Equal Opportunity Policy
It is the policy of the University of Hawai‘i to provide equity of opportunity in higher education, both in its educational mission and as an employer. The University is committed to complying with all State and Federal statutes, rules and regulations which prohibit discrimination in its policies and practices, and direct affirmative action, including but not limited to Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Executive Order 11246, as amended, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Titles VII and VIII of the Public Health Service Act, as amended, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Employment Act of 1967, the Vietnam Era Veteran’s Assistance Act of 1974, and Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, Chapters 76, 78, and 378. The University shall promote full realization of equal opportunity through a positive, continuing program on each campus. Procedures have been established to handle complaints of alleged discrimination.
Individuals designated to coordinate the University of Hawai‘i - West O‘ahu effort are:
Student Affairs: Jean M. Osumi, Dean of Student Services
Facilities Matters: Clifford Togo, Director of Administrative Services
EEO/Discrimination/Harassment Issues: Adrienne Valdez, EEO Officer and Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator
Family Educational Rights and Privacy (FERPA)
Pursuant to Section 99.6 of the rules and regulations governing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (hereinafter called the Act), students in attendance at the campuses of the University of Hawai‘i are hereby notified of the following.
It is the administrative policy of the University of Hawai‘i to subscribe to the requirements of Section 438 of the General Education Provision Act, Title IV, of Public Law 90-247, as amended, Section 249 of the Improving America’s Schools Act of 1994 and to the rules and regulations governing these Acts, which protect the privacy rights of students.
The rights of students under the Act include the following, subject to conditions and limitations specified in the Act:
1. A student has the right to inspect and review their own education records.
2. A student has the right to request to amend education records in order to ensure accuracy of such records.
3. A student shall have the right to request a hearing in order to resolve disputes regarding a student's right to inspect or amend the student's education records.
4. A student shall be assured that, except for the disclosure of directory information, the University of Hawai‘i will not disclose personally identifiable information without the student's consent.
5. A student shall have the right to file a written complaint with the Family Policy and Regulations Office, U.S. Department of Education, Washington D.C. 20202, should the student determine that rights accorded herein have been violated.
6. A student shall have the right to waive any of the rights provided under the Act.
Students are advised that institutional policy and procedures required under the Act have been published as Administrative Procedure A7.022 Procedures Relating to Protection of the Educational Rights and Privacy of Students. Copies of AP A7.022 may be obtained from the Student Services Office.
Students are advised that certain personally identifiable information is considered by the University to be Directory Information and, in response to public inquiry, may be disclosed in conformance with State Law, at the University’s discretion, without prior consent of the student, unless the student otherwise so informs the University not to disclose such information.
Directory Information may include:
1. Name of student
2. Local address and ZIP code
3. Local telephone number
4. Major field of study
5. Education level (i.e. Junior, Senior, etc.)
6. Fact of participation in officially recognized activities and sports
7. Weight and height of members of athletic teams
8. Dates of attendance
9. Most recent educational institution attended
10. Degrees and awards received
11. email address
12. Enrollment status (full-time and part-time)
A student presently registered and in attendance at any campus may request that one or more of the items designated as directory information not be disclosed to the public. A student wishing to exercise this right must, in writing, not later than 14 days from the first day of instruction for a regular semester or term, or the fourth day of a summer session, inform the campus as to which items are not to be disclosed without the prior consent of that student.
Parents of students are advised that information contained in education records, except as may be determined to be Directory Information, will not be disclosed to them without the prior written consent of their sons and daughters.
The University is not required to notify students before complying with certain subpoenas.
Information concerning disciplinary action may be included in a student's education records, and such information may be disclosed to teachers and other school officials who have legitimate educational interests, without prior consent.
Student Conduct
The Board of Regents of the University has approved a policy statement which establishes guidelines for behavior on all campuses. Pertinent sections of the statement are:
"The two categories of impermissible behavior, apply equally to every member of the academic community includes the staff, faculty and students. "
"Category 1. A member of the academic community may not behave toward another member, even in the name of his convictions or his rights to academic freedom, in a manner denying or interfering with another member's expression of convictions, right to academic freedom or the performance of his legitimate duties or functions.
"Category 2. Behavior intended directly or indirectly to interfere with or disrupt the processes of teaching, learning or research or those processes or conditions furthering or facilitating these activities is impermissible behavior. An interference or disruption exists when any of these processes can no longer take place in the planned, normal, or customary form given to them by those legitimately responsible for them, or when any of these conditions has essentially ceased to exist. Processes or conditions furthering or facilitating teaching, learning or research as used in the first sequence of this paragraph include the administration of the University."
In accordance with this policy, the University of Hawai‘i - West O‘ahu has adopted a student conduct code with specific examples of impermissible behavior, including academic dishonesty, which is defined below. The code also delineates the appropriate hearing procedures, and describes the various sanctions that may be imposed. Sanctions may range from a warning, restitution where restitution is appropriate, to probation, suspension, expulsion, or the rescission of grades or degree.
Copies of the student conduct code are available through the Student Services Office.
Academic Dishonesty
The University is an academic community with high professional standards. Its teaching, research and service purposes are seriously disrupted and subverted by academic dishonesty. Such dishonesty includes plagiarism and cheating.
