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References

This page contains material from the brochure: " A Reference Guide for Faculty and Staff." Copies are available in the Office of the Assistant Vice President for Human Resources Management, the Student Development Office and the  Office of Human Resource Management. Adapted with permission from a brochure developed by Lee Renner at CSU Stanislaus

The Links listed below will take you to the topics contained on this page.

In General: Reporting an emergency or crime, student discipline or sexual harassment.

Academic Integrity

Assisting Disabled Students

Grade Appeals

Prohibited Acts

Quick Phone Reference

Referring a Student to Psychological Counseling

Sexual Advances

Sexual Harassment

Subpoena

Other Helpful Websites

 In General

Report an immediate safety issue (a threat to self or others) or an emergency or crime to: University Police at 9-911 or ext. 3333

Your call to 9-911 will automatically give University Police your location and extension.

If there is real and pending danger from an individual, University Police can request the resident to impose an immediate suspension from campus.

Report a student discipline situation to: Boice Bowman, the Vice President for Student Affairs, ext. 3784

For advice on addressing the situation or if the Vice President is not available, leave a message or send him an e-mail B.Bowman, or call or email Larry Gray, Director of Student Development, ext. 3625, email: LGray ). Either will either provide advice for dealing with the situation yourself or explain to you how to initiate an investigation in accordance with established procedures (for more information see the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook).

Reporting sexual harassment or discrimination to: Linda MacAllister, Special Assistant to the President , Employment Equity and Internal Affairs, ext. 3970

Linda MacAllister will advise you about the appropriate steps to take. (for more information see the brochure on Sexual Harassment).

Academic Integrity

In 1996, the Academic Senate passed a Resolution on Academic Integrity. and the university administration, through the Vice Presidents of Student Affairs and Academic Affairs, strictly enforces policies which address this issue

The resolution begins: "Academic Integrity is of central importance in the university community and involves committed allegiance to the values, principles, and code of behavior held to be central in that community. Integrity concerns honesty and implies being truthful, fair and free from lies, fraud, and deceit."

A complete copy of the resolution is printed in the University Catalog and in the brochure: " A Faculty Guide to Academic Integrity.   There is also an entire section of this web site devoted to Academic Integrity.

Promoting Academic Integrity

Since most students aren't really clear about why academic integrity is important or what constitutes dishonest behavior, there are three measures you should begin with:

1. spend some time discussing the topic during the first class session

2. write clear expectations on your syllabus. (Sample statements can be obtained from the Student Development Office).

3. remind students before each test or while giving an assignment that you are concerned with academic integrity and what your expectations are for this exercise.

( A Summary of Prevention Strategies for Academic Dishonesty is contained in the brochure: "A Faculty Guide to Academic Integrity" which can be obtained from the Vice President for Student Affairs Office or the Student Development Office.

Cheating & Plagiarism

Your options when it is discovered that students have cheated:

1. You should confront the student(s) directly, discuss the situation and then you can assign your own penalty accordingly. Penalties can include: requesting the student to re-do the work, assigning the student a failing grade for the assignment or assigning a lower or failing grade for the course.

2. You can report to the Vice President for Student Affairs that you discovered it and handled it. (This allows the University to maintain statistics and detect patterns of cheating from individual students).

3. You can request the Vice President for Student Affairs to assign a coordinator of student discipline to investigate the case.

The procedures for Student Discipline are outlined in Volume 2 of the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook. Copies can be obtained from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs or from the Student Development Office.

Grade Appeals

The burden of proof in a grade appeal rests with the student. It is presumed that the grades assigned by faculty members are correct until proven otherwise. Appeal is for review of alleged capricious grading only, not for review of the instructor's judgment in assessing the student's work. In the absence of clear evidence of capricious grading, there will be no grade change.

Capricious grading constitutes any of the following:

Failure to notify students in a clear and timely manner as to the basis for determination of grades.

Substantial departure from the instructor's previously announced standards for grading;

Assignment of a grade on some basis other than the student's performance in the course.

Demonstrable evidence of discrimination or prejudice in assignment of the grade.

Other evidence of inconsistent and inequitable standards for grade assignment (arbitrary grade assignment).

The Grade Appeal Procedures

The Student Grade Appeal Procedures Process are fully outlined in PM (Presidential Memo) 96-02 (Supersedes PM 87-01). What follows is a brief summary of the procedures.

Step 1:

A student who thinks he or she has a basis for a grade appeal will first seek to resolve the matter informally with the instructor of record or other appropriate individual. For a student to be able to proceed with a grade appeal, the student must have met with the faculty member within one regular semester session of the time the student knew or should have known of the problem or dispute, unless there is a prior agreement for extension between the student and the Chair of the Board.

Step 2:

If the matter is not worked out informally within 15 classroom days to the satisfaction of the parties, the student or his/her representative, may send a formal grade appeal, in writing, to the Dean of the School. A copy of the grade appeal must simultaneously be filed by the student with the Office of Faculty Affairs.

