Upper Iowa University is committed to maintaining a quality educational environment that is safe and healthy allowing learners to grow personally and professionally. If you have additional questions about these policies and/or regulations need more information, contact a UIU staff member.
Respect for the University Environment
A university is a place where ideas are conceived, explored, discussed, debated, and transformed. In order for this to happen, it must be agreed that all members of the academic community participate in the exchange of ideas in a respectful and courteous manner. Disagreement is expected and valued. By entering the academic milieu with open minds, all members of the university community will experience the intellectual growth that is the essence of the university experience.
In order for the true university experience to benefit all members of the Upper Iowa University community whether they are participating in classrooms, online or through correspondence, the University enforces the following expectation: all academic discussion and University business will be conducted in a respectful and courteous manner.
Admission to the University implies acknowledgment and acceptance of the University's policies and conduct expectations.
Conduct Expectations
Cheating, Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism
Because cheating, academic dishonesty and plagiarism are affronts to the University community as a whole and a denial of the offender's own integrity, they will not be tolerated.
Cheating includes, but is not limited to:
- the use of unauthorized books, notes or other sources in the giving or securing of help in an examination or other course assignments,
- the copying of other students' work or allowing others to copy your work,
- the submission of work that is not your own or allowing others to submit your work as theirs,
- the submission of the same work for two or more classes without the approval of any instructors involved.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:
- sharing academic materials knowing they will be used inappropriately,
- having access to another person's work without permission,
- providing false or incomplete information on an academic document,
- changing student records without approval,
- obtaining and using texts intended for instructor use only.
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:
- the presentation of another's published or unpublished work as one's own,
- taking words or ideas of another and either copying them or paraphrasing them without proper citation of the source,
- using charts, graphs, statistics or tables without proper citation.
Detected cheating, academic dishonesty, or plagiarism will result in consequences that may, at the instructor's discretion, include course failure. In addition, an offender may be reported to the Senior Vice President for the Extended University, the Dean of the Extended University, or designee for possible disciplinary action, which may include suspension or dismissal from the University. Upper Iowa University may make use of various plagiarism detection services. Individuals, by enrolling in courses offered by the University, consent to submission by the University of course-related assignments to such services and the retention of a copy of such assignments by the service.
Cheating, academic dishonesty and plagiarism infractions are tracked by the Dean of the Extended University, and cumulative evidence collected from multiple incidents will be considered when making suspension or dismissal decisions.
Harassment
Sexual Harassment
Upper Iowa University is committed to maintaining a learning environment for students that is free from sexual harassment. The official University sexual harassment policy can be found at http://www.uiu.edu/policies.
Academic sexual harassment is the use of authority to emphasize the sexuality of a learner in a manner that prevents or impairs that learner's full enjoyment of educational benefits, climate or opportunities. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when grades or educational progress are made contingent upon submission to such conduct, or when the conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with the individual's academic performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive educational environment.
Sexual harassment can also be student to student or student to faculty/staff member. It includes unwanted attention of any nature that denigrates or ridicules or is intimidating. This may be physical harassment from unwanted touching, groping or the invasion of personal space to sexual assault, rape or indecent exposure. Sexual harassment can be verbal and may include unwanted personal comments or sexual slurs, belittling, suggestive, lewd or inappropriate remarks, explicit jokes or innuendo, and compromising invitations or demands for sexual favors. Examples of non-verbal sexual harassment include, but are not limited to:
- Suggestive looks
- Leering
- Explicit gestures
- Sending sexually explicit e-mail
- Display of pornographic material on University equipment or premises
In determining whether an alleged conduct constitutes sexual harassment, consideration should be given to the record as a whole and to the totality of the circumstances, including the nature of the alleged sexual advances and the context in which the alleged incidents occurred. Retaliation against you for filing a sexual complaint is grounds for a subsequent harassment complaint.
Because of the sensitive nature of the situations involving sexual harassment, and to assure speedy and confidential resolution of grievances, the University has established informal and formal grievance procedures for handling complaints involving sexual harassment. Informal procedures may be used, but are not required, to precede the formal procedures. Please see the end of the harassment section for grievance procedures.
Harassment may take many other forms but essentially consists of behavior which is unacceptable to and diminishes the dignity of the recipient(s) and which creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for that individual.
Upper Iowa University is committed to fostering an environment where its students, faculty and staff can work, study and live free from intimidation, aggression, coercion and victimization. The University is particularly determined to eliminate forms of harassment and bullying as it recognizes that such behavior is unacceptable, discriminatory and, in some circumstances, also unlawful.
Incidents of harassment could provide grounds for disciplinary actions that may lead to dismissal or expulsion from the University.
Bullying can be broadly defined as behavior which consistently undermines another's confidence, reducing feelings of self-esteem and self-worth. Such behavior may be deliberate, as in a planned campaign, or may arise out of the bully's own immaturity, lack of inter-personal skills and poor self-confidence. It is generally psychological, rarely though sometimes physical, and may also be exacerbated by the bully's own susceptibility and reaction to stress. Examples of these behaviors include but are not limited to:
- Physical or verbal abuse, including threats
- Psychological intimidation, humiliation, excessive and/or unreasonable criticism
- Ostracism/exclusion
- Malicious lies
- "Academic bullying": i.e. asserting a position of intellectual superiority in an aggressive, abusive or offensive manner; threats of academic failure; public sarcasm and humiliation
Stalking is the persistent annoyance of an individual, either in person or in writing, using electronic formats, or by telephone. Stalking can also involve following an individual or spying or alarming the recipient or causing them distress and may involve violence. Some examples of stalking include, but are not limited to:
- making calls or sending e-mails containing lewd or obscene remarks,
- making calls or sending e-mails intended to harass whether or not conversation ensues,
- making the telephone ring repeatedly with intent to harass,
- making phone calls in which conversation ensues solely to harass,
- following an individual with the intent to cause discomfort or harm.
