Student Policies

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Regular attendance in classes is required. Excessive absences may be reflected in the grade assigned.

Absences for University-approved functions may be permitted only after the activity sponsor has received authorization. This approval does not excuse students from fulfilling assignments and tests in the course, but authorizes them to receive reasonable accommodations from the instructor in fulfilling the assignments. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor prior to the event to make arrangements for the classes missed. 

Academic misconduct includes cheating (using unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise), plagiarism, falsification of records, unauthorized possession of examinations, intimidation, and any and all other actions that may improperly affect the evaluation of a student’s academic performance or achievement, or assisting others in any such act or attempts to engage in such acts. Academic misconduct in any form is inimical to the purposes and functions of the University and therefore is unacceptable and prohibited.

Any faculty member, administrator or staff member may identify an act of academic misconduct and should report that act to the department head/college dean, Vice President for Academic Affairs or administrative supervisor.

Students violating the standards of academic honesty are subject to disciplinary action including reduction of a grade(s) in a specific course, assignment, paper, or project; a formal or informal reprimand at the professorial, dean, or academic vice president level; expulsion from the class in which the violation occurred; expulsion from a program; or expulsion from the university. 

The following policy governs faculty responsibility toward students who are called to active military duty. It is drawn from Board of Regents for Oklahoma Colleges’ policy, Chapter 6, Miscellaneous, Section III. This policy is not applicable to annual training for reservists or National Guard personnel which fall under regular University absence policies.

1. Student called to active military duty as a war measure: If the student has attended classes through the twelfth week of a regular semester (at least three-fourths of other terms), the grade earned up to the time he/she is called to duty will be that issued for the course.
2. Student called to active military duty, but not as a war measure:
   
   1. A student may withdraw with 100 percent refund:
   2. Instructor may permit an incomplete if the student is making satisfactory progress
3. If student attendance ends prior to twelfth week of classes, a 100 percent refund will be issued.
4. The student must provide a copy of his/her military orders to the Office of Registrar before a refund is issued or an incomplete form is processed.
5. If student is called to active duty, and stops attending classes without notifying instructors, a grade of “F” will be assigned at the end of the semester. Subsequently, upon receipt of appropriate documentation, a change of grade may be processed utilizing the Grade Change Procedure.  

Students who wish to audit classes must contact the Office of the Registrar.  Regular enrollment fees are paid for courses that are audited. An auditor may not petition later for academic credit.  A student may not change enrollment from credit to audit after the regular drop and add period.

Students  register for classes online via goNSU during the times listed in the schedule of classes each semester.  All fees for enrollment must be paid before the first day of classes.

Each student is assigned a faculty advisor who will assist the student with planning a class schedule each semester. The student is responsible for the correctness of classes selected to meet degree program requirements.

The university reserves the right to discontinue class a section for which there is insufficient enrollment, to create new sections to which students may be transferred, and to reassign instructors for scheduled sections whenever the necessity of the university requires.  

Late registration is permitted for one week after classes begin in the regular semester and for three days in the summer session. A fee of $10.00 for late enrollment is charged. The academic adviser will determine when the semester-hour load should be reduced due to a late enrollment. 

To be eligible to represent the University in any intercollegiate contest, University-sponsored activity, or otherwise use the name of the University, a student must be currently enrolled and in good standing with University (not owing money or on conduct probation) and meet the requirements of the sponsoring organization/activity.  

Whenever a question arises concerning the physical, emotional or mental fitness of a person to enroll or remain enrolled at Northeastern, the university may require that person, as a condition for admission or retention, to submit to whatever diagnostic examination the university may specify. These examinations must be paid for by the individual examined or by any agency other than Northeastern State University. The university may, at its discretion, temporarily suspend the student pending the outcome of the specified examination, Refusal by the student to submit to the examination or an unfavorable report from the examiner may be cause for denial for admission or retention. In all cases covered by this policy, the university reserves the right to exercise the final judgment with respect to the admission or retention of the person whose fitness has been questioned.

