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AUTHORS:
This post was written by Dr. Melissa McDaniels (of the MSU Graduate School), Dr. Patricia Stewart (of the MSU Academic Advancement Network), and Madeline Shellgren (of the MSU Graduate School).
 

 
The policy, administered by the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE), prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex and sexual harassment, including gender-based harassment, sexual assault/misconduct, relationship violence, and stalking.
Policy Link:
https://oie.msu.edu/policies/rvsm.html
MSU Office(s):
Office for Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance

Office for Institutional Equity (oie.msu.edu)
Office of Prevention, Outreach and Education (poe.msu.edu)

TIPS FOR FACULTY, ACADEMIC STAFF AND GRADUATE TAs
LEAD - respond, model and engage in ongoing learning   

Respond to disclosure using a trauma-informed interpersonal approach

Address and establish safety - find a private space to talk; be open and listen - avoid asking directive or leading questions; follow the lead of the survivor and go at their pace; avoid physical touch; maintain an open body language and use non-verbal skills to show you are listening
Believe the survivor and offer support  - “I believe you”; “I am glad you are telling me”
Provide support for overwhelming emotion - normalize the emotions; provide an opportunity for grounding (deep breathing); brainstorm other coping methods (relaxation, meditation, etc).

Respond to disclosure by carrying out your responsibilities as a university employee

To report sexual violence or relationship violence

Option 1 (preferred method) - complete the university’s online Public Incident Report Form available on the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) website: www.oie.msu.edu. This will fulfill your obligation to notify both OIE and MSU Police. Please note:  A Public Incident Report Form is NOT a police report. To file a police report directly please contact the MSU Police at (517) 355-2221
Option 2  - Call OIE and MSUPD. Employees must call both offices. Call OIE at 517-353-3922. Call MSUPD at 517-355-2221.


To report sexual harassment

Complete MSU’s online Public Incident Report Form available on the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) website: www.oie.msu.edu or call OIE at (517) 353-3922.




 
 

Model by being a partner in the MSU community’s effort to reduce sexual violence and misconduct. See the new website from the Prevention, Outreach and Engagement Office (PO&E) of the Office for Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance (poe.msu.edu) for ways you can become involved. Some examples include:

Place language in your syllabus about resources and your responsibilities
Participate in events connected to MSU’s It’s On Us campaign
Follow MSU’s It’s On Us campaign on Facebook @ItsOnUsMSU
Publicize MSU’s It’s On Us events and offer extra credit to students who attend
Consider service on a committee
Check out volunteer and support opportunities for campus service providers


 
 
 
 

Learn by reading about trauma-informed approaches to teaching across disciplines; practicing active listening; talking to peers about strategies for supporting students. Learn by completing the required online training.

 
EMPOWER - Help students make their own choices and develop confidence and competence by creating conditions for inclusive teaching and learning.
 

Provide disclaimers - give students advance warning of a discussion so survivors are not caught off guard.; Structure the discussion so students opt in, which allows survivors who are concerned; about their ability to participate without being triggered to opt out of the discussion without drawing attention to themselves (as they might if they had to get up and leave class); offer opportunities for students to debrief with you after the classroom discussion; notify students up front about faculty duty to be a mandatory reporter so that students understand what will happen if they disclose an experience.

 
ADVOCATE - Refer students to campus and community resources and follow-through and check-in with students.

Connect students to resources including resources for reporting; confidential and private resources, additional campus resources; health care and mental health resources; other resources; community resources; national resources.

DESIGN - You use a trauma-informed approach to make decisions about your curriculum, how you engage students, and how you assess learning and get student feedback.

Questions to ask yourself:

Do I have content in my class that could be triggering to survivors of sexual assault, relationship violence, or sexual harassment?  If so, how will I empower (see above) students to make decisions about how they engage with the content?
How am I going to engage my students from Day 1 in class? How upfront am I going to be about my approach to LEADING, EMPOWERING, and ADVOCATING around issues of sexual assault, relationship violence and sexual harassment?
How might I be responsive in my course design and implementation to issues of diversity and oppression? Will I ask my students for their preferred names and/or pronouns? Will I make transparent bias’ in terms of gender identity and/or sexual orientation in the content of my field? How will I do that?


