Attendance
While individual instructor policies may vary, punctual and regular attendance is expected. Check your course syllabus for your instructor’s attendance policy. Instructors are required to submit Never Attended Forms immediately after the census date (15%) of each session if a student has never attended their course. Attendance policy plays no role in submitting a Never Attended Form. When absence from a class becomes necessary, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor prior to the absence whenever possible. The student is responsible for the subsequent completion of all coursework missed during an absence. Frequent absences may result in administrative withdrawal from a class and the termination or reduction of veterans’ benefits and other programs of financial assistance.
Students With Disabilities
Purpose
To provide appropriate Instructional Accommodation Plans (IAPs) to students with documented disabilities as mandated by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 (as amended).
Procedure
Consistent with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 (as amended), John Tyler Community College (the “college”) guarantees that no qualified individual shall by reason of disability be denied access to, participation in, or the benefits of college. Each qualified person shall receive appropriate, reasonable accommodations upon request to ensure full and equal access to educational opportunities, programs, and activities. Further, reasonable accommodations must be instituted in institutional programs and departmental policies in order to ensure full educational opportunities for all students. The intent of these accommodations is not to alter the academic standards of the College, but to allow the unique needs of students to be met. This policy applies to all credit and non-credit classes offered at the College.
It is the responsibility of a student with a disability to self-identify and provide appropriate documentation, if requested, to support reasonable accommodations to the Disability Support Services (DSS) professional counselor at either the Chester or Midlothian campuses. Per VCCS policy, in order to provide appropriate and reasonable accommodations to the students with disabilities who seek them, the College requires documentation from a qualified professional that includes a full clinical description and current functional limitations. This documentation should also include information about the methodology used to make a diagnosis, specific results of the assessments used, summary data, and specific assessment scores based on adult norms where having such additional information will assist the DSS professional counselor in engaging in a deliberative and collaborative decision-making process that considers each student’s unique situation and experience, but not where requesting such information becomes overly burdensome to the student.
- Once a student with a disability self-identifies, it is the responsibility of the DSS professional counselor charged with the review of disability documentation to consult with the student and prepare a specific Instructional Accommodation Plan (IAP). The Professional Counselor will then provide the student with copies of their IAP to present to the student’s instructors.
- Requests for IAPs will be processed by the DSS professional counselor in a timely fashion; however, the College reserves the right to take up to thirty (30) days from the initial intake appointment to develop and provide the appropriate accommodations. A student with a disability who requires assistance should contact the DSS professional counselor at least thirty (30) days prior to the need for accommodations.
- Faculty are required to comply immediately with the IAP and only provide the accommodations that are authorized. Upon receipt of the IAP, faculty should meet privately with the student, as soon as possible, to discuss the accommodations and should maintain and respect student privacy. Faculty should contact a DSS professional counselor with any questions or concerns regarding the IAP or if they need support in providing the approved accommodations.
Appeal
To appeal the decision of the DSS professional counselor regarding the approval or implementation of accommodations, students should follow the Student Grievance Policy. Please see the Student Grievance Policy (19.19.15) in the Student Handbook.
Disability Services/Accessibility Services
John Tyler Community College has an institutional commitment to serving students with disabilities and to assisting those students in pursuit of their education beyond high school. To support this commitment:
- The college has designated a counselor as a disabilities support services specialist at each campus.
- The college’s campuses and physical environment are fully accessible.
Support services available include:
- Testing accommodations to include placement testing
- Instructional accommodations plans
- Consultation services for faculty and staff
- Assistance with registration
- Career counseling
- Books in alternate format
- Assistive technology
- Free access to Kurzweil 3000, an educational technology tool that reading assistance, comprehension support, and support for improving writing and test-taking skills
Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals
Service Animals
Service Animal: a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind; alerting people who are deaf; pulling a wheelchair; alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure; reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications; calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack; or performing other duties. Service Animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as Service Animals under the ADA.
