The Student Bill of Rights

All students are entitled to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to form and hold opinions without limitation and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media. Students have the right to peaceably assemble and petition their grievances.

All students are guaranteed protection from harm, aggression or violence; no student may be subject to corporal punishment of any kind, including physical or psychological harm from faculty, or any kind of sexual abuse.  

 

Furthermore, institutions must create and maintain a learning environment which ensures mental and physical health and wellness. Students are guaranteed access to aid when their health or security of person is threatened or damaged in any way.

All students have the right to due process under the law and be protected from arbitrary denial of life, liberty, or property by their academic institution or government outside the sanction of law. Students have the right to appeal a decision if they have reason to believe their rights are not being protected or upheld.  

All students are entitled to an education that meets their individual needs and fosters their personality and passion. All students are entitled to have access to experienced academic advisers who serve to identify ways their educational institution's resources and faculty can support each student's goals. All long term goals for any student must be clearly identified and chartered in direct partnership with the student, and students have the right to take part in any conversation regarding their learning goals.  

All students shall be given opportunity to partake in the decisions and discussions informing and impacting their academic institution. This involvement must entail meaningful and equal participation as is afforded to faculty and other non-student stakeholders.  Students have the right to self-organize discussions and decision making bodies to improve their learning environments. 

All students are protected from arbitrary interference or constraint of their privacy. Academic institutions must comply with the law regarding the private information of students.  The handling of student information must be a transparent process and the responsible institutions and organization must be accessible.

All students are entitled to learn skills which will prepare them for their professional goals and needs.  Students shall be free to seek and be assisted in carrying out experiential and independent learning endeavors for school credit.  Students are entitled to propose alternative projects within their academic setting which are better suited to developing the skills that will foster their life-long success.

All students are entitled to pursue opportunities which can have a positive effect on the world beyond their classroom, and receive academic support where such opportunities develop their sense of civic responsibility and knowledge.  Students may partake in such projects which aim to solve contemporary issues and propose such projects as experiential or independent learning endeavors as eligible for school credit.   

All students are entitled to be assessed in a way which most accurately captures their abilities and knowledge, as identified by the student.  In all cases, students may propose a new or alternate measure of their skills and knowledge (i.e. narrative exam instead of written or multiple choice exam).  All students, regardless of learning ability and needs, have equitable opportunity in proving their academic proficiency.

All students are entitled to technology which is up-to-date and capable of performing the diverse tasks students need, where both "up-to-date" and "student needs" are regularly defined by students themselves in a given academic setting.  In addition, all students are entitled to broadband Internet access, and access to their own digital devices. Students shall also have a say in all decisions regarding the adoption and implementation new technologies in their academic institutions.  

All students have a right to learn in an environment that is diverse and welcoming to all groups of people as lain out in the preamble of this Student Bill of Rights.  No student shall be isolated, excluded or diminished in any way in their learning process.