5 - Student Advisement and Governance

Faculty in the Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences recognize the importance of academic, professional and personal advisement, particularly for students in professional programs which require adjustment and integration to a specialized course of study and a new and challenging environment.  

The Program Director serves as academic advisor to all students in their program.  The Program Director keeps current with students’ grades and initiates meetings when grade deficiencies are noted.  This does not preclude a student from requesting a meeting with their Program Director at any time to discuss academic progress. 

Program Directors also provide professional and career advisement as needed or requested.   This may include job application, resume building, interview advisement, job market outlook, employment resources, etc.

If a student is having difficulty in a specific course, they are encouraged to meet with the course instructor first to discuss the issue.  

If a student encounters a problem in a clinic rotation, they should ensure that patient needs are met, and then communicate with the Clinic Supervisor/ Instructor.  Students should follow up with their Clinical Coordinator in regards to clinical issues that are not resolved by discussing with the Clinic Supervisor/ Instructor.       Refer to Section 3 Clinic Education Policies, for additional information on resolving such occurrence. 

The University of Oklahoma is committed to the goal of achieving equal educational opportunity and full participation for students with disabilities. Consistent with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, The University of Oklahoma ensures that no “qualified individual with a disability” will be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination solely on the basis of disability under any program or activity offered by The University of Oklahoma.

Accommodations on the basis of disability are available by contacting the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center (ADRC).  Contact information can be found in course syllabi. Students requesting disability-related services or accommodations are required to submit appropriate documentation to substantiate the disability. The ADRC staff will review the documentation and will contact the student to begin an interactive process to obtain the appropriate accommodations. Students can expect to receive a response to their University email account within 15 University business days of the Center’s receipt of the documentation explaining their final eligibility determination. 

If students need accommodations regarding Family Medical Leave for Pregnancy or Parenting they may need to contact the ADRC office. Additional pregnancy policy information can be found in section 6 of this handbook. 

Information on policies and registration with ADRC may be found on the ADRC website.

• CAH Student Handbook (please select applicable year)
• OUHSC Student Handbook 

The Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences follows the University Sexual Misconduct, Discrimination and Harassment Policy, in regards to monitoring conduct and reporting any possible complaints of conduct.   

Students are directed to the Institutional Equity and Title IX Office website for the full policy, definitions and contact information.  For any complaints concerning actions governed by this policy, students should contact their Associate Title IX Coordinator on the OUHSC or OU-Tulsa campus.    Students may also refer to their University and College Handbooks.  

• CAH Student Handbook (please select applicable year)
• OUHSC Student Handbook

Students have rights and obligations to participate fully in the educational process; to provide input as appropriate regarding their educational and professional roles; and to seek information and clarification of actions that affect them.  Both the Health Sciences Center and College of Allied Health student handbooks include policies on the protection of student rights. 

The Department believes that all participation, comment, query, and debate by students and faculty should be characterized by honesty, common courtesy, respect for the dignity of all concerned, and a keen sense of the rights of others. 

The responsibility for academic evaluation rests with the faculty.  If a student feels they were evaluated by an instructor in a prejudiced or capricious manner, and is unable to resolve the matter first by speaking to the instructor followed by consultation with the program director then departmental chair, the student may elect to pursue the academic appeal process, as described in the CAH Student Handbook – Academic Policies.  It is important for students to remember that an appeal of an evaluation made known to the student during the term must be initiated within 10 University business days after the evaluation is made known to the student.  An appeal of an end-of-term evaluation must be initiated by February 15 for the previous fall semester or winter intersession and by September 15 for the previous spring semester, spring intersession or summer term. See CAH Student Handbook for complete details of this process. 

• CAH Student Handbook (please select applicable year)
• OUHSC Student Handbook
• OUHSC Faculty Handbook

Students experiencing personal problems in their daily activities are encouraged to seek counsel from the staff at the OUHSC Office of Student Counseling, located in the Student Union, Suite 300 (405-271-7336) in OKC or OU-Tulsa Student Affairs Counseling Services, 1C76 (918-­660-3109) in Tulsa. This student service is completely confidential.  Aspects of this service are covered by fees and student health insurance.

When seeking assistance to resolve an issue the most important factor is contacting the correct individuals in the correct sequence.  This makes the most efficient use of the established chain of command, lends appropriate credibility to the request or complaint, and allows the appropriate people to assist with the situation. 

A student is best served by attempting to resolve the issue with the individual course instructor or clinic instructor/preceptor.  If this step is not helpful, then the student should speak to their Program Director/ Clinical Coordinator, and then the Department Chair.  While it is extremely unlikely that the issue will remain unresolved after these consultations, the student may take any unresolved issue to the Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Affairs and then to the Dean of the College.

