Mar 28, 2024  
2018-2019 Catalog NOT CURRENT 
    
2018-2019 Catalog NOT CURRENT [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Records and Registration



The main Registrar’s Office for all degree programs is located at the St. Augustine, Florida campus. Any inquiries or requests for information should be sent to Registrar, University of St. Augustine, 1 University Boulevard, St. Augustine, FL 32086, or registrar@usa.edu.

Records

The Registrar’s Office is responsible for maintaining the official academic records for all students who enroll in academic degree programs. Student records and transcripts are maintained electronically and are kept indefinitely.  Holds may be placed on students’ records, transcripts, grades, or registration because of financial or other obligations to the University. Satisfaction of the hold is required before a release can be given.

Address Changes

A student’s legal home or permanent address (mailing address) is taken from the Application for Admission and subsequently the returned completed Enrollment Agreement. It is the students’ responsibility to change their address. Current students should submit address changes through the MyUSA portal My Info tab. Alumni e-mail address updates to registrar@usa.edu.

Name Changes

Requests for a change in the name as it appears on the respective student’s academic record must be made in writing and accompanied by a copy of one of the following: social security card, drivers’ license, passport, military ID, divorce decree, or professional license. The name change form may be found on the MyUSA portal, Student Services tab, under Forms.

Status Change—Withdrawal or Leave of Absence

Students who find it necessary to withdraw from the program or take a leave of absence must complete the required documentation and send it to the Faculty Advisor for signature and forwarding to registrar@usa.edu . Program Withdrawal and Leave of Absence forms may be found on the MyUSA portal, Student Services tab,under Forms.

Enrollment Certifications

The National Clearinghouse is the University’s authorized agent for providing enrollment verifications through its Student Self-Service program. Students can print enrollment verification certificates free of charge through the MyUSA portal, My Info tab (there is a link to Clearinghouse Self-Service).

Transcripts

To ensure confidentiality of student records, the University issues official transcripts of academic information only by written or electronic signature by the student or graduate using Transcripts Plus. Students will pay a $3.00 convenience fee for each request submitted and an additional $2.25 fee for each paper transcript requested. For electronic transcript delivery only the $3.00 convenience fee is charged. Transcripts, as well as grade reports, will not be issued for any student with an outstanding obligation to the University. For more information on ordering transcripts please visit the MyUSA portal, My Info, My Transcripts tab. Alumni may order transcripts by going to the Alumni link on www.usa.edu under the About tab and following the link on the Alumni page.

Grade Reports

Grades and unofficial transcripts can be obtained online through the MyUSA portal, My Info tab.

Transferability of Course Credit

The transferability of credits students earn at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences is at the complete discretion of an institution to which a student may seek to transfer. Acceptance of the degree earned at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences is also at the complete discretion of the institution to which the student may seek to transfer. If the degree earned at this institution is not accepted at the institution to which the student seeks to transfer, the student may be required to repeat some or all of his or her coursework at that institution. For this reason, students should make certain that their attendance at this institution will meet their educational goals. This may include contacting an institution to which a student may seek to transfer after attending the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences to determine if the degree will transfer. The University actively pursues a policy of requesting other graduate programs to accept our credits for transfer. However, the University has not entered into an articulation or transfer agreement with any other college or university.

Student Information and Records Notification of Rights Under FERPA

Student educational records at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences are governed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

FERPA affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. (An “eligible student” under FERPA is a student who is 18 years of age or older or who attends a postsecondary institution.) These rights include the following:

  1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days after the day the University of St. Augustine receives a request for access. A student should submit to the Registrar, Dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The school official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the school official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
     
  2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

    A student who wishes to ask the school to amend a record should write the school official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.

    If the school decides not to amend the record as requested, the school will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student’s right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
     
  3. The right to provide written consent before the university discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

    The school discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the University of St. Augustine in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position; a person serving on the board of directors; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of the University of St. Augustine who performs an institutional service or function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent, or a student volunteering to assist another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for the University of St. Augustine.
     
  4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the University of St. Augustine to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is as follows:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202

Student Identity Verification

The student identity verification process occurs on multiple levels. First professional students, who are required to wear University-issued student identification badges, are on campus either during the week or on weekends so their identity is verified in this manner. All students are provided with a secure account for their MyUSA portal to access the e-learning platform. They must utilize a user name and password to log in and complete their work. The proctoring requirements ensure that for courses without physical presence the student will be seen, identified, and verified. Lastly, all programs have built-in physical presence that allows for verification of personal identity and student work. This is done through residencies, seminars, comprehensive examinations, capstone and dissertation presentations, and internship/fieldwork experiences. In the past year, many online courses have also added a video component to a required assignment.

Graduation

All degree requirements must be complete before approval to graduate is given by the respective Program Director. Formal commencement ceremonies take place on or near the St. Augustine, Florida, Austin, Texas, and San Marcos, California, campuses. These ceremonies are held three times per year at the conclusion of each trimester. Confirmation of a degree is posted to the official academic record on the last day of the term. Degrees may not be conferred until all academic and financial obligations have been successfully met. The graduation fee  is paid at the time the student submits the Application to Graduate.

Honors designation is given to first professional, transitional, and post-professional students who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.50–3.64. High Honors designation is given to first professional students who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.65–4.0. The cumulative GPA is calculated through final trimester coursework and is not rounded.