Registrar’s Office | United Tribes Technical College (2024)

Under the terms of FERPA, United Tribes Technical College has established the following information as Directory Information that may be released to those requesting it unless the student specifically requests otherwise by submitting written notification to the Registrar’s Office.

Directory Information:

• Student Name
• Local Address
• Permanent Address
• Email Address
• Hometown
• Degrees and Awards Received and Dates
• Dates of Attendance (Current and Past)
• Full or Part-time Enrollment Status
• Participation in Officially Recognized Activities
• Participation in Officially Recognized Sports
• Weight/Height of Member of Athletic Teams
• Most Recently Attended Education Institute
• Major Field of Study
• Academic Level
• Residency Status
• Photographs

Any other information about a student that is not considered Directory Information may not be released without written consent of the student. Grades, social security numbers, ethnic background, and student schedules may not be released to anyone other than by the student and NEVER over the phone. If a student signs a FERPA release form, the information can be shared and remains in effect until that student is no longer enrolled and unless that student states otherwise on the form. If a student discontinues being enrolled as a student for any period of time, the FERPA release form becomes null and void and the student will need to sign a new FERPA release form when they return.

Faculty and staff have access to a student’s educational records for the sole purpose of performing their job responsibly. Faculty and staff are granted this access as school officials with “legitimate educational interest.” This is defined as:

• Performing a task specified in a position description or contract
• Performing a task related to a student’s education or discipline
• Providing a service to a student
• Maintaining safety and security on campus

Faculty and Staff Responsibilities

• UTTC employees have a responsibility to protect the confidentiality of a student’s educational records, regardless of the medium in which those records are presented.
• Grades and attendance cannot be disclosed to a student’s family members without written permission from the student on the signed release form.
• Grades and attendance for dual credit students can be provided to the parent/guardian or the school advocate if the student is under the age of 18.
• Posting grades using the student’s name, student ID number or any portion of the social security number violates FERPA.
• Faculty and staff are prohibited from disclosing personally identifiable information about a student or permitting inspection of a student’s educational records without that student’s written consent (signed release form).
• Reference letters written on behalf of a student do not give the authorization to disclose that student’s records or performance details without that student’s written consent (i.e., a signed release form).
• In general, student information may only be shared with the student’s consent, in a health or safety emergency, or pursuant to another FERPA exception

The Registrar’s Office is responsible for providing annual FERPA training to faculty and staff during the fall in-service and to provide a copy of the FERPA regulations to all faculty and staff. Any questions about FERPA may be referred to the Registrar’s Office.

A student who chooses to change or correct his or her name on academic records will need to complete and submit the Name Change Form (available on the UTTC website) and provide the following documentation:

• A student ID card or driver’s license with the former name, and
• At least two of the following documents, with one having a photograph for verification purposes:
  • Driver’s license
  • Passport
  • Birth certificate
  • Tribal ID
  • State ID
  • Social security card

The student will bring the completed form and required documents to the Registrar’s Office or mail them to the following address:
United Tribes Technical College.

Registrar’s Office
3315 University Drive
Bismarck, ND 58504

All requests for changes or corrections of a name must be accompanied by the required legal documentation. Photocopies are sufficient if the student is mailing the request.

A student can change his or her local or permanent address, email address or phone number by contacting the Admissions and Recruitment Office. The majority of communications from UTTC are provided to students by email. This includes notifications regarding billing and instructions related to registration. If a student is expecting a refund or waiting for information from any of the departments on campus, the address on file will be used for mailing purposes. The email address and telephone number provided when the student applied for admissions to UTTC will be used unless the student requests it changed.

It is important to make sure the permanent mailing address is accurate when the student graduates. The diploma and any alumni information will be mailed by the Registrar’s Office to the permanent address on file at the time of graduation.

Preferred First Name Procedure

In an effort to accommodate students who are known by a first name that is different from their legal first name, UTTC has created a preferred first name option for student information as it appears in select locations. Students will be able to request adding a preferred first name to their student information profile by submitting the completed Preferred First Name Form to the Registrar’s Office that includes the circ*mstances for the request. The completed form will be maintained in the student’s confidential file. The form is available on the UTTC website.

The Registrar will consult with the student’s Academic & Personal Counselor and respond to the student within five days of receiving the request. If approved, the preferred first name would replace the student’s legal name as it appears on course lists, student email, and the directory.

