Undergraduate Course Policies and Resources

All students at the University of Nebraska Kearney should be aware of the following university-wide course policies and resources. 

Attendance Policy

Your instructor may have indicated on their syllabus an attendance policy specific to their class. If so, that is the policy with which you must comply. If no other policy is stated, the University-wide attendance policy will apply.

Student Attendance Policy Statement

The University of Nebraska at Kearney is invested in supporting students and promoting their success. This requires communication between instructors and students and setting clear attendance guidelines.

The university maintains that attendance is critical to allow the student to reach their full potential in their coursework. Students are expected to attend all meetings of classes for which they are registered, including the first and last scheduled meetings and the final examination period. Students are expected to be aware of attendance policies for all of their classes.

Instructors hold the right and responsibility to establish attendance policies for their courses consistent with this UNK Attendance Policy. Each instructor must inform and explain to all classes at the beginning of each semester their attendance policies in their syllabus. Asynchronous online course instructors must develop policies that align with their curricular expectations for participation. Students who are unable to meet the requirements of the course due to attendance issues may consider withdrawing.

Excused absences include official university sponsored activities as well as documented serious health concerns, medical or personal emergencies, and religious observances. Students are expected to inform faculty in advance of scheduled absences and to inform faculty within 24 hours or in as timely a manner as possible of unscheduled absences.

Instructors shall seek to make reasonable accommodations for a student with an excused absence. Students should also recognize that not every course activity (assignments, exams, labs, group discussions, etc.) can accommodate excused absences, and neither absence nor notification of an absence relieves them from meeting the course requirements. In such circumstances it is the obligation of both the faculty member and the student to work together to ensure that the student is held responsible for the work and provided the opportunity to engage in an equivalent or alternative assignment, if possible. In the event the instructor and student cannot come to an agreement on the terms of such, the student may initiate the Attendance Policy Appeal Process.

Attendance Policy Appeal Process

A student may appeal if their grade was placed in jeopardy for one of the following reasons:

  • Reasonable accommodations were not made for an excused absence
  • A request for an excused absence was declined when the absence met one of the described conditions above

The student must initiate contact with the instructor of record (or, in the absence of the instructor, the appropriate department chair) within 15 days of the absence or associated score/grade assignment, whichever is later. In an appeal:

  1. The student should meet with the faculty member teaching the course to resolve the dispute.
  2. If the student and the faculty member are unable to reach agreement, the student, the faculty member, and the department chair should meet to resolve their differences. Should the faculty member involved in the dispute be the department chair, the student shall proceed immediately to step 3.
  3. If the student, the faculty member, and the department chair are unable to resolve the dispute, the department chair will refer the matter to the dean. The dean may seek to resolve the matter informally and/or refer the matter to that college’s Educational Policy Committee before making a decision.
  4. If the student, the faculty member, the department chair, and college dean are unable to resolve the dispute, the matter will be referred to the Senior Vice-Chancellor of Academic Affairs for a final decision.
  5. This process, including steps 1, 2, and 3 above, must be completed within 25 University days of the end of the term for which the grade was assigned. University days are defined as weekdays during which the campus is open and specifically excludes those days for which the campus is closed.

Failure to notify the instructor/department chair within the allotted time will render the issue moot. If the appeal occurs within 15 days of the end of the semester, the student should follow the college’s grade appeal process rather than filing an attendance appeal.

Academic Honesty Policy

Academic honesty is essential to the existence and integrity of an institution of higher education. The responsibility for maintaining that integrity is shared by all members of the academic community. To further serve this end, the University of Nebraska at Kearney has a policy relating to academic integrity. 

Academic Integrity Policy

The maintenance of academic honesty and integrity is a vital concern of the University community. Any student found in violation of the standards of academic integrity may be subject to both academic and disciplinary sanctions. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  1. Cheating: Copying or attempting to copy from an academic test or examination of another student; using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, notes, study aids, generative artificial intelligence (AI) software, or other devices for an academic test, examination or exercise; engaging or attempting to engage the assistance of another individual in misrepresenting the academic performance of a student; or communicating information in an unauthorized manner to another person for an academic test, examination or exercise.
  2. Fabrication and falsification: Falsifying or fabricating any information or citation in any academic exercise, work, speech, test or examination. Falsification is the alteration of information, while fabrication is the invention or counterfeiting of information.
  3. Plagiarism: Presenting the work of another as one's own (i.e., without proper acknowledgment of the source) and submitting examinations, theses, reports, speeches, drawings, laboratory notes or other academic work in whole or in part as one's own when such work has been prepared by another person or entity or copied from another person or entity.
  4. Abuse of academic materials and/or equipment: Destroying, defacing, stealing, or making inaccessible library or other academic resource material.
  5. Complicity in academic dishonesty: Helping or attempting to help another student to commit an act of academic dishonesty.
  6. Falsifying grade reports: Changing or destroying grades, scores or markings on an examination or in an instructor's records.
  7. Misrepresentation to avoid academic work: Misrepresentation by fabricating an otherwise justifiable excuse such as illness, injury, accident, etc., in order to avoid or delay timely submission of academic work or to avoid or delay the taking of a test or examination.
  8. Other Acts of Academic Dishonesty: Academic units and members of the faculty may prescribe and give students prior written notice of additional standards of conduct for academic honesty in a particular course and violation of any such standard shall constitute a violation of the Code.

