Policies

Academic Honesty Policy
Policy on Confidenciality of Student Records

Academic Honesty Policy (download .pdf)

The University exists primarily to sustain the pursuit of knowledge. Learning, to have true value, must be linked to a sense of honesty and integrity. It is the responsibility of every person in the academic community—faculty members, students, administrators—to ensure that dishonesty is not tolerated. Personal and communal integrity have always been fundamental in Jesuit education, and a sense of honor must be kept alive in every activity at Saint Joseph 's University.

In order to recognize the essential contribution of honor to University life, an official Academic Honesty Policy has been adopted. This policy addresses violations in two categories: acts of dishonesty in formal courses and acts of dishonesty outside those courses.

Acts of dishonesty in formal courses
In all courses, each student has the responsibility to submit work that is uniquely his or her own. All of this work must be done in accordance with established principles of academic integrity. Specific violations of this responsibility include, but are not limited to, the following:

cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information in examinations, tests, quizzes, reports, assigned papers, or special assignments, as in computer programming, studio work, and the like;
the fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports, as in laboratory reports;
any action which destroys or alters the work of another student;
the multiple submission of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without the prior written permission of each instructor;
plagiarism, the appropriation of information, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own to satisfy the requirements of a course. Plagiarism thus constitutes both theft and deceit. Compositions, term papers, or computer programs acquired, either in part or in whole, from commercial sources or from other students and submitted as one's own original work shall be considered plagiarism. All students are directed to the standard manuals of style or reference guides for discussions of plagiarism and the means by which sources are legitimately acknowledged, cited, quoted, paraphrased, and footnoted—whether presented in an oral report or in writing.

Acts of dishonesty outside formal courses
Students have other academic responsibilities that may pertain to conduct outside formal coursework and which also fall under the jurisdiction of the University Academic Honesty Policy. Specific violations of such responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

the misrepresentation of one's own or another's identity;
the alteration or falsification of official University records;
the unauthorized use of University academic facilities or equipment, including computer accounts and files;
the unauthorized recording, sale, or use of lectures and other instructional materials;
the unauthorized removal, mutilation, or deliberate concealment of materials in University libraries.

While the main purpose of the University Academic Honesty Policy is positive, to stress the importance of personal and communal integrity within an atmosphere of learning, the commission of any offense of academic dishonesty makes the violator subject to penalties determined to be justified by the University, according to the procedures which follow.

Primary Responsibility
Primary responsibility for investigating alleged infractions of the University Academic Honesty Policy under section 1, above, rests with the faculty member in whose course the infraction occurred. The faculty member also has the responsibility for determining the sanctions, specified below, for infractions under section 1. Similar primary responsibilities for infractions under section 2, above, normally rest with the Vice President for Academic Affairs or his or her designee, hereinafter referred to as the Vice President. Primary responsibility for investigating infractions filed as complaints under section 5, below, and for determining the sanctions also rests with the Vice President. Whenever an infraction is alleged, the faculty member or the Vice President shall summon the student to an interview.

Interview

Notice An attempt to notify the student by letter or phone must be made within 10 consecutive days of the discovery of the alleged infraction. An interview is to be held as soon as possible after the student is notified of the alleged infraction. However, cases in which the time frame cannot be met will not be dismissed for this reason alone.
Penalties

i. Under section 1, above: After a review of the evidence, if a student is found guilty of an infraction, depending on its severity, the faculty member must either record a grade of zero or failure for the examination or assignment, or record a grade of failure for the course. In cases of failure for the course, withdrawal from the course is not permitted; in cases of failure or the grade of zero for an assignment or examination, withdrawal from the course must have the written approval of the responsible faculty member.

ii. Under section 2, above: After a review of the evidence, if a student is found guilty of an infraction (excepting those under section 2.e.), depending on its severity, the Vice President must either suspend or dismiss the student. If a student is found guilty under section 2.e., one or more of the following sanctions may be imposed: restitution, fine, suspension, or dismissal. In cases of suspension, no credits for courses taken during the suspension will be accepted towards graduation requirements.

