CCAD federal compliance information

The following are federal disclosure regulations mandated by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. A description of how CCAD is complying with these regulations is contained under each heading and, where appropriate, links are provided to additional sources of information. For questions regarding CCAD’s compliance, please contact Julie Taggart, Provost, [email protected] or Athena Sanders, AVP for Student Affairs & Dean of Students, [email protected].

Institutional statistics: Institutional information can be found on the College Navigator page of the National Center for Education Statistics website. Information available includes tuition costs, books/supplies, housing fees, financial aid data, enrollment statistics, admissions statistics, retention and graduation rates, programs of study, institutional accreditations, and campus crime numbers. In addition, retention and graduation rates can be found at CCAD at a Glance.

Privacy of student records – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): CCAD's policies related to FERPA can be found in the Student Handbook.

Facilities and services for students with disabilities: CCAD strives to provide a campus that is fully accessible to students with any disabilities. For information about our policies and procedures for receiving accommodations for a disability, go to our Support Services page under Disability & Access Service.

Student diversity: CCAD's diversity statistics are available on the College Navigator page of the National Center for Education Statistics website and at CCAD at a Glance.

Price of attendance: A summary of the cost of attendance is available here.

Net price calculator: CCAD uses the College Board as a source for the online version of the net price calculator, which details net price information by income categories and provides a web tool to help students calculate their tuition and fee costs. CCAD's net price calculator is available online here.

Refund policy and requirements for withdrawal and return of federal financial aid: CCAD's policies regarding refunds, procedures regarding withdrawal from classes, and practices regarding the return of federal financial aid are described in the Student Handbook.

Textbook information: CCAD's online bookstore can be found here. Students can search for the classes on their course schedule to see what textbooks, if any, are required for the course.

Educational programs, facilities and faculty: Information on CCAD’s academic programs, instructional facilities, and faculty can be found in our Academics section. Additionally, degree requirements can be found on CCAD's Self Service under "Planning" and course descriptions can be found under "Search" then "Course".

Accreditation, approval, and licensure of institution and programs

CCAD is duly licensed by the Ohio Department of Higher Education to grant our existing degrees within the State of Ohio. Additionally, our accreditations and affiliations are provided below.

CCAD is an accredited member of:

CCAD is affiliated with the following academic organizations:

Teacher preparation program report: CCAD does not directly offer a teacher preparation program.

Veterans readmission policy

Students called to active duty in the United States Armed Forces, National Guard, or Reserves for more than 30 days can return to CCAD with the same academic status, provided they meet the following conditions:

  • When called to active duty, the student must submit the proper paperwork to the Registrar. A copy of the service orders or an affidavit is acceptable documentation. The college also requires the student to submit a withdrawal form in writing.
  • Once the proper documentation of service orders or an affidavit is submitted, the student will receive 100% refund for tuition and the courses will be dropped from the student's record.
  • Students receiving financial aid must follow the guidelines of Title IV funding.
  • If the student has a CCAD scholarship, the scholarship will be re-activated upon their return as a full-time student.
  • The student cannot be absent from CCAD for more than five years.
  • Once their service is complete, the student has to properly notify CCAD of intention to re-enroll by contacting [email protected].
  • The student must not be discharged from the Armed Forces with a dishonorable discharge or bad conduct discharge.

Non-usage of funds for lobbying

In compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (Sec. 119), Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD) does not use any federal funds received under the HEA Act of 1965 to lobby any federal employee, officer, or member of Congress for the purposes of awarding of federal contracts, grants, loans, cooperative agreements or earmarks, nor does it use such funds to hire any individuals or other entities for such purposes.

Voter registration: In correspondence with major elections, CCAD provides voter registration information to all students via email and through passive tabling events. Students are provided with online resources and also have the ability to access TurboVote, a 3rd party vendor with whom CCAD partners. Additionally, internal and external groups provide voter registration services to students on campus.

Data on athletic programs: CCAD has no formal athletic programs.

