1050 Policies and Disclosures

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1050.10 Equal Opportunity Policy

Georgia State University is an equal opportunity educational institution. Faculty, staff and students are admitted, employed, and treated without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, age, gender, gender identity, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, protected veteran status, or disability, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, Sections 503/504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, and the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act, as well as other applicable federal, state and local laws.

Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Statement of Policy[KBM1]  - It is the policy of Georgia State University not to discriminate or allow the harassment of employees or applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law with regard to any employment practices, including recruitment, advertising, job application procedures, hiring, upgrading, training, promotion, transfer, compensation, job assignments, benefits, and/or other terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, provided the individual is qualified, with or without reasonable accommodations, to perform the essential functions of the job. This policy applies to all jobs at the University. The University will continue to ensure that individuals are employed, and that employees are treated during employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law in all employment practices.

Georgia State University is fully committed to principals of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action. President M. Brian Blake has appointed Kieran B. Morrow, Senior Director of Equity & Civil Rights Compliance, as Affirmative Action Officer for the University, with responsibility for implementation of the University’s affirmative action activities. The Affirmative Action Officer has the full support of senior administration and the staff necessary to fully implement this Program.

Title IX Notice of Non-Discrimination

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. § 1681; implementing regulation at 34 CFR § 106.1 et seq.) is a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education and provides, in pertinent part, that “[n]o person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Consistent with the requirements of Title IX, Georgia State University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the operation and provision of its educational program or activities. The University’s prohibition against discrimination on the basis of sex extends to employment, application for employment, and admission to its education programs or activities. Prohibited sex discrimination includes sex-based harassment, which encompasses sexual harassment and other forms of sexual misconduct.

Georgia State University’s Title IX Coordinator is responsible for coordinating GSU’s efforts to comply with Title IX. The University’s Title IX Coordinators are:

Students and employees may file complaints of sex discrimination with the University’s Title IX Coordinator by using the Sexual Misconduct Incident Report available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?GeorgiaStateUniv&layout_id=39, calling 404-413-2561, or emailing TitleIX@gsu.edu. The office of the Title IX Coordinator is located at 1 Park Place, Suite 527, Atlanta, GA 30303.

Disabilities - Georgia State University provides program accessibility and reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. Specifically, the University provides evaluation of individual needs, advisement, and appropriate academic program support for qualified  individuals who self-identify as having a disability(ies). A student with a disability has the responsibility of registering with the Access & Accommodations Center (AACE) to commence the interactive process for determining reasonable accommodations prior to their first semester of enrollment at Georgia State University. Should any problems arise concerning academic accommodations, students should contact their AACE coordinator and/or the University’s ADA Coordinator (ADACoord@gsu.edu) immediately. AACE can be reached at access@gsu.edu or 404-413-1560; more information about AACE and accommodations can be found at https://access.gsu.edu/.

1050.20 Disability Complaint Policy

Disability Accommodation Complaints

Students who disagree with eligibility or accommodation decisions issued by the Access & Accommodations Center (AACE) may appeal the decision by submitting a written appeal to ADACoord@gsu.edu within ten (10) business days of the date of the accommodation decision. The appeal must be grounded in procedural error, substantive error, or bias, and conform to the guidance provided at https://ecrc.gsu.edu/ADA-appeal-guidance/.

Disability Discrimination Complaints

Georgia State University adheres to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, both of which protect qualified individuals against discrimination based on their disability. Students or employees of the University who believe they have been discriminated against on the basis of disability may file a complaint with Equity & Civil Rights Compliance. Complaints must be in writing. A discrimination and harassment incident report form may be found at https://gsuintakeform.powerappsportals.com/. For more information, please contact Equity & Civil Rights Compliance at equalopportunity@gsu.edu or 404-413-2561.

