Elizabethtown College School of Continuing and Professional Studies

Overview of Elizabethtown College

Our commitment is to Educate for Service. We believe that learning is most noble when used to benefit others, regardless of chosen career path. We prepare our students to lead rich lives of purpose and meaning, while advancing independent thought, personal integrity and social responsibility. These are the foundations for a life of learning. The College fosters values of peace, non-violence, human dignity and social justice.

For information about the College’s history and Church of the Brethren heritage, visit http://www.etown.edu/about/

Overview the School of Continuing and Professional Studies

Elizabethtown College has been a leader in adult education in the South-Central Pennsylvania region for over fifty years.  In 1999, the College’s Strategic Plan mandated renewed institutional efforts to extend the College’s mission, heritage, and core competencies to the regional adult student community through the College’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS).  In 2001, the Board of Trustees reaffirmed the SCPS’s organizational status as a distinct, self-governing academic unit of Elizabethtown College, charged with meeting the varied and unique needs of regional adult students. In 2011, the Board of Trustees approved the School’s first graduate program.

The SCPS offers accelerated, convenient credit programming and degree completion to working adults at Elizabethtown, Harrisburg, Lancaster, and online.  These programs are firmly based on the principles of effective adult learning and fall under the College’s accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Accreditation and Authorization

Elizabethtown College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. (267-284-5000). The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Elizabethtown College is a member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), a voluntary, interstate agreement that establishes comparable standards for offering postsecondary distance education across state lines.  Member states recognize participating institutions that are authorized in other member states.  SARA establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs. It is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state.

Students can review documents of accreditation by contacting the Registration and Records Office at 717-361-1409.  Students wishing to file a formal complaint against an institution of higher education in Pennsylvania can visit http://www.education.pa.gov/Postsecondary-Adult/College%20and%20Career%20Education/Pages/Students-Complaints.aspx#.VYxXhEZWJ49 for procedural information.

Each of the SCPS syllabi is written to adhere to federal and state guidelines. Federal guidelines require a minimum of 45 hours of interactive instruction or alternative equivalent activities.  Equivalencies to comply with both federal and state regulations may include activities like research, internet activities (online discussion boards; responding to postings, real time chat, etc.), written assignments, case studies, fieldtrips or other activities deemed appropriate by the SCPS and its faculty. 

SCPS has adopted a number of general principles from the Pennsylvania Department of Education Guidelines, including:

• All SCPS accelerated courses will adhere to 45 hours of ‘equivalent’ instructional time [per PDE] yet remain in an accelerated delivery. 
• All courses will be outcomes-based where it is determined whether or not students have achieved the stated outcomes.  
• Adult learning principles are recognized as critical to the success of the program. 

Although “contact hours” are limited in the accelerated format, adult students are expected to complete 15-22 hours of “learning and instruction outside the classroom” each week; this learning can involve activities like problem solving, reading, research, writing, academic journaling, independent field trips, web-based assignments and group work under the direction of the facilitator.

Mission of Elizabethtown College

Molded by a commitment to educate for service, Elizabethtown College is a community of learners dedicated to educating students intellectually, socially, aesthetically, and ethically for lives of service and leadership as citizens of the world.

As a comprehensive institution, the College offers academic programs in the liberal arts, sciences, and professional studies. Combining classroom instruction with experiential learning, these programs advance independent thought, personal integrity, and social responsibility as the foundations for a life of learning.

Founded by members of the Church of the Brethren, the College believes that learning is most noble when used to benefit others and affirms the values of peace, nonviolence, human dignity, and social justice.

Educational Philosophy

Elizabethtown College engages students in a dynamic, integrated learning process that blends the liberal arts and professional studies. Challenged to take responsibility for their education, students at Elizabethtown embark on a journey of self-transformation that involves intellectual, social, and personal growth. The College is committed to educating the whole person within a relationship-centered learning community where common goals are achieved through engagement in a rigorous academic curriculum and thoughtful co-curricular experiences. Students are encouraged to develop and challenge their own values, while seeking to understand and appreciate alternative perspectives. Embedded in an ever-changing global context, the College promotes the developmental, collaborative, and complex nature of learning.

