Student Appeals Process

A.    The Department Chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies or his/her designee will review the PA Honor Council findings and act on the recommendations within five working days.  Students may appeal Honor Council recommendations and request further investigation by a Faculty Committee on Student Discipline. The Faculty Committee on Student Discipline is appointed by the Associate Dean for Education. Request for appeal of the PA Honor Council findings should be made within three working days after meeting with the Department Chair.  All requests should be in written format and given to the Department Chair who will notify the Associate Dean for Education.

B.    The accused student shall be notified in writing, not less than ten business days before the matter is to be heard by the Faculty Committee on Student Discipline:

·         the nature of the alleged offense,

·         the name or names of the accuser(s),

·         the right of the student to be heard,

·         the time and place of the Hearing,

·         the right to be represented at the Hearing by legal counsel,

·         the right to speak, write, or present witnesses

·         the right to cross-examine accusers or witnesses who may testify against him or her.

C.   Communication from the legal counsel should be through the student or the Chair of the Faculty Committee on Student Discipline. All written communication and notification to students will be delivered to the student's mailbox in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies. The student shall be advised that the hearing will not be open to the public.

D.    The decision shall be based on persuasive evidence, shall take the findings of the PA Honor Council into account, and shall be determined by a majority vote.

E.    The Faculty Committee on Student Discipline shall have discretionary authority to recommend disciplinary action up to and including suspension or expulsion. The findings and recommendations of the Faculty Committee on Student Discipline will be communicated in writing to the Associate Dean for Education within seven calendar days of its decision.

F.    The Associate Dean for Education will review the Faculty Committee on Student Discipline findings and recommendations and may sustain the decision, abrogate it, return it to the Committee for further deliberations, or impose a different sanction. The Associate Dean for Education, or his designee, will communicate his decision to the student within ten working days and will also advise the Faculty Committee on Student Discipline, the PA Honor Council Chair, and the Department Chair or his designee as to the disposition of the matter.

 Updated 5/08*