1050.30 Disruptive Behavior Policy

The University has a policy that addresses student behavior in the learning environment that disrupts the educational process. In accordance with this policy, the University seeks resolution of disruptive conduct informally when possible. However, student conduct that disrupts the learning environment may result in sanctions up to and including withdrawal of the student from class. Students withdrawn from a course for disruptive behavior receive a grade of “W” or “WF”. The full text of the Disruptive Student Conduct Policy is available in the Office of the Dean of Students and at http://codeofconduct.gsu.edu/.

1050.40 University Code of Conduct

The University has established the policies and procedures that comprise the Student Code of Conduct to both promote the university mission and protect the rights of students, faculty and staff. The official University rules and regulations are contained in the Georgia State University General Catalog and the student handbook, On Campus. The most current version of the Student Code of Conduct may be found online at http://codeofconduct.gsu.edu/ each semester. In the event of a conflict between the Student Code of Conduct and other University policies, the most current version of the Code governs.

1050.50 Federal and State Law Disclosure Requirements

Federal and state laws require all colleges and universities receiving federal funds to establish certain programs, policies and procedures and to distribute an annual report describing the information and providing statistics regarding: graduation rates; drug, alcohol and weapon violations; and certain crimes on campus, which include murder, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft and sex offenses. The Georgia State University annual report and information regarding these programs, policies, procedures and statistics are available upon a written request directed to the Georgia State University Office of Public Information, 530 One Park Place South, Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

1050.60 Integrity in Research, Scholarly and Creative Activities

Georgia State University maintains high ethical standards in research and requires all faculty, staff and students engaged in research to comply with those standards. Cases of misconduct in research present a serious threat to continued public confidence in the integrity of the research process and the stewardship of federal funds. Misconduct includes fabrication or falsification of data, research procedures, or data analysis; destruction of data for fraudulent purposes; plagiarism; abuse of confidentiality; omission in publication of conflicting or non-conforming observations; theft of research methods or data; false attribution of authorization or creation of the creative works of another; and other practices that seriously deviate from those that are commonly accepted within the scholarly community for proposing, conducting or reporting research or creative works. Georgia State University will pursue allegations of misconduct to timely resolve all instances of alleged or apparent misconduct. To obtain a copy of the Research and Scholarly Misconduct Policy, the General Principles for Scholarly Integrity, and the Responsible Conduct of Research at Georgia State University publication, contact University Research Services and Administration, 217 Dahlberg Hall, 404-413-3500.

1050.70 Intellectual Property

In complying with the policies of the Board of Regents, Georgia State University has adopted an Intellectual Property Policy concerning the ownership and subsequent rights to intellectual property created by faculty, staff and students. The Intellectual Property Policy pertains to any patentable inventions, biological materials, copyrightable materials, software and trade secrets regardless of whether formal protection is sought. It is the responsibility of individual creators to disclose intellectual property to the University in a timely manner in accordance with the policy. To obtain a copy of the Intellectual Property Policy, contact University Research Services and Administration, 217 Dahlberg Hall, 404-413-3500.

1050.80 Student Complaints, Petitions for Policy Waivers and Variances, and Appeals

I. Purpose and Applicability

Georgia State University seeks to maintain the highest standards of integrity and fairness in its relationships with students. The Undergraduate Catalog and the Graduate Catalog (both found at catalogs.gsu.edu), and the Student Code of Conduct set forth policies and requirements for Georgia State students. Students are expected to know and comply with these policies. Students may, however, seek relief or resolution when they believe that:

1. The application of these policies and procedures will create undue hardship for them or will not recognize their extraordinary or extenuating circumstances; or
2. Specific actions, practices, or decisions on academic or non-academic matters have been made or carried out in an arbitrary, discriminatory, or inequitable manner.

The procedures set forth below cover complaints, petitions, and appeals related to university-wide and college-based policies. Individual colleges or departments may have additional or more specific procedures that may also apply to complaints, petitions, and appeals. Students are referred to the office of the dean of the particular college for information about additional or more specific procedures that apply. In case of conflict among policies, this university policy takes precedence over College and Departmental policies.

