Herzing Issues: Ethics and Credential Representation

This page reproduces entries from a student maintained issue tracker concerning Herzing University's MSN-DE prelicensure nursing program. Each entry carries the tracker's own status label, almost always CONFIRMED or POSSIBLE. Entries marked POSSIBLE are reported concerns pending verification, not findings. Student names have been replaced with consistent pseudonyms (Student A, Student B, and so on); the author is referred to as the reporting student. Faculty and staff are identified by name and role as they appear in the underlying records. See Herzing University Issue Tracker for method, severity definitions, and sources.

Herzing Issues: Ethics and Credential Representation collects the issues from the Herzing University Issue Tracker that concern ethics and credential representation. Each entry keeps the tracker's issue ID, severity, and status. See Herzing University Issue Tracker for method, severity definitions, and the full index.

Overview

This article covers five tracker issues dated between April 30, 2026 and June 3, 2026. Three are rated Medium severity (HU-015, HU-069, HU-105) and two are rated High (HU-119, HU-143). Status ranges from CONFIRMED (HU-015, HU-119) to POSSIBLE and POSSIBLE requiring verification (HU-069, HU-105), with HU-143 carrying a mixed status: the report and the license record check are CONFIRMED, while the reporter's legal characterization is marked POSSIBLE pending a determination by the Florida Board of Nursing.

The entries split into three threads. The first concerns disclosure and privacy: a handbook provision requiring pregnancy disclosure to a Program Chair rather than confidential health services (HU-015), and a report that a student shared medical images of a minor child in cohort group communications (HU-069). The second concerns the institutional climate around speech and legal advocacy: a documented student perception that the Herzing Direct Entry MSN Facebook group is monitored and that speaking out carries retaliation risk (HU-105), and a vendor's outside counsel confirming a records hold and plans to communicate with Herzing about a student who filed claims against that vendor (HU-119). The third concerns credential integrity and institutional branding: a report that an enrolled MSN student publicly represented himself as a licensed RN while wearing Herzing-branded scrubs, alongside a Florida Board of Nursing record search that returned no license on file (HU-143).

Recurring owners include the Title IX Coordinator (HU-015, HU-069) and Student Affairs (HU-069, HU-105), while HU-105 also names the Dean of Nursing and HU-119 and HU-143 bring in external parties: a vendor's outside counsel and the Florida Board of Nursing. Taken together, the issues in this topic trace a pattern in which the institution's channels for disclosure, reporting, and oversight are themselves the subject of the concern, whether the question is who receives a disclosure, whether speech is chilled, how a vendor dispute intersects with a student's institutional standing, or how the institution responds when its own branding appears in a credential-integrity report.

Issues

HU-015: Mandatory pregnancy disclosure to Program Chair required; raises Title IX and privacy concerns

Severity	Medium	Status	CONFIRMED
Issue type	Policy Concern	Date added	2026-04-30
Owner	Title IX Coordinator / Academic Affairs

Finding. Per the tracker's evidence, the Prelicensure Student Handbook requires a student who is pregnant to notify the Program Chair or designee and submit a medical clearance form to continue in clinical.

Evidence. Handbook p.12: "If a student is pregnant, the student must notify the Program Chair or designee and submit a medical clearance form to continue in clinical." Handbook p.14 repeats this requirement. Source Group: Prelicensure Student Handbook 2026 (SICCED09255468); Defense Bundles 2026-04-29 / 2026-04-30.

Reported statement.

Although we consider pregnancy to be a normal event, for the student's safety, the nursing program requires a statement from the student's healthcare provider providing permission to continue clinical experiences or delineate any special needs or restrictions.

Standards. Title IX (20 U.S.C. §1681); 34 CFR §106.40; OCR Guidance on Pregnancy (2022). Mandatory disclosure requirements must be narrowly tailored. Routing disclosure through Program Chair rather than confidential health services may chill voluntary disclosure.

Impact. If accommodations are then limited based on disclosed pregnancy status, this could constitute pregnancy discrimination under Title IX. Disclosure to Program Chair rather than confidential health office is a privacy concern.

Notes. Clinical safety rationale is legitimate. However, procedure as written requires disclosure to academic supervisor. Compare to ADA/FMLA models where disclosures go to HR/health services, not direct supervisors.