UTTC endeavors to display preferred first names to the UTTC community where feasible and has made a good faith effort to update the systems that are designated to use a preferred name. In the event the student’s preferred first name is not displaying correctly, they must contact the Registrar’s Office.

Disclaimer:

UTTC reserves the right to approve or disapprove preferred first name change requests.

Required Use of Legal First Name

In some instances, students’ legal names must always be used regardless of whether preferred names have been added to the system. Legal names will always appear on all external use reports and documents including, but not limited to, hiring paperwork, paychecks, student billing, financial aid forms, tax forms, official transcripts, official diplomas, and any other documents required by law. Legal first names can only be changed on these records when students pursue a legal name change with their home state and/or federal authorities and then submit that documentation to the Registrar’s Office. If students are using a preferred name in the campus systems they must be prepared to use legal name and identification in all instances where legal identification or official information is necessary.

Transfer students who have successfully completed 12 or more credits with a letter grade of C or higher within the past three (3) years from a regionally accredited institution are exempt from the FND 106 First Year Experience & Healthy Living course requirement. The Registrar’s Office will enter the FND 106 requirement as “met” after completing the transcript evaluation for the transfer students who meet the criteria for the exemption. The student’s official transcript will serve as evidence of completion of the credits.

Students exempted from FND 106 must earn the minimum number of credits in their degree, diploma or certificate programs, typically by substituting elective hours for the 2-credit FND course.

The only exemptions for FND 106 are for transfer students who enter with 12 credits or more. All students coded as freshmen (first year) students who are not transferring students will be required to take FND 106. Students who were enrolled in UTTC dual credit courses in high school and then matriculate to campus will be required to take the course as degree-seeking students.

The Registrar’s Office administers the policy that grants the transfer of credit for courses completed at other regionally accredited institutions of post-secondary education. Department Chairs will be consulted on transfer course equivalencies pertaining to their respective fields.

The following steps are followed when requesting the transfer of credits from other colleges or universities:

1. Initiating Transfer Evaluation Request
   • The student requests one official copy of his or her academic transcripts from each of any previous institution(s) and has the official transcript sent directly to the UTTC Admissions & Recruitment Office as part of the application process.
   • The transcript must be in an unopened envelope sealed by the sending institution to be “official”.
   • The student’s official transcripts are forwarded to the Registrar’s Office for an evaluation of transfer credits upon acceptance to UTTC.
   • The Registrar’s Office will complete a Transfer Credit Evaluation Advisem*nt Report for the student that identifies the transfer credits that have satisfied courses on the student’s intended degree plan.
   • The student is advised to review the Advisem*nt Report with his or her academic advisor prior to registration for classes.

Credits earned by students who have completed post-secondary courses after high school at regionally accredited colleges or universities will be reviewed for transfer at UTTC. General guidelines for acceptance of transfer credit include:

1. College-level credits (100 level or higher) earned at regionally accredited institutions will be transferred provided a grade of “C”, or higher, is earned in the course.
2. Courses with a grade of “C”, or higher, that fulfill specific degree requirements will be identified on the student’s Transfer Credit Evaluation Advisem*nt Report. The Elementary Education BS degree program requires a “B”, or higher, in 300-400 level teaching methodology courses.
3. Developmental courses will not be accepted for college credit, but may fulfill prerequisite requirements for college level courses.
4. The North Dakota University Systems common numbered courses will transfer in as the direct equivalent course at UTTC, as applicable.
5. Repeated courses can only be granted credit for each course once. The course meeting the highest grade for the transfer of credits policy will be transferred.
6. Credits from institutions on the quarter system will be converted to semester hour credits.
7. Students who have earned credits from an international institution must have their work evaluated by the World Education Services (www.wes.org). The student will be required to provide a fee to the credit evaluating service.
8. In general, undergraduate credits do not expire; however, certain courses (i.e. nursing, technology, engineering, education and law-related) taken five or more years prior to the request for transfer will be reviewed on a course by course basis for relevance by the appropriate department chair to determine if the course(s) meets a degree requirement.
9. Students must submit an official copy of their AARTS or SMART transcript for transfer of military credits. UTTC follows the American Council on Education recommendations for transfer of military credit.
10. Transcripts will include the name of the transferred course, the institution from where it was transferred, and the credit recommendation. Transfer credits will not be included in the student’s institutional or cumulative GPA at UTTC.
11. Credit by examination or life experience will be excluded in transfer credit evaluations.
12. Graduate level courses (500 and above), as defined on the transferring institution’s transcript legend, will not be considered for transfer.
13. As with any other institution of higher education, UTTC reserves the right to determine courses for transfer into the College.

