The actually-not-all-that-boring Student Handbook

Financial Aid

SVC does not provide student loans. We will, however, allow students to make payments based on this schedule:

5-Week Classes:

• 1/2 payment due at registration
• 1/2 payment due at 3rd week of class

10-Week Classes:

• 1/3 payment due at registration
• 1/3 payment due at 3rd week of class
• 1/3 payment due at 6th week of class

Workshops:

• The payment plan is not available for one-day workshops.

There is a non-refundable $25 charge per quarter for using the above extended payment plan.

Certificate Programs:

• 1/6 payment due upon registration (Registration fee and Payment Plan Fee also collected)
• 1/6 payment due on the 15th of each month for the following 5 months

There is a non-refundable $250 one-time charge for using the above extended payment plan for SVC certificate programs.

Any unpaid balances due on SVC's payment plan will accrue a monthly 1.5% finance charge.

Who can I ask about my tuition payment?

Any questions about billing and refunds for cancelled classes can be answered by our office staff during normal business hours. Call 206-623-1560 or drop an email.

Registration Fees

A one-time, non-refundable registration fee of $45 is required for all students enrolling in their first five- or ten-week course at SVC. The registration fee for certification programs is $100.

Refunds and Dropped Classes

SVC may, on occasion, cancel a class due to insufficient enrollment. Students will be notified as soon as possible when a class is cancelled, and will receive a full refund of all fees for cancelled classes.

You may receive a partial refund of your tuition if you drop a class or your enrollment is terminated by SVC due to lack of progress or disciplinary problems. In these cases, this is the schedule for determining the amount of your refund:

Cancellation and Refund Policy for Classes:

1. SVC will refund all money paid if the student is not accepted. This includes instances where a class is cancelled by the school.
2. SVC will refund all the money paid if the student cancels within five business days (excluding Sundays and holidays) after registration and/or an initial payment is made, as long as the student has not begun training.
3. SVC will retain the established $45 registration fee if the student cancels after the fifth business day after registration and/or making an initial payment.
4. If training is terminated after the student enters classes, SVC may retain the registration fee established under (3) of this subsection, plus a percentage of the total tuition as described in the following tables:

5-Week Classes:

# of Classes Attended	% Tuition Refunded
0	100%
1	75%
2	50%
3+	0%

10-Week Classes:

# of Classes Attended	% Tuition Refunded
0	100%
1	90%
2	75%
3 - 5	50%
6+	0%

When calculating refunds, the official date of a student’s termination is the last day of recorded attendance:

• (a) When the school receives notice of the student’s intention to discontinue the training program; or,
• (b) When the student is terminated for a violation of a published school policy which provides for termination; or,
• (c) When a student, without notice, fails to attend classes for thirty calendar days.
• All refunds must be paid within thirty calendar days of the student’s official termination date.

Certificate Program:

• SVC will refund all money paid if the student is not accepted. This includes instances where a class is canceled by the school.
• SVC will refund all the money paid if the student cancels within five business days (excluding Sundays and holidays) after registration and/or an initial payment is made, as long as the student has not begun training.
• SVC will retain the established $100 registration fee if the student cancels after the fifth business day after registration and/or making an initial payment.
• If training is terminated after the student enters classes, SVC may retain the registration fee, plus a percentage of the total tuition as described in tables above.

Workshops:

There is a $75 cancellation fee for no-shows and enrollees dropping a one-day workshop without a valid excuse within 3 business days of the scheduled start time as published on the SVC website.

This refund policy is in accordance with Washington State Law, 490-105-130 (RCW 28C.10.050 (1)(b)).

If you drop a class because you're unhappy with the quality of the instruction then SVC would definitely like to talk with you and work out a more favorable refund.

Library

SVC maintains a library that students may use from 10:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday while classes are in session. Books may be checked out at the front desk. Students failing to return books will be charged for the replacement cost of the books.

Facilities and Training Equipment

The School of Visual Concepts features 4 large classrooms, a computer lab, a letterpress printing studio, and a large lobby with meeting area. Most classrooms are equipped with a variety of audio/visual equipment. The facility is located in close proximity to public transit. This is an ADA accessible facility with handicapped ramps and lavatories.

Internet

Free wireless internet service is available throughout the building. A password is required and will be provided by the SVC office upon request.

How do I get to SVC and Park?

Classes are almost always taught at the School's facility in the South Lake Union district of Seattle, 2300 7th Ave, just south of the intersection of Denny Way and Dexter.

• Transit
  A number of bus routes stop within a block or two of SVC. For timetables, visit Metro Transit's web site.
• Car
  SVC is easily accessible from downtown, Aurora Avenue, and I-5. See the section on parking options for more information.
• Bicycle
  A bicycle rack is available immediately in front of SVC.
• Walking
  We highly recommend it for all kinds of reasons!

Daytime Parking

If you’re driving to attend a daytime workshop, you have a few different options for parking:

1. Surface daily pay lots are across the street from SVC and in the immediate area. Fees range from $10-$26 per day. For more information and current rates, please check Parkopedia.
2. Metered street parking is sometimes available on Battery Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues or north of Denny Way on the blocks between 6th and Taylor Ave N.