The following policies include their own complaint, petition and waiver procedures. This policy may not be used in lieu of these policies:

1. Any policy for anyone other than a student to make a complaint, file a grievance, or request a waiver, such as policies that govern faculty and staff.
2. All policies in the student code of conduct
3. Emergency Withdrawal policy
4. Admission, readmission and exclusion policies
5. Discriminatory and sexual harassment policies
6. Disability policies
7. College of Law Honor Code
8. Student parking policy

The procedures set forth below are applicable to undergraduate and graduate students of the university. All appeals under these procedures will be made based only on the written record. A student’s appeal under these procedures will be granted only if the student can prove by preponderance of evidence that a decision was arbitrary, discriminatory, or inequitable.

II. Student Complaints on Academic Matters

1. College-Level Academic Complaints
   1. Final Course Grade Appeals
      1. Students are encouraged to discuss concerns and disputes over final course grades with the instructor prior to filing a formal grade appeal, in an effort to gain understanding about the basis of his/her grade. Instructors are encouraged to be available to students for such discussion regarding grades so that grade disputes, to the extent possible, are resolved informally. The office of the Ombudsperson can provide assistance to students, instructors and administrators with resolving disputes informally through voluntary facilitated discussions, in an effort to bring resolution to the matter prior to the initiation of a formal complaint.
      2. In situations where such informal resolution does not occur or is not successful, the student may appeal the final course grade to the Department Chair. The appeal must be in writing and describe the precise reason for the appeal. Any pertinent information must be submitted with the appeal in order to be considered in this or subsequent appeals. The appeal must be submitted within 10 business days of the beginning of the academic term (fall, spring, summer) that follows the term in which the final grade was submitted by the instructor. For example, if a student took an incomplete in a fall term course and completed the course works in the following spring semester, then an appeal of that grade must be submitted within 10 business days of the beginning of the summer term. The Department Chair will provide a decision in writing to the student, normally within 10 business days of the receipt of the complaint in the Department.
      3. The student may appeal the decision of the Department Chair, as described in section 2-c through 2-e below.
   2. Other College-Level Academic Complaints
      1. Judgments on the suitability of academic decisions made within a college are most appropriately made by individuals with expertise in the particular academic discipline involved. For this reason, resolution of student complaints about college level academic decisions, actions, or practices is the responsibility of the department and college involved. Normally, such complaints can be resolved quickly and informally through discussion with the faculty member directly involved. The office of the Ombudsperson can provide assistance to students, instructors and administrators with resolving disputes informally through voluntary facilitated discussions, in an effort to bring resolution to the matter prior to the initiation of a formal complaint.
      2. In situations where such informal resolution does not occur or is not successful, the student may submit a formal complaint to the Chair of the appropriate academic department. The student’s complaint must be submitted in writing and be accompanied by pertinent documentation describing (a) the specific action, practice, or decision that is problematic; (b) the impact of that decision; (c) what resolution is being sought; (d) and why it should be granted. To promote prompt resolution, complaints must include current contact information and be submitted at the earliest possible time. Consideration will not be given to any complaint submitted later than the end of the term immediately following the term in which the matter in question arose. The Department Chair will provide a decision in writing to the student, normally within 10 business days of the receipt of the complaint in the Department.
      3. The student may appeal the Department Chair’s decision within 10 business days of being notified of the Chair’s decision. Such appeal will be made, in writing, to the Dean of the College in which the Department is located. At the discretion of the Dean, an advisory panel may be appointed to review the written documentation and make a recommendation to the Dean. The Dean will issue a decision to the student in writing, normally within 10 business days of the receipt of the appeal.
      4. The student may appeal the Dean’s decision to the Provost, in writing, within 10 business days of being notified of the Dean’s decision. The Provost will issue a decision to the student, in writing within 20 business days of receiving the appeal.
      5. The student may appeal the Provost’s decision to the President, in writing, within 10 business days of being notified of the Provost’s decision. The President will issue a decision to the student in writing within 20 business days of receiving the appeal.
      6. The student may appeal the President’s decision to the Board of Regents, in writing, within 20 business days of being notified of the President’s decision. Decisions regarding grades may not be appealed to the Board of Regents (BOR Policy 407.01).
2. University-Level Academic Complaints
   1. Judgments on the suitability of academic decisions made at the university level are most appropriately made by individuals with expertise in the particular area. Normally, such complaints can be resolved quickly through discussion with the Academic Administrator directly involved. (See the University Organizational Chart at http://www.gsu.edu/administrative_organization.html.) Students can contact the office of the Ombudsperson for assistance in preparing for discussion with academic administrators. The office of the Ombudsperson can also provide assistance to students and academic administrators with resolving disputes informally through voluntary, facilitated discussions, in an effort to bring resolution to the matter prior to the initiation of a formal complaint.
   2. In situations where such informal resolution does not occur or is not successful, the student may submit a formal complaint to the Vice Provost. The student’s complaint must be submitted in writing, and be accompanied by pertinent documentation describing (a) the specific action, practice, or decision that is problematic; (b) the impact of that decision; (c) what resolution is being sought; and (d) why it should be granted. To promote prompt resolution, complaints must include current contact information and be submitted as early as possible, but no later than the end of the term immediately following the term in which the matter arose. The Vice Provost will normally issue a decision to the student in writing, within 10 business days of receiving the complaint.
   3. The student may appeal the Vice Provost’s decision to the Provost within 10 business days of being notified of the decision. The Provost will respond in writing to the appeal within 20 business days of receiving the appeal.
   4. The student may appeal the Provost’s decision to the President in writing within 10 business days of being notified of the Provost’s decision. The President will respond in writing to the appeal within 20 business days of receiving the appeal.
   5. The student may appeal the President’s decision to the Board of Regents in writing within 20 business days of being notified of the President’s decision. Decisions regarding residency and the Guaranteed Tuition Plan may not be appealed to the Board of Regents (BOR Policy 407.01).

