Student Rights and Responsibilities

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Knowledge of University Policies

Each student is responsible for knowing Mason’s rules, regulations, requirements, and academic policies. This catalog is the normal repository of policy statements, but corrections, changes, or interpretations can be promulgated by other means, including electronic publication.

When the university or one of its academic units changes course requirements, grading procedures, or criteria for acceptance into particular programs, academic standing, or graduation, the changes apply to all students enrolled at the time of implementation of the change and thereafter.

Students have certain choices regarding the set of degree requirements under which they graduate, as detailed in the Catalog Requirements for Degrees section of this catalog. The Special Collections and Archives section of the Fenwick Library has copies of all previous catalogs. They may not be checked out, but may be photocopied. Any student in doubt about an academic matter should consult a faculty advisor or dean.

Students are subject to the university’s stated policies regarding patents and copyrights. These policies are available at www.gmu.edu/research/OSP/Policies.html.

Web: mail.gmu.edu

Mason uses electronic mail to provide official information to students. Examples include notices from the library, notices about academic standing, financial aid information, class materials, assignments, questions, and instructor feedback. Students are responsible for the content of university communication sent to their Mason e-mail account and are required to activate that account and check it regularly. Students are also expected to maintain an active and accurate mailing address in order to receive communications sent through the United States Postal Service.

All requests for academic actions, such as special permissions or exceptions to published academic regulations, must be submitted to the head of the unit in which the student’s program is housed, for example, the department chair, institute  director, or school or college dean. Forms and instructions on how to initiate an academic action are available in the academic unit and on the unit’s web site. For students who have not yet declared a major, the academic actions process is executed in the Office of Student Academic Affairs, Johnson Center, Room 245. Students will be informed of the average wait time for decisions on academic actions undertaken within their units. Those who need assistance with the academic actions process may consult their academic advisor, or they may be directed to the university ombudsman.

Appeals of Academic Procedures

Students have the right to appeal decisions regarding requests for academic actions. The appeals process begins in the academic unit. Each college, school, and institute at Mason has a written statement of that unit’s appeal process on file in the dean or director’s office. Students who feel the appeals process was conducted unfairly by a college or school may appeal to the Provost’s Office. All appeals must be in writing, and they must demonstrate that the student has exhausted all options within the academic unit. Undergraduate students initiate appeals of unit decisions with the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education. Graduate students initiate appeals of unit decisions with the Associate Provost for Graduate Education. The Provost’s Office does not consider grade appeals or appeals of Honor Committee decisions.

The Provost’s Office may refer cases to the University Academic Appeals Committee. The committee consists of five faculty members, including at least one member of the Faculty Senate and the provost (or designee), who serves ex officio, in a nonvoting capacity. The committee hears only those cases where procedural irregularities or a questionable application of university policies is demonstrable, or when the provost or the committee deems the case relevant to the application of university-wide policies. The burden of proof rests with the student, who must provide clear and convincing documentation to support the contention that the decision was unfair based on the criteria stated above. The committee’s decision is final. The University Academic Appeals Committee is not charged to hear grade appeals or appeals of Honor Committee decisions.

The Provost’s Office is responsible for maintaining appeals records, determining whether students have just cause, and ensuring that complete documentation is available for all committee members. The committee communicates its decision to the student, the relevant unit, and the provost.

Office of the Ombudsman  

Johnson Center, Room 245
Phone: 703-993-3006
E-mail: ombuds@gmu.edu
Web: ombudsman.gmu.edu

Administration:
Dolores Gomez-Moran, University Ombudsman

The Office of the Ombudsman is a neutral, independent, informal, and confidential resource to facilitate fair, equitable, and expeditious resolution of university-related concerns and problems raised by students. The ombudsman is an advocate for fairness and the equitable treatment of students, operates independently of all formal grievance processes at the university, and considers all sides of an issue in an impartial and objective manner. The ombudsman has no authority to make exceptions or to grant requests, but can perform informal investigations and, as a result, may recommend actions that lead to changes in processes and policies at the university. Meetings with the ombudsman are confidential. The ombudsman serves graduate and undergraduate students at the university.

