General Information

Accreditation

McDowell Technical Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees. Questions about the accreditation of McDowell Technical Community College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033.

The MTCC Health Information Technology program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

Performance Measures

The MTCC College Performance Measures are available in Appendix A of this Catalog.

Academic Year

McDowell Technical Community College operates on the semester system (Fall, Spring and Summer). Classes are regularly scheduled Monday through Friday for the day and evening curriculum classes. Weekend curriculum classes may also be offered on an occasional basis. Holidays, days for registration, and the first and last days for classes in each semester are indicated on the academic calendar. The Academic Calendar is published on the MTCC website and in Appendix B of this catalog.

General Responsibilities

Students are expected to acquaint themselves with and observe College regulations and policies contained in the Catalog and Student Handbook and all announcements made by administrative officials.

Graduate Competencies

McDowell Technical Community College strives to prepare graduates to:

Listen and communicate effectively, orally and in writing.
Demonstrate competence in reading.
Demonstrate quantitative competencies.
Demonstrate skills in using a personal computer.
Use information to analyze problems and make logical decisions.

Hours of Operation

In general, the College will offer day and evening curriculum classes in technical, vocational, general education and college transfer programs from approximately 8:00 am to 10:30 pm Monday through Friday. Occasionally, classes will begin or end an hour earlier or later than these parameters. Weekend and summer semester classes may vary from this schedule.

The administrative offices of the College are open 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Thursday, and 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Friday. The Smith Academic Resource Center is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, on Monday and Wednesday, and 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, Tuesday and Thursday. Closed on Friday. The Library is open from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm Monday through Thursday and 8:00 am to 1:30 pm on Friday.

Continuing Education classes will be offered across campus and throughout the community at varying times throughout the week. Consult the Schedule of Classes for Continuing Education class times. Hours of operation for the annual Fire and Rescue College will be mailed to applicants several weeks prior to the event.

Inclement Weather

At times, McDowell Technical Community College curriculum and/or continuing education classes may be delayed or canceled due to inclement weather, natural disaster, or another emergency. The President is responsible for making the decision of whether to delay or cancel classes and for communicating this decision to the Director of Communications, to the news media, and to the campus.

When it becomes necessary to discontinue or delay classes, an announcement will be made to local and regional radio and television stations. Morning announcements will be made about 6:15 am for day classes. All day classes will operate according to the announcement and will either be canceled for the day or begin at 10:00 am. Should it become necessary to change from the delayed class schedule to class cancellation, the media will be notified by 8:00 am.

Announcements concerning evening classes will be made over the same media outlets during the afternoon, usually by 3:00 pm. There is no abbreviated schedule for evening classes. Students may call the college if they cannot receive one of the radio or television stations listed. If the college is closed, students may access a recorded closing/delay message by calling the College at 659-0419. Announcements will also be listed on Facebook and at www.mcdowelltech.edu.

Students, faculty and staff may sign up for text alerts from the College to receive inclement weather announcements. Log onto the MTCC website and visit the section labeled “McDowell Tech Text Alerts” to sign up while on campus.

During inclement weather, students and staff members may listen to these stations for news about school delays or class cancellation:

Radio	Television
WWNC 570 AM, Asheville	WLOS Channel 13, Asheville
WBRM 104.3 FM, Marion	WBTV Channel 3, Charlotte
WTOE 1470 AM, Spruce Pine	WSOC Channel 9, Charlotte
WMNC 92.1 FM, Morganton	WYFF Channel 4, Greenville
WKSF 99.9 FM, Asheville	WSPA Channel 7, Spartanburg

Class makeup: The college recognizes its obligation to deliver the instructional services for which students pay tuition and fees. For this reason, all missed classes should be re-scheduled or made up in a manner determined by the Chief Academic Officer. The final attendance report must document how canceled classes were made up.

Housing

McDowell Technical Community College is a commuter institution and does not provide living accommodations for students. However, if a student desires to live in the community while attending classes, the Student Services Office will refer him/her to appropriate resources for assistance in locating suitable housing.

Campus Access Parking and Security Fee (CAPS)

Parking facilities are available for students, visitors, staff and faculty. All curriculum students are required to pay a $25.00 per semester CAPS fee. CAPS fee receipts are utilized for student parking, campus security costs, including but not limited to, salaries, related benefits and operating costs associated with security personnel; contracted security services; vehicles, equipment and capital improvements necessary to secure college property.

Food Services

A short order café is located in the Student Commons. The café serves lunch Monday through Thursday. The cafe may be closed when the college is holding special events in the Student Commons or when class is not in session. Snacks and soft drinks may also be purchased from vending machines in the Student Commons.

