Attendance policies, dress code policies, and conduct.
I review many topics in the catalog with students on a daily basis. Depending on the day, the topics can range from attendance, conduct, dress code, the withdrawal process, and the re-entry process. Sometimes it also includes admissions testing and start dates depending on how long the student has been out prior to re-entering.
The three topics most referenced schedule, cost, accreditation, also including passrate, placement and completion rate.
I seem to spend time on the course descriptions, attendance and conduct areas.
When addressing student behavioral, academic, or attendance challenges, I like to quote our policies from the student catalog. This reminds the students that these are policies they have already agreed to follow and it reminds them of any consequences associated with not meeting a standard or breaking a policy. When holding a student accountable for their actions, I still want them to know that we are on their team. We are willing to do what we can to help them to meet our standards, but cannot lower our standards. Quoting the policy reminds the student that we follow through with policy enforcement because we have integrity, not because we want to "punish" them.
Good point, RoQuanda - the purpose of a dress code is often to prepare students for presenting a professional image to future employers. Sometimes understanding the "why" behind a policy helps people to comply with such.
Games are a great tool during training to help engage students. I agree that student's do not always see the intended benefit of certain policies and I think it's important for school's to reiterate the rational/benefit that the policy is designed to address.
Dee - I completely agree! Especially for those with minimal job experience, attendance is an indicator of dependability and reliability which are key considerations to many employers.
On a daily basis, I find that I am constantly reminding students of the "Code of Conduct" re: jewelry, cell phone and penalties for abcences and tardiness.
Professional Conduct,Attandance, Satifactory Progress
Attendance issues and dress codes most importantly for students in the clinical phase of the program
The course schedule and cost. Policies and procedures.
Our accreditation and our completion, pass, and placement rates. Also, our admissions requirements, student dress code and attendance policy.
What classes are in each program
Being a Program Director the topics I use frequently are student attendance policy, dress code policy, and student conduct. I make sure to keep a catalog handy with these areas highlighted for quick access!
As an admissions rep, I discuss the years we have been in existence, our Admissions requirements, Student services availability, addendum to catalog (what this is and contains), academic info externship or clinicals and dress code, standards we go by (attendance, conduct, etc), Financial aide and, last but never least, the specific course description of the program they are taking. Most students wants to speak about scheduling as this is very important if they are holding a job. If I have a schedule from the program director, I discuss with the but always tell them it is a tentative schedule that normally goes as stated but there may be some minor changes along the way.
Transfer of credits and SAP. The receiving institution has the final say so if they will accept credits from the school. The SAP-Satisfactory Academic Progress policy require that students maintain an acceptable passing score of 70% for classes and cumulative GPA I have to advise students at times who are not meeeting the SAP requirement becasue of academic failure.
I use that portion as well. It amazes me of how they seem to forget he dresscode the longer they are here. The new students usually without argument abide by it but the ones who have been here the longest is the ones I have the most trouble with.
My department is Career Services - I typically reach for our catalog to review course descriptions for our programs.