Evening Parking

Students attending evening classes shouldn't have any problems finding meters or parking in the pay lot immediately across from SVC. The meters are free after 6pm and the pay lot is usually $5 if you're in after 5pm.

Office Hours

While classes are in session SVC office hours are typically 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday. Between quarters the office is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Class Cancellations

Classes may be cancelled if an instructor is ill or unable to attend. We will notify you as early as possible if you provide us with your current telephone numbers and email addresses. If you think classes might be cancelled due to snow or other weather conditions, call the SVC office at 206.623.1560 to listen for recorded messages. Generally, SVC follows the same cancellation policies as the University of Washington, whose closures are announced on the U.W. web site, and on TV and radio. Any classes missed due to weather cancellations will be made up at the end of the quarter.

When Does the Next Quarter Start?

Although we've been known to change our minds depending on when certain holidays fall each year, here's a fairly reliable guide to when each quarter starts and ends:

Admissions

There are no formal education requirements to enroll in SVC's classes or workshops, nor is a portfolio necessary to begin course work. In some cases, though, there are prerequisites for individual classes and workshops. You'll find them detailed in the course descriptions. There is, however, one pre-condition to taking classes at SVC: We ask that you have at least completed your high school education. Fair enough?

Acknowledgment by Enrollee

1. I understand and accept that any contract for training I enter into with the above named school contains legally binding obligations and responsibilities.
2. I understand and accept that repayment obligations will be placed upon me by any loans or financing arrangement I enter into as means to pay for my training.
3. I understand that any enrollment contract I enter into shall not be binding or take effect for at least five days, excluding Sundays and holidays, following the last date such a contract is signed by the school and myself, provided that I have not entered classes sooner.
4. I understand that by registering for classes, I grant SVC the right to publish work I’ve created in class as well as use my likeness/appearance on a perpetual basis in any medium or format for the promotional and educational purposes of SVC. I hereby release SVC from all claims and demands that I may have, including without limitation those based on copyright, libel, slander, violation of privacy or publicity or similar rights, arising out of or in connection with the exercise of the rights authorized hereunder.
   If you would like to opt-out of this policy or have any other questions, please email info@svcseattle.com.

How to File a Complaint

Washington law requires private vocational schools to inform students how to file a complaint. By signing this form you acknowledge this process has been explained to you. Below are the next steps the school must take in discussing this policy with you, along with information about the complaint process.

1. The school has described the grievance and/or complaint policy to me.
2. I understand that the policy can also be found on the school’s website.
3. I know I should first try to resolve a complaint or concern with my instructor or school administrator
4. I understand nothing prevents me from contacting the Workforce Board at 360-709-4600 at any time with a concern or complaint, and complaint forms are: http://wtb.wa.gov/PCS_Complaints.asp.
5. I understand that I have one year to file a complaint from my last date of attendance.
6. I further understand that in the event of a school closure, I have 60 days to file a complaint.
7. I also understand that complaints are public records.
8. Finally, I acknowledge that details about the complaint process, my rights, and any restrictions on the time I have to file a complaint can be found at http://wtb.wa.gov/PCS_Complaints.asp

This school is licensed under Chapter 28C.10 RCW. Inquiries or complaints regarding this private vocational school may be made to the:
Workforce Training and Educational Coordinating Board 128 – 10th Avenue SW, Olympia, Washington 98504
Web: wtb.wa.gov
Phone: 360-709-4600
E-Mail Address: pvsa@wtb.wa.gov

Conduct and Effort

Although effort is highly subjective, students not making a genuine effort to complete class assignments with a reasonable degree of work and attention to detail or those who consistently miss class, arrive late, or interfere with the learning opportunities of other students may be asked to withdraw from a class after an interview with the instructor and SVC administrators. In this event, the student's tuition will be refunded according to the policies listed in the Refunds and Dropped Classes section.

Nothing in the policy prevents the student from contacting the Workforce Training and Educational Coordinating Board at 360.709.4600 at any time with a concern or a complaint.

Equal Opportunity

The School of Visual Concepts believes that learning has nothing to do with your sex, veteran or military status, race, creed, color, national origin, age, sexual orientation, physical abilities, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability. So, these factors are not an issue in accepting you for admission to SVC.

The School of Visual Concepts acknowledges that information pertaining and applicant's disability is voluntary and confidential, and will be made on an individual basis. If this information is presented, SVC will reasonably attempt to provide an accommodation to overcome the effects of the limitation of the qualified applicant. All inquiries about accommodations should be made by emailing info@svceattle.com, by calling the school at 206.623.1560, or by visiting the school in person.

Sexual Harassment

Our goal is to keep SVC as a place where students are free from unwelcome advances, inappropriate verbal or physical contact, or anything that creates a hostile or offensive environment. If another student or faculty member crosses those lines, please let one of SVC's directors know immediately. Staff or students who are found to have violated SVC's harassment policy will be dismissed immediately.

Alcohol and Drug Use

The use of alcohol (outside of sanctioned social functions) or illegal substances at SVC is strictly prohibited. Students who come to class under the influence will be asked to leave and will be withdrawn from SVC without a refund.

Smoking

Smoking is permitted outside the School, provided you're at least 25 feet away from a doorway, open window, or air intake (sorry, that's a state law).