Smith Academic Resource Center

Library Services encompasses the library and audiovisual materials and equipment. Library staff members are available to help students and faculty as well as members of the community with library needs. The MTCC library hours are posted at the library entrances. The MTCC library can be accessed through the MTCC website by clicking on the “Campus Life” tab on the college website and then choosing Library from the drop-down menu.

A wide range of library resources is available to support the curriculum programs of the College. The book collection includes more than 9,000 volumes of current reference materials, college transfer, technical and vocational materials. Patrons are welcome to recommend materials for purchase. Audiovisual materials are available for classroom instruction. Audiovisual equipment is available in all classrooms on campus. The online card catalog, Evergreen provides easy access to Library materials and makes the check-out process smooth, quick and accurate.

Online databases include NCLIVE Databases: Gale and Cinahl Plus. Computers are available for Internet research, including NC LIVE. NCLIVE’s online collection includes access to 1.4 billion full-text articles, e-books, streaming videos, digitized newspapers, language learning tools and more. Remote access to the databases is available to online students through Open LMS as well as the website. Other students need a library account to get the passwords/urls for the databases. A library account is needed by all library patrons to use the computers in the library and to check out library materials.

Technology

McDowell Technical Community College maintains multiple computer labs for instructional purposes in curriculum areas such as Accounting, Graphic Design, Business Administration, Computer Information Technology, Health Information Technology, Nursing, Office Systems, Photography and Web Technology. The Graphic Design and Photography labs utilize Macintosh computers with associated software while other labs contain PC workstations running Microsoft Windows with associated software. An open lab is available in the Smith Academic Resource Center. Printing is available in labs for instructional purposes. Wi-Fi is available across campus for guest use. No login is necessary, but users must read and accept the campus policy to access the internet. Violation of this policy could result in revocation of computer use privileges on campus. Please reference B.P 1.22 and CP 1.22.1 Acceptable Use of Computer Resources and Network for additional information.

Children On Campus

It is College policy that children may not accompany students to class. Children who are brought to campus for other reasons must be closely supervised by a responsible adult and may be asked to leave if they become disruptive. Children enrolled in the MTCC Child Development Center are allowed on campus when supervised by college staff.

Child Development Center

The McDowell Technical Community College Child Development Center is a 5-star center providing quality care for children 6 weeks to 5 years of age. We provide care during the day with full-time or part-time slots to students, MTCC/MEC/ MAI faculty & staff and the community. The center also houses a Pre-K classroom which is led by a NC certified licensed teacher. The Pre-K classroom hours are 8:30-2:30 during the school year and is free to qualifying families. A wrap-around service (2:30-5:30) is available for children enrolled in the Pre-K classroom. The Child Development Center is open from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm Monday through Friday. Financial assistance is available to qualifying applicants. For additional information, fee schedules and application materials, please contact the MTCC Child Development Center at 828-652-0637.

Dress

Students are to exercise judgment in dressing appropriately for classes and/or laboratory work. Students in certain curriculum programs may be required to wear particular items of clothing for safety and/or designation of their course of study. Refer to the student-oriented policies and procedures section of the Catalog and to Program Handbooks for more details.

Noise

Students are to be considerate of classes which are in session. Excessive noise will not be tolerated within administrative or classroom buildings.

Tobacco Use

McDowell Technical Community College is a tobacco-free campus (including cigarettes, chewing tobacco and e-cigarettes). Smoking/tobacco use is not permitted on campus. Those who violate this policy will receive a verbal warning for the first offense. Continued violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action. If you would like assistance with smoking cessation, please contact QuitlineNC at 1-800-QUIT-NOW or 1-800-784-8669. It is a free call.

Bulletin Boards

Students may post notices on bulletin boards subject to the approval of the Student Government Advisor.

Lost and Found

All lost or found items should be reported to the receptionist at the information desk in Building 11 (Cedar) 828- 652-6021. The receptionist will post information on items which have been turned in.

Social Media Guidelines

The purpose of McDowell Technical Community College (MTCC) social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube is to support the College’s mission, programs, services, and events by offering news and information to the students, faculty, staff, and friends of MTCC. Social media sites are valuable as they provide a method for disseminating information. These procedures are also subject to other more recent forms of social media.

MTCC encourages feedback and comments from prospective and current students, alumni, faculty, staff, and members of the community. MTCC remains committed to maintaining these sites as safe, family-friendly forums for sharing information.

Guidelines are provided in order to protect the College’s reputation and image. The establishment of guidelines ensures information follows the same high standards as printed and web publications.

