LAMAR STATE COLLEGE ORANGE SYLLABUS

Registered Nursing

RNSG, 2363, Clinical III, 03

COURSE INFORMATION

Instructor Name	Patricia Naymik
Building/Office Number
Office Hours	By appointment.
Virtual Hours	By appointment.
Office Telephone	(409) 883-7750
Email Address	Patricia.Naymik@lsco.edu

Course Description

RNSG 2363 ............................................ 3-0-16 Clinical III (51.3801) A health-related work-based learning experience that enables the student to apply specialized occupational theory, skills, and concepts. Direct supervision is provided by the clinical professional. Clinical experiences are unpaid external learning experiences. Prerequisite: Admission to the Registered Nursing Transition Program. BIOL 2401, BIOL 2402, BIOL 2420, ENGL 1301, MATH 1314 (or MATH 1342), RNSG 1300, and RNSG 1311, RNSG 1327, RNSG 2261. Corequisite: RNSG 2535.To receive credit for RNSG 2363, the course must be successfully completed simultaneously with RNSG 2535. TEC.


Required Textbook & Materials

Upon registration for classes, LSCO students are automatically charged $14 per semester credit hour for access to all required textbooks, lab manuals, lab codes, and electronic books on the first day of class through the Gator Book Pack. Information about the LSCO Gator Book Pack as well as responses to common FAQs can be found on LSCO's webpage. ALL STUDENTS WILL HAVE UNTIL THE SECOND DAY OF THE SEMESTER TO OPT-OUT OF THE GATOR BOOK PACK.

Every student MUST have access to the required textbooks by the week of class. The student will be responsible for all assignments given. Failure to have a text may result in being dropped from the class. Failure to follow instructions (written or oral) will result in penalties.


Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

Upon successful completion of this course, students will acquire the following course learning outcomes:

Core Objectives

Course Learning Outcome 1	Core Objective	Associated Course Activities/Assignments/Projects
Evaluate the effectiveness of patient and family teaching in relation to health maintenance/health restoration	Promote health maintenance/health restoration (EC 2) based on assessment data; (DECS II A 2c; II C 4 b, 5, 8; IV C 5,8)	Develop a teaching plan for a client which will promote health maintenance/health restoration.
Critique interdisciplinary decision-making regarding safe, ethical practice for patients or groups	Utilize critical thinking skills to make safe and ethical clinical decisions  (EC 4);(DECs II A 2c; II C 4b,5,8)	Complete case studies and patient care simulations with pre and post simulation activities which may include case studies, care plans and review of journal articles for evidence-based practice. Participate in discussion board.
Use nursing informatics and evidence-based practice to enhance patient care and the profession of nursing.	Use nursing informatics and evidence-based practice in a systematic problem-solving process to deliver care to patients and their families (EC 4); (DECs I A 1b, 2,3; II A 2c)	Complete case studies and patient care simulations with pre and post simulation activities which may include case studies, care plans and the use of nursing informatics in the review of journal articles for evidence- based practice and in communicating patient care. Participate in discussion board.
Evaluate a plan of care for patients and families across the lifespan whose health needs may be difficult to predict	Implement a plan of care for the diverse patients and families span with complex health care needs across the lifespan (EC 4); (DECs II E 12, 13)	Complete case studies and patient care simulations with pre and post simulation activities which may include case studies, care plans and review of journal articles for evidence-based practice. Participate in discussion board.
Appraise the standards of care in the Nursing Practice Act	Apply the Nursing Practice Act in relation to patients experiencing uncomplicated health care needs;  (DECs I A 1.b, c, 2, 3)	Complete case studies and patient care simulations with pre and post simulation activities which may include case studies, care plans and review of journal articles for evidence-based practice. Participate in discussion board.
Evaluate a plan of care for patients and families across the lifespan whose health needs may be difficult to predict	Implement a plan of care for the diverse patients and families span with complex health care needs across the lifespan (EC 4); (DECs II E 12, 13)	Complete case studies and patient care simulations with pre and post simulation activities which may include case studies, care plans and review of journal articles for evidence-based practice. Participate in discussion board.
Appraise the standards of care in the Nursing Practice Act	Apply the Nursing Practice Act in relation to patients experiencing uncomplicated health care needs;  (DECs I A 1.b, c, 2, 3)	Complete case studies and patient care simulations with pre and post simulation activities which may include case studies, care plans and review of journal articles for evidence-based practice. Participate in discussion board.
Evaluate the effectiveness of communication skills among the interdisciplinary health care team	Apply therapeutic communication skills with diverse patients and families (EC 1,3) (DECs II B 12)	Complete case studies and patient care simulations with pre and post simulation activities which may include case studies, care plans and review of journal articles for evidence-based practice. Participate in discussion board.
Demonstrate leadership and management skills in caring for small groups of patients across the lifespan	Recognize situations requiring advocacy for patient and families (EC 1,5); (DECs I B 1b, d, e)	Complete case studies and patient care simulations with pre and post simulation activities which may include case studies, care plans and review of journal articles for evidence-based practice. Participate in discussion board.
Critique interdisciplinary decision-making regarding safe, ethical practice for patients or groups	Collaborate in multidisciplinary planning to provide care for clients/families with uncomplicated health care needs (EC 1,4,5); (DECs II C 4 b,5, 8)	Complete case studies and patient care simulations with pre and post simulation activities which may include case studies, care plans and review of journal articles for evidence-based practice
Relate the importance of individual professional development to the advancement of nursing	Articulate the requirements for professional development. (I D 2,3,4)	Continuous process of acquiring new knowledge and skills that relate to one’s profession, job responsibilities or work environment.  Professional development plays a key role in maintaining informed, motivated students regardless of academic rank.

