Consumer Information - Student Right to Know
Higher Education Act - Annual Notice
The Higher Education Amendments of 1998 (HEA98) requires institutions to provide annual notice to enrolled students of the availability of the following consumer information:
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Security and Privacy Policy
Columbus State strives to balance academic freedom and access to IT resources with security and privacy.
Columbus State is committed to respecting and protecting the privacy of information that it maintains. The Information Security Program is a set of comprehensive guidelines and rules designed to safeguard information maintained at the College.
If you use any of the college’s electronic resources or access any of the College’s data, you need to understand the requirement of securing that data as outlined in the Information Security Program
Information Technology Policy (No. 15-01)
The information technology policy along with its supporting rules and procedures is required for all the colleges’ administrative units, including Divisions, departments, and centers. It also applies to all members of the College’s community. Including Students, Staff, faculty, adjuncts, temporary employees, contractors, vendors and other third parties.
If you use any of the college’s electronic resources or access any of the College’s data, you need to understand the requirement of securing that data as outlined in Policy 15-01.
Discrimination, Harassment, & Retailiation
Non-Discrimination/Anti-Harassment Policy (No. 3-43)
Columbus State is committed to supporting a respectful and productive learning, athletic and working environment free of discrimination, harassment and retaliation. The College prohibits discriminatory or harassing behavior based on a protected class by or against students, employees, persons participating in a College program or activity, vendors and College visitors. Protected classes for purposes of this policy are sex, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information (GINA), military status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, status as a parent of a young child or status as a foster parent and gender identity and expression.
While the College does not tolerate retaliatory behavior of any kind, the type of retaliation addressed by the Office of Equity & Compliance is retaliation based on an individual’s participation in an investigation of discrimination and/or harassment and/or an individual’s exercise of rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act and its Amendments (ADA/ADAAA) and/or under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Sexual Misconduct Policy (3-44)
Columbus State is committed to supporting a safe, respectful and productive learning, athletic and working environment and prohibits sexual misconduct in any form. This includes sexual harassment, sexual violence and other unwelcome or nonconsensual behavior that is of a sexual nature or based on sex and is directed towards or is by students, employees, persons participating in a college program or activity, vendors and college visitors. The College will address the behavior and/or its impact when it affects the learning, athletic and/or working environment, any other college program, activity or a substantial interest of the college, whether or not the behavior occurred on or off college property.
Title IX protections extend to:
- Columbus State students (including high school students participating in Columbus State programs and visiting student athletes)
- Faculty, staff and interns
- Applicants for employment or education
- Vendors
- Campus visitors
Title IX includes protections against:
- Sexual violence (sexual assault, domestic/intimate partner/dating violence and gender-based stalking)
- Sexual harassment
- Failing to provide appropriate accommodations for a pregnant or parenting student
- Treating a person differently based on marital status
Title IX protections apply equally to persons of all genders and sexual orientations.
More information can be found here: https://www.cscc.edu/services/title-ix/.
Information about Workplace/College Violence can be found here: http://www.cscc.edu/_resources/media/about/pdf/3-45.pdf.
Reasonable Accommodations
It is the Columbus State Community College policy to provide reasonable accommodation to students with disabilities. If you would like to request such accommodations because of a physical, mental, or learning disability, please contact the Department of Disability Services, Eibling Hall 101.
99.7 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Information on rights and procedures for inspection, correction, and disclosure of information in the student's record. Student rights under FERPA are published in the College Catalog. You may obtain information regarding the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act via the FERPA website. If you have questions regarding FERPA, please contact the Office of the Registrar at (614) 287-5343.
668.42 Financial Assistance Information
Description of student aid program, application procedures and eligibility criteria, and rights and responsibilities of students receiving financial assistance. Information is published in the High Finance, available by contacting the Financial Aid Office via telephone at (614) 287-2648.
668.43 Institutional Information
Information on cost, academic programs, accreditation, special services, campus contacts, refund policies, Return of Funds to Title IV, and procedures for officially withdrawing are available in the College Catalog at these locations:
- Cost of Attending (P. 18 in College Catalog)
- Academic Programs (p. 64)
- Accreditation (p. 330-332)
- Special Services (p.32)
- Campus Contacts (p. 4)
- Refund Policy (P. 19)
- Return of Funds to Title IV (F.A. Home Page Letter from Director)
- Procedures for Officially Withdrawing (P. 27)
- General Information on physical facilities (p.8)
- College Index (p. 335-336)
Information is published in the Columbus State Community College Catalog. You may obtain institutional information by contacting the Telephone Information Center, (614) 287- 5353 or by accessing the following link.
For a copy of information on Return of Funds to Title IV: Contact the Financial Aid Office via telephone at (614) 287-2659 or (614) 287-2648, or access the following link.
668.46 Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act
Statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Columbus State Community College; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report by contacting the Public Safety Department via telephone at (614) 287-2525 or by viewing Clery Crime Statistics.
668.47 Report on Athletic Program Participation Rates and Financial Support
Information on Columbus State's intercollegiate athletics programs: intercollegiate varsity teams; number of participants; operating expenses; gender, status, and salary of all coaches; revenue generated; funds spent on athletic student; and recruiting expenditures for both men's and women's teams.
Athletic Program Participation Rates and Financial Support
668.48 Report on Completion or Graduation Rates for Student-Athletes
Information, by race and gender, on graduation rates for Columbus State student athletes.
Graduation Rates for Student Athletes
Completion or Graduation and Transfer Out Rates
HEOA Sec. 488(a)(2) amended HEA Sec. 485(a) (20 U.S.C. 1092(a)): new HEA Sec. 485(a)(4) HEOA Sec. 488(a)(3) amended HEA Sec. 485(a) (20 U.S.C. 1092(a)): added HEA Sec. 485(a)(7): Each institution must annually make available to prospective and enrolled students the completion or graduation rate of certificate- or degree-seeking, first-time, full-time, undergraduate students. The HEOA (Sec. 488(a)(3)) added a provision requiring that the completion or graduation rates must be disaggregated by gender; major racial and ethnic subgroup [as defined in IPEDS]; recipients of a Federal Pell Grant; recipients of a subsidized Stafford Loan who did not receive a Pell Grant; and students who did not receive either a Pell Grant or a subsidized Stafford Loan (National Postsecondary Education Cooperative – NPEC – reference 25; document may be downloaded at: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010831rev.pdf)
Graduation/Completion and Transfer-Out Rates Report
Degrees and Certificates Awarded
Retention Rate
HEOA Sec. 488(a)(1)(E) amended HEA Sec. 485(a)(1) (20 U.S.C. 1092(a)(1)): added HEA Sec. 485(a)(1)(U): HEOA amendment effective August 14, 2008: "Institutions must make available to current and prospective students the retention rate of certificate- or degree-seeking, first-time, undergraduate students as reported to IPEDS.
Loan Borrowing and Default Rates
At Columbus State we're proud to provide a high-quality education at a reasonable cost. This is exemplified by the fact that only 26% of our students borrow student loans. Columbus State's most recent cohort default rate is 14.7% (compared to 9.7% for all college types nationally, and 15.2% for public two-year colleges nationally). This means that of the 6,117 former Columbus State students that entered repayment on their student loan in 2017, 900 of them have not kept up with payments and have defaulted on their student loan.
Students and potential students can learn more about loan options and responsible borrowing. Also, our Student Central advising team works with students to explore many ways to finance an education at Columbus State.