Files In all cases where a student is found guilty, the names of the principals, the pertinent dates, and the nature of the offense must be communicated in writing to the Office of the Registrar to be maintained in a separate, confidential file. In cases of second offenses, the Director of the Office of the Registrar shall immediately notify the Chair of the Academic Honesty Board.

Complaints
Any member of the academic community may file with the Vice President a written complaint against a student alleging that an infraction has occurred. If, after prompt investigation, the Vice President finds that the complaint may be justified, the Vice President shall investigate further, hold an interview with the student, and also notify the instructor of the course involved.

Academic Honesty Board

Composition The Academic Honesty Board shall consist of seventeen members: a chair; eight faculty members, including two from each of the four divisions (business, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences/math); and eight students, including two from each of the four constituencies (CA&S, HSB, University College , and Graduate Programs). All members, including the chair, shall be nominated by appropriate deans or student governments and appointed by the Vice President, with consideration given to anyone interested in serving on the Board. All members shall serve two-year terms which are renewable. In the event that the chair is temporarily unable to convene the board, he/she will designate one of the eight faculty members to act as chair until such time as the chair is again able to convene. Six Board members, including the Chair (or his/her designate) and at least one student representative, constitute a quorum in order to conduct business. Decisions of the Board shall be rendered by a simple majority of those present. The Chair (or his/her designate) shall vote only in the case of a tie.

Appeals and Referrals An accused student may appeal to the Board in order to contest a determination of guilt if he or she believes the decision to have been unsubstantiated or procedurally unfair. The responsible faculty member or the Vice President may refer a case to the Board if he or she believes because of the severity of the offense that the penalties specified under section 4.b., above, are inadequate. All appeals and referrals must state grounds and must be made in writing to the Chair within seven days after notification of the decision.

Hearings As soon as possible after the receipt of a written request for an appeal or a referral, the Chair (or his/her designate) shall consult a minimum of four board members, including at least one student representative, to determine whether sufficient grounds exist for conducting a formal hearing. For cases in which it is decided that there are not sufficient grounds for appeal, a letter explaining the basis for that decision shall be written and mailed to the student who made the appeal. Upon notification of a second offense, the Board must hold a hearing to decide what further action should be taken. Written notice of a formal hearing must be provided to the parties involved, normally seven days before the hearing. Present at the hearing may be the following: the accused student, the accusing person, any witnesses or advisor from the academic community called by the student or the accuser, anyone called by the Board. The decision of the Board shall be communicated in writing by the Chair to the accused student and to the responsible faculty member or the Vice President, as defined under section 3, above, usually within seven days after the hearing.

Penalties If the Board finds a student guilty, it shall do one or more of the following: allow the original decision to stand; suspend the student for a specified period of time; dismiss the student from the University; or impose some other penalty which the Board deems more suitable. However, the Board cannot lessen penalties imposed under section 4.b., above.

Files The Board shall retain a confidential file on each hearing specifying the names of the principals, the pertinent dates, the nature of the charge and its final disposition. At the end of each academic year the Chair shall submit a summary report on the proceedings of the Academic Honesty Board to the Vice President.

Approved by University Council May 20, 1982

Policy on Confidentiality of Student Records (download .pdf)

Office of the Registrar
Saint Joseph’s University
Policy on Confidentiality of Student Records (Revised: 5/98)

Preface

On June 15, 1973 , the President of the institution approved a Policy on Confidentiality of Student Records that affirmed the institution’s obligation to protect the students against improper disclosure of information contained in student records.

On November 19, 1974 , The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) became law. Amendments were made and the President of the United States signed the amended Act on December 31, 1974 . Revised regulations were issued by the Department of Education (published in the Federal Register, April 11, 1988 ). The regulations are codified under 34 CFR Part 99. A statement informing students of their rights is printed in each term’s registration information booklet.

The following statement brings together the University’s existing policy with the Federal guidelines. “University” refers to all components of the institution, unless otherwise specified as pertaining to an individual component.