Upon completion of RNSG 2535, the student will have been given the opportunity to:

• demonstrate the ability to make safe and ethical collaborative clinical decisions for diverse clients/groups of clients (EC5).
• use a systematic problem-solving process and critical-thinking skills (EC 4).
• develop, implement, and evaluate a plan of care for diverse client/families across the life span whose health needs may be difficult to predict (EC 1, 2, 3).
• demonstrate leadership and management skills in caring for small groups of diverse clients across the life span (EC 4, 5).
• evaluate the effectiveness of communication skills in collaboration with members of the multidisciplinary health care team (EC 4, 5).
• analyze the effectiveness of client and family teaching in relation to the advancement of nursing (EC 4, 5).
• use current technology and literature to enhance client care and the profession of nursing (EC 1, 5).
• demonstrate critical thinking skills as evidenced by the ability to analyze facts, synthesize factual information, and evaluate opinions in light of the facts presented throughout this course.

The Texas Board of Nursing has identified essential competencies to ensure that nursing graduates will enter the practice as safe and competent nurses.  These Competencies are organized according to four major roles of the nurse:  Member of a Profession, Provider of Patient-Centered Care, Patient Safety Advocate, and Member of the Health Care Team.
At the completion of RNSG 2535, the student will have been introduced to the following Differentiated Essential Competencies (DECs) for Diploma and Associate Degree Programs:
      I.     Member of the Profession:                 A, B, C, D
     II.    Provider of Patient-­­Centered Care:     A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
    III.    Patient Safety Advocate:                     A, B, C, D, E, F                                       
    IV.    Member of the Health Care Team:      A, B, C, D, E, F, G


Course Topical Outline




Major Assignments Schedule

See RNSG 2535 for Course Calendar.


Final Exam Date

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COURSE POLICIES

Academic Honesty

Faculty who suspect violation of academic honesty, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, or abuse of resource materials may assign an academic penalty. Students must be notified of their right to appeal before the academic penalty is imposed.

Students subject to penalty due to academic honesty have the right to appeal the decision. Refer to the current LSCO Catalog for details on the appeal process.
Academic Honesty

Faculty who suspect violation of academic honesty, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, or abuse of resource materials may assign an academic penalty. Students must be notified of their right to appeal before the academic penalty is imposed.

Students subject to penalty due to academic honesty have the right to appeal the decision. Refer to the current LSCO Catalog for details on the appeal process.


Electronic Communication

LSCO students are required to use either their LSCO Blackboard account or their LSCO email account (Office 365 / Microsoft Outlook) for all electronic communication. In order to ensure the privacy and identity of the student communicating via electronic methods, LSCO faculty will direct students to use their LSCO email accounts rather than personal accounts. If a student has trouble accessing their LSCO email account, they should contact the LSCO Help Desk at (409) 882-3033 or helpdesk@lsco.edu.