Formula for calculating credit hours

Studio courses, 3 credit:

  • 2 hours and 45 minutes, or 5.5 hours classroom time per week
  • 3.5 hours outside work
  • 16-week semester

144 hours total

 

Lecture courses, 3 credit:

  • 1 hour and 15 minutes, or 2.5 hours of classroom time per week
  • 6.5 hours outside work
  • 16-week semester

144 hours total

 

Seminar courses, 3 credit:

  • 1 hour and 15 minutes, or 2.5 hours of classroom time per week
  • 6.5 hours outside work
  • 16-week semester

144 hours total

 

Integrated courses, 6 credit:

  • 8 hours classroom time per week
  • 10 hours outside work
  • 16-week semester

288 hours total

 

Intensive courses, 6 credit:

  • 11 hours classroom time per week
  • 7 hours outside work
  • 16-week semester

288 hours total

 

Online courses, 3 credit

  • 0 hours of classroom time per week
  • 9 hours outside work
  • 16-week semester

144 hours total

 

Hybrid courses, 3 credit

  • 1 hour and 15 minutes of classroom time per week
  • 7 hours and 45 minutes outside work
  • 16-week semester

144 hours total

State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA)

sara seal

NC-SARA (National council for state authorization reciprocity agreements)

Columbus College of Art & Design is approved by The Ohio Department of Higher Education to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education. Institutions that are members of SARA are authorized to provide online education to students from 49 SARA member states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. States and institutions that choose to become members of SARA operate under a set of policies and standards overseen by the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements and administered by four regional higher education compacts. 

California does not participate in SARA. The California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education does not require registration from out-of-state non-public institutions that are degree granting, non-profit, and accredited, such as Columbus College of Art & Design. 

COMPLAINTS

Columbus College of Art & Design students should first seek to resolve concerns and complaints by reviewing the policy and follow procedures outlined in the Student Handbook. Additional information regarding policies and procedures are also available here.

If the student has exhausted all institutional resources available, students may file a formal complaint by contacting The Ohio Department of Higher Education.

Residents of SARA states that have instructional complaints should contact their home state consumer protection agency.

Students from California can file a complaint with California Department of Consumer Affairs Consumer Information Center.

Institution procedures for determining credit and time requirements

The faculty Curriculum Committee at Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD) serves to inform Academic Affairs and the college-at-large on departmental, school and college curriculum matters and confirms appropriate credit and time requirements for courses. The Curriculum Committee has primary responsibility to review and make recommendations to the Provost on regular and elective course proposals. Recommendations are sent to the Provost, who then informs the relevant chair or director and dean. The Curriculum Committee has the ability to endorse proposals, endorse proposals with recommendations, or redirect any proposal that comes to its attention.

Special Topics classes, which are not part of the permanent catalogue, are reviewed by the academic deans and the Provost. These courses can be offered up to 3 times. For a special topics class to convert to a permanent offering it must be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee. Procedures used to make credit hour assignments are as follows:

Courses

  • All CCAD courses that apply to degree-seeking programs are structured to award 3.0  or 6.0 credits.
  • CCAD's credentialed faculty members write and review existing course content and propose new course content within their respective programs and departments.
  • New or revised courses are proposed before the faculty Curriculum Committee to ensure academic integrity, college-level outcomes and sufficient clock time to award credit.
  • Scheduling systems ensure the course meets sufficiently to be able to meet contact time requirements.
  • Independent work assigned as grading opportunities ensure students are working outside of class to meet clock time requirements.
  • Faculty award credit in courses by reporting student grades to the registrar’s office through a student information system.

Programs (and requirements within programs)

  • Terminal graduate programs (MFA, MDes) are standardized at 60 credits. MPS programs are standardized at 30 credits.
  • All undergraduate degree programs are standardized at 120 semester hours.
  • All minor programs are standardized at 15 semester hours.
  • All programs are formally reviewed annually for their overall content, including general and liberal education requirements, support courses, and courses within the major.

Means of assurance for accurate and reliable application of credit hour policies:

Courses

  • Students are only eligible for credit in a course for which they are officially registered.
  • CCAD awards credit only when the faculty member of record has certified completion of a registered course by posting final grades to the student information system.
  • The CCAD registrar performs regular audits and tracks students’ satisfactory academic degree progress through the student information system.

Programs (and requirements within programs)

  • Students must accumulate sufficient and appropriate credits within the various requirements of their programs in order to earn a degree, including meeting general and liberal education requirements, support course requirements, and courses within the major.
  • Students may not transfer credits, or apply credits from one area of a degree program to another without approval from both the program chair and academic dean.
  • Students must apply for graduation and be subjected to a degree audit before a diploma may be awarded.