I. STATEMENT ON POLICY

Saint Joseph’s University collects and retains information and data about its students for specific purposes that facilitate the students’ educational development. These facts and information are retained for designated periods of time. The University recognizes the rights of students in maintaining control over the information about themselves that may be disclosed. It recognizes also that the University has a need for information on students that is relevant to the educational mission of Saint Joseph’s. The intention of this policy is to establish the proper balance between the students’ rights and the University’s need.

The University has an obligation to maintain its records in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. It has a further obligation to notify students of the existence and location of records and to define the purposes for which information is obtained. The University must provide security for the disclosure of information. It must provide a challenge procedure and remove information that challenge proves inappropriate.

Student Record Policy

Educational records on students are defined as those records, files, documents and other materials that contain information directly related to the student and that are maintained by Saint Joseph’s University or by parties acting for it. This includes academic records and demographic information maintained by the Registrar’s Office and copies of this information kept by the Deans/Directors and departments; financial records kept by the Treasurer’s Office and the Office of the Director of Financial Aid; Development Office records; student credentials and student life records kept by the Vice President for Student Life and data stored by the Computer Resource Center.

Not included are those records that are in the sole possession of the maker and that are not accessible or revealed to any other person except a substitute. Notes made by a professor/staff member intended only for the professor’s/staff member’s own use are not subject to inspection, disclosure, or challenge.

Other exceptions are:

Records of the Department of Public Safety and Security, except in those instances where they are transmitted within the University for administrative purpose.

Student employment records.

Records on students that are made or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other recognized professional or paraprofessional acting or assisting in that capacity. Such records, however, must be used only in connection with the provision of service to students. At the request of a student, these records may be personally reviewed by another professional of the student’s choice.

Any and all financial data and income tax forms submitted in confidence by the student’s parents in connection with an application for, or receipt of , financial aid.

Definition of Student: For the purposes of this policy, a student is defined as an individual currently or previously enrolled in the University. It does not include prospective students or applicants.

Policy: No information from records, files, and data directly related to a student (other than that which is considered public information) shall be disclosed to individuals or agencies outside the University without the consent of the student in writing, except as permitted by section 99.31 of the FERPA regulations. Information contained in such records may be shared within the University. Data and information originating at another institution will be subject to this policy.

The academic record is a complete history of students’ academic endeavors. Except in the case of actual error or in the case of a determination made under “V. Record Challenge,” no changes, alterations or editing may be done on the academic record.

II. PUBLIC INFORMATION

Students are entitled to request that any public information concerning them be withheld. Offices maintaining public information must inform students of the publication dates of any public information directory and offer a means for withholding such information.

For the purpose of this policy, the following is considered to be a part of the public record and may released without prior consent of the student (except as stated above):

Name
Address (verification only)
Telephone (verification only)
Date and Place of Birth (Verification only)
Major
Date of attendance
Date of graduation
Degrees and Awards Received
Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
Weight and height of members of athletic teams.

III. UNIVERSITY OFFICERS RESPONSIBLE FOR STUDENT RECORDS

The following University officers are designated as responsible for student records within their respective areas:

Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dean of College of Arts & Sciences
Dean of College of Business & Administration
Dean of University College
Assistant Deans for Graduate Programs
Director of Admissions
Director of Library
Registrar
Vice President for Student Life
Director of Counseling & Personal Development
Vice President for Finance
Director of Human Resources
Director of Financial Aid
Vice President for Development
Director of Campus Ministry
Chair, Academic Honesty Board
Director of Security and Public Safety
Assistant Vice-President for Information Technology

N.B. - The Vice President for Academic Affairs is designated as responsible for oversight of all University record keeping. This office will be responsible for maintaining a University-wide listing of the records, files, and data collected, including the purpose, storage, security, and disposition of all student records.

IV. DISCLOSURE POLICIES

In no case will letters of recommendation and other information obtained or prepared before January l, 1975, that were written on the assumption or expressed promise of confidentiality to the authors, be available for inspection, disclosure, or challenge. Letters of recommendation and other information written and/or compiled after January 1, 1975, are available to students within the following guidelines:

A student may waive right-of-access to letters of recommendation that are sought for purposes of admission to any educational agency or institution, for employment, or for application for an honor or honorary recognition. Such waiver must be in writing. On request, however, the student must be notified of the names of all individuals furnishing recommendations and the letters must be used solely for the purpose for which right-of-access was waived. A student is never required to waive his/her right-to-access.

