Student Rights and Responsibilities

For a complete listing of all University policies related to student rights and responsibilities, please see www.uccs.edu/vcaf/policies.html. This website includes policies of the entire CU system as well as UCCS-specific policies.

The Colorado General Assembly implemented the Student Bill of Rights (C.R.S. 23-1-125) to assure that students enrolled in public institutions of higher education have the following rights:

•  A quality general education experience that develops competencies in reading, writing, mathematics, technology, and critical thinking through an integrated arts and science experience;
• Students should be able to complete their associate of arts and associate of science degree programs in no more than 60 credit hours or their baccalaureate programs in no more than 120 credit hours unless there are additional degree requirements recognized by the Commission;
• A student can sign a two-year or four-year graduation agreement that formalizes a plan for that student to obtain a degree in two or four years, unless there are additional degree requirements recognized by the Commission;
• Students have a right to clear and concise information concerning which courses must be completed successfully to complete their degrees;
• Students have a right to know which courses are transferable among the state public two-year and four-year institutions of higher education;
• Students, upon completion of core general education courses, regardless of the delivery method, should have those courses satisfy the core course requirements of all Colorado public institutions of higher education;
• Students have a right to know if courses from one or more public higher education institutions satisfy the students’ degree requirements;
• A student’s credit for the completion of the core requirements and core courses shall not expire for ten years from the date of initial enrollment and shall be transferable.

Students shall observe complete honesty in all academic matters to include course requirements, classroom activities, research, and scholarship.  

Violations of the Code include, but are not limited to, taking or attempting to take any of the following actions: 

1. Committing the act of plagiarism - the use of distinctive ideas or words belonging to another person, without adequately acknowledging that person’s contribution. Plagiarism does not require an intention to plagiarize. If there is sufficient evidence of copying, use without acknowledgment, or submission of another’s work, plagiarism is committed, regardless of the student’s knowledge or lack thereof. Thus defined, plagiarism includes (but is not limited to) the following: 

(a) Copying phrases and/or sentences from a source without putting the material in quotation marks and/or adequate acknowledgement of the source. 

(b) Mosaic copying phrases and/or sentences from a source without putting the material in quotation marks and/or adequate acknowledgement of the source. 

(c) Using a source’s ideas, opinions or theories without adequate acknowledgement of the source. 

(d) Paraphrasing a source’s words, ideas, opinions, or theories without adequate acknowledgement of the source. 

(e) Using a source’s facts, statistics, or illustrative material without adequate acknowledgement of the source. 

(f) Submitting as one’s own work that is written or published by another author. 

Definitions:

A source is an individual, team, or unnamed author of some published or publicly presented or written piece of work. Sources can include other students. 

An author is the originator of some idea(s) or string of words, either a phrase or phrases or a sentence or sentences. 

A piece of work is published if it is (a) a book by some commercial or private press; (b) an article in a journal or magazine or newspaper (c) a working or professional paper of some recognized organization; (d) the content of a website; or (e) other technological forms of archiving not covered by (a) - (d). 

A piece of work is presented if it is: (a) a public oral presentation; (b) a radio/television/video/compact disc/digital video disc presentation; or (c) other technological forms of archiving not covered by (a) and (b). 

A piece of work is written if it is available either as a hard copy or an electronic copy. 

Acknowledgement of a source is providing correct bibliographical information, in an accepted disciplinary format, for phrases, sentences, ideas, opinions, theories, statistics, or illustrative material used from a source. 

Adequate acknowledgment is acknowledgment for each phrase, sentence, idea, opinion, theory, statistic, or illustrative material used from a source. Acknowledging a source once in a paper (or paragraph) and subsequently copying, mosaic copying, using or paraphrasing from that source without subsequent acknowledgment is plagiarism. 

Mosaic copying is copying in which certain words of some phrase and/or sentence from a source are changed in some way (deleted, replaced). 

Paraphrasing a source is the act of replacing some or most words in a phrase and/or sentence from a source with synonyms for those words. 

2. Using unauthorized materials or receiving unauthorized assistance during an examination or in connection with any work done for academic credit. Unauthorized materials include, but are not limited to, notes, textbooks, previous examinations, exhibits, experiments, papers or other supplementary items. 

3.  Giving false or misleading information regarding an academic matter. 

4. Copying information from another student during an examination. 

5. Rendering unauthorized assistance to another student by knowingly permitting him or her to see or copy all or a portion of an examination or any work to be submitted for academic credit. 

6. Obtaining prior knowledge of examination materials (including using copies of previous given examinations obtained from files maintained by various groups and organizations) in an unauthorized manner. 