Students requesting a faculty member to serve as a professional reference or to write a letter of recommendation for employment or other purposes are required to complete a Consent Authorization Form and Letter of Recommendation Request found on the Department Webpage under “Current Student Forms”. 

The form must be completed in its entirety including the individual or institution that will request the recommendation. Completion of this form by the student permits faculty identified by the student to release the student’s academic and clinic performance in oral or written communication to the identified individuals.  

Students who believe a program may not be in compliance with the accreditation standards of the program’s accrediting body should communicate such concerns to the Department and College personnel and administration in a manner congruent with the Strategies for Resolving Problems.  If such concerns have been communicated with the Department and College and the student feels the issue is not being addressed in accordance with existing University appeal or grievance policies, the student may contact the appropriate programmatic accrediting body to report such complaints.  Students should follow the accrediting agency’s policies for complaints so the matter will receive formal consideration. Contact information for the accrediting agencies of all departmental programs is provided. 

Diagnostic Medical Sonography 
Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRCDMS)
http://www.jrcdms.org
6021 University Boulevard, Suite 500
Ellicott City, MD 21043 
Phone: 443.973.3251
Fax:   866.738.3444
Email:  mail@jrcdms.org

Radiography and Radiation Therapy 
Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)  
http://www.jrcert.org
20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 2850 
Chicago, IL 60606-3182
Phone: 312.704.5300
Fax: 312.704.5304
E-mail: mail@jrcert.org

Nuclear Medicine
Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT)
http://www.jrcnmt.org
2000 W. Danforth Rd. STE 130, #203 
Edmond, OK 73003 
Phone: 405.285.0546 
Fax: 405.285.0579 
Email:  jrcnmt@coxinet.net
 

A student who is absent from class for a religious observance may have an examination, presentation, clinical experience or other “in class” required class work rescheduled without penalty. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor of the potential absence during the first week of classes.  Rescheduling of make-up work will be at the instructor’s discretion. 

Financial advisement is available at the OUHSC Office of Financial Aid, located David L. Boren Student Union, room 301 (405-271-2118) in OKC and Office of Student Affairs 1C114 (918-660-3388) in Tulsa.  

CAH Student Handbook

An important right of students is participation in a regular system of course and program evaluation. All courses are evaluated by students at the conclusion of each course.  Since this input is important to the ongoing improvement of courses and instruction, evaluations are conducted in a manner that creates the maximum benefit from the process for all concerned. Course evaluations are conducted as follows: 

• No more than two weeks prior to the final exam of a course, a link will be emailed to the student for the electronic course evaluation
• The student will use the College’s standard online evaluation tool  
• With due care to preserve student anonymity and to ensure a thoughtful, objective, and individual evaluation of the course by the student 

Students are urged to frame their criticism as strongly as they like but should realize that no matter how valid it may be, it may be considered as personal hostility if profane language is used or if the comments are inconsistent with common decency and respect. 

In addition to course evaluations, students are asked to complete program evaluations at the conclusion of the first year and the end of the program, and at six to twelve months following graduation. 

Students in the Department are encouraged to participate in the governance and social activities of the College of Allied Health Student Association.  The Department is given four voting representatives and four alternate representatives. One representative and one alternate will be elected by the students in each of the traditional programs. Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences representatives not only represent their specific major but the Department as a whole.

Elections occur during the spring semester of the junior year, though the newly elected representatives do not become the voting representatives for their program and department until the summer/fall of their senior year.  This gives students an opportunity to observe council actions and become aware of student issues in advance of assuming the voting position.  If an elected representative cannot fulfill their obligations, the elected alternate will assume the position. 

Student Association representatives are expected to attend all meetings and communicate regularly with the Departmental student body and the other MIRS representatives to pass on information and to determine the position of those they represent on all issues. This communication may occur via email, memos, flyers or brief reports given during class sessions with the instructor’s permission. Additional information on Student Association, including its bylaws, can be found in: 

CAH Student Handbook (please select applicable year)

Student groups may elect to raise money for departmental social, academic or travel activities. Students must follow the fundraising guidelines within the CAH Student Handbook (please select applicable year). Use of any professional meetings or clinic affiliates for fundraising is subject to the college guidelines in addition to any guidelines the University or organization may have. 

To avoid questions of impropriety in fundraising activities, the Department requires students consult with their Program Director or the Departmental Chair before launching a project. A request for permission must also be obtained from the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs. This ensures support by the Department and College for the activity. Monies from fundraising must be placed in a jointly-signed student/faculty or faculty/faculty member account.  Two people will take responsibility for co-signing the account. This policy provides a record of monies collected and dispersed and eliminates the need for any student to be responsible for security of collected funds.