Attendance Requirements

Federal regulations require students who receive financial aid to have begun "attending" and participate substantially in each course for which they are enrolled on or before the official census reporting date outlined on the LSCO Academic Calendar. Students documented as "not attending" a course upon the census date are assumed (for financial aid purposes) to have not begun attendance for that course, negatively affecting their financial aid eligibility and disbursement.

Attendance in an ONLINE course is verified by substantial participation in the course on or before the census date published in the LSCO Academic Calendar. Substantial participation in this online course is defined as logging in and completing/participating in at least one requirement of the course. Note: Simply logging in to your online course does not constitute attendance.

Hybrid classes are a mix of face-to-face and online environments. Students will be expected to attend a certain number of classes as required by the instructor. (Include the policy on absences and tardiness.) In addition to classroom attendance, your weekly active participation in the online component (Blackboard and/or homework software) will be considered and expected.

Clinical/Simulation (Sim) Lab:

• Only students who are compliant with all program requirements as evidenced by the compliance portal may attend clinical.
• Students who miss more than one day of clinical per semester will not be allowed to continue in the program.
• Alternate assignments will be given for the missed clinical day (one clinical absence per semester).
• Failure to notify the faculty of absence or tardiness will be considered as "no call/no show".  This behavior will result in immediate review by the Standards Committee and may result in dismissal from the program.
• Students who arrive more than 20 minutes late to clinical will be counseled and counted absent.  Students who arrive to clinical no later than 20 minutes will receive a tardy occurrence.  Three (3) or more tardy occurrences will result in a clinical absence.
• If a student is sent home from clinical by the faculty for any reason, the student will be counted as absent from clinical and an alternate assignment will be given.
• Students who leave clinical prior to dismissal will be counted as absent for the clinical day and receive an alternate assignment.
• Simulation lab is considered a clinical experience and all clinical absence rules apply.
• All precepted hours must be approved by the clinical instructor prior to completing those hours.  Any precepted clinical hours completed without instructor approval will not be counted toward precepted total hours.

Make-up Work Policy

If the student is sent home from clinical due to a medical issue, the student will be counted as absent.  Students will be given alternate assignments for missed clinical days (only one missed day allowed).  If the alternate assignment is not completed by the due date given, a counseling note will be written.  Failure to meet the plan specified in the counseling note will result in review by the Standards Committee for continued progress in, or dismissal from the program.



Classroom Etiquette

Clinical Behaviors:

• Clinical experiences may be composed of hospital rotations, simulation lab, community health facilities, and service learning activities, conferences, seminars, and presentations.
• In order to meet the clinical objectives and to maintain the maximum experience from the clinical rotations provided, students are expected to arrive promptly in approved LSCO nursing uniform, be prepared, and participate in clinical until dismissed.  During each clinical, students will be required to demonstrate an understanding of the pathophysiology of common diseases, laboratory and diagnostic tests and results, medications, assessment expectations, and nursing interventions and rationales.  All findings must reflect evidenced-based practice.
• At no time are students allowed to administer IV chemotherapy, blood, or blood products.  Students are not allowed to witness legal documents in the clinical setting such as surgical permits or advanced directives.  Students may not remove central or arterial lines.  Students are not allowed to take verbal/phone orders.
• Students who do not follow the above guidelines, a counseling note will be written, the behavior reviewed by the Standards Committee. 
• In the event of an absence, students are expected to notify faculty PRIOR to the beginning of the clinical day.  
• Students must be able to meet the "minimum abilities" per program requirements.  There are no provisions for "light duty" assignments.  Students who are under the provision of a healthcare provider's care are required to submit documentation from their physician monthly stating that they have no restrictions and are able to perform clinical assignments.
• Students must adhere to unit guidelines for all breaks and lunch. During hospital rotations students must remain on the premises and adhere to a thirty-minute time allotment for lunch.  Instructor must be notified of any exceptions to the above.  Failure to notify may result in dismissal from the program.

