Dismissal policy for undergraduate specialized programs

The term “Academic Policies” is defined as those policies, procedures, and regulations of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE), the University of Nevada, Reno, and particular Specialized Programs within colleges.

A “College” is defined as a major academic unit which has and maintains Specialized Programs.

A “Specialized Program” is defined as an undergraduate program which has special requirements for admission to and/or for progression within that particular program. The program’s special requirements for admission to and/or for progression in the program must be in writing and either published on the University’s website or provided in writing to all students who are admitted to the program.

The term “dismissed” shall mean removal from the student’s Specialized Program, but not from the University. If a student is dismissed from the Specialized Program, the student needs to reapply to the Specialized Program.

The term “Recommending Party” shall refer to the department chair, the associate dean of the college or the director of the Specialized Program who shall recommend to the dean of the College that a student be placed on probation or be dismissed from the Specialized Program.

A student may be dismissed from a Specialized Program for numerous reasons, which may include, but are not limited to:

• Failure to maintain good academic standing as defined by this Policy or the particular Specialized Program.
• Failure to make satisfactory progress as defined by the standards in this Policy.
• Failure to meet the conditions of academic probation as described in the Academic Probation Notice.
• Failure to comply with professional or ethical standards applicable to a particular Specialized Program while in a clinical or professional setting.
• Violations of University Student Code of Conduct or the Academic Standards Policy for academic dishonesty (UAM 6,502).

3.1 Good Standing

To be considered in good academic standing for a Specialized Program, undergraduate students must:

1. Maintain a University of Nevada, Reno cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.0. If the student's University of Nevada, Reno cumulative grade-point total is below a 2.0, the student is placed on probation. The student must then raise their cumulative GPA to 2.0 by the end of the following semester or the student shall be dismissed from Specialized Program. Some Specialized Programs, at their discretion, may have a higher or different cumulative GPA requirement.
2. Maintain the required grades for courses required by the Specialized Program. Some Specialized Programs, at their discretion, do not accept any grade lower than “C” or its numerical equivalent for the fulfillment of Specialized Program requirements.
3. Maintain a passing grade in the clinical or practicum course.

Have not been placed on formal probation by the College for academic or clinical or practicum placement deficiencies.

3.2: Failure to Make Satisfactory Progress

A student may be placed on probation and possibly dismissed from a Specialized Program for failure to make satisfactory progress in their course of study. Failure to make progress is indicated by one or more of the following academic progress standards:

• A failure to complete three (3) credits per semester toward their Specialized Program (Exceptions can be granted on a case-by-case basis through the dean of the College).
• Unsatisfactory grades (including grades below C or its numerical equivalent, or repeated withdrawals from courses).
• Failure to comply with specific Specialized Program requirements as stated in the Specialized Program’s dismissal policy, if any, or in the Specialized Program’s student handbook or website.
• In Specialized Programs with clinical or practicum components, failure to receive a “D” or higher in any clinical or practicum course. Some Specialized Programs, at their discretion, do not accept any grade lower than “C” or its numerical equivalent for the fulfillment of Specialized Program requirements for the clinical or practicum courses.
• In Specialized Programs with clinical or practicum components, failure to perform at a level commiserate with the training received from either the Specialized Program or the clinical/practicum placement site.
• Failure to maintain the standards of academic and professional integrity expected in a particular discipline or Specialized Program while the student is in a clinical or practicum setting.

Specialized Programs may establish their own benchmarks for the academic progress standards stated above. The benchmarks for the academic progress standards shall be consistent with Specialized Program requirements, standards in the field and as specified in the Specialized Program handbook and on the website for that Specialized Program. The Specialized Program shall not create or add any additional academic progress standards beyond those listed in this section.

Specialized Programs are required to review the academic performance and progress of a student at least once per year.

3.3: Academic Probation and Dismissal.

A recommendation for probation and dismissal by a Recommending Party shall follow the procedures stated in the specific dismissal policy for that particular Specialized Program. If the Specialized Program does not have a specific dismissal policy, this Policy shall be applied for probation and dismissal.

A Recommending Party may request that the College dean place the student on probation for the following:

• Failure to maintain academic good standing as stated in subsection 3.1.
• Failure to make satisfactory progress as stated in subsection 3.2.

a. Placing the Student on Probation.

