The Rushmore University Faculty Handbook contains the policies and procedures of the University. Since Rushmore is a virtual University, the rules and regulations must be stipulated in such a way as to meet the needs of the stakeholders through an online venue. Additional information to the faculty beyond the Faculty Handbook is communicated through The Rushmore Worldwide News, blogs, social media, and through individual dispatches and/or email directly to the faculty members.
Rushmore University does not maintain an online catalogue of courses available but does maintain a template showing course guidelines for approved, suggested, and accredited courses.
Rushmore University reserves the right to revise, modify, or repeal any of its policies and procedures at any time. Additions may be made to this Handbook at any time, subject to the approval of the Board of Governors, and faculty members are advised to consult the Faculty Handbook for access to current policies and procedures.
Revision information may also be available from the office of the Dean of Graduate Studies, Dean Alan Guinn, 105 Circle Court, Bristol, TN 37620-6310, USA.
The Faculty Handbook is compiled and produced by the Board of Governors of Rushmore University, the Director of Admissions and Records, the Director of Editing, and the Dean of Graduate Studies.
Rushmore University has the following stated objectives:
- Maintenance of a virtual school which delivers the highest level of education possible to students who request its services, regardless of the students’ location in the world, at a competitive price compared to other online schools.
- Expansion of the University on an ongoing basis to offer additional classes within multiple disciplines, and to offer both Accredited and non-Accredited degree programmes at the undergraduate and graduate levels, using world-class advisors, editors, administrators, and professors. Some of these classes may incorporate in-person instruction, and may affiliate with delivery at other Universities, Colleges, and Institutions of Higher Learning.
- Maintenance of resources that can support students and faculty member research, academic excellence, and creative endeavour.
- Maintenance of a faculty of sufficient size to allow and encourage one on one work with each student, using the modified Oxford Tutorial Method of instruction, and creating the same learning environment when material is presented in any real-life learning environment. Additional classes added via Learning Management System as required.
- Creation of an environment for writing and critical discussion of topics where students are challenged, advisors and professors are engaged, and where students learn correct writing techniques through the auspices of the Rushmore Editing Department.
- Maintenance of Accreditation standards through agencies of worldwide recognition to make the value of a Rushmore accredited degree significant to the student and worthwhile to employers and professional rating organisations.
Rushmore University will maintain the highest level of services to students and faculty as is possible. Any requests or questions to any member of the Faculty or the Administration should be answered within three working days.
Rushmore University will stress diversity within its student body as well as within its faculty and administration. No one will be denied application, entrance, acceptance, or graduation based upon race, colour, creed, religion, or political affiliation. Diversity of student learners and diversity of faculty aids in the process of education, and in preparing students as world-class learners and performers.
Rushmore University will attempt, always, and in all ways, to identify student needs and develop programmes and plans to meet those needs.
Rushmore University will update all online learning resources and will seek input from as many diverse sources as possible.
Rushmore University will create new and innovative programmes to meet demand. The University will work with our accrediting partners to ensure that the standards implemented meet or exceed minimum requirements at all points in preparation, delivery, and assessment.
Section I
Rushmore University, for over ten years, operated as a for-profit Educational Trust, administered by the Cox Family Trust, based in the Cayman Islands, a UK Protectorate. It is now operated by a financial group based on the Island of Antigua. The purpose of the University is to educate students, allowing them to become productive members of society, throughout the world. It is administered by a Board of Governors, and Dr. Alan Guinn, the Dean of Graduate Studies. The Board of Governors meets regularly to discuss issues and challenges facing the University.
The University seeks to offer the highest quality education to its students. This is accomplished by hiring outsourced professors who are experts in their areas of responsibility. Many are, or have been, CEOs of Corporations, or hold CPA, LLD, LLJ, MD, and other titles within their respective organizations. Others have overseen major areas of responsibility of large companies. Others still have been published authors or have edited scholarly journals - as a matter of fact, every current faculty member at Rushmore University is a published author; many of them with multiple articles, books, and feature stories. Some of these studied at Rushmore, and several Rushmore professors have published their PhD Dissertations and gone on to become advisors with Rushmore. Rushmore professors are regularly quoted in, or write, scholarly journals and several edit major magazines or quarterly scholastic journals.