In seeking to “educate for service,” Elizabethtown College believes that students can perform no greater service than they do when sharing knowledge and creativity with others. Opportunities to strengthen scholarship and leadership extend beyond the classroom, and students learn actively through practical experiences and civic engagement.

The impact of an Elizabethtown College education is long lasting and far-reaching because it is deeply transformative. Students acquire new habits of mind and heart–some in the course of the undergraduate experience, others as students grow beyond college.

Elizabethtown College challenges students to:

• assume responsibility for their intellectual development, personal growth, and well-being. They will sharpen their curiosity and become aware of the capabilities, strategies, and resources needed to learn.
• reason, analyze, and engage in critical thinking. They will learn to make, systematically evaluate, and, if necessary, refute arguments and claims—both their own and those of others.
• demonstrate thoughtful and articulate communication by applying knowledge in a variety of contexts including writing, speaking, listening and interpretation.
• understand the creative process and its role in human expression, and cultivate the ability to make informed aesthetic judgments.
• navigate diverse cultural worldviews and perspectives, with the realization that differing frames of reference influence analysis, communication, and behavior.
• make reflective ethical decisions and act with integrity to seek just outcomes within relationships, communities, and society.
• apply and integrate different strands of learning and comprehend interconnections in the process of gaining knowledge and experience.
• identify and cultivate a sense of purpose that inspires a commitment to meaningful work in service to society.      

Learning Goals

At Elizabethtown College, students are inspired and challenged to:

assume responsibility for their intellectual development, personal growth, and well-being. Students will learn to sharpen their curiosity and become aware of the capabilities, strategies, and resources needed to learn.

reason, analyze, and engage in critical thinking. Students will make, systematically evaluate, and, if necessary, refute arguments and claims – their own and those of others.

demonstrate thoughtful and articulate communication by applying knowledge in a variety of contexts, including writing, speaking, listening, and interpretation.

understand the creative process and its role in human expression, and cultivate the ability to make informed aesthetic judgments.

navigate diverse cultural worldviews and perspectives, with the realization that differing frames of reference influence analysis, communication, and behavior.

make reflective ethical decisions and act with integrity to seek just outcomes with relationships, communities, and society.

apply and integrate different strands of learning and comprehend interconnections in the process of gaining knowledge and experience.

identify and cultivate a sense of purpose that inspires a commitment to meaningful work in service to society.

Mission of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies

The School of Continuing and Professional Studies at Elizabethtown College seeks to extend the boundaries of the College’s learning community to include a wider and more diverse population. The School expresses the values of the College’s mission through a commitment to and advocacy of degree and non-degree academic programs for adult students. In particular, the School embraces the values of human dignity and social justice by widening access to quality undergraduate and graduate education for adults. In its programs and outreach, the School fosters a student-centered academic culture that expresses the College’s belief that learning is life-long and most noble when used to benefit others.

Key Objectives of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies

• Expand access to the unique benefits of an Elizabethtown College education to new constituencies through innovative programming, formatting, and distance learning, thereby increasing the number of non-traditional students in the College’s learning community.
• Develop and administer quality academic programs and activities, with the goals of advancement of student learning outcomes and student achievement of programmatic and institutional learning goals.
• Offer support and guidance to adult students as they progress through their degree program and achieve their goal of graduation.
• Maintain and advance the liberal arts core values of Elizabethtown College.
• Educate and develop the regional workforce through relevant professional and liberal arts learning experiences that increase worker and employer productivity, and thus, to “educate for service.”
• Help lead, by responsible example, the Elizabethtown College Learning Community in successfully meeting the higher education challenges of the 21st century.
• Support and advance the College’s strategic goal of stewardship of resources by increasing departmental revenues while controlling costs in a fiscally responsible manner.
• Value and nurture in the School’s staff the qualities necessary to meet these objectives and the qualities necessary for full, personal development.

School of Continuing and Professional Studies Governance

Elizabethtown College Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees has final legislative authority in all matters pertaining to the purpose of the College and the policies for fulfilling the statement of purpose. Among the Board’s primary functions are selecting the president of the College, developing and sustaining the philosophy and policies of the College, setting the costs of tuition and fees, adopting the annual budget, and approving plans for developing and maintaining the physical plant.

