Academic Grievance Procedure

Academic Grievance Procedure for Graduate Students in the Health Sciences Division

Students, faculty members, and administrators are strongly encouraged to attempt to informally resolve problems arising from academic matters. The Graduate School hopes that open communication between all parties and mutual confidence in one another's goodwill will lead to the resolution of problems in this manner. When informal attempts at resolution fail, the management of academic grievances involving graduate students of the Health Sciences Division (HSD) is to proceed according to the formal procedures set forth below.

Jurisdiction

Students, faculty members, or administrators may invoke the following procedures when academic grievances arise. Academic grievances include dismissal from a program as well as those that arise from matters involving scholarly competence and ethical scholarly behavior; thus, questions regarding evaluation of students and cheating on examinations, are included within the meaning of "academic." Allegations of scientific misconduct in the design, conduct or reporting of research (e.g. plagiarism, falsification or fabrication of data) shall be handled through the procedures described in the HSD’s policy on Scientific Misconduct. Problems arising from clearly non‐academic matters fall within the jurisdiction of the university's Division of Student Development. In cases in which the jurisdiction is unclear or mixed, the Dean of the Graduate School will determine the appropriate jurisdiction.  

Regarding evaluation of students, the academic grievance procedure applies only to those cases in which the evaluation of the student is alleged to be capricious, in significant violation of clearly established written school policies or a result of improper procedures. An evaluation of a student is capricious if the evaluation is: 1) based partially or entirely on criteria other than the student's performance; 2) based on standards different from those standards of evaluation applied to other students; or 3) based on a substantial departure from announced standards of evaluation. In cases other than those noted above, an evaluation of a student is not a basis for an academic grievance.  

Department/Program Grievance Hearing

When informal efforts at grievance resolution fail, students must first address the issue at the departmental or programmatic level. If a complainant wishes to appeal the decision reached at the departmental/programmatic level, the complainant can request a Graduate School hearing.  

Graduate School Hearing  

Request for a Hearing: The grievant is to make a written request for a hearing to the Associate Dean of the Graduate School, Health Sciences Division. The request, which should utilize the form appended to this document, must specify the nature of the grievance and describe prior attempts to resolve the matter. The request must be made within thirty days of a decision reached at the departmental/programmatic level. Once such a request is received, the HSD Graduate School Office will request copies of all materials generated at the departmental/programmatic level.

Hearing Board

The HSD Graduate School Office has a standing hearing board, appointed by the Associate Dean, consisting of at least three Graduate School faculty members;  alternate members are available should a member of the standing board be involved in the grievance or otherwise unable to participate. Only members of the Graduate School faculty are eligible to serve on the hearing board. The hearing board is to have a chairperson, appointed by the Associate Dean, who is responsible for managing all procedures related to the hearing.

Hearing Procedure

The purpose of the hearing is to ensure that all parties have full opportunity to present their views to the hearing board and to allow the hearing board to assure itself that it fully understands the parties' views. The conduct of the hearing is informal. It is not bound by rules of evidence or court procedures. All matters of procedure are to be decided by the chairperson of the hearing board in accordance with the following guidelines.  

The chairperson of the hearing board is to set the date, time, and location of the hearing. The hearing is to take place within 30 days of the request for a hearing, if practicable. All involved parties are to receive a timely written notice of the hearing and the matters to be considered. All supporting documentation relating to the matter is to be submitted to the Associate Dean of the Graduate School at least three weeks prior to the hearing. Arrangements may be made for a party to participate in the hearing from a remote site via video conferencing.  

The Associate Dean will distribute all related information in a timely manner to all involved parties prior to the hearing. The hearing and material submitted to the hearing board are private, and all parties involved in the grievance are to consider their contents confidential. However, if a party disseminates their contents, the party's interest in confidentiality is deemed waived. Electronic recording of the hearing is prohibited.  

A party may obtain the assistance of members of the university community in preparing written documentation or in presenting information to the hearing board, provided that the assistants are not attorneys legally representing the interests of either party. Individuals from outside the university are not permitted to serve as assistants. The party must notify the chairperson of the hearing board of the names of the assistants at least one day prior to the hearing.  

Each party may present information, both orally and in writing, to the hearing board. All parties are to be available throughout the hearing. Two formats for the hearing exist and are determined by the chairperson of the hearing board: all parties are present together during the hearing or the parties are heard separately at the hearing. Each party may call witnesses at the hearing. The party is to submit to the chairperson of the hearing board the witnesses' names at least one week prior to the hearing; the hearing board will notify all parties of the names of witnesses in a timely manner prior to the hearing. The board may direct questions to any party or witness. All individuals presenting information to the hearing board have the responsibility of presenting truthful information.  

After the hearing board has gathered all necessary information, the board will deliberate in private. In reaching its decision, the board will examine all documents and other exhibits and consider fully statements of all parties and witnesses. The decision of the board will be determined by a majority vote of participating board members.

The Associate Dean of the Graduate School will notify the parties in writing of the board's decision within two weeks of the hearing.

Appeal

A party may appeal the decision of the hearing board to the Dean of the Graduate School. The party is to request an appeal in writing within 30 days of notification of the hearing board's decision. The request must include an explanation of the basis for the appeal. The Dean will notify all parties of the request for an appeal and will provide an opportunity for a response. The Dean will obtain from the parties and the hearing board information necessary to consider fully the hearing board's decision and the basis for the party’s appeal.

The Dean may affirm, modify, or reverse the hearing board's decision. The Dean will notify the parties of the disposition of the appeal within 30 days of receiving the appeal, if practicable. The Dean's decision is final in all cases (including dismissal from a Graduate School program), except those involving possible expulsion from the university (i.e., a permanent prohibition of enrollment at the university); the penalty of expulsion may be imposed only by the university's provost or senior vice president for health sciences.

The Graduate School retains copies of all documentation related to the management of grievances under its jurisdiction.