The Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA), requires postsecondary institutions to disclose certain information to future students, current students, and employees. The content on this webpage is disclosed to you in compliance with federal law.
If you would like additional information, including requesting a paper copy of any materials, please contact the appropriate office or visit the webpages listed below.
Academic Programs and Faculty
Contact: Dr. John Franklin | Email:
Information concerning current academic programs and course offerings, including descriptions, is available in the college catalog. The campus map includes information regarding campus facilities, including those related to instructional programs. The employee directory provides a quick resource to locate faculty members by department or name. Each faculty member has a posted photo, email, phone number, educational achievement, courses routinely taught, and the current semester schedule that includes office hours.
Academic Standard
Contact: Deb Pantini | Email:
A student who attempts six or more academic credits must achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 1.75 per semester. Failure to maintain the minimum grade point average of at least 1.75 per semester will result in academic warning for the next semester of attendance. If the grade point is not at least 1.75 at the conclusion of the semester of academic warning, the student may be placed on academic suspension. A student demonstrating satisfactory academic progress (at least 1.75 for an academic semester) may avoid suspension while remaining on academic warning until the cumulative grade point average reaches 1.75. Academic warning, academic suspension, and the process of re-enrolling at Southwestern are explained in the student handbook in detail.
Accreditation
Contact: Lindsay Stoaks | Email:
To request additional information related to Southwestern Community College's accreditation, and to obtain or review documents describing accreditation, approval, or licensing, please review the SWCC Accreditation webpage. Following guidelines established by the Iowa Department of Education, all academic programs are assessed through a formal program review process on a regular basis. Southwestern Community College continually monitors and reviews its educational programs through multiple student outcomes assessments.
Anti-Lobbying Provisions
Contact: Kylee Klommhaus | Email:
Southwestern Community College does not use Federal Student Aid funds for lobbying, to hire a registered lobbyist, or to pay any person or entity for securing funds.
Books and Supplies Policy
Contact: Kylee Klommhaus | Email:
Financial aid can be used to purchase books and supplies through the SWCC Shoppe. If the student billing statement shows that the student has been awarded financial aid (grants, scholarships, and loans) and the student account reflects a credit balance, the student may obtain a charge slip issued from the business office and take it along with the billing statement to the SWCC Shoppe. The student will be allowed to charge books to the student account for up to the amount of the credit. If the billing statement does not show a credit balance, the student may not be able to charge books on the student account and will need to check with the financial aid and business offices. Students may charge books to their student account until the deadline of a week prior to aid disbursement each term. Students should check with the business office regarding the last day a student can receive a charge slip for books and supplies.
College Navigator
Contact: Kim Bishop | Email:
College Navigator is a free consumer information tool designed to assist students, parents, high school counselors, and other interested parties search and obtain information about U.S. postsecondary institutions. The U.S. Department of Education provides the College Navigator website as an easy tool for current and prospective students to gain information about all postsecondary Title IV participating schools. The minimum 26 items listed about each postsecondary school include information regarding: student activities offered by the school, services offered by the school for individuals with disabilities, career and placement services offered to students during and after enrollment, and policies of the school related to transfer of credit from other schools.
College Profile
Contact: Kim Bishop | Email:
Southwestern Community College produces consumer information snapshots on an annual basis to provide a quick overview of important information to interested parties. The Fall 2022 Enrollment and Student Characteristics Executive Summary provides information regarding the student body population such as fall headcount, gender enrollment, average age, enrollment type, residency, and ethnicity. The Fall 2022 Institutional Characteristics Executive Summary provides higher-level overview of special learning opportunities, transfer credit, faculty information, tuition and fees, financial aid, and default rates. The 2021-22 Graduation and Outcomes Executive Summary provides information regarding overall graduation and transfer-out rates, graduation rate by gender, graduation rate by race, outcome measures, licensure rates, and persistence and attainment outcomes. Information on the cost of attendance is available through the business office and financial aid office. The information is intended for students, families, policy–makers, campus faculty and staff, the general public, and other higher education stakeholders. General information regarding Southwestern Community College can be gathered on our “About” page. In addition, the College Navigator website provides consistent, comparable, and transparent information on the characteristics of institutions and students, success rates, degree offerings, and student engagement with the learning process.
