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Section 3.9.1: Student Affairs and Services
Judgment of Compliance
 Compliance
 Partial Compliance
Non-compliance
Requirement
The institution publishes a clear and appropriate statement of student
rights and responsibilities and disseminates the statement to the campus
community.
Narrative
McNeese State University is in compliance with Comprehensive Standard 3.9.1.
The University publishes clear and appropriate statements of students’ rights and responsibilities and disseminates those statements to the campus community through a variety of methods.
University policies relating to student rights and responsibilities are governed by the University’s obligations to comply with state and federal law and ULS Board of Supervisors Policies and Procedures and its commitment to its core values. The values the University has identified as facilitating and fostering student success are as follows:
• Foster a climate that enhances student learning, focuses on retention, values advising, and enriches the quality of campus-life;
• Nurture an environment to support cultural diversity;
• Present students opportunities for leadership;
• Provide venues for learning to attract non-traditional students;
• Provide an aesthetically-pleasing campus, functional facilities, and state-of-the-art equipment.
These values sustain the efforts of administration, faculty, and staff who commit themselves to creating an educational and social experience that is beneficial to all students.
Student Participation on Policy-Making Committees
Students are enfranchised to participate in University policy making on a number of levels. A list of standing committees on which faculty and students serve as full-voting members is provided in the Faculty/Staff Handbook. Students serve on such University-level policy-making committees as the following:
• Academic Appeals Committee
• Academic Integrity Committee
• Arbitration Committee
• Athletics Committee
• Disciplinary Committee
• Editorial Advisory Board
• Financial Aid Appeals Committee
• Grade Appeals Committee
• Graduate Council
• QEP Steering Committee
• University Curriculum Committee
In addition to participating in policy-making at the University level, students also participate in individual departments and in University-sanctioned student organizations.
University Catalog
For many students, the first point of contact with University policies and procedures is through the University Catalog. Student rights and responsibilities relating to academic issues are published in the University Catalog, which is available in hard copy and on-line. The Catalog is available to students in the University Bookstore and is disseminated to students who attend Orientation sessions at the beginning of each semester. The Office of Enrollment Information also disseminates the University Catalog to prospective students. Faculty members are provided with copies of the catalog during the summer session when revised catalogs become available. Catalogs are disseminated to faculty and other University offices through the Office of Institutional Effectiveness. New faculty members are provided with catalogs through their department offices.
Examples of policies related to student rights and responsibilities that are published in both the hard copy and electronic versions of the University Catalog include the following:
Office of Student Services
The Office of Student Services provides oversight for extracurricular and co-curricular activities, discipline, residence life, student support systems, and civic responsibility. The Office of Student Services identifies its mission as follows:
The mission of the Office of Student Services is to promote undergraduate and graduate student development through engagement in extracurricular activities and leadership development, experiential residence life programming, student support services, and civic responsibility. The Office of Student Services supports the University’s core value of student success and contributes to instilling within students a sense of ethical responsibility and civic engagement. The departments of residence life, dining services, student health services, and student services collaborate with key units in all divisions of the University to strengthen the culture of learning and improve the quality of co-curricular life on the campus.
Student Handbook
As the office charged with ensuring that students are advised of their rights and responsibilities with regard to both academic life and co-curricular activities, the Office of Student Services publishes and disseminates the Student Handbook, which is provided to all incoming students and can be accessed online by any interested individual. The Student Handbook is a comprehensive document which includes the Code of Student Conduct, the Academic Integrity Policy, and other policies which impact student conduct. The Student Handbook is the University's official statement of student rights and responsibilities.
Code of Student Conduct
The Code of Student Conduct is included in new student information packets that are distributed to freshmen and transfer students during Orientation activities. The Dean of Student Services or the Assistant Dean of Student Services participates in each Orientation session, advising students of the importance of reviewing the Code of Student Conduct. The Code summarizes the University’s expectations of students’ general behavior on campus:
The University expects all students to obey the law, to adhere to the rules and regulations of the University, to fulfill contractual obligations and to maintain integrity and a high standard of honor in scholastic work.
The Code of Student Conduct and other pertinent policies are disseminated through the following venues:
• Included in student information packets;
• Published in hard copy format and distributed to students, as required or requested, directly through the Dean of
Students office;
• Reviewed with residential students (new and returning) by the Dean or Assistant Dean during new resident orientation meetings held in residence halls at the beginning of each semester;
• Reviewed with student athletes (new and returning) by the Dean or Assistant Dean during team information meetings held at the beginning of each semester;
• Reviewed with members of the Student Government Association and Student Senate during annual leadership development activities held at the beginning of each academic year;
• Published on the University's website and are made accessible to the entire University community and the general public.
Some of the policies pertinent to student conduct (eg. Policy on Attendance and Academic Integrity Policy) which are published in the University Catalog are also included in the Student Handbook. Examples of other policies related to student rights and responsibilities that are published in both the hard copy and electronic versions of the Student Handbook include the following:
• Student Conduct. Disciplinary sanctions for such acts as theft, fraud, firearms possession, stalking, and fighting are outlined (Student Handbook, Section Three).
• Administration of Discipline. Procedures for disciplinary action and due process are outlined (Student Handbook, Sections Four-Fourteen).
• Sanctions. Sanctions appropriate for various infractions are listed and defined (Student Handbook, Section Fifteen).
• Appeals Procedure. The process by which a student may appeal a disciplinary sanction is outlined (Student Handbook, Sections Sixteen-Seventeen).
• Academic Integrity Policy. (Student Handbook, Section Eighteen).
