Other Issues
Mental Health Withdrawal
To ensure that Valdosta State University students receive due process rights, Valdosta State University has initiated the following Mental Health Withdrawal Procedure. Before a student may be withdrawn for mental health reasons there must first be the following chain of events:
1. The student displays behavioral indicators, which are determined by a mental health professional to be of danger to himself/herself or others.
2. When a mental health professional recommends that a student needs to be withdrawn from school for mental health reasons, an informal hearing will then be set up to determine whether or not the student should be withdrawn.
3. In this informal hearing, conducted by the Office of the Dean of Students, the student or his or her representative may present any pertinent information that he or she believes will have a bearing on the particular case.
This procedure is enacted to insure that the student’s legal rights are not violated and that the University has the right to remove any student whom it feels, based on professional evaluation, may present a danger to himself/herself or others.
Valdosta State University Drug Free Work Place Policy
Valdosta State University as a recipient of federal funds supports and complies with all provisions of the Drug Free Work Place Act of 1988. As an employer, Valdosta State University will aggressively promote and strive to maintain a drug free work place for its faculty and staff.
Student employees of Valdosta State University are expected to adhere to the policies of the institution, observe the basic rules of good conduct and to meet appropriate standards of performance. This policy, as with the other institutional policies, including state and federal laws, and the Board of Regents’ policies shall be observed.
Valdosta State University Drug Free Schools and Communities Act Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program. Adopted September 4, 1990
Student Counseling, Treatment & Rehabilitation
Students who feel they have a substance abuse problem are encouraged to seek professional assistance. The Valdosta State University Counseling Center staff is available to students’ seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. Students are encouraged to utilize the services of these trained professionals in determining the proper course of rehabilitative action.
The Counseling Center staff will afford evaluation and therapy for a short-term basis, limited to five sessions. Longer-term therapy will remain the individual’s responsibility and the use of private practitioners or rehabilitative centers is encouraged by the institution and may be considered covered charges under the group insurance contract. All inquiries, treatment and referral by the Counseling Center staff will be treated with utmost confidence.
Sanctions, Disciplinary Actions
Students are expected to adhere to the policies of the institution, observe the basic rules of good conduct, meet appropriate standards of performance and observe all local, state and federal regulations relative to illegal drugs and alcohol. Violations of such policy law to include misdemeanor and or felon convictions during the course of one’s employment or enrollment will result in appropriate disciplinary actions being imposed by the institution.
Said action for students shall include forfeiture of academic credit, temporary or permanent suspension and withdrawal of organizational registration by the institution. Detailed sanctions are covered in the Student Handbook and Board of Regents Policy Manual.
Disciplinary Policy Review
The University will review this policy as necessary as but not less than on an annual basis to determine its effectiveness and to ensure that disciplinary sanctions are consistently enforced.
The principal reviewers may include the following:
1. The Assistant Dean of Students for Student Conduct
2. The Dean of Students
3. The Vice President for Student Affairs
4. The University Attorney
5. Other appropriate university personnel.
Affirmative Action Statement
Valdosta State University is an equal opportunity educational institution. It is not the intent of the institution to discriminate against any applicant for admission or any student or employee of the institution based on the sex, race, religion, color, national origin, and veteran status, handicap of the individual or sexual orientation. It is the intent of the institution to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and subsequent executive orders as well as Title IX and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
This statement appears on most printed materials describing the University or any of its activities, such as the University catalog, student recruitment brochures, faculty and staff recruitment announcements or advertisements, purchase requests, stationery, etc. Every effort will be made to include the Affirmative Action Statement on all printed materials distributed by the University.
Student Grievance Procedure
If, during the course of enrollment in or employment by the institution, a student feels that he/she has been discriminated against or harassed in violation of the University’s affirmative action and/or sexual harassment policies, the following action should be taken:
(a) A conference should be immediately scheduled with the Office of Multi-Cultural Affairs and Equal Opportunity Programs wherein the appropriate individual will advise the student of his/her rights with respect to the nature of the complaint.
(b) A determination will be made as to whether the complaint warrants a formal investigation which requires filing an official complaint by the student. A record of the findings will be retained in the affirmative action office for future reference and the student apprised of the action taken.
(c) In the case of a student employee, the procedure outlined in the regular staff handbook will be followed. The Office of Multi-Cultural Affairs and Equal Opportunity Programs will make this information available to the student.
While it is expected that students with complaints of an academic nature will file such complaints through the normal channels (faculty member, department head, dean, vice president for academic affairs, president), any violation relative to affirmative action or harassment should be reported immediately to the Office of Multi-Cultural Affairs and Equal Opportunity Programs.
Last revision Spring 2007