Student Rights, Policies & Procedures

Peninsula College strives to provide a safe environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors that is supportive of education and the daily operations of campus facilities. In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, you can view three years of the most currently available safety and security related statistical data.

The report contains information regarding campus safety and security including topics such as: crime reporting policies; campus alerts (Timely Warnings and Emergency Notifications); fire safety policies and procedures; programs to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking; the procedures the College will follow when one of these crimes is reported; and other matters of importance related to security on campus.

Marty Martinez, Director of Emergency Management & Campus Public Safety
(360) 417-6559

This Peninsula College 2023-2024 Annual Security & Fire Safety Report is published in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure Act of Campus Security and Campus Crime Statistics Act (“Clery Act”), and Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Peninsula College; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the College property. The report also contains fire statistics for any fires occurring in an On-Campus Student Housing Facility during the three most recent calendar years. The Peninsula College Annual Security & Fire Safety Report is available below.

Peninsula College ASFSR 2024–25

For full details and descriptions, please visit the Department of Education's  Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool. This analysis cutting tool was designed to provide rapid customized reports for public inquiries relating to campus crime and fire data. The data are drawn from the OPE Campus Safety and Security Statistics website database to which crime statistics and fire statistics (as of the 2010 data collection) are submitted annually, via a web-based data collection, by all postsecondary institutions that receive Title IV funding (i.e., those that participate in federal student aid programs). This data collection is required by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Higher Education Opportunity Act.

A paper copy of the Annual Security Report & Fire Safety Report (ASFSR) can be obtained at one of three locations at Peninsula College's Port Angeles campus: Pirate Central (Building D), Campus Safety (Building J), or at Human Resources (Building C). Copies of the ASFSR are also available at the front desk of both Peninsula College's Port Townsend campus and Peninsula College's Forks campus.

Campus Safety strives to provide a safe environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors that is supportive of education and the daily operations of campus facilities. If You Have An Emergency Dial 9-1-1. Then contact Campus Safety Office: Campus Safety Office: (360) 417-6559, or dial 6559 from any campus phone.

Campus Safety Office

Peninsula College is a diverse and dynamic learning community. As such, the College maintains a strong commitment to providing a learning environment that is civil and free from disruptive behavior.

Code of Conduct

Peninsula College is committed to provide an environment that is free of alcohol and drug abuse. Therefore, the College prohibits the use, possession, delivery, sale or being observably under the influence of any drug as defined by RCW 69.41 or any other controlled substance, including marijuana, under RCW 69.50, except as prescribed by a licensed practitioner. Also, the College limits the use of alcohol and tobacco on Peninsula College owned or leased facilities.

The Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (DFSCA) of 1989 - also known as the Drug-Free Schools and Campuses Act - requires institutions of higher education to establish policies that address unlawful possession, use, or distribution of alcohol and illicit drugs for faculty, staff and students. Peninsula College faculty, staff and students are also subject to federal and Washington state laws. 
 
The College is required, through the Drug-Free Schools and Campuses Act (DFSCA), to produce a biennial review of their alcohol and other drug programs and policies. The purpose of this report is to determine program effectiveness and consistency of policy enforcement for students and employees of the college to identify and implement necessary changes. Peninsula College is working to perform a review every two years. 
 
The DFSCA requires the establishment of a drug and alcohol prevention program, which includes the notification below. All members of the Peninsula College Community are encouraged to review the notification and information on the linked pages. This information is also distributed, at a minimum, on an annual basis to faculty, staff and students.

The Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (DFSCA)

Peninsula College reports annually to the federal Department of Education concerning the number of male and female student athletes, support for men’s and women’s intercollegiate sports, financial aid available for male and female student athletes, etc.

Equity in Athletics

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords you certain rights with respect to your records.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The overall graduation rate is also known as the "Student Right to Know" or IPEDS graduation rate. It tracks the progress of students who began their studies as full-time, first-time degree- or certificate-seeking students to see if they complete a degree or other award such as a certificate within 150% of "normal time" for completing the program in which they are enrolled.

Graduation Rates

Solomon Amendment (10 U.S.C. § 983) is a federal law that allows United States military recruiters to access certain address, biographical, and academic program information for students age 17 and older.

