Student Academic Policies

The following academic policies apply to all students who matriculate during the academic year of this catalog publication. These policies will apply throughout the entire time a student is enrolled in the college. In the event that these policies need to be revised as the result of new accreditation requirements, mandates by the United States Department of Education, or other unforeseen circumstances, students will be notified in writing prior to the effective date of the new policy.

Faculty and students should also refer to the University Academic Policy section for additional policies that apply to all students at Midwestern University.

Early Monitoring of Students in Academic Difficulty

The Office of the Dean will notify students who are earning a failing grade in a required course and outline additional learning/studying resources, and/or suggested or required meetings with relevant faculty, Dean’s Office personnel, and/or Student Services personnel with the intent to optimize the student’s future academic success.

Student Promotion and Graduation Committee

The Student Promotion and Graduation Committee (SPGC) is composed of members of the College faculty and a representative from the Office of the Dean. The Committee is responsible for enforcing the published academic and professional standards established by the faculty and for assuring that the standards are met by all students enrolled in the College. As such, the Committee recommends the criteria, policies and procedures for student advancement and graduation, as well as academic probation, dismissal, and readmission to the College faculty for adoption. The Committee meets, at a minimum, at the end of each academic quarter to review the academic progress and performance of students enrolled in the program in relation to institutional academic policies. At the end of the academic year, the Committee assesses the academic and professional progress and performance of each student. If the student's progress is satisfactory, the student is promoted to the next academic year, provided all tuition and fees have been paid. Finally, the Committee also identifies and recommends candidates for graduation to the MWU Faculty Senate.

If a student fails to make satisfactory progress in completing the prescribed course of study, the Committee shall recommend to the Dean or the Dean’s designee appropriate action to correct the deficiency(ies). In instances involving more than one failure of a student to maintain satisfactory academic/professional progress, the Committee may recommend dismissal.

Among the options available to the Committee in regard to unsatisfactory student performance are that the student:

• be placed on academic probation for a specified period of time
• take an alternate approved course offered at another college or university
• repeat the course(s) in which there is a failure according to the College’s alternate course retake policy
• repeat the course(s) in which there is a failure when the course is offered again in the curriculum
• be placed in an extended track program
• be dismissed from the College.

Academic Standards for the Pharm.D. Program

An annual didactic grade point average will be used as the primary measure of academic performance. It is calculated from all didactic courses for a particular professional year. Grades earned in courses taken prior to matriculation in the professional program, grades earned for courses taken at another institution while enrolled in the professional program are not included in the calculation of this annual grade point average.

Academic Policies

Students must maintain an annual grade point average of at least 2.000 in their professional program to remain in good academic standing. If a student earns a grade of "F" in one or more courses or pharmacy practice experiences, the student is notified in writing that they are being placed on academic probation.

Academic probation represents notice that continued inadequate academic performance may result in dismissal from the College. The student must repeat all courses or pharmacy practice experiences in which a grade of “F” was received. The recommendation of how a student will remediate a failed course(s) is made by the Student Promotion and Graduation Committee to the Dean or the Dean’s designee. The recommendation may include, but not be limited to, an alternate course retake, an extended program of study or dismissal from the program. Placement of a student in an alternate course retake(s) or on an extended program does not modify or limit the Committee’s actions for dismissal.

Repeated pharmacy practice experiences are subject to availability of sites as determined by the Office of Experiential Education.

When a student fails to make satisfactory progress in completing the prescribed course of study, the Office of the Dean will notify the student, in writing (i.e., via email) at least two working days in advance of the Committee meeting when the student’s academic performance will be reviewed. The student will be offered an opportunity to submit a written reflection letter outlining the circumstances that have led to the course failure(s) and also an opportunity to appear before the Committee (in person, virtually or via telephone) in order to present their case. In such instances, the student shall inform the Office of the Dean, in writing at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting, of their desire to submit a reflection letter and/or appear before the Committee or their intent to waive this right. If the student chooses to appear before the Committee, this prerogative extends to the involved student only and not to any other individuals. The SPGC will make a recommendation on a course of action to the Dean or the Dean’s designee. Within two working days following the Committee meeting, the Office of the Dean will provide notification in writing (i.e., via email) to the involved student, informing the student of the recommendation of the Committee and the decision by the Dean or the Dean’s designee.

To be returned to good academic standing after completion of an alternate course retake(s) or an extended track year, a student must have an annual grade point average of 2.000 or above and have successfully repeated all courses or pharmacy practice experiences in which a grade of “F” was received.