III. Non-Academic Complaints

1. Judgments on the suitability of non-academic decisions are most appropriately made by individuals with expertise in the particular area. Normally, such complaints can be resolved quickly through discussion with the Administrator in charge of the department making the decision. (See the University Organizational Chart). Students can contact the office of the Ombudsperson for assistance in preparing for discussion with non-academic administrators. The office of the Ombudsperson can also provide assistance to students and non-academic administrators with resolving disputes informally through voluntary, facilitated discussions, in an effort to bring resolution to the matter prior to the initiation of a formal complaint.
2. In situations where such informal resolution does not occur or is not successful, the student may submit a formal complaint to the Vice President or Vice Provost who oversees the area. The student’s complaint must be submitted in writing, and be accompanied by pertinent documentation describing (a) the specific action, practice, or decision that is problematic; (b) the impact of that decision; (c) what resolution is being sought; and (d) why it should be granted. To promote prompt resolution, complaints must include current contact information and be submitted as early as possible, but no later than the end of the term immediately following the term in which the matter arose. The Vice President or Vice Provost will provide a decision to the student in writing, normally within 10 business days of the receipt of the complaint.
3. The student may appeal the Vice President’s or Vice Provost’s decision to the Provost in writing within 10 business days of being notified of the decision. The Provost will respond in writing to the appeal within 20 business days of receiving the appeal.
4. The student may appeal the Provost’s decision to the President in writing within 10 business days of being notified of the Provost’s decision. The President will respond in writing to the appeal within 20 business days of receiving the appeal.
5. The student may appeal the President’s decision to the Board of Regents in writing within 20 business days of being notified of the President’s decision. Decisions regarding traffic citations may not be appealed to the Board of Regents (BOR Policy 407.01).

