Back See this section in context: Criterion 1 Core Component 1B

1B.1: Commitment to Honor the Worth of Individuals

The general endorsement of meeting “diverse needs” of students and the community that appears in the Mission and Vision Statements underlies the value Sauk places on the importance of recognizing the worth of every person. However, the commitment to respect is specifically stated in the Shared Ethical Values pledge to “respect the worth and dignity of all people.”

Dignity is protected when clear expectations for behavior allow an individual to act knowledgeably. Worth is acknowledged by equitable treatment and appropriate support for individual circumstances. Evidence that Sauk acts on its value statements can be found in its policies, a few of which are highlighted below:

• The Student Code of Conduct explains students’ rights and responsibilities, and appears on the Sauk website with other policies, procedures, and handbooks.
• The Academic Appeals Policy, within the Student Code of Conduct, establishes a process to deal fairly with student issues pertaining to grades or faculty actions.
• The Acceptable Use Policy lists policies and expectations regarding the use of the college’s technology resources.
• Radiology and Nursing programs each have separate admissions and student handbooks. The admissions handbooks, which inform students of the admission requirements, are available on the website. Printed copies of the student handbooks, which inform students of the expectations for conduct once they are admitted, are distributed directly to students.
• The Student Athlete Handbook is distributed at the annual August orientation for student athletes. Athletes confirm they have been informed of and understand the rules and policies.
• Employee handbooks describe expected standards of behavior (for example, customer service, privacy rules, etc.) appropriate to each classification’s function.