Transcription
STUDENTHANDBOOK
Table of ContentsIntroduction - Welcome4History of Brighton College55Mission Statement, Goals and Objectives777ProgramsCertificate ProgramsAssociate Degrees91010Admissions/EnrollmentTransfer CreditOrientation13111111121212Academic PoliciesLeave of Absence (LOA)Flexibility and Additional Time PolicyProbationRe-EnrollmentGraduation RequirementsJob PlacementInstitutional PoliciesNon-discrimination PolicyAmerican Disabilities Act of 1990Sexual Harassment and Gender DiscriminationFamily Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974Intellectual Property PolicyGrievance PolicyProgram WithdrawalRefund PolicyTechnology Requirements, Course Materials, and Course DeliveryTechnology RequirementsCourse MaterialsOnline Library ResourcesCourse Delivery2Brighton College Student Handbook1313131313141415151717171717
General Program Information, Assessment ofStudent Learning18181818191919191919Academic CalendarProgram Overview/Courses in ProgramAssessment of Student LearningTypes of AssessmentsLesson ExamsWriting AssignmentsDiscussion BoardsComprehensive Final ExamsProctored ExamsGrading PolicyExaminationsGrading ScaleFailing GradesGrade Appeal ProcessTime Commitment for Completion – Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)202021222223242425Appendix ABrighton College - Discussion Board PolicySTUDENT INSTRUCTIONS2626Appendix BSample Writing Assignment Rubric3Brighton College Student Handbook
Introduction - WelcomeThe administrators, staff, and faculty of Brighton College are committed to achieving its missionthrough a strong belief in our vision and values as an educational institution. This StudentHandbook sets out the principles of fairness and decency with which we operate. We areexcited to be a part of your educational goals and are confident that your learning journey willbe a life-changing experience.The mission of Brighton College is to offer relevant, affordable, unique, career-orientedprograms to all qualified students in a flexible, personalized manner. It guides the developmentof all educational offerings and sets the ethical and behavioral standards embraced by allfaculty members, administrators, and staff. We believe faculty members hold a special place oftrust within the college as they work closely with students each day.Sincerely,Rene’ F. NasluchaczRene’ F. NasluchaczVice President of Academic Affairs4Brighton College Student Handbook
History of Brighton CollegeBrighton College, and the former Paralegal Institute, share a long history of providing relevant,affordable, career-oriented education that positions students for success in the workforce.Brighton College was founded in 1961 in Hudson, Ohio and later, in 2007 combined with TheParalegal Institute, founded in 1974 in Phoenix, AZ. Today, Brighton College and The ParalegalInstitute are one in the same, sharing in their executive management, faculty, student servicesteam, accreditation, mission, and vision. We are committed to providing affordable educationwhile maintaining quality, online pathways to students seeking preparation for a new career orto enhance their current career through employability readiness.Brighton College is an Arizona Educational Corporation. Brighton College has the followinglicenses issued by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education: Regular Vocational License Number V1389 to provide the Medical Coding and Billing,Medical Records Technician, Pharmacy Technician, Medical Office Specialist, Paralegaland Legal Nurse Consultant diploma programs, CompTIA, CISCO Certificate,Advanced Security Practitioner Certificate, and Certified Information Systems SecurityPractitioner (CCISP) Regular Degree License Number D1389 to provide the Associate Degree in HealthServices Management, Associate Degree in Paralegal Studies degree programs,Associate of Science in Business Management, Customer Support Representative andBusiness Accounting Clerk, Home Inspection Certificate, and Home Inspection ArizonaShort CourseBrighton College is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC),1101 17th Street, N.W., Suite 808, Washington, D.C. 20036, Phone: 202-234-5100. Website:www.deac.orgBrighton College is owned by LearnKey Inc. and Paul Zagnoni. Brighton College's Board ofDirectors consists of Paul Zagnoni, Lori Coruccini, Jeff Coruccini, John Clemmons, and DavidClemmons. Brighton College's President is Paul Zagnoni, the Executive Vice President is SamFernandez, the Vice President of Academic Affairs is Rene’ Nasluchacz, and the Director ofStudent Services is Sean Dixon.Mission Statement, Goals and ObjectivesThe mission of Brighton College is to offer relevant, affordable, unique, career-orientededucational programs to all qualified students in a flexible, personalized manner.The mission is accomplished through these goals: To provide quality distance education to students from diverse backgroundsseeking preparation for a career in an employer driven field.To offer programs that are affordable and assist students to graduate with no orminimal debt.5Brighton College Student Handbook
