Academic Catalog
Student Rights & Privacy
Release of Academic Information
The University adheres to the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Therefore, students may review the contents of their permanent records as they are maintained at the Taft University System offices. Such inspection must be completed in person by the student at the location where the information is retained.
In compliance with FERPA, the following student record information may be disclosed by the University without prior written consent of the student, a judicial order, or a lawfully issued subpoena.
Dates of attendance at the University
Dates of admission to the University
University programs of study
University degree completion dates and types of degrees earned
Student’s current enrollment status (full-time, part-time, withdrawn)
If a student submits a written request that his or her directory information not be released, NO INFORMATION MAY BE RELEASED, absent a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena. A request of this nature is only valid throughout the student’s term of enrollment.
Academic Freedom
The University encourages and supports its faculty in the pursuit of academic freedom for faculty, staff, and students. Such individuals are free to share their convictions and responsible conclusions with their colleagues and students in their teaching and writing. Faculty are required to provide expertise and guidance to students in the learning outcomes specified by the University ’s curriculum. However, faculty are encouraged to discuss any additional topics relevant to the course being taught, regardless of the presence of topic within the prescribed curriculum.
Student Privacy
Student records are regarded as confidential for all schools receiving funding under programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). Generally, information pertaining to students’ records shall not be released to a third party without written authorization of the student, judicial order, or a lawfully issued subpoena. As such, student confidential information is protected.
Copyright Policy
The University expects their students, faculty, staff and affiliates to comply with U.S. copyright laws. Although most people understand that copying from books or other published materials may be a copyright violation, sharing digital files may also be a violation. Most software, music, and other original works of creativity have intellectual property protections. Violation of copyright right law can subject a person to both civil and criminal penalties.
Disability Services
The University’s Coordinator of Disability Services strives to uphold the mission of the University by providing reasonable accommodations to all students with disabilities to help them achieve their academic goals. The University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, prohibiting discrimination based on a disability and requiring the University to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified disabled students in all programs and activities. The University promotes and environment of respect and support for all individuals. Students have the responsibility to both self-disclose and request accommodation through The Office of Disability Services.
Taft University requirements for documentation are based on the Best Practices published by Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD). It is the responsibility of the student to advise Disability Coordinator of the disability impacts they experience in the learning environment and the potential accommodations that may support their learning. Accommodation requests are authorized by the Disability Coordinator based on the guidelines below for disability documentation. If the student has received an accommodation from a prior institution, those decisions may be submitted as documentation to validate student’s self-reported information. Documentation from external sources may include educational or medical records, reports, and assessments created by health care providers, school psychologists, teachers, or the educational system. This information is inclusive of documents that reflect education and accommodation history, such as an Individual Education Program (IEP), Summary of Performance (SOP), and teacher observations. External documentation will vary in its relevance and value depending on the original context, credentials of the evaluator, the level of detail provided, and the comprehensiveness of the narrative. However, all forms of documentation are meaningful. To request academic and/or testing accommodations download and complete the Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Form including supporting documentation. .
After reviewing the student’s Accommodation Request and subsequent documentation, the Disability Coordinator will determine reasonable accommodations for the student. These reasonable accommodations will be outlined on the Student Accommodations Form, which will be given to students granted accommodations for use in their courses/proctored exams.
It is the responsibility of the student to provide the Student Accommodations Form to their instructor within the first week of their course. Failure to comply with this rule will not hold the instructor to the accommodations. A student may request accommodations at any point in their program. However, accommodations will not take effect until the beginning of the student’s next course after the accommodations have been granted. A student cannot retroactively request accommodations for any past courses/proctored exams. Accommodations are not retroactive. For more complete information about services for disabled students, please contact the Office of Disability Services.
Student Rights & Grievances
Grievances may include, but are not limited to, administrative issues, financial issues, technical issues, faculty performance, grading, program content, program effectiveness/expectations, or library services. The Taft University System (TUS) will review all grievances in a timely, fair, and equitable manner.
Step 1: Informal Resolution
At TUS, all student grievances are taken seriously, and the resolution of any issues to maintain a positive relationship with students, faculty, and staff. The complainant is encouraged to resolve the issue informally with the faculty or staff member involved.
