Online Course Orientation
Student Policies and Procedures
A member of:
Georgia Virtual
Technical Connection
September 2011
Table of Contents
Welcome from the President 3
Georgia Virtual Technical Connection(GVTC) 4
Getting Started With Your Online Class 5
Student Email Access 6
ANGEL 7
Information Delivery System 8
BannerWeb 8
Attendance Policy 9
Proctored Event Requirement 10-11
Student Policy 12-13
Academic Dishonesty 14
Work Ethics 15
Instructor Response 16
Important Links and Contacts 17
STC Policies and Procedures 18
List of Policies and Procedures 19
Student Affairs Information 20-21
WELCOME
Education is about creating new possibilities for career and personal growth. Through our more than 50 credit programs, we offer diverse curriculum options to meet the needs of a global economy. From business technology to industrial technology to health sciences and personal services, you are sure to find a program of study that will lead to a promising career.
If you are interested in non-credit programs you will be pleased to know that through our division of continuing education and economic development, we offer literally hundreds of classes, seminars, and customized business and industry training opportunities.
Southeastern Technical College is better prepared than ever before to meet the future challenges of Southeast Georgia. Our technology is state-of-the-art, including on-line classes to meet our students' needs for flexible scheduling and easy access. Our instructors are well qualified and dedicated to responding quickly to the ever changing needs of our customers. We offer a vast array of services to ensure that our students are successful.
Please let us know how we can serve you in order to meet your educational goals.
Sincerely,
Dr. Cathryn T. Mitchell
Georgia Virtual Technical Connection (GVTC)
The Georgia Virtual Technical Connection(GVTC) is a consortium of independent technical colleges providing occupational courses and programs, using a standardized curriculum delivered over the Internet and through local centers. Its mission is to provide students with a central point of reference for programs offered electronically through its state system of technical colleges. GVTC provides the central point of contact for the student applying online by providing an online course catalog, an online orientation, answers to questions concerning the online process and facilitation of the online application to the requested college. GVTC acts as a facilitator rather than a full functioning admissions department; application files, assessment testing, advisement and registration, financial aid, textbook orders, and awarding credentials are managed at the local colleges. GVTC's function is to assist the student in locating the course(s) needed and direct the application to the requested college. The same policies and procedures that apply to the traditional student services apply to the Georgia Virtual Technical Connection(GVTC) process. Each application is processed in a nondiscriminatory way for admission to any technical college with the Technical College System of Georgia. GVTC acts as a facilitator in assisting the colleges' Student Affairs divisions in processing the online student.
Getting Started With Your Online Class
In order to be sure you get the most out of the online class experience, a little planning on your part will go a long way. It is important to make contact with your instructor as soon as possible by sending the instructor an email letting him/her know that you are registered for their online course(s). Students are responsible for emailing their instructor(s) upon registering for online classes. This establishes your intent to complete the online course.
If you decide to order your textbooks as opposed to purchasing them on campus, order them from the bookstore at least two weeks before classes start. A student may order books by emailing the bookstore with a list of courses. Southeastern Tech’s Vidalia campus bookstore may be reached by email at , by phone at 912-538-3129, or by fax at 912-538-3156. Southeastern Tech’s Swainsboro campus bookstore may be reached at 478-289-2217. A student may include a credit card number, or call and give the VISA/MC credit card number and payment information over the phone. Students should contact the bookstore for any questions on books. Books mailed will have a shipping and handling fee added. Students may email their instructor in advance of the semester to obtain the book’s ISBN if they plan to purchase their books from an outside vendor. However, all students are encouraged to use the STC bookstore for their books and other supplies and are expected to obtain all required materials by the first day of the semester.
It is the student's responsibility to ensure that they have access to a computer that meets the minimum hardware/software requirements to participate in an online course. Those requirements are listed on the GVTC web site at http://www.gvtc.org/StudentOrientation/ComputerNeeds.aspx
Finally, a transient student must request that his/her grades be transferred back at the end of the semester to the home college.
Over the next few pages, you will find information that will make your online learning experience a good one.
Student Email Access
Every student at Southeastern Tech has an email account called OwlMail. OwlMail is a web-based email program that you can use to check your college email account from campus, home, or anywhere else that offers access to the Internet. As an online student, it is very important that you check your email on a daily basis. OwlMail is the main source of communication between you and your online instructor. Any emails that your instructor creates and sends to you will be sent to your OwlMail account. In addition, instructors may also choose to use the ANGEL email system. Be sure to check it regularly as well.
OwlMail can be accessed from the following address: http://owl.southeasterntech.edu. Enter your student ID# (9100xxxxx or 9000XXXXX) and your 6-digit STC supplied PIN.
Students may also access OwlMail by clicking on the OwlMail tab at the top while logged into their course.
You can locate your email address in OwlMail by using the following steps:
1. Login to OwlMail using your supplied credentials (Student ID# and 6-digit PIN).
2. Click Options from the top menu.
3. Click on Personal Information from the choices, and you will see your email address that you can distribute to others.
To return to your Inbox, simply click the Inbox link from the left hand menu.
An alternate way to access OwlMail is listed below:
1. Go to www.southeasterntech.edu
2. Click on the Current Students link on the left side of the page.
3. Click on the OwlMail link on the left side of the page to begin the login process.
ANGEL
ANGEL is a web-based course management software used by faculty and students in colleges and universities. You will use ANGEL to locate all information for your online classes, take tests, check your grades on assignments, etc. To access your online course(s) in ANGEL, follow the steps listed below.
