state of Iowa from a refugee facility or port of debarkation and has not established domicile in another state.
- A student who has immigrant status, and the student’s spouse or dependents, may establish Iowa residency in the same manner as a United States citizen.
- A student who has nonimmigrant status and who holds a nonstudent visa, and the student’s spouse or dependents, may establish residency in the same manner as a United States citizen. An alien who has nonimmigrant status and whose primary purpose for being in Iowa is educational is classified as nonresident.
- A student who is a resident of an Iowa sister state may be classified as a resident or nonresident, in accordance with rules adopted by the college’s board of directors.
- The veteran has separated from a uniformed service with an honorable or general discharge, is eligible for benefits, or has exhausted benefits under the federal Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 or any other federal authorizing veteran educational benefits program.
- The individual is an active duty military person or activated or temporarily mobilized National Guard member.
- The individual is a covered person under Section 702 of the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 or subsequent legislation.
- Correspondence courses. Courses offered outside the classroom setting in which the instruction is delivered indirectly to the student. Instruction is provided through another medium, such as written material, computer, television, or electronic means. Course materials are sent to a student who follows a detailed syllabus to complete assignments. Students correspond with and transmit assignments to the instructor by telephone, computer, mail, or electronic means. A third party may administer tests.
- Television courses. Courses or programs delivered primarily via broadcast television such as Iowa Public Television, digital video disc, or other media allowing students to receive instruction in a classroom or equipped remote location.
- Video conference courses. Courses or programs delivered via a closed synchronous audio-video conferencing system such as the Iowa Communications Network or similar system which allows students to receive instruction in a classroom or any equipped remote location via an audio-video feed to a television, computer, or other electronic device.
- Internet courses. Courses or programs delivered via the Internet. Courses may be taken using computers in a classroom setting or using personal computers or other electronic devices from the student’s home or other location using an online content management system or mixed-media methods. Students may be linked at times directly with the instructor or with other students electronically. Interaction may be direct (synchronous) or indirect (asynchronous) allowing students to participate during their own time frames.
- In-class hybrid courses. Courses or programs that combine traditional classroom and computer-based instruction. In-class sessions are offered with online instructional activities to promote independent learning and reduce seat-time.
- Orientation to college and career opportunities and requirements.
- Appraisal of individual potential.
- Consultation with students about their plans, progress and problems.
- Participation of students in activities that supplement classroom experiences.
- Regulation to provide an optimal climate for social and academic development.
- Services that facilitate community college attendance through a program of financial assistance, and facilitate transition to further education or employment.
- Organization that provides for continuing articulation, evaluation and improvement of the student services program.
- Campus safety and security as required by Iowa Code chapter 260C and the federal Clery Act, 20 U.S.C. Section 1092(f), 34 CFR Section 668.46.
"Apprentice" shall mean a worker at least 16 years of age, except where a higher minimum age standard is otherwise fixed by law, who is employed to learn a skilled trade or occupation under the standards of apprenticeship.
"Apprenticeable occupation" is a skilled trade which possesses all of the following characteristics:
- It is customarily learned in a practical way through a structured, systematic program of on-the-job, supervised training.
- It is clearly identified and commonly recognized throughout an industry.
- It involves manual, mechanical or technical skills and knowledge which require a minimum of 2,000 hours of on-the-job work experience.
- It requires related instruction to supplement on-the-job training.
"Apprenticeship agreement" shall mean a written agreement between an apprentice and the apprentice’s employer, or an apprenticeship committee acting as the agent for the employer(s). The agreement contains the terms and conditions of the employment and training of the apprentice.
"Apprenticeship committee" shall mean those persons designated by the sponsor to act for it in the administration of the program. A committee may be “joint,” i.e., composed of an equal number of representatives of the employer(s) and of the employees represented by a bona fide collective bargaining agent(s), and is established to conduct, operate, or administer an apprenticeship program and enter into apprenticeship agreements with apprentices. A committee may be “unilateral” or “nonjoint” and shall mean a program sponsor in which a bona fide collective bargaining agent is not a participant.