Office of the Registrar
Web: registrar.gmu.edu/privacy/privacy.html

Each year, Mason informs students of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974. The university intends to comply fully with this act, which protects the privacy of education records, establishes the right of students to inspect and review their education records, and provides guidelines for amending inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings. Students also have the right to file complaints with the Family Policy Compliance Office (U.S. Department of Education) concerning alleged failures by Mason to comply with the act.

The Notification of Rights under FERPA and the Public Notice Designating Directory Information detail students’ rights and the procedures implemented by the university to comply with FERPA.

FERPA is a federal law that affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. Specifically, it affords students the right to: (1) inspect and review their education record; (2) request the amendment of inaccurate or misleading records; (3) consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in their education record; and (4) to file a complaint with the Family Policy Compliance Office of the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures of the University to comply with the act. George Mason University strives to fully comply with this law by protecting the privacy of student records and judiciously evaluating requests for release of information from those records. FERPA authorizes the release of “Directory Information” without the student’s prior consent under certain conditions, which are set forth in the act. George Mason University has defined its “Directory Information” in accordance with the law. Please visit the Registrar’s Office web site at registrar.gmu.edu for additional information about student privacy and FERPA.

Public Notice Designating Directory Information

George Mason University designates the following as public or “directory information.” Such information may be disclosed by the university without the student’s prior consent under the conditions set forth in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).

Directory Information: Student name, address, telephone numbers(s), e-mail address, date and place of birth, photographs, major, dates of attendance, enrollment status (full time, part time), class, previous institutions, major field of study, awards, honors (including Dean’s List), degrees conferred including dates, past and present participation in officially recognized sports and activities, and physical factors (height and weight of athletes).

Note: Directory information is information that Mason may disclose, but it is not required to do so. It is Mason’s policy to refrain from actively disclosing addresses, telephone numbers, and dates of birth; however, the university routinely verifies this information. Mason does not disclose social security numbers, personal identification numbers, photographs, grades, grade point averages, class schedules, academic actions nor the number of credits enrolled in or earned unless the student has signed a consent form.

Currently enrolled students may withhold disclosure of directory information under FERPA. To withhold disclosure, students must present a photo ID in person at the Registrar’s Office, Room 1 N. Chesapeake, and complete the Request to Prevent Disclosure of Directory Information Form. The form may be submitted at any time throughout the year and will immediately affect prospective disclosures. George Mason University assumes that failure on the part of any student to specifically request the withholding of a category of directory information indicates individual approval for disclosure. Former students may not place a new request for nondisclosure of directory information on their education records; however, they may request its removal.

Telephone Directory: Prevents the listing of student name, address, telephone number(s), major, and e-mail address in the George Mason University Telephone Directory.

Requests to withhold your information from the campus directory must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by 5 p.m. on Friday of the first week of classes of the semester to have information withheld in time for the publication of that academic year’s George Mason University Telephone Directory.

Confidential (Private):Prevents the disclosure of all directory information including name, address, telephone number(s), e-mail address, date and place of birth, photographs, major, dates of attendance, enrollment status (full time, part time), class, previous institutions, major field of study, awards, honors (including Dean’s List), degrees conferred (including dates), past and present participation in officially recognized sports and activities, and physical factors (height and weight of athletes).

Note:  Confidential status does not convey a right to be anonymous in the classroom or to impede routine classroom communication and interactions. Students with confidential status should expect to be identified in class by name and to have their Mason email address used for class purposes.

Students who elect this category must conduct all university business either in person with a photo ID card or from a remote location with an original notarized request. Such students’ names will be published in the commencement program unless the students request exclusion in writing. Students in this category are eligible to use interactive web and other electronic systems, such as Patriot Web, for transactions (including registration) which are protected by a secured login.

All academic programs at Mason (including the University General Education  program) have student learning outcomes that are assessed periodically. Student work in various courses may be used for such an assessment. Student anonymity is assured and grades will not be affected. At any time, students may contact the Office of Institutional Assessment at assessment@gmu.edu with questions, concerns, and comments about the use of academic work in assessment activities. 

Students may be called on from time to time to participate in focus groups, complete questionnaires, or contribute in some other way to the ongoing assessment process. At any time, students may contact the Office of Institutional Assessment with concerns, comments, and recommendations about their educational experiences at Mason. Assessment is vital to the continuous improvement of the university, and student input forms an important part of the process.

To find out more about the learning goals and assessment activities of a specific program, whether curricular or extracurricular, go to assessment.gmu.edu and click on Academic Program Review.