Confidentiality of Records
Contact: Alyssa Riley | Email:
The Family and Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with regards to their educational records. SWCC publishes a FERPA notification that delineates students' rights under FERPA. SWCC information on confidentiality of student records is published in the college catalog.
Copyright Infringement
Contact: Ann Coulter | Email:
Information regarding file sharing and copyright policies and resources is available on the Copyright Information webpage. This includes information regarding the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and individuals rights and responsibilities. Unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material, including unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing, may be subject to civil and criminal liabilities. Penalties for copyright infringement include civil and criminal penalties. In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or “statutory” damages affixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. For “willful” infringement, a court may award up to $150,000 per work infringed. A court can, in its discretion, also assess costs and attorneys’ fees. For details, see Title 17, United States Code, Sections 504, 505.
Cost of Attendance
Contact: Brandi Shay | Email:
The cost of attendance consists of tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation, and any additional costs for a program in which the student is enrolled or expresses an interest. Southwestern Community College fully discloses its tuition and fees and refund policy to all current and prospective students. In order to assist students with estimating their cost of attendance, Southwestern provides a Net Price Calculator.
Crime, Security, and Fire
Contact: Kim Bishop | Email:
The Southwestern Community College Annual Security Report & Annual Fire Safety Report is sent annually to all current students and employees. In addition, the report is published on the SWCC website to provide the information to all interested parties. The Security and Fire Safety Report includes crime statistics and policy statements, as required. The Fire Safety Log includes information regarding fires on-campus including the nature, date, time and location of each fire. It also provides information about police and public safety resources; reporting crimes; fire and medical emergencies; emergency notification; missing student policy; crime prevention; victim support services; campus facilities; residence hall safety; policies regarding sexual harassment, sexual offense, sex offenders, and weapons on campus.
Drug/Alcohol Policy
Contact: Kim Bishop | Email:
The Annual Security Report & Annual Fire Safety Report includes the institution's drug and alcohol policy. The annual report provides information about alcohol and other drug health risks, drug and alcohol laws and penalties, and campus alcohol and other drug education and counseling resources.
The Drug Free Schools and Campuses Regulations (34 CFR Part 86) of the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (DFSCA) require an institution of higher education (IHE) such as Southwestern Community College to certify it has implemented programs to prevent the abuse of alcohol and use or distribution of illicit drugs by SWCC students and employees both on its premises and as a part of any of its activities. The 2021-23 Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program Biennial Review and the 2019-21 Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program Biennial Review provide summary information regarding the preventative measures, activities, and programs that Southwestern implemented to honor the commitment to providing a drug free environment for all students and staff.
Emergency Notification
Contact: Scott Helm | Email:
SWCC has a campus-wide emergency notification system (Omnilert) to send instant text messages and/or email messages to all students, faculty, and staff who have elected to receive them. This system will be utilized to immediately notify the campus community upon the confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees occurring on campus. This service also allows users to receive messages when classes are canceled and/or messages when the college is closed due to weather.
To sign up for emergency alerts, students and employees will need to log on to the SWCCyou portal and follow the Omnilert link. New students will receive training on SWCCyou during new student orientation. Employees receive information regarding the process for signing up for emergency alerts during orientation and on an annual basis thereafter through the SWCC Weekly online newsletter. The campus-wide emergency notification system (Omnilert) is tested on an annual basis.
Equity/Affirmative Action/Title IX
Contact: Lana Bartmess | Email:
It is the policy of Southwestern Community College not to discriminate in its programs, activities, or employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, creed, religion, and actual or potential family, parental or marital status. If you have questions or complaints related to compliance with this policy, please contact: Equity/Title IX Coordinator, Southwestern Community College (Administration Center), 1501 W. Townline St., Creston, IA 50801; phone, 641.782.1456; or email,
Information regarding compliance with the nondiscrimination policy and the appropriate grievance procedure are located on the Equity/Affirmative Action/Title IX web page.
European General Data Protection Regulation
Contact: Kim Bishop | Email:
The European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), effective May 25, 2018, is designed to protect the privacy of personal data of citizens of the European Union (EU) or people residing in the EU (called Data Subjects in the GDPR regulation) regardless of the physical location of the EU citizen. (https://gdpr.eu/what-is-gdpr). Any organization inside or outside of the European Union that processes or controls data of citizens of the European Union or of people whom are residing in the European Union is subject to the GDPR. https://gdpr.eu/faq.