Step 2: Contacting the Dean
If the student feels that a resolution has not been reached between concerned individuals, students are encouraged to contact the program dean for a review of the situation. The following deans can support your questions:
· EdD and MEd: WHTU School of Education dean: Barry Resnick, Resnick@taftu.edu
· DBA, MBA, MPA, MST, LLM: School of Business dean: Anita Cassard, Cassard@taft.edu
· JDET: WHTU School of Government and Law associate dean Margaret Trester, trester@taftu.edu
Step 3: Contacting the Director of Student Services
If the student feels that a resolution has not been reached between concerned individuals, students are encouraged to contact Student Services for a review of the situation. The goal is to address grievances in a constructive manner. The following student support contacts will help navigate the student through the complaint process: student_support@taftu.edu
Step 4: Formal Grievance Filing
If a prompt resolution cannot be achieved through informal discussion, the complainant should document it in writing and submit it to the person listed above. It is important that the formal grievance clearly and concisely outline the issue, the desired resolution, and the reasons for the request. Supporting documentation or information should also be provided. Within 30 working days of receiving the complaint, the student support representative will conduct a review of the grievance and, based on the situation, convene appropriate members of the faculty, administration, and the Dean or Associate Dean to arrive at a resolution. Additional information may be requested from the complainant, which should be provided within 15 days. If the requested information is not received within the required timeframe, the complaint may be considered abandoned. At all times, TUS will assure continual communication with the student about the process and decisions.
Appeal Process
If the student’s complaint is not resolved to satisfaction, the complainant may file a written appeal within five working days to be reviewed by the CEO of the Taft University System or assigned designee. In the rare instance where a complaint issued is about the CEO or where the CEO was involved in the decision-making process, the complaint will be reviewed by the President of WHTU or assigned designee. All previously presented information must be included with the appeal, along with any new information or supporting documentation. The decision will be rendered in writing within 30 days of the written appeal and will notify all concerned parties. The appeal decision shall be final. In all cases, TLS will take follow-up action as necessary based on the review and the decisions rendered. The complainant will be kept informed of progress throughout the grievance process. Records of all formal grievance filings are kept in the grievance file at the school. After following the prescribed policy above, any complainant who does not believe their grievance has been satisfactorily resolved may lodge a complaint with the Distance Education Accrediting Commission, Colorado Department of Higher Education, or for California-based students, the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) . The contact information for these agencies is listed below. Complainant has the right to file a complaint with the following agencies:
Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC)
1101 17th Street, NW, Suite 808, Washington, D.C. 20036
Phone: 202-234-5100
The DEAC Policy on Complaints can be accessed at:
http://www.deac.org/Student-Center/Complaint-Process.aspx
WHTU Students:
Colorado Department of Higher Education
1600 Broadway, Suite 2200, Denver, CO 80202
Phone 303-862-3001 Fax 303-996-1329
Colorado Department of Higher Education Policy on Complaints: https://highered.colorado.gov/filing-student-complaint
WHTU Students
NC SARA (all states except California)
3005 Center Green Drive, Suite 130, Boulder, CO 80301
Phone (720) 680-1600
https://www.nc-sara.org/student-complaints
All California Students Only
California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE)
1747 North Market, Suite 225
Sacramento, CA 95834
https://www.bppe.ca.gov/enforcement/complaint.shtml
Social Media
Students must obtain advance permission before establishing any social media account which references The Taft University System, Taft Law School or William Howard Taft University.
Harassment Policy
The University strives to provide an academic environment that is free from intimidation, hostility or other offenses, which might interfere with student performance. Harassment of any sort - verbal, physical, or visual - will not be tolerated.
A. What Is Harassment?
Harassment can take many forms. It may be, but is not limited to, words (including email communications), signs, jokes, pranks, intimidation, physical contact, or violence. Harassment is not necessarily sexual in nature. Sexually harassing conduct may include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or any other verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature that prevents an individual from effectively performing assignments or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive academic environment, or when such conduct is made a condition of objective evaluation of the student’s performance, either implicitly or explicitly.
B. Responsibility
All students, employees, and particularly faculty, have a responsibility for keeping the institution free of harassment. Any student or employee who becomes aware of an incident of harassment, whether by witnessing the incident or being told of it, must report it to Student Support or any administration representative with whom they feel comfortable. When administration becomes aware that harassment might exist, it is obligated by law to take prompt and appropriate action, whether or not the alleged victim wants the institution to do so.
C. Reporting
Any incidents of harassment must be immediately reported. The University can only act if it is made aware of a problem. Appropriate investigation and disciplinary action will be taken. All reports will be promptly investigated with due regard for the privacy of everyone involved. Any employee found to have harassed a student will be subject to severe disciplinary action including possible discharge. Students found to have engaged in harassment are subject to disciplinary action including administrative dismissal. The institution will also take any additional action necessary to appropriately remedy the situation. No adverse action will be taken for any student making a good faith report of alleged harassment.