The University will maintain a record of all requests for and/or disclosure of information from a student’s education records. The record will indicate the name of the party making the request, any additional party to whom it may be redisclosed, and the legitimate interest the party had in requesting or obtaining the information. The record may be reviewed by the parents or eligible student.

A student may request that no directory type information be released by the University by making the request, in writing, to the Office of the Registrar. Upon receipt of the request, no information will be released or verified.

DISCLOSURE TO THE STUDENT:

A student is given the right to inspect, in the presence of a designated staff member, official University records falling within the definition of “educational records” in section 99.3 of the FERPA regulations and subject to the limitations set forth in section 99.12, directly related to himselp/herself, upon written request to the designated University officer. Such inspection and explanation of materials, data, and information must be granted within the 45 days subsequent to the request.

Academic Records
- An academic record (from which transcripts are made) and a file are kept for each student. The academic record informs only on academic matters. A notice of disciplinary action, such as suspension and expulsion, which affects the student’s academic status, will become part of the file, but will not be noted on the academic record. Notice of such action will be preserved in the student’s file until such disciplinary action has been terminated; the notice will be destroyed at that time. Academic records are never destroyed; however, student files are destroyed five years after the student’s last attendance.
- University records will not reflect the political activities or political beliefs of students. Similarly, faculty and staff are advised to guard against the improper disclosure of information pertaining to the political beliefs and association of students acquired in the course of their work as instructors, advisors, and counselors.
- A student is entitled to a transcript of his academic record upon completion of the Request for Transcript form and payment of the required fee. A schedule of fees is set annually and published in the University catalogs. Any transcript issued to the student should include the notation: “This transcript has been issued to the student and may be verified by mail.”
- A student has the right to inspect an accurate copy of his/her academic record (from which transcripts are made) and is entitled to an explanation of any information recorded on it. When the original is shown, examination should be permitted only under conditions which will prevent its alteration or mutilation.
- Documents submitted by or for the student in support of his application for admission or for transfer credit should not be returned to the student, nor sent elsewhere at his request. For example, a transcript from another college or high school record should not be sent to a third institution. The student should request another transcript from the original institution. In exceptional cases, however, where another transcript is unobtainable, or can be secured only with the greatest difficulty (as is sometimes true with foreign records), copies may be prepared and released to prevent hardship to the student. The student should present a signed request. Usually the copy, marked as a certified copy of what is in the student’s file, should be released. In rare instances the original may be released and copy retained, with a notation to this effect being placed in the file.

DISCLOSURE TO THIRD PARTIES:

Disclosure of information contained in student records is normally controlled by the student. Disclosures will be made to a third party only upon the written request of a student and only on the condition that the third party will not permit additional access by other persons. Release to third parties without the student’s consent can be made in the following circumstances:

University Officials; University officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the records are permitted to review them. A University official is a person:
- employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position.
- employed by or under contract to the University to perform a special task, such as the attorney or auditor.
Legitimate educational interest includes
- to perform a task that is specified in his or her position description or by a contract agreement.
- to perform a task related to a student’s education.
- to provide a service or benefit relating to the student or student’s family such as health care, counseling, job placement or financial aid.

N.B. - The contents of the official folder of a student should not be sent outside the Registrar’s Office or other records’ office except in circumstances specifically authorized by Registrar or the custodian of the other records. Electronic access to student records will be restricted to faculty and administrative officers or their delegates who have a legitimate interest in the material and demonstrate a need to know. A record will be kept of all electronic inquiries.

DISCLOSURES TO PARENTS OF DEPENDENT STUDENT:

Information concerning a student who is dependent as defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 may be released to the student’s parents. The Internal Revenue Code defines a dependent student as one who attended an educational institution full-time for any five calendar months of a tax year and who was provided more than one-half his/her support as claimed by the parents on their income tax statement.