Solomon Amendment

Academic concerns and complaints should be submitted during the quarter in which the concern/complaint arose so that the instructor and college can seek a resolution while the student is still in the class. Concerns or complaints submitted outside of the timeframes outlined in the steps below may not be addressed by Peninsula College.

Academic Concerns & Complaints

When students enter Peninsula College, they are joining a community of scholars in an environment of open inquiry and academic honesty. This community is characterized by the freedom to express and to question. 

Responsibilities associated with this freedom include fostering mutual respect for diverse speech and beliefs and contributing to an atmosphere which engenders civility. The campus recognizes that the U.S. and the Washington State constitutions protect free speech and expression.

The college expects students to act in an honest and ethical manner and to accept responsibility for their own intellectual growth and academic achievement. The college campus is a forum in which disruption or interference with the college’s stated educational mission and guiding principles will not be tolerated.

The academic honesty policy is in accordance with the college’s guiding principles.

Academic Honesty

Peninsula College views student attendance and participation as crucial to academic success. Therefore, an instructor may request a student be withdrawn due to non-attendance that compromises the student’s ability to successfully complete the class.

Withdrawal for non-attendance is not automatic. During the first-week of the quarter, instructors may initiate an administrative withdrawal for nonattendance in a course if:

• You fail to attend at least 50% of a face-to-face class or
• Fail to login for at least 50% of online class activity.

If withdrawn for non-attendance you will be notified by email or mailed a letter. Any applicable refund will process and no grade will show on the transcript. You should schedule an advising appointment if you need to discuss your schedule.

Note: If you plan to remain enrolled in a course(s) but know you will have attendance difficulties during the first-week of the quarter, please contact your instructor(s) immediately to request an exception to this procedure. Additionally, please be aware that a withdrawal for lack of attendance or non-participation may reduce the amount of financial aid you receive, delay your graduation, or necessitate a repayment of aid already received.

Errors in grading occur periodically. Peninsula College encourages resolution of grading issues to occur between the student and instructor. Should a student believe their final course grade was made in error, the following steps should be used to resolve the issue.

Final Grade Change Appeals

Peninsula College recognizes its responsibilities for investigation, resolution, implementation of corrective measures, and monitoring the education environment and workplace to stop, remediate, and prevent discrimination.

Anti-Harassment, Non-Discrimination & Title IX

The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) maintains a process to investigate complaints of this nature brought by community and technical college students in the state of Washington. Specific instructions can be found on the Title IV Student Complaint Process webpage.

Title IV Student Complaint Process

Students may withdraw from most classes through the eighth week of the quarter (fall, winter, spring quarters). The withdrawal is effective on the date the Enrollment Services Office receives the Registration Form from the student with photo ID or the date the Enrollment Services Office receives the online request to drop/withdraw. You should not assume you will be dropped for non-attendance or non-payment. More information can be found on the Withdrawal Policy webpage.

Withdrawal Policy

One of the core theme objectives of Peninsula College is to provide a college environment that places teaching and learning at the center of institutional practice.. Therefore, the College prohibits the use, possession, delivery, sale or being observably under the influence of any drug as defined by RCW 69.41 or any other controlled substance, including marijuana, under RCW 69.50, except as prescribed by a licensed practitioner. Also, the College limits the use of alcohol and tobacco on Peninsula College owned or leased facilities.

The boards of trustees of community colleges shall make available at some place of prominence with each campus educational materials on the abuse of alcohol PROVIDED that such materials are obtained at no cost to the state.

Citation: RCW 28B.10.295
Frequency: Continuous
Location: Publication. Must be at no cost to the state

RCW 28B.50.205 - AIDS information: Community and Technical Colleges

The state board for community and technical colleges shall make information available to all newly matriculated students on methods of transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus and prevention of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The curricula and materials shall be reviewed for medical accuracy by the office on AIDS in coordination with the appropriate regional AIDS service network.

For information about the transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the prevention of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), as well as information and resources for help, please visit the following websites.

