info STUDENT

Academic Foundations

TABLE OF CONTENTS Student Conduct Attendance and Academic Performance

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Appeals Academic Honesty

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Cell Phones Exams & Testing Exams Missed Tests or Assignments

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Test Re-writes

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Diploma/Equivalency Options Timetable & Appointments Timetable Changes

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Appointments Materials Fee

Welcome to the

Academic Foundations Department We are very pleased you chose Bow Valley College. Our staff is dedicated and experienced. The entire team from our department and everyone at the College is here to help you succeed. A new start means new and exciting opportunities. You will meet interesting people, make new friends and above all learn new content and skills. Enjoy your learning experience and good luck with your courses.

Mandatory Materials Fee Here to Help You

Faculty and Staff, Academic Foundations

Financial Aid Advisor

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Counsellors Student Advisors Tutor Assistance

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Awards and Financial Assistance Student Web Portal

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Phone Numbers Emergency Procedures

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Procedures and Lockdowns

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STUDENT CONDUCT

Academic Honesty Academic honesty is expected of all students enrolled at Bow Valley College. Academic dishonesty includes:

All Academic Foundations students are expected to work together with other students and staff to ensure a positive learning, working, and social environment. For more details, read the Code of Conduct and Learner Rights and Responsibilities in your Learner’s Handbook. Attendance and Academic Performance Full-time and part-time students in Academic Foundations programs are expected to attend all classes and keep passing marks in your courses. You can review your course marks and instructor comments on Jupiter Grades. If problems arise regarding your performance, you should discuss the situation with your instructor. Then, if necessary, you may contact your Coordinator or a Counsellor. If you are failing a course at midterm, you will be advised to meet a Coordinator immediately and may be put on academic probation. If you are absent for 5 unexcused days of class or 10 days (unexcused and excused) in total in a course, you may be placed on attendance probation if: - you are failing the course or are behind in assignments/tests or - your absences are impacting the class or instruction or - you are not conducting yourself in a manner respectful of the learning environment. The attendance probation applies throughout both the current term and your next term in Academic Foundations. If you fail to meet the expectations of the probation or continue to have significant attendance and performance issues, the Program Coordinator will withdraw you from the program or course. Any absence from class, excused or unexcused, for more than 15 consecutive school days will normally result in withdrawal, whether or not you are on attendance probation. For students receiving Alberta Works funding, withdrawal from a course or a program results in Alberta Works funding being withdrawn. Appeals The Academic Foundations department follows the College’s “Learner Appeals” policy. The department provides the intermediate option of a learner making an appeal to the Dean before taking the step of submitting a formal appeal to the College Appeals Committee. An “Appeal to the Dean” form is available from the Academic Foundations Reception desk for this purpose.

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1. Plagiarism: that which is represented as one’s own work and has been copied from any outside source, including other students’ work and the Internet.

2. Cheating: copying, falsifying, stealing, or aiding others in such dishonest activities. 3. Modification and/or falsification of documents or records. 4. Theft, or attempted theft, of examination or any academic materials. 5. Submitting the same assignment in two different classes. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and will result in consequences ranging from a reprimand to expulsion from the college. The consequences of plagiarism (submitting another’s work as your own) are immediate and long-lasting. Any plagiarized work will be forwarded to the Coordinator who will discuss the penalties with you. The first penalty is that your assignment will receive a mark of zero (even if only part of an assignment is plagiarized). Students who have plagiarized will be disqualified from receiving any Bow Valley College award. Furthermore, any student who has plagiarized will be disqualified from being awarded Dean’s List or Honour Roll status and will find that his/her instructor may not be willing to write letters of recommendation or reference. Repeated offences will result in more severe actions being taken by the department. Cell Phones In the classroom: Learners are expected to have their cell phones turned off during class time. There should be no calls or text messaging. If a learner is expecting an urgent or emergency call, the learner needs to inform the instructor before the start of class and the phone needs to be set on silent (vibrate) mode. If the learner receives an urgent or emergency call, the learner should step outside of the classroom while dealing with the call. During tests: All electronic devices, including cell phones, mobiles and PDAs, must be turned off and stored. The only exceptions to this are devices explicitly allowed (e.g. calculators allowed in certain math tests). Failure to comply with this rule may be considered academic dishonesty and dealt with as such (see college and department Academic Honesty Policies). 5

