Editing Herzing Issues: Faculty Instruction and Curriculum Design (section)

=== HU-097: Synthesis I/II capstone mentor requirement not disclosed until course start; students must independently find MSN/terminal-degree mentor in same state within 2 weeks; Student BH's Maryland mentor rejected; institutional burden-shift for capstone supervision ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%"
! style="width:14em" | Severity
| High
! Status
| CONFIRMED
|-
! Issue type
| Material Requirement Non-Disclosure / Student Burden-Shift
! Date added
| 2026-05-05
|-
! Owner
| colspan="3" | Program Chair / Curriculum Committee / Synthesis Course Faculty
|}
'''Finding.''' Per the tracker's evidence, the Synthesis I and Synthesis II capstone courses require students to independently locate, recruit, and secure a nurse mentor who holds an MSN or higher, has at least one year of experience, is actively practicing, and is physically located in the same state as the student, with no advance disclosure before the course begins and approximately two weeks from the course start date to secure a qualified mentor. Student BH documented a Maryland mentor being rejected because Student BH is located in Virginia, adding an undisclosed state restriction layer.

'''Evidence.''' Anonymous member 753 (May 28, 2025) said the school should be more upfront about the requirement. Student U (May 28, 2025) said students are not told until the class starts. Student BH (Jul 11, 2025) documented her Maryland mentor being rejected. Student CM (Aug 26, 2025) clarified the requirement as a nurse with a terminal degree and at least one year of experience. Handle 10 (Feb 13, 2026) confirmed that the school does not help find a mentor. Student B (Feb 13, 2026) confirmed the two week deadline. Anonymous member 878 (Jul 11, 2025) advised choosing a mentor close by, since on-site or in-person hours with the mentor are required for Synthesis II. Source Group: Herzing Direct Entry MSN Facebook Group Export (Dec 2022 to May 2026), Exhaustive Line-by-Line Review, Volume 7.

'''Reported statement.''' According to the tracker, Student U said students are not told about the mentor requirement until they start the class. Anonymous member 753 said the school should be more upfront about the requirement, calling it a tall order that is not a simple checkbox for everyone. Student BH described having a willing mentor in Maryland who was rejected because Student BH needed someone located in Virginia. Student CM described the requirement as a registered nurse with a terminal degree and at least one year of experience, and advised students without a mentor in mind to start networking as soon as possible. Handle 10 confirmed the school does not help students find a mentor and recommended starting early because required forms are due early in the semester. Student B confirmed that the mentor must hold an MSN, cannot have gone from BSN to DNP without an MSN in between, and must be secured no later than week two of Synthesis I.

'''Standards.''' 34 CFR §668.71-75 (Misrepresentation): material program requirements must be disclosed to students before enrollment so they can make informed decisions. A requirement to independently locate a qualified MSN mentor in the student's specific state, within two weeks of course start, is a material requirement that affects whether a student can progress through the program. Non-disclosure until course start is a transparency failure. ACEN Standard 4: capstone supervision is an institutional responsibility; shifting the burden of securing qualified supervision to the student, with no advance notice, no institutional support, and a two week deadline, constitutes a curriculum design deficiency. The state restriction on mentors (mentor must be in same state as student) interacts with {{HU|HU-085}} (frozen or paused states): students in states with enrollment issues may face additional difficulty finding qualified mentors. NCSBN Standards for Nursing Education: clinical and capstone supervision must be adequate and institutionally arranged.

'''Impact.''' Students who cannot locate a qualifying mentor within two weeks face potential course failure or withdrawal at the final stages of the program, after investing approximately 18 months and $60,000 to $95,000 in tuition. Student BH's case documents a concrete harm: a willing mentor was rejected on geographic grounds that were not disclosed in advance, requiring her to restart the networking process. Students without existing professional networks in nursing, particularly career changers with no medical background, are disproportionately harmed. The in person hour requirement for Synthesis II, approximately 27 hours with the mentor on site, adds logistical complexity that students in rural or underserved areas may be unable to meet.

'''Notes.''' The non-disclosure pattern is consistent across the program: care plans not mentioned until students see another school's student carrying them ({{HU|HU-081}}); Virginia Board of Nursing direct care hour requirements not known until a prospective student threatened to contact the board ({{HU|HU-070}}); Alabama Board of Nursing virtual hour limits known only to certain clinical coordinators ({{HU|HU-085}}). The Synthesis mentor requirement is another instance of the same institutional pattern: material information withheld until students are already committed to the course. Cross-reference: {{HU|HU-081}} (care plan non-disclosure), {{HU|HU-070}} (Virginia Board of Nursing non-disclosure), {{HU|HU-085}} (Alabama Board of Nursing non-disclosure).

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