UTTC has developed program articulation agreements with several institutions to aid in the transfer process. The program agreements will be used as a guide when choosing courses for transfer, when applicable.

Transfer of Credits to Other Colleges

The UTTC student who expects to transfer credits to any other institution of higher learning will be expected to meet the program requirements in effect at the institution to which the student transfers. Credits accepted for transfer into another institution are determined solely by that other institution. A student who plans to transfer to another college or university should:

• Meet with a transcript evaluator at the institution; and
• Maintain a UTTC catalog and all course syllabi for all coursework in case the transcript evaluator at the other institution needs further detail of UTTC courses.

Reverse Transfer Initiative

The UTTC Registrar’s Office supports the North Dakota University System’s (“NDUS”) 407.0 Reverse Transfer initiative to assist students who have transferred from UTTC and are currently enrolled at a NDUS university by offering an additional opportunity to complete an associate degree. This initiative applies to former students from North Dakota public or tribal colleges who completed at least 36 credits while at the college but transferred prior to completing an associate degree. UTTC will work with the colleges and universities to develop a seamless process for qualified students to apply for and be granted this degree. The Reverse Transfer initiative does not apply to baccalaureate degrees.

1. Students who have transferred to a NDUS university or other TCU from UTTC will be eligible to complete an associate degree through the reverse transfer of completed coursework.
2. Eligible students will have completed at least 36 semester hours at UTTC without completing an associate degree prior to transfer to another TCU or an NDUS university.

Registrar Office Policies

All students must meet with their academic advisor to register for classes. Registration deadlines are listed on the academic calendar and all students must register within the dates specified prior to beginning classes. A course schedule is published each semester on the UTTC website with specific days, time, instructor and location for each class.

UTTC believes it is important to recognize students who have distinguished themselves with high scholastic achievement. Full-time students with a term GPA of 3.5 to 4.0 will be placed on the President’s List. Full-time students with a term GPA of 3.0 to 3.49 will be placed on the Vice President’s List. These lists are publicized to give recognition to the students and are noted on the student’s transcript.

A student on academic probation is suspended at the end of the semester if the student does not earn a minimum term GPA of 2.0 and a maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. While on suspension, a student cannot register for any courses for at least one full academic year from the semester in which they were suspended (e.g. fall to fall, spring to spring, summer to summer).

Students may appeal the suspension directly to the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA) within three (3) business days after the day grades are due for the semester per the academic calendar. The appeal is a written document (email or letter) detailing what the student will do differently in an effort to increase his or her GPA if allowed to continue. The VPAA will respond within three (3) business days with what is considered the final decision.

A student seeking re-admission after a period of suspension must re-apply for admission and meet all typical institutional admission requirements. The admission process for students returning after a period of suspension will be completed through the UTTC Registrar’s Office.

The Accuplacer is a computer-based placement tool designed to provide placement and advising information for students entering college and is required for placement in all courses requiring Reading, Math, or English. Students who have been accepted for admissions to UTTC will complete the Accuplacer tests prior to registering for courses for their first semester. For more information regarding the Accuplacer testing processes.

Accuplacer Testing Exemption

Students will be exempt from the testing requirement if they meet a minimum of one of the following criteria:

• Students who have taken the ACT within the past five (5) years, and can provide a copy of the scores
• Students who are registering for certificate programs (Welding, HEO and Medical Billing & Coding)
• Transfer students who have successfully completed (“C” or higher) a college-level writing course (ENG 110) or a college-level math course (MTH 103 or MTH 104) within the past five (5) years, and have documentation of these courses on an official transcript.
• Students who have taken the Accuplacer test(s) within the past three (3) years and can provide a copy of the results.
• Students who are taking all of their courses online.

The cut scores for the Accuplacer tests are posted on the UTTC website.

Auditing classes (attending classes without being required to take written tests and final exam and without earning college credit) is permitted but requires permission from the instructor for the course and a $50 audit fee per credit hour. The audit fee is payable prior to the start of the course. Full-time students may audit a course at no additional charge if their total course load (including audit class) is 18 credits or less.

