Missouri State University-West Plains is a teaching and learning institution providing
quality post-secondary educational opportunities to the communities we serve.
 

"The idea of focusing on learning rather than teaching requires that we rethink our role and the role of the students in the learning process. To focus on learning rather than teaching, we must challenge our basic assumptions about how people learn and what the roles of teacher should be. We must un-learn previously acquired teaching habits. We must grapple with fundamental questions about the roles of assessment and feed-back in learning"

Huba, Mary and Jan Freed. Learner-Centered Assessment on College Campuses: Shifting the Focus from Teaching to Learning. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2000.

Assessment is the process that evaluates the university learning experience with the purpose of continual improvement and has the objective of assuring the accomplishment of the mission of Missouri State University-West Plains.

Accommodation Policy

Missouri State University-West Plains is committed to providing an accessible and supportive environment for students with disabilities. Equal access for qualified students with disabilities is an obligation under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Students seeking service are responsible for notifying the University of their disabilities, requesting academic accommodation(s), and providing documentation of the disability from a qualified professional. Documentation must include necessary evidence of a disability-related need for the requested accommodation(s). Accommodation(s) cannot be based simply on the student's preferences; students must show a legitimate purpose for requesting an academic accommodation. Such accommodation(s), auxiliary aids, and services cannot alter the fundamental nature of the course or program of instruction. In addition, auxiliary aids and services cannot result in an undue burden to the university.

Auxiliary aids and services as defined by law will be provided without cost to a student entitled to such aid. Students generally will not be provided devices or services of a personal nature, such as attendants, individually prescribed devices, or readers for personal use or study.

Students requesting academic accommodation(s) should contact the Disability Services Coordinator in the Academic Support Center at (417) 255-7940 (voice), or (417) 255-7940 (TDD)

Nondiscrimination Policy

(Approved by Board of Governors 12/13/2002)

Missouri State University is a community of people with respect for diversity. The University emphasizes the dignity and equality common to all persons and adheres to a strict non-discrimination policy regarding the treatment of individual faculty, staff, and students. In accord with federal law and applicable Missouri statutes, the University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, or veteran status in employment or in any program or activity offered or sponsored by the University. In addition, the University does not discriminate on any basis not related to the applicable educational requirements for students or the applicable job requirements for employees.

The University maintains a grievance procedure incorporating due process available to any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against. Missouri State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.

Inquiries concerning the grievance procedure, Affirmative Action Plan, or compliance with federal and state laws and guidelines should be addressed to Brenda Malkowski, Affirmative Action Office - West Plains Campus, 128 Garfield, West Plains, MO 65775, (417)255-7966.

Academic Integrity

The community of scholars that is Missouri State University-West Plains is committed to developing educated persons. Educated persons accept the responsibility to practice personal and academic integrity. Each participant of the university community refrains from and discourages behavior that threatens the freedom and respect each member deserves. The following policies and procedures specifically address student academic integrity but recognize that student academic integrity is only part of the entirety of academic integrity in a community of scholars and that all members of the community share the responsibility for fostering academic integrity.

The Missouri State University-West Plains Faculty Handbook states that course policy statements must include a statement of the instructor’s policies concerning cheating and plagiarism, including consequences. An instructor’s policies on academic integrity issues, while they may reflect the instructor’s personal views, should also be consistent with this university policy on student academic integrity (See full policy).

Definition: Academic Dishonesty: Any one of the following acts constitutes academic dishonesty:

Cheating: The term “cheating” refers to using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise.

Fabrication or other misconduct in research: The term “fabrication” refers to unauthorized falsification or invention of any information (including research data) or any citation in any academic exercise; “misconduct in research” refers to any violation of ethical guidelines for attributing credit and authorship in research endeavors, non-compliance with established research policies, or other violations of ethical research practice.

Plagiarism: The term “plagiarism” includes, but is not limited to, the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work or sections of a work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment. This includes any material copied directly or paraphrased from the Internet. The unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials, including material taken from or ordered through the internet, also constitutes plagiarism.

Facilitating academic dishonesty: Assisting or attempting to assist another to violate any provision of this academic Integrity policy, whether or not that action is associated with any particular course, is considered academic dishonesty.

Definition: Academic Integrity Council (AIC): the 16 member Academic Integrity Council AIC consists of: Seven voting student members; Seven voting ranked faculty members; The Assistant Academic Dean (or designee), who is the non-voting Chair of the Council; The Coordinator of Student life and Development, ex officio (without voting privileges);

Definition: Academic Integrity proceeding: An Academic Integrity Proceeding is conducted by a five-member panel drawn from the voting AIC membership. The purpose of a proceeding is to explore and investigate allegations of student academic dishonesty and to reach informed conclusions as to whether or not academic dishonesty is likely to have occurred. An Academic Integrity proceeding is not in the character of a criminal or civil legal proceeding. It is not modeled on these adversarial systems, nor does it serve the same function. A proceeding is not a court or tribunal. Rather, it is an academic process unique to a community of scholars.

Definition: Academic Integrity Council Panel (AIP): An Academic Integrity panel consists of five members: five voting panelists drawn from the membership of the AIC, plus the Chair of the AIC, who is a non-voting member of the panel and responsible for assembling the panel and conducting the proceeding. Five voting panelists constitute a quorum for a proceeding, and at least two but not more than three panelists must be students.