• Key Institutional Policies Directly Impacting Student Conduct:
o Diversity Awareness Policy;
o Alcohol and Drug Policy;
o Policy for Use of Information Technology Resources;
o Ethical and Legal Use of Computer Software for Members of the Academic/University Community;
o Traffic Regulations;
o Hazing Policy;
o Student Organization Handbook;
o Residence Life Policies;
o Campus Weapons Policy;
o Violence Free Workplace Policy. (Student Handbook, Section Nineteen).
University Class Schedule
Many of the student rights and responsibilities published in the University Catalog and the Student Handbook are published in the University Class Schedule, which is available at the Registrar's office and online each semester (fall, spring, and summer).
Graduate Student Orientation Guide
The Graduate Student Orientation Guide publishes such general policies as those related to graduate admissions, requirements for graduation, parking, safety and security. It also includes policies regarding awarding of graduate assistantships and teaching obligations, should a graduate student be awarded a teaching assistantship. The Guide is available in paper form from the Graduate School and electronically on the University home page.
Athletics Department Policy Manual
The Athletics Department Policy Manual publishes general policies related to academic requirement, hiring policies, policies for evaluation of employees, including student workers. It also includes policies pertinent to student athletes and NCAA policies. The Athletics Department Policy Manual is available on the Athletics Department website.
Statements of Rights and Responsibilities Published and Distributed by Individual Support Units
Support units on campus that provide services to students also publish and distribute information regarding rights and responsibilities that are specific to the services they provide. These units are listed below.
Student Health Center
The Student Health Center provides the students with two documents specifically related to patients’ rights and confidentiality of patient records:
• Patient's Bill of Rights Policy. This document addresses issues related to patients’ rights to have a voice in their health care and other issues addressed by the US Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry in 1998.
• New Patient Information. This document addresses confidentiality of medical records, immunization records, laboratory tests and reports.
Counseling Center
The Counseling Center provides several documents to students, faculty, and staff who use the services of the Counseling Center:
• Guidelines for Use of the Counseling Center.
• Declaration of Practice and Procedures.
• Requirements for Pre-Trial and Court Ordered Clients, as needed.
• Procedures for Learning Assessment Referrals, as needed.
• Guidelines for Psychiatric Evaluation, as needed.
Services for Students with Disabilities
The Office of Services for Students with Disabilities disseminates policies generated by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Policies and procedures regarding these services are distributed in the following ways to both students and faculty:
• Students who register with the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities are given a document that states their rights and responsibilities. They are required to read and sign the document, attesting to their understanding of the ADS and University policy.
• Faculty and staff members are provided with information related to providing reasonable accommodations for students who register with this office.
University Police
Various policies related to campus safety and security are made available to students through publications and online resources are distributed through the University Police. Police officers are also available to speak to campus groups on issues relating to safety and security and use this venue as an opportunity to address student rights and responsibilities. Some of the policies addressed by this unit include the following:
Student Employment Office
Student Employment Policy. This policy provides information regarding student eligibility for employment, responsibilities, and other information related to working on campus.
Financial Aid
The Office of Financial Aid provides policies related to eligibility for financial aid.
International Student Affairs Office
Policies and procedures related to admissions and eligibility of international students and immigration regulations are provided by the International Student Affairs Office.
Scholarships and Testing
Information regarding students’ rights and responsibilities related to scholarships and testing is provided by the Department of Scholarships and Testing. This office provides information and assistance to current and prospective students regarding scholarship opportunities at the University. The staff coordinates the application, selection, and disbursement processes for the MSU academic scholarship program. In addition, it administers the disbursement of all university non-athletic scholarships. The Scholarships Office also administers the Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) and private scholarships awarded by various organizations, companies, and entities.
Course Syllabi
To ensure that students are fully aware of their rights in the classroom, University policy mandates that syllabi include three policies relating to student performance and interactions in the classroom: (1) ADA policy regarding reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities; (2) University policy regarding diversity awareness and sexual harassment; and (3) the University Academic Integrity Policy. Instructions for including these policies in syllabi are published in the Faculty/Staff Handbook:
As recommended by the Faculty Senate, all course syllabi must contain the following statement: "Students with impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills are encouraged and have the responsibility to contact their instructor, in a timely fashion, regarding reasonable accommodation needs. Students should visit the MSU web page at www.mcneese.edu/policy/diversity.htm for information about diversity awareness and sexual harassment policies and procedures.” The syllabus must contain a statement about the expectation for the student to be aware of and abide by the Academic Integrity policy.
Other policies included in syllabi may include such items as the following:
• University attendance policy;
• Individual faculty policies regarding late work;
• Individual faculty policies regarding make-up examinations;
• Individual faculty policies regarding use of cell phones in class;
• Individual faculty policies regarding specific course work expectations.
Faculty are required to provide a copy of all course syllabi to students enrolled in their courses. Paper copies of syllabi are typically distributed in class during the first week of each semester. Faculty are required by University policy to distribute syllabi to students by the tenth day of class. Faculty are also required to post their syllabi electronically either on the University Blackboard website or on an Internet site accessible to students.
A sample syllabus for English 101: English Composition is included in supporting documents to illustrate such course-specific policies.
Supporting Evidence
Patients Bill of Rights
New Patients
Guidelines for Psychiatric Evaluation
Requirements for Pre-Trial and Court Ordered Clients
Procedures for Learning Assessment Referrals
MSU FERPA Policy Statement
Revised Diversity Awareness Policy
Students Rights and Responsibilities
English 101 Syllabus
Office of Student Employment
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