Dismissal of a Student from Graduate Studies

  1. Students dismissed from the university and one of its graduate programs shall have the right to appeal.
  2. Students are encouraged to attempt to resolve appeals through the program coordinator and, if necessary, through the appropriate academic dean.
  3. In instances that cannot be resolved at the program or school level, the appeal will be forwarded to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs for consideration.
  4. Students must notify the Office of Academic Affairs in writing of the intention to appeal the dismissal. This notification must be received within 30 days of the notification of dismissal, or the right to appeal is forfeited.
  5. The appeal will be heard as soon as possible so that, if the appeal is successful, the student will be readmitted to the program with a minimum of interruption. However, the student will not be allowed to enroll while his/her appeal is pending.
  6. The members of the Dismissal Appeal Committee will be the Chair of the Graduate Council and all of the graduate program coordinators, with the exception of the graduate program coordinator for the program from which the student was dismissed.
  7. The committee functions in the following manner:
    1. Prior to the hearing, the committee will investigate the circumstances of the appeal, allowing the student and the program coordinator to present their cases in writing. If the program has a dismissal-appeal process, the program committee will also submit, in writing, a summary or documentation from the program's hearing process.
    2. The committee will schedule a hearing, making every conceivable effort to identify a date, time, and place when the student and instructor can attend.
    3. During the committee hearing, both the student and the program coordinator will be allowed to present their cases. The student and the program coordinator have the option of addressing the committee in person or providing the committee with a written statement of appeal in lieu of appearing in person. Both the student and the program coordinator may name other individuals with relevant, first-hand information to address the panel in person or in writing.
    4. If the student chooses to address the committee in person, he/she has the privilege of bringing one advisor, selected from the faculty, staff, or student body, to the meeting. The advisor is not allowed to address the committee or to ask questions of committee members during the meeting. The student is allowed, during the meeting, to confer privately with the advisor.
    5. If the instructor (and, if applicable in clinical or internship situations, the clinical instructor or on-site supervisor) additionally chooses to address the committee in person, he/she may bring one advisor, selected from the faculty or staff, to the meeting. The advisor is not allowed to address the committee or ask questions of committee members or any other attendee during the meeting. The instructor is allowed to confer privately with the advisor during the meeting.
    6. The student and the instructor(s) have the right to remain in the room while testimony is being given. All oral testimony will be tape-recorded.
    7. If the student chooses to provide the committee with a written statement of appeal in lieu of appearing in person, the student will be required to submit a signed statement indicating that he/she has chosen not to meet with the committee.
    8. If there are follow-up questions from the committee, they will be mailed to the student or program coordinator, along with a request that they be answered in writing and promptly submitted.
    9. After considering all information relating to the appeal, the committee will formulate recommendations based on the decision of the majority.
    10. The chair will forward a record of the hearing and a recommendation to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
    11. The Vice President for Academic Affairs will review the recommendation. It will be the responsibility of the Vice President for Academic Affairs to render a decision in the case, whereupon the student, the program coordinator, and the appropriate dean shall be advised in writing.
    12. In the event the student wishes to appeal the decision of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA), he/she may direct his/her appeal in writing to the President within five business days from the receipt of the letter sent by the VPAA.
    13. If the student is not satisfied by the final decision of the President, he/she may apply to the Board of Regents for a review of the decision. The application for review must be submitted in writing to the Board's office of Legal Affairs within a period of twenty days following the decision of the President. It shall state the decision complained of and the redress desired.

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