7. Selling or giving to another student unauthorized copies of any portion of an examination. 

8. Using a commercially prepared paper or research project or submitting for academic credit any work completed by someone else. 

9. Falsifying or attempting to falsify class attendance records for oneself, or for someone else, or having another falsify attendance records on your behalf. 

10. Falsifying material relating to course registration or grades, either for oneself or for someone else. 

11. Falsifying reasons why a student did not attend a required class or take a scheduled exam. 

12. Taking an examination in place of another student. 

13. Making unauthorized changes in any reported grade or on an official academic report form. 

14. Falsifying scientific or other data submitted for academic credit. 

15. Collaborating in an unauthorized manner with one or more other students on an examination or any work submitted for academic credit. 

16. Using computing facilities or library resources in an academically dishonest manner. 

17.  Falsifying evidence in connection with an academic ethics violation investigation, hearing or appeal. 

18. Attempting to intimidate a student, staff, or faculty member for the purpose of receiving an unearned grade or in an effort to prevent the reporting of an Academic Ethics Code violation. 

19. Accessing or altering any academic record by any means without authorization. 

20. Turning in same or similar work for multiple courses without permission from faculty to do such.  

It is the responsibility of students to make sure they understand what types of conduct are authorized or unauthorized in each course. 

Any member of the university community who has reason to believe that a Code violation has taken place should immediately report the circumstances to the faculty member of the course involved or to the chair (unit head) of the department where the course is offered.

Detailed instructions about reporting a suspected infraction; appealing an alleged infraction; and applying sanctions for infractions are outlined in the UCCS Student Academic Ethics Policy. The policy can be found at: http://www.uccs.edu/Documents/vcaf/200-019%20StudentAcademic%20Ethics.pdf. Questions about the student academic ethics code should be addressed to the student’s college’s dean’s office.

                   Academic Office Building, Room 106
                  Julia Paris, J.D.,  Title IX Coordinator and Director, jparis5@uccs.edu
                  Kelly Mattingly, Investigative Assistant, kmatting@uccs.edu
                  equity@uccs.edu
                  (719) 255-4324
                  www.uccs.edu/equity 

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs is committed to creating and maintaining a work and study environment for faculty, staff, and students that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation or political philosophy. All employees, faculty and students must be allowed to work, study and teach in an environment that is free of unwanted sexual overtures which undermine the integrity of employment, teaching, and faculty student relationships. The University of Colorado Colorado Springs is as a matter of principle and legally committed to the cause and spirit of affirmative action and equal opportunity. As Chancellor, I wish to emphasize my professional and personal commitment in assuring that the implementation of affirmative action programs thus yield positive, tangible results at UCCS.

Effective implementation requires the involvement, participation, and support of all segments of the University. Positive, good faith efforts will be required of everyone, but particularly of those individuals who are responsible for recruiting, hiring, evaluating, and promoting others. Performance in this area will be an important element in the evaluation of all campus administrators and supervisors. The Office of Institutional Equity is available to assist all employees, faculty, and students in this important area.

Students are expected to attend all meetings of classes for which they are registered, including the first and last scheduled meetings and the final examination period. Instructors hold the right and responsibility to establish attendance policies for their courses. Each instructor must inform all classes in writing at the beginning of each semester concerning his/her attendance policies.

If attendance affects course grades, students must be provided with explicit written information concerning that fact no later than the end of the first week of classes. Such information shall be specific with regard to the penalty incurred for each absence and the means, if any, to compensate for the absence.

It is recognized that there may be certain situations where the student may not be permitted to make up the absence(s). Students participating in university-sanctioned activities should consult with instructors prior to registration, but no later than the end of the first week of classes, to determine the class attendance policy. At this time, the student should provide the instructor with a schedule of planned absences, preferably signed by the university official directing the activity, in order to allow the instructor to evaluate and advise the student on the possible impact of the planned absences. In this case, the instructor will consider absences due to participation in approved university activities, as outlined above, to be excused absences, on par with those due to other unavoidable circumstances such as illness.

Faculty judge the validity of student absences from class and may require documentation for excused absences. For classes requiring mandatory attendance incompatible with the number of planned absences, students will be advised to register, if possible, during a semester in which they will not be participating in the university-sanctioned activity. As with any academic issue, students may exercise their right to appeal adverse attendance decisions. Should the instructor and student be unable to agree on appropriate accommodation under this policy, either party shall have the right to request mediation from (in this order) the department chair, the academic dean, and the vice chancellor for academic affairs.

No person who is convicted of a riot offense shall be enrolled in a state-supported institution of higher education for a period of twelve months following the date of conviction.

