Office of the Dean of Student Affairs
Advocacy, Privacy and Compliance
Staff Contact
Judith Simonsen
Coordinator, Student Advocacy and Compliance
Phone: (718) 260-3918
Email: jsimonse@poly.edu
Office Location: LC240
The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs serves as a comfortable and friendly environment for students that may have concerns about their experience at NYU-Poly, both in and out of the classroom. After a consultation, students can receive assistance in the following areas:
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. Download NYU-Poly’s FERPA brochure to learn about the procedures we follow to comply with FERPA and to read about your privacy rights with respect to your education records.
Title IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX. Sexual harassment encompasses acts of sexual violence. The protections of Title IX extend to students, faculty and staff of NYU-Poly. Protection from discrimination on the basis of sex includes protection from being retaliated against for filing a complaint of discrimination.
The Polytechnic Institute of NYU is committed to complying with Title IX and enforcing University policies prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex. Judith Simonsen,Coordinator of Student Advocacy and Compliance, serves as NYU-Poly's Coordinator for Title IX charged with monitoring compliance; providing education, training and notifications; overseeing complaints; coordinating or conducting investigations; serving as a resource for any questions or concerns about sexual harassment, sexual violence, sexual misconduct, unequal access to educational programs or activities, or other discrimination on the basis of sex.
Absence Notification to the Faculty
It is important for instructors to know when you are experiencing an issue that might interfere with your studies. However, it is also important that your personal matters be kept confidential. Therefore, the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs is the office designated to receive documentation regarding private concerns. An official verification notice must be sent to instructors, but this notice does not share personal details. Notification can be provided for the following matters:
- Death in the family
- Medical conditions and illnesses
- Other emergencies and situations
- Students attending Institute-related conferences
Student with Disabilities
At NYU-Poly we do not discriminate in our admissions practices and base acceptance decisions primarily on academic records. We are committed to assisting students with disabilities in developing the personal, as well as academic, skills necessary to fully participate in NYU-Poly student programs. To that end, we provide services to students with disabilities based on their individual needs. Click for more information.
We are also committed to working with these students so they may become effective self-advocators. Services for students with disabilities do not include the waiving of academic course requirements, nor the changing of courses subject matter.
Student Religious Observance
NYU-Poly has adopted the following guidelines regarding student religious observances, as recommended by the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities. The intent of these guidelines is to encourage schools to reasonably accommodate individual students’ religious obligations and practices without penalty.
- Students will not be expelled or refused admission to NYU-Poly because they are unable to participate in any examination, study, or work requirement due to their religious obligations and practices
- Students who are absent from school because of their religious obligations and practices will be given an opportunity to make up any examination, study, or work requirement that they missed
- Students must notify their instructors and the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs in writing, no later than the fifteenth day after the first day of the semester, that they will be absent from a class that conflicts with their religious obligations and practices
In effecting these provisions, NYU-Poly’s administration and faculty agree to exercise the fullest measure of good faith and agree that no adverse or prejudicial effects will happen to students who follow these guidelines regarding religious observances.
Student Grievances and Complaints
Students may contact the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs to address any grievances or complaints about life at NYU-Poly. (See contact info below.)
Involuntary Withdrawals
The health, safety, and well-being of all students is paramount at NYU-Poly. Therefore, a student found to be a threat to self or others may be involuntarily withdrawn from the Institute. The Institute seeks, whenever possible, to allow the student to continue active enrollment provided that they agree to appropriate care from a professional.
Reporting Incidents and Crises
If you have safety concerns, or witness a disturbance to the campus community, please contact an on-campus security officer and follow up by reporting the incident to the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs.
For more information, please contact the Student Affairs general line at (718) 260-3800.