Category: Student Services

Student Services

International Travel

I.   Introduction

The College for Creative Studies (CCS) is committed to developing global partnerships, increasing international diversity on campus, and providing international study opportunities for students.

The College and the individual travelers have a responsibility for promoting health, safety, and security while traveling abroad.  This policy defines institutional requirements that promote safety during international travel.

Individual travelers are responsible for compliance with this international travel policy.  Academic departments and College offices sponsoring CCS Related Travel (defined below) are responsible for informing travelers of this international travel policy and for facilitating compliance for individuals where appropriate.

This International Travel Policy outlines the College’s requirements for CCS related travel abroad.

II.    Definitions

This section defines four terms used in this document: Travel Abroad, CCS Managed or Organized travel, CCS Related Travel, and Group Travel Abroad.

  • Travel Abroad: destinations outside the Fifty States of the United States of America and the District of Columbia. Travel to U.S. territories (including American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the United States Minor Outlying Islands) and journeys on the High Seas are also considered travel abroad.
  • CCS Managed or Organized Travel: An international experience managed or organized by a CCS department/office, faculty or staff member. Managed and organized includes: creating, funding, instructing, or approving the experience, or coordinating the applications and selection of participants.
  • CCS Related Travel: is defined in terms of two traveler roles:
  • CCS Faculty or Staff

Faculty or staff members who are traveling abroad within the context of their job responsibilities are considered to be on CCS Related Travel. If faculty or staff members receive CCS funds or CCS managed funds for travel or if they are representing CCS even if funded by an international partner or third-party entity, they are considered to be on CCS Related Travel.  While a trip might include personal activities outside of the traveler’s job responsibilities, if the primary purpose is work-related the trip is CCS Related Travel.

  • Student

Participants in Travel Abroad can include both individuals enrolled as students at CCS, but also individuals not enrolled as CCS students who participate in a CCS program; such persons are designated Students within this policy.  A person traveling in a Student participant role who meets one or more of the following criteria is on CCS Related Travel:

  • Receives CCS academic credit for the experience.
    • Travels on a program or trip that is CCS Managed or Organized.
    • Travels on a program or trip organized by Student Affairs or a program or trip that is formally sanctioned by a CCS department or office as a Sponsored Event.
    • Receives funding from CCS or receives funds managed by CCS for their travel.  
  • Group Travel Abroad:  a cohort of CCS student participants with similar program experience dates, itinerary, related activities at the destination, and identical or related accommodations, for whom an organizer or leader is assuming some responsibility. There is significant interdependence of participants within the cohort.

III.  Policy

A. CCS International Travel Registry

The CCS International Travel Registry is a confidential and secure database for maintaining key travel information for faculty, staff and students traveling abroad.  The Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services, and Associate Provost for Academic Affairs are responsible for the overall management of the CCS International Travel Registry. 

The CCS International Travel Registry is the official source of traveler information for locating and communicating with travelers, responding to emergencies, and managing media and public relations during critical incidents abroad.  It also serves as the central source of travel abroad data for institutional reporting.

All faculty, staff, and students traveling abroad for CCS Related Travel must register their travel in the CCS International Travel Registry before the expected departure date. Whenever possible, travelers are expected to update the registration, including travel dates, destinations, and on-site contact information, if updated information becomes available.

Individual travelers are responsible for verifying their travel registration through either self-registration or coordination with their sponsoring units.  Departments/Offices sponsoring CCS Related Travel are responsible for informing travelers of this travel registration requirement.

The travel registry can be accessed at:

Student Travel Registry

Staff Travel Registry

B. Travel Abroad Health Insurance

All students, staff and faculty traveling abroad for CCS or affiliated with CCS are required to have travel abroad health insurance coverage from the College’s authorized vendor, regardless of whether the Student traveler has other health care coverage.  Student travelers are responsible for verifying travel abroad health insurance coverage either through self-enrollment or coordination with their sponsoring units.  Group leaders are responsible for informing their students and participants of this insurance requirement.

*CCS will accept the following plans

C. Emergency Evacuation Insurance and Support

All Students, Faculty and Staff traveling abroad for or affiliated with CCS must carry insurance that covers emergency evacuation due to political unrest or natural disaster.

The college may evacuate or cancel travel at any time before, or during a program due to emergency situations. In making the decision to evacuate a person or group, the Office of International Student Services consults the Travel Risk Committee. Evacuation support relies on CCS faculty, staff, and students to register their travel.

Students who remain in-country after being advised to evacuate will not be eligible for college funding or academic credit related to the travel experience and may be subject to disciplinary action.

 *The plans outlined above carry evacuation insurance. Please inquire when enrolling to be certain the additional coverage is added. 

D. High Risk Destination Travel

The College will conduct reviews and designate locations as High Risk Destinations.

The Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services (students) or the employee’s Vice President will make the final determination on this designation, upon consultation with the Travel Risk Committee. This designation may occur at any time before, or during an international trip. The College will not approve CCS related travel to destinations where health, safety, or security risks are determined to be significant and require unusual caution and risk mitigation strategies. For example, travel to destinations experiencing serious outbreaks of infectious disease, war or violent civil unrest.  Students may not travel for or affiliated with CCS to destinations that are under a High Risk designation.

To submit an appeal for travel to these destinations, please follow the separate policy for Student Travel to High Risk Destinations or Employee Travel to High Risk Destinations.

E. Incident Reporting Requirements

While traveling abroad affiliated with CCS, individuals should promptly report conduct that may violate College policies including:  TITLE IX, student or staff conduct violations, or crimes. Individuals are encouraged to report incidents that may violate criminal law to both the College and to local law enforcement. These processes are not mutually exclusive.

Related Policies

Study Abroad Policy
Roles and Responsibilities for Faculty Led Study Abroad Programs Guideline
Faculty Led Study Abroad Program Approval Policy and Procedure
Protecting CCS Students Studying Abroad
High Risk Destination Travel Policy
Reporting Criminal and other Serious Incidents
Chaperone Policy
Title IX

Protecting Students Abroad

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this policy is to promote the health, wellness, safety and security of CCS students who participate in CCS Study Abroad Programs.  The College requires all CCS administrators, faculty, staff, and volunteers working with CCS students in College Sponsored Study Abroad Programs or affiliated Study Abroad Programs (in a CCS contractual relationship) to comply with this policy.

