Consortium member institutions formed the Worcester nonprofit purchasing group, which, in addition to the Consortium institutions, includes 30 other local nonprofit organizations that together spend over $4 million annually on local goods and services.
Procedures for Deans and Registrars
Student registration and grading process:
Regardless of the campus location for the course, all students in Certificate in College Teaching courses are registered at Clark. All such courses are supported by Clark's Registrar's Office and Clark's course management system, which is currently the Blackboard Course Management System. [NOTE: During the 2008-2009 academic year, Clark will be migrating to CICADA, a replacement CMS built upon the Moodle system software, though both systems will be in operation for the fall 2008 and spring 2009 semesters.]
All students must pre-enroll through the Colleges of Worcester Consortium online enrollment form. All students pay for their courses at the pre-enrollment stage. Once the pre-enrollment process is complete, the student will be registered by the Clark registrar (see below). Students, faculty and staff from Consortium member institutions pay a reduced tuition rate of $290/credit for calendar year 2009. Non-Consortium participants are charged $435/credit in calendar year 2009.
In addition to tuition, a nonrefundable administrative pre-enrollment fee of $30 per student per semester is payable at the time of pre-enrollment. Of this $30 fee, $25 is ultimately paid to Clark to cover the costs of registration processing.
Payment of both the administrative pre-enrollment fee and tuition must be by credit card at the time of pre-enrollment. Students are responsible for arranging for reimbursement of part or all of tuition from their home institutions or employers, if applicable.
Clark's University Registrar and Director of Student Accounts, Linda Winslow, checks for enrollment information using the Consortium's enrollment administration Web site, then registers the student at Clark.
Clark students and faculty may apply to Associate Dean Judy Miller for consideration for reimbursement of tuition and the pre-enrollment fee. For priority consideration, applications for reimbursement must be received 60 days in advance of the semester in which the course is offered.
Once the student has registered and paid on the Certificate Web site, the following Clark fund transfers take place:
Graduate school initiates checks to graduate students receiving reimbursement. Graduate students who are awarded tuition reimbursement must submit a printed receipt for their pre-enrollment payment, and a printed copy of their course registration confirmation, to Denise Robertson before a check is initiated.
CETL initiates checks to faculty receiving tuition reimbursement.
After the two-day withdrawal deadline, CETL initiates an invoice to the Consortium for faculty salary reimbursement and registration fee ($25 per student per semester).
It is Certificate in College Teaching policy not to allow auditors in Certificate courses.
Drop/withdrawal policy:
If a student drops a course (by contacting Clark's University Registrar and Director of Student Accounts, Linda Winslow, within two (2) working days after the first class meeting, s/he is eligible for a full refund of tuition. That is, if the class meets on Thursday evening, the student will receive a tuition refund if s/he formally drops by the close of business on the following Monday. Dropping a course within two (2) days results in no notation on the student transcript. The student should request a refund by contacting Susan Wyckoff.
If a student withdraws from a course (by contacting the Clark Registrar) more than two (2) working days but within five (5) working days of the first class meeting, s/he is eligible for a 50% refund of tuition. Withdrawal after the two-day deadline results in a "W" grade on the Clark transcript. The student should request a refund by contacting Susan Wyckoff.
Pre-enrollment fees are not refundable.
Failure to withdraw or to complete the course will result in a grade of F on the student's transcript.
Students who have received tuition reimbursement from Clark and who drop or withdraw from the course are required to reimburse Clark for the full amount of tuition and pre-enrollment fees they received.
Instructors will grade all students on Clark's letter grade +/- system. It is the students' responsibility to request Clark transcripts of their Certificate courses.
Twelve weeks before the beginning of the course, Judy Miller emails the Clark Registrar, Linda Winslow, with the list of courses to be offered, including location, instructor, dates, times, enrollment capacity, and instructor permission (if required).
Eight weeks before the beginning of the course, faculty teaching the course contacts Associate Dean Judy Miller to initiate the hiring process. Pay is $2500 per credit hour.
Miller sends a part-time contract letter to Joyce Smith, who procures the necessary signatures and mails the contract to the faculty member. The faculty member signs and returns the contract to Joyce.
HR and Clark Account Credentials: Assistant to the Provost Deb Brenner enters faculty members who are new to Clark into the Banner system. Brenner informs Cheryl Elwell and Justin Brooks of the new person's contact information and the fact they are a Certificate faculty member so Elwell can inform faculty member of establishment of Clark Accounts. Justin Brooks/Help Desk delivers Clark Account to the faculty member.
Four weeks before the start of the course, faculty member requests an online course shell (for course Web site [or CICADA], if desired, through online request process. ITS team sets up site and confirms with faculty member when online course shell is complete.
The instructor is responsible for initiating communication with Judy Miller a week before the course is scheduled to begin to discuss possible cancellation if enrollment is marginal. Final go/no-go decisions are made on the day the class begins. If any course enrolls fewer than eight (8) students, the course may be cancelled.