RESOURCES

Resource Guide (distributed at Quick Start and New TA Institute)
Disclosure & Services Providers Document (distributed at Quick Start and New TA Institute)
Syllabus Language:  http://titleix.msu.edu/policy-info/mandatory-reporting.html
Trauma-Informed Approach to Teaching:  https://socialwork.msu.edu/sites/default/files/newsletters/Social-Work-News-Special-Edition-Spring-2018.pdf

 

AUTHORS:
This post was written by Dr. Melissa McDaniels (of the MSU Graduate School), Dr. Patricia Stewart (of the MSU Academic Advancement Network), and Madeline Shellgren (of the MSU Graduate School).
 

 
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.
Policy Link (s):
https://reg.msu.edu/ROInfo/Notices/PrivacyGuidelines.aspx
MSU Office (s):
Office of the Registrar - https://reg.msu.edu/ROInfo/Notices/PrivacyGuidelines.aspx
Office of the Ombudsperson - https://ombud.msu.edu/
TIPS FOR FACULTY, ACADEMIC STAFF AND GRADUATE TAs
LEAD – respond, model and engage in ongoing learning

Understand and follow FERPA guidelines.

“Education records” are considered records that contain information that is personally identifiable to a student, and is maintained by an institution.
“Directory information” (determined by the institution) is considered information that may be released without student consent*. Examples include: student’s name, contact information, enrollment status, program of study, degrees, etc.
Protect student educational data.

Refrain from posting grades or leaving student work in public areas.
Do not discuss student academic records with those who do not have “legitimate educational interest”. Parents, spouses, or other family members are not considered to have legitimate educational interest, so consent to discuss student progress must be obtained from the student before such information can be shared.
Handle student lists as if they are protected.

Ask for permission from students before sharing any of their work – making sure to obtain written consent in the form of a hard copy or email.
Report any possible violations to the registrar’s office. Occasionally mistakes happen. In order to mitigate any further issues, call the registrar’s office and explain the situation. They will advise you if anything further needs to be done. It is better to let someone know about a possible problem than to do nothing.


EMPOWER - Help students make their own choices and develop confidence and competence by creating conditions for inclusive teaching and learning & ADVOCATE - Refer students to campus and community resources and follow through and check-in with students.

Provide guidance when needed – refer students to the appropriate resources for understanding who has access to their information and that if they choose to share this information, where to find the appropriate forms to submit.
Inspection of their academic record – students have the right to inspect their academic record maintained by the Registrar’s Office.
Suppression of directory information – students have the right to suppress disclosure of any directory information (data that is not deemed private) for any reason. It is good practice to treat inquiries for directory information about students as though they are suppressed, as you may not know whether or not students have opted to restrict their directory information.

DESIGN –  You use a lens sensitive to student privacy to make decisions about your curriculum, how you engage students, and how you assess learning and get student feedback.

Ensure that your classroom practices follow FERPA guidelines.
If you are using external sources for course experiences, be certain that they are not collecting student data or work.

Websites or other digital tools and resources can be engaging and useful educational tools, but it is important to investigate what information is being collected about your students, where it may be stored and who has access to it. IT Services Teaching and Learning (https://tech.msu.edu/teaching/) can assist with considerations for implementing these tools if you have questions.



Instructors will have access to systems and resources that are password protected and need to be kept secure. Examples include:

Academic progress reports
Academic dishonesty reports
Grade submission and changes
Class lists and student photos
Textbook and course material entry


RESOURCES

Federal Policy

https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html

MSU and Community Resources:

Office of the University Ombudsperson: https://ombud.msu.edu
University Registrar’s site: https://reg.msu.edu/roinfo/notices/PrivacyGuidelines.aspx
FAQ’s related to FERPA: FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) (PDF)
Federal resources on FERPA: https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/?src=fpco
Technology at MSU – Teaching and Learning: https://tech.msu.edu/teaching/

AUTHORS:
This post was written by Dr. Melissa McDaniels (of the MSU Graduate School), Dr. Patricia Stewart (of the MSU Academic Advancement Network), and Madeline Shellgren (of the MSU Graduate School).
 

