Editing Herzing Issues: Workload and Student Communication (section)

=== HU-158: Dean of Prelicensure Nursing Dr. Stephanie Black, the official who reviewed and denied the Fundamentals final retake, is out on PTO until Monday 6/15 per an automatic reply to the CARES follow-up ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%"
! style="width:12em" | Severity
| Low
! style="width:12em" | Status
| CONFIRMED
|-
! Issue type
| Decision-Maker Unavailable for Follow-Up Immediately After Denial / Case Closure
! Date added
| 2026-06-05
|-
! Owner
| colspan="3" | Dr. Stephanie Black RN DNP (Dean of Prelicensure Nursing)
|}
'''Finding.''' Per the tracker's evidence, an automatic reply from Dr. Stephanie Black RN DNP, Dean of Prelicensure Nursing, sent in response to the CARES Case: Follow-up thread on June 5, 2026, stated that she is out of the office on PTO and will respond as soon as possible upon her return on Monday 6/15. Dr. Black is the official identified in the CARES follow-up as having reviewed and denied the reporting student's Fundamentals final retake request ({{HU|HU-155}}). Her unavailability until June 15 means that, at the same time the CARES case was closed ({{HU|HU-157}}) and the retake was denied, the decision-maker who made that determination is not available for follow-up for roughly ten days. This is logged as a low-severity availability and timing concern: the student cannot readily seek clarification or reconsideration from the deciding official during that window.

'''Evidence.''' Automatic reply, Stephanie Black (June 5, 2026), signed Stephanie Black RN, DNP, Dean of Prelicensure Nursing, steblack@herzing.edu, subject line "Automatic reply: [EXTERNAL] Re: CARES Case: Follow-up." (Source: Automatic reply from Stephanie Black, June 5, 2026. Source Group: Automatic reply email from Dr. Stephanie Black RN DNP (Dean of Prelicensure Nursing) in response to the CARES Case: Follow-up thread, June 5, 2026; provided by the reporting student.)

'''Reported statement.''' <blockquote>I am out of the office on PTO. I will respond to your message as soon as possible upon my return on Monday 6/15.</blockquote>

'''Standards.''' General responsiveness and complaint-handling expectations: where a decision-maker denies a student request and the related case is closed, the student should have a reasonably timely avenue for clarification or appeal. A roughly ten-day unavailability of the deciding official, coinciding with case closure, is logged as a minor timing concern rather than a violation. Cross-reference {{HU|HU-155}} (Black denied the retake), {{HU|HU-157}} (CARES closure), {{HU|HU-135}} (a prior instance of an ADA/Title IX coordinator being out of office around a key deadline).

'''Impact.''' The reporting student cannot promptly seek clarification or reconsideration of the denied retake from Dr. Black until June 15, during the same period the CARES case was closed. The practical effect is a delay in any follow-up on the denial. Severity is low because the unavailability itself is routine PTO; the concern is the timing relative to the denial and closure.

'''Notes.''' Confirms Dr. Stephanie Black's full title and contact: Dean of Prelicensure Nursing, steblack@herzing.edu. Pattern note: this is the second documented instance of a key official being unavailable around a critical juncture (compare {{HU|HU-135}}, Emilie Thompson out of office before the clinical start). Cross-reference: {{HU|HU-155}}, {{HU|HU-157}}, {{HU|HU-135}}. Part of the June 5, 2026 CARES closure group ({{HU|HU-155}} through {{HU|HU-158}}).

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