Telecom Fraud Academy Policies

Scheduling

Scheduling is based on demand/commitment.

To meet your needs, we will try to provide training near to you several times a year. But to hold an event, we require a minimum enrollment. For this reason, we have instituted a policy of offering and conducting our courses where we see a high enough interest rate and where we secure the minimum commitment.

How it works:

We post a tentative schedule of courses and locations on our website, and students fill out “express interest” forms .

Depending on the results, we will either drop the event or move forward and start working on the details. This will generally happen 30 days before the event. During the following 2 weeks we will ask you to make a firm commitment to attend the training. Depending on your situation, a firm commitment would be a purchase order, payment for the tuition, or a signed Letter of Commitment from the CFO or similar authority.

Two weeks before the scheduled event date we need to know how many delegates will be at the training. If we do not have the minimum enrollment with a firm commitment from each delegate, then we will have to cancel the classes.

The minimum enrollment needed varies by location and the cutoff date may change depending on the venue.

Cancellation

If we need to cancel an event, we will issue a refund or apply your payment toward a future event (to be used within 12 months). If you need to cancel, you may do so without consequence until 2 weeks before class.

To withdraw within 2 weeks before class, there are 3 options:
We accept a substitute in your place. Please notify us and send the substitute’s name
We can credit your payment toward another event (to be used within 12 months)
We issue a refund less any out-of-pocket expenses we incurred for your seat in the class

Tuition and Payment

By registering for specific courses and Academy organized training events, candidates contract to pay tuition and fees unless they officially withdraw. Tuition and fees are assessed on registered candidates and are payable by the due date printed on the invoice. The amount of tuition and fees varies by the date a candidate registers for the course, and the location of certification events.

Tuition and fees are set annually by GRAPA and are subject to change. Consult the Upcoming Events page on the RAA website: http://www.ra-academy.org/upcomingevents.htm for current information on tuition and fees for each event.

We accept the following payment options:
Major credit cards, personal or corporate (Visa, MasterCard, American Express)
Wire transfer to our U.S. bank account
Demand draft
Please contact us to discuss any other terms

Tuition Exemptions and Discounts

A candidate who qualifies under the stated conditions may be exempted from one or more of the following charges.

Tuition is waived for:
Holders of tuition-waiver scholarships awarded by GRAPA
Holders of outside-sponsored grants or contracts that provide payments to cover the total cost of a certification event
Special discounts are available for:
Alumni of GRAPA Workshops, Certification Programs and Training - Alumni are eligible for a special Alumni discount for certain training events. Contact your membership manager for more information
Corporate Groups that have existing relationships with GRAPA:
Candidates should consult with their corporate groups about whether such relationships exist, and how to establish them – members of corporate groups should contact brigitte@grapatel.com about potential corporate discounts
Group discounts. Contact your membership manager for more information.
Early payment discounts. Contact your membership manager for information.
Financial Aid Information
Certification counselors/membership managers are responsible for assisting students in meeting the educational expenses of attending GRAPA Certification Training Events. There are various types of financial aid available, including scholarships and waivers, payment plans and discounts ((see above). Please keep in mind that while certification counselors will assist candidates in any way possible, the overall financial responsibility for meeting educational expenses rests with candidates and with their organization (if applicable).

However, the primary means by which membership managers will be able to help candidates obtain financial aid is by assisting them in obtaining budget from their organizations, and getting coursework requirements approved by management and HR. A large part of the financial aid process is focused on helping candidates become better corporate citizens and working within their organization’s corporate culture. Membership managers are also well equipped to help candidates market certification and its merits within their organization, in order to build up the stature and reputation of certified members.

Well-qualified candidates may have the option of assisting GRAPA in its curriculum development activities, participating in committee work and producing articles and other intellectual property for GRAPA – and by so doing earn the right to attend GRAPA trainings for a significantly reduced fee. Candidates looking to take this route should contact their membership managers.

Travel and Accommodations

Delegates are responsible for the arrangements and payments of their own travel and accommodation. We will try to negotiate a reduction, but cannot guarantee preferential room rates.

In the event that we must cancel classes, we will not accept responsibility for any expenses for prepaid travel, visa applications, hotel cancellation fees, etc.

Copyright

All intellectual property rights in all materials produced or distributed by Telecom Fraud Academy / GRAPA in connection with training events is expressly reserved and any unauthorized duplication, publication or distribution is prohibited.

Telecom Fraud Academy Student Policies

Privacy

We, GRAPA and the Telecom Fraud Academy, do not share, rent or sell our member or student contact information or email list.

Discrimination and Harassment

The Telecom Fraud Academy will not engage in discrimination or harassment against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, disability or sexual orientation and will comply with all national nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action laws, orders, and regulations. This nondiscrimination policy applies to admissions, as well as access to and treatment in all courses, certification programs, and activities.