IV. Student Petitions for Academic Policy Waiver or Variance

1. College-Level Policy Waiver or Variance Petitions
   1. Students may petition for a waiver or variance of a department-level or college-level policy. The appropriate college Office of Academic Assistance can provide the student with college policies and petition procedures.
   2. The student must submit a petition, in writing, to the Office of Academic Assistance of the College which has made the policy in question. The petition must include the following: (a) the policy from which the student is seeking a waiver or variance, (b) the deviation being sought; and (c) the reason(s) why the exception should be granted. The Office of Academic Assistance representative will determine whether the petition needs to be addressed at the departmental or college level, and will forward the petition to the appropriate administrator who will notify the student of his or her decision.
   3. The student may appeal the decision, in writing, following the procedures stated in Section II.A.2.c through f above, the College-Level Academic Complaint Policy and Procedures. If the original decision was rendered by a Department Chair, the appeal should be initiated at the level of the Dean; if the original decision was rendered by the Dean (or his or her designate), the appeal should be initiated at the level of the Provost.
2. University-Level Policy Waiver or Variance Petitions
   1. Students may request a waiver or variance of a policy established by the University or the Board of Regents (BOR).
   2. All requests for waivers or variances from university-level policies will be made based only on the written record.
   3. All petitions must include the following:
      1. The section number from the Catalog (or other official University document) of the policy or requirement from which the student is requesting a waiver
      2. the deviation being sought;
      3. the reason(s) why the exception should be granted
      4. a current copy of the student’s academic evaluation record
      5. a current copy of the student’s Georgia State University transcript (unless the petitioner is not yet a Georgia State student)
      6. transcripts from all other colleges the student has attended (if the petitioner has attended other colleges).
   4. Financial Appeals (Appeals of Rules Currently in 1200 Financial Information  of the Catalog)
      1. Appeals of tuition and fee rules (currently in sections Waivers of Tuition and Fees , Payment of Tuition and Fees  and Refund of Tuition and Fees  of the Catalog), and financial aid rules (currently in 1230 Financial Aid ) will be made by Student Financial Services.
      2. If the petition is denied, the student may appeal to the Financial Appeals Committee, a committee appointed by the Vice Provost. The student must appeal in writing and within 10 business days of being notified of the decision of Student Financial Services.
      3. Once a student has been classified as Nonresident, the decisions regarding reclassification from out of state to an in-state residency status will be made by the Office of the Registrar.  Students will need to submit a Petition for Tuition Reclassification to the Registrar’s Office to have their residency status reviewed.

      4. If the Petition for Tuition Reclassification is denied, the student may appeal to the University Registrar.  The student must appeal in writing within 10 business days of being notified of the decision of the Office of the Registrar.

      5. Appeals of the financial rules of colleges and departments (e.g., lab fees, graduate assistantship rules, etc.) are considered by the college or department. See Section IV.A. above.