HU-069: Student (Student G) shared medical images of a minor child (not her dependent) in cohort group communications, raising ethical and potential HIPAA/child privacy concerns

Severity	Medium	Status	POSSIBLE (Requires Verification)
Issue type	Ethical Violation (Sharing Medical Images of a Minor)	Date added	2026-05-05
Owner	Student Affairs / Compliance / Title IX Coordinator

Finding. According to the tracker, Student G shared medical images of a minor child who was not her dependent in the cohort's Discord/GroupMe group communications. The EthicsPoint report characterizes this as "raising ethical concerns." The context raises potential HIPAA, FERPA, and child privacy concerns depending on the source and nature of the images.

Evidence. EthicsPoint Report (Sept 18, 2025), Section II (Behavioral and Student Conduct Concerns): "Sharing of medical images of a minor child (not their dependent), raising ethical concerns by Student G." Listed alongside other inappropriate group discussion topics. Source Group: EthicsPoint Reports: Sept 18, 2025 (Report #1); Dec 3, 2025 (Report #2).

Reported statement.

Sharing of medical images of a minor child (not their dependent), raising ethical concerns by Student G.

Standards. Herzing Nursing Program Confidentiality Statement (Handbook Appendix I, p.36): "Protected health information (PHI) including the patient's admission, diagnosis, treatment, and financial status is confidential and is protected by law (HIPAA). You are expected to limit your uses and disclosures of protected health information." If images originated from a clinical setting: 45 CFR §164.502 (HIPAA Privacy Rule): sharing patient PHI without authorization is a violation. 42 U.S.C. §1320d-6: criminal penalties for wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information. ANA Code of Ethics Provision 3.1: the nurse promotes and protects the privacy of the patient. Herzing P.R.I.C.E. Values (Handbook p.14): Integrity and Caring standards.

Impact. If the medical images originated from a clinical setting, this would constitute a HIPAA violation with potential criminal liability and would be grounds for program dismissal under the Herzing Confidentiality Statement. Even if not clinical, sharing medical images of a non-dependent minor raises serious ethical questions about professional judgment and fitness for clinical practice.

Notes. Reported as POSSIBLE because the EthicsPoint report does not specify the source of the images (clinical vs. personal), the nature of the medical content, or the identity of the minor. If the images came from a clinical rotation, severity should be elevated to Critical. The EthicsPoint investigation closure (Sept 25, 2025) did not specifically address this allegation, which represents a potential gap in the investigation's scope (see HU-067). Cross-reference: HU-067 (investigation adequacy), HU-066 (broader pattern of unprofessional conduct in cohort groups).

HU-105: Chilling effect on student speech: students documented fear that Herzing monitors the Facebook group and that speaking out results in institutional retaliation

Severity	Medium	Status	POSSIBLE
Issue type	Student Speech Suppression / Institutional Surveillance Concern	Date added	2026-05-05
Owner	Dean of Nursing / Student Affairs

Finding. According to the tracker, an anonymous member of the Herzing Direct Entry MSN Facebook group stated on July 5, 2023 that comments shared in the group are often relayed to Herzing and that members take a risk by speaking out. This statement documents a fear among students that the group is monitored by the institution and that speech critical of the program creates institutional risk for the speaker. Whether Herzing actively monitors the group or not, the reporter states that the perception of surveillance creates a chilling effect on student advocacy. The reporter ties this perception to documented retaliation against the reporting student after his EthicsPoint report (HU-066) and to a recurring pattern of petition dismissals (HU-090), and notes that the group's extensive use of anonymous posting (over 1,000 anonymous posts documented) is consistent with students taking precautions to conceal their identities when raising concerns.

Evidence. The anonymous member's July 5, 2023 statement, paraphrased above. HU-066 (existing issue): retaliation against the reporting student following a good-faith EthicsPoint report. HU-090: recurring petitions reported as dismissed without substantive engagement. Anonymous posting pattern: the Facebook group's extensive use of anonymous posting (over 1,000 anonymous posts across the archive) is cited as behavior consistent with a perceived surveillance and retaliation environment. Source Group: Herzing Direct Entry MSN Facebook Group Export (Dec 2022 to May 2026), Exhaustive Line-by-Line Review: 34,887 lines, 1,350 posts, 14,112 comments, 8 passes (Volume 7).

Reported statement. An anonymous member of the Facebook group stated that what members say in the groups is often shared with Herzing and that speaking out carries significant risk.