Exams & Testing

Exams Your final exams will be written during the last two weeks of the trimester. Exam schedules will be posted at least two weeks before the writing date. Picture identification is required for all exams (including diploma exams). Approved calculators (with memory cleared) will be allowed unless otherwise stated. Instructors will inform you if there are additional rules for specific exams. You must contact your Program Coordinator if you miss or are unable to write a final exam. In no cases is a learner allowed to write a missed final examination at a later date.

Diploma/Equivalency Options Students in 30-level courses are automatically registered to write the Diploma Exam. If you would prefer to write the Equivalency Exam, you need to fill out a selection sheet during the first week of classes. You will get the selection sheet from your instructor. Students will not be allowed to change their selection after this time. Description

Equivalency Course

Diploma Exam Course

Accepted as a prerequisite for other college and university programs in Alberta

Yes — listed in the Alberta post-secondary transfer guide

Yes

Accepted in other provinces

Out-of-province institutions will review for acceptance

Out-of-province institutions will review for acceptance

Receive Bow Valley college credit

Yes

Yes

Credit received

Adult Education credit

Alberta Education credit

Content, scope, and length of the course

Same for both courses

Same for both courses

Class mark (end of course)

Not sent to Alberta Education

Sent to Alberta Education

Final exam

Worth 50% of the course mark

Worth 50% of the course mark or worth 100% if the diploma exam mark is higher than the school mark

Final exam dates

During the last two weeks of the trimester

January, June, and August (as set by the province); some subjects written in April and November

Can attend diploma preparation sessions

Yes

Yes

Re-writes

Not Available

Available (fee)

Challenge

Not available

Available January, June, and August (exam mark will be worth 100%)

Students are not admitted into the test room after the first hour of the exam. Diploma exams are government exams and cannot be re-scheduled. Missed Tests or Assignments If a learner misses a test or assignment due to an excused absence, he/she may write the test or hand in the assignment upon returning to class. This applies to only one assignment and one test per course per term. The learner must advise his/her instructors of the absence and provide appropriate documentation (e.g. medical note, etc.). It is the learner’s responsibility to contact the instructor prior to the absence or immediately after returning from an absence to arrange a suitable exam time or hand in time for the assignment. Test Re-Writes for a Higher Mark for High School Students 1. Learners are allowed one test rewrite for a better mark per course per term. 2. Learners who rewrite a test will receive the mark that is the higher of the marks from the two writings.

3. The instructor determines the date of the rewrite. 4. In exceptional circumstances, a coordinator in consultation with the instructor may approve additional rewrites as part of an overall remediation plan for an at-risk student.

5. Learners need to request the rewrite at least one week before the last class day of the course. (Note: this means regular class day, not final exam date.)

6. Test rewrites are not allowed for final examinations.

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TIMETABLE & APPOINTMENTS materials fee Timetable Changes If you need to make changes to your timetable, please ensure you do so during the specified times set up by the department. Timetable changes are available a few days before the trimester starts and during the first two days of classes. Signs will be posted on the Academic Foundations bulletin board with the dates and times that you can make timetable changes. If you require changes, due to medical or childcare reasons, please bring supporting documentation.

The mandatory materials fee is for materials used in classes (handouts, additional texts or resources, lab supplies, etc.) Materials fees are not paid directly to the College as part of funding through Student Finance Board. It is the students responsibility to pay the Materials Fee to the College by the deadline at the beginning of every trimester. If you fail to do so, you will not be allowed to attend classes. This can also result in withdrawal from the program.

here to help you

Appointments Please go to the Academic Foundations Reception desk on the 5th floor if you need to see one of your instructors, a Coordinator, or the Student Success officer.

