Academic Sanctions and Appeals in the School of Medicine
Academic Performance Principles
All students enrolled in educational programs in the School of Medicine are expected to achieve a specified level of academic performance and abide by personal and professional behavior expected of students training in the health sciences.
Professionalism is an integral part of each academic program’s performance standards and is incorporated into the student’s academic assessment.
Standards for expected academic performance are determined by each academic program. Standards for expected professional behavior are outlined in other regulations of the University, School of Medicine and Health System as per the Code of Professional Conduct.
If concerns arise regarding a student’s academic performance and/or professionalism requiring possible sanction, each academic program will review and assess and will make a written recommendation to the Vice Dean for Medical and Health Professions Education (VDE). This includes reviewing any and all relevant documentation related to the concerns. Students will have the opportunity to hear the concerns and present their perspectives to the program prior to the recommendations being made, absent any immediate threat to health and safety of the student, other students and/or campus community which may warrant interim action.
The program will submit a written recommendation for proposed sanction, defined as a formal academic or professional status decision that may impact a student’s academic progression such as academic warning, probation, suspension, or dismissal. The recommendation must include the supporting materials outlining the specific academic or professionalism expectations that were not met, as well as how and when the student was informed of the concerns, and any relevant communications or evaluations.
The VDE will review the program’s recommendation and render a final decision about the resulting sanction, which may include either no concern, no action warranted, or a sanction (academic warning, probation, suspension, or dismissal). A written determination will be sent to the student and program with this decision and next steps.
Student Appeals
A student may appeal a decision made by the VDE to the Academic Appeals committee based on one of the following; New information not reasonably available at the time of the recommendation/decision is material to the decision; procedural error that substantially affected the VDE’s decision; the sanction imposed is disproportionate to the circumstances or not supported by the evidence; the program decision-maker or VDE had bias or conflict of interest for or against the student that specifically affected the outcome.
Academic Sanctions Appeals Process
Step 1 – Student submits request for appeal
The student must submit their appeal in writing to the VDE within 10 business days of the date of the VDE decision letter. The written appeal must: (i) address the reasons they are challenging that were provided for the sanction and state why the sanction is not appropriate in their situation; (ii) state the grounds for appeal; and (iii) include any supporting documentation (e.g. new evidence, witness statements, relevant communications etc.). An appeal request may be summarily denied if it is not based on one of the grounds for appeal.
Step 2 – VDE requests Academic Appeals Committee to convene
The VDE will request that members of the Academic Appeals Committee (AAC) convene to review the student’s appeal. The AAC’s role is limited to reviewing the underlying record and recommendation of the program, the decision of the VDE, the student’s written appeal statement and any supporting documentation, and any information presented at the committee meeting.
At least four faculty representatives (no more than one from each program) from each of the following programs: MD, DPT, OTD, PA, Pathology Assistant, Master’s in Biomedical Sciences; and two faculty representatives from the non-clinical Master’s programs. Faculty representatives will serve a 1-year term, renewable annually by the VDE.
One student representative from the appealing student’s program will serve on the AAC. The student representative must be from a different class than the appealing student at the time of the appeal for programs longer than one year.
The chair will be selected by the VDE.
The VDE will serve ex-officio to assist with process but will not participate in discussions or deliberations.
Step 3 – Student may submit concerns for conflict of interest on AAC membership
The student will be notified of the names of the AAC members who will serve on their appeal committee. The student may request replacement of any of the members based on actual conflict of interest, bias, or prejudice. Such request, including the rationale, must be submitted in writing to the VDE within 48 hours of receiving notice of the names. If there is demonstration of conflict of interest, these members will be replaced by members who have had no previous interactions with the student.
Step 4 – AAC meeting preparation and scheduling
A committee meeting will be held either via zoom (or equivalent) or in-person within 20 business days to allow the student an opportunity to amplify the reason for their appeal. Notice of the meeting date, time and location will be sent to the student and the AAC members. The student may request a one-time extension of the meeting in writing at least 72 hours in advance to the committee chair, for consideration. Committee chair will notify the student if the request if granted. If the student fails to attend the scheduled meeting, whether rescheduled or not, the committee may proceed in their absence. If the student participates in the meeting but declines to answer any relevant questions the Committee may still proceed.
