Academic Standing Policy

https://elpaso.ttuhsc.edu/som/ome/CEPC/_documents/secure/GPAS_policy_2019MARCH.pdf

Policy Statement:
This document defines the school’s expectations and practices related to the determination of student grades, promotion, and academic standing.
Reason for Policy:
The purpose of this policy is to guide the faculty and its relevant committees in their administration of student grades, promotion, and academic standing.
Who Should Read this Policy:
All PLFSOM educational program leaders, including the dean, the provost, all academic officers of the Office of Medical Education and Office of Student Affairs, all course/clerkship directors and assistant directors, and all members of the following standing faculty committees: the Committee on Curriculum and Educational Policy, the Committee on Student Grading and Promotion, the Committee on Evaluation of Education Programs, the Committee on Student Affairs. This policy is also to be included in the student handbook and should be read by all students.
Resources:
This policy is administratively maintained by the PLFSOM Office of Medical Education, and further supported by the Office of Student Affairs. As described below, the Committee on Student Grading and Promotion has especially extensive responsibility for adherence to and application of this policy.
The Policy (Introduction):
1. Grading: Every student has a right to a course grade that represents the faculty’s good faith judgment of the student’s academic performance. A student’s grade is based upon performance, professional behavior, and/or participation in any activities as may be applicable to that course as described in its syllabus. Responsibility for student assessment and grading rests with the course faculty. Faculty members have an obligation to the students, the school, and the public to award passing grades only to those students who have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and conduct defined by the MD degree program’s educational goals and objectives, and by other school and institutional policies related to attendance, participation, assessment, and conduct.
2. Promotion/Student Advancement (referring to LCME accreditation element 9.9): Every student achieving all of the academic and professional expectations of the courses and curricular phase in which they are enrolled is entitled to be promoted according to the MD degree plan as outlined in the school’s academic catalog. Responsibility for monitoring and recommending students for promotion and graduation based on their academic and professional progress rests with the Committee on Student Grading and Promotion (GPC). The GPC has an obligation to the students, the school, and the public to allow a student to be promoted, and to graduate, only when they have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and conduct defined by the MD degree program’s educational goals and objectives, and by other school and institutional policies related to attendance, participation, assessment, and conduct. This obligation specifically includes preventing the promotion and graduation of students who demonstrate unacceptable behavior or conduct in the care of patients, in relationships with staff and peers, and/or in their public life. A student may be dismissed if the GPC determines that the student’s academic performance is unsatisfactory or that the student is otherwise unfit to continue the study of medicine.
3. Good academic standing:
  Good academic standing is defined as not being on probation as defined below in Sections 9 (pre-clerkship phase) and 11 (clerkship phase).
  1. In order to enroll in any additional or supplemental elective courses or programs, or to serve as an officer for a school-sponsored student organization, students must be in good academic standing. Students not in good academic standing are required to withdraw from any additional or supplemental elective courses or programs, and to resign from any ongoing service as an officer for any school- sponsored student organizations.
  2. Students in good academic status but on academic warning, as defined in Sections 9 and 11 below, are expected to critically review and reduce their extracurricular activities (leadership roles, supplemental curricula, and/or volunteerism), and to seek approval of their plans in this regard from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs or their designee. This review is to be documented and retained in the Associate Dean’s files. Non- adherence to an approved plan may result in referral of the student to the GPC for a review of their academic status based on a professionalism concern.
Responsibilities for the operational/day-to-day monitoring of student progress
The Associate Dean for Student Affairs in conjunction with the College Mentors and the Associate Dean for Medical Education are responsible for the operational/day-to-day monitoring of the medical students and will refer students to appropriate academic or personal counseling services when indicated.
Responsibilities of the Committee on Student Grading and Promotion (GPC)
The GPC is a standing committee of the PLFSOM Faculty Council, defined and governed by the PLFSOM Faculty Bylaws, and with fundamental responsibilities as outlined in Section 5 above. The GPC is not a policy making body, but it applies policies related to grading and promotion as approved by the Committee on Curriculum and Educational Policy (another standing committee of the PLFSOM Faculty Council). The Office of Student Affairs provides administrative support to the GPC and maintains the committee’s meeting minutes and other records. Students are notified in writing if they are expected to meet with the GPC to discuss their performance in relation to the school’s academic and professional standards. The Chair of the GPC individually notifies affected students in writing of any decisions by the committee related to their academic status, and the student’s College Mentors, the Director of Academic Support, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, the Associate Dean for Medical Education, and the Dean (or their designee) receive a copy. In addition, a copy of this document shall be retained in the student’s permanent record. The proceedings of the GPC are confidential, in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).
1. Guidelines for GPC deliberations and determinations regarding a student’s academic status
  1. Five members of the committee constitute a quorum at a regular or called meeting.
  2. All committee decisions requiring a vote are determined by a simple majority vote with the Chair included as a voting member.
  3. In conducting individual student reviews, the committee is expected to review the relevant academic outcomes, including professionalism concerns, and act on those findings according to the rules outlined in this policy whenever applicable. In circumstances for which a rule is not specified, the GPC is empowered to make determinations regarding a student’s academic status within the institution’s general academic policies.
Responsibilities of the Dean
Initial recommendations and associated actions for each student are delegated to the GPC. The Dean, or their designee serving as the Chief Academic Officer, is responsible for administering the appeals process and rendering final decisions.
Review of pre-clerkship phase coursework
The GPC reviews pre-clerkship student progress at the end of the fall semester and at the end of each academic year. All completed courses of the pre-clerkship phase of the curriculum are graded PA (pass) or FA (fail) – other transcript notations may apply to courses not completed (per HSCEP OP 77.19 Grading Procedures and Academic Regulations). The use of temporary grades and grade notations shall also be regulated by an educational program policy subsidiary to HSCEP OP 77.19. Students passing all courses with no professionalism concerns or exceptional circumstances adversely affecting their academic progress are promoted as a cohort according to the MD degree plan (per PLFSOM academic catalog). All other students are considered at-risk and are further characterized as either on academic warning or probation (see also paragraph 5.c above):
1. Academic warning: Students on academic warning have specifically identified academic challenges that are potentially remediable within the current academic year or prior to progression to the next academic phase. Unless specifically modified by the GPC, this status persists until all associated academic performance deficiencies are satisfactorily resolved, at which point the student is no longer considered at-risk
2. Probation: Students on probation have specifically identified academic deficits that require repeat of a year or a revised curriculum plan. Unless specifically modified by the GPC, this status persists until satisfactory completion of the repeat year, at which point the student is considered at-risk and on academic warning until the student’s satisfactory completion of the pre- clerkship phase of the curriculum, at which point the student is no longer considered at-risk
3. All students are subject to individualized GPC reviews that incorporate the student’s current and accumulated academic performance since matriculation, any professionalism notations/concerns, compliance with educational program expectations (per program policies and as may be individually specified by the GPC), and any exceptional circumstances affecting the student’s academic performance. In most cases a student’s at-risk status is automatically determined by their circumstances as outlined below. However, at-risk students initially designated as on academic warning shall be re-designated as on probation if the GPC determines that repeat of the year or a revised curriculum plan is necessary. Note regarding pre-clerkship phase deferred/temporary grade resolution and course remediation plans: Standard plans for the resolution of deferred/temporary course grades are specified by course syllabi. When individualized course (or course component) remediation is a consideration, the course director shall propose a plan for GPC review and approval. Similarly, at-risk students initially designated as on probation shall be re-designated as on academic warning if the GPC determines that repeat of the year is not necessary (as when individual remediation may be approved).