Catalog Policy
It is the responsibility of students to be knowledgeable of official Pierpont policies and to meet all requirements in the Catalog. It provides the best possible current information on practices and intentions of the institution. Pierpont reserves the right to change provisions or requirements at any time to reflect curricular changes and administrative regulations and procedures. The Catalog is not considered a binding contract between the student and the institution. It is for informational purposes only and information may be updated often.
Students should keep informed of current degree, curriculum, and course requirements. The academic advisors and appropriate administrative offices of Pierpont may be consulted for further information. A student who enrolls at Pierpont shall follow the degree provisions of the catalog in use at the time of admission or any subsequent catalog, providing the entire subsequent catalog is adopted.
Students who have interrupted their schooling for one or more fall and spring semester will become subject to the degree provisions of the current catalog.
Note that academic policies can change each year and apply to all students regardless of when you begin your studies. Refer to the current catalog each year for academic policies.
Email Account Policy
The Pierpont e-mail address assigned to a student will serve as the official email address used by the institution for all correspondence including invoices, financial aid notifications, and information from the Student Services Center. The Admissions Office will send an official admission letter informing students of their email account and Unified College Account (UCA) and how to activate the UCA and email account. The Admissions Office will also formally notify students of the institution’s policies regarding the use of Pierpont email for all major institutional correspondence. No other email addresses will be included when emails are sent. The parent email address will be collected at orientation for new students and the first invoice will be sent to those addresses in addition to the student’s address.
Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action
Pierpont Community & Technical College is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action institution. In compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, West Virginia Human Rights Act, Title IX (Educational Amendments of 1972), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the other applicable laws and regulations, the institution provides equal opportunity to all prospective and current members of the student body, faculty, and staff on the basis of individual qualifications and merit without regard to race, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation as identified and defined by law.
Pierpont neither affiliates knowingly with nor grants recognition to any individual, group, or organization having policies that discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation as defined by applicable laws and regulations. Further inquiries may be directed to the Affirmative Action Officer, George Perich, 200H Advanced Technology Center, (304) 362-9566.
Services for Students With Disabilities
As required by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, reasonable accommodations are provided for those students whose disability may affect their pursuit of a college education. If these services are desired, students must contact the Office of Disability Services, which is located in Hardway Hall, Room 231-A, and complete an intake. Documentation of the disability that is to be accommodated for is required. Documentation requirements can be found on the web site or by contacting Disability Services. Students registered with Disability Services receive priority scheduling for their classes. Students should contact their academic advisor for priority class pre-registration. For additional information contact the Office of Disability Services at (304) 534-7878 or consult the Disability Services web page here.
The Family Educational Rights And Privacy Act
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) provides students with the right to inspect and review information contained in their educational records, to challenge the contents of their educational records, to have a hearing if the outcome of the challenge is unsatisfactory, and to submit explanatory statements for inclusion in their files if they feel the decisions of the hearing panels are unacceptable. Students wishing to review their educational records must contact the campus official in charge of the office in which the records are located. Students may not inspect records to which they have waived their rights of inspection and review.
Within the Pierpont community, only members, individually or collectively, acting in the student’s educational interest is allowed access to student education records. These members include personnel in the offices of Admissions and Records, Student Services, Financial Aid, Business, academic schools, departments, and academic advisors.
At its discretion, the institution may provide directory information in accordance with the provisions of the Act to include: student name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student, and participation in officially recognized activities. Students may withhold directory information by notifying the Student Services in writing.
Pierpont may disclose academic information to parents of students by having parents establish the student’s dependency as defined by the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, Section 152. Dependency status may be established by the presentation of a certified copy of the parents’ most recent federal income tax form listing the student as a dependent.
FERPA forms may found by clicking here.
Drug-Free Awareness Program
In compliance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 and the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989, Pierpont has a Drug-Free Awareness Program designed to prevent the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol by students and employees. Further inquiries may be directed to the Assistant Vice President of Human Resources.
Tobacco-Free Campus
(Board of Governors, Policy #60, Effective August 1, 2015)
The use of tobacco and tobacco related products is prohibited on all premises owned, operated, leased or occupied by Pierpont Community & Technical College, or any street, road or thoroughfare passing through Pierpont owned property. This definition includes regional campuses.
Prohibited tobacco and tobacco related products include, but are not limited to: cigarettes, e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco, dip, pipes, cigars, cigarillos, hookah or waterpipe smoking, snus and snuff. This policy applies to faculty, staff, students, contractors, vendors, and visitors, and it applies to all indoor and outdoor events.
