Dietetics Handbook: Policies and Procedures

The Ohio University Undergraduate Catalog is your official source for University policies and procedures. Many of those are summarized in this handbook. You are responsible for knowing and following current University-wide, college, and departmental/school requirements and procedures. The Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility is responsible for enforcing the rules of Ohio University (Student Code of Conduct). Students are responsible for upholding these standards from the time of application to Ohio University, until graduation. For more information, visit http://www.ohio.edu/communitystandards/ .

The MyOHIO Success Network supports the University’s Mission and Vision Statements by serving as an information and communications hub for students, faculty, and student support staff. Faculty may report a concern at any time during the semester. Nutrition faculty are highly encouraged to complete the progress survey during week six of the semester and/or reach out to struggling students directly. Faculty may provide students with a “kudo”, “flag” or “to do.” When a “flag” or “to do” (attendance problem, immediate action needed) is raised the academic advisors and student services staff will also be altered to help students be more successful based on the information available through the progress survey.

First-year and transfer students, starting Fall 22 or later may opt-in to participate in the OHIO Guarantee+ Program . Guarantee+ students co-create a graduation plan with their student success advisor. The student success advisor meets with students each semester to review their plans and confirm they are meeting academic and experiential milestones to graduate on time.

In addition, students can see a record of all academic coursework taken thus far in their academic careers through the Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS). If more information is desired, students can contact their academic advisors to set up an individual meeting.

At the close of the semester, the academic record of each enrolled undergraduate student (regardless of student enrollment status) is reviewed by the University to verify the accumulative GPA. Students who do not have the required 2.0 minimum accumulative GPA, are placed on academic probation. To be removed from probation, the accumulative GPA must reach at least a 2.0. See the Undergraduate Catalo g for more information.

At the end of the semester, RDN Core Knowledge requirements (KRDNs) will be monitored (see Appendix A). Any student not meeting expectations will be notified and a plan will be developed for remediation.

Students identified as struggling in a class are encouraged to meet with their professor and utilize Academic Achievement Center resources such as academic coaching, peer tutoring, and supplemental instruction.

If students fail to earn a grade of C or better in required DPD courses, they are required to retake the course. Courses can be retaken a maximum of 2 times. In addition, while all of the grades received remain on the student’s transcript, only the last graded attempt is used to calculate the student’s GPA—even if the grade received was lower. Refer to the Ohio University policy on grading .

Students must achieve competency on all KRDNs prior to earning a verification statement. KRDNs are measured in key courses during the 3rd and 4th years of the program. Any student failing to demonstrate competency on the measured assignment or activity will be notified by the instructor. A remediation plan will be put into place. This may include repeating the assignment, demonstrating the competency in a later assignment or course, or being given an alternate assignment.

Ohio University and the DPD are committed to promoting and supporting a workplace and educational environment where healthy and respectful conduct is the cultural norm. In support of this commitment, Ohio University prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, ethnicity, national origin, national ancestry, sex, status as a parent during pregnancy and immediately after the birth of a child, status as a parent of a young child, status as a foster parent, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, military service, veteran status, mental or physical disability, or genetic information. Ohio University’s Equal Employment and Educational Opportunity Policy ( 40.001 ) and Sexual Harassment and Other Sexual Misconduct Policy ( 03.004 ) detail prohibited conduct.

Should any DPD student experience discrimination or harassment on the basis of protected class status, including sexual harassment, or other sexual misconduct, please contact the Director of Equity and Civil Rights Compliance and Title IX Coordinator in the Office of University Equity and Civil Rights Compliance to make a report in any of the following ways:

Complete the online reporting form for discrimination or sexual misconduct:

https://www.ohio.edu/equity-civil-rights

Walk-in or mail:

Office of University Equity and Civil Rights Compliance

Kerri Griffin, J.D., Director, and Title IX Coordinator

Ohio University

Lindley Hall 006

Athens, Ohio 45701

Phone: 740-593-9140

Email: equity@ohio.edu titleix@ohio.edu

The purpose of field experience is to allow students to obtain educational experience without using students to replace employees. Students completing field experience hours are able to apply concepts and principles learned in didactic courses and integrate theoretical constructs into practice. Students also gain valuable mentoring experiences and participate as members of the interdisciplinary team. Students are not compensated for field experience. The DPD prohibits the use of field-experience students to replace employees. If at any point a student feels that he/she is being used as a replacement employee, he/she should notify the DPD director. The DPD director will contact the field site and investigate the complaint. If the complaint is valid and the student is being used as a replacement employee, a meeting will be scheduled with the preceptor regarding the roles and expectations of the student and preceptor.

Ohio University requires all students enrolled in Athens credit hours to maintain an active health insurance policy. Student health insurance is available, details on student health insurance are available at: https://www.ohio.edu/student-insurance/ .

Further insurance information such as insurance for professional liability can be found at https://www.ohio.edu/riskandsafety/rmi/certificate.htm .

