Policies & Statements

Governing documents, Conflict of Interest Policy, Audited Financial Statements, and Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990) are available to the public in the President's Office on request.

William Carey University is committed to making this website accessible to visitors with disabilities and is continually working to increase its accessibility and usability. www.wmcarey.edu strives to conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, Level AA. These recommendations outline how to make website content accessible to a wider range of people with disabilities. Please be aware that our efforts are ongoing. If, at any time, you have specific questions, feedback, or accessibility issues, please contact us at tknight@wmcarey.edu If you do encounter an accessibility issue, please be sure to specify the Web page/URL in your email, and we will work to resolve the problem within five (5) business days.

No portion of wmcarey.edu ("This Site") may be reproduced in any form, or by any means, without prior written permission from William Carey University, Hattiesburg, Mississippi ("Site Owner").

1. Rules and Regulations

The following rules and regulations apply to all visitors to or users of This Site. By accessing This Site, user acknowledges acceptance of these terms and conditions. Site Owner reserves the right to change these rules and regulations from time to time at its sole discretion. In the case of any violation of these rules and regulations, Site Owner reserves the right to seek all remedies available by law and in equity for such violations. These rules and regulations apply to all visits to This Site, both now and in the future.

2. Limited License

Site Owner hereby authorizes you to copy materials published by Site Owner on this This Site solely for non-commercial use within your organization (or your client's organization) in support of Site Owner. No other use of the information is authorized. In consideration of this authorization, you agree that any copy of these materials which you make shall retain all copyright and other proprietary notices in the same form and manner as on the original. Except as specified above, nothing contained herein shall be construed as conferring by implication or otherwise any license or right under any patent, trademark or copyright of Site Owner or any third party.

ALL CONTENTS ON THIS SITE ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT. EXCEPT AS SPECIFICALLY PERMITTED HEREIN, NO PORTION OF THE INFORMATION ON THIS WEB SITE MAY BE REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM, OR BY ANY MEANS, WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM SITE OWNER. VISITORS OR USERS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO MODIFY, DISTRIBUTE, PUBLISH, TRANSMIT OR CREATE DERIVATIVE WORKS OF ANY MATERIAL FOUND ON THIS SITE FOR ANY PUBLIC OR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES.

3. Compliance with Applicable Laws; Export Control Laws

User access to This Site is governed by all applicable federal, state and local laws. All information available on the Web Site is subject to U.S. export control laws and may also be subject to the laws of the country where you reside.

4. Trademarks

The trademarks, logos and service marks ("Marks") displayed on this Web Site are the property of Site Owner or other third parties. Users are not permitted to use these Marks without the prior written consent of Site Owner or such third party which may own the Mark.

5. General Disclaimer

Although Site Owner has attempted to provide accurate information on This Site, Site Owner assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information. Site Owner may change the content of This Site at any time without notice. Mention of non-Site Owner products or services is for information purposes only and does not necessarily constitute either an endorsement or a recommendation.

ALL INFORMATION PROVIDED ON THIS SITE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITH ALL FAULTS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. SITE OWNER DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THOSE OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT OR ARISING FROM A COURSE OF DEALING, USAGE, OR TRADE PRACTICE.

SITE OWNER AND ITS AFFILIATES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOST PROFITS OR REVENUES, COSTS OF REPLACEMENT GOODS, LOSS OR DAMAGE TO DATA ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS SITE, DAMAGES RESULTING FROM USE OF OR RELIANCE ON THE INFORMATION PRESENT, EVEN IF SITE OWNER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

6. Disclosure; Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the information on This Site may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of Site Owner. We wish to caution you that these statements are only predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially.

7. Cookies

Please see Privacy Statement.

8. Links to Third Party Sites

This Site may contain links to third party sites. Access to any other Internet site linked to This Site is at the user's own risk and Site Owner is not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any information, data, opinions, advice or statements made on these sites. Site Owner provides these links merely as a convenience and the inclusion of such links does not imply an endorsement.

9. Access to Password Protected/Secure Areas

Access to and use of password protected and/or secure areas of This Site is restricted to authorized users only. Unauthorized individuals attempting to access these areas of This Site may be subject to prosecution.

We respect your privacy. We want to make use of individual identifying information that you provide to us for informational purposes only. "Individual identifying information" is information that enables us to identify you, such as your email address, name, and address.  Our site uses the individual identifying information in order to fulfill your request for information.  Our site may also use your information to be able to selectively send you communications that may be of interest to you, either electronically or otherwise.

Our sites policy regarding use of your individual identifying information supplied to us or collected via your visit to our site covers these areas:

1. NOTICE AND DISCLOSURE

This Online Privacy Statement is made available to you in order to make you aware of how we collect and use individual identifying information of visitors to our site.

We collect the following (but not limited to) information regarding visitors to our website when receiving form results or requests for information: name, address, phone numbers, information regarding what pages are accessed, information volunteered by you such as survey information, email address, site registrations, and your preferred means of communication.

We do not make individual identifying information available to third parties.  We use such information to contact people for our related purposes only.

Access to certain web pages may require a login and password.  The use of those web pages, and the information or programs downloadable from those sites is for authorized persons only. Your individual identifying information (such as IP number) may be retained to verify compliance with the agreement and to track usage from those pages, or track usage of other applications available on our site.

2. DATA SECURITY

We are committed to taking reasonable steps to protect the individual identifying information that you provide to us.