Student Identification Card

After registering, each student should obtain a university photo identification card. It must be presented to use library services and is required for admission to university events and when using facilities after normal operating hours. It is not transferable and is validated each semester after payment is made for classes. For more information, call the Photo ID Office at 703-993-1004, or go to the Photo ID Office section in the General Policies page of this catalog.

Change of Status, Address

Each student is required to provide Mason with current contact and identifying information, including permanent and local addresses, telephone numbers, and legal name. Each student must also maintain the university e-mail account assigned at the time of admission. Students are responsible for official communications directed to Mason e-mail accounts. For more information, go to mail.gmu.edu.

Addresses should be updated over the Internet using Patriot Web. Name and Social Security number changes require official documentation and must be processed in person at the Office of the Registrar or with the original copy of a notarized request.

Web: academicintegrity.gmu.edu

Mason shares in the tradition of an honor system that has existed in Virginia since 1842. The code is an integral part of university life. On the application for admission, students sign a statement agreeing to conform to and uphold the Honor Code. Students are responsible, therefore, for understanding the code’s provisions. In the spirit of the code, a student’s word is a declaration of good faith acceptable as truth in all academic matters. Cheating and attempted cheating, plagiarism, lying, and stealing of academic work and related materials constitute Honor Code violations. To maintain an academic community according to these standards, students and faculty members must report all alleged violations to the Honor Committee. Any student who has knowledge of, but does not report, a violation may be accused of lying under the Honor Code.

The Honor Committee is independent of the student government and the university administration. It is composed of students selected by the student body, and it has the primary duty of espousing the values of the Honor Code. Its secondary function is to sit as a hearing committee on all alleged violations of the code.

At the beginning of each semester, faculty members have the responsibility of explaining to their classes their policy regarding the Honor Code. They must also explain the extent to which aid, if any, is permitted on academic work.

The complete Honor Code is as follows:

To promote a stronger sense of mutual responsibility, respect, trust, and fairness among all members of the George Mason University community and with the desire for greater academic and personal achievement, we, the student members of the university community, have set forth this honor code: Student members of the George Mason University community pledge not to cheat, plagiarize, steal, or lie in matters related to academic work.

Honor Committee

The Honor Committee is a group of Mason students selected to promote academic integrity as a core value for our university community. Members of the committee also serve on hearing panels established to investigate and resolve alleged violations of the code.  Mason’s School of Law has an Honor Committee that is independent from the rest of the university’s Honor Committee.

Membership will be limited to 100 members who apply for membership and are confirmed at an election held each spring. Members appointed by the chair of the Honor Committee may serve provisionally pending the next election. Undergraduate members must have no Honor Code violations, maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.30, be in good academic standing, and successfully complete the training and orientation program. Graduate members must meet all of the requirements above with the exception of maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.00.  If more than 100 students apply for membership, a candidate list will be maintained according to the date of the application, and appointments will be made as vacancies occur. The term of office extends from initial appointment until final graduation, provided the member is not found responsible for an Honor Code violation, serves on at least two hearing panels each semester, remains in good academic standing, and maintains the required GPA.

A chair and vice chair will be elected in April of each year by the members of the committee. The term of office will be one year. A faculty advisor, chosen jointly by the chair of the committee and the vice president for university life, will provide administrative assistance for committee business.

Student Responsibilities

Students should request an explanation of any aspect of the professor’s policies regarding the Honor Code that they do not fully understand. They also have an obligation not only to follow the code themselves, but also to encourage respect among their fellow students for the provisions of the code. This includes an obligation to report violations by other students to the Honor Committee.

Faculty Responsibilities

Faculty members are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the learning and testing process. They should explain at the beginning of each semester what would be considered a violation of academic integrity in their courses. Special attention should be given to the subject of plagiarism. Faculty members may actively proctor exams in situations they believe warrant such action.

Procedures for Reporting Violations

Suspected violations should be reported to the Honor Committee in a timely manner using forms provided by the Honor Committee. The Honor Committee will promptly notify the involved students in writing. Those students will meet with a representative of the Honor Committee to review the information and arrange for resolution of the matter.