In mid-2009, Rushmore developed a programme which would allow Rushmore University, domiciled in the Cayman Islands, to become accredited through a UK-Based Group, Chartered Management Institute. CMI is recognized as the premier agency in the UK, and the plan for Rushmore was to achieve accreditation/certification through CMI. The University has successfully functioned in this manner since 2012.
This pathway was chosen as opposed to a token affiliation with a currently accredited school or university.
The Mission of Rushmore University is stated within our Corporate Objective.
Rushmore’s Corporate Objective: To furnish the highest quality education to our students, offered by a world-class faculty who challenge our students to find a higher pathway for development of both their lives and careers, and to share with these learners a format for self-directed learning, self-empowerment, and self-improvement.
Rushmore’s online offering to students consists of unique pages of web content, highly organized and edited, and operating under the URL http://www.rushmore.edu Rushmore has owned and operated under the coveted .edu suffix since the time the suffix was first offered. Rushmore selected this to convey to potential students and faculty the importance we attach to our University operating not as exclusively for profit, commerce, or as a net for profit function, but as a true education offering. These pages of content are not study content, however, but offer articles, papers, guidelines, directions, and opportunities for students to learn and grow personally and professionally.
Rushmore helps students learn how to organize both their studies and their learning processes. Our library consists of materials offered through the Internet which can best be described as the largest compendium of knowledge in the history of man. No library at any brick-and-mortar university could hold this same amount of printed material, representing a variety of languages and cultures, and Rushmore not only helps the student discover tools and keys to learning through this material, but helps the student learn to write scholarly papers and present the ideas arising from this material in a cogent process. In our Science Program, references to material are offered during the class time by the Learning System.
Operating around the world and with students from over 100 different countries, the University offers a true learning portal to many students who otherwise might not have access to a learning opportunity. Pricing of the degree programmes offered is in the lower tier of offerings available online. This is again reflective of the effort to make education available and accessible to as many students as possible. It is the plan of the University to continue to offer an unaccredited degree to those for who accredited study is not required, or simply are not required to seek an accredited degree program. Accredited Degrees will be available through the auspices of CMI. Making an accredited degree available offers a different psychographic and demographic make-up of students and allows expansion of the student base in a natural and progressive evolutionary pattern of growth and development of the University.
Dean of Graduate Studies and Member of the Board of Governors
Dr. Alan Guinn is the Dean of Graduate Studies. Mr. Guinn oversees the assignment of students to faculty advisors and resolves day to day operating challenges and issues. His participation in the Rushmore faculty process dates back to 1999, when he was hired as one of the first five Faculty members for Rushmore. During 2003, he was on leave while he served as CEO of the start-up IT business Starling Payments Group, Inc., which developed software used, in part, by Wells Fargo Bank, NA. Mr. Guinn is currently the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the extraordinarily successful Guinn Consultancy Group, Inc. based in Eastern Tennessee, USA, which is active all over the world, and is also Chief Financial Officer for ABSV, Ltd., developing Sports and Resort Facilities on the Island of Antigua. Dr. Guinn has also served as a Guest Professor at European Polytechnic Institute, in the Czech Republic, and has been a designated lecturer at East Tennessee State University and at King University. He is a former Senior-level Undergraduate Lecturer at National College.
Director of Admissions and Records
Mr. Dan Dolejs is the Director of Admissions and Records. Mr. Dolejs has held this role since 2002.
Director of Editing Services
Mrs. Elizabeth Miller, a Professional Editor, and owner of EM Editing, serves as our Chief Editor. She edits all Rushmore written work as well as magazine, online, and books for our students and alumni upon request.
