Student Progress Committees
Please read the descriptions below for the policies and procedures of each Student Progress Committee (SPC).
Student Discipline Procedures
Complaints involving alleged misconduct by students in both Kansas City and Joplin will be handled according to the following procedures except in those cases where different procedures are prescribed by another University policy (e.g., allegations of sexual harassment, research misconduct). KCU has established a multi-dimensional approach to adjudicating student misconduct, poor academic performance, and/or disciplinary issues. The following steps are to be followed in any case where a student is alleged to have violated the Code of Professional Conduct as enumerated in this handbook:
- All reports of code violations shall be reported to Student Services and/or to the vice provost for Student Services. Reports must be filed in writing and must be signed by the reporting party.
- Student Services will review the report and determine if the allegations are of the nature to merit further review.
- If the allegations are of a nature that warrant further review, Student Services, along with the vice provost for Student Services, will gather, review, and analyze, the information. (This will be done as quickly as possible, but sometimes the nature of such investigations takes longer to gather evidence and speak with potential witnesses).
- After all information is gathered, the vice provost for Student Services will apply a preponderance-of-the-evidence standard in making a judgment about the validity of the grievance and will then decide how best the alleged misconduct should be adjudicated. The multidimensional nature of KCU’s disciplinary system allows for cases to be heard by the Student Progress Committee (SPC), the student-run Honor Council or administrators within Student Services.
- The vice provost for Student Services will make the final decision as to how the case will be heard and will make a referral to the specific adjudicating body for disposition of the case. The student will also be notified in writing to appear before the appropriate body to have their case heard.
- In cases where the information does not merit referral to the SPC or the Honor Council, the case will be dealt with by Student Services staff.
- Once the case has been formally adjudicated, the vice provost for Student Services will then communicate in writing the outcome to the individual(s) involved.
The University reserves the right to address inappropriate behavior that does not clearly fall within the identified Code of Professional Conduct.
University Honor Council
The University Honor Council, consisting of students representing all degree programs, has authority for and addresses the highest standards of integrity, honesty, and professional conduct, as well as all student Code of Professional Conduct/Honor Code policies. The KCU Honor Council may, at the request of the vice provost for Student Services, consider cases involving alleged violations of the Code of Professional Conduct/Honor Code, and make a recommendation of its determination to the applicable SPC. The applicable SPC shall review the recommendation of the Honor Council and any evidence submitted by the student at issue as well as the student’s record and will issue a written decision. The student can appeal the decision of the applicable SPC. For specific instructions regarding appeals, see Student Appeals & Due Process.
Student Appeals & Due Process
The following process applies to the handling of all alleged academic progress issues and violations of the Code of Professional Conduct/Honor Code:
- Disciplinary Notification: Any student with applicable academic progress issues or who is charged with an alleged violation of the Code of Professional Conduct/Honor Code will be given written notice. Email notification may serve as written notice.
- Hearing: The KCU disciplinary system is a multi-dimensional system that allows the student to elect to participate in a formal hearing through the appropriate committee, as determined by Student Services, which may include the Student Progress Committee, Honor Council, or Student Services.
- Appeal: After receiving the decision of the SPC, the student has five (5) business days to submit an appeal in writing to the vice provost for Student Services who will provide notice of the appeal to the deans’ panel or their designees. The appeal guidelines for each college are as follows:
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Biosciences, and College of Dental Medicine students who are charged and found responsible for a lack of academic progress or a violation of the Code of Professional Conduct/Honor Code have the right to appeal the decision of the Student Progress Committee, or any decision made by staff members within Student Services.
In appealing a decision of the Student Progress Committee, the appeal must fall into one of the following categories:
- The student has new evidence, material to the decision rendered, that was not available prior to the original hearing. In this case, the matter will be returned to the appropriate SPC, which will make a determination as to whether new evidence exists. If the SPC determines new evidence exists allowing for a second SPC hearing, the second SPC hearing will be limited to the new evidence to be presented. If the SPC determines new evidence does not exist as a basis for the appeal, the SPC decision will stand.
- The hearing process, as outlined, was not adhered to during the SPC hearing.
- The sanction(s) do not relate appropriately to the violation.