Hearing Panels

When a student disputes an allegation, a five-member panel of Honor Committee members, appointed by the chair of the Honor Committee, will meet with both the student and the person(s) reporting the alleged offense. Each side will present information, and the panel will determine whether clear and convincing evidence of a violation has been presented. At least four of the five panel members must judge that the evidence proves responsibility for the offense. If the student is found responsible, a sanction or sanctions will be determined by majority vote of the panel.

Counsel

The hearing panel will have a faculty member present during the hearing to offer assistance when requested by the chair of the panel. All other parties may have an advisor present if that advisor is a member of the George Mason University student body, other than a student from the School of Law.

Sanctions

The hearing panel may impose oral and written reprimands and other such nonacademic sanctions as it deems proportionate to the offense. It can recommend sanctions to the course professor that involve reduced grades. Recommendations for nonacademic suspension and nonacademic dismissal are forwarded to the provost’s delegate. In determining sanctions, panel members should keep in mind the nonpunitive educational purpose of the Honor Code process.

Appeals

Appeals of honor committee decisions must be submitted in writing within seven business days of the hearing. Appeals can be granted only on the basis of new evidence, procedural irregularity, or other grounds of sufficient gravity to call into serious doubt the original hearing panel’s decision. The decision to accept or deny the appeal will be made by three Honor Committee members who have had no prior contact with the case. In the event that a faculty member does not elect to follow the Honor Committee’s recommended sanction, students may appeal the faculty member’s action to the Academic Appeals Committee, via the Provost’s Office. The decision of this committee is final.

Amendments

The Honor Committee, by majority vote, may approve proposed amendments to the Honor Code. The proposed amendments will be submitted to the student population at the next spring election, and they must be approved for implementation by a two-thirds majority of those voting.

Please see Academic Policies  Section

Please see Academic Policies  Section

Copyrightable works, including dissertations and patentable works developed in connection with course work by students who are not Mason employees, are deemed to belong to the student. Mason may, however, claim copyright ownership of a work or ownership of a patentable invention when extraordinary use of university facilities, personnel, or resources is made in the development of the materials or invention, especially when unrelated to course work. Ownership and disposition of intellectual property developed by students while employed by the university, including undergraduates and graduate research and teaching assistants, is governed by university policies generally applicable to employees. 

Students enrolling in the university assume an obligation to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with the university’s function as an educational institution. The Code of Virginia (Section 23-9.2:3) confers on the university the responsibility for maintaining order within the university and the right to exclude those who are disruptive.

The Office of Judicial Affairs is administratively responsible for supervising student conduct on campus. Questions regarding student conduct should be directed to Judicial Affairs, SUB I, Room 302, 703-993-2884, judicialaffairs.gmu.edu.

Student Health Services provides high-quality health care to all currently enrolled students. There is no evaluation fee, but there are minimal charges for most tests and procedures. The staff includes physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, a medical technologist, and various levels of support personnel. Appointments are required for nonemergency services.

For more information, please visit shs.gmu.edu.

Student health offices are located on the Fairfax, Prince William, and Arlington Campuses. Contact information is as follows:

Fairfax Campus: SUB I, Room 214, 703-993-2831

Prince William Campus: Occoquan Building, Room 229, 703-993-8374

Arlington Campus: 3330 Washington Boulevard, Room 150 F and I, 703-993-4863

Immunization Requirements

Immunization policies are determined by legislation enacted by the Virginia General Assembly and recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American College Health Association. All students born after December 31, 1956, are required to provide documented evidence that they have been immunized against certain communicable diseases.

The required immunizations are as follows:

• Two doses each of measles, mumps, rubella, after 1967 or the combination MMR, (after 1971, with first dose given after first birthday) or a laboratory report of a titer documenting positive immunity is acceptable.
• Primary tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis series, with last tetanus and diphtheria booster within the past 10 years. Students requiring a decennial booster should receive Tdap.
• All students living in the residence hall shall be immunized against meningococcal disease. Students not living in residence halls may choose to be vaccinated to reduce their risk of meningococcal disease. Students may sign a waiver stating that they have received and reviewed information on meningococcal disease and the availability and effectiveness of the vaccine but have chosen not to be vaccinated. If the student is younger than 18 years old, the waiver must also be signed by a parent or other legal representative.
• Students shall be immunized against hepatitis B disease, or they must sign a waiver stating that they have received and reviewed information on hepatitis B disease and the availability and effectiveness of the vaccine but have chosen not to be vaccinated. If the student is younger than 18 years old, the waiver must also be signed by a parent or other legal representative.
• Tuberculosis (TB) screening is required for all students as defined by the CDC and the Virginia Department of Health. TB screening must have been completed in the United States, within the past 12 months. For more information, please visit shs.gmu.edu/immunizations. 