Students who audit courses are expected to participate in all course activities other than tests and final examinations. Students registering for audit may not register later in that same course for credit. Audited courses do not apply toward degree requirements.

Students wishing to add or drop a course must do so on or before the tenth (10) instructional class day (Census Date) of the fall and spring semesters and the fourth (4) instructional class day (Census Date) for the summer semester. The academic advisor initiates the Add/Drop form for the student and forwards it to the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar will make the change in the Jenzabar system. The form is available on the UTTC website.

Adding classes is not allowed after the last day to add classes has passed on the Academic Calendar. Courses that are dropped may be noted as “Dropped” or “Withdrawn” depending on the date of the actual withdrawal from the course. It is the student’s responsibility to know these dates and make the appropriate decision regarding this process.

The syllabus is considered a contract between the institution and the student. The Registrar’s Office mandates every course for every semester will have a syllabus in a manner compliant with identified best practices. A template will be provided with components that are the minimum requirement for the syllabi and that cannot be removed. Instructors may choose to include additional information that is relevant to their courses in addition to the information on the template.

Each syllabus will have a minimum of the following components:

• Instructor contact information, office hours and office location
• Class name, number, location, credit hours, days of the week, and time of day
• Required textbooks: author, title, edition, publisher, and ISBN number
• Listing of all supplemental materials required and suggested
• Course description, course learner objectives, and assessment measures for each objective as approved by the Curriculum Committee
• Program assessment information
• Course calendar: unit topics, assigned reading, major assignments, due dates
• Evaluation/grading system: descriptions of performance assessments and scoring guides, grading criteria for individual assignments and the course
• Course policies: attendance, late work, academic integrity, student conduct, course procedures, professionalism, and other information on the syllabus template
• Disabilities services statement

A Degree Change Form must be completed in the following situations:

1. A student intends to change from one academic program to another.
2. A returning student graduates with a certificate or AAS degree and intends to move onto the next degree level within their program (from an AAS to a BS).

The student’s current academic advisor will initiate the Degree Change form if the student is choosing to change programs. The form is available on the UTTC website. The new advisor and a representative from the Financial Aid Office will also sign this form. After the form is signed, it is forwarded to the Registrar, who will record the change in the Student Information System.

The College recognizes there may be instances when a student needs to take a course that is currently not being offered according to the master course schedule. In these exceptional cases, the course or courses may be offered as independent study, providing the following steps have been taken:

1. When the need for an independent study for a student is determined, the student’s primary advisor will submit an email to the VPAA and request approval to offer a course as an independent study course provided there is a legitimate student need (i.e. extenuating circ*mstances). The advisor will complete the Independent Study Contract form that is available on the UTTC website and from the Registrar’s Office.
2. The VPAA will approve, on a case-by-case basis, the independent study course request based on student course need and availability of instructional resources. NOTE: The instructor of the independent study course must be made aware of, and agree to, teaching the course according to the Independent Study Instructor Fee Schedule.
3. Provided there is a legitimate student need, approval will be given by the VPAA to offer the course as an independent study.
4. The advisor will inform the student that the course will be offered as an independent study course, and:
   1. Inform the student the standard tuition rates and applicable fees apply to independent study courses.
   2. Discuss with the student the dynamics of an independent study course, including limited face-to-face instructional time, adherence to student learning objectives and assessment processes, self-directed learning, timeframe and deadlines, adherence to the other course syllabus requirements, etc.
5. The student requesting the independent study must agree to attend scheduled meetings with the instructor, with a mandatory face-to-face meeting with the independent study instructor at the beginning of the course and at the end of the term.
6. The student must sign the Independent Study Student Contract, a copy of which will be given to the student and the VPAA.
7. Once the advisor has a signed Independent Study Student Contract, the advisor will contact the Registrar’s Office to have the course scheduled as an independent study course. The advisor will provide the Registrar’s Office with the course, name of the instructor, and the name of the student. The Registrar’s Office will add the course to the schedule and permit registration for the student. The course will then be closed to additional registrations to ensure other students are not inadvertently enrolled. Independent study courses will be scheduled to run for the same number of weeks as other courses in the term, and maintain established course codes, names, and numbers. For ease of identification, these courses will be coded as an “I” section.

