Student Appeals Committee Procedures and Policy

Section One: Functions of the Student Appeals Committee    
Section Two: Membership Guidelines of the Student Appeals Committee    
Section Three: Procedures Regarding Review of Academic Dismissal Appeals    
Section Four: Procedures Regarding Review of Conduct Dismissal Appeals    

All time limits referenced in these procedures are calculated using business days.

Section One: Functions of the Student Appeals Committee

1. The Student Appeals Committee (SAC) will review Academic Dismissal and Conduct Dismissal decisions issued by the vice dean, undergraduate medical education/or designee when the student requests an appeal as defined and outlined in the Student Progress Committee Procedures and Process for Dismissal Policy or the Honor Code Policy and Committee Procedures and Process for Dismissal.
2. All SAC decisions require a vote of the simple majority (one-half plus one) of the eligible voting membership. 
3. The SAC may extend the timeframes outlined in these procedures for good cause and with notice to the student and the vice dean, undergraduate medical education/or designee.
4. The SAC does not have the authority to grant an exception to University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix (COM-P) policies or an extension of time to comply with policy.

Section Two: Membership Guidelines of the Student Appeals Committee

1. The membership of the SAC is specified in the bylaws of faculty of the COM-P.
2. The chair will be appointed by the dean or designee.
3. Attendance at meetings is critical to the function of the SAC. Members who are consistently unable to attend meetings will be asked by the chair to increase their participation, reconsider their membership, and/or resign from the committee. The chair of the committee reserves the right to request a replacement.
4. It is the responsibility of each member of the SAC to participate in carrying out the functions of the committee. Such participation includes regular attendance at committee meetings, contribution to committee proceedings, and thoughtful consideration of matters before the committee.
5. To avoid conflicts of interest, current career and professional advisors, course* directors, and any faculty member whose participation on this committee would constitute a conflict of interest, are not eligible to serve on this committee.
   • To further mitigate conflicts of interest, SAC members with familial ties, prior significant and consistent mentorship (academic/research mentor), a business relationship, are providing and have provided healthcare in the past, or who perceive a conflict of interest to a student under review, must recuse themselves from participating in the committee proceedings and voting on any motion as it pertains to the student with whom there is a conflict of interest. Members must recuse themselves by notifying the SAC chair.
6. Members may resign from the committee by sending notice in writing (including email) to the committee chair. The vacancy will be filled as specified in the bylaws of the faculty of the COM-P.

Section Three: Procedures Regarding Review of Academic Dismissal Appeals

1. If the student chooses to appeal an Academic Dismissal, the student must submit a written statement to the chair of the SAC outlining their position on why they should not be dismissed.
2. The written appeal statement must be submitted within five (5) business days of the Notice of Dismissal from the vice dean, undergraduate medical education/or designee.
3. The student is responsible for providing the SAC with any supporting documents that the student believes support the appeal, including the student’s transcript, correspondence with faculty and administrators, and communications from the SPC. This information must be submitted with the written appeal statement.
4. The student’s written appeal statement must identify one or both of the following grounds as the basis for the appeal:
   1. COM-P policies do not require or support Academic Dismissal.
   2. The Academic Dismissal process was not substantially consistent with University or COM-P policies and procedures and the process should be repeated or reversed to correct the specific error(s).
5. If the SAC chair determines that the student’s written appeal fails to identify one or both of the grounds as a basis for the appeal, the chair will reject the appeal and inform the student of the deficiency. The student will have one opportunity to resubmit the appeal within five business days of the notice of deficiency from the chair.
6. If the appeal is accepted, the chair will notify the vice dean, undergraduate medical education/or designee and provide a copy of the appeal packet. The vice dean, undergraduate medical education/or designee will have five business days to provide a written response to the SAC addressing the student’s grounds for appeal. The student will receive a copy of the vice dean, undergraduate medical education/or designee’s response but is not permitted to submit a response.
7. Within 10 business days of receipt of the student’s written appeal statement and supporting documentation, the SAC will meet, review the appeal packet, and discuss the appeal.
8. SAC meetings are closed to everyone except members of the committee, committee support staff, and counsel to the committee.
9. If the SAC believes additional information is required before a decision is made, the committee may seek that information from the student or the COM-P administration. The information must be directly relevant to the stated grounds for the appeal. Any information obtained from the COM-P and considered in the appeal decision must be shared with the student. The student will have two business days to respond to any additional information.
10. Within 10 business days after the meeting to review the appeal, the SAC chair will inform the student of its decision. The decision letter must outline the basis for the SAC’s decision to grant or deny the appeal. If the appeal is granted, the student will be directed to the SPC to determine a plan for successful academic progress.
11. The decision letter will be provided to the vice dean, undergraduate medical education, the dean, student affairs (and designees), and, when relevant, the chair of the committee/or designees recommending the dismissal.
12. The decision of the SAC is final and is not subject to further review. If the dismissal is upheld, the dismissal will be effective on the date of the decision letter.

Section Four: Procedures Regarding Review of Conduct Dismissal Appeals

1. If the student chooses to appeal a Conduct Dismissal, the student must submit a written statement to the SAC chair outlining the student’s position on why the student should not be dismissed.
2. The written appeal statement must be submitted within five business days of the Notice of Dismissal from the vice dean, undergraduate medical education/or designee.
3. The student’s written statement must identify one or more of the following grounds as the basis for the appeal:
   1. The hearing was not conducted in a manner substantially consistent with the procedures set forth in the Student Progress Committee Procedures and Process for Dismissal Policy or the Honor Code Policy and Committee Procedures and Process for Dismissal and resulted in an unfair process.
   2. The finding that the student violated University or COM-P policies or standards is not supported by a preponderance of the evidence or is contrary to policy.
   3. The student’s conduct does not constitute a violation of University or COM-P policies or standards.
   4. The student was not given procedural or substantive due process.
   5. The dismissal is excessive under the circumstances.
4. If the SAC chair determines that the student’s written appeal fails to identify one or more of the grounds as a basis for the appeal, the chair will reject the appeal and inform the student of the deficiency. The student will have one opportunity to resubmit the appeal within five business days of the notice of deficiency from the chair.
5. If the SAC chair determines the written appeal states the required grounds for appeal, the SAC Chair will inform the SPC chair or the Honor Code Committee (HCC) chair of the appeal.
6. Within five business days of the notice from the SAC chair, the SPC or HCC chair must provide the SAC with a copy of all supporting documentation considered during the hearing, a copy of the recommendation to the vice dean, undergraduate medical education/or designee, and the audio recording of the hearing (if applicable).
7. Within 10 business days of receipt of supporting documentation, the SAC will meet,  review the documentation, and discuss the student’s appeal.
8. SAC meetings are closed to everyone except members of the committee, committee support staff, and counsel to the committee.
9. Within 10 business days of meeting to review the appeal, the SAC will inform the student of its decision. The decision must outline the basis for the SAC’s decision to grant or deny the appeal.
10. The decision letter will be provided to the vice dean, undergraduate medical education, the dean, student affairs, the SPC chair/or designees, and if relevant, HCC chair.
11. The decision of the SAC is final and is not subject to further internal review. If the dismissal is upheld, the dismissal will be effective on the date of the decision letter.

 Course* = Any component of the curriculum where a grade is earned.