Open-Door Policy
Rockingham Community College is an open-door admission institution. This means that any person, whether a high school graduate or non-graduate, who is 18 years old or older and who is able to profit from further formal education will be served by the institution. Persons younger than 18 years old may be enrolled in accordance with specific program requirements. Counseling and advising services are available to help students decide which programs best serve their needs and objectives in life, as indicated by their background, abilities, and expressed interests.
The open-door policy does not mean that there are no restrictions on admission to specific programs. It does mean that these restrictions are flexible enough to allow students opportunities to improve their educational status by eliminating deficiencies through remedial work. When students are able to meet the specific admission requirements for a given curriculum, they may then be enrolled in that curriculum and remain in the program as long as they make satisfactory progress and remain enrolled on a continuous basis as required by their curriculum.
Although the College follows an open-door policy, there will be no compromise with academic standards set by the State Board of Community Colleges and the Rockingham Community College Board of Trustees. The College reserves the right to limit enrollment in a curriculum to a number that can be accommodated by the resources of the college.
Rockingham Community College may refuse admission to any applicant during any period of time the applicant is suspended or expelled for non-academic reasons from any other educational institution.
The College reserves the right to refuse admission to any applicant as it is necessary to protect the safety of the applicant or other individuals. When the College determines that there is an articulable, imminent, and significant threat, the College will document the following: (1) detailed facts supporting the rationale for denying admission; (2) the time period within which the refusal to admit shall be applicable and the supporting rationale for the designated time period; and (3) the conditions upon which the applicant that is refused would be eligible to be admitted.
An applicant may appeal the College’s decision to deny admission by following the College’s Non-Academic Grievance Procedure.