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    Saybrook University
   
 
  Mar 28, 2024
 
2021-2022 Academic Catalog and Student Handbook with Summer Addendum 
    
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2021-2022 Academic Catalog and Student Handbook with Summer Addendum [Archived Catalog]

Accreditation and Authorizations


 

Saybrook University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), a regional accrediting agency recognized by the US Department of Education, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), and by the State of California.

Western Association of Schools and Colleges
985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100
Alameda, CA 94501
Phone: 510.748.9001
Fax: 510.748.9797
www.wascsenior.org

Saybrook participates in a regularly scheduled re-accreditation process conducted by the WSCUC.

Specialized Accreditations

The MA in Counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) effective July 2018. The program is accredited through October, 2026. More information about CACREP accreditation is available here.

Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
1001 North Fairfax Street, Suite 510
Alexandria, VA  22314
phone (703) 535-5990
Web: https://www.cacrep.org/

Approved Programs

Some of Saybrook’s degree programs, or course sequences within a degree program, have been approved by organizations that certify professionals in a particular field.  Students are eligible to earn a Certificate in Integrative Wellness Coaching when they complete the 9-credit curriculum.  This certificate program is approved by the International Coach Federation (ICF) for 88 hours of coach training and is an Approved Health and Wellness Coach Training & Education Program by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC).  Saybrook’s IWC Certificate program is specifically geared toward individuals who do not currently hold an ICF or NBHWC credential.

State Authorizations

For current information on where Saybrook University is currently authorized, licensed, registered, exempt or not subject to approval, please visit https://www.saybrook.edu/academics/accreditation/

Self-Evaluation Process

Student success is grounded in high-quality learning environments ensuring that students are prepared in their professional, personal and civic lives.  Saybrook University employs numerous processes to ensure the quality of online offerings including standardized policies and procedures across the University.  At its core, a Saybrook degree is defined by clearly articulated Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs), sets of expected Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs), and Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs). The University engages in the full integration of assessment into daily teaching, student learning and shared ownership of the process and outcomes.  Assessment has been integrated into the pedagogy that faculty use in an ongoing manner.  A shared assessment site is in use which allows access for all organizational units and leaders.  Syllabi have been reviewed and revised according to Bloom’s and Krathwohl’s taxonomy of the affective domain.  Rubrics, developed by Faculty, are in use and updated regularly.

The quality and integrity of a Saybrook degree is also a result of the faculty’s commitment to well-defined learning pathways and pedagogies that create in-depth and frequent student-faculty engagement with didactic and experiential components.  Courses are reviewed to ensure they are of the appropriate length, contact hours, and credits expected by accrediting bodies and professional organizations. Students and graduates are expected to generate research that can be applied to real world dilemmas in their unique fields of study.  This commitment is modeled by faculty who actively engage students in professional development and research.  

The University calculates retention and graduation rates for every new student cohort enrolling at the institution. Retention is tracked from the starting term through every consecutive semester. One year Fall to Fall retention rates are highlighted and reported externally as a standard metric, but all cohorts are tracked and reported internally for program tracking and decision support. Likewise, graduation rates are reported for every new student cohort and are tracked in year increments. Rates are distributed to leadership, faculty, and staff as appropriate and are provided in dashboards which can be used to examine rates by various demographic characteristics and programs.

The Office of Clinical Training and Field Placement conducts a review of licensing, registration, and certification laws and regulations for our programs in all states annually and as part of this process exam statistics are collected from those Licensing Boards and exam-administrating agencies that do report it or that we can access. We also monitor professional standards, goals, and training outcomes (such as APA, CACREP, NBCC, etc.) including exam domains and content trends in order to maintain most current expectations regarding knowledge and skills for our students in preparation for successful practice in the future.

Affiliations

Saybrook University is an affiliate of the non-profit TCS Education System (TCS), which features a network of fellow non-profit institutions, each backed by a model of education that prepares socially responsible professionals in applied fields such as education, psychology, healthcare, and the law. Other TCS affiliates include Pacific Oaks College and Children’s School, Dallas Nursing Institute, The Santa Barbara & Ventura Colleges of Law, and The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Learn more at www.tcsedsystem.edu.