Clinical Behaviors/Sim Lab:

• All clinical/simulation patient information is confidential, and any inappropriate viewing, discussion, or disclosure of this information is considered a violation of clinical policy and may be a violation of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) and other state and federal laws.
• This information is privileged and confidential regardless of the format (electronic, written, overheard, or observed). 
• Students may only view, use, disclose, or copy information as needed for the clinical/simulation experience.  
• All scenarios, regardless of their outcome, should be treated in a professional manner.
• Situations simulated in the lab are to be used as a learning tool and not to be used to criticize fellow students.
• The simulation mannequins are to be used with respect and treated as if they were a live patient.
• No betadine, ink pens, or sharp objects are to be near the simulation mannequins at any time.
• If students do not follow the above guidelines, a counseling note will be written, and the student may be sent home from simulation lab resulting in an unexcused absence for that clinical day.

Exam Policy

Not applicable.


Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Students should use AI technology responsibly and ethically. This includes refraining from using AI to engage in harmful or unethical activities, such as generating false information, spreading misinformation, or engaging in malicious behaviors. The use of AI should align with the principles of academic integrity, honesty, and respect for others. Students are responsible for adhering to LSCO's Academic Honesty policy found in the Student Handbook. LSCO's full AI policy can be found at AI Policy | Lamar State College Orange (lsco.edu)


Expected Time Requirement for this Course

For every hour in class (or unit of credit) taught in a 16-week session, students should expect to spend at least two to three hours per week studying and completing assignments. Example: For a 3-credit hour class taught in a 16-week session, students should prepare to allocate approximately 6 to 9 hours per week outside of class studying and completing assignments. For a 3-credit hour taught in a 10-week summer session, students should prepare to allocate approximately 10 to 15 hours per week outside of class studying and completing assignments. For a 3-credit hour taught in an 8-week session, students should prepare to allocate approximately 12 to 18 hours per week outside of class studying and completing assignments. For a 3-credit hour taught in a 5-week summer session, students should prepare to allocate approximately 20 to 29 hours per week outside of class studying and completing assignments.


Grading and Evaluation Method

A formal mid-term and final evaluation will be conducted by the clinical instructor with each student, summarizing the student's clinical performance and discussing strengths and areas for improvement.  If the student receives an "Unsatisfactory" for the mid-term evaluation, appropriate interventions for remediation will be initiated. 

Safe, professional clinical behavior components are considered essential to the program and must be adhered to at all times.  Unsafe or unprofessional clinical behavior, as discussed in the LSCO RN Transition Program Handbook and course syllabi, will result in review by the Standards Committee and may result in immediate dismissal from the program.  Student behaviors marked with a pound sign (#) are critical behaviors.  These must be met with a score of 3 in order to pass this course.

Rating Code:
4 - Behavior for outcome exceeds expectations.  Student demonstrates excellence and strengths that are above expectations.  Student consistently performs above what is expected for a third semester student.  Student rarely requires direction.

3 - Behavior for outcome is met.  Student consistently performs professionally and meets the clinical behavior.  Expectations for a third semester student are met.  Student requires occasional written and verbal direction and/or demonstration.

2 - Behavior for outcome requires further development.  Student is not consistent in performance and lacks self-direction, knowledge, and/or motivation.  Minimal expectations for a third semester student are met.  Student requires frequent written and verbal direction and/or demonstration.

1 - Behavior for outcome is not met.  Student performance is inconsistent and does not reflect expectations for a third semester student. Student is unable to demonstrate behaviors and requires continuous written and verbal direction and/or demonstration.

Mid-Term Evaluation:
Students will complete a self-evaluation at mid-term, using the above rating scale.  Students are expected to provide a thoughtful assessment of strengths and areas for continued development of knowledge and skills.  Students must provide a minimum of three specific strengths in clinical performance.  In addition, students must provide at least three specific areas for continued clinical development and three strategies for improving their clinical performance.  Students must also post documentation in the Discussion Board that discusses a minimum of two examples reflecting how they have met the required Differentiated Essential Competencies. 

