Optometry Student Handbook 2024-2025

Nova Southeastern University Student Handbook 41 times of impending or actual crises or emergencies, such as hurricanes, campus disruptions, or bomb threats, and to exclude any guests from any area of the campus for any reason the university deems appropriate. Health Professions Division (HPD) students—see the HPD-specific policies on visitors. B.20 Harassment or Harm to Others Harassment is defined as any conduct (words or acts)—whether intentional or unintentional—or a product of disregard for the safety, rights, or welfare of others, which causes physical, verbal, or emotional harm. It is any conduct that intimidates, degrades, demeans, threatens, hazes, or otherwise interferes with another person’s right to participate in their education and be free from a hostile environment. This includes, but is not limited to, loud or aggressive behavior; behavior that disrupts the orderly functioning of the university; behavior that disturbs the peace and/or comfort of person(s) on the campus of the university; and behavior that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment. It also includes any conduct (words or acts) in which the university can determine a threat exists to the educational process or to the health or safety of a member of the NSU community. B.21 Hate-Based Conduct Violations Any code of student conduct violation that manifests evidence that the victim was intentionally selected because of the perpetrator’s bias against the victim may be considered a hate-based conduct violation. The categories of bias include any actual or perceived identity protection under NSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy as well as ethnicity and homeless status. Any student found to have committed a hate-based conduct violation may be subject to disciplinary action, up to, and including, dismissal from NSU. B.22 Hazing Any action or situation that recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for purposes including, but not limited to, initiation or admission into or affiliation with any organization operating under the sanction of a postsecondary institution. Hazing includes, but is not limited to, pressuring or coercing the student into violating state or federal law; any brutality of a physical nature, such as whipping, beating, branding, or exposure to the elements; forced consumptions of any food, liquor, drug, or other substance, or other forced physical activity that could adversely affect the physical health or safety of the student; and any activity that would subject the student to extreme mental stress, such as sleep deprivation, forced exclusion from social contact, forced conduct that could result in extreme embarrassment, or other forced activity that could adversely affect the mental health or dignity of the student. Hazing does not include customary athletic events or other similar contests or competitions or any activity or conduct that furthers legal and legitimate objective (Florida Hazing Law, 1006.63). Engaging in, supporting, promoting, or sponsoring hazing or violating university rules governing hazing is prohibited. B.23 Health and Safety NSU recognizes that certain life-threatening behavior (e.g., suicide threats, gestures, or attempts; eating disorders; substance abuse; threats, gestures, or attempts to harm others) is a sign of personal distress. The university is committed to helping students alleviate whatever stress factors are precipitating lifethreatening behavior by providing support and/or referral through use of appropriate resources. However, since it is critically important to maintain civility and respect for all members of the university community, it is recognized that action must be taken when such behavior is considered by the university to be disruptive to and unacceptable in the academic and social/living environment.

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDE4MDg=