Transfer Credit policy and Articulation Agreements

It is CCAD's goal to transfer in studio art and liberal arts credits from other higher education institutions while maintaining the quality of the CCAD degree. Educational records, official transcripts, and art portfolios are evaluated individually to determine the transfer of credits and course equivalencies. Advanced Placement (AP) exams, International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, College Level Examination Program (CLEP), CCAD College PreView, and college-level courses taken during high school will also be considered for transfer credit. A maximum of 60 semester credit hours can transfer into a CCAD degree plan. 120 semester credit hours are required for graduation from CCAD. Students must complete at least 30 credits of studio art/division requirements at CCAD; in most cases, senior year must be completed in residence at CCAD. Under exceptional circumstances, a dean or the provost may waive certain residency requirements.

Official transcripts must be sent to CCAD from each college at which credit was earned with the signature and seal of the appropriate office producing the official transcript at each college. If the credit was given through a high school and appears on the high school transcript, an official transcript must still be received from the college that granted the credit. Similarly, AP, IB, and CLEP scores must be sent from their respective granting agencies (i.e. The College Board or IB). CCAD does not award transfer credit based on work experience or coursework completed at non-accredited institutions. Credit is also not given for vocational or technical coursework.

All studio art and liberal arts courses with grades of "C" or higher are considered for transfer credit. Credits transferred in are not calculated in the CCAD grade point average.

Studio Courses: Studio art courses will minimally transfer for elective credit, up to the number required for the intended major and will be considered for required course credit where content and ability demonstrated in artwork is similar. This is determined by faculty evaluation of artwork from specific courses.

Liberal Arts Courses: Any class similar to CCAD liberal arts course offerings will usually transfer, up to the number of semester credit hours required for the intended major. Examples: Art History, Psychology, Sociology, Literature, Philosophy, Cultural Anthropology, Writing courses, Science, or Math.

Converting Quarter Hours to Semester Hours: CCAD operates on a semester calendar. Courses taken at institutions using the quarter system must be converted. The formula is Quarter hours x .67 = Semester hours.

  • 5 quarter hours = 3.35 semester hours
  • 4 quarter hours = 2.5 semester hours
  • 3 quarter hours = 2 semester hours
  • 2 quarter hours = 1 semester hour

AP (Advanced Placement) Scores: Score of 5 in Studio Art or Drawing = 3 credits in CORE1110: Drawing Methods. Score of 5 in 2D = CORE1120: 2D Creative Practice. Score of 5 in 3D = CORE1121: 3D Making with Care. A score of 4 or higher in any other AP Studio Art = 3 credits in Studio Art Electives. Score of 3 or above in any below AP subject = 3 credits of the noted Liberal Art course.

AP Test

CCAD Course Code

CCAD Course Title

Art History

ARTH1132 or ARTH1133

Art and Design Culture I or II

Biology

LIBA2459

Science Applications

Calculus

LIBA2501

Math Quantitative Literacy

Chemistry

LIBA2459

Science Applications

English Language

LIBA1290

Writing and the Arts

English Literature

LIBA1290 or LIBA3310

Writing and the Arts or American Literature

Environmental Science

LIBA2461

Ecology

Human Geography

LIBA2675

Sociology

Physics

LIBA2456

Physics

Psychology

LIBA2670

Psychology

Statistics

LIBA2501

Math Quantitative Literacy

*All other Liberal Art AP tests with a score of 3 or above = 3 credits in LIBA1000: Liberal Art Elective.

First Year CORE courses are the basis of a strong education in the visual arts and play an important role within each major as well as in careers. CCAD strongly believes in the quality and importance of our first-year CORE courses. We recognize the value of AP credit but believe the best course of action is to award studio art elective credit for the strongest AP portfolios.

CLEP (College Level Examination Program): CCAD accepts CLEP test scores for consideration for transfer credit. The test scores must come from The College Board. If a student has received CLEP credit at another college, CCAD requires a copy of the score report from The College Board.

IB (International Baccalaureate) Scores: Students entering CCAD with IB scores shall receive credits in adherence with the following chart. A Maximum of 9 credits shall be awarded.

