Appendix C - Definitions and Resources
Academic Appeal: Involves any decision relating to a student鈥檚 academic performance.
Academic performance: As reflected in grades assigned, all performance related to fulfillment of academic requirements, learning outcome objectives, and key grade factors articulated in course syllabi and program handbooks. Academic grades and progress toward fulfillment of programs of study pertain to course-specific learning objectives, summative examinations, capstone projects, and theses and dissertations.
Burden of Proof: The person with the burden of proof has the obligation to produce the evidence that will shift or change a conclusion, action, or decision.
Disciplinary Actions for Professional or Academic Misconduct: Disciplinary action may include a grade penalty and/or a formal reprimand, a program of progressive improvement, suspension, and/or discontinuation of financial support (e.g., scholarships, GA appointments); or, in the most serious cases, dismissal from an academic program.
Disciplinary Appeal: Involves any decision relating to a penalty arising from unprofessional behavior or academic misconduct.
Dismissal From a Program: The most common reason students leave a program is due to low academic performance, often after a period of probation. Dismissal from a program may also occur in response to academic misconduct or professional misconduct.
- When suspension or dismissal from the program is recommended by a program, a program may forbid a student from attending program courses or engaging in other program-sponsored learning opportunities and events; however (a) removal from program course(s) is an option to be used only in the most serious of cases, and (b) 鈥渢he student is entitled to appeals procedures and will not be suspended or dismissed from the University while the appeals are in process.鈥
- This College policy does not govern disciplinary actions related to strictly nonacademic misconduct articulated in the University鈥檚 Student Code of Conduct (i.e., those not directly related to academic or professional conduct), which are referred to the office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility.
Instructor of record: This is the faculty member who takes primary responsibility for creating the course syllabus (e.g., creating learning objectives, assignments, rubrics) and for overseeing the quality and consistency of the instructional work and grading by graduate teaching assistants, faculty facilitators and others. In cases when a teaching assistant, facilitator, or other individual is assigned to teach a section under the oversight of a lead faculty member assigned to a course, the lead faculty member will serve as the instructor of record for the sake of an appeal.
Nonacademic misconduct: Applies to all conduct not directly related to academic objectives or standards of professional conduct. This College Appeals Policy does not cover these situations but refers all such issues to the office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility.
Professional misconduct: Misconduct pertaining to adherence to program standards, relevant codes of ethics accreditation standards, licensure requirements and laws/regulations of a general nature pertaining to the academic environment as well as health care delivery and health research1 regardless of the nature of the activity鈥攃linical practica, internships, externships, hourly hires, graduate appointments (GA, TA, RA), activities related to scholarships and fellowships, and volunteer work in affiliation with 91探花 Note. Professional conduct standards may include 鈥渮ero tolerance鈥 behavior triggering a 鈥渙ne-strike鈥 penalty鈥 namely, particularly serious misconduct identified in writing by a program to be incompatible with the norms of the discipline, profession, or academic program and warranting immediate dismissal from a program.
Submit a Grade Appeal: Means to send as an attachment to School/Department Chair or Director
Work/School Days: Regular business days M-F that do not include holidays or university closures.