Definitions

  • Authorized Program Staff: Individuals, paid or unpaid, who interact with, supervise, or otherwise oversee CCS Students in program activities. This includes but is not limited to faculty, staff, volunteers, graduate and undergraduate students, and independent contractors/consultants. The Authorized Program Staff’s roles may include positions as, leaders, instructors, guides, etc.  For the purposes of this policy the term “Program Staff” is also assigned this definition. This definition does not include temporary guest speakers, presenters, or other individuals who have no direct contact with Program participants other than short-term activities supervised by Program Staff.
  • College Facilities: Facilities owned by or under the control of the College including housing and Program space. CCS Property is extended to include any buildings or sites in foreign countries which are used for the purpose of hosting a CCS faculty led and/or CCS affiliated study abroad program. Examples of such property include, studios, housing, and instructional sites.
  • College Sponsored Programs: Programs that are directly managed by College faculty, staff, and Sponsored Student Organizations on behalf of the College.
  • Direct Contact: Providing care, supervision, guidance or control of CCS Students or having routine interaction with CCS Students.
  • Non-College Sponsored Programs: Programs that are not operated on behalf of the College or under the College’s control.
  • One-on-One Contact: Personal interaction between any Authorized Program Staff and a participant without at least one other Authorized Program Staff, being present.
  • Program: Programs or activities offered by various academic or administrative units of the College, or by non-College groups affiliated with the College where CCS students are involved. This includes, CCS faulty Led Study Abroad Programs, or Faculty led trips which employ external agencies to administer their programs.  This does not include out-side programs that may enroll CCS students.
  • Program Manager: The person(s) who has primary and direct operational responsibility for managing a Program.
  • ISSO: The International Student Services Office at CCS

Criminal Background Check Requirement:

All individuals involved with a CCS faculty Led Student Abroad Program whom will have direct contact with CCS students are subject to submit a criminal background check and may be asked to comply with this requirement. The following types of convictions will render an individual ineligible to work or volunteer for the College’s Study Abroad Programs:

  • Drug distribution activity or felony drug possession
  • Sexual offenses
  • Crimes of violence involving physical injury to another person
  • Child abuse, molestation or other crimes involving child endangerment
  • Murder
  • Kidnapping
  • Any other crime involving moral turpitude

Operational Requirements

The Study Abroad Authorized Program Staff Responsibilities:

  • Serve as a resource and emergency contact to the group.
  • Remain with the group for the duration of the trip.
  • Be the point of contact between the group participants, and College officials as needed.
  • Be familiar with all College rules and regulations that both individuals, and groups must adhere to including:
  • Be prepared to respond to emergency and crisis protocol to ensure a safe environment and experience to all students.
  • Be prepared to adhere to all reporting requirements in regards to crime, behavioral, and sexual assault/violence.
  • Review program itineraries prior to the trip and discuss any concerns with the organization.
  • Ensure all participants are enrolled in the CCS Travel Registry prior to travel
  • Promote, and ensure compliance with mandatory enrollment of all participants in Emergency Travel and Medical Insurance and mandatory natural or political crisis Evacuation Insurance according to the International Travel Policy.
  • Collect the following information from all participants prior to the trip is scheduled to begin:
    • Passport information page copy
    • Emergency contact form
    • Health insurance and Health information form
    • Assumption of Risk Release Form
  • Make sure a final list of participants, and above mentioned information is sent to the department of International Student Services (ISSO) to be loaded into a mutually accessible database. Program Staff should also carry this information with them on the trip as both hard, and digital copies.
  • Ensure all participants are aware of travel details and trip itinerary in the form of a program handbook.

Program Handbook:

The office/department leading a Study Abroad program must develop and distribute a program handbook to participants. The International Student Services Office, can provide a general template and should be consulted in the content prior to distribution to students.

 The Program Handbook must include the following information:

  • Emergency Procedures: Procedures for notifying the college and the student’s emergency contact, in case of emergency, including medical or behavioral situations.
  • Student Emergency Contact: Information on the student’s emergency contact on how to reach them during the program.
  • Student Health Form: Information on the student’s health insurance, proof of travel insurance and specific health concerns that the program leadership should be aware of.
  • How to prepare for healthy travel- travel health clinic information and CCS Wellness Center contact information
  • Program Contact Information: Information for the student to share with their personal contacts on how to reach the Program leadership and CCS leadership while abroad.
  • Program itinerary: This should include the exact location of the participants with corresponding dates, and address. Include information regarding “free” days in which students will travel on their own.
  • Program rules: Including the CCS student code of conduct and specific cultural expectations, for participants in the program, including the fact that participants must abide by all College regulations and may be removed from the program for violation of such rules.
  • The Assumption of Risk Form: A basic contract signed by students that reviews the risks, and responsibilities involved with Study Abroad.
  • A description of the process to be followed if a participant, group leader, or other individual associated with the study abroad program is alleged to have violated College policies or conduct rules of the program, including the process for dismissal and removal from the program.
  • Title IX policy and reporting requirements:  For review by participants, and to reinforce acknowledgement of study abroad program compliance with this policy.
  • A country profile outlining regionally specific risks, and cultural information to be noted for US travelers
  • Local US embassy contact information
  • How to register for the SMART traveler program with the US State Department
  • Travel Visa requirements for destination
  • Requirement to enroll in the CCS Travel Registry

Program Leadership Pre-Departure session:

Study Abroad program leadership are required to meet with the International Student Services Office prior to departure to review the following procedures:

  1. International Travel Policy
  2. Protecting Students Participating in College Programs or Activities

An understanding agreement will be signed following the meeting and will kept on file with the college.

Student Pre-Departure session:

It is encouraged to hold an in person group meeting prior to departure with the students and leadership to review the handbook information and collect required forms.

Conduct Rules for Program Leadership:

Program Staff should be positive role models and behave in a responsible manner that is consistent with the mission of the College and adhere to the policies in the CCS Staff Handbook.

