Editing Herzing Issues: Technology, LMS, and Platforms (section)

=== HU-041: Sherpath academic platform (Elsevier) experienced chronic and recurring failures throughout 2025-2026 academic year ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%"
! style="width:12em" | Severity
| Medium
! style="width:12em" | Status
| CONFIRMED
|-
! Issue type
| Systemic Platform Failure
! Date added
| 2026-05-04
|-
! Owner
| colspan="3" | IT Department / Vendor Management (Elsevier/Sherpath)
|}
'''Finding.''' The Sherpath academic platform (Elsevier) experienced chronic and recurring failures throughout the 2025-2026 academic year, including failure to load lessons, displaying completed assignments as incomplete, losing student work, and kicking students out mid-assignment.

'''Evidence.''' MSN-DE DEC 2026 COHORT GroupMe (multiple dates, September 2025 to April 2026): Students reported Sherpath failures on at least 10 separate occasions. Student C (February 25, 2026) reported being kicked out of the platform mid-quiz immediately after clicking next. Student C (January 14, 2026) reported that a full week of completed Sherpath work had reverted to showing as past due, as if never done.

'''Reported statement.''' Student C stated that reaching out to Sherpath support was a lost cause, reported that a full week of completed Sherpath work had reverted to showing as past due as though never submitted, and later noted that Sherpath support did manage to locate a missing lab pass.

'''Standards.''' ACEN Standard 5: technology resources must support student learning. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. §794d): digital learning platforms must be accessible and functional. Handbook p.5: students cannot be penalized for institutional technology failure.

'''Impact.''' Recurring Sherpath failures caused anxiety, required students to redo work, resulted in assignments incorrectly marked as incomplete, and placed students at risk of grade penalties for institutionally caused platform failures.

'''Notes.''' Sherpath is the primary academic platform for nursing coursework, EAQs, and simulation activities. Its repeated failure represents a foundational infrastructure concern. See also {{HU|HU-001}} and {{HU|HU-044}}.

<span id="HU-043"></span>