No matter where you are, it's never too late to take continuing education classes to enhance or refine your skills. This decision could be for several reasons – like wanting to enter a new field, climbing up the ranks in your current job, or simply because you've found a new passion. In California, the San Francisco State University has its own College of Extended Learning that caters to Continuing Education students like you.
SFSU's College of Extended Learning (CEL) lets you enroll in programs that help you advance your career or start from the beginning within a new field that you are passionate about.
But even if you attended college before, there are changes in the way that the higher education landscape works that may be unfamiliar to you. With all the technological, social, and health-related changes (and challenges) arising throughout the past decade, expect more reliance on software, virtual classrooms, and globalized curriculums to become part of your learning experience at CEL.
As teaching and learning methods evolve, so do the expectations at colleges and programs catering to continuing education like CEL. Colleges and university policies are stricter, more rigid, and have higher expectations regarding managing students' academic, ethical, and social performance.
From being a good citizen on campus to your academic standing, every part of your experience at CEL also factors into whether you get a degree. Knowing what to expect helps avoid sanctions that disrupt your plans, like progress delays or dismissal. If you need help, call the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686.
Academics
CEL has over 4,000 students – with hundreds hailing from 45 diverse countries through their International Student Program. The college offers 400 courses, 50 programs, 10 Academic Credit Certifications, and over 15 Personal Development Certificates for personal and professional enhancement. It also has accelerated degree programs in nursing.
It offers certifications, internships, and academic programs in the following fields:
- Business: Business Administration, Geographic Information Systems, Human Resource Management, International Business, Hospitality and Tourism Management, International Business, Project Management, and Masters in Business Administration.
- Construction: Including Constructing Practices, Construction Estimating, Constructing Project Management, Construction Supervision
- Medical and Healthcare: Including Clinical Lab Sciences. Clinical Medical Assistant, Clinical Trials Design and Management, Dental Assistant, Dietetics Internship, EKG technician, Family Nurse Practitioner, Holistic Health Studies, Medical Administrative Assistant, Billing and Coding, Pharmacy Technician, Pre-Nursing, School Psychology Internship, and Pre-health Professions.
- Information Technology: Including Certified Network Administrator, CompTIA Certification, Video Game Designer, Web and Mobile Application Design and Development, Ethical Hacking
- Liberal and Creative Arts: This certificate offers multiple subjects, including social sciences, humanities, and visual art.
- Legal: Paralegal Studies, Spanish/English Interpretation Program.
Because CEL has multiple departments, each program has varying requirements and behavioral expectations. However, a Grade Point Average below 2.0 or ethical violations are causes for dismissal or, at the very least, placement on probation. Fortunately, CEL has multiple policies with clear guidelines on what to expect, whether it relates to behavioral or academic issues.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
If you plan on applying for financial aid, remember that CEL follows federal and state regulations for Satisfactory Academic Progress toward your degree. CEL's SAP policy follows three standards for evaluating your progress: the Pace Standard, Maximum Time Frame Standard, and your GPA.
- Pace Standard: This standard is the minimum pass rate, which must be the completion of 67% of the units attempted to receive financial aid. CEL defines completed units as earning a grade of A, B, C, D, or CR. These also include repeated units at SF State.
- Maximum Time Frame Standard: All students must complete their study program within 150% of the units required for their degree to ensure that students complete the program in a reasonable time frame.
- GPA Standard: To receive financial aid, you must be in good standing with a minimum of 2.0 GPA for undergraduate students and 3.0 or above for graduate students.
CEL monitors your SAP every semester, and a warning or an appeal probationary period equals one semester with a minimum of six units attempted. Fortunately, not all is cut and dry. You can appeal to regain eligibility for financial aid if you fail SAP for one semester. In this instance, crafting a professional appeal letter that explains your extenuating circumstances with the help of the Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm can increase your chances of receiving a pardon.
Attendance Policies
Life happens. And for students in continuing education programs, their attendance – or lack thereof, in some cases – is the result of responsibilities and obligations that range from bosses to babies and everything in between. Although curveballs that derail you from your academic progress may happen, prolonged absences at CEL have heavy repercussions that may prevent you from completing your program on time. In some instances, you may be able to speak with your professors and administrators to find a proper way to navigate these absences. But prolonged absences with no effort to keep up with your peers will eventually backfire.
CEL has a strict attendance policy when it comes to enforcing attendance. It considers consistent attendance and participation necessary for effective learning. Thus, non-compliance may result in a warning or a dismissal from the program. However, since incidents may occur where students cannot make class due to business, health, or religious reasons, they must inform their professors in advance to be able to miss a class.
You are still responsible for completing classwork despite receiving permission to miss a class. CEL recommends speaking to an advisor if you require absences over two days.
