Program Appeal Policy
Students have the right to appeal final course grades and decisions/actions of the ASP Committee. An appeal will be considered if the final course grade or decision/action was, potentially--
- not in accordance with published policies,
- arbitrary or capricious, or
- determined based on race, religion, color, national origin, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a veteran, or disability.
Students may not appeal assignment or exam grades.
The PA Program utilizes the Joint Advanced Practice Professions Appeals (JAPPA) Committee for grade appeals and appeals regarding ASP Committee decisions. The Joint Advanced Practice Professions Appeals Committee consists of members of the Master of Science in Anesthesia (MSA) Program’s Progress and Promotions Committee and members of the PA Program’s ASP Committee.
Final Grade
1. A PA student wishing to appeal a final grade received in a particular course or rotation should first attempt to resolve the matter by meeting with the Director of Didactic Curriculum or Director of Clinical Curriculum and the PA Program Director. If the student received a grade from any of these individuals, they should meet with the faculty member who did not award the grade. The request for a meeting should occur within ten (10) business days of release of the student’s grade to the student.
2. If the PA student has attempted resolution via the Directors of Didactic or Clinical Curriculum and the Program Director without success and would like to pursue the matter further, the student may file a formal written appeal with the JAPPA Committee. The appeal must be made within ten (10) business days following receipt of the decision made by the Director of Didactic Curriculum or Director of Clinical Curriculum and the Program Director. The appeal must detail the reason(s) for appeal. The JAPPA Committee shall investigate the matter. The JAPPA Committee may:
- Dismiss the appeal as not valid or not having merit.
- Hold a meeting to hear the student’s appeal.
3. Upon investigating and/or hearing the student’s appeal, the JAPPA Committee can:
- Uphold the initial decision made by the Director of Didactic or Director of Clinical Curriculum and the PA Program Director
- Render a new decision, based on new information not previously heard by the ASP Committee or the Program Director.
4. The decision of the JAPPA Committee is final. This step exhausts the student’s non-procedural appeal options.
5. If, after being notified of the JAPPA Committee’s decision, the student feels that the JAPPA Committee did not properly follow its established procedures, then an additional written appeal may be submitted to the Vice Dean of Medical Education for the School of Medicine within ten (10) business days following receipt of the decision.
- Appeals to the Vice Dean can only be made based on procedural errors. If not received by the Vice Dean’s Office within ten (10) business days, the right to appeal is forfeited.
- Procedural appeals to the Vice Dean must be in writing and include the basis for the appeal with specific information and documentation regarding procedural errors.
- The Vice Dean may, but is not required to, personally meet with the student.
- The Vice Dean has the discretion to review the documents and records from the initial meeting with the Director of Didactic or Director of Clinical Curriculum and Program Director as well as the ASP Committee hearing in addition to any other evidence related to the student.
- The Office of the Vice Dean will notify the student in writing of their decision regarding procedural appeals.
6. The Vice Dean of Medical Education determination is final. This step exhausts the student’s appeal options.
ASP Committee Decision
1. If the student disagrees with the decision granted by the Program Director, they may submit a written appeal within ten (10) business days following receipt of the decision to the JAPPA Committee. The formal written request should be supplemented by a detailed statement of the student’s reason(s) for requesting an appeal.
2. The JAPPA Committee will review the student’s appeal and determine if it has merit. If the Joint Committee finds the student’s appeal to have merit, they may, but are not required to, request to meet with the student to hear the appeal. During the hearing, the student is expected to address the Joint Committee, present their appeal, and respond to questions from the committee.
3. Upon investigating and/or hearing the student’s appeal, the JAPPA Committee can:
- Uphold the PA Program ASP Committee’s initial decision
- Render a new decision, based on new information not previously heard by the ASP Committee or the Program Director.
4. The decision of the Joint Committee is final. This step exhausts the student’s non-procedural appeal options.
5. If, after being notified of the JAPPA Committee’s decision, the student feels that the Joint Committee did not properly follow its established procedures, then an additional written appeal may be submitted to the Vice Dean of Medical Education for the School of Medicine within ten (10) business days following receipt of the decision.
- Appeals to the Vice Dean can only be made based on procedural errors. If not received by the Vice Dean’s Office within ten (10) business days, the right to appeal is forfeited.
- Procedural appeals to the Vice Dean must be in writing and include the basis for the appeal with specific information and documentation regarding procedural errors.
- The Vice Dean may, but is not required to, personally meet with the student.
- The Vice Dean has the discretion to review the documents and records from the initial ASP Committee hearing as well as documents from the Joint Appeals Committee hearing as well as any other evidence related to the student.
- The Office of the Vice Dean will notify the student in writing of their decision regarding procedural appeals.
6. The Vice Dean of Medical Education determination is final. This step exhausts the student’s appeal options.