Students will abide by the student travel policy: https://www.ohio.edu/policy/22-001 . Students who travel beyond 100 miles of the Ohio University campus travel overnight, and/or travel to another state should register their travel at: https://www.ohio.edu/goglobal/travel

The following document provides information regarding safety while traveling on University business either through a rental company or personal vehicle: https://www.ohio.edu/hr/additional-resources/vehicle-rental .

If you have an injury or become ill while in a facility for field/educational experiences, follow the policies and procedures of the facility. It is a good idea to know what these are in advance. In addition, the student health insurance offered by Ohio University may provide coverage for care of such injuries. Please see the summary at https://www.uhcsr.com/Ohio to learn more about student health insurance coverage at Ohio University.

Drug testing and criminal background checks may be required for participation at certain field experience sites. Background checks can be completed at Bobcat Depot on the Athens Campus: https://bobcatdepot.ohio.edu/fingerprint.asp .

If a student wants to appeal a grade received for any course, they must first speak with the instructor and make a concerted effort to resolve the matter. If the student is unsatisfied with the result, they may file a complaint with the School Director (Chad Starkey: starkeyc@ohio.edu) following the College of Health Sciences Academic and Disciplinary Appeals process.

If a student has a complaint related to any non-course related issues or has already spoken with the instructor and feels their issue was not addressed, they are encouraged to speak with the program director, Jana Hovland ( hovland@ohio.edu ). If the program director is unable to resolve the issue to the student’s satisfaction, he/she can contact the Food and Nutrition Sciences Associate Director, Kim Orben ( orben@ohio.edu ). If the issue requires further attention, the student may contact the Director of the School of Applied Health Sciences and Wellness, Chad Starkey ( starkeyc@ohio.edu ). It is our goal to work with students to resolve issues in a transparent, fair, and timely manner. If a student has a complaint that cannot be resolved by the contacts listed above or is unsure of how to handle a situation, they can use the Office of the University Ombudsperson. This office is a neutral, informal, and confidential service open to all students, faculty, and staff. Academic and non-academic concerns are welcome. More information on this service can be found at https://www.ohio.edu/ombuds .

If a non-compliance issue has not been resolved after working with the instructor, program director, FNS Associate Director, Director of the School of Applied Health Sciences and Wellness, and the University Ombudsperson, a student may file a written complaint against the DPD program to the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Please note complaints to ACEND must be related to noncompliance with ACEND standards. To do this he/she should contact the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). This should only occur after all of the above options have been utilized. More information about this process can be found at https://www.eatrightpro.org/acend/public-notices-and-announcements/filing-a-complaint

A record of all student and preceptor complaints and the resolution of each complaint will be maintained electronic on the shared Food and Nutrition Science DPD one-drive file so faculty have access to them.

The Student Code of Conduct prohibits plagiarism, cheating, hazing, and other behaviors. Please refer to the Student Code of Conduct for prohibited conduct and the process for disciplinary sanctions.

Students failing to maintain the required 2.0 minimum accumulative GPA, will be placed on academic probation. To be removed from probation, your accumulative GPA must reach at least a 2.0. Failure to meet GPA requirements can lead to dismissal. More information on program retention, grades, probation, and dismissal can be found under the Academic Policies tab of the undergraduate catalog .

Ohio University recognizes several kinds of transferable credits, including those from other institutions. More information about transferring credits may be found at https://www.ohio.edu/admissions/transfer .

The Ohio University DPD program typically does not grant credit or field experience hours from prior work experience or competence. Dietetic-directed practice hours from the Diet Tech associate degree programs or culinary programs can serve as partial field experience credit. Documentation may be submitted to the DPD program director for review.

Students enrolled in the PDP program must earn and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 or higher to complete the degree conferral process. For students applying to dietetic internship programs, a GPA of 3.25 or higher is considered competitive. Completing the graduation requirements of Ohio University and the applied nutrition program (dietetics concentration) does not guarantee that you will be accepted into post-baccalaureate programs for professional experience after graduation. You must apply to and be granted acceptance into such a program.

University-wide requirements for graduation can be found under the Graduation Requirements tab of the undergraduate catalog .

There is no maximum time allowed for completing program requirements.

Verification statements will be reviewed and awarded each semester by the program director after degrees are conferred. Students must earn a bachelor’s degree, complete all coursework with a C or better and achieve “Meets Expectations” for all the 2022 ACEND KRDNs (Appendix A). The program director will provide electronic copies to DPD graduates, submit the VS to DICAS when applicable, and also submit the statement to CDR for eligibility for the DTR (NDTRN) examination.

Students must have minimum hardware and software to access courses via Blackboard. Students are required to activate their OHIO ID and utilize multi-factor authentication to access online materials and assignments via Blackboard. MFA is utilized to verify identity. Never share your account password with anyone. To learn more visit: https://www.ohio.edu/oit/tech-ready/students .