Group

 

Subject

Marks

Credits

Course Credit

Group 1

Best Languages

Native or best language

5, 6, or 7

3

LIBA Elective

Group 2

2nd Language

Foreign Language

5, 6, or 7

3

LIBA Elective

Group 3

Individuals and Societies

Business and Management

6 or 7

3

LIBA2803: Finance and Marketing Tools

  

Economics

5, 6, or 7

3

LIBA Elective

  

Geography

5, 6, or 7

3

LIBA Elective

  

History

5, 6, or 7

3

LIBA Elective

  

Islamic History

5, 6, or 7

3

LIBA Elective

  

Information Technology in a Global Society

5, 6, or 7

3

LIBA Elective

  

Philosophy

6 or 7

3

LIBA1510: Philosophy

  

Psychology

6 or 7

3

LIBA2670: Psychology

  

Social and Cultural Anthropology

6 or 7

3

LIBA2674: Cultural Anthropology

Group 4

Experimental Sciences

Biology

6 or 7

3

LIBA2459: Science Applications for the Artist

  

Chemistry

6 or 7

3

LIBA2459: Science Applications for the Artist

  

Design Technology

5, 6, or 7

3

LIBA Elective

  

Environmental Systems

6 or 7

3

LIBA2461: Ecology

  

Physics

6 or 7

3

LIBA2456: Physics and its Applications

Group 5

Mathematics

Further Math SL

5, 6, or 7

3

LIBA2501: Math Quantitative Literacy

  

Math HL

5, 6, or 7

3

LIBA2501: Math Quantitative Literacy

  

Math SL

5, 6, or 7

3

LIBA2501: Math Quantitative Literacy

  

Math Studies SL

5, 6, or 7

3

LIBA2501: Math Quantitative Literacy

  

Computer Science

5, 6, or 7

3

LIBA Elective

Group 6

Arts and Electives

Visual Arts

6 or 7

3

Studio Art Elective

  

Music

5, 6, or 7

3

LIBA Elective

  

Theatre Arts

5, 6, or 7

3

LIBA Elective

  

IBO School based syllabus

6 or 7

TBD

Review of curriculum required

 

TRANSFER CREDIT PROCESS

New Transfer Student Applicant: 

  • Student submits application materials to the Admissions Office (application, portfolio, transcripts from all colleges attended, optional letter of recommendation, essay, application fee, and final high school transcript if coming with less than 30 college credits).
  • If accepted, applicant will receive notice of their acceptance from the Admissions Office.
  • If accepted, the Advising Office prepares and mails a preliminary transfer credit evaluation to the student. This outlines what will transfer and what may transfer, dependent on final grade or artwork review. Transfer evaluations will begin in early February for fall applicants and in late November for spring applicants, reviewed and sent to admitted students on a rolling basis as transcripts are received by the Admissions Office.
  • If additional information is needed to determine transfer credit, such as a review of artwork from specific courses or copies of course syllabi, the Advising Office will contact students directly. Advising will also consult with appropriate Program Chair/Director, as needed, to determine transferability of studio art courses.
  • The Advising Office registers new transfer students for their first semester classes and posts transfer credit to their CCAD record. Transfer student scheduling begins in mid-April for fall applicants and early December for spring applicants. Scheduling can occur only if the student has paid their tuition deposit through the Admissions Office.
  • The Advising Office will either mail deposited transfer students their schedule or deliver it to the student at Orientation, depending on the timing of a student’s admittance/deposit/completed transfer credit evaluation.
  • CCAD must receive final, official transcripts from all institutions where a student took courses for credit before their first term of enrollment at CCAD starts. The student may be withdrawn from CCAD if the official transcript(s) is not received before the first day of classes or be restricted from registration for future semesters until the official transcript is received.

Current CCAD Student:

Any current CCAD student who desires to transfer studio or liberal arts credit to CCAD from another institution of higher learning must comply with the above transfer credit policy requirements and complete the following process:

