Violations of Standards for Academic, Social, or Professional Conduct

Good academic standing implies that a student has not been dismissed and is not under academic probation/suspension.

All grading and evaluation is based on the student’s ability to attain the competencies within the objectives outlined for each area of study.

A student whose performance falls below the minimum acceptable standard(s) for any area of study will be notified of such deficiency by the professor of the course.

Students whose performance is considered unacceptable as a result of not meeting the Standards for Academic and Social Conduct or Professional Performance or not adhering to program policy may be candidates for DPTE Sanctions (see below). Decisions of the DPTE Chair or DPTE faculty may be appealed by writing a letter of appeal to the Dean of the School of Health Sciences by 5 p.m. on the fifth business day after the decision is delivered.

Decisions of the dean may be appealed by employing the procedures for Student Appeals Procedures listed in the Elon Student Handbook. Any student wishing to appeal the decision of any hearing body must submit a letter to the Assistant Dean of Students (social policies) or Associate Vice President for Academic affairs (academic policies) by 5 p.m. on the second -business day after the initial decision is rendered. This includes the complainant in personal violation policies, including sexual harassment and sexual misconduct. The appeal officer or University Appeals Board has the authority to:

• Uphold the original decision;
• Uphold the original decision but change the sanction (more or less severe);
• Change the not responsible / responsible decision; or
• Remand the case to the original hearing officer or hearing board. (Elon Student Handbook, Appeal Procedures).

DPTE Sanctions

The process for administering sanctions typically follows the procedure outlined below. However, based on the severity of any single infraction, the DPTSREC may recommend to the DPTE faculty a higher-level sanction, up to and including Suspension or Dismissal.

Notifications: The following people will be notified of any DPTE sanctions by the DPTSREC:

• Student(s) involved
• Student’s faculty advisor
• Director of Clinical Education
• Program Director
• Dean (in cases of Academic or Professional Probation)

Concern: A faculty member may issue a concern in writing to any student for breach of academic, professional (e.g. content of the APTA Generic Abilities Document), or social conduct guidelines. A written notification of the concern also will be made to the DPTSREC and the student’s advisor. Students may submit a written response to the concern to the DPTSREC within 2 weeks of receiving the written concern. The DPTSREC will maintain the response along with the written concern for use during decisions related to more severe consequences (e.g. probation decisions).

Professional Warning: An accumulation of 2 concerns for professional and/or social conduct infractions reported to the DPTSREC will subject the student to being placed in a Professional Warning status by the DPTSREC. A student in the Professional Warning status will continue through the curriculum on schedule. However, the student will be monitored closely by the student’s advisor and the Director of Clinical Education during all subsequent clinical education practica. This attention may include a meeting with the DCE or ACDE prior to the clinical practicum or receiving a visit, phone call, or email from the DCE or ACDE early in the clinical.

Professional Probation: An accumulation of a 3^rd concern reported to the DPTSREC will necessitate following the procedures in the DPTE student handbook regarding Inappropriate Professional and Social Conduct. A student who exhibits inappropriate professional or social conduct will be subject to being placed on professional probation. A student on Professional Probation will not be allowed to progress to a clinical education experience. The timing and mechanism for ending probation and returning to the Professional Warning status will be left to the discretion of the DPTE Chair in consultation with the DPTSREC.

Academic Warning: If a student’s modular GPA is <3.0 the student will be placed in an Academic Warning status by the DPTSREC. A student who fails a practicum in a skills course will be subject to academic warning. A student in the Academic Warning status will continue through the curriculum on schedule. However, the student will be monitored closely by the student’s advisor and the Director of Clinical Education during all subsequent clinical education practica. This attention may include a meeting with the DCE or ACDE prior to the clinical practicum or receiving a visit, phone call, or email from the DCE or ACDE early in the clinical. At a minimum, the student will remain on academic warning until completion of the next like module, didactic or clinical. A student on Academic Warning is still considered in good overall academic standing.

Academic Probation: A student will be placed on Academic Probation for any of the following reasons: 1) an accumulation of 2 concerns for academic infractions (e.g. a 2^nd module of a GPA < 3.0); 2) if a student fails a practical exam twice in a skills lab for a safety violation, 3) overall GPA < 3.0, or 4) an Unsatisfactory grade in any course. Furthermore, a student on Academic Probation will not be allowed to progress to a clinical education experience.

The timing and mechanism for ending Academic probation will depend on the reason for going on Academic Probation. For 1) and 2), the timing and mechanism for ending probation will be left to the discretion of the DPTE Chair in consultation with the DPTSREC. For 3), the student will come off probation once the overall GPA is ≥3.0. For 4), see the course description listed in the appendix elsewhere in the DPTE Student Handbook.

Appeals: Any student wishing to appeal a probation decision must submit a letter to the Dean of the School of Health Sciences by 5 p.m. on the fifth business day after the decision is delivered.

Inappropriate Academic, Professional or Social Conduct

• The faculty member will directly address the specific situation in a timely manner.
• The faculty member will notify the Department Chair, the student’s advisor, and the DPTSREC in writing with specific details of the incident.
• The faculty member will meet with student to discuss the incident.
  • If the student accepts responsibility for the behavior, the faculty member reports the “accepts responsibility” outcome to the DPTSREC.
    • Faculty member will assign course-related sanctions and may recommend additional sanctions to the DPTE Chair and the DPSTREC (e.g.: grade of F for the assignment/exam, grade of F for the course, dismal from the DPT program).
      • Student will be placed on probation for a length of time at the discretion of the DPTE Chair in consultation with the DPTSREC.
      • Faculty member will summarize the incident and outcome of the discussion and forward that information to the DPTSREC.
      • Student is NOT permitted to appeal sanctions or course grade.
  • If the student challenges the validity of the allegation, the faculty member reports this challenge to the DPTSREC.
    • Faculty member will submit documentation of the “incident meeting” to the DPTSREC for hearing.
      • If, through the DPTSREC process, the student is found responsible, the DPTSREC will notify the faculty member and the DPTE Chair. The faculty member will assign course sanctions. Student will be placed on probation for a length of time at the discretion of the DPTE Chair in consultation with the DPTSREC.
        • Student may appeal DPTE Chair probation recommendation.
        • Student may not appeal course grade or course sanctions assigned by the faculty member.
      • If, through the DPTSREC process, the committee determines there is insufficient evidence to support the allegation.
        • No sanctions are given
        • The incident will not be documented in the student’s academic record