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HCD Academic Year Policies

New to the Hartt School Community Division? Please familiarize yourself with the policies below.

Registration I Billing and Payment I General Policies I Private Lesson Policies I Navigating COVID-19 I Indemnification

Section I: REGISTRATION

School Calendar

Registration and tuition are based on the academic year (Term: September through June), unless otherwise specified. For programs that allow rolling admission, tuition may be prorated in accordance with individual program schedules.

The Summer term begins in June and ends in August, unless otherwise specified. During the Summer term, private lesson registration is available on a lesson-by-lesson basis.

Please see the HCD Academic Calendar for more details.

Registration Fees

New students: $25.00 registration fee, applied to student’s first invoice

Returning students: No fee if registered by August 1 for academic year programs. A $25.00 fee may be assessed to registrations received after August 1.

Some activities require additional program fees. Please refer to program materials for more information.

Withdrawal Process

All requests for withdrawal must be submitted by the parent, guardian, or adult student in writing to the Registrar at HCDBills@hartford.edu. Communication with faculty and staff other than the Registrar does not fulfill this requirement. Absence and/or spoken notice will not constitute withdrawal under this policy.

Withdrawal notice must include student name, program from which the student is withdrawing, and the reason for the withdrawal.

Withdrawals and refunds are subject to all applicable HCD and University of Hartford policies.

Withdrawals are subject to a $30.00 cancellation charge. All program and registration fees are non- refundable. The act of submitting to the University a completed registration application constitutes legally-binding acceptance and agreement to this Policy, including a requirement to pay tuition in full.

Any student who incurs injury or illness that prevents reasonable participation in HCD programs may be eligible for medical withdrawal. To receive a medical withdrawal, that student must provide to the University a verifiable letter from a competent medical professional indicating that a medical withdrawal is necessary. All withdrawal decisions under this policy are subject to verification by the Registrar.

Withdrawal Refund Policies
  • Withdrawal prior to 1st scheduled lesson/class: Full tuition refund for private lessons; $30.00 cancellation fee for group classes
  • Withdrawal prior to 4th scheduled lesson/class (Dance: 4th week of class): Partial tuition refund based on the number of lessons/classes scheduled, plus $30 cancellation fee
  • Withdrawal after 4th scheduled lesson/class (Dance: 4th week of class): No tuition refund.

Note: For private lesson and dance students, a mid-year withdrawal period is available in January at which point the student will be responsible to pay for all lessons/classes offered prior to the opt-out period plus a $30.00 cancellation fee. No mid-year opt-out is available for group music classes or ensembles.

Section II: Billing and Payment

Payment Options

Cash is accepted at all HCD offices. Offices are unable to provide change.

Paper checks, electronic checks, money orders, and traveler’s checks are accepted and should be made payable to “University of Hartford.” Please note that all electronic check transactions are subject to an additional processing fee.

A $25.00 fee will be assessed for payments returned for insufficient funds.

Credit/Debit cards: VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express credit or debit cards are all accepted. Please note that all credit card transactions are subject to a processing fee.

The University of Hartford requires that all remittances be in the form of U.S. currency and that your check/money order be payable in U.S. dollars through a financial institution with an office in the United States. Any fees charged to the University by our bank for processing checks through a foreign collection agency will become the responsibility of the responsible party.

Billing Options and Payment Cycle

Monthly Payment Plan Option: Monthly payment plans are available to all students. Both automatic and manual options are available, as follows:

  • Automatic billing is available for credit/debit card or e-checking account payments. Automatic payments are deducted on the 1st day of each month.

  • Manual bills are issued by email to the primary email address listed on the student’s account. Bills are emailed on the 1st day of each month and must be paid in full within ten days from emailing date. Incomplete or late payments are subject to penalty, including fees and possible discontinuation of service.

No Payment Plan Option: Billing is organized on an academic year basis. A minimum of 10% of the total tuition is due at the time of registration. 50% of the remaining balance is due by September 15, and the remaining balance is due by January 15 each year. During the Summer term, full balances are due at the time of registration unless otherwise specified in HCD’s program materials.

Delinquent Accounts/Collections

HCD reserves the right to suspend or discontinue service to any student at any time if that student’s account is delinquent.

If in the judgment of the University engaging the services of an attorney or collection agency becomes necessary to effect collection or to settle any dispute in connection with the above described default, then this Policy also binds the primary billing contact on the student account contractually to paying attorney’s fees, collection agency fees, reasonable expenses, and costs to the maximum amount allowed by Connecticut General Statutes.

This Policy obligates that same primary billing contact to pay any reasonable collection expense incurred by HCD if the University finds it necessary to refer that student account to an agency or attorney. Connecticut General Statutes provide for the recovery of collection expense equal to fifteen percent (15%) of the account balance at the time of payment.

Section III: General Policies

Attendance

The University provides no refund for any class missed by a student. The University is willing to provide to any private lesson student a make-up lesson for any unplanned HCD school closure or teacher absence. Additionally, HCD coordinates an Achievement Day experience for participating departments each year in May, in lieu of one scheduled private lesson. Participation requirements are determined by Department Chairs, and any students enrolled prior to March of the academic year have an expectation of participation.