Cheating
Cheating includes, but is not limited to, giving or receiving unauthorized assistance during an examination; obtaining unauthorized information about an examination before it is given; using inappropriate or unallowable sources of information during an examination; falsifying data in experiments and other research; altering the record of any grade; altering answers after an examination has been submitted; falsifying any official University record; or misrepresenting the facts in order to obtain exemptions from course requirements.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, submitting in fulfillment of an academic requirement, any document that has been copied in whole or in part from another individual's work without attributing that portion to the individual; neglecting to identify as a quotation, another's idea and particular phrasing that was not assimilated into the student's language and style or paraphrasing a passage so that the reader is misled as to the source; submitting the same written or oral material in more than one course without obtaining authorization from the instructors involved; or "drylabbing," which includes obtaining and using experimental data and laboratory writeups from other sections of the course or from previous terms, or fabricating data to fit the desired or expected results.
Academic Grievance
Issues associated with the authority and responsibilities of faculty members may occasionally arise. To protect the rights of students and faculty, the University has established an academic grievance procedure whereby students who believe that a faculty member has behaved in an improper manner may seek recourse. A reasonable attempt (by phone, mail, email or in person) should first be made to resolve the complaint of academic impropriety on an informal basis with the faculty member. If the faculty member fails to respond to the student's attempt to contact him/her within a ten-day period, or if a satisfactory resolution is not reached at this level, the matter should be reported, in writing, to the faculty member's Division Chairperson. The Division Chair shall render a decision/recommendation for resolution within 10 working days upon receipt of the report of academic impropriety by the student. Should a student decide to appeal the Division Chair's decision and/or recommendation, the student has the right to file a formal academic grievance with the Chair of the Academic Grievance Committee. For specific information, copies of the academic grievance procedure may be requested from the Student Services Office.
Use of Social Security Number
Section 7(b) of the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 522a) requires that when any federal, state, or local government agency requests an individual to disclose his or her Social Security account number, that individual must also be advised whether that disclosure is mandatory or voluntary, by what statutory or other authority the number is solicited, and what use will be made of it.
Accordingly, each applicant is advised that disclosure of his or her Social Security Number (SSN) is required as a condition for making application to any of the campuses of the University of Hawai‘i, in view of the practical administrative difficulties which the University of Hawai‘i would encounter in maintaining adequate student records without the continued use of the SSN. The SSN will not be used as an identifying number on University documents. A computer generated eight digit identification number will be assigned to the student on admission to any of the University of Hawai‘i system campuses.
Although the SSN is no longer used as a student identification number, it will be used to verify the identity of the applicant to reconcile against other official documents such as applications for financial aid, determination of residency for tuition purposes, registration and academic record-keeping; student affairs programs requiring verification of enrollment for the purpose of providing services; and alumni affairs.
Authority for requiring the disclosure of an applicant's SSN is grounded in Section 304.2 and Section 304.4, Hawai‘i Revised Statutes as amended, which provides that the Board of Regents of the University of Hawai‘i shall have general management and control of the affairs of the University. The University of Hawai‘i has, for several years, consistently required the disclosure of social security numbers on the System Application Form and other necessary University documents.
In addition, it should be noted that the SSN of a parent, guardian, or spouse, of an applicant is also requested if the applicant claims residency on the basis of the residency of the parent, guardian, or spouse. A parent, guardian, or spouse is advised that disclosure of his or her SSN for the above purpose is mandatory. Failure to provide it may affect the applicant's admission to the University and the tuition charged the applicant when such applicant registers for classes. Parent's, guardian's, or spouse's SSN will be recorded only on the System Application Form (Residency Declaration) itself and will not be maintained in any other system of records. Its use will be restricted to further verification of information reported on the System Application Form (Residency Declaration) by the applicant and/or parent, guardian or spouse.
Persons with Disabilities
In accordance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Hawai‘i - West O‘ahu hereby provides notice that it does not discriminate against qualified disabled individuals in the recruitment and admission of students and employment of faculty and staff. No otherwise qualified disabled person shall, solely on the basis of that disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.
The University of Hawai‘i - West O‘ahu is committed to providing equal access to its academic courses, educational programs, and related activities. Reasonable and appropriate accommodations will be made available to individuals with disabilities.
Disabled students who will require auxiliary aids and special services must identify themselves to the Student Services Office when they are admitted and disclose the nature of their disability so that arrangements can be made for appropriate assistance. Students who develop disabilities during the school year should notify the Student Services Office as soon as possible.
At the University of Hawai‘i - West O‘ahu, ramps to all buildings provide access for the disabled. Classrooms are easily accessible to students in wheelchairs. Restroom facilities are equipped for use by the handicapped.
Copies of the University of Hawai‘i policies and procedures on non-discrimination and affirmative or voluntary action are available upon request at the University of Hawai‘i - West O‘ahu Student Services Office. Questions or concerns about programs, services, activities and facilities at the University of Hawai‘i - West O‘ahu may be addressed to:
Academic Affairs: Joanne Itano, Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Student Affairs: Jean M. Osumi, Dean of Student Services
EEO/Discrimination/Harassment Issues: Adrienne Valdez, EEO Officer and Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator
Facilities Matters: Kimo Yamaguchi, Facilities/Auxiliary Services Manager