Step 3:

The Dean of the School will show the student's written statement to the faculty member and Department Chair and request without delay a written statement of their positions and other comments. After receiving a joint statement, or separate statements, from the faculty member and the Department Chair, the Dean will have 15 classroom days to resolve the problem in coordination with the parties, otherwise he/she will forward the case file, including the student's statement and the faculty member's and the Chair's written responses to the Chair of the Student Grade Appeals Board, along with the recommendation of the Dean.

Step 4:

Upon receipt of the grade appeal file, the Chair of the Student Grade Appeals Board will without delay meet with the Associate Vice President of Faculty Affairs to select a tenured faculty member to serve as the preliminary investigator. The preliminary investigator will not be a member of the Board. The preliminary investigator shall confer with the aggrieved student, the faculty member, the Department Chair, and the School Dean in making a preliminary investigation of the facts alleged by the student.

Step 5:

Within 15 classroom days of his/her appointment, the preliminary investigator shall submit to the Chair of the Board a full written report of the extent and conclusions of the investigation. The written statement of the parties will be attached to that report.

Step 6:

The Chair shall convene the Board without delay after receiving the report of the preliminary investigator. The Board shall determine by majority vote whether apparent cause for a grade appeal exists. Such determination by the Board shall be final. If the Board by majority vote concludes that there is no cause for a grade appeal, such determination shall conclude the proceedings, and the parties will be so advised in writing.

Step 7:

If they decide a hearing is warranted, the Chair of the Board shall schedule the hearing without delay and notify the aggrieved student and the faculty member against whom the grade appeal was asserted of the times and places of the hearing or hearings.

Step 8: The hearing (Information on the hearing is contained in the complete copy of the policy and is on the Grade Appeal web page).

Step 9:  The board will send copies of its decision and report to the student, faculty member, preliminary investigator, Department Chair, School Dean, and the Associate Vice President of Faculty Affairs. The decision will be binding on the parties unless it is contrary to law or clear rules or policies that control the University.

If the Board decision was that a grade should be changed, the faculty member has 10 calendar days to give a Change of Grade card to the Chair of the Board or show that the Board's decision is contrary to law, rule, or policy. If the Chair does not receive the Change of Grade card within 10 calendar days, the Chair will ask the University President to direct the Office of the Registrar to make the grade change based upon a Change of Grade card signed by the Chair of the Student Grade Appeals Board. The University President will direct the Office of the Registrar to accept the card signed by the Chair of the Board.

Neither the student nor the faculty member may appeal the merits or facts of the case beyond the Board. When the Board has decided the facts and merits of the case, all on-campus remedies have been exhausted.

Assisting Disabled Students

While Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities, in post-secondary settings, it is the student's responsibility to request special accommodation if needed. You can make the student more comfortable by inquiring about special needs. The student is probably the best source of information regarding his/her needs but consultation with the Disabled Student Services Office (ext. 3660) is also recommended.

Referring a Student to Psychological Counseling

As faculty and staff members, you may occasionally come in contact with students who display unusual and worrisome behavior, or may share with you personal information about which you do not feel qualified to address. In such cases, especially if the behavior is impairing the student's performance or the performance of others, or there is a dramatic behavioral change, you may want to initiate a discussion about counseling with him or her. During the meeting:

• Note the behaviors about which you are concerned.
• Be matter of fact, respectful and direct. Don't minimize your concerns or try to deceive students into talking with a counselor.
• Leave the final decision to the student. With the exception of an emergency, a student has the right to refuse a referral.

You may want to consult with Janie MacHarg, Director of Health Programs & Psychological Counseling, x 3818 or Larry Gray, Director of Student Development, x 3625 before meeting with the student. They or a member of their staffs can listen to your concerns and recommend methods for addressing issues with the students.

There are two offices where counselors are located, Student Development and Health Programs & Psychological Counseling. The credentials of the psychologists in both units are essentially the same The usage rate for individual psychological services in both units is equal, and the demand is high; for the past few years there has been a periodic need to establish a waiting list for services in either unit. Both units work together to make sure the student is seen in a timely manner.

After discussing the situation with the student, you can refer him or her to either the Student Development Office or the Health Programs & Psychological Counseling unit in one of the following ways:

• Suggest the referral and leave it up to the student to make an appointment.
• Call either office (Student Development, x 3625 or HP&PC, x 3818) to inform the staff that the student will be contacting them or coming in.
• Walk the student over to either office (Student Development is in the Small College Complex, Room C128, and HP&PC is in the Health Center, Room A 141) .