Reporting Academic Dishonesty: All members of the University community share the responsibility and authority to challenge and make known acts of apparent academic dishonesty. Any student, faculty member, or staff person who has witnessed an apparent act of student academic dishonesty, or has information that reasonably leads to the conclusion that such an act has occurred or has been attempted, is strongly encouraged to report said act. Confronting and reporting academic dishonesty can be done in a variety of ways, and people should choose the manner most appropriate for the circumstances. Acts of apparent academic dishonesty that occur in the classroom may be reported directly to the course instructor, and/or the course instructor’s department head, and/or AIC Chair. Incidences of apparent academic dishonesty whether associated with a particular course or not, may also be reported directly to the Academic Integrity Council by contacting the Chair of the Council (the Assistant Academic Dean or designee) in the Office of Academic Affairs. The Academic Integrity Council will not accept or act upon anonymous reports but will hold in strict confidence the identity of any person reporting a suspected instance of academic dishonesty, unless that person consents to having his/her identity revealed. If the act of academic dishonesty that is reported to the AIC is alleged to have occurred in a particular course, the AIC Chair will notify the course instructor of the allegation. If the instructor elects not to pursue sanctions or if the reported allegation is not associated with any particular course, the AIC Chair will convene an Academic integrity panel to conduct an Academic Integrity proceeding to explore the allegation, provided that at least one person making an allegation is willing to be identified and to participate in the proceeding.

Academic Dishonesty Not Associated With Enrollment in a Course: Any incident of alleged academic dishonesty by a student not enrolled in a particular course but sitting in the course for a student duly enrolled (for example, taking a test for a duly enrolled student) should be reported directly to the AIC, which will convene a panel to address the alleged incident. Similarly, any incident of alleged academic dishonesty committed by any student at Missouri State University-West Plains outside the context of enrollment in any particular course should be reported directly to the AIC, which will convene a panel to address the alleged incident.

Weather Policy

Missouri State – West Plains Weather Hotline - 255-8075

The general policy for weather is that classes will not be canceled because of inclement weather. Students should use their own good judgment regarding travel when weather conditions are questionable.

However, in extreme conditions classes may be canceled. Faculty, staff and students should call the Missouri State – West Plains Weather Hotline at 417-255-8075 for information regarding the status of Missouri State – West Plains classes, Extended Campus classes, and Missouri State – Springfield Academic Outreach classes. An official announcement will be issued through the local radio stations and Springfield television stations only if Missouri State – West Plains and Extended Campus Classes are canceled.

Classes at the Houston Extended Campus will be canceled when Houston High School classes are canceled due to inclement weather.

West Plains Campus

When weather conditions are questionable, the Building Maintenance Supervisor will confer with the Director of Business Services as to the condition of campus parking lots, sidewalks, and area roads and highways; then the Director of Business Services will contact the Chancellor. (If the Chancellor is unavailable, the Dean of the College will assume the responsibilities of the Chancellor outlined in the weather policy.) Once the decision to cancel classes has been made, the Director of Business Services will contact the Chancellor, the Dean of the College and the Director of University Communications. The Director of University Communications will contact the Student Services Administrative Secretary, the news media and update the weather hotline.

Mountain Grove Extended Campus

When weather conditions are questionable, the Coordinator for the Mountain Grove Extended Campus will confer with the Dean of the College as to the condition of the Mountain Grove campus parking lots, sidewalks, and area roads and highways; then the Dean of the College will contact the Chancellor for the West Plains campus. (If the Chancellor is unavailable, the Dean of the College will assume the responsibilities of the Chancellor outlined in the weather policy.) Once the decision to cancel classes has been made, the Dean of the College will contact the Director of University Communications. The Director of University Communications will update the weather hotline.

Houston Extended Campus

When classes at Houston High School are canceled due to weather, Missouri State-West Plains classes taught in Houston will also be canceled. In the event of afternoon snowfall, the Houston Extended Campus Coordinator will contact the Dean of the College as to the condition of the Houston campus parking lots, sidewalks, and area roads and highways; then the Dean of the College will contact the Chancellor for the West Plains campus. Once the decision to cancel classes has been made, the Dean of the College will contact the Director of University Communications. The Director of University Communications will update the weather hotline.

Campus Safety

The campus contracts with off-duty members of the West Plains Police Department, the Howell County Sheriff’s Department and/or certified individuals to provide an Evening Safety Services program. These services include a campus security presence, escort service, and emergency services. In the event of an evening emergency, please call the Garnett Library (417-255-7945) or the Evening Safety personnel (417-257-9078).

Hostile Intruder guidelines: www.wp.missouristate.edu/CampusSafety/Preparation.htm#Hostile

See the emergency procedures for fire, tornado and general campus assistance posted in the classroom. Additional information regarding campus safety may be accessed at: www.wp.MissouriState.Edu/CampusSafety.

Emergency Messages

The Office of Registration and Records (255-7979) may be contacted by emergency personnel or your family to relay messages to you in case of an emergency. Routine messages are not accepted in order to allow instructors to conduct orderly class sessions. In the event of an evening emergency, please call 257-9078.

Electronic Devices in the Classroom

As a member of the learning community, each student has a responsibility to the other students who are members of the community. When cell phones or pagers ring and students respond in class or leave class to respond, it disrupts the class. Therefore, the Office of Academic Affairs asks that cell phones, pagers, or similar communication devices be turned off or put into silent mode during class. At the discretion of the instructor, exception to this policy is possible in special circumstances.

The University also acknowledges the usefulness of electronic devices to students in the learning process; however, the use of computers, PDAs, or other electronic devices in classrooms and instructional settings is at the discretion of the instructor. Students should review instructors' policy statements for information about whether or not they will be allowed to use such devices in the classroom or other instructional setting.