Oct 06, 2024  
2015-2016 Student Handbook 
    
2015-2016 Student Handbook [Not Current Academic Year. Consult with Your Academic Advisor for Your Catalog Year]

Student Academic Bill of Rights


Student Life Policies  > Student Academic Bill of Rights

Student Academic Bill of Rights

Article 1: Academic Discrimination

Section 1: Students shall have the right to a learning environment that allows for free inquiry and expressions. (Student Handbook, University Policies, Freedom of Expression Policy)

Clause 1: Students shall have the responsibility to demonstrate civility; concern for the safety of persons and property, respect for University of Houston activities including understanding that activities that are unlawful or disruptive to the normal operations of the University such as classes and University business activities will not be tolerated, respect for those who may disagree with their message, and compliance with University policies and applicable to local, state, and federal laws. (Student Handbook, University Policies, Freedom of Expression Policy)

Clause 2: Expressive activities shall include public speaking, literature distribution, poster displays, sign displays, any other type of graphic exhibitions, expressive performances, petitioning or similar noncommercial activities.(Student Handbook, University Policies, Freedom of Expression Policy)

Section 2: Students shall have the right of religious observances even though they may conflict with university class meetings, assignments, or examinations. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Religious Holidays )

Clause 1: Students shall have the right to be excused from classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day, including travel for that purpose. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Religious Holidays )

Clause 2: Students shall have the right to be treated consistently with the instructor’s policies and procedures related to other excused absences and shall be entitled the opportunity to makeup work and examinations. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Religious Holidays )

Clause 3: Students shall have the responsibility to inform instructors about upcoming religious holy days early in the semester to enable better planning and coordination of work assignments (and examinations.) (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Religious Holidays )

Clause 4: Students shall have the right to appeal to the Office of Academic Program Management any disagreement between the student and instructor about whether the absence is for the observance of a religious holy day, or if they disagree about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Religious Holidays )

Section 3: Students shall have the right to have equal treatment and opportunity in education services. (Student Handbook, University Policies, Equal Education and Employment Opportunity ; Student Handbook, University Policies, Title IX Grievances and Other Discrimination Complaints)

Clause 1: Students shall have the right to be not discriminated against based on race, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression except where such a distinction is allowed by law.

  1. Gender identity or expression shall be defined as having or being perceived as having a gender identity, self image, appearance, behavior or expression whether or not that gender identity, self image, appearance, behavior or expression is different from that traditionally associated with the sex assigned to that person at birth.

Section 4: Students who have disabilities shall have the right to accommodations, including exam accommodations, interpreters, note-taking assistance, etc. (Student Handbook, Accommodations for Students Who Have Disabilities )

Clause 1: Students who have disabilities shall have responsibility to contact the Justin Dart, Jr. Center for Student with DisABILITIES (CSD) and discuss the process of obtaining such accommodations. (Student Handbook, Accommodations for Students Who Have Disabilities )

Clause 2: Students who have disabilities shall have responsibility to register with the Justin Dart, Jr. Center for Student with DisABILITIES (CSD) as early as possible in their academic career. (Student Handbook, Accommodations for Students Who Have Disabilities )

Article 2: In Class Practices and Procedures

Section 1: Students shall have the right to receive a syllabus for each class at the first or second class meeting. (Faculty Handbook, Academic Personnel Policies and Procedures, Expectations of Faculty with Teaching Responsibilities)

Clause 1: Syllabus shall include the content, objectives, and standard for evaluation (including the importance assigned to various factors considered in the academic evaluation) in a course. (Faculty Handbook, Academic Personnel Policies and Procedures, Expectations of Faculty with Teaching Responsibilities; Student Handbook, Academic Policies )

Section 2: Students shall have the right to access their graded tests, quizzes, and homework assignments. (Faculty Handbook, Responsibilities to Students)

Clause 1: Students shall have the right to confidentiality if their grades are posted. (Faculty Handbook, Classroom Protocol, Responsibilities to Students, Posting of Grades/Distribution of Student Work)

Clause 2: Students shall have the right to not have their grades posted with their name, social security or PeopleSoft numbers or other information that would allow someone other than the student to identify the owner. (Faculty Handbook, Responsibilities to Students, Classroom Protocol, Posting of Grades/Distribution of Student Work)

Article 3: Administrative Practices and Procedures

Section 1: Students shall have the right to access their professors, instructors, and teaching assistants, who are involved in the instruction of their university course, whom shall offer regularly scheduled office hours (Faculty Handbook, Academic Personnel Policies and Procedures, Policies and Procedures Governing Specific Faculty, Graduate Student Assistantships, Definitions, Definition of Student Contact)

Clause 1: Professors, instructors, and teaching assistants shall be available for consultation by any student enrolled in such course at said office hours. (Faculty Handbook, Academic Personnel Policies and Procedures, Policies and Procedures Governing Specific Faculty, Graduate Student Assistantships, Definitions, Definition of Student Contact)

