College Policies, Rules, and Regulations

This section of the SMC catalog offers a summary overview of selected Santa Monica College policies, rules, regulations, and related procedures. Information was current when this edition of the catalog was published. Santa Monica Community College District administration reserves the right to add, amend, or repeal any of its policies, rules, regulations, and procedures at any time. The information provided in this section is subject to change without notice. Please see the District’s Administrative Regulations for additional details, as well as information on topics not covered in this or other sections of the catalog.

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Student Right-to-Know Statement

To comply with the Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-542) — also known as the Jean Clery Disclosure Act — Santa Monica College makes available the completion and transfer rates of first- time, full-time students seeking certificates, degrees, or transfer, as well as statistical information about the types and number of crimes committed on SMC’s main and satellite campuses. The College provides this data to inform all current and prospective students — as “consumers” of higher education — on how well Santa Monica College compares with other postsecondary institutions.

Completion and Transfer Rates

Santa Monica College is Number One in transferring students to University of California (UC) campuses (including UCLA), the California State University (CSU) system, the University of Southern California (USC), Loyola Marymount University (LMU), and a variety of other top-ranked colleges and universities across the nation. The completion and transfer rates presented here are derived from the most current data available at the time this catalog went to press. Completion rates are calculated by tracking a cohort (group) of first-time students seeking a certificate, degree, or transfer. For the cohort of first-time freshmen entering SMC in fall 2017, 35.70% earned a certificate or degree, transferred to a four-year institution, and/ or became transfer-prepared (earned 60 or more transferable units with a GPA of 2.0 or higher) within three years of beginning coursework at SMC. Transfer rates are calculated by tracking a cohort (group) of first-time students intending to transfer to a four-year institution. For the cohort of first-time freshmen entering SMC in fall 2017, 16.09% transferred to a four-year institution within three years of beginning coursework at SMC.

Crime Statistics for the College Community

Campus crime statistics are compiled and reported according to the guidelines specified in the Clery Act (20 USC 1092F), as defined under the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting procedures. SMC’s crime statistics are available online at the US Department of Education website and at the SMC Campus Police website. Campus crime statistics — along with safety and crime prevention information — can also be found at many locations at SMC, and are available to the public upon request. Contact the SMC Campus Police Office (310-434-4608) for details.

Books and Materials

The Federal Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) requires Santa Monica College to provide students with the International Standard Book Number (ISBN), retail price, and/or other information (subject to change) about the required or recommended textbooks and supplemental materials for each course offered at SMC. Please go to the SMC Campus Store website and click on “Textbooks” for details. For other book-related information — including dates for book buybacks — please visit the SMC Campus Storewebsite.

Federal Tax Credit

Selected education expenses may be deducted from federal income taxes by qualifying students. As required by federal tax credit legislation, Santa Monica College will mail each registered student a copy of IRS verification form 1098T (Tuition Statement) each year. This information is also reported to the IRS. Students should be sure to have their correct Social Security number on file in the Admissions Office for the sake of accurate reporting to the IRS. Students should check with their tax preparer to determine whether they are eligible to take advantage of this tax credit and the amount they may deduct from their federal and/or state taxes.