 
The policy, administered by the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE), prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability status, race, color, national origin, age, gender, gender identity, height, marital status, political persuasion, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or weight in its programs and activities.
Policy Link:
https://oie.msu.edu/_assets/documents/MSU-Disability-and-Reasonable-Accommodation-Policy.pdf
MSU Office(s):
Office for Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance /

Office for Institutional Equity (oie.msu.edu)

Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD)

https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/

TIPS FOR FACULTY, ACADEMIC STAFF AND GRADUATE TAs
LEAD - respond, model and engage in ongoing learning  
 

Develop a plan for learning by asking yourself the following questions:

Am I ready to talk about disability?
Do I know how to handle requests for accommodations?
Do I know what I will do if someone uses biased language about a person with a disability during class?
Do I know what I will do if a student unintentionally discloses a disability?



 
 

Learn by engaging in resources and learning more about disabilities and accommodations; practicing active listening; talking to peers about strategies for supporting students

Student perspectives on the VISA process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=e17AJQaO95s
Faculty perspectives on the VISA process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA-YN6M5j0o
Interview with a Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit specialist: https://mediaspace.msu.edu/media/t/1_lsuml3ls
Understanding Epilepsy:  https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/Forms/Understanding%20Epilepsy.pdf
The Courtesy Rules of Blindness: https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/Forms/The%20Courtesy%20Rules%20of%20Blindness.pdf



 

Model inclusive practices by:

Responding to uninformed comments, biased language, or disclosure.
Including syllabus language detailing my approach and to inclusion (and have I included language around disability and accessibility)?



Model by talking about and referring to persons with disabilities using inclusive language

Use ‘person-first’ language which acknowledges the person first, rather than the disability (e.g. “person with a disability” rather than “disabled person”)


EMPOWER - Help students make their own choices and develop confidence and competence by creating conditions for inclusive teaching and learning

Provide students space to decide which resources best meet their needs.
Understand and make explicit that students do not need to nor are they obligated to disclose. Accommodations requests do not come with the power or expectation to disclose. Allow students the space to disclose as they desire and respect their privacy.

ADVOCATE - Refer students to campus and community resources and follow through and check-in with students.

Connect students to resources including: confidential and private resources, additional campus resources; health care and mental health resources; other resources; community resources; national resources.
Understand that resources like the RCPD are not the only resource that persons with disabilities or accommodations needs will need or might want to use. Share specific resources among a list of others. When a person with disabilities or accommodation needs comes to you for help, remind them of the many resources that exist. Support them in their choice of resource and follow-up to see if there are other ways you can support them.

DESIGN - Use a proactive approach  to make decisions about your curriculum, how you engage students, and how you assess learning and get student feedback.

Include language on the syllabus that not only shares information on the policy, but also communicates expectations and community norms.
Set up spaces for disclosure that are private and welcoming. Communicating that these spaces exist to students beforehand. Following up with an email to students to setup a meeting and discuss any accommodations.
Prepare for regular and ongoing feedback in order to assess how accommodations are working.
Questions to ask yourself:

How am I going to engage my students from Day 1 in class? How upfront am I going to be about my approach to LEADING, EMPOWERING, and ADVOCATING with respect to accommodations?



RESOURCES

Awareness & Explorations in Ability Resources

https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/awareness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=e17AJQaO95s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA-YN6M5j0o
https://mediaspace.msu.edu/media/t/1_lsuml3ls
https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/Forms/Understanding%20Epilepsy.pdf
https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/Forms/The%20Courtesy%20Rules%20of%20Blindness.pdf

Best practices or suggestions

https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/download/191
https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/Forms/Model%20Statements%20Inviting%20Disability%20Accommodation%20Requests.doc
https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/forms/Students%20with%20Disabilities%20-%20The%20MSU%20Approach%20for%20Inclusion.pdf
https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/Forms/Tips%20for%20Interacting%20with%20People%20with%20Disabilities.pdf

AUTHORS:
This post was written by Dr. Melissa McDaniels (of the MSU Graduate School), Dr. Patricia Stewart (of the MSU Academic Advancement Network), and Madeline Shellgren (of the MSU Graduate School).
 

