Statement on Student Rights

Dedicated to the ideal that everyone deserves high-quality health care, Sonoran University engages students in rigorous innovative academic programs, discovery and expanding knowledge, and empowers individuals and communities to achieve optimal health.

While it is not possible to address all eventualities, it is important that the rights of students be embraced by the community and observed in the spirit of Sonoran University’s mission and values. Sonoran University is guided by a set of core values that include we achieve excellence, we are resilient, we love, we shape the future, and we do the right thing. Our core values remind us of the culture to which we belong and the rights that our main constituencies have within our community.

These rights include, but are not limited to:

• The right to be treated equally in academic, social, and clinical settings
• The right to attend classes and/or clinical rotations, in a physically, emotionally, and socially safe environment
• The right to express diverse opinions in an intellectually safe environment
• The right to privacy
• The expectation of a positive learning environment
• The right to hold other students accountable to the Student Code of Professional Conduct and Academic Honor
• The right to be educated and nurtured
• The right to learn without disruption
• The right to access academic and support services that enhance student learning and development
• The right to engage in mutual collaboration
• The right to explore spiritual growth and development
• The right to participate in the creation of knowledge
• The right to know academic requirements and to be evaluated fairly
• The right to be informed of and share opinions on matters affecting the University community
• The right to equal access to available research and appropriate resources
• The right to engage in service opportunities that enhance learning outcomes, both within and outside of the campus community
• The right to associate with the student organizations of one’s choosing
• The right to participate in a system of shared governance
• The right to be free from all forms of discrimination, including sex discrimination, at school.

Student Rights

Chosen Name

Sonoran University is committed to creating an inclusive community where all community members feel they belong and are welcome. The chosen name policy reflects the University's commitment to inclusion and providing community members with an environment for personal expression in keeping with community standards. Through this policy, Sonoran University community members may utilize a chosen name on all university documents that meets community standards (not derived from hate speech, used for fraud, used to misrepresent identity, profane, or lewd).

• Chosen names may be utilized on class rosters, Zoom, Teams, Canvas, grade books, ID cards, campus directories, advising, and email.
• Due to (federal and state) laws, community members' legal names must be utilized for employment and payroll, billing, financial aid, official transcripts, diplomas, medical records, employee benefits, expense reimbursements, travel and purchasing authorizations, enrollment reporting, conduct results, and immigration status documents.  

Please contact the Registrar for additional information at registrar@sonoran.edu.

Freedom of Expression

Sonoran University encourages and supports diverse points of view, though they may sometimes seem objectionable or distasteful, as this is the nature of the University’s scholastic duty and is protected by freedom of expression. The acceptance of diversity is essential and is instrumental to the formation of new discussions and the consideration of different opinions.

Sonoran University recognizes the First Amendment right to free speech. These rights include individual and group expression activities including but not limited to speaking, gathering, demonstrating, displaying signs, pamphleteering, and political activism.

The following types of expression are not protected forms of speech and may lead to individuals or groups being subject to disciplinary, administrative, or legal action:

1. True threats, including speech and other conduct that conveys a serious intent to commit an act of unlawful violence to an individual or group of individuals;
2. Harassment, including speech and other conduct, targeted at an individual, that effectively denies educational access, research, medical care, opportunities, or rights;
3. Harassment, including sexual harassment;
4. Defamation;
5. Demeaning statements;
6. Expressions that unduly obstruct or interfere with the freedoms of others;
7. Violation of institutional Values, Student Code of Conduct, or Employee Standards of Conduct and discipline;
8. Plagiarism or other forms of academic and scientific misconduct;
9. Breach of confidentiality obligations;
10. Disruption of operations of the University;
11. Incitement of illegal action;
12. Incitement of violence;
13. Invasion of privacy and confidentiality, as protected by federal and state law;
14. Pornography, Child pornography;
15. Obscenity

Sanctions for violating the Freedom of Expression Policy may include disciplinary action up to dismissal or expulsion. For more information, review the complete Freedom of Expression Policy on MySonoran.

Student Right to Know

Sonoran University adheres to the Consumer Information Act, also known as the Student Right to Know Act, in providing prospective students, current students, and community members with information, facts, and figures about Sonoran University of Health Sciences. Privacy rights, student retention, program completion, career statistics, vaccine/immunization requirements, crime statistics, services for students with disabilities, and other required institutional information can be found on sonoran.edu's Student Consumer Information page. For questions regarding this information or to be provided a paper copy of the consumer information, please contact the Vice President of Student Affairs office at vpsa@sonoran.edu or 480.222.9203.

FERPA Student Rights

Sonoran University complies with The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). FERPA affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

• The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the University receives a request for access.
• The right to request an amendment to a record if a student believes the education records relating to the student contain information that is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s rights of privacy.
• The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent such as if the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals.

Student records are open to other school officials, including faculty and administration, and local and state education agencies that have been determined to have a legitimate educational interest. The University must maintain a record of each request for access to, and each disclosure of, personally identifiable information from the education records of each student. The full FERPA policy can be found in the Course Catalog.

Students with complaints about violations of student record privacy or access to records may contact the Office of the Registrar at 480.222.9211 or utilize the online informal grievance form on MySonoran. After exhausting the University’s grievance procedures, students also have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Sonoran University to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

For more information see the Family Policy Compliance Office website. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, Southwest
Washington, DC 20202-4605
1.800.USA.LEARN (1.800.872.5327)

Voter Registration

The Higher Education Act requires institutions of higher education to provide students with voter registration information. For voter registration information by state, please visit the U.S. Government Voter Registration website.

The state of Arizona has a voter registration website that provides information on student eligibility to vote and a voter registration application that can be initiated online.