Navigating Transcript Requests at Pima Community College
Pima Community College (PCC) encourages individuals to pursue further education and offers various programs with specific admissions requirements. This article provides a comprehensive guide to understanding the transcript request process and other essential information for students at PCC.
Admission and Enrollment at PCC
Pima Community College (PCC) encourages all individuals to further their education. All individuals who complete the Application for Admission are admitted to the College, issued a student identification number, and assigned an admission classification based on their intent. The College designates three classifications for credit admission in order to comply with federal regulations and state statutes, and to facilitate College reporting; the three classifications are Regular/Degree-Seeking, Non-Degree Seeking and International. Students who are certificate seeking in the College’s clock-hour training programs, and who meet the criteria listed in Section I.A.
Special Admissions Requirements
Some programs at the College have special admissions requirements. Admission to some specific degree or certificate programs cannot be guaranteed. Additionally, there are other programs for which students need to apply separately.
Admission for Underage Students
No student under the age of 18 will be denied admission to the College because of age, lack of high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma, grade in school, lack of permission of school officials, or lack of concurrent enrollment in a public or private school, provided that the general parameters have been met to assess student preparedness. Details of requirements for students under the age of 18 are identified in the previous section. Pima Community College strives to provide quality instruction and support for all students taking post-secondary level courses. In accordance with ARS15-1805.01 and ARS 15-1821, PCC has adopted an admissions policy for underage students. These students have the same rights and same responsibilities as any other college student, except as noted here and in applicable College policies.
Until a student reaches the age of 16, the Director of Student Affairs must review and approve the admission application each semester. The College may limit enrollment to no more than 2 courses or 8 credit hours based on a variety of factors. These factors include, but are not limited to: student academic performance, academic readiness, social and emotional readiness for college level engagement, the demands of the courses proposed, time constraints, etc.
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Course content and discussion are subject to faculty academic freedom and student rights of free speech. Topics may emerge which the student/parent may not consider age appropriate. Although the student will have equal access to all academic support services offered to the student body, the College does not provide additional resources specifically for underage students. The student’s academic record (grades, registration information, progress, etc. in class) cannot be accessed by the parent without a written release, signed by the student. The faculty member will provide standard updates on academic progress directly to the student. This may include graded homework, graded test papers, etc.
Admission for International Students
Admission for all international students is through the Center for International Education and Global Engagement located at the West Campus. International students intending to pursue full-time study must submit the following documents to the Center for International Education and Global Engagement to satisfy admission requirements. Proof of health insurance coverage. This requirement is met by enrolling in the student health insurance plan provided by PCC.
Under Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations, a border commuter student is a national of Canada or Mexico who is admitted to the United States as an F-1 nonimmigrant student to enroll in a full course of study, albeit on a part-time basis, in an approved school located within 75 miles of a United States land border.
Residency Status for Tuition Purposes
For tuition purposes, students must indicate their residency status when applying for admission. Legal residency will be determined by the College before registration and payment of fees for any semester or session. Students will be notified of their residency status via their admission letter and their MyPima student portal. Students should review this information carefully before registering. If you believe it is incorrect, visit a campus Student Services Center for assistance. The process of determining residency is called domicile determination. Domicile is determined as of the first day of the session in which a student is enrolling.
A person applying for classification as a resident must prove financial independence from out-of-state parents, or dependence on in-state parents, for the entire domicile year. To petition for a change in your residency classification you must respond to all questions and statements on the Residency Correction Form and provide documentation supporting your request for residency change. Failure to do so by the start date of the term in which you applied will by interpreted as evidence of not establishing residency in Arizona. As indicated by the Arizona residency regulations, the burden of proof that all requirements for residency classification have been met rests with the student. All statements, information, and evidence provided on your petition must be consistent with other College/official documents. Change in residency is not automatic.
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Since March 12, 2007, PCC students seeking in-state tuition have been required to complete a one-time Tuition Assessment Form/Verification of Lawful Presence Form. All new and continuing students seeking in-state tuition and registering for credit classes, who have not previously had their lawful presence verified by the College, must complete the form and provide documentation. You have 10 days from the date of admission to complete and submit the form. If you do not complete and submit the form within this time period a hold will be placed on your student account record. You will not be able to view your grades or receive a transcript until the form is processed. You must provide documentation to support your application. This form must be submitted in person if you are a resident of Pima County. Bring the form and required documentation to a campus Student Services Center or the Office of Admissions. Pima Community College requires the original signed form. Fax or scanned copies are not acceptable.
Student Identification Number
Pima Community College assigns all new students a student identification number. citizens, Resident Aliens, or noncitizens (who have been issued a Social Security number) on the Application for Admission to match current and future records, ensuring that students receive full credit for all academic work.
Academic Assessment and Placement
Evaluation of a student’s skill level in English, mathematics, reading and writing is essential for proper placement in courses and programs at the College. The College utilizes two methods to determine placement, Multiple Measures and Accuplacer placement tests. Students who are required to take the Accuplacer placement tests must start with the pre-placement tutorial in MyPima, under the New Students tab. Students are strongly encouraged to prepare for the tests. Placement tests are offered at campus Testing Centers. Special accommodations, such as extended time, large print, writing assistants and interpreters, are available for qualified disabled students through the Access and Disability Resources office.