Section II
Purpose and Scope of the Process
Each faculty member is responsible for working with Rushmore students, helping guide the learning process of the student along the pathway of the approved material. It is an assumed part of the learning process that each student will read and be able to apply the theories as offered in text(s) in a way which satisfies the editor, the professor - and, in the case of Accredited Courses, the External Assessor — that the material has been learned in such a way that it can be applied. In many cases, the student will be expected to compose an academic paper that will help the advisor assess the level of knowledge and practical applicability of the material learned. If possible, this paper will be published, thereby offering the student peer review and feedback. All grades attained by the student will be registered with the Learning Management System and a final grade will be recorded in the student transcript.
Faculty members are initiated to the Rushmore process by the Dean of Graduate Studies and/or his designate and are expected to accept and discharge specific responsibilities associated with feedback, quality of work, and grading of papers. Faculty members evaluate papers and work product developed by students, and post comments and a grade through the Director of Admissions and Records, or online, which rolls up into a database maintained by the Director of Admissions and Records. This is the official database, and records not only the number of hours of credit recommended by the faculty member to be granted for the course, but also the grade reported and recorded. This database represents the official record of the grades earned by the student while studying at Rushmore University.
Discrimination against Students or Stakeholders
No qualified handicapped person shall, based on that handicap, be excluded from, denied participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any University related programme or activity.
Rushmore University admits students of any race, colour, national or ethnic origin, religion, creed, or age to all the rights, privileges, programmes, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the University. Rushmore does not discriminate based on age, race, colour, handicap, national or ethnic origin, religion, creed, or sex in administration of its educational policies, scholarship programmes, or any other University-administered programme.
Faculty members are requested to be sensitive to these issues when presenting questions or advisory services, assigning any additional outside reading or projects, selecting any group of students for any type of extracurricular study or assessment, and assigning student work. The University faculty and administration are committed to providing an equal educational opportunity to all students.
Rushmore University is also an Equal Opportunity Employer. The University is committed to the concept of equal opportunity in hiring, employment, and personnel practices and policies. All personnel activities are conducted without regard to race, creed, colour, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status.
Instructor and Course Evaluation Policy and Procedures
Rushmore University recognizes the value of student evaluation of their instructors. The University requires a Capstone Paper to be completed and presented to the Dean of Graduate Studies prior to the graduation of any student from any programme. This Capstone Paper summarizes the experiences gained by the student during his or her studies, recognizes challenges faced and results attained, and offers honest and open feedback concerning the learning experience, the quality of work completed with advisors/professors, and the expectations of the student based upon the work he or she has successfully completed. This Capstone Paper is presented to, and read by the Dean in every case, and serves as a yardstick against which the accomplishments of the student are measured.
The University also recognizes that evaluations by others — such as peers and administrators — are valuable and their use is encouraged by the Board of Governors. The Dean of Graduate Studies is especially encouraged to conduct random sampling of content of papers, and comments offered by faculty members to students on the quality and acceptability of the work presented.
Grading of Work Product and Responsibilities Related Thereto
The grading system in use at Rushmore University is based on a 4.0 QPA (A+) expectation of all work submitted. The University standard is to accept only A or B grades on graduate work, with the opportunity extended to any student who achieves a “C” on any of his or her work to raise the grade by up to one letter grade by resubmission of the paper or work product required.
The grading system at Rushmore University is based upon the following:
| Letter Grade | QPA | Equivalency |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.0 | @Equivalent to 95-100 Points vs. 100 Pt. Total |
| A | 3.7 | Equivalent to 90-94 Points vs. 100 Pt. Total |
| B+ | 3.5 | Equivalent to 85-89 Points vs. 100 Pt. Total |
| B | 3.0 | Equivalent to 80-84 Points vs. 100 Pt. Total |
| C+ | 2.5 | Equivalent to 75-79 Points vs. 100 Pt. Total |
| C | 2.0 | Equivalent to 70-74 Points vs. 100 Pt. Total |
Grades below C are not recorded, and results must be improved, or students are not credited with the work attempted during the course. Grades of D and F are rarely, if ever, assigned. They convey zero QPA points if assigned.
Transcripts are maintained securely by the Director of Admissions and Records, Dan Dolejs, based in New Zealand. The files will be backed up via Carbonite, and via servers at our office computers on Antigua. The geographical separation of these two locations leads us to conclude that destruction of this information in both locations represents an infinitesimally small risk factor for loss of data.