   5. Add, Drop and Withdraw Appeals (Appeals of Rules Currently in Revision of Class Schedules (Add/Drop/Withdraw)  of the Catalog)
      1. Appeals of the add, drop and withdrawal rules will be made in the first instance by the Office of the Registrar.
         • Students may petition a maximum of two semesters of their enrollment at Georgia State.
         • Students must initiate a petition no later than two academic years after the semester in which the course was taken.
         • Students may not initiate a petition after degree conferral.
      2. If the petition is denied, the student may appeal to the Registration Appeals Committee, a subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Admissions and Standards. The student must appeal in writing and within 10 business days of being notified of the decision of the University Registrar.
      3. The Registrar will copy the Chair of the Registration Appeals Committee on all letters to students notifying them of the results of their petitions. Every semester, the Registrar will distribute to the Senate Committee on Admissions and Standards a report that indicates (at a minimum) the number of petitions filed, the number granted, and the number denied. Any member of Admissions and Standards may review the documents of any petition when there is a legitimate educational interest.
      4. This motion policy does not change the Emergency Withdrawal policy.
   6. Course Load, Scholastic Discipline, and Course Substitution in the Core (Appeals of Rules Currently in Course Load , Academic Support , Core Curriculum Requirements , and Regents Reading and Writing Requirements  of the Catalog)
      1. Appeals of rules regarding course load, scholastic discipline, and course substitution in the core will be made in the first instance by the head of the University Advisement Center. However, appeals for waivers of Course Load  will be considered by the student’s college if the student has declared a college and will follow the procedure outlined in Section IV.A above.
      2. If the petition is denied by the head of the University Advisement Center, the student may appeal to the Academic Regulations Appeals Committee, a subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Admissions and Standards. The student must appeal in writing and within 10 business days of being notified of the decision of the Director of the University Advisement Center
      3. The head of the University Advisement Center will copy of the Chair of the Academic Regulations Appeals Committee on all letters to students notifying them of the results of their petitions. Every semester, the head of the university Advisement Center will distribute to the Senate Committee on Admissions and Standards a report that indicates (at a minimum) the number of petitions filed, the number granted, and the number denied. Any member of Admissions and Standards may review the documents of any petition when there is a legitimate educational interest.
   7. Academic Regulation and Graduation Requirement Appeals (Appeals of Rules currently in other parts of 1300 University Academic Regulations  and 1400 University Degree Requirements and Graduation  of the Catalog)
      1. Appeals of other university-level rules and graduation requirements will be made in the first instance by the Assistant Vice President for Student Retention. However, appeals for waivers of Course Load  will be considered by the student’s college if the student has declared a college and will follow the procedure outlined in Section IV.A above.
      2. If the petition is denied, the student may appeal to the Academic Regulations Appeals Committee, a subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Admissions and Standards. The student must appeal in writing and within 10 business days of being notified of the decision of the Assistant Vice President for Student Retention.
      3. The Assistant Vice President for Student Retention will copy of the Chair of the Academic Regulations Appeals Committee on all letters to students notifying them of the results of their petitions. Every semester, the Assistant Vice President for Student Retention will distribute to the Senate Committee on Admissions and Standards a report that indicates (at a minimum) the number of petitions filed, the number granted, and the number denied. Any member of Admissions and Standards may review the documents of any petition when there is a legitimate educational interest.
   8. Subsequent Appeals
      1. The student may appeal the decisions of the Admissions Appeals Committee, Financial Aid Appeals Committee, the Registration Appeals Committee and Academic Regulations Appeals Committee to the Vice Provost in writing within 10 business days of being notified of the decision. The Vice Provost will respond in writing to the appeal within 20 business days of receiving the appeal.
      2. The student may appeal the Vice Provost’s decision to the Provost in writing within 10 business days of being notified of the decision. The Provost will respond in writing to the appeal within 20 business days of receiving the appeal.
      3. The student may appeal the Provost’s decision to the President in writing within 10 business days of being notified of the Provost’s decision. The President will respond in writing to the appeal within 20 business days of receiving the appeal.
      4. The student may appeal the President’s decision to the Board of Regents in writing within 20 business days of being notified of the President’s decision.

V. Deadlines

1. All deadlines established in this Policy are stated in terms of business days. If a deadline falls on a weekend or scheduled holiday, the deadline will be the next scheduled workday of Georgia State University.
2. Students lose their right to continue to the next step of the procedures if they miss a stated or agreed upon deadline.

VI. Mediation

Students who have filed formal complaints or petitions or those who have had formal complaints filed against them under Sections II A or B of this Policy (except for grade appeals) may request that the matter be submitted to mediation in an effort to achieve resolution. Mediation is a voluntary, confidential process whereby a neutral person facilitates discussion between the parties in a mutual attempt to reach resolution on the issues raised by the parties.

In the event mediation is agreed upon by both parties, the timelines under this policy shall be suspended until which time the mediation is completed. In the event that mediation results in agreement, the student’s complaint will be considered resolved. In the event that mediation does not result in resolution of the matter, the student may appeal to the next level of review under this policy.

