Student Bill of Rights

The responsibility to respect and protect the learning environment at the University is shared by all members of the academic community and administration. The freedom and effectiveness of the educational process at the University depends on maintaining an environment that is supportive of diversity and the uniqueness of ideas, cultures, and student characteristics. This diversity and uniqueness is the essence of academic freedom.

  1. You have the right to clarity of information. This includes clarity about:
    1. The impartial, objective evaluation of your academic performance
    2. The method of evaluating progress toward, and achievement of, course goals and objectives, including the method by which the final grade is determined
    3. The requirements for completing your degree
    4. Fees and other financial obligations to the University
  2. You have the right to freedom from unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, age, national origin or ancestry, disability, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, or status as a military veteran. 
  3. You have the right to due process. Disciplinary sanctions will not be imposed without proper regard for due process. Formal procedures have been instituted to ensure adequate notice and response for all students subjected to disciplinary proceedings.
  4. You have the right to freedom of inquiry, freedom of thought, and freedom of expression. The University encourages the search for truth and knowledge and does not abridge searchers' rights to reveal their findings, by both spoken and written word, even if in so doing they might find themselves at variance with their peers, as well as the lay community. To dissent or to disagree with generally accepted truth and knowledge is acceptable and, in many ways, is essential to free debate and inquiry. Accordingly, you are responsible for learning the academic content of the course, but are free to discuss and express any view relevant to the subject matter presented by the instructor or other students. However, in exercising this freedom, you may not interfere with the academic process of the class by speaking to or behaving toward others in a manner constituting unwelcome, targeted conduct that is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive, and that so undermines and detracts from the educational experience of those to whom the speech or behavior is targeted, that the targeted person is effectively denied equal access to the University's resources and opportunities.
  5. You have the right to participate in course and instructor evaluations to give constructive criticism regarding the instruction, learning environment, and curriculum, and regarding the services provided by the University.
  6. You have the right to develop personally through opportunities such as formal education, work and volunteer experiences, extracurricular activities, and involvement with others.