Program Staff are required to comply with all applicable laws and College policy. Program Staff working in Study Abroad Programs covered by this policy must follow these expectations to avoid conduct that could cause harm or be misinterpreted:

  • Do not engage in any sexual activity, make sexual comments, tell sexual jokes, or share sexually explicit material with CCS Students or assist in any way to provide access to such materials.
  • Do not engage or allow CCS Students to engage you in romantic or sexual conversations, or related matters.
  • Do not touch a CCS Students in a manner that a reasonable person could interpret as inappropriate. Touching should generally only be in the open and in response to the Student’s needs, for a purpose that is consistent with the Program’s mission and culture, or for a clear educational, developmental, or health related purpose (i.e., treatment of an injury). Any resistance from the student should be respected.
  • Do not use profanity, vulgarity, or harassing language.
  • Do not be alone with a single student. If One-on-One interaction is required, meet in open, well illuminated spaces or rooms with windows observable by other Program Staff.
  • Do not meet with students outside of established times for Program activities. If this is required, please include more than one Program Staff.
  • Do not invite students to your home or other private locations.
  • Do not provide gifts to students or their families independent of items provided by the Program.
  • Communication with students must be educational or programmatic in purpose and the content of the communication must be consistent with the mission of the Program and the College.
  • Do not engage in any abusive conduct of any kind toward, or in the presence of, a student including but not limited to verbal abuse, striking, hitting, punching, poking, spanking, or restraining. If restraint is necessary to protect a student or other student from harm, all incidents must be documented and disclosed to the College Administration.
  • Do not use, possess or be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs while responsible for a student’s welfare.
  • Do not provide alcohol or illegal drugs to any students at any time during the study abroad program.
  • Do not provide medication to a student
  • Do not possess any type of weapon or explosive device.

Drug and Alcohol Policy:

All members of the CCS community also are governed by laws, regulations, and ordinances established by the state and local municipalities and will be held accountable by law enforcement representatives of those entities for any illegal activity. It is the responsibility of all campus members to be aware of these laws. This includes international laws in host countries in which our staff, and student are traveling on College Sponsored Programs. Faculty cannot provide alcohol to CCS students, regardless of the legal drinking age of the country in which the Study Abroad Program is situated. Study Abroad locations are considered “on-campus” for purposes of this policy.

Reporting Protocols:

  • Faculty and staff responsible for student’s abroad must report:
    • Sexual assault and misconduct
    • Violations of conduct by students, program leadership, or affiliated constituents
    • Crimes committed to or by programs participants, or leadership
    • Emergencies of any nature

Title IX Coordinator
Dierdre Young
Assistant Dean for Institutional Equity and Inclusion
Institutional Equity and Inclusion
313-664-1489
ddyoung@collegeforcreativestudies.edu

Deputy Title IX Coordinator
Raquel Diroff
Assistant Human Resources Director
Office of Human Resources
313-664-7651
rdiroff@collegeforcreativestudies.edu

For all other reporting:

 Information will be given to the appropriate office on campus and/or CCS Crisis Management Team.

Katherine Campbell
Director of International Student Services
Office of International Student Services (ISSO)
Office: +1 (31)3-664-7448
Cell: +1 (313)-920-1296
kcampbell@collegeforcreativestudies.edu

Dan Long
Dean of Students
Office: +1 (313)-664-7675
Cell: +1 (248)-310-9571
Office of Student Affairs
dlong@collegeforcreativestudies.edu

Conduct Violations and Crime Reporting:

 CCS encourages all members of the College for Creative Studies community to engage in accurate and prompt reporting of all crimes to Campus Security and the appropriate law enforcement agencies, when the victim of the crime elects not to, or is unable to, make such a report. While abroad please work within the local law enforcement agencies, and report incidents to the college administration immediately.

Title IX Reporting:  

The Title IX reporting responsibilities of CCS Study Abroad Leadership apply while abroad. All College community members are strongly encouraged to report incidents of sexual misconduct to the Title IX Coordinator or any of the reporting resources listed below, by phone, email, or in person.

Behavior violations resulting program expulsion for students:

In the event of an incident/infraction where there is an allegation of a violation of the laws, regulations, and customs of the host country, community, institution or program or a violation of the CCS College Code of Conduct, but does not cause immediate danger to others, the following procedures will apply:

Student Behavioral Procedure:

1. VERBAL NOTIFICATION: The faculty member-in-residence or program assistant representing the Office of Academic Affairs (referred to as the “leader or mentor”) will investigate the alleged violation using the resources available to him or her. They will have a frank discussion with the student of expectations and consequences, giving the student an opportunity to respond in person and present any witnesses or ask questions of witnesses, if any, that the complainant has identified.

2. WRITTEN NOTIFICATION: The student will receive a written notification of the expectations and consequences. This is the final warning and any continuation of the undesirable behavior will result in immediate dismissal with no refund academic credit and grade will be awarded according to college policy.

3. DISMISSAL: If, after the facts have been examined and after discussion and authorization from the Office of Academic Affairs, it has been decided to dismiss the student from the program, the student receives written notification of the decision.  The student is responsible with all costs incurred due to program dismissal.  Upon return to the campus a decision regarding the need for further action will be made.

Behavior violations resulting program expulsion for Staff:

Violations of Staff conduct prior to or during travel will result in immediate removal from the study abroad program and replacement of role by an alternate staff member or potential cancellation of program. The CCS staff handbook, and conduct rules listed in this document policies apply while abroad on a CCS Program.

Emergencies Abroad:

The College has the right to make cancellations, substitutions or changes in case of emergency or changed conditions in the destination country or region. In the case of serious emergency situations, the Program Leadership is responsible for taking immediate care of participants, and notifying the college. The college will utilize its internal Emergency Procedures, and Crisis Management Team as they apply to study abroad, notify all emergency contacts of students and staff, the US Embassy, and other organizations that may aid in securing the safety of our program participants. Students and Program Leadership should take care to ensure their immediate needs and safety and then contact College immediately.