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

State HIV/AIDS Hotlines

National Institutes of Health

NIH Health Info Lines

Electronic Information Systems (EIS) Acceptable Use Guidelines:
In general, the same ethical conduct that applies to the use of all college resources and facilities applies to the use of electronic media.

• EISs are to be used for college-related purposes and goals as defined by statute, administrative code and/or board policy.
• College EISs must be used in compliance with all federal, state and local laws.
• All data and software housed on college EISs must comply with federal copy right law.
• No duplication of copyrighted material is permissible.
• Users shall be solely responsible for messages, files, or screens that they store and/or transmit through the college’s EISs.
• Only authorized users may use EIS accounts administered by Peninsula College.
• Users are responsible for all use of their computer accounts.
• Users must not share their accounts or disclose their access codes.
• No one shall deliberately attempt to modify or alter an EIS, including the unauthorized loading of software to system hard drives.
• No one shall degrade the performance of an EIS or block access to others.
• No one shall knowingly introduce invasive computer software, such as viruses, on college systems.
• No one shall improperly access or attempt to access, misuse or misappropriate information/files.
• Users who access another organization’s network or computing resources (e.g.,Internet services provided by the Communications Technology Consortium) must comply with the rules and policies of that organization.
• Users must remember that information distributed through the college’s computing and networking systems is a form of publishing and must comply with the same standards required for printed information.
• All users shall comply with the K20 Network Conditions of Use and Acceptable Use Policy (College Policy #530)

PC College Policy #530

Peninsula College is dedicated to providing a campus that is accessible, equitable, and inclusive to all. Access Services works with students, instructors, staff, administration, and the community to ensure that the accommodations necessary to create equal access are provided to all Peninsula College students.

• Determines reasonable accommodations for qualified students.
• Provides accommodation services support to students and faculty.
• Maintains and protects the confidentiality of student records as required by FERPA and HIPAA.

For more information about accommodations or to speak with Access Services staff, please visit the Access Services webpage.

Access Services

Smoking of tobacco, e-cigarettes, and related products* is prohibited on all College owned or leased property. This would include: in campus buildings; within twenty-five feet from entrances and exits; within twenty-five feet from windows that open; and from within ventilations, intakes and walkways.

An exception to this would be the designated smoking shelters. This procedure applies to all individuals on the College premises, including students, employees, and visitors. "Smoke" or "smoking" as used herein shall mean, and include, the smoking or carrying of any kind of lighted pipe, cigar, cigarette, or related product. Complaints of violations of this procedure shall be made to Campus Safety. Sanctions for employees may include, but are not limited to, counseling, mandatory participation in an appropriate rehabilitation program, fines, participation in community service, unpaid suspension from employment, loss of certain campus privileges, termination of employment, and/or referral for prosecution.

Student disciplinary action may include the applicable disciplinary sanctions described in the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities policy (WAC 132A-125). Visitors will be escorted from College premises. *Related products include but are not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, pipes, bidi, clove cigarettes, waterpipes, hookahs, chewing tobacco, and snuff.

As an institution that receives federal funds, Peninsula College will hold an educational program commemorating the September 17, 1787 signing of the United States Constitution on or shortly after September 17th each year.  Given that Peninsula College operates on the quarter system, often times, the college is not in session on September 17th.  In this case, PC will celebrate Constitution Day during the first week after September 17th in which classes begin for Fall quarter.

The Constitution was written by several committees over the summer of 1787, but the committee most responsible for the final form we know today is the "Committee of Stile and Arrangement". This Committee was tasked with getting all of the articles and clauses agreed to by the Convention and putting them into a logical order. On September 10, 1787, the Committee of Style set to work, and two days later, it presented the Convention with its final draft. The members were Alexander Hamilton, William Johnson, Rufus King, James Madison, and Governor Morris. The actual text of the Preamble and of much of the rest ​of this final draft is usually attributed to Governor Morris.

The newly minted document began with a grand flourish - the Preamble, the Constitution's r'aison d'etre. It holds in its words the hopes and dreams of the delegates to the convention, a justification for what they had done. Its words are familiar to us today, but because of time and context, the words are not always easy to follow.