Under Section 2.9 of the Bylaws of the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska, the respective colleges of the University have responsibility for addressing student conduct solely affecting the college. Just as the task of inculcating values of academic honesty resides with the faculty, the college faculty are entrusted with the discretionary authority to decide how incidents of academic dishonesty are to be resolved. For more information, please visit UNK's Procedures and Sanctions for Academic Integrity and the Student Code of Conduct.

Finals Week Policy

Finals at UNK will be scheduled Monday through Thursday during the last week of the semester.

  1. Final examinations for full semester classes are to be given at the regularly scheduled examination time only as published on the Office of the University Registrar website policy (Final Exam Schedule). 
  2. During the week prior to Finals Week, the only examinations that may be given are laboratory practical examinations, make-up or repeat examinations, and self-paced examinations. 
  3. If a student is scheduled to take three or more final exams in one day during the finals week, the student has the following options take all final exams as scheduled; take the exam during the allotted day and time that is open for make-up examination or resolution of conflict, which is Thursday at 3:30 pm; or take the exam during Finals Week at an agreed-upon time worked out between the student and the instructor. Students seeking accommodation are responsible for notifying their instructor at least one week before the final exam period and providing documentation proving eligibility for accommodation. 
  4. Projects, papers, performances, and speeches scheduled for completion during the last week of classes must have been assigned in writing by the end of the eighth week of the semester. This refers to the project and its scope, not the topic. 
  5. Complaints about failure to follow the above outlined procedures should be made immediately to the faculty member. If the faculty member is not responsive to the student’s concerns, the appropriate department chair should be notified. If necessary, appeals can be filed with the dean of the college offering the course. 
  6. Any course not having an examination during Finals Week will meet under the direction of its instructor during the scheduled Finals Week time period for a continuation of regular class work. 
  7. The dean may grant exceptions to this policy on the basis of good and sufficient reasons submitted to the dean in writing. 
  8. Faculty should include a Finals Week Policy statement indicating that “The final exam will be administered in the time period scheduled during finals week in accordance with University policy (Final Exam Schedule).”

Mental Wellness

The UNK Counseling Center provides mental health services to support the academic success of students. The Counseling Center provides a full range of short-term professional mental health services.

Getting help is a smart and courageous thing to do. Contact the UNK Counseling Center at 308-865-8248 or visit their website for more information: https://www.unk.edu/offices/counseling_healthcare/counseling_care/index.php

Military and Veteran Services 

Military and Veteran Services assist veterans, service members, and their dependents with education benefits and academic and supporting resources. They serve as a liaison between students and the Veterans Administration and branches of the military.  Contact the UNK Military and Veteran Services office at 308-865-8677 or visit their website for more information: https://www.unk.edu/offices/financial_aid/veterans_services/index.php 

Reporting Student Sexual Harassment, Sexual Violence or Sexual Assault

Reporting allegations of rape, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and stalking enables the University to promptly provide support to the impacted student(s), to take appropriate action to prevent a recurrence of such sexual misconduct, and to protect the campus community. Confidentiality will be respected to the greatest degree possible. Any student who believes they may be the victim of sexual misconduct is encouraged to report to one or more of the following resources:

  • Local Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault Advocacy Agency 308-237-2599
  • Campus Police (or Security) 308-865-8911
  • Title IX Coordinator 308-865-8655

Retaliation against the student making the report, whether by students or University employees, will not be tolerated.

Students with Disabilities

It is the policy of the University of Nebraska at Kearney to provide flexible and individualized reasonable accommodation to students with documented disabilities. To receive accommodation services for a disability, students must be registered with the UNK Disabilities Services for Students (DSS) office, Loper Success Hub, 2nd Floor of Calvin T Library, 308-865-8214 or by email unkdso@unk.edu  

Students Who are Pregnant

It is the policy of the University of Nebraska at Kearney to provide flexible and individualized reasonable accommodation to students who are pregnant. To receive accommodation services due to pregnancy, students must contact the Student Health office at 308-865-8218. The following links provide information for students and faculty regarding pregnancy rights. https://thepregnantscholar.org/title-ix-basics/

https://nwlc.org/resource/faq-pregnant-and-parenting-college-graduate-students-rights/

Classroom Engagement Policy

At UNK, academic excellence is rooted in our values and commitment to support the success of all students, faculty, and staff.

  • People matter. The identities of our students, faculty and staff are essential to our educational mission. Our backgrounds and lived experiences enrich our learning community.
  • The learning environment matters. We are committed to a student-centered learning environment and the free exchange of ideas and opinions with respect for one another.
  • Learning matters. Preparing students to value critical thinking, mutual respect, and open communication is essential for lifelong learning. We are building a community that protects and fosters intellectual inquiry and embraces different perspectives.

If you are impacted by a classroom practice or experience that does not reflect our institutional values and commitment, we encourage you to consider the following steps:

  1. Students’ behavior in the classroom is addressed in the Student Code of Conduct. Sharing your concern with the instructor will inform them of your needs and assist both of you in addressing the situation.
  2. Faculty-related concerns are best addressed by sharing your perspective with the faculty/staff member first. Choose a form of communication that you feel comfortable with (personally, via zoom, or email). Advocating for yourself can be empowering, alerts the faculty members to your needs, and allows them to improve your learning and classroom experience.
  3. If you have concerns about sharing your experience directly with the faculty/staff member or believe that such sharing did not resolve your concerns, consider visiting with the Department Chair as they are invested in your wellbeing and improving the efficacy of their faculty and pedagogy.
  4. If your concerns persist despite discussions with the faculty, chair, and/or dean, you may choose to report your concern using EthicsPoint. Reports can be made anonymously by phone or online, remain confidential, and are investigated by the UNK Office of Compliance.