Student Rights & Responsibilities
Community Care and Standards - (931) 221-6226
The Director of Community Care and Standards is an advocate for student interests, a resource for questions and assistance for students and families, and the primary contact for student emergencies. The director also oversees the student disciplinary/judicial process through the Student Code of Conduct. The code is a comprehensive document that explains the rights and responsibilities of students. The office is located in the Morgan University Center, Room 208B.
Code of Student Conduct
The Code of Student Conduct provides students with a comprehensive document that explains
the rights and responsibilities of students who enroll at Austin Peay State University.
Anyone who enrolls at APSU is entitled to all rights granted to him/her by the Constitution
of the United States and is entitled to the full protection of the law. Apart from
those rights and duties enjoyed by non students, enrollment in the University carries
with it special privileges and imposes special responsibilities. The University has
established regulations and certain due process procedures essential to an atmosphere
of mutual respect that is sensitive to rights of all individuals. The Code of Student
Conduct can be found in the Student Handbook & Calendar.
Student Handbook
The APSU Student Handbook is posted online at the beginning of the fall semester.
The student handbook includes the Student Code of Conduct, student rights and responsibilities
and important dates.
Care Coordinator - (931) 221-7341
The Care Coordinator is responsible for working with students who are displaying signs
of distress, and educational programs pertaining to sexual assault/domestic violence.
The office works in concert with the Director of Community Care and Standards to ensure
that our campus community is thriving in and out of the classroom setting. The office
is committed to providing impartial and educational processes that foster the highest
standards of ethical behavior, student learning and civic responsibility while promoting
an environment that respects the rights of all students.
Our disciplinary standard is based upon preponderance — this means that if we determine it is more likely than not that something occurred, your student will be held accountable through our administrative processes. The office may reach out to parents in the event that your student has violated our drug or alcohol policy or if we have reason to believe that your student is in danger of hurting themselves or others. If you are concerned about your student, please call (931) 221-7341.
Academic Honesty
APSU strives to promote values and attitudes that are reflective of solid academic
character and integrity. All students are expected to complete their own work and
conduct research and author assignments independently of others (unless specifically
authorized to work together by their respective faculty). Academic integrity is the
cornerstone of educational experience.
A violation of the University’s Academic Misconduct Policy can result in disciplinary action which could include failure for an assignment, failure for an entire course, probation, suspension or expulsion from the University. If students are not certain whether a practice would be considered academic misconduct, they should always consult with their instructors or visit www.apsu.edu/policy.
Academic misconduct is defined as the following:
- Plagiarism: The adoption or reproduction of ideas, words, statements, images or works of another person as one’s own without proper attribution.
- Cheating: Using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information or aids in any academic exercise or test/examination. The term academic exercise includes all forms of work submitted for credit or hours.
- Fabrication: Unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.
- Facilitation or Collusion: Assisting or attempting to assist another to violate a provision of the institution’s student code of conduct regarding academic misconduct.
Copyright infringement is a legal offense and students are at risk of disciplinary and legal action against them if they are found to have engaged in copyright infringement. Copyright is a legal right to control the copying distribution, modification, display and performance of certain types of works. It applies to text, graphics, video, audio and many other forms of expression or works owned by someone else such as books, magazines, movies, papers, art, music, illegal file sharing, information or files downloaded from the Internet, etc. Visit www.copyright.gov for more copyright information.
FERPA: Access to Student Records
Throughout your student’s education you have been involved and informed, and your
interest in your student’s grades, finances and other records will likely continue.
It is important for you to know that in college, your access to these records will
be different due to FERPA. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is
a federal law enacted to protect the privacy of students and prohibit higher education
institutions from disclosing any student information, including grades and financial
information, without the explicit authorization of the student. FERPA considers college
students to be adults regardless of age, and rights transfer from the parent to the
student when the student reaches age 18 or attends a postsecondary institution at
any age. This means that for you to have access to your student’s college records
or to discuss your student with most areas of the university, your student will need
to give prior consent. You are encouraged to discuss FERPA with your student.
Your student can simply share their information with you if they choose to do so. FERPA applies to your access to your student’s records through the University.
How does my student provide consent for me to access their records? Your student must complete the FERPA Student Release of Confidential Information form at www.apsu.edu/govnow/pdfs/FERPA.pdf. The completed form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office in the Ellington Building, Room 316.
Can I view my student’s grades and account? The easiest way for you to receive information about your student’s tuition statement, account, grades, and other information is for your student to provide it to you. Your student can view their information through OneStop and can print it, screenshot it or email it to you. Your student will need to complete the FERPA release if you plan to discuss their records with University departments and if you pay your student’s bill.
FERPA Exceptions: Without your student's consent, FERPA allows the University to release information to you if at least one of these statements applies:
- Your student is considered a “dependent” for tax purposes for the most recent tax year. You must verify this with a copy of your most recent tax return.
- Your student is under age 21 and has violated any law or university policy concerning the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance.
- A health or safety emergency involves your student.
- The information an official is sharing is based on personal knowledge or observation of your student and is not based on information in an education record.
For more information about FERPA, visit the U.S. Department of Education's website.
You are always welcome to contact the Office of Student Affairs for any questions or concerns or contact (931) 221-7341.