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The PsyD Student Progress Committee (PsyD-SPC) is a committee made up of University PsyD core faculty and one external PsyD member, who is a KCU staff/faculty member. The committee is charged with being the primary team responsible for reviewing the totality of PsyD students’ academic, professional, training, and other student records and performance. Two subcommittees reside under the full committee:
- The Clinical Training subcommittee, comprised of the Director of Clinical Training and the Assistant Director of Clinical Training, reviews issues related to clinical training (i.e., violations of clinical training policies as they are listed in the Health Service Psychology Program Manual). The Clinical Training subcommittee can meet with students to address violations (e.g., issue warning letter, issue probation letter, create remediation plan, etc.) or refer students to the full PsyD-SPC for review.
- The Attendance subcommittee, comprised of the Program Chair and the Assistant Program Chair, reviews issues related to student attendance (e.g., Excused Absence Forms). The Attendance subcommittee can refer students to the full PsyD-SPC for violations of the PsyD Attendance Policy (see Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology’s Attendance Policy).
Students must demonstrate satisfactory achievement in all of the program’s education and training profession-wide competency areas throughout their time in the program. The PsyD-SPC reviews any student’s academic and professional record that is identified as having problems within any evaluative domain in the program. The committee addresses all academic and professional issues according to the policies published in this catalog and handbook.
The PsyD-SPC also aims to proactively identify at-risk students and develop interventions that would assist students who are struggling. The following are examples of issues or problems that may lead a student to be brought before the PsyD-SPC: course failure; issues with professionalism, that do not implicate the University Title IX and Sexual Misconduct Policy, (e.g., recurrent tardiness, turning in assignments late, making inappropriate comments, inappropriate social media activity), and an inability to meet the Health Service Psychology’s technical standards. This list is not exhaustive, and students can be referred to Student Services or the PsyD-SPC for additional issues or violations. When being referred to the PsyD-SPC, students will be provided with formal, written notification of the issue(s) from the vice provost for Student Services, as well as an opportunity to represent themselves before the PsyD-SPC regarding the issue in question.
As a part of a comprehensive review, the PsyD-SPC establishes and mandates protocols and recommendations appropriate to the individual student. The committee has broad authority to review student records, decide how best the program and/or the University can assist the student, and can recommend a broad number of options for consideration as part of any final decision.
For academic-related failures and review, the PsyD-SPC process is, generally speaking, as follows:
- The student is notified, by the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Services, via email/digital letter, of his/her academic issue. The student is informed of the date and time the PsyD-SPC will meet to review the issue. The student is invited to submit any relevant documentation and address the committee at the hearing.
- Prior to the formal meeting with the full PsyD-SPC, the vice provost for Student Services or designee will provide the student with instructions outlining the committee hearing process.
- Once the vice provost for Student Services has provided notice of the hearing and an opportunity for the student to meet, as identified directly above, the PsyD hearing will take place. The student may or may not choose to be present at the hearing; however, the committee will render a decision even in situations where the student chooses not to attend the hearing.
- After a thorough discussion and review of relevant policies, the issue in question, and the student’s response, the PsyD-SPC will vote and determine a decision. The PsyD-SPC Chair will then communicate the decision to the student via email/digital letter.
- The student can appeal the decision of the PsyD-SPC. The appeals process is explained to the student in writing when the decision is delivered. For specific instructions regarding appeals, see the Student Appeals & Due Process section of the catalog.
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