School of Continuing and Professional Studies Council on Academic Management

The Council on Academic Management (CAM) is the academic governance system for SCPS, which maintains and revises the School’s liberal education core program and all of its professional majors. This innovative model of governance includes representation from faculty, students, alumni, community and administrative groups.

School of Continuing and Professional Studies Academic Affairs Team

Academic staff work closely with the Council on Academic Management and Lead Facilitators to develop and maintain rigorous and high quality academic programs.

School of Continuing and Professional Studies Affiliated Faculty

Courses are led by facilitators with real-world experience who bring relevant, current work experience to the classroom.

School of Continuing and Professional Studies Admissions Counselors

Admissions Counselors assist the student with his or her preliminary decision on pursuing a degree. They discuss program requirements and review previous course work and prior learning for possible credit.

School of Continuing and Professional Studies Academic Advising Coordinators

Every student is assigned an Academic Advising Coordinator. Advisors assist current students with selecting classes and ensuring they are on track to graduate. Advisors also recommend resources and services to help students succeed.

School of Continuing and Professional Studies Program Structure

Responsive to the unique learning requirements and lifestyle concerns of adults, the School of Continuing and Professional Studies offers accelerated courses in multiple formats, including online, blended, and ground. Web-based technology supports the “learning outside the classroom” component. All accelerated learning at Elizabethtown College requires the mastery of learning outcomes as determined by a variety of assessment processes. Facilitators who are professionals in their fields utilize activities, formats, and methodologies that respect adult learning styles; therefore, accelerated courses and degrees are designed for adults who are motivated, bring real-world experience to the classroom, and are self-directed in order to succeed academically.

In addition to offering coursework, SCPS awards credit for prior learning through Course Equivalency Proposal processes and through the EXCEL Degree Completion Program, which awards the Bachelor of Professional Studies degree to students who are able to qualify and demonstrate competency due to their extensive life experience within an SCPS major field of study.

SCPS offers undergraduate degrees in Accounting, Business Administration, Corporate Communication, Information Systems, Criminal Justice, Health Care Administration, and Human Services. Most courses are five weeks long and are three credits; a four-week winter session and three-day weekend seminar courses are also offered. Ground courses meet one night a week for four hours or for two three-hour weekly sessions. Blended and online versions of the courses have equivalent online instruction.

SCPS offers graduate degrees in Business Administration, Curriculum and Instruction, Special Education, and Strategic Leadership in eight-week sessions. Most courses meet one evening a week for four hours, are offered online, or integrate a combination of classroom and online instruction. Concentrations in Health Care Administration are offered within both graduate programs and in Leadership to the Business Administration program.

SCPS offers graduate certificates in Health Care Administration and Strategic Leadership. Courses for these programs are fully online in eight-week sessions.

The School of Continuing and Professional Studies encourages each adult to take control of his or her learning and to move through an academic program at his or her own pace.  Each adult student, in conjunction with an academic advising coordinator, schedules his or her own courses and is free to step in or out of the program as necessary.

The School of Continuing and Professional Studies is governed by academic policies as listed in the Elizabethtown College traditional college catalog.  SCPS further defines policies specific to adult and graduate students.

Student Confidentiality

The 1974 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law (20 U.S.C. 1232g) that protects the privacy of a student’s educational record. Specifically, the law offers the following protections and rights to students:

annual notification of their FERPA rights and of what the College defines as Directory Information;

the right to see the information in their academic record;

the right to consent to disclosure of information in their academic record and the right to withhold information that is Directory Information;

the right to seek to amend records and, in certain cases, append a statement to the record;

the right to file a complaint with the Department of Education Compliance Office in Washington DC.

An education record is any record (with a few exceptions) maintained by the College that is directly related to a student. This record can contain a student’s name or information from which an individual student could be personally identified. Information in a student’s academic record is considered private and, in most cases, cannot be released to another individual unless the student provides prior written consent.