Standards. First Amendment principles in higher education (Healy v. James, 408 U.S. 169, 1972): students at institutions receiving federal funds have protected associational and speech rights; institutional surveillance of student communications and retaliation for protected speech implicates these rights. 34 CFR §668.46 (campus security and safety): institutions may not create environments that discourage reporting of concerns. ACEN Standard 2 (Governance): students must have meaningful channels for raising program concerns without fear of retaliation. If the institutional environment has created, whether through actual surveillance or documented retaliation, a chilling effect on student speech, this undermines the integrity of all student feedback mechanisms including course evaluations, town halls, and complaint processes.

Impact. A chilling effect on student speech means the institution receives artificially suppressed negative feedback, creating a false picture of student satisfaction. Students who believe speaking out is risky are less likely to file EthicsPoint reports, contact accreditors, or participate in town halls, making it harder for the institution to identify and address legitimate program deficiencies. The reporter states that the documented pattern of retaliation (HU-066) and petition dismissal (HU-090) provides a rational basis for the stated fear, meaning this is presented as a concern grounded in observed institutional behavior rather than perception alone.

Notes. Marked POSSIBLE because direct evidence of institutional monitoring of the Facebook group is not confirmed; only student perception is documented. The tracker states that the perception itself is the finding: when students believe they are surveilled and that advocacy is risky, the educational environment is materially harmed. Cross-reference: HU-066 (retaliation post-EthicsPoint), HU-090 (petition non-response pattern), HU-067 (EthicsPoint investigation reported as closed inadequately).

HU-119: ProctorU Inc. d/b/a Meazure Learning retained outside counsel (Potomac Law Group, PLLC) in response to the reporting student's April 28, 2026 claims letter; records hold issued; Meazure Learning plans to communicate with Herzing University about the reporting student's account, creating potential conflict of interest and retaliation risk

Severity	High	Status	CONFIRMED
Issue type	Legal Response from Institutional Vendor / Records Hold / Conflict of Interest Risk	Date added	2026-05-07
Owner	ProctorU / Meazure Learning (Ariel E. Warner, Potomac Law Group); Herzing University Administration

Finding. Per the tracker's evidence, on May 7, 2026, Ariel E. Warner of Potomac Law Group, PLLC wrote to the reporting student on behalf of ProctorU, Inc. d/b/a Meazure Learning in response to the reporting student's April 28, 2026 letter setting out claims related to Meazure Learning's administration of remote examinations as part of his coursework at Herzing University. The letter confirms three developments: Meazure Learning has issued a records hold notice and taken steps to preserve potentially relevant records; Meazure Learning is reviewing the claims; and, as part of that review, Meazure Learning plans to communicate with Herzing University about the reporting student's account. The third point is the most significant from a conflict of interest and retaliation standpoint: ProctorU/Meazure Learning is a vendor contracted by Herzing University to administer remote exams, and when that vendor's legal team contacts the university about a student who has filed claims against the vendor, the student's institutional standing may be affected by his exercise of legal rights against a third party. This creates a structural conflict between the reporting student's rights and the institutional relationship between Herzing and its exam vendor.

Evidence. Letter from Ariel E. Warner, Potomac Law Group PLLC (May 7, 2026): "I write on behalf of our client, ProctorU, Inc., d/b/a Meazure Learning, in response to your April 28, 2026 letter setting out claims related to Meazure Learning's administration of remote examinations as part of your coursework at Herzing University. This letter provides confirmation that Meazure Learning has issued a records hold notice and has taken steps to preserve all records that are potentially relevant to your claims. Meazure Learning is in the process of reviewing your claims. Please note that as part of our review, we plan to communicate with Herzing University about your account." Signed /s/ Ariel E. Warner. Potomac Law Group, PLLC, www.potomaclaw.com. Source Group: Letter from Ariel E. Warner, Potomac Law Group PLLC, to the reporting student, May 7, 2026 (Re: April 28, 2026 Correspondence to ProctorU Inc. d/b/a Meazure Learning).

Reported statement.

This letter provides confirmation that Meazure Learning has issued a records hold notice and has taken steps to preserve all records that are potentially relevant to your claims. Please note that as part of our review, we plan to communicate with Herzing University about your account.