DISCLOSURE TO PRIVATE AGENCIES:

Students will be notified of requests from philanthropic organization supporting the student. The student will be required to complete the Request for Transcript form and pay the required fee.
Requests from research organizations making statistical studies may be honored without prior approval of the student provided that students are not identified by name or other identifying data on the materials released.

DISCLOSURE TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES:

Properly identified representatives from federal, state or local government agencies may be given the following information if expressly requested:

verification of date and place of birth
school or division of enrollment and class
dates of enrollment
degree(s) earned, if any, date, major or field of concentration, and honors received
verification of home and local addresses and telephone numbers
verification of name and address of parent or guardian.

Concerning release of further information, it should be noted that government investigative agencies as such have no inherent legal right to access to student files and records. However, specific federal and/or state laws may authorize certain types of access without permission of the student. When additional information is requested, it normally should be released only on written authorization from the student. If such authorization is not given the information should be released only on court order or subpoena. If a subpoena or an equivalent legal process is invoked, the student whose record is being subpoenaed should be notified and that subpoena should be referred to the University’s legal counsel.

DISCLOSURE TO OTHER INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS:

Information furnished to other individuals and organizations should be limited to the items listed below under “Telephone Inquiries” unless the request is accompanied by a transcript release statement signed by the student.
Mailing requests for non-institutional purposes are not permitted. Exception to this policy may be made only by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

DISCLOSURE IN RESPONSE TO TELEPHONE INQUIRIES:

The following information may be released since it is deemed part of the public record:
whether or not the statement is currently enrolled
the school or division in which he/she is or was enrolled and his/her class
dates of enrollment
degree(s) earned, if any, date, major or field of concentration and honors received.

N.B. - A record of such disclosures will be maintained, indicating the parties requesting the information and reason for the request.

DISCLOSURE BY OFFICES OTHER THAN REGISTRAR’S OFFICE:

The foregoing guidelines are applicable to handling any request for academic information about students or former students received by any member of the faculty, administration, or clerical staff. The guidelines are intended to protect the individual’s right to privacy and the confidentiality of his/her academic records throughout the institution.

All institutional personnel should be alert to refer promptly to the Registrar’s Office other appropriate office requests for transcripts, certifications or other information which that office typically provides. Faculty members and the various institutional offices should restrict their responses to acknowledging when appropriate, the receipt of requests for student information, or limit their response to that information germane to their sphere of responsibility or their relationship to the student, e.g., faculty advisor, major professor, etc.

WITHHOLDING INFORMATION:

There may be conditions such as unmet financial obligations, violations of non-academic regulations, etc., under which the University will withhold grade reports, transcripts, certifications, or other information about the student.
Disciplinary Records: Disciplinary records are maintained in the Office of the Vice President for Student Life. These records are not available to unauthorized persons on or off campus without the expressed consent of the student involved, except under legal compulsion or in cases where the safety of persons or property is involved. Non-current disciplinary records are periodically destroyed, typically three years after the student’s enrollment at the University is completed.
Counseling records: Student records in the Counseling and Personal Development are not open to any person on or off campus except a substitute for the professional or para-professional staff, except that such records may be personally reviewed by another professional of the student’s choice upon the written request of the student.
Credentialing Records: These files contain only letters of recommendation requested by the student. They are open to the student according to the student’s choice of waiver option. Credentialing records may be released to specific individuals or agencies upon the written request of the student. The student may request the destruction of outdated letters of recommendation.

V. RECORD CHALLENGE

Students are entitled to challenge and/or add to the factual basis of any record entry contained in student records, other than those records excepted in Section 1. The purpose of such challenge is to insure that entries are not inaccurate or misleading or in violation of the student’s privacy or other rights of the student. The substantive judgment of a faculty member about a student’s work expressed in grades and/or evaluations is not within the purview of this right to challenge.

The challenge must be submitted to the appropriate University Officer in whose area of responsibility the questioned material is kept. The designated officer will provide the student with the opportunity for a written and personal challenge and will determine whether the material is defective, justifying its correction or removal from the record. The student’s written challenge of a record will remain a part of that record regardless outcome of the challenge. An adverse decision may be appealed in writing by the student to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.