The student may request that the committee hear information from other faculty or students with knowledge about the circumstances surrounding the reasons for the sanction. These individuals should be able to provide specific clarifying or defining information and not act as “character witnesses”. The student must submit these names at least 10 business days in advance of the committee meeting. The committee will determine the extent to which the witness will be permitted to attend, including the relevancy of the information they may have. The committee will not force any witness to participate.
At least 72 hours prior to the committee meeting the members and student will have access to:
The VDE’s summary report for the committee explaining the reason for the sanction and include supporting documents from the program and student.
The VDE’s letter to the student indicating the sanction and its reason
The written appeal request by the student indicating why the sanction is not appropriate
Supporting documents from the program as to why they requested the student be sanctioned. This may include exam scores, learning contracts, performance reviews, academic counseling attempts, remediation efforts, etc.
Supporting documents from the student as to why the sanction should not be upheld.
The names of all faculty, students, or staff the committee has asked to attend the meeting and provide pertinent information about the conduct to the committee.
Step 5 – Expectations on AAC meeting and outcomes
The student has the right to be present at the AAC meeting to hear the presentation from the education program and any called witness. The student will not be allowed to question the presenters/witnesses – that is the purview of the AAC. The student may share their perspectives during their designated time to speak. The student is NOT permitted to be present for committee deliberations. The student can decline to participate in any or all of the meeting.
The committee meeting will begin with a review of the sanction and the provided materials.
The student’s education program will present the reasons for their recommendation and answer any questions that the committee may have. The program representatives will then leave the meeting.
Faculty, staff or other students with information relevant to the matter may be asked to attend and provide information at the request of the AAC to inform their decision. Please note that the student does not have the right to object to the additional faculty, staff or students requested to attend by the AAC. The witnesses will then leave the meeting.
The student will then present to the committee why the sanction should be reconsidered, respond to the information provided by the program and witnesses, and answer any questions the committee may have.
The student will then be asked to leave the AAC meeting. The committee will then deliberate and reach a decision by a majority vote as to whether the sanction should be upheld, changed to a lesser sanction or removed.
Once the committee has reached a decision, the chair will draft the determination letter that includes a summary of the meeting, the committee’s decision on whether the adverse action is warranted, a brief explanation of the reasoning, and information about appeals to circulate to the committee members for approval. The committee can uphold the VDE’s adverse action, recommend another adverse action, or recommend no adverse action. Once approved by the committee members, the chair will submit the determination letter to the VDE within 10 business days of the appeals meeting. The finding of the committee will then be the final decision, absent appeal to the Dean (see below).
The VDE will submit written documentation to the student detailing the outcome of the AAC meeting, including the committee’s written decision, within 10 business days of receiving the committee’s written decision.
The student will have 10 business days after notification of the committee’s decision to submit an appeal request to the Dean of the School of Medicine. An appeal to the Dean is not a re-hearing of the matter and may only be based upon the grounds of procedural error in the appeals process that materially impacted the outcome, rather than continued disagreement about the sanction. The Dean will review the information related to the process of the appeal and determine whether it was appropriate. The Dean can uphold the committee’s decision, recommend another sanction, recommend no sanction, or send the matter back to the committee for further consideration.
The decision of the Dean will be final and no subsequent appeals are permitted. If the Dean of the School of Medicine upholds a decision of suspension or dismissal, the student relinquishes student status immediately and is no longer enrolled in the University.
The academic sanctions and appeals process may affect the advancement, graduation, or dismissal of a health professions student. Students are not eligible to graduate until the appeal process has been fully resolved and a final decision has been rendered. If a sanction is overturned as a result of the appeal, the student will be eligible to graduate the following graduation cycle.