Withdrawing from the University is defined as dropping all classes on or after the earliest start date of any of your classes, and no later than the day before the last day of classes, as determined by the earliest end date of any of your classes, for the semester or session. Students should contact the CHSP student services office (740.593.9336 or chspss@ohio.edu ) to request to withdraw. Withdrawal between the first day of classes and the Friday of the second week of the semester (Friday of the first week of a session) results in an 80 percent tuition and fees reduction. More information about types of withdraws and refunds of tuition and fees can be found at in the undergraduate catalog https://catalogs.ohio.edu/ .

The university has an academic calendar for students on the main campus and those on regional campuses. This calendar includes important tuition and fee dates, important class dates, and vacation and holidays. To view the academic calendar, visit http://www.ohio.edu/registrar/calendar.cfm and choose the appropriate academic year.

Students have the right to the privacy of their academic information and can choose who can see it. For more information about this policy, also known as the Family Educational Rights Privacy Act (FERPA), visit https://www.ohio.edu/registrar/ferpa .

Access to Personal Files

Students can receive access to personal academic information and records by entering their Ohio ID and password at https://www.ohio.edu/registrar/dars-online .

Absence/Leave of Absence

All instructors are responsible for their own attendance policies. Certain absences are considered University excuse absences. These include illness, death in the immediate family, religious observance, jury duty, and involvement in University-sponsored activities.

If you are returning to classes after a legitimate absence, you can expect your instructors’ assistance (makeup work, excused absences, recalculation of the grade based on remaining work), within the limits of their established attendance policies. There are occasions when the size or the nature of the course makes it necessary to limit the number of excused absences or the availability of makeup work, particularly for examinations or such special events as field trips or outside speakers.

Access to student support services

• Health Services

  • Information about physical and mental health services offered can be found at https://www.ohio.edu/medicine/community-health/Campus-Care/

• Psychological Counseling

  • In addition to mental health services available through Campus Care (see above, Health Services), information about counseling and psychological services offered can be found at https://www.ohio.edu/student-affairs/counseling .

• Academic Counseling

  • Students are assigned an academic adviser who provides academic and career guidance for progression through a program of study. The academic adviser is noted on the Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS) report.
  • Non-Ohio Guarantee+: Traditionally students are appointed an academic advisor through our CHSP Student Services office during the first year or first transfer year. After the first-year students are assigned a nutrition faculty academic advisor who works closely with the student to provide support and guidance throughout the course of study.
  • OHIO Guarantee+ program : First-year DPD students may opt into the OHIO Guarantee+ program starting fall 2022. Students in the Guarantee+ program will be assigned a student success advisor for academic advising who will work closely with the student to provide support and guidance throughout the course of study. Students will be assigned a faculty mentor after their first year who will provide career advice and planning for the next steps such as the supervised practice experience and master's degree.
  • Student Services Academic Advisor/Student Success Advisor: Brandy Bailey baileyb@ohio.edu
  • Undergraduate Program Coordinator: Jana Hovland hovland@ohio.edu

• Academic Accommodations and Services (including testing)

  • Academic accommodations and services are provided by Student Accessibility Services. For more information, visit https://www.ohio.edu/accessibility . Further information about accommodations and services can be found at: https://www.ohio.edu/accessibility/registration-accommodations .

• Financial Aid Resources

  • Information regarding student financial aid can be found at https://www.ohio.edu/financial-aid

• CHSP Scholarships

  • The College of Health Sciences and Professions (CHSP) is proud to offer a variety of scholarship funding for our students including college-wide and specific Applied Health Sciences and Wellness scholarships. 

• Other Services

  • Below are the websites for many other services offered at Ohio University.
    • Alden Library: https://www.ohio.edu/library/ .
      • You are encouraged to contact Hanna Schmillen, our Subject Librarian for Health Sciences for research assistance. https://www.ohio.edu/library/about/staff/schmille
    • Academic Achievement Center: https://www.ohio.edu/university-college/academic-achievement-center
      • Provides Math tutoring, Science tutoring, writing assistance, peer tutoring, academic coaching, and supplemental instruction.
    • Allen Student Help Center: https://www.ohio.edu/acel/advising
    • Center for Advising, Career, and Experiential Learning: http://www.ohio.edu/careerandleadership/
    • Commuter Student Services
    • Education Abroad (Study Abroad): https://www.ohio.edu/global/goglobal/study-abroad.cfm
    • CHSP Global Health Office: https://www.ohio.edu/global-health/
    • International Student and Faculty Services (ISFS): https://www.ohio.edu/global/isfs/
    • Pride Center
    • Veterans and Military Student Services Center
    • Multicultural Programs and Center: https://www.ohio.edu/diversity/multicultural-center
    • Office of Equity and Civil Rights Compliance: https://www.ohio.edu/equity-civil-rights
    • Ohio University Police Department: https://www.ohio.edu/police
    • Ohio University Survivor Advocacy Program (OUSAP): https://www.ohio.edu/survivor/
    • Psychology and Social Work Clinic (PSWC): https://www.ohio.edu/cas/psychology/community-resources/psychology-social-work-clinic
    • CARE Team:  https://www.ohio.edu/student-affairs/dean-of-students/reporting-concerns-about-student
    • Women’s Center: http://www.ohio.edu/womenscenter