Academic Standing

Academic Standing Committee Policy

The Academic Standing Committee, a subcommittee of the Student Affairs Committee, consists of five faculty members and two students. This Committee meets regularly to monitor the academic progress of students, consider petitions from students who wish to depart from the established program requirements or have a requirement waived, and adjudicate accusations of student misconduct. Accusations of student misconduct are handled by the Academic Standing Committee: 1) if referred by the Honor Council after its review of alleged violations of the Student Code of Academic Integrity and Professional Responsibility; or 2) for initial adjudication of alleged violations that fall under Part II below. The following is a list of Committee policies.

Part I - Academic Progress

The Academic Standing Committee periodically reviews the progress of students and can place students on probation at any time. Students on probation may be dismissed from the College if they are not making satisfactory progress. The Committee informs students by mail of its actions.

Academic Probation: Students are automatically placed on Academic Probation in the following circumstances:

• Accumulating eight (8) or more credits of F, I, N or D
• Failing a required course in the first semester of the Pharm.D. program
• Obtaining a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or below

Terms of Academic Probation:  Students on Academic Probation are reviewed by the Academic Standing Committee, and are required to abide by the following rules.  Failure of the student to abide by the terms of Academic Probation will result in dismissal from the College of Pharmacy.

• Students on Academic Probation can be dismissed from the College if a grade below C- is earned.
• Students are removed from Academic Probation when they successfully repeat all courses indicated by the Committee.
• Students may be required to seek academic assistance, complete incomplete courses within a certain time period, or other pursue other forms of assistance to increase the likelihood of success.
• Students placed on Academic Probation should expect the duration of their education to exceed four years.

Dismissal from the College of Pharmacy:  Students will be dismissed from the College in the following circumstances:

• Failing a required course twice
• Violating the terms of Academic Probation as set by the Academic Standing Committee
• Accumulating eight (8) or more credits of F, I, N or D in the first year of the Pharm.D. program
• Withdrawing from a required course without college permission

Failure of a course:

• Students who fail a course must repeat that course. Students who fail a course twice will be dismissed from the College.
• Students who repeat a course must re-register for the course. 
• Courses are normally offered during a given semester - hence students who fail a course offered only in the spring semester can expect to repeat that course the following spring.
• Since most courses are prerequisites for other courses in the program, students who fail a course should expect the duration of their education to exceed four years.

Withdrawal from a course & extension of academic program:  The Pharm.D. professional pharmacy program is a full-time continuous program.  Students must request permission from the Academic Standing Committee to withdraw from a required course or depart from the curriculum of required courses in the Pharm.D. program.  Failure to do so will result in dismissal from the College.

Leaves of Absence:  Students must petition the Academic Standing Committee to request a leave of absence. Students must request a leave of absence if they will not be enrolled for a period of time in which required classes are scheduled. When a part-time schedule is granted, the Committee will determine the program of study the student must follow.

All students who receive a grade below C- in Physiology (Phsl/Phar 6061) must successfully repeat that course before advancing to 2nd year courses.  Students will assume the cost of retaking this course.

Students must satisfactorily complete all required and elective courses and have an overall GPA in them of at least 2.00 before beginning Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs).

Students who earn an F or I in more than one APPE will be placed on probation or dismissed from the College. Students cannot make further progress toward the degree until making up at least one of the failed or incomplete APPEs.

Students who are dismissed from the College and wish to appeal must present information that was not available at the time of their dismissal and has a direct bearing on their academic performance. This information must be presented to the associate dean within four weeks of the dismissal decision. If the associate dean decides the information is new and substantial, the Academic Standing Committee will reconsider the dismissal decision. Students who wish to be considered for readmission after the four-week period must apply through the admission application process.

Students may have no more than four special examinations in prepharmacy coursework or course waivers in required pharmacy coursework. A course waiver remains effect for six years from the date the course waiver form was signed.

Part II - Student Misconduct

Any behavior by a pharmacy student that reflects on the student's qualifications or potential to become a competent and ethical professional is within the jurisdiction of the Academic Standing Committee to review. Aside from matters of academic integrity and professional responsibility in the classroom/clinic setting that are handled through the student honor system, the following behaviors constitute ground for discipline of students:

• Conduct that violates professional and or ethical standards; disrupts the operations of the University, College of Pharmacy or clinical training sites; or disregards the rights or welfare of patients, fellow students, college/clinical staff, or other individuals.
  
  
• Unlawful conduct or other improper behavior that impairs the student's capacity to function as a healthcare professional.

When presented with an alleged violation of the above standards or when a matter of academic integrity/professional responsibility is referred by the Honor Council, the Academic Standing Committee will hold a hearing to determine whether the alleged misconduct occurred. This hearing will comply with University standards for due process or fundamental fairness in a student disciplinary matter. Students who are found guilty of a violation by a preponderance of evidence will be subject to sanctions imposed by the committee, including but not limited to: warning, required compliance, probation, suspension, and/or dismissal.

The Academic Standing Committee's decisions in matters of student misconduct may be appealed by the President's Student Behavior Review Panel within 10 (ten) days of the decision.