The student (handler) or individual (handler) is not required to register a service animal with the Disability Support Services (DSS) office nor may the College require documentation for review by the DSS office before the dog is allowed on campus. An individual with a service animal is not required to obtain permission to bring the service dog on campus. Service dogs are not designated on the student’s Instructional Accommodation Plan (IAP). Students who have service animals may or may not have other accommodations.
When a student appears with a service animal, the college may ask only two questions:
1.) Is the dog required because of a disability?
2.) What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
These are the only two questions that may be asked. The college may not inquire as to the nature of the student’s disability. The college may not attempt to verify or confirm that the animal performs the service indicated by the student (handler).
The student (handler) or individual (handler) is expected to maintain control of the animal at all times. If the presence of a service animal causes a disruption, please call the DSS office on either campus as soon as possible to enlist their assistance in resolving the matter.
If there are any other problems or concerns about having a service animal present-i.e. allergies or fear of the animal-please contact one of the DSS professional counselors on either campus as soon as possible for their assistance in resolving the matter.
Emotional Support Animal (ESA)
Emotional Support Animal (ESA): an animal that provides emotional or other support that mitigates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability. An ESA is not a Service Animal and thus not entitled to the same privileges as a Service Animal. For example, the companionship of a dog may reduce the anxiety level of a war veteran empowering the veteran to attend college. ESAs are not trained to perform a specific task.
Emotional Support Animals (ESA) are not service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and John Tyler Community College (JTCC) may deny ESA/pets on campus. JTCC shall treat any ESA request as an accommodation request under ADA guidelines and determine whether it is reasonable. As with all accommodation requests, the JTCC DSS office will engage in an interactive process with the student making the request.
An individual who wishes to bring an ESA to campus must obtain approval through the DSS office on either campus and, if approved, the ESA accommodation must be listed on the student’s Instructional Accommodation Plan (IAP). The IAP must be presented to the instructor before the ESA will be allowed in the classroom.
As with a service animal, the student (handler) is expected to maintain control of the ESA at all times. If the presence of the animal causes a disruption, or if there are other concerns, contact the DSS office at either campus as soon as possible for assistance in resolving the matter.
See Disability Support Services for additional information.
Differences between high school and college
As students make the transition from high school to college, it is important to recognize the significant differences between the two education levels.
By law, Virginia public high schools guarantee all students an education through age 21 or graduation with a regular diploma. Schools are required to screen and evaluate students who may have a disability. An Individualized Education Program (IEP) shall be developed for any student identified as having a disability, and schools shall provide appropriate fundamental services and accommodations to meet that student’s needs.
While they are not guaranteed an education at a college, students cannot be discriminated against. Colleges are not obligated to screen or evaluate students for possible disabilities. Students are responsible for providing documentation, when requested, to the College’s Disability Support Specialists, and the college shall provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities.
Taking a lead role
Self-advocacy is key for any student entering college. Students are encouraged to articulate their needs. Doing so will help students gain confidence, assist them in taking responsibility for their college choices, and help them realistically plan for their futures. Family members can help with the transition by offering support and encouragement.
The student’s obligations
A student with a disability has an obligation to:
- Identify and disclose their need for accommodations to the Disability Support Services (DSS) professional counselor. Students should submit the DSS Intake Form to initiate their request for accommodations;
- If needed, provide documentation that supports the request for accommodations at least 30 days prior to the need for accommodations;
- Communicate with the DSS professional counselor to complete an intake interview.
- Provide their instructional accommodation plan (IAP), which outlines accommodations established through the intake, to faculty and staff to initiate use of accommodations.
- If disability-related support or assistance is needed, contact the DSS professional counselor.
To initiate Disability Support Services, please fill out the DSS Intake Form.
Once your DSS Intake form has been submitted, a professional counselor will contact you to schedule an intake. If you need assistance filling out the form, please contact one of the DSS offices listed below.