Racial Harassment is unwanted behavior based on race, ethnic or national origin. It includes verbal threats or insults based on race, ethnicity or skin color, abusive comments about racial origins, ridicule based on cultural grounds, derogatory name calling, racist jokes, damage to property, the display of offensive graffiti or incitement of others to commit any of the above.
Disability harassment is unwanted behavior based on disability or impairment. Such behavior may include comments that are patronizing or objectionable to the recipient or which creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for persons with disabilities. Disability harassment includes inappropriate reference to or unwelcome discussion of the impact of disability or refusal to work with persons with disabilities.
Religious harassment is unwanted behavior based on religious beliefs or practices. This may take many forms including ridiculing items worn for religious reasons, denigrating religious customs, and dismissive treatment of requests for holidays for religious observances or festivals, or derisory comments against an individual's beliefs.
Sexual orientation harassment is unwanted behavior based on known or presumed sexual orientation. Such behavior includes name calling, stereotyping, assault, verbal abuse, threatened unwanted disclosure of sexuality, derogatory comments or intrusive questioning about a person's domestic circumstances.
(Based on information from Loughborough University, Birmingham University and the UK National Workplace Bullying advice line.)
Grievance Procedures
If you feel you have been a victim of harassment and find it necessary to file either an informal or formal grievance with the University, please follow these procedures:
You may discuss a harassment grievance with your program coordinator/director, the Dean of the Extended University at 563-425-5944, the Senior Vice President for the Extended University at 563-425-5394, the University's Affirmative Action Coordinator at 563-425-5394 or at euoperations@uiu.edu.After receiving the complaint, your program coordinator/director, Dean of the Extended University, Senior Vice President for the Extended University or Affirmative Action Coordinator may discuss the matter with all those involved, individually or collectively, in an effort to resolve the matter. If you are not satisfied with the informal efforts, you may then proceed to the formal
grievance procedures.
You may initiate formal procedures, or they may be initiated by an administrative official of the University subsequent to a failure to resolve the complaint at the informal level. You may initiate a forÂmal grievance relating to a complaint of harassment either in lieu of informal procedures or where informal efforts appear to have failed.
You may file a written and signed complaint with your program coordinator/director, Dean of the Extended University, Senior Vice President for the Extended University or Affirmative Action Coordinator. The complaint shall be submitted as soon as possible after the harassment has occurred, but not more than 60 days after the occurrence.
The official University harassment policy can be found at
http://www.uiu.edu/policies.
Interacting with University Personnel
Students enrolling in a program at Upper Iowa University assume the responsibility of conducting themselves in a manner compatible with the University's function as an educational institution. Obstruction or disruption of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary procedures or other University activities, or of other authorized activities on University premises will not be tolerated.
Classroom Expectations
Attendance
As an Upper Iowa University student, you are expected to attend class regularly and promptly in order to do satisfactory work. While attendance will not be used in grade determination, class participation requirements are set forth by individual instructors. These expectations may be more stringent in some classes than others. When you must be absent from class because of illness or emergency, you are expected to arrange for the completion of make-up tests or homework with the individual faculty member(s). These arrangements are to be made prior to the incurred absence, except in emergency situations.
Disruptive classroom behavior is any conduct that substantially interferes with or obstructs the teaching or learning process in the context of a classroom or education setting. As determined by the instructor, it is an individual's conduct that distracts or intimidates others in a manner that interferes with instructional activities or fails to adhere to classroom rules or instructions.
Disorderly conduct or conduct that threatens or endangers the mental or physical health or safety of any person, including, but not limited to: physical abuse, verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment, and coercion may result in immediate removal from the classroom and/or other disciplinary sanctions. All students are expected to respect the right of freedom of expression of other students, faculty and staff members, be willing to assume the consequences of their own actions, avoid conduct that is detrimental in its effect upon other students and the University, to recognize designated authority and comply with directives by staff members and faculty.
The official University computer usage policy can be found at
http://www.uiu.edu/policies.
Cell phones should not be used in the classroom. Students are encouraged to turn cell phones off during class time. If a cell phone must be kept on due to a potential emergency situation, it must be on a silent setting. If an emergency call must be taken during a class, the student must leave the classroom prior to answering the call and not return until the call is completed.
Upper Iowa University students are not allowed to bring children to class. Many topics discussed in college classrooms are inappropriate for children. In addition, children sometimes create distractions for other adult learners.
Guests are not normally allowed to attend Upper Iowa University classes. Only in the event of an emergency and/or non-routine situation may a student seek an exception to this rule. If not already prohibited in the course syllabus, the request for an exception must be made to the responsible faculty member prior to bringing the guest into the classroom. Faculty members have the authority to decide if guests may be allowed in the classroom. The faculty member and the student will consider issues of safety and may consider the appropriateness of course content in making such decisions. It is the student's responsibility to make sure guests do not disrupt the educational environment of the class. If the guests do cause a disruption, the faculty member shall request or insist that the guest(s) leave or be removed from the classroom.
Because of the health risk involved (to humans and pets), only animals assisting disabled students are allowed on University property.
It is the University's intent and obligation to provide a drug-free, healthful, safe and secure academic environment. The official University drugs and alcohol policy can be found at http://www.uiu.edu/policies.