To deliver curriculum that is current, relevant, and prepares students for successin their chosen field.To ensure that every student progresses toward their educational goals in asupportive and positive environment.To provide quality instruction from practicing professionals, specializing in theirrespective area, and sharing their expertise and experience ensuring that whatstudents are learning is relevant and current in today’s world.To assist graduates in realizing their career goals upon completion of theirprogram and throughout their careers by offering job-readiness training services.To provide students access to a community of partnerships within targetedindustries and organizations.To ensure institutional stability by maintaining highly efficient processes, andhigh standards of student supportObjectives -The mission and goals of Brighton College are accomplished bysuccessfully achieving the following objectives: To provide a positive, supportive distance learning environment through excellent student services that leads to learning new skills and accomplishingeducational goals.To prepare competently skilled graduates for a position in their chosen fieldthrough a curriculum that incorporates practical application of the skills learned.To deliver a curriculum that prepares students to successfully sit for acertification exam when appropriate to the program of study.To continually review, update, or add new curriculum to offer the most currentinformation and meeting industry standards.To assess its mission and achievement of institutional effectiveness throughstudent academic progress, faculty effectiveness, student satisfaction,affordability, and graduate outcomes.To increase our strategic alliances with community outreach organizations,workforce, and educational partners.6Brighton College Student Handbook
ProgramsBrighton College offers programs in allied health professions including medical coding, medicalbilling, medical records, medical office specialist, health services management, pharmacytechnician. The college also offers business programs (including business management andcustomer support representative); information technology (including CompTIA, Cisco,Advance Securities Practitioner, and CISSP), Home Inspection Certificate paralegal studies, andlegal nurse consulting.Certificate ProgramsBrighton College’s certificate programs are designed to prepare students with the academicknowledge and necessary skills to prosper in entry level positions in the healthcareenvironment. The courses completed within the certificate programs earn college credit andmay be eligible to transfer into the associate degree at Brighton College.Associate DegreesThe Associate of Health Services Management degree prepares graduates to work in a specificdepartment of management, such as patient records, coding, or billing. Subjects in this programinclude medical office procedures, law and ethics in medicine, anatomy and physiology,business, coding procedures, medical transcription, principles of management, accounting, andhuman resource management. The general education courses include the fundamentalacademic disciplines: English, Interpersonal Communications, American History, Mathematics,and Psychology.The Associate of Paralegal Studies degree core program provides a foundation in law and legalanalysis and writing. Upon successful completion, students will be able to use legal researchtools and techniques necessary to find laws, rules and regulations, prepare professional legaldocuments, establish case files, interview experts or witnesses, carry out investigations, anddemonstrate a broad knowledge of litigation practice, law, and procedure. You will acquire coreknowledge in the following areas of law: business law, family law, criminal law, real property,torts, and contract. Your legal training will be enhanced by choosing five specialty courses inthe areas of law that interest you most. Brighton College’s associate degree programs alsoinclude a foundation comprised of comprehensive general education curriculum to preparestudents for future career opportunities.ProgramLegal Nurse Consultant –CertificateParalegal Studies – A.S.The Paralegal Institute ProgramsTuitionCredit HourCost/Credit/CoursesHourSee websiteSeewebsite20 credits /6 coursesSee websiteSee website60 credits /20 courses7Brighton College Student HandbookEst.Length10 MonthsMax.Length15 Months2 Years3 Years