Confidentiality: The client-counselor relationship is confidential, except in those few circumstances where the law requires disclosure of confidential information. (e.g. harm to others, child abuse, etc.). Only upon the individual's written request will any information be released to other people or agencies about participation in psychological counseling. This means that the counseling staff cannot confirm if the student has come in for counseling or inform you about the student's case. However, you are encouraged to ask the student if s/he has gone to see a counselor and to ask how it is going. This will show a continued concern and interest on your part, and is generally well received by the student.

For further information about counseling services, call Health Programs & Psychological Counseling, x 3818 or Student Development, x 3625.

Behavioral Warning Signs

The following are some warning signals which may indicate that psychological counseling would be appropriate. Use your best judgment to determine if intervention is necessary or would be helpful.

Signs of Depression

• Dramatic change in weight.
• Extreme guilt or self-blame for present or past events.
• Frequent crying spells.
• Sleep difficulties; unexplained physical problems.

References to Suicide(Any direct reference to suicide is cause for immediate referral to counseling.)

• Feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and/or worthlessness.
• Preoccupation with death; giving away valued possessions or talk of doing so.
• Suicidal thoughts, threats or plans.

Unusual Behavior

• Withdrawal from usual social interactions and activities.
• Suspiciousness and feelings of being persecuted.
• Inappropriate or bizarre conversations; talking to self.
• Frequent outbursts of anger, crying or aggressiveness; extreme agitation.
• Signs of eating disorders: talk of binging, vomiting or secretive eating.

Personal or Relationship Concerns

• Difficulty in coping with the death or serious illness of a family member or close friend.
• Difficulty in coping with relationship problems. Severe self-esteem problems; extreme shyness.
• Talk or evidence of sexual or physical abuse (childhood or recent attacks).

Academic, Changes that may indicate other emotional problems

• Dramatic decline in academic performance.
• Dropping several classes; talk of dropping out of school.
• Exaggerated reactions to poor grades (excessive crying, hysteria, anger).

FYI:

All psychological counseling services are free to currently enrolled students.

Psychological Counselors are available to see students:

Mon.-Fri. from 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Wednesdays and Thursdays until 7 p.m.

Prohibited Acts

If a student is exhibiting the following behavior, call Public Safety, 9-911, the Dean of your School, or the Vice President for Student Affairs Office, ext. 3784, depending on the seriousness of the situation.

1. Obstructing or disrupting educational, administrative or other legitimate campus activities.
2. Abusing a member of the campus community or family member, or threatening abuse. Hazing is explicitly prohibited.
3. Engaging in lewd, indecent or obscene behavior.
4. Soliciting or aiding another person to engage in prohibited acts.
5. Misrepresenting oneself or one's organization as an agent of the campus.
6. Theft of campus property or the property of a member of the campus community, or intentional damage to property.
7. Unauthorized entry into or use of campus property; misuse of campus property.
8. Selling or possessing restricted drugs or narcotics as defined in the California statutes (except when lawfully prescribed for medical or dental care, or when lawfully permitted for research, instruction or analysis).
9. Knowingly possessing or using explosives, dangerous chemicals or deadly weapons on campus or at University-sanctioned events.

Sexual Advances

This is a particularly sensitive area in instructor/ student relationships. If a student makes sexual advances, whether they are welcome or not, call Linda MacAllister, Special Assistant to the President,  Employment Equity and Internal Affairs, ext. 3970, immediately. It is important that you understand how best to respond and the potential consequences of a given response.

Sexual Harassment

The University's policy is to maintain a working and learning environment free of sexual harassment for students, employees and applicants for student or employee positions. The entire campus community is expected to comply with this policy.

Behaviors to be aware of or avoid:

Sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature are forms of sexual harassment when a person with authority, rank or position:

• Requires submission as an explicit or implicit condition of instruction, employment or participation in any University activity.
• Distorts academic or personnel evaluations based on response to such conduct.
• Hinders performance by creating or allowing sexually intimidating, hostile or offensive behavior to occur in any University activity.

Sexual harassment complaints should be reported to Cathy Wilson, Assistant to the President, Diversity Issues & Employment Practices, ext. 3771 immediately.

Ms Wilson will investigate the complaint and take appropriate action. The University can dismiss employees or expel students for sexual harassment.

Subpoena,

What To Do if You Are Sued or If Someone Attempts to Serve You One

In the event of an employment-related lawsuit or subpoena:

You should never accept the subpoena. Refer the server to the Office of Human Resources. Then, you should immediately notify the Office of Human Resources, x 3771. The Office will follow up with General Counsel, who will provide legal advice.

Quick Phone Reference:

Emergency: 9-911

Academic Dishonesty: x 3784 or Dean's Office

Student Discipline: x 3784 or x 3625

Psychological Counseling: x 3625 or 3818

Grade Appeals: x 3766

Disabled Student Services Office: x 3660

Human Resources: x 3771

Reporting a Crime: University Police 9-111 or x 3639

Sexual Harassment: x 3970

Subpoenas or Lawsuits: Human Resources 3771

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