 
The student and faculty share the responsibility for maintaining the integrity of scholarship, grades, and professional standards.
Policy Link (s):  
http://splife.studentlife.msu.edu/student-rights-and-responsibilities-at-michigan-state-university/article-2-academic-rights-and-responsibilities
MSU Office(s):
Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education - http://undergrad.msu.edu/academic-integrity
Office of the University Ombudsperson: https://ombud.msu.edu
TIPS FOR FACULTY, ACADEMIC STAFF AND GRADUATE TAs
LEAD - respond, model and engage in ongoing learning  

Clearly outline the policy, as well as acceptable and unacceptable practices for work in your course

Ensure that your syllabus reflects the expectations around academic integrity. Refer to the Spartan Code of Honor, Integrity of Scholarship and Grades and the Student Rights and Responsibilities document.
Discuss the expectations both at the beginning of the course, as well as at key moments throughout the course. Continuous reminders about how students can succeed in the course by following clear instructions and guidelines will let them know that you not only take academic honesty seriously but believe that they are capable of achieving the goals of the course.
Provide guidance and resources on study habits and tips that help students meet the goals of the course.
Share the consequences of violation(s) of the institutional policy with students.
Some colleges/departments require students to agree to/sign a document of understanding about academic integrity. Find out if your unit has such documents or procedures before you encounter an issue.



Model expected behavior

Provide examples of proper citation and attribution in your course materials.
Emphasize the importance of learning over grades and ensure that assessment properly measures student learning whenever possible.



Respond to issues as soon as you become aware of them

Address all infractions of academic integrity directly with the student(s) involved. For assistance with how to have these conversations, the MSU Ombudsperson’s Office is available for confidential consultation.
Document the incident(s) and conversations that result from the incident(s).
Follow university policies and procedures for addressing all infractions of academic integrity.



Learn by reaching out to the resources available that promote student learning and success.

Familiarize yourself with the Code of Teaching Responsibility, Student Rights and Responsibilities, and the Spartan Code of Honor.
Take advantage of opportunities to engage with other educators around student learning and success.


EMPOWER - Help students make their own choices and develop confidence and competence by creating conditions for inclusive teaching and learning

Promote a learning-centered environment – by emphasizing learning and growth over grades, you can reduce the motivation to cheat or take shortcuts. Some ways you can do this include:

Provide assignments that allow students to demonstrate and apply their learning in authentic ways.
Make explicit connections between the course and learning objectives and the curriculum and future career prospects whenever possible.
Give timely feedback on how students are progressing in the course with specific suggestions on how they can improve on the areas they may be struggling in.
Offer appropriate resources that students can access to strengthen their own learning.


ADVOCATE - Refer students to campus and community resources and follow through and check-in with students.

Respond from the perspective that students are motivated to learn.

Do not take infractions as a personal insult.
Listen to the student’s position carefully and without judgment.
Address misperceptions directly.
Offer reasonable options for the student to correct the issue, if possible.
Provide appropriate resources and refer to support offices.  


DESIGN - Use learner-centered approach to make decisions about your curriculum, how you engage students, and how you assess learning and get student feedback.

Establish a rapport with students.

Clearly articulate their responsibility to do their best to learn and your responsibility as the educator to guide them.
Encourage open (one on one) discussion about challenges the students may be facing in their learning and provide reasonable opportunities to support them in working toward progress.

Establish expectations, communicate the process for achievement and the penalties for academic dishonesty.
Create a classroom experience that aligns with the goals and objectives of the course and program (if relevant).
Develop evaluations that assess student understanding and application of knowledge.
Remember, a violation of stated classroom policy does not necessarily equate to a violation of the Integrity of Scholarship and Grades policy.
Outlining expectations for collaboration is helpful.  Students are not always certain what is acceptable from course to course.

RESOURCES

MSU Policy

Integrity of Scholarship and Grades: https://ombud.msu.edu/academic-integrity/index.html#integrity
Student Rights and Responsibilities: http://splife.studentlife.msu.edu/student-rights-and-responsibilities-at-michigan-state-university
Spartan Code of Honor: https://honorcode.msu.edu/
Code of Teaching Responsibility: https://reg.msu.edu/AcademicPrograms/Text.aspx?Section=112#s514
Academic Integrity Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7H6u6b6ue8&feature=youtu.be

MSU and Community Resources

Academic Advancement Network: https://aan.msu.edu/
The Graduate School: https://grad.msu.edu/




Teaching

International Center for Academic Integrity: https://academicintegrity.org

AUTHORS:
This post was written by Dr. Melissa McDaniels (of the MSU Graduate School), Dr. Patricia Stewart (of the MSU Academic Advancement Network), and Madeline Shellgren (of the MSU Graduate School).
 