The Official University Grading Scale is printed on each Transcript furnished to a student. Faculty members report the grade electronically to the Director of Admissions and Records, Dan Dolejs. Records and materials collected by the faculty and as submitted by the student serve as evidence of student performance and as the primary source of data for the evaluation of students for grades. The faculty members attach copies of papers and work papers submitted by the student, including a copy of the full schedule of work product undertaken, in journal form, when submitting a grade. The work product, as well as the journal, are archived in the Rushmore Archives. Such records are held in perpetuity.
Final Examinations
In the Open University learning model, since all courses require writing of papers or project synopses, there are no written final exams. In the LMS Learning Model, there are final examinations, and the Professors responsible for those courses report those grades to the Director of Admissions and Records.
Dropping Courses
A student may drop a course at any time during his or her course of study and may substitute other courses within the same curricular sequence. The University does not track either Withdrawals/Failing or Withdrawals/Passing, since the sequence of events leading up to the drop may not be principally focused on the content required of the course.
Posting of Grades
The individual professor or advisor will share the grade assigned for the paper, project or LMS Result with the student, along with comments or advice for change.
Academic Advising
Faculty members who are assigned to work as academic advisors by the Dean of Graduate Studies are responsible for knowing the academic rules and regulations of the University. Advisors must be sufficiently familiar with the University and its services and/or support functions to be able to refer students to the services they might need, or which might interest them.
Advisors should meet the same standards as expected during registration, paper turn around, etc. Responses to students must be sent within three business days via email.
Advisors will not be assigned to students until the student satisfies the Dean of Graduate Studies that his or her financial obligations to the University have been met. Faculty advisors should review the student profile as listed on the www.Rushmore.edu website to acquaint themselves with a student if the advisor has not worked previously with the student. It is the responsibility of the student to forward a copy of his or her profile upon request to the advisor.
Faculty advisors should ascertain that students are not taking courses that they might be able to transfer into Rushmore University from another institution of higher learning. Advisors should work with their advisees via email and encourage them to make their degree plans early enough to plan balanced study and assure timely graduation.
Advisors are requested to maintain current records on their advisees and revise them as necessary when working with a student on a new class paper or class project. Advisors are also reminded that past performance, while serving as an indicator of future performance expectation, is no guarantee that a student will perform at or above a level previously demonstrated. Each course for which the advisor is assigned must stand on its own merits and its own level of achievement.
Services for Disabled Students
The University ensures that all services, programmes, and activities are accessible to students with disabilities. If a student makes an accommodation request for any activity or service, the student may contact the Dean of Graduate Studies directly. The Dean will assure that every accommodation will be reached.
Scholarly Misconduct Policies and Procedures
Rushmore University is fully committed to integrity in scholastic activities. These guidelines and policies apply to all programmes offered at the University. This Worldwide Code of Academic Integrity exists for the benefit of students, faculty, and administrators.
Rushmore University is committed to the policy of Academic Integrity. All members of the University community are pledged to academic honesty. Any form of dishonesty is an affront to the University community as a whole and is punishable by suspension or expulsion.
Cheating will not be condoned. All papers and projects submitted must be the students’ own work, or summarize the work completed for the specific work project as defined.
- Students will not copy any papers written by others and submit them as their own.
- Students will not steal another’s work (plagiarize).
- Students will not aid or abet any form of academic dishonesty. Further, any student who has been found to aid others in academic dishonesty will be punished as if he or she were the primary offender against the guideline.
Enforcement of these guidelines will be at the direction of the Dean of Graduate Studies, serving at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. Upon evidence of any type of cheating or plagiarism, a student will be removed from the Rushmore programme. The extent and circumstances in which the cheating or plagiarism is proved to have occurred will be considered when deciding to suspend the student for a set period of time or to expel the student. If the student is expelled from the University, the University is under no obligation to return any funds which have been pre-paid by the student. If the student is suspended for cause, the cause will be considered when deciding how much, if any, of any prepaid funds should be returned.