If the Recommending Party determines that the student has failed to maintain academic good standing or failed to make satisfactory progress, the Recommending Party shall make a written request to the College dean to place the student on probation. In the request, the Recommending Party shall provide documentation of the student’s failure to meet the specific provisions(s) of this Policy or the specific provisions of the Specialized Program dismissal policy, where applicable, warranting probation. The Recommending Party also must provide specific requirements and/or conditions, including deadlines, which the student must complete in order for the College dean to remove the student from probation.

If the College dean approves the request to place the student on probation, the Recommending Party shall notify the student in writing to indicate that the student has been placed on academic probation (the “Academic Probation Notice”). The Recommending Party shall forward the Academic Probation Notice to the Office of Admissions and Records.

The Academic Probation Notice shall outline what the student must do and the dates by which the student must do so in order to return to good standing in the student’s Specialized Program. The Academic Probation Notice also shall inform the student that if the student does not meet the conditions of probation, the student shall be dismissed from the Specialized Program, contain information about the appeal process that is being used, either the Specialized Program appeal process or the appeal process in this Policy, and provide the student with the contact information for the College dean for any questions or concerns the student may have. The Academic Probation Notice also shall inform the student of the student’s right to participate in a review conference with the department chair, the associate dean or Specialized Program director to discuss the terms and conditions of the probation.

The student shall be afforded the opportunity for a review conference, which shall be administered by the either the department chair, the associate dean or the director of the Specialized Program (“Review Conference Administrator”). The student shall have ten (10) Working Days from the date of the Academic Probation Notice to submit a written request to the student’s College or Specialized Program to have a review conference (“Review Conference Request”). The College or Specialized Program shall direct the Review Conference Administrator to schedule the Review Conference to occur no later than ten (10) Working Days from receipt of the Review Conference Request.

b. Dismissal Due to Failure to Meet Probation Requirements.

If the student fails to meet the requirements and/or conditions of probation or violates the terms of the probation, the Recommending Party shall make a written request to the College dean to dismiss the student from the Specialized Program. In the request, the Recommending Party shall provide documentation of the student’s failure to meet the terms of the probation.

If the College dean approves the request to dismiss the student, the Recommending Party shall notify the student in writing that the student is being dismissed from the Specialized Program (“Dismissal Notice”). The Dismissal Notice shall include a written statement of reasons for the dismissal action, information about the applicable appeal procedures and the time period by which the student must file an appeal (set forth in Section 7 below).

3.4: Separation or Dismissal Without Prior Probation

In rare instances, a student may be recommended for dismissal from the Specialized Program without being placed on probation. These instances include the following circumstances:

• When a student’s GPA drops in the Specialized Program below 2.0.
• When the academic reason for failing to progress is non-enrollment.
• When a sanction of expulsion is issued by the Office of Student Conduct resulting from a student conduct issue or a violation of the Academic Standards policy (UAM 6,502) for academic dishonesty.
• When a student’s behaviors or actions while in a clinical or practicum setting endanger the life, health, well-being or safety of any person at the clinical or practicum setting.

For those instances involving non-enrollment, the student is subject to the procedures outlined in Section 4.

For those instances involving a disciplinary sanction of expulsion by the Office of Student Conduct, the student is subject to the procedures as outlined in Section 5.

For the other instances described above, the student is subject to the same procedures as outlined in Section 7 for Specialized Program dismissal. The student shall be provided with a Dismissal Notice which shall include information about the appeal procedures, the appeal conference and the time period by which the student must file an appeal (set forth in Section 7 below). The student shall have ten (10) Working Days from the date of the Dismissal Notice to submit an appeal to their College. The College then shall have ten (10) Working Days to submit the student’s appeal to the Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education. The appeal shall be conducted in accordance with Section 7 of this Policy.

All students are required to be enrolled in three (3) credits per semester required by the Specialized Program (the “Continuous Enrollment Policy”). If a student is unable to enroll in the minimum number of credits, the student shall submit a Leave of Absence Form signed by the Specialized Program and the College dean. Failure to submit the Leave of Absence Form or failure to return to the Specialized Program after the leave of absence has expired shall result in dismissal from the Specialized Program.

