INTRODUCTION 2019-2021 Catalog

Fall 2021Registration for Fall 2021Faculty return to campusClasses beginClass changes permittedLast day to drop for first 8-week classes, no record/refundLast day to drop for 16-week classes, no record/refundHoliday Labor DayLast day to withdraw “W” for first 8-week classesMidtermHoliday Columbus DaySecond 8-week classes beginLast day to drop for second 8-week classes, no record/refundRegistration for Spring 2022Last day to withdraw “W” for 16-week and second 8-week classesHoliday ThanksgivingFinal examsEnd of Fall termHoliday Christmas Eve & Christmas Day observedCampus closedSpring 2022January 3January 13January 17January 18January 18 - January 24January 24January 31February 11February 14 – June 6March 4March 11March 14March 18March 21 – 25April 11 – August 15April 21May 12, 13, 16, 17, 18May 18May 21May 21Holiday New Year’s Day observedFaculty return to campusHoliday Martin Luther King Jr. DayClasses beginClass changes permittedLast day to drop for first 8-week classes, no record/refundLast day to drop for 16-week classes, no record/refundHoliday Lincoln’s Birthday observedRegistration for Summer 2022Last day to withdraw “W” for first 8-week classesMidtermSecond 8-week classes beginLast day to drop for second 8-week classes, no record/refundAcademic Holiday Spring BreakRegistration for Fall 2022Last day to withdraw “W” for 16-week and second 8-week classesFinal examsEnd of Spring termCommencementFinal day instructorsviiACADEMIC CALENDARApril 12 – August 16August 12August 16August 16 - 20August 20August 27September 6October 1October 8October 11October 12October 18October 18, 2021 – January 18, 2022November 18November 25 – 26December 6 - 10December 10December 23 & 24December 23, 2021 – January 3, 2022

Pre-Summer Session 2022May 24May 25May 30June 9Classes beginLast day to drop, no record/refundHoliday Memorial DayEnd of sessionSummer 2022ACADEMIC CALENDARviiiFebruary 14 – June 9June 13June 13 – 17June 20July 4July 7July 28August 4Registration for Summer 2022Classes beginClass changes permittedLast day to drop for 8-week classes, no record/refundHoliday Fourth of JulyMidtermLast day to withdraw “W”End of Summer session

THE COLLEGE Highland Community College is a two-year coeducational public community college maintained by theBoard of Trustees of Illinois Community College DistrictNo. 519 under the coordination of the Illinois CommunityCollege Board and the Illinois Board of Higher Education.The College was brought into existence by the people ofnorthwestern Illinois at a public referendum onOctober 1, 1966. Freeport Community College, which was assimilated bythe new district, was established by public referendumin November 1961 and opened its doors in September1962. In June 1967, Freeport Community College becamea part of the new Highland Community College. TheHighland Community College district includes the highschool districts of Aquin, Dakota, East Dubuque, Eastland,Forrestville Valley, Freeport, Galena, Lena-Winslow,Orangeville, Oregon (Mt. Morris), Pearl City, River Ridge,Scales Mound, Stockton, Warren, and West Carroll (Mt.Carroll and Savanna).Mission StatementHighland Community College is committed to shaping thefuture of our communities by providing quality educationand learning opportunities through programs andservices that encourage the personal and professionalgrowth of the people of northwestern Illinois. This missionis carried out by: Providing instruction to enable students to completespecific vocational degrees and certificates.Providing occupational training, retraining, and/orupgrading of skills to meet individual, local, and stateneeds.Providing developmental and general educationdesigned to meet individual educational goals.Providing community education designed to meetlocal cultural needs and encourage lifelong learning.Providing opportunities that enhance culturalunderstanding through international education.Providing a range of student support services thatrecognize and support the educational goals andneeds of a diverse student population.Supporting economic development throughpartnerships with business, industry, chambers ofcommerce, units of local government, and othereducational institutions.Providing community access as an open-doorinstitution to all college services and facilities.Core ValuesHighland Community College is actively committed to thecore values of Integrity, Compassion, and Respect.VisionHighland Community College partners with learners insuccessfully shaping their futures.1HIGHLAND.EDUHISTORY