The Constitution of the United States of Am​erica

Additional Resources​:
The National Constitution Center offers an Internet portal​ with links to a variety of Constitution Day resources, as well as an online, Interactive Constitution.

The National Constitution Center

The National Archives provides an interactive, online feature​ about the Constitution, as well as biographical sketches of the 39 signers of the Constitution.

The National Archives

U.S. Consitituion.net provides an explanation and examination of each sentence in the Preamble of the Constitution.

The Preamble of the Constitution​

Why We Acknowledge Constitution Day:
Constitution Day was established by Congress in an effort to increase knowledge about the United States Constitution. The amendment, proposed by Senator Robert C. Byrd, was passed in December 2004 and requires all educational institutions to commemorate Constitution Day each year on September 17. This day honors the signing of the United States Constitution by the delegates of the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787.

It is the policy of the state of Washington to encourage every eligible person to register to vote and to participate fully in all elections and to protect the integrity of the electoral process by providing equal access to the process while guarding against discrimination and fraud.

Please visit the Washington Secretary of State website to get more information about your eligibility to vote.

Register to Vote in Washington State

Peninsula College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Accreditation to award the associate and baccalaureate degree was last affirmed in 2018.

Accreditation Archive

All degree or certificate seeking students must make application to the College. Peninsula College operates under an open door admissions policy and shall accept for admission any applicant who:

• Is competent to profit from the curricular offering of the institution; and
• Would not, by presence or conduct, create a disruptive atmosphere inconsistent with the purposes of the College; and
• Is eighteen years of age or older; or
  • a. is a high school graduate or equivalent; or
  • b. has applied for admission under the provisions of a student enrollment options program such as Running Start, a successor program, or other local enrollment options programs.

Non-degree seeking students are not required to make application to the College but must meet appropriate prerequisite requirements. Additional restricted admission criteria shall apply to those applicants under the age of 18.

Denying Admission: 
The college may deny admission to an applicant after reviewing circumstances and determining that the applicant’s presence would be disruptive to the educational process per RCW 28B.50.090(3)(b). Each situation will be evaluated, on a case-by-case basis, including information provided by law enforcement agencies. The college may:

• Expel an admitted student who failed to disclose information and/or failed to abide by local, state, or federal law.
• Set restrictions on attendance or places where the student may be allowed.

Peninsula College Board Policy
Subject: ADMISSIONS
Policy Number: 401 Statutory Authority: WAC 131-12-010
Date Adopted: January 9, 1996
Date Revised: November 12, 2008; April 13, 2010

View and download Peninsula College's campus map and listings of campus buildings and offices.

Download PC Campus Map (PDF)

All institutional employees, students, and all other individuals who may have access to college copying facilities, whether authorized or unauthorized, are prohibited from copying materials not specifically allowed by copyright law, fair use guidelines, licenses or contractual agreements, or other permission. The use of materials copied illegally is prohibited.

Notice: In order to facilitate compliance with copyright law and to provide permanent reminders of that intent, appropriate notice of copyright restrictions shall be placed on or near equipment which has copying capabilities. The attention of all employees and users of college copying facilities is directed to the Copyright Manual, which contains all necessary information regarding the legal copying of copyrighted materials, the process of requesting permission to copy, and the rights and responsibilities generally of college personnel under copyright laws.

Copyright Officer: The Dean for Instructional Resources shall be the institutional copyright officer and shall have the responsibility to establish and implement necessary procedures to safeguard copyrights, to maintain necessary records, and to furnish advice to employees, students, and all users of college facilities about copyright requirements, including a copyright information manual which shall be available to all employees.

Determination Responsibility: The determination of whether a particular act of copying will violate copyright laws, or whether prior permission of a copyright owner must be sought will reside with the individual employee who is authorized to use institutional copying facilities. In making this determination, the copyright officer or designee must be consulted if there is any question regarding legality. The fair use guidelines included as part of the copyright manual will provide information to assist the individual in making this determination.

Protection and Liability: Should any authorized copying by an employee create a claim of copyright infringement, the college will indemnify and defend employees against such claims. In the event of such claim where no permission has been requested, or where materials have been copied against the advice of the copyright officer, or where the copyright officer has not been consulted, illegal copying by employees will not be indemnified or defended by the college.