All issues relating to a student’s alleged violations of the Student Code of Conduct are processed through the Office of Student Conduct and not the College or Specialized Program. The College or Specialized Program does not dismiss students from the Specialized Program as a finding of responsibility for violations of the Student Code of Conduct. The College can dismiss a student from the student’s Specialized Program upon direction from the Office of Student Conduct after all conduct hearings and appeals have been completed and the Office of Student Conduct notifies the College that the sanction imposed against the student is expulsion from the University and therefore, dismissal from the student’s Specialized Program.

Probation or dismissal for lack of professionalism or professional misconduct while in a clinical or practicum setting shall be allowed only for those Specialized Programs with licensing, accreditation or national standards outlining professional behaviors or expectations. Departments and Specialized Programs shall establish their own benchmarks for professionalism, consistent with Specialized Program requirements, licensing, accreditation or national standards in the field, which shall be stated in the Specialized Program’s dismissal policy, if any, the student handbook and the Specialized Program website.

All probation and dismissal recommendations based upon lack of professionalism or professional misconduct in a clinical or practicum settling shall be submitted to the College and only the College may officially place students on probation or dismiss students. Departments or Specialized Programs may not place students on probation, nor dismiss students from the Specialized Programs unless authorized to do so by the College.

A recommendation by the College for dismissal due to lack of professionalism or professional misconduct shall follow the procedures stated in the specific dismissal policy for that Specialized Program. If the Specialized Program does not have a specific dismissal policy for lack of professionalism or professional misconduct, Section 7 of this Policy shall be applied.

A. Student’s Appeal Request.

Within ten (10) Working Days of receipt of the student’s written request for appeal, the Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education shall review the student’s appeal and provide the student with written notification of the opportunity for a review conference on the appeal (“Appeal Conference”).

B. Appeal Conference.

The Appeal Conference shall be administered by the Vice Provost Undergraduate Education. The Appeal Conference is an informal meeting that is not intended to be adversarial in nature. The student may be accompanied by an advisor during the Appeal Conference, who may serve in a support role to the student during the Appeal Conference. In this process, the advisor has no right to speak during the Appeal Conference except to the student.

If a student, who has been given notice does not appear for the Appeal Conference with the Vice Provost Undergraduate Education, then the review conference shall proceed in the absence of the student.

The Appeal Conference is the time for presentation of the information, documents or witnesses in support of the dismissal. The Appeal Conference is the time at which the student is afforded the opportunity to present information, documents or witnesses on the student’s behalf. Witnesses may present a statement to the Vice Provost Undergraduate Education, however, only the Vice Provost Undergraduate Education is allowed to ask questions of any witnesses. Furthermore, the individual who made the recommendation for dismissal has the opportunity to participate in the Appeal Conference and may present information, documents or witnesses in support of the dismissal recommendation. The Vice Provost Undergraduate Education may also include a representative from the applicable discipline or Specialized Program in the Appeal Conference.

The Appeal Conference shall occur within thirty-five (35) days but no earlier than ten (10) Working Days after the date the Dismissal Notice was sent to the student by email or by personal delivery. The student can make a written request to the Vice Provost Undergraduate Education asking that the 10-day period be waived if the student wants the Appeal Conference to occur sooner. If necessary, the student can make a written request to the Vice Provost Undergraduate Education for an extension of time for the Appeal Conference and the Vice Provost Undergraduate Education in their sole discretion, may grant the extension with regard to the Appeal Conference. If an extension of time for the Appeal Conference has been granted by the Vice Provost Undergraduate Education, the Appeal Conference must take place no later than forty-five (45) Working Days after the date that the Dismissal Notice was sent or personally delivered to the student.

C. Written Decision.

After a review of all the materials, statements and relevant circumstances, the Vice Provost Undergraduate Education shall issue a written decision setting forth the reasons upon which the final decision is based. The Vice Provost Undergraduate Education’s determination shall be made on the basis of whether it is more likely than not that the student engaged in behavior or actions related to the Specialized Program that warrant dismissal.

If the Vice Provost Undergraduate Education does not uphold the recommendation for dismissal, the student shall be reinstated in the Specialized Program. The Vice Provost Undergraduate Education shall render a decision to the student and the Specialized Program within five (5) Working Days after the Appeal Conference.

D. Decision Final.

The decision of the Vice Provost Undergraduate Education is final and is not subject to appeal.