The Telecom Fraud Academy’s complaint and grievance procedures provide certification candidates with means for resolving complaints alleging a violation of this Statement. Members of the public should direct their inquiries or complaints to GRAPA’s management or its designated ombudsperson, Chris Yesulis – chris@grapatel.com

Formal Grievance Procedure

The Grievant must file his/her Grievance with the ombudsperson no later than ten (10) days after he/she becomes aware of the offending activity, policy, standard or method of administration.

The ombudsperson shall conduct an appropriate investigation of the issues raised in the Grievance. The Grievant shall be given an opportunity to submit any relevant evidence he/she may have to support the Grievance. Within fourteen days (14) of submission of the Grievance, the ombudsperson shall issue his/her findings.

In the event the ombudsperson finds evidence of discrimination in the activity, policy, standard or method of administration, he/she shall make recommendations for change(s) and shall coordinate the efforts for change(s) with those whose activity, policy, standard or method of administration is at issue. Furthermore, in the event that the individual was adversely affected by a decision made pursuant to a discriminatory process, policy, activity, standard or method of administration, the individual will be given the opportunity for the decision to be reconsidered according to the revised process, policy, etc.

In those cases where the ombudsperson finds no evidence of discrimination, he/she shall send written notice of that finding to the Grievant within that 14-day time period. Said notice shall inform the Grievant of his/her right to appeal the finding to GRAPA’s Committees within five (5) days of receiving the notice.

E-Mail Is the Official Method of Telecom Fraud Academy Communication

All candidates are responsible for maintaining a valid e-mail address for use in communications regarding certification, status, etc. Official RA Academy announcements will be sent out via e-mail to students for all official information students must be aware of.

Guidelines Regarding Academic Integrity

As an academic community, GRAPA is committed to providing an environment where research, learning and scholarship can flourish, and the actions of the staff, faculty and certification candidates are guided by academic and professional integrity. All members of the GRAPA community share the responsibility of ensuring that these standards are upheld so that such an environment can exist. Instances of academic misconduct by certification candidates shall be handled according to the severity of the case.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:

Cheating: Intentionally attempting to use, trade or share unauthorized materials, information, people or study aids in any academic exercise or examination.
Fabrication: Knowing or unauthorized falsification, reproduction, lack of acknowledgment, or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.
Facilitating Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: Intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as one’s own in any academic setting.
Bribes, Favors, Threats: Bribing or attempting to bribe, promising favors to, or making threats against any person with the intention of affecting a record grade, or evaluation of academic performance. Any conspiracy with another person who then takes or attempts to take action on behalf or at the direction of the student.
Examination by Proxy: Taking or attempting to take an exam for someone else other than the student is a violation by both the student enrolled in the course and the proxy or substitute.
Grade Tampering: Any unauthorized attempt to change, actual change of, alteration of grades, or any tampering with grades.
Nonoriginal Works: Submission or attempt to submit any written work authored, in whole or part, by someone other than the student.
Telecom Fraud Academy Course and Admissions Policies Admissions Policies
GRAPA membership is free and required prior to the beginning of any Telecom Fraud Academy training course.

Registration as any certification course, requires individuals be employed by a telecommunications company and be performing a telecommunications function. It is also strongly recommended that professionals who register to attend a certification training event have at least 6 or more months of telecoms experience by the time of the event.

While GRAPA does not and will not immediately disqualify anyone who does not meet the above requirements from registering or attending a certification event, those who do not meet these requirements are asked to declare themselves prior to registration.

In order for someone who is not working in telecoms, or who does not have at least 6 months of telecoms experience to attend a certification event, they will have to sign a waiver of liability. This waiver acknowledges that the training may not be relevant to their industry or function, and that they may not have sufficient telecoms knowledge and context at the time of the training to successfully pass the certification exams.

Candidates with insufficient telecoms experience who attend the training may also have conditions applied to their certification.

Language Requirement

While fluency in English is not a pre-requisite for certification, it is strongly recommended that all those looking to certify have an established competency in English. The assumption of the certification is that professionals working in telecommunications need to have at least intermediate competency in English, since English is the common language of the industry.

GRAPA additionally has Spanish speaking Faculty on staff, who can teach Certification courses /provide course materials in Spanish. If you have the need for training in Spanish we request you share this with us when you register so we can accommodate.

At the sole discretion of the Telecom Fraud Academy, certain training events may offer simultaneous translation into a language other than English (for instance, Arabic, French etc.) for the training portion of the event. However, all testing is still conducted in English, so candidates are expected to have written competency in English, even if they are more comfortable learning in another language.

The Telecom Fraud Academy is happy to accommodate those who wish to attend trainings that have simultaneous translation, but provides no assurance that such services will be available at any given training event. The Telecom Fraud Academy will advertise availability of this service where demand is sufficient to warrant the hiring of a translator.

E-mail: info@grapatel.com