Southwestern Community College is dedicated to protecting prospective students, students, alumni, and faculty and staff’s personal information. According to the GDPR, personal data is any data that can identify a person. The personal identifiers can be direct personal identifiers or indirect personal identifiers such as name, student ID, student photo, gender, race, personal or student email address, banking information, or medical information as well as “online identifiers provided by their devices, applications,, tools and protocols” such as IP addresses and cookies. http://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-5419-2016-INIT/en/pdf
Southwestern Community College collects, processes, records, stores, and disseminates a person’s personal data for the specific and legitimate purpose of performing college functions, processes, reporting, and compliance of legal obligations.
EU Data Subjects must give consent to data collection. "Consent should be given by a clear affirmative act establishing a freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of the data subject's agreement to the processing of personal data relating to him or her, such as by a written statement, including by electronic means, or an oral statement.” http://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-5419-2016-INIT/en/pdf
EU Data Subjects will be asked by Southwestern Community College to consent to the following statement.
Consenting to this statement allows Southwestern to collect your personal data for legitimate college purposes in regards to your status as a prospective student, student, or alumni, supporter, or stakeholder of the college.
I agree that by submitting an application to Southwestern Community College, I give consent to Southwestern to store and use personal and academic-related information for all recruitment and academic records-related activities. I also agree to allow Southwestern to use multiple forms of communication for the purpose of recruitment and academic-related information during my academic career. I understand that if I do not agree to this statement I cannot be admitted to Southwestern.
Southwestern Community College only uses your information for academic and regulatory purposes. Southwestern does not sell student information to third-parties.
The GDPR provides “limited exceptions to the consent rule, such as legal requirements or protection of vital interests of the data subject” https://er.educause.edu/articles/2017/8/the-general-data-protection-regulation-explained.
Southwestern Community College will not share your personal information with third parties except as required by law, as necessary to protect the college’s interests, and with vendors contracted by the college who have agreed to keep this information confidential.
Right to be forgotten- Data Erasure
EU Data Subjects have the right to have their personal data erased if the retention of the personal data is no longer necessary for the purposes for which the data was collected or processed, is not necessary for legitimate college purposes, legal obligation, or is past the mandatory data storage retention limits.
In the event of a data breach, Southwestern will perform the following steps to notify affected constituency groups within 72 hours of the breach.
1. Provide specific contact details with Southwestern’s cyber security team
2. Brief description of the nature of the breach
3. Likely consequences of the breach
4. Steps Southwestern Community College has taken or will take to address the breach
5. Advice on how those affected by the breach can protect themselves.
For more information on the GDPR, go to https://gdpr.eu
http://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-5419-2016-INIT/en/pdf
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Contact: Alyssa Riley | Email:
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.
Financial Aid
Contact: Kylee Klommhaus | Email:
The Financial Aid Guide provides information including adjustment of awards, applying for aid, attendance policy, books and supplies policy, code of conduct for loans, contact individuals, course repeats, disbursement of aid, entrance and exit counseling, financial aid definitions, financial aid programs available, general eligibility, loan terms and repayment, preferred lender arrangements, preferred lender list, return of Title IV funds, satisfactory academic progress, and terms and conditions.
Financial Aid Calculator
Contact: Kylee Klommhaus | Email:
Estimates regarding financial aid and cost of attendance can be found by utilizing the Net Price Calculator.
Financial Aid Penalties for Drug Law Violation
Contact: Kylee Klommhaus | Email:
Federal law provides that a student who has been convicted of an offense under any federal or state law involving the possession or sale of a controlled substance during a period of enrollment for which the student was receiving financial aid shall not be eligible to receive any federal or institutional loan, grant, or work assistance. Southwestern Community College publishes Penalties for Drug Law Violations in the financial aid department webpages.
Formal Student Complaint Process
Contact: Kim Bishop | Email:
The college utilizes both formal and informal processes to assist students with complaints. The dean of student services encourages open, effective communication with all members of the college community. Students who bring forward concerns are encouraged to meet with the individual or department with whom the concern resides. This informal process provides students with the opportunity to develop effective communication and conflict resolution skills. Members of the faculty and staff are encouraged to assist students and to take action to resolve their complaints as soon as time allows.