Lost Passports:

You will have to replace the passport before returning to the United States. Contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for assistance. Ask to speak to the Consular Section to report your passport lost or stolen. If you have been the victim of a serious crime, be sure to tell a consular officer about it as soon as possible so they can provide appropriate assistance. If you are scheduled to leave the foreign country shortly, please provide our consular staff with the details of your travel.

Missing student Policy:

If a student becomes detached from the program group or simply disappears for more than 24 hours, the Program Leadership is required to notify the College Administration. Program leadership must notify the International Student Services Office, who will notify Campus Safety, and the Office of Student Affairs immediately.

 The following information will be collected:

  • Contact Information and relationship to the missing student.
  • Name and vital information about the student reported to be out of contact.
  • The date, time, and location the missing student was last seen.
  • The general routine or habits of the suspected missing person including any recent changes in behavior or demeanor.
  • The missing student’s cell phone number.

Once a report has been made that a student is missing, Campus Safety and the Office of Student Affairs will work together to investigate the situation.

Notifications:

  • CCS leadership will notify the local US Embassy.
  • CCS leadership will notify the student’s emergency contact.
  • No social media outlets should be utilized to communicate.
  • Program Leaders are encouraged to manage the student group appropriately to ensure that communications to media outlets, social media, and outside sources are restricted.
  • CCS leadership will communicate to all media and outside sources.

Mandatory Emergency Insurance:

Students and staff are required to purchase emergency medical and travel insurance that covers the duration of their trip. The insurance policy should include repatriation and evacuation coverage in cases if health emergencies, or death. The emergency insurance policy should also cover travel costs for family members in cases where the participants cannot leave the country in cases of hospitalization.

Evacuation Insurance

In addition to international health insurance for employees and students who travel abroad, we also require evacuation insurance due to natural disasters or political unrest.

SMART traveler enrollment:

https://step.state.gov/

CCS encourages students to enroll in the SMART program prior to college sponsored trips abroad. The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

  • Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans.
  • Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.
  • Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency.

For questions or input on this policy please contact the International Student Services Office.

Related Policies:

Privacy Notice

Prospective Students, Applicants, and Enrolled Students

College for Creative Studies (CCS) understands that storing and tracking personal information is a sensitive topic, and it is committed to safeguarding privacy. CCS collects and processes certain types of personal information from prospective students, applicants, and enrolled students and their families in connection with its programs in the United States. This privacy notice explains what information is collected, how it is used, and how the College safeguards the information. You should contact the Registrar (kladucer@collegeforcreativestudies.edu) with any questions or concerns regarding this notice.

Whose Information Is Collected?

CCS collects information about prospective students, applicants and enrolled students in its programs (referred to herein collectively as “students”) , as well as their family members or guardians.

What Information Is Collected?

CCS collects:

  • Contact information for students and their family members or guardians, including names, titles, telephone numbers, email, and home addresses;
  • Demographic information for students, including race, ethnicity, date of birth, citizenship status, birthplace, veteran status, information about family, marital status, and gender;
  • Academic information for students, including information about school or college, grades, transcripts, coursework, study abroad, contacts with Blackboard per course enrolled, and judicial sanctions;
  • Information and recommendations from faculty or advisors concerning students’ performance and suitability for a particular program;
  • Information about students’ abilities and interests, including information used for housing and roommate placements and for identifying potential internship and other experiences and opportunities; this may include language ability, interests, skills, preferred work environment, strengths and weaknesses, prior employment experience, and the like;
  • Financial information of students and their families for students who seek a grant, loan or scholarship to help pay for the program, including social security numbers;
  • Information about students’ individual health conditions or needs, including physical or mental health conditions, treatment or prescriptions, allergies, limitations or necessary accommodations, dietary restrictions, and the like;
  • Information about students’ disciplinary history at secondary school or a previous institution of higher education or at the College, including any actual or potential violation of the Code of Student Conduct by a matriculated student or directed towards such matriculated student. Those types of incidents may require the College to collect sensitive information about the student, including about sexual orientation or sexual activities, use of drugs or alcohol, or religious or philosophical beliefs or issues.
  • Via FAFSA, information about students’ income, assets, household size, citizenship information, limited information about drug related convictions, and confirmation of selective service registration;
  • Information about students’ career interests;
  • Information about students’ post-graduation career choices, address, email address, employment, and educational pursuits;
  • Information about students’ eligibility for federal loans, past and current;
  • Information about students’ participation in student government or official student organizations;
  • When students and their families make payments to the university, payment information;
  • For applicants to graduate programs, criminal history and information about past military service.
  • For international students, travel documents, including passport and visa information, and the like; and
  • For students taking online courses, IP addresses.

Why Is Personal Information Collected?

CCS is an institution of higher education that provides a variety of programming for students. To provide a meaningful, engaging and safe experience, CCS must collect personal information about students in its programs to permit the College to develop and administer academic programs, facilitate internships and other experiences, identify and provide housing arrangements, help students budget and pay for the programs, assess and provide any necessary accommodations for academic or living conditions, and to help students ensure a healthy and safe experience.

It is necessary for CCS to collect each piece of personal information identified above to perform the contract to provide and support CCS’ programs. Students cannot be admitted into CCS without providing contact information, academic information described above, and the College cannot assess whether to award a grant or scholarship without the financial information described above. It is highly unlikely that the College can place students in an internship program without the information about abilities and interests described below. Students may decline to provide information about health conditions or any need for accommodations, but in that event the College will not be able to make accommodations and may require students to sign a waiver regarding health issues. Students enrolled in CCS programs are bound to follow the College’s Code of Student Conduct and the College’s Sexual Misconduct Policy. The College will investigate and document all allegations of violations of those policies.

How Is Information Collected?

Information is collected through a variety of sources, including:

  • Student-provided information through CCS online applications or request for information form, or in response to questions posed by CCS staff;
  • Information from a student’s secondary school or previous institution of higher education;
  • College Board, ACT, Educational Testing Service, International English Language Testing System, and other similar third parties, which provide information to CCS and other colleges and universities at the student’s request;
  • U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs and other government agencies; and
  • Existing CCS student educational records.

