UT Health Science Center:

COHP112 Progress, Promotion and Academic Appeal Policy – Academic Policy

No./Title: COHP112 Progress, Promotion and Academic Appeal Policy	Resp. Office: STUDENT AFFAIRS Approval Body: College Council	Effective Date: May 2019
Category: Students	Last Review: October 2021	Next Review: October 2023
Contact: Richard Kasser Assistant Dean for Student Affairs	 901.448.4711	 rkasser@uthsc.edu
Related Policies:	EM112

Introduction

Students must achieve satisfactory academic progress in order to remain in academic good standing in their program and to receive federal financial aid. The Financial Aid Office’s satisfactory academic progress standards mirror the academic progress policies of each individual college. A student who is found to not be making academic progress by the Dean or designee is not eligible for federal financial aid. This rule may also apply to state, institutional, and private funds that a student receives to fund part or all of their education costs.

Procedure

The following guidelines pertain to full-time as well as part-time students. Promotion is the process by which a student progresses through an academic program and graduates. Promotion and graduation require positive action by the Dean or designee based upon recommendations of each program’s progress and promotion committee. While progress and promotion committees generally act at the end of a term, they can act any time a student is deemed to be making inadequate progress toward degree objectives and/or is demonstrating unacceptable performance in the key areas of personal and professional behavior. Committee recommendations regarding a particular student are based upon input by each faculty member or course director who has teaching responsibility for that student during a given instructional period.

Committee Guidelines

All committees follow program-specific guidelines related to required student performance and the kinds of recommended actions that may be made.

Student Performance

1. (a) For all undergraduate programs: Students must attain the minimum term grade point average designated by the specific degree program to progress to the subsequent term or to graduate. Any student who earns a grade of “D” (indicating marginal progress), “F” (failing), or “I” (incomplete) is reviewed in depth by the appropriate committee.
   
   (b) For graduate programs: Students must attain the minimum term grade point average designated by the specific degree program to progress to the subsequent term or to graduate. Students may be expected to complete all courses with a grade of “B – 3.0 quality points” (Grade Point average or GPA of 3.0) or higher and may be placed on probation or dismissed for earning a grade of “C – 2.0 quality points” (GPA of 2.0) or lower in one or more courses as stipulated by the specific degree program. Students must demonstrate a minimal competency level, as determined by the faculty, and made known to students in advance. Students who do not meet expected program standards may be dismissed or they may be placed on academic probation with a specific plan and timeline for the student to follow towards meeting the program’s standards. For example, students not reaching minimal competency may be required to complete additional exams and/or class assignments/remediation/repeating a course, repeating a year etc. until they reach the required minimal competence. An explanation of the calculation of the final grade will be made known to students in advance. The program progress and promotion committee will recommend a decision and action to the Dean or designee for each case.
2. Students enrolled in post-professional programs must complete all courses with grades of “B – 3.0 quality points” (GPA of 3.0) or above in core and clinical concentration courses, and “C – 2.0 quality points” (GPA of 2.0) or above in other courses. No more than two grades of “C – 2.0 quality points” (GPA of 2.0) may be applied toward a post-professional graduate degree. Students enrolled in post- professional (graduate) programs must maintain an overall grade point average of 3.0 (“B”). A student may be dismissed from the program upon earning more than two (2) grades of “C – 2.0 quality points” or a GPA below “C – 2.0 quality points”. Grades in courses earned at another university will not be computed in the cumulative GPA.
3. A student must demonstrate satisfactory personal and professional behavior deemed by faculty as being necessary for academic success and competency in clinical practice. Such areas may include but are not limited to the ability to establish rapport with clients, appropriate communication, ability to demonstrate respect and empathy, ability to work effectively with members of the health care team, dependability, judgment, integrity, initiative, and interest.
4. Students must meet program technical standards to continue in the various curricula and graduate. Copies of these standards are provided to students by their respective programs.

Recommended actions:

Progress and Promotion Committees may recommend any of the following actions to the Dean and the Assistant/Associate Dean for Student or Academic Affairs

Promotion

Promotion of the student to the subsequent term or to graduation.

Academic Probation

1. Undergraduate students – Probation may result from a student earning a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of less than 2.0 during the term, from earning a grade of less than a “C – 2.0 quality points” in any course, or from failure to meet stated objectives associated with professional behavior or technical standards. Committee recommendations will include delineation of specific conditions that must be met for removal of the student from academic probation, and the time by which such conditions must be met and the consequences for not meeting the probation conditions and/or timeline.
2. Graduate students – Probation may result from a student earning a cumulative grade point average (GPA) that falls below the minimum required by the specific degree program or by earning a grade of “C – 2.0 quality points” or lower in one or more courses as stipulated by the specific degree program or by failing to meet expected levels of clinical competencies or professional behaviors.
3. Post-professional students – Students enrolled in post-professional programs must earn a GPA of 2.0 or grater with a grade of “C – 2.0 quality points” or higher in all course work and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Any student earning a grade of “D” or “F” in any course or falling below a 3.0 cumulative grade point average will be dismissed from the program of study.