Failure of the same course when it is repeated may result in dismissal from the College. If the student does not meet the criteria for satisfactory academic performance at the end of the alternate course retake(s) or extended program, the student may be dismissed.

The following policies also guide recommendations made by the Student Promotion and Graduation Committee:

1. Students must successfully resolve all "I" (incomplete) and “IP” (in-process) grades before beginning pharmacy practice experiences.
2. To proceed to pharmacy practice experiences, a student must have earned a passing grade in all coursework with an annual grade point average of 2.000 or above. Eligibility to start Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPEs) is determined by the cumulative annual grade point average calculated from all courses in the First Professional (PS-1) Year. Eligibility to start Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) is determined by the cumulative grade point average calculated from all coursework over both the Second Professional (PS-2) Year and the Third Professional (PS-3) Year summer quarter.

Student Graduation and Promotion Committee Guidelines

This table summarizes the usual SPGC recommendation. The SPGC recommendation may vary based on specific student circumstances.

Circumstance	Usual Recommendation	Academic Status	Retake Course	Action Following Retake
PS-1, PS-2,3 Didactic Quarters
All courses passed	Promote	Good Standing	No	No retake
Annual GPA < 2.00	Academic Probation until GPA > 2.00	Probation	No	No retake
No Previous Course Failure
1 didactic course failure* within a quarter	ACRT	Probation	PS-1: IPPE Summer Block #1 PS-2,3: APPE Block #1	Pass: Promote Fail: Dismissal
2 didactic course failures* within a quarter	ACRTs	Probation	PS-1: IPPE Summer Block #1 PS-2,3: APPE Blocks #1 and #2	Pass: Promote Fail one or both: Dismissal
3 or more didactic course failures* within a quarter	Dismissal	Dismissed	No	N/A
Previous Course Failure(s) Not Yet Remediated
One ACRT scheduled but not yet taken, and one additional course failure occurs in a future quarter in the same academic year	An additional ACRT (maximum 2 in any academic year) or (at student’s option) ETDG	Probation; Student advised another course failure likely means dismissal	PS-1: IPPE Summer Block #1 PS-2,3: APPE Block #1	ACRTs: Pass: Promote Fail one or both: Dismissal
One ACRT scheduled but not yet taken, and more than one didactic course failure occurs in future quarter(s) in the same academic year	Dismissal	Dismissed	No	N/A
Two ACRTs scheduled but not yet taken, and one or more additional didactic course failures occur in future quarter(s) in the same academic year	Dismissal	Dismissed	No	N/A
Previous Course Failure(s) Already Remediated Through ACRT
Student has successfully remediated the failed course(s), and one additional didactic course failure occurs in a quarter in any academic year	ACRT	Probation	PS-2,3: APPE Block #1	Pass: Promote Fail: Dismissal
Student has successfully remediated the failed course(s), one ACRT is scheduled but not yet taken and an additional didactic course failure occurs in any academic year	Dismissal	Dismissed	No	N/A

Students on Extended Track with Delayed Graduation
Student has not yet successfully remediated the failed course(s), and one or more additional didactic course failure(s) occur in the same quarter in the same academic year	ETDG	Probation	PS-1: Repeat failed courses next academic year PS-2,3: Repeat failed courses next academic year	Pass: Promote Fail: Dismissal
Student has not yet successfully remediated the failed course(s), and one or more additional didactic course failure(s) occur in a subsequent quarter in the same academic year	Dismissal	Dismissed	No	N/A
Student has successfully remediated the failed course(s), and one additional didactic course failure occurs in a quarter in any academic year	ACRT	Probation	PS-1: IPPE Summer Block #1 PS-2,3: APPE Block #1	Pass: Promote Fail: Dismissal
Student has successfully remediated the failed course(s), one ACRT is scheduled but not yet taken and an additional didactic course failure occurs in any academic year	Dismissal	Dismissed	No	N/A
Experiential Rotations
All experiential rotations passed	Promote	Good Standing	No	No retake
Annual GPA < 2.00	Academic Probation until GPA > 2.00	Probation	No	No retake
1 IPPE experiential rotation failure (with no or one previous didactic course failure)	IPPE vacation block or APPE block #1	Probation	Repeat in same Summer if possible; if not, repeat as APPE block #1	Pass: Promote Fail: Dismissal
1 IPPE experiential rotation failure (with two or more previous didactic course failure)	Dismissal	Dismissed	No	N/A
2 IPPE experiential rotation failures	Dismissal	Dismissed	No	N/A

1 APPE experiential rotation failure	APPE block #7	Probation	Retake failed APPE at another site	Pass: Promote Fail: Dismissal
2 APPE experiential rotation failures	Dismissal	Dismissed	No	N/A

*Course failure = Final grade “F” for a course; WF (Withdrawal Failure) is not considered

ACRT = Alternate Course Re-Take. The academic policy allows a student to take a maximum of two ACRTs in any academic year.