The Rushmore Code of IT Practice
Computing resources figure prominently in the operation of Rushmore University. Students are connected worldwide via the Internet, and technology is an asset without which, in all fairness, the University would find it difficult to operate effectively.
Individuals who are granted password access to the Rushmore University site accept the responsibilities that accompany this access. The individuals who are granted password access to the website accept that this access is limited to accounts and resources granted for educational or administrative purposes and, except as provided for within this code, activities unrelated to these purposes are prohibited.
Rushmore University understands the connected new world in which learning now occurs. Officers and Directors of the University are committed to intellectual and academic freedom in connection with both the computing and network resources, including the ability of our students to access each other using University tools, as well as social media tools available at no cost to our students. Indeed, Rushmore itself operates a Linked In site for our students and graduates. Such open access is a privilege not to be abused. It requires that all users act responsibly, and all operations are legal and ethical, reflect academic honesty, and show restraint in the use and consumption of shared resources across the web. The use of these shared resources should demonstrate a healthy respect for intellectual property, ownership of data, system mechanisms, the right to personal privacy, and the right of individuals and stakeholders worldwide to freedom from intimidation and harassment.
It will be the responsibility of each Rushmore University student and faculty member to be aware of his or her own local or Country’s laws in connection with any work, study, or associated relationship or stakeholder interest. A relationship or stakeholder interest means anyone who is associated with the University, whether on a governing board, as a faculty member, as a student, or in any other relationship. If the laws in a stakeholder’s country conflict with US or UK law, then UK law will prevail. Although some laws available as protection may seem onerous, each Rushmore University stakeholder will take it upon him or herself to ensure that laws are followed — in both theory and practice.
All general University regulations and policies are applicable to the use of computing resources.
Rushmore University is aware that some pages of our website and some of the resources which are available online are blocked by some governmental agencies; notably, by the Government(s) of Iran, North Korea, and in some locations within China.
In the spirit of collegial learning and the sharing of information, Rushmore University elects not to block any learning material online from any country or region of the world. However, Rushmore will not tolerate any discriminatory language, and will remove all unacceptable comments pasted to any University website.
Illegal reproduction of software related to the Rushmore University website or software that is protected by copyright laws of any country, or is protected by licensing requirements, may result in civil and criminal sanctions in the country of protection. Rushmore faculty is specifically advised against using copied software or any software programme for which the provenance is not known or proven.
Some users of accounts at Rushmore are not account owners. Account owners are assigned usernames and passwords by the Director of Admissions and Records. Those website users who do not own accounts but are granted conditional access to the Rushmore website are to conduct themselves as guests while conducting research on the Rushmore University website. Please note that neither users nor owners of accounts have ownership rights and should have no expectation of privacy as regards computer communications and data that is stored on Rushmore University computers or on the Rushmore University Networks. The Board of Governors has the express right to convey access to electronic files, including any Rushmore University email files, for any purpose deemed reasonable by them in their sole discretion.
Records containing information causally related to a student are confidential and protected from public disclosure by a variety of federal, state, and commonwealth laws in the different countries in which the University operates. No one shall access, nor attempt to access, nor shall deconstruct the records of any stakeholder in the University to access any such records maintained in an electronic format or disclose or distribute the contents in any manner inconsistent with these laws and regulations under which the University operates in any domicile where these records might be stored.
Public Service
The Rushmore University faculty represents a remarkably diverse group of experienced professors, medical doctors, consultants, teachers, attorneys, C-Level executives, authors, and business executives who are involved in a variety of activities around the world. Some Rushmore faculty members have climbed to the top of 25 mountains of the world. Some of the faculty own extraordinarily successful and remarkably diverse businesses. It is, indeed, this diversity that brings such a compelling study experience to the Rushmore University student body.
The Rushmore Board of Directors requires that the faculty members of Rushmore conduct themselves and their other business activities in accordance with the stated University regulations and in accordance with these published guidelines. Rushmore faculty members may be found involved in public service activities anywhere in the world.