  • Students are responsible for contacting the other institution to understand the registration policies, deadlines, and processes before engaging the Transient Process at CCAD.
  • Before registering for courses at another institution for purposes of transferring credit to CCAD, a student must complete the Transient Student Process, including the Transient Student Form. Transfer credit is not guaranteed if the Transient Student Process is not completed.
  • To do so, the student should speak to their CCAD Academic Advisor about which requirements would be best to pursue as a transient student. Based on those recommendations, the student is responsible for locating another institution and identifying potential course options to fulfill the suggested requirements. Once course options are found, the student is responsible for obtaining course descriptions of those courses.
  • Student then obtains a Transient Student Form at the One Stop.
  • Student presents respective course descriptions and the Transient Student Form to the respective Program Chair/Director for review. The Program Chair/Director will review and determine if the course(s) qualify as CCAD course equivalents and if so, must sign off on the Transient Student Form, noting to which CCAD course(s) the transfer credit will equate and then return the form to the student.
  • The student then submits the completed Transient Form to the One Stop before registering for the course(s) at the other institution. This completes the pre-approval process for transfer credit.
  • Next, student engages other institution to register for the course(s), following that institution’s registration requirements and procedures. If the institution requires a CCAD transcript, the student is responsible for requesting their CCAD transcript online or at the One Stop.
  • After completing the courses, the student must request an official transcript from the other institution to be sent to the CCAD Registrar's Office.
  • If the CCAD Registrar’s Office receives an official transcript, the Registrar will review the completed Transient Form for transferability of coursework and post accordingly, pending all transfer criteria is satisfied as noted above. If the course(s) was not pre-approved with a Transient Form, depending on the course(s) content of courses taken elsewhere, the Registrar will send a copy of the transcript to the appropriate Program Chair/Director or School Dean to review for transferability of credits. Transfer credit is not guaranteed if the Transient Student Process was not completed.
  • Once courses have been reviewed, if approved for transfer, the credits are posted by the Registrar to the student’s CCAD record.
  • It is especially important for graduating seniors to ensure all updated transcripts are received by the Registrar prior to the last term of attendance.

 Current formal articulation agreements (as of April 2022):

  • Sinclair Community College for Advertising & Graphic Design, Fine Arts and Interior Design
  • Kalamazoo Valley Community College for Advertising & Graphic Design, Animation, and Illustration
  • Columbus State Community College for Advertising & Graphic Design and Photography
  • North Central State College for Advertising & Graphic Design
  • Hocking College for Fashion Design & Retail Merchandising

Student financial assistance

Assistance available from federal, state, local, and institutional programs: Information on the availability of institutional and financial aid can be obtained by contacting the Student Central at 614.222.3295, or by consulting the information on our website here. All CCAD students are required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form each year. This form can be filed electronically here.

Federal student financial aid penalties for drug law violations: The Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965 as amended suspends aid eligibility for students who have been convicted under federal or state law of the sale or possession of drugs, if the offense occurred during a period of enrollment for which the student was receiving federal student aid (grants, loans, and/or work-study). If you have a conviction(s) for these offenses, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1.800.4.FED.AID (1.800.433.3243) or go to the FAFSA website, click on "Before Beginning a FAFSA" in the left column, then click on "Student Aid Eligibility Worksheet" to find out how this law applies to you. If you have lost federal student aid eligibility due to a drug conviction, you can regain eligibility if you pass two unannounced drug tests conducted by a drug rehabilitation program that complies with criteria established by the U.S. Department of Education. (Information provided by Dept. of Ed. located here.)

Student loan information:

  • Entrance and exit loan counseling for student borrowers: Entrance and exit counseling are required steps for those borrowing money from the federal government and is done through the Department of Education's website. All interviews are documented in the student's permanent financial aid file.
  • Terms and conditions of loans: Terms and conditions of loans are provided in the student financial aid handbook, which will be updated soon.
  • Institutional code of conduct for education loans and preferred lender lists/arrangements: CCAD is now a Direct Lending Institution (federal loans are provided directly by the government). We no longer use private lenders as a source for Federal Loans. Additionally, no CCAD employee serves on advisory boards for private lenders.

Health and safety

Vaccination policies, campus security policies and other health and safety information can be found here.

Drug and alcohol abuse prevention programs: CCAD provides information to students, faculty and staff about drug and alcohol abuse through email, the institutional website and referral sources, campus programs, and individual counseling. All new students are required to complete an alcohol education module online prior to starting their first semester. The Student Code of Conduct in the Student Handbook clearly articulates the college’s policies regarding drug and alcohol abuse and misuse, along with possible sanctions that may result from violations. Licensed counselors are available in the Counseling & Wellness Center to assist students who are struggling with their usage of drugs or alcohol.

Vaccination policies: CCAD requires all students to show proof of vaccination against Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR), Hepatitis B, Polio, DTaP, Meningitis, and COVID-19, regardless of residential status on campus. This documentation must be provided before the student begins studying at CCAD. A Tuberculosis test is highly recommended, especially if the student will be living in a residence hall environment. If documentation is not available for any of the required vaccinations, students must pursue blood work with their healthcare provider to have their titer levels checked and submit those results to the college to show evidence of immunity. The immunization requirements and documentation form are available to new students in their New Student Gateway. Exceptions to this policy will be made only for religious or medical reasons, which require documentation. 

