ADA Grievance Procedure
If students feel they have not been served with appropriate accommodations as mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act, they may file an ADA grievance by following the process outlined below. All ADA grievances must be initiated within three (3) weeks of the alleged occurrence, omission, or denial. The ADA Grievance Procedure is separate from all other college grievances.
1. Discuss the matter with the Office for Students with Disabilities Coordinator (OSD)
2. The decision of the OSD shall be made and communicated to the student within five (5) class days of the student conference. The decision is final unless within five (5) class days the student contacts the Dean of Instruction with a written narrative of the complaint. (Alternative means of filing complaints, such as personal interviews or a tape recording of the complaint, will be made available for qualified persons with disabilities upon request.)
3. The Dean of Instruction has five (5) class days to investigate, reach a decision, and respond in writing to the student. The decision is final unless within five (5) class days after the decision has been made, the student completes an “ADA Student Grievance and Appeals” Form (available in the OSD) and presents it to the ADA appeals committee through the OSD.
ADA Appeals Committee
The ADA appeals committee, appointed annually by the president, will have the authority to impose sanctions on any instructor, student, or staff member appearing before it. The chairperson of the ADA appeals committee is appointed by the President. The committee will consist of three faculty members, two staff members, three students, and the chairperson to equal a total of nine members. There shall also be appointed one faculty member, one staff member, and two student as alternates in the event that the appointed committee member(s) cannot be present. The Office for Students with Disabilities Coordinator will serve in an advisory capacity. The chairperson, two faculty/staff members, and two students must be present to constitute a quorum and hear a case. To ensure a fair and impartial hearing, any member of the committee who has a direct interest in the case should recuse himself/herself from the committee, and an appropriate alternate shall serve on the committee for that case. Upon a written (or alternative format) request to the ADA appeals committee, the committee chairperson will within three (3) class days contact the committee members to arrange a hearing date, time, and place and will advise the Dean of Student Services of such. The Dean of Student Services will issue notice to the student. The student will be given at least five (5) class days notice of the date, time and place of the scheduled hearing.
ADA Appeals Committee Hearing Procedures
All ADA committee hearings will be conducted in private in order to protect the confidential nature of the proceedings. Any student or employee requiring accommodations for this hearing shall make the request for such accommodations to the Office for Students with Disabilities Coordinator at least three (3) class days prior to the hearing. In the event that an essential accommodation cannot be provided by the College by the date of the hearing, the hearing shall be rescheduled with the respective date to be no more than one week later. The chairperson will preside at the hearing. The Dean of Student Services or his designee will be present to make sure procedural matters are followed. The hearing shall be of an informal nature and need not adhere to the rules of procedure or technical rules of evidence followed by courts of law.
Deviations from prescribed procedures will not necessarily invalidate a decision or proceeding unless significant prejudice to a student respondent or the College may result. A written record of the proceedings will be kept by the committee chairperson. No audio recordings will be permitted. The record of the hearing will be filed in the office of the Dean of Student Services and only for the purpose of appeal be accessible to the College and the student.
Hearings will proceed in the following order:
1. reading of the charges by the committee chairperson
2. the complainant’s statement of position with respect to the charges (no more than 5 minutes)
3. the private presentation of evidence by the respondent and questions by the ADA appeals committee (no more than 10 minutes total, including questions)
4. the private presentation of evidence by the complainant and questions by the ADA appeals committee (no more than 10 minutes, including questions)
5. brief closing statements by both parties (no more than 3 minutes with the respondent speaking first, followed by the complainant)
Upon conclusion of the hearing, the ADA appeals committee will consider the merits of the case. The appeals committee chairperson will transmit the committee’s findings and determinations in writing, to only the complainant, the respondent, and the Dean of Student Services within three (3) class days. The decision of the ADA appeals committee is final, unless within five (5) class days after the decision has been made the student makes a written (or alternative format) request to the President for review.
Appeals to the President
Within five (5) class days after the decision has been made by the ADA appeals committee, either or both parties may submit a written request for appeal to the College President. The President’s decision will begin with the record of the hearing. Both parties may, at the discretion of the President, submit oral or written arguments to support their position. The President may approve, reject, or modify the decision in question. The President may require that the original hearing be reopened for the presentation of additional evidence and reconsideration of the decision or for correction of a procedural error.
Note: After completing the ADA appeals process, students dissatisfied with Vernon College’s decision regarding their ADA complaint may also choose to file a complaint of discrimination directly with the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), Texas Commission on Human Rights, or any other federal, state or local agency as is their right under the ADA.
