STUDENT HANDBOOK
NSU Core Values
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE Academic excellence is the provision of the highest quality educational and learning
experiences made possible by academically and professionally qualified and skilled instructional faculty and
staff, opportunities for contextual learning, state-of-the-art facilities, beautiful surroundings, and effective
resources necessary to support learning at the highest level. Additionally, academic excellence reflects the
successful relationship between engaged learners and outstanding instructional faculty and staff.
STUDENT CENTERED Students are the focus of institutional priorities, resource decisions, and planning. We
are stewards of student needs and advocates for student academic success and professional development.
INTEGRITY Integrity involves honesty and fairness, consistency in instruction, ethics of scholarship, freedom
of inquiry, and open and truthful engagement with the community through effective communication, policies
and practices.
SCHOLARSHIP/RESEARCH Research and scholarship products are disseminated and evaluated through
intellectual discourse, application, assessment, and other mechanisms of the relevant peer community.
DIVERSITY Diversity includes, but is not limited to, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, philosophy, gender,
physical traits, socioeconomic status, age, and sexual orientation. Differences in views, interpretations, and
reactions derived from diversity are important. Diversity enriches a learning environment focused on preparing
individuals to live and work in a global society.
OPPORTUNITY Opportunity fosters the possibility for anyone associated with NSU to acquire an education
or an educational experience through creative, yet sound, pedagogical programs.
INNOVATION Innovation is the creative and deliberate application of teaching, research, scholarship, and
service for effective education, and the development of useful products or processes providing a value added
to the community.
COMMUNITY NSU is a community of faculty and staff members, students, and alumni who share a common
identity and purpose. Our community extends into professional, intellectual, and geographical domains that
both support and are the focus of our educational mission.