Right to Change Requirements

The Saybrook Academic Catalog details the policies and procedures for all programs offered by the University. Saybrook reserves the right to make alterations to the Catalog and the policies and procedures within as deemed necessary by the University. Changes may also be necessitated by regulatory requirements, accreditation guidelines, or licensure standards. Changes may include but are not limited to curriculum, academic policies, administrative policies, procedures, and costs. Notice is not required for a new policy to take effect; however, Saybrook will make reasonable attempts to notify students promptly of any policy changes through communication methods deemed appropriate by Saybrook officials. In the event that Saybrook plans to change a program such that it will impact a student’s graduation requirements, students affected will be notified.

Faculty, Administration, and Governing Board Information

As an independent non-profit school, final authority for all matters is vested in the Board of Trustees. Dr. Nathan Long is the President of the school. The board delegates to the President responsibility for daily operations of the institution. A list of the names of the school’s senior leadership may be found here. A list of the names of the governing board of Saybrook University may be found here. A list of faculty may be found here.

Student Consumer Information: Higher Education Opportunity Act

Prospective and current students can locate important information about Saybrook University on the Student Consumer Information page on the University website. This page is designed to assist consumers make a more informed decision about their education options. Under the 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), Saybrook University is required to make this information available to current and prospective students. If you wish to obtain a hard copy of any of the documents, please contact the Financial Aid Office at 888-253-5100.

You may also visit the U.S. Department of Education HEOA website. For your convenience, this webpage contains links that will direct you to the appropriate websites or information required.

Student Outcomes

Graduation Rates and Retention Rates can be found at:

https://www.saybrook.edu/academic-affairs/accreditation/student-achievement

Copyright Policies

Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Notification and Response Plan

In compliance with additional requirements of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008 and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), Saybrook University maintains a policy against the unlawful file sharing of materials with a copyright. Saybrook University requires students, employees and visitors using Saybrook’s equipment, systems, networks or computers to comply with pertinent U.S. and international copyright laws. Failure to comply with the policies in the DMCA plan may result in disciplinary action as well as civil and criminal penalties.

Reproduction of Materials

The photocopying or reproduction by other means of copyrighted materials is a right granted under the federal Copyright Act that defines the rights of a copyright holder and how they may be enforced against an infringer. The unauthorized reproduction and distribution of copyrighted material is strictly prohibited. Students identified as having violated this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including but not limited to dismissal from the institution, or legal action as appropriate, or both.

Copyright infringement is the act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner under section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). These rights include the right to reproduce or distribute a copyrighted work. In the file-sharing context, downloading or uploading substantial parts of a copyrighted work without authority constitutes an infringement.

Penalties for copyright infringement include civil and criminal penalties. In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or “statutory” damages affixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. For “willful” infringement, a court may award up to $150,000 per work infringed. A court can, in its discretion, also assess costs and attorneys’ fees. For details, see Title 17, United States Code, Sections 504, 505. Willful copyright infringement can also result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to $250,000 per offense.

All students of Saybrook University are subject to the restrictions imposed by the Copyright Act. The copyright law applies to all forms of photocopying, whether it is undertaken at a commercial copying center, at the school’s copying facilities, or at a self-service machine. In the opinion of Saybrook University, copying a chapter of a book - and therefore, the entire book - would be considered copyright infringement. Students must exercise prudent judgment when reproducing the works of others so as to not violate the copyright law. Any concern about a student’s reproduction of materials should be brought to the attention of the student’s Department Chair, Specialization Coordinator, or Dean of Students. For more information, please visit U.S. Copyright Office website and FAQs.

Any student who engages in copyright violations, copyright infringement, unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing, illegal downloading or unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials using the institution’s information technology system may be subject to Programmatic, Departmental, University, Civil and Criminal liabilities.