Information derived from mediation discussion may not be used as the basis for higher levels of appeal, nor can the mediator be asked to provide information or make any decision at any level of the formal appeals process. Persons interested in mediation should contact the office of the Ombudsperson.

Glossary

Policies, Procedures and Practices

Policy: A written statement (rule or principle) used to govern the actions of Georgia State University’s employees, faculty, students, visitors, and others who come in contact with Georgia State University. For the purposes of this document, academic policies are those pertaining to scholarly programs (e.g., program degree requirements), or the students’ progress through those programs (e.g., program prerequisites, financial aid, registration). Non-academic policies are those pertaining to functions that only indirectly support the students’ academic endeavors (such as housing, recreation, or parking).

University-Level Student Policies: Policies established under the authority of the university and applied to all students in all colleges. These policies are implemented and enforced by central academic or administrative offices (for example, the Registrar’s Office, the Student Financial Aid Office, or the University Library).

College-Level Student Policies: Policies established under the authority of a college and applied to all students enrolled in courses or programs offered by that college: Andrew Young School of Policy Studies; College of Arts and Sciences; College of Education; Lewis School of Nursing; School of Health Professions; School of Public Health; Robinson College of Business.

Procedure: A guideline that explains how policies are to be carried out or implemented; may or may not be in writing.

Practice: A commonly accepted way or pattern of doing things; typically not in writing.

Arbitrary, Discriminatory, Inequitable

Arbitrary: In an unreasonable or capricious manner, in disregard of facts, or without determining principle.

Discriminatory: In a manner that is unfair or denies privileges to persons because of their race, sex, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability.

Inequitable: In a manner that fails to treat similarly situated persons the same way.

Complaints, Petitions and Appeals

Complaint: An objection to a decision, action or practice with a request that it be changed or reversed; a claim seeking remedy, relief, or resolution. Complaints may be against a decision or action that was based on either University-level or College-level policy.

Petition for Waiver or Variance: A request for a suspension (waiver) or modification (variance) of a particular policy which, if applied normally, would cause undue hardship for the individual.

Waiver: An agreement that suspends a particular policy for an individual in a specific situation due to the special circumstances of that individual. (When a waiver (or suspension) of a policy is granted, the individual does not have to comply with some or all of the particular requirements set within that policy).

Variance: An agreement that modifies a particular policy for an individual in a specific situation due to the special circumstances of that individual. (When a variance (modification) of a policy is granted, the individual must comply only with the modified requirements.)

Appeal: A request that a decision on a complaint or petition be reconsidered at a higher level in the University.

People

Academic Administrator: The head of a centralized university office or department that has responsibility for academic-related student processes (such as the Registrar’s Office, the Office of Admissions, the Student Financial Aid Office, the Office of Student Accounts, the Student Advisement Center); typically reports through an Associate Provost.

Administrator in Charge: The head of a University office with responsibility for non-academic student processes (such as the Housing Office, the Office of Parking and Transportation, the Bookstore); typically reports through a Vice President.

1050.90 Criminal & Disciplinary History: Continuing Duty to Report

Disclosure of criminal/disciplinary history is required on the Georgia State University admission application. Georgia State students have a continuing duty to report criminal/disciplinary events that occur after submission of their admission application. The criminal/disciplinary events that must be reported under this continuing duty are described below and reports must be made to the Office of the Dean of Students within 72 hours of student’s notice of the event. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in sanctions up to and including immediate withdrawal from the University.

• Conviction of a crime other than a minor traffic violation
• Criminal charges filed against the student
• Entering a plea of guilty, a plea of no contest, a plea of nolo contendere, an Alford plea, or a plea under any first offender act in response to charges filed against the student
• Disciplinary or academic misconduct charges initiated or sanctions imposed against the student from a high school, trade school or other college or university.