Paralegal Studies CertificateParalegal Studies –Certificate (CA)See websiteSee website21 credits /7 courses24 credits /8 coursesSee website8 Months12 MonthsSee website10 Months15 MonthsBrighton College ProgramsTuitionCredit HourCost/CreditEst./CoursesHourLengthSee websiteSee websiteBusiness Management –60 credits /2 YearsA.S.20 coursesSee websiteSee websiteHealth Services60 credits /2 YearsManagement – A.S.20 coursesSee websiteSee websitePharmacy Tech –15 credits /6 MonthsCertificate5 coursesSee websiteSee websiteMedical Records Tech –21 credits /8 MonthsCertificate7 coursesSee websiteSee websiteMedical Coding & Billing22 credits /9 Months– Certificate8 coursesSee websiteMedical Office Specialist – See website20 credits /10 MonthsCertificate6 coursesSee websiteSee websiteHome Inspection –15 credits/6 MonthsCertificate (long)6 coursesSee websiteSee websiteHome Inspection –0 credits /10 WeeksCertificate (AZ short)1 courseSee websiteSee websiteBusiness Accounting –21 credits /8 MonthsCertificate7 coursesSee websiteSee websiteCustomer Support Rep 24 credits /10 MonthsCertificate8 coursesSee websiteSee websiteChild Development0 credits /10 WeeksAssociate - Certificate1 courseBrighton College Information Technology ProgramsProgramTuitionCredit HourCost/CreditEst./CoursesHourLengthSee websiteSee websiteCompTIA34 credits /13 Months6 coursesSee websiteSee websiteCISCO31 credits /12 Months6 coursesSee websiteSee websiteAdvanced Security13 credits /5 MonthsPractitioner (ASP)2 coursesSee websiteSee websiteCertified Information21 credits /8 MonthsSystems Security4 coursesPractitioner (CISSP)*All programs include an Enrollment FeeProgram**All IT programs include an additional Resource Fee8Brighton College Student HandbookMax.Length3 Years3 Years9 Months12 Months14 Months15 Months9 Months15 Weeks12 Months15 Months15 WeeksMax. Length20 Months18 Months8 Months12 Months
Admissions/EnrollmentCandidates seeking admission to Brighton College can apply online atwww.brightoncollege.edu or www.theparalegalinstitute.edu, or call 800.354.1254. To apply,candidates must be 18 years of age or older, or provide permission from responsible parties.Interested candidates should submit the following: A completed applicationAt time of enrollment, applicants should submit the following to enroll: Initial down payment according to chosen payment plan Evidence of earning a high school certificate or GED, or the recognized equivalent(degree programs only)Students who have attended an accredited university or college in the United States recognized by theU.S. Department of Education and have completed 12 or more college credits may submit an officialcollege transcript in lieu of a high school transcript to qualify for associate degree programs.Candidates for admission must meet the following requirements upon enrollment: Be 18 years of age or older or provide permission from responsible parties to enroll Can speak, read, and write English fluently Have earned a high school certificate or GED, or the recognized equivalent (degreeprograms only) Can proficiently use a personal computer or the internet Can receive and send email Is self-motivated, self-driven, and can work independently well in the onlineenvironment Legal Nurse Consultant candidates must submit evidence of their credential (RN, BSN,LPN, PA, or MD) to be eligible for admission. Official transcripts must be sent directly toBrighton College.If, for any reason, you are not accepted into Brighton College, all monies submitted with theEnrollment Application will be promptly returned except for the application fee.Brighton College must take reasonable measures to ensure that students accepted forenrollment have no limitations that might prevent them from successfully completing theprogram or gaining employment in the field. Please inform Brighton College if you have anycircumstances that might prevent successful completion of the program.9Brighton College Student Handbook
Transfer CreditStudents pursuing an associate’s degree or a certificate may receive transfer credit not to exceed50% of the total credits in the program. The courses must satisfy the subject matter andcurriculum requirements of the student’s degree or certificate program. Brighton Collegereserves the right to accept or reject any or all academic credits offered for transfer. The coursesmust have been college-level, completed with a grade C or better, and for core programcoursework. They must have been completed within the last five years, as well. Generaleducation courses may have been taken at any time. The credits must have been awarded byinstitutions accredited by agencies that are recognized by the United States Secretary ofEducation and/or The Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The student must supply anofficial transcript(s) from the previous institution(s) within 90 days of enrollment. BrightonCollege does not consider grade points or hours attempted for work completed at otherinstitutions; therefore, transfer credit neither raises nor lowers a student’s grade point average.Veterans: Brighton College will inquire about each veteran’s previous education and training,and request transcripts from all prior institutions, including military training, traditional collegecoursework, and vocational training. Previous transcripts will be evaluated and credit will begranted, as appropriate.OrientationAfter the enrollment process is complete, student services department will contact each studentto assign access to the New Student Orientation (NSO) and connect one on one. During thisorientation, students will virtually walk through the online classroom, review expectations andresources, and learn how to navigate the Learning Management System (LMS) to accesscourses, turn in assignments, and submit assessments. Each student is assigned a specificstudent services representative (Success Coach) who will be their point of contact for theduration of their enrollment agreement period.Contact information for Student Services:Toll free: 800.354.1254Main office: 602.212.0501Email: studentservices@brightoncollege.edu10Brighton College Student Handbook