How is Collected Information Used?

Collected information is used only for purposes of CCS operating its programs, including facilitating the educational experience and safety of students in the programs.

Who has Access to Collected Information?

  • CCS faculty and staff;
  • Third-parties who provide services to CCS or to students, pursuant to a contract with CCS;
  • Federal, state and local government agencies, as required by applicable law;
  • If a student will participate in an internship facilitated by CCS, the internship providers, as applicable; and
  • Certain kinds of information may be disclosed to third parties or made available publicly pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

How is Information Stored and Secured?

CCS uses College-managed, secure information technology systems to store electronic personal information, including systems that permit creating shared spaces that are accessible by CCS faculty and staff. CCS employs appropriate administrative, technical and physical security measures to protect paper or other physical records that contain personal information, including locked offices and file cabinets. CCS uses encrypted SecureMail for Restricted Use information that is subject to the College’s Data Protection Standards.

How Long Is Information Saved?

CCS maintains records as specified in its Record Retention Policy.

Correcting Information

Students who are or have been in attendance at CCS may request changes to their educational records or restrict the information disclosed as directory information as provided by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Other Rights

Under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you may have the right to access personal data that we store and process about you, and to request correction of that information if it is inaccurate. If the GDPR applies, you may also have the right to request deletion of certain personal data; ask that we restrict our use of the data; or object to automated decision-making using your data. Access includes, where applicable, the ability to download your personal data in a commonly-used format.

Please note we may not be able to grant your request in all circumstances, including when it would adversely affect the rights and freedoms of others.

Concerns?

If you have questions or concerns about the use of your personal data please contact the CCS Registrar at kladucer@collegeforcreativestudies.edu or contact the Academic Advising and Registration Office at 201 E. Kirby, Detroit, MI 48202.

Updates to this Notice

The College may change this Privacy Notice from time to time. If the College makes any significant changes in the way it treats your personal information, the updated notice will be posted on the College’s website through the Policy Database.

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress – Graduate Students

Graduate Students

The standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) measure a student’s academic progress using both qualitative and quantitative measurements. These measurements include a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) requirement, a Pace/Course Completion Rate requirement, and a Maximum Timeframe requirement.

Students who receive financial aid must demonstrate SAP as determined by the College for Creative Studies (CCS) in accordance with federal regulations. Financial aid recipients are required to be in good academic standing and to maintain satisfactory academic progress toward their degree requirements for each semester in which they are enrolled.

SAP is evaluated at the end of each term in which a student is enrolled (Fall, Winter, and Summer). Federal regulations require the College to evaluate students who receive federal financial aid using standards that are at least as strict as standards that apply to students who do not receive federal financial aid; CCS evaluates all students using the same standards. SAP is evaluated based on the student’s cumulative academic record.

REQUIREMENTS FOR MAINTAINING SAP

GRADE POINT AVERAGE

At the end of each semester, a student’s cumulative grade point average is calculated. He or she must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to achieve SAP.

REQUIRED PACE/COURSE COMPLETION RATE

Required course completion rate also determines SAP. Students must complete their academic program within 150% of the published length of the program. To meet this requirement, students must successfully complete, with a grade of C or better, at least two-thirds (67%) of attempted cumulative credit hours. Examples are as follows:

Credits AttemptedMust Complete
64
1510
3020

MAXIMUM TIMEFRAME (MTF)

Federal regulations require that a student must complete his or her educational program within a MTF no longer than 150% of the published length of the educational program measured in credit hours attempted.

Example: Graduate Student
If a graduate student is enrolled in an academic program that requires 60 credit hours for graduation, he or she would be allowed a maximum of 90 (60 x 150%) attempted credits in order to obtain his/her degree.

TRANSFER CREDITS

Courses that are transferred from another institution and accepted toward an academic degree program at the College (at the time of SAP Review) count as attempted and completed hours for Pace/Course Completion Rate (CCR) and MTF. The GPA is determined only with courses taken in residence at the College.

GRADE CHANGES

Students who have a grade change or incomplete grade changed after SAP has already been process for any semester must notify Academic Advising and Registration of the change. At that time SAP will be recalculated to determine if the SAP status needs to be modified and the Office of Academic Advising and Registration will notify the Office of Financial Aid.

CHANGE OF MAJOR/DEGREE

If a student decides to change majors, all classes already taken will count in the maximum timeframe SAP evaluation. It is possible a change of major could impact your SAP standing.

GRADES

Successful completion of attempted courses is required for SAP. Therefore, grades of A through C are acceptable unless otherwise specified. Courses for which these grades are received will be used to establish your cumulative GPA and CCR.

Grades of D, F (failing), I (incomplete), W or WN (withdraw), WF (withdraw-unofficial) are not acceptable. Courses for which these grades are received will not be counted as successfully completed courses and will be valued at 0.00 grade points, thus also lowering your CCR and cumulative GPA.

NOTE: Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, students have the option to request that their grade(s) be changed to P/NC (Pass/No Credit) for the Winter 2020, Fall 2020, and Winter 2021 semesters. Please see the Pass/No Credit – Winter 2020 and Pass/No Credit – 2020 – 2021 Academic Year policies for more details.

DROPPING CLASSES (after the Add/Drop period)

Courses for which a student is enrolled at the conclusion of the Add/Drop period will be used to determine attempted courses for the CCR. Therefore, if it is necessary to adjust one’s class schedule, it is best to do so during the Add/Drop period of the semester. Courses that are dropped after conclusion of the Add/Drop period will show a recorded grade of W or WN. This will be counted as an unsuccessfully completed course valued at 0.00 grade points, thus lowering your completion rate and cumulative GPA.

COMPLETE WITHDRAWALS (OFFICIAL OR UNOFFICIAL)

Students who officially withdraw from the College or stop participating in their courses (unofficial withdrawal) after the Add/Drop period are considered to have no successfully completed courses for the semester. This will lower your CCR and cumulative GPA and can result in being placed on Academic Probation or being suspended from the College resulting in the loss of financial aid eligibility if you already had a low pace/course completion rate or GPA or there are consecutive withdrawals over a number of semesters. Unofficial withdrawals will be reviewed at mid-term and end of the semester.  If a student has been determined to be unofficially withdrawn, the Office of Financial Aid (OFA) will reach out to all enrolled course professors to determine last date of attendance (LDA).  If the OFA does not receive a response, mid-term date will be used to determine the withdrawal date.