Testing Services Provided by Disability Support Services
To request a reservation to take a proctored test with Disability Support Services using your accommodations, please submit the Proctored Test Reservation Form.
Contacts for Disability Support Services/Accessibility Services:
Chester Campus
Heather Atkinson
hatkinson@jtcc.edu
Professional Counselor and Disability Support Specialist
Chester Campus, Moyar Hall, Room M107
804-706-5165
Hours of availability by phone and email: Monday – Friday: 8 am – 5 pm
Midlothian Campus
Dr. Mark Miller
mmiller01@jtcc.edu
Professional Counselor and Disability Support Specialist
Midlothian Campus, T Building, Room T115
804-594-1561
Hours of availability by phone and email: Monday – Friday: 8 am – 5 pm
The College’s obligation
Under Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, the college has an obligation to provide reasonable accommodations in order to afford the student an equal opportunity to participate in the college’s programs, courses and activities.
Final Examinations
All students are expected to take their final examinations at the scheduled time. No exceptions will be made for a student without the permission of the division dean. The exam times are published in SIS, on the web site, and in course syllabi.
Great Expectations Program
The Great Expectations Program helps foster youth gain access to a community college education and transition successfully from the foster care system to living independently. Individuals eligible for the program include foster youth between the ages of 17 and 24 who are or were affiliated with the Virginia Foster Care System, youth adopted after the age of 13, or special needs adoptions. The program provides assistance with the financial aid process, monitoring of academic progress and assistance with accessing college support services. Professional tutoring and a mentoring program are also available for eligible students. To learn more about the Great Expectations Program, go to www.jtcc.edu/greatexpectations.
Libraries
The Libraries welcome John Tyler students on campus and online. Libraries on both campuses have computers for student use, laptops and Chromebooks for loan, and tables for private study. All library computers have MS Office software and are networked for printing and high-speed internet. Wi-fi is available.
The library web site is the student’s gateway to the digital and print resources necessary for their coursework. Library staff are glad to assist students with their assignments and help with technical problems. The libraries provide access to over 90,000 books, eBooks, DVDs and streaming videos that can be accessed through the library website. More than 160 subscription databases are available for academic work. These products permit access to the full text of thousands of digital magazines, journals, and newspapers as well as collections of streaming media, audio files and reference sources. Students may access the subscription databases both on and off campus, and on their own devices. Ask a Librarian, a 24/7 chat reference service, is always available on the Library website, https://jtcc.edu/library.
The Chester Campus Library is located on the second floor of Moyar Hall. The Midlothian Campus Library is located on the second floor of Hamel Hall.
The Library schedule is posted on the library website: https://jtcc.edu/library. Hours vary during breaks and holiday periods; changes are posted on the web site and in the libraries.
Student conduct in the Library is governed by college’s policies and computer use is in accordance with the VCCS Computer Ethics Policy. Both policies can be found in this Catalog and in the Student Handbook.
Library contact information:
Chester: (804) 706-5195
Midlothian: (804) 594-1519
Early Alert
The College provides an early alert system that encourages faculty to identify students who are at risk of not succeeding academically. Those students are informed about specific concerns via email and possibly by phone, if apropriate. Through our Retention Coaches, students are offered support, strategies for learning success, and referrals to campus resources.
Information Center
The Information Center serves as the college switchboard for students, faculty, staff, and the community at large. Information Center representatives are able to answer a wide range of questions about the college. The Information Center may be reached at 804-796-4000. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Help Hub
The Help Hub is a one-stop source for information and connection to student support and services. Help Hub representatives serve as Tier I student technical support, provide student password support for access to MyTyler, and can offer directional support to guide students to services across campus. Students may reach the Help Hub by texting 804-476-0401 or requesting a phone call at https://jtcc.edu/services/help-hub/. Please click here to access the HelpHub website for hours of operation.