Class Cancellations and School Closings

HCD reserves the right to cancel, alter, or close any class or program to accommodate enrollment. If HCD must close for inclement weather or other reasons, detailed announcements will be made available via email and website updates. Group classes, including dance classes, which are canceled due to inclement weather are not made up.

Email

One email address per account is considered the “primary” email address and will be used for all billing notifications. By submitting a completed registration application, student/family consents to receive billing and registration notices, general communications, and promotional emails from HCD.

Discounts

Discounts cannot exceed 10% per student unless approved by the Registrar. This policy does not include scholarships or financial aid. All discounts are applied at the discretion of the Registrar.

Photo/Video

HCD reserves the right to photograph and videotape participants for educational and promotional purposes. Any parent/guardian who objects to having a student under their care photographed or videotaped must so notify the University in writing no later than an applicable HCD program’s scheduled start date.

Parking

Any participant (including parents and guardians) who requires access to parking on University of Hartford property, must register their vehicle(s) with the University’s Department of Public Safety. Parking registration is processed through the HCD, by registering cars through ASAP at no cost. Students, parents, and guardians must comply with all University signage. If you receive a ticket, please submit it to the reception office in room 19-20.

Our satellite location, The Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts “GHAA” at Learning Corridor (15 Vernon St. Hartford), offers use of the parking garage on property at no cost. Families push the buzzer and announce they are parking for HCD to be granted admittance.

Conduct

The University requires polite, respectful, and disciplined behavior for all students. The University respects individual differences in culture, race, ethnic origin, religion, gender, and sexual orientation. The University considers unacceptable and will not tolerate any behavior that objectively and purposefully disregards or demeans the self-esteem of others. The University expects all students, families, and affiliates to conduct themselves in a collegial and cooperative manner, and comply with state, federal, and local law. The University retains discretion to enforce applicable University policies in connection with all HCD activities including, without limitation: discontinuing services to any student at any time under this policy.

Progressive Discipline Policy:
  1. The University issues a spoken warning to the student.

  2. The University sends a written warning with the student and also files that warning with an applicable HCD department head and/or administrative staff.

  3. If the issue continues, then the head of the department and/or administrative staff request a meeting with an applicable parent/guardian to discuss a strategy for improving behavior. If the student does not sufficiently demonstrate improvement, then the University instructs the student to leave the program.

Note: HCD retains discretion to bypass any one or more aspects of progressive disciplinary action based on the severity of the behavior or infraction.

Section IV: Private Lesson Policies

Teacher Transfers

It is our aim for each student to work with a well-matched instructor. When students or guardians feel they may work better with a different instructor, they may use the following process:

Whenever possible, communicate directly with your current teacher, in the hopes that common problems, or misunderstandings of any kind can be easily rectified. If this is not possible, please contact the Placement Coordinator (hcdlesson@hartford.edu) with your concerns and talk through options.

  1. Placement Coordinator offers to set up Zoom call with parent, teacher, and Department chair.

  2. If students or guardians are not comfortable with, and do not choose these resolution options, the Placement Coordinator shares their documented concerns with the Department Chair. The Chair will inform the teacher of the transfer, and with all parties’ consent, the Placement Coordinator will complete the transfer of registration.

Section V: Navigating COVID-19

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

All students age 12* and over, and guardians/practice partners attending student lessons, will be required by the University to be vaccinated in order to study at any of the Hartt Community Division locations. Students turning age 12 must be fully vaccinated within two months of their twelfth birthday. Fully vaccinated is defined as having received both doses of the vaccine and the two weeks following the second dose.

Students who have received exemptions will not be permitted to participate in lessons or ensembles in person without documentation of a negative weekly COVID-19 test. Failure to comply with these policies will ultimately result in withdrawal.

Read more about HCD's COVID-19 Policies

Section VI: Indemnification

Students and parent/guardians will not hold the University of Hartford (UH), including its regents, officers, employees and volunteers, responsible for any loss or damage of personal property while attending or participating in any HCD program. Students and parents/guardians release, and will hold harmless and indemnify UH from and against any claim, demand, action, or judgment that student and parent/guardian or any other person ever had or may have against UH, for any loss, cost or expense (including attorney’s fees) or damage or injury known or unknown, real or personal, sustained by student and parent/guardian while in attendance or participating in any HCD program. Student and parent/guardian willfully assume any physical injury risk to the student that is inherent to training. Student and parent/guardian grant consent for any HCD instructor to apply physical contact to the student for the purpose of making any technical correction that is appropriate for instruction according to accepted artistic practices. Student and parent/guardian authorize UH to obtain medical treatment that the student needs in connection with HCD training. Student and parent/guardian will pay all or whatever amount that treatment costs and will also hold harmless and indemnify the UH from any claim, cause of action, damage, or liability arising out of or resulting from medical treatment.