University Policies -- and mine

Policy on discrimination, racial harassment, and sexual harassment

It is the policy of Saginaw Valley State University that no unlawful discrimination will be practiced or tolerated in the provision of employment, education, organizations, athletics, housing, public accommodations, and other services to the public. Equal opportunity will be provided regardless of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital or familial status, color, height, weight, handicap, or disability.

Physical acts or threats or verbal slurs, invectives or epithets, taunting or verbal abuse, degrading comments or jokes referring to an individual's race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital or familial status, color, height, weight, handicap, or disability are strictly prohibited.

Anyone who concludes that he or she is the subject of discriminatory conduct or harassment, sexual or otherwise, is required to immediately report such conduct in writing to the Director of Equal Opportunity and Special Programs of the Director of Human Resources.

Any employee or student who knowingly and intentionally files a false complaint under this policy is subject to discipline.

Disabilities

Students with disabilities that may restrict their full participation in course activities are encouraged to meet with me to discuss an amenable solution, or contact the SVSU Office of Disability Services, Curtiss 112.

Academic integrity

Each student is expected to complete their assigned work without assistance from others, unless it is a collaborative project. In this instance, assigned work will be completed with the assistance of classmates enrolled in the current course. Copying or accepting work done by others and represented as your own work is considered plagiarism, and is subject to the policies stated in the SVSU Student Handbook, Code of Student Conduct, Section 1.8, Academic Dishonesty.

FERPA guidelines

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 is designed to protect the privacy of student education records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their educational records, and the right of students to have some control over the disclosure of information from their records. FERPA rights transfer to a student when he or she reaches age 18 or begins attendance at the University regardless of age.

• School faculty, administrators, and staff may not disclose personally identifiable information about students nor permit inspection of their records without written permission of the student unless release or inspection is covered by certain exceptions permitted by the Act.
• Students may authorize release of education record information in writing by specifying the information to be disclosed, the purpose of the disclosure, and the party or class of parties to whom disclosure is to be made.
• College students must be permitted to inspect their own educational records.

If you have questions, please discuss the situation with the Registrar's Office. The Registrar at SVSU is the university official charged with FERPA compliance and training.