Board Policy D-600.00
Institutional Effectiveness Criterion: Champion

Champion

NMC shall be committed to supporting (championing) students in a learning-centered environment. NMC will seek to understand student and stakeholder needs and expectations through a variety of methods. NMC will provide quality academic and support services with the goal of meeting students’ needs in an environment of continuous improvement. The champion criterion will evaluate how well NMC understands its students’ and stakeholders’ needs and how well it supports those needs.

The President shall exercise and promote innovative and creative leadership in pursuit of this criterion at Northwestern Michigan College. In so doing the President is hereby granted full authority and autonomy by the Board of Trustees to utilize College resources to that end in any manner deemed appropriate, so long as the President exercises prudent judgment, ethical and lawful behavior, and reasonable interpretation of this policy. The President shall:

1. Define and publish students’ basic rights and responsibilities within the college community, define and publish the college’s responsibility for the protection of those rights, and establish a student code of conduct and due process system to protect student rights and maintain order within the college community.
2. Provide a safe and drug-free learning environment and workplace for students and staff, and ensure compliance with provisions of applicable laws and regulations.
3. Respond to student assaults, sexual and other types, and charges of the same as issues of grave concern, and provide for and follow appropriate procedures for dealing with such matters.
4. Provide for and follow appropriate procedures for responding to other reports of criminal activity on the NMC campus
5. Prohibit discrimination in admission, campus activities, education, employment, housing, public accommodation, or public service on the basis of age, color, disability, handicap, height, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran's status, or weight, and ensure that no act of retaliation shall occur to any person making a charge, filing a complaint, testifying, or participating in any discrimination investigation or proceeding.  The President shall provide a procedure for complaints of discrimination.
6. Recommend tuition rates for Grand Traverse County citizens which reflect the county's property tax contribution to the college.
7. Allow any student to enroll in college-level courses who has demonstrated college readiness and eligibility.
8. Provide an appropriate level of academic support to help capable students become ready for college-level courses.
9. Encourage motivated and college-capable students of all levels of ability and scholarship to attend NMC.
10. Provide for assistance in the procurement of necessary and available financial aid on the part of those experiencing need.
11. Ensure that classes are scheduled and delivered at times, in locations, and through media which are most convenient to students and responsive to the appropriate business sector.
12. Provide for academic advising to students.
13. Provide for an academic progress monitoring system.
14. Provide for a comprehensive academic support system, including tutoring, special needs, the opportunity to meet with faculty, and other academic and extra-academic services as necessary to ensure students have access to assistance outside the classroom for their success.

If any provision(s) of this policy or set of bylaws conflicts with laws applicable to Northwestern Michigan College, including the Community College Act of 1966, the Freedom of Information Act, or the Open Meetings Act, as each may be amended from time to time, such laws shall control and supersede such provision(s).