If an issue is not resolved through the informal process, the student is encouraged to work through the formal student complaint process (Administrative Procedure SS-52 Formal Complaint Procedure). A formal complaint is defined as a complaint that is in writing, signed and dated by the complainant, and is sent or delivered to the college president, dean of student services, vice president of instruction, or the assistant vice president of instruction. A formal student complaint does not include complaints from parents, employers or the general public. The dean of student services maintains a master log of all formal student complaints.
Information detailing the process for complaints and grievances related to distance education/online classes at Southwestern may be found at Complaint/Grievance Process on the SWCC website.
Gainful Employment
Contact: Kylee Klommhaus | Email:
The United States Department of Education requires public disclosure for certain college programs preparing students for gainful employment. This includes on-time graduation rates, job placement rates, and median loan debt incurred by students completing these SWCC programs. Information is not provided if the represented population is less than 10 students.
Graduation Rate, Retention, and Transfer Rates
Contact: Alyssa Riley | Email:
Graduation data, graduation rates, and retention rates for Southwestern Community College full-time, degree-seeking, undergraduate students, as well as SWCC overall retention, graduation, and transfer out data, are available from the registrar's office. SWCC annually reports graduation and retention information to the National Center for Education Statistics. This information can be found on our institutional IPEDS page on College Navigator. In addition, SWCC annually produces an executive summary with graduation data, outcome measures, and transfer rates.
HSED Assessment and Advising
Contact: Darla Helm | Email:
The SWCC Business & Community Development at Southwestern Community College provides information regarding the High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED), to students who do not have a high school diploma or equivalent. Individuals who have tested and passed the GED® or HiSET™ test in Iowa may request a copy of official documents at Diploma Sender online, www.diplomasender.com.
Intercollegiate Athletics
Contact: Paul Purvis | Email:
In compliance with the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA), the Southwestern Community College Athletic Department publishes information regarding men's and women's athletics at SWCC. The Equity in Athletics Data report includes the number of participants by gender for each team, operating and recruiting expenses, coaches' salaries, revenues, and athletically related student aid.
Completion and graduation rates for student athletes:
- Participation count for all students and students receiving athletic scholarships
- Graduation, transfer without graduation, and did not graduate or transfer for all students and students receiving athletic scholarships
- Graduation, transfer without graduation, and did not graduate or transfer four-year average rates for all students and students receiving athletic scholarships
Locations
Contact: Wayne Pantini | Email:
Southwestern Community College is located in southwest Iowa. The main campus is located in Creston, with additional centers located in Osceola and Red Oak. More information regarding campus offerings and locations may be found in the general college information.
Misrepresentation
Contact: Dr. John Franklin | Email:
Southwestern Community College will not engage in substantial misrepresentation by having the college itself, or one of its representatives, or any ineligible institution, organization, or person whom the institution has an agreement to provide education programs, marketing, advertising, recruiting or admissions services, make a substantial misrepresentation regarding the institution, including the nature of the educational program, its financial charges, employability of its graduates, or its relationship with the Department of Education. Substantial misrepresentations are prohibited in all forms, including those made in any advertising, promotional materials, or in the marketing or sale of courses or program of instruction offered by SWCC.
Missing Student Procedure
Contact: Kim Bishop | Email:
Contact: Kori Zarzutzki | Email:
The missing students policy and notification procedures to be followed in the event of a missing student are available in the Annual Security Report & Annual Fire Safety Report.
Placement of Graduates
Contact: Lindsay Stoaks | Email:
Each year, Southwestern Community College surveys graduates and compiles the information into the Graduate Placement Report. The annual graduate placement report is available on the career-related services webpage.
Receipt of Pell Grants
Contact: Kylee Klommhaus | Email:
A student must be enrolled as a regular student in an eligible program to be eligible to receive Title IV federally-funded financial aid: Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Work-Study, Federal Direct Stafford Loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized) and Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loans. The financial aid office will award all federal, state, and institutional aid a student is eligible to receive up to cost of attendance. The percentage of students who receive Pell Grants is provided on the College Navigator website.