Section 2: Students shall have the right to access academic advisors who assist students that are in compliance with university policies and are making appropriate decisions about their academic programs. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Academic Advising)

Clause 1: Students shall have the responsibility to take full advantage of academic advising services through the Undergraduate Scholars at UH (UScholars) Advising Center or the college or department of their majors. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Academic Advising)

Clause 2: Students who have not declared a major shall have the right to be offered assistance through UScholars that will help them later make an informed decision about a major field of study. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Academic Advising)

Clause 3: UScholars students shall have the responsibility to declare a major in the beginning of their sophomore year (30 credit hours), if not before. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Academic Advising)

Section 3: Students shall have the responsibility upon completing 60 credit hours to see an advisor in their college to file a degree plan, a blueprint of the courses required for graduation. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Degree Plan )

Clause 1: Students shall have the responsibility of insuring copies of their degree plans are on file in the college Dean’s office and in the Office of the University Registrar, Rm. 128 Welcome Center before being certify for graduation. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Degree Plan )

Clause 2: Students shall have the responsibility to meet with their academic advisor at least once a semester for consultations to help students enroll in courses applicable toward their degree. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Degree Plan )

Section 4: Undergraduate Students shall have the right to drop or withdraw from courses to ease the academic load. (Student Handbook, Dropping a Course )

Clause 1: Students shall have the responsibilities for verifying whether they have been dropped from a course. (Student Handbook, Dropping a Course )

Clause 2: Before dropping courses, international students shall have the responsibility to see an international student counselor, financial aid recipients speak with a financial aid officer. (Student Handbook, Dropping a Course )

Clause 3: Before dropping courses, student-athletes shall have the responsibility to see their athletics counselor to discuss eligibility implications of withdrawing. (Student Handbook, Dropping a Course )

Clause 4: Students shall have the responsibility to see the online academic calendar for the exact date for deadlines to drop a course without receiving a grade and withdraw from a course with a grade of W. (Student Handbook, Dropping a Course )

Clause 5: Students shall have the right to use the withdrawals at any time during their college career to drop a course up through the last day to drop a course or withdraw from all courses. (Student Handbook, Dropping a Course )

Clause 6: When these 6 Ws have been used, the student shall have the responsibility to complete all subsequent courses. (Student Handbook, Dropping a Course )

Clause 7: When students take a class which includes a lab (or recitation) concurrently, the students shall have the right to drop both the class and lab (or recitation) and have it count as only one withdraw if both the class and lab were dropped simultaneously. (Student Handbook, Dropping a Course )

Clause 8: Students shall have the responsibility to know their enrollment caps or maximum hours they are permitted based on the number of hours in which a student is enrolled by the official reporting day for each term regardless of whether the student drop the course afterward. (Student Handbook, Dropping a Course )

Article 4: Academic Appeals (Academic Dishonesty, Academic Accountability)

Section 1: Students shall have the right to a fair and impartial appeals process regarding course requirements and classroom procedures. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Undergraduate Grievances )

Clause 1: Students shall have the responsibility to first resolve amicably and informally with the professor on most issues. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Undergraduate Grievances )

Clause 2: In the event that an informal resolution is not possible, students shall have the right to file a written grievance on a General Petition form, available in departmental and college offices, and online. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Undergraduate Grievances )

Clause 3: Students shall have the responsibility to fill out the General Petition form with the professor within 90 calendar days of the posting of the final grades for the course. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Undergraduate Grievances )

Clause 4: Appeals may be considered at the following levels, as necessary: professor, departmental chair, college dean, senior vice president for academic affairs (or designated representatives at all levels.) (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Undergraduate Grievances )

Clause 5: Grades may be appealed only if violations of university, college, or department academic policies or procedures can be shown to have affected that grade or evaluation. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Undergraduate Grievances )

Article 5: Student Records and Privacy

Section 1: Students shall have certain rights with respect to their education records as afforded by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Student Records: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act )

Clause 1: Students have the right to inspect and review their education records within 45 days of the day the university receives the request. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Student Records: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act )

Clause 2: Students have the right to request amendment of their education records that they believe are inaccurate or misleading. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Student Records: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act )

Clause 3: If the university denies a student requested amendment, the student has the right to a hearing regarding the requested amendment to his/her educational record. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Student Records: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act )

Clause 4: Students have the right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information in their education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Student Records: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act )

Clause 5: Students have 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. Such complaints may be sent to the Family Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202-4605. (Student Handbook, Academic Policies, Student Records: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act )

Article 6: Student Academic Bill of Rights Amendments

All amendments for the University of Houston Student Academic Bill of Rights must be made through the procedures outlined in the University of Houston Student Government Association Constitution.

Article 7: Distribution

The University of Houston Student Academic Bill of Rights shall be printed in the University of Houston Main Campus student handbooks.