WNCC 2010 Self-Study Report - Western Nebraska Community ...

The conversion rate from contact to credit hour is shown in the table below:
Table 4-10 Credit Course Contact to Credit Hour Conversion Ratio
Course by Instructional Type
Classroom (traditional lecture style)
Ratio of Contact/Credit Hours
15:1 (15 contact hours = 1 credit hour)
Laboratory (supervised) 30:1
Vocational Laboratory (supervised) 45:1
Clinical (supervised off-site) 45:1
Cooperative Education (internship, practicum,
on-the-job training)
(RR 135)
WNCC practices mandatory placement for English, mathematics, and courses with a reading
prerequisite. The eCompass, a computer-based test available through ACT, is utilized for course
placement. The College offers developmental-level reading, writing, and math coursework for
students needing remedial work prior to taking a college-level class. Courses with a coding
number containing a zero in the fifth and sixth position (four digit alpha plus number XXXX-00XX)
do not count as part of the total credits for any degrees offered at WNCC.
The College Catalog, Cost of Attendance Sheet, and the website list the tuition and fees for
attendance at WNCC, plus additional lab or course fees. The Cougar View packet contains an
overall estimated cost of attendance. Those estimates are also available for WNCC students
through the College Opportunities On-line (COOL) website, as well as through the IPEDS site
through the Standard tuition and fees remain the same for course offerings regardless of
instructional method. Service-area high school students taking dual-credit, concurrent-enrollment,
or high school academy classes pay one-half the current tuition and fee rates. (See Criterion 2,
Core Component 2b, pages 78-79 for tuition/fee history.) Any program specific fees are included in
the course tabloid and in materials delivered to the students before the start of class (i.e. the
Nursing Handbook or, in the case of Aviation, the testing fees are listed in the WNCC Catalog).
Student Complaints
Students have the right to be heard at WNCC. Accordingly, the WCCA Board has policies
specifying a way in which students can register a complaint. In the majority of cases, a student
discusses issues with the instructor, and if that does not resolve the issue, the student is directed
by the instructor, or anyone else whom the student may ask, to speak with the Division Chair.
From there, the Chair may set up a mediated meeting, or he or she may refer the issue to the Dean
of Educational Services. Alternative to this process, however, is the formal system where the
student is granted the ability to contact the Student Services or the Educational Services offices
directly. Below is the opening section of the policy which provides the basis for direct contact with
the Dean of Student Services to lodge a complaint:
60:1
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Western Nebraska Community College