A student who is enrolled in a state-supported institution of higher education and who is convicted of a riot offense shall be immediately suspended from the institution upon the institution’s notification of such conviction for a period of twelve months following the date of conviction; except that if a student has been suspended prior to the date of conviction by the state-supported institution of higher education for the same riot activity, the twelve month suspension shall run from the start of the suspension imposed by the institution. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a state-supported institution of higher education from implementing its own policies and procedures for disciplinary actions, in addition to the suspension regarding students involved in riots stipulated above (Colorado Revised Statues, 23-5-124).

Annual Notice to Students: The University of Colorado complies fully with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974. The act was designed to protect the privacy of education records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records in all offices, and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings. Students also have the right to file complaints with the FERPA office concerning alleged failures by the institution to comply with the act.

Local guidelines explain in detail the procedures to be used by the institution for compliance with the provisions of the act. Copies of the guidelines can be found in the Admissions and Records Office.

The Admissions and Records Office has been designated by the institution to coordinate the inspection and review of student education records located in various university offices. Students wishing to review their education records must come to the Admissions and Records Office and present proper identification. All other records inquiries must be directed to the proper office, i.e., Financial Aid, Student Financial Services - Cashier, etc.

Students may not inspect the following, as outlined by the act: financial information submitted by their parents, confidential letters that they have waived their rights to review, or education records containing information about more than one student, in which case the institution will permit access only to that part of the record that pertains to the inquiring student. Records that may be inspected include admissions, academic, and financial aid files, and cooperative education and placement records.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are as follows:

1. The right to inspect and review education records within 45 days of the day the university receives their request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the educational record(s) they wish to inspect. The university official will make arrangements for access and notify them of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the university official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise them of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed. 

2. The right to request the amendment of students’ education records that they believe are inaccurate or misleading. They may ask the university to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the university official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the university decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the university will notify the student of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to them when notified of the right to a hearing. 

3. The right to consent for disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in their education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the university in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit, personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the university has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Regents; a student employee; or a student serving on an official committee, or one assisting another school official in performing his or her task. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the university discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. 

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the university to comply with the requirements of FERPA. Parents and eligible students who need assistance or who wish to file a complaint under FERPA or PPRA should do so in writing to the Family Policy Compliance Office, sending pertinent information through the mail, concerning any allegations to the following address:

   Family Policy Compliance Office
   U.S. Department of Education
   400 Maryland Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20202-5920
   Phone: 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327)

The following items of student information have been designated by the University of Colorado as public or “directory” information: student name; student address (mailing and permanent); telephone number; campus e-mail address; dates of attendance; previous educational institutions attended; School/College or division of enrollment; majors/minors and field of study; class level; degree(s), honors and awards applied for or conferred (including certificates, thesis and dissertation titles) and dates conferred with location; enrollment status; expected dated of completion or graduation in enrolled course of study; student employment; College Opportunity Fund application and authorization status for Colorado residents; past and present participation in officially recognized activities and sports (including height and weight of athletes); and, photo of student (Student ID). Such information may be disclosed by the institution at its discretion.

Although these items are designated by the institution as directory information, only a limited amount of this information is routinely disclosed by UCCS officials and the University retains the discretion to refuse to disclose directory information if it believes such disclosure would be an infringement of your privacy rights.

UCCS may change the designation of directory information from time-to-time. You will be notified of changes through email and/or Schedule of Classes and Catalog publication.

                  Academic Office Building, Room 106
                  Julia Paris, J.D., Title IX Coordinator and Director, jparis5@uccs.edu
                  Kelly Mattingly, Investigative Assistant, kmatting@uccs.edu
                  equity@uccs.edu
                  (719) 255-4324
                  www.uccs.edu/equity                         

UCCS is committed to maintaining a positive learning, working, and living environment. UCCS does not allow discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation, or political philosophy in admission and access to, and treatment and employment in, its educational programs and activities. In pursuit of these goals, the University will not tolerate acts of sexual misconduct, Protected Class discrimination or harassment, or related retaliation against or by any employee or student.  Individuals who violate the UCCS Policy on Discrimination and Harassment, the University of Colorado Sexual Misconduct Policy, or the University of Colorado Conflict of Interest in Cases of Amorous Relationships Policy will be disciplined or subjected to corrective action, up to and including termination, suspension, or expulsion. 

Sexual Misconduct

As a place of work and study, UCCS must be free of sexual misconduct. The CU Sexual Misconduct Policy prohibits sexual assault, sexual exploitation, intimate partner abuse, gender/sex-based stalking, sexual harassment, and related retaliation.   This prohibition applies to all students, faculty, staff, contractors, patients, volunteers, affiliated entities, and other third parties, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, or gender identity.  OIE conducts investigations/resolutions in these areas and can provide many other related types of assistance to students and employees. 