An outline of steps to be taken by administrative staff at the university in a situation involving students with serious emotional problems is on file in the Office of Student Affairs.  

Each student, upon matriculation at the University, assumes an obligation to obey all rules and regulations made by properly constituted authorities.

The University may not release records including transcripts for students who have financial or other obligations to the University, or who are found responsible for not complying with University regulations and policies outlined in the Policy Manual of the Board of Regents of the Regional University System of Oklahoma. 

A hold on records or the suspension of a student can be authorized by the President, the Vice President of Academic Affairs, or the Vice President of Student Affairs as outlined in University policies and procedures. 

Northeastern State University’s Student Conduct Code is designed to set forth standards necessary to provide a learning environment conducive to the preparation of students for success in an increasingly challenging, diverse and global society. The University is, first and foremost a community where the academic standards are strictly upheld and where the rights, responsibilities, safety and dignity of every individual are respected and paramount to the achievement of academic excellence. The Student Conduct Code serves not just as a disciplinary system, but also as a part of the educational process. The purpose of the Student Conduct Code is to teach students to live and act responsibly in a community setting and to encourage the development of good decision-making and personal integrity. University community members are expected to respect the rights of fellow community members, property, common resources, Student Conduct Code, and laws associated with the broader community (e.g. city, state, nation, and world).

 The Student Conduct Code is available online at www.nsuok.edu/policies/student/conduct.html and in print in Student Affairs. 

Students may obtain an official copy (transcript) of their NSU academic record stamped “issued to student” or request that an official copy be mailed to another college or other places by submitting a signed Transcript Request form to the Office of the Registrar or online via goNSU. Students are charged a onetime twenty-five dollar record fee during their first semester of attendance and; thereafter, transcript copies are free. A maximum of five (5) copies per day are available when picking them up in person or ten (10) copies per day when they are sent through the mail. Official transcripts reflecting most recent grades earned will be available one week following the conclusion of the term. Non-NSU transcripts will be retained for two years beyond a student’s last NSU enrollment.

The maintenance of a student’s permanent academic record is the responsibility of the Office of the Registrar. Students may obtain an official transcript or request that a transcript is mailed by submitting a signed Transcript Request form to the Office of the Registrar, Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, Oklahoma 74464, or online via goNSU.

The Graduate College Office maintains a file of students actively pursuing graduate studies including transcripts, test scores, degree plans, degree checks, and correspondence.  

Unpaid student accounts, including checks returned to the university by the bank, are considered to be in violation of university regulations as set forth by the Board of Regents and therefore become disciplinary matters. A hold will be placed on future enrollments until such violations are corrected. A service charge will be added. Access to meal plans and charge accounts may be denied.

In addition, unpaid accounts may be assigned for collection. If an account is assigned, any collection costs, court costs, and/or attorney’s fees necessary to collect the amount owed will be added to the balance due. The balance due may be reported to the national credit bureaus, which may adversely affect credit ratings. 

PURPOSE AND SCOPE
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.

Individuals enrolled at Northeastern State University have certain rights with respect to their education records as defined by FERPA. The following policies and procedures outline Northeastern State University’s commitment to managing and maintaining student records.

POLICIES
It is the policy of Northeastern State University that current and former students and parents of students, where appropriate, have the right to review educational records maintained about them by the institution, except for material to which the student has waived right of access or for material specifically determined to be confidential by law. Students shall be informed of their rights each year.

Information contained in educational records is confidential but may be reviewed by “school officials” who have a “legitimate educational interest” in the student without prior consent of the student. “School official” is defined by the Department of Education as the following:

Person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff);

Person or company with whom the University has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using University employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent);

Person serving on the Board of Trustees; and/or

Student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks

A school official has a “legitimate educational interest” if a review of a student’s record is necessary to fulfill the official’s professional responsibilities to the University. School officials may have legitimate educational interests both in students who are currently enrolled and in those no longer enrolled. 