"Apprenticeship instructor" shall mean an instructor who delivers related and technical instruction in apprenticeship programs and who must meet the department’s requirements for career and technical instructors or be recognized as a subject matter expert. It is recommended that all apprenticeship instructors have training in teaching techniques and adult learning styles.
"Apprenticeship program" shall mean a plan containing all terms and conditions for the qualification, recruitment, selection, employment and training of apprentices, including such matters as required under 29 CFR Parts 29 and 30, including the requirement for a written apprenticeship agreement.
"Cancellation" shall mean the termination of the registration or approval status of a program at the request of the sponsor or termination of an apprenticeship agreement at the request of the apprentice.
"Certification" "certificate" shall mean documentary evidence that at least one of the following has been met:
- The Office of Apprenticeship has approved a set of National Guidelines for Apprenticeship Standards developed by a national committee or organization, joint or unilateral, or policy or guideline used by local affiliates, as conforming to the standards of apprenticeship set forth in 29 CFR Section 29.5;
- A registration agency has established that an individual is eligible for probationary employment as an apprentice under a registered apprenticeship program.
- A registration agency has registered an apprenticeship program as evidenced by a certificate of registration or other written indicia;
- A registration agency has determined that an apprenticeship has successfully met the requirements to receive an interim credential; or
- A registration agency has determined that an individual has successfully completed an apprenticeship.
"Competency" shall mean the attainment of manual or technical skill and knowledge as specified by an occupational standard.
"Employer" shall mean any person or organization employing an apprentice whether or not such person or organization is a party to an apprenticeship agreement with the apprentice.
"Journeyworker" shall mean a worker who has attained a level of skill and competency recognized within an industry as having mastered the skills and competencies required for the occupation.
"Office of Apprenticeship" shall mean the office designated by the Employment and Training Administration to administer the National Apprenticeship System or its successor organization.
"Registration agency" shall mean the Office of Apprenticeship.
"Registration of an apprenticeship agreement" shall mean the acceptance and recording of an apprenticeship agreement by the Office of Apprenticeship as evidence of the apprentice’s participation in a particular registered apprenticeship program.
"Related instruction" "related technical instruction" shall mean an organized and systematic form of instruction designed to provide the apprentice with the core knowledge of the theoretical and technical subjects related to the apprentice’s occupation. Such instruction may be given in a classroom through occupational or industrial courses, by correspondence courses of equivalent value, by electronic media, or by other forms of self-study approved by the registration agency.
"Sponsor" shall mean any person, association, committee or organization operating an apprenticeship program and in whose name the program is (or is to be) registered or approved.
"Supplemental instruction" shall mean instruction in non-core-related requirements; for example, job site management, leadership, communications, first aid/CPR, field trips, and new technologies.
Related ARC(s): 8646B28121.74(260C) Apprenticeship programs. For an apprenticeship program to be offered by a community college or a local educational agency, the program must be approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship, and meet all requirements outlined in the National Apprenticeship Act, 29 U.S.C. Section 50, 29 CFR Parts 29 and 30.Related ARC(s): 8646BThe rules in this division are intended to implement Iowa Code section 260C.44 and the National Apprenticeship Act, 29 U.S.C. Section 50, and 29 CFR Parts 29 and 30.DIVISION XMISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS28121.75(260C, 82GA, SF358) Used motor vehicle dealer education program. An applicant for a license from the department of transportation as a used motor vehicle dealer shall complete a minimum of eight hours of prelicensing education program courses pursuant to 2007 Iowa Acts, Senate File 358, prior to submitting the application. The education program courses are provided by community colleges or by the Iowa Independent Automobile Dealers Association in conjunction with a community college. The fee for both the prelicensing education program courses and continuing education courses shall not exceed $50 per contact hour of instruction, which shall include course materials and administrative costs.This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code chapter 260C and 2007 Iowa Acts, Senate File 358.Related ARC(s): 8646B, 9901B, 0687C, 1433C, 2021C, 3288C, 3982C, 5741C