The independent study course student and the instructor will adhere to established instructional policies, including regular tracking of satisfactory academic progress, grading procedures, and be submitting mid-term and final grades as scheduled. The instructor has the responsibility of maintaining the integrity and high expectations for the independent learning process and its outcomes.

Students may repeat courses to improve grades and grade-point averages; however, the last grade received following each repetition becomes the grade of record. In all instances, the transcript will show the previous registration(s) and grade(s) received.

Any UTTC courses repeated to improve a grade must be taken (repeated) at UTTC. Courses repeated elsewhere will not affect the UTTC grade point average. Repeating courses may affect athletic and financial aid eligibility.

A student will have a grade of W (Withdrawal) recorded for the semester if the student chooses to withdraw from a course after the Census date and prior to the last day to withdraw from the term, as published in the academic calendar. The student will meet with the academic advisor to initiate the Add/Drop form that is signed by the academic advisor and submitted to the Registrar’s Office.

Students who withdraw from a course after the last day to withdraw identified on the academic calendar will have a failing grade (“F”) recorded on the transcript. Students who do not complete the withdrawal forms, but discontinue attending and/or participating, will have the grade they earned recorded as their final grade.

UTTC is firmly committed to assisting students in exploring all alternatives to formally withdrawing from college. If a student decides to withdraw, a Withdrawal Form will be completed and submitted to the Registrar’s Office. The student’s academic advisor or Academic & Personal Counselor will initiate the withdrawal process for students, for both student-initiated (voluntary) and college initiated (involuntary) withdrawals. The form is available on the UTTC website.

• Student-initiated withdrawal forms are processed by the Registrar’s Office within two (2) days of being received from the Academic & Personal Counselor.
• College initiated withdrawal forms are initiated by the academic advisor and Academic & Personal Counselor. The student is notified about the withdrawal by the counselor and has three (3) days to appeal directly to the VPAA. The VPAA will make a determination on the appeal and contact the student, the Registrar’s Office, Financial Aid, and the Academic & Personal Counselor within two (2) days of receiving the written appeal. The Academic & Personal Counselor will inform all interested parties of the results and the Registrar’s Office will process withdrawal.
• A student who has withdrawn from UTTC for any reason, including medical, is no longer enrolled. Consequently, as of the date of the withdrawal, the student cannot continue to attend classes or complete work that was assigned in the term in which the withdrawal occurred, even if the deadline for such assignments was previously extended. A student who decides to return to UTTC in the future will be required to re-apply for admission.

Withdrawal Prior to Census Date

Any students who have not attended class within the first two (2) weeks of the semester will be dropped from the course(s). If the student has not attended one or more courses, the academic advisor will complete an Add/Drop Form to withdraw the student from the course(s). If the student has not attended any courses during the first two (2) weeks of class, the Academic & Personal Counselor will complete a Withdrawal Form based on a recommendation from the student’s academic advisor.

Every effort will be made to verify the student has not attended class. If this has been determined, the Add/Drop Form must be completed no later than two (2) weeks after the semester start, on the Census date for the semester. If the student is withdrawn on or before Census date, there will be no academic record for the student for that semester and no charges will be incurred. The Academic & Personal Counselor will notify the appropriate parties on campus that the student is no longer enrolled at UTTC.

In the event a student is allowed to register for courses but is not able to meet the requirements for payment by the date due, Student Accounts will submit a request to the student’s Academic & Personal Counselor to depart the student based on non-payment. The Academic & Personal Counselor will complete the Add/Drop Form for the student’s courses and submit it to the Registrar’s Office on or before Census date and the student will be withdrawn. The Academic & Personal Counselor will notify all interested parties on campus regarding the student’s status.

The date on the Add/Drop Form or the Withdrawal Form is the last day the student attends classes. If the withdrawal is the result of a college initiated withdrawal form process, and the student intends to appeal, the student will continue to attend classes until a decision has been rendered regarding the appeal (within five (5) days of the initial withdrawal date). This extended time period allows two (2) days for the student to file an appeal with the VPAA and for a decision to be made regarding that appeal. The VPAA will contact the student, the Registrar’s Office, Financial Aid, and the Academic & Personal Counselor within two (2) days of receiving the written appeal when a decision has been made. The Academic & Personal Counselor will relay the results of the appeal to all interested parties, including Housing, Student Accounts and others.

The decision by the VPAA is final. The student will not attend classes any day after the final decision.