Academic PoliciesLeave of Absence (LOA)A student may request an LOA due to illness, injury, or emergency. An LOA form is availableonline under the Student Services section. The request must state the reason the LOA is beingsought. The student may be granted a leave of absence up to three months. The school willnotify the student in writing when the LOA is approved. The LOA date will begin on the daythe school officially notifies the student of approval. For students participating in the in-houseBrighton College payment plan, no tuition payments are required during the leave of absence.If additional leave is needed, the student will need to make another written request to theschool. The school may grant up to two leaves of absence during enrollment. Extenuatingcircumstances will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.Once the LOA is completed, if the student does not return within thirty days, the student willbe administratively withdrawn from the college.For a student who fails to return from a leave of absence as scheduled, the termination date willbe the last day he or she was to resume attendance, unless the student has notified the school ofthe intent not to return. In these cases, the date of termination is the date the school wasnotified.Flexibility and Additional Time PolicyThe programs offered at Brighton College are designed to be completed in a time frame asstated previously in this document. Additional time beyond the required time to complete aprogram will only be considered for students who have maintained satisfactory academicprogress, have paid in full, or are current with their payment plan during the time period of theprogram. Students must have completed 50% of the program to be considered for anyadditional time to complete their program.There is no fee for the first program extension of up to 6 months. If a student exhausts the timeperiod of the first extension, he or she may request a second program extension of up to 6months for a fee (contact Student Services). Once all extensions are exhausted, a student will berequired to re-enroll in Brighton College’s current program and pay the appropriate tuition.Students who have not completed a course at the end of the second extension will receive zerosfor all incomplete assignments and a final letter grade will be calculated. All extensions aresubject to the current extension policy at the time the extension is purchased.ProbationStudent services representatives will maintain frequent communication via email, phone calls,text messages, and announcements in order to ensure students have issues resolved in a timely11Brighton College Student Handbook
manner and check in periodically on student progression. If a student fails to submit work orcommunicate with his or her student services representative for 30 calendar days, he or she willbe sent a probation status warning within a week. After an additional two-week period missingassignment submittals and lack of communication with student services, the student will bedropped from the college. If the student wishes to re-enroll, he or she would need to follow theprocess in the following section.Re-EnrollmentIf a student does not successfully complete their program, they have one opportunity toreinstate their enrollment, providing the curriculum has not changed and all financialobligations have been met.The student would need to do the following: Contact Brighton College in writing to re-enroll. State the reason for the previous withdrawal. State what conditions have changed that would allow the them to continue successfullyin the program. State that they agree to comply with the established educational plan and submit anynecessary payment(s) and re-admission fee.Upon re-admission, the student will be responsible for the remaining tuition of the program,including any tuition increases. If the student has lost or misplaced the training materials/books,he or she will be responsible for purchasing a new set of materials. If new textbooks were addedor updates in the program of study since the withdrawal date, the student will be responsiblefor their purchase.Graduation RequirementsAn associate degree or certificate is awarded to each student who successfully meets therequire
Brighton College, and the former Paralegal Institute, share a long history of providing relevant, affordable, career-oriented education that positions students for success in the workforce. Brighton College was founded in 1961 in Hudson, Ohio and later, in 2007 combined with The Paralegal In