ACCREDITATION, INSTITUTIONALMEMBERSHIPS AND APPROVALAccreditationHighland Community College is recognized by the IllinoisCommunity College Board and accredited by the HigherLearning Commission.* The College is a participant in theStandard Pathway. Highland Community College has alsobeen a recipient of a Level I - Commitment to Excellenceaward from the Lincoln Foundation for BusinessExcellence and an Excellence in Accountability awardfrom the Illinois Community College Board.*Web site: www.hlcommission.org; Phone: 800-621-7440Institutional MembershipsA D M I S S I O N S , S T U D E N T, A N D A C A D E M I C I N F O R M AT I O N2The following list includes, but is not limited to, the stateand national organizations of which Highland CommunityCollege is a member: American Association of Community CollegesArrowhead Athletic ConferenceAssociation for Institutional ResearchAssociation of Community College TrusteesAssociation on Higher Education and DisabilityCollege and University Personnel Association forHuman ResourcesCommission on Accreditation of Allied HealthEducation ProgramsCouncil of North Central Two Year CollegesCouncil on Accreditation for Two-Year CollegesCouncil on Higher Education AccreditationEarly Childhood ConsortiumHigher Learning CommissionHonors Council of the Illinois RegionIllinois Association of College StoresIllinois Association of Collegiate Registrars andAdmissions OfficersIllinois Association of Institutional ResearchIllinois Association of Student Financial AidAdministratorsIllinois College and University Personnel Associationfor Human ResourcesIllinois Community College Admissions and RecordsOfficers OrganizationIllinois Community College Chief Academic OfficersIllinois Community College Chief Student ServicesOfficersIllinois Community College Faculty Association Illinois Community College Student ActivitiesAssociationIllinois Community College Trustees AssociationIllinois Community Colleges OnlineIllinois Council of Community College AdministratorsIllinois Council of Community College PresidentsIllinois Council of Community Education and TrainingIllinois Online NetworkIllinois Post-secondary Agriculture StudentsMidwest Association of Student Financial Aid OfficersNational Academic Advising AssociationNational Association of Basketball CoachesNational Association of College StoresNational Association of Student Financial AidAdministratorsNational Council for Marketing and Public RelationsNational Council for State Authorized ReciprocityAgreementsNational Junior College Athletic AssociationNational Organization for Associate Degree NursingNetwork of Illinois Learning Resources inCommunity CollegesOrganization for Associate Degree NursingPrairieCatSociety for Human Resource ManagementWisconsin Collegiate Bowling Conference

HIGHLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGEFOUNDATIONThe Highland Community College Foundation wasestablished in 1962 as a charitable, not-for-profit501(c)(3) corporation that exists solely for the purposeof raising funds in support of Highland CommunityCollege. The Highland Community College Foundationhas the distinction of being the first community collegefoundation in the State of Illinois and was one of the firstfive established in the country.Gifts to the HCC Foundation have benefited the Collegeand its students for over 56 years. Gifts help in manyways: If you are interested in making a charitable, taxdeductible gift to the HCC Foundation, visit our donationweb site Highland.thankyou4caring.org. For moreinformation on how you can make a difference in thelives of the students of northwestern Illinois by donatingto Highland Community College through the HCCFoundation, please contact:Executive DirectorHCC Foundation2998 West Pearl City Road, Freeport, Illinois 61032815-599-3406 or 815-599-3413Scholarship applications are available athighland.edu/admissions. Most scholarship applicationsare posted on the website by February 1 of each year,with an April 1 deadline.Highland Community College serves a district populationof approximately 90,000 residents from the northwestIllinois counties of Carroll, Jo Daviess, Ogle, andStephenson. The college grants admission to studentsfrom a wide range of backgrounds, without regard torace, creed, sex, sexual orientation, color, disability, ornational origin. Sixty-four percent of the students arewomen, 36 percent are men. College students rangein age from 15 to 75, with an average age of 28. TheCollege serves an estimated 4,500 students each year,including more than 500 students enrolled in CommunityEducation and Business Institute courses, and 150students enrolled in Adult Education courses.A large number of area high school graduates enterthe College for full-time studies. Many of these studentscontinue at a four-year institution after completing thefirst two years at Highland. Others are preparing forimmediate employment after completing a plannedprogram of education. Still others take advantage of thewide variety of coursework available through Highland’sBusiness Institute and Lifelong Learning departments.3A D M I S S I O N S , S T U D E N T, A N D A C A D E M I C I N F O R M AT I O N Scholarships for hundreds of students each yearFaculty and staff professional developmentFurnishings, equipment, and suppliesNew buildings and educational facilities supportedby public fundraising campaigns and privatedonationsSupport of student and academic activities andprogramsAssistance with campus and arboretum maintenanceand beautificationTHE STUDENT BODY

