University and HSC Policies

Academic Appeals Policy and Procedures

Students who are dismissed or suspended from their program may request a hearing under the OUHSC Academic Appeals Policy (OUHSC Faculty Handbook, section 4.16). A student may not appeal an action simply because he /she does not agree with it (Regents, 12-1-1).

Academic Misconduct Code

The Academic Misconduct Code describes academic misconduct as including cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, fraud, destruction, bribery, or intimidation; assisting others in any act proscribed by this Code; or attempting to engage in such acts. It is the responsibility of each faculty member and each student to be familiar with the definition, policies, and procedures concerning academic misconduct as cited in the Academic Misconduct Code.

The definitions of each type of academic misconduct, as well as reporting, investigation, potential disciplinary actions (i.e., censure, limited notation suspension, permanent notation suspension, expulsion) and the appeals processes are detailed in the Academic Misconduct Code. (OUHSC Faculty Handbook, Appendix C)

Changes in Student Name or Address

A Student Information Change Request must be completed whenever a student’s name or address changes. The forms may be obtained at http://admissions.ouhsc.edu/Current-Students/Forms. Forms must be submitted to the Office of Admissions and Records.

Computer Encryption

Computer encryption requirements can be found at http://it.ouhsc.edu/services/infosecurity/documents/PCDEncryptionDecisionFlowChart.pdf.

Computer Requirements

Computer requirements can be found at https://nursing.ouhsc.edu/Student-Resources/Technology-Support.

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that their laptop is compatible with the required security tools in order to participate in their program’s curriculum.

Computer Systems and Networking Policy

Access to computer systems and networks owned, operated, or provided by the University is predicated on compliance with certain responsibilities and obligations and is granted subject to university policies and local, state, and federal laws. By using University information systems or computing resources, you agree to abide by and comply with the applicable policies, procedures, and laws. Acceptable use must be ethical, reflect academic honesty, and show responsible use in the consumption of shared resources. Acceptable use also demonstrates respect for intellectual property, ownership of data, system security mechanisms, and freedom from intimidation and harassment. Information created or stored on university computer resources, networks, and systems may be subject to the Oklahoma Open Records Act.

The complete policy can be found at je.

Consensual Relations Policy

The University’s educational mission is promoted by professionalism in faculty-student relationships. Professionalism is fostered by an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect. Actions of faculty members and students that harm this atmosphere undermine that professionalism and hinder fulfillment of the University’s educational mission. Trust and respect are diminished when those in positions of authority abuse, or appear to abuse, their power.

The complete policy can be found in the OUHSC Faculty Handbook, Appendix I.

Criminal Background Checks Policy for Current Students and Conditionally Accepted Students (HSC)

Many facilities that The University of Oklahoma colleges use for clinical experiences require students to pass criminal background checks and/or a drug screen test. Each clinical facility may have specific requirements related to background checks or drug testing of students and employees unique to that facility. Such background checks and drug tests are rotation practice site requirements, not requirements of The University of Oklahoma or the College.

The College of Nursing is responsible for providing acceptable training sites for its students, preparing students appropriately for required board or licensure exams, and providing students with the appropriate knowledge to practice their profession. It is the student’s responsibility to comply with the criminal background check and drug test requirements of the facilities in which the student rotates. Prior to the rotation start date, the student should contact the appropriate academic department or college clinical representative. Lack of timeliness in supplying the required documentation and testing to the facility may delay the student’s participation in the scheduled clinical experience.

The College is not responsible for finding rotation practice sites for students who are unable to meet the requirements for rotation practice sites, including passing background checks or drug screens; nor does it assure that a graduate will be allowed to register for required exams or obtain required licenses to practice. Students should be aware that failure to pass a background check or drug test, as determined by each facility, will prevent the student from participating in that clinical experience and may delay the student’s completion of the degree program requirements or prevent Page 36 of 45 the student from completing the degree program.

The criminal background check shall include a criminal history records search conducted by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation that is not more than ninety (90) days old.
Contingent upon available resources by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing (OBN), all criminal background checks effective January 1, 2013, shall include all the following:
1. Submission of a full set of fingerprints to the Board for the purpose of permitting a state and federal criminal history records search pursuant to Section 150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes and Public Law 92- 54that is not more than ninety (90) days old. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation may exchange these fingerprints with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
2. The applicant shall furnish the OBN fingerprints as established by Board rules and a money order or cashier’s check made payable to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation;
3. The OBN shall forward the fingerprints along with the applicable fee for a national fingerprint criminal history records search to the Bureau;
4. The Bureau shall retain one set of fingerprints in the Automated Fingerprint Identification System and submit the other set to the FBI for a national criminal history record search;
5. Any and all state and federal criminal history record information obtained by the OBN from the Bureau or the FBI which is not already a matter of public record shall be deemed nonpublic. The confidential information shall be restricted to the exclusive use of the OBN, its members, officers, investigators, agents, and attorneys in evaluating the applicant’s eligibility or disqualification for licensure and
6. Fingerprint images may be rejected by the OSBI and the FBI for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, fingerprint quality or an inability by the OSBI or FBI to classify the fingerprints. These rejections require the applicant to be fingerprinted again. Applicants with fingerprints rejected for improper registration will be required to re-register, re-pay and be re-fingerprinted. The applicant is responsible for insuring and verifying that all data is correct in the fingerprinting process.