The Cost of Attendance (COA) is an estimate of the educational expenses for the "typical" student. As required by Federal law, Cost of Attendance includes more than the cost of tuition, fees, and books. Peninsula College uses one cost of attendance for students who do not live with their parents, and one for dependent students who live with their parents.

For a full listing of the current academic year's cost of attendance and tuition and fees, please visit the cost of attendance webpage.

Cost of Attendance

Peninsula College offers an affordable, world-class education to residents of Clallam and Jefferson counties and beyond. With campuses located in Port Angeles, Forks, and Port Townsend, as well as online, there’s never been a better time to discover your path at Peninsula College.

Academic & Career Education Programs

Peninsula College recognizes its responsibilities for investigation, resolution, implementation of corrective measures, and monitoring the education environment and workplace to stop, remediate, and prevent discrimination.

Peninsula College participates in a broad range of financial aid programs designed to assist you if you are unable to meet college costs through other means. In determining any student's ability to contribute toward educational expenses, the college is required to use a uniform need-analysis system to determine eligibility for state and federal programs. 

Financial Aid Office

The High School Equivalency (GED) Testing program is designed for adults 19 years of age or older who have not graduated from high school. High school diploma holders are not eligible for GED Testing. To learn more about your options for taking the GED exams, please visit our GED webpage.

High School Equivalency Certificate (GED)

Gainful Employment (GE) is a federal reporting and disclosure requirement for programs that prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation.  Federal regulations require academic institutions to disclose to prospective students certain information about the institution’s Gainful Employment (GE) Programs, and about students who enrolled in those programs eligible for Title IV funding that lead to gainful employment in a recognized occupation.

Peninsula College is participating in early implementation of the rescission allowable by the Secretary’s authority under section 482(c) of the HEA to designate the regulatory changes to subpart Q and subpart R of the Student Assistance General Provisions at title 34, part 668, of the Code of Federal Regulations, included in this document, for early implementation beginning on July 1, 2019.

The college’s total liability for claims arising from a contractual relationship with the student in any way related to classes or programs shall be limited to the tuition and expenses paid by the student to the college for those classes or programs. In no event shall the college be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including but not limited to, loss of earnings or profits. 

This calculator will give you an estimate of the type and amount of aid students in similar financial situations as yours have received to attend Peninsula College. This is an estimate only and NOT a promise of an award to you. The estimated award you will see below is based on the aid we awarded to students in the 2016-2017 year. Many factors go in to deciding what award a student receives and these can change from year to year, such as the funding we have available from state, federal and institutional sources, the federal expected family contribution formulas, the relative amount of need of all the students at Peninsula College, and the cost to attend Peninsula College.

PLEASE NOTE: to receive financial aid you must meet all eligibility criteria as defined by federal, state and institutional rules. In addition, to receive priority consideration of financial aid for 2023-24, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You must list Peninsula College (Federal school code #003786) as one of the colleges for us to receive the results of your FAFSA.

The calculator does not include scholarship programs at Peninsula College. These programs consider a variety of factors including financial need. Any scholarship you are awarded from Peninsula College or other sources will be used to calculate your eligibility for aid and may result in a revision of your financial aid award. At Peninsula College, we use any scholarship you receive and any other funding from other agencies (i.e., L&I, DVR, VA, etc.) to reduce the first unmet need, then loans and other aid if necessary.

*Students who are not eligible to complete the FAFSA due to immigration status should complete the WA Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA).

Net Price Calculator

Thank you for visiting the Peninsula College website and reviewing our Privacy Notice. Our privacy addresses collection, use, and security of and access to information that may be obtained through use of the Peninsula College website.

Privacy Policy

State law requires government entities to make certain records available to the public upon request. Colleges must publish their public records officer’s name and contact information in the State Register.

Public Records

Peninsula College works with key university partners to expand access to upper division educational opportunities for residents of the North Olympic Peninsula.

University Partnerships

Peninsula College offers programs that may have vaccination requirements, depending on each program of study. Please refer to the program requirements for information. Peninsula College does not have a requirement of vaccination for all students.