REPEATED COURSES

When a successfully completed course is repeated, the previous enrollment is not counted as a successfully completed course; therefore, this will lower your CCR. Only the last grade received is counted in the cumulative GPA.

Per the Federal Student Aid Handbook, students may repeat a course as many times as necessary to receive a passing grade and receive federal funding for that course. The federal definition of a passing grade is anything above an F.

Once the student has taken the course and received a grade above failing (anything above an F), the student may repeat the course only one additional time to try to earn a higher grade and receive federal financial aid funds. Any subsequent repeats of that course cannot be covered by federal financial aid funds. CCS does have some required courses that require at least a C grade per College policy. The College policy does not affect federal eligibility, so the student may still only retake this course one after receiving a grade above an F and receive federal funding.

FAILURE TO MEET SAP

SAP is monitored at the end of each semester and if a student fails to meet the 3.0 cumulative GPA requirement or does not complete two-thirds (67%) of the cumulative credit hours attempted to date, he or she will be placed on SAP financial aid warning for a period of one semester. During the SAP financial aid warning semester, a student can receive financial aid. If the student fails to raise the GPA to 3.0 or the completion rate to two-thirds (67%) at the end of the financial aid warning semester, they will lose eligibility for financial aid.

NOTIFICATION OF UNSATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS

Students who do not meet SAP standards will be notified, by the Director of Financial Aid, in writing via email, which will be sent to their College for Creative Studies email.

SAP APPEAL PROCESS

Students may appeal their loss of financial aid eligibility by submitting an appeal letter to the Director of Financial Aid. Appeals should be based on circumstances beyond the student’s control such as, injury or illness, death of a relative, or other special circumstances. The appeal must explain the failure to make satisfactory progress and what has changed that will allow satisfactory progress in the future.

If the appeal is approved, the student will be placed on SAP financial aid probation and will be required to follow an Academic Success Plan. This status is limited to one semester (or time as specified by the Academic Success Plan), during which the student may receive financial aid. At the end of that semester, a student on SAP financial aid probation will have his/her academic progress reviewed and must be meeting the SAP standards. If a student fails to meet these standards, the student loses financial aid eligibility.

REESTABLISH FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY WITHOUT AN APPEAL

Students who become ineligible for assistance can reestablish their eligibility by attending CCS at their own expense until they achieve the minimum SAP standards.

Note: Neither paying for classes nor sitting out periods of enrollment in and of themselves improves a student’s SAP standing; therefore, neither action is sufficient to regain financial aid eligibility.

Students with Disabilities

The transition to college can be very confusing and it helps to take advantage of all the resources available to you. If you have a disability, it may be in your best interest to communicate this.

All students are encouraged to disclose disabilities that they feel may affect their academic success. We want you to succeed, and our ability to offer you the best education is made possible if you are receiving the appropriate assistance.

The Americans with Disabilities Act in conjunction with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act are Federal laws that protect people with disabilities, both life-long as well as short-term disabilities.

Students identified as having any type of disability are entitled and encouraged to request accommodations.

Requesting Accommodations

As the student you will need to:

Contact the Dean of Students, Dan Long at 313.664.7675 or Email to discuss.

Students requesting accommodations must provide documentation substantiating their disability. This documentation may be either through the Disability Verification Form or by providing a letter from a treating doctor or mental health profession that includes the information outlined by the Disability Verification Form . It is important that whichever form of documentation you provide to the College include recommended accommodations that are related to the symptoms of your disability.

CCS will then:

  • Review your request for accommodations with you
    Take appropriate measures to provide approved accommodations
  • Information disclosed to CCS regarding disabilities will not be shared with anyone except CCS staff who will assist in meeting your accommodation needs. You will be notified prior to the sharing of any information regarding your disability.
  • You are encouraged to self-disclose your disability if you feel it will affect your academic performance. This should be done before the start of each term. You may choose to disclose at anytime during the semester but remember – retroactive accommodations cannot be made after an assignment is due or an exam has been taken. Disabilities accommodations are not meant to guarantee academic success at the College but are meant to provide equal access to educational opportunities to all individuals regardless of disabilities.

Transcripts and Enrollment Verification

Requests for copies of academic transcripts must be submitted in writing (with the student’s signature) to the Academic Advising and Registration Office or electronically. A $10 charge is assessed for each transcript.

Enrollment verifications are also available from the Academic Advising and Registration Office. There is no charge for the completion of enrollment verifications needed for insurance, loans, etc. A minimum of 3 working days is required for the processing of transcripts and enrollment verifications. Students requesting “on-the-spot” transcripts will be charged $15 for each copy.

“On-the-spot” transcript requests will be accepted only if time permits, subject to the approval of the registrar. Students may also view their transcripts through the WebAdvisor system. Once a student accesses the Registration and WebAdvisor tab, a transcript option is available under academic profile.

Smoking

State and local laws prohibit smoking in all parts of College buildings. City ordinance prohibits smoking within 15 feet of any building entrance.

In the interest of providing a safe and healthy environment for all staff, faculty, students and visitors, and in accordance with the Michigan Clean Indoor Act and the City of Detroit Smoking Pollution Control Ordinance, smoking is prohibited in all CCS buildings and within 15 feet of all building entrances and air intakes.

Enforcement of Policy

The success of this policy depends upon the thoughtfulness, consideration and cooperation of smokers and non-smokers. Students are encouraged to ask offending smokers to stop smoking. Any student smoking in a non-smoking area must immediately stop upon being requested to do so. Failure to do so will result in formal disciplinary action as outlined below.

Complaints

Complaints regarding the smoking of faculty and staff should be made to the Department Chair, the employee’s immediate supervisor or the Director of Human Resources. Complaints regarding students smoking should be made to the Director of Student Life.