Refund and Return of Title IV Funds
Contact: Kylee Klommhaus | Email:
Southwestern Community College’s refund policy exists for calculating the refund of institutional and state charges. The federal “Return of Title IV Funds” policy dictates the amount of Federal Title IV aid that must be returned to the federal government by the school and the student. The federal formula is applicable to a student receiving any type of federal aid, other than Federal Work-Study, if that student does not complete 60 percent of the payment period. The refund and return of Title IV funds policy is further explained in the Financial Aid Guide.
Refund Policy
Contact: Erin Kiley | Email:
Southwestern Community College's refund policy exists for calculating the refund of institutional and state charges. The college refund policy, along with tuition and fees, is fully disclosed on the business office webpages. If a student withdraws or drops a course, a schedule of percentage of cost to be refunded is located in the college catalog. The catalog also contains information for a student who is seeking to withdraw from the institution. SWCC also provides information regarding the requirements and procedures for the return of Title IV funds in the college's financial aid guide found on the financial aid webpages.
Reporting on Foreign Sources and Gifts
Contact: Brandi Shay | Email:
Federal law requires most two-year and four-year postsecondary schools to report ownership or control by foreign sources and contracts with or gifts from the same foreign source that, alone or combined, have a value of $250,000 or more for a calendar year. Southwestern Community College does not have any foreign sources, contracts, or gifts that value at or above $250,000.
Services for Students with Disabilities
Contact: Deb Pantini | Email:
Students with disabilities are entitled to equal opportunities to participate in and benefit from educational services at Southwestern Community College. Students with disabilities attending Southwestern will be assisted in the most appropriate manner to accommodate their special needs as they complete their educational programs.
The director of student development provides disability-related information, determines eligibility for services and facilitates reasonable accommodations, and coordinates disability-related technical assistance and auxiliary services. The student disability support services webpage provides additional information regarding services and support available. Steps for obtaining academic accommodations are also listed in the student handbook.
Student Demographics
Contact: Kim Bishop | Email:
The 2023 Fall Student Demographics Report provides a snapshot of the student population during the fall semester. Information included in this report consists of, but is not limited to: enrollment figures, percentage of enrolled full-time and part-time students, gender, ethnicity, scholarships received, and percentage of students receiving Title IV funding.
Textbook Information
Contact: Jana Scott | Email:
In compliance with the Higher Education Act, the SWCC Shoppe releases the list of International Standard Book Numbers (ISBN) textbooks each semester This information is listed with course and academic information on the class schedules page.
Transfer and Articulation Agreements
Contact: Deb Pantini | Email:
Southwestern Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission; therefore, credits earned at SWCC are readily accepted at colleges and universities across the United States. SWCC has official articulation agreements with a number of colleges and universities. The SWCC transfer planning webpages contains information regarding articulation agreements, course equivalency guides, as well as details about SWCC's partnership programs.
Iowa's Regents universities and community colleges have joined to create a web portal dedicated to assisting students with the transfer process. The site serves as a one-stop resource for students planning their future. The site is located at www.transferiniowa.org.
Vaccination Policies
Contact: Kim Bishop | Email:
Southwestern Community College suggests students consult with their healthcare provider regarding recommended vaccinations/immunizations recommended by the American College Health Association when deciding whether or not they may want to be vaccinated.
Immunizations recommended by the American College Health Association include the following: measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), tetanus (Td), polio, meningococcal disease (meningitis), chicken pox (varicella), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, human papilloma virus (HPV), influenza, and pneumococcal vaccine.
Voter Registration
Contact: Kim Bishop | Email:
Southwestern Community College provides each student residing in the on-campus housing facilities a voter registration form in their campus mailbox. Information regarding voting in local, state, or federal elections, including a copy of the Iowa Voter Registration Form, may be accessed at the Iowa Secretary of State website.
Withdrawal from College
Contact: Alyssa Riley | Email:
Certain circumstances require that a student withdraw from school. A student may withdraw from college without grade penalty during the semester up to and including the Friday prior to the first day of final examinations. Online classes and face-to-face classes, shorter than the 16-week term, may have different start and stop dates. Due to the differences, the last day that a student may withdraw from a term less than 16 weeks is two weeks prior to the last day of class. To initiate the procedure of complete withdrawal from college, the student must complete the withdrawal form from the registrar’s office or the off-campus center offices. The full procedure for complete withdrawal from the college is located in the student handbook.