Financial Aid Advisor The Financial Aid Advisor helps funded students in these situations: - report changes in your circumstances to the Government - understand your Government Financial Aid (calculation, letters) - problems with your Government Financial Aid - additional Financial Aid - emergency or financial problems - an overpayment Counsellors Counsellors assist students in the following areas: Academic: - test anxiety, study skills, educational and career planning Personal: - family and relationship difficulties; grieving or stress - crisis intervention (suicide/violence threat intervention) - mental health issues - disability concerns Appointments with the Financial Aid Advisor and Counsellors can be booked through Learner Success Services in room 344.

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here to help you cont.

Student Advisors

Your myBVC Student Web Portal

Student Advisors provide assistance to students with the following:

As a student at Bow Valley College, it is essential that you log into your mybvc.ca account regularly as it is an important communication method between you and the College.

- applying for government funding or reauthorization of funding - changing your courses or your goals - stepping-out Drop-in appointments are available on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at the Front Counter Reception of Registrar’s office.

- receive sensitive and urgent information from the Department about your progress and attendance

Tutor Assistance

- accept and respond to award nominations

You may book appointments and/or ask questions by phone or email. Tutors are available throughout the day, Monday to Friday. Tutor assistance for courses is available through tutors located on the 2nd floor in Room 260. Tutor schedules are also available at the Academic Foundations Reception desk.

- receive confirmation if you are an award winner

Academic Preparation Tutor

- access information about College policies

(403) 410-1567 [email protected] High School Tutors Math/Science (403) 410-1509 [email protected] English/Social Studies W(403) 410-1521 [email protected] Awards and Financial Assistance There are numerous monetary awards available to students based on both academic achievement and financial need. To apply for an award please visit www.bvcawards.ca. You will need your mybvc.ca user name and password to access the awards portal. For information on emergency funding please see the Student Success Officer on the 5th floor in Academic Foundations.

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Here are just a few of the benefits of using your mybvc.ca account:

- receive notification of award nominations

- receive updates on and invitations to College events - communicate with instructors and other college staff - print out your timetable Please make every effort to access your mybvc.ca account regularly. Phone Numbers Bow Valley College ........................................................................................................................... 410-1400 Academic Foundations ................................................................................................................. 410-1500 Library and Learning Commons ............................................................................................... 410-1647 Students’ Association ...................................................................................................................... 410-1695 Learner Success Services .............................................................................................................. 410-1440 Health Services .................................................................................................................................... 410-1675 Financial Aid ......................................................................................................................................... 410-1420 Aboriginal Centre .............................................................................................................................. 410-1786 Bookstore .................................................................................................................................................. 410-1740 Lost and Found ................................................................................................................................... 410-1713 Student Affairs .................................................................................................................................... 410-1723

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EMERGENCY PROCEDURES While we strive to keep Bow Valley College as safe as possible, it is important to know emergency procedures, should any emergencies occur. Evacuations occur in situations such as fire emergencies: 1. When the alarm goes off, use the stairs to get out of the building. 2. Move away from the building and follow all instructions. Go to a designated meeting place. (See below)

3. Do not return to the building until you are told to do so. The designated meeting places are as follows: Good weather - Olympic Plaza or Education Building Bad weather - Delta Bow Valley or City Hall

1. Delta Bow Valley Hotel

4 Ave SE

2. Education Building Park

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3. BVC Main Campus

5 Ave SE

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4. Olympic Plaza

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5. City Hall

6 Ave SE

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4 St SE

4 Stephen Ave/ 8 Ave SE

3 St SE

Centre St

7 Ave SE

1 St SE

Macleod Trail

9 Ave SE

Lockdowns

1. Close the doors to the room you are in and turn off the lights. 2. Turn phones to “silent” and keep quiet. 3. Remain where you are until an announcement indicates that you are safe to leave.

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