Disciplinary Action

All student complaints should be made in writing to the Dean of Students. The Dean of Students will notify the student in writing that a complaint has been issued. A second offense will result in a $50 fine. A third offense will result in a $100 fine. Further violations will be subject to CCS disciplinary policies, up to and including expulsion.

Students wishing to contest the above may do so in writing to the Office of Student Affairs. Evidence of non-violation should be attached.

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress – Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate Students

The standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) measure a student’s academic progress using both qualitative and quantitative measurements. These measurements include a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) requirement, a Pace/Course Completion Rate requirement, and a Maximum Timeframe requirement.

Students who receive financial aid must demonstrate SAP as determined by the College for Creative Studies (CCS) in accordance with federal regulations. Financial aid recipients are required to be in good academic standing and to maintain satisfactory academic progress toward their degree requirements for each semester in which they are enrolled.

SAP is evaluated at the end of each term in which a student is enrolled (Fall, Winter, and Summer). Federal regulations require the College to evaluate students who receive federal financial aid using standards that are at least as strict as standards that apply to students who do not receive federal financial aid; CCS evaluates all students using the same standards. SAP is evaluated based on the student’s cumulative academic record.

REQUIREMENTS FOR MAINTAINING SAP

GRADE POINT AVERAGE

At the end of each semester, a student’s cumulative grade point average is calculated. He or she must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 to achieve SAP.

GRADE POINT AVERAGE REQUIREMENT FOR ART EDUCATION MAJORS

In the Art Education program it is the student’s responsibility to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 at the end of each term. Additionally, teacher candidates must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.70 in Art Education courses. Only grades of “C” or better will be accepted in required art education courses. If a student receives a grade of “C-” or below they must retake the course to obtain a grade of “C” or better. The higher grade is always recorded for purposes of calculating cumulative GPA; each attempt is counted as “credits attempted” but only the attempt associated with the higher grade is counted as a successfully completed course for purposes of the Pace/Course Completion Rate. The Center for Tutoring and Writing is available for all students seeking assistance with any course content.

REQUIRED PACE/COURSE COMPLETION RATE

Required course completion rate also determines SAP. Students must complete their academic program within 150% of the published length of the program. To meet this requirement, students must successfully complete, with a grade of D- or better, at least two-thirds (67%) of attempted cumulative credit hours. Examples are as follows:

Credits AttemptedMust Complete
64
128
1510
1812
6644
10067
12684

MAXIMUM TIMEFRAME (MTF)

Federal regulations require that a student must complete his or her educational program within a MTF no longer than 150% of the published length of the educational program measured in credit hours attempted.

Example: Undergraduate Student
If an undergraduate student is enrolled in an academic program that requires 127 credit hours for graduation, he or she would be allowed a maximum of 191 (127 x 150%) attempted credits in order to obtain his/her degree.

Example: Undergraduate Art Education Student
If an undergraduate Art Education student is enrolled in an academic program that requires 148 credit hours for graduation, he or she would be allowed a maximum of 222 (148 x 150%) attempted credits in order to obtain his/her degree.

TRANSFER CREDITS

Courses that are transferred from another institution and accepted toward an academic degree program at the College (at the time of SAP Review) count as attempted and completed hours for Pace/Course Completion Rate (CCR) and MTF. The GPA is determined only with courses taken in residence at the College.

GRADE CHANGES

Students who have a grade change or incomplete grade changed after SAP has already been process for any semester must notify Academic Advising and Registration of the change. At that time SAP will be recalculated to determine if the SAP status needs to be modified and the Office of Academic Advising and Registration will notify the Office of Financial Aid.

CHANGE OF MAJOR/DEGREE

If a student decides to change majors, all classes already taken will count in the maximum timeframe SAP evaluation. It is possible a change of major could impact your SAP standing.

SECOND DEGREE

If you are obtaining a second degree, you will need to have a degree audit performed to determine your new SAP standing. This will allow Financial Aid to create a new Maximum Timeframe.

GRADES

Successful completion of attempted courses is required for SAP. Therefore, grades of A through D- are acceptable unless otherwise specified. Courses for which these grades are received will be used to establish your cumulative GPA and CCR.

Grades of F (failing), I (incomplete), W or WN (withdraw), WF (withdraw-unofficial) are not acceptable. Courses for which these grades are received will not be counted as successfully completed courses and will be valued at 0.00 grade points, thus also lowering your CCR and cumulative GPA.

NOTE: Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, students have the option to request that their grade(s) be changed to P/NC (Pass/No Credit) for the Winter 2020, Fall 2020, and Winter 2021 semesters. Please see the Pass/No Credit – Winter 2020 and Pass/No Credit – 2020 – 2021 Academic Year policies for more details.

DROPPING CLASSES (after the Add/Drop period)

Courses for which a student is enrolled at the conclusion of the Add/Drop period will be used to determine attempted courses for the CCR. Therefore, if it is necessary to adjust one’s class schedule, it is best to do so during the Add/Drop period of the semester. Courses that are dropped after conclusion of the Add/Drop period will show a recorded grade of W or WN. This will be counted as an unsuccessfully completed course valued at 0.00 grade points, thus lowering your completion rate and cumulative GPA.

COMPLETE WITHDRAWALS (OFFICIAL OR UNOFFICIAL)

Students who officially withdraw from the College or stop participating in their courses (unofficial withdrawal) after the Add/Drop period are considered to have no successfully completed courses for the semester. This will lower your CCR and cumulative GPA and can result in being placed on Academic Warning or being suspended from the College resulting in the loss of financial aid eligibility if you already had a low pace/course completion rate or GPA or there are consecutive withdrawals over a number of semesters. Unofficial withdrawals will be reviewed at mid-term and end of the semester.  If a student has been determined to be unofficially withdrawn, the Office of Financial Aid (OFA) will reach out to all enrolled course professors to determine last date of attendance (LDA).  If the OFA does not receive a response, mid-term date will be used to determine the withdrawal date.

REPEATED COURSES

When a successfully completed course is repeated, the previous enrollment is not counted as a successfully completed course; therefore, this will lower your CCR. Only the last grade received is counted in the cumulative GPA.