Campus security policies, crime statistics and crime log: CCAD’s most recent Security & Fire Safety Report is available online, or through the Dean of Students' Office. The college’s crime log is available in the Safety & Security Office.

Fire Safety Policies, Statistics and Log (On-Campus Housing Facilities): ​​​​​​Fire safety policies for the residence halls are contained in the Residence Life Policies Handbook available from the Residence Life & Housing Office at [email protected]. CCAD’s Annual Fire Safety Report is in the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report

Hate crimes: ​​​​​​Hate crimes, including larceny/theft, simple assault, intimidation, and destruction/damage/vandalism to property, are reported in CCAD’s Annual Security & Fire Safety Report.

Coordination with law enforcement: CCAD encourages community members to report crimes or suspicious activity promptly to the Safety & Security Office. In response to a call, the Safety & Security Office will take the required action to include summoning appropriate personnel or notifying the appropriate law enforcement agency. CCAD’s Director of Safety & Security will investigate reports of criminal activity and will refer reports of crimes as required by law for investigation or prosecution by the Columbus Police Department (CPD). Additional information about campus safety and security policies may be found in the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report.

Disclosure of disciplinary proceedings: The CCAD Code of Student Conduct describes our disciplinary procedures, including disclosure of records. The Dean of Students maintains a record of all student conduct proceedings. Beginning in July 2010, the Student Code of Conduct was amended to allow for notification of an alleged victim's next of kin upon written request and when the circumstances and law require it (for proceedings pertaining to crimes of violence or nonforcible sex offenses and when the alleged victim is deceased).

Emergency notification policies: CCAD utilizes an emergency notification service, CCAD Alert, which can be used to quickly notify students, faculty, and staff of impending emergencies via phone, email, and/or text message. CCAD automatically registers all CCAD community members, however, each community member must log in to the CCAD Alert system and note contact information and other alert settings they wish to activate. Each person can list up to six different contacts. This system is only for registered students and current employees of CCAD.

CCAD’s Emergency Response Team (ERP) is comprised of senior and mid-level employees who have expertise or responsibility in critical institutional management areas. The ERP will convene as quickly as possible during a perceived emergency to assist in managing the response. Members of the ERP, and only these individuals, are authorized to send emergency communication messages through the CCAD Alert system, and such messages will be sent as quickly as possible during a real emergency when the immediate health and/or safety of campus community members appear to be in jeopardy. In most cases, various emergency messages are already stored within the system for immediate dissemination. If a new message needs to be created, the Dean of Students will confer with select members of the ERP to craft the message and determine the target recipients. If appropriate, the Vice President for Institutional Engagement, or designee, will take the lead on informing external constituents about the status of an emergency. CCAD will also post emergency information at ccad.edu/emergency.

Only authorized CCAD administrators will be permitted to send messages through the system and only in cases that require campus constituents to take immediate action to protect their safety or in cases of weather emergency. This information is published in the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report, and is tested annually through usage during a weather-related closing, or if that does not occur, through a planned test. Additionally, when individuals activate their CCAD Alert accounts, the system automatically sends a test message to their mobile phones.

Missing residential student notification: Residential students will be provided an opportunity at the beginning of each semester to confidentially inform the college of a person they wish to be contacted in case they are assumed to be missing. This information will be collected by the residence life staff and retained in a secure location that can be accessed only by approved staff members. Students are able to update their contact information whenever they choose.

If a residential student is believed to be missing for at least 24 hours, the Director of Residence Life & Housing or the Residential Community Coordinator should be notified immediately. The staff member receiving the report will inform the Director of Safety & Security immediately. Additionally, the student’s designated contact and any appropriate law enforcement agency will be notified within 24 hours of the determination that the student is indeed missing.

Students should be aware that if they are under 18 years old and not emancipated, CCAD is required to notify a custodial parent or guardian with 24 hours of the determination that the student is missing, in addition to any additional contact person designated by the student.

Student handbook: Here is our student handbook.