Directory information may be released without prior consent of the student unless the student formally requests that such information be kept confidential. Such requests for confidentiality of directory information remain in effect until revoked by the student and apply to all categories of directory information, i.e., students may not specify that only some of the items be kept confidential. Only identifiers that are acceptable under FERPA will be used to identify students whose records are released.

A student may be provided access to his or her own educational record.

A student may challenge the content of the educational record if such records are believed to be inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the privacy or other rights of the student.

Requests from off-campus parties for information from educational records shall be handled through the University General Counsel.

NSU will use methods that are in compliance with FERPA to identify and authenticate the identity of students, parents, school officials, and other parties to whom personally identifiable information from education records is released.

If a significant threat to the health or safety of a student or other individual is determined, university personnel may disclose information from education records to any person, including parents, whose knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals. University personnel must maintain a record of the significant threat that formed the rational basis for the disclosure.

PROCEDURE
Each year, the University, through Student Affairs, shall publicly notify students of their right to review their own educational records, and students seeking access to their own educational records should submit their request in writing to the appropriate record’s custodian/official office. Positive identification will be expected.

Types, Locations, and Custodians of Educational Records 

The appropriate records custodian will satisfy himself or herself that the student is the student to whom the records pertain;

The appropriate records custodian will review the educational record file and remove any material to which the student does not have the right of access or may request that the student make an appointment to review the record, with such appointment being within the legal maximum period of forty-five (45) days. No reason for the delay needs to be given; and

The student shall review the record in the office under the supervision of the office staff, and under no circumstances shall the student remove or alter any part of the record.

“Directory information” consists of the following information and is subject to change provided the change is effective only at the subsequent year (i.e., fall term) and provided the change(s) is/are appropriately publicized.

 1.  Student’s name, local and permanent address, and telephone number
 2.  Date and place of birth
 3.  Classification and enrollment status
 4.  Major field of study
 5.  Gender
 6.  Dates of attendance at Northeastern State University
 7.  Most recent previous school attended
 8.  Degrees, honors and awards received
 9.  Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
10.  Weight and height of athletic team members
11.  Photograph
12.  E-mail address assigned/provided by the institution or provided to the university by the student

Northeastern State University assumes consent for disclosure of directory information unless the student specifically requests the withholding of directory information. Students who want directory information kept confidential shall elect to withhold directory information through the goNSU student portal.

A student who wants information contained in their educational record shared with a 3rd party, shall make such request in writing utilizing the FERPA release form to the official responsible for maintaining the record. The request shall clearly identify what information is to be disclosed or shared and time frame for permission to share records.

When a student challenges the content of the educational record, the following steps will be used:

The student will submit a written request to the official responsible for maintaining the record, with such request specifying the content being challenged, the grounds for the challenge, and the exact action being sought;

Appeals will be conducted according to the NSU grievance procedure.

Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act
 

In compliance with Title I, the Student Right to Know Act, information regarding graduation rates is available in the Registrar’s office. The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, codified at 20 USC 1092 (f) as a part of the Higher Education Act of 1965, is a federal law that requires colleges and universities to disclose certain timely and annual information about campus crime and security policies.NSU publishes an annual report by October 1st that contains 3 years worth of campus crime statistics and certain security policy statements including sexual assault policies which assure basic victims’ rights, the law enforcement authority of campus police and where students should go to report crimes. The report is to be made available automatically to all current students and employees while prospective students and employees are to be notified of its existence and afforded an opportunity to request a copy. NSU annual report is available online at http://offices.nsuok.edu/publicsafety/CLERYReporting.aspx, paper copies are available upon request through University Police Department. 

Name and Address Changes

Name changes may be made through the Office of Business Affairs or the Office of the Registrar with proper documentation. Address changes may be made via goNSU, the Office of Business Affairs or the Office of the Registrar.