Participant Code of Conduct

Effective March 24, 2024,  NTI has implemented a Course Registrant and Participant Code of Conduct to offer a set of rules, guidelines, and expectations for registering and participating in  NTI courses.

By registering for any National Transit Institute (NTI) event via the Rutgers University Division of Continuing Studies Registration System, you are agreeing to adhere to the Code of Conduct below:

COURSE REGISTRATION

All individuals registered for an NTI course will receive a course enrollment confirmation sent to the email address associated with their Rutgers University Division of Continuing Studies Registration System account. Course registrations are not transferrable.

A waitlist confirmation will also be emailed to individuals placed on a course waitlist. If a slot becomes available, a waitlisted registrant will be contacted by the course Program Coordinator offering admission. NTI staff will not respond to emails inquiring about open slots.

Please read your confirmation email carefully, noting if you have been enrolled or waitlisted for a course. Emailed registration and waitlist confirmations can land in spam / junk folders, please check. Emailed confirmations come from: nti@CE- Registration.rutgers.edu.

 COURSE CANCELLATION / NO-SHOW / ATTENDANCE

 Course Cancellation

 All virtual course cancellation notifications must be received at least (10) business days prior to the course start date. All in-person course cancellation notifications must be received at least (30) business days prior to the course start date. Cancellation notification must be emailed to the course Program Coordinator.

Course cancellation notifications inside of (10) business days for a virtual course or inside of (30) business days for an in-person course must come from the registrant’s immediate supervisor or manager and be emailed to the course Program Coordinator with a valid explanation why the course is being dropped (explanations of “scheduling conflicts” or required participation in emergency meetings will warrant a penalty for the registrant to be determined on a case-by-case basis).

Failure to adhere to cancellation notification guidelines will result in a six-month course registration suspension* for the registrant.

 No-Show

 Registrants that fail to attend a course are will be deemed a “no-show” and will serve a one-year course registration suspension. The suspension will be reduced to six- months if, within (10) days of the end of the course, the registrant’s supervisor or manager forwards an email to the course Program Coordinator with an explanation why the registrant failed to participant in the course (explanations of “scheduling conflicts” or required participation in emergency meetings will warrant a penalty for the registrant to be determined on a case-by-case basis).

Attendance

Every course participant must sign the attendance sheet every day a course is delivered. Participants that fail to sign the attendance sheet each day will receive an “incomplete” for the course and serve a six-month course registration suspension.

Course participants are permitted to miss no more than (30) minutes of instruction each day a course is delivered. Participants that miss more than (30) minutes of instruction on any one day will receive an “incomplete” and serve a six-month course registration suspension. If an emergency arises, please contact the course Program Coordinator as soon as possible.

Participants receiving an “incomplete” will not receive a Certificate of Completion.

Participants must attend the entire duration of a (single) course offering to receive a Certificate of Completion. Attending portions of separate course offerings will not count towards course completion.

“Pre-planned” or anticipated course absences will not be permitted. If you know, beforehand, you will not be available for the duration of the course, please do not enroll. If an emergency arises, please contact the course Program Coordinator as soon as possible.

VIRTUAL CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS

To maximize your virtual learning experience please:

• Access the course on a laptop or PC with a high-speed internet connection (course participation via phones or other small electronic devices are not encouraged)
• Participate with a webcam, headset, and microphone.
• Turn your webcam on unless you must momentarily step away.
• Mute your microphone unless you are speaking.
• If possible, print or download the course participant workbook and course materials to have on hand.
• Be seated at a comfortable table or desk in a quiet environment and maintain a professional immediate camera view.
• Actively participate!

 IN-PERSON CLASSROOM CONDUCT

Course participants must dress in business casual attire.

No one may accompany a course participant into the building hosting the course.

Course participants will not engage in conversations with other participants during course instruction. Instructors reserve the right ask any participant(s) to leave the classroom for excessive talking. In such case, the participant(s) will receive an “incomplete” and be subject to a course registration suspension.

Participants must address other participants and the course instructor(s) respectfully. The instructor(s) reserves the right to ask any participant to leave the classroom that speaks disrespectfully or in a harassing manner or tone. In such cases, the participant will receive an “incomplete” and be subject to a prolonged course registration suspension.

Within the course host facility, course participants are only permitted in the course classroom and any other locations designated by the course instructor or host facility liaison (i.e., bathrooms, etc.). Participants wandering into non-designated areas of the host facility may be asked to leave the facility. In such case, the participant will receive an “incomplete” and be subject to a prolonged course registration suspension.

Under no circumstances is an individual permitted to “walk-in” a course. An individual must be officially registered to participant in a course. Waitlisted individuals are not permitted to walk-in a course. All walk-ins are subject to a course registration suspension.

REQUEST FOR SPECIAL ACCOMODATIONS

All requests for special accommodations of course materials must be emailed to the course Program Coordinator at least two weeks prior to the start of the course.

 APPEALS

 Registrants / course participants can appeal a registration suspension or non-issuance of a Certificate of Completion in writing to the NTI Executive Director.

* – When an individual is serving a course registration suspension, they are prohibited from registering or attending any courses and will be dis-enrolled from any course(s) they are enrolled in during their suspension.

Please send any feedback and suggestions to nti_info@nti.rutgers.edu.

*If applicable, as Certificates of Completion are only distributed for certain NTI courses.

Did you know? You can use grant funding for travel to attend NTI classes!

Title 49 U.S.C. Section 5315(d) for MAP-21 funds and Section 5315(c) for FAST Act funds permit up to one-half of one percent of the Urbanized Area Formula Program (49 U.S.C. Section 5307) and the Capital Investment Program (49 U.S.C. Section 5309) funds to be made available to a state or public transit agency recipient in a fiscal year, to be used for tuition and direct educational expenses for transportation employees for educational and training programs relating to transit, at a Federal share not to exceed 80 percent. Proposed training activities to be supported with Urbanized Area Formula Program funds should be included in the grantee’s Urbanized Area Formula Program application.