General Student Freedoms Equal Opportunity Student Privacy Rights Student Grievance Procedure Fair Academic Use of Electronic Technology General Student Freedoms At this University, students have the right to inspect permanent educational record files and to formally request that errors be corrected. Students have a right to protection against disclosure of confidential information without their written permission. Students have a right to file a grievance concerning any wrong they may have experienced through participation in programs or activities of the University. The University protects the rights of students and faculty in their pursuit of truth and knowledge and guarantees their freedom to teach and to learn and express personal views and perspectives on academic and other matters. Regardless of their country of residence, our students are assured the right to participate as full members of the academic community, to function as equal partners in the learning experience and in the pursuit of human betterment. The University further acknowledges the right and necessity of international students to pursue programs of study appropriate to the needs of their home country. However, the University shall not require any student to undertake or participate in any activity that is expressly against the laws of the student's home country or country of residence or the customs of their religion or gender. The University shall take all necessary actions to protect students from undue pressure or harassment from any element of the University community concerning participation in voluntary social, research and academic activities. Furthermore, we acknowledge the rights of our students be free from physical and sexual harassment and emotional abuse from any element of the University community and shall take decisive action to investigate any complaints by students. Return to Top Equal Opportunity for Students The University is an equal opportunity institution and by its very design is committed to policies of nondiscrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, physical and mental disability, or sexual preference in its programs, policies, procedures or practices. This includes access to, participation in and treatment in admissions and registration processes and University programs and services. This equal opportunity policy extends to include state (State of Hawaii) and federal (United States of America) laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of veteran status, marital status, religion, ancestry, and arrest and court record. Self-identification concerning race, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, physical and mental disability, or sexual preference is wholly voluntary and lack of disclosure will not result in any adverse treatment in the University's admissions and program administration. Our students' personal information will remain confidential except where disclosure is required by law, rule, regulation or court order. Return to Top Student Privacy Rights The University will release only the minimum information, unless the University has received written instructions from applicants, students, or graduates directing us to do otherwise. This policy will assure that the University remains within legal limits on disclosure, protecting the privacy of our educational community from unscrupulous individuals. To this end, the University shall release no information regarding student applicants to outside individuals or organizations. The University shall release only the degree level and degree field of registered students. Dates and further facts regarding a student's program or progress will be released only by written permission from the student. The University will release only the degree level, degree field, date of graduation, and the title of the final project of our graduates. Return to Top Student Grievance Policies Position Statement Student Grievance Process Position Statement Should a student become dissatisfied with the actions of faculty or administration, or should they believe a member of the University community has deviated from the written standards, guidelines, codes, policies and procedures of the University, the student may pursue a formal grievance process. Under all circumstances, students, faculty and administrators shall adhere to the following process in addressing a student grievance. This grievance process is understood to append all registration and course enrollment agreements and other written materials provided by the University whether issued in print or by electronic means. The student and the University administration shall share equally any costs of the processes of mediation and arbitration. The University faculty carries absolutely no financial liability with regard to any aspect of the grievance process, including the mediation and arbitration procedures, unless otherwise found criminally liable by a court of law. Return to Top Student Grievance Process Stage #1: Attempt at Reconciliation Stage #2: Intervention by Senior Administrators Stage #3: Mediation by Senior Administration Stage #4: Final Arbitration Stage #1: Attempt at Reconciliation As an initial step in addressing all problems and disagreements, the student is expected to first attempt to resolve the issues through communication and informal negotiation directly with the individuals involved. Students should address a letter to all involved individuals clearly outlining the nature of the problem or disagreement and providing the full history. The student is advised to keep copies of all communications and essential documents for later reference in case formal University intervention becomes necessary. Return to Top Stage #2: Intervention by Senior Administrators If the student or other parties remain dissatisfied with the situation, after making every effort to resolve the difficulties directly with the involved parties, the student (or other party) the matter is referred for administrative intervention, by the President, Vice President or Program Director, whichever is most appropriate. The administrator will journalize the history of the conflict and the attempts to directly resolve the issues. The student (or other party) is also expected to send background documentation to those directly involved in the dispute. Administrative intervention is a fact finding process and one through which an administrator attempts to reconcile the issues to the satisfaction of all parties, governed by written University guidelines and the written statements of all parties. Return to Top Stage #3: Mediation by Senior Administration Should the process of administrative intervention prove ineffective, the President (or Vice President) will submit the unresolved matters to formal mediation by one or more impartial University administrators or members of the senior faculty. The impartial mediation process will involve a careful review of University policies, the history of the dispute, and verbal and written statements from all parties. A recommendation from the mediators will be submitted to the President (or Vice President) and the decision distributed to all involved parties. Copies of all documentation shall be maintained in the student's permanent record file. Return to Top Stage #4: Final Arbitration Should the process of formal mediation prove unsuccessful from the perspective of any involved party, the parties shall be bound by the results of outside arbitration. The disputing parties shall attempt to agree on a single arbitrator, but if they cannot agree, both parties shall each choose one arbitrator. The two arbitrators shall attempt to agree upon a solution, but if the two arbitrators cannot agree, they shall jointly choose a third arbitrator and the decision of a majority of the arbitrators shall be final and binding on the parties. Arbitrators need not be professional arbitrators and may include uninvolved members of the University community and other individuals of standing that would be viewed by a reasonable individual to be a capable and reputable person appropriate to serve as an arbitrator. The costs of binding arbitration shall be shared equally between the student and the University. Return to Top Fair Academic Use of Electronic Technology Akamai University expects all members of its community to comply with acceptable principles of honesty and integrity, respect for others' privacy and respect for property. These traditional property, privacy, and publication rights are extended to include those areas involving computers and other electronic communication (audio or video) and publication via, the World Wide Web or Internet, news groups, bulletin boards or chat rooms. Akamai University policies also extend to technology administered by individual centers, departments, institutes, programs or courses and to information services hosted by or for students using their own hardware networked to a University website or electronic system. When a member of the University community is found to be in violation of any policy related to use of electronic technology, the matter will be addressed by the normal University disciplinary processes. Although, the University will respond promptly and appropriately to all personal or organizational complaints, the University is not directly responsible for any material any individual may post, send, or publish electronically or otherwise as a member or nonmember of the Akamai University community. With the exception of our official publications, Akamai University is only a carrier of information through electronic means, not a publisher. The electronic technology and resources of the University community are intended to be used for instruction, independent study, research, networking, and the official work of students, faculty, staff, administration, affiliated organizations, and programs of the University. The University is committed to protecting members of its community from abusive of technology, whether within and outside the institution. Members of the Akamai University community are required to report violations of privacy or property involving electronic technology, whether the perpetrator is a member of the University community or not. Examples of violations that should be reported include: Capturing or attempting to capture, alter, intercept, or interfere with stored or transmitted electronic information. Spreading spammed electronic messages or postings Bombarding or bombing an individual, group, or system with numerous repeated messages Sending large mass emailings or voice messaging Return to Top