For students without a high school diploma, PCC offers the GED® (General Education Development) test to earn a High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma. Students take the test on a computer at an authorized testing center. The test is offered in English and Spanish. For GED® test information, locations and hours visit www.GED.com or, call 520-206-7330. Additionally, the institutional TOEFL (Test of English as a Second Language) is available at the West Campus Testing Center and an authorized Pearson VUE Test Center located at Downtown Campus Testing Center provides many exams for workforce certification, including K-12 Teacher, Medical Assistance, Pharmacy Technician, Paramedics, CompTIA and others.
Resources for Student Success
All students are urged to make use of MyDegreePlan, the College Catalog, the online class schedules, Student Success & Registration Guide, and the Student Handbook when selecting courses or developing an educational plan. These resources are available at a Student Services Center or www.pima.edu. New Student Registration Sessions are designed to help students succeed in college, and are highly recommended. Registration Sessions cover the necessary information about programs, services, university transfer, study skills and registration. Each campus provides a schedule for the upcoming semester. Registration Sessions are offered at a variety of times, dates, and in many formats. All degree- and certificate-seeking students new to higher education are required to complete a New Student Registration Session prior to their first semester of taking credit courses. A student may, with the permission of an advisor or counselor, enroll in a designated Student Success course in place of attending a Registration Session.
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Advising staff and counselors are available at the campuses and online to help you choose the right program of study, which may affect your eligibility for financial aid or veterans educational benefits. Students who have taken classes at another college or university may transfer the credits to Pima Community College. 4905B E.
Pima Community College is an institutional member of Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC). The SOC is a group of more than 400 college and universities that willingly provide post-secondary (after high school) education to members of the military throughout the world. Pima Community College is a General Education Mobile (GEM) participating institution. GEM allows active-duty Air Force students to complete their 15-hour Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) General Education Course requirements online through Pima Community College and the General Education Mobile program (GEM) site. Courses are offered in five CCAF general education areas: Oral Communication, Written Communication, Mathematics, Social Sciences and Humanities.
Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) is a way to earn credit for college-level knowledge or skills you have attained outside the traditional college classroom and have not been previously evaluated for or awarded college credit. CPL credit is not awarded for experience; it is awarded for college-level knowledge gained from experience that is equivalent to the required competencies in a PCC course.
Each semester the College publishes a Student Success & Registration Guide that provides instructions on when and how to register, information on financial aid, advising, student resources, and important dates and deadlines for the upcoming semester or sessions. This guide is available at campus Student Services Centers.
Students can audit most credit classes with the instructor’s permission. Auditing a class means that you enroll, pay for, attend and do work for the class but do not receive credit or a grade. Audit registration must be conducted in person at a campus or district admissions office between the first day of class and the drop/refund deadline for the class.
To promote student success and retention, the College limits the number of credits in which a student can enroll each term. Students can enroll in a maximum of 18 credit hours in the fall and spring semesters and 12 credit hours in summer sessions. Enrollment beyond these limits requires approval from the Director of Student Affairs or designee. Students are encouraged to meet with an advisor to discuss the appropriate maximum number of credits for their individual circumstances. Credits or coursework taken concurrently outside of Pima Community College should be taken into consideration.
Students must meet course prerequisites as stated in this catalog and class schedules, or demonstrate to the instructor their ability to take the class. All PCC students are considered to be responsible individuals and are accountable for their own behavior. The College expects all students to obey local, state and federal laws, and to follow the College’s Student Code of Conduct. Students with general complaints should see the campus Vice President or Director of Student Affairs for guidance in resolving problems. Pima Community College accommodates the religious observances and practices of students unless it will result in undue hardship to College programs.
Understanding FERPA
FERPA is the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 that requires students to provide written permission for release of their grades and other information. When a student turns 18 or enters PCC at any age, all rights afforded to parents under FERPA transfer to the student. However, FERPA also allows PCC to share information with parents without the student’s consent. Disclose education records to parents if the student is a dependent for income tax purposes.
FERPA permits PCC officials to disclose education records without student consent in an emergency, including personally identifiable information from those records, to protect the health and safety of students or other individuals. At such times, records and information may be released to appropriate parties such as law enforcement or public health officials, and trained medical personnel.
While student disciplinary records are protected as education records under FERPA, there are certain circumstances in which disciplinary records may be disclosed without the student’s consent. PCC may disclose to an alleged victim of any crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense the final results of a disciplinary proceeding conducted by PCC against the alleged perpetrator of that crime, regardless of whether the institution concluded a violation was committed.
PCC also shares information with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau (ICE) in order to comply with the requirements of SEVIS.
FERPA permits PCC officials to disclose any and all education records, including disciplinary records, to another institution at which the student seeks or intends to enroll. While student consent is not required for transferring education records, PCC’s annual FERPA notification should indicate that such disclosures are made.
Graduation, Completion, and Transfer Rates
Throughout the United States, colleges and universities monitor the progress students make in achieving their academic goals. PCC is pleased to provide information regarding our institution’s graduation/completion and transfer rates, in compliance with the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.
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