ETDG = Extended track program with delayed graduation. Student repeats the course(s) in the next academic year. From the MWU Catalog: “In general, a student is allowed to go through an extended program only once.”

Extended Program

Problems may arise that may necessitate the restructuring of a student's academic course load. Accordingly, an individual's academic course load may be reduced so that the student enters what is termed an extended track repeat year program. Such a program rearranges the course schedule so that the normal time period for the program is extended, usually by one additional year. Only enrolled students may enter an extended program. To enter an extended program, either one or both of the following conditions must be met:

1. Personal hardship. If a student is experiencing unusual stresses in life and a decreased academic load could alleviate added stress, the student may petition the Student Promotion and Graduation Committee through the Dean or the Dean’s designee for an extended program. This petition is not automatically granted and is approved only in exceptional circumstances. The Committee is responsible for evaluating the petition and submitting a recommendation concerning a student's request for an extended program to the Dean or the Dean’s designee. The Dean or the Dean’s designee is responsible for reviewing and assessing the Committee's recommendation, and then notifying the student of a decision.
2. Academic. As described above, a student ending an academic year with an annual GPA of less than 2.000 will be required to repeat courses or pharmacy practice experiences from that year in which "F" grades were received. A student may be placed in an extended track program for academic reasons through a decision by the Dean or the Dean’s designee upon recommendation of the Student Promotion and Graduation Committee. A student placed on an extended track program for academic reasons is automatically placed on academic probation and may not be returned to good academic standing until the student successfully completes all course that were unsatisfactory and are required for graduation.

If a student is placed on an extended program, such action does not modify or limit the Committee's actions for dismissal. In general, a student is allowed to go through an extended program only once. Thus, the student may be dismissed for academic reasons while on an extended program.

A student who completes the extended program is defined as a reentering student as the student reenters the next professional year curriculum and resumes a normal course load. A reentering student must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.000 at the end of each quarter to continue at the College. A reentering student who earns a grade of “F’ in one course or pharmacy practice experience may be dismissed from the College.

Dismissal

A student may be dismissed from the College for academic reasons upon the recommendation of the Student Promotion and Graduation Committee to the Dean or the Dean’s designee. The decision to dismiss a student is based on the determination by the Committee that the student has not satisfactorily demonstrated the aptitude to successfully achieve the standards and requirements set forth in the academic policies and professional expectations for the program.

Appeal Process (for dismissals or extended program actions)

Following notification of a decision for dismissal or extended track program, a student may appeal, in writing, the decision to the Dean. Such appeals must be received by the Dean within three working days after the student is officially notified of the dismissal or extended track program decision. A narrative explaining the basis for the appeal must accompany the request. An appeal must be based on one or more of the following premises:

1. Bias of one or more members of the Student Promotion and Graduation Committee
2. Material, documentable information not available to the Committee at the time of its initial decision
3. Procedural error

The Dean will review the appeal request and decide if there is sufficient information to convene a meeting of the Student Promotion and Graduation Committee, which would be asked to provide a recommendation to the Dean on the appeal request. Once a decision is made to convene a Committee meeting, the student requesting the appeal shall be notified in writing (i.e., by email) by the Office of the Dean at least two working days in advance of the scheduled Committee meeting in which the student’s appeal will be heard. The student will be offered an opportunity to appear before the Committee (in person, virtually or by telephone) in order to present their case. In such instances, the student shall inform the Office of the Dean, in writing at least 24 hours prior to the meeting, of their desire to appear before the Committee or their intent to waive this right. If the student chooses to appear before the Committee, this prerogative extends to the involved student only and not to any other individuals.

Following the meeting, the Committee submits their recommendation to the Dean. Upon receipt of the Committee’s recommendation, the Dean makes the final decision on all appeals.

The student must attend all didactic classes in which they are registered until the appeal process is complete. Students registered in an experiential rotation course may be placed on a mandatory leave of absence until the appeal process is finalized.