Student complaint policy and procedure

Students may have a complaint about various aspects of CCAD. There is a specific policy and procedure for students to file a formal complaint with the college in the Student Handbook. Students must read thoroughly and carefully to determine which procedure applies to the situation about which they’d like to pursue a complaint or grievance.

Student Outcomes

Employment placement and professional education statistics for graduates: CCAD does not use job placement rates for recruiting purposes, and therefore is not required to calculate this statistic and disclose it to potential students. However, CCAD is currently collecting data on our graduates and alumni through surveys of graduates to self-report their employment or additional education information. Information obtained will relate to employment status, pay range, and/or types of graduate or professional education, but the results may not be statistically accurate. Names and identifying information will be kept confidential and will not be mandatory for self-reporting. More information on CCAD’s The Outcomes Survey for the Class of 2021 one year after graduation can be found here.

Listed here are our current full-time equivalency enrollment figures, updated for fall 2022:

FTE BFA 
Full time 944, Part-time 12

FTE MFA 
Full time 14, Part-time 2


Information on CCAD’s Programs/Majors Degrees awarded for 2021- 2022 are listed below:

Program BFA, MFA and MPS

Communication Technologies/Technicians and Support Services

Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics and Special Effects (Animation) 44

Visual and Performing Arts

Art History, Criticism, and Conservation (Studio Art with an emphasis in History of Art & Visual Culture) 3

Cinematography and Film/Video Production (Cinematic Arts) 7

Commercial and Advertising Art (Advertising & Graphic Design) 34

Crafts (Contemporary Crafts) 0

Fashion/Apparel Design (Fashion Design) 8

Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other (Fine Arts) 10

Game and Interactive Media Design (Game) 0

Illustration and Comics 56

Industrial and Product Design (Industrial Design) 10

Interior Design 15

Photography 11

(MFA) Visual and Performing Arts, General-12

(MPS) Retail Design 0

Grand total 210

* Data shown are for first majors. / (-) Program is not offered at this level.

Listed here are our current full-time equivalency enrollment figures for 2021-2022:

FTE BFA 971
10:1 Student to Faculty ratio

FTE MFA 27
4:1 Student to Faculty ratio

Retention rate, graduation rates, and transfer-out rates: CCAD's most recently published rates are available here. In addition, retention and graduation rates can be found at  CCAD at a Glance.

CARES Act, CRRSAA, and American Rescue Plan

This serves as an acknowledgement that Columbus College of Art & Design has signed and returned to the US Department of Education the Certification and Agreement to utilize no less than 50% of the CARES Act: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) received under Section 18004(a)(1) to benefit our students.

CCAD has received a grand total of $1,168,931 and distributed $584,466 from the Department of Education, directly to our students, pursuant to our Certification. CCAD applied for these funds on April 14 and were notified of the approval on April 24.

CCAD is an art institution whose instruction is predominantly provided in person and frequently utilizes supplies and other technologies found exclusively in a studio or campus environment. Much of the equipment is provided by the college and moving to a remote instruction format has created additional costs on all of our students.

In an effort to assist as many students as possible, in an equitable and expedient method, recognizing that our neediest students were likely impacted the hardest, CCAD immediately distributed 100% the funding in the form of emergency grants using the following methodology:

  • Students with a 0 EFC as determined by the FAFSA received a grant in the amount of $1260
  • Students whose EFC ranged from 1 – 5560 received $970
  • Students whose EFC ranged from 5561 – 30000 received $403

In the 2019-20 academic year, when the CARES Act funds were awarded, CCAD had 1185 enrolled students, 991 of which had a valid FAFSA on file. Based on the criteria established, noted here, the CARES Act funds were awarded to 736 students via a grant included in the financial aid package.  The funds were immediately refunded to the students, regardless of any balance on their tuition account. Students were notified of this funding by direct email and community-wide announcement and did not need to do anything in order to receive this funding.

The remaining $584,465 of HEERF funds were used to provide refunds of housing, meal plan, parking, and lab fees to students. CCAD's reporting disclosure as of September 30, 2020 is available here. CCAD applied for these funds on May 6 and were notified of the approval on May 12.

CRRSAA

This serves as acknowledgement that Columbus College of Art & Design has received its allocation of funding from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) as determined by the US Department of Education (ED). CCAD has signed and returned to ED the Certification and Agreement and assurance that the institution has used the applicable amount of HEERF II funds designated under the CRRSAA.


