Academic Honesty
Academic honesty, integrity, and fairness, are the foundational values of our educational community. Academic honesty is an indication of respect for others as well as respect for self. Simply, all members of the community are expected to do the right thing and to do things right. The University accepts the responsibility for its faculty to observe, record, and report observable adherence to these values. These values are explicated in the University’s values statement and elsewhere in University documents.
Any form of academic dishonesty or inappropriate conduct may be reported in writing directly to the appropriate college Academic Progress Committee and may result in penalties ranging from a personal warning to dismissal from the University, depending on the nature and severity of the infraction. After a second infraction, the Academic Progress Committee will refer the matter to the University Council. The Vice President of Academic Affairs will report illegal activities directly to law enforcement authorities.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Sarasota University is committed to ensuring that students receive appropriate reasonable accommodations so they are supported in all aspects of their educational experience. Students who may need additional assistance should notify the Director of Admissions at the time of enrollment so that a plan to accommodate their needs may be developed for the involvement of others, as appropriate.
Anti-hazing Policy
The University is committed to the safety and well-being of everyone in the University community. The University does not have a distinct hazing policy because everyone in the community is expected to behave in a socially responsible manner to create an atmosphere free of intimidation, fear, coercion, and reprisal so that students, faculty, and staff can develop intellectually, professionally, personally, and socially. This statement constitutes the University’s zero tolerance policy.
Campus Security
Everyone is responsible for safe surroundings and should think and act accordingly.
To help prevent crime, students should
- Lock their cars,
- Never leave valuable items in their parked cars,
- Return to their cars in the company of other students when they leave the classroom at night, and
- Report suspicious actions to University personnel.
Civil Rights
The University prohibits discrimination or harassment based on race, ethnic, or national origin, religion, age, sex, color, physical or mental condition, marital, or veteran status under any program or activity under its purview. Sexual harassment includes harassment based on gender, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition, and inappropriate conduct of a sexual nature. It is the University’s policy that all persons should enjoy freedom from unlawful discrimination of any kind as well as from sexual harassment or retaliation for reporting a complaint.
This policy applies regardless of the gender or sexual orientation of the complainant or the alleged harasser.
This policy prohibits unlawful discrimination or harassment between members of the University community, including between faculty and students, staff and students, and faculty and staff.
Harassment is defined as unrequested or unwelcomed comments or actions that may interfere with an individual’s feelings of security and safety.
The University believes a feeling of mental and physical security is essential to academic achievement. Actions that violate an individual’s feelings of security are prohibited and individuals who engage in inappropriate or prohibited conduct may be subject to disciplinary action. Counseling may be an initial step in the disciplinary action.
Harassing, threatening, intimidating behavior, and illegal activities will result in immediate administrative suspension by the senior resident administrator, pending further investigation.
Discrimination and Harassment
Sarasota University prohibits discrimination or harassment based on race, ethnic, or national origin, religion, age, sex, color, physical or mental condition, marital, or veteran status under any program or activity under its purview. Sexual harassment includes harassment based on gender, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition, and inappropriate conduct of a sexual nature. It is the University’s policy that all persons should enjoy freedom from unlawful discrimination of any kind as well as from sexual harassment or retaliation for reporting a complaint.
This policy applies regardless of the gender or sexual orientation of the complainant or the alleged harasser.
This policy prohibits unlawful discrimination or harassment between members of the University community, including between faculty and students, staff and students, and faculty and staff.
Harassment is defined as unrequested or unwelcomed comments or actions that may interfere with an individual’s feelings of security and safety.
The University believes a feeling of mental and physical security is essential to academic achievement. Actions that may violate an individual’s feelings of security are prohibited, and individuals who engage in inappropriate or prohibited conduct may be subject to disciplinary action. Counseling may be an initial step in the disciplinary action.
Drug and Alcohol Policy
Out of concern for the health and wellbeing of all members of our educational community, Sarasota University’s policy on drugs and alcohol prohibits the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of illegal drugs or beverages containing alcohol on University property by students or employees.
Expected Behavior of Everyone in the Sarasota University Academic Community
Students and all members of the Sarasota University academic community are expected to conduct themselves in a socially responsible manner. All are expected to abide by University regulations and ethical standards and to conduct themselves accordingly.
Members of the Sarasota University academic community are expected to demonstrate kindness, caring, and compassion. The faculty, administration, and staff of Sarasota University are committed to maintaining a learning environment where respectful behavior, in word and deed, and civility are the norm. Such an atmosphere must be free of intimidation, fear, coercion, and reprisal so that students, faculty, and staff can develop intellectually, professionally, personally, and socially. Students’ dispositions or values are observed, assessed, and recorded as part of the University’s commitment to the preparation of leaders. These observations are discussed in private and reported to employers in recommendations as requested by the student and with the student’s permission.
Members of the Sarasota University are expected to demonstrate civility in the classroom and online. We are responsible for what we write and for our verbal utterances. In an academic community, intellectual honesty requires free and open speech in which a diversity opinions and ideas of others are encouraged. With the freedom to express openly one’s ideas comes the responsibility to respect the rights of others to express their own ideas. Any attempt to silence others through words, gestures, or actions that monopolize discussions and prevent others from sharing their ideas is not only discourteous but anathema in an academic community. In addition, it is expected that all individuals will demonstrate personal respect for others throughout the diversity of discourse within the academic community.
Familiarity with University Regulations
When signing the Enrollment Agreement, the student acknowledges receipt of the general catalog and agrees to abide by the rules, regulations, and policies of the University. While the University provides assistance in various forms including academic advising, students are responsible for meeting the published requirements of their respective programs.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as Amended
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.
Sarasota University maintains all records in accordance with the provisions of FERPA, as amended. FERPA affords students with certain rights with respect to their educational records, as noted below.
FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.”
- Eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student’s education records maintained by the school. Schools are not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to review the records. Schools may charge a fee for copies.
- Eligible students have the right to request that a school correct records, which they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. If the school decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student then has the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about the contested information.
- Generally, schools must have written permission from the eligible student in order to release any information from a student’s education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31):
• School officials with legitimate educational interest;
• Other schools to which a student is transferring;
• Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
• Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
• Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
• Accrediting organizations;
• To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
• Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
• State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.
• Schools may disclose, without consent, “directory” information such as a student’s name, address, telephone number, date, and place of birth, honors, and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them.
• Schools must notify eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a PTA bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each school.
Privacy of Website Visitor Information
Sarasota university does not collect personal information about our website visitors such as names, addresses, telephone numbers or e-mail addresses, unless such information is specifically provided to Sarasota University by the website visitor. In some areas of this Site, you will be asked to provide personal information, which will allow you to join our mailing list, register for an education course, log-in to an online class, make a payment or request additional information. Individual participation is completely optional.
Sexual Offender Registry
Florida Senate Bill 524 (Sexually Violent Predators) Effective July 1, 2014
This legislation requires each licensed institution to inform students and employees on its website of the existence of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) sexual predator and sexual offender registry website and toll free telephone number.
FDLE website Florida Sex Offender Registry
FDLE toll-free number – 1-888-357-7332 for TTY Accessibility – 1-877-414-7234 (M-F 8:00am – 5:00pm, EST)