To maintain a positive environment for MTCC website visitors, MTCC reserves the right to remove or block posts, users, or any content from official college-sponsored pages.
MTCC expects users to comply with the social website’s terms of service.

Facebook Statement of Rights and Responsibilities
Instagram Terms of Service
Twitter Terms of Service
YouTube Terms of Service
WordPress Terms of Service

Social Media Guidelines for Students

Online behavior that violates the college’s Student Code of Conduct or the Appropriate Use of Computing Resources Policy which is brought to the attention of the Vice President of Learning and Student Services, will be treated as any other violation of the Student Code of Conduct.
The following types of content are prohibited from the MTCC social networking sites:

Derogatory language or demeaning statements about or threats to any third party.
Lewd, indecent, or incriminating images or information depicting hazing, sexual harassment, vandalism, stalking, underage drinking, illegal drug use, or any other inappropriate behavior or inappropriate language.
Content that violates local, state or federal law.
Online gambling.
Content that harasses any third party or personal attacks of any kind.
Selling goods or services for personal financial profit.
Comments or posts that are unrelated to MTCC.
Spam.
Infringement on copyrights or trademarks; and/or
Offensive comments that target or disparage any ethnic, racial, religious, or other group of people.

If you have questions or concerns about a post or comment, contact the Director of Communications. If a sanctioned student club or organization wishes to create a social media web page, the faculty advisor must follow the procedures outlined under Social Media Guidelines for Employees in the MTCC policy and procedure manual.

Note: Refer to Individual Program handbook for potentially more stringent policy and consequences.

Title IX

McDowell Technical Community College (“MTCC”), in compliance with and as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 and its implementing regulations (“Title IX”) and other civil rights laws, as well as in furtherance of its own values as a higher education institution, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, disability, age, religion, veteran status, or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable local, state, or federal law in admission, treatment, or access to, or employment in, its programs and activities.

Non-Discrimination Notice

McDowell Technical Community College, in compliance with and as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 and its implementing regulations (“Title IX”) and other civil rights laws, as well as in furtherance of its own values as a higher education institution, does not discriminate in any Education Program or Activity that it operates on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy or related conditions, disability, age, religion, veteran status, or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable local, state, or federal law in admission, treatment, access to, or employment in, its programs and activities.

Discrimination and harassment are antithetical to the values and standards of the McDowell Technical Community College community; are incompatible with the safe, healthy environment that the McDowell Technical Community College community expects and deserves; and will not be tolerated. McDowell Technical Community College is committed to providing programs, activities, and an education and work environment free from discrimination and harassment. McDowell Technical Community College is also committed to fostering a community that promotes prompt reporting and fair and timely resolution of those behaviors.

Inquiries about Title IX may be referred to McDowell Technical Community College’s Title IX Coordinator, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, or both. McDowell Technical Community College’s Title IX Coordinator is Breanna Wilson, Cedar Building (11), bdrose59@go.mcdowelltech.edu, and (828) 652-0618.

McDowell Technical Community College’s nondiscrimination policy can be located on the college’s website.

The grievance procedures can be located at https://mcdowelltech.edu/bot-policy-manual

To report information about conduct that may constitute sex discrimination or make a Complaint of sex discrimination under Title IX, please refer to College Procedure CP 2.18.1 located at https://mcdowelltech.edu/mtcc-procedures-manual

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY BE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, DATING VIOLENCE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, OR STALKING:

If you or someone you know may have been a victim of the behaviors listed above or any other type of violence, you are strongly encouraged to seek immediate assistance.

ASSISTANCE CAN BE OBTAINED 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK, FROM THE MARION POLICE DEPARTMENT (LOCATED AT 270 SOUTH MAIN ST, MARION, NC AND AVAILABLE BY PHONE AT 911). ASSISTANCE CAN ALSO BE OBTAINED FROM THE McDOWELL COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT (LOCATED AT 593 SPAULDING RD., MARION, NC AND AVAILABLE BY PHONE AT 911)

During business hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday), you are also strongly encouraged to contact one of the following individuals:

Breanna Wilson, Title IX Coordinator 828‐652‐0618;
Breanna’s office is located in the Cedar Building (11).

Ryan Garrison, Deputy Title IX Coordinator 828-652-0627;
Ryan’s office is located in the Cedar Building (11)

Aprille Bailey, Director of Student Services / Registrar 828-652-0629;
Aprille’s office is located in the Cedar Building (11)

Victim Referral Information

Sexual Misconduct Complaint Form

Sex Discrimination and Harassment Policy

Victim Referral Form