The total amount of funds received under the CRRSAA: $1,801,090. The institutional funds not directly distributed to students were utilized in accordance with the federal regulations. These funds were used primarily to provide the Pandemic Grant and to fund other qualifying expenses under the CRRSAA.


The total amount of grants distributed to students under the CRRSAA: $584,600.
The minimum amount required to be distributed to students: $584,466.


The total number of students who received funding through CRRSAA: 862


The total number of students who have received a grant: 862


CCAD determined the number of eligible students based on those who had submitted a FAFSA and were eligible for federal funds. The amount of the awards
were based solely on need using the following metrics:

EFC Range (per 20-21 FAFSA)Grant Amount
0 EFC$1250
EFC 1 - 5646 (Pell eligible)$950
5647 (non-Pell)$350
36,601 - 999,999200

The CRRSAA Grants (awarded as CARES) were disbursed to all eligible students without any action necessary on the part of the students. The funds were sent to students using either direct deposit (if bank information was on file in Self Service) or a check to their permanent address.

CCAD's institutional portion of $1,216,624 of HEERF II funds were used to provide additional scholarships to CCAD students for the fall 2020 and spring 2021 terms in the form of Pandemic Grants.  CCAD's reporting disclosure as of March 31, 2021 is available here. 

HEERF ARP

This serves as acknowledgement that Columbus College of Art & Design has received its allocation of funding from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund/American Rescue Plan (HEERF/ARP) as determined by the US Department of Education (ED). CCAD has signed and returned to ED the Certification and Agreement and assurance that the institution has used the applicable amount of HEERF III funds designated under the ARP.

The total amount of funds received under the ARP: $3,166,112. The institutional funds not directly distributed to students were utilized in accordance with the federal regulations and the disclosure notification for these funds is also posted on this website.

The total amount of grants allocated to students under the ARP: $1,583,056.

The total number of students who have received funding through ARP during the current quarter (July 1, 2021 – September 30, 2021): 1008

CCAD awarded $1,471,150 in block grants based solely on financial need to all students enrolled for classes as of July 23, 2021. These block grants were based on the following metrics:
 

EFC Range (per 21-22 FAFSA)

Grant Amount

0 EFC

$2100

EFC 1 - 5846 (Pell eligible)

$1800

5847 – 20,000

$1450

20,001 – 50,000

$1100

50,001 + and non-FAFSA-filers

$800


The ARP Grants (awarded as Covid Relief Aid) were disbursed to all eligible students without any action necessary on the part of the students. Students were given the option of applying the ARP Grant to their tuition account but needed to provide a separate authorization facilitated through the Concord e-sign system. If students did not provide this optional authorization, funds were sent to students using either direct deposit (if bank information was on file in Self Service) or a check to their permanent address.

In addition to the block grants awarded to all enrolled students, CCAD set aside $111,906 in ARP funding to provide additional support for students with documented Covid-related special circumstances. A Special Circumstance form was published and provided to all students on the CCAD website. We sent postcards to every student’s home and included the availability of this funding in various forms of digital communication.

During the  fourth quarter, October 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021, CCAD has awarded this grant funding on a case-by-case basis to less than 10 students and has awarded a total of $6,000. These funds have been delivered to students using the same mechanisms as the block grants, either directly applying the funds to their account with proper authorization or delivering the funds to the student directly via e-refund or paper check.

During the first quarter of 2022 (January 1, 2022 to March 31,2022), CCAD has awarded HEERF ARP grant funding on a case-by-case basis to three students totaling $5,700. These funds have been delivered to students using the same mechanisms as the block grants, either directly applying the funds to their account with proper authorization or delivering the funds to the student directly via e-refund or paper check.

During the second quarter of 2022 (April 1, 2022 to June 30,2022), CCAD did not award any HEERF ARP grant funding.

Click here to view the Q2 2022 Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for HEERF


Click here to view the Q3 2021 Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for HEERF (final report for institutional funds)

During the fourth quarter of 2022 (October 1, 2022 to December 31,2022), CCAD awarded $61,856 in block grants based solely on financial need to all students enrolled for classes as of December 12, 2022. These block grants of $335 were awarded to 179 students whose EFC was $0 per the 2022-23 FAFSA.

Click here to view the Q4 2022 Quarterly Budget and Expenditure Reporting for HEERF Programs

HLC provides the following resource for students, Ask the Right Questions: A Student Guide to Higher Education