Standards. Retaliation protections: a student's exercise of legal rights against a third-party vendor contracted by the institution should not affect the student's standing with the institution. The planned communication between Meazure Learning's legal team and Herzing University about the reporting student's account creates a conduit through which his legal advocacy could influence his institutional treatment. This intersects with the retaliation pattern documented in HU-066 (retaliation post-EthicsPoint) and HU-114 (conflicting communication directives used to limit advocacy). 34 CFR §668.46: institutions may not retaliate against students for exercising legal rights. Consumer protection principles: a student using a vendor-administered service as part of his educational program has the right to raise claims about that service without those claims being used to his institutional detriment. Records hold significance: Meazure Learning's issuance of a records hold is a formal legal preservation step, indicating the company's legal team has assessed that litigation or formal dispute resolution is a realistic possibility.

Impact. The planned Meazure Learning-to-Herzing communication creates three specific risks: Herzing could be notified of the reporting student's legal claims against its vendor before the reporting student has had an opportunity to raise those claims through institutional channels, potentially biasing the institution's response; Herzing could take adverse academic action under the guise of unrelated reasons after being notified of the claims; and the vendor-institution communication could result in coordinated responses that are adverse to the reporting student's interests. The records hold is a two-edged sword: it preserves evidence favorable to the reporting student's claims, but also signals that Meazure Learning's legal team is treating this as a serious matter requiring formal response.

Notes. The underlying April 28, 2026 claims letter sent by the reporting student to ProctorU/Meazure Learning is not in the tracker. The nature of the ProctorU claims should be documented when available. Existing issues related to ProctorU: HU-001 (ProctorU Google Remote Desktop flag), HU-002 (ProctorU software identification), and prior GroupMe documentation of students' ProctorU concerns. The attorney of record for future correspondence is Ariel E. Warner, Potomac Law Group. All future communications with Meazure Learning should be through this attorney of record.

HU-143: The reporting student reported to David Steele J.D. (Director of Online Academic Operations) that a Herzing MSN student (Student E) publicly represents himself as a licensed RN with an MSN while using Herzing-branded scrubs and logos; Florida Board of Nursing license verification returned no records for the searched name; reporter asserts this is a felony under Florida law and intends to report to the Board of Nursing; institutional branding implicated

Severity	High	Status	CONFIRMED (report made and BON record check documented); POSSIBLE (underlying legal characterization requires determination by the Florida Board of Nursing)
Issue type	Reported Concern: Student Allegedly Representing Self as Licensed RN with MSN While Using Herzing-Branded Scrubs; Reported to Herzing Leadership	Date added	2026-06-03
Owner	David Steele J.D. (Director of Online Academic Operations) / Dr. Raywattie Prashad / Stephanie Black / Florida Board of Nursing

Finding. The reporting student reported a concern to David Steele J.D., Director of Online Academic Operations (cc Dr. Prashad and Stephanie Black), regarding another Herzing MSN student, Student E, who publicly represents himself on Instagram as Student E, RN. The reported concerns are that the student is representing online that he has earned an MSN and is a Registered Nurse; that his Instagram includes a highlight category labeled NURSE consisting of photos of him in Herzing-branded scrubs; and that Herzing school logos appear in the content. The reporting student documented that a search of the Florida Board of Nursing QuickConfirm license verification system returned "No search results were found for Student E, RN, FLORIDA" and a separate License Verification search returned "No records found." The reporting student noted that, by his calculation, the student completed his first term in April 2025 and therefore would not graduate until the end of the year, making a current RN credential chronologically inconsistent. The reporting student asserted that, in the State of Florida where the student resides, representing oneself as a nurse without licensure is a felony, and stated he intends to report the matter to the Florida Board of Nursing but wanted to notify Herzing first because Herzing's school logos are on the content. The legal characterization (felony) is the reporter's assertion and a matter for determination by the Florida Board of Nursing and appropriate authorities; this entry documents the report and the objective record-check evidence, not a finding that any crime occurred.