Work Assignments
The work of the University community in instruction, administration, and service is professional in nature and character, and does not conform to any number of hours per week in set standards. Therefore, the standards of work assignments will vary from faculty member to faculty member. So that there may be some basis of comparison with other institutions and/or agencies, the standards summarized here will be used.
Rushmore University faculty will generally perform the following duties: advising students, serving on committees, participating in online meetings, grading papers based upon the quality and standard of work presented by the student in understanding and demonstrating knowledge of the implementation of the key concepts of the material studied. Such activities are considered a normal part of the duties of faculty teaching, along with specific activities related and causally linked to a particular class. Preparation for grading and assessment in the subject matter material constitutes a necessary part of such a work assignment.
The Dean of Graduate Studies is charged with ascertaining that the various professors assigned to the teaching of specific material have sufficient background and opportunity to prepare for their various responsibilities.
Generally, the work assignments will proceed in the following manner:
| Upper Division Candidates | (Master’s Level and Doctoral Level) | Taught by Full Professors |
| Upper Division Candidates | (Master’s/Undergraduates) | Taught by Full Professors |
| Lower Division Candidates | (Undergraduates) | Taught by Associate Professors |
| Specialized Candidates | (Status to be Determined) | Taught by Specialized Professors |
| Certificate Courses | (Status to be Determined) | TBD |
This general guideline may be modified at the choice of the professor/advisor and will be modified upon request of the student with the concurrence of the faculty member.
Rights, Privileges, and Responsibilities
Faculty members have the following rights:
- To be respected for their knowledge and experience by students, colleagues, and peers.
- To receive regular feedback when offered by a Degree Candidate or from the Dean.
- To personally feel a part of each graduate’s success and to learn of the success;
Faculty members have the following privileges:
- Academic freedom, subject to the constraints of the course and the accrediting group;
- Use of University web space for access to projects and posting of information related thereto;
Faculty members have the following responsibilities:
- To be qualified and prepared to teach Rushmore University degree candidates;
- To make themselves available to students via email or telephone;
- To respond to students within three business days of student requests;
- To respect the goals and aspirations of their students;
- To ensure their actions represent their utmost effort to help each student achieve his/her maximum potential.
Faculty Appointments
All positions at Rushmore consist of independent contractors, and all serve at the pleasure of the Board of Governors. Compensation will be paid monthly upon presentation of an invoice to dean@Rushmore.edu. This invoice shall clearly state hours claimed, student enrolled and taught, the date the service was accomplished, the course number, the name of the student, and any comments related thereto in this format. The invoice should indicate the following information. It may be as detailed as an Excel spreadsheet, or as simple as an email with the following substantiating information:
Example
| Date | Course Name | Course# | Student Name | Grade Issued | Comments | # Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04-01 | Intro Business | 2500 | Bobby Barnes | A | Good Effort | 3 Cr Hrs |
The Rushmore Online Grade Report Form
Rushmore University Faculty will report all grades for papers and projects using the online Grade Report Form, located on the www.rushmore.edu website. After signing in with his or her name and password, the faculty member will proceed to the Grade Report Form. Each section within the form must be completed, i.e. there must be something entered each category. The format for the online Grade Report Form is as follows:
The Rushmore University Online Grade Report Form
Grade Report
Position Descriptions
Rushmore University is a virtually flat organization and does not have multiple tiers or layers of reporting relationships.
It is governed by a Board of Governors, made up of the Dean and the Investors in the University. Supporting the efforts are the Director of Admissions and Records and the Director of Editing Services, currently held by Dan Dolejs and Mrs. Elizabeth Miller. The final positions in the University are those of professor, associate professor and advisor.
All positions at Rushmore work directly with students and are responsible for the successes achieved by any student enrolled in the University. Rarely is a distinction made due to title or role to be played.
The ultimate arbiter in the decision-making process is Dr. Guinn and the Board of Governors. Dr. Guinn generally assists in making directional decisions for the University on a day-to-day basis and serves in a role of both tactical and strategic planning. Mr. Dolejs arrives at Admissions Decisions based upon a long-established practice of open admission, unless overriding facts preclude what he would expect to be a successful matriculation of the student. Mrs. Miller is responsible for the evolution of the editing standards against which all papers and projects are ultimately graded.