Accessibility and Disability Accommodations

The University of Oklahoma is committed to the goal of achieving equal educational opportunity and full participation for students with disabilities. Consistent with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, The University of Oklahoma ensures that no “qualified individual with a disability” will be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination solely on the basis of disability under any program or activity offered by The University of Oklahoma.

Students must initiate their request for reasonable accommodation through the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center. Accommodations are provided on an individual basis and depend on the need for services and documentation of disability. Students will meet virtually with a staff member of the Center via Zoom for an initial intake and to jointly identify appropriate accommodations. Students should renew their request for accommodation each semester. See the ADRC website for details regarding the documentation necessary for evaluation. (http://www.ou.edu/adrc/drc-registration)

Students who have received documentation from the ADRC regarding reasonable accommodations related to a course must provide this documentation to the course instructor in writing within the first week of the course. The ADRC will work with the course instructor in making accommodations.

Discrimination/Grievance Procedure

The University in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, age (40 or older), religion, disability, political beliefs, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices, or procedures.

Any student, faculty, or staff member who believes they have been discriminated against should file a report under the Grievance Procedure and contact the Equal Opportunity Office on the Health Science Center campus directly at (405) 271-2110 or http://www.ou.edu/eoo The full procedure can be found in the OUHSC Faculty Handbook, Appendix J.

Drug and Alcohol Use

The University of Oklahoma and the College of Nursing are committed to a program and policy that prevents alcohol abuse and drug use. Various treatment options, both on and off campus, are available to members of the university community to address drug or alcohol use concerns. All students, faculty, and staff are subject to the University of Oklahoma Policy on Prevention of Alcohol Abuse and Drug Use. The policy in its entirety is available at the OUHSC Faculty Handbook, section 5.11.

Drug Screening

This policy applies to all University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center students/accepted applicants admitted to designated degree program that include or may include a clinical experience at a health care facility that requires drug screening as a condition of its affiliation with the university. See the OUHSC Drug Screening Policy for details.

Ethics in Research

Research and other scholarly activity at the University of Oklahoma must be above reproach. All faculty, staff, and students of the University community have the responsibility to ensure the integrity and ethical standards in any activity with which he or she is associated directly, and or any activity of which there is sufficient knowledge to determine its appropriateness. Misconduct in the conduct of research undermines the scholarly enterprise and erodes the public trust in the University community to conduct research and communicate results using the highest standards and ethical practices. The University of Oklahoma is responsible both for promoting scholarly practices that prevent misconduct and for developing the policies and procedures for dealing with allegations or other evidence of scholarly or research misconduct. Additional information on University Policy on Ethics in Research may be found in the OUHSC Faculty Handbook, Section 3.25.

Student Code of Honor

Students of the University are guaranteed certain rights by the Constitutions of the United States, State of Oklahoma, and the University of Oklahoma Student Association. This code establishes specific student rights and responsibilities while maintaining a learning environment conducive to the University’s mission.

Student Professional Behavior in an Academic Program Policy (HSC)

The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) strives to attract, matriculate, and train health professions and public health, biomedical, and pharmaceutical sciences students who not only possess the intellectual capacity for health professions and graduate study but also have a high capacity for ethical and professional behavior. Since training in ethical and professional behavior is an integral part of training in the health professions, conduct during training is an academic issue. Professionalism is one critical cornerstone of a successful academic program, just as it is a cornerstone of the responsible conduct or research, maintaining integrity and compassion in the delivery of health care, and building collegial and conscientious health professions team.

Student Rights and Responsibilities Code and Procedures

Details of the Student Rights and Responsibilities Code, as well as procedures when students fail to adhere to the Code of Conduct, are found in the OUHSC Faculty Handbook, Appendix C.

Protecting and Safeguarding Protected Health Information (PHI)

Every student is responsible for protecting and safeguarding Protected Health Information (PHI), in accordance with the University’s Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) policies, found at http://apps.ouhsc.edu/hipaa/. Protecting PHI is a fundamental ethical concept and a standard in healthcare that is expected of every student. As a new or returning student at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing, you understand and agree to the above and to the following:

You are not to bring to the University any confidential or proprietary information of another entity or previous employer unless you were specifically authorized by both that entity and the College of Nursing. Such information may include but is not limited to student or patient information, research information, and trade secrets.
To the extent that you receive specific authorization to take such information from another entity or previous employer, you may not bring that information to the University; put it on university-owned property, devices, or systems; or use it in the scope of your degree pursuit without the specific prior written permission of your department chair, program director, or supervisor. If you receive such permission, you must protect the information in accordance with all University policies, including policies on security of electronic data.
Upon your departure from the University, you may not take any confidential proprietary information with you. You will be asked to attest that you have deleted all such information from your personally owned devices and have returned all University confidential or proprietary information.
You must take OUHSC’s required online HIPAA training annually, as required. You may be required to take HIPAA training at rotation or affiliation sites as well.
You must have all devices you use for university business encrypted by your OUHSC Information Technology Tier 1 team. University business includes checking your email and take class notes. You must report erratic computer behavior or unusual/suspicious email to your Tier I or IT at (405) 271-2203 or (888) 435-7486.
Prompt reporting of HIPPA violations is required by federal law. You must report immediately any suspected violation and any loss or theft of PHI or devices containing PHI to your instructor and to the University Privacy Official at (405) 271-2033 or (405) 271-8767.

If you have questions about protecting confidential or proprietary data, including PHI, ask your instructor or contact the College of Nursing HIPAA Officer at (405) 271-8767.