1970 marked the beginning of Vernon College. Throughout this decade the College continued to grow and more students enrolled in both on- and off-campus courses. On January 20, 1970, a majority of the citizens of Wilbarger County voted to create the Wilbarger County Junior College District. Following that decision, Vernon Regional Junior College was established and on April 9, 1970, the newly elected Board of Trustees appointed Dr. David L. Norton as the College’s first president. Campus construction began in May 1971, and included an Academic Science Center, Administration-Fine Arts Center, Applied Arts Center, Library, and Student Center. The following year, on September 5, 1972, classes met for the first time on the Vernon campus with a total of 608 students. On August 1, 1974, Dr. Jim M. Williams became the College’s second president. In the fall semester of that year, combined on- and off-campus enrollment exceeded 800 students. During the 1975-76 academic year, the College expanded its services to include a learning center on Sheppard Air Force Base. During this year, enrollment in credit courses, both on- and off-campus, rose to a level of 1,199. The scope of the Vocational Nursing Program was enlarged during the 1976-77 academic year with the assumption of the Bethania School of Vocational Nursing in Wichita Falls. In August 1976 the Physical Education Center was dedicated in honor of Dr. and Mrs. Thomas A. King longtime benefactors of Vernon College.
Growth and changes continued during the 1980s. In August 1980 a Student Residence Center, designed to house 128 students, opened for occupancy. Further expansion of program offerings in the Wichita Falls area was accomplished through absorption of an existing proprietary school that was renamed the Vernon College Technical Center and the integration of the nursing program from the Wichita Falls Independent School District. On March 22, 1982, Dr. Joe Mills took over the leadership of the College as the third president. That fall, the College fielded its first intercollegiate rodeo team. During 1983-84, the Department of Cosmetology and the Career Development Center (previously known as the North Texas Skills Center) were established in Wichita Falls. On the Vernon campus, the Chaparral Center was completed, and the Pease River farm purchased through a state land trade. The following academic year, 1984-85, Vernon College reached a record credit enrollment of 1,863 and a record continuing education enrollment of 7,056 registrations. A Vocational Nursing Program opened in Seymour, and the Board of Trustees established a college foundation and approved an agreement to allow construction of the Red River Valley Museum on the Vernon campus. In February 1987 the College played its first intercollegiate baseball game on the Vernon campus. During May of that year, the new Natatorium was opened in the King Physical Education Center. A newly constructed Athletic Dormitory opened to house 28 athletes in August 1988. In October, Trustees voted to add women’s volleyball as a varsity sport, effective with the fall 1989 semester. In May 1989 Vernon College moved all Wichita Falls programs to one centralized location—Century City Center. Since the College opened its doors 38 years ago, many individuals, corporations, foundations, and organizations have made an investment in our students through the creation of endowed and annual scholarships. As of this year, more than 100 scholarship funds are available to help students pursue their educational dreams.VERNON COLLEGE PHILOSOPHY: Vernon College is a constantly evolving institution, dedicated primarily to effective teaching and regional enhancement. With this dedication to teaching and to the community, the College encourages open inquiry, personal and social responsibility, critical thinking, and life-long learning for students, faculty, and other individuals within its service area. The College takes as its guiding educational principle the proposition that, insofar as available resources permit, instruction should be adapted to student needs. This principle requires both flexibility in instructional strategies and maintenance of high academic standards. Strong programs of assessment and accountability complement this educational principle. VC accepts the charge of providing a college atmosphere free of bias, in which students can exercise initiative and personal judgment, leading to a greater awareness of personal self-worth. It strives to provide every student with opportunities to develop the tools necessary to become a contributing, productive member of society.
Vision
VERNON COLLEGE VISION: Vernon College will promote a culture of success for our students and communities through learner-centered quality instructional programs and exemplary services.
Values
VERNON COLLEGE VALUES: Vernon College promotes a culture of success through our shared values and commitment to:
Accessibility
Accountability
Building Relationships
Diversity
Inclusion
Innovation
Leadership
Quality
Student Success
Teamwork
Our values define who we are and guide us in conducting our business every day. Our values are our morals – what is important to us at our college.
Mission
VERNON COLLEGE MISSION The mission of Vernon College is teaching, learning, and leading. Vernon College is a comprehensive community college that integrates education with opportunity through our instructional programs and student support services by means of traditional and distance learning modes. Therefore, to fulfill its mission, the College will provide access, within its available resources, to:
Career technical/workforce programs up to two years in length leading to associate degrees or certificates;
Career technical/workforce programs leading directly to employment in semi-skilled and skilled occupations;
Freshman and sophomore courses in arts and sciences, including the curricula leading to associate and baccalaureate degrees;
Ongoing adult education programs for occupational upgrading or personal enrichment;
Compensatory education programs designed to fulfill the commitment of an admissions policy allowing the enrollment of disadvantaged students; ;
A continuing program of counseling and guidance designed to assist students in achieving their individual educational goals;
Career technical/workforce development programs designed to meet local and statewide needs;
Support services for educational programs and college-related activities;
Adult literacy and other basic skills programs for adults; and
Other To help prospective and current students, faculty, and staff locate important information about Vernon College, this webpage provides links to helpful information on a variety of government mandated and consumer information. Examples are academic programs, cost of attendance, financial aid, safety and security, and institutional financial reports. Vernon College’s presentation of this information complies with the Higher Education Act, as amended, and implementing regulations.