Academic Integrity and Misconduct
With the rise of technology and software comes a new challenge for colleges – cheating and plagiarism. Academic integrity and misconduct are high on the list of reasons students may face issues in continuing education programs. CEL does not tolerate students who engage in these practices and takes action against those who violate the honor code.
The general rules that pertain to academic misconduct emphasize completing assessments that reflect personal thinking, refraining from copying another student's work, not using the internet to buy solutions to assignments, and engaging in non-deception with professors. CEL gives examples of academic misconduct, including:
- Cheating: Any action involving giving or receiving assistance from others or through digital means without permission. It includes using cheat sheets during exams, asking others for answers regarding their work without permission, and obtaining answers from the internet when professors prohibit it.
- Plagiarism: An act of using another person's work without giving them credit in an attempt to pass it off as one's own. Examples include submitting another person's work without acknowledging the original author, using an idea without citation, improper use of citations, and copying answers from online sources.
- Falsification: A deliberate misrepresentation of references, documents, and data. Examples include modifying a grade, plagiarism, creating misleading experimental data, using fake articles as references, or making unauthorized changes to personal or professional records.
- Deception: Giving false or misleading information to CEL professors, administrators, or students with the intent to deceive them. Examples include falsely claiming to submit an assignment, wrongful accusations against others, and spreading harmful or baseless rumors.
Engaging in academic dishonesty, whether intentionally or by mistake, has severe consequences in continuing education programs. Since colleges have to deal with new ways that students cheat, they are becoming less tolerant of these incidents. They will not hesitate to put a zero on any exam or assignment that a student allegedly engaged in academic misconduct.
Discrimination and Sexual Misconduct Policy
The world is changing – and rightly so – when it comes to addressing issues pertaining to discrimination based on sex. Students may not discriminate at CEL due to race, age, gender, nationality, or sexual orientation. The college lists multiple prohibited actions under this policy, including:
- Discrimination based on a person's protected status
- Harassing a member of CEL based on their Protected Status
- Engaging in any form of dating violence, domestic violence, sexual exploitation and stalking
- Sexual misconduct
- Engaging in prohibited consensual relationships
- Retaliating against another person for exercising their rights under the Nondiscrimination policy
The federal government requires that all colleges take reports of sexual harassment, discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities that receive financial assistance from the federal government. It takes all reports of such violence seriously and may dismiss a student if they are engaging in this behavior. Title IX laws help keep campuses safe by initiating inquiries and investigating all matters regarding discrimination and sexual harassment.
Staying away from these actions, receiving Affirmative Consent, and respecting the rights of individuals from all races, creeds, and religions is your duty as a student. CEL has a Title IX/DHR reporting form to deal with issues pertaining to this matter.
Academics – What Could Go Wrong?
Sometimes, instances arise that you have no control over, especially if you live with other family members and emergencies arise. However, despite giving fair warning and asking permission from advisors, some may unfairly deny your request or give you a failing grade despite following all the rules. At other times, requests for additional help, resources, or even misunderstandings can lead to issues that cause disruption in your courses or issues with administrators.
If it has been a long time since you were in college, you may not understand why they are becoming more rigid when it comes to addressing issues relating to students and their academic performance. But just because there are new policies, it doesn't mean that you have to settle with what the college decides is the result – especially if you did not make a mistake or tried to follow all the procedures outlined on their website.
When these instances happen, it's best not to approach them alone, especially if you are unsure of the next steps. Speaking to the Lento Law Firm Team when things go awry helps you get back on track and understand the next best steps. The Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm understands your situation and works closely with you to decrease the likelihood of receiving a warning or a sanction that affects your progress.
Hiring an Attorney
Going back to school and creating new circumstances for your life comes with many highs - but it also comes with lows that may disrupt your progress and leave you wondering where you went wrong. If you are facing issues that relate to academic misconduct, sexual harassment, professionalism issues, and ethical issues, you need the help of a team that stands by your side and gives you the opportunity to face these challenges head-on.
The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team has years of experience working with continuing education students facing issues once they come back from a long hiatus from school. They understand the new challenges that you are facing and know that you may not be aware of all the new policies and changes that happened in the years they were taking care of other responsibilities.
With their compassion, experience, and commitment to justice, the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team works compassionately and diligently to help you understand the next steps and the processes at CEL.
No matter where you are, trying something new and being part of a college has ups and downs. But since you are now more mature and cannot afford to lose this opportunity, every step you take once you are aware of accusations against you can make all the difference in the end result.
The Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm helps guide you through these challenges behind the scenes, working tirelessly with you to reach the best possible resolution if something goes awry.
Taking that first step towards continuing education is important. Maintaining your position and staying out of trouble may not always be easy – but with the Student Defense Team from the Lento Law Firm by your side, you have a greater chance of success.
If you or someone you love face issues at CEL during their continuing education program, help is available. Call the Lento Law Firm Team today at 888-535-3686 for more information.