3. USE OF COOKIES

A cookie is a small data file that certain Web sites write to your hard drive when you visit them. A cookie file can contain information such as a user ID that the site uses to track the pages you've visited, but the only personal information a cookie can contain is information you supply yourself. Depending on your use of this web site, certain information may be stored in a cookie in order to identify you and make your visit to this site personalized and more enjoyable.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 is a Federal law which states (a) that a written institutional policy must be established and (b) that a statement of adopted procedures covering the privacy rights of students must be made available. The law provides that the institution will maintain the confidentiality of student education records.

William Carey University accords all the rights under the law to students who are declared independent. No one outside the institution shall have access to, nor will the institution disclose any information from, students' education records without the written consent of students except to personnel within the institution, to officials of other institutions in which students seek to enroll, to persons or organizations providing students financial aid, to accrediting agencies carrying out their accreditation function, to persons in compliance with a judicial order, and to persons in an emergency in order to protect the health or safety of students or other persons. All these exceptions are permitted under the Act.

Within the William Carey University community, only those members, individually or collectively, acting in the students' educational interest are allowed access to student education records. These members include personnel in the Office of the Registrar, the Office of Academic Vice-President, the Business Office, Financial Aid, the Office of Admissions, and academic personnel within the limitations of their need to know.

At its discretion the institution may provide Directory Information in accordance with the provisions of the Act to include: student name, address, telephone number, major field of study, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, and other similar information. Students may withhold Directory Information by notifying the Registrar's Office in writing on or before the first day of classes of each term. In the event a refusal is not filed, the institution assumes that a student does not object to the release of the directory information designated.

Request for non-disclosure will be honored by the institution for only one academic year; therefore, authorization to withhold Directory Information must be filed annually in the Office of the Registrar.

The law provides students with the right to inspect and review information contained in their education records, to challenge the contents of their education records, to have a hearing if the outcome of the challenge is unsatisfactory, and to submit explanatory statements for inclusion in their files if they feel the decisions of the hearing committee to be unacceptable. The Registrar has been designated by the institution to coordinate the inspection and review procedures for student education records, which include admissions, personal, academic, and financial files, and academic, and placement records. Students wishing to review their education records must make written requests to the Registrar listing the item or items of interest. Only records covered by the Act will be made available within forty-five days of the request. Students may have copies made of their records with certain exceptions, (e.g., a copy of the academic record for which a financial "hold" exists, or a transcript of an original or source document which exists elsewhere). These copies would be made at the students' expense at prevailing rates. Education records do not include records of instructional, administrative, and educational personnel which are the sole possession of the maker and are not accessible or revealed to any individual except a temporary substitute, records of the law enforcement unit, student health records, employment records, or alumni records. Health records, however, may be reviewed by physicians of the students' choosing. 

Students may not inspect and review the following as outlined by the Act: financial information submitted by their parents, confidential letters and recommendations associated with admissions, employment or job placement, or honors to which they have waived their rights of inspection and review; or education records containing information about more than one student, in which case the institution will permit access only to that part of the record which pertains to the inquiring student. 

Students who believe that their education records contain information that is inaccurate or misleading, or is otherwise in violation of their privacy or other rights may discuss their problems informally with the Office of the Registrar. If the decisions are in agreement with the student's request, the appropriate records will be amended. If not, the student will be notified within a reasonable period of time that the records will not be amended; and he/she will be informed by the Office of the Registrar of his/her right to a formal hearing. Student requests for a formal hearing must be made in writing to the Vice-President for Academic Affairs, who, within a reasonable period of time after receiving such requests, will inform the student of the date, place, and the time of the hearing. The student may present evidence relevant to the issues raised and may be assisted or represented at the hearings by one or more persons of his/her choice, including attorneys, at the students' expense. 

Decisions of the hearing committee will be final, will be based solely on the evidence presented at the hearing, and will consist of written statements summarizing the evidence and stating the reasons for the decisions, and will be delivered to all parties concerned. The education records will be corrected or amended in accordance with the decisions of the hearing committee, if the decisions are in favor of the student. If the decisions are unsatisfactory to the student, the student may place with the education records statements commenting on the information in the records, or statements setting forth any reasons for disagreeing with the decisions of the hearing committee. The statements will be placed in the education records, maintained as part of the student's record, and released whenever the records in question are disclosed.

Students who believe that the adjudications of their challenges were unfair, or not in keeping with the provisions of the Act, may request in writing assistance from the President of the institution. Further, students who believe that their rights have been abridged may file complaints with The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office (FERPA), U. S. Department of Education; 400 Maryland Avenue, SW; Washington, D.C. 20202.

A student can consent to allow a third party access to certain educational records by completing the FERPA Authorization form located in the WCU Student Portal under administrative Services and Forms. Third parties cannot receive information without the student’s consent. 

 The FERPA Authorization form must be completed by the student. The form requires the student to upload a picture of their driver’s license or their WCU ID card to confirm their identity and to provide their electronic signature. Other signatures will void the consent. 

 Proof of identity must be provided when speaking with a representative of the University. A list of Personally Identifiable Information (PPI) is located on the FERPA Best Practices List below.

William Carey University complies with all applicable federal and state nondiscrimination laws and does not engage in prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, genetic information, veteran status, or disability in admission or in the administration of its education policies, scholarships, loan programs, athletic, and other school administered rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. However, William Carey University is a religious affiliated university and is exempt from certain nondiscrimination laws and shall implement its free exercise of religion under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Further, to assure compliance with the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) in administering its affairs, William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine (WCUCOM) will comply with the current COCA standards regarding nondiscrimination.

William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine (WCUCOM) will not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin, age or disabilities.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Vice President for Academic Affairs, 710 William Carey Parkway, Hattiesburg, MS 39401. They can be reached at (601) 318-6101 or academicaffairs@wmcarey.edu