Clinical and Simulation Faculty will complete a mid-term evaluation using the rating scale.  In addition, faculty will review the student self-evaluation and provide written feedback for specific components receiving a rating below 2.  If a student receives a score of 2 or below on any component of this evaluation tool during the mid-term evaluation, the student must, with input from faculty, list specific behaviors that must be demonstrated by the student, including a time-frame, in order to successfully meet the clinical objectives and pass the course.

Final Clinical Evaluation:
The faculty will assign a rating to each item and a score will be totaled.  Student behaviors marked with a pound sign (#) are critical behaviors.  These must be met with a score of 3 in order to pass this course.  A percentage score will then be calculated based on the achieved points/total points.  The student must achieve a score of 75% (117 points) or better on the summative clinical evaluation compiled by the instructor in order to pass the course.  Students scoring less than 75% (or 117 points) on the final evaluation will receive an Unsatisfactory grade and will be withdrawn from the nursing program. 

Pre-Sim Assignment:
Students will be required to submit a pre-sim assignment to class for Sim on certain days.  The requirements and the due date will be posted before the assigned sim lab.  NO late submission will be accepted.  These will be included in the sim day grade and may result in an Unsatisfactory grade for clinical.  If the pre-sim assignment is not completed, the student will receive a zero for the pre-sim activity or be considered absent.  In addition to the pre-sim assignment there will be required graded activities/assignments during and after specific Sim lab days.

Instructor Response Time

The instructor will respond to emails within 24 hours, excluding weekends and holidays. On weekends and holidays, the instructor will respond to emails from students within 24 hours of the first business day following the weekend or holiday.


Participation Requirements

Weekly participation and engagement in the courses are critical for student success.  Assignments should be completed by the due date.  Students should also refer to the Attendance Policy and Clinical Behaviors for additional information.



Review of Test Grades

Not applicable


Student's Responsibility

This syllabus contains information, policies, and procedures for a specific course. By enrolling, the student agrees to read, understand, and abide by the rules, policies, regulations, and ethical standards of Lamar State College Orange as those contained in the current LSCO Catalog and schedule of classes.


Syllabus Content

The instructor reserves the right to make changes to this syllabus if deemed necessary. All changes will be provided to the students orally or in writing before the implementation of the change.


Textbook and Required Materials Access

Every student MUST have access to the required textbooks by the second week of class. The student will be responsible for all assignments given. Failure to have a text may result in being dropped from the class. Failure to follow instructions (written or oral) will result in penalties.


STUDENT SUPPORT RESOURCES

Mental Health Resources

TimelyCare is a virtual health and well-being platform that is available 24/7 for all non-dual credit enrolled LSCO students. There is no cost to eligible students for this service. TimelyCare’s providers offer emotional support, mental health counseling, health coaching, psychiatry, and basic needs support. Non-Dual Credit students enrolled in classes can log in to the TimelyCare website or app available at timelycare.com/LSCO.


Advocacy Information

Any student who faces challenges securing their food or housing and believes this may affect their performance in the course is encouraged to contact the advising office for guidance on how to identify possible resources. Please notify the instructor of your circumstance if you are comfortable doing so.


Affirmative Action

LSCO is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution which provides educational and employment opportunities on the basis of merit and without discrimination or harassment in full compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 503,504); Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972; the Vietnam Era Veterans Assistance Act of 1974; Article 522lk V.A.C.S.; and Executive Orders 11246 and 11758.


Title IX of the Education Amendments

LSCO prohibits discrimination, including sexual harassment and retaliation, against any student on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law. Any student who believes that he or she has experienced prohibited conduct or believes that another student has experienced prohibited conduct should immediately report the alleged acts to the Title IX Coordinator, Patty Collins, at patty.collins@lsco.edu.


Blackboard Resources

LSCO students will access Blackboard through the MyGator portal. Login credentials will use the following format: username@my.lsco.edu and Password. For help in identifying your Username/Password, visit https://www2.lsco.edu/sspr/.

Blackboard student resource videos and help-sites are available at https://www.lsco.edu/distanceed/blackboard-student.asp.


Career Coach

Lamar State College Orange provides career advising services to all students and alumni through Career Coach, an online career planning tool. Career Coach assists students through all phases of developing, initiating, and implementing career plans.

