Matriculation

Matriculation is a process by which the student and the college enter into an agreement in order to identify and achieve the student’s educational goals. In compliance with the Student Success Act of 2012 (SB1456), and Fullerton College’s long-standing commitment to help students succeed, all non-exempt students seeking to enroll in courses will participate in some or all of the components of the matriculation program.

Matriculation Status

Students may be exempt from orientation, assessment, counseling, advising, or student education plan development when proof of one or more of the following is provided:

  1. Completion of an associate degree or higher;
  2. Enrolled at the college for a reason other than career development or advancement, transfer, attainment of a degree or certificate of achievement, or completion of a basic skills or English-as-a-Second Language course sequence;
  3. Completion of an approved assessment test within the last two years (assessment test scores must be provided);
  4. Enrolled at the college solely to take a course that is legally mandated for employment as defined in section 55000 or necessary in response to a significant change in industry or licensure standards;
  5. Enrolled at the college as a Special Admit Student pursuant to Education Code section 76001 (and not intending to take courses in math, reading, English and/or ESL).

Any student who receives exemption from one or more of the above services will not be eligible to receive priority registration.

Any student exempt from orientation, assessment, counseling, advising, or student education plan development may choose to participate in these services.

A student may petition to be EXEMPT from one or more matriculation requirements by completing and filing a “Matriculation Services Eligibility Form.” These forms are available from the counseling office. The completed form must be filed with the Dean of Counseling or Matriculation Coordinator. Students will be notified of action on their petition no later than three days after the petition is filed.

Matriculation Services

Matriculated (non-exempt) students will be provided the following services:

  1. Orientation — Students will receive an overview of college services, programs, certificates, degrees, majors, and registration procedures. Assessment test scores are explained as guides for registering for writing, reading, ESL and mathematics courses. Orientation is completed online prior to assessment testing and may be accessed through each student’s personal myGateway account.
  2. Skills Assessment — Students will receive an evaluation of their learning skills in reading, English, English as a Second Language (ESL), mathematics and/or chemistry. This is done through the use of tests, review of past school records (high school and college), and other information presented during a counseling interview. Assessment tests are available for native speakers of English as well as for those with limited English proficiency.
  3. Counseling — Students will receive assistance from counselors to plan their semester class schedule and to initiate a Student Educational Program Plan. All students are encouraged to visit a counselor during the year. Online counseling is available to students seeking answers to general questions about policies and procedures, program requirements, prerequisites, course offerings, services and transferability of courses. Online counseling may be reached through the counseling department homepage at http://onlinecounseling.fullcoll.edu/.
  4. Student Educational Program Plan — New students are encouraged to see a counselor for help planning their courses prior to their appointed registration time. Students should see a counselor for assistance in developing a Student Educational Program Plan (SEPP) no later than the semester after they complete 15 units.
  5. Follow-Up — Progress checks and assistance by counselors and instructors help students make successful progress towards their goals. Students on academic/progress probation are notified at the end of each regular term and students on dismissal status are notified each year at the end of the Spring term.

These matriculation services are designed to provide assistance to students so that their opportunities for success and achievement of their goals are improved. Students wishing to defer any aspect of the matriculation process may do so at the Counseling Department. Students wishing to appeal any decisions or recommendations regarding courses to be taken based upon assessment results may file a petition with the Dean of Counseling or Matriculation Coordinator (see Matriculation Appeals).

Matriculation Appeals Procedures

All matriculated students have the right to challenge or appeal any step in the matriculation process. A Matriculation Appeals Petition may be filed for any of the following concerns:

