The College has a requirement that all Pharm.D. students must maintain a 2.3 GPA in all professional coursework in order to remain in the program. Also, is a requirement that Pharm.D. students must have a 2.3 GPA to graduate. In addition, no student is allowed to earn a grade of less than C- on any required course in the professional curriculum or on clinical rotations. Students failing to meet these requirements are subject to review by the Scholastic Standing Committee of the College.
Following is a description of the process which will be used for students in academic difficulty. Please note, the College will follow the general guidelines outlined in the University Manual in these matters (8.23.10 – 8.26.11).
- Notification of students – the Office of Student Affairs will review student records each semester to monitor conformity to College retention requirements. Students who earn a GPA less than 2.3 in required coursework, or who fail to achieve the minimum grade in clinical rotations will receive a letter from the Associate Dean notifying them of their deficiency and their right to appeal their potential dismissal.
- Letter of appeal – students who wish to appeal their dismissal from the College have five days from receipt of their notification to request a waiver, giving reasons for their request. This letter is sent to the Office of the Associate Dean and will be shared with the Scholastic Standing Committee of the College.
- Scholastic Standing Meeting – students who wish may attend the Scholastic Standing Committee meeting which will consider their request.
- Decision – the decision of the Scholastic Standing Committee will be final and may consist of one of the following:
- The dismissal will be waived and the student will be placed on probation for one semester and will be required to bring the professional GPA to 2.3.
- The dismissal will be waived and the student will be given a contract in which they will achieve particular letter grades in a limited number of professional courses (e.g: no less than 2 B’s and 1 C).
- The dismissal will be confirmed and the student will be dismissed from the pharmacy program. The student may still have a sufficient cumulative GPA to remain at the University, in which case he/she will choose a new major. If their cumulative GPA is such that they are below the University minimum, they will be dismissed from the University.
Grade Resolution
If a student disagrees with a grade given for a course, he/she may appeal using the procedure described below: as outlined in the University Manual in section 8.26.13:
- Review of Syllabus – A professor is required to provide each student a written grading policy in the syllabus, which must be distributed within the first week of class (8.5.2.10). When the grading policy is changed during the semester, students must be informed in writing of these changes as soon as possible. If a professor fails to provide the syllabus as described above, the student should notify the department chair.
- Meet with Professor – The student should make an appointment with the instructor and provide evidence to support the appeal of the grade. This meeting should occur no later than two weeks from the start of the next semester.
- Appeal to the Department Chair – If the issue remains unresolved, the student may appeal the decision of the instructor by submitting their case in writing to the department chair, providing his/her argument for a change of grade. It is expected that the chair will also consult with the instructor to evaluate the grading decision. The chair will respond to this request in writing. If the matter remains unresolved, the department chair may refer the matter to the Scholastic Standing Committee for a recommendation.
- Ombud – Students wishing to seek guidance on University policies and procedures related to academic and grade appeals should contact the Associate Dean of the College of Pharmacy or the University Ombudsman.