Testing Center
The college operates Testing Centers on both the Chester and Midlothian campuses. The Chester Testing Center is located in Moyar building, 135A and the Midlothian Testing Center is in T Building, T215. At the centers, students are able to take various types of proctored tests, including placement, Accuplacer, Certiport, TEAS, and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests. Placement tests may be taken by students entering the college for the first time and by home-schooled/high school students wanting to enroll in concurrent and dual enrollment coursework. A select number of online tests are proctored in the Testing Centers for students taking online courses at John Tyler, as well as other community colleges in Virginia.
For testing support in courses, students will be directed by their instructor on how to setup and appointment with the testing center. Should students have any questions about tests that are offered or how to schedule an appointment, they can always email the Testing Center at testing@jtcc.edu or call:
Tutoring & Learning Support
Academic Resource Centers/Tutoring
The Academic Resource Center (ARC) is a free tutoring support service available at the college to support students in their coursework and pursuit of academic success. The ARC offers a wide variety of tutoring options both in person and virtual. Students can find in person tutoring on both campuses located in Moyar hall, M222 at Chester, and in Eliades Hall, E117 at Midlothian. The center is staffed by student tutors, professional tutors, as well as faculty. Beyond specific course content support, the ARC also helps students with study skills, organization, and preparation for success beyond the community college. Should students have any questions about services or in seeking academic support, they can e-mail the ARC at arc@jtcc.edu or call 804-594-1542.
Online Learning Support
Canvas is an online learning management system used by the college. Students who are unsure if online learning is a good fit can try it out through the Online Test Drive. This self-enrolled non-credit course covers the skills required to be successful as an online learner and includes an introduction to basic Canvas functions, as well, and gives students an opportunity to practice with some of them.
Students can locate tutorials on how to navigate Canvas in the Canvas Introduction for Students page in the Getting Started module in every course in Canvas. Students may receive assistance with MyTyler, Gmail/Google, or Canvas during operating hours by visiting the Help Hub at https://jtcc.edu/services/help-hub/.
Veterans Services
The Military & Veterans Education Office (MVEO) helps connect active duty military, eligible veterans, reservists/guardsman, disabled veterans (with service-connected disabilities) and dependents to a world of opportunity through U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Educational benefits and related services. John Tyler support services include:
- Tutoring in the Academic Resource Center
- Disabilities Support Services
- Career Services
- Student Information Center
- Student Veterans Organization
Chester Campus:
Moyar Hall, M107; 804-706-5213
Moyar Hall, M132a; 804-706-5031
Midlothian Campus:
Administration Building, B107a; 804-594-1582
Advising Throughout Your College Career
Don’t navigate the college experience alone. Students who are placed in a major are assigned an advisor who is either a faculty member or an advising center advisor.
You can find your advisor’s name and contact information in your myTyler account. E-mails, phone calls, and office visits are all great ways to touch base with your advisor.
Your advisor can assist you:
- Your first semester - The semester you select a major you should touch base with your advisor to get to know him or her and talk about your goals and plans.
- Before you register each semester - Each semester before you register, contact your advisor to talk about course options. Advisors can help you determine what to take and when to take it.
- The semester you plan to graduate - Contact your advisor early in the semester you plan to graduate. Your advisor will review your transcript and the courses you’ve taken to be sure you are on track.
- Whenever you need help - Advisors are also great resources if you are having trouble or are unsure of next steps. Their role is to help you through the College experience, explore career options, and help with transfer.
Career Services
Tyler Career Services assists students, alumni and community members in understanding their career-related interests, individual values and strengths. They guide students through picking a major and career, conducting a job or internship search, creating résumés and cover letters, building an online presence, assisting with interview preparation and career readiness, and networking/informational interviews. They also build relationships with quality employers and connect them to Tyler talent through on-campus recruiting, career fairs and job and internship posts in our database. To make an appointment or find out more about Tyler Career Services please email the Career and Internship Coordinator at apinney@jtcc.edu or call 804-706-5166.
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