Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities Is Here to Help
The Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (OSRR) promotes and encourages honesty, integrity, and respect among NOVA students and staff. They accomplish their mission through education, compliance through behavioral standards and support of individual rights. Their work helps enhance the quality of the NOVA community and equips students with what they need to be successful, inside and outside of the classroom.
The Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (OSRR) is made up two important areas:
Student Integrity and Conduct – Investigate alleged violations of the Student Code of Conduct.
- Adjudication of informal and formal Code of Conduct hearings
- Mediation (settling differences)
- Student development workshops
- Professional development workshops on topics like Conflict Resolution and Classroom Management
- Referrals to resources and services
Student Ombuds Services (SOS) – For a student who believes an unfair resolution was made to a formal complaint to the College (i.e., academic concern, unethical behavior, violation of College policies or procedures, business services, financial aid, etc.), the College ombudsman will investigate the student’s concern. It is important to know that students must request the assistance or intervention of SOS, so it is important they know what they are and how they work. SOS helps resolve issues in a way that is:
- Confidential – students may discuss problems or issues in a confidential manner
- Independent – of any individual or office within the College
- Informal – reviews matters received and makes informal inquiries to offer resolution options, make referrals and mediate disputes
- Neutral – strives for impartiality, fairness and objectivity in the treatment of people and the consideration of issues
When a student enrolls at NOVA, they receive the Student Handbook. It is their responsibility to become familiar with the student code of conduct.
Click here for more on the Office of Students Rights & Responsibilities.
Click here to read about student conduct and integrity in the Student Handbook.
The Office of Students Rights and Responsibilities exists within the Division of Enrollment Management and Student Success and is overseen by the associate vice president of student support services. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Dr. Takesha McMiller, TAMcMiller@nvcc.edu.
Submitted by:
Dr. Takesha McMiller, Interim AVP of Student Support Services, TAMcMiller@nvcc.edu