The Immunization Record must be submitted by October 1 for fall entrance and March 1 for spring entrance. If the student’s completed immunization records are not submitted by the due date, his or her student account will be placed on hold and he or she could be charged an immunization record late fee. Records can be sent to George Mason University, SUB I, Room 214, 4400 University Drive, MS 2D3, Fairfax, Virginia 22030. Immunization records can also be faxed to 703-993-4053. The immunization record is included as a tear-out form in the orientation booklets that are mailed to all new undergraduate and transfer students when their application for admission to the university has been approved. For more information visit shs.gmu.edu/immunizations or call 703-993-2836 or 703-993-2135. E-mail questions to immunize@gmu.edu. Immunization records will not be accepted by email.

The abuse of drugs and alcohol by members of the campus community is not compatible with the goals of the university. Mason attempts to prepare individuals to act responsibly by defining standards of behavior and providing educational programs to create an awareness of drug- and alcohol-related problems. Those in need of assistance in dealing with drug and alcohol-related problems are encouraged to seek the confidential help of the university’s Office of Alcohol, Drug, and Health Education, adhe.gmu.edu.

Drugs

• Use or possession of illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia is prohibited on all Mason campuses. Violation of this community standard will be considered a serious offense. Implementation of this policy will be in accord with established university procedures as contained in the University Judicial Code.
• The University Police will enforce all applicable local, state, and federal laws in accord with established standing orders, procedures, and guidelines.
• A university judicial review of all reports of drug offenses will be held. Action under the University Judicial Code will neither prejudice nor be prejudiced by action taken in the criminal justice system.
• Any student found responsible for a violation of law or regulation involving illegal drugs may, at the discretion of the hearing officer, be required to undergo an evaluation by the university’s Office of Alcohol, Drug, and Health Education.
• The housing status of a resident student found responsible for a drug regulation will be determined by the hearing officer. Guests and visitors found responsible of violating a campus drug regulation while in a residence hall will be issued a trespass order prohibiting their presence in any and all residential buildings on the university’s campuses. This trespass order will be in effect for a minimum of one calendar year. Residential students may be held accountable for the behavior of their guests as it relates to drug regulations.
• The standard sanction for a student’s first violation involving possession or use of marijuana or possession of drug paraphernalia will be suspension from the university for a minimum of one academic semester.
• Any student found responsible for a violation involving the sale or the possession of an illegal substance with intent to distribute will be permanently separated from the university.
• Any student found responsible for use or possession of an illegal drug other than marijuana will be suspended from the university for a minimum of one year. The suspended student must provide evidence of successful participation in a drug treatment program prior to reinstatement.

Alcohol

• The possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages is limited to those locations and circumstances authorized by university policy.
• Alcohol possession or consumption is prohibited in Presidents Park, designated first-year residential areas in University Commons, Dominion, Commonwealth, and Chesapeake Halls, and all designated Healthy Living floors.
• Students 21 years of age or older are permitted to possess alcohol in TAP (townhouses and apartments), Chesapeake, Liberty Square, Potomac Heights, and non-first-year areas in University Commons, Dominion, Commonwealth, and Chesapeake Halls. (Residents of legal drinking age may possess and store alcohol in quantities that reasonably can be considered for personal consumption (refer to the Guide to P.R.I.D.E. for further information).
• No alcoholic beverages may be consumed in public areas of residence halls, which includes, but is not limited to, hallways, study rooms, and lounges.
• Violations of this policy by students will be adjudicated through the Office of Judicial Affairs and, contingent on police involvement, the General District Court. Violations of this policy by nonstudents will be adjudicated through the General District Court System.
• Sanctions imposed will be designed to offer assistance in overcoming an identified challenge as it relates to a specific incident that involved alcohol consumption. While the purpose of the sanction will be educational and remedial, it may be appropriate to remove the student from campus housing or the university.
• The university will encourage parental involvement whenever there is a repeat offense or the first offense indicates a serious problem. This involvement will be in accord with the provisions of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.

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