Appeals that do not fall into one of these categories will not be heard and will be automatically dismissed by Student Services. Appeals must clearly outline the sanction(s) the student is appealing along with any compelling argument as to why the decision should be overturned.
Appeals will be heard by a panel made up of the deans, or where appropriate their designee, of each college, the COM, COB, and CDM.
The appeal is considered by the deans’ panel with the autonomy to uphold the appealed decision, reverse the decision all together, or modify the sanction. Students can expect a written decision on their appeal within a reasonable period of time from the appeal submission date. Decisions of the deans’ appeal panel are final, and no further appeals will be granted. Students cannot file a grievance contesting the decision of the SPC or Appeal Panel.
Sanctions Related to the Academic Review Process and Violations of the Code of Professional Conduct
The following are examples of sanctions that may be imposed as a result of the disciplinary and/or academic review process and may be levied as a result of a disciplinary or academic review hearing. This list is not exhaustive, and sanctions are based on the circumstances of the charges. The merits of each case will be considered before sanctions are levied. It is the intent of the disciplinary process that the sanction(s) imposed are in response to the academic record, student’s professional behavior, any patterns of inappropriate personal behavior, and disciplinary history of the individual student.
No Action
An official response from the disciplinary body indicating that no action be taken in regard to the student’s case.
Verbal/Written Warning
Documented warning that the behavior/academic performance demonstrated was unacceptable.
Required Remediation
Required corrective academic action. This is required only after a student has failed a course, section, clerkship and/or national examination. Remediation is not guaranteed for any student who has failed a course, section, clerkship, and/or national examination.
Should a professionalism issue arise, and remediation is a possible action, the details of that remediation will be developed by Student Services and appropriate college leadership and implemented in an appropriate time frame. Remediation being granted does not guarantee successful completion of program requirements.
Conditional Requirements
Official stipulations are required of the student in order for the student to reconcile his/her behavior. Stipulations may include, but are not limited to the following:
Probation or Academic Probation: An official status of warning from the University, stating that the student is under the most sensitive academic and/or professional behavioral monitoring and improvement plan, which becomes a part of the student’s record permanently. For specific information regarding academic probation, please review:
Academic Warning: A status of warning from KCU to the student indicating that the University is concerned about the student’s academic performance. See the program for specific information regarding academic warning:
Clerkship Alterations: Required change(s) to a student’s clerkship that might increase the student’s likelihood of successful completion of said clerkship (e.g., changing location, repeating the clerkship, repeating an entire year, repeating a subject exam, completing an independent study)
Disciplinary Probation: An official state of warning from the University which states that if the student violates any University policy during the probationary time, he/she could face up to suspension or dismissal depending upon the severity of the violation. The probationary status of the student may be communicated to the student’s academic advisor, faculty, or any other person who has legal access to this information.
First-Year Curricular Change: A formal decision that a first-year student withdraw from COM and transfer to COB, with the possibility of readmission to COM, after meeting specified academic criteria.
Partial (nonacademic) Suspension: A partial suspension of a student’s normal right to participate in extra-curricular, co-curricular, and other nonacademic activities. The student will continue to attend classes and may use all academic resources. The student will not be in good standing during the time of the suspension.
Referral to Outside Agency: The University may refer a student to a Physicians and Health Professionals Wellness Program selected by KCU, for assessment and treatment.
Required Tutoring/Learning Support: The University has the authority to require a student to seek mandatory tutoring and/or assistance from a learning specialist if it is deemed appropriate in assisting the student with academic performance issues.
Restrictions/Stipulations of Behavioral Activity: The University may restrict a student’s behavioral activity and if this is deemed appropriate, including but not limited to, restricting the student’s contact with another student.
Restitution or Monetary Fine: Financial accountability for damage to property, and/or continued disciplinary problems, caused by the student, or a fine that is deemed appropriate for the offense.
Restorative Service: A project or amount of community service hours served by the student for the good of the community. This is usually completed within the community. If the service is approved to be done off-campus, it must be at a not-for-profit organization and the student cannot receive pay for his/her work.
Training/Professional Development: referral to training or implementation of other professional development opportunities related to the conduct at issue.