 
The policy, administered by the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE), which states that all new and redesigned University Web pages published after May 15, 2009 must be in compliance with the technical guidelines set forth at webaccess.msu.edu, unless granted an exception under Article IV of this policy.
Policy Link (s):
https://www.webaccess.msu.edu/Policy_and_Guidelines/web-accessibility-policy.html
https://www.webaccess.msu.edu/Policy_and_Guidelines/technical-guidelines.html
MSU Office(s):
MSU Instructional Technology (www.webaccess.msu.edu)
Web Accessibility Policy Liaisons (https://www.webaccess.msu.edu/Help_and_Resources/liaisons.html)
 
TIPS FOR FACULTY, ACADEMIC STAFF AND GRADUATE TAs
LEAD - respond, model and engage in ongoing learning  

Model inclusive practices by including statements about and a commitment to accessibility in your course.

Have a section in your syllabus (or related document) dedicated to accessibility



Model lifelong learning by being transparent and open about your own level of awareness around the MSU Web Accessibility Policy and your technical abilities to make content accessible. Be willing to request support and engage in trainings.
Model by being a partner in the MSU community’s efforts towards accessible learning

Participate in events connected to the Accessible Learning Conference (http://www.accessiblelearning.org/)
Consider service as a Web Accessibility Policy Liaison


 

Learn by engaging in resources and learning more about accessibility; practicing active listening; talking to peers about strategies for supporting students

Web Accessibility Trainings: https://www.webaccess.msu.edu/Help_and_Resources/classes-workshops.html



 
EMPOWER - Help students make their own choices and develop confidence and competence by creating conditions for inclusive teaching and learning
 

Provide students space to decide which resources best meet their needs.

 

Commit to making your content accessible so that all students can engage with the course materials regardless of ability.

ADVOCATE - Refer students to campus and community resources and follow through and check-in with students.

Connect students to resources including: confidential and private resources, additional campus resources; technologies; other resources; community resources; national resources.
Become aware of and advocate for why accessibility matters by attending trainings, engaging in conversations about accessibility, or incorporating regular and ongoing feedback into your coursework and then sharing about your work and the work of others

Introduction to Web Accessibility: https://webaim.org/intro/#principles


DESIGN - Use a proactive approach to make decisions about your curriculum, how you engage students, and how you assess learning and get student feedback.

Design courses with “Universal Design for Learning” (UDL) in mind, which “refers to the design of products in such a way that they are useable by all regardless of ability. Universal Design supports the use of emerging technologies, use in different environments, use by people with different learning styles or literacy levels, and multi-lingual usage.” (https://www.webaccess.msu.edu/Policy_and_Guidelines/web-accessibility-policy.html)  

More about UDL: http://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html

Include language on the syllabus that not only shares information on the policy, but also communicates expectations and community norms, and do so in a way that explicitly mentions policy around accessibility.
Set up spaces for disclosure that are private and welcoming. Communicating that these spaces exist to students beforehand. Following up with an email to students to setup a meeting and discuss any accommodations and accessibility.
Prepare for regular and ongoing feedback in order to assess how accommodations are working.
Regularly check the accessibility of the documents and web content that you create by using accessibility checkers:

https://webaim.org/resources/evalquickref/
https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/

Questions to ask yourself:

How am I going to engage my students from Day 1 in class? How upfront am I going to be about my approach to LEADING, EMPOWERING, and ADVOCATING with respect to accommodations and accessibility?



RESOURCES

Trainings

https://www.webaccess.msu.edu/Help_and_Resources/classes-workshops.html
http://www.cast.org/our-work/professional-learning#.W3G6ehJKj8M

Best practices or suggestions

https://www.webaccess.msu.edu/Tutorials/index.html
https://www.webaccess.msu.edu/Help_and_Resources/checklist.html
https://www.webaccess.msu.edu/Help_and_Resources/caption-guide.html
https://www.webaccess.msu.edu/templates/index.html
https://webaim.org/resources/
http://teachaccess.org/initiatives/tutorial/
http://teachaccess.org/resources/creating-accessible-course-content/



Stories and perspectives

http://www.cast.org/our-work/case-stories.html#.W3G6fhJKj8M
https://webaim.org/simulations/dyslexia
https://webaim.org/simulations/screenreader
https://webaim.org/simulations/lowvision
https://webaim.org/simulations/distractability