Here are several situations where information from an education record might be disclosed without prior written consent:

• The information is needed by a school official who has a legitimate education interest in the information.
• In an emergency, the institution believes that disclosure of certain information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons.

Directory Information, as defined by Elizabethtown College, includes: name; enrollment status (e.g., undergraduate or graduate; part-time or full-time); campus e-mail address; home address; home/mobile telephone; date of birth; dates of attendance; class (e.g., sophomore, junior); field of study; degree; date of graduation; participation in college-sponsored activities; honors; awards; photographs; and most recently attended institution. Directory information would not normally be considered a violation of a person’s privacy if it was released.

School of Continuing & Professional Studies students do not have directory information included in the Elizabethtown College internal campus directory. However, directory information is subject to public release without prior written consent unless the student completes the “Request for Non-Disclosure of Directory Information” form.

Non-directory information in the education record cannot be released to an outside person or organization without a student’s written consent.  Non-directory information may include biographical data and address information; the admissions application and supporting documents; the academic record, including class schedules, grade reports and transcripts; counseling records; disciplinary records; public information records; financial records; health records; placement credentials; campus security records.

Non-Directory Information in the Educational Record cannot be released to an outside individual unless the student completes the “Authorization to Disclose Educational Record Information” form.

Statement of Non-Discrimination

Elizabethtown College does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, possession of a general education development certificate as compared to a high school diploma, or any other legally protected status. This commitment applies but is not limited to decisions made with respect to hiring and promotion, the administration of educational programs and policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other College administered programs. Discriminatory acts of any kind are strictly forbidden.

Title IX

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) and its implementing regulations prohibit sex discrimination in educational programs and activities operated by recipients of Federal financial assistance. This prohibition encompasses discrimination based on a student’s gender identity, including discrimination based on a student’s transgender status.

Elizabethtown College is committed to providing a learning, working, and living environment that promotes personal integrity, civility, and mutual respect in an environment free of sex discrimination and sexual misconduct.

Sex discrimination violates an individual’s fundamental rights and personal dignity. Sex discrimination includes all forms of sexual and gender-based harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual violence, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking by students, employees or third parties against employees, students, or third parties.

The School for Continuing and Professional Studies refers to Elizabethtown College’s Title IX website for additional information and the Policy Regarding Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Sexual Exploitation, Stalking, Dating Violence, and Domestic Violence.

Elizabethtown College has designated a Title IX Coordinator for all matters related to sex discrimination at the College, and to coordinate the efforts of the College to comply with Title IX law.

Questions about the application of Title IX at Elizabethtown College should be directed to Dr. Hinton or to the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education, Washington, D.C.

For additional information and resources, visit https://www.etown.edu/offices/diversity/index.aspx .

Reporting of an Incident:

All incidents should be reported in order to determine the level and type of offense, to support the affected person(s) or group, to mitigate subsequent incidents by raising awareness of the offense, to develop an educational response and to activate appropriate review and judicial processes when necessary to address individual or group behavior.

Students may report an incident to any staff member of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies over the phone, face to face, or in writing.

Confidentiality will be maintained throughout the investigation process to the extent practical and consistent with the School and College’s need to undertake a full and impartial investigation.

The College is required by law to issue a timely warning about hate crimes that present a continuing danger to the campus community and to disclose annual statistics about these crimes in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. Only general information, as opposed to personal or identifying details, will be disclosed in accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crimes Statistics Act.

Investigation of an Incident:

All reports relating to sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking will be referred to and reviewed by the Title IX Coordinator who oversees the college’s response.  Investigations and resolution proceedings will be conducted by professionals who receive annual training on issues related to sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, as well as how to conduct investigations and resolution proceedings that protect the safety of complainants and promote accountability.   The investigator may be an employee of the College or a third party retained by the College to conduct an investigation.  For further information, you can review the Policy Regarding Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Sexual Exploitation, Stalking, Dating Violence and Domestic Violence Involving Student Respondents. Investigations handled by the Office of the Title IX Coordinator will follow all investigation, resolution and appeal processes as outlined in the College Catalog.

For information on reporting, investigating and resolving incidents of Title IX review the Student Conduct Policy in the Student Handbook.