  1. Petition for exemption — Students may petition to be exempted from assessment, orientation and/or counseling. The student shall complete and file a “Matriculation Services Eligibility Form” with the Dean of Counseling or Matriculation Coordinator. The Dean of Counseling or Matriculation Coor­dinator will notify the student within three days of the decision regarding his/her appeal.
  2. Review of placement decisions — For English as a Second Language (ESL), English or reading placement appeals, the student shall make an appointment with the Dean of Counseling. The Dean of Counseling shall see the student within three (3) working days. If the Dean of Counseling is unavailable within that time, the student shall take the appeal directly to the Dean of Humanities. For mathematics placement appeals, the student shall make an appointment with the Dean of Counseling. The Dean of Counseling shall see the student within three (3) working days. If the Dean of Counseling is unavailable within that time, the student shall take the appeal directly to the Dean of Mathematics and Computer Science. In all cases, the student shall present documents and information to support his/her appeal. The decision of the Dean shall be given in writing and shall serve as final decision in the appeal. Students approved for a higher course placement should see a counselor for course clearance for registration purposes.
  3. Enrollment limitations: prerequisites/corequisites — A prerequisite is a requirement that must be met before enrollment in a restricted course may be permitted. Course prerequisites are identified in the College Catalog. Section 55003 of the Matriculation Regulations permit the following types of prerequisites and corequisites:
    1. Completion of any course in a sequence of related courses if understanding or technical performance is necessary for success in later courses in the sequence. An example of this is a foreign language sequence. Before enrolling for SPAN 203 F it may be necessary to complete SPAN 101 F and SPAN 102 F.
    2. Prerequisites may also refer to skills measured by assessment instruments, methods or procedures where a required level of performance is necessary for success in a course or program. Some ways in which skills are measured are through placement tests, high school transcripts, or counselor interviews which help determine placement in English, ESL, reading and mathematics.
    3. Enrollment limitations may also include corequisites, which generally require a student to concurrently enroll in one course as a condition of enrollment in another course. 

Student Rights to Challenge Prerequisites/Corequisites: Section 55003 of Title V states: Any prerequisite or corequisite may be challenged by a student on one or more of the grounds listed below. The student shall bear the initial burden of showing that grounds exist for the challenge. Challenges shall be resolved in a timely manner and, if the challenge is upheld, the student shall be permitted to enroll in the course or program in question. .Grounds for challenge are:

  1. The prerequisite or corequisite has not been established in accordance with the district’s process for establishing prerequisites and corequisites.
  2. The prerequisite or corequisite is either unlawfully discriminatory or is being applied in an unlawfully discriminatory manner.
  3. The student has the knowledge or ability to succeed in the course or program despite not meeting the prerequisite or corequisite.
  4. The student will be subject to undue delay in attaining the goal of his or her educational plan because the prerequisite or corequisite course has not been made reasonably available.
    How to Challenge Prerequisite/Corequisite:
    • A petition to challenge a prerequisite/corequisite may be filed with the Dean of the division responsible for the course. All petitions must be filed prior to the first day of the semester.
    • A petition to challenge a prerequisite/corequisite because the prerequisite/corequisite was not established in accordance with the district’s process for establishing prerequisite/corequisites or because the student has prior knowledge or ability to succeed in the course may be filed with the Dean of the division responsible for the course.
    • A petition to challenge a prerequisite/corequisite because it is discriminatory or is being applied in a discriminatory manner may be filed with the Matriculation Coordinator who will convene a committee consisting of the Director of Equity and Diversity, the Matriculation Coordinator and a member of the Matriculation Committee to review the petition.
    • Students wishing to appeal the decision of the Dean(s) may do so by meeting with the Vice President of Instruction. Students wishing to appeal the decision of the committee regarding a discriminatory application of a prerequisite or corequisite may do so by meeting with the Dean of Counseling.
  5. Complaint of unlawful discrimination — If a student feels assessment, orientation, counseling, prerequisites (or any other Matriculation procedure) is being applied in a discriminatory manner, a petition may be filed with the Matriculation Coordinator. The Matriculation Coordinator shall convene a three (3) member panel consisting of the Director of Equity and Diversity, the Matriculation Coordinator and an additional member to review the student’s petition. The panel shall meet and provide a written notification to the student within seven (7) working days. (Students wishing to appeal the committee’s decision may do so by meeting with the Dean of Counseling.) Petitions for the above appeals are available in the Counseling Center.