1. Via the Internet, type in the following website to login to Angel
http://southeasterntech.angellearning.com
OR
Go to the STC website at www.southeasterntech.edu and click on Current Students, and then click on ANGEL on the left side of the screen.
2. Type in your username and password in the following formats:
Username: 43_studentIDNumber
Password: 43_studentIDNumber for the
Note: 43 represents the two-digit college extension for Southeastern Tech. Also notice that an underscore is used between the extension number and Student ID.
Student ID Number represents your STC Student ID that begins with 9100….. or 9000….. This is a nine-digit number. This should be on your Student ID card. If you do not know your Student ID number, contact the Registrar’s Office. You will be prompted to change your password the first time you login to ANGEL. Use a password that is easy for you to remember, and store this password in a safe location.
3. After you login to ANGEL using your username and password, you should come to a Southeastern Tech homepage. You will always get this page when you log in. To get to your online course(s), look under the Course section at the top right, and then click on the course you want to enter.
It is very important that you click around ANGEL and learn where everything is located (announcements, syllabus, lesson plan, assignments, etc.). Along with your email, check the announcements in ANGEL daily. Your instructor may frequently post important information in the announcement section of ANGEL. Additionally, check your ANGEL email, located within ANGEL, as some instructors may use this as a method of contact also.
If you have any problems logging in or experience technical difficulties, contact the appropriate ANGEL point of contact.
Ashley Harmon, Vidalia Campus Sonya Wilson, Swainsboro Campus
(912) 538-3105 (478) 289-2298
Information Delivery System (IDS)
As an STC student, you can use our software (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, etc.) from the comfort of your own home without having to purchase it. Plus you save your files to your own personal folder on our server (Drive S:), which means you will not need a disk. These files are backed up several times a week, so they will be safe and secure. You will also have access to other STC resources such as personal folders and course specific folders. Some online instructors require that their students use the Information Delivery System, so be sure to check with your instructor for specific requirements.
You can access the Remote Lab by going to http://www.southeasterntech.edu/ and clicking on Current Students and then Remote Lab Access on the left side of the screen. The first time you access the remote lab away from Southeastern Tech, you will be required to download the Citrix Software (available under Message Center). Once this is complete, enter your Student ID# as your username and your 6-digit STC PIN. After the Citrix software is downloaded, you are ready to begin working. You only have to download the software one time on your computer. If you work on another computer, say a friend’s house, you will have to go through this process again. But if you always use the same computer, your home computer for example, you will only have to go through this process one time. Please contact the IT Dept if you have any problems installing the MetaFrame Presentation Server. For technical issues with IDS system at any time, please email .
BannerWeb
BannerWeb is where you should go for your final grades, registration, financial aid, and other important information. Follow the steps listed below to access BannerWeb:
From the STC website, under “Current Students”:
1. Click BannerWeb.
2. Enter Secure Area.
3. Enter your Student ID# and 6-digit PIN.
4. Follow menus to find information such as financial aid or final grades.
Attendance for Online Courses
PROCEDURE CONCERNING ATTENDANCE
By enrolling in an online class at Southeastern Technical College (STC) you have made a commitment to STC and yourself. Your commitment to STC is to follow all STC policies and procedures including attendance.
Attendance for online classes is a required element of the class just as it is with on campus classes. Attendance for traditional campus classes is measured by your physical presence, class participation, interactions with other students, and completion of work assignments. Online student attendance is measured in the same way with the exception that your physical presence may not be required. The attendance policies are listed in the college catalog/student handbook. If you do not have this publication, please contact the admissions office in Vidalia at (912) 538-3100, or in Swainsboro at (478) 289-2200, or click here to view and print the online college catalog/student handbook. Online students will follow the same policies listed in the college catalog/student handbook along with the following procedures:
STC has a minimal requirement of two contacts each week. The two contacts should be made on separate days of the week. A contact is considered as meaningful communication between the student and the instructor. This could include participating in weekly discussion boards (i.e. class discussions), submitting an assignment for grading, taking a test, etc. The instructor for each course may further define what represents an acceptable contact for his/her class on the course syllabus.
An absence occurs when two separate contacts are not made during a week. After two absences (two weeks in which 2 contacts on separate days are not made), you will be dropped from the course.
Please feel free to email or call your instructor if you have any questions about the attendance policy. Faculty and staff contact information can be found at http://www.southeasterntech.edu/onlinestudents/onlinefaculty.asp
Proctored Event Requirement
In order to validate student identity for all online courses, students enrolled in online courses are required to complete one proctored event (a major exam, assignment, or presentation). The event will count a minimum of 20% of the course grade, and will be reflected as such on the course syllabus. Students who do not complete the proctored event will receive a WF in the course.
The proctored event will be administered on the instructor’s home campus; the event will be monitored by the instructor or another STC employee. Students will attend the proctored session as scheduled on the Lesson Plan/Course Calendar. On-campus proctors will administer the On-Campus Proctored Event Registration Form at the time of the proctored event. If the event is proctored by anyone other than the instructor, the form will be filled out in its entirety and returned (if appropriate) with the hard copy test, note sheets, or any other paperwork outlined by the instructor. If the instructor administers the form, he/she will simply save the completed form.
Students living further than 75 miles from campus who cannot come to Southeastern Tech for the event will secure an approved proctoring site. The site and the proctor must meet Southeastern Technical College’s requirements as outlined on the Proctor Scheduling and Approval Form. Students arranging off-campus proctoring will take the event on the same day it is originally scheduled. Proctors must follow the Proctoring Instructions. Off-campus proctors will administer the Off-Campus Proctored Event Registration Form.