Students may be rejected from or denied admission to the University for a variety of reasons, but most usually due to of a lack of sufficient formal education to have developed the basic groundwork required for success, the lack of an ability to communicate effectively in English, or attitude issues in dealing with the guidelines, rules, or regulations.
Position Description: Chairperson, Board of Governors
Position Title: Chair
Supervisor’s Title: None
Current Incumbent: Dr. Roger Bradburn
General Summary: The Chairperson, Board of Governors, is responsible for the successful operation of the University, and adherence to all rules, guidelines, and regulations affixed thereto. The Chairperson has the ultimate decision-making power within the decision-making matrix of the University.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Curriculum : Full Oversight and Approval
Faculty : Full Oversight and Approval
Academics : Full Approval of Academic Changes and Advice
Pedagogical Resources : Text Evaluation and Adoption Recommendations Review of Course Requirements
Position Description : Dean of Graduate Studies
Position Title : Academic Dean
Supervisor’s Title : Chairman, Board of Governors
Current Incumbent : Dr. Alan Guinn
General Summary: The Dean of Graduate Studies serves as the conduit between the Chairman, Board of Governors, and the faculty, as well as between the faculty and the students. The Dean assigns faculty members to various courses and elects the faculty member who will teach a specific student.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Curriculum : Oversight in conjunction with the Chairman Approval on day-to-day changes or modifications.
Faculty : Full Oversight and Approval to procedural changes.
Academics : Full Approval of Academic Changes Advisory relationship to Chairman, Board of Governors
Pedagogical Resources : Text Evaluation and Adoption Recommendations Full understanding of Accreditation Standards Creation of New or Expansion of Existing Programmes Review of Course Requirements.
Position Description: Director of Admissions and Records
Position Title: Director of Admissions and Records
Reports To: Board of Governors
Current Incumbent: Dan Dolejs
General Summary: Mr. Dolejs has handled this position with aplomb for several years. He accepts funds which are sent via wire, credit card, or direct payment from students around the world. He sets up new students with access to the website and assures them of the opportunity for success via a series of emails sent to new students. Mr. Dolejs assigns scholarships to deserving students, based upon financial need and field of studies. He manages the financial day to day operations of Rushmore successfully, and with efficiency, sometimes finding creative ways to help students make their tuition payments. He is the point person for communicating with CMI in the accreditation payment phase on each degree programme registration for an accredited degree issued through Rushmore University. He holds the University Seal.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Curriculum : Reports to the Dean and the Chairman, B of G Advises on day-to-day changes or modifications required.
Faculty : Input to procedural changes in communication
Academics : Input to Academic Changes Advises Procedural changes Advises cost components for course evaluations.
Pedagogical Resources : Full understanding of Accreditation Standards Creation of New or Expansion of Existing Programmes Review of Requirements for Graduation Requirements
Financial :Full Oversight of Financial Records and Student records
Position Description: Director of Editing, Rushmore Editing Service
Position Title: Director of Editing Services
Supervisor’s Title: Chairman, Board of Governors
Current Incumbent: Mrs. Elizabeth Miller
General Summary: The Director of Editing Services successfully manages a working relationship with every student at Rushmore University. As early as 2000, Rushmore provided students with a professional editor to assess, suggest changes, and offer input on course papers submitted for assessment. Part of the Rushmore programme was centred in the fact that students for whom English was not the first language could learn better use of the English language through writing and composition. Students who attended Rushmore and studied texts, wrote papers, and used the Editing Service were universal in their praise for the work which critically focused on improving their reading and writing skills.
Mrs. Miller establishes herself early in the life of a student at Rushmore. She never crosses the line into academic instruction, but focuses on proper writing skills, proper crediting of quotes through the grammatical correction of footnotes, suggests words which may be more appropriate for usage, and advises Professors if there is a question about the bona fides of any quotes used. She monitors fair use of quotes. She encourages students and assists in proper usage of the English language for those with difficulties.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Curriculum :Reports to the Dean and the Chairwoman, B of G Advises on day-to-day changes or modifications required.
