Matriculation Rights & Responsibilities
SMC students are entitled to specific matriculation rights and are expected to meet certain matriculation responsibilities under the California Education Code and the policies of the Board of Trustees of the Santa Monica Community College District. Student matriculation rights include:
1. Admission to the College, subject to Federal, State of California, and SMC Board of Trustees policies and regulations, and the availability of classes;
2. Information about the SMC campus and its satellite locations, the enrollment process, the matriculation process, and the policies of the SMC Board of Trustees relating to students;
3. Access to a matriculation process that allows participation in all components;
4. An English, ESL, and math assessment using materials and techniques approved by the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges;
5. An English, ESL, and math placement recommendation using information and counseling based upon multiple measures;
6. Counseling assistance for selecting and enrolling in approved student classes;
7. Information about special programs, prerequisites, corequisites, advisories, and procedures;
8. Information and referrals for Santa Monica College student support services, such as financial aid;
9. Follow-up counseling services to enhance academic and personal performance and identify skill deficiencies that affect the student’s academic performance; and
10. Matriculation services appropriate to the needs of ethnic, language-minority students and students with disabilities, and where necessary, modifications in the matriculation process or the use of alternative methods and/or procedures to accommodate the needs of these students.
Student Matriculation Responsibilities
General student matriculation responsibilities include an obligation to:
1. Declare a specific educational goal no later than the semester before enrolling for a 16th unit of credit at Santa Monica College;
2. Meet with a counselor—within 90 days of declaring an educational goal—to develop an educational plan that includes (a) the courses required to meet the educational goal, and (b) any special programs and/or student services that would support the attainment of that educational goal;
3. Attend class and complete assigned course work;
4. Complete courses and pursue an educational plan to achieve the student’s educational goal; and
5. Meet with a counselor whenever there is a change in an existing educational plan, to create a revised plan consistent with the new educational goal.
Special Matriculation Responsibilities
Santa Monica College requires certain types of students to accept special responsibilities if they wish to achieve their educational and personal goals.
Probationary Students: Students on academic and/or progress probation must develop contracts with counselors for returning to good standing.
Undeclared Students: Students who have not declared educational goals must meet with a counselor to develop a career or academic plan no later than the semester before enrolling for a 16th unit of credit at SMC.
Students Enrolled in Pre-College Courses: Students taking remedial courses must plan with their instructors the next course(s) in the instructional sequence, and develop a program with their counselors for the following semester.
Student Matriculation Complaints
Students may file formal written complaints about the matriculation process with the Matriculation Office. See the Student Complaints, Hearings, & Appeals section of this catalog for more information.