Protected Class Discrimination and Harassment

Discrimination is conduct that deprives an individual of a benefit of employment or educational opportunity on the basis of that person’s Protected Class. Protected Class harassment is conduct, based upon an individual’s Protected Class, which interferes with that person’s work, academic performance, or participation in university programs or activities, or creates a hostile working or learning environment. Protected Classes include race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation, or political philosophy.   

Reporting

Any crime should be reported to the UCCS Police Department at (719) 255-3111. All responsible employees who have information on sexual misconduct, protected class discrimination and harassment, or related retaliation must promptly report it to OIE. A responsible employee is anyone who (1) has the authority to hire, promote, discipline, evaluate, grade, or direct faculty, staff, or students, (2) has the authority to take action to redress sexual misconduct; and/or (3) has been given the duty of reporting incidents of sexual violence or any other misconduct by students to the Title IX Coordinator. This includes but is not limited to faculty, teaching assistants, resident advisors, coaches, and program directors. Non-supervisors should also report information on sexual misconduct, protected class discrimination and harassment, or related retaliation to OIE.  To speak with the Title IX Coordinator, contact Julia Paris, (719) 255-4324.  

 For more information on the services OIE provides, please visit the OIE website at: http://www.uccs.edu/~equity/.   

            
UCCS has established a Student Code of Conduct to maintain the general welfare of the University community. The University strives to make the campus a place of study, work, and residence where people are treated with civility, respect, and courtesy. Admission to the University carries with it the expectation that students will be responsible members of the campus community. This includes respecting the personal safety and individual rights of all in the university community, acting in accordance with accepted standards of social behavior, and abiding by the regulations of the University and the laws of the city, state, and nation. The Code of Conduct clearly states the University’s expectations for student behavior.

Students are expected to become familiar with these standards and fully understand their responsibility as university community members.

Jurisdiction

The Code of Conduct applies to all students at UCCS, regardless of designation, program, or residence. These regulations apply primarily to misconduct on university premises; however, off-campus violations that may impact the University’s mission fall under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Dean of Students and may lead to disciplinary action. Students may be held accountable to both civil and criminal authorities as well as to the University, by breaking a law that also violates the University standards. Disciplinary action by the University will not be subject to challenge or postponement on the grounds that criminal charges involving the same incident have been dismissed, reduced, or are pending in any state or federal judicial system. In addition, the University can pursue disciplinary action if a student violates a standard of conduct and then withdraws from the university.

Standards

Standards of conduct help promote a safe and civilized campus environment. All students enrolled at UCCS are required to abide by these standards, or they will be subject to discipline. An attempt to commit an act prohibited by these standards, or attempts to aid, abet, or incite others to commit acts prohibited by these standards, are subject to discipline to the same extent as a completed act. Similar standards of conduct apply to other members of the university community- faculty, staff, and visitors.

Prohibited acts are enumerated at www.uccs.edu/dos/student-conduct.html. Allegations of any violations should be directed to the Office of the Dean of Students for resolution.

Complaints

Any member of the University community may file a written complaint with the Office of the Dean of Students alleging that a student has violated the Code of Conduct. The complaint must include a statement of the facts describing the alleged violation. The Office will not accept anonymous complaints. The Office may also initiate charges. Upon receipt of a complaint, the Office decides whether there is substance to the complaint; whether the complaint falls within the jurisdiction of the Code of Conduct; and whether disciplinary proceedings should occur. In order to make this determination, the Office may need to gather additional information about the incident.

Rights and Responsibilities

The Code of Conduct document details the rights and responsibilities of students accused of misconduct as well as victims of alleged student misconduct.

Additional Information

Questions regarding behavioral or conduct issues should be directed to the Office of the Dean of Students, (719) 255-3091 or dos@uccs.edu .

Student Appeals

The University has established systematic procedures for students who believe that inappropriate decisions have been made that affect them. Academic issues (for example, graduation requirements or course grades) should be addressed to the office of the dean of the appropriate school/college. Appeals of administrative actions (for example, financial aid awards or parking tickets) should be directed to the office who made that decision. There is a one-year statute of limitations on appeals concerning financial matters.

          Office of the Registrar
           (719) 255-3361

If your legal residence is in El Paso County, you can vote in the upcoming election! To be eligible to register you must meet the following criteria:

• be 18 years of age or older at the time of the next election
• are a United States citizen
• have resided in Colorado 22 days immediately before the election in which you intend to vote
• are not serving a sentence of confinement, detention, or parole for a felony conviction

http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/main.html