Suspension
A formal separation of the student from the University during a specific period of time. The period of suspension can range from one semester to an indefinite period of time. The student will not be in good standing during the suspension.
Dismissal
Permanent separation of the student from KCU. Dismissal is permanently noted on the student’s KCU transcript. Students who received a dismissal from the University cannot then elect to withdraw.
Other Appropriate Actions
The University reserves the right to place a variety of disciplinary and/or academic sanctions upon a student that are not specifically outlined above, as long as they are approved by the SPC and/or appropriate college Dean, the University Honor Council, and/or a member of Student Services.
Student Grievances
KCU is committed to treating all members of the University community (administrators, faculty, staff, students, applicants for employment, third-party contractors, all other persons who participate in the University’s educational programs and activities, including third-party visitors on campus) fairly with regard to their personal and professional concerns. The student grievance policy is designed to promptly review concerns and promote reaching resolutions in a fair and just manner. The University’s grievance procedure enables students to bring complaints and problems to the attention of the University’s administration. KCU forbids any retaliatory action against students who present concerns and complaints in good faith.
Definition
A grievance is a complaint arising out of any alleged unauthorized or unjustified act or decision by an individual (e.g., student, faculty, staff, administrator) that in any way adversely affects the status, rights, or privileges of a member of the student body. Such complaints may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Academic programs or courses
- Accreditation standards or processes
- Financial aid
- General mistreatment
- Mentoring
- Privacy of student educational records
- Privacy of student health records
- Parking
- Research
- Security and safety
- Student health.
University policy strongly encourages students who believe they have a concern/grievance to use all appropriate avenues for informal resolution before initiating the formal grievance procedure. Students wishing to informally resolve an issue can contact Student Services or any other academic or administrative office on campus, which may appropriately handle said issue. If the office contacted cannot resolve the issue, they will refer the student to the appropriate office and provide the student with a specific faculty/staff member who can assist them.
Should such an informal resolution be impossible, the student may pursue the following options if they wish to file a formal grievance.
Procedure
Grievances relating to sex discrimination, sexual harassment or sexual violence fall under the purview of Title IX and will be dealt with under separate procedures. Reports of other forms of discrimination are reviewed under the Anti-Discrimination policy. For further details on the basis for these kinds of grievances see those policies.
All other formal grievances should be submitted in writing to the Office of the Provost, unless otherwise stated in an applicable University policy. The provost, acting in their professional capacity will review all formal grievances, with the goal of attempting to resolve the matter.
Students submitting a formal grievance to the Provost should be as specific as possible regarding the action that precipitated the grievance:
- Date
- Location
- Individuals involved (including witnesses)
- Summary of the incident
- Efforts made to settle the matter informally
- Remedy sought.
Except as noted above or as otherwise stated in the University’s policies, grievances about other students’ conduct will be evaluated and investigated in accordance with the Student Discipline Procedures. For grievances about employee conduct or decisions, will be reviewed under the most applicable policy, typically with some involvement or decision making by Human Resources and/or applicable supervisor(s). If deemed necessary, the issue may also be referred to other appropriate administrative leadership team member(s).
A record of all formal grievances, including written findings of fact and any transcripts or audio recordings made under Student Disciplinary Procedures processes, will be kept on file in the Office of the Provost for applicable retention period(s). An annual report of formal student complaints will be provided to the leadership team by June 1 of each year. Reports will be provided to the leadership team on a more frequent basis if necessary. The University uses student complaints in its ongoing performance improvement process.
Filing a Complaint with the University’s Accrediting Agencies
The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC-NCA), the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA), and the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) recognize their responsibility to provide complainants the opportunity to utilize their organizations as a vehicle to deal with specific grievances as well as being a mechanism for reviewing and finally resolving complaints. Complaints that cannot be addressed by the University may be filed with HLC-NCA, COCA, CODA, or the APA. Contact information for each agency can be found in the Accreditation section.
Information for Crime Victims About Disciplinary Proceedings
The University will, upon written request, disclose to the alleged victim of any crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense or, if the alleged victim is deceased as a result of the crime or offense to the alleged victim’s next of kin the results of any disciplinary proceeding conducted by the institution against a student who is the alleged perpetrator of such crime or offense. Requests for such documentation should be directed to Student Services.
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