- Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
The ADA/Disability Services office serves as the central point of contact for students with disabilities and evaluates all requests for academic adjustments and accommodations that are needed for equal access to coursework, facilities, programs, and extracurricular activities.
Services are provided for students with all types of disabilities and temporary medical conditions, including pregnancy.
Students have the responsibility to self-identify as a person with a disability with a need for accommodation(s). Students should submit all requests for adjustments, including auxiliary aids, to the ADA / Disability Services Coordinator. Students should review Academic Policy 2.2.5, Student Request for Academic Accommodations, for specific guidance related to the accommodation process.
Faculty have the right to:
- Establish essential requirements for courses, programs, services, or activities
- Assign grades based upon a student’s demonstrated mastery of the course content
- Expect a timely notification of any approved accommodations a student requires for equal access
- Engage in an interactive discussion with the ADA Coordinator concerning the reasonableness of any approved accommodation
Faculty have the responsibility to:
- Implement approved accommodations in order to provide equal access to students with disabilities
- Be informed and cognizant of laws and university policy pertaining to the rights of students with disabilities to equal access and the provision of reasonable accommodations, including auxiliary aids and services
- Comply with FERPA requirements regarding the confidentiality of student educational records
- Refrain from sharing disability related information, including accommodation plans, with those who do not have a legitimate educational need to know
- Addition, deletion, suspension and modification of Academic Programs
The approval of the Board of Trustees is a requisite for any significant changes to academic programs, such as additions, deletions, suspensions, or substantial modifications. The Board retains the authority to eliminate programs due to factors like low demand, low productivity, changes in the campus’s role and scope, or financial exigency, regardless of the President’s recommendation. Prior to making decisions, the Board seeks input from relevant campus-wide governance bodies, the Chancellor, and the President. Guidelines for proposing new academic programs must be developed by each campus, gaining approval from the campus governance body, chief academic officer, and Chancellor, before submission to the President. The President, in turn, reports the campus deliberation results and provides recommendations to the Board for action. Established academic programs undergo two types of reviews: an annual report of low productivity programs and periodic substantive evaluations on a rotating schedule not exceeding ten years. The campus establishes guidelines and criteria for these evaluations, approved by the governing body, chief academic officer, and Chancellor, which are then submitted to the President. Recommendations resulting from either type of review are subjected to a thorough process involving faculty, administrative heads, the campus governing body, the chief academic officer, and the Chancellor, with the final recommendations presented to the Board of Trustees for action.
- Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) affords all students in higher education institutions certain rights with respect to their education records. Some of these rights are only applicable to students over 18 years of age.
UAMS has identified the University Registrar as the primary campus FERPA compliance officer. Questions or concerns related to FERPA policy application and compliance should be directed to the University Registrar. FERPA Guide for Faculty and Staff
- Harassment
UAMS personnel are expected to support UAMS’s mission and core values while creating an inclusive and respectful work environment. The ability of UAMS to meet its mission will increasingly depend on, and be strengthened by, incorporating constructive diversity and inclusion in its faculty and staff. To support UAMS’ mission and core values and create an inclusive, respectful work environment, all UAMS personnel shall embody appropriate conduct as outlined here.
Expectations in Interpersonal Relations
Refrain from using abusive, provocative, or profane language, and should avoid creating or being party to a disturbance or physical violence.
Observe the principle of mutual respect in their contacts with patients, visitors, and students, and in their working relationships with faculty and other personnel.
Treat others with dignity, fairness, and impartiality.
Do not engage in horseplay, scuffling, running, throwing objects, immoral or indecent behavior on any UAMS premises.
UAMS personnel or guests should not visit other UAMS personnel in their work areas for non-work related purposes. Official breaks with other UAMS personnel should be taken in designated areas to not disrupt the work area.
Title IX and Title VII Compliance
All employees have a right to work in an environment free of discrimination, which includes freedom from harassment. UAMS takes the safety and security of our students, faculty, staff, non-employees, guests and visitors seriously. Title IX and Title VII compliance is essential to ensuring and promoting a safe and secure environment, optimum for learning, research and creative work. Reporting sexual misconduct is critical to UAMS’ timely response to eliminate harassment, prevent recurrences, and address its effects.
Incidents should be reported via the i-safe system at: https://apps.uams.edu/i-safe/default.aspx
Anti-Discrimination
The ability of UAMS to meet its mission will increasingly depend on, and be strengthened by, incorporating constructive diversity and inclusion in its employees and students. Any form of racism, bigotry, or discrimination subverts the mission of UAMS and its core values. UAMS is committed to providing a wholesome environment where comprehensive educational, research and employment opportunities are offered to employees, students, and applicants. In both obvious and subtle ways, racism, bigotry, and discrimination adversely affect an individual’s ability to function at an optimal level. They also have a harmful effect on one’s ability to study, work, and engage in leisure activities within the University community
UAMS shall institute an on-going program designed to familiarize UAMS personnel with the fundamental principles of cultural humility, implicit bias, and inclusive excellence.
The Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DDEI) Office of Intercultural Education will provide UAMS employees with the knowledge and skills to help the University foster inclusive excellence and reach its important goals set forth in our 2029 Strategic Plan relation to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Deans and division heads, in conjunction with the DDEI Office of Intercultural Education, will lead the implementation of educational programs in their respective areas. The DDEI Office of Intercultural Education will be available, as a primary resource, for consultation in all areas of program development. The DDEI Office of Intercultural Education and DDEI Training and Strategy Advisory Council will lead the development and presentation of educational programs.
All promotional programs designed to solicit funds, provide customer information, or create community goodwill, shall reflect the diversity and inclusion of the University community and the general public. The appropriate dean/division head, or designee, shall review such material prior to publication to ensure the above standard is met.
Production of all faculty handbooks, student handbooks, employee handbooks, as well as any other communication designed to publicize policy and procedure, or any other information, must be written in a manner to promote non discriminatory and tolerant behavior. The appropriate administrative personnel shall review such material prior to publication to ensure the above standard is met as well as compliance with applicable laws referenced above.
Behavior Concerns: If an employee believes they are the victim of discriminatory behavior, they should talk to their department head or report the incident to the Office of Human Resources, Employee Relations, as soon as possible. Employee Relations will hear your claim and investigate the issue. All complaints or allegations of slurs, inscriptions, jokes, or other offensive behavior based on race, color, religion, national origin, creed, service in the uniformed services, status as a protected veteran, sex, age, marital or family status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation which occur in the workplace or are related to the workplace are violations of this policy. Employees and residents may contact the Office of Human Resources, Employee Relations, should the complainant feel uncomfortable in reporting the incident to the department head. Students should also report complaints to the Associate Dean of their respective college.
Violations of this policy will result in disciplinary action in accordance with the Employee Disciplinary Policy, Administrative Guide Policy 4.4.02, Employee Discipline. Training courses in the Academy for Inclusive Excellence may also be required for those found to be in violation of this policy.
- Plagiarism
UAMS has distinct Codes of Academic Integrity for each of its five colleges. Students are required to sign an Honor Code, signifying their commitment to maintaining academic standards and conducting their work honestly. To understand the specifics regarding plagiarism, academic honesty definitions, and the repercussions for violations, it is recommended to refer to the Code and Honor Council of your respective College. Through the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Academic Initiatives and Integrity strives to create a culture of honesty and personal and professional responsibility among University of Arkansas students, faculty, and staff. As a community of scholars we uphold academic integrity as foundational to appropriate conduct within the university setting. Academic Initiatives and Integrity manages outreach efforts for policy education and facilitates the University’s process for alleged violations with the All-University Academic Integrity Board.
- Requirements to Serve as Graduate Faculty
The initial composition of the Graduate Faculty is detailed in the Statement of Organization, and additional members will be chosen by the Graduate Council based on recommendations from the Committee on Faculty (refer to Graduate Council Committees). Individuals holding Masters or Doctoral degrees are eligible to apply for membership. While the College of their primary appointment assigns academic rank to Graduate Faculty members, there are no specific numerical levels, status distinctions, or classifications associated with their Graduate School activities. Only Graduate Faculty members are authorized to serve as course directors for graduate-level courses, and those with prior research experience are eligible to advise research for graduate credit.
The approval of thesis and dissertation committee assignments is subject to guidelines outlined by the Dean of the Graduate School. These guidelines stipulate that all Graduate Faculty members assigned to such committees must possess previous research experience. Members with an appropriate Master’s degree may serve on Master’s thesis committees, while those with both an appropriate Master’s degree and prior graduate teaching experience, or with an appropriate Doctoral degree, may chair or participate in Master’s thesis committees and serve on Doctoral dissertation committees. Faculty with an appropriate Doctoral degree and prior graduate teaching experience as a faculty member may chair or participate in both Master’s thesis committees and Doctoral dissertation committees. In each of these cases, teaching experience encompasses classroom teaching, membership on thesis or dissertation committees, or directing students in research projects.
Graduate programs will regularly assess faculty for active participation in graduate education. Those who have not actively engaged in graduate education may, upon the program’s request, be removed from the Graduate Faculty roster by the Graduate Council. Individuals affected by this decision have the right to appeal to the Dean of the Graduate School.