Evidence. Email: the reporting student to David Steele J.D. (Director of Online Academic Operations), cc Dr. Prashad, Stephanie Black. The email opens by stating that a student was being very abusive in one of the Facebook groups and that, more concerning, this student is representing online that he has earned an MSN and is an RN. Instagram bio: Student E, RN; he/him; highlight categories include NURSE (stethoscope icon). Florida Board of Nursing QuickConfirm License Verification Search Results: "No search results were found for Student E, RN, FLORIDA." License Verification dialog: "No records found. Please try your search again with other search values." Source Group: Email: the reporting student to David Steele J.D. (Director of Online Academic Operations), cc Dr. Raywattie Prashad and Stephanie Black, June 2026; Instagram profile [Instagram handle redacted]; Florida Board of Nursing QuickConfirm License Verification screenshots; archived profile capture. Reported By: the reporting student. Subject of Report: Student E (Herzing MSN student; Instagram [Instagram handle redacted]).

Reported statement.

This student is representing online that he has earned an MSN and is a RN. He also has a category called nurse which is actually photos of him in his Herzing scrubs... in the State of Florida, where he lives, this is a felony... The Florida Board of Nursing has no record of him as a nurse... Herzing's school logos are all over this. [Florida BON]: No search results were found for Student E, RN, FLORIDA.

Standards. Florida Statutes section 464.015 (Titles and abbreviations; restrictions): a person may not use the title Registered Nurse or the abbreviation R.N. unless that person holds an active Florida nursing license or a valid multistate license. Florida Statutes section 456.065 (Unlicensed practice of a health care profession): practicing or holding oneself out as able to practice a licensed health care profession without a license may constitute a third-degree felony. Florida Statutes section 464.016 (Violations and penalties): addresses penalties for nursing-title and practice violations. NURSYS / Nurse Licensure Compact: multistate license verification is available via NURSYS; the Florida BON QuickConfirm result and the License Verification "No records found" result are the documented objective evidence that, at the time of the search, no Florida RN license record was located for the searched name. HLC Criteria 2.A (institutional integrity): institutions have an interest in addressing the misuse of their name, logos, and branded materials in connection with potentially inaccurate credential claims by enrolled students. Licensure databases reflect status at the time of search and can change; this entry documents the report and the search result, and the ultimate legal determination rests with the Florida Board of Nursing and appropriate authorities, not with this tracker.

Impact. If an enrolled Herzing MSN student is publicly representing himself as a licensed RN before completing the program and obtaining licensure, while wearing Herzing-branded scrubs and displaying Herzing logos, the institution faces reputational and integrity exposure, since the public may associate the alleged misrepresentation with Herzing's brand. There is also a potential public-safety dimension to any unlicensed person holding themselves out as a nurse. The matter was formally reported to Herzing's Director of Online Academic Operations, placing the institution on notice; the institution's response, or lack thereof, to a documented credential-integrity concern involving its own branding is itself trackable. The reporter has stated an intent to escalate to the Florida Board of Nursing. The objective record-check evidence and the chronological inconsistency (first term completed April 2025) are the documented bases for the concern; final determination of licensure status and any legal consequence rests with the Florida Board of Nursing.

Notes. This entry documents a report made by the reporting student and the objective evidence he gathered; it is not a finding by this tracker that Student E committed any offense. The legal characterization as a felony is expressly the reporter's assertion, supported by citation to Florida Statutes sections 464.015, 464.016, and 456.065, and is a matter for the Florida Board of Nursing and appropriate authorities to determine. New personnel identified: David Steele J.D., Director of Online Academic Operations (the official to whom this was reported). The Instagram profile lists Student E, RN (note: SMSN appears to denote student MSN; the RN claim is the subject of the report), 8 posts, 3,442 followers, with a NURSE highlight category. A parallel or secondary Instagram handle appears in one screenshot (a January 8, 2025 post about classes having started). Cross-reference: HU-115 (EthicsPoint AI academic-integrity report against another student), HU-102 / HU-103 (program integrity concerns). POSSIBLE follow-up: Herzing's response to David Steele regarding the report; outcome of any Florida Board of Nursing report; confirmation of the student's actual enrollment status and graduation timeline. Sensitive third-party allegation: handle in accordance with the evidence-first, non-accusatory standard; update status if the Board of Nursing or the institution makes a determination.

See also

• Herzing Issues: Student Conduct and Retaliation
• Herzing Issues: Complaint Handling and Investigations
• Herzing Issues: Academic Appeals and Due Process
• Herzing Issues: Enrollment, Registration, and Billing
• Herzing Issues: Proctoring and Testing
• Herzing Issues: Academic Integrity
• Herzing Issues: Faculty Instruction and Curriculum Design
• Herzing University Issue Tracker