Per the Federal Student Aid Handbook, students may repeat a course as many times as necessary to receive a passing grade and receive federal funding for that course. The federal definition of a passing grade is anything above an F.

Once the student has taken the course and received a grade above failing (anything above an F), the student may repeat the course only one additional time to try to earn a higher grade and receive federal financial aid funds. Any subsequent repeats of that course cannot be covered by federal financial aid funds. CCS does have some required courses that require at least a C grade per College policy. The College policy does not affect federal eligibility, so the student may still only retake this course one after receiving a grade above an F and receive federal funding.

EXAMPLE: A student has taken a course requiring a C grade and received above an F but less than a C. The student takes the course a second time but again earns less than a C. The student must continue to retake the course to pass it per CCS policy but is no longer eligible for federal financial aid for that course. If the student subsequently enrolls for 12 credits, including the course they are having to repeat, only 9 of those credits are eligible for federal financial aid. Institutional aid is not affected and can still be processed at the full-time amount. Students who are enrolled for 15 credits are not affected since they will still have 12 eligible credits and would still be considered full-time.

FAILURE TO MEET SAP

SAP is monitored at the end of each semester and if a student fails to meet the 2.0 cumulative GPA requirement or does not complete two-thirds (67%) of the cumulative credit hours attempted to date, he or she will be placed on SAP financial aid warning for a period of one semester. During the SAP financial aid warning semester, a student can receive financial aid. If the student fails to raise the GPA to 2.0 or the completion rate to two-thirds (67%) at the end of the financial aid warning semester, they will lose eligibility for financial aid.

NOTIFICATION OF UNSATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS

Students who do not meet SAP standards will be notified, by the Director of Financial Aid, in writing via email, which will be sent to their College for Creative Studies email.

SAP APPEAL PROCESS

Students may appeal their loss of financial aid eligibility by submitting an appeal letter to the Director of Financial Aid. Appeals should be based on circumstances beyond the student’s control such as, injury or illness, death of a relative, or other special circumstances. The appeal must explain the failure to make satisfactory progress and what has changed that will allow satisfactory progress in the future.

If the appeal is approved, the student will be placed on SAP financial aid probation and will be required to follow an Academic Success Plan. This status is limited to one semester (or time as specified by the Academic Success Plan), during which the student may receive financial aid. At the end of that semester, a student on SAP financial aid probation will have his/her academic progress reviewed and must be meeting the SAP standards. If a student fails to meet these standards, the student loses financial aid eligibility.

REESTABLISH FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY WITHOUT AN APPEAL

Students who become ineligible for assistance can reestablish their eligibility by attending CCS at their own expense until they achieve the minimum SAP standards.

Note: Neither paying for classes nor sitting out periods of enrollment in and of themselves improves a student’s SAP standing; therefore, neither action is sufficient to regain financial aid eligibility.

Undergraduate Student Readmission

Students returning to CCS after an absence of more than two consecutive academic years or students who seek readmission after suspension must complete the Application for Readmission. This application along with a $50 nonrefundable readmission fee should be submitted to the Academic Advising and Registration Office at least two months prior to the start of the semester the student wishes to attend. Official transcripts with final grades from other institutions attended during the absence from CCS should be included with the readmission application.

Readmitted students must meet the program and graduation requirements in effect at the time of readmission. Studio courses older than seven years at the time of readmission cannot be used toward the degree, except with prior written approval from the Department Chair and Director of Academic Advising and Registration. The Department Chair must review and approve studio courses completed prior to the seven-year limit or taken at another college during the absence from CCS. This approval will be based on the student’s ability to demonstrate current curriculum proficiency as evidenced by a review of a current portfolio. The cumulative grade point average for all readmitted students includes all CCS grades, regardless of how much time elapsed between enrollments.

Students who have left for mandatory military service are able to resume studies at CCS without completing the readmission application for up to three academic years from the time of their withdrawal.

Procedure

Readmission for students in good standing:

Readmission for Students in Good Standing: Students, who left CCS in good academic standing with a grade point average of 2.0 or higher, should complete the Application for Readmission and attach the $50 Readmission Fee. Students will be notified via mail when their application has been processed.

Readmission after academic suspension:

Students applying for readmission after academic suspension, must complete the Application for Readmission, attach the $50 Readmission Fee, and address the problems that led to the academic suspension and put forth the case for the student’s success upon returning to CCS. This information should be provided in the “Student Explanation” section of the Application for Readmission. The Committee on Academic Performance will review appeals for readmission after academic suspension. If approved, the student’s academic standing would carry the status of “Continued Academic Warning.”

Readmission after suspension related to conduct:

Students applying for readmission after suspension related to conduct must complete the Application for Readmission, attach the $50 Readmission Fee, and include any relevant information that will build a case for the student’s success upon returning to CCS. This information should be provided in the “Student Explanation” section of the readmission application. The Dean of Students will review appeals for readmission after a conduct suspension.

Graduation Requirements

To be certified for graduation, students must:

  1. Fulfill all departmental and academic course requirements for graduation in his/her major as outlined in the College catalog. Students have the option of electing the requirements listed in the catalog that was in effect at the time of their most recent admission to the college or those in the catalog that is in effect at the time of their final course completion.
  2. Receive departmental permission to graduate based on a final review and exhibition of their work, unless waived by the department. Departmental permission to graduate is good for one year. Students who fail to complete their degree requirements within one year of being approved to graduate must be re-approved and have their portfolio re-reviewed prior to receiving their degree.
  3. Undergraduate students must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 (C). Graduate students must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 (B)
  4. Have all official transcripts from other schools on file in the Academic Advising and Registration Office no later than the last day of the drop/add period of the semester that graduation is to occur.
  5. Be enrolled at the College for Creative Studies at the time that their degree is awarded.
  6. File an Application for Graduation with the Academic Advising and Registration Office prior to the start of the anticipated final semester.

A commencement ceremony takes place in the spring and fall semesters. Students who have applied for graduation and have completed all their requirements for graduation within the year preceding this event are invited to participate.