Faculty : Input to procedural changes in communication
Academics : Input to Academic Changes Advises Procedural changes
Pedagogical Resources :Full understanding of Accreditation Standards Creation of New or Expansion of Existing Programmes
Financial :Full Oversight of the Editing Programme
Tenure
Since all employees of the University serve at the pleasure of the Board of Governors, there is no distinction made as to tenured and non-tenured employees.
Academic Freedom
The University expects its faculty to integrate their professional competencies and experiences into their instructional teaching. Creativity is encouraged if minimum class standards are met.
The University seeks academic input on issues including such critical steps as textbook decisions, syllabus revisions, and course proposals.
Grievance Procedures
The University has had very few grievances in its 25-year history. Nevertheless, good governance provides that procedures should be in place to address potential grievances and offer an open and transparent solution for resolution.
Typically, a grievance against a peer will be filed with the individual at the next level of reporting.
A grievance against the Director of Admissions and Records or the Director of the Editing Service would be filed with the Dean of Graduate Studies.
A Grievance against the Dean of Graduate Studies would be filed with the Board of Governors.
A Grievance against the Board of Governors would be discussed between the various members of the Board of Governors and a pathway decided upon for resolution of this grievance.
Enrolment for College Coursework
Rushmore University encourages faculty and administrators to study with our University. Some of the finest faculty advisors in the world count themselves among our faculty. Rushmore negotiates the cost of degree studies with each employee who elects to complete a degree at Rushmore, negating expenses wherever possible so that our stakeholders can have access to the resources needed for studies and additional knowledge.
Solicitation
No one associated with the University should use his or her position to solicit property or business from other University stakeholders:
No money should be sought for the purchase of a gift or other honorarium for another employee or person.
The purchase of any item or service normally sold for compensation by the first person.
Any funds for donation to any recognized outside charitable organization or student organization except wherein that solicitation is completely voluntary on the part of the solicited and the solicitor is doing it as a part of his/her job responsibilities.
Resignation Notice
A faculty or staff member has a duty to give early notice of his or her resignation, including the effective date of the resignation. Notice shall be given to the Dean of Graduate Studies.
Discrimination and Harassment
General Statement of Policy
Rushmore University prides itself on maintaining a learning and working environment free from discrimination or harassment based on age, disability, ethnicity, marital status, race, religion, colour, sex, or sexual orientation. The University prohibits any form of discrimination or harassment based in whole or in part on age, disability, ethnicity, marital status, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation.
It shall be a violation of this policy for any student, instructor, administrator, or other University personnel to discriminate against or to harass student, administrator, or any other University personnel through conduct or communication of a sexual nature or regarding age, disability, ethnicity, marital status, race, colour, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.
The University will act to investigate all complaints, formal or informal, verbal or written, of discrimination or harassment based in whole or in part on any of these attributes and will discipline and take punitive action against anyone who is found to have violated this policy.
Any complaints will be investigated by the Board of Governors and a report issued in writing to meet the concerns of the targeted party.
Fraternization
Rushmore University advises against any type of intimate or sexual relationship between staff and faculty, between faculty and faculty, or between students and any level of University employee. Since most relationships established at Rushmore would be online ones, this would not seem to be an issue, but we believe that some guidelines must exist.
An intimate or sexual relationship may be construed as a breach of the trust that exists between the University and its stakeholders. The breach compromises the integrity and effectiveness of personal learning relationships and although such a relationship may be consensual in fact, it may appear to others to be exploitative in nature. Relationships between faculty, staff, and students do not necessarily constitute harassment. However, a faculty member who enters an intimate or sexual relationship with a student, where a professional power differential exists, must realize that such a relationship is potentially exploitative, and may constitute sexual harassment. Such a relationship is not within the bounds of acceptable behaviour.
Please direct any comments or corrections deemed necessary via email to dean@rushmore.edu.