Dismissal

Dismissal may result from any of the following.

1. A student enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program that earns a grade of “F” in any course, or earning a grade of less than a “C – 2.0 quality points” in two or more courses.
2. A post-professional student that earns a grade of “D” or “F” in any course.
3. Failing to meet the minimum grade point average requirement as stipulated by the specific degree program.
4. Failing to meet the requirements of a course(s) as stipulated in the course syllabus.
5. Failing to meet personal or professional behavior expectations.
6. Failing to meet technical standards.
7. Failing to meet stipulated conditions for removal of probation within the designated time period.

Repeating Curriculum

A recommendation that a student repeat all or part of the curriculum may be made only if all the following conditions are present:

1. The presence of specific nonacademic circumstance(s) judged by the committee as having an adverse effect on the student’s academic performance.
2. Committee judgment that the identified specific circumstance(s) show probability of resolution within a reasonable period of time; and,
3. Committee judgment that resolution of the identified circumstance(s) will subsequently result in satisfactory performance by the student.

Notification of Student

Students who do not meet academic progression criteria are notified of academic dismissal, or pending academic dismissal, by the Assistant/Associate Dean for Student Affairs. The Assistant/Associate Dean for Student Affairs will provide written notification to the student outlining the college appeal process and timeline and notifies the Dean. International students placed on academic probation or who are dismissed should contact the Office of International Affairs. A student placed on probation is given a written statement of conditions that must be met for removal of probation, and the time period allowed. Students in or heading towards distress may be referred to the UTHSC Campus Care Team.

Appeal Process

Students may appeal academic actions of the college (e.g., academic dismissal, pending academic dismissal) to the college ad hoc appeals committee. This appeal must concentrate on perceived biases/flaws in the process that preceded the academic dismissal instead of the grades received. The student must appeal to the Assistant/Associate Dean for Student Affairs within two (2) business days after receiving the secure encrypted dismissal email via UT Vault. The student may seek permission from the Dean or designee to attend classes while the appeal process within the College of Health Professions is still pending.

However, the College of Health Professions may preclude participation in courses involving clinical training (e.g., clerkships, community or clinic internships and rotations).

The student will meet with the College ad hoc appeals committee and may bring any person(s), excluding legal counsel, whom the student believes can contribute to the presentation. The ad hoc appeals committee is chaired by the Assistant/Associate Dean for Student Affairs who also appoints the committee composed of faculty from the College. When applicable, the ad hoc appeals committee shall meet with the involved faculty member(s). After hearing all persons who appear on behalf of the student AND in support of the action taken by the progress and promotion committee, the committee sends a recommendation for resolution of the appeal along with supporting documentation to the Dean.

The Dean or designee will notify the student in writing of the final decision made regarding the appeal. If the student’s academic appeal is denied or academic dismissal is the final outcome, the Dean or designee will provide written notice to the student that he/she is academically dismissed and withdrawn from the institution and is no longer permitted to attend classes, even during subsequent appeals to the Chancellor. The Dean or designee will notify the Registrar, who will process the academic action and withdraw the student. In such instances, the effective date of the student’s withdrawal for reporting purposes is the last date of attendance. Once a student has been academically dismissed (withdrawn), he/she is no longer eligible to receive any type of federal, state, or institutional aid. This includes all grants, loans, work-study, and scholarships originating from UTHSC. As required by the U.S. Department of Education, the Financial Aid Office will apply the return of Title IV refund policy. And consistent with UTHSC policy, the Bursar will apply the UTHSC refund policy.

The decision of the Dean of the college is final. However, the student may appeal to the Chancellor for readmission and to re-enroll in classes. Students wishing to petition for readmission must send a letter of appeal to the Office of the Chancellor within two (2) business days after receipt of the secure and encrypted academic dismissal notice from the Dean or designee. This appeal must focus on perceived flaws/biases in the process leading up to academic dismissal rather than on the grades awarded. The student may not attend class during the appeal request to the Chancellor. If the Chancellor requests additional information for consideration, the student has five (5) additional business days to provide the requested information for consideration. The Chancellor or designee will provide a notice of the final outcome to the student.

APPROVAL HISTORY

Effective: May 2019

Approved: May 9, 2019, COHP Dean

Approved: May 8, 2019 COHP HPFO

Revised: September 29, 2021

Approved: September 30, 2021, COHP Dean

Approved: October 12, 2021, COHP HPFO