STUDENT PREPAREDNESSAccording to the Higher Learning Commission*, HighlandCommunity College’s accrediting body, higher educationdoes more than train or certify skills. Higher educationrequires students not only to master a rigorous bodyof knowledge but also to conceptualize, analyze,and integrate. Additionally, higher education requiresstudents to use their intellect, stimulates students toexamine their values, teaches students the importanceof considering divergent views as expressed in research,and challenges students to engage each other and theirteachers in a free exchange of ideas.The general education core curriculum has beendeveloped by the Illinois Community College systemto satisfy the breadth of study expected of collegeHIGHLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE4graduates. It is a core body of knowledge that allcollege educated people share. It includes theskills and knowledge that are the basis of a collegeeducation. Students at Highland Community Collegeare encouraged to embrace the challenge of learning inthe arts and sciences as preparation for success in theirdeclared majors.Highland Community College is committed to quality inits transfer and occupational programs. In order to besuccessful in any of Highland’s programs, students needto demonstrate college level skills in reading, writing,mathematics, and critical thinking. Transitional coursesand academic support programs are in place to helpstudents reach the levels necessary to succeed in thecoursework of their choice.*Web site: www.ncahlc.org; Phone: 800-621-7440

ADMISSIONS & REGISTRATIONADMISSIONS ELIGIBILITYCollege Degree and Certificate ProgramCoursesSee the “Academic Programs” section of this catalog,beginning on page 55, for a full description of Highland’sdegree and certificate programs. Eligibility for admissionto these programs is outlined below. Call the Office ofAdmissions and Records at 815-599-3414 with questions.General AdmissionsVerification of High School DiplomasProcessIt is HCC’s practice to require official (in a sealedenvelope) high school transcripts for students that enrollin college. These transcripts help enrolled studentswith satisfying geometry requirements, meeting prerequisites for certain courses, and help validate thehigh school graduation requirement for enrollment andfinancial aid purposes. Only in cases where HCC hasreason to believe that the student has not graduatedor has a degree from a non-accredited institution, thefollowing policy will be applied: HCC Record & Registration staff members use thewebsites http://sat.collegeboard.org, or http://www.advanced.org/, /accreditation, and http://www.actstudent.org to verify CEEB Codes for highschools in question. A CEEB code is a numberedregistry that College Board uses to track countries,college majors, college scholarship programs, testcenters and high schools. In the United States, theregister is used by the College Board as a means ofunambiguous identification.Home school current students and graduates have thesame benefits and fall under the same guidelines asgeneral admission students. The home school graduateneeds to submit an official transcript containing courses,grades, years attended, graduation completion year anddate, and proof of passing federal and state constitutiontests to the Office of Admissions and Records. Homeschool students may take college level courses tosupplement their home schooling as long as ACT scoresor HCC placement test place them into appropriateclasses.Limited Enrollment ProgramsStudents who want to be admitted to Highland’s Nursingand Medical Assistant, programs need to satisfy otheradmissions requirements. See the “Academic Programs”section of this catalog for further information aboutadmission to this program.High School Student “Early Admission”To be admitted, a student must be at least 16 years of ageand present to the Office of Admissions and Records aproperly completed Authorization to Register for ClassesForm, available through high school guidance offices orHighland’s Office of Admissions and Records.Special AdmissionsStudents who are younger than 16 and in high schoolwanting to jump start their college career, must fill out anadmission form. In order to register for classes, studentsshould take a placement test to ensure they are readyfor collegiate level courses. Registration will occur afterAdmissions has a signed registration form from thestudent, HCC instructor, parent, and school official.International Student AdmissionsAn “international student” is defined as a person who isa citizen of a country other than the United States, hasa visa for educational purposes, and intends to returnto his/her own country upon completion of educationalgoals.International students may be admitted to Highland ifthey have successfully completed a minimum of 12 yearsof primary and secondary schooling, score of 500 paperbased exam, 173 computer-based exam or higher or61 iBT based (internet based score on a TOEFL exam5A D M I S S I O N S , S T U D E N T, A N D A C A D E M I C I N F O R M AT I O NAll high school graduates, qualified dual credit, dualenrollment students and GED completers are eligible foradmission to Highland. Non-graduates age 16 or oldermay be eligible for admission if he/she can demonstratethe ability to benefit from programs/ courses offeredby the College. If his/her high school class has notyet graduated, a properly completed Authorization toRegister for Classes Form, obtained from and signed by aguidance counselor or principal, must be presented.Home School Student Admissions

