School of Nursing

Behavioral Expectations of Students

Read Email Regularly

The SON uses email as the major vehicle for communicating important information to students, students should check their email at least 2-3 times each week. The CUA email address is the official address used by the SON for email communication on SON or other CUA matters. The SON has transitioned away from use of the postal service and mailed communication with only a few exceptions. Students are requested to allow two business days for faculty response to student email before following-up.

Schedule Appointments When Faculty Meetings Are Needed

Students who wish to meet with faculty in person may book an appointment during the faculty member's office hours or contact faculty directly via email or phone to request an appointment at a mutually convenient time.

Privacy of Communication

Students must provide written authorization to the SON to share information about their CUA experience with individuals not granted access under FERPA provisions.

Resolution of Concerns

On occasion, students may have concerns about some aspect of a course or program.

• Communicate first with the course faculty to address the issue.
• Communicate with the course coordinator if applicable and if this is a different individual.
• If the issue is still unresolved and of high priority, the student may then approach the Associate Dean for the program. The Associate Dean will then make the determination whether the Dean should be involved.

If the student believes that they are not being treated equally on the basis or race, gender of some other potentially discriminatory criteria, they may approach the Associate Dean or Dean directly.

Management of Academic Program of Study

The student has primary responsibility for ensuring that they adhere to the prescribed academic plan/program. Central to this responsibility is the appropriate use of Cardinal Station, Blackboard courseware, academic advisement and adherence to SON registration requirements.

Cardinal Station: Cardinal Station is a comprehensive, online resource which empowers students to manage their academic program, including course registration. Students are expected to know how to use the Cardinal Station functionalities including accessing the course catalog, schedule of classes and registration processes. The University provides Cardinal Station training as part of the Orientation Program, also provides some online tutorial assistance (http://computing.cua.edu/training/) and has published a brochure of course registration information explaining how to use Cardinal Station registration resources.

Blackboard and Other Courseware: The University supports various platforms for web-enhanced courses (http://courses.cua.edu/). The SON web-enhanced courses use Blackboard. The student is expected to learn how to use Blackboard components of their coursework. In addition, on occasion, textbooks have accompanying online or computerized elements. Students are expected to learn how to use these elements and "plug ins". The SON only uses your CUA email log on as your Blackboard log on; although the Blackboard system permits creation of other log ons, these may not be used for SON courses with a Blackboard component.

Academic Advisement: Academic advisement is an academic support service provided by the SON to each student. Students are assigned an academic advisor whose name is registered on Cardinal Station. The student is expected to contact their advisor at least once per semester in advance of the registration period for the next semester. Undergraduate students will be advised of group enrollment meetings with assigned class advisors.

Transcript Verification: It is the student's responsibility to periodically (beginning and end of the semester) review CardinalStation information for accuracy. Students should pay particular attention to transfer credit and milestones. In the event an inaccuracy is found, students are responsible for contacting the appropriate office for resolution.

Registration Requirements: Each student is responsible for registering for the next semester on time, meeting pre-requisites for each course for which they register and for adhering to the program plan approved by their academic advisor. Because SON courses are routinely offered during either the Fall or Spring semester as opposed to both semesters, students who do not follow the approved academic plan may not be able to complete their program of study by the projected date. The required courses for each degree program are found on the School of Nursing Website (nursing.cua.edu) via links to the respective level (undergraduate/graduate) and then to the specific degree.

Registration Permissions: SON permission (a) is required for registration for all undergraduate nursing courses, and (b)may be required for select courses in the graduate programs

Pre-registration: To be guaranteed a slot and to determine the number of sections required for clinical courses, pre-registration is required for undergraduate clinical courses and may be required for some graduate level clinical courses. Undergraduate students who do not pre-register by the last day of class in the semester previous to the planned clinical will be placed on a wait list and are not guaranteed admission to the course. Undergraduate students who encounter difficulties in pre-registration should notify the Undergraduate Office as soon as possible so that these difficulties can be resolved.

Pre-registration may also be required for specific graduate clinical courses, most notably health assessment and clinical courses in the MSN and DNP program. with the same conditions applying.

Course Cancellation: The SON reserves the right to cancel courses during the add/drop period if enrolment is low. Every effort will be made to assist the student to identify an alternate course via the Consortium or to help the student adjust their academic plan so that their progression is not unduly delayed.

Course Schedule: Most of the courses offered by the School of Nursing are only offered once per academic year. Students who are unable to take a nursing course in the semester it is scheduled should consult with their academic advisor regarding the impact on their academic progression.

Expectations

• Students read Email regularly.
• Students schedule appointments when faculty meetings are needed.
• Students are to be the primary individual involved in discussion and resolution of any issues arising from their CUA experience regardless of the involvement of parents, spouses and other concerned individuals.
• Students are to follow guidelines in the resolutions of concerns.
• Students have primary responsibilitity for adhering to academic plan/program.