There shall be no advertising, sale or free sampling of tobacco or tobacco related products on Pierpont Campuses. Littering the campus with the remains of tobacco, tobacco related products or other related waste products are prohibited. All members of the College community and visitors must comply with this policy. Violation of the policy by employees, students and visitors may be subject to fines and/or disciplinary. The President’s designees are responsible for the enforcement of this policy.
Compliance with Military Selective Service Act
State law provides that a male person who has attained the age of eighteen (18) years may not enroll in a state-supported institution of postsecondary education unless he is in compliance with the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S. Code, Appendix 451, et seq. and the amendments thereto). A male person may not receive a loan, grant, scholarship or other financial assistance for postsecondary higher education funded by state revenue, including federal funds or gifts and grants accepted by this State, or receive a student loan guaranteed by the State unless he is in compliance with the Military Selective Service Act. Selective Service Act registration information should be available at all United States Postal Service facilities and may be available at some high schools. The Selective Service System also provides information through a web site, https://www.sss.gov.
Policy Statement
All members of the Pierpont Community and Technical College community, including faculty, staff, and students, as well as visitors to any campus, are prohibited from possessing firearms, explosives or weapons (hereafter collectively referred to as “weapons”) on the premises of the College or in any building under their separate or combined control or at any College sponsored event without the explicit authorization of the Campus CFO, whether or not a federal or state license to possess the same has been issued to the possessor.
Reason for Policy/Purpose
Pierpont Community and Technical College is committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment in which to conduct educational activities and house their students. This policy is one step towards reducing the risk of injury or death associated with intentional or accidental use of weapons.
Who Needs To Know This Policy
Visitors to campus, faculty, staff and students
Policy/Procedures
It is prohibited to possess weapons on property owned or controlled by Pierpont Community and Technical College or at any College sponsored event without the explicit authorization of the Campus CFO, whether or not a federal or state license to possess the same has been issued to the possessor. The only exceptions to this policy are as follows:
- Law enforcement officers to the extent they are legally permitted to possess weapons pursuant to West Virginia State Law;
- Military personnel in performance of their official duties to the extent they are legally permitted to possess weapons in the State of West Virginia; and
- College sanctioned classes, groups or events where a particular weapon(s) is required and regularly used as a part of the curriculum or activity, i.e. various Criminal Justice courses/martial arts classes/clubs; theatrical events, etc. The control, security and safe use of such weapons shall be the responsibility of the supervising faculty or staff member. The supervising faculty or staff member shall inform the Campus CFO in advance of any unusual or seldom occurring events involving the use of weapons on campus.
Any person carrying or possessing a firearm or other deadly weapon in violation of this policy who, upon being requested to do so, refuses to temporarily relinquish possession of the firearm or other deadly weapon, and/or refuses to leave College premises or grounds as previously defined while in possession of the firearm or deadly weapon, shall be charged with a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars or confined in the regional jail not more than six months, or both. (§61-7-14 WV Code).
Exceptions to this policy may be requested in writing to the Campus CFO. Only under very limited circumstances will an exception be granted. Questions regarding the applicability of this policy to specific items must be directed to the Campus CFO.
Any student, faculty or staff member violating this policy shall be subject to the disciplinary policies and procedures applicable to students, faculty or staff in addition to the penalties provided under State law.
Definitions
Firearm: Any device that shoots a bullet, pellet, flare, tranquilizer, spear dart, paintball or other projectile, whether loaded or unloaded, including those powered by CO2. This includes, but is not limited to, guns, air guns, dart guns, pistols, revolvers, rifles, cannons, etc, and any ammunition for any such device.
Weapon: Any device that is designed to or traditionally used to inflict harm. This includes, but is not limited to: 1) firearms, slingshots, switchblades, daggers, blackjacks, brass knuckles, bows and arrows, hand grenades, hunting knives, nun-chucks, throwing stars, etc.; 2) any object that could be reasonably construed as a weapon; or 3) any object legally controlled as a weapon or treated as a weapon under the laws of the State of West Virginia.
Explosives: Any chemical compound or mechanical mixture that contains any oxidizing and combustible units, or other ingredients, in such proportion, quantities or packing that an ignition by fire, friction, concussion, percussion, or detonator, or any part of the compound or mixture, may cause a sudden generation of highly heated gases that results in gaseous pressures capable of producing destructive efforts on contiguous objects or of destroying life or limb. This includes, but is not limited to, firecrackers, black powder, dynamite, etc. as well as detonating devices such as detonators, blasting caps, timers, incendiary wire and the like.
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