Information regarding employment opportunities and career options are provided along with access to live local job postings. Full-time and part-time employment opportunities, as well as internships, are available through Career Coach. Visit https://www.lsco.edu/advising/career-planning.asp for more details on how to use LSCO's Career Coach to plan for and learn more about your future career.


Gator Assistance Services

Lamar State College Orange provides currently enrolled technical students support for daycare costs as well as other services.

Visit https://www.lsco.edu/advising/gator-assistance.asp for details on assistance services.


Gator Success Center

Students are encouraged to make an appointment or walk in to receive tutoring, support services, or access to an open computer lab. Face-to-face and online supplemental instruction sessions are available to help students through any LSCO course. Reach out to learning.center@lsco.edu for more information on how students can receive academic support.


Library Services

Students are encouraged to visit library.lsco.edu to find the library's current operating hours, access the catalog to locate print materials, and access GatorSearch to explore the vast electronic collection. The library provides over 77 electronic database collections that include eBooks, newspapers, magazines, academic journals, and streaming video. The physical library contains a specialized collection of research materials specifically chosen to support the degrees and courses offered. Additionally, Students with research questions or questions about library services are encouraged visit the library in person, call 409-882-3352, access the chat on the library webpage, or to email their question to lscolibrary@lsco.edu.


Student with Disabilities

Under the Texas State System, Lamar State College Orange complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, pertaining to the provision of reasonable academic adjustments/auxiliary aids for students with disability. We strive to provide reasonable academic adjustments/auxiliary aids to students who request and require them.

Students who believe they have a disability requiring an academic adjustment/auxiliary aid are encouraged to contact the Special Populations Advisor at (409) 882-3393 or visiting the Advising Office located on the first floor of the Ron Lewis Library Building (RLB) room 113. Students are encouraged to apply before the start of the semester when at all possible. The Accommodation Request Form and details regarding the appropriate documentation needed can be found here: https://www.lsco.edu/advising/disability.asp. Once approved, the signed accommodation form provided by the Special Populations Advisor must be submitted to the instructor at least two business days in advance of need.


Upswing 24/7 FREE Tutoring Services

Lamar State College Orange provides currently enrolled students with access to online tutoring through a partnership with Upswing, an online tutoring platform. Tutors are available 24/7 online in almost every subject.

Visit https://www.lsco.edu/tutoring/online-tutoring.asp for details on how to log-in to the FREE services.


INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES

Campus Closure

In the event of an emergency campus closure in excess of three class days, Lamar State College Orange's classes will continue via the use of Blackboard. In such an instance, the college website, www.lsco.edu, will have information concerning the event and anticipated re-opening plans.


Civility

Please be considerate of other classmates' feelings, ethnic background, cultural differences, situations, and level of maturity. Students will be asked to leave the course if disruptive or inappropriate behavior is exhibited in any of the course requirements. If your instructor feels that you have not contributed appropriately to course requirements, your final course grade may be reduced accordingly.

The instructor reserves the right to manage a positive learning environment and will not tolerate inappropriate conduct in the course. Rude correspondence (discourteous or impolite, especially in a deliberate way) in e-mails, telephone calls, in person, or comments made to other class members, the instructor, or the office staff.


Contingency Plans

Students should develop a backup plan should their computer system or their Internet provider fail. Computer or internet connectivity issues are not valid excuses for missing a deadline. The College provides many opportunities for using computer equipment, as do many public libraries. Refer to the LSCO website for operational hours of the Library and Success Center.


COVID Notification Policy

Students who have been diagnosed with COVID 19 are required to report their condition to their instructor and to the College via the COVID Notification Form. Guidance on how to proceed will be delivered to the student's email after completing the required notification form.


Credit Transfer

Students should check in advance with the institution to which they plan to transfer credit to confirm transferability.


Criminal Background Policy

LSCO awards some certificates and degrees in which a criminal history MAY disqualify candidates from becoming licensed, certified, and/or employed upon degree/certificate completion. Students with a criminal background enrolling in courses leading to a degree/certificate in Criminal Justice, Cosmetology, Emergency Medical Technology, Massage Therapy, Medical Assisting, Vocational Nursing (VN), Registered Nursing (RN), Pharmacy Technician, Real Estate, or Teacher Preparation program are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to discuss the certification and/or licensing regulations of the program with the program director listed in order to learn more about the current guidelines related to criminal history as well as the right of individuals to request a criminal history evaluation letter.


