College Website, Publications and Event Requirements: College Liability Protection
This section of the College Website, Publication and Event Requirements covers issues related to college liability protection.
Citation
Department of Education Office of Civil Rights: Guidelines for Vocational Education Programs: Public Notification
Frequency
Annually (before the start of fall quarter)
Location
Local media and/or community-based organizations as determined by college. It is not required to be published on the website, unless it is evident that this is the best way to disseminate the Annual notice of non-discrimination. Research must backup the avenues in which the college chooses to advertise the annual notice.
Description
Content
Colleges must advise students, parents, employees, and the general public that all vocational opportunities will be offered without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age.
The notice must:
- Be made prior to the beginning of each school year
- Advise students, parents/guardians, employees and the general public of the policy of nondiscrimination
- Contain an assurance that lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in career and technical education programs
- Be distributed to communities of national origin minority persons with limited English language skills in their native language
- Provide a brief summary of program offerings
- Provide a brief description of admission criteria
- Provide the name, title, office address, telephone number, and email address of the person(s) designated to coordinate Title IX and Section 504 compliance
- On a website, instructions on how to file a civil rights complaint and a full list (including handouts and training materials) of the Title IX coordinators training
On printed material, using the title of the individual charged with these tasks is acceptable, however OCR requires individuals in charge of ensuring compliance be identified by name on websites as changing this information is not costly or time-consuming.
Distribution
Disseminate the annual notification via their main website, if it can be demonstrated that it would reach the community it serves, within one click from the homepage. Announcement of this policy of non-discrimination may also be made in local newspapers, recipient publications, and/or other media that reach the general public, program beneficiaries, minorities (including national origin minorities with limited English language skills), women, and people with a disability. Publicizing on the college's website may fulfill this requirement, unless the service area has a large population of people who do not have internet access.
The college should perform a study of the service area to determine if it contains a “community of national origin minority persons with limited English language skills”.
The notice must include specific point of contact and that individual’s contact information.
Example
___________ College offers career and technical education programs in accounting, business administration, computer applications technology, medical technology, early childhood education, addiction studies, emergency medical technician, and agriculture. (This list will vary depending on the programs offered at your college.)
__________ College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age. (Note: Colleges are welcome to add more protected categories however these core groups must be included using the exact terms shown.) The following person(s) have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Name, title, location of office/address, phone number, and email (Note: the notice must include all the information noted for both the Title IX (civil rights) and Title II (disability) coordinator.
___________ College will take steps to ensure that the lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in all educational and vocational education programs.
Citation
Department of Education Office of Civil Rights: Guidelines for Vocational Education Programs: Public Notification
Frequency
Continuous
Location
College printed and electronic publications and website. The continuous statement must be easy and intuitive to find. It must also be accessible to people with sensory impairments such as blindness, hard of hearing and deafness.
On printed material, using the title of the individual charged with these tasks is acceptable, however OCR requires individuals in charge of ensuring compliance be identified by name on websites as changing this information is not costly or time-consuming.
Description
The Office of Civil Rights of the US Department of Education investigates and enforces the federal non-discrimination laws when there is a complaint. They expect the long form statement to contain all of the required information and to be posted prominently on websites and other locations throughout the college, including catalogs, bulletins, applications, etc.; publications that go out to students and applicants. The long form statement must include a reference to the person designated to coordinate complaints regarding discrimination.
- Notice available in alternate formats if requested: Braille; international languages.
- Must include specific point of contact and that individual’s contact information.
- Print the full non-discrimination statement with contacts in each of these publications,
plus any other prominently-used forms and publications:
- Class Schedule
- Catalog
- Student/Staff handbooks
- College website
- Disability Services materials
- Athletic program handbooks
- Print the grievance procedure in student and employee handbook, college website, and college catalog.
- Print the non-discrimination statement on the college application. Don’t ask questions that identify a person’s protected status.
- Posters for musical/theatrical performances are not required to include the non-discrimination statement. However, if accommodations are available to the audience, it is helpful to print contact information for these services.
- Posters providing campus information for services (tutoring/advising/rooms/times etc.) do not require a non-discrimination statement.
Example
__________ College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:
Name, title, location of office/address, phone number, email address (Note: the notice must include all the information noted for both the Title IX (civil rights) and Title II (disability) coordinator.).
For further information on notice of non-discrimination, visit https://ocrcas.ed.gov/contact-ocr for the address and phone number of the office that serves your area, or call 1-800-421-3481.
Citation
Under the direction from the Office of the Attorney General
Frequency
Continuous
Location
Schedule and catalog
Description
This language was developed after several colleges were sued – and lost – for making unsubstantiated claims of high wages for graduates, job opportunities, and transferability of professional-technical college credits/degrees in their marketing materials.
Example
The college’s total liability for claims arising from a contractual relationship with the student in any way related to classes or programs shall be limited to the tuition and expenses paid by the student to the college for those classes or programs. In no event shall the college be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including but not limited to, loss of earnings or profits.
Frequency
Continuous
Location
Link to page from website footer.
Description
Includes, but not limited to:
- Information collected and how it is used
- Personal information and choice
- Public access to information
- Nondisclosure of certain personal information
- Credit Card Payment
- Degree Audit
- Financial Aid Inquiry
- Hope and Lifetime Learning Tax Credit
- Registration
- Registration Appointment
- Schedule Planner
- Student Address Change
- Student PIN Change
- Student Schedule
- Unofficial Transcript
- Review and correction of personally identifiable information
- Cookies
- Security
- Disclaimer
- College contact information
Example
Citation
Under the direction from the Office of the Attorney General
Frequency
Continuous
Location
Schedule, catalog, website
Description
Legal disclaimer
Example
Seattle Central College has made reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy of the information throughout this website. However, the college reserves the right to make appropriate changes in procedures, policies, calendars, requirements, programs, courses and fees. When feasible, changes will be announced prior to their effective dates, but the college assumes no responsibility for giving any particular notice of any such changes. Changes may apply not only to prospective students, but also to those who are currently enrolled. Nothing contained in this website shall be construed to create any offer to contract or any contractual rights.
We encourage readers to contact the college or appropriate office to obtain current information.
Citation
Department of Education & Washington State Human Rights Commission
Frequency
Continuous
Location
Link to page from website footer
Description
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, RCW 28B.10.910 through 28B.10.914.