or equivalent), and verify financial support. Prospectivestudents must contact the Director of Enrollment andRecords and must be able to meet all applicable studentvisa regulations before they can be admitted andenrolled.Highland Business Institute CoursesPersons interested in benefiting from coursework offeredthrough Highland’s Business Institute are not requiredto be high school graduates or GED completers unlessthere are prerequisite skill levels established to ensurethat the students will benefit from such training. For adescription of the type of coursework offered through theHighland Business Institute, see page 51.ADMISSIONS PROCEDURESAcademic Placement TestA D M I S S I O N S , S T U D E N T, A N D A C A D E M I C I N F O R M AT I O N6All students seeking a degree or certificate or certainclasses requiring prerequisites are required to take aplacement test. Current ACT or SAT scores may exemptstudents from certain components of the placement tests.Academic placement tests are administered in theStudent/Conference Center, room H-108B (Monday toFriday – 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) and during scheduledevenings through the Testing Center located in theSuccess Center (Building M). Call 815-599-3678 forplacement testing dates and times or with questionsabout ACT exemptions.Full-time (12 or more credits) First-timeStudents1.2.3.4.5.Complete and submit a Highland Community CollegeAdmissions Form online, by mail, or in person. Thisapplication is available at area high school guidanceoffices, the Office of Admissions and Records atHighland, or online at highland.edu.Submit official and final (sealed envelope) highschool transcripts (or GED certification).Submit ACT or SAT scores. Although this is not arequirement for general admission, it is stronglyrecommended for placement assistance.Take Highland’s academic placement test.Register for classes through a student advisor.Registration appointments may be made by calling815-599-3573.Part-time (11 or less credits) First-timeStudents1.Complete a Highland Community CollegeAdmissions Form online, by mail, or in person forthe semester in which enrollment is desired. Thisincludes students enrolling in Highland BusinessInstitute courses.2. Take the Highland academic placement test if planning to register for courses requiringprerequisites.3. Submit official and final (sealed envelope) highschool transcripts (or GED certification).4. Register for classes through a student advisor, bymail, or in person at the Office of Admissions andRecords. Students registering by mail or in personshould be aware of course prerequisites andacademic placement testing requirements as listedin the course description section of this catalog.Students may request an advising appointment bycalling 815-599-3573.Full/Part-time Readmitted Students(Students who attended HCC before, but have not beenat HCC

Academic Calendar 2019-2022. v ACADEMIC CALENDAR Pre-Summer Session 2020 May 18 Classes begin May 19 Last day to drop, no record/refund May 25 Holiday Memorial Day June 4 End of session Summer 2020 February 19 – June 8 Registrat