Drops and Withdrawals

Never attending or ceasing to attend classes DOES NOT constitute a drop or withdrawal. You remain registered until you request a drop from the instructor. Failure to act in a timely manner will result in an "F" grade for the course. It is the student's responsibility to follow up with the LSCO advising office to ensure that all drops/withdrawals are processed as desired.


Grade of "Incomplete"

The grade of "I" may be given when any requirement of the course, including the final examination, is not completed. Students seeking an incomplete should have completed 75% of the course requirements and be passing the course at the time of the request. Arrangements to complete deficiencies in a course should be made in advance of the end of the semester with the instructor. The instructor will process the Incomplete form online, and a confirmation will be sent to the student's LSCO email.

Incomplete work must be finished during the next long semester. If not, the Office of Admission and Records must change the "I" grade to the grade of "F." The course must then be repeated if credit is desired. An "I" grade also automatically becomes an "F" if the student registers for the course prior to removing the deficiencies and receiving a grade change. The instructor may record the grade of "F" for a student who is absent from the final examination and is not passing the course.


Grade Appeals and the Academic Grievance Process

Grade determination and awarding of grades in a course are the responsibility of the instructor and should be calculated according to college policy, procedures, and written details provided in the course syllabus. NOTE: Final grades are available to students within 48 hours of the instructor posting the grade in Banner. Students may view final grades by logging into MyGator and then accessing Gator Self-Service.

An academic appeal process is afforded to students who desire to dispute a grade or any decision that affects the student's ability to complete and earn a grade for the course provided it is not related to a violation outlined in the LSCO Student Code of Conduct. If an informal conference with the faculty member regarding an academic complaint fails to reach the outcome requested by the student, the student may initiate the formal process outlined below. Even after initiating the formal complaint process, students are encouraged to seek informal resolution of their concerns. A student whose concerns are resolved may withdraw a formal complaint at any time.

Refer to the current catalog or for details on the formal grade appeal process.


Institutional Educational Goals

Lamar State College Orange has identified seven educational goals to specify the knowledge and skills that students should gain from completing academic and technical programs with the College. These goals are:

1. Critical thinking (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to demonstrate creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information.
2. Communication (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to effectively develop, interpret and express of ideas through written, oral and visual communication.
3. Empirical and quantitative skills (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to manipulate and analyze numerical data or observable facts and create informed conclusions.
4. Teamwork (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal.
5. Social responsibility (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to recognize and acquire a sense of intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national and global communities.
6. Personal responsibility (General Education, Technical) - Students will be able to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making.
7. Professional competency (Technical) - Students will be able to recognize or demonstrate skills and that depict professional values and employability. If the career has licensure or certification requirements, students may prepare for the licensure and certification in a capstone course and sit for the licensure or certificate at the end of the program.

MyGator and Log-In Credentials

Current students will access many LSCO applications through the MyGator portal. Login credentials will use the following format: username@my.lsco.edu/Password. For help in identifying your username/Password, visit https://www2.lsco.edu/sspr/.

It is a violation of College policy, state laws, and federal laws for anyone to gain or help others gain unauthorized access to MyGator or any LSCO application or service. All accounts shall be for use by a single individual - the person for whom the account was approved or assigned. This includes Blackboard accounts as well as any application within MyGator. Sharing or loaning accounts is strictly prohibited, can be construed as a form of cheating, and violates College policy, state laws, and federal laws.


Policies and Procedures

LSCO adheres to the policies and procedures established in the Texas Education Code, Texas State University System Rules and Regulations, LSCO Faculty Handbook, LSCO Student Handbook, and LSCO Catalog.


Prohibited Items in the Classroom

No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. It is inappropriate for minor children to be on campus due to the potential liability to the College, the risk of harm to the children, and decreased employee productivity due to distractions and disruptions.


Student Privacy

The privacy of all students, including Distance Education students, is protected through strict adherence to the rules of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. LSCO's statement regarding the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act can be found in LSCO's Student Handbook, page 70. Additional information regarding privacy for Distance Education students can be found in the Distance Education Handbook, appendix D.