STUDENT HANDBOOK 2020-21 UNIVERSITY HANDBOOK USF Student Handbook The USF Student Handbook is a central resource for information for students enrolled at the University of Sioux Falls. This site contains the current official edition of the student handbook. This web-based handbook is organized according to the structure of the “Handbook Navigation” outlined to the left. (Note: users of mobile devices may access the menu at any time by clicking on the three horizontal bars by the USF logo in the upper left-hand corner of the site.) (c) 2019 The University of Sioux Falls. All Rights Reserved. | Consumer Information | Privacy Policy 1101 W 22nd St, Sioux Falls, SD 57105 (800) 888-1047 [email protected] UNIVERSITY HANDBOOK COVID RESPONSE POLICY University of Sioux Falls will be requiring face masks to be worn on campus for the fall 2020 semester. Informing this decision are current federal Centers for Disease Control recommendations, as well as the institution’s identity as a Christian University in which striving to take care of each other and those we interact with is central. The ultimate goal is to provide all students as normal of a college experience as possible while taking into account safety and health considerations. Wearing a mask is one of 4 recommendations (characterized as the 4 W’s) USF is promoting for all members of our campus community: Wash your hands. Wash with soap for 20 seconds, and if that’s not available use hand sanitizer. Wear a mask. Students, faculty and staff are required to wear face coverings in most situations. Watch your distance. Maintain physical distance of 6 feet. When sick, remain at home or in your room and check for symptoms daily. The full policy is found at www.usiouxfalls.edu/covid#policy/msk on the University’s COVID-19 website. In the upcoming weeks USF will continue to release additional information in regard to health and safety protocols leading to the start of the semester. Please take time to periodically visit this website for important updates that may be posted. Also, FAQ have been developed to answer additional questions concerning Campus COVID related responses will be found at https://www. usiouxfalls.edu/offices/campus-safety-and-security/coronavirus. If you have additional questions or concerns about your fall schedule, please text or call Student Support at 605-202-5551 or email student. [email protected]. UNIVERSITY HANDBOOK LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Students: Welcome to the University of Sioux Falls! The launch of a new academic year marks a time of anticipation and all that implies for fresh perspectives. Last summer was an exceptionally busy time for the USF community as we prepared for the arrival of our students, a process that literally began the week after commencement exercises. There has been extensive work completed on the facilities and grounds, enhancements made to various student services, and dedicated attention to quality programming at all levels. In the spirit of our USF faith community, we are excited about the opportunity to embark upon the journey of a new academic year together. The college years are a wonderful time of exploration and discernment about life direction, all experienced within the safe confines of our Christian, Liberal Arts University focused on supporting you along the way. To this end, we encourage you to take full advantage of this most transformational time of your life and be willing to consider countless possibilities that will serve to advance your professional and personal life on many levels. The college experience is second- to-none when you choose to fully engage in all it has to offer! Our fall calendar has many planned activities focused on active participation within our USF faith and academic community. We look forward in anxious anticipation of your arrival and the opportunity to serve you during this incredible time of life. Be assured that the entire USF community is holding each of you and your families in prayer. If you have a reason to be in Jorden Hall, always feel free to stop in the President’s Office, if for no other reason than just to say hello and introduce yourself. On behalf of a grateful faculty and staff, thank you for being part of our USF community. Collectively, we extend blessings and best wishes for a wonderful academic year. Sincerely, LETTER FROM YOUR STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT Welcome Cougars, My name is Grace Trautman and I have the honor of serving as your 2020-2021 Student Body President. I am thrilled to have you join the USF family and I encourage you to familiarize yourself with this handbook, it is a great resource and introduction to our university’s services, organizations, values, and guidelines. As we begin the new academic year, I want to challenge you to seek. Seek wisdom, seek understanding, seek to serve, seek relationships, seek grace, seek forgiveness, and most importantly, seek to truly know God. My prayer is that you will find all that you seek for and more. Please feel comfortable to reach out if you have any questions, your Coo family is here for you! I look forward to growing with you this year! Grace Trautman Student Body President UNIVERSITY HANDBOOK ABOUT THE STUDENT HANDBOOK This handbook is in an electronic format and contains helpful campus information as well as guidelines, expectations, and policies that establish the official parameters for student life at the University of Sioux Falls. These standards have been formulated as appropriate by the President’s Management Team, Student Development, and the administrative officers of the University and are binding for all USF students. It is the students’ responsibility to be aware of these expectations and conduct themselves accordingly as members of the USF community. Unless otherwise indicated, all guidelines and regulations are in effect for (1) all undergraduate students and (2) residential graduate students. Responsible behavior is expected of USF students wherever they may be, for the duration of their enrollment at the University. This Handbook supersedes and replaces all previously published and/or posted versions of the USF student handbook. The University of Sioux Falls reserves the right to change, amend, add or delete to this Handbook as appropriate, and without prior notice to changes being effective. However, effort will be made to post changes made to this handbook on the University of Sioux Falls’ website at www.usiouxfalls. edu/studenthandbook. USF assumes no responsibility for any errors that may appear in this document. To assure continuous compliance with Title IX and/or any other state or federal anti-discrimination/harassment/ retaliation laws, if state or federal statutory provisions, regulatory guidance, or court interpretations—or guidance provided by any authorized regulating agency— change, conflict with University policy and/or procedure including but not limited to the hearing procedures set forth in this Handbook, the University’s policy and/or procedure will be deemed amended as of the time of the decision, ruling, legislative enactment or guidance. Further, the procedures set forth in this policy may be modified or changed as necessary and without notification. NON-DISCRIMINATION INFORMATION The University of Sioux Falls does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, disability, veteran status or age in the administration of any of its educational programs, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other school- administered programs. The University has designated the Vice President of Human Resources to handle all inquiries regarding its efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibilities under Title IX. See page 6 for more information. The Title IX Coordinator may be contacted as follows: Julie D Gednalske, Vice President for Human Resources University of Sioux Falls Jorden Hall - Suite 205 1101 W 22nd St, Sioux Falls, SD 57105 (605) 331-6802 or (605) 331-6683 [email protected] or [email protected] ACCREDITATION STATEMENT AND ADDRESSES Institutional and program accreditation information is provided on the university website at www.usiouxfalls.edu/about-usf/accreditations- and-memberships UNIVERSITY HANDBOOK TITLE IX POLICIES AND PROCEDURES SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY Sexual harassment is an abuse of power that is demeaning and interferes with the ability to work or participate in an educational setting. Under state law, sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination and is illegal. Sexual harassment is defined as sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when one of the following is met: 1. Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment decisions, a criterion for evaluation, or a basis for academic decisions or other decisions affecting such individual; or 2. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with work performance or educational experience or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment; or 3. Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of the individual’s employment or of the individual’s status in a program, course, or activity. Sexual harassment encompasses any sexual attention that is unwanted and can take many forms, but most sexual harassment falls into three categories: verbal, visual and physical. All forms of sexual harassment cause the victim to feel